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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Nov
18
1805
Whitehouse Pinned by Waves on Columbia Shore
Private Joseph Whitehouse describes the expedition's difficult first days near the Pacific coast, camped on the north shore of the Columbia estuary. Towering waves and powerful winds confined…
Nov
18
1805
Enormous Turkey Buzzard Shot Near Haley's Bay
A small group from the expedition continued their trek to view the Pacific Ocean, traveling around Haley's Bay (Baker Bay) and crossing two rivers along the way. One…
Nov
18
1805
Clark's Party Reaches Cape Disappointment
While Captain Clark led a party of ten down to Cape Disappointment for a fuller view of the Pacific Ocean, three others went hunting. The group traded with…
Nov
19
1805
Clark Carves Name in Pine on Pacific Beach
After overnight rain, Clark sent hunters ahead and followed, breakfasting on a small deer killed by Joseph Field. He pushed northwest through rugged hills along the Pacific coast…
Nov
19
1805
Fifteen Visitors Arrive as Earlier Party Departs
On this day, hunters from the party went out and returned with three deer. Around 1 o'clock, a group of Native visitors who had been staying with the…
Nov
20
1805
Raft Crossing and Sturgeon Shared with Chinook
After overnight rain cleared, hunters were sent out for elk, brant, and ducks, providing a duck breakfast. Clark then traveled back toward camp, crossing a 300-yard-wide tidal creek…
Nov
20
1805
Medal Presented to Chief; Clark Returns from Northern Scout
The party stayed at camp on a clear, pleasant day. Captain Lewis presented a medal to a visiting Native man who held the rank of chief in his…
Nov
21
1805
Medal Presented to Tow-wall of the Great Shute
On a cloudy, rainy day at the Pacific coast camp, most Chinook visitors departed while Indians from other nations, including Chiltz, Clatsop, and a chief from the Grand…
Nov
21
1805
Sea Otter Robe Refused Despite Generous Offers
The latitude at Haley's Bay and the camp at the point above was recorded as 46°19'11" North. The Native people placed very high value on their sea otter…
Nov
21
1805
Negotiating for a Fine Sea-Otter Robe
High winds and rough waves kept the expedition from beginning their planned return journey, which they hoped to start as soon as conditions allowed so they could establish…
Nov
22
1805
Violent Storm Splits Canoe and Floods Shelters
A violent storm from the south-southeast battered the camp throughout the day, with rain, fierce winds, and waves crashing over their shelters and splitting one canoe. The party…
Nov
22
1805
High Tide Splits Canoe in Tangle of Logs
The party remained unable to depart due to severe weather, with strong southerly winds making the river rougher than at any point since their arrival. At noon, an…
Nov
23
1805
Lewis Brands a Beech Tree; Hunters Bring Three Bucks
A cloudy, calm day with intermittent rain following overnight showers near the Pacific coast. Hunters brought in three bucks, four brant, and three ducks. Captain Lewis branded a…
Nov
23
1805
Hunters Return with Three Deer and Fowl
A small hunting party from the expedition spent a brief time in the field and brought back three deer and twenty-one fowl. The day was also marked by…
Nov
23
1805
Clatsop Visitors Arrive While Canoe Is Repaired
Calmer weather followed the previous day's storm, allowing some men to hunt while others repaired a canoe that had been split. Local natives remained at camp, surviving on…
Nov
24
1805
Historic Vote on Winter Quarters Location
On this day, the expedition's captains held a remarkable vote to decide where to establish winter quarters, allowing every member of the party to participate—including Sacagawea, who favored…
Nov
24
1805
Entire Party Votes on Winter Quarters Location
At their camp near the mouth of the Columbia River, which measured about three miles and 660 yards wide at this point, several men went hunting while others…
Nov
24
1805
Latitude Fixed at 46°19' Near River's Wide Mouth
With clear weather finally allowing astronomical observations, the expedition stayed in camp at the head of the bay, determining their latitude at 46°19'11.7" north and measuring the river's…
Nov
25
1805
High Swells Force Upriver Route Across Columbia
On a fine but windy Monday, the expedition was unable to cross the Columbia River from their camp due to high swells. They decided instead to travel upriver…
Nov
25
1805
Failed River Crossing; Skirting Shallow Bay
