Earlier Than This, However,
The French Voyageurs Had Called The Upper Missouri The Riviere Jaune,
Or Yellow River; But It Is Certain That The Stream, Which Rises
In The Yellowstone National Park, Was Discovered And Named By Lewis
And Clark.
One of the party, Private Joseph Fields, was the first white
man who ever ascended the Yellowstone for any considerable distance.
Sent up the river by Captains Lewis and Clark, he travelled about eight miles,
and observed the currents and sand-bars.
Leaving the mouth of the river,
the party went on their course along the Missouri. The journal,
under date of April 27, says: -
"From the point of junction a wood occupies the space between
the two rivers, which at the distance of a mile come within
two hundred and fifty yards of each other. There a beautiful
low plain commences, widening as the rivers recede, and extends
along each of them for several miles, rising about half a mile
from the Missouri into a plain twelve feet higher than itself.
The low plain is a few inches above high water mark,
and where it joins the higher plain there is a channel of sixty
or seventy yards in width, through which a part of the Missouri,
when at its greatest height, passes into the Yellowstone.
. . . . . . . . .
The northwest wind rose so high at eleven o'clock that we were obliged
to stop till about four in the afternoon, when we proceeded till dusk.
On the south a beautiful plain separates the two rivers,
till at about six miles there is a piece of low timbered ground,
and a little above it bluffs, where the country rises gradually
from the river: the situations on the north are more high and open.
We encamped on that side, the wind, the sand which it raised,
and the rapidity of the current having prevented our advancing
more than eight miles; during the latter part of the day the river
became wider, and crowded with sand-bars. The game was in such
plenty that we killed only what was necessary for our subsistence.
For several days past we have seen great numbers of buffalo lying
dead along the shore, some of them partly devoured by the wolves.
They have either sunk through the ice during the winter,
or been drowned in attempting to cross; or else, after crossing
to some high bluff, have found themselves too much exhausted either
to ascend or swim back again, and perished for want of food:
in this situation we found several small parties of them.
There are geese, too, in abundance, and more bald eagles
than we have hitherto observed; the nests of these last being
always accompanied by those of two or three magpies, who are
their inseparable attendants."
Chapter VIII
In the Haunts of Grizzlies and Buffalo
Game, which had been somewhat scarce after leaving the Yellowstone,
became more plentiful as they passed on to the westward ,
still following the winding course of the Missouri. Much of the time,
baffling winds and the crookedness of the stream made sailing impossible,
and the boats were towed by men walking along the banks.
Even this was sometimes difficult, on account of the rocky ledges that beset
the shores, and sharp stones that lay in the path of the towing parties.
On the twenty-eighth of April, however, having a favorable wind,
the party made twenty-eight miles with their sails, which was reckoned
a good day's journey. On that day the journal records that game had again
become very abundant, deer of various kinds, elk, buffalo, antelope,
bear, beaver, and geese being numerous. The beaver, it was found,
had wrought much damage by gnawing down trees; some of these, not less
than three feet in diameter had been gnawed clean through by the beaver.
On the following day the journal has this record: -
"We proceeded early, with a moderate wind. Captain Lewis, who was on shore
with one hunter, met, about eight o'clock, two white [grizzly] bears.
Of the strength and ferocity of this animal the Indians had given us
dreadful accounts. They never attack him but in parties of six or
eight persons, and even then are often defeated with a loss of one or more
of their party. Having no weapons but bows and arrows, and the bad guns
with which the traders supply them, they are obliged to approach very near
to the bear; as no wound except through the head or heart is mortal,
they frequently fall a sacrifice if they miss their aim. He rather
attacks than avoids a man, and such is the terror which he has inspired,
that the Indians who go in quest of him paint themselves and perform all
the superstitious rites customary when they make war on a neighboring nation.
Hitherto, those bears we had seen did not appear desirous of encountering us;
but although to a skilful rifleman the danger is very much diminished,
yet the white bear is still a terrible animal. On approaching these two,
both Captain Lewis and the hunter fired, and each wounded a bear.
One of them made his escape; the other turned upon Captain Lewis and pursued
him seventy or eighty yards, but being badly wounded the bear could not
run so fast as to prevent him from reloading his piece, which be again
aimed at him, and a third shot from the hunter brought him to the ground.
He was a male, not quite full grown, and weighed about three hundred pounds.
The legs are somewhat longer than those of the black bear, and the talons
and tusks much larger and longer. Its color is a yellowish-brown;
the eyes are small, black, and piercing; the front of the fore legs near
the feet is usually black, and the fur is finer, thicker, and deeper
than that of the black bear. Add to which, it is a more furious animal,
and very remarkable for the wounds which it will bear without dying."
Next day, the hunter killed the largest elk which they had ever seen.
It stood five feet three inches high from hoof to shoulder.
Antelopes were also numerous, but lean, and not very good for food.
Of the antelope the journal says:
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