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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Jul
23
1806
No Game Found; Party Renders Grease from Spoiled Meat
Lewis sent Drouillard and Joseph Field out to hunt and to scout the river's course; Drouillard determined the river entered the mountains about ten miles to the southwest.…
Jul
23
1806
Wiser Cuts His Leg; Wheels Repeatedly Fail
The party set out the previous evening with four horses hauling two canoes—one large, one small—on truck wheels, which repeatedly broke down and caused considerable trouble. Wiser cut…
Jul
23
1806
Willow-Wood Axletrees Fail Every Six Miles
Despite rain, Gass rejoined the main party at the river with a companion. The men had repaired the wagons and loaded two additional canoes, including a particularly large…
Jul
24
1806
Twin Canoes Launched Down the Yellowstone
Clark's party loaded baggage onto two small canoes lashed together and set out at 8 AM down the Yellowstone (Rochejhone). At a riffle near the mouth of Clark's…
Jul
24
1806
Rain Foils Observations; Last Bread Made into Mush
Camped on the plains, Lewis briefly glimpsed the sun at 8 A.M. and took an altitude reading, but clouds and steady rain prevented him from finishing his planned…
Jul
24
1806
Large Canoe Abandoned as Portage Wagons Collapse
The party continued portaging around the Great Falls, hauling wagons loaded with small canoes to the head of the portage. Because the wheels could not support a large…
Jul
24
1806
Thunderstorm Strikes as Canoes Near Portage River
Gass was unwell and remained at camp while the rest of the party went back to retrieve two more canoes. Around 3 o'clock, one wagon arrived hauling a…
Jul
25
1806
Clark Carves Name on Pompys Tower
Traveling down the Yellowstone River, Clark stopped at a large sandstone pillar and carved his name and the date into it. He named the formation Pompy's Tower in…
Jul
25
1806
Portage Camp Established in Heavy Rain
The party established a camp at Portage Creek, leaving two men behind—one to cook and one to hunt—before returning to Willow Creek. Heavy rain began around noon and…
Jul
25
1806
Last Sound Canoes Deemed Sufficient; Heavy One Abandoned
The party set out early hauling a canoe to Portage River, and the men returned with another wagon. Recovered enough to travel, Gass joined them to fetch one…
Jul
26
1806
Swift Currents Past White Rock Cliffs
Setting out very early, Clark's party traveled down a swift, island-divided river bordered by white rock cliffs suitable for grindstones, with extensive cottonwood bottoms. They safely navigated a…
Jul
26
1806
Departing Camp Disappointment in Rain
Lewis left 'Camp Disappointment' in the rain at 9 a.m., riding southeast across the plains with the Field brothers and Drouillard, striking a branch of Maria's River and…
Jul
26
1806
Colter and Potts Run Canoes Down Rapids
An Indian dog wandered into camp and was fed scraps. The portage river ran too high to wade but was dropping. Colter and Potts ran canoes down the…
Jul
26
1806
Mud-Soaked Plains Slow Final Portage Haul
The party retrieved the remaining canoe from Willow Creek and hauled the canoes and baggage to the lower end of the portage where the pirogue had been left.…
Jul
27
1806
Blackfeet Horse Theft Ends in Fatal Struggle
While exploring the Marias River drainage on the return journey, Lewis and a small party met eight Piegan Blackfeet warriors and camped with them uneasily. At dawn, the…
Jul
27
1806
White Pirogue Hauled Out and Repaired
Ordway's party set out with four horses, crossing the river to the north side to bring them down to the mouth of the Marias River, where they planned…
Jul
28
1806
Naming Table Creek on the Yellowstone
Clark and his party set out at daybreak and traveled down the Yellowstone River by canoe, passing numerous islands, creeks, and brooks. He noted and named Table Creek…
Jul
28
1806
Joyful Reunion with the Canoe Party
Sore from the previous day's hard ride, Lewis woke his men at dawn and pressed on toward the Missouri, rejecting a longer route in favor of speed to…
Jul
28
1806
Lewis Rejoins Party After Blackfeet Confrontation
Around 9 a.m. the party reunited with Captain Lewis and his three men, who rejoined the main group by horseback after exploring Maria's River. Lewis reported that cloudy…
Jul
28
1806
Reunion with Lewis at the Mouth of Maria's River
The party traveled down the river early, killing six antelope and seven buffalo along the way. Around one o'clock they reached the mouth of Maria's River, where they…
