Here Is A Lucid And Connected Account Of The Falls And Rapids,
Discovered And Described By Lewis And Clark:
"This river is three hundred yards wide at the point where it
receives the waters of Medicine [Sun] River, which is one hundred
and thirty-seven yards in width.
The united current continues three
hundred and twenty-eight poles to a small rapid on the north side,
from which it gradually widens to fourteen hundred yards, and at
the distance of five hundred and forty-eight poles reaches the head
of the rapids, narrowing as it approaches them. Here the hills
on the north, which had withdrawn from the bank, closely border
the river, which, for the space of three hundred and twenty poles,
makes its way over the rocks, with a descent of thirty feet.
In this course the current is contracted to five hundred and eighty yards,
and after throwing itself over a small pitch of five feet, forms a
beautiful cascade of twenty-six feet five inches; this does not,
however, fall immediately or perpendicularly, being stopped by a part
of the rock, which projects at about one-third of the distance.
After descending this fall, and passing the cottonwood island on
which the eagle has fixed her nest, the river goes on for five hundred
and thirty-two poles over rapids and little falls, the estimated
descent of which is thirteen and one-half feet, till it is joined
by a large fountain boiling up underneath the rocks near the edge
of the river, into which it falls with a cascade of eight feet.
The water of this fountain is of the most perfect clearness,
and of rather a bluish cast; and, even after falling into the Missouri,
it preserves its color for half a mile. From the fountain the river
descends with increased rapidity for the distance of two hundred
and fourteen poles, during which the estimated descent is five feet;
and from this, for a distance of one hundred and thirty-five poles,
it descends fourteen feet seven inches, including a perpendicular
fall of six feet seven inches. The Missouri has now become pressed
into a space of four hundred and seventy-three yards, and here forms
a grand cataract, by falling over a plain rock the whole distance
across the river, to the depth of forty-seven feet eight inches.
After recovering itself, it then proceeds with an estimated descent
of three feet, till, at the distance of one hundred and two poles,
it is precipitated down the Crooked Falls nineteen feet perpendicular.
Below this, at the mouth of a deep ravine, is a fall of five feet;
after which, for the distance of nine hundred and seventy poles,
the descent is much more gradual, not being more than ten feet,
and then succeeds a handsome level plain for the space of one hundred
and seventy-eight poles, with a computed descent of three feet,
the river making a bend towards the north. Thence it descends,
for four hundred and eighty poles, about eighteen and one-half feet,
when it makes a perpendicular fall of two feet, which is ninety poles
beyond the great cataract; in approaching which, it descends thirteen
feet within two hundred yards, and, gathering strength from its
confined channel, which is only two hundred and eighty yards wide,
rushes over the fall to the depth of eighty-seven feet.
"After raging among the rocks, and losing itself in foam, it is
compressed immediately into a bed of ninety-three yards in width:
it continues for three hundred and forty poles to the entrance of a run
or deep ravine, where there is a fall of three feet, which, added to
the decline during that distance, makes the descent six feet.
As it goes on, the descent within the next two hundred and forty poles
is only four feet; from this, passing a run or deep ravine, the descent
in four hundred poles is thirteen feet; within two hundred and forty poles,
another descent of eighteen feet; thence, in one hundred and sixty poles,
a descent of six feet; after which, to the mouth of Portage Creek,
a distance of two hundred and eighty poles, the descent is ten feet.
From this survey and estimate, it results that the river experiences
a descent of three hundred and fifty-two feet in the distance of two
and three quarter miles, from the commencement of the rapids to the mouth
of Portage Creek, exclusive of the almost impassable rapids which extend
for a mile below its entrance."
On the twenty-first of the month, all the needed preparations having
been finished, the arduous work of making the portage, or carry,
was begun. All the members of the expedition were now together,
and the two captains divided with their men the labor of hunting,
carrying luggage, boat-building, exploring, and so on.
They made three camps, the lower one on Portage Creek,
the next at Willow Run [see map], and a third at a point opposite
White Bear Islands. The portage was not completed until July second.
They were often delayed by the breaking down of their
rude carriages, and during the last stage of their journey
much of their luggage was carried on the backs of the men.
They were also very much annoyed with the spines of the prickly pear,
a species of cactus, which, growing low on the ground,
is certain to be trampled upon by the wayfarer. The spines ran
through the moccasins of the men and sorely wounded their feet.
Thus, under date of June twenty-fourth, the journal says
(It should be understood that the portage was worked from above
and below the rapids): -
"On going down yesterday Captain Clark cut off several angles
of the former route, so as to shorten the portage considerably,
and marked it with stakes. He arrived there in time to have two
of the canoes carried up in the high plain, about a mile in advance.
Here they all repaired their moccasins, and put on double soles to protect
them from the prickly pear, and from the sharp points of earth which have
been formed by the trampling of the buffalo during the late rains.
This of itself is sufficient to render the portage disagreeable
to one who has no burden; but as the men are loaded as heavily
as their strength will permit, the crossing is really painful.
Some are limping with the soreness of their feet; others are scarcely
able to stand for more than a few minutes, from the heat and fatigue.
They are all obliged to halt and rest frequently; at almost every
stopping-place they fall, and many of them are asleep in an instant;
yet no one complains, and they go on with great cheerfulness.
At the camp, midway in the portage, Drewyer and Fields joined them;
for, while Captain Lewis was looking for them at Medicine River,
they returned to report the absence of Shannon, about whom they had
been very uneasy.
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