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Peek Inside...Entries For July 1:
1805:
1806:
Captain Lewis (current)
Captain Lewis:
July 1, 1806
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From this place I determined to go with a small party by the most direct route to the Falls of the Missouri, there to leave Thompson, McNeal, and Goodrich to prepare carriages and gear for the purpose of transporting the canoes and baggage over the portage; and myself and six volunteers to ascend Maria's River with a view to explore the country and ascertain whether any branch of that river lies as far north as latitude 50, and again return and join the party who are to descend the Missouri, at the entrance of Maria's River. I now called for the volunteers to accompany me on this route. Many turned out, from whom I selected Drouilliard, the two Fieldses, Warner, Frazer, and Sergeant Gass.
The other part of the men are to proceed with Captain Clark to the head of Jefferson's River, where we deposited sundry articles and left our canoes. From thence, Sergeant Ordway and a party of 9 men are to descend the river with the canoes. Captain Clark, with the remaining ten, including Charbonneau and York, will proceed to the Yellowstone River at its nearest approach to the Three Forks of the Missouri. Here he will build a canoe and descend the Yellowstone River with Charbonneau, the Indian woman, his servant York, and five others to the Missouri, where, should he arrive first, he will await my arrival. Sergeant Pryor with two other men is to proceed with the horses by land to the Mandans, and thence to the British posts on the Assiniboine with a letter to Mr. Haney, whom we wish to engage to prevail on the Sioux chiefs to join us on the Missouri and accompany them with us to the seat of the general government.
Reprinted by permission of the American Studies Programs at the University of Virginia.
The complete text can also be downloaded for printing from their website.
