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Go lightly,
simply. ~Fredric Lehrman |
Listed here are a few examples of the landscapes and animals observed by the L&C expedition. More photo's of the entire route as it appears in the 21st century will be posted on a regular basis at the "UPDATES" page along with my personal account of the journey.
Note that all journal entries written
by Lewis and Clark contain many typographical and grammar errors
(and probably a few of my own). They will be listed here in the
same manner.
Sunday- 20th July 1806
"I deturmined to have two canoes
made out of the largest of these trees and lash them together which
will cause them to be sturdy and fully sufficient to take my small
party & self with what little baggage we have down the river.
Had handles put in the 3 axes and after shapening them with a file
felled the two trees which I intended for the two canoes, those
trees appeared tolerably sound and will make canoes of 28 feet in
length and about 16 or 18 inches deep and from 16-24 inches wide.
The men with the three axes set in until dark". Wm. Clark
(Near present day Big Timber, Montana on the Yellowstone River.
The expeditions return journey home)
Friday 25th July 1806
"At 4pm arrived at a remarkable
rock situated in an extensive bottom on the starboard side of the
river & 250 paces from it. This rock I ascended and from it's
top had a most extensive view in every direction. This rock which
I shall call Pompey's Tower is 200 feet high and 400 paces in secumpherance
and only axcessable on one side.The natives have ingraved on the
face of this rock figures of animals & near which I marked my
name and the day of the month & year." Wm. Clark
(At present site of Pompey's Pillar, Montana. On the Yellowstone
River. Clark carved his name in the rock which is still visiable
today. This is the only physical evidence left behind by the Corp
of Discovery)
Sinque Hole: Bitterroot National Forest Montana
Sept 17,1805- "we assended very high mountains verry rocky.
Some bald places on the top of the mountn. High rocks standing up,
& high precisices &c...camped at a small branch on the mountain
near a round deep Sinque hole full of water" Whitehouse
(expedition member)
Smoking Place: Bitterroot National Forest Montana
June 27th 1806 (Return Trip)- "we halted by the request
of the guides a fiew minits on an ellevated point and smoked a pipe
on this eminance the natives have raised a conic mound of stones
of 6-8 feet high and erected a pine pole of 15 feet long. Wm. Clark
Red dots indicate the location of the Indian Trail followed by
Lewis and Clark.
Sunday Sept 17th. 1805- "snow falling from the trees
which kept us wet all the after noon passed over several high ruged
Knobs and several dreans & Springs passing to the right..road
exceesively bad, snow on the knobs" Wm. Clark
Coyote (Canis latrans) Lewis &
Clark called it a wolf.
"A Prarie Wolf came near the bank and barked at us this
evening, we made an attemp but could not get him, the animale barkes
like a large ferce dog" Wm. Clark Aug.12, 1804 (Near Monona
Co.Iowa)
American Bison ( Bison bison) Also known
as buffalo. The Lewis & Clark party killed 227 during the expedition.
"I ascended to the high country and from the eminance I
had a view of the greater number of buffalow than I had ever seen
before at one time. I must have seen near 20,000 of those animals
feeding on the plain..." Wm. Clark Aug. 29, 1806
Missouri Breaks National Monument, Montana
"...I walked on the bank in the evening and saw the remains
of a number of buffalow, which had been drove down a clift of rocks.
I think from the appearance that upwards of 100 of those animals
must have perished here..."
Wm. Clark May 29, 1805
Missouri Breaks National. Monument, Montana
" Back from the river is tollerably leavel, no timber of
any kind on the hills, and only a few scattering cotton willow &
ash near the river...we discover in several places old encampments
of large bands of Indians, a few weeks past and seem to be makeing
up the river."
Wm Clark May 30, 1805
"...the obstructions of rocky points and riffles still continue
as yesterday; at these places the men are compelled to be in the
water even to their armpits...added to this the banks and bluffs
along which they are obliged to pass are so slippery and the mud
so tenacious that they are unable to wear their mockersons..."
M. Lewis~ May 31, 1805
" This evening we entered much the most remarkable clifts that
we have yet seen. These clifts rise from the waters edge on either
side perpendicularly to the hight of 1200 feet. Every object here
wears a dark and gloomy aspect. The towering projecting rocks in
manyplaces seem ready to tumble on us. The river appears to have
forced it's way through this emmence body of solid rock for the
distance of 5 3/4 miles..." M Lewis ~ July 19,1805
Gates of the Rocky Mountains, Near Helena, Montana
"This rock is a black grannite below
and appears to be of a much lighter colour above and from the fragments
I take it to be flint of a yellowish brown and light creemcoloured
yellow. From the singular appearance of this place I called it the
gates of the rocky mountains." M. Lewis ~ July 19, 1805
Top Photo of Norm Miller paddling on the Mackenzie River, North West Territories Canada in 1998. This is where the idea for In The Wake Of Discovery originated. Photo taken by Serge Noel, Yellowknife NWT Canada.
