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History of the expedition of Captain Lewis and Clark, 1804-5-6
History of the expedition of Captain Lewis and Clark 180456 Author:Meriwether Lewis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PREFACE To The Edition Of 1814. IN presenting these volumes to the public, the editor owes equally to himself and to others to state the circumstances whic... more »h have preceded the publication, and to explain his own share in compiling them. It was the original design of Captain Lewis to have been himself the editor of his own travels, and he was on his way towards Philadelphia for that purpose when his sudden death frustrated these intentions. After a considerable and unavoidable delay, the papers connected with the expedition were deposited with another gentleman, who, in order to render the lapse of time as little injurious as possible, proceeded immediately to collect and investigate all the materials within his reach. Of the incidents of each day during the expedition a minute journal was kept by Captain Lewis or Captain Clark, and sometimes by both, which was afterwards revised and enlarged at the different periods of leisure which occurred on the route. These were carefully perused in conjunction with Captain Clark himself, who was able from his own recollection of the journey, as well as from a constant residence in Louisiana since his return, to supply a great mass of explanations, and much additional information with regard to part of the route which has been more recently explored. Besides these, recourse was had to the manuscript journals kept by two of the Serjeants, one of which, the least minute and valuxxxviii. Preface to the Edition of 1814 able, has already been published. That nothing might be wanting to the accuracy of these details, a very intelligent and active member of the party, Mr. George Shannon, was sent to contribute whatever his memory might add to this accumulated fund of information. From these copious materials the narrative was sketche...« less