 The American Trail, American Trail, Blazed in Blood, Defended in Blood. Chapter 4, The Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1803. The newly acquired Louisiana Territory, several times larger than the United States, was a vast uncharted wilderness. For years Thomas Jefferson had dreamed of an expedition that would explore it. Now as president, he had the power to commission an expedition. To head it, he chose his private secretary, Captain Merroweth Lewis. Merroweth, you can't imagine my feelings at this moment. I think I can, sir. I believe I've always pictured myself taking this trip. I know. To see for the first time, a country no other American has ever seen, to look upon strange animals. There must be many curious animals in that wilderness. Prehistoric ones, maybe? There could be, sir. Yes. Well now, who will you take with you? I have a couple of men in mind. There's Billy Clark, Lieutenant Clark, I mean, Clark. Yes, he sounds like a good choice. He understands astronomy and his work on maps. Merroweth, I see this more than just the exploration of Louisiana. I see it as a first attempt to map a route across this entire continent. All the way to the Pacific Ocean. It may take years, sir, but I suppose one would have to follow the Missouri River. A year later, Lewis, Clark, 30 volunteer soldiers and a famous scout and Indian fighter, a man named Wetzel, moved up the Missouri into the unknown. Captain Lewis! Rapids! Rapids ahead! There were rapids. There were Indians. There was sickness. The going became harder as they fought their way up the mighty Missouri. And then... Lieutenant Clark? Yes, Mr. Wetzel? I reckon you can tell Captain Lewis I'm going back. Going back? Brady means it, Maryweather. A man like that turning back? Bad for the soldiers. I reckon most of them feel like turning back too. There's no turning back for any of us, Billy. With or without Wetzel, we go on. By October, they had traveled some 1,200 miles up the Missouri to the Dakota country. Lewis decided to winter there and the soldiers built a fort, Fort Mandan. One day as Lieutenant Clark worked on the map he was making of the Dakota country. Lieutenant Clark, I have a visitor. Well, for the... This is Madame Charbonneau. Pleasure, Madame. I shall show this to her. She's married to a Frenchman up here. Oh? My name... Sacca Javier. Sacca... Sacca... Sacca Javier. Oh, yes, of course. She and her husband want to come along with us when we leave here. Come with us, why? I speak Indian tongues. I know country. You need guide. Yes, I suppose we do. Well, Sacca Javier, we'll talk about it. Yes, you talk. I come back. You don't seem to like the idea, Billy. Hey, whether we're carrying a small fortune with us in rifles, ammunition, supplies... I hadn't thought about that. She and this husband of hers may... may have some idea of leading us into a trap. But they needed someone who spoke the Indian languages. And it was agreed the Indian girl would go along. So another spring came, and the expedition pushed on. It was big country. It was often terrifying. Day after day, weekend, week out, as far as I could see. An endless wilderness that swarmed with buffalo. You're a long way from your own people, Sacca Javier. Yes. Why is that? When I small child, enemy of my people take me away. You were stolen? Yes. A white man, free me. A white man? My husband. How long have you been away from your own people? Five years. Five years, eh? Maybe we find my people. Oh, hello, Billy. I reckon I was listening. Uh, Janie. My name, no Janie. If Janie to me, I can't pronounce the other one. What sort of people are you a tribe? They Indians. They hunt fish. Are they friendly? Sometimes. Suppose we run into them? If I with you, they're no kids. I go. I help my husband. Very well, I'm not so sure about her. And I don't like her husband either. Oh, you're foot bothering, Billy? I'm all right. Clark suffered. They all did. Hard ship was taking its toll. The men were sick. Medicine ran low. Progress became slower. Then one morning, as the soldiers broke camp beside the river, Lewis climbed a hill. Lieutenant Clark! Billy! Come up here! What's the trouble, Maryweather? Look, as far to the west as you can see. I never saw the likes of that before. It must be the mountains that hold up the sky. One year after starting out, Lewis and Clark sighted the Rocky Mountains, as the Missouri River grew stronger and stronger. And then one day, the expedition exhausted to the point of collapse camped deep in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. The Missouri had ended. They've come a long way, Billy. According to my reckoning, more than 2,000 miles. Do you think we'll ever see the Pacific Ocean? If we don't, we'll just die out here somewhere. Smoke signal! Smoke signal. Where, Sergeant? Over there, sir! On the hill! Oh, yes. We've been seen. Very much seen. Look, coming out of the valley over there. Indians. And I think I know who's responsible. Sir, got your wheel? Yes, I don't see her around. Nor her husband. Men, keep to the cover of the rocks. Don't open fire until I get the order. And pick your target carefully before firing. That's all. Good luck. Give the order, Marywell, then. Wait. Who's that running out of the rocks? Sackage-a-wea. Where's she going? Sackage-a-wea! Come back here! Come back! Danny, come back! Hold your fire, men! Hold it! She's crazy, that girl! Does she know them? She seems to. She's talking to them. She's coming back. Very well, I still don't like it. These are my people. They saw me. Indian chief. My brother. There was great rejoicing at Sackage-a-wea's return to her people. A feast was prepared. But there was something about the manner of the Indians that none of the white men liked. And when the feast began, they stayed close together. You posted guards over our supplies, Billy? Yes, Sackage-a-wea's big brother had designed them on our gun. Too careful. He's watching us. And I'm watching him. They're getting a little wild. Maryweather, I have a strong feeling that if any of the daughters sleep, we'll wake up without our scouts. The Indian village finally slept. Or seen too. In a wigwam, Billy Clark and Maryweather Lewis waited and listened. If they're coming, they'll come soon. I was just thinking. Here we are, you and me, the rest of us, waiting to be massacred by a tribe of savages. Why? We knew what to expect, Billy, but we came. Why? Maybe the instinct for nobility causes some of us to risk life and limb just to make things easier for those who come after us. Maryweather, you make me feel real noble. Quiet. Listen. Sackage-a-wea, what is it? Come, we leave. I go with you, but we leave now. I got horses waiting. Come, we go. Sackage-a-wea, what happened back at the village? My brother want to kill you all. What changed his mind? I tell him white soldiers coming. The rest of the Rocky Mountains on a gray tree-covered slope, icy winds drove through the forest. The fires ran low. Some of the men looked like living skeletons as they followed the Columbia River. At least we escaped massacre in order to freeze to death. We are on high ground, not so cold, too. How far have we come, Billy? Three thousand miles, I reckon. And been gone? How long is it? Eighteen months. Eighteen years, it seems like. I hear something. Listen. Sackage-a-wea. Do you hear anything? The great water. Man, look at that. Come on! It's the ocean, the Pacific. Sackage-a-wea, come here. Look at that ocean. Look at Mary whether we've done it. We've reached the Pacific. It's beautiful. The Blue Pacific has served thundering a challenge to all those who might dare to travel blazed by this little bed and the brave men. But people did follow. Soon the covered wagons rolled west of the Rocky Mountains to the very shores of the Pacific Ocean to the eternal memory of Meriwether Lewis and Billy Clark. This has been the fourth chapter of the story of the American nation brought to you by the ladies' auxiliary to the veterans of foreign wars. Next week, another story to make you proud of this great country of ours as we follow the American Trail.