The Other Side....

"The journey was the Corps at its best. The journey was America at its best."
In my opinion I think that this quote means that now we have made it, now we America have done it. From just having the east of American territory was a great accomplishment, but to have America itself is a whole different world. To have the privilege to get to cross America in discovery for the the first time is a dream come true, and i think i can speak for every person who was on the corp of discovery. It took many obstacles, many troubles but as I stepped on the sand of the Pacific Ocean, all i could feel is the salty tears slowly running down my cheek. As i cried in happiness, or as we all did, and like i said early i knew now we have done it, or now we America have done it for through the journeys across America we have made peace with more than a dozen Indians and will for the next generations to come.
Your Friend,
Michael Reyes.

P.S. For my weekly labors, discoveries...for all my endeavors have brought to this journey, i believe i should be paid the grade of an A-.

Swift Fox

Location: July 6, 1805, Louisiana purchase is where i spotted this dog like animal! For this description of the animal it took me hours because of how swift it was, so whenever i got close to it, it would just run away. In my opinion i think that this animal is one of my favorite so far! I hope you enjoy the description. 
Description: The swift fox is the smallest wild dog in North America! Fur is light gray with orange-tan coloring on the sides and legs. Throat, chest, underside and inside of ears creamy white, tail is bushy with black tip, which is very cool. Male slightly larger than female, but not by much. Height: 12 in (30 cm); length: 32 in (80 cm). Weight: 4.4-6.6 lb (2-3 kg).
Habitat: Primarily in shortgrass prairies are one of its habitats that i know of.

Cutthroat Trout

Location: June 13, 1805, is when we found this cutthroat trout in the Louisiana Purchase area, it is a very cool fish that is delicious to eat! Now i took the description when it was on the boat after we caught it so it should be a pretty good description!;-)
Description: Back dark olive; sides variable: silvery, olive, reddish to yellow-orange; belly lighter; dark spots on back, sides, and on median fins. Mouth extends beyond eye; bright red to red-orange slash mark on each side of throat, particularly visible in breeding males, which adds so much to the beauty of the trout! Length: to 30 in (76 cm). Weight: to 41 lbs (18.6 kg). Now the length and weight of the fish i am just getting the facts off the trout we caught, so it made not be exact for all because the length and weight probably varies.
Habitat: lakes; coastal, inland, and alpine streams.

Brewer's Blackbird

 

 Location: June 25, 1805, in the Louisiana Purchase is where we found this night bird, (weird i no) the reason i call it this is because of its dark features that stand out so much, or in my opinion. The description was a little hard for me to get on this bird because when we spotted it, it was pretty dark making it hard to see the bird!

 Description: Robin-size bird. Male is solid black with purplish blue iridescent head and yellow eyes that are very beautiful.  Interestingly the female is gray with dark eyes. I took an estimate on the length: 8-10 in (20-25 cm).

 Sounds: The night bird seems to have several different kind of noises that i've noticed which are gurgles, squawks, and whistles.

 Unique Fact: A very social species, it mixes not only with its own kind but also with other species such as the red-winged blackbird and the brown-headed cowbird.

Nothern Bobcat

Location: April 7, 1805. A bobcat was part of the Fort Mandan shipment to Washington, D.C. Now at first the bobcat that i had spotted looked very friendly, so i thought because it was very friendly i can get very close to the bobcat and take better notes. So stupidly of me i got very close and before i know it the thing attacked me! But i did end up to getting some notes, so here they are.
Description: It is tawny (grayer in winter), with indistinct dark spotting. Short, stubby tail. Ears slightly tufted. Male larger than female. Length: 2.3–4.1 ft (0.7–1.2 m); tail: 4–7 in (10–17 cm). Weight: 14–29 lb (6.4–13 kg).
Habitat: Again on the habitat for each animal im just guessing on upon the area where i find it and others, so i may not be entirely right everyone! Primarily scrubby country or broken forests—hardwood, coniferous, or mixed; also swamps, farmland, and rocky or brushy arid lands.
Interesting Note: Found only in North America, where it is the most common wildcat, Now it is funny how the bobcat got its name, because while we spotted this animal right away clark came up with it and he says its because its stubby, or "bobbed," tail.

