HOLIDAYS WITH THE CORP OF DISCOVERY
Page 1 of 1
HOLIDAYS WITH THE CORP OF DISCOVERY
by Buck Conner 8/7/2021, 5:53 pm
HOLIDAYS WITH THE CORP OF DISCOVERY
Christmas
At this wonderful time of the year, remember those of the past and present, loved ones and friends, God Bless them all. We've given you a little history of what was going on with the Corp of Discovery under the direction of Lewis & Clark.
On Christmas Eve, the temperature climbed above zero - and almost above freezing. Fort Mandan was deemed officially complete, and the captains handed out dried apples, pepper, and extra flour for the next day's meal and celebration.
Just before Christmas dawn, the captains were awakened by the men, all if them, Clark noted, "merrily disposed."
December 25th, 1804.
We ushed [in] the morning with a discharge of the Swivvel [gun], and one round of small arms of all the party.
Then another from the Swivvel. Then Capt. Clark presented a Glass of brandy to each man of the party. We hoisted the american flag, and each man had another glass of brandy.
The men prepared one of the rooms and commenced dancing. At 10 o'c [lock] we had another Glass of brandy, at one a gun was fired as a Signal for diner. Half past two another gun was fired to assemble at the dance, and So we kept it up in a jov[ia]l manner untill eight o'c[lock] at night, all without the company of the female Seck [sex].
Joseph Whitehouse
The mandans were asked not to visit the fort on Christmas because, the captains explained, it was a "great medicine" day for the expedition. But on New Year's, the men celebrated with their Indian hosts.
___________________________________
New Year’s Day
January 1st, 1806.
Our repast of this day, tho' better than that of Cristmass, consisted principally in the anticipation of the 1st day of January 1807, when in the bosom of our friends we hope to participate in the mirth and hilarity of the day, and when with the zest given by the recollection of the present, we shall completely, both mentally and corporally, enjoy the repast which the hand of civilization has prepared for us.
Men were put to work making candles, boiling ocean water for salt, preserving elk meat in a smokehouse, and sewing clothes from elk hides for the return trip home.
Clark labored over a new map that would replace eastern speculation with the hard facts of western geography.
Lewis wrote page after page of descriptions of animals and plants unknown to science-from the giant sitka spruce tree to the evergreen huckleberry; from ring-necked ducks and whistling swans to small smelt-the candlefish-that the men roasted and ate whole.
In the next life may we experience such an adventure, and may God see us fit enough to handle the chore.
For a new year it seems things are well with our early travelers, fed and full of thoughts of returning home.
May you and your’s have a good New Year.
Christmas
At this wonderful time of the year, remember those of the past and present, loved ones and friends, God Bless them all. We've given you a little history of what was going on with the Corp of Discovery under the direction of Lewis & Clark.
On Christmas Eve, the temperature climbed above zero - and almost above freezing. Fort Mandan was deemed officially complete, and the captains handed out dried apples, pepper, and extra flour for the next day's meal and celebration.
Just before Christmas dawn, the captains were awakened by the men, all if them, Clark noted, "merrily disposed."
December 25th, 1804.
We ushed [in] the morning with a discharge of the Swivvel [gun], and one round of small arms of all the party.
Then another from the Swivvel. Then Capt. Clark presented a Glass of brandy to each man of the party. We hoisted the american flag, and each man had another glass of brandy.
The men prepared one of the rooms and commenced dancing. At 10 o'c [lock] we had another Glass of brandy, at one a gun was fired as a Signal for diner. Half past two another gun was fired to assemble at the dance, and So we kept it up in a jov[ia]l manner untill eight o'c[lock] at night, all without the company of the female Seck [sex].
Joseph Whitehouse
The mandans were asked not to visit the fort on Christmas because, the captains explained, it was a "great medicine" day for the expedition. But on New Year's, the men celebrated with their Indian hosts.
___________________________________
New Year’s Day
January 1st, 1806.
Our repast of this day, tho' better than that of Cristmass, consisted principally in the anticipation of the 1st day of January 1807, when in the bosom of our friends we hope to participate in the mirth and hilarity of the day, and when with the zest given by the recollection of the present, we shall completely, both mentally and corporally, enjoy the repast which the hand of civilization has prepared for us.
Meriwether Lewis.
Men were put to work making candles, boiling ocean water for salt, preserving elk meat in a smokehouse, and sewing clothes from elk hides for the return trip home.
Clark labored over a new map that would replace eastern speculation with the hard facts of western geography.
Lewis wrote page after page of descriptions of animals and plants unknown to science-from the giant sitka spruce tree to the evergreen huckleberry; from ring-necked ducks and whistling swans to small smelt-the candlefish-that the men roasted and ate whole.
In the next life may we experience such an adventure, and may God see us fit enough to handle the chore.
For a new year it seems things are well with our early travelers, fed and full of thoughts of returning home.
May you and your’s have a good New Year.
Buck Conner- Moderator
- Posts : 1049
Join date : 2021-07-02
Age : 84
Location : Utah, Colorado, Wyoming -
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum|
|
|