Day-by-Day / May 9, 1806

May 9, 1806

Horses and saddles found

The corps moves about six miles to Twisted Hair‘s small camp near present Nezperce, Idaho. The horses and saddles left with the Nez Perce last fall are found, and then, it begins to snow. In Washington City, arrangements are made to send a sick Osage delegate home.

Horses Returned

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

Twisted Hair’s Camp

We sent out several hunters early this morning with instructions to meet us at the lodge of the Twisted hair. Collecting our horses detained us untill 9 A. M. when we charged our packhorses and set out. our rout lay through a level rich country similar to that of yesterday; at the distance of 6 miles we arrived at the lodge of the twisted hair;
—Meriwether Lewis

Horses and Saddles Returned

late in the evening The Twisted hair and Willard returned; they brought about half of our saddles, and some powder and lead which had been buried at that place. my saddle was among the number of those which were lost. about the same time the young men arrived with 21 of our horses.
—Meriwether Lewis

Bountiful Country

nature seems to have dealt with a liberal hand, for she has distributed a great variety of esculent plants over the face of the country which furnish them a plentifull store of provision; these are acquired with but little toil, and when prepared after the method of the natives afford not only a nutricious but an agreeable food. among other roots those called by them the Quawmash and Cows are esteemed the most agreeable and valuable as they are also the most abundant.
—Meriwether Lewis

Snowy Night

the situation of our camp was a disagreeable one in an open plain; the wind blew violently and was cold. at seven P. M. it began to rain and hail, at 9 it was succeeded by a heavy shower of snow which continued untill the next morning.—
—Meriwether Lewis

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
fair S W fair after cloudy W.  

Musquetors troublesom
—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.

Sick Osage Chief

In Washington City, Secretary of War Henry Dearborn arranges transportation for an ill member of an Osage delegation who needs to return home.

War Deptmt. May 9. 1806.

Sir [James S. Swearingen],

Mr. Morin . . . has been sent to Pittsburgh with an Osage Cheif who was left sick at this place . . . . You will procure a passage for him to Massac, in some boat, where he will be taken good care of & decently treated. You will furnish him with a good musket . . . . You will write to the Commanding Officer at [Fort] Massac, & request him to receive the Osage Chief . . . & send him . . . to St. Louis to the care of Mr. Peter Chouteau [Pierre Chouteau], the Indian Agent.

[Henry Dearborn][3]Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 308.

 

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.
3 Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 308.

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.