Clark on the Yellowstone

Having traveled up the Gallatin River and over Bozeman Pass, Clark, York, the Charbonneau family, and eight enlisted men arrive at the Yellowstone River near present Livingston, Montana.

They travel by horse for several days before finding cottonwood trees large enough to make canoes. By the time they finish two small dugouts, most of their horses are stolen—likely by Crows.

Sgt. Pryor and three privates take the remaining horses across the river and follow an Indian road leading to the Knife River Villages. They would not get far before all their horses are stolen. The small detachment returns to the river where they construct two bull boats from willow and bison hides. Now far behind Clark, they would need to paddle hard if they are to ever rejoin the expedition.

In the two new dugouts, Clark’s party of nine encounter large herds of bison as they paddle down the river. They reach the Missouri River on 3 August with relative safety. Chased by swarms of mosquitoes, they move slowly down the Missouri for several days, but they can find no sign of Lewis and his group.

July 1806

1. July 17, 1806 – Clark on the YellowstoneLeni HollimanDuration: 3:10
2. July 18, 1806 – 12 Miles of BuffaloLeni HollimanDuration: 3:09
3. July 19, 1806 – Gibson Seriously WoundedLeni HollimanDuration: 3:12
4. July 20, 1806 – A Little Geology LessonLeni HollimanDuration: 3:22
5. July 21, 1806 – Camp DisappointmentLeni HollimanDuration: 3:44
6. July 24, 1806 – Clark ConfusedLeni HollimanDuration: 3:15
7. July 25, 1806 – Pompey's PillarLeni HollimanDuration: 3:39
8. July 26, 1806 – Indians WatchingLeni HollimanDuration: 3:51
9. July 27, 1806 – Violence on the MariasLeni HollimanDuration: 3:54
10. July 28, 1806 – On the RunLeni HollimanDuration: 3:52
11. July 31, 1806 – Plenty of Elk, Buffalo and DeerLeni HollimanDuration: 3:18

August 1806

1. Aug 1, 1806 – Progress in the RainLeni HollimanDuration: 3:43
2. Aug 2, 1806 – Mosquitos & Grizzlies AttackLeni HollimanDuration: 2:36
3. Aug 3, 1806 – No More Stopping to CookLeni HollimanDuration: 3:14
4. Aug 4, 1806 – A Note for LewisLeni HollimanDuration: 3:01
5. Aug 7, 1806 – High Winds and Big BearsLeni HollimanDuration: 3:25
6. Aug 8, 1806 – Sergeant Pryor ArrivesLeni HollimanDuration: 3:51
7. Aug 9, 1806 – Cpt. Clark Walks on ShoreLeni HollimanDuration: 3:12
8. Aug 10, 1806 – Pirogue Repaired and ReadyLeni HollimanDuration: 2:20
9. Aug 11, 1806 – Clark Sees Trappers, Lewis Gets Shot!Leni HollimanDuration: 3:41

Originally aired by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial observance in 2004–2006, these 627 radio episodes parallel the expedition dates starting 14 May 1804 and ending 25 September 1806. They aired only on weekdays with four introductory vignettes and four episodes about events after the expedition. They are narrated by Hal Hansen, scripted by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson, and produced by Leni Holliman.