Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took Ballard Locks visitors back in time last weekend as they re-enacted the experiences of explorers Lewis and Clark.

Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were authorized by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803 to explore the west. They traveled 8,000 miles in 28 months between 1803 and 1806.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers, and other staff from Illinois, Massachusetts and other states, were selected to play roles in the re-enactment. The roles were of expedition members, not Lewis and Clark themselves.

"It's wonderful coming to talk to people in Seattle," said re-enactor Tim Bischoff, in period uniform holding a musket rifle. "I've gone all across the U.S. doing this. We bring the history to people so they can experience it."

There were a number of displays including tents, campsites and campfires.

Jon Carlson played the role of Private Huge McNeal. In front of him were skulls from some of the animals the expedition encountered, like Beavers porcupines, bobcats and river otter, whose pelt was prized in trading.

Visitors asked Carlson about other items like a bone handled knife, a mess kit, journal, buckskin used to make moccasins and a bear claw.

Bears were a problem on the expedition.

"We ran into several of them," said Carlson, acting out his role. "They created a problem for us. They got too close and attacked. We're pretty fearful and keep a dog to watch for them."

Private McNeal was the target of a bear.

"The horse threw him to the ground," said Carlson. "He hit the grizzly on the head with a musket and cracked the breech. He climbed a tree."

Charles Deutsch was Private John Colter. He showed visitors a blue beaded necklace. Blue was a prized commodity when trading with the Indians because it was a rare color.

Deustch demonstrated how to load a musket rifle by placing a lead ball into the barrel and stuffing it down with a metal rod.

"This is the lock, stock and barrel, that's how they came up with the term lock stock and barrel," said Carlson.

All of the participants liked taking time off from their Army Corps of Engineers jobs, but had to study for their roles.

"It's great," said Rick Magee who was Private Thomas Proctor Howard. "It's real enjoyable. I did a lot of research. It has been an adventure and a few challenges. Overall they got along with the Indians. Two tribes were a problem, the Black Feet and Sioux."

Most tribes were helpful and provided horses, medicine, and food. They also taught Lewis and Clark how to build canoes.

As George Gipson, Larry Spisac found the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens where the tents were set up to be a comforting location.

"I like it very much. It's one of the prettiest spots we've been in," said Spisac, who played the fiddle for the crowd, just like Gipson did on the original trip.

Children often ask Spisac how a fragile instrument like a fiddle could survive the difficult conditions encountered by the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Gipson was brought on the trip for his hunting skill, he just happened to bring his fiddle along.

"Man-kind, no matter what culture, has music," said Spisac. "They (Indians) loved the music."

"It was the greatest peacetime expedition every mounted by the U.S. Army," he added. " It is even unparallel in scope today. They were completely cutoff and on their own until they made it back."

After leaving Seattle, the Lewis and Clark group's next stop was the Bonneville Dam, which spans Washington and Oregon, linking the two states together.

Visit www.lewisand clark200.org for more historical information.