Heacock Writings
50 articles by Robert Heacock (1957–2025), originally published at lewis-clark.org and preserved here as a memorial archive with permission of his family. Each entry links to its original publication.
Among the Nez Perce1 article
Army Life1 article
Chinookan Peoples3 articles
The Skilloots
The Skilloot were an Upper Chinookan group that spoke the Clackamas dialect of the Chinookan language. They were located on both sides of the Columbia…
The Wahkiakums
The Wahkiakums exemplify the complexities encountered when trying to classify Chinookan peoples. Linguistically, they spoke the Upper Chinookan Clackamas dialect. Culturally, they were related to…
The Watlalas
Watlala was the name of a key Upper Chinookan village at the Cascades of the Columbia. The name has been extended by many to mean…
Columbia River Geology1 article
Day-by-Day34 articles
April 20, 1803
Lewis leaves Harpers Ferry
Meriwether Lewis writes to President Thomas Jefferson explaining a delay at Harpers Ferry Armory due to the design and construction of the iron-framed boat. He…
September 4, 1803
Leaky boats
As they leave Pennsylvania along the Ohio River, the pirogue springs a serious leak, so they must stop to repair it. Lewis buys a canoe,…
September 6, 1803
Sailing past Steubenville
Lewis employs horses, sails, and oxen to pass over several gravel bars. He tries sailing, but in the high wind, the sprit sail breaks. They…
September 13, 1803
Marietta, Ohio
At sunrise, the boats move down the Ohio River. They lift the barge over a few riffles and see a flock of passenger pigeons. Anchored…
September 15, 1803
Passing Belpre
Lewis and his crew head down the Ohio passing present Little Kanawha and Little Hocking rivers. The barge must be lifted over a gravel bar,…
September 16, 1803
Very bad riffles
After delaying for fog, Lewis pushes his crew until nearly dark. They pass an area with trees marked by both Indians and settlers. At camp…
September 18, 1803
Letart Falls
The expedition heads out down the Ohio before sunrise. They safely pass a rapid near the present community of Letart Falls, and Lewis writes his…
September 28, 1803
Cincinnati arrival
© 2021 by Robert Heacock. Used by permission.
November 13, 1803
Leaving Fort Massac
The expedition leaves Fort Massac moving about three miles down the Ohio, and Lewis is “siezed with a violent ague”. The Indiana Territorial Governor pens…
November 17, 1803
Stormy day
The day is stormy at the mouth of the Ohio. Strong winds swamp the smaller boats, which fortunately had been emptied of their cargo. The…
November 19, 1803
Survey and observations
On the expedition’s final day encamped at the mouth of the Ohio, Clark completes his survey of that river’s confluence with the Mississippi, and Lewis…
November 23, 1803
Louis Lorimier of Cape Girardeau
Louis Lorimier of Cape Girardeau
November 24, 1803
Limestone cliffs
Moving ten miles up the Mississippi, a missing hunter—Sgt. Pryor—is found, and Lewis observes the limestone lining the shores and hills of present Trail of…
November 25, 1803
Grand Tower ritual
As the expedition’s flotilla of boats approach the Grand Tower of the Mississippi, Lewis learns of the ritual held the first time a boatman passes…
December 7, 1803
Cahokia arrivals
Lewis travels by land and Clark by river to arrive at Cahokia, Illinois. Lewis meets John Hay and Nicholas Jarrot who help him negotiate with…
May 16, 1804
St. Charles arrival
The boats set out early, pass the coal beds of Charbonier Bluff, and reach St. Charles, an early French settlement on the Missouri River. Many…
October 21, 1805
Columbia River rapids
Moving down the Columbia above present John Day Dam, the paddlers navigate several rapids while the non-swimmers walk around them. Pvt. Collins shares his camas-brewed…
October 29, 1805
Friendly villages
Moving 35 miles down the Columbia, the expedition encounters many Sahaptin and Upper Chinook villages. They pass an island with numerous graves—Memaloose—and camp above the…
November 3, 1805
The "Quick Sand" River
Moving down the Columbia River above present Portland, Oregon, Clark is unable to cross a river full of quicksand—today’s Sandy River. They continue to a…
November 7, 1805
Ocean in view?
The expedition paddles around Columbia River islands and stops at two Wahkiakum villages. They reach a landmark presently named Pillar Rock where Clark mistakenly exclaims…
November 25, 1805
Leaving Station Camp
Having decided to winter on the Columbia River’s southern shore, they leave Station Camp. With Mt. St. Helens in view, they paddle upriver and encamp…
November 27, 1805
Sheltering at Tongue Point
Unable to continue due to high winds and waves, they are forced to take shelter on a narrow isthmus—present Tongue Point near Astoria, Oregon. Everyone…
December 30, 1805
Fair morning
At Fort Clatsop, the journalists appear happy to see the sun, and Clark enjoys a sumptuous dinner of fresh elk tongue and marrow bones. With…
January 3, 1806
An agreeable food
Clatsop villagers come to Fort Clatsop to sell whale blubber and dogs. Lewis finds the latter “an agreeable food”. Two men are sent to fetch…
January 8, 1806
A night at Ecola
From Clark’s Point of View above Ecola, Clark’s group enjoys the “grandest and most pleasing prospects”. At Ecola, Tillamook Indians trade a little whale blubber,…
February 8, 1806
Bringing in the elk
All three sergeants are dispatched to bring into Fort Clatsop the various elk killed on previous days. By day’s end, they all complete their missions.…
March 26, 1806
At Fanny's Bottom
After a wet night, they paddle approximately 18 miles up the Columbia River and camp on an island near an area they call “fannys bottom”.…
March 27, 1806
Generous Skilloots
Near present Deer Island, Oregon, some generous Skilloots give away food with hopes that the expedition hunters will hunt with them. Lewis describes the area’s…
April 2, 1806
Exploring the Willamette River
Clackamas visitors tell the captains about the Willamette River, and Clark sets out to find it. At a village at the that rivers’ mouth, Clark…
April 3, 1806
Mapping the Willamette River
Clark concludes his exploration of the Willamette River. On his way back, he learns that a smallpox epidemic had devastated the local population. The group…
April 7, 1806
Regulating the firearms
The expedition spends the day hunting and jerking meat at present Shepperds Dell at the lower end of the Columbia River Gorge. The enlisted men…
April 9, 1806
Beautiful waterfalls
The expedition’s flotilla moves sixteen miles up the Columbia River Gorge marveling at its many beautiful waterfalls. In one of the villages, Pvt. Colter confiscates…
April 27, 1806
Yelleppit's village
Moving up the Columbia River, the expedition passes the Umatilla River and then climbs to the high plain above Wallula Gap. Late in the day,…
April 28, 1806
Yelleppit brings a horse
A Shoshone prisoner is found at Yelleppit’s village across from the mouth of the Walla Walla and talks begin with Sacagawea, Charbonneau, and one of…
Down the Columbia4 articles
Beacon Rock
A remarkable, high and detached rock
A remarkable, high and detached rock
Phoca (Seal) Rock
The mid-river island identified as “Phoca” and “Seal rock” on one of William Clark’s route maps is a compact landslide block that detached from the…
The Columbia River Gorge
Its geologic origin
The consolidated rocks that compose the Gorge were formed by a complex interplay of Columbia River Basalt Group flood basalt deposition and basin subsidence, along…
The Deschutes River
The fall salmon run was ending when the Corps arrived at the Great Falls of the Columbia, several miles below the mouth of Towarnehiooks, with…
