Although Lewis and Clark get credit for making the trip to the Pacific Coast 1803-1805, Alexander McKenzie performed the same trip 10 years earlier through Canada. And although, we give both groups credit for their achievements (which we most definitely should, they were incredible people), I can't help think that some probably went before (i.e., the Spanish Conquistadores), but history will never reveal them.

In 1811, Dave Thompson recorded an event in the Banff area (Athabascas River) in which he describes "huge" footprints that led out into the open plains of today's Alberta. When he stated he wanted to follow them, the Indians guiding him refused. They said the tracks belonged to the "mammoth". Although, I don't recall any specific descrition of "mammoth" being recorded.

Lois L'mour believed that the Indians meant mammoths literally, but others think Thompson came across Bigfoot tracks.

Thompson was probably one of the few early explorer/trappers who could write (certainly there were some who could). Colter couldn't (this is speculation because he never left behind memiors/journals, although the Colter Rock was found on the slopes of the Tetons with his name and 1810 carved in it), and neither could most I imagine. This brings me to wonder how many Sasquatch/Bigfoot sightings may have happened from the 1600's (Spanish Explorations) through the 1840's and never were recorded due to the inability of the person/people involved to write it down?

In the case of the conquistadores, they may have seen such things, but were to afraid of ecclestiastical ramifications to say anything. Although, they certainly ran into the Karawakan Indians in Texas.

Just a thought.

Jon

Actually, David Thompson found the footprints near what is now the present townsite of Jasper, Alberta. Not Banff.

Sorry for nitpicking, but I live up here in Alberta.

McKensie went on his own accord to make money trapping furs, but the Corps of Discovery (Lewis & CLark) made detailed maps, and collected and described for science many new species of birds, plants and animals. They were a true expedition.

Well, given that most men could write thier name, and that was it, it doesnt surprise me about Colters name in the rock. Who by the way, was a member of the Corps of Discovery. He left the expedition on its way back to St Louis, saying he would be bored in the city, and was granted leave early. He later was described as crazy when he returned to St Louis years later, for describing what people called "Colters Hell", a valley filled with bubbling sulpher pits, steam jets rising hundreds of feet in the air, clouds of gas venting from the ground, pits of brimestone. Today, that valley is known as Yellowstone Park.

Alot of the early explorers never recorded their observations as well as the CoD, but told things to others, and they passed them on. Things get lost in verbal communication. And we still hold the writtings of the CoD as whats (wrongly) held as the stadard for that time era.

Yeah, i think ALOT of white settlers ran into the animals, but even then, they were too far out of what people think of as being "true" , that they were dimissed as "lunatics" or " been in the sun too long".

you could try checking if mexio city has history on the qonquistidores. Personal letttles and such. also i think they have a huge meusum in madrid that had virtal library lilke thing to do researfch on. just a little help.

also you might want ot check the irelands, ice lands meusums for info on the irish monks who came over to america first. they went with erik the red and others to ice and green land. some went farther who know maybe some of them actually made it back with enough time to wirte down what they saw before they keeled over. would a monk lie?

What would be a good thing to do is read the book: "Bronze Age America" by Barry Fell.

Professor Fell describes Celtic language (Ogam) rock inscriptions located many places in America.

The Book is profusely illustrated with pictures and is a good read.

Bill

Irish monks hanging out with vikings? News to me. Maybe
you're thinking of St. Brendan, sailed to N. America without the
norwegians, and much earlier than a certain Portugee and
several spaniards. Check with National Geographic, they can
give you more details...

Sorry SFS,

And to think, I have been to Jasper! I even fished the Little Smokey. Caught my grandpa's hand.

Well, anyway, I am familiar with the Prince Madoc legend, Vikings, the lost Irish monk who left journals in an Irish monastery describing what appears to be the North Atlantic Coast from Maine to Virginia. Roman coins in Florida waters, Chinese junks off the coast of California. I used to get Ancient America a very interesting magazine, maybe I'll renew.

I remember reading Lois L'mour describe an Englich schooner that was found wrecked in the Virginia marshes by the ship that dropped off the Roanoake Colony. There is a crud load of stuff that has happened that hasn't been discovered, or has been lost. The stone forts near the Falls of Ohio, etc. I think a time machine would be cool. In the Berkley Hills, east of San Francisco is a stone wall. It has been there for as long as anyone can remember. No one knows who built it, but it's old, and runs for miles. Of course, it's nothing that would slow down a developer, and a lot of it has been lost.

I don't remember details of all these things, but I have heard the stories, and read them.

Ever wonder where Drake's gold is? Somewhere not far north of S.F.

So, I wish that we could have a better record of what a lot of the mountain men, trappers, etc. found when they first started penetrating the forests of the West (And East). Another Ancient America article described a copper mine in the Upper Penninsula that is 10,000 years old (any of you Wolverines heard of this?)

Just a thought.

Jon

When I took "Early Colonial America" in college the professor presented something that I had not thought of until that time. MAny of the Spanish and Portuguese sailors would return with their "SEa Monster" stories. Or incredible accounts of the lands they saw, and people thought they were exaggerating.

This professor made the point, that he had giotten from another professor, that these people weren't exaggerating, but at that time, in the Latin languages they didn't have the words to describe what they saw. So when someone asked them, "Sea monster" and other "descriptions" came out.

Jon

Good sleuthing Jon, guys. There is a bunch of spin offs to this that may lead to more. I am very curious about the Rockies that lead into Mexico. Also what may be found in literature from early explorers who COULD write.

Arcaic indians, prized copper more than gold. It was more useful to them.

WHat about the Rune Stone in the Kiamichi Mountains in Oklahoma ? A large obolisk with celtic carved Runes (letters) near the town of Heavener.

http://www.shopoklahoma.com/heavener.htm