Jean Baptiste Lepage Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

Drouillard and Lepage Return with Seven Elk and Beaver

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:51 +0000

George Drewyer & Batteast [Lepage] came in from hunting
had killed Seven Elk & caught one large beaver. Six men set
324 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Feb. 4
out with a canoe after the meat, but the wind So high that [it]
obledged them to return five men came in from the Salt works
with about 2 bushels of good Salt, and Some whail meat which
the natives call Ecoley. we mix it with our poor Elk meat &
find it eats verry well.

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Hailstorm Nearly Kills Clark and Sacagawea During Portage

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:25 +0000

the 2 truck waggons and returned back to the lower Camp for
another load, took 2 canoes up the hill on the high plains the
day proved pleasant and warm the men much fatigued, we Saw
large gangs of buffalow and antelopes to day. we got our loads
ready for a Start in the morning, below the falls the plains are
inferior in point of Soil to those below, more Stones on the Sides
of the hills, grass but a fiew Inches long or high and but a fiew
flowers in the plains. Great quanties of choke cherryes Goose
berrys red & yallow berry, & red purple currents on the Edges of
the water, we catch great quantities of Trout and a kind of
muttel [mussel] flat backs and a Soft fish resembling Shad, caught
but fiew cat fish this Season. Serg* Pryor Sick the party amused
themselves dancing untill 10 oClock all in cheerfulness and good
humour, we tied up all the baggage ready for an eairly Steart in
the morning.
June 26th Wednesday 1805. Some rain last night, this morn-
ing cloudy, we Set out eairly with our loads to the canoes con-
sisting of pearched meal pork powder lead axes tools Bisquit and
portable Soup we put it in the canoes and proceeded on verry
well to willow creek, where we halted to cook & then proceeded
on. The day proved fair, we Saw great numbers of buffalow in
the plains in everry direction considerable of the plains as far as
our Eyes could extend appear to be black with buffalow. Some
antelopes and Deer also wolves Whitehouse took Sick this
evening a little before we got to the upper Camp, we arived at
the u. camp a little before night, the men went with Cap1 Lewis
on a Small Island below the Camp to hunt for a white bear which
had been about the Camp the night before and cut Some meat
near the tents &.C.
1 The “saleing” was promoted by the hoisting of a sail on the canoe, a detail
which Ordway neglects to record.
238 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 27
June 27th 1805, Thursday a fair warm morning. Whitehouse
Some better, a heavey diew last night. I and three more of the
party Set off eairly to return by the way of the falls, the men Stearted
with the truck waggons at the same time. I passed Some In-
dian Camps above medicine River on the Shore Lard Side. Saw
a large gang of buffalow out of which I killed a cow and calf, and
went on passed the upper falls which is a great catteract and
look[s] remarkable. I Set and looked at them a fiew minutes and
went on untill I came to the Spring which was the finest tasted
water I ever Saw and the largest fountain which [comes] up
through a ledge of rocks near the River and forces its way up
about 10 feet for Some distance around then forms a fall in to
the River, it is clear as a cristal I could have Seen to the bot-
tom of the fountain to pick up a pin.1 the water cold and pure,
the Rocks green which the water run over, proceeded on about
noon we killed a fat Bull and took out the hump and went down a
Steep hill to git to water where we broiled the hump and eat a
hearty meal of it. went on passed the lower high falls of Neagra
[Niagara], all these falls measured and added together is 300 60
[360] odd feet in hight, and is a great Site to See them.2 I pro-
ceeded on to the mouth of willow Creek a hard Shower of rain and
hail came on of a Sudden So I got under a Shelving rock on one
Side of the creek where a [I] kept dry through the hardest of it.
hard thunder, large hail the creek rose So high in a fiew minutes
that I had to move from the dry place and proceeded on. the wind
blew So high that the hail cut verry hard against me and I could
hardly keep my feet, the rain has made it so muddy and Slip-
perry, but we arived at the lower Camp a little before night the
party had arived a little before, with the truck wheels look[s]
likely for more rain, So I and one man more went and Slept in the
carsh a hole which was dug to deposit Some baggage in which
1 This is the spring which had been discovered by Clark on June 18. He
supposed it to be the largest in America. Neither Lewis nor Clark mention
this trip of Ordway and his companions. Whitehouse explains its occasion:
“Sergt. Ordway and three men went down by the River to See the falls and
Spring &C.” The fountain is now known as (‘.real Spring. Wheeler, writing
a decade ago, describes it as 300 to 100 feet wide, with a discharge of (‘SO cubic
ted of water per second. A report made in I860 places the temperature of
the spring wafer at 53° and that of tin- river at 70°.
2 The total descent of the river for a distance of ten miles, from the first
rapid to the foot of the (‘.real falls is 1 1 2 feel. The Great Falls has a sheer
drop of i:>’. feet. Cones, II, 385.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 239
we intend to leave, cloudy all night. Some buffalow came down
the River dead.
June 28th Friday 1805. a fair morning, wind from the South,
