3415 Entries
Journal Entries
Original journal entries from all six expedition journalists: Lewis, Clark, Floyd, Ordway, Gass, and Whitehouse. Sourced from the Thwaites Edition (1904-1905).
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Apr
25
1805
Lewis Scouts Overland Toward the Yellowstone River
Cold winds continued, freezing water on the oars, and forced the party to halt around 10 a.m. Lewis's missing dog returned safely. Frustrated by slow progress and believing…
Apr
25
1805
Two Inches of Snow Slows Missouri Progress
The party set off early after two inches of snow fell overnight, with a north wind hampering progress. One man had caught a beaver. After traveling about 12…
Apr
25
1805
Lewis Departs Overland to Scout Yellowstone River
Strong headwinds forced the party to halt around 11 a.m. From this stopping point, Captain Lewis and four men departed overland to scout the nearby Yellowstone River, believed…
Apr
26
1805
Clark Shoots Beaver at Yellowstone Confluence
On a cold morning with the thermometer at 32°F, Clark walked the bank and shot a beaver and two deer. He noted the river bottom vegetation, cottonwood and…
Apr
26
1805
Lewis Surveys the Yellowstone and Missouri Junction
Lewis sent Joseph Fields to scout up the Yellowstone River while he walked with one man to view the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, about two…
Apr
26
1805
Arrival at Missouri and Yellowstone Confluence
The party reached the long-anticipated confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone (Roshjone) Rivers. Captain Lewis sent Joseph Fields about eight miles up the Yellowstone to scout; he returned…
Apr
26
1805
Arrival at the Mouth of the Yellowstone
The party traveled 10 miles and reached the mouth of the Yellowstone River (called the Jaune) around noon. While waiting for Captain Lewis's group, Gass explored about 9…
Apr
27
1805
Sandstorm Forces Halt Near Yellowstone Confluence
On Saturday, April 27, 1805, after taking a solar azimuth reading and eating breakfast, the party set out against a moderate headwind. By 11 a.m. a strong northwest…
Apr
27
1805
Scouting a Fort Site at the Yellowstone Junction
Near the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers, Lewis surveyed the surrounding plains and timberland to identify a good site for a future trading post or fort.…
Apr
27
1805
Sand Storms Halt Party Near Yellowstone's Plain
The party loaded the pirogues and departed around 9 a.m., passing a beautiful level plain between the Missouri and Yellowstone (Roshjone) Rivers. Around midday, strong northwest winds kicked…
Apr
27
1805
Strong Wind Breaks the Day's Journey in Two
The party resumed their journey on a fine day, but a strong wind forced them to stop at 1 p.m. They waited until 4 p.m. before continuing on…
Apr
28
1805
Bears, Buffalo, and Elk on Open Plains
On a fine Sunday with a falling river and a favorable southeast wind, Clark walked ashore to survey the country, finding broken, open land with handsome low plains.…
Apr
28
1805
Sailing Past Coal Seams and Salt Deposits
The expedition departed early under favorable winds, making good use of their sails. Captain Clark walked along the shore while Lewis traveled with the party. They passed broken…
Apr
28
1805
Wolves and Antelope Herds Along Whitish Bluffs
The party caught a large beaver overnight and set off early with a gentle southeast wind allowing some sailing. They passed whitish bluffs and rough hills with cottonwood…
Apr
28
1805
Lower Banks Noted Above the Yellowstone Confluence
The expedition traveled smoothly along the Missouri River, stopping around 9 a.m. for breakfast beneath tall bluffs on the north side. Gass observed that about 15 miles above…
Apr
29
1805
First Grizzly Bear Encounter Stuns the Men
On this day, members of the expedition had one of their first close encounters with a grizzly bear, an animal much larger and more formidable than the black…
Apr
29
1805
Stray Horse Found; Mountain Sheep with Lambs Spotted
Setting off early in present-day Sheridan County, Montana, the party spotted a stray bay horse on a plain rich with wild hops, likely lost from local Native peoples.…
Apr
29
1805
First Sighting of Mountain Sheep Atop Bluffs
The expedition made good progress, passing some of the tallest bluffs the writer had ever seen. Atop the highest, they spotted mountain sheep—the first they had encountered—which Native…
Apr
30
1805
Sacagawea Identifies a Cherry-Like Shrub
Strong northeast winds blew through the night and most of the day, but the party set out at sunrise and pressed on without stopping. Clark walked ashore with…
