Day-by-Day / April 13, 1806

April 13, 1806

New dugouts and dogs

With only four dangerously overloaded canoes, the expedition continues paddling up the Columbia. Lewis buys two new dugouts from some Watlalas and rejoins Clark‘s group on the north shore near present Dog Mountain east of Stevensville, Washington. Lewis tells of his preference of dog meat over venison, elk, and horse.

Redistributing Cargo and Crew

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

Overloaded Canoes

The loss of one of our perogues rendered it necessary to distribute her crew and cargo among the 2 remaining perogues and 2 canoes, which being done we loaded and set out 8 A. M. . . . . we found the additional laiding which we had been compelled to put on board rendered our vessels extreemly inconvenient to mannage and in short reather unsafe in the event of high winds
Meriwether Lewis

Two New Dugouts

I found the village consisting of 11 houses crouded with inhabitants . . . . they appeared very friendly disposed, and I soon obtained two small canoes from them for which I gave two robes and four elkskins. I also purchased four paddles and three dogs from them with deerskins.
—Meriwether Lewis

Relishing Dog

the dog now constitutes a considerable part of our subsistence and with most of the party has become a favorite food; certain I am that it is a healthy strong diet, and from habit it has become by no means disagreeable to me, I prefer it to lean venison or Elk, and is very far superior to the horse in any state.
—Meriwether Lewis

Missing Hunters

the men in formed me that they had seen nothing of the hunters whom we had sent on the 11th ints. to the Entrance of Cruzatt’s Riv.
—Meriwether Lewis

Redistributing Loads

I directed Sergt. ordway to take the two small canoes for his mess and the loading which he had formerly carried in the perogue we lost yesterday, and to have them dryed this evening and payed with rozin.
—Meriwether Lewis

Weather Diary

State of weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise State of the weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. River
rain after cloudy & rain W cloudy after rain & fair W raised 2 ½ in.

cold rainy night. rained by showers through the day. wind hard.
—Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented, the “State of the Columbia 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 “State of the Columbia 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.