Chapter 17 Report from Fort Mandan March 22 - April 6, 1805 Summary and Analysis

In the spring, the keelboat is packed and readied for its return trip to St. Louis—too large to navigate the upper Missouri, it is replaced by small canoes. The keelboat is loaded with specimens, journals, observations, maps, compiled Indian vocabularies, and many long letters. These form the final link between the party and the United States of America until the party's return after many months of exploration. Lewis also sends an accounting of the expenses of the expedition to this point, including a list of all the various letters of credit he has issued on the journey. The expedition hopes to reach the Pacific Ocean and then return as far as the Mandan villages for the winter of 1805-6, and then return and report to...