Day-by-Day / May 10, 1806

May 10, 1806

Broken Arm's welcome

After waking to six or more inches of snow, they gather their horses and travel about sixteen miles before descending to Lawyer Creek near present Kamiah, Idaho. Broken Arm welcomes them, and a council with the Nez Perce begins.

Snow

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

Lawyer Creek near Kamiah, ID The expedition wakes to six or more inches of snow. They then gather their horses and travel about sixteen miles over the high plain before dropping to Lawyer Creek to receive Broken Arm’s welcome.

Hungry and Cold

the wind fell and the rain turned to Snow Some time last night and the Snow fell 6 Inches deep & continues chilly & cold this morning, & we had not any thing to eat.
John Ordway

Lawyer Creek

got up our horses & Set out & proced. on over a high Smooth plain no timber. The Snow melts a little but the air cold. wrode about 20 miles descended a Steep hill down in a valley and bottom in which a creek runs through, and Camped near a village of the head chiefs of abt. 15 lodges.
—John Ordway

Broken Arm’s Welcome

we arrived at the Village of Tin nach-e-moo-toolt the Chief whome We had left a flag. this flag was hoisted on a pole . . . .we Smoked with and told this Chief our Situation in respect to provisions. they brought foward about 2 bushels of quawmash 4 Cakes of bread made of roots and a dried fish.
William Clark

Nez Perce Council Begins

a large Lodge of Leather was pitched and Capt. Lewis and my Self was envited into it. we entered and the Chief and principal men came into the lodge and formed a Circle . . . . the Chief requested that we might make the Lodge our homes while we remained with him. here after we had taken a repast on roots & horse beef we resumed our Council with the indians which together with Smokeing took up the ballance of the evening.
—William Clark

Weather Diary

State of the Weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise State of the Weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. State of the Kooskooskee
cloudy after rain & snow S W. fair after snow S W  

Snow was 8 inches deep this morning. it began to rain and hail about sunseting this evening which was shortly after succeeded by snow. it continued to fall without intermission untill 7 A. M. and lay 8 inches deep on the plain where we were. the air was very keen. a suddon transition this. yesterday the face of the country had every appearance of summer. after nine A. M. the sun shown but was frequently obscured by clouds which gave us light showers of snow. in the after part of the day the snow melted considerably but there was too great a portion to be disipated by the influence of one day’s sun.
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.

 

Notes

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.
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.

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.