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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Oct
11
1804
Villagers Bring Corn and Seek Peace with Mandans
Around noon, Native people from a nearby village visited the expedition's camp, bringing gifts of corn, beans, and squash. They asked the captains to put in a good…
Oct
11
1804
Arikara villages near present-day Mobridge — John Ordway: October 11, 1804
Wind blew from the northwest. Party members learned that a chief had capsized his skin canoe returning home, losing all the goods given to him by the expedition.…
Oct
11
1804
Arikara Chief Seeks Peace; Gifts of Corn and Beans
Around noon, Arikara Indians brought gifts of corn, beans, and squashes. Their chief expressed a desire for peace with the Mandans and asked the expedition's officers to speak…
Oct
12
1804
Second and Third Arikara Chiefs Speak for Peace
On a clear, cold Friday, Clark and the expedition met in council with the second and third Arikara chiefs at their villages, hearing speeches expressing a desire for…
Oct
12
1804
Native Man Joins Party Bound for Mandan Villages
The party departed around noon and traveled by river, camping for the night on the north side. One of the Native Americans from the village they had been…
Oct
12
1804
Lively Trade for Red Paint and Buffalo Robes
Indians gathered on the riverbank to trade with the expedition, eager especially for red paint; one man swapped a pin hook for moccasins, and the party acquired buffalo…
Oct
12
1804
Three Arikara Villages Visited; Axe Stolen Overnight
The party spent the morning at an Arikara village to hear a chief speak, though trust was shaken when an axe was stolen from the cook overnight. At…
Oct
13
1804
Stone Idol Creek and the Arikara Transformation Legend
The expedition set out early under a southeast breeze, passing a camp of Sioux on the starboard side who silently watched without speaking. They passed Stone Idol Creek,…
Oct
13
1804
Rain and Cloudy Skies Mark Uneventful Travel Day
The party set off early under cloudy skies. Around noon a light rain began to fall. They halted for two hours, then continued on their way until dark,…
Oct
13
1804
Court Martial Held During Midday Rain Halt
The expedition passed a river roughly 50 yards wide on the north side. Around noon a light rain fell, and the party halted for about two hours to…
Oct
13
1804
Arikara Woman Travels Along; Court Martial Convened
The expedition continued upriver, passing Pond River on the north side, a stream about 50 yards wide. One of the Native women accompanied them as they traveled. Around…
Oct
14
1804
Creek Named for Eagle's Feather Chief; Pirogues Inspected
Cold rain fell overnight and persisted throughout the day as the party set out early. They passed a creek on the larboard side, 15 yards wide, which Clark…
Oct
14
1804
Rain and South Winds Slow Progress Upriver
The party set out early under cloudy skies with some rain. They continued upriver, passing a creek on the south side, and made camp on the north side…
Oct
14
1804
Court-Martial of John Newman at Stone Idol Creek
The expedition continued up the Missouri through timbered bottomlands in what is now Campbell County, passing a creek Clark named Stone Idol Creek (modern Spring or Hermaphrodite Creek)…
Oct
14
1804
All-Day Rain; Dark Bluffs and Willow Bottoms
The expedition set out early and traveled by water through steady rain that lasted all day. Along the way, they passed a timbered bottomland on the south side…
Oct
15
1804
Sharing Meals at Arikara Hunting Camps Along Shore
After rain overnight, the expedition set out early and stopped at two Arikara hunting camps along the Missouri, sharing meals and exchanging fishhooks and beads for meat. They…
Oct
15
1804
Party Drops Downriver to Select Fort Building Site
Heavy rain fell through the night, and the party set out early in the morning. Strong south winds delayed their planned departure until afternoon, when the officers decided…
Oct
15
1804
Arikara Hunting Parties Descending with Buffalo Meat
On a cloudy day, the expedition encountered several Arikara hunting parties traveling down to their villages. The first group, with twelve buffalo-skin canoes loaded with meat and skins…
Oct
15
1804
Meeting Arikara Hunters Descending in Hide Canoes
The expedition set off early and encountered a hunting party of Arikara descending the river in 12 buffalo-hide canoes loaded with fat meat. They halted two hours, sharing…
Oct
16
1804
Arikara Chief Boards Boat; Two Women Turned Away
