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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May
8
1805
Country Grows Broken as River Grows Winding
On this day, the expedition observed that the surrounding country on both sides of the river was becoming more broken and rugged, while the river itself grew increasingly…
May
9
1805
Vast Dry Streambeds on the Larboard Side
On a fine day with an east wind, the expedition made good progress through country similar to the previous day, with rich black soil but less timber. They…
May
9
1805
Exploring Big Dry River Amid Abundant Game
Setting out early with favorable winds, the party sailed past increasingly fertile country and encountered a remarkable half-mile-wide dry riverbed on the south side, which Lewis explored on…
May
9
1805
Game So Tame Men Club Animals Aside While Walking
Clear, pleasant weather as the party set off at sunrise and made 25 miles. They breakfasted in a timbered bottom on the south side, where Captain Clark killed…
May
9
1805
Windbound Five Miles; Hunters Kill Buffalo and Beaver
After traveling only five miles, the party was forced to stop and wait out the day because of strong winds. A few light rain showers passed through during…
May
10
1805
Northwest Winds Pin Party on Larboard Shore
On Friday, May 10, 1805, the river had dropped three-quarters of an inch overnight and a strong northwest wind soon forced the party to halt on the larboard…
May
10
1805
Stray Indian Dog Signals Assiniboine Presence
Strong winds forced the party to halt shortly after setting out, sheltering on the larboard side of the river under cloudy skies and occasional sprinkles of rain. A…
May
10
1805
Fierce Northwest Winds Halt Progress at Beaver Camp
The expedition set out at sunrise in clear, cold weather but stopped after about four miles when strong northwest winds, accompanied by rain squalls, forced them to halt…
May
10
1805
Game So Tame Men Club Animals from the Path
The expedition traveled 25 miles along the Missouri River through timbered bottoms and smooth plains. Captain Clark, walking ahead, killed two deer before the morning breakfast halt and…
May
11
1805
Hard Winds and Mineral Salts in Rugged Hills
On a cold Saturday with a white frost and hard southwest winds that slowed travel, the party moved along a rising, crooked stretch of river bordered by rugged…
May
11
1805
Collapsing Banks and Mule Deer Along Crooked River
The expedition pushed against strong currents, crooked banks, and adverse winds, narrowly avoiding collapsing riverbanks. Lewis described the loamy soil, mineral salt deposits, quartz, pine-covered hills, and a…
May
11
1805
Wounded Grizzly Chases Hunter Back to Pirogues
On a clear, cold morning following a frosty night, the party set off early after catching two beaver. They passed black bluffs and cedar-covered hills, sighting large herds…
May
11
1805
Wounded Grizzly Bear Chases Bratton to the Boats
The party set off early after catching two beavers overnight, traveling 17 miles past black bluffs and cedar-dotted hills with huge buffalo herds in the bottoms. Late in…
May
11
1805
Large Brown Bear Killed Amid Buffalo Herds
The party set out at the usual hour and at one o'clock passed a small creek on the south side of the river. Throughout the day they observed…
May
12
1805
Shifting Winds Force Afternoon Halt
The expedition departed early on a clear, calm morning, with Captain Lewis walking onshore. Around noon a strong east wind picked up, then shifted to the northwest by…
May
12
1805
Lewis Walks Armed for Grizzlies in Open Country
On a clear, calm Sunday morning, the expedition set out early. Lewis walked ashore for exercise, armed with rifle and espontoon, resolving to act defensively if he encountered…
May
12
1805
Strong Winds Ground Party Near Pitch Pine Hills
The expedition set out shortly after sunrise on a clear, warm morning, passing pitch pine hills on the north side of the river. A hunter killed a deer…
May
12
1805
Northwest Winds Halt Party Among Pitch Pine Hills
The party departed shortly after sunrise and traveled past pitch pine hills on the north side of the river. A hunter shot a deer, and Captain Clark killed…
May
12
1805
Pine-Covered Hills Sighted; Violent Windstorm Halts Travel
The day began pleasantly as the expedition passed hills on the north side of the river covered with pine and cedar—the first timber they had seen on the…
May
13
1805
Immense Herds Visible Across Wind-Delayed Camp
Strong winds delayed departure until 1 PM, after which the party traveled about nine miles before camping on the larboard side. The country resembled the previous day's, with…
