Below present Fort Peck, Montana, Lewis worries as sandbars begin to crowd the river, and the Rocky Mountains are still not in sight. He also describes the willet and how Charbonneau prepares a white sausage—boudin blanc.
Big Dry River
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
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
© 2005 Mdf. Permission via the Creative Commons 2.5 License.
Increasing Sandbars
the river for several days has been as wide as it is generally near it’s mouth, tho’ it is much shallower or I should begin to dispair of ever reaching it’s source; it has been crouded today with many sandbars; the water also appears to become clearer, it has changed it’s complexin very considerably. I begin to feel extreemly anxious to get in view of the rocky mountains.
—Meriwether Lewis
Describing the Willet (Plover)
I killed four plover this evening of a different species from any I have yet seen; the notes of this bird are louder and more various than any other of this family that I have seen.
—Meriwether Lewis
Charbonneau’s Boudin Blanc
we saved the necessary materials for making what our wrighthand cook Charbono [Charbonneau] calls the boudin blanc, and immediately set him about preparing them for supper; this white pudding we all esteem one of the greatest delacies of the forrest
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
State of thermometer at rise
Weather Wind at State of thermometer at 4 P. M. Weather Wind at 4 P. M. State of the river 38 [above 0] fair E. 58 [above 0] fair W. raised ¾ in. The choke Cherry is now in blume.
—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.
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, 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.
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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).