On a rainy Tuesday, the expedition departed with the Arikara chief Arketarnashar (Chief of the Town) aboard, while two young women unsuccessfully sought to join them. They passed…
Oct
16
1804
Lewis Stabs Dormant Goatsucker; Bird Survives Lung Wound
Lewis captured a small nocturnal bird of the goatsucker family, which appeared to be entering a dormant state. By the morning of October 18th, with the temperature at…
Oct
16
1804
Arikara Drive Antelope Into the River
On a clear day, the expedition passed a creek on the south side of the river and noted an increase in timber along the banks. Sandbars hindered their…
Oct
16
1804
Passing Abandoned Cheyenne Fort Along the Missouri
The expedition set out at daylight, passing an abandoned Cheyenne fort and several creeks and rivers along the Missouri. They breakfasted on a willow island and continued under…
Oct
17
1804
Arikara Chief Shares Tribal Traditions of Snakes and Prophecy
On a windy day along the Missouri, Clark walked ashore with the Arikara chief and an interpreter, who shared tribal traditions about turtles, snakes, and a prophetic cave,…
Oct
17
1804
Headwinds Force Halt After Morning Gift-Giving
The day began clear, following an overnight visit from eight Native American men who brought meat and stayed with the party. Captain Lewis distributed gifts to them in…
Oct
17
1804
Visitors Sing Through Night; Fancy Goods Exchanged
Visiting Native Americans who had brought meat the previous night stayed in camp, singing through much of the night, and received fancy goods from the officers in exchange.…
Oct
18
1804
Cannonball River Named for Its Spherical Bluff Stones
The expedition set out early on a fine day and passed the mouth of the Cannon Ball River on the south side, named for the round stones resembling…
Oct
18
1804
Two French Hunters Robbed by Mandan War Party
After a frosty night, the expedition set off early with hunters on both banks. Two miles on, they met a canoe carrying two French hunters who had been…
Oct
18
1804
Frenchmen Robbed by Mandans Turn Back Upriver
The expedition set out early on a frosty morning, with hunters dispatched along both shores. After two miles they encountered two Frenchmen in a canoe who had been…
Oct
19
1804
Clark Counts Fifty-Two Buffalo Herds from the Highlands
Traveling under a gentle southeasterly breeze on a fine, pleasant day, the party moved up the river through bottoms with more timber than usual and passed a large…
Oct
19
1804
Three Hundred Pronghorn Spotted on Previous Hunt
The party enjoyed clear weather and a favorable wind as they traveled upriver, passing a creek on the south side. Patrick Gass noted that on the previous day's…
Oct
19
1804
Three Elk Taken; Clark Observes Mandan Settlement
With a gentle southern breeze, the expedition continued upriver as hunters worked both banks. Two men hunting on the north side quickly killed an elk, which was loaded…
Oct
20
1804
Old Mandan Village Ruins Tell of Sioux Displacement
On a Saturday with shifting winds, the expedition continued upriver and Clark spent the day walking ashore to inspect landmarks previously described by Evans. He examined the remains…
Oct
20
1804
Cruzatte Wounds Grizzly Bear, Flees, Returns to Find It Dead
On October 20, 1804, expedition member Pierre Cruzatte encountered a white (grizzly) bear and shot it, wounding the animal. Frightened by the bear's intimidating appearance, Cruzatte abandoned his…
Oct
20
1804
Early Hunters Return with Deer at Breakfast
The day was pleasant, and the party made good progress along the river. Two hunters set out early and returned with a deer by breakfast, after which four…
Oct
20
1804
First Old Mandan Village Sighted on South Bank
The party traveled along the river with hunters working both banks. They passed a 20-yard-wide creek on the north side, timbered bottomlands, and another creek on the south…
Oct
21
1804
Frozen Rain and the Sacred Heart River Stone
A bitterly cold night with strong northeast winds gave way to rain that froze on contact, then snow throughout the morning. The expedition passed the mouth of the…
Oct
21
1804
Pushing Through Hail and Snow Past Chischeet River
The expedition pushed on early despite hail and morning snow, traveling past a bottom on the south side and hills along the north bank. They passed a small…
Oct
21
1804
Snow Falls Past Chischetar River Mouth
Traveling under a northeast wind, the party set off as usual against a swift current and passed the mouth of the Chischetar (Chewah, or Long Lake) River on…
Oct
22
1804
Clark's Rheumatism and Naked Teton Sioux War Party
Around 1 a.m., Clark was struck with severe rheumatism in his neck, and Captain Lewis applied a hot stone wrapped in flannel for temporary relief. The party set…
