Historical Figure
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809) was an American explorer, soldier, and politician who served as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, from 1804 to 1806. Appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as the expedition's commanding officer, Lewis was responsible for the scientific, diplomatic, and military objectives of the journey across the newly acquired Louisiana Territory to the Pacific Ocean. A skilled naturalist and keen observer, Lewis documented hundreds of plant and animal species previously unknown to Western science, maintained detailed journals of the expedition's encounters with Native American nations, and navigated the Corps through thousands of miles of uncharted wilderness. Before the expedition, Lewis served as Jefferson's private secretary at the White House, where the two planned the venture in detail. After returning as a national hero, Lewis was appointed Governor of Upper Louisiana Territory in 1807. He died under mysterious circumstances at Grinder's Stand, Tennessee, on October 11, 1809, at the age of 35 — his death remains one of American history's enduring mysteries, debated as either suicide or murder.
Portrait: Charles Willson Peale, 1807
0 treaties
1002 total items
940 mapped locations
Related Locations
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Planning (1801–1804)
Westward (1804–1805)
Fort Clatsop (1805–1806)
Return (1806)
Post (1806–1812)
Master expedition route
Note: the longest gap between tagged appearances is about 8 months (Sep 11, 1803 → May 14, 1804). Meriwether Lewis may have been present in the corps during that span but is not named in the journals.
Art (9)
Lewis and Clark with Sacajawea at the Great Falls
Olaf Carl Seltzer, 1927
Oil on canvas, 11 × 15¾ inches
Lewis and Clark at Three Forks
Edgar Samuel Paxson, 1912
Oil on canvas, 81 × 153 inches
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thomas Mickell Burnham, c. 1850
Oil on canvas
Indians Discovering Lewis and Clark
Charles Marion Russell, 1896
Oil on canvas
Lewis and Clark Reach Shoshone Camp
Charles Marion Russell, 1918
Oil on canvas
Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia
Charles Marion Russell, 1905
Watercolor on paper
Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flatheads at Ross’ Hole
Charles Marion Russell, 1912
Oil on canvas, 12 × 25 feet
Meriwether Lewis (Profile Portrait)
Charles de Saint-Mémin, c. 1803–1807
Engraving on paper
Meriwether Lewis
Charles Willson Peale, 1807
Oil on wood panel, 25 × 20 inches
Tent of Many Voices (20)
23:54
Mike Lyall on Cowlitz History and Lewis & Clark
28:18
Scott Mandrell and Peyton Bud Clark on the Corps of Discovery Bicentennial Expedition
28:37
Lewis Adams on Salish encounters with Lewis and Clark
47:34
Curly Bear Wagner on Blackfeet History and Lewis & Clark
60:31
Dayton Duncan opens Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration
42:53
Alan Pinkham on Nez Perce perspectives of Lewis and Clark
43:19
Craig How on Rocking the Keelboat: Lakota Perspectives on Lewis and Clark
46:28
Curly Bear Wagner on Blackfeet and Lewis and Clark
46:37
Ken Thomas on Sacagawea and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
49:59
York’s Account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
4:06
Lewis and Clark Journals and Archives Overview
50:21
Jeff Painter on Clatsop trade, culture, and Lewis & Clark
63:20
Gary Moulton on Lewis and Clark Documentary Evidence
33:16
Ernie Quintana on Corps of Discovery II and Native American perspectives
51:37
Keith Bear: Mandan Culture, Flutes, and Native Identity
30:15
Stephanie Ambrose Tubbs on Listening to Native Voices in Lewis and Clark History
93:28
Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration at Monticello
42:03
Tony Incashola on Salish history and culture
9:39
Mark Weekley on Lewis and Clark Trail Reinterpretation
43:36
Germaine White on Salish perspectives of Lewis and Clark
Journal Entries (897)
Hot Spring Dammed by Natives for Bathing
Frozen Moccasins and Snow on the Morning Climb
Hauling Canoe and Baggage to Upper Portage Camp
Rain Prompts Spirits; Lewis Kills Fat Buffalo
Black-Tailed Deer Killed; Buffalo Shot in River
Stray Horse Found; Strong Current Impedes Progress
Lewis and Drouillard Kill Deer and Groundhog
Captain Lewis Rejoins Expedition in Rain
Pressing Past Grand River Without Hunting
Captain Lewis Returns to Camp Wounded
Two Trappers Met; Clark Reported One Day Ahead
Reaching the Yellowstone; Clark's Sand Message Found
Nine Bighorn Sheep Taken Below the High Rugged Hills
Reunion with Lewis at the Mouth of Maria's River
Captains Treat the Sick; Ammunition Canisters Recovered
Lewis Strikes a Thief at the First Narrows
Lewis Seeks Canoes; First Horses Glimpsed Since October
Wild Sheep Skin Seen at Village Above Rapids
Lewis Scouts Winter Quarters Fifteen Miles Upriver
Clark Leads Party Overland Toward the Ocean
Clark Pushes Ahead Through Barren Mountains
Missing Horse Delays Departure; Meridian Observation Taken
Cold Rain and Unripened Berries at Stony Creek
Clark Scouts Twelve Miles; Only Fowl for Food
Lewis Camps Alone After Canoes Fall Behind
Lewis Advances Toward the Mountain for Observations
Double Crew Hauls Canoes Through Narrow Rapids
Circular Indian Lodge of 216 Feet Circumference
Clark Scouts Timber for Two New Canoes
Claret South Fork Contrasts Milky North Branch
Council Preparations; Two Frenchmen Among the Nation
Gass Describes Arikara Earth Lodge Construction
Three Arikara Villages Visited; Axe Stolen Overnight
Indians Attempt to Detain Pirogue; Clark Resists
Indians Seize Boat Rope; Near-Violent Confrontation
Lewis Kills Unusual Bird Resembling Magpie
Two Men Cross Grand Bend Overland with Horse
Lewis's Party Takes Thirteen Deer and True Antelope
Scaffold of Dried Meat Left by Lost Hunter
Wolves Devour Buffalo Kill and Steal Hunter's Hat
Searching the Spirit Mound; Buffalo Spotted Nearby
Giant Catfish; Hill Avoided by Local Natives
Council with Indians; Five Men Named Chiefs
Seine Nets and Pike at Maha Creek
Horses Apparently Stolen; Lewis Scales Up Response
Lewis Departs to Explore Maria's River
Corps Divides; Lewis Builds Rafts at River Forks
Nez Perce Guides Provisioned for Mountain Return
Rest Camp After Mountain Crossing; Twelve Deer Brought In
Christmas Salute; Moving Into Newly Built Huts
Moving into New Huts, Celebrating Christmas Without Liquor
Pacific Ocean Reached, Primary Mission Accomplished
Lewis Finds Evidence of Departed White Traders
Clark's Party Reaches Cape Disappointment
Two Men Continue on Foot Through Impassable Swells
Camp Established at the Columbia's Mouth
Captains Record Vocabulary of Three Native Groups
Camped in a Steep Canyon, Little Game Found
Shoshone Indians Met; Canoes Dragged Through Shallows
Lewis Pushes Ahead by Land; Canoe Repaired
Lewis Examines Large Spring on Missouri's Bank
Wide Gentle River Above the Great Falls
Scarce Timber Hinders Iron Boat Construction
Seven Buffalo Killed; Man Bled with Penknife
Lewis's Note Leads Party Toward the Great Falls
Lewis Rejoins Party Above Major Rapid
