Severe weather passes over everybody, and a sail is employed as they portage two more dugout canoes around the Great Falls of the Missouri. At camp above the falls, Gass and Shields have difficulty finding suitable wood for the iron-framed boat. Below the falls, the last canoe is taken out of the water.
Severe Weather
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
Storm over the Portage Route
30″ x 60″ oil on canvas
© 2009 by Charles Fritz. Used by permission.
Convergence at White Bear Islands
arrived with Fields this evening. the party also arrived this evening with two canoes from the lower camp. they were wet and fatiegued, gave them a dram.
—Meriwether Lewis
Last Canoe Prepared
the remaining Canoe hauled out of the water to dry and divided the baggage into 3 parcels, one of which the party took on their backs & one waggon with truk wheels to the Canoes 3 miles in advance
—William Clark
Severe Weather
a volent Shower arose from the N. W. hard thunder caught us in a verry hard rain So that in a fiew minutes the ground was covered with water. So that we got a hearty drink of water in the holes & puddles &.C.
—John Ordway
Sailing on Dry Land
we hoisted a Sail in, the largest canoe which helped us much as 4 men halling at the chord with a harness. passed through high Smoth delightful plains.
—John Ordway
Iron-framed Boat Difficulties
I found that Sergt. Gass and Shields had made but slow progress in collecting timber for the boat; they complained of great difficulty in geting streight or even tolerably streight sticks of 4½ feet long. we were obliged to make use of the willow and box alder
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
State of the thermometer at rise
Weather Wind at State of the thermometer at 4 OC. P.M. Weather Wind at 4 OC. P. M. State of river 49 [above 0] cloudy after rain S. E. 74 [above 0] fair after cloudy S W fallen slight rain last night & a heavy shower this evening.
—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.
The Great Falls Portage is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. It includes Sulpher Spring (open to the public) and Lower Portage camp site (private land), and the Upper Portage Camp Overlook.
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. |
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).