Clark’s exploring party on the Yellowstone
The Yellowstone River exploration was the major activity of the entire return trip. It covered approximately 800 miles of territory the Expedition had not seen before, compared to about 120 miles for Lewis’ travels to the north. More importantly it set the stage for the era of the fur trade in Montana that quickly followed. As it turned out trappers and traders came to the Yellowstone country much sooner than the Missouri; and were much more successful.
Clark’s journal observations after he left Traveler’s Rest leave a pretty good record of his trip; particularly after he got into the previously unexplored area east of the Three Forks. When reading his daily entries, a person sees the farther down they Yellowstone they go the better understanding of the land topography, geology, and geography is developed. This land supports a particular kind of plants and animals that can survive the arid conditions of what is now eastern Montana.
Clark shows his command of journal writing with his longer and more detailed entries. He appears to understand that he is the only one keeping a written record whereas before there were as many as five others; each writing what they could about what they did and what they saw.
With that in mind it is curious to see that Clark’s explorations are less well known. Probably because the Expedition is seen more through Lewis’s eyes since he was the more polished writer (although it can be argued that Clark kept a more complete daily journal of the entire Expedition). Add to that the bulk of the exploring was done during the trip west, while the return trip is seen more as just getting back home.
It has also been suggested that the great adventure story of Lewis’ confrontation on the Two Medicine River and his flight across the prairies of central Montana to the Missouri overpower Clark’s more mundane float trip and his detailed scientific reports.
The Yellowstone River exploration was the major activity of the entire return trip. It covered approximately 800 miles of territory the Expedition had not seen before, compared to about 120 miles for Lewis’ travels to the north. More importantly it set the stage for the era of the fur trade in Montana that quickly followed. As it turned out trappers and traders came to the Yellowstone country much sooner than the Missouri; and were much more successful.
Clark’s journal observations after he left Traveler’s Rest leave a pretty good record of his trip; particularly after he got into the previously unexplored area east of the Three Forks. When reading his daily entries, a person sees the farther down they Yellowstone they go the better understanding of the land topography, geology, and geography is developed. This land supports a particular kind of plants and animals that can survive the arid conditions of what is now eastern Montana.
Clark shows his command of journal writing with his longer and more detailed entries. He appears to understand that he is the only one keeping a written record whereas before there were as many as five others; each writing what they could about what they did and what they saw.
With that in mind it is curious to see that Clark’s explorations are less well known. Probably because the Expedition is seen more through Lewis’s eyes since he was the more polished writer (although it can be argued that Clark kept a more complete daily journal of the entire Expedition). Add to that the bulk of the exploring was done during the trip west, while the return trip is seen more as just getting back home.
It has also been suggested that the great adventure story of Lewis’ confrontation on the Two Medicine River and his flight across the prairies of central Montana to the Missouri overpower Clark’s more mundane float trip and his detailed scientific reports.
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