Dawn of Steam: First Light
Page 28
For now, I am simply glad for the news that we near the end, and proof of the concept of navigating this way, and seeing the last of this journey from the air. We can travel back the way we came, and in doing so, map the riverway accurately. We shall have to be most cautious in traveling too far back the way we came, however, for another airship, and its troop of men will certainly lie along our return path somewhere.
January 1st, 1816
Pacific Ocean Coast
46º08'N 123º53'W
Dear Sir,
Success at last! We have reached the Pacific Ocean, and flown over it for some time whilst we celebrated our victory. I will hope that this will make up for the bitter news of our partial failure in the far north, which we may try again in a warmer time. For now, I can absolutely state that not only is there certainly a route which one can take by ground from the Eastern reaches of America to the West, but every step of the trip can be found described in Dr. Bowe's journals. I cannot confirm that he moved far from the colonies and Europe yet, but he most certainly traveled the breadth of America.
It is a difficult path, and many skills are required, including good guides, gifts for the native peoples – and ideally someone who speaks or can learn their tongues – and some talent for river navigation, but the entire way can be traveled without need of airships. That we did so under great duress, and still in excellent time is only more testament to the company you have collected here.
When we reach civilization again, I shall be sending you my collected letters and maps and in time shall share what of my journals pertains to these travels as well. Along with all of this are the many photographs you will find collected, in careful order by the region.
Among these photographs you will find a few carefully marked. These are photographs of features of the northern Pacific shores that are unmistakably as Bowe described them in his journals. The first are the great stone arches, his fabled 'gateways from the Pacific.' The others are pieces of native art that the journals referred to as totem poles. Miss Bowe assured us the local tribes were friendly, when greeted properly. Dining with one of these gave me a good opportunity to take these latter photos up close so you can see the detail of the work. In any case, there can be no doubt that Dr. Bowe reached at least these far shores, and did so without benefit of an airship.
I must note, should effort be made to follow our route with a less knowledgeable guide, that our travel was almost entirely in winter, and an exceptionally cold and harsh one at that. In better times, the way will appear different, and while it should seem easier without the snow and ice, our guide assures us that better times would also have given us more trouble with some of the native peoples and other threats which abound along this difficult route.
All cautions and warnings aside, I am most excited for your success, sir, and we will be making haste to complete the next stage of our trip as soon as we have had a chance to renew our supplies, monitor the war efforts against the Spanish colonies, and send off the documentation we have so far.
It is a pleasure to be a part of this effort, Lord Donovan, and I am grateful to you for selecting me to travel with so elite a company as this. We have had our difficulties, certainly, but all are proud to act in the service of England and so fine a gentleman as yourself.
Yours,
Gregory Conan Watts
Letter from Heathsville, Northumberland County, Virginia Colony Archives, Wright Collection.
January 1st, 1816
To My Beloved Parents, Dearest Fellow Wrights, and to all the noble Natives of Heathsville,
I write with glorious news, although I do not know when you will receive this letter. Just as one cannot send mail for delivery to the Pacific Coast, one cannot get postal pickup from the Pacific Coast.
We have, indeed, reached that most glorious of destinations, a seemingly endless sea. We followed Dr. Bowe's journals over vast, empty plains that shame even the largest of plantations. I doubt there are enough people in the world, let alone in the American Colonies, to ever tame to cultivation all of this new area.
West of the plains is a vast string of mountains, called the Rocky Mountains by those who dare name such things. These we covered by foot, to prove the possibility. The snow was deeper in places then I am tall, and the wind was biting. And yes, I did include myself in those who covered these mountains by foot, at least before I succumbed to the cold. My fellow adventurers carried me onward, and found me warmth and hospitality with a friendly tribe of the area. While the accommodations were strange in architecture, they were warm, and I will be forever grateful to them for taking in a sick stranger. Under their care, and that of Miss Bowe (the Great Dr.'s daughter!) I recovered, and walked myself down out of those same mountains.
As I write, I sit on a most comfortable rock, and stare with wonder at a rock arch off the coast here. I have been siting here since dawn, and still am amazed. It is the self same one sketched by Dr. Bowe, and printed in every copy of his journals. Our photographer and documentation, Mr. Watts, has found the exact same angle the sketch was made at, and, in doing so, stumbled over a cairn of rocks, just as Dr. Bowe said he placed.
I am now a believer. Dr. Bowe is for real. This trip, and Samantha Bowe, have convinced me. I plan to spend the trip back to New Orleans re-reading all of his journals, with this newfound perspective. I'm looking forward to our next goal. Lost cities that are not El Dorado sound warmer, at the least.
Your Loving Daughter,
Harriet Wright
Afterward
Dr. Cordelia Bentham-Watts
1887
Readers,
As you well know, this is not the end of the travels of that brave band. As of January 1816, they had barely began to cover the list of Dr. Bowe's claims, as assigned by Lord Donovan.
However, January 1st marks a year since the first letter of my dear Gregory on the topic of these explorations. As well, it marked their first great achievement. Just as the crew of the Dame Fortuna stopped to look back over the old year, and look forward to the new, so shall we end this volume here.
It is my hope that this first year of letters has helped you to learn about the people behind the stories. They each had their quirks and habits. They did not always get along like the merry band they projected for the press. They fought and disagreed about the best courses to take. However, they all worked together to try to prove the impossible possible, and in doing so, helped spark the imagination of not only the nation, but a huge portion of the war-torn world.
Their story continues, true, but be sure to not only read for the locations visited, but the friendships forged, and old enmities overcome. This is the true nature of peace, and this is the exploration that any can be master of.
I edit these papers not for myself, and not solely for the memory of my dear husband of sixty-five years, but for those who seek inspiration. I hope you may find it here.
Dr. Cordelia Bentham-Watts
Thank you to the following individuals. Without your aid and support in the process, this book would never have seen the light of day:
Sarah Symonds, my incredible co-writer and the voice of Cordelia and a number of others as the story developed. Kate Perkins, my fantastic editor. The talented Michal Marek for contributing the beautiful cover art. Jennifer Wolf and Matthew Lewis for their support and motivation to keep writing. Kaylin Anderson, Gerry Cook, Carol Wolf, Marci DeLeon, Anne Symonds, and Samantha Hutchison for their invaluable test readings and critiques. Seattle's hydrophobic ducks of Nanowrimo for their own words of encouragement and pressure to keep up the pace that led to Dawn of Steam being written. Finally, Khaya, Gregory, Milo, and sometimes even Osa.
http://www.dawnofsteam.net
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