Apr
30
1805
Poor Cottonwood Country and Abundant Porcupines
The expedition departed at sunrise despite strong winds that had blown through the night and continued throughout the day, though not forcefully enough to halt travel. The party…
Apr
30
1805
Buffalo Herds Swim Ahead of the Canoes
The expedition set out early and traveled 24 miles, watching large herds of buffalo swim across the river ahead of the canoes. The men held their fire since…
Apr
30
1805
Lewis Shoots Elk amid Rich Prairie Countryside
The expedition traveled smoothly through attractive countryside featuring rich soil and beautifully rising prairies on both banks of the river. The party covered 24 miles before making camp…
May
1
1805
Shannon Shoots the Unfamiliar Missouri Plover
The expedition departed at sunrise on a cool, cloudy morning with a stiff easterly breeze. J. Shields was ill with rheumatism. Shannon shot a previously unfamiliar bird, described…
May
1
1805
High Winds Strand a Canoe Across the River
The expedition set out early under favorable winds and made good progress under sail until midday, when high winds forced them ashore on the Larboard side, stranding one…
May
1
1805
Sailing Past Broken Bluffs in Cold Eastern Wind
The expedition set off at sunrise in cold weather with an easterly wind, sailing well past broken bluffs and rounded knobs along the south side, with cottonwood-lined bottoms…
May
1
1805
Red Cloth Offering Found at Abandoned Camp
High winds kept the party in camp until afternoon. While waiting, hunters went out and brought in buffalo and deer. At an abandoned Indian camp they found red…
May
1
1805
Sailing Past High Bluffs and Timbered Bottoms
A pleasant but cold morning saw the party set off at sunrise with an easterly wind, sailing at times past high bluffs and rounded knobs on the south…
May
2
1805
Snow Dusts Blooming Plains at Twenty-Eight Degrees
Strong winds blew through the night, and around sunrise it began snowing with the thermometer at 28°F. Snow fell until about 10 a.m., leaving roughly an inch on…
May
2
1805
Spring Snow Contrasts with Flowering Cottonwoods
Violent wind continued overnight, bringing about an inch of snow by morning that contrasted strangely with advancing spring vegetation—flowers blooming and cottonwood leaves the size of a dollar.…
May
2
1805
Snow Lifts; Indian Offerings of Red Cloth Found
Snow and wind kept the expedition in camp through the morning. While stopped, hunters went out and killed buffalo and deer, and came across an old Indian camp…
May
2
1805
Red Cloth Offerings at Abandoned Indian Camp
Snow and wind at daybreak delayed departure. Hunters went out and killed buffalo and deer, while another man had taken two beaver overnight. At an abandoned Indian camp,…
May
3
1805
Native Offerings Found Near Sweat Houses
A frigid morning with temperatures at 26°F delayed the party's start. Along the way, they observed Native American offerings, including scarlet cloth and a bundle of bushes left…
May
3
1805
Indian Offerings and Two Newly Named Waterways
On a frigid morning with ice forming on water and snow still on the hills, the party set out late under strong west winds. They passed a tall…
May
3
1805
Frost, Snow, and Ice on Poles in May
The expedition set off around 7 a.m. on a clear but unusually cold day for May, with frost, snow on the ground, and standing water frozen enough to…
May
3
1805
Bitterly Cold Departure with Ice-Coated Poles
The expedition set out around 7 a.m. in bitterly cold weather, with standing water frozen over, ice forming on their poles, hard frost from the night before, and…
May
3
1805
Snow on Green Prairie; Cottonwood Leaves Emerge
The day was very cold and disagreeable with a severe frost, creating an unusual sight of snow lying on the green prairie grass. Despite the harsh frost, the…
May
4
1805
Rudder Irons Repaired on the Large Pirogue
The party's departure was delayed until 9 a.m. while they repaired the broken rudder irons on the large pirogue. Traveling against a westerly headwind, they passed through rich,…
May
4
1805
Vast Herds Visible Across Fertile Open Plains
The expedition departed late after repairing the red pirogue's broken rudder irons, then pushed against a strong wind. Lewis walked ashore, noting that frost had done little damage…
May
4
1805
Broken Rudder Delays Departure on Pleasant Morning
The morning was clear and pleasant, but the party was delayed fixing a rudder that had broken the previous night. They set off around 9 a.m., passing timbered…
May
4
1805
Red Pirogue Rudder Repaired Before Morning Launch
