The Shoshone provided the expedition with horses, a guide, and sound advice to help them through what was probably the most treacherous portion of their journey. The trail they followed across the divide and through the Bitterroot Mountains was extremely rugged. Game was scarce, which made the situation even more difficult for the explorers.
The Journey of Lewis and Clark
The Voyage of Discovery Continues: Another view of the Journey of Lewis and Clark.
As one of the most remarkable and productive scientific explorations in American history, the Corps of Discovery expedition crossed the territory of the newly acquired but uncharted Louisiana Purchase.
At this point, the Corps of Discovery crossed the Continental Divide and entered the Pacific Ocean drainage system. They also left territory that belonged to the United States. All that could be seen to the west from Lemhi Pass were jagged mountain peaks that stretched to the horizon. It was now obvious that there was no practical Northwest Passage to the Pacific.
As the expedition approached the source of the Missouri River, they came up against a daunting collection of rapids and waterfalls. Since the waterway was impassable, a long portage lay ahead. The men were forced to carry the boats and all their remaining equipment and supplies roughly 18 miles overland, skirting five waterfalls along the way. The portage took nearly a month.
It was near the present location of Fort Pierre that the Corps of Discovery first encountered a group of Teton Sioux at the mouth of the Bad River. Unlike their meetings with other Indian tribes, this encounter was somewhat strained and confrontational, as were several others that followed over the next few days.
On June 23, 1804, the expedition passed a spot along the Missouri that overlooked the river's bends and currents for some distance in either direction. To Clark, it seemed a strategically ideal site for a fort. Four years later, in 1808, Clark returned with 80 men and oversaw the construction of Fort Osage, named for the neighboring Osage tribe. The Fort served as an outpost for the military, a major trading post, and a staging point for settlers venturing westward until 1827.
Fort Mandan was the site of the expedition's first winter camp. They stayed for five months, often visited by neighboring Mandan and Hidatsa tribes. It was here that Lewis and Clark met Charbonneau, a Frenchman who lived with the Hidatsa and had two Shoshone wives. Charbonneau joined the expedition as translator and his wife, Sacagawea, also agreed to come as a guide. During the winter, Sacagawea gave birth to her first child, Jean Baptiste. It was from this camp that the explorers also sent the keelboat and several expedition members back down the river.
At this site in Nebraska, the expedition held its first council with Native Americans, a critical encounter with members of the Otto and Missouri tribes. Lewis and Clark knew that much depended on the outcome of this meeting. If it went well, news would travel quickly and the expedition was likely to be welcomed and assisted by other tribes met along the way. If the council went badly, the expedition most likely would not have support from the Native American population, and might have to face the journey without their aid and vast knowledge.
The Columbia River presented special challenges to the expedition, not the least of which was a very narrow gorge and extremely dangerous rapids. Without faltering, the men negotiated canoes and cargo through the gorge and chaotic rapids beyond without a major mishap. Afterwards, they enjoyed a few days of relatively tranquil travel on the river before encountering more rapids along the Cascades portion of the Columbia. Gear and supplies were portaged across this section, but the canoes and their occupants were sent racing down the river. They emerged from the foaming water unharmed.
After a journey of more than 2,000 miles, the Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean. It must have been a thrilling moment. Yet Lewis and Clark reportedly dubbed the nearby cape "disappointment" in light of the fact that they had hoped there might be ships waiting that would spare them the long return journey.
Finding good timber along the Clearwater River, the expedition camped at this location for several days, building dugout canoes and preparing for the downstream journey. Traveling downstream promised to be a luxury after paddling up the entire length of the Missouri. This stopover allowed members of the expedition to recover from hardships they had experienced while crossing the Rockies. However, too much food and an abrupt change in diet (from red meat to salmon and roots) made several members ill. Lewis was especially sick, and not until October 4 was he able to "walk about a little."