North American Porcupine

Location: We found this creature on may 3, 1805, near the mouth of the Porcupine River, Montana.
Discription: Large, chunky body, with short legs. Long guard hairs on front half of body; black or brown in the East, yellowish in the West. Quills on rump and tail. Length: 26–37 in (65–93 cm); tail: 5.9–11.8 in (14.8–30 cm). Weight: 7.8–40 lb (3.5–18 kg).
Habitat: Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests; also, in West, dry, scrubby areas with scattered trees.
Interesting Note: Now i took a pretty big estimate on this but im pretty sure its right, the common porcupine has about 30,000 quills on its body, which it uses to defend itself against more agile predators.

Montana Great Horned Owl

Location: We found this Great Horned Owl on April 14, 1805, in Mountrail County, Louisiana Purchase. Now i have never seen such a unique bird in my life, so because i was so shock I jotted down every little aspect in noticed of the bird. Here it is! I hope you enjoy them.

Description: A large owl, varying in color from nearly white (in Arctic) to dark brown and gray. Mottled and streaked below, setting off the white throat; prominent, widely spaced ear tufts; yellow eyes. Length: 25 in (64 cm). Wingspan: 4.6 ft (1.4 m). Now while i was taking notes of the animal, out of know where it started making strange noises ive heard no animal do so far. I did also record the sound and here it is!
Sound: Series of low, sonorous, far-carrying hoots, hoo, hoo-hoo, hoo, hoo, with second and third notes shorter than the others.
Again I'm not sure of where this birds habitat is but i am guessing it is in forests, open country, swamps,

Grizzly Bear

Location: April 29, 1805, is when we killed the first grizzly just below Big Muddy Creek (Martha's River of Lewis and Clark)! By the time i got to the bear it was already dead because Clark had killed it, but i did get a pretty description while it was dead.
Description: Brown, of various shades from tan to dark brown, often with white-tipped hairs, giving grizzled appearance. Claws of front feet can reach nearly 4 in (10 cm) long. Height: about 4.3 ft (130 cm); length: 5.9–7 ft (180–213 cm); tail: 3 in (7.6 cm). Weight: in contiguous U.S. usually 300–700 lb (135–317 kg).
Now im not very sure about what its habitat is but, it seems like its in open areas in mountains, riversides and streamsides.

Mandan Indians

October 24, 1804 "The Mandans are at war with all who make war only, and wish to be at peace with all nations, Seldom the ogressors."
Location: In the fall of 1804 the Mandan lived in two villages along the upper Missouri River. It was near these villages, Matootonha and Rooptahee (now known as Mitutanka and Nuptadi) that the Corps built Fort Mandan and passed the winter of 1804-05. Mitutanka, built around 1787, was on the west bank of the Missouri. Lewis situated his fort across the river from this village. Nuptadi was farther north, on the east bank.
Information: Each of the Mandan villages was centered on a cedar post on an open plaza. The permanent earthern lodges each held about 10 people. A wall enclosed the complex for protection from enemy raids. During the winter months, when the frigid winds blew across the Dakota plain, these lodges were abandoned for temporary, more sheltered structures nearer the river.
The Mandan's settlement lay at the center of trade along the Upper Missouri River, in what would become Dakota Territory. Together with their neighbors and allies, the Hidatsa, the Mandan served an important role in trade throughout the Plains.
During the expedition's stay at Fort Mandan, the Americans and the Mandan wintered together, trading and visiting for five months along the Missouri River. We continued to try to secure peace between the Mandan-Hidatsa and the Arikara, but any peace was tenuous at best.
Ravaged by smallpox in 1837, the few remaining Mandan were taken in by their former enemies, the Arikara. Although later they separated once again into two tribes, today there are very few full-blooded Mandan. They are a relatively small tribe and share with the Hidatsa and Arikara the Fort Berthold Reservation northwest of Bismarck, North Dakota.