Deer Killed While Lewis's Party Remains Absent
Scouting Parties Explore the Two-River Fork
Arrival at the Mouth of the Musselshell River
Lewis Departs Overland to Scout Yellowstone River
Lewis Shoots Elk amid Rich Prairie Countryside
Arrival at the Mouth of the Yellowstone
First Sighting of Mountain Sheep Atop Bluffs
New Year's Whiskey, Cannon Fire, and Dancing
Christmas Celebrated with Cannon Salute and Dancing
Buffalo Descend from Prairie into Bottomlands
Ten Buffalo Killed in Wooded Bottom
Eleven Deer and a Wolf on a Clear Pleasant Day
Abundant Hunt Yields Antelope, Black-Tailed Deer, Buffalo
Lost Hunter's Cached Meat Found on South Bank
Wolves Devour Hunter's Buffalo and Carry Off His Hat
Lewis Kills a Large Pelican at Little Sioux River
Four Men Sent to Retrieve Deserter Dead or Alive
Bighorn Sheep Encountered on the Open Plains
Reaching a Large Village After Warm March Across Sandy Plains
Weakened Crew Labors Slowly on the Canoes
Flags Raised; Trading Eight Horses from the Shoshones
Arikara Chiefs Arrive; Sioux Peace Delegation Announced
Spirits Freeze Solid at Ten Below Zero
Grand Bend Rounded in Oppressive Summer Heat
Ripe Mulberries and the Two Chariton Rivers
Camp on South Bank of the Missouri
Captain Lewis Returns Wounded from Elk Hunt
Wounded Lewis Meets Two Trappers Downriver
Waiting for Chief's Answer; Canoes Lashed Together
Missing Horses Suggest Indian Presence on Medicine River
Lewis Departs for Marias; Wagons Prepared for Portage
Mud-Choked Road Slows Canoe Haul to Portage River
Canoes Lined Down Thirty-Seven-Foot Falls
Medal Presented to Chief; Clark Returns from Northern Scout
All Canoes Past the Thirty-Seven-Foot Falls
Clark Scouts Canoe Timber While Lewis Lies Sick
Flathead Fishermen Encamp at the River Forks
Lewis Acquires Twenty-Three Horses from Upper Village
Flax and Wild Sage Noted Along the Riverbank
Native Fire-Making Demonstration at Lewis's Camp
Hot Spring Discovery Along Horse Trail
Latitude Fixed Before Evening Thunderstorm
Lewis Crosses Mountain Seeking Snake Indians
Twin Rock Pillars Mark Mountain Entrance
Impoverished Village of Fine Horses on Columbia Branch
Six Canoes Hauled to River Through Breaking Ice
Lewis Investigates Large Spring on Missouri Bank
Mountain Sheep Killed on the Upper Missouri
High Winds, Young Wolves, and Missouri Backwater
Welcoming Reception from Large Band on South Bank
Indians Seize Boat Rope; Chiefs Negotiate Release
Shortcut Across the Neck of Grand Bend
Grand Council Opens with Cannon Fire at Mandan Villages
Arikara Drive Antelope Into the River
Flags Presented; Charbonneau Trades Cloak for Horse
Lewis Doubles Horse Prices, Acquires Six More
Sacagawea and Shoshones Lead Party to Forks
Clark Departs with Shoshone to Build Canoes
Trout Taken by Hook; Beaver Caught in Trap
Trap Dragged Two Miles; Hunters Return Empty
Ink Freezes at Sunrise; Cache Digging Begins
Hunter's Gun Briefly Seized by Troublesome Indians
Shannon Rejoins After Three Days Lost
Rejoining Lewis After His Night Alone on Shore
Lewis Scouts Ahead for Indians Along Swift Current
Lewis's Note Found at Abandoned Camp
Wrong Fork Taken; Party Reverses Course
Canoe Cached; Trade Goods Aired to Dry
Thermometer Left Behind on Cottonwood Island
Setting Out from Three Forks Through Beaver Country
Iron Boat Fails After Grueling Great Falls Portage
Whitehouse Explores Amid Grassy Islands and Cedar
Lewis Returns After Scouting Five Separate Rapids
First Wagon Haul to Upper Portage Camp
Shannon Separated from Hunting Party on Medicine River
Clark Surveys and Measures the Great Falls
Lewis Returns; Snow-Capped Mountains Visible to the West
Navigating Swift Water Past Bear and Deer Skins
Strawberry Creek Named amid Swiftest Waters Yet
Lewis and Clark Split to Scout the Missouri Forks
Rain Persists as Lewis's Party Remains Overdue
Clark Returns Favoring the South Fork as True Missouri
Mountain Sheep Shot Beneath High Sandstone Cliffs
New Year's Day Spirits and Corn from Native Visitors
Teton Sioux Lodge Circle; Captains Go Ashore
Shortcut Across the Grand Bend of Missouri
Sixty Warriors Seize the Cable at Gunpoint
Storm Damage Repaired; Colter Sent for Shannon
Council, Medals, and Jaw Harps with Native Visitors
Visiting the Eighty-Lodge Village of Buffalo-Hide Dressers
Buffalo Bull Retrieved; Clark Shoots Fat Buck
Treaty Council with Otoe and Missouri Chiefs
White Horse Swum Across to Rock Prairie
Buffalo Lick and Salt Spring on the Manitou
Past Lead Creek to Rich Northern Bottomlands
Captain Lewis Arrives with Officers from St. Louis
Lewis's Fishing Party Hauls 709 Fish
Creek Yields 709 Fish for Twelve Men
Otoe Delegation Arrives with Cannon Salute Exchange
Rest Day; Drouillard Kills Three Deer in Prairie
Stray Horse Found; Independence Day on the River
Lewis and Drouillard Bag Deer and Groundhog
Passing the Two Chariton Rivers on the North
Keelboat Departs Pittsburgh; Crew Drags Through Shallows
Lewis Writes Jefferson; Drouillard Carries Dispatches
Fine Weather and Correspondence in St. Louis
Kansas River Confluence Judged Ideal Fort Site
Captain McClellan Encountered at Little Osage Village
Council Bluffs Reconsidered as Military Post Site
Passing the Platte Again on Return Voyage
Mr. McClellan Encountered with Trade Goods Upriver
Meeting Trader James Aird Below Redstone River
Tobacco and Flour Exchanged with Trader Airs
Seventy-Three Miles Through Snag-Filled Channel
Revisiting Pleasant Camp Near Corvus Creek
Eighty Armed Indians Appear; Clark Parleys on a Sandbar
Armed Teton Indians Signal Party to Land
Strong Winds Force Midday Halt After Sarwarkarnahar River
Hunters Find Bottoms Trampled, First Wild Turkeys Spotted
Windbound by Sand and Rain, Lewis's Wounds Healing
Arikaras Refuse Downriver Journey Until Their Chief Returns
Meeting Illinois Trappers Dickson and Hancock on the Missouri
Lewis's Detachment Rejoins Clark's Party at Last
Halting Above White Earth River, No Sign of Clark
Field Brothers Scout for Clark Near White Earth River
Pirogue and Canoe Repairs Completed Before Afternoon Rain
Waiting for Colter and Collins; Departing at Noon
Violent Hailstorm Swamps Canoes at Midnight
Reuniting the Two Parties at the Yellowstone
Pryor Arrives by Bull-Boat After Horse Theft
Fair Day Spent Drying Soaked Baggage and Furs
Bighorn Ram Collected for Specimen Amid Mosquitoes
Field Brothers Haul Twenty-Five Deer Since Yesterday
Unbearable Mosquitoes Force Abandonment of Camp
Passing Milk River and Rattlesnake Encounter
Mosquitoes Spoil Shot at Bighorn Ram
Rapid Descent Hunting Bighorn in the Rain
Abundant Kill of Elk, Deer, and Bighorn
Brown Bear Shot at the Musselshell's Mouth
Departing Camp Disappointment in Rain
Violent Storm Leaves Lewis Soaked and Shelterless
Joyful Reunion with the Canoe Party
Buffalo Dung for Fuel on Scarce-Timber Plains
No Game Found; Party Renders Grease from Spoiled Meat
Rain Foils Observations; Last Bread Made into Mush
Eight Fat Mule Deer Killed on Scout Downriver
Rough Gravelly Plains Bruising Barefoot Horses
Soaked Instruments Dried After Difficult River Crossing
Descending to Great Falls by Buffalo-Skin Canoe
Sunrise Sketches of Falls Before Vast Buffalo Plains