we Set out with the remaining canoe and baggage [and] took it
to the top of the hill three miles, the men who remained at the
camp was employed carrying those things we intend to deposite
to the whole or carsh. Some repairing one of the trucks &. C. the
water is riseing and of a redish brown cholour. after covering the
cashe or whole, and loading the 2 carriages with the remaining
part of the Baggage, we all Set out passing red creek1 which had
rose a little and the water nearly red and bad tasteed. we as-
cended the hill to the place the canoe lay with great labour, at the
canoe at which place we left some boxes & kegs of pork & flower
for another load, and proceeded on with the canoe and what bag-
gage we could draw on the wheels to willow run 6 miles where we
camped, this run nearly dry some water remaining in wholes.
Soon after we halted, we had a Shower and at dark we experienced
a most dreadful wind from off the Snow Mountains to the S. W.
accompanied with rain which lasted nearly all night. Cap* Clark
refreshed the men with a dram, killed 2 buffalow great num-
bers about this run
June 29th Satturday 1805. a little rain verry eairly this morn-
ing after [which it was] clear & warm we find that the prarie is so
wet as to render it impossable to pass on to the end of the portage,
So Cap1 Clark Sent all back except one man to take care of the
baggage after the remainder which was left yesterday on the hill.
Cap* Clark Set out to go to the falls at the Same time his Servant
Intrepter and Squaw accompanied them. I went with the party for
the remainder of the baggage, we got all and was returning. Saw
a black cloud rise in the west which we looked for emediate rain we
made all the haste possable but had not got half way before the
Shower met us and our hind extletree broke in two. We were
obledged to leave the load Standing and ran in great confusion to
Camp the hail being so large and the wind so high and violent in
the plains, and we being naked2 we were much bruuzed by the
large hail. Some nearly killed one knocked down three times,
and others without hats or any thing about their heads bleading
and complained verry much. Soon after we had got all Safe to
1 Portage Creek of the explorers; modern Belt Creek.
2 On account of the heat and the excessive toil the men were working practi-
cally naked.
240 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 30
the run [it] cleared off. Cap* Clark & them that went with him
returned Cap1 Clark informed us that when he Saw the Shower
comming he looked out for Some Shelter about of a mile above
the falls he observed a deep reveen in which was Shelving rocks
under which they took Shelter near the river and placed their
[guns] and compass &C. &C. under a Shelving rock in a place
verry secure from rain the first Shower was moderate to them
then a torrent of rain fell and hail [more] violent than they ever
Saw before, the rain fell like one voley of water falling from the
heavens and gave them time only to git out of the way of a torrent
of water, which was poreing down the hill with amence force
tareing everry thing before it, taking with it huge rocks and mud.
Cap1 Clark took his gun and Shot pouch in his left hand and with
his right he Scrambled up the hill pushing the Intrepters wife who
had hir child in hir arms, the intrepter himself makeing attempts
to pull up his wife by the hand much Scared and narely
without motion, at length reached the top of the hill Safe,1
where Cap* Clark found his servant york who was in search
of them greatly agitated, for their well fare. Cap* Clark informed
me when he went in to the revene it was a flat dry rock, but before
he got out of it, it was up to his waist so he wet his watch, lost the
large Compass, an elegant purse, tommahawk, an Humbrello
[umbrella] Shot pouch & horn with powder and ball mockinsons
and the woman lost hir childs Cloaths & bear bedding &. C &. C.
The Compass is a seerious loss, as we have no other large one. the
plains are So wet that we could doe nothing this evening, we got
revived with a dram of grog and got some warm Soup and took
our rest.
June 30th Sunday 1805 a fair morning, we went after the re-
maining Baggage left in the plains. 2 men went to the falls to
look for the Compass &. C. 2 men went out to hunt, about 4
oClock the hunters came in loaded with fat meat the men re-
turned with the baggage ecty 4 men set at makeing axtletrees
and repair the carriages &. C. this run has fallen a little, last
evening it was up to a mans waist at I he crossing place where it
was dry before the Showers, and verry riley and bad tasted. Some
took the Baggage up the hill the 2 men in Search of the articles
lost yesterday returned and brought the Compass which they found
in the mud and Stones near the mouth of the revene. no other
1 “one moment longer & it would have swept tliem into the river just above
the greal cataracl of 87 feet where they must have inevitably perished.” Lewis.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 241
articles found, one man killed an Elk. at 12 oClock we Set out
with a load to the 6 mile Stake and returned] this evening, we
intend takeing the remainder through to the upper Camp tomorrow
if the prarie will permit, at 3 oClock we had a Storm of wind from
S. W. after which a fair evening great numbers of buffalow in
everry direction I think 10000 may be Seen at one view.
July 1st Monday 1805. we Set out eairly this morning, with
the remaining loads and proceeded on verry well to Cap1 Lewiss
Camp where we arived at 3 oClock the day warm and party
much fatigued found Cap* Lewis and party all employed in
fitting the Iron boat &. C. the wind hard from the S. W. one
