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Show PREFACE'. come known. The line separating these fi'Orn tf1e parts which remained unexplored and unknown, may be considered as commencing at the Pacific ocean IH latitude about 38d. north, and running along the high lands and mountains between the waters which fall into the gulphs of California and lVIexico and those which fall into the 1\1issouri river, and continuing in that direction to tbe Mississippi; thence up that riYer to the source of its highest north western branch ; thence nlong the high tract of country which dhides the waters of the Missouri fi'Om those which fa ll into Hudson's llay and the North sea; from \v·hence it wiH continue across the Rocky Mountnins to the l)acific ocean in latitude about 5 2d. JjOrth. To the south of this general division line, the known countries will be Old "ncl New 1\1exico and a part of Louisiana; t•) tbe southeast, \Vest and E~st Florida; to the east, the United States; to the northeast, Canada, the LabJ'aclor country, part of N' cw South \Vale· imd of other countries round lludson"s Bny; and to the north, part of New South \ Vuies, New North \Vales, the Athabascu and other counu ks containin~ the establishm~nts of the Hudson,:.:; Hc.ty and North "\~7est CompzlJies, <tncl those CX]Jiorecl by I-Icarne and l\1'Kenzi e : le£l\ ir.g- unknown a!JQ unexpJor cl (except so far as the su rveys made by naYigators 0f the coast of tbc PadRe, ai·d tu~ imptrft• ~ aC'~ cmmts cf traders who have nsccn< ~d tht 1\tlis.souri have furnished infol'mation) all that larg·t internJ{;diate tract, cont<ti11ing in hn.:adtl1 about I <;00 miies ; m d in length iii a clil'c .:t line, abvut 1800 mites, e1n ~l by the wa.y of the Ivlissout·i ar.cl Colurnl;ia Ii,·ers Learly twice that distance. This tract frum ~ts 5itua~ tion m ay be supp0se<l to contain the chid' p~l't of tlwse lanus in the great western clivhion cf the coutinent of North America fit for tillage: and this tir ... cumst<,ncc willtherefurc in a special manner claiol the attention of an agl'ictlltural people, render more: PREFACE. .. Ul .interesting a description of them, and attach adcli~ tiona} value to the history of t he countt·y. It will not be foqrottcn that an immense sum of treasure has been expended in the pul'chase of this countt·y, and ~ that it is now consi~lered as belonging to the United States. IIere at no distant period settlements may be formed; and in a much short~r term than has elapsed since the first were made in America, fron1 which hath arisen a g reat, powerful and independent nation, the posterity of the present in habitants of the Union may unfurl the standard of independence on the plains of the Missom i and Columl>ia. \Yith respect to the accuracy of the relations given in the following p ages, it may be necessary to in form those readers not acquainted with tbc fact, that the principal object in sending out the expedition was to gain some correct a~co unt of the country: and that this might be done more effectually, and the infor~ l'nation collected, preserved with more certainty, it ·was enjoined upon the several pel'sons belonging to the corps, who were considered capable, to keep journals, and every n ecessary information and assistance given them for that put·pose: these jou rnals 'vere also from time to time compared, correctecl and ~lny blnnks, which had been left, filled up, and unavoidable omissions supplied . By thus multiplying the jouruals, revisin g· and cot'l'ecting them, the chances of securing to tbe countr·y a true account of the progress of the expedition and of the discoveries which should be m ade, especially should the party be attacked and defeated by the savages or meet .. ,,·ith any other disasters in their hazardous enterprize, were also multiplied. Tl1e following is an extt·~:~.ct of a certificate deliverc ·d by Captain Lewis to l\1t·. Gass, dated St. Louis lOth Oct. 1806. " As a tribute justly due to the merits of the said " Putricl~ Gnss, I with chearfulness declare, that the I |
