New Chiefs Head Coach, and More

[W. Gray]

The new head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs is Todd Haley, the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.

Although, there is no connection (probably), the name Haley struck a bell.

During the winter of 1805-1806 , a frequent visitor to Fort Clatsop, built by the Lewis and Clark expedition near the Columbia River, was a young Indian. The Indian was red haired, freckle faced, and could speak no English but had a tattoo on his arm: "Jack Haley."

As it turned out, the Columbia River was known beforehand to Lewis and Clark because an American ship had discovered the mouth fifteen or so years earlier—Captain Robert Gray out of Boston (probably no relation).

One of the frequent ship traders in the area was a Mr. Haley and the Indians pointed out to Captain Clark a female of their tribe whom they said this man Haley was particularly fond. Because of this trade, the Indians in the area wore white man's hats and coats and used iron cooking vessels, knives, and other post Stone Age items.

One of the Lewis and Clark expedition's daily missions while wintering was to keep an eye out for Mr. Haley's ship, but he never arrived before their March departure. They wanted to trade for items in which they were in low supply or had run out.

President Thomas Jefferson received some criticism from people of the time because he did not authorize the resupply of the expedition by American ships at the mouth of the Columbia River.

One of the reasons, though, may have been that when the expedition left the area of Montana heading west, it was in foreign territory and not authorized to be there.