Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-07-27
LEWIS AT GATES
OF MOUNTAINS
INTREPID EXPLORERS JOURNAL
DESCRIBES DISCOVERY OF lS5
YEARS AGO

One hundred and thirty-five
years ago, July l9, 1895, Captain
Meriwether Lewis with q small
party discovered, passed through
and named the Gates Of the Noun
tatns one OF MEontana's show
places, which Is attracting tourists
IN large numbers I'm search Of un-
usual scenery. That the intrepid
Captain Lewis was as deenIy fua-
pressed with the scenery as are the
modern day tourists who travel In
ease and comfort through the pas
sage Of the gates which passage
by the explorer nearly a century
AND quarter ago was fraught
with dangers, Is revealed In the
Journal kept by the captain and
In which the naming OF 1.-THE Gates
OF she Rocky Mountains" Is ehron-
Icled.
Captain Lewis interesting account
as taken from the original journals OF
the Lewis and Clark expedition, pub
ltshed by Dodd. Mead & Co. Is re-
produced here, the spelling, punctli-
alton and capitalization being that Of
the explorers original manuscript:
Friday. July 19th, 1906.
THE Musquetoes are very trouble
some 70 us as usual This morning
we set out early and proceeded on
very wei tho the water appears TO
encreaSe in velocity as we advance.
the current has been strong all day
and DISTRACTED with some rapids, tho
these are but little broken by rocks
and are perfectly safe, the river deep
and from 100 to $50 yds. wide. / walked
along shore today and killed an Ante
lope. wherever we get a view Of the
lofty SUBMITS Of the mountains the
snow presents itself, altho' we are al
most suffocated In this confined valley
with heat, the pine cedar and balsunn
tir grow on the mountains in irregular
aSSemblageS or spots mostly high I'D
on their sides and SUBMITS. this eve
ming we entered much Of the most
remarkable cliffs that we have yet
seen. these cliffs rise from the waters
edge on either side perpendicularly TO
the hight OF 1900 feet every object
here wears dark and gloomy aspect.
the towering and projecting rocks In
many places seem ready to have forced
It's way through this immense body
Of solid rock for the distance OF So
miles and where It makes it's exit be-
low has thrown on either side vast
columns OF rocks mountains high. the
river appears TO have worn a passage
Just the width OF It's channel or $50
ydS. 1t is deep from side TO side nor
Is there in the LIST 3 miles Of this
distance a spot except one Of a few
yards in extent on which a man could
rest the soal OF his foot several fine
springs burst out at the waters edge
rom the interstitces OF the rocks. IL
happens fortunately that altho' the
current Is strong It Is not so much so
1ut what It may be overcome with
he oars for there Is hear no possibility
II using either the cord or Setting
)ole. 1t was late in the evening before
entered this place and was obliged
o continue my rout until sometime
Ifter dark before / found q place suf-
icientsv large TO encamp my small
,arty; at length such an one occurred
N the lard side where we found plen-
y Of lightwood and pich pine. this
ock Is a black granite below and
appears to be Of much lighter colour
Ibove and from the fragments take
I TO be flint Of yellowish brown and
Ight cream-coloned yellow from the
ingular appearance OF this place
allied it the gates Of the rocky noun
aims"