ENCAMPMENTS

[Buck Conner1]

ENCAMPMENTS​

An old friend wrote this after returning from one of our ventures. 

"Three Forks to the "Yellowstone River".​

by Daniel L. "Concho" Smith​

 
Start date: Saturday April 15, 1995 at Three Forks, Montana. the headwaters of the Missouri River, Gene and Glen Campbell from Missouri, along with Daniel "Concho" Smith of Pennsylvania and Barry "Buck" Conner from Colorado prepare to follow Lewis and Clark’s footsteps by recreating the "Lewis and Clark’s Expedition" with correct edibles, clothing and means of travel from "Three Forks" to the "Yellowstone River". This group has made many water ventures in following the "Corps of Discovery’s" path from St. Louis to the coast line in the past ten years, lacking only a few short sections to complete the total journey (done in two years by the Corps, taking this group almost a dozen, because of available time and changes in water routes, ownership of property and irrigation/water storage projects that can cause delays with lengthy portages).Notes from the original L&C Expedition may be seen in both Smith’s and Conner’s journal notes, along with a letter from President Thomas Jefferson that started the original great adventure.

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Letter from President Thomas Jefferson 

The following letter written by Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis. It is shown the way in which it was written, the misspelling is the way that it originally appeared.

"To Meriwether Lewis, esquire - captain of the first regiment of infantry of the United States of America:

"Your situation as secratary of the president of the United States, has made you aquainted with the objects of my confidential message of January 18, 1803, to the legislature; you have seen the act they passed, which, though expressed in general terms, was meant to sanction those objects, and you are appointed to carry them to execution.
 
"Instruments for ascertaining, by celestial observations, the geography of the country through which you will pass, have already been provided. Light articles for barter and presents among the Indians, arms for your attendants, say from ten to twelve men, boats, tents, and other traveling apparatus, with ammunition, medicine, surgical instruments and provisions, you will will have prepared, with such aids as the secretary at war can yield in his department; and from him also you will receive authority to engage among our troops, by voluntary agreement, the attendants above mentioned; over whom you, as their commanding officer, are invested with all the powers the laws give in such a case.
 
"As you movements, while within the limits of the United States, will be better directed by occasional communications, adapted to circumstances as they arise, they will not be noticed here. What follows will respect your proceedings after your departure form the United States.
 
"Your mission has been communicated to the ministers here from France, Spain, and great Briton, and through them to their governments; ans such assurances given them as to its objects, as we trust will satisfy them. The country of Louisana having ceded by Spain to France, the passport you have from the minister of France, the representative of the present sovereign of the country, will be a protection with all its subjects; and that from the Minister of England will entitle you to the friendly aid of any traders of that allegiance with whom you may happen to meet.
 
"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and such principal streams of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregan, Colorado, or any other river, may offer the most direct and practiable water-communication across the continent, for the purposes of commerce.
 
"Beginning at the mouth of the Missouri, you will take observations of latitude and longitude, at all remarkable points on the river, and especially at the mouths of rivers, at rapids, at islands, and other places and objects distinguished by such natural marks and characters, of a durable kind, as that they may with certainty be recognised hereafter. The courses of the river between these points of observation may be supplied by the compass, the log-line, and by time, corrected by the observations themselves. The variations of the needle, too, in different places, should be noticed.
 
"The interesting points of the portage between the heads of the Missouri, and of the water offering the best communication with the Pacific ocean, should also be fixed by observation; and the course of that water to the ocean, in the same manner as that of the Missouri.
 
"Your observations are to be taken with great pains and accuracy; to be entered distinctly and intelligibly for others as well as yourself; to comprehend all the elements necessary, with the aid of the usual tales, to fix the lattitude and longitude of the places at which they were taken; and are to be rendered to the war-office, for the purpose of having the calculations made concurrently by proper persons within the United States. Several copies of these, as well as of your other notes, should be made at leisure times, and put into the care of the most trust worthy of your attendants to guard, by multiplying them against the accidental losses to which they will be exposed. A further guard would be, that one of these copies be on the cuticular membranes of the paper-birch, as less liable to injury from damp than common paper.
 
