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32ft long red pirogue appears larger than the 55ft keelboat (background)
in this stern to bow photo, above. Actually, the smaller boats carried
a good deal of the cargo. The 27ft, white pirogue carried Lewis' writing
desk and scientific instruments. It became the command ship of the
fleet. The pirogues could maneuver more easily than the larger keelboat.
Crewmen sat on benches to row when possible, but often had to walk
along the locker tops at the sides and push the craft with poles.
Crewmen walking on or near the shore pulled on ropes tied to the mast.
All of these methods of propulsion were also used on the keelboat.
Top right, the sweep rudder on the stern effectivly steered around
debris and sandbars. The cannon on the bow fortunately never had to
be used for defense. Like the one on the keelboat, its appearance
provided a deterrent. Flintlock blunderbusses on swivels were aboard. |
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