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).
No journal entries match your filters. Try adjusting your search criteria.
Apr
22
1806
Lewis Threatens to Burn Houses Over Stolen Robe
The expedition set out at 7 A.M. after recovering two horses that had strayed overnight. Charbonneau's horse threw its load near a village, and an Indian hid the…
Apr
22
1806
Indian Steals Robe; Crossing Plains to Walla Walla Village
The party loaded their horses and set out, climbing a high hill where one horse threw its load. An Indian stole a robe and hid it in a…
Apr
22
1806
High Winds Force Halt; Overland Party Reunites
High winds forced the canoe party to halt after about three miles and unload along the river. After waiting two hours for another canoe to catch up, they…
Apr
23
1806
Charbonneau's Unpicketed Horses Delay Departure
At dawn the party discovered two of interpreter Charbonneau's horses had wandered off because he failed to tie them up. Searches by Charbonneau, Reuben Fields, and Labiche recovered…
Apr
23
1806
Lost Horse Abandoned; Twelve Fatiguing Miles Traveled
The party began the day searching for two horses belonging to interpreter Charbonneau, who had failed to picket them; one was recovered but the other was abandoned as…
Apr
23
1806
Reaching a Large Village After Warm March Across Sandy Plains
The party delayed their departure to search for a horse that had strayed overnight and to construct two pack saddles. Unable to find the missing horse, they set…
Apr
23
1806
Laborious Water Travel; Camp at Walla Walla Village
The expedition struggled with very laborious travel by water during the day. In the evening, the party reunited at a large Walla Walla village on the north side…
Apr
24
1806
Three Horses Bought; Chopunnish Guide Hired Along
The party rose early and rounded up their horses, hiring an Indian with a tomahawk to find McNeal's missing one. They prepared pack saddles, purchased three horses, and…
Apr
24
1806
Packsaddles Made; Horses Hired from Chopunnish Traveler
The party rose early to gather their horses, all recovered except McNeal's, which an Indian was hired to find. While waiting, they made packsaddles, bought three horses from…
Apr
24
1806
Wahapari Indians Help Recover Horse; Three More Purchased
The party worked to acquire horses so they could abandon their canoes. A horse strayed overnight but was recovered with help from local Wahapari Indians, who were numerous…
Apr
24
1806
Stray Horse Found; Six Horses Acquired, Canoes Sold
The party was delayed in the morning searching for a horse that had wandered off overnight. They acquired six horses at this location, three borrowed from an Indian…
Apr
25
1806
Pish-quit-pah Village of Seven Hundred Visited
The expedition gathered horses and set out at 9 AM, traveling 11 miles to a Pish-quit-pah village of 52 mat lodges and roughly 700 people, where they bought…
Apr
25
1806
Medals Given to Pish-quit-pah Chiefs; Dogs Purchased
The expedition set out at 9 A.M. and traveled 11 miles to a Pish-quit-pah village of 51 mat lodges housing about 700 people, many seeing white men for…
Apr
25
1806
Medals Presented at Large Pisquow Village of Seven Hundred
The party set out on horseback and traveled about ten miles across a pleasant plain before stopping at a large Pisquow village of around 700 people who owned…
Apr
25
1806
Five Hundred Walla Walla People Greet the Party
The expedition started early and at 10 a.m. encountered many Native people on horseback who turned back to travel with them. By noon they reached a very large…
Apr
26
1806
Twenty-Eight Miles Through Vast Open Plains
The party traveled 28 miles up the river, entering a vast low, level plain about three miles from their starting point. They halted midday near willows for fuel…
Apr
26
1806
Native Families with Horses Join the March
The expedition set out early and traveled through extensive low, level plains beginning about three miles into the day's march. After twelve miles they stopped near willows for…
Apr
26
1806
Marching Twelve Miles on Dry Elk Through Sandy Plains
The party began the day with a meager breakfast of dry elk meat and traveled about 12 miles across a low, level, sandy plain before stopping to dine…
Apr
26
1806
Officers Walk So Footsore Men May Ride
The party set out early on a fine morning after acquiring horses, with most men loading their knapsacks onto the animals. They paused at noon for a meal…
Apr
27
1806
Thirty-One Miles Past Muscle Shell Rapid; Provisions Low
The party was delayed until 9 a.m. searching for one of Charbonneau's missing horses, then traveled 31 miles through rocky country and high plains along the Columbia River,…
