Ordway‘s group detours to view the Falls of the Missouri and Giant Springs while the enlisted men take the wagons back to the lower end of the portage. Gass reports hail stones as large as seven inches. At the upper camp, Whitehouse and Frazer sew hides that will cover the iron-framed boat, Drouillard and J. Field ambush a grizzly bear, and Seaman barks at bears all night.
Lewis Does the Cooking
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
Giant Springs
Courtesy Montana Historical Society, MHS 949-546 (Altered).
came to the Spring [Giant Springs] which was the finest tasted water I ever Saw and the largest fountain which up through a ledge of rocks near the River and forces its way up about 10 feet for Some distance around then forms a fall in to the River. it is clear as a cristal I could have Seen to the bottom of the fountain to pick up a pin.
—John Ordway
A ‘Great Site’
went on passed the lower high falls which is the highest known except the falls of Neagra. all these fall measured and added together is 300 60 [360] odd feet in hight and is a great Site to See them.
—John Ordway
Large Hail
In the afternoon a dreadful hail storm came on, which lasted half an hour. Some of the lumps of ice that fell weighed 3 ounces, and measured 7 inches in circumference. The ground was covered with them, as white as snow.
—Patrick Gass
Sewing Skins
Whitehouse was not quite well this morning I therefore detained him and about 10 A. M. set him at work with Frazier [Frazer] sewing the skins together for the boat
—Meriwether Lewis
Grizzly Ambush
[Joseph Field and George Drouillard] therefore landed without making any nois and climbed a leaning tree and placed themselves on it’s branches about 20 feet above the ground, when thus securely fixed they gave a hoop and this large bear instantly rushed forward to the place from whence he had heard the human voice issue, when he arrived at the tree he made a short paus and Drewyer shot him in the head.
—Meriwether Lewis
Seaman Barks All Night
my dog [Seaman] seems to be in a constant state of alarm with these bear and keeps barking all night.
—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] fair S. W. 77 [above 0] fair after rain & hail, thunder, and lightning S W raised 1 ¼ in. at 1 P M a black cloud which arose in the S W. came on accompanyed with a high wind and violent Thunder and Lightning; a great quantity of hail also fell during this storm which lasted about 2½ hours the hail which was generally about the size of a pigion’s egg and not unlike them in form covered the ground to the debth of 1½ inches.— for about 20 minutes during this storm hail fell of an innomus size driven with violence almost incredible, when they struck the ground they would bound to the hight of ten to 12 feet and pass 20 or thirty before they touched again. after the rain I measured and weighed many of these hail stones and found several weighing 3 ozs. and measuring 7 Inches in cirumference; they were generally round and perfectly sollid. I am convinced if one of those had struck a man on the neaked head it would have knocked him down, if not fractured his skull.— Young blackbirds which are abundant in these Islands are now beginning to fly
—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.
Giant Springs 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 a Montana State Park just downstream of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (USFS).
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).