An Army in Boats
Part 3: Western waters
From this camp at the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains, they continued on horses across the Continental Divide and down the west side of the mountains to the Clearwater River. Here they left the horses in the care of friendly Nez Perce and built five canoes to make their way down the Clearwater, Snake and Columbia to the Pacific.
By October 7, 1805 the Corps of Discovery had completed the five canoes they needed to make the rest of their trip. These were different from the cottonwood dugouts they had used on the east side of the Rockies. These were made from what Clark called pine and most of the inside had been burned out rather that chopped out with an adz.
Journal records of the trip to the Pacific are filled with tales of adventures of split, sunk, banged up and broken canoes. The rivers were in low water time so many large boulders and dangerous rapids had to be overcome. But there are also reports that they repaired all of the damaged canoes.
As the Expedition spent the winter at the fort they named Fort Clatsop, they were absorbed in making salt and hunting for the food they needed to survive. There was a constant parade of Indians coming to visit and trade that took much of the group’s attention. Although the Indians’ prices were high these trading sessions often proved to be the only source of the food the Corps of Discovery needed to survive.
Basic transportation in the coastal area of the fort was by canoe. Canoes were needed to cross the numerous small streams, lakes and travel on the rivers. The Expedition canoes were in constant use by the hunters that were out daily.
As might be expected during the time at Clatsop, the journals record lost canoes, found canoes, broken or bashed in canoes, and repaired canoes. But when the time came to leave Fort Clatsop and head home, the Corps of Discovery had six canoes; this is the number the two Captains determined they needed to carry the Expedition members and their baggage. The canoes the Expedition had included the famous one that was stolen from the Indians. However, when the owner of the canoe saw it, he was pleased to take some elk skins in payment for it.
The next Spring the Expedition retraced its route east along the Columbia River and over the Rockies to Travelers Rest. The return up the Columbia from March 23 when they left Clatsop until they reached the Falls of the Columbia saw little or no transportation problems. Most efforts were overcoming the current of the river and finding enough food.
After the Expedition portaged the Falls, they would try to trade their canoes for horses. The idea was that they would go cross country to the Clearwater saving time and miles. By April 24, 1806 all the canoes were disposed of and the Corps of Discovery was traveling on horses. They would have no more canoes until they reached Camp Fortunate.
Throughout the travels down the western rivers in 1805 and back up again in 1806 many times a canoe is reported as damaged or sunk, but it is always repaired and useable again. The reader must be very careful and read ahead and backward to maintain an accurate count of the canoes. The journals of all the journalists must be referenced because the events did not necessarily include all members of the Corps at the same time. If this section of the Expedition’s travels is read like a normal book, page 1 then 2 etc., canoe count results will be impossible. They actually only lost one canoe at the Great Falls of the Columbia on 4/12/06 and one canoe they lost while hunting in the swamps etc. on 3/8/06 before leaving Fort Clatsop.
While at Camp Chopunnish on the Clearwater River waiting for the snow to melt in the Rockies, Lewis had a canoe built for local use by the hunters. Tragically, on its maiden voyage it got caught in the dangerous currents of the river and sank. Nobody, Nez Perce or Corps of Discovery, could recover the boat.
Part 3: Western waters
From this camp at the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains, they continued on horses across the Continental Divide and down the west side of the mountains to the Clearwater River. Here they left the horses in the care of friendly Nez Perce and built five canoes to make their way down the Clearwater, Snake and Columbia to the Pacific.
By October 7, 1805 the Corps of Discovery had completed the five canoes they needed to make the rest of their trip. These were different from the cottonwood dugouts they had used on the east side of the Rockies. These were made from what Clark called pine and most of the inside had been burned out rather that chopped out with an adz.
Journal records of the trip to the Pacific are filled with tales of adventures of split, sunk, banged up and broken canoes. The rivers were in low water time so many large boulders and dangerous rapids had to be overcome. But there are also reports that they repaired all of the damaged canoes.
As the Expedition spent the winter at the fort they named Fort Clatsop, they were absorbed in making salt and hunting for the food they needed to survive. There was a constant parade of Indians coming to visit and trade that took much of the group’s attention. Although the Indians’ prices were high these trading sessions often proved to be the only source of the food the Corps of Discovery needed to survive.
Basic transportation in the coastal area of the fort was by canoe. Canoes were needed to cross the numerous small streams, lakes and travel on the rivers. The Expedition canoes were in constant use by the hunters that were out daily.
As might be expected during the time at Clatsop, the journals record lost canoes, found canoes, broken or bashed in canoes, and repaired canoes. But when the time came to leave Fort Clatsop and head home, the Corps of Discovery had six canoes; this is the number the two Captains determined they needed to carry the Expedition members and their baggage. The canoes the Expedition had included the famous one that was stolen from the Indians. However, when the owner of the canoe saw it, he was pleased to take some elk skins in payment for it.
The next Spring the Expedition retraced its route east along the Columbia River and over the Rockies to Travelers Rest. The return up the Columbia from March 23 when they left Clatsop until they reached the Falls of the Columbia saw little or no transportation problems. Most efforts were overcoming the current of the river and finding enough food.
After the Expedition portaged the Falls, they would try to trade their canoes for horses. The idea was that they would go cross country to the Clearwater saving time and miles. By April 24, 1806 all the canoes were disposed of and the Corps of Discovery was traveling on horses. They would have no more canoes until they reached Camp Fortunate.
Throughout the travels down the western rivers in 1805 and back up again in 1806 many times a canoe is reported as damaged or sunk, but it is always repaired and useable again. The reader must be very careful and read ahead and backward to maintain an accurate count of the canoes. The journals of all the journalists must be referenced because the events did not necessarily include all members of the Corps at the same time. If this section of the Expedition’s travels is read like a normal book, page 1 then 2 etc., canoe count results will be impossible. They actually only lost one canoe at the Great Falls of the Columbia on 4/12/06 and one canoe they lost while hunting in the swamps etc. on 3/8/06 before leaving Fort Clatsop.
While at Camp Chopunnish on the Clearwater River waiting for the snow to melt in the Rockies, Lewis had a canoe built for local use by the hunters. Tragically, on its maiden voyage it got caught in the dangerous currents of the river and sank. Nobody, Nez Perce or Corps of Discovery, could recover the boat.
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