man verry unwell his legs & thighs broke out and Swelled, the
hail which fell at Cap* Lewis Camp was 7 Inches in Surcumference
and weighed 3 ounces, fortinately for us it was not so large in
the plains where we was if it had we Should most certainly
[have] fallen victims to its rage as the the most of the men were
without hats or any thing on their heads and mostly naked, the
hunters at the upper Camp killed 3 White bear one large the fore
feet of which measured 9 Inches across, the head [hind] feet 11 |
Inches long and 7 Inches wide, a bear [came] nearly catching
Joseph Fields chased him in to the water, bear about about the
Camp everry night, and Seen on the Island in the day.1
July 2nd Tuesday 1805. Some rain at day light this morning
after which a fair morning we Set out eairly with the truck wag-
gons for the kegs and boxes & C left at the Six mile Stake, the
men at camp Set at gitting timber & C for the Boats Musque-
toes verry troublesome to day. we went to the 6 mile Stake and
got the remander of our loading & C [and] returned back. Saw
buffalow as usal; one hunter killed 3 buffalow and one antelope
1 Ordway here records some of the events at the upper camp during the pre-
ceding days. The large bear, the measurements of whose feet are given,
was killed by the strategy of Fields and Drewyer on June 27. For the story
see Lewis’ journal. The narrow escape of Fields from another grizzly occurred
two days earlier. While hunting elk, alone, he came upon two grizzlies. In
stalking them for an opportunity to shoot he “stumbled uppon” a third, which
promptly charged him from a distance of a few steps. With equal prompt-
ness Fields exchanged the role of hunter for that of the hunted and running
to the river near by jumped over the steep bank, alighting on a stony bar below.
The fall cut and bruised him and disabled his gun, but the intervening bank
now concealed him from the bear’s sight and the beast gave up the chase. It
was Fields who on June 4 was so hotly pursued by a grizzly that it “struck his
foot.” On recording his second narrow escape (June 25) Lewis observes that
he has been “truly unfortunate” with the grizzlies.
242 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 3
in a fiew minutes we arived at Camp about 2 oClock and re-
joiced that we have got through Such a laborious & fatiguing
portage The day warm the men put their fire arms in good
order and towards evening the most of the hunters with the 2
Captains went over on an Island to hunt bear they killed one
and Saved the Skin and greese. the Musquetoes troublesome this
evening.
July 3rd Wednesday 1805. a clear pleasant warm morning.
Serg’ Gass and 4 men Set out to go down the River and take a
view of the falls and Big Spring &. C. the men at Camp employed
Some at makeing tar or pitch for the Boat others puting the
leather on it &. C. we over hailed the Baggage and killed a large
curious kind of a rat with hair on his tail.1 the mice are pleanty
also, light Sprinklings of rain in the afternoon, we fixed Scaffels
[scaffolds] and put our Baggs & C from the ground, & a little more
from the rats & mice&. C. Some men Sowing the leather on the
Iron boat, the men not other ways directed are dressing Skins
to make themselves mockinsons as they have wore them all out
in the plains one pair of good mockins will not last more than
about 2 days, will ware holes in them for the first day and patch
them for the next. George Drewyer one of Cap* Lewis hunters at
the upper Camp killed 2 large handsom otter and three beaver. 2
men went out a short distance that evening and killed a fat bufTa-
low. Some men out for meat &. C. the 2 men returned from
the falls and had killed 6 buffalow, and Saved only the tongues, &
brains for to dress Skins, we got the leather on the Iron boat in
8 seperate Sections & put them in the water to sook 2 men
attempting to burn a small tar kill.
July 4th Thursday 1805. a beautiful clear pleasant warm morn-
ing, the most of the men employed putting the sections of the
Iron boat together &. C. one of the hunters went on bear Island
a Short time and killed an Elk and a beaver, we Saved the Skins
and Some of the meat, we finished puting the Iron boat together
and turned hir on one side to dry. it being the 4th of Independence
we drank the last of our ardent Spirits except a little reserved for
Sickness, the fiddle put in order and the party amused themselves
dancing all the evening untill about 10 oClock in a Sivel & jovil
‘ “This Rocky Mountain rat, Montana cinera, was fust described 1>> Lewis.
Us technical name was noi assigned until 1815.” Thwaites, II. 205, note.
Lewis devotes more space to describing the rat (which was killed July 2)
than he does to the bear hunt on the island.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 243
manner, late in the evening we had a light Shower of rain but
did not last long.
July 5th Friday 1805. a clear pleasant morning. 3 men Set
out to go down to see the falls & C a gang of buffalow seen on
the hills Some distance from Camp. Cap* Clark and 12 men went
out to attempt to kill Some of them but we could not git near
them before they Smelled us and ran off Cap* Clark and some
of the men then returned to Camp the rest went after another
gangue toward the South Mountain, towards evening they all
came in had killed 3 buffalow 4 miles from this, they brought
in Some meat and Skins, the 3 men returned from the falls &
had killed Several buffalow might have killed hundreds if they
had wished where they were pened under high clifts of rocks at
the falls, they went So close among them as to reach them with
the muzzle of their guns, &. C. they brought home Several
tongues & Some brains, but had not time to take care of their
