Timeline
Documenting Lewis and Clark – 1805, The Westward Passage
 June
13-July 14: The Falls Of The Missouri, A Portage, And The Experiment
June 13
Meriwether Lewis: fearing that the river boar to the South and that I might pass the falls if they existed between this an the snowey mountains I altered my course nearly to the South . . .. I had proceded on this course about two miles with Goodrich at some distance behind me whin my ears were saluted with the agreeable sound of a fall of water and advancing a little further I saw the spray arise above the plain like a collumn of smoke which would frequently dispear again in an instant caused I presume by the wind which blew pretty hard from the S.W. I did not however loose my direction to this point which soon began to make a roaring too tremendious to be mistaken for any cause short of the great falls of the Missouri. . . .I hurryed down the hill which was about 200 feet high and difficult of access, to gaze on this sublimely grand specticle.(Moulton, Vol., 4, p. 283)
June 17
Patrick Gass: Part of the men were employed in taking the canoes up the small river about a mile and an half; and some engaged in making small wagons to haul the canoes and loading above the falls. Captain Clarke and 4 men went to view and survey our road to the place where we were to embark above the falls.(Moulton, Vol. 10, p. 103)
June 21
John Ordway: Capt. Lewis with the men except a fiew took a part of the baggage & a canoe up a hill on to the plain above a mile in advance. Several men employed in Shaveing & graneing Elk hides from the Iron boat as it is called, . . ..(Moulton, Vol. 9, p. 172)
June 24
Joseph Whitehouse: towards Evening when we were within about 3 Miles of the upper Camp, there came up of a sudden a Violent thunder shower, & it rained amazingly hard; for about 15 or 20 minutes, in which time the water stood on the ground over our Moccasins- Our Water being all gone, & the Men very thirsty, they drank heartily, out of the puddles of water that lay in the plains(Moulton, Vol., 11, p. 211)
June 27
Patrick Gass: In the afternoon a dreadful hail storm came on, which lasted half an hour. Some of the lumps of ice that fell weighed 3 ounces, and measured 7 inches in circumference. The ground was covered with them, as white as snow.(Moulton, Vol. 10, p. 107)
John Ordway: a hard Shower of rain and hail came on of a Sudden So I got under a Shelving rock on one Side of the creek where a kept dry through the hardest of it. hard thunder. large hail the creek rose So high in a fiew minutes that I had to move from the dry place and proceeded on. the wind blew So high that the hail cut verry hard against me and I could hardly keep my feet.(Moulton, Vol., 9, p. 175)
July 1
John Ordway: we Set out eairly this morning with the remaining loads and proceeded on verry well to Capt. Lewiss Camp where we arived at 3 oClock the day warm and party much fatigued . . .. the hail which fell at Capt. Lewis Camp was 7 Inches in Surcunference and weighed 3 ounces. fortinately for us it was not so large in the plains where we was if it had we Should most certainly fallen victims to its rage as the most of the men were without hats or any thing on their heads and mostly naked.(Moulton, Vol. 9, p. 178)
July 4
Meriwether Lewis: Yesterday we permitted Sergt. Gass McNeal and several others who had not yet seen the falls to visit them. no appearance of tar yet and I am now confident that we shall not be able to obtain any; a series misfortune. I employed a number of hands on the boat today and by 4 p.m. in the evening completed her except the most difficult part of the work that of making her seams secure. I had her turned up and some small fires kindled underneath to dry her. Capt. C. completed a draught of the river from Fort Mandan to this place which we intend depositing at this place in order to guard against accidents. not having seen the Snake Indians or knowing if fact whether to calculate on their friendship or hostility or friendship we have conceived our party sufficiently small and therefore have concluded not to dispatch a canoe with a part of our men to St. Louis as we had intended early in the spring. we fear also that such a measure might possibly discourage those who would in such case remain, and might possibly hazzard the fate of the expedition. we have never once hinted to any one of the party that we had such a scheme in contemplation, and all appear perfectly to have made up their minds to succeed in the expedition or purish in the attempt. we all beleive that we are now about to enter on the most perilous and difficult part of our voyage, yet I see no one repining; all appear ready to met those difficulties which await us with resolution and becoming fortitude. . . .since our arrival at the falls we have repeatedly witnessed a nois which proceeds from a direction a little to the N. of West as loud and resembling precisely the discharge of a piece of ordinance of 6 pounds at the distance of three miles. I was informed of it by the men several times before I paid any attention to it, thinking it was thunder most probably which they had mistaken at length walking in the plains the other day I heard this noise very distictly, it was perfectly calm clear and not a cloud to be seen, I halted and listened attentively about an hour during which time I heard two other discharges and tok the direction of the sound with my pocket compass. I have no doubt but if I had leasure I could find from whence it issued. . . .I am at a loss to account for this phenomenon.(Moulton, Vol. 4, p. 359-362)
Patrick Gass: A fine day. A part of the men were busily engaged at the boat, and other in dressing skins for clothing, until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we drank the last of our spirits in celebrating the day, and amused ourselves with dancing till 9 o'clock at night, when a shower of rain fel and we retired to rest.(Moulton, Vol. 10, p. 109)
John Ordway: it being the 4th of Independence we drank the last of our ardent Spirits except a little reserved for Sickness. the fiddle put in order and the party amused themselves dancing all evening untill about 10 oClock in a Sivel & jovil manner.(Moulton, Vol. 9, p. 179)
July 9
Patrick Gass: A fine morning, and heavy dew. In the forenoon we loaded our canoes, and put the Experiment into the water. She rides very light but leaks some. In the afternoon a storm of wind, with some rain came on from the north west, and we had again to unload some of our canoes, the waves ran so high. After the storm we had a fine evening. The tallow and coal were found not to answer the purpose; for as soon as dry, it cracked and scaled off, and the water came through the skins. Therefore for want of tar or pitch we had, after all our labour, to haul our new boat on shore, and leave it at this place.(Moulton, Vol. 10, p. 110)
Meriwether Lewis: . . . a greater part of the composition had seperated from the skins and left the seams of the boat exposed to the water and she leaked in such a manner that she would not answer. I need not add that this circumstance mortifyed me not a little; . . . the evil was irrapable . . .. I therefore relinquished all further hope of my favorite boat and ordered her to be sunk in the water, that the skins might become soft in order the better to take her in peices tomorrow and deposite the iron fraim at this place as it could probably be of no further service to us. had I only singed my Elk skins in stead of shaving them I beleive the composition would have remained and the have answered; . . ..(Moulton, Vol. 4, p. 369)
July 14
William Clark: a fine morning Calm and worm musquetors & knats verry troublesome. The Canoes arrive at 12 oClock & unloade to Dry &c. finished & Lanced the 2 Canoes, Some rain this afternoon. all prepareing to Set out on tomorrow.(Moulton, Vol. 4, p. 381)
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