History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the river Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States /

History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the river Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States / Lewis, Meriwether, 1774-1809. Allen, Paul, 1775-1826. Biddle, Nicholas, 1786-1844. Clark, William, 1770-1838. Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Life of Captain Lewis. Joseph Meredith Toner Collection (Library of Congress) DLC text Philadelphia : Published by Bradford and Inskeep and Abm. H. Inskeep, Newyork : J. Maxwell, printer, 1814. eng This account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, published in 1814, is based on the detailed journals kept by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the leaders of expedition. The book begins with "Life of Captain Lewis," written by Thomas Jefferson, which reproduces Jefferson's detailed instructions to Lewis regarding the goals of the expedition. "The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and such principal streams of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregan [sic], Colorado, or any other river, may offer the most direct and practicable water communication across the continent, for purposes of commerce." The 29-man Corps of Discovery set out from St. Louis on May 14, 1804. In the next 28 months, Lewis and Clark traveled more than 12,000 kilometers through unfamiliar terrain inhabited by Indian tribes. By the end of 1804, they had made it to the Great Bend of the Missouri River. In 1805, they journeyed up the Missouri, across the Rocky Mountains, and down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. After suffering through a dismal winter, the members of the expedition began their long return journey, finally reaching Saint Louis on September 23, 1806. "Life of Captain Lewis": v. 1, p. [vii]-xxiii, signed (p. xxiii) Th. Jefferson. "Mr. [Nicholas] Biddle's name does not appear ... It is said, however, by Robert T. Conrad, that Mr. Biddle actually wrote the two volumes from Lewis and Clarke's notes"--Appletons, Cycl. of Amer. Biog. Vol. 1: xxviii, 470 p.; v. 2: ix, [1], 522 p., [6] leaves of plates, 1 folded. Appendix (v. 2): Observations and relfections on the present and future state of upper Louisiana, in relation to the government of the Indian nations ... / by captain Lewis -- A summary statement of the rivers, creeks, and most remarkable places, their distances from each other, etc. ... -- Estimate of the western Indians -- Thermometrical observations ... Remarks and reflections. Shaw, R.R. American bibliography, Sowerby, E.M. Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, Clark, William, 1770-1838--Travel--West (U.S.) Lewis, Meriwether, 1774-1809--Travel--West (U.S.) Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) Columbia River--Description and travel. Missouri River--Description and travel. West (U.S.)--Description and travel. West (U.S.)--History--To 1848. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site. https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/General.01477v1 https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/General.01477v2