On The Seventh Of July, The Little
Company Went Through The Famous Pass Of The Rocky Mountains,
Now Properly Named For The Leaders Of The Expedition.
Here Is The Journal's Account Of Their Finding The Lewis
And Clark Pass:
-
"At the distance of twelve miles we left the river, or rather
the creek, and having for four miles crossed two ridges in a
direction north fifteen degrees east, again struck to the right,
proceeding through a narrow bottom covered with low willows
and grass, and abundantly supplied with both deer and beaver.
After travelling seven miles we reached the foot of a ridge, which we
ascended in a direction north forty-five degrees east, through a
low gap of easy ascent from the westward; and, on descending it,
were delighted at discovering that this was the dividing ridge between
the waters of the Columbia and those of the Missouri. From this gap
Fort Mountain is about twenty miles in a northeastern direction.
We now wound through the hills and mountains, passing several
rivulets which ran to the right, and at the distance of nine
miles from the gap encamped, having made thirty-two miles.
We procured some beaver, and this morning saw tracks of buffalo,
from which it appears that those animals do sometimes penetrate
a short distance among the mountains."
Next day the party found themselves in clover, so to speak.
Game was plenty, and, as their object now was to accumulate
meat for the three men who were to be left at the falls
(and who were not hunters), they resolved to strike the Medicine,
or Sun, River and hunt down its banks. On that river the journal,
July 10, has this to say: -
"In the plains are great quantities of two species of
prickly-pear now in bloom. Gooseberries of the common red kind
are in abundance and just beginning to ripen, but there are
no currants. The river has now widened to one hundred yards;
it is deep, crowded with islands, and in many parts rapid.
At the distance of seventeen miles, the timber disappears
totally from the river-bottoms. About this part of the river,
the wind, which had blown on our backs, and constantly put
the elk on their guard, shifted round; we then shot three of
them and a brown bear. Captain Lewis halted to skin them,
while two of the men took the pack-horses forward to seek
for a camp. It was nine o'clock before he overtook them,
at the distance of seven miles, in the first grove of cottonwood.
They had been pursued as they came along by a very large bear,
on which they were afraid to fire, lest their horses,
being unaccustomed to the gun, might take fright and throw them.
This circumstance reminds us of the ferocity of these animals,
when we were last near this place, and admonishes us to be
very cautious. We saw vast numbers of buffalo below us,
which kept up a dreadful bellowing during the night.
With all our exertions we were unable to advance more than
twenty-four miles, owing to the mire through which we are obliged
to travel, in consequence of the rain."
The Sun, or Medicine, River empties into the Missouri just above the great
falls of that stream; and near here, opposite White Bear Islands,
the expedition had deposited some of their property in a cache
dug near the river bank, when they passed that way, a year before.
On the thirteenth of the month, having reached their old
camping-ground here, the party set to work making boat-gear and
preparing to leave their comrades in camp well fixed for their stay.
The journal adds:
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