No wonder that croakers declared that the little party had been cut off to perish miserably in the pathless woods that cover the heart of the continent.
But they set out on the long journey with light hearts.

In his journal, whose spelling and punctuation are not always models for the faithful imitation of school-boys, Captain Lewis set down this observation:-- "Our vessels consisted of six small canoes, and two large perogues.

This little fleet altho' not quite so respectable as those of Columbus or Capt.

Cook, were still viewed by us with as much pleasure as those deservedly famed adventurers ever beheld theirs; and I dare say with quite as much anxiety for their safety and preservation.

We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden; the good or evil it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and these little vessels contained every article by which we were to expect to subsist or defend ourselves.