The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-08-02
Lewis and Clark
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1906
Copyright 1945 by
Walter Meachan
CHATTER 5

4
and his Shoshone Indian wife
Sacajawea, were hired to act as
guides and interpreters when the
expedition started on its way il
the spring.
Clark's red hair excited wonder
and the attention of the Indians
and won for him special regard
His Negro servant, York, was also
the subject of great curiosity. The
Indians thought that the blacl,
would rub off, but found that il
was there to stay. His short
wooley hair also caused much
wonder. York was a great favorite
among the Indians, especially
among the women, who showered
him with favors.
The two captains had supplied
themselves with homely remedies
and surgical appliances, which
proved valuable on many coca.
sions to themselves and their Ind.
ian friends. Members of the
party suffered from many disord.
ers during the journey, but they
always recovered on account of
or in spite of, their remedies
Lewis and Clark and several Of
the men kept journals Of the expe.
dition, which are now valuable
chapters of American history. Or
February S, 1905, preparation.
were begun for the resumption Of
the long, hard journey to the Pa.
cific coast. Sacajewa, the little
! Shoshone woman gave birth to q
son, which she named Baptiste
When the expedition was all
ready to embark, early in April
a barge loaded with specimens
OF mineral, plant and animal life,
destined for the United States
government, was launched under
command Of Corporal Richard
Warrington, with Joseph Crave
line as pilot. Six soldiers, four
French trappers and a Ricara
Indian made up the balance OF
the party. AS they padded down
the river, they stopped at Ricara
village, where Anthony Tabeau
and four men joined them and
continued with them as far as st,
Louis, which they reached with
out misadventure. Corporal War
fington continued to Washington,
D. c., where he delivered the
specimens and dispatches entrust-
ed to his care.
At last all was ready and Lewis
and Clark with twenty-nine men
and Sacajawea, making thirty-two
In all, babe farewell to their Ind
Ian friends and embarked again
on the muddy Missouri April z,
1905. Two small pirogues and six
canoes carried the party. Working
their way slowly upstream, they
passed the mouth Of the Little
Missouri river on April IL. The
mouth of the Yellowstone was
reached on the 26th, where Fort
Union was built in later years.
Here buffalo and other wild game
were found in abundance and the
explorers had their first introduc-
ton to the grizzly bear, which won
their respect and admiration for its
combative spirit and tenacity to
life. The present state of Mon
tana was entered on April q.
On May 8 they passed and named
the Milk river, a northern tribu-
tary of the Missouri, east of the
present Fort Peck and the famous
reservoir of that name.
A tributary from the south
which they named the Musselshell.
was reached on May 20. Five
days later they had their first
glimpse of the Rocky mountains,
which they were to see much of
IN the days to come. On May %
they reached fine stream flowing
into the Missouri from, the south
which Clark named Judith's river.
IN honor of a fair Virginia lass
whom he greatly admired. This
young lady was Julia Hancock.
Clark had always heard her called
JUDY, so supposed her name was
judith. However, he found out
her real name later on and they
were happily married January S,
1908.
Leaving Judith's river the party
passed through a canyon of weird,
spectacular beauty, formed of soft,
white sandstone cliffs, known to-
day as the Stone Walls. On June
s they came to the mouth of a
large river flowing into the Mis-
souri, from the north. The question
arose, which was the real Mis-
souri,? After a careful survey COW
ering several days, they decided
that the southern stream was the
real Missouri and the course for
them to follow. Here again ro-
nance crept into the scene, and
Lewis named the stream Maria's
river, in honor of Miss Maria
Wood of Virginia, a cousin Of
Captain Lewis.
At the fork of the Missouri and
Maria's is located the present Lo-
ma, Montana. Here they scached1
some of their goods, in order to
tighten their loads and to have
as reserve on the return Jour.
~o1, A e<roov,n Hnuyiv,o into N6o,:oS.