High Divide Between Rose River and Maria's River
Cache Flooding Ruins Bearskins and Plant Specimens
Sacagawea Guides Party Toward Mountain Gap Road
Carriage Wheels and Iron Frame Recovered at Falls
Drouillard Confirms Horses Stolen by Indians
Ten Best Horses Stolen Before Departure
Reuniting Horse and Canoe Parties at Madison River
Drouillard Shoots Large Brown Bear on Riverbank
Buffalo Herds Roaring at White Bear Islands
Crossing the Columbia-Missouri Divide at Last
Reaching Camp Fortunate and the Sunken Canoes
Lewis Sights Shishequaw Mountain on Northern Plains
Ordway Returns Horses; Tobacco Cache Not Found
Cold Rain Soaks Party Along Jefferson River
Passing Werner's Creek Through Pine and Larch Hills
Traversing the Prairie of the Knobs Eastward
Farewell to Nez Perce Guides at Travelers' Rest
Crossing the Divide onto Lewis's River Watershed
Mosquito Swarms Plague Camp at Travelers' Rest
Guns Repaired; Indians Hired as Guides
Clark's Detachment Departs South with Fifty Horses
Lewis's Party Rafts Across Clark's River
Lewis Slips Down Steep Hillside, Escapes Unhurt
Twelve Deer Killed; Expedition Split Planned
Hunters' Deer Welcomed as Last Oil Runs Out
Final Plans Drawn for Dividing the Corps
Blazing Fir Trees and a Sick Guide on the Mountain Road
Gaunt Horses Rest on Snow-Free September Campsite
Stone Cairn Ceremony and Fishing Talk on the Divide
Wiser and Frazier Sent to Detain Nez Perce Guides
Racing to Prevent Nez Perce Guides from Departing
Colter Rejoins; Native Guides Secured at Collins Creek
Turning Back to Quamash Flats; Two Indians Met
Hunters Return with Eight Deer and Three Bears
Scarce Game Forces Decision to Retreat from Mountains
Drouillard Sent Ahead to Hire Chopunnish Guides
Bone Fish Gigs Broken; Iron Repairs Save the Day
Lean Brown Bear and Salmon Trout from Scarce Country
Rain and Slippery Roads Slow Departure from Quamash
Slick Roads and Fallen Timber Test Rainy Departure
Ascending Toward Hungry Creek Through Fallen Timber
Forced Back by Deep Snow on the Bitterroot Divide
Labuish Kills Bear and Buck on Kooskooske
Shields Returns with Two Deer on Warm Prairie
Eight Deer Taken Near Collins Creek Before Departure
Horses Hobbled as Party Prepares Mountain Departure
Chiefs Depart for Plains as Horse Trading Falters
Cutnose Returns with Two Young Grey Eagles
Crossing Difficult Collins Creek Through Fertile Timber
Sparse Trade for Pack Ropes at Commeap Creek
Cut Nose Arrives with Warriors from Unknown Tribes
Cutnose and Yeletpo Warriors Visit Recovering Patients
Twisted Hair Returns as Broken Arm Reports Delays
Chiefs Depart After Declining Missouri Invitation
Chief Gains Strength After Prolonged Sweat Treatment
Broken Arm Delays Guide Selection Until Late Summer
Broken Arm Visits; Hunters Return with Five Deer
Broken Arm Stays the Night; All Patients Improving
Failed Trading; Drouillard Sent to Recover Tomahawks
Coat Buttons Bartered for Three Bushels of Roots
Buttons and Medicines Traded for Roots and Bread
Pack Horse Falls; Trade Raft Capsizes with Cargo
Sunken Canoe Loses Blankets and Trade Goods
Indians Distinguish Between White and Grizzly Bears
Native Bear Classifications Revealed; Reddish Skin Purchased
Goodrich Returns with Roots and Goat Hair
Chief Regains Use of Hands; Recovery Continues
Hunters Dispatched; Sick Child Slightly Improved
Hohastillpilp Arrives; New Village Found with Provisions
Horse Butchered for Meat; Ordway Seeks Salmon
Hohastillpilp Offers Horses Freely for the Journey
Visiting Indians Share Deer; Sick Child Treated
Failed Sweat for Chief; Child's Condition Worsens
Bratton's Sweat Lodge Treatment Attempted
Ailing Nez Perce Chief Too Weak for Sweat
Indians Help Chase Wounded Deer Across River
Pryor Scouts Downriver; Cliffs Block Route
Captains Soaked in Poor Shelter; Hunters Lose Wounded Bear
Canoe Construction Begun; Trade Goods Divided Among Men
Canoe Building Underway; Willow Lodge Proves Comfortable
Fair Day; Baggage Aired and Roots Dried in Sun
Hunters Return Empty-Handed; Salmon Fragment Signals Hope
Trading Awls and Pins for Six Bushels of Cous Root
Five Men Trade Across River; Ailing Nez Perce Visit Camp
Heavy Rain; Snow Costs Shannon and Colter Their Quarry
Lost Horse Recovered; Sacagawea Gathers Fennel Roots
Rain Drenches Camp; Lewis Repairs Pocket Watch with Bear Grease
Multicolored Bears Declared One Species Distinct from Black Bear
Broken Arm's Nation Unanimously Pledges Friendship
Chopunnish Escort Party to Kooskooske River Canoe
Crossing the Flathead River; Chiefs Arrive Ceremoniously
Permanent Camp Established; Chiefs Tunnachemootoolt Visits
Eight Inches of Snow; Arrival at Broken Arm's Village
Expedition Flag Still Flying at Broken Arm's Village
Grand Council with Four Principal Chopunnish Chiefs
Clark Treats Forty Nez Perce; Chiefs Pledge Peace
Hunters Supply Deer; Natives Survived Winter on Pine Moss
Twisted Hair's Brother Guides Canoe Ferry Crossing
Four Deer Brought In; Native Stone Fishing Traps Observed
Twisted Hair's Camp Reached; Twenty-One Horses Recovered
Treating Nez Perce Patients with Abscess Along Kooskooske
Horse Given for Healing; Clark Dispenses Eye-Water
Two Horses Received as Payment for Medical Treatment
Four-Hour River Crossing; Lost Canisters Returned
Escaped Horse Recovered; Nineteen Miles Through Hilly Plains
Twenty-Eight Miles Through Storm of Rain, Hail, and Snow
Violent Storm on High Plains Near Southwest Mountains
Pack Horse Tumbles into Creek; Ammunition Sealed Safe
Rocky Creek Descent to Lewis's River; Horse Slips In
Clark's Healing Reputation Draws Patients Along Kooskooske
Columbia Crossing with Yellept's Canoes; Plains Departure
Trading Horses with Chopunnish Family; Menstrual Seclusion Noted
Horses Traded, Yellept's White Horse Lost at Departure
Guides Disagree at Creek Fork on Route Forward
Guide Insists on Creek Route; Drouillard Kills Beaver
Thirty-One Miles Past Muscle Shell Rapid; Provisions Low
Delayed by Missing Horse; Dining on Jerked Meat
Yellept Presents Clark with Elegant White Horse
Ferrying Baggage Across Columbia at Yellept's Village
Packsaddles Made; Horses Hired from Chopunnish Traveler
Native Families with Horses Join the March
Medals Given to Pish-quit-pah Chiefs; Dogs Purchased
Charbonneau's Horse Bolts; Clark Sights Mount Hood
Lewis Threatens to Burn Houses Over Stolen Robe
Lost Horse Abandoned; Twelve Fatiguing Miles Traveled
Skillute Salmon Ritual Witnessed During Portage
Clark Offers Coat and Sword; No Horses Traded
Lewis Describes Eneshur and Skillute; Six Tomahawks Stolen
Lewis Arrives with Nine Packhorses; Falls Portaged
Lewis Beats Iron Socket Thief; Warns Future Thieves
Chopunnish Man Returns Lost Powder; Horses Scarce
Portaging First Rapid; Hauling Canoes Upstream
Chief Twice Cancels Bargains; Few Horses Obtained
Lewis Notes Drier Plains; Awaits Clark's Horse Trade
Long Narrows Portage Completed; Four Horses Purchased
Thirteen Sepulchers Examined; Horse Trade Fails
Drouillard's Four Deer; Romantic Mountain Scenery Observed
Clark Crosses River to Bargain for Horses
Sacagawea Joins Horse Trading Party Across River
Lewis Buys Canoe at Ye-pe-huh After Losing Pirogue
