RE: MtMan-List: Rubber goods

[Pat Quilter <pat_quilter@qscaudio.com>]

Regarding the collapsible boat of Lewis and Clark:
As I recall, the frame was lugged over the mountains to the first western
flowing stream, where the Corps attempted to complete the plan of covering
it with skins (not rubber). This was one of several "high tech" devices
produced to support the expedition, such as the well known lead canisters
with powder, the air rifle, and the 1803 pattern Harper's Ferry rifles. This
one, however, failed, despite the best efforts of Lewis, as recounted in
"Undaunted Courage". They used glover's needles to sew the skins, which
produced slight slits which opened up under strain, and they couldn't get
adequate pitch or a substitute for sealing. After some weeks of effort,
Lewis had to abandon the project and cached the frame. Meanwhile, Clark had
moved men downstream until they found cottonwoods big enough to make
dugouts, which carried them down river to the Pacific. 
Pat Quilter

-----Original Message-----
From: John L. Allen [mailto:jlallen@snet.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 1998 8:59 AM
To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com
Subject: MtMan-List: Rubber goods


Ho the list,
 
A question was raised a few days ago about whether or not Lewis and Clark
had a rubber boat. This question came out of the thread relating to rubber
ponchos, etc.
 
Lewis and Clark did not have a rubber boat. They carried an iron frame (made
in Pittsburgh) for a "portable boat" up the Missouri as far as Great Falls
where they abandoned (or cached) it. This iron frame was intended to be
covered with hides and/or bark. Although we have no good description of it,
it was probably something like an Irish curragh--or even like a Mandan
bullboat.
 
John C. Fremont, in 1842-44, used rubber boats on his first two expeditions
into the West. He refers to them as "India rubber" boats and mentions them
in his journals as being used on both the North Platte and the Great Salt
Lake. His rubber boat worked well on the Platte in 1842. The next year, on
Salt Lake, he noted that the rubber boat didn't work as well since it wasn't
"as well stitched together" as the one used on his first expedition. This
suggests a boat made from several pieces of material sewn in some fashion.
These rubber boats were 20 feet long and 5 feet wide and could carry a
wagon. They were apparently inflatable (he  mentions several places "filling
our India rubber boat with air"). Best source for Fremont is Donald Jackson
and Mary Spence (eds.), THE EXPEDITIONS OF JOHN CHARLES FREMONT, 3 vols.
Univ. of Illinois Press.
 
If Fremont, in 1842-44, was using an inflatable rubber boat, then obviously
the technology was in place to make serviceable ponchos, etc. out of rubber
or rubber-coated cloth during at least the tail end of the Rocky Mountain
fur trade era.
 
Keep your powder dry.
 
John
 
Dr. John L. Allen
21 Thomas Drive
Storrs, CT 06268
860/487-1346
jlallen@snet.net <mailto:jlallen@snet.net>