"The commerce which may be carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue, renders a knowledge of those people important. You will therefore endeavour to make yourself acquainted, as far as a diligent pursuit of your journey shall admit, with the names of the nations and their numbers;
"The extent and limits of their possessions;
"Their relations with other tribes or natins;
"Their language, traditions, monuments;
"Their ordinary occupations in agriculture, fishing, hunting, war, arts, and the implements for these;
"Their food, clothing, and domestic accommodations:
"The diseases prevalent among them, and the remedies they use;
"Moral and physical circumstances which distinguish them from the tribes we know;
"Peculiarities in their laws, customs, and dispositions;
"And articles of commerce they may need or furnish, and to what extent.
"And, considering the interest which every nation has in extending and strengthening the authority of reason and justice among the people around them, it will be useful to acquire what knowledge you can of the state of morality, religion, and information amoung them; as it may better enable those who may endeavour to civilize and instruct them, to adapt their measures to the existing notions and practices of those on whom they are to operate.l

"Other objects worthy of notice will be;
"The soil and face of the country, its growth and vegetable productions, especially those not of the United States;
"The animals of the country generally, and expecially those not known in the United States;
"The remains and accounts of any which may be deemed rare or extinct;
"The mineral productions of every kind, but more particularly metals, lime-stone, pit-coal, and saltpetre; salines and mineral waters, noting the temperature of the last, and such circumstances as may indicate their character;
"Volcanic appearances;
"Climate, as characterized by the thermometer, by the proportion of rainy, cloudy, and clear days; by lightning, hail, snow, ice; by the access and recess of frost; by the winds prevailing at different seasons; the dates at which particular plants put forth, or lose their flower or leaf; times of appearance of particular birds, reptiles or insects.

"Although your route will be along the channel of the Missouri, yet you will endeavour to inform yourself, by inquiry, of the character and extent of the country watered by its branches, and especially on its southern side. The North river, or Rio Bravo, which runs into the gulf of Mexico, and the North river, or Rio Colorado, which runs into the gulf of California, are understood to be the principal streams heading opposite to the waters of the Missouri, and running southwardly. Whether the dividing grounds between the Missouri and them are mountains or flat lands, what are their distance from the Missouri, the character of the intermediate country, and the people inhabiting it, are worthy of particular inquiry. The northern waters of the Missouri are less to be inquired after, because they have been ascertained to a considerable degree, and are still in a course of ascertainment by English traders and travellers; but if you can learn any thing certain of the most northern source of the Missisippi, and of its position relatively to the Lake of the Woods, it will be interesting to us. Some account too of the path of the Canadian traders from the Missisipi, at the mouth of the Ouisconsing to where it strikes the Missouri, and of the soil and rivers in its course, is desireable.
 
"In all your intercourse with the natives, treat them in the most friendly and conciliatory manner which their own conduct will admit; allay all jealousies as to the object of your journey; satisfy them of its innocence; make them acquainted with the position, extent, character, peaceable and commercial dispositions of the United States; of our wish to be neighbourly; friendly, and useful to them, and of our dispositions to a commercial intercourse with them; confer with them on the points most convenient as mutual emporiums, and the articles of most desirable interchange for them and us. If a few of their influential chiefs, within practicable distance, wish to visit us, arrange such a visit with them, and furnish them with authority to call on our officers on their entering the United States, to have them conveyed to this place at the public expense. If any of them shoudl wish to have some of their young people brought up with us, and taught such arts as may be useful to them, we will receive, instruct, and take care of them. Such a mission, whether of influential chiefs, or of young people, would give some security to your own party. Carry with you some matter of the kine-pox; inform those of them with whom you may be of its efficacy as a preservative from the small-pox, and instruct and encourage them in the use of it. This may be especially done wherever you winter.
 
