The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-10-04
Copyright 1915 BY
Walter Meacham

NOQyI1&u6 x03C Oy
Walter Meacham
CHAPTER IS
Captain Lewis Has Scrap With
1linA3l1oos
After leaving the main party,
Captain Lewis and his men pro-
ceeded north, passing the present
Missoula, Montana, on Hellgate
river, now Clark's Fork. Here
they staged the second Fourth Of
July observance In the state Of
Montana. Their route led up the
Big Blaclkfoot river, called by the
Indians Caka-lah-ish-kit River Of
the Road to the Buffalo). They
followed up this river northeast
and, on July Z, 1906 passed over
the Rockies through an easy pass
Lewis and Clark pass) and on
to the headwaters Of the Dear
born river, q tributary Of the
Missouri. Continuing northeast,
they camped that night on the
Medicine Sun) river. The Mis-
souri, was reached on July II and
was crossed the following day,
where camp was made at White
Bear islands..
After several days spent around
the Great Falls, Captain Lewis,
with Drewyer, Reuben and Jo-
seph Fields, three Of his most de-
pendable men, cut across country
and crossed the Tansy CTetoO Tiv.
or, reaching Maria's river on July
Is. The northern limits Of the
river were reached four days LATER.
After they had turned and were
headed south, they ran onto q par.
ty Of eight Miniatures. This was
q very unwelcome surprise, but
the men made the best Of It camp
ing with the Indians that night
Early in the morning the saw
ages tried to steal the white mems
guns and run off their horses. i
was q desperate situation. and re-
quired drastic action. Reuben
Fields stabbed one Indian TO the
heart and Captain Lewis shot and
killed another.
A shot fired by the stricken In
dian grazed Captain Lewis head.
This was their first and only fight
with the Indians. In their hurry
to get away, the natives left sew
eral horses, a gun and some bows
and arrows. They were probably
as anxious to get away from the
locality as Captain Lewis was.
Lewis lost no time in departing
from the scene, for he feared that
the Indians would soon be on his
trail with q large number Of war
riors bent on avenging the deaths
Of their comrades. Lewis rode
with little rest to the mouth Of
Maria's river, where, to his JOY
he found Sergeants Gass and Ord
way and their men. They then
built canoes and proceeded down
the river to meet Captain Clark's
party at the mouth Of the Yellow
stone. On August IL, Captain
Lewis was shot accidentally in the
left thigh by Cruzatt, while out
hunting. Cruzatt had but one eye
and that was not q very reliable
one. The wound, was serious
enough to lay the captain up for
some time.
After Captain Lewis had depart
ed on his mission, Captain Clark
and his party with fifty horses,
followed up the west bank Of the
Bitterroot, past the sites of future
Florence, Victor, Hamilton and
Darby. He crossed the west fork
above Conner, thence to and ac-
ross the east fork of the Bitter
root. Multiple crossings Of streams
were often difficult and the bag
gage was frequently wet. They
did not forget the Fourth of July,
but had no means of celebrating
It.
A Flathead trail was followed
up a gentle slope across the Rock
les. On July 8 the forks of the
Jefferson were reached near the
present Armstead. On their jour-
ney to the west they had made
a cache here Of some Of their
goods. The men eagerly uncov-
cred it in search Of chewing to-
bacco, luxury, or was it nee
essity, they had been deprived OF
for some time. Five days later
they were at the three forks Of the
Missouri. There Sergeant Ordway
and nine men took to the canoes
and started down the Missouri
to meet Captain Lewis at the
Great Falls.
Captain Clark and party, now
reduced to thirteen, proceeded
eastward and camped on the fu-
ture site Of Logan. Following q
buffalo road, they passed through
an easy gap in the mountains
Bozeman pass) between the Yell
and Gallatin rivers. The
route passed the future site Of
Bozeman, striking the Yellowstone
near the present LIVINGSTON. The
feet of their horses becoming worn
and tender, moccasins were made
Tor them out Of green buffalo