meat & Skins & C.
July 6th Saturday 1805. verry hard Showers of rain and hail
through the course of last night, hard Thunder & lightning, at day
light this morning a hard Shower came up of a Sudden attended
with high wind, & large hail one of the men Saved a Small tin
kittle full of the hail which did not all disolve through the day.
the morning cloudy. 4 men dispached with 2 canoes to go down
to the head of the falls in order to kill buffalow buffalow & git
Skins to cover our crafts & meat to dry &. C. Some men employed
finishing the Iron boat &. C. a part of the day clear, light
Showers of rain in the afternoon. Some men dressing Skins to
make themselves cloaths &. C. the wind high from the west,
this evening the hunters did not return this evening (caught
a fiew Small fish).
July 7th Sunday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, one man
caught a beaver last night, two hunters set out across the river
eairly in order to hunt Elk for 1 or 2 Skins &. C. we finished off
the Iron boat and put hir up in an open place to dry &. C. the
day warm, in the afternoon Some Thunder the musquetoes
troublesome at this Camp a light Shower of rain, about 4
oClock the hunters returned, had killed Several buffalow and
buffalow calfs one Elk and Several wolves, they brought in the
Skins which will answer to cover our crafts &. C. the 2 hunters
returned from the other shore, had killed 4 Deer & one ante-
lope.
244 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 8
July 8th Monday 1805. a clear pleasant morning one man
went across the river a hunting eairly this morning about 9
oClock A. M. Cap* Clark and all the men that could be Spared
from Camp Set out to go down the river a hunting down past the
falls and Spring &. C. the men that remained in Camp employed
in paying over the outside of the Iron boat with coal Tallow and
bare wax in Stead of pitch.1 we went about 6 miles through the
plains then went to the big Spring. Cap* Clark measured the
width of the River at the Spring and middle falls and found it to
be [blank in Ms.] yards wide at the Spring and [blank in Ms.]
yards wide at the middle falls.2 in the afternoon we all returned
to Camp had killed Several buffalow one of which was fat.
killed 1 or 2 antelope and a curious yallow fox. and Several rattle
Snakes, towards evening the hunter returned from across the
river had killed one buck Deer and a buck antelope &. C.
Some Thunder and light Showers this afternoon The River
falling. The Musquetoes troublesome.
July 9th Tuesday 1805. a beautiful pleasant morning, the
Island near the Camp is covered with black birds, we put the
Iron boat which we covered with green hides in to the water.
Corked Some of the canoes in order to git in readiness to depart
from this place in the afternoon we loaded the 6 canoes but did
not load the Iron boat as it leaked considerable soo[n] after we
got the canoes loaded Thunder and high wind came on So that we
had to unload again, our officers concluded for to leave & burry
the Iron boat, as we cannot git tar or pitch to pay the[m] over the
out Side of the Skins, the coal Tallow & bear wax would not
stick to the hides as they were Shaved the time is So far ex-
pended that they did not think proper to try any more experi-
ments with it. So we Sank hir in the water So that She might be
the easier took to peaces tomorrow.3 our officers conclude to
1 Lewis had first planned to distill tar with which to caulk the boat. This
effort having failed he now had recourse to a composition of charcoal, beeswax,
and buffalo tallow.
2 Clark gives 270 yards as the width of the river at the spring, and 173 yards
at the “Handsome falls.”
3 With “hir” sank one of Lewis’ most dearly cherished hopes. On the iron
boat he had builded great expectations. His journal for this period is full
of details concerning the enterprise, and his hopes and fears in connection
therewith. His delight must have been great, therefore, to find thai the boat,
which was named the “Experiment,” when launched, “lay like a perfect cork
on the water.” But a sudden storm delayed the departure. When it had
ceased Lewis’ joy over his boat had turned to mortification, for the skins would
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 245
build 2 canoes more So that we can carry all our baggage without
the Iron boat, about 10 men got ready to [go] up the river to
build 2 canoes.
July 10th Wednesday 1805. a clear morning, we took the
Iron boat out of the River and loaded 4 canoes one of which was
[reserved for] the men baggage & tools who were going to make
canoes, we Set out eairly, with the canoes.1 Cap’ Clark and
about 10 men Set out to go by land after we set them over the
river, it is only about 5 miles by land to the bottom where they git
the timber for the canoes and it is about 20 miles round by water,
we proceeded on with the canoes 5 or 6 miles then the wind arose
so high that we were oblidged to lay by untill towards evening,
we passed 2 Islands covered with cotton and box elder also choak
cherrys & yallow currents which are now ripe, halted near a
village of bearking Squerrells. one of the hunters killed one of
them on the N. S. late in the afternoon the wind abated a little
So we proceeded on within about 3 miles of the upper Camp and
halted for the night in a grove of cottonwood high banks of Sand
along this Shore on N. S. we killed a large rattle Snake near our
Camp.
July 11th Thursday 1805. a clear morning, the wind verry
high from the N. W. which oblidged us to lay at Camp untill late
in the afternoon, except the Canoe which had the baggage and
tools, they went on to Camp 2 men went by land to the Camp &