Canoe Lost in Current at the Cascades Portage
Last Pirogue Lost in Violent Rapid; Baggage Portaged
Replacement Canoe Purchased After Pirogue Lost in Rapids
Reunited with Pryor; Rocky Mountain Shores Traveled
Storm Pins Camp; Hunters Return with Only a Duck
Wah-clel-lah Village Architecture Described; Tomahawk Recovered
Knife and Elkskins Traded for Mountain Sheep Skin
Passing Beacon Rock; Hunters Kill Three Elk
Final Elk Meat Packed for Departure to Chopunnish
Lean Elk Meat Abandoned; Collins Departs to Hunt
Cloudy Skies Block Lunar Observations; Meat Redried
Gibson's Hunters Bag Five Elk Upriver
Starving Indians Scavenge Camp Near Sandy River
Clark Explores the Vast Multnomah River
Drying Meat and Planning Route to Chopunnish Country
Planning Trade of Canoes for Horses to Cross Mountains
Quicksand River Explored; Mount Hood Identified as Headwaters
Entering the Columbian Valley Past Wappetoe Island
Wappato Island Tribes Crowd Canoes to Trade
Lewis Purchases Sturgeon Among Wappetoe Island Canoes
Shah-ha-la Lodges Abandoned for Salmon Season
Medal for Wal-lal-le; Wackiacum Men Trail the Party
Skillutes Share Feast of Roots, Fish, and Wapato
Vultures Devour Four Deer Before Hunters Return
Clatsops Sell Anchovies as Departure Remains Delayed
Departure from Fort Clatsop; Cathlahmah Village Reached
Clatsops Returning from Trade with Skillutes Encountered
Comowool Honored with Certificate Amid Persistent Rain
Lewis Reflects on Winter at Fort Clatsop
Last Day's Provisions; Drouillard Ordered to Hunt
Pirogues Prepared; Departure Imminent Before April Floods
Drouillard Bled for Side Pain on Eve of Departure
Rain Delays Caulking as Drouillard and Crew Fall Ill
Delashelwilt's Women Refused; Labiche's Faulty Gun Blamed
Delashelwilt's Women Linger; Canoes Readied for Departure
Collins's Elk Retrieved; Drouillard Acquires Two Canoes
Lewis Inventories Expedition Stores for Homeward Journey
Volley of Shots Signals Hunters Found the Herd
Calumet Eagle Described; Missing Pirogue Not Recovered
Four Elk and Deer Returned; Lost Canoe Still Missing
Drouillard Sent to Clatsop Village to Buy Canoe
Bratton's Back Pain Eases with Treatment
Three Hunting Parties Sent Beyond Meriwether's Bay
Hunters Cross Bay Toward Kilhowanackkle Territory
Cathlahmah Dogs Set Pryor's Canoe Adrift
One Elk Returned; Bratton's Condition Deteriorates
Hunting Parties Dispatched Toward Point Adams
Hunters Empty-Handed; Captains Plan Departure Strategy
Chief Comowool Brings Excellent Cured Anchovies
Lewis Details Native Methods of Preserving Fish
Party Feasts on Anchovies, Wapato, and Sturgeon
Kuskelar Departs with Distant Slave Boy's History
Drouillard Returns with Fat Sturgeon and Anchovies
Two Canoes Split at Low Tide; Lapage Ill
Pirogues Grounded and Split by Receding Tide
Mixed Hunting Results; Pox Patients Nearly Recovered
Five Elk Killed; Gass Ordered to Retrieve Meat
Chief Comowooll Arrives; Elk Scarcity Threatens Provisions
Rain and Wind; Willard Worsens at Fort Clatsop
Multiple Parties Dispatched as Provisions Dwindle
Hunting and Fishing Parties Sent for Tainted Elk
Cedar Hats Purchased; Drouillard Seeks Dogs
Sick Recovering; Natural History Observations Recorded
Elk Retreat to Mountains; Hunters Return Empty-Handed
Chinook Chief Tahcum Welcomed; Bratton Worsening
Rain Drives Hunters Back; Fisher Spotted and Lost
Ordway's Salt Works Party Returns to Fort Clatsop
Clatsop Women Deliver Custom Cedar-Bark Hats
Ordway Repelled by Waves; Swamp Pine Examined
Gass Returns with Eight Elk; Hides Distributed
Eight Elk Carcasses Ferried Across the Netul
Lewis Calibrates Octant; Treats Bratton and Gibson
Gibson Arrives by Litter; Bratton Returns Ill
Bark and Saltpeter Treatments for Bratton and Gibson
Gibson Out of Danger; Joseph Fields Returns
Month's Dried Meat Secured; Herring Run Reported
Clark Completes Map from Missouri to Pacific
Clark's Route Map Finished; Drouillard Catches Beaver
Gibson Carried by Litter Through Coastal Winds
Willard's Tomahawk Wound; Gibson Gravely Ill
Rescue Party Sent for Gibson at Salt Works
Botanical Descriptions of Two Evergreen Shrubs
First Black Bear Spotted Near Fort Clatsop
Good Supper of Marrowbone After Elk Recovery
Five Elk Recovered; One Carcass Spoiled
Lost Indian Canoe Recovered; Reubin Field's Elk Kill
Indians Steal Drouillard's Elk; Ordway Sent to Retrieve Rest
One Month Passed; Indian Hand-Game Described
Drewyer's Seven Elk Located Below Camp
Pryor's Party Sent to Retrieve Drewyer's Seven Elk
Clatsops Wear No Leggings in Mild Wet Climate
Ice Halts Hunting Party; Two Elk Located
Two Hunting Parties Dispatched; Columbia Canoes Described
Hunting Parties Depart; Lower Columbia Canoes Examined
Salt Supply Low; Hunters Short on Food
Ten Elk Located; Two Abandoned on Inaccessible Mountain
Meager Elk Diet at Fort Clatsop
Drouillard's Hunting Prowess Impresses the Clatsops
Comowool's Party Leaves; Colter Reports Scarce Game
Werner and Howard Overdue; Collins Sent to Salt Works
Three Elk Killed; Thistle Root Carefully Described
Poor Game Quality; Salt Gone; Hunters Unreported
Pine Firewood Leaves No Ash for Tanning Hides
Last Blue Beads Traded for Sea Otter Skin
Six Pounds of Jerked Elk Consumed in Two Days
Clatsops Retrieve Dog; Skin Dressing Continues
Lewis Completes Tiger Cat Coat; Rain Falls All Day
Decision to Remain at Fort Clatsop Until April
Rain Delays Hunters; Tiger Cat Coat Completed
Clatsops Demand Blue Beads for Sea Otter Skins
Drewyer's Seven Elk Draw Lewis's Highest Praise
Elk Meat Retrieved Intact; Candles Exhausted at Fort Clatsop
Seven Elk Hauled In; Last Candles Spent at Camp
Drifted Pirogue Recovered; Canoes Hauled Beyond Tide's Reach
Lost Canoe Recovered; Pirogues Secured Beyond Tidewater
Clark Wades Clatsop River; Meets Tillamook with Sea Otter Robe
Lost Canoe Unrecovered; Hunters Return Empty-Handed
Men Dress Skins; Distant Gunshots Signal Elk Found
Cuthlahmah Chief Visits; Clark Returns from the Coast
Meat Scarce at Fort Clatsop; Drouillard Sent Hunting
First Rainless Day; Lewis Details His Beaver Bait Recipe
Comowool Brings Whale Blubber from Tillamook Shore
Lewis Reflects on Clatsop Thievery and Hard Bargaining
Salt Camp Established; Whale Blubber Gifted by Killamuck
Wahkiakum and Skilloot Visitors Offer Wapato and Mats
Fort Clatsop Completed; Rules Issued for Winter Quarters
New Year's Salute; Boiled Elk and Wappetoe for Dinner
Elk Retrieved While Willard and Wiser Remain Absent
Sun Briefly Appears; Shannon Sent to Check Salt Makers
Chimneys and Bunks Finished; Salt Makers Assigned
Pickets and Gates Built; Clark Gives Chief a Razor
Lewis Records the Blue Crested Corvus in Detail
Captains Move Into Their Cabin; Thunder and Hail
Men Move Into Huts; Cuscalah Trades a Sea Otter Skin
Freezing Night in Rain; Men Reunite at the Elk Camp
Lewis Describes a Crow-Family Bird Shot Near Camp
Salvaging Boards from an Abandoned Indian House
Clatsops Depart; Eighteen Elk Found Six Miles Upriver
Clark Shoots Brant; Indians Collect Stranded Sturgeon
Party Paddles to Lewis's Chosen Winter Quarters Site
High Winds Drive Clark Back to Camp and Dried Fish
Scouts Report Impenetrable Woods and Scarce Game