"As it is impossible for us to foresee in what manner you will be received by those people, whether with hospitality or hostility, so is it impossible to prescribe the exact degree of perseverance with which you are to pursue your journey. We value too much the lives of citizens to offer them to probable destruction. Your numbers will be sufficient to secure you against the unauthorized opposition of individuals, or of small parties; but if a superior force, authorized, ro not authorized, by a nation, should be arrayed against yoru further passage, and inflexibly determined to arrest it, you must decline its further pursuit and return. In the loss of yourselves we should lose also the information you will have acquired. By returning safely with that, you may enable us to renew the essay with better calculated means. To your own discretion, therefore, must be left the degree of danger you may risk, and the point at which you should decline, only saying, we wish you to err on the side of your safety, and to bring back your party safe, even if it be with less information.

"As far up the Missouri as the white settlements extend, an intercourse will probably be found to exist between them and the Spanish post of St. Louis opposite Cahokia, or St. Genevieve opposite Kaskaskia. From still further up the river the traders may furnish a conveyance for letters. Beyond that you may perhaps be able to engage Indians to bring letters for the government to Cahokia, or Kaskaskia, on promising that they shall there receive such special compensation as your shall have stipulated with them. Avail yourself of these means to communicate to us, at seasonable intervals, a copy of your journal, notes and observations of every kind, putting into cypher whatever might do injury if betrayed.
 
"Should you reach the Pacific ocean, inform yourself of the circumstances which may decide whether the furs of those parts may not be collected as advantageously at the head of the Missour (convenient as is supposed to the waters of the Coorado and Oregan or Columbia) as at Nootka Sound, or any other point of that coast; and that trade be consequently conducted throught the Missouri and United States more beneficially than by the circumnavigation now practised.
 
"On your arrival on that coast, endeavour to learn if there be any port within your reach frequented by the sea vessels of any nation, and to send two of your trusty people back by sea, in such way as shall appear practicable, with a copy of your notes; and should you be of opinion that the return of your party by the way they went will be imminently dangerous, then ship the whole, and return by sea, by the way either of Cape Horn, or the Cape of Good Hope, as you shall be able. As you will be without money, clothes, or provisions, you must endeavour to use the credit of the United States to obtain them; for which purpose open letters of credit shall be furnished you, authorizing you to draw on the executive of the United States, or any of its officers, in any part of the world, on which draughts can be disposed of, and to apply with our recommendations to the consuls, agents, merchants, or citizens of any nation with which we have intercourse, assuring them, in our name, that any aids they may furnish you shall be honourably repaid, and on demand. Our consuls, Thomas Hewes, at Batavia, in Java, William Buchanan, in the Isles of France and Bourbon, and John Elmslie, at the Cape of Good Hope, will be able to supply your necessities, by draughts on us.
 
"Should you find it safe to return by the way you go, after sending two of our party round by sea, or with your whole party, if no conveyance by sea can be found, do so; making such observations on your return as may serve to supply, correct, or confirm those made on your outward journey.
 
"On reentering the United States and reaching a place of safety, discharge any of your attendants who may desire and deserve it, procuring for them immediate payment of all arrears of pay and clothing which may have incurred since their departure, and assure them that they shall be recommended to the liberality of the legislature for the grant of a soldier's portion of land each, as proposed in my message to congress, and repair yourself, with your papers, to the seat of government.
 
"To provide, on the accident of your death, against anarchy, dispersion, and the consequent danger to your party, and total failure of the enterprise, you are hereby authorized, by any instrument signed and written in your own hand, to name the person among them who shall succeed to the command on your decease, and by like instruments to change the nomination, from time to time, as further experience of the characters accompanying you shall point out superior fitness; and all the powers and authorities given to yourself are, in the event of your death, transferred to, and vested in the successor so named, with further power to him and his successors, in like manner to name each his successor, who, on the death of his predecessor, shall be invested with all the powers and authorities given to yourself. Given under my hand at the city of Washington, this twentieth day of June, 1803."

Thomas Jefferson
President of the United States of America
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FROM CONCHO’S JOURNAL.SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH, 1995:

After a GREAT send-off party at the Missouri River State Headwaters Campground on Saturday night we awoke to "heavy" frost. It was COLD!!!! It was very COLD all night! Not much sleeping occurred with the cold, excitement of the coming days and thoughts of who had traveled before us !
 