Apr
27
1806
Delayed by Missing Horse; Dining on Jerked Meat
The expedition's departure was delayed until 9 A.M. while a missing horse was recovered. They traveled about 30 miles across rocky hills and high plains before halting, fatigued…
Apr
27
1806
High Treeless Plain Leading to Large Walla Walla Village
The party set out as usual and soon passed a small village of three lodges before climbing onto a high, treeless plain. After traveling about 20 miles, they…
Apr
27
1806
Arriving at Large Village After Rainy Day's March
After morning showers, the party set out around 9 o'clock and traveled through the plains, joined by many Native Americans. Light rain fell intermittently throughout the day. They…
Apr
28
1806
Yellept's White Horse Gift; Crossing Prepared with Dogs
Chief Yelleppit gave Clark an elegant white horse and accepted a sword, ammunition, and small items in return. Preparing to cross the plains where game would be scarce,…
Apr
28
1806
Yellept Presents Clark with Elegant White Horse
Chief Yellept presented Captain Clark with an elegant white horse, and Clark reciprocated with a sword, ammunition, and other items. Preparing for travel across plains without game or…
Apr
28
1806
Shorter Overland Route Chosen; Captive Shoshone Woman Encountered
Native guides told the captains of a shorter overland route to the Kooskooskee River, saving days of travel, so the officers decided to cross the Columbia here rather…
Apr
28
1806
Horses Ferried Across River by Borrowed Canoe
The party traded with local Indians for dogs, fish, shap-a-leel, and roots. Starting at 10 a.m., they borrowed canoes from the natives to ferry their horses across the…
Apr
29
1806
Ferrying Baggage Across Columbia at Yellept's Village
At Yellepit's village, the expedition used two borrowed canoes to ferry their baggage across the Columbia River, while collecting horses on the other side and trading for deer,…
Apr
29
1806
Columbia Crossing with Yellept's Canoes; Plains Departure
With Chief Yellept's loaned canoes, the expedition ferried their baggage across the Columbia River and gathered horses, while purchasing dogs and shappellell, bringing their dog supply to twelve…
Apr
29
1806
Crossing the Columbia; Camp Near Walla Walla Village
The expedition borrowed a canoe from local Indians and crossed the Columbia River to its south side, ferrying baggage and rounding up horses. Following their guide's advice that…
Apr
29
1806
Baggage Ferried South; Natives Crossing in Numbers
On a fair day, the expedition finished ferrying all their baggage to the south side of the river. They found many Native people encamped along a large creek…
Apr
30
1806
Trading Horses with Chopunnish Family; Menstrual Seclusion Noted
The party struggled to gather their horses despite hobbling them, and traded for two more horses and four dogs, including swapping a poor horse for a good one…
Apr
30
1806
Horses Traded, Yellept's White Horse Lost at Departure
After difficulty gathering their horses, the party purchased two more horses and several dogs and traded an inferior horse for a better one with a Chopunnish man traveling…
Apr
30
1806
Paralyzed Woman Brought to Clark for Treatment
The party retrieved their horses with help from local Indians. Before departing, an Indian brought a paralyzed woman to Captain Clark for treatment, offering a fine horse in…
Apr
30
1806
Departure from Walla Walla Nation with Twenty-Three Horses
The party spent the morning until about 11 o'clock gathering their horses, acquiring two more to bring their total to twenty-three. They then departed from the Walla Walla…
May
1
1806
Guides Disagree at Creek Fork on Route Forward
The party set out early after light overnight rain firmed the road, sending four hunters ahead. Traveling up the creek through bottoms of cottonwood, willow, and chokecherry, they…
May
1
1806
Guide Insists on Creek Route; Drouillard Kills Beaver
The expedition set out after 7 A.M. and followed an Indian road up a creek for nine miles. A Chopunnish man suggested an alternate route, but their guide…
May
1
1806
Native Guides Disagree at Fork in Road
Under cloudy skies, the party set out early and followed a fine 20-yard-wide stream lined with cottonwood, birch, and willow. One of the hunters returned at midday with…
May
1
1806
Up the Touchet River Through Beaver-Rich Bottoms
The expedition continued up the Touchet River, traveling through high plains and timbered bottoms where beaver were abundant. Hunters killed one beaver and later a deer, providing food…
May
2
1806
Runaway Horse Tracked Seventeen Miles Back