Clark Ill; Hunters and Fishers Return Empty-Handed
Waves Block Clark from Joining Pryor's Meat Retrieval
Stores Soaked Again; Deep Anxiety Over Lewis's Absence
Lewis Takes Indian Canoe Downriver to Scout Elk Country
Lewis Scouts River for Winter Quarters Site
Lewis Explores Bay; Ocean Heard but Not Reached
Medal Presented to Tow-wall of the Great Shute
Raft Crossing and Sturgeon Shared with Chinook
Lewis Brands a Beech Tree; Hunters Bring Three Bucks
Lewis Returns from Cape Disappointment Exploration
Wahkiakum Men Caught Stealing Gig and Basket
Eleven Days of Rain End; Bedding Finally Dried
Clark Carves Name in Pine on Pacific Beach
Wapato Shared at Skilloot Village of Flat-Heads
Fog Delays; Hunters Bring Buck and Geese
War Trophy Fingers at the Friendly Village
Drying Damaged Stores; Salmon Speared at Camp
British Musket Spotted at Chilluckittequaw Village
Submerged Stumps and Cascades on a Rainy Descent
Clark Persuades Nez Perce Chiefs to Remain
Canoe Portage at the Falls; Flea-Infested Camp
Bitter Cold Start; Acorns Purchased at Native Lodges
Nineteen Miles Past Salmon-Drying Villages
Canoes Navigate Whirlpool Channel with Tense Watching Crowd
Trading at the Columbia Forks; Language Vocabularies Recorded
Meeting Yelleppit; Thirty-Six Miles Down the Columbia
Lewis Pilots Canoes Through Dangerous Squeezed Rapid
Council at Columbia Confluence; Rivers Measured
Damaged Canoe Repaired Stronger Than Before
Scouts Ragged Rapid; Dogs Purchased from Natives
Drying Gear and Sorting Beads for Trade
Tobacco Dispute; Frazer Returns with Fish and Roots
Thirty-Eight Horses Branded and Entrusted to Nez Perce
Canoe Work Continues; Drouillard Kills Two Deer
Clark Scouts River for Canoe-Building Timber
Arrival at Forks; Axes Distributed for Canoe Work
Canoe Building Begins Amid Widespread Sickness
Fallen Timber Makes the Timbered Ridge Nearly Impassable
Nez Perce Chief Charts the Columbia and Its Falls
Reuben Fields Brings Dried Fish and Roots from Ahead
Thrown Three Times; Clark Rejoins Lewis's Starving Party
Council and Medals with the Nez Perce Chiefs
Ill Men Reach Twisted Hair's Island Camp
Party Splits; Clark Races Ahead for Provisions
Prairie Vista Reveals the Columbia River Valley
Lost Horses Delay Lewis; Near-Boiling Spring Discovered
First Red-Headed Woodpecker Since Illinois
Halting at Travelers Rest to Fix Latitude
Hunters Dispatched; Speculating on Valley Plain River
Horses Slip on Steep Rocky Mountainsides
Clark Joins Lewis to Press Shoshone for More Horses
Awaiting Lewis; Camp Scrapes By on One Small Salmon
Salmon and Fish Roe Traded; Hunters Find No Game
Cameahwait's Secret Order Nearly Strands the Expedition
Party Reaches the Extreme Source of the Missouri
Drouillard Recovers Stolen Rifle; Three Edible Roots Examined
Canoes Sunk in Pond; Hunters Bring Five Deer
Twelve Pack Animals Acquired; Wiser Treated for Colic
Clark Returns Upriver; Men Subsist on Pheasants and Berries
Hidden Cache Built; Packsaddles Fashioned from Oar Blades
Cache Buried After Dark to Avoid Shoshone Notice
Clark Reaches Shoshone Village on Columbia Branch
Salmon Weir and Basket Traps at Shoshone Camp
Starving Shoshones Devour Raw Deer Entrails
Seine Nets Trout and Unknown Mullet-Like Fish
Lewis Acquires Three Horses; Clark Departs with Indians
Three Shoshone Women Calmed with Gifts and Paint
Flour Paste and Berries with Cameahwait's Hungry Band
Men Exhausted Ascending Willards Creek Rapid Waters
Berry Pudding for Cameahwait; Shoshones Fear Ambush
Lone Shoshone Horseman Flees Lewis's Advance Party
Rattlesnake Cliffs Camp; Jefferson River Forks Reached
Canoe Cached; Air Gun Repaired; Shannon Still Missing
Shannon Rejoins the Party from Wisdom River
Slow Progress Past the Mouth of Philanthropy River
Lewis Writes Ahead in Case of Accident Overland
Drouillard's Message Redirects Party to Middle Fork
Surveying the Northwest and Middle Forks
Mountain Spur View Determines the Middle Fork Route
Three Canoes Swamp; Medicine and Supplies Soaked
Lewis Searches for Shoshone Across Treeless Mountains
Early Departure to Lewis's Previous Camp
Lewis Fords Waist-Deep River; Twenty-Four Miles Upstream
Twenty-Three Miles Through Sparse Cottonwood Plains
Passing the Site of Sacagawea's Capture
Hunters Return with Four Bucks; Men Sew Leather Garments
Lewis Found Blanketless, Having Killed Only a Duck
Clark Shoots a Bighorn in the Mountain Canyon
Sacagawea Identifies Her Hidatsa Capture Ground
Philosophy River Named on Jefferson's River
Three Forks of the Missouri Reached and Surveyed
Feverish Clark Scouts the Middle Fork
Barbed Grass and Prickly Pear Plague Men's Moccasins
Clark Nurses Blistered Feet in Camp
Wild Onions Gathered; Thermometer Peaks on Onion Island
Lost Drouillard Returns with Five Deer
Crimson Bluffs and Snow-Capped Amphitheater Mountains
Entering Towering 1,200-Foot Perpendicular Cliffs
Black Currants Praised; Potts's Creek Named
Tow Ropes and Poles Through Mountain Rapids
Clark Passes Forty Abandoned Shoshone Willow Shelters
Lunar Observations Fix Latitude at Pine Rapid
Shoshone Shelters Raise Hopes of Meeting the Tribe
Sunflower Seeds and Yellow Currants Described in Detail
Bighorn Sheep on Cliffs; Clark Scouts for Shoshone
Curious Buffalo Bull Wanders Among the Canoes
High Winds Delay Departure of the Six Canoes
Lewis Travels Overland with Sick Man and Sacagawea
Lewis Takes Bearings on Mountain Chains from Bluffs
Felling Flawed Cottonwoods; Thirteen Ax Handles Broken
Iron-Frame Boat Abandoned After Seams Separate
Mysterious Booming Sounds from the Rocky Mountains
Hailstones Cool Drinking Water at the Falls
Blowflies Plague the Drying Iron-Frame Boat
Retracing Lost Notes Along the Great Falls
Buffalo Herd Pursued; Wind Foils the Hunt
Independence Day; Iron Boat Nears Completion Without Tar
Improvised Sealant Applied to Gaping Iron Boat Seams
Tar Pit Prepared for Sealing the Iron-Frame Boat
Crossing to Bear Island with Twelve Armed Men
Portage Finished; Iron-Frame Boat Assembled in Three Hours
Tar Kiln Troubles Threaten Iron-Frame Boat Completion
Portage Around Great Falls Finally Completed
Lewis Hikes to the Great Fountain Spring
Twenty-Eight Elk and Four Buffalo Skins Cover Iron Boat
Iron-Frame Boat Work Begins at White Bear Islands
Buffalo Hides Singed for Iron-Frame Boat Section
Hailstorm Interrupts Iron-Frame Boat Construction
Reuniting at White Bear Islands After Exhausting Crossing
Drying Stores and a Rare Cup of Coffee
Fields Narrowly Escapes Charging White Bear
Early Departure Hauling Supplies Toward Upper Canoe
Iron Boat Frame Greased; Elk Hunters Sent Out
Buffalo Hunters Sent Out; Sacagawea Recovering Slowly
Men Haul Canoe Three Miles Up the Portage Hill
Baggage Hauled to High Plain for Portage Advance
Stakes Mark Portage Route Through Rain and Ravines
Sulphur Spring Discovered Near the Two-Mile Cascade
Lewis Returns to Find Sacagawea Gravely Ill
Clark Scouts Portage Route Across Rolling Prairie
Cottonwood Truck Wheels Built for Canoe Portage
Cache Dug at Portage Camp; Iron Boat Inspected
Lewis Discovers Crooked Falls and the Great Cascade
Camp Plagued by Illness; Falls Heard in Distance
Two Grizzlies Killed with Single Shots Each