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Three Forks

Sunday, July 28th, 1805.

Captain Clark continued very unwell during the night, but was somewhat relieved this morning. On examining the two streams, it became difficult to decide which was the larger or the real Missouri. They are each 90 yards wide, and so perfectly similar in character and appearance that they seem to have been formed of the same mold. We were therfore induced to discontinue the name of Missouri, and gave the southwest branch the name of Jefferson, in honor of the President of the United States and the projector of the enterprise. We called the middle branch Madison, after james Madison, Secretary of Stae. These two, as well as Gallatin river, run with great velocity and throw out large bodies of water. Gallatin river is, however, the most rapid of the three; and though not quite as deep, is navigable for a considerable distance. Madison river, though much less rapid than the Gallatin, is somewhat more so than the Jefferson. The beds of all of them are formed of smooth pebble and gravel, and the waters are perfectly transparent. The timber in the neighborhood would be sufficient for the ordinary uses of an establishment; which, however, it would be advisable to build of brick, as the earth appears calculated for that purpose, and along the shores are some bars of fine pure sand.
 
A description & drawing of a white salmon trout, drawn by Clark.
The greater part of the men, having yesterday put their deer-skins in water, were this day engaged in dressing them for the purpose of making clthing. The weather was very warm; the thermometer in the afternoon was at 90°, and the mosquitoes were more than usually inconvenient. We were, however, relieved from them by a high wind from the southwest, which came on at four o'clock, bringing a storm of thunder and lightning, attended by refreshing showers, which continued till after dark. In the evening the hunters returned with eight deer and two elk; and the party who had been sent up the Gallatin reported that, after passing the point where it escaped from Captain Lewis' view yesterday, it turned more toward the east, as far as they could discern the opening of the mountains formed by the vally which bordered it. The low grounds were still wide, but not so extensive as near its mouth, and though the stream is rapid and much divided by islands, it is still sufficiently deep for navigation with canoes. The low grounds, though not more than eight or nine above the water, seem never to be overflowed, except a part on the west side of the middle fork, which is stoney and seems occasionaly inundated; they are furnished with great quantities of small fruit, such as currants and goose berries.

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At approximately 9 am our arrangements are made with local Park Rangers for our vehicles and trailer, and the "launch party" consisting of several dozen well-wishers (tourtists) helped us set out on recreating the "Lewis and Clark’s Expedition". I don't think anyone of us really believed it was ever going to happen today, with the launch party getting off the river and returning to their "normal" lives and our group are now left alone, then may be we will realizing for the first time that the Missouri is going to be home for the next week.

MONDAY, APRIL 17TH, 1995
Today that we are now in Townsend, MT which is approximately 40 to 50 river miles from our departure. We portaged our first dam, Toston Dam, with no difficulties other than the amount of time spent carrying our equipage from one point to the other.
Next we crossed our first lake, Canyon Ferry, portaged Canyon Ferry Dam and done the same with Hauser Lake and Hauser Dam. Then we will be at the upper Holter Lake with some time to spare per our schedule.
 
THURSDAY, APRIL 20TH, 1995:
"We're cold!!!" But everyone sounds in good spirits and we sailed with a home made arrangement, using the spare paddles and a blanket on Tuesday, it was fun, but not for long because Gene was feeling sick with possible food poisoning! So when we reached Canyon Ferry Lake, we pretty much just got to shore. We put up a fly for Gene and he crawled into his blankets for a couple of hours while Glen did all the camp chores....
Wednesday, was very windy and with four foot waves on the lake, so we waited most of the afternoon on shore and then moved on - paddling after dark. Some where not thrilled about the delay, but we saw the Northern Lights, a first for several of us.
 
Today our party got on the water by 7am, had a mid morning break and float for half an hour and by noon were at Yacht Basin Marina at the end of Canyon Ferry Lake. We found a restaurant at this location, got warm and called the Montana Power (per Dam Officials) asking permission to portage around Canyon Ferry Dam.

