The
Ulterior Grand Object, However, Of This Expedition Was Not Obtained, In
Consequence Of The Spaniards Compelling Major Pike To Desist And Return.
A
second attempt was made, by another party, but the Spaniards stopped them
likewise.
In the years 1804, 5, and 6, Captains Lewis and Clarke explored
the Missouri to its source, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and proceeding
towards the North Pacific Ocean, ascertained, the origin and course of the
River Columbia.
In the years 1819 and 1820, several persons, well qualified for the
undertaking by their science, spirit, and enterprize, accompanied by
riflemen, hunters, and assistants, were sent out by the government of the
United States, for the purpose of gaining a more full and accurate
knowledge of the chain of the Rocky Mountains, and of the rivers, winch,
rising there, flowed into the Mississippi. After passing through a great
extent and variety of country, and gaining some curious information
respecting various Indian tribes, especially of those who inhabit the upper
course of the Missouri, they reached the Mountains: these and the adjacent
districts they carefully examined. They next separated, one party going
towards the Red River, and the other descending the Arkansa. The former
party were misled and misinformed by the Indians, so that they mistook and
followed the Canadian River, instead of the Red River, till it joined the
Arkansa. They were, however, too exhausted to remedy their error. The
latter party were more successful.
The great outline of the coast, as well as of the greater portion of the
vast continent of America, is now filled up. In the northernmost parts of
North America, the efforts of the British government to find a north-west
passage, the spreading of the population of Canada, and the increasing
importance of the fur trade, bid fair to add the details of this portion;
the spread of the population of the United States towards the west, will as
necessarily give the details of the middle portion; while, with respect to
the most southern portions of North America, and the whole of South
America, with the exception of the cold, bleak, and barren territory of
Patagonia, the changes which have taken place, and are still in operation,
in the political state of the Spanish and Portuguese provinces, must soon
fill up the little that has been left unaccomplished by Humboldt, &c.
What portions, then, of Asia, America, and Africa, are still
_unknown?_ - and what comparison, in point of extent and importance, do
they bear to what was _known_ to the ancients? In Asia, the interior
of the vast kingdom of China is very imperfectly known, as well as Daouria
and other districts on the confines of the Chinese and Russian empires;
central Asia in general, and all that extensive, populous, and fertile
region which extends from the southern part of Malaya, nearly under the
equator, in a northerly direction, to the fortieth degree of latitude, are
still not explored, or but very partially so, by European travellers. This
region comprehends Aracan, Ava, Pegu, Siam, Tsiompa, and Cambodia.
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