Arikara Indians

October 8, 1804
Location: The Arikara were an agricultural people who lived in earth lodges between the Grand and Cannonball Rivers in what is now northern South Dakota.
Information: Twenty years before the arrival of the Corps of Discovery, the Arikara numbered nearly 30,000 and controlled the land along the Missouri for a hundred miles (160 kilometers). But by the time of the expedition, a series of smallpox epidemics had swept through their settlements, reducing them to three small villages which were visited by us!!
The Arikara were farmers, raising corn, beans, tobacco, and squash both for food and to trade with other tribes in the area. Their agricultural success also balanced the power with the non-farming Teton Sioux, aggressive neighbors who needed the food the Arikara produced.
We stayed at the Arikara villages for five days, discussing trade issues and the possibilities of Arikara peace with the Mandan and Hidatsa. The Indians agreed to consider peace with the tribes to the north, which was very satisfying.
During our stay, our men gave the Arikara gifts, but the Indians were fascinated most with York. The Arikara had never seen a black person before—his skin color was a marvel to them. The Indians considered him "Big Medicine," spiritually powerful because of his size and appearance.
Many years after the expedition, smallpox outbreaks in 1836 and 1856 decimated the Arikara population. In 1862 the remaining Arikara joined the last Mandan and Hidatsa in North Dakota.

Minitari Indians

While wintering at Fort Mandan, November 1804 to April 1805
Location: The Minitari lived in Metaharta, the middle of three Hidatsa villages near the confluence of the Knife and Missouri Rivers. Metaharta's 40 or so earthen lodges were enclosed by a defensive wall.
Information: Like the other Hidatsa and the Mandan in the region, the Minitari were an integral part of the local economy. They traded their agricultural produce for the horses and mules that their Assiniboin and Cree neighbors required. These Indians in turn traded British and French goods for the animals.
The Minitari were allies of the peaceable Mandan but often raided other tribes, stealing horses and kidnapping women and children. Five years before the our expedition, Minitari Indians had surprised a band of Shoshone from the other side of the Rocky Mountains, in what is now southwest Montana. The Minitari captured several of the Shoshone, among them Sacagawea.
A pregnant Sacagawea joined the expedition during the winter of 1805 when her husband Toussaint Charbonneau was hired by us. Many times throughout the long journey she proved invaluable to the expedition's success, through her ability to translate, her knowledge of edible plants and roots, and her connections to the Lemhi Shoshone, who later provided horses to the expedition.

In spring 1834 the village of Metaharta and the Amahami village just north were destroyed by Sioux raiding parties.

Hidatsa Indians

While wintering at Fort Mandan, November 1804 to April 1805
Location:Of the three Hidatsa villages located at the confluence of the upper Missouri and the Knife Rivers in modern-day North Dakota, the Hidatsa-proper occupied the largest, northernmost one at Menetarra. Two other tribes, the Amahami and the Minitari, were also known as Hidatsa.
Information: Unlike the Mandan, the Hidatsa regularly sent war parties as far west as the Rockies, where they battled the Shoshone and Blackfeet. During the winter of 1804-05, these Hidatsa were led by Le Borgne, or One Eye. Like the other Hidatsa tribes in the area, the Amahami and the Minitari, the Hidatsa proper were farmers. They served an important role in the local economy, providing corn, beans, and squash needed by their nomadic neighbors. Population counts around 1833 estimated there were about 2,100 Hidatsa in the three villages along the Missouri. A smallpox epidemic in 1837 wiped out many of the Hidatsa in the three villages, and the remaining Indians relocated to one village farther to the north. In 1845 a combined settlement of Hidatsa and Mandan moved up the Missouri River and founded Like-a-Fishhook Village.

Indian Breadroot

October 17, 1804 in the British Territory is where i found the Indian Breadroot. This is plant was very unique because the edible root, which measures one and a half to two inches in length, resembles a dahlia tuber. It has a high starch and sugar content. Historically, Indian breadroots were harvested in late summer and eaten raw, boiled, roasted, or dried in the sun. The dried roots were generally ground between stones for flour to mix with soups and stews. We will fortunatley use this plant for our foods now, which is very useful. I have taken a description of course and here it is.
Description: Purplish blue flowers and palm-shaped leaves. The entire plant is covered with dense light-colored hairs. That habitat of this plant is also Prairies.
This is a wonderful and, useful discovery i cannot wait until i have this tonight in the stew we are having.

