|
The Expedition's Journey
Continues:
Each day brings interest of one sort or another. The Oregon winter has
been, over all, kind to the Corps. Captain Clark writes on three March
day's journal entries:
§ 12 March 1806
A fine day. Some snow last night. Our interpreter, Charbonneau,
determines on not proceeding with us as an interpreter under the terms
mentioned yesterday [an unnamed "corruption" by someone in the
party]. He will not agree to work, let our situation be what it may, nor
stand guard, and, if miffed with any man, he wishes to return when he
pleases, also [to] have the disposal of as much provisions as he chooses
to carry. Inadmissible. And we suffer him to be off the engagement,
which was only verbal. Captain Clark, Fort Clatsop
§ 15 March 1806
We were visited this afternoon, in a canoe 4 feet 2 inches wide,
by Delashelwilt, a Chinook chief, his wife, and six women of his nation,
which the Old Bawd, his wife, had brought for market. This was the same
party which had communicated the venereal to several of our party in
November last, and of which they have fully recovered. I therefore gave
the men a particular charge with respect to them, which they promised me
to observe. Captain Clark, Fort Clatsop
§ 17 March 1806
A windy day. Attempted to air our goods,
etc. Mr. Charbonneau
sent a Frenchman of our party [to say] that he was sorry for the foolish
part he had acted, and if we pleased he would accompany us agreeable to
the terms we had proposed, and do everything we wished him to do,
etc. He had requested me some [sic], through our French interpreter
two days ago, to excuse his simplicity, and take him into the service.
After he had taken his things across the river, we called him in and
spoke to him on the subject. He agreed to our terms, and we agreed that
he might go on with us. Captain Clark, Fort Clatsop
Of the two captains, Clark's writings are more matter-of-fact
journalistic style while Lewis writes with an emotion that allows a real
feeling for the atmosphere and the environment. It is good to see these
two viewpoints. Between the two, we can see in our mind's eye our own
interpretation. No mention of Seaman's days usually. We can imagine he
romped through the meadows, investigated the underbrush and cast an eye
toward the skies when bird flew overhead just as do canine explorers
today.
Go to our Corps of Discovery Expedition
Bicentennial Index page
to see all links in this series. Or click
here
to go directly to the next installment of our
journey.
|
 |
|
Bringing history alive:
Mereiwether Lewis' dog, Seaman, has been memorialized
many times. At Fort Lewis, Washington, a statue of Lewis and
Clark includes the dog. The plaque beneath the statue reads:
CAPTAIN
LEWIS' DOG
Prior to beginning the keelboat journey down the
Ohio river, Captain Lewis purchased a Newfoundland
dog for 20$ at Pittsburg Pennsylvania. He named the
dog Seaman. Newfoundland dogs are "Gentle Giants"
devoted to humans and protective of them. Seaman was
large and powerful. He accompanied the corps of
discovery journey to the Pacific Ocean and back to
Sait Louis, Missouri. He protected the camp by
alerting the soldiers to unexpected Indians and
animals. Seaman chased away wild animals to include
Buffalos and Bears. He was equally at home on the
land or in the water. On land, Newfoundland dogs can
carry heavy loads. Because of their thick double
coats and webbed feet, they can swim long distances.
Seaman was one of the greatest canine explorers in
our countries history.
|
From Wikipedia's page about
Seaman:
"... a black Newfoundland
dog, became famous for being a member of the first
American overland expedition from the Atlantic coast to
the Pacific coast and back. He was purchased for $20 in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Captain Meriwether Lewis
while he was in the city awaiting completion of the
boats for the voyage in August 1803, for his famed Lewis
and Clark expedition. During the expedition, around May
14, 1805, both Captains, Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark, performed surgery on one of Seaman's arteries in
his hind leg, that had been severed by a beaver bite. In
early 1806, as the expedition was beginning the return
journey, Seaman was stolen by Indians and Lewis
threatened to send three armed men to kill the Indian
tribe. Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery ate 263 dogs
while traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail, but Lewis'
Newfoundland dog Seaman was spared.
"The final reference to
Seaman in the journals, recorded by Lewis on July 15,
1806, states that "[T]he musquetoes continue to infest
us in such manner that we can scarcely exist; for my own
part I am confined by them to my bier at least 3/4 of
the time. my dog even howls with the torture he
experiences from them."
|
 |
"In her book Lewis and Clark
and Me : A Dog's Tale (New York : Henry Holt, 2002)
Laurie Myers reports that Lewis and Clark scholar, Jim
Holmberg, discovered a book written in 1814 which listed
epitaphs, and inscriptions. The book lists an
inscription of a dog collar in a museum in Virginia. The
inscription reads: "The greatest traveller of my
species. My name is SEAMAN, the dog of captain
Meriwether Lewis, whom I accompanied to the Pacific
ocean through the interior of the continent of North
America." Holmberg's research was published in the
February 2000 issue of "We Proceeded On," the newsletter
of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation."
The statue above right of York and
Seaman is displayed in Quality Hill at Kansas City,
Missouri. It was sculpted by Eugene Daub.
Below, left to right: Meet Smoky, 16
month old weighs 140 lb. Photo by DanDee Shots. Center is 8
week old pup, photo by Geremea Fioravanti. At right is a
mature dog, photo by Ziga. He obviously feels the snow is
incidental. |
 |
| Oregon Public
Broadcasting's website titled "Inside the Corps" has a
page dedicated to this famous canine. See
www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/seaman.html |
|
