The expedition members pack up the last of the dried meat and paddle into the Columbia River Gorge. Lewis notes the height of the spring flood, a ‘remarkable’ Beacon Rock, and the blindness common with local People.
Beacon Rock
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
Entering the Columbia River Gorge
© 2022 by Robert Heacock. Used by permission.
Into the Columbia River Gorge
This morning we had the dryed meat secured in skins and the canoes loaded; we took breakfast and departed at 9 A. M. we continued up the N. side of the river nearly to the place at which we had encamped on the 3rd of Nov. when we passed the river to the south side in quest of the hunters we had sent up yesterday and the day before.
—Meriwether Lewis
High Spring Flood
from the appearance of a rock near which we had encamped on the 3rd of November last I could judge better of the rise of the water than I could at any point below. I think the flood of this spring has been about 12 feet higher than it was at that time
—Meriwether Lewis
Cape Horn, 1846
Paul Kane (1810–1871)
Courtesy Stark Museum of Art, Bequest of H.J. Lutcher Stark, 1965.
Moving left-to-right is Cape Horn, Phoca (Seal) Rock, and in the far distance, Beacon Rock. Shepperds Dell is on the right.
Remarkable Rock
this remarkable rock [Beacon Rock] which stands on the North shore of the river is unconnected with the hills and rises to the hight of seven hundred feet; it has some pine or reather fir timber on it’s nothern side, the southern is a precipice of it’s whole hight. it rises to a very sharp point and is visible for 20 miles below on the river.
—Meriwether Lewis
Indian Blindness
the loss of sight I have observed to be more common among all the nations inhabiting this river than among any people I ever observed. they have almost invariably soar eyes at all stages of life . . . . I know not to what cause to attribute this prevalent deficientcy of the eyes
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
State of weather at rise
Wind at State of the weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. River fair after cloudy S W. fair S W fallen 1 in. —Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is omitted, the “State of the Columbia River” columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
Beacon Rock 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 managed by Washington State Parks.
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 of this web page, the date column is omitted, the “State of the Columbia River” columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out. |
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
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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.
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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).