Day-by-Day / August 29, 1805

August 29, 1805

Upper Village reunion

Lemhi River Valley, ID Clark takes a small group to the Upper Lemhi Village where Lewis is trading for horses. Clark trades his pistol for a horse.

Early Frost[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

Returning Warriors

about 8 oClock A. M. a nomber of [Lemhi Shoshone] Indians arived here who had been gone along time from the nation one of them got Sculped by some Indians in the prarie or plain he did not know what nation they belonged to. Some of their relations cryed when they came in the village.
John Ordway

Upper Village Reunion

I left our baggage in possession of 2 men and proceeded on up to join Capt Lewis at the upper Village of Snake Indians where I arrived at 1 oClock found him much engaged in Counceling and attempting to purchase a fiew more horses.
William Clark

A Pistol for a Horse

I Spoke to the Indians on various Subjects endeavoring to impress on theire minds the advantaje it would be to them for to Sell us horses and expedite the our journey the nearest and best way possibly that we might return as Soon as possible and winter with them at Some place where there was plenty of buffalow,—
I purchased a horse for which I gave my Pistol 100 Balls Powder & a Knife.
—William Clark

Mutual Need for Guns and Horses

we are not like to purchase any more horses here as the natives tell us that they must keep Some horses unless they could git arms and ammunition in return So that they may be able to defend themselves. but we told them that we could not Spare any guns if we Should git no more horses. So we put up the goods, as we have now 27 horses and intend to Set out on our journey tomorrow
—John Ordway

 

Sunflowers

The sunflower is very abundant near the watercourses the seeds of this plant are now rip and the natives collect them in considerable quantities and reduce them to meal by pounding and rubing them between smooth stones. this meal is a favorite food their manner of using it has been beforementioned.
—Meriwether Lewis

Making Fire

one of the natives shewed me their method of producing fire, which is somewhat curious. They have two sticks ready for the operation, one about 9 and the other 18 inches long: the short stick they lay down flat and rub the end of the other upon it in a perpendicular direction for a few minutes; and the friction raises a kind of dust, which in a short time takes fire.
Patrick Gass

 

Weather Diary

State of the Thermometer at sun symbol rise Weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise State of the Thermometer at 4 P.M. Weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M.
32 [above 0] fair S W. 68 [above 0] fair S W

Capt. Clark joins me at the upper Indian village [Clark:] I rejoin the party at the Snake Indian village & purchase horses.
Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column and spelled out some 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 date column and spelled out some abbreviations.

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.