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The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates October 14, 1805 - October
16, 1805
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: October 14, 1805 - October 16, 1805
October
14, 1805
Monday 14. The wind was high from the southwest during
the evening, and this morning it changed to the west,
and the weather became very cold until about twelve
o'clock, when it shifted to the southwest, and continued
in that quarter during the rest of the day. We set out
early, and after passing some swift water, reached at
two and a half miles a rock of a very singular appearance.
It was situated on a point to the left, at some distance
from the ascending country, very high and large, and
resembling in its shape the hull of a ship. At five
miles we passed a rapid; at eight another rapid, and
a small island on the right, and at ten and a half a
small island on the right. We halted a mile and a half
below for the purpose of examining a much larger and
more dangerous rapid than those we had yet passed. It
is three miles in length, and very difficult to navigate.
We had scarcely set out, when three of the canoes stuck
fast in endeavoring to avoid the rocks in the channel;
soon after in passing two small rocky islands, one of
the canoes struck a rock, but was prevented from upsetting,
and fortunately we all arrived safe at the lower end
of the rapid. Here we dined, and then proceeded, and
soon reached another rapid on both sides of the river,
which was divided by an island.
As we were descending it one of the boats was driven
crosswise against a rock in the middle of the current.
The crew attempted to get her off, but the waves dashed
over her, and she soon filled; they got out on the rock
and held her above water with great exertion, till another
canoe was unloaded and sent to her relief; but they
could not prevent a great deal of her baggage from floating
down the stream. As soon as she was lightened, she was
hurried down the channel leaving the crew on the rock.
They were brought off by the rest of the party, and
the canoe itself, and nearly all that had been washed
overboard was recovered. The chief loss was the bedding
of two of the men, a tomahawk, and some small articles.
But all the rest were wet, and though by drying we were
able to save the powder, all the loose packages of which
were in this boat, yet we lost all the roots and other
provisions, which are spoilt by the water. In order
to diminish the loss as far as was in our power, we
halted for the night on an island, and exposed every
thing to dry. On landing we found some split timber
for houses which the Indians had very securely covered
with stone, and also a place where they had deposited
their fish. We have hitherto abstained scrupulously
from taking any thing belonging to the Indians; but
on this occasion we were compelled to depart from this
rule; and as there was no other timber to be found in
any direction for firewood, and no owner appeared from
whom it could be purchased, we used a part of these
split planks, bearing in mind our obligation to repay
the proprietor whenever we should discover him. The
only game which we observed were geese and ducks, of
the latter we killed some, and a few of the blue-winged
teal. Our journey was fifteen miles in length.
October
15, 1805
Tuesday 15.
The morning was fair, and being obliged to remain for
the purpose of drying the baggage, we sent out the hunters
to the plains, but they returned at ten o'clock, without
having seen even the tracks of any large game, but brought
in three geese and two ducks. The plains are waving,
and as we walked in them, we could plainly discover
a range of mountains bearing southeast and northwest,
becoming higher as they advanced towards the north,
the nearest point bearing south about sixty miles from
us. Our stores being sufficiently dry to be reloaded,
and as we shall be obliged to stop for the purpose of
making some celestial observations at the mouth of the
river, which cannot be at a great distance, we concluded
to embark and complete the drying at that place: we
therefore set out at two o'clock. For the first four
miles we passed three islands, at the lower points of
which were the same number of rapids, besides a fourth
at a distance from them. During the next ten miles we
passed eight islands and three more rapids, and reached
a point of rocks on the left side. The islands were
of various sizes, but were all composed of round stone
and sand: the rapids were in many places difficult and
dangerous to pass. About this place the country becomes
lower than usual, the ground over the river not being
higher than ninety or a hundred feet, and extending
back into a waving plain. Soon after leaving this point
of rocks, we entered a narrow channel formed by the
projecting cliffs of the bank, which rise nearly perpendicular
from the water. The river is not however rapid, but
gentle and smooth during its confinement, which lasts
for three miles, when it falls, or rather widens into
a kind of basin nearly round, and without any perceptible
current. After passing through this basin, we were joined
by the three Indians who had piloted us through the
rapids since we left the forks, and who in company with
our two chiefs had gone before us. They had now halted
here to warn us of a dangerous rapid, which begins at
the lower point of the basin. As the day was too far
spent to descend it, we determined to examine before
we attempted it, and therefore landed near an island
at the head of the rapid, and studied particularly all
its narrow and difficult parts. The spot where we landed
was an old fishing establishment, of which there yet
remained the timbers of a house carefully raised on
scaffolds to protect them against the spring tide. Not
being able to procure any other fuel, and the night
being cold, we were again obliged to use the property
of the Indians, who still remain in the plains hunting
the antelope. Our progress was only twenty miles in
consequence of the difficulty of passing the rapids.
Our game consisted of two teal.
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