Day-by-Day / July 6, 1804

July 6, 1804

The "Grande de Tour"

The sweat runs off the men “in Streams” as the boats are taken around a large bend in the Missouri River. Clark remarks on the local geology, and all the journalists comment on the treeless hills and prairies. Camp is near present Wathena, Kansas.

The Men Sweat in Streams

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

Missouri River near St. Joseph

(view south)

Wide river bottoms thick with trees and marshes

Some modern items have been digitally obscured. © 4 August 2015 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Due to fire suppression and flood control, most of the ‘bald’ prairies and hills seen by Lewis and Clark now have trees.

A Profusion of Sweat

Those men that do not work at all will wet a Shirt in a Few minits & those who work, the Swet will run off in Streams)
—William Clark

Related: The Enlisted Men

Geological Observations

[T]his is Called the Grand Bend, or Grande de Tour, I walked on this Sand bar I walked on this Sand bar found it a light Sand intersperced with Small Pebbles of various Kinds, also pit Coal of an excellent quallity was lodged on the Sand,
—William Clark

Related: Missouri River Geology

Rock Prairie and Bald Hills

Got on Our way at the Usal hour at the Rock Prarie the water was tolarably Good. the land a little distance from the River Hilly prarie. had Good Sailing Roed 15 Miles Campd. at a prarie Calld. the bald hills—
—Joseph Whitehouse

 

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.

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.

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Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
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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).