Oct
22
1804
Lightly Clad Sioux Encountered in Bitter Cold
The day began cloudy and cold as the expedition embarked early and continued upriver. Around 9 o'clock, they encountered eleven Sioux Indians traveling down from the Mandan villages.…
Oct
22
1804
Naked Yankton Sioux Met Traveling Downriver
The expedition set off early under cloudy, cool skies, with the accompanying canoe party having caught several large beaver over recent nights. Around 9 a.m. they encountered a…
Oct
23
1804
Deserted Mandan Lodges and Robbed French Trappers
On a cold, cloudy morning with some snow, the expedition set out early and passed five recently deserted Mandan hunting lodges with fires still burning. The party suspected…
Oct
23
1804
Morning Snowfall Near Site of French Traders' Robbery
The day began cloudy, with snow falling from 8 to 11 in the morning. The party passed the site where French traders had reportedly been robbed, but saw…
Oct
23
1804
Passing Abandoned Lodges of a Robbed Indian Camp
The party set off early and around 9 a.m. passed an Indian camp on the north side where two Frenchmen had been robbed days earlier. The occupants had…
Oct
24
1804
Abandoned Mahaha Village in Wooded Country
On a cloudy day with light snow, the expedition traveled through attractive wooded country but saw no game, suggesting local Indians were hunting nearby. Clark's rheumatism in his…
Oct
24
1804
Indian Brings Deer at Round-Knob Creek Bluff
The party traveled past scenic hills, prairies, and Round-Knob creek on the river's north side, with hunters rejoining the group. They navigated through fallen timber and met an…
Oct
24
1804
Mandan Hunting Camp Encountered on the Island
The expedition traveled past a wooded bottomland on the north side of the Missouri River, noting fine oak and cottonwood timber. Around noon they stopped at an island…
Oct
25
1804
Passing Two Abandoned Mandan Villages on Bluffs
On a cold morning with a southeast breeze, the expedition set out early and passed two abandoned Mandan villages on the south side, one deserted long ago and…
Oct
25
1804
Mounted and Afoot, Native Crowds Sing from Hills
The expedition set sail early under a fair wind, passing a scenic bottomland on the south side and hills to the north. Numerous Native people, some mounted and…
Oct
25
1804
Arikara Village Site Watched by Mounted Natives
Traveling with a fine southerly breeze, the expedition sailed past a high prairie on the south side that had once held an Arikara village. Numerous natives on horseback…
Oct
26
1804
Arrival at the Mandan and Hidatsa Villages
After nearly six months and 1,600 miles traveling up the Missouri, the expedition arrived at the Mandan and Hidatsa villages near present-day Washburn, North Dakota, a major Northern…
Oct
26
1804
Mandan Hunting Party Encountered with Irish Trader
The expedition traveled past a large willow bottom on the south bank and higher ground to the north. The Mandan Indian who had been accompanying them departed early.…
Oct
26
1804
Mandan Hunting Camp Encountered; North West Trader Present
The party traveled past a large willow bottom on the south side and highlands on the north. Around 10 o'clock they stopped at a Mandan hunting camp of…
Oct
27
1804
Smoking with Chiefs at the Mandan Round-House Village
On a fine, warm Saturday, the expedition set out early and stopped at a Mandan village on the south side, built on a 50-foot rise with large round…
Oct
27
1804
First Mandan Village Reveals Fair-Haired Children
The expedition set out early and reached the first Mandan village by 7:30 a.m., stopping for about two hours. The village had 40-50 lodges built like those of…
Oct
27
1804
First Mandan Village Reached at Dawn
The expedition set out early and reached the first Mandan village on the south side of the river around 7 a.m., finding about 40 lodges built like those…
Oct
28
1804
Chiefs Marvel at the Boat and York
Strong southwest winds prevented the planned council with the Mandan and Hidatsa (Gros Ventres) and Watersoon chiefs, as some could not cross the river. Instead, the captains distributed…
Oct
28
1804
Violent Winds Prevent the Planned Mandan Council
High winds prevented the planned council from being held on this day. The entry is brief, noting only that the violent wind made it impossible to sit in…
Oct
28
1804
Strong Winds Delay Council; Big Belly Chiefs Arrive
Strong northwest winds prevented the planned council from taking place, as the Indians did not assemble. However, the principal men of the Big Belly tribe traveled down to…
