First Across the Continent: The Story of the Exploring Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6Brooks, Noah
History
First Across the Continent: The Story of the Exploring Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6
Brooks, Noah
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806); United States -- Discovery and exploration; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
“Fortunately for us, the tide did not rise as high as our camp during
the night; but being accompanied by high winds from the south, the
canoes, which we could not place beyond its reach, were filled with
water, and were saved with much difficulty. Our position was very
uncomfortable, but as it was impossible to move from it, we waited for a
change of weather. It rained, however, during the whole day, and at two
o’clock in the afternoon the flood tide set in, accompanied by a high
wind from the south, which, about four o’clock, shifted to the southwest
and blew almost a gale directly from the sea. The immense waves now
broke over the place where we were camped; the large trees, some of them
five or six feet thick, which had lodged at the point, were drifted over
our camp, and the utmost vigilance of every man could scarcely save
our canoes from being crushed to pieces. We remained in the water, and
drenched with rain, during the rest of the day, our only food being
some dried fish and some rain-water which we caught. Yet, though wet
and cold, and some of them sick from using salt water, the men were
cheerful, and full of anxiety to see more of the ocean. The rain
continued all night.”
This was the beginning of troubles. Next day, the wind having lulled,
the party set forth again, only to be beaten back and compelled to take
to the shore again. This was their experience for several days. For
example, under date of the eleventh the journal says:--
“The wind was still high from the southwest, and drove the waves against
the shore with great fury; the rain too fell in torrents, and not only
drenched us to the skin, but loosened the stones on the hillsides,
which then came rolling down upon us. In this comfortless situation we
remained all day, wet, cold, with nothing but dried fish to satisfy our
hunger; the canoes in one place at the mercy of the waves, the baggage
in another, and all the men scattered on floating logs, or sheltering
themselves in the crevices of the rocks and hillsides. A hunter was
despatched in hopes of finding some fresh meat; but the hills were so
steep, and so covered with undergrowth and fallen timber, that he could
not penetrate them, and he was forced to return.”
And this is the record for the next day:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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