Far North

Journal 2006 07 22
Far North

North means wilderness and adventure to most of us. We envision snow covered mountains, bears and ultimately the harsh environment of the North Pole and polar bears. If, like me, you’ve watched every John Wayne movie, I find the musical score dancing through my mind, “North, to Alaska…Way up North to Alaska They go north to Russia's home.”

No need for John Wayne today. We have real life heroes. The Captains are almost three hundred miles apart at this stage of their exploration. Sgt.’s Ordway and Gass are midpoint between them and all are in final stages of preparing to break camp, meet below the Great Falls and once more advance east toward the Mandan villages and then St. Louis.

In his camp on the Yellowstone River Clark has lost twenty four horses and suspects that they have been stolen by Indians following them. Smoke signals were seen a few days earlier. The habit throughout the expedition has been to let the horses graze unfettered all night and then collect them in the morning. Many mornings that task required hours. Two years ago my friend and elk hunting partner Jerry Sebranke and I left our horses to graze as we visited with some other hunters. As sunset moved to darkness we looked up to see the horses headed up the trail running away from us! An hour and a couple of miles later in the moonlight we caught up to them. It was a lovely night for a walk.

In the northernmost camp Lewis completes his analysis of the Maria’s River by concluding, “I thought it unnecessary to proceed further and therefore encamped resolving to rest ourselves and horses a couple of days at this place and take the necessary observations. …I now have lost all hope of the waters of this river ever extending to N Latitude 50°” His party will make camp here allowing Lewis adequate time to make the observations which will allow him to set this position on the map. He knows he is short of the fiftieth parallel. Just how short is what he sets his mind to discover.

Once again, what Lewis hoped to discover is not what he found. No record of disappointment. And disappointed he must have been. I’ve never had the thought nor seen mention before, but I’m wondering tonight if Lewis and Clark’s dedication to duty is taught at our military academies. Had they been negligent in keeping their journals they would have failed in their mission. I believe history has rightly judged them as a prime example of excellence through their diligence.

“Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men.” (Proverbs 22:29 MKJV) The Hebrew patriarch Joseph was sold into slavery out of jealousy and was observed diligent as a slave and prisoner. He was brought before Pharaoh charged to govern all Egypt with the full authority of the King. You can read his story in thirty chapters of the Book of Genesis starting in chapter twenty.

Let’s take this admonition to diligence as our orders for work this week. Even when our hope for discovery is observed to be less than our desired end.

Observe it, record it, report it and then…

proceed on.