The expedition continues 30 river miles around the Big Bend of the Missouri near present Lower Brule, South Dakota. Clark finds the portage from one side to the other is only 2000 yards long. The first female pronghorn is brought in and preserved as a specimen. Lewis also saves a specimen of “black porus rock”.
Le Grand Detour
by Yellowstone Public Radio[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
The Grand Detour
View southeast
(The river flows counterclockwise around the oxbow.)
© 2000 Airphoto—Jim Wark.
Portage of the Grand Bend
I went out to examine the portage which I found quit Short 2000 yards only, the Prarie below & Sides of the hills containing great quantites of the Prickly Piar which nearly ruind my feet
—William Clark
Female Pronghorn Specimen
She Differs from the mail as to Size being Smaller, with Small Horns, Stright with a Small prong without any black about the neck—
None of those Goats [pronghorns] has any Beard, they are all Keenly made, and is butifull
—William ClarkWe Saved the Skins of the Goats and the Bones in order to Send back to the States next Spring—
—John Ordway
Mineral Specimen
observed a clift of black porus rock which resembled Lava tho’ on a closer examination I believe it to be calcarious and an imperfect species of the French burr— preserved a specemine
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
Thermot. at rise
Weather Wind at thermotr. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 oC. P.M 51 above fair S. E. 70 above fair S. E the antelope [pronghorn] is now ruting, the swallow has disappeared 12 days
—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 abbreviations.
The Big Bend of the Missouri is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site is open to the public and managed by South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.
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 abbreviations. |
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).