Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1900-04-26

QcCOCUlOn OF u D]UUcf UdSCc WlllCIl uc
drank with successful results. They
made portage around the various
falls. Capt. Lewis wrote an exceed
ingly accurate description of them,
mentioning an eagle and it's nest. In
1860 Capt. Reynolds, government
engineer refers to the same nest in a
cottonwood tree.on an island, in the
stream and supposes, from the known
long life Of the eagle, that it may have
been the same bird described by Lew
is. In 1872 Capt. Roberts also refers
to seeing the same nest and bird in
the same place, and ventures the same
suggestion about the identity of the
bird with that first seen by the ex-
plOrer. The island and nest have now
vanished and a dam and smelter take
their places.
At this point Capt. Lewis had an
encounter with a bear which chased
him into the river. A terrible hail
storm and cloud burst are also re-
ported at this place.
The expedition had as interpreter
Chaboneau, Mandan, who with his
squaw, a captive from the Shoshones,
followed the party. The squaw
proved of great assistance in many
times Of danger and on the return of
the expedition her services were
mentioned by the explorers with graft
tude.
The accuracy of the descriptions Of
scenes by Lewis and Clark has been
verified by the author of the review for
Wonderland. He followed part of the
old trail which still exists, in places,
and visited many of the most import
ant points. At Great Falls there
have been scarcely any changes. At
old Ft. Mandan nearly every land
mark has been washed away by the
devouring waters. The entrance to
the mountains SO graphically described
by the explorers is still the subject Of
wonder from all who traverse the
stream and the mysterious explosions
heard in the mountains are, it is said,
occasionally heard today.
Along the main stream for more
than 100 miles the Northern Pacific
rails follow the Lewis and Clark trail.
On reaching the three forks Of the
Missouri, Lewis named them, the
Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers
in honor of those American states
men. A spot,on the Jefferson where
the party camped was the place
where the wife of the interpreter had
been stolen in infancy by the Mime
tarees and sold into slavery to the
Mandans. After crossing the Con-
tenental divide on Aug. 13, the squaw
began to dance and point ahead at u
band of Indians, the first seen since
leaving TT. Mandan. In the council
which followed it turned out that the
chief was her brother and the rejOic-
ing was very great.
The Bitter Root mountains were
crossed by the Lemhi Pass, to the
head waters of the Columbia. Here
their course was stopped as neither
by canoe or horse could the party pro-
ceed and trail over the mountains
was taken with an Indian guide; and
at Ross Fork at the head Of the val
ley they first met the Flatheads who
proved friendly and serviceable then
and since. September II they
reached point II miles from Mis-
soula. In attempting to find a trail
across the maze Of tremendous
mountains, the guides lost their way,
and for days the party were in bad
straits, without food and shelter.
They killed and ate some of the pack
horses, and finally got clear of the
mountains and found help among the
Nez Perces or Pierced Nose tribe.
They were soon near Lewiston, Idaho
how a prosperous town the wealth.
eiSt for its size in the country. Out Of
this region have been taken $lO0,O0c,- =
600 in gold. Canoes were built near
the junction of the Snake and Clear
water rivers and the party Oct. !, 1905
started down the Columbia to the
ocean. In dtching for a railroad en-
bankmcnt in 1899, an Indian grave
was uncovered near the Potlach river,
and one of the Lewis and Clark medals
given an Indian chief, was found
among the relics. 1t was a medallion
of President Jefferson, on one side,
and on the other the clasped hands,
pipe and battle axe crossed with the
legend. "Peace and Friendship"
At the Great Falls OF the Columbia
they saw for the first time Mount
Hood and Mount Adams. After many
hardships and dangers Lewis and
Clark camped for the winter at a
point they named Ft. Clotson, near
the ocean and not far from Astoria.
During the winter between Dec. I,
1SOc tho - =,