got Some meat, towards evening the wind abated So that we
went on and arived at Cap* Clarks Camp at Sunset, and unloaded,
the hunters had killed 2 fat buffalow and Several Deer, we took
on board Some fat meat and 4 of us Set out with 3 canoes to re-
turn back to the other Camp for the remainder of the baggage
&.C. we floated about 8 miles and the wind rose so high that [it]
drove us to Shore so we landed untill morning. Cap1 Clark and
party had got 2 fine trees2 cut for 2 canoes & ready to dig out.
not retain the composition which had been substituted for pitch, and “she
leaked in such manner that she would not answer.” Notwithstanding that
“in every other rispect” she completely answered his most sanguine expectations,
this was a fatal defect, and Lewis was regretfully forced to “bid adieu to my
boat and her expected services.”
1 Ordway was placed in charge of the party which thus went by water.
2 Lewis gives a less favorable estimate of the trees, “one proved to be
hollow and split in falling at the upper part and was somewhat windshaken at
bottom; the other proved to be much windshaken.” Clark “surched the bot-
tom for better but could not find any.”
246 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
July 12th Friday 1805. a clear morning, the wind as usal. we
proceeded on down the wind rose so high that one canoe filled
with water the other 2 took in water the waves high but with
difficulty we got down to Camp about noon the men at Camp
had killed 2 bufTalow and put the Irons of the Iron boat and other
articles in the ground. Several men had Set out this morning for
to join Cap* Clarks party, we scaffelled up what meat we had to
dry. the wind continues verry high all day.
July 13th Saturday 1805. clear and calm this morning, we
loaded the canoes eairly and Set out with all the remainder of
our baggage for the upper Camp. Cap* Lewis a sick man1 & our
Intrepters wife went across by land which is only about 6 miles
distant by land and 20 by water we proceeded on verry well with
the canoes about 5 miles, the wind rose so high that 2 of the
canoes took water, it oblidged us to halt and dry our baggage,
the wind continued untill towards evening, then abated a little
and we proceeded on about 7 miles and Camped, the Musque-
toes verry troublesome in the evening.
July 14th Sunday 1805. the morning clear and pleasant, we Set
out eairly and proceeded on very well passed 3 Islands covered
with timber and arived at the upper Camp about noon. Cap*
Clark and party at Camp had got the 2 large canoes nearly done,
we unloaded the canoes, and put the large niew one in the River
about 4 oClock P.M. we expearenced a Small Shower of rain,
warm the Musquetoes verry troublesome we put the other niew
canoe in to the River and make ready to leave this {place] tomor-
row, we have considerable of fat buffalow meat dryed, which the
hunters killed at or near this Camp, the weeds and Grass in
this bottom is as high as a mans knees but the Grass on the high
plains & praries is not more than 3 Inches high no time in this
Season.
1 Baptiste Lepage.
CHAPTER IX
From the Great Falls to the Great Divide,
July 15— August 17, 1805
July 15th Monday 1805. rained the greater part of last night,
a clear morning, the wind high from the N. W. we loaded the
canoes and could hardly find room in them for all our baggage,
about 10 oClock A.M. we Set out1 with the 8 canoes and all our
baggage and proceeded on verry well, passed a large creek or
Small River2 on the S. Side, passed Several Islands covered with
cotton timber, fine pleasant bottoms & plains on each side of
the river, the current verry gentle & river Smoth Since we left
the falls, our officers and a hunter who walked on Shore killed
two Elk and 2 Deer also an otter, we Came about 26 miles by
water to day and Camped on the N. S. of the River.3
July 16th Tuesday 1805. a clear pleasant morning. I went
about 4 miles back down the River after an axe forgot last even-
ing, the party proceeded on with the canoes, we passed a round
hill on N. S. which at a distance look[ed] like a large fort or forti-
fycation. so we called it fort mountain.4 passed a large creek on
s. s.5 Saw large Indian Camps on N. S. back of the bottom in
the edge of the Smooth plains, the hunters killed 2 buffalow. I
Saw verry large gangs of buffalow on the plains under the rockey
1 “much to my joy and I beleive that of every individual who compose the
party.” Lewis. Lewis was impatient over the delay which the party had
encountered at the portage, and on June 30 the conviction is expressed “that
we shall not reach Fort Mandan again this season if we even return from the
ocean to the Snake Indians.” In fact 13£ months were to elapse before the
explorers again saw Fort Mandan.
2 Named Smith’s River in honor of Robert Smith, secretary of the navy.
It rises in southern Meagher County and flows in a general northerly direction.
It is still known by the name which Lewis and Clark gave it.
3 In Cascade County, 3| miles below the mouth of Little Muddy Creek.
4 Identified by Coues (II, 413) as modern Square Butte, a short distance
south of Fort Shaw. It is “an entirely isolated, mesa-like formation which
rises to the height of 4600 feet.”
5 Bird Creek, three miles above Little Muddy Creek, which Ordway omits to
mention.
247
2 IS WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 17
mountains, which we are now approaching, in the afternoon I
joined the party. Cap* Lewis and 2 men was gone on a head.1
the current swift towards evening we Came 20 miles this day and
Camped near the entrence of the Rocky Mountain^],2 which
appear verry high & rocky. Some pine &.C.
July 17th Wednesday 1805. Cap* Lewis and the two men Stayed
