Lewis & Clark

 The Lewis and Clark expedition is the best adventure story I have ever read.   I think I have read every book on the subject.  Two books that stand out the most are Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose and the Journals of Patrick Gass, the oldest member of the party.  He became one of three sergeants in the party and lived into his 90's making him the longest living member of the expedition.   Another man that survived it all was John Colter, who left the expedition on the return trip and went back west with two trappers they met on the Missouri River.   His story is sketchy, but he did survive after spending two years, mostly by himself and became a farmer in Missouri after his return.   In summary if it had not been for the kindness of the different Indian tribes they would have never completed the expedition.  

After reading all these books it opened up more reading on the fur traders and mountain men that followed, some had been members of the Lewis and Clark party.   Only one other man covered more of the western frontier than Lewis and Clark and that was Jedediah Smith.   More interesting reading during these uncertain times.