Pronghorn Antelope

September 14, 1804 is when i found the most extraordinary animal i have seen yet in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. It is almost like a deer, but much more extravagant. I have decided to name this unique animal the Pronghorn Antelope. We have not cooked this Antelope yet, but when we do, i will be looking forward to it. Here is the description i took on it.
Description: A medium-size, deerlike mammal. Upper body pale tan or reddish tan; chest, belly, inner legs, cheeks and lower jaw, sides, and rump patch are white. Height: 35–41 in (88–103 cm); length: 4.1–4.8 ft (1.3–1.5 m); tail: 2.4–6.8 in (6–17 cm). Weight: male 90–140 lb (41–64 kg), female 75–105 lb (34–48 kg).
I hope everyone enjoys this great find, because its a very beautiful animal.

Squaw Bush

October 1, 1804 in the Louisiana purchase territory is where i found the plant Squaw bush. Its not a very "extraordinary" plant but it is very interesting. I do hope you like my notes i had taken on them.
Description: Squaw bush is a member of the cashew family (family Anacardiaceae) which includes trees, shrubs, and few woody vines with resinous sap often in bark and other parts; in a few species the resin or volatile oil is caustic and poisonous to the skin. Flowers tiny or small; commonly white. Height: to 8 ft (2.4 m).
I found this plant in Coastal sage scrub, chaparral area.

Nuttall's (Common) Poorwill

October 17, 1804 is when i discovered this little bird in the British territory. I have decided to name this little critter a Poorwill. The reason i name it this is because its voice is like a mellow poor-will. I have taken some notes on what the bird looks like, because the bird was so still i got a pretty good description of it.
See what i find so interesting and unique about this bird is that the common poorwill can hibernate, surviving in a torpid condition, without food and with its body temperature lowered almost to that of its surroundings. This adaptation is unique among birds.

Description: Mottled gray-brown with no white mark on wings; whitish collar separates black throat from mottled underparts. Dark outer tail feathers are tipped with white, more conspicuously in male; tail is rounded. Length: 7-8.5 in (20 cm).

It is a fascinating bird, and i hope you guys find much interest in it.

Aromatic Aster

Aromatic Aster: September 21, 1804, at Big Bend, Missouri River. Today i had a privalge to spot a beautiful flower that just shined when you looked at it! Here is some information i took on it.
Information: This perennial's rigid stems, usually less than 20 in (50.8 cm) tall, are much-branched from the base. The narrow leaves and stems are sparsely covered with short hairs. Pink or lavender flowers are many petaled and aromatic with a yellow center. its habitat is Dry prairies; eroded bluffs; rocky or sandy, open sites.
You can find this beautiful thing in Pennsylvania to North Carolina, west to northeastern Wyoming and Texas. I hope you like this beautiful discovery we have made. We are now starting to find many wonderful things! and i will tell you about every single one them.

Mule Deer

Mule Deer: September 17, 1804, below present-day Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Today we spotted a prairie that we are now calling a "Mule Deer", i don't have to much information on this fascinating animal but i did do as best as i could.
Information: A medium-size deer. Stocky body, with long, slim, sturdy legs. Tail white above and tipped with black. Height: 3–3.4 ft (90–105 cm); length: 3.8–7.5 ft (1.16–1.99 m); tail: 4.5–9 in (11.4–23 cm). Weight: male 110–475 lb (50–215 kg), female 70–160 lb (32–73 kg). My hypothesis on its habitat that i have noticed is that they are always around: forest edges, mountains, and foothills.
Once i see more of the mule deer i will give you more information on this animal.

Rush's Thunderbolts

With only a few weeks into our historical journey west already my men are feeling sick! For awhile i was worried because i didn't know what to cure the bad side pains/ stomach pains, but after a few hours of thinking i of course remembered the great rush's thunderbolts! So i got in contact with Dr. Rush and he gave me the ingredients (below) to make the pills, so my men can get better and we can all move on. As i am typing now most of them men have made progress in their pains which is good! Plus, we really don't need our whole mess squad getting sick, living on the side of the boat;-).

