September 19, 1805 - Discover Lewis & Clark

Contents

Clark’s Grove and Hungery Creek, Lolo Trail, ID On Spirit Revival Ridge, Lewis’s group sees the plains and hopes that the “horrible mountainous desert” will soon end. They then descend to Hungery Creek. Clark’s advance party kills a stray horse leaving most of it for Lewis to find.

A Glimmer of Hope^[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

Clark: Horse Steak and Windfalls

Horsesteak Meadow

at 6 miles found a horse on the head of the Creek in Some glades, he was not fat the me[n] beg leave to kill him which I granted, after they filled themselves, I had the ballance hung up for Capt Lewis and proceeded on
—William Clark

“road bad”

passed over a mountain, and the heads of branch of hungary Creek, two high mountains, ridges and through much falling timber (which caused our road of to day to be double the derect distance on the Course[)] . . . road bad.
—William Clark

Lewis: Spirits Revived

the ridge terminated and we to our inexpressable joy discovered a large tract of Prairie . . . . the appearance of this country, our only hope for subsistance greately revived the sperits of the party already reduced and much weakened for the want of food.
—Meriwether Lewis

The location of the ridge where Clark, and a day later Lewis, stood to view the plains is highly debated. Above, Gene and Molly Eastman has documented this view of both the Camas Prairie (left label) and Weippe Prairie (right label) from No-See-Um Ridge that correlates well with journal descriptions. The Forest Service places Spirit Revival Ridge a few miles to the west of No-See-Um Ridge, and Steve Russell points out that still further west, the prairies can also be seen from Willow Ridge and Bowl Butte. Precise location of many of the Lewis and Clark sites on these days is difficult. See Northern Nez Perce Trail by Steve F. Russell.

Horse Sweat Pass

we descended down the mountn. which was verry Steep descent, for about three miles. then assended another as bad as any we have ever been up before. it made the Sweat run off of our horses & ourselves. on the top the ground was froze a little and the ground mostly covred with Snow.
—Joseph Whitehouse

Common Illnesses

we took a small quantity of portable soup, and retired to rest much fatiegued. several of the men are unwell of the disentary. brakings out, or irruptions of the Skin, have also been common with us for some time.
—Meriwether Lewis

High Above Hungery Creek

the road was excessively dangerous along this creek being a narow rockey path generally on the side of steep precipice, from which in many places if ether man or horse were precipitated they would inevitably be dashed in pieces.
—Meriwether Lewis

Frazier’s Rolling Horse

Fraziers [Frazer’s] horse fell from this road in the evening, and roled with his load near a hundred yards into the Creek. we all expected that the horse was killed but to our astonishment when the load was taken off him he arose to his feet & appeared to be but little injured, in 20 minutes he proceeded with his load. this was the most wonderfull escape I ever witnessed . . . .
—Meriwether Lewis

Weather Diary

Weather at rise Wind at rise Weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M.

fair S W fair S W.

rose raspberry ripe and abundant.
—Meriwether Lewis^[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column and spelled out some abbreviations.

Weather at rise	Wind at rise	Weather at 4 P.M.	Wind at 4 P.M.
fair	S W	fair	S W.

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, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column and spelled out some abbreviations.