May
13
1805
Clearer Waters Signal Changing Country Ahead
Strong winds delayed departure on the morning of May 13, 1805, so hunters were sent out while the party waited. By 1 P.M. the wind eased and they…
May
13
1805
Delayed by Rain; Hunters Return with Elk and Deer
Strong winds and rain squalls overnight and into the morning delayed the party's departure. Hunters went out and killed several elk and deer. Around 2 p.m. the weather…
May
13
1805
Rain and Wind Delay Departure Until Afternoon
The morning brought sprinkling rain and high winds, delaying the party's departure while hunters went out. Around 1 p.m. the wind died down enough to set off, even…
May
13
1805
Late Departure; Three Creeks Passed in Seven Miles
A light sprinkle of rain fell during the day. The party set out at 1 P.M., traveling along the river and passing three creeks—one entering from the north…
May
14
1805
Squall Nearly Capsizes Pirogue Carrying Vital Stores
On a clear, cold morning with temperatures at 32 degrees and a southwest wind, the expedition traveled well until a sudden squall struck the sail of a pirogue…
May
14
1805
Frozen Moccasins and Vast Buffalo Herds Observed
After a frosty night that froze the men's moccasins, the party set off at sunrise under clear skies, passing several large creeks and a willow island while observing…
May
14
1805
Six Hunters Wound Formidable Brown Bear Twice
On a clear, unusually warm spring morning in present-day Montana, the expedition set off at sunrise, passing black bluffs, pine-covered hills, and large herds of buffalo. Captain Clark…
May
14
1805
Six Men Struggle to Kill Large Brown Bear
The expedition set out early, passing black hills along the south bank of the river, some forested with pine. The day grew warm by noon, though snowbanks remained…
May
15
1805
Drying Soaked Medicine and Instruments in Rain
The expedition spent a cloudy, rainy day attempting to dry out their medicines, instruments, merchandise, clothing, and provisions, nearly all of which had gotten wet. Because of the…
May
15
1805
Cloudy Weather Hampers Drying of Salvaged Goods
After a brief morning shower, the expedition spread out items that had been soaked the previous day in the white pirogue, hoping to dry them. However, the day…
May
15
1805
Camp Bound, Drying Wet Goods Between Rain Showers
The party remained in camp under cloudy skies, working to dry goods that had gotten wet. They opened the goods to air them out but had to quickly…
May
15
1805
Cloudy Layover to Dry Wet Goods; Seven Deer Taken
The party remained in camp tending to goods that had gotten wet, though the weather proved unfavorable for drying them. A brief shower fell around 11 o'clock, and…
May
15
1805
Wet Baggage Stalls Progress in Cloudy Weather
The party spent the day attempting to dry baggage that had gotten wet. The weather was uncooperative, with cloudy skies and some rainfall hindering their efforts.
May
16
1805
Goods Dried and Losses Tallied After Pirogue Accident
After a fair morning, the party spent the day drying salvaged goods from the previous day's boat accident, losing some medicine, powder, seeds, and other items. They set…
May
16
1805
Instruments and Provisions Repacked After Accident
Fair weather allowed the party to dry, repack, and reload their instruments, medicine, merchandise, and provisions by 4 p.m. Losses from the previous day's accident were lighter than…
May
16
1805
Panther Found Covering Its Deer Kill
After a heavy dew, the morning was clear and pleasant, allowing the party to spread out and dry the goods before repacking them. Hunters wounded a large panther…
May
16
1805
Panther Kills Deer; Antelope Caught by Hand
On a pleasant morning, the party spread out their goods to dry after a previous mishap. One member wounded a large panther that had killed and was covering…
May
16
1805
Resuming Upriver Past Barren Pine-Dotted Hills
After spending the morning drying out gear that had gotten wet, the party finished reloading their goods onto the boats by afternoon and resumed their journey upriver. They…
May
17
1805
Towrope Progress Through Salt-Streaked Rugged Hills
On a fine, breezy morning with the river falling slightly, the party advanced upstream mainly by towrope through rugged country with high hills, narrow river channel, and visible…
May
17
1805
White Eroded Hills and Dwindling Cottonwood Upriver
Clear and pleasant weather accompanied an early start and steady progress upriver. The party passed high, broken, whitish hills cut by rain erosion, with narrow bottoms, scattered pitch…
