Lewis and Clark

Gaswamp

Senior Member
I believe there was/is a mini series based on the book on HBO. Not sure about details but you could research it.
Great book.

mini series got canceled
 

Bill Mc

Senior Member
There was a fairly detailed series recently on cable (not HBO). Several hours long.

I watched the Revenant just to see the bear attack on pretty boy.
 

Cmp1

BANNED
They spent the winter of 1805 stuck in the Rockies trying to find a pass to lead them into the Columbia river valley. They ate their horses, and any dogs they could buy from the natives.

When they were in game-rich lands, it was astonishing the amount of meat they consumed. Hard labor of pushing/pulling the boats up the Missouri required thousands of calories per day.

Trapping should have been good at that point,,,, I'm not saying that they didn't have it hard, I'm just saying they should not have come close to starvation,,,, it isn't like they were the people who went down in the movie Alive,,,,
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
Trapping should have been good at that point,,,, I'm not saying that they didn't have it hard, I'm just saying they should not have come close to starvation,,,, it isn't like they were the people who went down in the movie Alive,,,,

It's hard to trap when you're trying to make several miles a day. They were desperate to make it to the western side of the mountains before the full brunt of winter hit.

From Lewis' journals:

Cap Clark set out this morning to go a head with six hunters. ... this morning we finished the remainder of our last coult. we dined & suped on a skant proportion of portable soupe, a few canesters of which, a little bears oil and about 20 lbs. of candles form our stock of provision, the only recources being our guns & packhorses. ... there is nothing upon earth ex[c]ept ourselves and a few small pheasants, small grey Squirrels, and a blue bird of the vultur kind about the size of a turtle dove or jay bird. ... used the snow for cooking.

Reduced to eating candles? That's roughing it!
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
It's hard to trap when you're trying to make several miles a day. They were desperate to make it to the western side of the mountains before the full brunt of winter hit.

From Lewis' journals:



Reduced to eating candles? That's roughing it!



Candles were made from beef tallow in those days, for the most part. Or any clear fat they could get off of critters.
 

Mike 65

Senior Member
And as Wes said, it amazed me that the only member of the expedition they lost was near the beginning, to appendicitis. They don't make many folks like those guys any more.

Those were tough times and tough times make men tough.
We’re in easy times and easy times make men soft.
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
Those were tough times and tough times make men tough.
We’re in easy times and easy times make men soft.

You want to know what a different breed those men were? As soon as they arrived back in St. Louis after 2 years of hardship, many of them collected their wages, outfitted again, and headed right back.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
You want to know what a different breed those men were? As soon as they arrived back in St. Louis after 2 years of hardship, many of them collected their wages, outfitted again, and headed right back.



What I would give to been able to experience what they saw and did in those times. Can you only imagine seeing those herds of elk and buffalo when they got to the Plains?
 

Mike 65

Senior Member
You want to know what a different breed those men were? As soon as they arrived back in St. Louis after 2 years of hardship, many of them collected their wages, outfitted again, and headed right back.

A different breed is an understatement.
Just a touch insane maybe, by today’s standards.
But that was the only life most of them knew and probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
By the way I enjoyed reading your stories on your blog. Good stuff!
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
If you like this book read River of no return, about Teddy Roosevelt in S America,,,, great read,,,,actually I think it was River of Doubt,,,, I'm old,,,,

Yep, that's another good one. It's also on my bookshelf. They don't make presidents like Teddy any more, either. :)

What I would give to been able to experience what they saw and did in those times. Can you only imagine seeing those herds of elk and buffalo when they got to the Plains?

I can only imagine. I was surprised at how they described bighorn sheep as being found in herds on the plains back then, too.
 

3ringer

Senior Member
They also buried food and supplies for the return trip. They would trade for female companionship from the Indians. At night , someone would have to protect their supplies from the natives trying to take it while they slept. Today most of us wouldn’t even think about camping without a rv or air conditioning. Yes today we are spoiled and soft compared to the men during that time. I hope when a movie is eventually produced , they do the story justice .
 

Cmp1

BANNED
I haven't read the book,,,, I want too though,,,, but were they under a time constraint?
Because I wonder why they didn't wait for spring to cross the rockies,,,,
 

dawg7478

Member
Incredible book-have been considering reading it again. One of the things that surprised me was that so many of the men started to prefer the taste of dog meat to deer, elk, or bison. The mental images this book creates are second to none in the world of North American wilderness experience.
 

GA native

Senior Member
Just added it to my list, thanks.

I'm in the middle of a book on Daniel Boone, by John Mack Faragher. It's 1775. Daniel has just led an expedition into old Cantucke, to open up the Wilderness Trail. His party is being harassed by Shawnee.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
They also buried food and supplies for the return trip. They would trade for female companionship from the Indians. At night , someone would have to protect their supplies from the natives trying to take it while they slept. Today most of us wouldn’t even think about camping without a rv or air conditioning. Yes today we are spoiled and soft compared to the men during that time. I hope when a movie is eventually produced , they do the story justice .

The main reason they wanted to get back to the forks of the Missouri so much was the big barrel of likker that they buried there on the way west. :)
 

Duff

Senior Member
The main reason they wanted to get back to the forks of the Missouri so much was the big barrel of likker that they buried there on the way west. :)

The original “I bet you could use a cold one Clark “:D

Thanks for the heads up. I’ve never read it, but I will
 

Cmp1

BANNED
Another good read,,,, but not US history,,,, is about Magellan,,,, I believe it was called,,,, voyage of discovery,,,, couldn't put it down,,,, not a lot of books that you can say that about,,,,
 

lginga

Member
Never heard the thing about eating dog but a dog did travel with L&C the whole journey. He is painted into art representing the trip.
 
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