Day-by-Day / June 13, 1804

June 13, 1804

The mouth of the Grand

The expedition travels nine miles up the Missouri passing sandbars, shoals, and an abandoned Missouria village. They camp at the mouth of the Grand River where Clark and Lewis climb a hill for the view. They stay up late to take lunar observations.

Missouria Indian

Karl Bodmer (1809–1893)

Historic painting of an Indian wrapped in a trade blanket

Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library.[1]“Missouri Indianer. Indien Missouri. Missouri Indian; Oto Indianer. Indien Oto. Oto Indian; Chef der Puncas. Chef des Puncas. Chief of the Puncas.” New York Public Library Digital … Continue reading

Abandoned Missouria Village

We Set out early passed a round bend to the S. S. and two Creeks Called the round bend Creeks between those two Creeks and behind a Small willow Island in the bend is a Prarie in which the Missouries [Missourias] Indians once lived and the Spot where 300 [Nicholas Biddle: 200] of them fell a Sacrifise to the fury of the Saukees [Sauks] This nation (Missouries) once the most noumerous nation in this part of the Continent now reduced to about 80 fes. and that fiew under the protection of the Otteaus [Otoes]
—William Clark

Grand River

We proceeded early on our voyage; passed a small creek on the north side in a long bend of the river; and encamped at the mouth of Grand river on the North side. This is as handsome a place as I ever saw in an uncultivated state.
—Patrick Gass

Celestial Observations

Took Some Looner Observations which Kept Cap L. & my Self up untill half past 11 oClock.
—William Clark

Observed time and distance of moon symbol from [Spica Virgo symbol] star symbol East.
—Meriwether Lewis

Related: Deciphering the Celestial Data by Robert N. Bergantino | Formal Navigation by John Logan Allen

 

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Notes

Notes
↑1 “Missouri Indianer. Indien Missouri. Missouri Indian; Oto Indianer. Indien Oto. Oto Indian; Chef der Puncas. Chef des Puncas. Chief of the Puncas.” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 11, 2019. digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47da-c431-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a9.

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.

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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).