Day-by-Day / August 17, 1804

August 17, 1804

News of Indians and deserters

Fish Camp, Homer, NE François Labiche returns ahead of Drouillard‘s party and informs the captains that Indians and the deserter Moses Reed will arrive soon. A prairie fire is set as a signal to any nearby Indians.

Deserter Moses Reed Caught[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

Prairie Fire

A short-grass prairie is burned

Courtesy U.S. National Park Service, Badlands National Park.

Sending a Signal

the object of those Chiefs comeing forward is to make a peace with the Mahars [Omahas] thro: us—. as the Mahars are not at home this great object cannot be accomplished at this time Set the Praries on fire to bring the Mahars & Soues if any were near, this being the usial Signal.
—William Clark

Related: Trail Diplomacy

News of Moses Reed

at 6 oClock this evening Labieche [Labiche] one of the Party Sent to the Ottoes [Otoes] joined, and informed that the Party was behind with one of the Deserters M B. Reed and the 3 principal Chiefs of the Nations— La Liberty [La Liberté] they cought but he decived them and got away—
—William Clark

 

Curly-cup Gumweed

Grindelia squarrosa

plant with green balls topped by yellow petals

Photo © 2005 Cory Maylett. Permission via the GNU Free Documentation License.

Curly-cup Gumweed

No. 40. — Taken at our camp at the Maha vilage August 17th 1804. it is a handsome plant about 3 feet high much branched bears a yellow circular flower . . . . annual plant is covered with a gumlike substance which adheres to the fingers and yealds a pleasent smell.—
—Meriwether Lewis[2]This description comes from the list that Lewis provided with specimens sent from Fort Mandan and recorded in John Vaughn’s 1805 Donation Book. Three sheets in the Lewis and Clark Herbarium … Continue reading

Related: Lewis’s Plant Collection | Lewis as Botanist | Plants of the Expedition

 

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 This description comes from the list that Lewis provided with specimens sent from Fort Mandan and recorded in John Vaughn’s 1805 Donation Book. Three sheets in the Lewis and Clark Herbarium exist. Gary E. Moulton, ed. Journals, “Fort Mandan Miscellany”, vol 3:459, 468. See also, Herbarium, specimen 76.

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.

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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).