Fully Repaid
Journal 2005 06 07
Fully Repaid
The Corps remained at the fork in the river. Small parties had been sent out to explore each river for a short distance. The captains determined to each take a small party up each river as far as they could go in a day and a half. Clark took the left fork, Lewis the right.
The men who remained at camp tanned elk hides, made new moccasins and let their battered feet heal. For several days prior to reaching this camp the men were unable to wear moccasins because the mud on the bank of the Missouri were so slick the only possible way to maintain some form of traction was barefoot. In addition to the mud were sharp rocks. Many of the men had cut and bruised feet. Both Lewis and
Clark note that even still no complaint was heard and the men were in good spirits.
Clark is convinced he is on the Missouri River and returns on the pre-arranged timetable. His party hunts as they return to camp and arrive at 5pm. The more impetuous Lewis, increasingly believes that he is not on the Missouri because of the northward trend of the river. However, in order to be more confident of his observation, he continues on another hard eighteen miles. It has been cold and rainy. Lewis observes that the rain only penetrates the top two inches of ground and makes travel very slick. The men return to the river and make their way through the water, the river bottom and must resort to carving footholds in the banks with their knives to navigate water too deep to walk through. These are some tough guys. Lewis notes that because of the difficulty of travel they are “only” able to make eighteen miles!
Before returning to the river for safer travel, both Lewis and one of the soldiers slide in the mud and hang precariously over the ninety-foot cliffs above the river. These near disasters help convince them that slogging through the water is easier than falling over a cliff.
Lewis and his party are rewarded when they stop for the night with an abandoned Indian stick camp. Venison hunted earlier in the day is cooked and sleep is on tree boughs under the dry shelter the Indians left behind. In Lewis’ words, “We roasted and eat a hearty supper of our venison not having tasted a morsel before during the day; I now laid myself down on some willow boughs to a comfortable nights rest, and felt indeed as if I was fully repaid for the toil and pain of the day, so much will a good shelter, a dry bed, and comfortable supper revive the sperits of the waryed, wet and hungry traveler.”
Have we worked so hard during the day that we’d be satisfied with a dry camp, a bed of willow branches, a campfire and fresh venison? I know some of you are working physically hard throughout the day and sleep comes easy. More sedentary types of hard work don’t always have a good meal and sleep as their companions.
No matter the hardships of the day, we must all resolve to find rest and satisfaction with the simplest of provisions. A dry bed, fresh meat and a warm fire in the wilderness; reward for a hard day’s work two hundred years ago. What are we looking for at the end of our work tonight?
Fully Repaid
The Corps remained at the fork in the river. Small parties had been sent out to explore each river for a short distance. The captains determined to each take a small party up each river as far as they could go in a day and a half. Clark took the left fork, Lewis the right.
The men who remained at camp tanned elk hides, made new moccasins and let their battered feet heal. For several days prior to reaching this camp the men were unable to wear moccasins because the mud on the bank of the Missouri were so slick the only possible way to maintain some form of traction was barefoot. In addition to the mud were sharp rocks. Many of the men had cut and bruised feet. Both Lewis and
Clark note that even still no complaint was heard and the men were in good spirits.
Clark is convinced he is on the Missouri River and returns on the pre-arranged timetable. His party hunts as they return to camp and arrive at 5pm. The more impetuous Lewis, increasingly believes that he is not on the Missouri because of the northward trend of the river. However, in order to be more confident of his observation, he continues on another hard eighteen miles. It has been cold and rainy. Lewis observes that the rain only penetrates the top two inches of ground and makes travel very slick. The men return to the river and make their way through the water, the river bottom and must resort to carving footholds in the banks with their knives to navigate water too deep to walk through. These are some tough guys. Lewis notes that because of the difficulty of travel they are “only” able to make eighteen miles!
Before returning to the river for safer travel, both Lewis and one of the soldiers slide in the mud and hang precariously over the ninety-foot cliffs above the river. These near disasters help convince them that slogging through the water is easier than falling over a cliff.
Lewis and his party are rewarded when they stop for the night with an abandoned Indian stick camp. Venison hunted earlier in the day is cooked and sleep is on tree boughs under the dry shelter the Indians left behind. In Lewis’ words, “We roasted and eat a hearty supper of our venison not having tasted a morsel before during the day; I now laid myself down on some willow boughs to a comfortable nights rest, and felt indeed as if I was fully repaid for the toil and pain of the day, so much will a good shelter, a dry bed, and comfortable supper revive the sperits of the waryed, wet and hungry traveler.”
Have we worked so hard during the day that we’d be satisfied with a dry camp, a bed of willow branches, a campfire and fresh venison? I know some of you are working physically hard throughout the day and sleep comes easy. More sedentary types of hard work don’t always have a good meal and sleep as their companions.
No matter the hardships of the day, we must all resolve to find rest and satisfaction with the simplest of provisions. A dry bed, fresh meat and a warm fire in the wilderness; reward for a hard day’s work two hundred years ago. What are we looking for at the end of our work tonight?
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 12:16 PM
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