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Explorers split into groups, plan to reunite

July 22, 2006 12:50 am

Part 83 of a series

FROM TRAVELERS REST on the east side of the Bitterroot Mountains, the Corps took a shorter route to the Missouri River. The previous fall, following President Jefferson's orders to follow the Missouri River to its headwaters, the Corps of Discovery took more than a month to get from Great Falls to the Rocky Mountains. The Indians informed the Corps that from the east side of the Rocky Mountains to the Great Falls on the Missouri was only four days overland on horseback.

Their plan called for a reuniting of all the Corps members (temporarily separated into up to four groups) a month later at the mouth of the Yellowstone, where it flows into the Missouri River.

Communication with the Indians west of the Rockies was by sign language: None of the interpreters knew any Indian language west of the Bitterroots, even Sacagawea. Therefore, all trading and travel direction communication was by sign language between the Corps and the Indians. All Corps members had developed some proficiency with sign lingo after two years on the trail, communicating with more than 50 Indian tribes.

From the Journals, week of July 3, 1806:

JULY 3: "Proceeded down Clark's river seven miles party of nine men and five Indians collecting dry timber for construction of rafts hurried down with the current informed [that the] road lead us up the East branch of Clark's river and a river they called Cokahlarishkit or the river of the road to buffaloe " --Capt. Lewis

JULY 4: "The first 5 miles of our route was through a part of the extensive plain in which we were encamped entered the mountains through a narrow pass further to the entrance of the Cokahlahishkit R banks bold not very high neither navigable continued my rout up the N. side through a timbered country for 8 miles and encamped " --Capt. LewisJULY 5: "Saw a gang of antelopes [probably pronghorn deer] the does at this season herd with each other and have their young. The bucks are alone there are many wild horses on Clark's river " --Capt. LewisJULY 6: "Renewed our journey early seven miles up the valley we passed a beautiful small lake; where the river and road leaves the valley and bears towards the northeast We keep up the river In this small valley there is a considerable quantity of cotton wood timber; and the musketoes are very troublesome " --Sgt. GassJULY 7: "Passing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at of a mile. from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the W. side of the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 Miles after we encamped [George Drouillard] Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped." --Capt. LewisJULY 8: "The road continued along the foot of the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course and the country becoming tolerable level we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it's mouth in order to procure skins to make geer, and meat " --Capt. LewisJULY 9: "Set out early and had not proceeded far before it began to rain. the air extremely cold wet us to the skin the river is generally about 80 yds wide rapid yet I think it migt [might] be navigated."--Capt. LewisNEXT WEEK: Capt. Lewis and several of the Corps members make their way around the Great Falls toward the mouth of the Marias River.BILL SPEIDEN of Orange County serves on the board of directors of the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville. Contact him by phone at 540/672-2596, or e-mail
Email: oxpwr@yahoo.com. --Capt. Lewis

JULY 5: "Saw a gang of antelopes [probably pronghorn deer] the does at this season herd with each other and have their young. The bucks are alone there are many wild horses on Clark's river " --Capt. LewisJULY 6: "Renewed our journey early seven miles up the valley we passed a beautiful small lake; where the river and road leaves the valley and bears towards the northeast We keep up the river In this small valley there is a considerable quantity of cotton wood timber; and the musketoes are very troublesome " --Sgt. GassJULY 7: "Passing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at of a mile. from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the W. side of the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 Miles after we encamped [George Drouillard] Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped." --Capt. LewisJULY 8: "The road continued along the foot of the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course and the country becoming tolerable level we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it's mouth in order to procure skins to make geer, and meat " --Capt. LewisJULY 9: "Set out early and had not proceeded far before it began to rain. the air extremely cold wet us to the skin the river is generally about 80 yds wide rapid yet I think it migt [might] be navigated."--Capt. LewisNEXT WEEK: Capt. Lewis and several of the Corps members make their way around the Great Falls toward the mouth of the Marias River.BILL SPEIDEN of Orange County serves on the board of directors of the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville. Contact him by phone at 540/672-2596, or e-mail
Email: oxpwr@yahoo.com. --Capt. Lewis

JULY 6: "Renewed our journey early seven miles up the valley we passed a beautiful small lake; where the river and road leaves the valley and bears towards the northeast We keep up the river In this small valley there is a considerable quantity of cotton wood timber; and the musketoes are very troublesome " --Sgt. GassJULY 7: "Passing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at of a mile. from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the W. side of the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 Miles after we encamped [George Drouillard] Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped." --Capt. LewisJULY 8: "The road continued along the foot of the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course and the country becoming tolerable level we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it's mouth in order to procure skins to make geer, and meat " --Capt. LewisJULY 9: "Set out early and had not proceeded far before it began to rain. the air extremely cold wet us to the skin the river is generally about 80 yds wide rapid yet I think it migt [might] be navigated."--Capt. LewisNEXT WEEK: Capt. Lewis and several of the Corps members make their way around the Great Falls toward the mouth of the Marias River.BILL SPEIDEN of Orange County serves on the board of directors of the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville. Contact him by phone at 540/672-2596, or e-mail
Email: oxpwr@yahoo.com. --Sgt. Gass

JULY 7: "Passing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at of a mile. from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the W. side of the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 Miles after we encamped [George Drouillard] Drewyer killed two beaver and shot third which bit his knee very badly and escaped." --Capt. Lewis

JULY 8: "The road continued along the foot of the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course and the country becoming tolerable level we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it's mouth in order to procure skins to make geer, and meat " --Capt. Lewis

JULY 9: "Set out early and had not proceeded far before it began to rain. the air extremely cold wet us to the skin the river is generally about 80 yds wide rapid yet I think it migt [might] be navigated." --Capt. Lewis

NEXT WEEK: Capt. Lewis and several of the Corps members make their way around the Great Falls toward the mouth of the Marias River.

BILL SPEIDEN of Orange County serves on the board of directors of the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville. Contact him by phone at 540/672-2596, or e-mail
Email: oxpwr@yahoo.com.