Camp Disappointment

Journal 2006 07 26
Camp Disappointment

Meriwether Lewis as Tom Clancy. Today Captain Lewis sets the stage with danger, diplomacy and suspicion as he literally leaves us hanging for the action of the next chapter. This is his last sentence in a long entry, “I took the first watch tonight and set up untill half after eleven; the indians by this time were all asleep, I roused up R. Fields and laid down myself; I directed Fields to watch the movements of the indians and if any of them left the camp to awake us all as I apprehended they would attampt to seal [steal] our horses.    this being done I fell into a profound sleep and did not wake untill the noise of the men and indians awoke me a little after light in the morning.---” And he does not record any more until the record of the next day. Imagine if Meriwether Lewis had chosen to write after his return and embellish his exploits in the manner of a great story teller who could build a scene and always leave us wanting more. It would have been a great body of work.

Lewis began this day concluding as his watch passed 9:00am that the weather wasn’t going to break long enough for him to establish his latitude. “we set out biding a lasting adieu to this place which I now call camp disappointment.”

“I had scarcely ascended the hills before I discovered to my left at the distance of a mile an assembleage of about 30 horses, I halted and used my spye glass by the help of which I discovered several indians on the top of an eminence just above them who appeared to be looking down towards the river I presumed at Drewyer. about half the horses were saddled.    this was a very unpleasant sight, however I resolved to make the best of our situation and to approach them in a friendly manner…”

“…I directed J. Fields to display the flag which I had brought for that purpose and advanced slowly toward them, about this time they discovered us and appeared to run about in a very confused manner as if much allarmed, their attention had been previously so fixed on Drewyer that they did not discover us untill we had began to advance upon them, some of them decended the hill on which they were and drove their horses within shot of it's summit and again returned to the hight as if to wate our arrival or to defend themselves. I calculated on their number being nearly or quite equal to that of their horses, that our runing would invite pursuit as it would convince them that we were their enimies and our horses were so indifferent that we could not hope to make our escape by flight; added to this Drewyer was seperated from us and I feared that his not being apprized of the indians in the event of our attempting to escape he would most probably fall a sacrefice.    under these considerations I still advanced towards them;…”

“…I held out my hand and becconed to him to approach but he paid no attention to my overtures.    on his return to his party they all decended the hill and mounted their horses and advanced towards us leaving their horses behind them, we also advanced to meet them. I counted eight of them but still supposed that there were others concealed as there were several other horses saddled. I told the two men with me that I apprehended that these were the Minnetares of Fort de Prarie and from their known character I expected that we were to have some difficulty with them; that if they thought themselves sufficiently strong I was convinced they would attempt to rob us in which case be their numbers what they would I should resist to the last extremity prefering death to that of being deprived of my papers instruments and gun and desired that they would form the same resolution and be allert and on their guard…”

“…they appeared much agitated with our first interview from which they had scarcely yet recovered, in fact I believe they were more allarmed at this accedental interview than we were.    from no more of them appearing I now concluded they were only eight in number and became much better satisfyed with our situation as I was convinced that we could mannage that number should they attempt any hostile measures…”

“…as it was growing late in the evening I proposed that we should remove to the nearest part of the river and encamp together, I told them that I was glad to see them and had a great deel to say to them….”

“…there stand tree solitary trees near one of which the indians formed a large simicircular camp of dressed buffaloe skins and invited us to partake of their shelter which Drewyer and myself accepted and the Fieldses lay near the fire in front of the sheter.    with the assistance of Drewyer I had much conversation with these people in the course of the evening…”

Lewis then invites them to accompany him to the Great Falls to meet the rest of his men. He promises them ten horses and tobacco if they agree. He receives no answer.

Haven’t we all wondered if the words written in the Bible have real world value? Don’t you think these words accompanied some of the men as they lay out their buffalo skins as beds, “The LORD is my shepherd…He maketh me to lie down in green pastures… Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…(Psalms 23:1-6 KJV)

And I’ll leave us with the same words Lewis did this day two hundred years ago, this being done I fell into a profound sleep and did not wake untill the noise of the men and indians awoke me a little after light in the morning.---”

Proceed on.