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Abilene Slim, I have answers.


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About Lewis and Clark's journey. I am about 55 pages into the first book, and from what I can decipher, they 

used a pirogue with  a rope and anchor to row up stream, then used a capstan on the larger boat to propel the larger boat upstream. 

 I suspect that they made use of horses,  and trees as anchors also. They apparently used a sail when the wind cooperated. 

 

Also, Maryweather Lewis left Washington D. C. and went overland. He sent Clark down the Ohio river  with their collected provisions and the majority of the men. Lewis collected an assortment of supplies that he did not have, while traveling overland and met up with 

clark in St. Louis. An another source shows a map of them meeting in Cincinnati, but thr journal makes note that Lewis was in St. Louis and Clark was camped at River Dubois, across from the mouth of the Missouri River, on the Illinois side. I suspect that was near today's Alton, Illinois.

They had three boats. The largest one was the party boat. It held all of the provisions, supplies, and equipmen

It consisted of 22 oars.  They also had a large pirogue of 71 oars, and a smaller pirogue of 6 oars. I surmised that each of these oars represented an individual, and there were others (cooks, etc. ) who did not row, except in emergency. 

More to follow as I read further. 

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Happened 2 years ago but interesting read.

 

Replica 1804 Lewis & Clark Boat to Float Down Missouri River Next Week

 

Historically Accurate

Quote

A 42-foot, historically-accurate replica of the white pirogue used by Lewis & Clark during their 1804 to 1806 expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back again

 

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I saw a painting showing this air gun. It was in a book, but I don't recall which one. I believe they only had one, Lewis almost had an accident with it while demostraiting it to the Sioux I believe. 

 

Great picture Sedalia. I counted 8 oarlocks and the Journal mentions six. But it does have thr mast and  sail. 

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Part of the time, members of the Corps of Discovery poled the boat upstream by using poles and walking aft along the walkways built along either side of the keelboat. Also, there were times the men jumped in and dragged the boat by ropes. 
 

The walkways were also hinged, so they could be raised and used to make the keelboat into a floating fort. 

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19 hours ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

About Lewis and Clark's journey. I am about 55 pages into the first book, and from what I can decipher, they 

used a pirogue with  a rope and anchor to row up stream, then used a capstan on the larger boat to propel the larger boat upstream.


Called, ‘kedging,’ if I recall right. 

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4 minutes ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:


Called, ‘kedging,’ if I recall right. 

Yup, that's a term I haven't heard in a long time. From Wikipedia:

 

"Warping or kedging is a method of moving a sailing vessel, typically against the wind or out from a dead calm, by hauling on a line attached to a kedge anchor, a sea anchor or a fixed object, such as a bollard."

 

 

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2 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

 

The boat in the background of Sedalia Dave's post looks like this.

Yes it does. Notice the quarterdeck with the tent overhead. And the sail and six oarlocks to the side. I suppose that would take 12 men rowing, at least 1 steering, and two on the bow to push away snags. That would match up pretty close to Clarks description.  

 

I believe that they were indeed kegging, but with an anchor. At one point in the book, the Journal tells of an strong rain storm and wind and they lost their anchor. it later states that they searched after the storm, but could not find it, buried under drifting sand, so they used rocks from the stream anchors.   

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Alilene Slim, You need to read this book. I am up to July 1805  at the three forks of the Missouri river. The have used sails, push poles, horses and ropes of elk skin, and men pulling as horses do. There were no snoflake characters this trip. 

 

I have no doubt they used sails and/or pushpoles between Cario, Illnois and St. Louis/Alton.

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1 hour ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

Alilene Slim, You need to read this book. I am up to July 1805  at the three forks of the Missouri river. The have used sails, push poles, horses and ropes of elk skin, and men pulling as horses do. There were no snoflake characters this trip. 

 

I have no doubt they used sails and/or pushpoles between Cario, Illnois and St. Louis/Alton.

As a kid and teen, I rode the excursion boat (barge) St. Louis Admiral from time to time to Alton and back. It was basically a floating carnival. My dad crewed on it in the ‘40s. 
 

Downstream it made way with side wheels, but upstream had to have auxiliary screw power on the stern. The screw dropped into the water like an outboard motor when needed. 
 

Can’t imagine traveling upstream by sail, poles and tow rope. Heartier men than me!
 

And yes, I know it’s pronounced Kayro!

 

image.jpeg.fb737e8f94b10a385cecd09d028bedcc.jpeg

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Been on the Admiral several times. Back in the late 1940's, early 1950's there was another paddle wheeler called the Avalon that took excurision rides out of the local water front in Chester, Illinois. Being a waterfront town, the pull of paddlewheelers was strong. The Avalon sailed up and down the river giving out rides. Lots of fun.

 

You really need to read this book. 

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8 hours ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

Alilene Slim, You need to read this book. I am up to July 1805  at the three forks of the Missouri river. The have used sails, push poles, horses and ropes of elk skin, and men pulling as horses do. There were no snoflake characters this trip. 

 

No snowflakes is right.

 

Wait until you get to the part about their portage around the great falls.

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