out all last night, a clear morning, we Set out at Sunrise & pro-
ceeded on about 4 miles. Came to a verry bad rapid3 where we
found Cap* Lewis & the 2 men. the Mountains make close to
the River on each side, we left Some articles and doubled maned
the canoes and [brought] them all over [the rapid] safe which was
about half a mile long, & roled white over the rocks, but by the
assistance of the towing lines we got up all the canoes without
Injury. Sent back for the other articles, passed a large Spring
jest above the rapids which heads about half a mile above or back
under the mountain on Lard Side, proceeded on. the moun-
tains make close to the River & verry steep high pricipicies about
700 feet from the Surface of the water perpinticular & a solid
rock. Some Spots of pine and balsam fir timbers & narrow bot-
toms on the points and high grass &.C. Some willow & currents
of different kinds, the current Swift, the River about 100 yards
wide, we Came 11 miles this day and Camped on the Starbord
Side in a narrow bottom.4 a little cotton timber.
July 18th Thursday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, we Saw
Mountain Sheep or Ibex on the top of a high Steep pricipice. they
ran along the rocks where it was all most perpenticular and about
200 feet from the Surface of the water, we set out at sun rise and
proceeded on about 3 miles passed the mouth of a river on the
N. S. about 100 yards wide at its mouth.5 one mile further Cap*
1 For the purpose of journeying to the point where the river enters the
Rockies and there making the necessary observations pending the arrival of
the main party.
2 Coues locates the camp “above St. Clair and Cascade, past Knapp creek,
and about opposite Chestnut.” I do not find Chestnut on the maps before
me. The camp was some three or four miles below I lardy.
3 Modern Halfbreed Rapids, just above Hardy.
* Near the boundary of Cascade County, 2j miles below the mouth of Dear-
born River.
6 They named it Dearborn, in honor of Jefferson’s secretary of war, Gen.
Henry Dearborn. Two years earlier his name had also been given to a small
stockade fort at the southern end of Lake Michigan. The name of Dearborn
River still persists. Had the General’s name dung with equal tenacity to the
other spot, the second city of the New World would now be Dearborn instead
of Chicago.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 249
Clark killed an Elk. Saw Several others, we Saw a flock of
mountain Rams on the Side of a hill which had large horns.1
Cap* Clark his Servant and 2 other men set out to go 1 or 2 days
march a head to make discoverys &.C.2 we proceeded on verry
well with the canoes, towards evening we passed a River3 which
came in on N. S. about 60 yards wide, the mountains continues
but not So high as yesterday, we Came 19^ miles and Camped in
a narrow bottom on the Larbord Side4 considerable of fine flax
in this bottom now going to Seed, we found a Deer Skin and
Some meat which Cap* Clark had killed.
July 19th Friday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, we Set out
as usal. and proceeded on. Cap* Lewis and one hunter walked
on Shore & Shortly killed a cabberee or antelope we took on
board the Skin and some of the meat, the current Swift, the
Mountains high. Some Spots of pine ceeder, and balsom. fir
trees &. C. one of the men killed an otter with a socket pole
they are pleanty &. C. Some beaver also along these mountains,
passed the mouth of a Small River5 on the South Side. in the
afternoon we passed through a verry high part of the Mountain,
1 This rather startling statement might well pass without comment did it
not stand for a type of grammatical error more than once indulged in by Ord-
way. It is evident that our explorers were more familiar with toil and hard-
ship than they were with the precepts of English grammar.
2 The advance party was composed of Captain Clark, York, Potts, and
Joseph Fields. Ordway’s “&c” conceals a matter charged with the deepest
importance for the issue of the expedition. If it was to succeed, the friendship
and aid of the Snake, or Shoshoni Indians must be gained. Largely because
of her expected assistance to this end Sacajawea had been brought along. But,
although signs of them had been noted, no Shoshoni had thus far been encoun-
tered. Lewis states that Clark’s party was sent in advance “in order to dis-
cover them, should they be on the river before the daily discharge of our guns,
which was necessary in procuring subsistence for the party, should allarm and
cause them to retreat to the mountains and conceal themselves, supposing
us to be their enemies, who visit them usually by the way of this river.”
3 With commendable modesty Ordway omits to record the fact that this
stream was named in his honor. Unfortunately for his fame, however, it
appears on modern maps as Little Prickly Pear Creek. The Great Northern
Railway, running from Helena to Great Falls, follows its bed for a considerable
distance. “Some of its ties,” says Coues, “are laid in the very foot-prints of
the great pioneer.”
4 In the vicinity of Holter, 5J miles above the mouth of Little Prickly Pear
Creek.
5 Cottonwood Creek, in Lewis and Clark County.
250 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 20
which is Steep on each Side & about 6 or 700 feet1 perpinticular
up from the Surface of the water & a Solid rock this curious
looking place we call the gates of the Rocky Mountains.2 Several
fine Springs Issues from under clifts or in md near the edge of the
River, about one oClock P. M. we had a Thunder Shower which
lasted about one hour a little hail attended it. Saw some spots
of pine Spruce ceeder and balsom fir timber on the Sides of the

