Tuesday, April 12, 2011
All things change, but the stage remains the same
National Bicentennial Exhibition
This is the pipe tomahawk of Meriweather Lewis. An artifact unique to the American frontier, this highly decorated one was reserved for diplomatic gifts and high status individuals. Lewis still had this with him when he died. Click image to enlarge, it's almost like touching it
Girandoni military model repeating air rifle invented by Bartholomäus Girandoni, Vienna, Model of 1780
This interesting gun belonged to Meriweather Lewis, and was also important in the history of the settlement of the Northwest. It was known that he possesed an air rifle, but it is only in recent years that the identity of the gun was discovered. The Shoshone Indians were well aware that the long rifles had to be reloaded between shots, so were in awe of the rifle that didn't run out of shots. Lewis demonstrated the rifle in front of the Indians as he met them going across the country.