Board of Directors
Jackie Lewin, Immediate past Chair
Steve Black, Treasurer
Kay Schaefer, Secretary
Kyle Carroll
Pete Cuppage
Gordon Kempf
Ross Marshall
Pat Traffas
Jennifer Scott
Gordon Julich, Immediate Past President National Foundation
The Missouri -Kansas Riverbend Chapter is fortunate to have a Newfoundland Dog as its honorary member. His name is Seaman Maximus but we call him Max. He is three years old and weighs about 140 pounds. He is a sweet and lovable dog and loves to take part in local Lewis and Clark events. Steve Kaub, the chapter vice president, is the owner.
Steve and Seaman at one of the journal readings.
A drawing of what a Newfoundland looked like in 1804.
The following are Excerpts from the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition relating to Seaman.
Seaman was name the name of the Newfoundland dog who accompanied the Lewis and
Clark Expedition. Meriwether Lewis purchased Seaman for $20 while in
Pennsylvania in 1803. That was approximately a month’s salary for a captain in
the army at that time. Seaman proved to be an invaluable member of the
expedition.
As the keelboat made its way down the Ohio River in 1803 the men saw thousands
of squirrels migrating across the river. “I made my dog take as many as I
had occasion for. They were fat and I thought them when fried a pleasant food.
My dog was of the Newfoundland breed, very active, strong and docile. He would
take the squirrels in the water, kill them, and swimming bring them in his mouth
to the boat.” Captain Lewis September 11, 1803
While they were in the southeast area of what is now the state of Missouri along
the Mississippi River, Seaman found some admirers. “We found here some
Shawnees and Delawares encamped, one of the Shawnees, a respectable looking
Indian, offered me three beaver skins for my dog, with which he appeared much
pleased. The dog was of the Newfoundland breed, one that I prized much for his
docility and qualifications for my journey and of course there was no bargain. I
had given $20 for this dog myself” Captain Lewis November 16, 1803
Near present day Atchison Kansas, Seaman was mentioned again. “We came to for
Dinner at a Beaver house. Capt. Lewis’s dog .Seaman went in & drove them out”
Captain Clark July 5, 1804
“Saw a flock of goats (pronghorn antelope) swimming in the river this
morning near to our camp. Capt. Lewis’s dog Seaman took after them, caught one
in the river, drowned & killed it and swam to shore with it.” Sgt. John Ordway
April 26, 1805
“The antelopes are yet meager, and the females are big with young. The wolves
take them most generally in attempting to swim the river. In this manner, my dog
caught one, drowned it and brought it on shore.” Captain Lewis April 29, 1805
“One of the party wounded a beaver, and my dog, as usual, swam in to catch it.
The beaver bit him through the hind leg and cut the artery. It was with great
difficulty that I could stop the blood. I fear it will yet prove fatal to him.”
Captain Lewis May 19, 1805
Ten days later Seaman seemed to have recovered and proved his worth once again.
“Last night we were all alarmed by a large buffalo bull which swam over
from the opposite shore and coming along the side of the white pirogue, climbed
over it to land. He, then alarmed, ran up the bank in full speed directly toward
the fires, and was within inches of the heads of some of the men who lay
sleeping. When he came near the tent, my dog saved us by causing him to change
his course.” Captain Lewis May 29, 1805
“A bear came within thirty yards of our camp last night and ate up about
thirty weight of buffalo suet which was hanging on a pole. My dog seems to be in
a constant state of alarm with these bear and keeps barking all night.” Captain
Lewis June 27, 1805
“Drouillard wounded a deer which ran into the river. My dog pursued, caught it,
drowned it and brought it to shore at our camp.” Captain Lewis July 15, 1805
“We daily see great numbers of geese with their young which are perfectly
feathered except the wings, which are deficient in both young and old. My dog
caught several today, as he frequently does.” Captain Lewis July 21 1805
“Three of this same tribe of villains, the Wahclellahs, stole my dog this
evening, and took him toward their village. I was shortly afterward informed of
this transaction and sent three men in pursuit of the thieves with orders that,
if they made the least resistance or difficulty in surrendering the dog, to fire
on them. They came within sight of them at a distance of about 2 miles. The
Indians, discovering the party in pursuit of them, left the dog and fled.”
Captain Lewis April 11, 1806
“The mosquetoes continue to infest us in such manner that we can scarcely
exist. For my own part I am confined by them to my bier at least three fourths
of the time, my dog even howls with the torture he experiences from them.”
Captain Lewis July 15, 1806
Was Seaman with the men when they arrived in St Louis at the end of the
expedition on September 23 1806? Probably, he was since he was not mentioned in
the journals after July 15. Surely if something had happened to Seaman the
journals would have recorded it.