We are approximately one and a half days off "our" schedule, but should be at Upper Holter Lake sometime Saturday. Hopefully we will meet up with a few more members planning to make the tail end of this trip (they never showed).

"Concho"
 
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Gates of the Rocky Mountains
 
Friday, July 19th, 1805.
Early in the morning, and soon passed the remains of several Indian camps formed of willow
brush, which seemed to have been deserted this spring. At the same time he observed that the pine trees had been stripped of their bark about the same season, which our Indian women says her countrymen do in order to obtain the sap and soft parts of the wood and bark for food. About eleven o'clock he met a herd of elk and killed two of them; but such was the want of wood in the neighborhood that he was unable to procure enough to make a fire, and was therefore obliged to substitute the dung of the buffalo, with which he cooked his breakfast. They then resumed their course along an old Indian road. In the afternoon they reached a handsome valley, watered by a large creek, both of which extended a considerable distance into the mountain. This they crossed, and during the evening traveled over a mountainous country covered with sharp fragments of flint rock; these bruised and cut their feet very much, but were scarcely less troublesome than the prickly-pear of the open plains, which have now become so abundant that it is impossible to avoid them, and the thorns are so strong that they pierce a double sole of dressed deer-skin; the best resource against them is a sole of buffalo-hide in parchment. At night they reached the river much fatigued, having passed two mountains in the course of the day, and traveled 30 miles. Captain Clark's first employment, on lighting a fire, was to extract from his feet the briars, which he found 17 in number.
 
In the meantime we proceeded very well, though the water appears to increase in rapidity as we advance. The current has indeed been strong during the day, and obstructed by some rapids, which are not, however, much broken by rocks, and are perfectly safe. the river is deep; its general width is from 100 to 150 yards. For more than 13 miles we went along the numerous bends of the river, and then reached two small islands; 3 3/4 miles beyond which is a small creek in the bend to the left, above a small island on the right side of the river. We were regaled about 10 p.m. with a thunderstorm of rain and hail, which lasted for an hour. During the day, in this confinded valley through which we are passing, the heat is almost insupportable; yet, whenever we obtain a glimpse of the lofty tops of the mountains, we are tantalized with a view of the snow. These mountains have their sides ans summits partially varied with little copses of pine, cedar, and balsam-fir.
 
A mile and a half beyond this creek, the rocks approach the river on both sides, forming a most sublime and extraordinary spectacle. For 5 3/4 miles these rocks rise perpendicularly from the waters edge, to the height of nearly 1,200 feet. They are composed of a black granite near the base, but from their color above, and from the fragments, we suppose the upper part to be flint, of a yellowish-brown and cream color. Nothing can be imagined more tremendous than the frowning darkness of these rocks, which project over the river and menace us with destruction. The river, of 150 yards in width, seems to have forced its channel down this solid mass; but so reluctantly has the rock given way that, during the whole distance, the water is very deep even at the edges, and for the first three miles there is not a spot, except one of a few yards, in which a man could stand between the water and the towering perpendicular of the mountain. The convulsion of the passage must have been terrible, since at its outlet are vast columns of rock, torn from the mountain, which are strewn on both sides of the river - the trophies, as it were, of a victory. Several fine springs burst out from the chasms of the rock, and contribute to increase the river, which has now a strong current; but very fortunately we are able to overcome it with our oars, since it would be impossible to use either the cord or the pole. We are obliged to go on some time after dark; not being able to find a spot large enough to camp on; but at length, about two miles above a small island in the middle of the river, we met with a spot on on the left side, we procured plenty of light wood and pitch-pine. This extraordinary range of rocks we called the Gates of the Rocky mountains. 

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FROM BUCK’S JOURNAL.LAUNCH DAY, April 15, 1995:

Support crew members came to see us off and launched with us. The day could not have been more beautiful, rich warm sunlight, great scenery, wonderful people. Every 10 to 20 minutes long trains would pass or approach us on our right, blowing their horns in greeting. We reached Toston Dam in short order.
 
