Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-05-04
LEWIS And CLARK.
Northern Pacific Puts the History Of
Their Expedition in Handy
Form.
Summary of the Exploration of These
Men in this Years Wonder
land.

The Northern Pacific railway has
done its patrons and the public a great
service in %collating and putting in such
accessible form the history Of the
Lewis & Clark explorations. The de-
tails Of that noteworthy event can
never lose interest to those who have
visited some of the historic places.
The expedition assembled the Missouri
river from its mouth, through a Wild
erness given over to fur traders, to the
buffalo and other wild beasts, and to
Indians whose disposition and intents
were always uncertain. October u,
1904, the little party of some - men
IN three boats-one large batteau and
two smaller boats-passed the mouth
OF the Heart river lear where Mandan
and Bismarck now stand and came to
a landing for the winter about sixty
miles north. at Fort Mandan. near the
Knife river where they built Il fort of
logs. The records OF the expedition
mention the bluff of coal there to be
seen. There were then a number of
Mandan Indian villages neal the fort.
Two years. later. when returning from
the Pacific ocean,, the stakes of the
fort were alone to be seen. In April,
1900. the expedition again started up
the Missouri TO traverse wilds never
visited by white men. Ten of the
party returned to st. Louis in the bat
teau, with specimens and curios COL
lected during the winter. On April
IL, the journal Of the expedition re-
ports seeing large tlocks Of swan and
geese and that the latter nested in the
tops Of trees.
After leaving the Mandans the OK
plorerS, although in Indian country,
never saw an Indian until they reached
the continental divide near the head
waters of the Columbia river. April
!G the Yellowstone river was passed.
and on June Ii. Great Falls of the
Missouri reached. TO cure the dvs-
EMERY Captain Lewis, in absence of
other remedies, took choke cherry
twigs, boiled them making a strong
decoction Of a bitter taste which he
drank with successful results. They
made a portage around the various
falls. Captain Lewis wrote an ex-
ceedingly accurate description of them,
mentioning an eagle and it's nest. In
1860 Capt. Reynolds, a government
az AS1CtS " IllC SdlIAt lttSl III IL
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
Lewis. In 1872 Capt. Roberts also
refers to seeing the same nest and
bird in the same place, and ventures
the same suggestion about the identit,
of the bird with that first seen by the
explorer. The island and nest have
now vanished and a dam and smeltel
take their places.
At this point Capt. Lewis had ar
encounter with a bear which chased
him into the river. A terrible hal
storm and a cloud burst are also re.
ported at this place.
The expedition had as Interpreter
Chadboneau, a Mandan. who with hi:
squaw, a captive from the S]hoshones
followed the party. The squav
proved of great assistance in man,
times of danger and on the return O.
the expedition her services were men.
toned by the explorers with graft
tude.
The accuracy of the descriptions O.
scenes by Lewis & Clark has been YER
fled by the author of the review fol
Wonderland. He followed part of the
old trial which still exists, in places
and visited many of the most import.
ant points. At Great Falls there have
been scarcely any changes. At ole
FIT. Mandan nearly every land marx
has been washed away by the devour
ing waters. The entrance to the
mountains so graphically described b!
the explorers is still the subject O.
wonder from all who traverse tn.
stream and the mysterious explosion:
heard in the mountains are, it is said
occasionally heard today.