Journal Entries Archive - Lewis & Clark Research Database

Ascending Two High Mountains on Empty Stomachs

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:20 +0000

a cloudy morning. we eat the last of our meat, and Set out
as usal. ascended a mountain covrd with pine. ab! 4 miles
we descended it down on the Creek at a fork where it ran very
rapid and full of rocks. we then ascended a verry high moun-
tain, about 4 miles from the forks of the creek to the top of it
LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS _[Sept. 15
went Some distance on the top then descended it about 6 miles.
Some places verry Steep. came down at another fork of the
Creek where it was consid’ larger. the Natives had a place
made across in form of our wires [weirs] in 2 places, and
worked in with willows verry injeanously, for the current [was]
verry rapid. we crossed at the forks and proceeded on down
the creek. passed Several late Indian Encampments. our
Guide tells us that the natives catch a great nomber of Sam-

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Colt Slaughtered as Hunger Overtakes the Party

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:20 +0000

– Camped for the night. Eata little portable Soup, but the men
in jeneral So hungry that we killed a fine Colt which eat verry
well, at this time. we had Several light Showers of rain and a
little hail. Several claps of Thunder. we came in all [blank
space in MS.] miles this day. the 2 hunters joined us with
Cap: Lewis horse which had been lost. Saw high mounta? a
little to the South of us, which are covred with Snow. the
most of these mountains are covred with pine. Saw Some tall
Strait Siprass [Cypress] or white ceeder to day. the Soil indif-
ferent, and verry broken. the Countrey all mountaineous.
our hunters found a Stray horse on the road. a Small Indian
horse came to us this evening.

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Hot Spring Dammed by Natives for Bathing

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:20 +0000

cloudy. we got our horses up all but the one Cap! Lewis
rode and a colt which our young Indian rode. we hunted
Some time for them but could not find them. then all but 2
or three loaded the horses and proceeded on a Short distance
passed a warm Spring, which nearly boiled where it Issued out
of the rocks a Short distance below the natives has dammed
it up to bathe themselves in, and the water in that place is con-
siderable above blood heat. it runs out in Sundry places and
Some places cooler than others. Several of us drank of the ,
water, it has a little sulp[h]ur taste and verry clear. these
Springs are very beautiful to See, and we think them to be as
good to bathe in &c. as any other ever yet found in the United
States. a handsom green or Small meadow on the creek near
S? Springs. a little above we could not git along the Indian
trail for the timber which had been blown down in a thicket of
pine &c. So we went around a hill came on the trail again and
proceeded on untill about 11 oClock and halted to dine and let
our horses feed on the main fork of the creek where was Sev-
eral beaver dams. Cap‘ Lewis and the men who Stayed back
to hunt their horses joined us, but had not found them our
hunters gone on a head the mountains rough and rocks which
appear above the timber like towers in Some places. the day
proved pleasant. we proceeded on assended a high mountain,
over took the hunters. they had killed a Deer. 2 of them
Sent back after Capt Lewis’s horse. we crossed the dividing
ridge found it only about half a mile from the head Spring of
the water running East to a branch running west. each head-
ing on an open Swamp, which is level and full of Springs,
Came [blank space in MS.] miles this day and Camped on the
branch running west where we had good feed for our horses.

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Scattered Horses Delay Departure Until Afternoon

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:19 +0000

a beautiful pleasant morning. we went out to hunt up our
horses, but they were So Scattered that we could not find them
all untill 12 oClock, So we dined here. the Latitude at this
[153 ]
place is 46°, 48’, 28 8/10” North. the Snow on the mountain
about 1 mile to the S. W. of us does not melt but verry
little. Some of the men who were hunting the horses detained
us Untill 4 oClock at which time we Set out and proceeded on
up this Creek Course nearly West. the narrow [ bo] ttom
along this creek is mostly covred with pine timber. passed a
tree on which was a nomber of Shapes drawn on it with paint
by the natives. a white bear Skin hung on the Same tree. we
Suppose this to be a place of worship among them. Came
about 7 miles this evening and Camped on a Smooth plain
near the Creek, where had lately been a large Encampment of
Indians. Saw one house made of Earth. the pine trees
pealed as far up as a man could reach. we Suppose that the
natives done it to git the enside beark to mix with their dryed
fruit to Eat. the Choke cherries are pleanty &c.

