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Lewis and Clark Expedition As soon as President Jefferson learned of MacKenzie’s book he ordered a copy and after months of impatient waiting finally received it in August of 1802. He and his personal secretary and family friend, Meriwether Lewis, read it voraciously. As summer turned into fall, Jefferson decided to sponsor an American expedition to find a practical route to the Pacific before the Brit- ish could gain a lock on the region - and to appoint Lewis to lead it. Jefferson had been worried about British designs on the Pacific Northwest for some time, and nine years earlier had proposed just such an expedition, which had started out but was quickly aborted. This time he apparently never consid- ered anyone but Lewis, whom he admired for his skills and trusted implicitly. By January 1803, Jefferson had prevailed on Congress to authorize and fund the exploration. Preparations went forward into the summer. Lewis, then 27 years old and seeing the need for another officer with experience in command, offered “Keelboats and Rapids” By: Harvey W. Johnson 58