第61章

ToMerryweatherLewis，Esq。，Captainofthe1stRegimentofInfantryoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica。

YoursituationasSecretaryofthePresidentoftheUnitedStateshasmadeyouacquaintedwiththeobjectsofmyconfidentialmessageofJan。18，1803，tothelegislature。Youhaveseentheacttheypassed，which，tho’expressedingeneralterms，wasmeanttosanctionthoseobjects，andyouareappointedtocarrythemintoexecution。

Instrumentsforascertainingbycelestialobservationsthegeographyofthecountrythro’whichyouwillpass，havebeenalreadyprovided。Lightarticlesforbarter，&presentsamongtheIndians，armsforyourattendants，sayforfrom10to12men，boats，tents，&

othertravellingapparatus，withammunition，medicine，surgicalinstruments&provisionyouwillhavepreparedwithsuchaidsastheSecretaryatWarcanyieldinhisdepartment；&fromhimalsoyouwillreceiveauthoritytoengageamongourtroops，byvoluntaryagreement，thenumberofattendantsabovementioned，overwhomyou，astheircommandingofficerareinvestedwithallthepowersthelawsgiveinsuchacase。

AsyourmovementswhilewithinthelimitsoftheU。S。willbebetterdirectedbyoccasionalcommunications，adaptedtocircumstancesastheyarise，theywillnotbenoticedhere。WhatfollowswillrespectyourproceedingsafteryourdeparturefromtheU。S。

YourmissionhasbeencommunicatedtotheMinistersherefromFrance，Spain，&GreatBritain，andthroughthemtotheirgovernments：andsuchassurancesgiventhemastoit’sobjectsaswetrustwillsatisfythem。ThecountryofLouisianahavingbeencededbySpaintoFrance，thepassportyouhavefromtheMinisterofFrance，therepresentativeofthepresentsovereignofthecountry，willbeaprotectionwithallit’ssubjects：AndthatfromtheMinisterofEnglandwillentitleyoutothefriendlyaidofanytradersofthatallegiancewithwhomyoumayhappentomeet。

TheobjectofyourmissionistoexploretheMissouririver，&

suchprincipalstreamofit，as，byit’scourse&communicationwiththewaterofthePacificOceanmayofferthemostdirect&

practicablewatercommunicationacrossthiscontinent，forthepurposesofcommerce。

BeginningatthemouthoftheMissouri，youwilltakeobservationsoflatitudeandlongitudeatallremarkablepointsontheriver，&especiallyatthemouthsofrivers，atrapids，atislands&otherplaces&objectsdistinguishedbysuchnaturalmarks&charactersofadurablekind，asthattheymaywithcertaintyberecognizedhereafter。Thecoursesoftheriverbetweenthesepointsofobservationmaybesuppliedbythecompass，thelog-line&bytime，correctedbytheobservationsthemselves。Thevariationsofthecompasstoo，indifferentplacesshouldbenoticed。

TheinterestingpointsoftheportagebetweentheheadsoftheMissouri&thewaterofferingthebestcommunicationwiththePacificOceanshouldbefixedbyobservation&thecourseofthatwatertotheocean，inthesamemannerasthatoftheMissouri。

Yourobservationsaretobetakenwithgreatpains&accuracy，tobeentereddistinctly，&intelligiblyforothersaswellasyourself，tocomprehendalltheelementsnecessary，withtheaidoftheusualtablestofixthelatitude&longitudeoftheplacesatwhichtheyweretaken，&aretoberenderedtothewaroffice，forthepurposeofhavingthecalculationsmadeconcurrentlybyproperpersonswithintheU。S。Severalcopiesoftheseaswellasofyourothernotes，shouldbemadeatleisuretimes&putintothecareofthemosttrustworthyofyourattendants，toguardbymultiplyingthemagainsttheaccidentallossestowhichtheywillbeexposed。A

furtherguardwouldbethatoneofthesecopiesbewrittenonthepaperofthebirch，aslessliabletoinjuryfromdampthancommonpaper。

Thecommercewhichmaybecarriedonwiththepeopleinhabitingthelineyouwillpursue，rendersaknolegeofthesepeopleimportant。Youwillthereforeendeavortomakeyourselfacquainted，asfarasadiligentpursuitofyourjourneyshalladmit。

withthenamesofthenations&theirnumbers；

theextent&limitsoftheirpossessions；

theirrelationswithothertribesornations；

theirlanguage，traditions，monuments；

theirordinaryoccupationsinagriculture，fishing，hunting，war，arts，&theimplementsforthese；

theirfood，clothing，&domesticaccommodations；

thediseasesprevalentamongthem，&theremediestheyuse；

moralandphysicalcircumstancewhichdistinguishthemfromthetribestheyknow；

peculiaritiesintheirlaws，customs&dispositions；

andarticlesofcommercetheymayneedorfurnish&towhatextent。

Andconsideringtheinterestwhicheverynationhasinextending&strengtheningtheauthorityofreason&justiceamongthepeoplearoundthem，itwillbeusefultoacquirewhatknolegeyoucanofthestateofmorality，religion&informationamongthem，asitmaybetterenablethosewhoendeavortocivilize&instructthem，toadapttheirmeasurestotheexistingnotions&practisesofthoseonwhomtheyaretooperate。

Otherobjectsworthyofnoticewillbethesoil&faceofthecountry，itsgrowth&vegetableproductions；