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the President. His qualifications were admirable in so many respects, that in spite of some lack of scientific training, Jefferson "could have no hesitation in confiding the enterprise to him." He knew Lewis to be "honest, disinterested, of sound understanding, and a fidelity to truth so scrupulous that whatever he should report would be as certain as if seen by ourselves." Besides, he was "steady in the maintenance of discipline," and would be "careful as a father of those committed to his charge."
William Clark. It was at Lewis's suggestion that the President appointed a second officer to share the command of the party, and the man to fill the post was also selected by the young captain. By a curious chance the individual chosen was William Clark, younger brother of the celebrated western general, George Rogers Clark, to whom Jefferson had made the first proposal of an overland journey to the Pacific in 1783. Like Lewis, Clark was a man of military experience, having served under General Wayne (" Mad Anthony ") in the campaign against the Ohio Indians. He had travelled widely in the West, on sev«eral occasions even crossing the Mississippi. Clark was a few years older than Lewis, and differed from him in being less imaginative and enthusiastic; but in all respects he was a worthy companion, splendidly qualified to share the responsibility of the great enterprise. The two leaders were peculiarly fitted to work together harmoniously, and did so from the beginning to the end of the expedi
