Day-by-Day / October 21, 1804

October 21, 1804

Autumn's first snow

At sunrise near the Heart River, it begins to snow. Clark learns that river’s significance to the Mandan Nation and sees a tree used for Sun Dances. They camp near present Mandan, North Dakota.

Snow at Daylight

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

Morning Snow

at Day light it began to Snow and Continud all the fore part of the Day
William Clark

Heart River

passed just above our Camp a Small river on the L. S. Called by the Indians Chiss-Cho-tar . . . . Some Distance up this River is Situated a Stone which the Indians have great fath in & Say they See painted on the Stone, [“]all the Calemites & good fortune to hapin the nation & partes who visit it”
—William Clark

Sun Dance

I saw a Single tree in the open Plains which the Mandans formerly paid great Devotion to run Cords thro their flesh & tie themselves to the tree to make them brave
—William Clark

 

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.
31 snow N. W. 34 snow N W

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.

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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.