Jul
29
1806
Coal Hills and Buffalo Along the Yellowstone
Clark's party endured a stormy night of thunder, lightning, and strong northeast winds, which slowed their early morning progress on the Yellowstone River. They passed numerous buffalo, dry…
Jul
29
1806
Violent Storm Leaves Lewis Soaked and Shelterless
A violent overnight storm brought rain, hail, thunder, and lightning, forcing Lewis to lie in water without shelter, and rain continued through the day. He sent the Field…
Jul
29
1806
White Clay Ruins; Fields Brothers Kill Two Bighorns
The party traveled quickly downriver, spotting large herds of buffalo and elk. R. Frazer killed an elk, and they kept the hide and some meat. Around 11 A.M.…
Jul
29
1806
Nine Bighorn Sheep Taken Below the High Rugged Hills
Traveling swiftly down the Missouri River from the mouth of Maria's River, the party encountered a range of high, rugged hills and hunted bighorn sheep, killing two before…
Jul
30
1806
Lowering Canoes by Hand at Buffalo Shoals
Setting out early, the party traveled twelve miles before encountering six miles of shoals, the worst stretch Clark had seen in 694 miles from the Rocky Mountains, requiring…
Jul
30
1806
Rapid Descent Hunting Bighorn in the Rain
Despite continuous cold rain making it pointless to stop and dry baggage, Lewis set out early and traveled downstream rapidly, covering about seven miles per hour with the…
Jul
30
1806
Grizzly Bear and Four Bighorn Taken in Steady Rain
The party traveled well throughout the day despite steady rain. Hunting was productive: two buffalo were taken, and Ordway and Willard together killed a white (grizzly) bear. Other…
Jul
31
1806
Wolf Rapid Named for a Solitary Wolf
Clark's party traveled down the Yellowstone River after a restless night disturbed by nearby buffalo. They set out at sunrise and passed a rapid Clark named Wolf Rapid…
Jul
31
1806
Abundant Kill of Elk, Deer, and Bighorn
Despite continuous rain, Lewis and his party set out early and traveled quickly down the river. They encountered abundant game, killing 15 elk, 14 deer, two bighorn sheep,…
Jul
31
1806
Fifteen Elk Killed Primarily for Canoe Hides
The party traveled well down the river, encountering large herds of elk swimming across the water around 9 AM. They killed 15 elk primarily for hides to cover…
Jul
31
1806
Fifteen Elk Killed on a Small Island in Heavy Rain
Heavy rain fell at intervals throughout the day. Around 10 a.m., the party spotted a large herd of elk on a small island, stopped, and killed fifteen, taking…
Aug
1
1806
Headwinds and Rain Halt Progress on Yellowstone
Clark's party set out early against high headwinds and choppy water, enduring near-constant rain that left him miserable in his open canoe. The terrain resembled the previous day's,…
Aug
1
1806
Brown Bear Shot at the Musselshell's Mouth
Traveling through steady rain, the party made good progress along the river. Around 9 A.M., Lewis and Drouillard shot a brown bear swimming between an island and shore.…
Aug
1
1806
Lewis and Drewyer Shoot Grizzly from the Water
A productive hunting day along the river. Around 9 a.m., Drewyer and Captain Lewis shot a brown bear swimming in the water and hauled it aboard. Colter killed…
Aug
1
1806
Grizzly Bear Hauled from the River; Musselshell Passed
On a damp, disagreeable morning, the party spotted and killed a large grizzly bear swimming in the river, hauling it aboard. They passed the mouth of Mussel Shell…
Aug
2
1806
Vast Elk and Buffalo Herds Below Rugged Hills
Setting out early along a wide, island-choked river plagued by mosquitoes, Clark observed expansive timbered bottoms, level plains to the northwest, and rugged hills to the southeast where…
Aug
2
1806
Fair Day Spent Drying Soaked Baggage and Furs
On a fair, warm Saturday, Lewis chose to halt the party for the day to dry out baggage soaked from earlier travel. The men spread powder, parched meal,…
Aug
2
1806
Drying Baggage in Warm Weather Along the River
The party paused for the day to dry out their baggage under warm weather. Some hunters were sent ahead to look for game, while other men stayed in…
Aug
2
1806
Camp Halted to Dry Expedition's Dampened Baggage
The expedition remained in camp for the day so Captain Lewis could have all the baggage, which had become damp, thoroughly dried out. Two hunters were sent ahead…
Aug
3
1806
Bighorn Ram Collected for Specimen Amid Mosquitoes
Plagued by relentless mosquitoes that prevented sleep, Clark's party continued downriver, passing Jo. Field's Creek and observing bighorn sheep on a crumbling bluff. Labiche shot a ram, which…
