Spring, 1806

Dear Mr. Jefferson,
The journey was the Corps at its best. The journey was America at its best. I have given you a wonderful expedition. I have written down most of my experiences in blogs, and have some discoveries too. I have sailed down the river in a keel boat, eaten 9 pounds of meat a day, been at Sgt. Floyd’s grave, met with the Teton Sioux, stopped at the Mandan villages and helped build Fort Mandan for a place to stay in the winter. I have also met Sacagawea, encountered Grizzly bears, sailed through the white cliffs, made it to the fork in the rivers and help decide which one to take. I also have helped carry the supplies up pass the waterfalls walking on prickly pear cacti. I helped but together Captain Lewis’s iron boat, and I have met the Shoshones and received the horses from them I have made it over the Bitter Root Mountains and Have Made it to the Ocean. I have helped built Fort Clatsop.
I have looked at my contract and I believe I should be paid with an A-. I don’t think my work the best, but it is pretty good and there are about enough there for an A. I have also brought a discovery back, but only one. I think overall I should be paid with an A-.


Signed,
Danielson

The Ocean!!!

November 15, 1805. We have reached the Ocean!!! We were in an area witch we thought was the Ocean, but it wasn't. We were just in a big storm. It is very damp and moist here. We our all very happy that we made it sucsefully to the ocean. We are looking for any ships in the ocean that might be here. This is an amazing sight.

Salmon

17 October, 1805 we have passed the Mountains and are going down the Coulumbia River. Their is a lot of salmon here the river is crowded with them. There are a lot of Indians trying to catch them. All the men don't want to eat the salmon. There is also a lot of dead salmon on the shores and floating in the river. All of us are eating dog meat from the dogs that the area's Indians trade to us.

The Most Terrible Mountains

Late Summer, 1805. I can't wait to pass these mountains. There is almost nothing to eat up here. We are so used to one man eating nine pounds of meat a day that right now we feel and are starving. Old Toby, the person showing us the way across the mountains, got us lost. There was around eight inches of snow and we could barely walk. We had to boil snow over a camp fire to get water because there is almost no water up here. Because of some of the trails the horses fall of the ledge. We've killed two horses to eat. We had to kill a horse that fell off the ledge. We made it to a hot spring but the men were to tired to take their clothes off so that they could go in. Only a couple people had enough energy to take there moccasins of so that they could dunk their feet in. I can't wait to pass these mountains!