Men Haul Through Rapids as Falls Grow Louder
Fishing at Great Falls; Rattlesnake Beside Lewis
Red Pirogue Cached; South Fork Judged True Missouri
Baggage Cached and Pirogue Hidden at the Forks
Shields Repairs Air Gun During Drying of Stores
Final Caches of Powder, Provisions, and Skins Buried
Lewis Ill; Elk Killed Near Rose River Branch
Rain and Southwest Wind off the Mountains
Clark's Party Kills Seven Deer Along Small River
Lewis Turns Back from North Fork; Clouds Block Observation
Clark Grows Uneasy Awaiting Overdue Lewis
Lewis and Windsor Nearly Fall from Slippery Clay Bluffs
Caching Supplies Before Ascending the South Fork
Northern Fork Named Maria's River After Rain
Hunters Take Six Elk, Bear, and Buffalo Ashore
Increasing Timber Suggests Passage Beyond Black Hills
Two Scouting Parties Diverge at the River Fork
Buffalo-Filled Plains; Lewis Names Lark Creek
Lewis Takes Bearings on Surrounding Mountain Ranges
Men Wade Icy Water; White Pirogue Hemp Rope Breaks
Broken Cords and Near Wrecks on Rocky Riffles
Bluffs Lower as Fertile Plains Open Ahead
Most Rain Since September; Unusually Dry Air Noted
Wading Armpit-Deep in Frigid Water Hauling Canoes
All Day Towing Through Rapid Rocky Channel
Clark Kills Female Bighorn on Shore
Towlines and Double Crews Past Stone Barriers
Fertile Valley and Scrubby Pines at Musselshell Confluence
Lewis Kills Deer; Clark Surveys Rolling Inland Country
Sharp-Tailed Grouse Name a Creek Along Windy Island
Teapot Creek's Salty Waters Tested by Lewis
Frost Damages Cottonwoods; Southeast Breeze Aids Progress
Instruments and Provisions Repacked After Accident
Cottonwoods Replace Willows Along Narrowing River
Arrival at the Long-Anticipated Musselshell River
Cloudy Weather Hampers Drying of Salvaged Goods
Clearer Waters Signal Changing Country Ahead
Squall Nearly Capsizes Pirogue Carrying Vital Stores
Goods Dried and Losses Tallied After Pirogue Accident
Exploring Big Dry River Amid Abundant Game
Stray Indian Dog Signals Assiniboine Presence
Collapsing Banks and Mule Deer Along Crooked River
Shifting Winds Force Afternoon Halt
Lewis Walks Armed for Grizzlies in Open Country
Vast Dry Streambeds on the Larboard Side
Rising River, Driftwood, and a Swamped Canoe
Feast of Buffalo, Venison, and Beaver Tail
Naming Little Dry Creek and Big Dry River
Lewis Explores the Milk River Upstream
Spring Snow Contrasts with Flowering Cottonwoods
Native Offerings Found Near Sweat Houses
Both Captains Kill Deer on Rising Missouri
Indian Offerings and Two Newly Named Waterways
Vast Herds Visible Across Fertile Open Plains
Sailing Past Coal Seams and Salt Deposits
Sacagawea Identifies a Cherry-Like Shrub
Poor Cottonwood Country and Abundant Porcupines
High Winds Strand a Canoe Across the River
Ice on the Oars; Canoes Take On Water
Lewis Scouts Overland Toward the Yellowstone River
Sandstorm Forces Halt Near Yellowstone Confluence
Clark Shoots Beaver at Yellowstone Confluence
Lewis Surveys the Yellowstone and Missouri Junction
Scouting a Fort Site at the Yellowstone Junction
Buffalo Calves Taken; Meat Compared Favorably to Veal
Unnamed River Sixty Yards Wide Discovered Overland
Three Mule Deer and Buffalo Calf Killed Ashore
Salt Deposits Examined at White Earth River
Winds Force Halt; Soaked Cargo Unpacked to Dry
High Winds and Sore Eyes Plague the Party
Coal Seams and Abundant Wildlife on Open Plains
Pumice Floating on River Near Assiniboine Campsites
Dwarf Juniper Observed During Northwest Wind Layover
Rough Waves Nearly Swamp Canoes in Headwind
Indian Burial Scaffold Examined on North Shore
Stray Dog Joins Party Near Assiniboine Camps
Clark Surveys Fertile Plains Toward Mouse River
Burnt Hills, Pumice Stone, and Assiniboine Campsites
Lewis Walks Starboard Shore Through Timbered Bottoms
Buffalo and Elk Amid Hornets' Nests Ashore
Eroding Bluff and Treeless Plains on the Missouri
Drewyer's Deer Ends Meatless Days; Powder Soaked
Red Pirogue Narrowly Escapes Collapsing Riverbank
Charbonneau's Panic Nearly Capsizes White Pirogue
Lewis Pipes with Black Cat Before Marching On
Snake Indian Guide Abandons Party; White Brant Observed
Gurrow Demonstrates Secret Glass Bead-Making Technique
Clark Inspects Pirogue Construction Upriver
Big White Describes the Prophetic Medicine Stone
Black Cat Receives a Battle Axe from Lewis
Lewis Leads Armed Response to Sioux Horse Theft
Sioux War Party Escapes; Howard Returns Frostbitten
Natives Trade Corn for Blacksmith-Forged Battle Axes
Mandan Chiefs Visit; Sled Awaits Clark's Horses
Guard Discovers Interpreters' Wives Unbarring the Gate
Black Cat Visits; Lewis Praises the Mandan Chief
Howard Scales the Fort Wall After Curfew
Charbonneau Returns; Heavy Meat Caches Left Behind
Sleighs Dispatched to Retrieve Charbonneau's Cached Meat
Pirogues Dangerously Trapped in Layered Ice
Clark Departs on Hunt at Eighteen Below Zero
Lewis Calculates Latitude from Sun's Meridian Altitude
Lewis Amputates Frostbitten Toes; Ice Cutting Continues
Expedition Members Dance at Second Mandan Village
Jealous Husband Reconciles with Interpreter at Fort
Little Crow Brings Corn; Wife Cooks Pemican Soup
Lewis Survives Night in Snow at Minus Ten
Retrieving Hunt Meat; Two Chiefs Arrive Loaded Down
Big White Reports Buffalo; Lewis Joins Mandan Hunt
Sioux War Party Kills Mandan Chief; Clark Mobilizes
Lewis Returns with Two Chiefs; Rumors Dispelled
Hunters Return with Thirty-Two Deer and Twelve Elk
Captains Move into Newly Built Winter Huts
Lewis Departs to Visit Nearby Indian Towns
Wind-Bound Camp Moves Seven Miles Downriver
Big White Offers Corn and Arikara Peace
Mandans Drive One Hundred Antelope into Pen
Hard Frost and a Black-Tipped White Weasel
Clark Scouts Countryside for Winter Camp Location
Chiefs Marvel at the Boat and York
Smoking with Chiefs at the Mandan Round-House Village
Black Cat Welcomes Peace Message at His Lodge
Cruzatte Wounds Grizzly Bear, Flees, Returns to Find It Dead
Abandoned Mahaha Village in Wooded Country
Sharing Meals at Arikara Hunting Camps Along Shore
Lewis Stabs Dormant Goatsucker; Bird Survives Lung Wound
Arikara Chief Shares Tribal Traditions of Snakes and Prophecy
Arikara Chief Boards Boat; Two Women Turned Away
Stone Idol Creek and the Arikara Transformation Legend
Indian Fires Warning Shot Across the Bow
Exploring an Abandoned Arikara Earth-Lodge Village
Arriving at the First Arikara Island Village
Clark Declines Offered Woman; Watches Sioux Dance
Teton Warriors Seize Cable; Tobacco Demanded at Gunpoint
Lewis Examines Black Porous Cliff at Big Bend
Teton Sioux Women and Children View the Boat
Vast Buffalo Herds and Reuben Fields Finds Creek
Lewis Explores Vast Prairie Dog Towns on Plains
First Brant Geese Spotted Flying Southward
Halted to Dry Goods and Reload the Pirogue
Lewis Kills Buffalo and Striking Corvus Bird
Camp Above Corvus Creek to Dry Soaked Baggage
Drouillard Traps Beaver; Lewis Shoots Porcupine
Porcupine in Cottonwood; Detailed Natural Observations
Clark Kills Pronghorn; Shields Bags Prairie Hare
Shannon Found; White River Mouth Explored
Bituminous Seep Discovered Beneath Blue Bluff
Antelope Tracks Noted; Four-Foot Snake Examined