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French Interpreter Departs; Cold Weather Threatens Snow

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:54 +0000

Greater part of last night4 a clear morning, about 9 oC it
clouded up cold lookfed] likely for Snow at 11 o. C. our french
man who came with us from the R. A. Rees5 as an Intreperter
1 “Mr Jessomme with his Squar & children came down to live, as Inter-
preter.” Clark. This was Rene Jessaume, a French-Canadian who had long
resided in this section. The explorers had first encountered him on October
27, and the. leaders had engaged his services in the capacity of interpreter.
He was employed by them throughout the ensuing winter of 1804-5; later,
upon the return of the exploring party, he accompanied the Mandan chief to
Washington. The various travelers who write of Jessaume unite in giving
him a malodorous reputation. See ante, Introduction, 21; Wheeler, I,
204; Early Western Travels, V, 156; and “Extracts from Capt. McKay’s Journal,”
in Wis. Hist. Soc, Proc, 1915.
2 Baptiste Le Page, who was enlisted to take the place of John Newman who
had been discharged as a deserter. Le Page continued with the expedition until
its conclusion at St. Louis in September, 1806.
3 These men were not regarded as regular members of the permanent expedi-
tion. They had been engaged at St. Louis to accompany the party to the first
winter camp, chiefly in the capacity of boatmen.
4 Due to a display of the northern lights or aurora borealis.
5 Joseph Gravelines, the trader whom the party found among the Ankara on
October 7. Clark called him “an honest, discrete man and an excellent boat-
man.” He was employed by the two captains to conduct a party of Ankara
164 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Nov. 7
and Several of our french have Set off to descend the River in a
pearogue [Ms. too worn to read last line of page]

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Rifle Offered to Secure a Nez Perce Mountain Guide

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:34 +0000

Wednesday June 18th 1806 This morning we had considerable dificuelty in
collecting our horses they haveing Strageled of to a considerable distance
in Serch of food on the Sides of the mountains among the thick timber, at
9 oClock we Collected them all except 2 one of Shields & one of
Drewyer’s. we Set out leaving Shields and LePage to collect the two lost
horses and follow us.