The morning began with a white frost. The party loaded the canoes and continued their journey, traveling about nine miles before attempting to cross the Columbia River. The…
Nov
25
1805
High Waves Force Retreat from River Crossing
The party loaded the canoes and the officers purchased two additional sea otter skins from local Native traders. They set out and traveled about nine miles upriver before…
Nov
26
1805
Crossing to Cathlamet Village of Nine Wood Houses
On a cloudy, rainy day with east-northeast winds, the expedition set out early and crossed the Columbia River, navigating between low marshy islands to reach the south side.…
Nov
26
1805
Wapato Roots Obtained at Small Native Village
The party set out early on a wet morning, traveled about a mile, and then crossed the river, passing several islands along the way. After crossing, they reached…
Nov
26
1805
Friendly Clatsop Village Provides Food and Wapato
The party set out early, crossed the river after about a mile, and traveled down the south shore past several islands. They stopped at a Clatsop village where…
Nov
27
1805
Stolen Axe Discovered as Party Prepares to Depart
Rain fell through the night and into the morning as three canoes carrying eleven Indians arrived from a nearby village to trade roots, mats, skins, and meat, but…
Nov
27
1805
Heavy Swells Force Landing; Canoes Hauled Ashore
The party paddled along the coast and rounded a sharp cape about a mile out, but the swells became so high that they were forced to stop. They…
Nov
27
1805
Waves Turn Back Canoes Rounding the Cape
On a rainy day, Native people from a nearby village came to trade wapato roots with the expedition. The party traveled by water, crossing a bay and rounding…
Nov
28
1805
Violent Southwest Winds Pin Expedition in Ruined Camp
A miserable day of violent weather pinned the expedition in place. Strong southwest winds and heavy rain soaked the men, their bedding, stores, and rotting robes overnight, with…
Nov
28
1805
Hunters Return Empty; Party Drinks Rainwater
The hunters set out but returned empty-handed. Rain fell continuously throughout the day, and the party had no source of fresh water at this location other than rainwater…
Nov
28
1805
Hunters Venture Out in Hard Rain Unsuccessfully
On this day, the expedition faced steady hard rain throughout, with winds coming from the northwest. Several members of the party ventured out in an attempt to hunt…
Nov
29
1805
Lewis Takes Indian Canoe Downriver to Scout Elk Country
Heavy wind and rain continued through the night into the morning, though it moderated somewhat by day. Captain Lewis and five hunters set out in a small Indian…
Nov
29
1805
Lewis Scouts River for Winter Quarters Site
High winds kept the main party from moving the pirogues, so Lewis set out early down the east side of the river in a small canoe with five…
Nov
29
1805
Lewis Scouts Coast for Winter Quarters
Captain Lewis set out with four men to scout downstream and determine whether the area near the salt water offered good hunting and a suitable wintering site. Hunters…
Nov
29
1805
Scouting Winter Quarters Near Tongue Point
The party took the small canoe down the river to scout a location for winter quarters. The weather was showery with occasional hail throughout the day. The expedition…
Nov
30
1805
Skies Clear; Hunters Dress Skins and Dry Gear
Camped along the lower Columbia, the party endured an overnight mix of rain and hail before clearing skies arrived around 9 a.m. Clark sent five men by canoe…
Nov
30
1805
Lewis Explores Bay; Ocean Heard but Not Reached
On a cloudy morning, Lewis set out before sunrise to continue exploring the bay. Three scouts sent southwest reported the woods too thick with marshes and lakes to…
Nov
30
1805
Gass Shoots Ducks; Party Subsisting on Pounded Salmon
On a fair, pleasant, and unusually warm day for the season, Patrick Gass went around the cape and shot two or three ducks. These birds were the only…
Dec
1
1805
High Winds Drive Clark Back to Camp and Dried Fish
On a cloudy, windy Sunday morning with winds from the east, Clark sent out two hunters and planned to take a canoe with several men to hunt the…
Dec
1
1805
Scouts Report Impenetrable Woods and Scarce Game
On a cloudy day with southeast winds, Lewis sent hunters out to scout the surrounding country. They returned reporting nearly impenetrable woods and scarce game, having seen only…
Dec
1
1805
Hunters Return Empty-Handed; No Game Found
The day was cloudy. Some members of the party went out hunting but had no success, failing to bring back any game, not even a duck.
