In present South Dakota, the boats navigate a Missouri River bend full of islands and shallow, braided channels, and the barge nearly turns over. They then head up the wrong side of Troublesome Island and must turn back. Lewis adds rough blazing star and rigid goldenrod to his plant collection.
Lining the Barge
From an interpretive sign at Mulberry Bend. Photo 2011 by Kristopher K. Townsend.
Passing Troublesome Island
we had Some difficulty owing to the river being Shallow. the Boat wheeled Several times and creened on hir Side So that we were obledged to Spring out and hold hir from oversetting. we hunted for the channel & were forced to turn back some distance & take another channel.—
—John Ordway
Prairie Dogs and Grouse
I walked on Shore Saw Several foxes Several Villages of Prarie dogs, and a number of Grouse
—William Clark
Rough Blazing Star
Liatris aspera
Photo by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Rough Blazing Star Specimen
No. 58 12th September. growth of high & dry prarie—
—Meriwether Lewis[1]Liatris aspera, Moulton, ed., Herbarium, specimen 90.
Rigid Goldenrod Specimen
High dry prairies Septb: 12, 1804
—Meriwether Lewis[2]Solidago rigida, Moulton, ed., Herbarium, specimen 161.
Notes
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Discover More
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.
This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.
This site is provided as a public service by the
Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Montana Committee for the Humanities
- Idaho Governor's Lewis and Clark Trail Committee
- The Capital Gallery (Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation)
- Yellowstone Public Radio
Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).