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Four Deer Taken in Pine-Covered Mountain Country

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:19 +0000

a white frost, and clear pleasant morning. the hunters Set out
eairly. we loaded up and Set out soon after Sunrise, and pro-
ceeded on a Short distance. then took the mountains covred
with pitch pine. went up and down a nomber of bad hills and
mo! crossed Several runs & about 1 oClock P. M. we descended
a bad part of the mo! nearly Steep came down on the creek
again, and halted to dine. our hunters has killed this day 4
Deer and a fessent. we proceeded on crossed 2 more creeks,
and assended a high rough mountain rockey & a verry rough
trail to follow. we proce? on along the ridge which was covred
with pitch pine timber. night came on and we had to go
through the thickets of pine and over logs &c. untill about 10
oClock at in the evening before we could git any water. then
descended a Steep part of the mountain down on the Creek
which we left at noon, and Camped on the bank of the creek
where we had Scarsely room to Sleep. Came 17% miles this
day. Saw high Mountains to the South of us covred with
Snow, which appears to lay their all the year round. Scarsely
any feed for our horses.
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL

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Rugged Mountain Crossing with Sweet Serviceberries

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:18 +0000

a fine morning we Set out as usal and proceeded on over
verry high mountains which was verry bad for our horses to
climb up and down them. passed across Several large creeks
[ 146 ]
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
the water of which is verry cold. considerable of pine & cotton
timber on each of those creeks. we find a great pleanty of
Servis berrys which are verry Sweet and good at this time. in
the afternoon we descended a Mountain nearly as Steep as the
roof of a house. went down in to the valley in which runs
through a large Creek. passed by a plain near the Creek a
Short distance. Camped after coming 23 miles this day &
Camped a little before night on account of its raining. Some
of the men giged Several Sammon in the creek. three men
went down to the M? of it to purchase Some Sammon from a
camp of Indians who Stay at the m? of the Creek to fish. they
bought about 25 pound with a fiew Small articles. the hunters
killed a Deer and wounded two bear at dark but could not get
them. the wild or choke cherrys abound in this bottom. we
gethered and boiled Some which eat verry well. a nomber of
Indian lodges along the creek. we had 2 at camp to Sleep in.
Several Small Showers of rain this day & a little Small hail.

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Beaver Dams and Dense Forest Impede Progress

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:18 +0000

a wet cloudy morning. we loaded our horses and Set out
about 7 oClock and proceed* on. the road bad Some places
thick bushes and logs to cross. other places rockey. went
about a N. E. course up the ab? men! Creek. Crossed Several
large Spring runs. Saw a nomber of large beaver dams, &
ponds the pine and bolsom fer timber verry pleanty and
thick up this Creek Some of the Pine is large enofe for boards
[One line in MS. illegible.]
we proceeded on through a bad thicket of tall Strait pitch
pine bolsom fer & cotton timber we were obledged to cut a
road for the horses to go and some places verry Steep and
rockey. we followed the creek up, crossed a nomber of fine
Spring branches and waided the creek a nomber of times.
the mountains on each Side of the Creek is verry Steep and
high. the bottoms on the Creek narrow and Swampy a nomber
of beaver dams. we Call this place dismal Swamp, and it is
a lonesom rough part of the Country. we were obledged to |
climb Several hills with our horses, where it was So Steep and
rockey that Some of the horses which was weak and their feet
[ 147 ]
Sore they fell back 3 or 4 fell over backwards and roled to
the foot of the hills. we were then obledged to carry the loads
up the hills and then load again. one of the horses gave out
So that his load was left a little before night. we Came 13
miles this day and Camped in a thicket of pine and bolsom
fir timber near the Creek. 2 of the men came up with their
horses and loads after dark. this horrid bad going where we
came up this creek which we Call dismal Swamp was six miles
and we are not out of it yet, but our guide tells us that we will
git on a plain tomorrow. Several fessons [Pheasants] killed
this day, but no other kind of game Seen by our hunters.

