Day-by-Day / January 10, 1804

January 10, 1804

Mackay's favorable survey

Winter Camp, Wood River, Illinois
Clark comments on the maps and information obtained from trader James Mackay made on a recent surveying trip up the Missouri River. Lewis continues working in Cahokia and St. Louis.

Mississippi River Ice

small bits of ice in the Mississippi River

Photo provided by Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Hartford, Illinois. Used by permission.

Icy Crossing

at 1 oClock Joseph Fields returned, & crossed the River between the Sheets of floating Ice with Some risque, his excuse for Staying so long on the Mississippi were that the Ice run so thick in the Missourie where he was 30 miles up that there was no crossing, he Says that the people is greatly in favour of the Americans
—William Clark

Related: The Mouth of the Missouri

Excessive Cold

the river rose 6 Inches last night, the Creek also rises & Boat nearly afloat I am verry unwell all day, owing I believe to the Ducking & excessive Cold which I underwent yesterday
—William Clark

Related: The Barge (called the boat, barge, and bateau but never keelboat)

Mackay and Evans Map (Detail)

Old map with winding rivers

Courtesy http://memory.loc.gov/gmd/gmd412/g4127/g4127m/ct000583.sid.

“Map of Missouri River and Vicinity from St. Charles to the Mandan Villages of North Dakota made by James Mackay (1759-1822) with the assistance of John Evans (1770-1799).” This detail shows the mouth of the Platte.

Favorable Survey

Cap. Mackey has Just returned from Surveying of some lands up the Missouries, which has been laterly granted he says “a boutifull Countrey presents its Self on the route he went & returned.”
—William Clark

Related: Clark’s Fort Mandan Maps

 

Weather Diary

Therm. at sun symbol rise weather wind Therm. at 4 oClock weather wind River
fair fair [rise] 6 in.

Missouri rise
—Meriwether Lewis and William Clark[1]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.

Related: Thermometers and Temperatures | Weather Observations

 
logo: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail logo: National Park Service

Winter Camp at Wood River (Camp Dubois) is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site, near Hartford, Illinois, is managed as Lewis and Clark State Historic Site and is open to the public.

Notes

Notes
↑1 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.

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
Logo: Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:

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).