May
17
1805
Elk Herds Outnumber Buffalo in Eroded Hills
The party traveled along a stretch of river bordered by mountainous, eroded hills and white knobs, with scattered patches of pitch pine but little grass. They observed large…
May
17
1805
Eroded Steeple-Shaped Hills and Two Tributaries
The expedition traveled along a stretch of the Missouri River where steep, eroded hills with little timber pressed close to both banks, some rising in shapes that resembled…
May
18
1805
First Spring Rain Falls Near Wiser's Creek
On a windy Saturday with wind from the west, the party made good progress upriver using the towline along a narrow channel with gentle current and sandy bars.…
May
18
1805
Cottonwoods Replace Willows Along Narrowing River
Strong west winds on May 18, 1805 allowed the expedition to use their tow line for most of the day, making decent progress along a narrowing river with…
May
18
1805
Productive Hunt Yields Rattlesnake, Elk, and Beaver
A clear, warm morning gave way to a cloudy, rainy midday before clearing into a pleasant afternoon. The party set out around 7 a.m. and traveled through narrow…
May
18
1805
Beaver Caught and Rattlesnake Killed Overnight
The party caught a beaver and killed a rattlesnake overnight before setting off at 7 a.m. They traveled through a stretch of steep, mountainous-looking hills crowding the river…
May
18
1805
Rain, Hail, and Widening Bottoms at Midday
The expedition continued through terrain similar to the previous day until around noon, when the river bottoms widened on both banks. Small stands of pine still dotted the…
May
19
1805
Beaver Severs Artery in Seaman's Leg
Along the Missouri River in present-day Montana, Lewis's Newfoundland dog Seaman was badly bitten by a beaver, which severed an artery in one of his hind legs. The…
May
19
1805
Brown Bear Killed Among Pitch Pine Hills
After a dewy night, the party set out on a clear, pleasant morning, traveling between pitch pine hills lining both sides of the river. Around 10 a.m. they…
May
19
1805
Young Brown Bear Killed; Seaman Bitten by Beaver
The party set off around 7 a.m. under clear, pleasant skies after catching a beaver. By mid-morning they killed a young brown bear on the south shore and…
May
19
1805
Twenty Miles Through Mountainous River Country
On May 19, 1805, Patrick Gass noted dew in the morning along a handsome river flanked by mountainous country. The expedition traveled 20 1/4 miles that day before…
May
20
1805
Blowing Fly Creek and the Musselshell River Mouth
On a fine morning with a northeast wind and the river falling, the party set out at 7 a.m. and used the towrope to ascend swift, narrow, crooked…
May
20
1805
Arrival at the Long-Anticipated Musselshell River
The expedition set out early, using tow ropes along favorable banks through narrow, crooked river country dense with prickly pear. After about 2.25 miles they passed a creek…
May
20
1805
Passing Pitch Pine Hills Along the Missouri
On a clear pleasant morning, the party set off as usual, with hunters bringing in a beaver caught the previous night. Around 9 a.m. they passed a creek…
May
20
1805
Musselshell Mouth Passed; Frost and Ice Return
The expedition pushed up the Missouri River through increasingly rugged country in present-day Montana, passing the mouth of the Musselshell River on May 20 and naming several tributaries…
May
20
1805
Arrival at the Mouth of the Musselshell River
The expedition passed a creek on the south side in the morning and around 11 a.m. reached the mouth of the Muscle-shell River, also entering from the south.…
May
21
1805
Towing Past Shell Creek's Southward River Bend
On a beautiful, breezy Tuesday morning, the expedition set out early, making progress mainly by towing the boats with ropes since the muddy bottoms made poles less useful.…
May
21
1805
Fertile Valley and Scrubby Pines at Musselshell Confluence
On a pleasant morning, the expedition set out early and made good progress, mainly using the towline along bold clay shores. Lewis described the landscape near the Musselshell…
May
21
1805
Two Men Swim Mussel Shell River Before Sunrise
Clear and pleasant morning as two men who had stayed out overnight returned with a beaver and a deer, having swum across the Mussel Shell River before sunrise.…
May
21
1805
Twenty Miles on a Sandy Beach Camp
The party traveled along the river, making good progress despite strong winds that picked up around midday. They covered twenty miles over the course of the day before…