Dec
1
1805
Men Fall Ill from Diet of Pounded Salmon
A brief note from this date reports that the men of the expedition were unwell. Their diet at the time consisted solely of pounded salmon, which is identified…
Dec
2
1805
Clark Ill; Hunters and Fishers Return Empty-Handed
On a cloudy, rainy day at their camp near the Pacific, Clark sent three men hunting and dispatched two others with his servant York up Ke-ke-mar-que Creek to…
Dec
2
1805
Elk Kill Relieves Party's Fish-Weary Diet
Hunters set out in the morning, and one returned in the afternoon reporting he had killed a fine elk. A party of men was sent to bring in…
Dec
2
1805
Elk Kill Prompts Six Men by Canoe
On this day, hunters went out in search of game. One of them returned in the evening with news that he had killed an elk. Six men then…
Dec
3
1805
First Elk Lifts Spirits as Clark Trades for Roots
On a fair, windy Tuesday, hunters returned to camp with an elk, lifting the party's spirits, though Clark himself was too ill to eat the meat. A canoe…
Dec
3
1805
Hunting Party Returns After Overnight in Timber
The hunting party returned to camp carrying elk meat after a rough trip; darkness, fallen timber, and underbrush had forced them to camp out overnight near the kill…
Dec
4
1805
Waves Block Clark from Joining Pryor's Meat Retrieval
Heavy rain fell through the night and into the day, with strong winds from the south and southeast. Clark sent Sergeant Pryor and six men to retrieve meat…
Dec
4
1805
Rough Water Halts Travel; Elk Meat Preserved
Rough water on the river prevented the party from setting out with the canoes. Six or seven men were dispatched to dress the elk that had been killed…
Dec
4
1805
Preserving Elk Meat in Stormy Weather
Six men were sent out to dress and preserve elk meat that had been previously killed. The day was marked by continuous stormy weather and high winds, which…
Dec
5
1805
Stores Soaked Again; Deep Anxiety Over Lewis's Absence
Hard overnight rain soaked the party's stores and bedding again, and the day continued cloudy with drizzle, heavy showers, and strong southwest winds. The noon tide ran two…
Dec
5
1805
Lewis Returns with Site for Winter Quarters
Around noon, Captain Lewis returned with three of his men after scouting downstream. They reported finding a suitable site for the expedition's winter quarters about 15 miles down…
Dec
5
1805
Lewis Scouts Winter Quarters Fifteen Miles Upriver
Rough conditions kept the men from moving the canoes forward. Around 11 o'clock, Captain Lewis returned to camp with three of his scouting party, leaving two others behind…
Dec
6
1805
Flooding Tide Inundates Low-Lying Camp
Strong southwest winds and moderate rain battered the camp through the night and continued all day, with very high waves. At dusk, the wind shifted to the north,…
Dec
6
1805
Extraordinary Tide Floods Camp, Forces Retreat
An unusually high tide rose about two feet above normal, sending water into the camp and forcing the party to relocate their camps to higher ground. The storm…
Dec
6
1805
Tidal Flood Forces Camp Relocation in Heavy Rain
Heavy rain and an unusually high tide made conditions miserable for the party, with floodwaters reaching a foot deep in parts of their camp. The men were forced…
Dec
7
1805
Party Paddles to Lewis's Chosen Winter Quarters Site
After overnight rain, the party set out at 8 a.m. in fair weather, paddling against the tide toward the site Captain Lewis had selected for winter quarters. They…
Dec
7
1805
Elk Hides Recovered but Meat Left Behind
The party loaded their canoes and continued downriver through high waves, unable to land until reaching a sheltered bay where they cooked a young deer killed earlier by…
Dec
7
1805
Loaded Canoes Depart for Planned Winter Camp
On a clear morning, the expedition launched their loaded canoes and set out for their planned winter camp. Coasting along the south side, they met up with six…
Dec
8
1805
Clark Scouts Route to Coast and Salt-Making Site
On a cloudy Sunday at Fort Clatsop, Clark set out with five men to find the nearest route to the Pacific coast, scout a location for making salt,…
Dec
8
1805
Frost and Tides; Clark Scouts Route to Ocean
A hard white frost and cold weather greeted the morning after the tide came in overnight. Twelve men were dispatched with two canoes to retrieve elk meat, while…
