part12-第12章

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　　　　　　　　peculiarities　in　their　laws；　customs　&　dispositions；

　　　　　　　　and　articles　of　commerce　they　may　need　or　furnish　&　to

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　what　extent。




　　　　　　　　And　considering　the　interest　which　every　nation　has　in

extending　&　strengthening　the　authority　of　reason　&　justice　among　the

people　around　them；　it　will　be　useful　to　acquire　what　knolege　you　can

of　the　state　of　morality；　religion　&　information　among　them；　as　it

may　better　enable　those　who　endeavor　to　civilize　&　instruct　them；　to

adapt　their　measures　to　the　existing　notions　&　practises　of　those　on

whom　they　are　to　operate。




　　　　　　　　Other　objects　worthy　of　notice　will　be

　　　　　　　　the　soil　&　face　of　the　country；　its　growth　&　vegetable

productions；　especially　those　not　of　the　U。S。

　　　　　　　　the　animals　of　the　country　generally；　&　especially　those　not

known　in　the　U。S。

　　　　　　　　The　remains　&　accounts　of　any　which　may　be　deemed　rare　or

extinct；

　　　　　　　　the　mineral　productions　of　every　kind；　but　more　particularly

metals；　limestone；　pit　coal　&　saltpetre；　salines　&　mineral　waters；

noting　the　temperature　of　the　last　&　such　circumstances　as　may

indicate　their　character；　volcanic　appearances；

　　　　　　　　climate　as　characterized　by　the　thermometer；　by　the　proportion

of　rainy；　cloudy　&　clear　days；　by　lightening；　hail；　snow；　ice；　by　the

access　&　recess　of　frost；　by　the　winds；　prevailing　at　different

seasons；　the　dates　at　which　particular　plants　put　forth　or　lose　their

flowers；　or　leaf；　times　of　appearance　of　particular　birds；　reptiles

or　insects。




　　　　　　　　Altho'　your　route　will　be　along　the　channel　of　the　Missouri；

yet　you　will　endeavor　to　inform　yourself　by　inquiry；　of　the　character

and　extent　of　the　country　watered　by　its　branches；　and　especially　on

it's　southern　side。　　The　north　river　or　Rio　Bravo　which　runs　into　the

gulph　of　Mexico；　and　the　north　river；　or　Rio　colorado；　which　runs

into　the　gulph　of　California；　are　understood　to　be　the　principal

streams　heading　opposite　to　the　waters　of　the　Missouri；　&　running

Southwardly。　　Whether　the　dividing　grounds　between　the　Missouri　&

them　are　mountains　or　flatlands；　what　are　their　distance　from　the

Missouri；　the　character　of　the　intermediate　country；　&　the　people

inhabiting　it；　are　worthy　of　particular　enquiry。　　The　northern　waters

of　the　Missouri　are　less　to　be　enquired　after；　because　they　have　been

ascertained　to　a　considerable　degree；　and　are　still　in　a　course　of

ascertainment　by　English　traders　&　travellers。　　But　if　you　can　learn

anything　certain　of　the　most　northern　source　of　the　Mississippi；　&　of

it's　position　relative　to　the　lake　of　the　woods；　it　will　be

interesting　to　us。　　Some　account　too　of　the　path　of　the　Canadian

traders　from　the　Mississippi；　at　the　mouth　of　the　Ouisconsin　river；

to　where　it　strikes　the　Missouri　and　of　the　soil　and　rivers　in　it's

course；　is　desirable。




　　　　　　　　In　all　your　intercourse　with　the　natives　treat　them　in　the　most

friendly　&　conciliatory　manner　which　their　own　conduct　will　admit；

allay　all　jealousies　as　to　the　object　of　your　journey；　satisfy　them

of　it's　innocence；　make　them　acquainted　with　the　position；　extent；

character；　peaceable　&　commercial　dispositions　of　the　U。S。；　of　our

wish　to　be　neighborly；　friendly　&　useful　to　them；　&　of　our

dispositions　to　a　commercial　intercourse　with　them；　confer　with　them

on　the　points　most　convenient　as　mutual　emporiums；　&　the　articles　of

most　desirable　interchange　for　them　&　us。　　If　a　few　of　their

influential　chiefs；　within　practicable　distance；　wish　to　visit　us；

arrange　such　a　visit　with　them；　and　furnish　them　with　authority　to

call　on　our　officers；　on　their　entering　the　U。S。　to　have　them

conveyed　to　this　place　at　the　public　expense。　　If　any　of　them　should

wish　to　have　some　of　their　young　people　brought　up　with　us；　&　taught

such　arts　as　may　be　useful　to　them；　we　will　receive；　instruct　&　take

care　of　them。　　Such　a　mission；　whether　of　influential　chiefs；　or　of

