After a frosty morning, the Corps descends present Alpowa Creek to the Snake River. Their 1805 guide Te-toh-kan Ahs-kahp shows them where to cross the river, and they continue to a camp near present Clarkston, Washington. Many curious Nez Perce villagers crowd around camp, and Lewis describes their menstrual lodges.
A Cold and Disagreeable Morning
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
Near Clarkston, WA After a frosty morning, the Corps descends Alpowa Creek to the Snake River, and Chief Tetoharsky shows them where to cross the river. Many curious crowd around camp.
Harvesting Camas and Cous
the soil is extreemly fertile no dose it appear so thisty as that of the same apparent texture of the open plains. it produces great quantities of the quawmash a root of which the natives are extreemly fond. a great portion of the Chopunnish we are informed are now distributed in small vilages through this plain collecting the quawmash and cows; the salmon not yet having arrived to call them to the river.
—Meriwether Lewis
Descending Alpowa Creek
the hills of the creek which we decended this morning are high and in most parts rocky and abrupt. one of our pack horses sliped from one of those hights and fell into the creek with it’s load consisting principally of ammunition but fortunately neith the horse nor load suffered any material injury. the amunition being secured in canesters the water did not effect it.—
—Meriwether Lewis
Crossing the Snake
here we met with Te-toh, ar sky [Tetoharsky], the youngest of the two cheifs who accompanied us last fall the great falls of the Columbia here we also met with our pilot who decended the river with us as far as the Columbia. these indians recommended our passing the river at this place and ascending the Kooskooske [Clearwater River] on the N. E. side. they said it was nearer and a better rout to the forkes of that river where the twisted hair resided in whose charge we had left our horses;
—Meriwether Lewis
Snake River
© 2017 by Robert Heacock. Use by permission.
The small gulch above is the likely location of the evening’s camp “crouded” with Nez Perce visitors.
Crowded Camp
the evening was cold and disagreeable, and the natives crouded about our fire in great numbers insomuch that we could scarcely cook of keep ourselves warm.
—Meriwether Lewis
Menstrual Lodges
at all these lodges of the Chopunnish I observe an appendage of a small lodg with one fire which seems to be the retreat of their women in a certain situation the men are not permitted to approach this lodge within a certain distance and if they have any thing to convey to the occupants of this little hospital they stand at the distance of 50 or 60 paces and throw it towards them as far as they can and retire.
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
State of the Weather at rise
Wind at State of the Weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. State of the Kooskooskee fair after hail S. W. cloudy after rain & hail S W heavy white frost this morning ice 1/6 of an inch thick on standing water.
—Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented, the river columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
Travois Road is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The old Nez Perce trail stretches from the mouth of the Walla Walla River to the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. Sites include Lewis & Clark Trail State Park, The Encampment (Dayton, Washington), and Chief Timothy State Park.
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 not presented, the river columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out. |
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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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
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- 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).