Passing Troodo's Old Wintering House on the Pania
Shallow Sandbars and Lewis Hunting Buffalo
Passing Calumet Bluff on the Missouri
Encamped Opposite the White Chalk Bluff
Order Issued Designating Cooks for Each Crew
Patrick Gass Promoted to Sergeant After Floyd's Death
Shallow River Crossing; Both Captains Fall Ill
Seventy Yankton Sioux Arrive Across the River
Chronometer Stops; Cause Undetermined
Expedition Hikes to the Mound of Little People
Return from Spirit Mound; First Bats Observed
Burning Blue Clay Bluff and Delicious Currants
Lewis Nearly Poisoned Testing Cobalt Mineral Deposits
Buffalo Retrieved; Elk Escape Despite Heavy Gunfire
Brush Drag Yields Over 300 Fish at Beaver Creek
Lewis Leads Crew to Catch 800 Fish in Pond
Little Sioux River Passed; Sioux Nation Geography Recorded
Lewis Shoots a Pelican on Pelican Island
Climbing Chief Black Bird's Burial Mound
Measuring an Eighteen-Mile River Bend at Noon
Lewis Examines and Describes the White Heron
Lewis Records Detailed Observations on the Bull Snake
Drouillard's Party Sent to Apprehend Deserter Reed
Joseph Fields Kills a Badger Unknown to Science
Horses Ferried Across as Expedition Leaves White Catfish Camp
Hunters Return from Twelve-Mile Elk Hunt Southward
Flagpole Raised at Camp Awaiting the Oto Indians
Clark Drafts Maps; Lewis Prepares Downriver Dispatches
Lewis Describes Sextant, Octant, and Artificial Horizons
Lewis Takes Meridian Altitude at Good Island
Chronometer Stopped for the Third Time
Chronometer Reset at Bald Pated Prairie
Approaching the Platte Through Dangerous Sandbars
Mysterious Campfire Proves to Be Own Men
Resting in Camp; Clark Surveys Nemaha Mounds
Site of Abandoned Kansas Village Observed
Towing Boats Past St. Michael's Prairie
Detachment Orders Appointing Provision Superintendents
Astronomical Observations and Repairs at Kansas River
Midnight Alarm, Heat Rest, and Abundant Wild Fruits
Violent Pre-Dawn Storm Delays Departure into Snag-Choked River
High Winds Force Halt; Arms Inspected Ashore
Clark Kills Snake Drawn to Hanging Deer Carcass
Site of Sauk Massacre of Missouri Nation Noted
Rope Walk Camp: Oars and Towline Crafted
Salt Licks and Brackish Springs at Saline Creek
Native Rock Paintings and Rattlesnake Den Examined
Chariton Rivers Reached After Rain-Soaked Morning
Scouting the Mine River and Rich Southern Lands
Raft from Grand Osage Brings News of Lost Letter
Lewis Measures the Missouri and Osage Confluence
Lewis and Drouillard Hunt While Clouds Foil Observations
Boat's Mast Breaks Near Nightingale Creek
Astronomical Observations at the Gasconnade's Mouth
Detachment Orders Organize the Corps of Discovery
Delayed by Frenchmen Settling Business in Town
Lewis Departs St. Louis with Prominent Residents
Settlement Crowds the Bank at Osage Woman's River
Reloading the Boats and Distributing Tin Cups
Seven Ladies Visit the Boat at St. Charles
Men Attend Catholic Mass at St. Charles
Wild Geese Spotted Near Fifer's Landing
Mosquito Swarms Drive Seaman to Misery
Seaman Catches Migrating Squirrels in the Ohio
Beaver Severs Artery in Seaman's Leg
Buffalo Bull Charges Camp; Seaman Raises Alarm
Prickly Pear Thorns Torment Seaman at Great Falls
Armed Recovery of Stolen Dog Seaman
Native Nations Marvel at Seaman's Size
Lewis Buys Newfoundland Dog Seaman in Pittsburgh
Grueling Portage Around the Great Falls
Corps Returns Triumphantly to St. Louis
Timber and Charcoal Work at Fort Mandan
Whitehouse Pinned by Waves on Columbia Shore
First Grizzly Bear Encounter Stuns the Men
Departure from Fort Clatsop After 106 Days
Nez Perce Guides Lead Corps Through Bitterroots
Blackfeet Horse Theft Ends in Fatal Struggle
Cruzatte Accidentally Shoots Lewis in the Buttock
Snake and Columbia Rivers Confluence Reached
Joyful Cry at Sight of Columbia Estuary
Historic Vote on Winter Quarters Location
Bleak Christmas at Fort Clatsop
Sacagawea Recognizes Her Capture Site at Three Forks
Crossing the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass
Sacagawea Reunites with Her Brother Cameahwait
Warm Reception and Horse Trade with Flathead Salish
Punishing Snow and Ice on the Lolo Trail
Starving Party Reaches Nez Perce on Weippe Prairie
Sacagawea Delivers Jean Baptiste at Fort Mandan
Departing Fort Mandan into Unmapped Territory
First Sighting of the Rocky Mountains
Captains Choose the True Missouri at a Fork
Lewis Discovers the Great Falls of the Missouri
Diplomatic Council with Yankton Sioux at Calumet Bluff
First Encounter with a Prairie Dog Colony
Armed Standoff with Teton Sioux at Bad River
Arrival at the Mandan and Hidatsa Villages
Charbonneau and Sacagawea Engaged as Interpreters
La Charette: Last White Settlement on the River
Measuring the Muddy Kansas River Confluence
Independence Day Cannon Salute and Extra Whiskey
Platte River: Gateway to the Great Plains
First Council with Otoe and Missouri Nations
Sergeant Floyd Dies: Expedition's Only Fatality
Corps Departs Camp River Dubois on the Missouri
Wildlife (46)
Ragged Robin
Lewis’s Monkey-flower
Prairie Sagebrush
Wild Bergamot
Western Serviceberry
Ponderosa Pine
Western Red Cedar
Salal
Bear Grass
Bitterroot
Lewis’s Wild Flax
Osage Orange
Camas
Oregon Grape
Prairie Rattlesnake
Bullsnake
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Pacific Tree Frog
Western Toad
White Sturgeon
Steelhead Trout
Starry Flounder
Western Grebe
Common Poorwill
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Eulachon
American White Pelican
Steller’s Jay
Oregon Ruffed Grouse
Mountain Quail
Pinyon Jay
Western Meadowlark
Western Tanager
Greater Sage-Grouse
Mountain Goat
Oregon Bobcat
Swift Fox
Elk
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Mountain Beaver
American Bison
Sea Otter
Mule Deer
White-tailed Jackrabbit
Grizzly Bear
Documents (18)
History of the Expedition Under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark (Biddle Edition)
Jefferson’s Message to Congress on the Expedition’s Return
Lewis’s Descriptions of New Plant Species
Lewis’s Descriptions of New Animal Species
Court Martial Proceedings of the Expedition
Land Warrants Issued to Expedition Members
Lewis’s Astronomical Observations and Calculations
Lewis’s Letter to Jefferson from Fort Mandan
Council with the Oto and Missouri Nations
Council with the Teton Sioux at Bad River
Lewis’s Description of the Great Falls of the Missouri
Lewis’s Letter to Jefferson Announcing the Expedition’s Return
Jefferson’s Instructions to Meriwether Lewis
Lewis’s Letter to William Clark Inviting Him to Co-Command
Benjamin Rush’s Questions for Lewis
Lewis’s Requisition of Supplies from the U.S. Arsenal
The Journals of Lewis and Clark
Sergeant Ordway’s Journal
Weapons (12)
Pocket Pistols with Secret Triggers
Lewis’s Fowling Piece
Blunderbusses (Pirogue-Mounted)
Officers’ Swords
Powder Horns and Shot Pouches
Bullet Molds
Model 1795 Springfield Musket
Girandoni Air Rifle
Model 1799 Horseman’s Pistols
Espontoon (Spontoon)
Indian Peace Medal (Jefferson)
1792 Contract Rifle (Expedition Primary Rifle)
Cross-Narrator Analyses
AI-assisted scholarly analyses that cite or discuss Meriwether Lewis — showing 24 of the most recent matches.
