ental; his strength, his power to serve, was native, not acquired.

That they might share alike in all particulars of rank and
responsibility in the expedition, it was understood that Lewis would
endeavor to procure for Clark a captain's commission. Clark wrote to
Nicholas Biddle (the editor of the journals) in 1811:--

"On these conditions I agreed to undertake the expedition made my
arrangements, and set out, and proceeded on with Capt. Lewis to the
mouth of the Missouri where we remained the winter 1803 made every
necessary arrangement to set out early in spring 1804 everything
arranged I waited with some anxiety for the commission which I had
reason to expect (Capt. of Indioneers [Engineers]) a few days
before I set out I received a Commission of 2d Lieutenant of
Artillerist, my feelings on this occasion was as might be expected.
I wished the expedition suckcess, and from the assurence of Capt.
Lewis that in every respect my situation command &c. &c. should be
equal to his; viewing the Commission as mearly calculated to
authorise punishment to the soldiers if necessary, I proceeded. No
difficulty took place on our rout relative to this point...."

In the very nature of things, personal difficulty of a petty sort could
not arise. Official rank was as nothing between them. They were capable
and loyal; the morale of their party was ideal; and under their
guidance was wrought out what has been well called our national epic of
exploration.

CHAPTER II

THE EXPEDITION

For almost twenty years prior to the organization of the Lewis and
Clark expedition, and long before the general public was more than
passively curious upon the subject of Louisiana, Jefferson had
nourished the plan for exploring the Louisiana Territory. In the memoir
above referred to, he wrote:--

"While I resided in Paris, John Ledyard, of Connecticut, arrived there,
well known in the United States for energy of body and mind. He had
accompanied Captain Cook on his voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and
distinguished himself on that voyage by his intrepidity. Being of a
roaming disposition, he was now panting for some new enterprise. His
immediate object at Paris was to engage a mercantile company in the fur
trade of the western coast of America, in which, however, he failed. I
then proposed to him to go by land to Kamchatka, cross in some of the
Russian vessels to Nootka Sound, fall down into