Travelers’ Rest – party splits: Lewis north, Clark south — John Ordway: July 2, 1806

men went out a hunting, about 10 A. M. Collins Came in had
killed one deer. Cap* Lewis Called for 6 vollunteers to go with
him on a route up the River Marreah [Marias River] as he in-
tends going that way.2 they immediately tourned out our
1 On the south side of Lolo Creek, a short distance above its mouth.
2 Lewis and Clark had planned to divide the exploring party into several
groups in order that more might be accomplished in the way of exploring the
country than could be done by a single party. The following summary of
their plans is taken from the journal entry of Lewis for July 1, 1806. Lewis
himself was to go with a small party, including the “2 Invaleeds” mentioned
below, by the most direct route to the Great Falls of the Missouri; while three
of his men remained here to prepare carriages and the other necessary equip-
ment for transporting the canoes and baggage around the falls, Lewis with the
remainder of the party was to make an exploring excursion up Marias River.
Clark was to conduct the remainder of the party to the head of Jefferson River,
where the canoes had been left the preceding autumn. With these Sergeant
Ordway and nine men were to descend the river and join the men left by Lewis
at the falls of the Missouri. Clark himself with the ten men remaining was to
cross from Three Forks to the nearest point on the Yellowstone; from here
Sergeant Pryor and two men were to conduct the horses by land to the Mandan,
and thence to the British post on the Assiniboine with a letter to Henry, the
trader, while Clark, York, Charbonneau, Sacajawea and her child, and five
of the men were to descend the Yellowstone in a canoe. At its mouth they
372 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 3
guides wished to leave us here but Cap* Lewis prevailed with
them to go 2 days march with him and put him on the road to
the falls of the Missourie then they intend to return to their
nation. 2 Invalleeds is going to the falls to Stay their untill the
party comes down with the canoes, and one man to make geers
for the 4 horses which is to be left their to draw the canoes past
the portage.