Monday, April 17, 1995:
Day two would prove to be just as beautiful as launch day and all we really did was sit in our boats and soak in our surroundings. In the town of Toston, while getting water, a truck pulled up and offered greetings. A husband and wife who had seen our canoes from the bridge above. After discussing what we where doing and the "L & C Expedition" and what it’s the outcome gave our great country. The man in the truck told us, "They just heard the weather, and a change was gonna happen tomorrow!" As we continued down river we came across a varitey of assorted birds. Geese nesting, hawks and eagles circling the thermals, pelicans in groups of five to ten and an intriguing tree which held up to 30 heron nests. In short order we reached Townsend and our camp site, we walked around making sure we didn’t stand out and went un-noticed by the local town folks.

Tuesday, April 18, 1995:
All night the wind blew, before we would paddle Canyon Ferry Lake, we secured everything in the canoes. Before we launched a few locals came to see us off, never got their names, but they stayed with us throughout our packing and launching. One mile down river we started picking our way through the duck ponds on the south end of Canyon Ferry, finally breaking free out onto the lake itself (didn’t remember those ponds on the map). We hoisted our make shift sail and about 10 minutes later the wind completely went away ! Gene proceeded to go into a spiel about how every time he puts that damn sail up the wind just disappears. I was content to kick back and try fishing. A little after noon, Gene proceeded to get ill and really sick from something he had eaten, and the wind kicked up again. About 1pm we were really moving on the lake when the weather changed and the sky was overcast and the wind velocity tripled almost in minutes. Waves were hitting 2 and 3 feet and I could no longer hold my bearing as to our point of aim. With the fear of being over turned we decide to head to the right side of the river, nuts, more waves and wind, about two hours later we beached on a sand bar. But, before we could get out of the canoes, the lake put one last wave completely over our heads. We pulled our boats up, Gene pitched his shelter and we didn't see him for hours.

Wednesday, April 19, 1995:
It rained and stayed windy all night, I woke several times and just laid there listening to the dark. Finally at 6:00am I went to Gene's shelter. He was feeling much better, so we walked the shore line to see if he was ready to continue. Rounding several points we realized we couldn't place ourselves on the map, and that we were mixed up on our location. The wind was coming directly in the direction we needed to paddle. It blew so hard that we knew it would be futile to launch, so we would just wait for it to break. At 2:30pm the wind had died a bit and we decided to try and make some headway. Paddling directly into the waves and wind proved to be challenging. In no time it became fruitless and we beached again, later in the day, 6:30pm we tried again but it began to get darker and darker. Having no night vision and being in the middle of a ruff lake at night just doesn't seem to be a good idea. Gene, using a comet in the northern sky as a bearing, we finally landed and camp at a place I've come to call, "The Smell of Death Camp." Dead fish everywhere, if Gene was going to get sick again this should do it.
 
Thursday, April 20, 1995:
Awake early in the morning to NO wind, but the temperature is definitely below zero, who the hell’s idea was it to make this trip this time of year ! By continually paddling we warmed up and finally reach the Canyon Ferry Dam. At the dam we meet a gentleman, a small man who thinks he owns this dam - Jim, the Facility Manager, turns out to be more of a headache than the dam itself (this guy is not a gentleman, more of a little bastard). Its amazing, no matter where you go, no matter how desolate an area, these folks still abound ! Finally a gentleman named Bill lets us throw our canoes on his trailer and he portages us around the dam, he told us this happens often as he had helped a couple earlier in the week. We pitch our camp and go to sleep early after such a hard day. Mr. Bill Holdorf, was our new friend’s name that helped us around Canyon Ferry Dam, keep his name handy if making this trip.

Friday, April 21, 1995:
WIND and more WIND!!! Once again we are held up, our thoughts wonder to those that have traveled before us, what would Lewis or Clark have done with these weather conditions and the damned WIND !
 
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The Great Falls of the Missouri

Thusday, June 13, 1805.
They left camp at sunrise, and ascending the river-hills went for six miles in a course generally southwest, over a country which though more waving than that of yesterday, may still be considered level. At the extremity of this course they overlooked a most beautiful plain, where were infinitely more buffalo than we had ever before seen at a single view. To the southwest arose from the plain two mountains of a singular appearance, more like ramparts of high fortifications than works of nature. They are square figures with sides rising perpendicularly to the hieght of 250 feet, formed of yellow clay, and the tops seemed to be level plains. Finding that the river here bore considerably to the south, and fearful of passing the falls before reaching the Rocky Mountains, they now changed their course to the south, and leaving those insulated hills to the right, proceeded across the plain.

