Day-by-Day / October 20, 1804

October 20, 1804

Pursuits and escapes

Heart River, ND Clark finds a Mandan village abandoned because of Sioux attacks. Pierre Cruzatte wounds a grizzly bear and a buffalo cow, and he is chased by both.

First Encounter with a Grizzly[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

John Evans’ Maps

Set out early this morning and proceeded on the wind from the S. E after brackfast I walked out on the L. Side to See those remarkable places pointed out by Evins
William Clark

On-a-Slant Village

I saw an old remains of a villige on the Side of a hill which the Chief with us Too né tels me that [the Mandan] nation lived . . . . the Troubleson Seauex caused them to move about 40 miles higher up where they remained a fiew years & moved to the place they now live
—William Clark

Cruzatte’s Bad Day

Peter Crusat [Pierre Cruzatte] this day shot at a white bear he wounded him, but being alarmed at the formidable appearance of the bear he left his tomahalk and gun; but shortly after returned and found that the bear had taken the oposite rout.— soon after he shot a buffaloe cow broke her thy, the cow pursued him he concealed himself in a small raviene.—
Meriwether Lewis

 

Weather Diary

Thermot. at sun symbol rise Weather Wind at sun symbol rise thermotr. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 oC P.M.
44 fair N. W. 48 fair N.

much more timber than usual— Saw the first black haws that we have seen for a long time— Pier Crusat shot a white bear left his gun and tomahalk
—Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “day of the month” column and spelled out some of the abbreviations.

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 “day of the month” column and spelled out some of the abbreviations.

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.