The paddlers navigate numerous rapids as the expedition passes several islands with Nez Perce fishing camps. At one island, guides Twisted Hair and Tetoharsky come aboard. After a canoe accident at the mouth of Colter’s Creek—present Potlatch River—travel abruptly stops.
In St. Louis, General James Wilkinson tells of sick Indian delegates and praises interpreter Pierre Dorion, Sr.Fishing Island, Clearwater River
© 13 October 2013 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Fishing Islands
We passed Several Encampments of Indians on the Islands and those near the rapids in which places they took the Salmon, at one of Those Camps we found our two Chiefs who had promised to accompany us, we took them on board after the Serimony of Smokeing
—William Clark
Canoe Accident
one of the canoes Struck a rock in the middle of the rapid and Swang round and Struck an other rock and cracked hir So that it filled with water. the waves roared over the rocks and Some of the men could not Swim. their they Stayed in this doleful Situation untill we unloaded one of the other canoes and went and released them. 2 Indians went in a canoe to their assistance also
—John Ordway
Drying Baggage Near Colter’s Creek
10″ x 18″ oil on board
© 2009 by Charles Fritz. Used by permission.
Drying Out
every thing wet perticularly the greater part of our Small Stock of merchindize, had every thing opened, and two Sentinals put over them to keep off the Indians, who are enclined to theave haveing Stole Several Small articles those people appeared disposed to give us every assistance in their power dureing our distress—
—William Clark
Retaining Pierre Dorion
St. Louis Octo. 8th 1805
Sir
. . . . . .
I am assailed too by one Interpreter [Pierre Dorion, Sr.] only Commissioned by Capts. Lewis & Clark, for more than 1100$ due to Him. . . . this Man seems to hold too much importance among the Scioux [Sioux] to be disobliged . . . . I shall endeavour to retain Him in our Service, & if possible to wave a settlement . . . .
. . . . .
Ja: Wilkinson[1]Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 261–62.
Ill Delegates
From St. Louis, The General Commander of the U.S. Army, James Wilkinson, writes to the Secretary of Defense, Henry Dearborn, regarding an Expedition interpreter and ill delegates from the Arikara and Otoe nations.
. . . . .
The Riccari & Otto’ Chiefs have been dangerouslyill & remain so feeble as not to be able to accompany the deputation Destined to the City of Washington, and have become impatient to be returned to their respective Nations, with an Escort for their protection without which they dare not move, on Account of the Hostility of the Scioux. Their safe return is deemed an Object of great Magnitude, not only to the safe return of Capt. Lewis, but to our future negotiations among the distant nations of the Missouri; . . .
. . . . .
Ja: Wilkinson[2]Ibid.
Weather Diary
Day of the month Wind State of the Weather 8th E fair Note from the 7th to the 16th octr. we were decending Kooskooske [Clearwater] & Lewises [Snake] river
The easterly winds which blow imediately off the mountains are very cool untill 10 a m. when the day becomes verry worm and the winds Shift about
—William Clark[3]Some abbreviations have been spelled out.
Notes
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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).