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Journal entry · June 3, 1805
Patrick Gass: June 3, 1805
Patrick Gass · Marias River confluence (Decision Point), Loma, MT · Thwaites Vol. Gass 1807 First Edition
The place today: Marias River confluence (Decision Point), Loma, MT
two rivers and encamped there. The commanding officers
could not determine which of these rivers or branches, it was
94 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
proper to take; and therefore concluded to send a small party
up each of them. Myself and two men went up the south
branch, and a serjeant and two more up the north. The
parties went up the two branches about 15 miles. We found
the South branch rapid with a great many islands and the
general course South West. The other party reported the
North branch as less rapid, and not so deep as the other.
The North branch is 186 yards wide and the South 372 yards.
The water of the South branch is clear, and that of the North
muddy. About a mile and a half up the point from the con-
fluence, a handsome small river falls into the North branch,
called Rose river. Its water is muddy, and the current rapid.
Captain Lewis took a meridian altitude at the point, which
gave 47. 24. 12. North latitude. Captain Lewis and Captain
Clarke were not yet satisfied with respect to the proper river
to ascend.
Entities mentioned in this entry
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The NPS atlas for this night
Cache Camp, junction of Missouri and Marias
NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino)
About 0.3 miles of travel mapped this day (NPS’s reconstruction of the course)
NPS sites within 5 miles of this camp
- Decision Point (opens in a new tab) NPS High Potential Historic Site · 0.2 mi
From the NPS Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Park Atlas, mirrored here on September 21, 2026. This copy is not authoritative; NPS remains the system of record. About the mirror
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