Aug
3
1806
Field Brothers Haul Twenty-Five Deer Since Yesterday
The party rose early, loaded the boats, and departed at 6:30 A.M. They passed Colter and Collins, who were hunting on shore but did not respond when hailed.…
Aug
3
1806
Fields Brothers' Camp; Twenty-Four Deer and 73 Miles
The party continued downstream and soon reached the camp of the two Field brothers, who had killed 24 deer. Travel went very well, and the men observed buffalo…
Aug
3
1806
Seventy-Three Miles in a Day; Twenty-Four Deer Killed
The party set off and traveled rapidly downstream, covering 73 miles in a single day. After about ten miles they caught up with their hunters, who had killed…
Aug
4
1806
Unbearable Mosquitoes Force Abandonment of Camp
Mosquitoes were so unbearable that the men couldn't work on their skins, hunting in the timbered bottoms was impossible, and only windy sandbars offered any relief. With worn,…
Aug
4
1806
Passing Milk River and Rattlesnake Encounter
The party set out at 4 A.M. and traveled down the Missouri, passing the mouths of Big Dry River and Milk River, where they paused briefly and killed…
Aug
4
1806
Grizzly Bear Killed; Swept into Sawyers by Moonlight
Ordway and Willard set out early in a small canoe to hunt, killing a deer and a large silvery grizzly bear during the day. Traveling on by moonlight…
Aug
4
1806
Swift Downstream Travel; Hunters Left Behind at Nightfall
The party set out early, though one small canoe with two hunters had not rejoined them the previous night. They left another small canoe with additional hunters behind…
Aug
5
1806
Mosquitoes Spoil Shot at Bighorn Ram
Plagued by mosquitoes that kept the men awake and even penetrated his mosquito netting, Clark set out early hoping to find a better camp. He spotted a bighorn…
Aug
5
1806
Waiting for Colter and Collins; Departing at Noon
Lewis waited through the morning of August 5, 1806, hoping that Colter and Collins, who had been separated from the party, would catch up; hunters killed four deer…
Aug
5
1806
Waiting for Straggling Hunters; Pressing Past Buffalo Herds
The party waited until noon for hunters Colter and Collins, along with the two Field brothers, who had been sent ahead. Uncertain whether the men were ahead or…
Aug
5
1806
Drifting Canoe Hailed at Midnight; Bear and Two Deer
Around midnight, a small canoe left behind the previous day drifted down with the current and was hailed by the sentinel; its hunters had killed a bear and…
Aug
6
1806
White Bear Pursues the Boats Below White Earth River
After a stormy night with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain, the party set out in wet conditions. A female bighorn was shot from the bluff above camp, and…
Aug
6
1806
Violent Hailstorm Swamps Canoes at Midnight
A violent nighttime thunderstorm with hail and torrential rain struck the camp from the northeast, forcing Lewis to scramble unloading the small canoes before they filled with water.…
Aug
6
1806
High Winds Halt Progress at 2000 Mile Creek
The party traveled their canoes downriver as usual, passing the mouth of 2000 Mile Creek around 10 A.M. High winds forced them to halt for about three hours,…
Aug
6
1806
Violent Winds Force Halt; Buck Pursued by Canoe
The party traveled by river under high winds that grew so violent by noon they were forced to halt for safety. During the stop, some men went hunting…
Aug
7
1806
Morning Downpour Delays Departure Until Midday
Hard rain at daybreak soaked the party, prompting Clark to set up a makeshift camp and wait until 11 a.m. for a break in the weather before loading…
Aug
7
1806
Reuniting the Two Parties at the Yellowstone
Cold rain fell overnight and into the morning as the party pushed hard down a swift current, aiming to cover 83 miles to the Yellowstone River. They passed…
Aug
7
1806
Silver-Grey Bears at the Yellowstone's Mouth
The party set out as usual and made good progress, catching up with the two Field brothers, who had killed two large silver-grey bears. Around 4 p.m. they…
Aug
7
1806
Reaching the Yellowstone; Clark's Sand Message Found
After a heavy pre-dawn rainstorm, the party traveled well and reached the mouth of the Yellowstone River around 4 o'clock. They found that Captain Clark had previously camped…
Aug
8
1806
Pryor Arrives by Bull-Boat After Horse Theft
On a cool, windy Sunday morning, Clark sent Shields and Gibson out hunting. At 8 A.M., Sergeant Pryor arrived with Shannon, Hall, and Windsor in two bowl-shaped bull-boats…