May 15, 1804
A Heavy Stern and a Rainy Morning: The Barge in Trouble Below St. Charles
On the second day out from River Dubois, the captains and the enlisted journalists record the same nine-mile push in strikingly different…
May 20, 1804
Lewis Joins the Party at Petit Côte
On a rain-soaked Sunday in St. Charles, Lewis finally rejoined Clark and the Corps. The five journals diverge sharply in scope —…
May 26, 1804
Detachment Orders Amid the Thunder
While four narrators record only rain, a creek, and a campsite, Lewis devotes the day to a sweeping reorganization of the Corps…
June 3, 1804
A Sore Throat, an Obscured Sun, and Signs of War Parties
On a Sunday split between fair morning and clouded afternoon near the Osage, five narrators record the same five-mile push to Murrow…
July 8, 1804
Discipline and the Nadawa: Mess Orders Beside the Largest Island
On a Sunday camp at the head of Nadawa Island, Lewis issues formal provisioning orders while Clark counts the sick, Ordway corrects…
July 15, 1804
A Stopped Chronometer and a Walk Through Plum and Cherry Country
While Lewis wrestles with a malfunctioning chronometer that threatens the expedition's celestial fix, Clark and Ordway walk inland through prairie streams thick…
July 16, 1804
Bald-Pated Prairie and the Sliding Bank: Six Views of a Twenty-Mile Day
On a fair-wind July day above the Platte, the Corps logged twenty miles past Fair Sun Island, a collapsing riverbank, and a…
July 22, 1804
Camp White Catfish: Instruments, Emissaries, and the First Long Halt
On July 22, 1804, the Corps made their first extended stop above the Platte. The five narrators split the day's record between…
July 27, 1804
Departure from White Catfish Camp: Mosquitoes, Mounds, and a Missing Hunting Party
On July 27, 1804, the Corps broke camp above the Platte under a gentle breeze. Six narrators record the same departure with…
July 30, 1804
The Braro, the Bluff, and a Place Fit for a Town
On the day the Corps raised a flag pole at Council Bluffs to await the Oto, six narrators converge on a single…
August 2, 1804
Four Pens at Council Bluff: Diplomacy, Venison, and a White Heron
On August 2, 1804, four expedition journalists recorded the same day at Council Bluff in strikingly different registers — from Clark's logistics…
August 5, 1804
A Bull Snake, a Lost Knife, and a River Eating Itself
On August 5, 1804, the Corps' narrators split between natural history and geomorphology while a man named Reed slipped away from the…
August 8, 1804
A River of Feathers: Three Views of the Pelican Encounter
On a sandbar in the Missouri, the Corps met pelicans in numbers that defied belief. Gass offers a sentence, Clark a paragraph,…
August 24, 1804
Burning Bluffs and the Spirit Mound: Four Voices on a Single August Day
On August 24, 1804, four expedition journalists record the same stretch of river yet preserve strikingly different details — from smoldering clay…
August 25, 1804
The Mound of Spirits: Four Views of a Sacred Hill
On a sweltering August day in 1804, Lewis and Clark hiked to a hill the Sioux said was haunted by little devils.…
August 26, 1804
A New Sergeant and a Hill of Little People: Four Voices on August 26, 1804
On a single Sunday near the Missouri's edge, the expedition's four journal-keepers record a quiet but pivotal day: Patrick Gass is promoted…
August 27, 1804
Chalk Bluffs, Cobalt, and a Signal Fire on the Prairie
Four narrators record the same August day on the Missouri, but only Clark identifies the mineral in the bluff, only Whitehouse names…
August 28, 1804
A Damaged Pirogue, an Indisposed Captain, and a Quiet Order Below the Calumet Bluffs
On August 28, 1804, four expedition narrators record the same day below the Calumet Bluffs in strikingly different registers — from Clark's…
August 30, 1804
Drumbeats at Calumet Bluff: Two Privates Witness a Yankton Council
On the second day of the Calumet Bluff council with the Yankton Sioux, sergeants Patrick Gass and Joseph Whitehouse recorded overlapping but…
September 5, 1804
No Preserves Island: A Mast, a Serpent, and the First Antelope
On an island where the expedition exhausted its last preserves, five narrators record the same day differently — Clark catalogs Ponca geography,…
September 9, 1804
Five Hundred Buffalo and a Seep of Bitumen
On the Missouri near present-day Chamberlain, the enlisted journalists count buffalo by the gang while Lewis fixates on a single roadside curiosity…
September 13, 1804
A Porcupine in a Cottonwood: Five Pens on a Drizzly Day
On a cold, rainy September day along the Missouri, a single porcupine shot from a cottonwood tree generates five very different journal…
September 14, 1804
First Antelope, First Jackrabbit: The Specimens of September 14
Clark's hunt for a phantom volcano yielded two zoological firsts instead — a pronghorn and a white-tailed jackrabbit. The narrators record the…
September 16, 1804
Corvus Creek and the Logic of Lying By
A planned rest stop above White River reveals how each narrator measured a day of stillness — Lewis catalogues oaks and acorns,…
From Heacock's Writings
18 mirrored articles by Robert Heacock that mention Meriwether Lewis.
The Sandy River
The "quicksand river"
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus sp.
William Clark (1784–1838)
Beacon Rock
A remarkable, high and detached rock
Alcohol Rations
Ardent spirits on the expedition
A Solitary Hero
Excerpt from River of Promise
April 9, 1806
Beautiful waterfalls
January 8, 1806
A night at Ecola
February 8, 1806
Bringing in the elk
November 7, 1805
Ocean in view?
December 7, 1803
Cahokia arrivals
April 7, 1806
Regulating the firearms
September 6, 1803
Sailing past Steubenville
September 4, 1803
Leaky boats
December 30, 1805
Fair morning
November 3, 1805
The "Quick Sand" River
January 3, 1806
An agreeable food
April 3, 1806
Mapping the Willamette River