In this direction Captain Lewis had gone about two miles, when his ears were saluted with the agreeable sound of a fall of water, and as he advanced a spray, which seemed driven by a high southwest wind, arose above the plain like a column of smoke, and vanished in an instant. Toward this point he directed his steps; the noise increased as he approached, and soon beame to tremendous to be mistaken for anything but the Great Falls of the Missouri. Having traveled seven miles after first hearing the sound, he reached the falls about twelve o'clock The hills as he approached were difficult of access and 200 feet high. Down these he hurried with impatience; and, seating himself on some rocks under the center of the falls, enjoyed the sublime spectacle of this stupendous object, which since the creation had been lavishing its magnificence upon the desert, unknown to civilization.

The river is immediatly at this cascade is 300 yards wide, and is pressed in by perpendicular cliff on the left, which rises to about 100 feet and extends up the stream for a mile; on the right the bluff is also perpendicular for 300 yards above the falls. For 90 or 100 yards from the left cliff, the water falls in one smooth, even sheet, over a precipice of at least 80 feet. The remaining part of the river precipates itself with a more rapid current, but being received as it falls by the irregular and somewhat projecting rocks below, forms a splendid prospect of perfectly white foam, 200 yards in length and 80 in perpendicular elevation. This spray is dissapated into a thousand shapes, sometimes flying up in columns of 15 or 20 feet, which are than oppressed by larger masses of the white foam, on all which the sun impresses the brightest colors of the rainbow. As it rises from the fall it beats with a fury against a ledge of rocks which extend across the river at 150 yards from the precipice. From the perpendicular cliff on the north, to the distance 120 yards, the rocks rise only a few feet above the water; when the river is high the stream finds a channel across them 40 yards wide and near the higher parts of the ledge, which then rise about 20 feet and terminate abruptly within 80 or 90 yards of the southern side. Between them and perpendicular cliff on the south the whole body of water runs with great swiftness. At a distance of 300 yards from the same ridge is a second abutment of solid perpendicular rock about 60 feet high, projecting at right angles from the small plain on the north for 134 yards into the river. After leaving this, the Missouri again spreads itself to its usual distance of 300 yards, though with more than its ordinary rapidity.
 
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Saturday, April 22, 1995:
Up at 5am and away we go! An occasional breeze and very cold, but a perfect day for paddling. Hauser Reservoir may not look big on a map, but it keeps going and going. The high light of our day where the swans that let us get within ten feet of them before they offered up a spectacular take-off.

"Buck"