We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains
beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the Indians who
promised to accompany us, or to precure a guide at all events and rejoin
us as Soon as possible. We Sent by them a riffle which we offered as a
reward to any of them who would engage to conduct us to Clarks river at
the entrance of Travellers rest Creek; we also directed them if they found
difficuelty in induceing any of them to accompany us to offer the reward
of two other guns to be given them immediately and ten horses at the falls
of Missouri. we had not proceeded far this morning before J. Potts cut his
leg very badly with one of the large knives; he cut one of the large veins
on the iner side of the leg; Colters horse fell with him in passing
hungary creek and himself and horse were driven down the Creek a
considerable distance roleing over each other among the rocks. he
fortunately escaped without much injurey or the loss of his gun. he lost
his blanket. at 1 P. M we returned to the glade on a branch of hungary
Creek where we had dined on the 16th instant. here we again halted and
dined. as there was some appearance of deer about this place we left J.
& R Field with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at
this place and join us in the evening in the Meadows on Collin’s Creek
where we intended to remain tomorrow in order to restour horses and hunt.
after dinner we proceeded on to the near fork of Collins Creek and
encamped in a pleasant Situation at the upper part of the Meadows about 2
miles above our encampment of the 15th inst. we Sent out Several hunters
but they returned without having killed any thing-. they saw a number of
large fish in the Creek and Shot at them Several times without Suckcess.
we Gibson and Colter to fix each of themselves a gigg in the morning and
indeaver to take Some of those fish. the hunters Saw much fresh appearance
of Bear, but very little deer Sign. we hope by the means of the fish
together with what deer and bear we can kill to been abled to Subsist
untill our guide arives without the necessaty of returning to the quawmash
flats. there is great abundance of good food here to Sustain our horses.
we are in flattering expectations of the arrival of two young chiefs who
informed us that they intended to accompany us to the U. States, and
Should Set out from their village in 9 nights after we left them on the
19th inst. if they Set out at that time Drewyer & Shannon will meet
them, and probably join us on the 20th or 21st-. Musquetors Troublesome.

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Hohastillpilp Arrives; New Village Found with Provisions

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:25 +0000

Monday May 26th 1806. Had frequent showers in the course of the last
night. Collins, Shannon and Colter set out to hunt on the high lands some
distance up on the N. E. side of Collins’s Creek. The Clyster given the
Child last evening operated very well. it is clear of fever this evening
and is much better, the swelling is considerably abated and appears as if
it would pass off without coming to a head. we still continue fresh
poltices of onions to the swolen part. we directed the indians in what
manner to treat the dieased Cheif, gave him a few dozes of flour of
sulpher and Creem of tartar & some portable soupe and directed them to
take him home. they seemed unwilling to comply with the latter part of the
injunction for they consumed the day and remained with us all night. at 1
P.M. Joseph and R. Feilds returned, accompanyed by Hohastillpilp several
other inferior Cheifs and some young men. These hunters informed us they
were unable to reach the grounds to which they had been directed in
consequence of the debth and rapidity of a large creek which falls in
about 10 Ms. above. they passed Commearp Creek at about 11/2 Ms. and a
second creek reather larger at 3 Ms. further. at the distance of 4 Ms. up
this last creek on their return they called at a village which our traders
have never yet visited, here they obtained a large quantity of bread and
roots of Cows on very moderate terms. we permitted Sergt. Pryor and four
men to pass the river tomorrow morning with a view to visit this village
we also directed Charbono York and LePage to set out early for the same
place and procure us some roots. our meat is again exhausted, we therefore
directed R. Fields to hunt the horse in the morning which the Indians have
given us to kill. one of our men saw a salmon in the river today. in the
afternoon we compleated our canoe and put her in the water; she appears to
answer very well and will carry about 12 persons.the river still
rising fast and snows of the mountains visibly diminish

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Jean Baptiste Lepage

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:42:24 +0000

Jean Baptiste Lepage (1761-c. 1809) was a French-Canadian trader who joined the expedition at Fort Mandan in November 1804, replacing John Newman who had been court-martialed and expelled. Lepage was already familiar with the upper Missouri, having traded among the Arikara and Mandan peoples.

Lepage’s knowledge of the upper Missouri region and its peoples provided useful intelligence for the captains as they planned the next phase of the journey. However, his contributions are only lightly documented in the journals.

The Lepage River in Montana (later renamed) was briefly named for him during the expedition. After returning to St. Louis, Lepage likely returned to the fur trade. He is believed to have died around 1809.

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