The Louisiana Purchase by Ripley Hitchcock offers the journals of Lewis and Clark on their mission to explore the greatest land purchase in history. In a transaction that doubled the size of the United States, this book investigates not only the physical boundaries but the financial agreements between the United States and Napoleon Bonaparte, and the importance of New Orleans, Florida and the Missouri River in the westward expansion of the United States. Lewis and Clarke's descriptions of the hunched back cows (bison), massive grizzly bears and the sheer size of the country they crossed in their search for the best route to the Pacific Ocean are remarkable. Also included are the entries of Pike and his military explorations throughout the central part of the purchase.