August 2, 1805 - Discover Lewis & Clark

Contents

Jefferson River Valley, MT Seeking Indians, Lewis’s small group makes about twenty-four miles up the Jefferson River. They see large beaver dams and feast on ripe berries. Behind Lewis, the main party tows the canoes. Clark sees many rattlesnakes and suspects one may have bitten his ankle.

Hot Days and Cool Nights^[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading

Jefferson River Valley near Waterloo

Lewis: Bountiful Valley

The Jefferson River

river still boar to the South I determined to pass it if possible in order to shorten our rout; this we effected by wading the river about 5 miles above our encampment of the last evening. we found the current very rapid waist deep and about 90 yd. wide bottom smooth pebble with a small mixture of coarse gravel. this is the first time that I ever dared to wade the river, tho’ there are many places between this and the forks where I presume it might be attempted with equal success.
—Meriwether Lewis

Jefferson River Valley

[This valley] consists of a beatifull level plain with but little timber and that confined to the verge of the river; the land is tolerably fertile, and is either black or a dark yellow loam, covered with grass from 9 inches to 2 feet high. the plain ascends gradually on either side of the river to the bases of two ranges of high mountains, which lye parallel to the river and prescribe the limits of the plains. the tops of these mountains are yet covered partially with snow, while we in the valley are nearly suffocated with the intense heat of the midday sun; the nights are so cold that two blankets are not more than sufficient covering.
—Meriwether Lewis

Camp-style Tomahawk

Lost Tomahawk

soon after passing the river this morning Sergt. Gass lost my tommahawk in the thick brush and we were unable to find it, I regret the loss of this usefull implement, however accedents will happen in the best families, and I consoled myself with the recollection that it was not the only one we had with us.
—Meriwether Lewis

Feasting on Berries

we met with great quantities of currants today, two species of which were red, others yellow, deep perple and black; also black goosberries and serviceberries now ripe and in great perfection. we feasted sumptuously on our wild fruits, particularly the yellow currant and the deep perple serviceberries, which I found to be excellent
—Meriwether Lewis

Ingenious Beaver Dams

we saw some very large beaver dams today in the bottoms of the river several of which wer five feet high and overflowed several acres of land; these dams are formed of willow brush mud and gravel and are so closely interwoven that they resist the water perfectly. the base of this work is thick and rises nearly perpendicularly on the lower side while the upper side or that within the dam is gently sloped. the brush appear to be laid in no regular order yet acquires a strength by the irregularity with which they are placed by the beaver that it would puzzle the engenuity of man to give them.
—Meriwether Lewis

Clark: Lining and Poling Canoes

Tobacco Root Mountains

Difficult Day

we proceeded on with great dificuelty from the rapidity of the current & rapids, abt. 15 miles and Encamped on the Lard Side, saw a large Gangue of Elk . . . . maney large and Small Islands . . . . I saw Black woodpeckers [Lewis’s woodpecker]—
—William Clark

Rattlesnakes

I walked out this morning on Shore & Saw Several rattle Snakes in the plain . . . . I have either got my foot bitten by Some poisonous insect or a tumer is riseing on the inner bone of my ankle which is painfull
—William Clark

Weather Diary

State of the Thermometer at rise Weather at rise Wind at rise State of the Thermometer at 4 P.M. Weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. State of the River

48 [above 0] fair N. W. 81 [above 0] fair N. W. fallen ½ in.

—Meriwether Lewis^[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “State of the river” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.

State of the Thermometer at rise	Weather at rise	Wind at rise	State of the Thermometer at 4 P.M.	Weather at 4 P.M.	Wind at 4 P.M.	State of the River
48 [above 0]	fair	N. W.	81 [above 0]	fair	N. W.	fallen ½ in.

Notes[+]

Notes
↑1	Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio.
↑2	To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “State of the river” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.