Across the Mountains to the Sea

On August 30, 1805,  Lewis and Clark set out northward once more to find the waterway to the Pacific, using pack horses obtained from the Shoshone. They went through narrow, rocky crevices where both men and horses struggled constantly - up 7500 feet on ridges in snow, hail, sleet, rain and hunger.  There was not a single game to be found.

After 10 days they emerged in a valley - the home of the Flathead Indians.  The Indians were friendly and helped guide the explorers to a westward flowing river, the Clearwater River, navigable but difficult.

Lewis and Clark set out on October 7 and three days later they ran into dangerous rapids on the Snake River. The peril of the river seemed far more expedient than the prospect of winter spent in the mountains!

On October 16, the Snake River took them to the Columbia, the legendary river of Oregon Territory.  This was their main objective of the whole expedition but they were too exhausted to celebrate - actually they barely noticed it!  Ahead lay more days of running rapids and a final journey around the upper and lower Cascade Mountains.  Add bouts of seasickness to it...all in all a really fun journey! :)

Next time...Eureka! The Pacific
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On This Day in Pioneer History: "On December 21, 1968, Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon, is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, Jr., and William Anders aboard. On Christmas Eve, the astronauts entered into orbit around the moon, the first manned spacecraft ever to do so.

Sacajawea Quells Trouble

On April 7, 1805, the Corps of Discovery set out downstream on the Missouri River with reports and collections of natural specimens for the President. Part of the group went west in the canoes.  By June they reached the Great Falls of Missouri, beyond which lay 18 miles of white water rapids. To by-pass the rapids they had to make a 25 day journey over land in gale force winds and unseasonably hot, burning sun.  A month later when they reached the foothills of the Rockies, the Missouri had become a mountain stream.

Sacajawea was near home country now, and pointed out landmarks to the expedition party.  Lewis led a party following an Indian trail through the Beaverhead Range across the Continental Divide at the Lemhi Pass.  There they met a Shoshone hunting band.  The Shoshone were edgy and confrontational until Sacajawea appeared.  The leader just happened to be her brother - and shouts of joy at their reunion calmed the tension.  What luck :)

The Indians became delighted with the white men and anxious to offer their support (firearms) against the Blackfoot.  The Shoshone described the mountains ahead as impassable for the Corps, but they could not be dissuaded.  The river to the Pacific that they were searching for was no where nearby.  Instead the trip west would be rugged mountain travel before even a navigable river could even be found.

Next time...Through the mountains to the sea
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On December 17, 1843, Charles Dickens’ classic story “A Christmas Carol” is published. Dickens was born in 1812 and attended school in Portsmouth. His father, a clerk in the navy pay office, was thrown into debtors’ prison in 1824, and 12-year-old Charles was sent to work in a factory. The miserable treatment of children and the institution of the debtors’ jail became topics of several of Dickens’ novels.

In the End They Lost it All...

By this time it isn't hard to figure out that the Sioux Nation wasn't too happy.  Leaders like Red Cloud, Spotted Tail and Little Big Man were legendary in their attempts to negotiate with the US Government to the stop the destruction of their sacred lands.

They were unsuccessful and headed to the West River country to gather for council warfare against Custer and the Calvary.

Scouts for Custer were considered enemies of the Sioux, Shoshone and Crow, some 300 in all.  General Crook (great name for this :) who was to guard the French Creek diggings from prospectors, was treated to a war dance by the Shoshone.

The Sioux Confederacy collapsed  and Crazy Horse, the greatest of the Sioux warriors, surrenders to Crook (you have to appreciate the irony) in May 1877. Crazy Horse was killed shortly thereafter in a riot at Fort Robinson due to a "misunderstanding".  His grave is said to represent the lowest of the Sioux history.

Next time...did it really make a difference?