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.
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