Seaman was a large Newfoundland dog purchased by Meriwether Lewis in Pittsburgh in 1803 for $20 — a substantial sum at the time. Seaman accompanied the entire expedition from start to finish, making him the only non-human member to complete the round trip.
Lewis frequently mentioned Seaman in his journal entries, recording the dog’s adventures with evident affection. Seaman proved his worth many times: he retrieved game, chased off grizzly bears that wandered into camp, and caught squirrels. On one occasion, a buffalo bull charged through camp in the night and nearly trampled sleeping men — Seaman’s barking helped alert the party.
Native peoples along the route were fascinated by the large dog and several offered to purchase him. Lewis always refused, considering Seaman too valuable a companion. On one occasion, Indians stole Seaman, and Lewis sent three men to recover him with orders “if they made the least resistence or difficulty in surrendering the dog to fire on them.”
Seaman was bitten by a beaver, suffered from mosquitoes, and endured every hardship the men faced. His fate after the expedition is unknown — the last journal mention of him is September 11, 1806, near the journey’s end. A dog collar found near an Oregon trail in the 19th century was inscribed “The greatest traveller of my species,” but its authenticity is debated.