The party struggled to gather their horses in the morning, and one horse acquired from a Chopunnish man broke its hobbles and ran off during the night. Searchers…
May
2
1806
Escaped Horse Recovered; Nineteen Miles Through Hilly Plains
The expedition spent the morning rounding up horses, but one acquired from a Chopunnish man had broken loose overnight. A young Indian hired by Lewis and Joseph Fields…
May
2
1806
Indian Returns Strayed Horse; Officers Reward Him
The party recovered most of their horses except one, prompting hunters and others to search in different directions. A man returning to the previous day's dinner site was…
May
2
1806
Walla Walla Men Return a Forgotten Steel Trap
Three Walla-Walla men caught up with the party to return a steel trap accidentally left at the previous camp opposite the mouth of the Walla-Walla River, an act…
May
3
1806
Twenty-Eight Miles Through Storm of Rain, Hail, and Snow
The party traveled 28 miles northeast across high plains, following Kimooenimm Creek and a tributary toward the Southwest Mountains, despite a violent storm of rain, hail, snow, and…
May
3
1806
Violent Storm on High Plains Near Southwest Mountains
The party traveled 28 miles northeast through high plains to Kimooenem Creek and up a tributary, noting more fertile soil and increasing timber as they neared the Southwest…
May
3
1806
Last Dried Meat Gone; Dogs Already Eaten
The party set out after recovering a missing horse, with a hunter retrieving it while the others pressed on. Their guide and three Indians went ahead. After traveling…
May
3
1806
Cold March Through Snow and Hail to Tucanon Creek
The party set out around 7 a.m. in cold, showery weather with hail and snow, traveling over high plains and hills. A hunter's horse had broken its hobbles…
May
4
1806
Pack Horse Tumbles into Creek; Ammunition Sealed Safe
On a cold Sunday, the expedition set out early, crossing high plains and descending a creek to Lewis's River, where they breakfasted at a lodge of six impoverished…
May
4
1806
Rocky Creek Descent to Lewis's River; Horse Slips In
On a cold morning, the party rode northeast across fertile high plains and down a rocky creek to Lewis's River, just below the Kooskooske. A pack horse slipped…
May
4
1806
Root Bread and Dog at Kooskooske Forks
On a cold, clear morning, the expedition crossed a plain and followed a creek down to Lewis's River below the forks of the Kooskooske. Stopping at an Indian…
May
4
1806
Reaching Lewis's River; Buying Dogs and Root Bread
The party set out as usual, leaving the creek and ascending high plains before following a small branch down a ravine. Around noon they reached a small village…
May
5
1806
Clark's Healing Reputation Draws Patients Along Kooskooske
The expedition traveled 20.5 miles up the northeast side of the Kooskooske River, struggling to obtain food from Nez Perce lodges along the way and managing only to…
May
5
1806
Treating Nez Perce Patients with Abscess Along Kooskooske
The expedition traveled 20.5 miles up the Kooskooske River, struggling to obtain food from Nez Perce lodges and acquiring only two dogs and some root bread. Captain Clark,…
May
5
1806
Indian Gives Clark a Horse Near Kooskooskee Forks
Setting out hungry, the party traveled about three miles up the river to the forks at the mouth of the Kooskooskee, then continued past several small villages where…
May
6
1806
Horse Given for Healing; Clark Dispenses Eye-Water
At a Nez Perce camp, the husband of a sick woman delivered a young horse as promised, which was butchered for food, and a second horse was given…
May
6
1806
Two Horses Received as Payment for Medical Treatment
The party obtained a young horse for food from a sick woman's husband and a second horse as payment for treating a girl with rheumatism, while Captain Clark…
May
6
1806
Slaughtering a Colt; Spotting Expedition Goods at Mandan
The party received a young horse the natives had promised the previous night and slaughtered it for food, as some men were getting sick from a diet of…
May
6
1806
Captains Treat the Sick; Ammunition Canisters Recovered
The expedition stayed in camp while Captains Lewis and Clark treated sick villagers, receiving a small horse in payment that the party ate for lack of other meat.…
May
7
1806
Four-Hour River Crossing; Lost Canisters Returned
The expedition set out early with the Twisted Hair's brother as guide, while Wearkkoomt's party departed. After traveling four miles up the river, they crossed to the southeast…
May
7
1806
Twisted Hair's Brother Guides Canoe Ferry Crossing
The expedition set out early with a new guide, the brother of Twisted Hair, traveling four miles up the river to a lodge of six families. On the…