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Horses Fall Among Towering Balsam Fir Mountains

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:18 +0000

cloudy. we Set out as usal after the load was brought up
which was left last night. we proceeded on up the branch a
Short distance, then took the mountains and w[ent] up and
down the mountains all day. passed and crossed an a bundance
of fine Springs and Spring runs. Some of the mountains was
So Steep and rockey that Several of the horses fell back among
the rocks and was near killing them. Some places we had to
cut the road through thickets of bolsom fer Some of that
kind of timber in the vallies of these mountains is verry high
about 100 & 60 feet, and verry Strait and handsom. the most
of them are covred with warts full of the bolsom towards
evening we crossed a dividing ridge went some distance on the
top of it which was tollarable good and Smoth going. then
passed down a Steep hill in to the head of a cove and branch
where we Camped after a dissagreeable days march of only 11
miles with much fatigue and hunger as nothing has been killed
this day only 2 or 3 fessents, and have no meat of any kind.
Set in to raining hard at dark So we lay down and Slept, wet
hungry and cold. Saw Snow on the tops of Some of these
mountains this day.

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Frozen Moccasins and Snow on the Morning Climb

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:18 +0000

the morning clear but verry cold our mockersons froze
hard. the mountains covred with Snow. 2 mountain Sheep
[ 148 ]
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
Seen by one of the men. we delayed untill about 8 oClock
A. M. then Set out and assended a mountain without any thing
to eat. the Snow lay on the mou! So that it kep on our
mockisons_ the air verry cold our fingers aked with the cold.
we [de]scended the mountain down a rough rockey way and
along through a large thicket of bolsom fer timber in which
we killed a dozen fessents then descended down in to a large
valley on a branch and halted to dine our hunter killed a
Deer. Saw fresh Indian Sign. we Eat our deer. our Indian
guide and the young Indian who accompanied him Eat the
paunch and all the Small guts of the Deer. we then proceeded
on down the valley towards evening we arived at a large
Encampment of the flat head nation which is a large band of
the nation of about 40 lodges. they have between 4 and 500
well looking horses now feeding in this valley or plain in our
view. they received us as friends and appeared to be glad to
See us. 2 of our men who were a hunting came to their
lodges first the natives Spread a white robe over them and
put their arms around their necks, as a great token of friend-
ship. then Smoaked with them. when Cap! Lewis and Cap!
Clark ari[ved] they Spread white robes over their Shoulders
and Smoaked with them. our officers told them that they
would Speak with them tomorrow and tell them our business
and where we are going &c. the natives are light Com-
plectioned decent looking people the most of them well
cloathed with M? Sheep and other Skins. they have buffalow
Robes leather lodges to live in, but have no meat at this time.
but gave us abundance of their dryed fruit Such as Servis
berrys cherries different kinds of roots all of which eat verry
well. they tell us that we can go in 6 days to where white
traders come and that they had Seen bearded men who came
[from] a river to the North of us 6 days march but we have
4 mountains to cross before we come on that River. our
hunters killed another Deer this evening. Came [blank space
in MS.] miles to day and pitched our Camp on the plain near
the Creek on the right of the Indians lodges. considerable of
large pitch pine in the valley.
[ 149 ]
LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS _[Sept. 5

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Council with the Flathead Nation; Horses Purchased

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:15:18 +0000

a clear cold morning. the Standing water froze a little last
night. we hoisted our large flag this morning. Several men
went out a hunting. about 10 oClock our officers held a
Council with the flat head nation and told them nearly the
Same as they told other nations, only told them that we wanted
a fiew horses from them, and we would give them Some
marchandize in return. Gave 4 of their principal men meddles
made them chiefs gave each of them a Shirt and a nomber of
other articles also 2 flags &c. then told them that we could
not Stop long with them and that we were ready to purchase
their horses, and that we could not talk with them as much as
we wish, for all that we Say has to go through 6 languages
before it gits to them and it is hard to make them understand
all what we Say. these Savages has the Strangest language of
any we have ever Seen. they appear to us to have an Emped-
diment in their Speech or a brogue or bur on their tongue but
they are the likelyest and honestst Savages we have ever yet
Seen. our officers lay out Some marchandize in different
piles to trade with the natives for horses. our officers bought
twelve horses and gave a Small quantity of marchandize for
each horse. we swapped 7 horses which were lame &c. Gave
Some Small articles to boot. we bought 1o or a Dozen pack
Saddles from the natives. our hunters all came to Camp
towards evening. one of them had killed 2 young Deer and
one brarow.

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