out, under President
Jefferson's administration, to explore the vast, mysterious, undefined
realms which the government had purchased. In the month of May, 1804,
the expedition, in birch canoes, commenced the ascent of the Missouri
river.

They knew not whence its source, what its length or the number of its
tributaries, through what regions of fertility or barrenness it flowed,
or what the character of the nations who might inhabit its banks.
Paddling up the rapid current of this flood of waters in their frail
boats, the ascent was slow. By the latter part of October they had
reached a point fifteen hundred miles above the spot where the Missouri
enters the Mississippi. Here they spent the winter with some friendly
Indians called the Mandans.

Early in April, Lewis and Clark, with thirty men in their canoes,
resumed their voyage. Their course was nearly west. In May they reached
the mouth of the Yellow Stone river, and on the 13th of June came to the
_Great Falls of the Missouri_. Here they found a series of cataracts ten
miles in length. At one spot the river plunged over a precipice
eighty-seven feet in height. Carrying their canoes around these falls,
they re-embarked, and paddled through what they called "The Gates of
the Rocky Mountains." Here for six miles they were in a narrow channel
with perpendicular walls of rock, rising on both sides to the height of
twelve hundred feet. Thus these adventurers continued their voyage till
they reached the head of navigation, three thousand miles from the mouth
of the Missouri river. Passing through the mountains they launched their
canoes on streams flowing to the west, through which they entered the
Columbia river, reaching its mouth, through a thousand perils on the
15th of November. They were now more than four thousand miles distant
from the mouth of the Missouri. Such was the breadth of the estate we
had purchased of France.

Here they passed their second winter. In the early spring they commenced
their return. When they arrived at the Falls of the Missouri they
encountered a numerous band of Indians, very bold and daring, called the
Blackfoot. These savages were astonished beyond measure, at the effect
of the rifle which could emit thunder and lightning, and a deadly though
invisible bolt. Some of the boldest endeavored to wrench the rifles from
some of the Americans. Mr. Lewis found it necessary to shoot one of them
before they would desist. The rest fled in disma