Lewis continues east on the Road to the Buffalo generally following the Blackfoot River. He crosses several creeks, and names one Werner’s Creek and another Seaman‘s Creek.
Clark continues south. His group crosses the West Fork Bitterroot River and wets several items. After another ford, the group camps where they met the Salish last fall—present Ross’ Hole, Montana.[1]For more on the captains’ strategy and various groups after leaving Travelers’ Rest, see Dividing Forces at Travelers’ Rest.
A Distance Frame
by Yellowstone Public Radio[2]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
Lewis Names Creeks
High Prairie near Werner’s Creek
© 20 July 2011 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Werner’s Creek
East 6 Miles to the entrance of Warners [Werner] Creek [Clearwater River] 35 yards wide through a high extencive prarie on the N. Side. hills low and timbered with the long leafed pine, larch and Some fir.
—Meriwether Lewis
Seaman’s Creek
East 3 m. to the entrance of a large creek 20 yds. wide Called Seamans’ Creek [Monture Creek] passing a creek at 1 m. 8 yds. wide. this course with the river, the road passing through an extensive high prarie rendered very uneven by a vast number of little hillucks and sinkholes
—Meriwether Lewis
Clark Crosses the Bitterroot
Bitterroot River
© 25 July 2011 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Shannon Shows the Way
Shannon took a different derection from Colter rained his horse up the Stream and passed over very well I derected all to follow Shannon and pass quartering up the river which they done and passed over tolerably well the water running over the back of the 2 Smaller horses only.
—William Clark
Clark’s Wet Items
unfortunately my trunk & portmantue Containing Sea otter Skins flags Some curiosites & necessary articles in them got wet, also an esortment of Medicine, and my roots.
—William Clark
Hunting Report
Shannon & Crusat [Cruzatte] killed each a deer this morning and J. Shields killed a female Ibex or bighorn on the side of the Mountain, this Animal was very meager.
—William Clark
Camp at Ross Hole
Clark’s Camp near Ross Hole
© 25 July 2011 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
we packed up and Crossed the Mountain into the vally where we first met with the flatheads . . . . encamped on the E. side of the Creek, and Sent out several men to examine the road. Shields returned at dark and informed me that the best road turned up the hill from the creek 3 Miles higher up, and appeared to be a plain beaten parth.
—William Clark
Weather Diaries
State of the weather at rise
Wind at State of the weather at 4 P. M. Wind at 4 P. M. fair N E fair S W a great number of pigeons breeding in this part of the mountains musquetoes not so troblesome as near Clark’s river. some ear flies of the common kind and a few large horse flies.
—Meriwether Lewis
State of the weather at Sun rise Wind at Sun rise State of the weather at 4 P. M Wind at 4 P M. fair N. E. fair S W. Cool night. Some dew this morning the nights are Cool. the musquetors are troublesome untill a little after dark when the air become Cool and Musquetoes disappear.
—William Clark[3]For clarity, the date column is omitted and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
Notes
| ↑1 | For more on the captains’ strategy and various groups after leaving Travelers’ Rest, see Dividing Forces at Travelers’ Rest. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | 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. |
| ↑3 | For clarity, the date column is omitted 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.
This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.
This site is provided as a public service by the
Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance
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
- The Capital Gallery (Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation)
- 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).