Corps of Rediscovery 2002

Summer 2002'

Wow! So much to say about this week of our journey of the corps of the rediscovery. We visited the town of Paducah, Kentucky, see in my opinion i think this town is in the category of unique because it is the only town in the state to be named after an Indian. We went to the National Quilt Museum which has extraordinary quilts! But after a blink of time i had the lights of red white and blue flashing right in front of me escorting me through the Ohio river from Kentucky to Illinois. I know its not that great and you shouldn't be that happy from just getting a few drinks along the ride of our journey......but try doing it in the temperature of 110 and being on black ass-fault boiling on our hot, dehydrated, and hungry bodies. When your having an adventure like we are having your aren't really worrying about how we looked, or if our nails are clean, or how disgusting the pools of our sweat is. But i guess it was time to get a haircut so the guys went to go get a haircut at the barber shop and the girls went to go and get theirs also. Wednesday was a very special day because it was Roxy's birthday! Wow who knew you could have such a great birthday! We first had breakfast at the great Waffles House which filled up my tank! but since we had to burn some of that fat off we went to Six Flags! That's a day any of us won't forget. One last thing i learned is that riding on flat land isn't always the best because everyone always says "O well because its flat land which is easy, you probably don't need a lot of stops!" Well that is completely wrong because you do need stops! So during our riding of the flat land a lot of us were wishing we could be rolling up some uphill instead so we could take a break!
P.S. This was a very busy week that i will never forget, and i want to thank John for making this happen for me!:-)
~Michael R.

Getting to know our messy squad!

Joe~ Joecool has many talents that he can bring with him to help with our Journey west such as his great skills with kids, his motivation to help others, and his great speed that'll help us in any situation!

Harrison~ Harry-son has a great drawing gift that can help us illustrate our journey which will be very helpful because he will help us get a whole new prospective in everything . He also inherited the Gilman genes of good cooking which is very helpful! Hopefully him and Cam will work their magic!

Christina~ Christina is a wonderful leader! She is our mama bear! she will always help us, she will always give us her motivation, her wonderful thinking in case something goes wrong, and she never says NO! Which we all need to take advantage of!

Sophie~S0-phie is a great photographer which we will need to catch every breath taking moment of our trip, and shes good at fishing which is also good because we all like some seafood! But best of all shes a great fashion diva so if someone is having a bad hair day or bad wardrobe you always have Sophie!

Cam~ Camelious, I see our Cam as a great person to have you cheered up when you are feeling home sick or having some of the blues. He is a great comedian and will make us laugh, he has also one of those great talents like Harrison does of cooking, plus the more the better;-) But to put the icing on the cake he has amazing cupcakes!!

Curtis~ Curto is a great outdoors person who can help us and teach us many techniques in hunting, shooting, and in his engineer talents. Not are we having the privilege to have all of Curto's great outdoor talents but hes quit the musician to!

Heather~ Heather is one of those people who is very nice and helpful making it always easy to get along with her. She is great with kids like Joe, again the more the better! She also is a great ocean girl so she can help us discover the new water life and teach us how to be great swimmers so we wont drown.

Morgan~ Morgan, She can give us a whole new prospective in arts and music which will help a lot because we always need some new creative prospective instead having everything being boring! "She thinks outside the box" I would say. She is also good with animals which is very important because we never want to get bit by some raccoon in the butt. Or as Cap. John would think, she could hopefully have the squirrels away from our food or else Cap. John will decrease the population of squirrels within seconds!

Sam~ Sa-m is an all around guy who can do everything! Whether it has to do with him and Curto's great tunes, or him great writing skills which thankfully he has because it seems like he is the only one who writes, so he is the person who will post our blogs and let everyone know how we are doing! He also is a great scientist and can help us with the outdoor life and teach us about plants and animals.

Dear Captian John

On our journey west I think I can bring along many talents such as being a good companion because in my expeirences I do happen to get along with others very easily. I also am very brave and can always encourage my peers when they feel like they can't do something. One great last thing is that I am a tireless worker! I can always help anyone who needs it and I don't get tired very easily, so I can work a lot!
On our journey hopefully we get to discover the different cultures and how other people live and there custumes, such as how they dress, what kind of music they listen to, what kind of food do they eat, what their archetecture is like, and what they do for free time.

Introduction

Dear Mr. Jefferson . . .