Above the mouth of the Ohio, the expedition continues around the ‘Grand Bend’ of the Mississippi. Lewis comments on the mistletoe trees and bufflehead ducks that he sees.
Grand Bend of the Missouri (view south)
© 2024 Richard Hunt. Used by permission.
Above: The above image merges two photos, and the transition between the two sides of the bend is simulated.
Up the Grand Bend
just below the place of observation the grand bend as it is stiled by the french watermen, commences on the Lard. quarter and continues bearing from S. E. to N. W. about 6 miles; about the center of the hollow of this bend on lard. quarter a byo makes out
—Meriwether Lewis
Bufflehead Duck
Bucephala albeola
Unknown author. Permission via the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Mistletoe
Phoradendron leucarpum
David R. Tribble. Permission via the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
“White Pided Ducks”
saw a number of black & white pided ducks,shot at them with my rifle and crippled one but could not obtain it, I cannot therefore discribe them so manutely as could wish they are about the size of the wood duck,—
—Meriwether Lewis
Mistletoe
observed a large quantity of Misseltoe on the trees bordering on the river, on the main shore Lard. side: in dscending the Ohio I furst observed this plant about the mouth of the Muskingum river; which is the point at which I date the commencement of the fever and Ague & bilious fever, to commence, or become common among the inhabitants of it’s borders; it [mistletoe] continued increasing until I arrived at the mouth of the Ohio and sill continues in larger quantities on this than on the Ohio, insomuch that the trees at this place were perfectly loaded with it
—Meriwether Lewis
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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.
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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
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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).