Journals of Patrick Gass

Patrick Gass's journal is much more readable than that of Lewis & Clark - for a start, his spelling is better; he doesn't resort to overblown, flowery descriptions (the notable and ludicrous exceptions are those added by his first editor); and Ms McGregor's wonderful notes flesh out this rivetting story.Reading this after the better-publicised Lewis & Clark journals makes you wonder if they were on the same expedition - the Captains' journal is more concerned with who they met, making maps and taking measurements - whereas Gass's journal is full of description of the surrounding country and wildlife (interestingly, Gass rarely mentions anyone but the Captains by name).The newly-included account-book is very interesting and the list of animals killed for food gives one some idea of the calorie requirements demanded by the intense labour these men went through each day, and also making you wonder if there was anything left for the poor natives after they'd passed through their territory!

Sergeant Gass was one of the few members of the Corp of Discovery to keep a consistent log of the journey. His journal style makes his account interesting and very readable. Gass's log of daily activities shows the optomistic spirit of the corp and makes this an important contribution to the study of the expedition. The inclusion of Gass's newly discovered personal account ledger is facinating!

Carol MacGregor has done a wonderful job. She has taken the original Lewis & Clark Journals and footnoted the Gass Journal. Where Gass said men went out to hunt she names the hunters ect,. His account book told me when my g,g,g, grandmother died and what was bought day by day. I was surprised that so much fish was eaten. On behalf of the Gass family, Thank you for a job well done.

Carol MacGregor did an excellent job of presenting Gass's writings. Gass appeared to clarify several situations that I had difficulty with in Lewis & Clark's writings in Thwaites edition. It is a strong addition to Coues edition and provides insite not evident in Ambrose's Undaunted Courage. I'm anxious to read writings of Ordway and Whitehouse even tho I understand that some of the writings of the enlisted men may be duplications of each other.

Mrs. MacGregor gives a salient introduction to the story of Patrick Gass. His life and his own account of his trip with Lewis & Clark make for a remarkable read as we approach the bicentenial of the Corps of Discovery. A wonderful footnote to the personal history of this intrepid explorer is available in the detailed account books of Patrick Gass found only in this edition. For any student of the L & C expedition and the early history of the opening of the west, I highly recommend this book.