Around midnight, a bad storm threatens camp. The wind blows the double canoe across the river, and it must be rescued. During the day, they paddle hard making seventy miles, passing Old Baldy, and encamping below their “No Preserve Island” camp of 5 September 1804.
High Winds
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
Old Baldy
Photo by Ammodramus who has released it to the public domain.
Sudden Storm
at half past 11 last night the wind Shifted about to the N. W. and it began to rain with hard Claps of thunder and lightning the Clouds passd over and the wind Shifted about to the S W. & blew with great violence So much So that all hands were obliged to hold the Canoes & Perogue to prevent their being blown off from the Sand bar
—William Clark
Early Morning Rescue
the 2 Canoes in which Sergt. Pryor and the indians go in broke loose with wiser and Willard in them and were blown quite across the river to the N E. Shore where fortunately they arived Safe . . . . by 2 A. M. Sergt Ordway with Willard wiser [Weiser] and the 2 Canoes returned all Safe, the wind continud to blow and it rained untill day light all wet and disagreeable.
—William Clark
Passing Old Baldy
at 4 P. M. passed the doome and lowest village of Barking Squirels. this is also the highest up the river where I observed the fox Squirel in the bottom above the doome on N. E Side I killed 2 fox Squirels.
—William Clark
Hard Rowing
we Set out this morning as usal and roed on hard all this day without makeing any halt to cook.
—John Ordwaywe encamped on he N. E. Side a little below our Encampment of the 5th of Septr. [1804] on no preserve Island haveing Come 70 Miles.
—William Clark
Weather Diary
State of the weather at Sun rise State of wind at Sunrise State of the weather at 4 P. M. Wind at 4 P. M. State of river cloudy after rain thunder & lightning & wind S E cloudy after rain S E rained most of last night with T. Li. & a hard wind from the S. W. some rain to day.
—William Clark[2]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is omitted, some abbreviations have been spelled out, and the three river columns have been merged.
The Tower (Old Baldy) is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The Tower is on private property, but it can be viewed from nearby public roads.
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. |
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| ↑2 | To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is omitted, some abbreviations have been spelled out, and the three river columns have been merged. |
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).