The snow had melted off the hills. The party delayed their start to repair the rudder of the red pirogue, which had been damaged landing the previous evening.…
May
4
1805
River Runs Straighter with Wider Timbered Bottoms
The expedition continued upriver, passing a creek about 40 yards wide on the south side around noon. Captain Gass noted that the river had run straighter for the…
May
5
1805
Both Captains Kill Deer on Rising Missouri
The expedition departed early but was briefly delayed when a pirogue's rudder irons broke. Lewis and Clark each walked on shore and killed deer, observing abundant buffalo, elk,…
May
5
1805
Feast of Buffalo, Venison, and Beaver Tail
On a fine Sunday, the party traveled through country abundant with game. Lewis killed a deer while walking ashore, and the white pirogue's rudder irons broke on a…
May
5
1805
Two Buffalo Calves and Bears on the Sandbar
Clear and pleasant weather as the party set off early. A hunter who had spent the night on the south side rejoined them at breakfast with two buffalo…
May
5
1805
Hunter Returns with Two Buffalo Calves at Breakfast
The expedition traveled about 16 miles, aided by an east wind that allowed considerable sailing. A hunter rejoined the party at breakfast with two buffalo calves, and the…
May
5
1805
Enormous Brown Bear Killed in Beautiful Country
The expedition traveled sixteen miles through beautiful country on both sides of the river before camping on the north bank. The sick member of the party showed improvement.…
May
6
1805
Dry Larboard Creeks Carrying No Water
On a fine morning with a northeast wind, the party set out early and made good progress under sail for much of the day. They passed two creeks…
May
6
1805
Naming Little Dry Creek and Big Dry River
Under fair weather and favorable winds, the expedition sailed onward through level, fertile, well-timbered country. They passed three larboard-side streams, naming them Little Dry Creek, Big Dry Creek,…
May
6
1805
Brown Bear Swims River; Clark Kills an Elk
Clear, pleasant, and warm weather with an east wind made for good sailing. The party caught two beaver overnight and watched a brown bear swim across the river…
May
6
1805
Brown Bear Swims River; Clark Kills Elk in Woods
The party sailed with a gentle east breeze, covering about 26 miles before camping on a timbered bottom on the south side. Members caught beaver overnight, spotted a…
May
6
1805
River Disappears into Sand South of Missouri
On May 6, 1805, the expedition experienced fair weather with only a brief sprinkle of rain around midday before skies cleared. The party passed a river on the…
May
7
1805
Swamped Canoe Delays Party Three Hours
On a fine Tuesday morning, the river had risen an inch and a half overnight and driftwood was beginning to flow. Strong winds picked up, and around 11…
May
7
1805
Rising River, Driftwood, and a Swamped Canoe
On a fine morning, the expedition set out early on a rising, unusually clear river carrying drift wood. High winds forced them to lay by for several hours…
May
7
1805
East Wind Swamps a Canoe; Hunters Sent Ashore
The party set out early under clear, pleasant skies, but rising easterly winds around noon swamped one of the canoes. They brought it safely to shore on the…
May
7
1805
Fast Sailing Until Canoe Swamps at Midday
The party set out early with a strong east wind that allowed fast sailing until around noon, when one canoe filled with water but was brought safely to…
May
7
1805
Canoe Capsized by Wind; No Major Loss
Around midday, strong winds capsized one of the expedition's canoes while under sail, though the accident occurred near shore and caused no major loss. After a three-hour halt,…
May
8
1805
Naming the River That Scolds at All Others
Setting out under a gentle northeast breeze beneath threatening skies, the party traveled through light rain and passed the mouth of a large 150-yard-wide river on the starboard…
May
8
1805
Lewis Explores the Milk River Upstream
The expedition set out early under a gentle east breeze, weathered a brief sprinkle of rain, and stopped near the mouth of a large river entering from the…
May
8
1805
Scolten River Mouth Reached, 2100 Miles from Missouri's End
The party set off early under cloudy skies with intermittent rain and a swift current, aided by a fine east breeze. Around 1 o'clock they reached the mouth…
May
8
1805
Large Northern Tributary Named Along Dry-Creek Shore
Under a fine east breeze with brief rain, the party sailed about 20 miles by one o'clock, passing the mouths of several dry creeks on the south side…
