After Travelling All Day
They Reached Camp About Five O'clock In The Afternoon, And Found
Captain Clark And The Party
Very anxious for their safety.
As they had stayed two days longer than had been expected,
and as Captain Clark
Had returned at the appointed time,
it was feared that they had met with some accident."
As we now know, the stream that came in from the north was that which is still
called Maria's (or Marais) River, and the so-called branch from the southwest
was the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark, however, were in the dark as to the
relations of the two streams. Which was the parent? Which was the branch?
After pondering all the evidence that could be collected to bear on
the important question, the two captains agreed that the southern stream
was the true Missouri, and the northern stream was an important branch.
The journal says:
"These observations, which satisfied our minds completely, we communicated
to the party; but every one of them was of a contrary opinion.
Much of their belief depended on Crusatte, an experienced waterman on
the Missouri, who gave it as his decided judgment that the north fork was
the genuine Missouri. The men, therefore, mentioned that, although they
would most cheerfully follow us wherever we should direct, yet they were
afraid that the south fork would soon terminate in the Rocky Mountains,
and leave us at a great distance from the Columbia. In order that
nothing might be omitted which could prevent our falling into an error,
it was agreed that one of us should ascend the southern branch by land,
until we reached either the falls or the mountains.
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