young　people；　would　give　some　security　to　your　own　party。　　Carry　with

you　some　matter　of　the　kine…pox；　inform　those　of　them　with　whom　you

may　be　of　it's　efficacy　as　a　preservative　from　the　small…pox；　and

instruct　&　encourage　them　in　the　use　of　it。　　This　may　be　especially

done　wherever　you　may　winter。




　　　　　　　　As　it　is　impossible　for　us　to　foresee　in　what　manner　you　will

be　received　by　those　people；　whether　with　hospitality　or　hostility；

so　is　it　impossible　to　prescribe　the　exact　degree　of　perseverance

with　which　you　are　to　pursue　your　journey。　　We　value　too　much　the

lives　of　citizens　to　offer　them　to　probably　destruction。　　Your

numbers　will　be　sufficient　to　secure　you　against　the　unauthorized

opposition　of　individuals；　or　of　small　parties：　but　if　a　superior

force；　authorized　or　not　authorized；　by　a　nation；　should　be　arrayed

against　your　further　passage；　&　inflexibly　determined　to　arrest　it；

you　must　decline　it's　further　pursuit；　&　return。　　In　the　loss　of

yourselves；　we　should　lose　also　the　information　you　will　have

acquired。　　By　returning　safely　with　that；　you　may　enable　us　to　renew

the　essay　with　better　calculated　means。　　To　your　own　discretion

therefore　must　be　left　the　degree　of　danger　you　may　risk；　&　the　point

at　which　you　should　decline；　only　saying　we　wish　you　to　err　on　the

side　of　your　safety；　&　to　bring　back　your　party　safe；　even　if　it　be

with　less　information。




　　　　　　　　As　far　up　the　Missouri　as　the　white　settlements　extend；　an

intercourse　will　probably　be　found　to　exist　between　them　and　the

Spanish　posts　at　St。　Louis；　opposite　Cahokia；　or　Ste。　Genevieve

opposite　Kaskaskia。　　From　still　farther　up　the　river；　the　traders　may

furnish　a　conveyance　for　letters。　　Beyond　that　you　may　perhaps　be

able　to　engage　Indians　to　bring　letters　for　the　government　to　Cahokia

or　Kaskaskia　on　promising　that　they　shall　there　receive　such　special

compensation　as　you　shall　have　stipulated　with　them。　　Avail　yourself

of　these　means　to　communicate　to　us　at　seasonable　intervals　a　copy　of

your　journal；　notes　&　observations　of　every　kind；　putting　into　cipher

whatever　might　do　injury　if　betrayed。




　

　　　　　　　　Should　you　reach　the　Pacific　Ocean　inform　yourself　of　the

circumstances　which　may　decide　whether　the　furs　of　those　parts　may

not　be　collected　as　advantageously　at　the　head　of　the　Missouri

（convenient　as　is　supposed　to　the　waters　of　the　Colorado　&　Oregon　or

Columbia）　as　at　Nootka　Sound　or　any　other　point　of　that　coast；　&　that

trade　be　consequently　conducted　through　the　Missouri　&　U。S。　more

beneficially　than　by　the　circumnavigation　now　practised。




　　　　　　　　On　your　arrival　on　that　coast　endeavor　to　learn　if　there　be　any

port　within　your　reach　frequented　by　the　sea…vessels　of　any　nation；

and　to　send　two　of　your　trusted　people　back　by　sea；　in　such　way　as

shall　appear　practicable；　with　a　copy　of　your　notes。　　And　should　you

be　of　opinion　that　the　return　of　your　party　by　the　way　they　went　will

be　eminently　dangerous；　then　ship　the　whole；　&　return　by　sea　by　way

of　Cape　Horn　or　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　as　you　shall　be　able。　　As　you

will　be　without　money；　clothes　or　provisions；　you　must　endeavor　to

use　the　credit　of　the　U。S。　to　obtain　them；　for　which　purpose　open

letters　of　credit　shall　be　furnished　you　authorizing　you　to　draw　on

the　Executive　of　the　U。S。　or　any　of　its　officers　in　any　part　of　the

world；　in　which　drafts　can　be　disposed　of；　and　to　apply　with　our

recommendations　to　the　consuls；　agents；　merchants　or　citizens　of　any

nation　with　which　we　have　intercourse；　assuring　them　in　our　name　that

any　aids　they　may　furnish　you；　shall　be　honorably　repaid　and　on

demand。　　Our　consuls　Thomas　Howes　at　Batavia　in　Java；　William

Buchanan　of　the　Isles　of　France　and　Bourbon　&　John　Elmslie　at　the

Cape　of　Good　Hope　will　be　able　to　supply　your　necessities　by　drafts

on　us。




　　　　　　　　Should　you　find　it　safe　to　return　by　the　way　you　go；　after

sending　two　of　your　party　round　by　sea；　or　with　your　whole　party；　if

no　conveyance　by　sea　can　be　found；　do　so；　making　such　o