In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis to explore the territory west of the Mississippi River. His ultimate goal was to find a passage through the Northwest to the Pacific Ocean, which could open up travel and trade. Lewis chose William Clark as his partner. Their journey lasted two years and covered 8,000 miles. To accompany them, the duo recruited volunteers who were skilled in hunting and survival techniques. The expedition of forty-five people launched from St. Charles, Missouri, on May 14, 1804.
Along their way, the group encountered many unforeseen hardships. Wild animals and insects were a constant bother. The group cataloged many unfamiliar breeds of animals, such as the grizzly bear, the jackrabbit, and the prairie dog. They learned quickly which species to avoid and observe from afar. One expedition member, Sergeant John Ordway, kept a diary of the trek, writing about the events of each day. He recorded that the mosquito was “troublesome” for the group, as they had not been prepared for the itching and swelling that this insect’s bites caused.
Weather became a serious issue as well. Temperatures were more extreme than expected, ranging from intense heat to frigid cold. Torrential rain, hailstorms, dust clouds, and snow plagued the group on their journey.
The explorers crossed the lands of many Native peoples along the way. In all, the group encountered almost fifty Native American tribes. In most cases, the Native peoples were wary, and the travelers kept their distance. One encounter with Native Americans was particularly significant, however.
Lewis and Clark’s group arrived at the Clearwater River in Idaho in September of 1805. They had just crossed the Bitterroot Mountains and were exhausted and sick. Food had been scarce. At this point, the horses and wagons could no longer handle the terrain, and they feared that further progress would be impossible. The Nez Perce tribe dwelled in this area, and they decided to aid the expedition. It is not clear whether their motive was kindness or just a desire to move the intruders out of their area as quickly as possible. But the tribe did share food and help the explorers carve canoes that could travel on the small waterways of the region. Some scholars believe the tribe did not trust the explorers and wanted to rid themselves of the visitors as quickly as possible. In any case, they helped the travelers carve five canoes in just ten days, an astonishing achievement even by today’s standards.
Although their motivation remains a mystery, the Nez Perce enabled Lewis and Clark’s quest to continue, and the expedition eventually reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805.