by Harvey Rattey
The fifth sculpture in our Lewis & Clark Series, Whale Creek Landing portrays a scene where members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition come upon the body of a blue whale that had washed up on a beach.
On January 6, 1806 Clark set out with several men and Sacagawea in two canoes to see the whale and hopefully obtain blubber. Unfortunately, much to their dismay, the bones of the enormous creature were mostly stripped bare. The party was able to barter with the members of the Kil a mox tribe to procure about 300 pounds of blubber and three gallons of whale oil, which they hauled 35 miles back to their winter quarters at Fort Clatsop. The blubber and oil added much needed fat to their diet and it is likely that some of the oil was used for fuel in oil lamps.
Regarding the unexpected provisions, Clark wrote, “Small as this Stock is I prise it highly; and thank providence for directing the whale to us; and think him much more kind to us than he was to jonah, having Sent this monster to be Swallowed by us in Sted of Swallowing of us as jonah’s did.”
7″ x 14″ x 4″
Limited Edition of 300
$995