Page:The Pacific Monthly vol. 14.djvu/119



THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION

By Eva Emery Dye Autkor or "Tke Conquest, "McLougnlm and Old Oregon, Etc.

ONE hundred years ago the civ- ilized world clustered around the theater of Napoleonic wars. To-da}' the grand stage is the Pacific; in battles by land and sea, surj^assing any the world has ever known.

One hundred years ago every breeze bore news that over-awed the nations. Napoleon interdicted the commerce of the world. Even Jefferson exclaimed : "Wliy are we safe from Bonaparte? Only because he has not the British fleet at his command."

The Ohio Eiver was covered with float- ing caravans of men, women, children, cattle, hogs and horses "going west," one hundred years ago. Everywhere invent- ive minds were puzzling over motors, pad- dles — duck-foot, goose-foot and elliptical — wings and sails, side wheels, stern wheels and screws- boat.

To-day new caravans are passing in new vehicles, taking cross-cuts where the fath-

-inventing the steam-

ers followed the Ohio, the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Columbia. And every- where inventive minds are puzzling over new motors, new paddles, wings and sails, side wheels, stern wheels and screws — in- venting the airship.

Wild deer crossing the Ohio heard the bugle call of flatboatmen bearing Ken- tucky hemp and flour, Ohio apples, cider, nuts and cheese down to New Orleans — one hundred years ago. Clouds of wild pigeons darkened the sky. Myriads of wild turkeys hung in the sycamores, and Tecumseh was arousing the Indian to a last stand against the onrushing white man.

St. Louis was a village on the border; beyond lay darkest America, untraversed even by the trapper. Lewis and Clark were approaching Oregon, one hundred years ago, resting in this July at the Orcat Falls of the Missouri, that since the beginning of time had thundered down those rocks unheeded.

One hundred years ago a few Spaniards

The Oriental Exhibits Building:, Lewis and Clark Expos