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The Musselshell River

Monday, May 20th, 1805
As usual we set out early, and the banks being convenient for that purpose, we used the towline; the river is narrow and crooked, the water rapid, and the country much like that of yeaterday; at the distance of two and quater miles we passed a large creek with but little water, to which we gave the name of Blowingfly creek, from the quantity of those insects found in its neighbourhood, They are extremely troublesome, infesting our meat whilst cooking and at our meals. After making seven miles we reached by eleven o'clock the mouth of a large river on the south, and encamped for the day at the upper point of its junction with the Missouri. This stream which we suppose to be that called by the Minnetarees the Mussleshell River, empties into the Missouri two thousand two hundred and seventy miles above the mouth of the latter river. It is 110 yards wide, and contains more water than streams of that size usually do in this country; its current is by no means rapid, and there is every appearence of its being susceptible of navigation by canoes for a considerable distance; its bed is chiefly formed of coarse sand and gravel, with an occasional mixture of black mud; the banks abrupt and nearly twelve feet high, so that they are secure from being overflowed; the water is of a greenish yellow cast and much more transparent than that of the Missouri, which itself, though clearer than below, still retains its whitish hue and a portion of its sediment. Opposite to the point of junction the current of the Missouri is gentle, and 220 yards in width, the bed pricipally of mud and still to deep to use the setting-pole. If this be, as we suppose, the Musselshell, our Indian information is, that it rises in the first chain of the Rocky Mountains not far from the sources of the Yellowstone, whence in its course to this place it waters a high broken country, well timbered particularly on its borders, and interspersed with handsome fertile plains and meadows. We have reason, however, to believe, from them giving a similar account of the timber where we are now, that the timber of which they speak is similer to that which we have seen for a few days past, which consists of nothing more than a few straggling small pine and dwarf ceder, on the summits of the hills. The also reported that the country is broken and irregular like that near our camp; that about five miles up a handsome river about fifty yards wide, which we named after Chaboneau's wife, Sahcajahweah, or Birdwomen's river, discharges itself into the Musselshell on the north or upper side. Another party found at the foot of the southern hills, about four miles from the Missouri, a fine bold spring, which in this country is so rare that since we left the Mandans we have found one of a similar kind, and that was under the bluffs on the south side of the Missouri, at some distance from it, and about five miles below the Yellowstone; with this exception all the small fountains of which we have met a number are impregnated with the salts which are so abundant here, and with which the Missouri is itself most probably tainted, though to us who have been so mush accustomed to it, the taste is not perceptible. Among the game today we observed two large owls, with remarkably long feathers resembling ears on the sides of the head, which we presume are the hooting owls, though they are larger and their colors are brighter than those common in the United States.
 
 
Lewis and Clark meeting Native Americans - by Patrick Gass, expedition member.
 
The Yellowstone River
Saturday, April 27, 1805.
We left the mouth of the Yellowstone. From the point of junction a wood occupies the space between the two rivers, which at the distance of a mile comes within two hundred and fifty yards of each other. There a beautiful low plain commences, and widening as the river recede, 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. At two and a half miles above the junction and between the high and low plain is a small lake, two hundred yards wide, extending for a mile parallel with the Missouri along the edge of the upper plain. At the lower extremity of this lake, about four hundred yards from the Missouri, and twice the distance from the Yellowstone, is a situation highly eligible for a trading establisment; it is in the high plain which extends back three miles in width, and seven or eight miles in length, alon the Yellowstone, where it is bordered by an extensive body of woodland, and alon the Missouri with less breadth, till three miles above it is circumscribed by the hills within a space four yards in width. A sufficient quantity of limestone for building may easily be procured near the junction of the rivers; it does not lie in regular stratas, but is in large irregular masses, of a light colour and apparently of an excellant quality. Game too is very abundant, and as yet quite gentle; above all, its elevation recommends it as preferable to the land at the confluence of the rivers, which their variable channels may render very insecure. The N.W. 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 timbered piece of low ground, and a little above it bluffs, where the country rises gradually from the river; the situations on the north 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 becomes wider and crouded with sandbars: although the game is in such plenty we kill only what is necessary for our subsistence. For several days past we have seen great numbers of buffaloe lying dead along the shore, and 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, 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.
 
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If you ever get a chance to get on the upper Missouri River take this trip from "Three Forks" to the "Yellowstone River", if you like early history, from L&C Expedition right up to the Indian Wars and the westward movement, here’s a good place to start.

see ya 
"Concho"
04/23/95
 
A little humor at the end of our journey.
As promised the Rangers had left our vehicles at the prearranged spot and our keys in the lock box in the parking lot. We loaded our equipage, the canoes and made one last trip to the water’s edge, no one in sight Buck says "lets get cleaned up" Mr. Clean you know the type, so we bathed quickly, dressed in our traveling clothes and turned to head to the vehicles, when we where cheered by a half dozen young ladies that where camped at the other end of the camp ground and had viewed our whole routine of getting washed. Oh well, they seemed to enjoy themselves with our embarrassment !!! Buck and Glen where very nice and told everyone that we where employees of the National Parks Service, so much for getting their help next time. <GGG>.

* Six months to the day our old friend had a stroke and passed to the other side. God Bless My Best Friend "Concho" Smith.  :Salute: