urposes of the journey. While attending at Lancaster to the
fabrication of the arms with which he chose that his men should be
provided, he had the benefit of daily communication with Mr. Andrew
Ellicott, whose experience in astronomical observation, and
practice of it in the woods, enabled him to apprise Captain Lewis
of the wants and difficulties he would encounter, and of the
substitutes and resources afforded by a woodland and uninhabited
country."

It is plain that this astute judge of men reposed perfect confidence in
his friend. From January, 1803, when Congress sanctioned the
undertaking, until May, 1804, when the party set out from St. Louis,
the young officer had full charge of the intricate and difficult
details of preparation. It was he who superintended the building of
boats and the making of arms, accoutrements, scientific apparatus, and
all equipment; and, what was of more importance, he selected the men
who were to form his command. That was a nice matter. It would have
been worse than useless to lead a company of fretful dissenters. The
expedition was to be conducted on a military basis; but it was not
ordinary field service; it was a mission for picked men. Much would
depend upon each man's natural aptitude for his task; much more would
depend upon the integrity of the corps as a whole. The consummate
wisdom of Lewis's selection of his aids shines from every page of the
journals. None of the men seemed to need instruction in the cardinal
elements of conduct; each was as sensible of his trust as Lewis
himself. It was in this spirit of the subordinates, rather than in the
absolute authority of the captain, that success was to lie.

To guard against untoward accident, that might thwart the work, Lewis
wished to have a companion in command. This pleased Mr. Jefferson, and
the choice fell upon Captain William Clark.

William Clark was the ninth of a family of ten children. His father was
John Clark, second, who, like his father before him, was a Virginian,
living in King and Queen County. The pioneering spirit was strong in
the family,--the _Wanderlust_, that keeps man's nature fluid and
adaptable. This led John, second, to remove first to Albemarle County,
and later to Caroline County, where William was born on August 1, 1770,
not far from the birthplace of Meriwether Lewis.

When the boy was about fourteen years of age, the family moved once
more, into the dim West, settlin