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The explorers continuing their voyage arrived at Saint Louis on the 23rd of September, 1806, having been absent more than two years, and having traveled more than nine thousand miles. When the expedition, on its return, had reached the head waters of the Missouri, two of these fearless men, Colter and Potts, decided to remain in the wilderness to hunt beaver.
According to the dates before given, this must have occurred early in the month of April, as the scene is laid upon the coast of North Carolina. As the explorers are made to have left the shores of Newfoundland for home in June, at farthest, they were at no time on any part of the coast, in season to have been able to see or taste the ripe or unripe fruit of the vine.
Had they been able to do so, it is safe to say that they would have been in anything but a comfortable frame of mind. A few minutes later, Ziffak came through the door of the king's residence and greeted the explorers. His dusky countenance showed unmistakable traces of emotion, but like a true warrior, he knew how to govern his feelings.
Each subject music, literature, humanitarianism, mysticism, and a dozen others would be treated in turn; and while in no wise belittling the magic inventiveness of an age which has given us an Edison, a Marconi, and a whole host of brilliant explorers, birdmen, and others equally daring and distinguished, he intended to remember always the enormous debt which we of this century owe to the glorious past.
And could these explorers have seen in a dream what we witnessed in reality it would have seemed to them an impossibility that so short a time could have brought about such great events. The eastern lake shore was richly garlanded with forests displaying a vast multitude of verdant hues, varying through all the shades of green.
Gillam offered his vessel for a voyage to Hudson Bay; but the season was late, and when the vessel reached the rocky walls of Labrador the captain lost heart and refused to enter the driving straits. The ship returned and landed the explorers in Boston.
They gathered in a circle about the steel rod that marked the exact spot for which the boldest navigators and explorers have longed, and striven, and died by thousands during many decades of the past. The Doctor broke out in his sonorous voice, the rest immediately joining him in the familiar doxology, "Old Hundred," "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
I had an interview with the Governor, and he said very wisely he did not wish to order me in any way; that it was no use running a race with South Australia, and that as they were first in the field, although we were the first to suggest the exploration, we should wait till the next year, when, if the South Australian explorers were fortunate enough to reach this colony, we should have no necessity to send an expedition, and that if they did not, we should certainly profit by their experience.
There were here and there vast gaps to be forded or steep hills to be climbed, and in four days the explorers only advanced about eight miles in a northerly direction.
If conditions permitted, they transported them fresh, in a cargo commonly known as "corfish." Oil made from whale and cod was a profitable commodity. Fishermen were the pioneers and explorers of America's first days just as the miners, trappers and traders were those of a later period. The importance of fish was thus underlined.
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