Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Celebrating The Corps of Discovery Expedition Bicentennial

Originally Published June 12, 2003

The Expedition's Journey Continues:

Along the trail home, provisions are sometimes supplemented by game for the human members of the expedition and grass for the horses. Other times, food is scarce for everyone.

We had some little difficulty in collecting our horses this morning; they had straggled off to a greater distance than usual. It rained very hard in the morning, and after collecting our horses we waited an hour for it to abate; but, as it had every appearance of a settled rain, we set out at 10 A.M. We passed a little prairie at the distance of 8 1/2 miles to which we had previously sent R. Fields and Willard. We found two deer which they had killed and hung up. At the distance of 2 1/2 miles further we arrived at Collins's Creek, where we found our hunters. They had killed another deer and had seen two large bear together--the one black, and the other white. We halted at the creek, dined, and grazed our horses. Captain Lewis, 15 June 1806

Here the journey takes an abrupt departure from the normal course: they turn back and retrace their way rather than jeopardize the entire venture. It's a hard decision but may be a wise one.

The difficulty we met with from the fallen timber detained us until 11 o'clock before we reached this place. Here is a handsome little glade, in which we found some grass for our horses. We therefore halted to let them graze and took dinner, knowing that there was no other convenient situation for that purpose short of the glades on Hungry Creek, where we intended to encamp as the last probable place at which we shall find a sufficient quantity of grass for many days. This morning Windsor busted [sic] his rifle near the muzzle.

Before we reached this little branch on which we dined, we saw in the hollows and N. hillsides large quantities of snow yet undissolved. In some places it was from two to three feet deep. The snow has increased in quantity so much that the greater part of our route this evening was over the snow, which has become sufficiently firm to bear our horses; otherwise it would have been impossible for us to proceed, as it lay in immense masses, in some places 8 or ten feet deep. We found much difficulty in pursuing the road, as it was so frequently covered with snow.

The air was cold. My hands and feet were benumbed. We knew that it would require five days to reach the fish weirs at the entrance of Colt Creek, provided we were so fortunate as to be enabled to follow the proper ridges of the mountains to lead us to that place. Of this, Drouilliard, our principal dependence as a woodman and guide, was entirely doubtful.

Short of that point we could not hope for any food for our horses, not even underwood itself, as the whole was covered many feet deep in snow. If we proceeded and should get bewildered in these mountains, the certainty was that we should lose all our horses and consequently our baggage, instruments, perhaps our papers, and thus eminently risk the loss of the discoveries which we had already made if we should be so fortunate as to escape with life. The snow bore our horses very well and the traveling was therefore infinitely better than the obstruction of rocks and fallen timber which we met with in our passage over, last fall, when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached spots only.

Under these circumstances we conceived it madness in this stage of the expedition to proceed without a guide who could certainly conduct us to the fish weirs on the Kooskooskee (Traveler's Creek Rest), as our horses could not possibly sustain a journey of more than five days without food. We therefore came to the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet strong and in good order and endeavor to keep them so, until we could procure an Indian to conduct us over the snowy mountains; and again to proceed as soon as we could procure such a guide, knowing from the appearance of the snow that, if we remained until it had dissolved sufficiently for us to follow the road, we should not be enabled to return to the United States within this season.

Having come to this resolution, we ordered the party to make a deposit for all the baggage which we had not immediate use for and also all the roots and bread of cows which they had, except an allowance for a few days to enable them to return to some place at which we could subsist by hunting until we procured a guide. We left our instruments, papers, etc., believing them safer here than to risk them on horseback over the roads and creeks which we had passed.

Our baggage being laid on scaffolds and well covered, we began our retrograde march at 1 P.M., having remained about 3 hours on this snowy mountain. We returned by the route we had come to Hungry Creek, which we ascended about 2 miles, and encamped. We had here more grass for our horses than the preceding evening, yet it was but scant. The party were a good deal dejected, though not as much so as I had apprehended they would have been. This is the first time since we have been on this long tour that we have ever been compelled to retreat or make a retrograde march. It rained on us most of this evening. Captain Lewis, 16 June 1806

As I write this tonight, I compare the different ways similar circumstances can affect us all. What for the Corps must have been an unwelcome rainfall will be greeted with joy here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. We've had unusually hot conditions and no rain for days. If tonight's forecasted weather holds true, the coming rain will be much more welcome than that which dampened the expedition's flagging spirits. 

Go to our Corps of Discovery Expedition Bicentennial Index page to see all links in this series. Or click here to go directly to the next installment of our journey.

Bringing history alive: What's for dinner (and lunch and breakfast)? (Not an exhibit, just an accumulation of facts)
Consider, if you will, the logistics of providing adequate sustenance to the entire Expedition. These people were not couch potatoes. They put forth every ounce of strength possible just staying alive during this journey. The entire expedition numbered 38 enlisted men, the 2 captains and some French boatmen began the trip. Some of the enlisted were to be sent back after the winter with journals and specimen taken to that point. These were the "return party." Everyone else would stick with it until the end, called the "permanent party:" 2 captains, 3 sergeants, 23 privates and 5 civilians. Toussiant, Sacagawea and their son Jean Baptiste dropped out when the party reached their home. Every person survived, save Sergeant Charles Floyd, who died from an infection contracted during a ruptured appendix.
There were seven tons of food in the beginning when the first steps were taken. Added to this massive amount of stores were game and wild greens. The hunting prowess of the crew was counted on for the rest of the nutritional needs. Each man was portioned 9 pounds of meat per day (when they could get it). According to Captain Clark, necessary food for 24 hours for the whole party were 4 deer, or an elk and a deer, or one buffalo. Also stored were 193 pounds of 'portable soup' as emergency rations. The recipe for this soup was simple: boil broth down to gelatinous consistency, dry it further until it was hard and desiccated. Not tasty but better than starving. Raymond Darwin Burroughs gave this accounting of game killed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the start of May 14, 1804 to September 24, 1806. Deer (all species) 1,001 Elk 375 Bison 227 Antelope 62 Big Horn Sheep 35 Grizzly Bear 43 Black Bear 23 Beaver(shot and trapped) 113 Otter 16 Goose and Brant 104 Ducks and Coots 45 Grouse (all species) 46 Turkeys 9 Plovers 48 Wolves (only 1 eaten) 18 (shot) Dogs(bought and eaten from Indians) 109 Horses 12 Miscellaneous other animals were caught and devoured by the Corps such as hawk, coyote, fox, crow, eagle, gopher, muskrat, seal, whale blubber, turtle, mussels, crab, salmon, and trout. The menu was rounded out with varieties of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, seeds, and nuts that were found to be edible. All of this is detailed in the Journals. Contributions of different kinds were secured from the native peoples: Mandan tribe of North Dakota Corn, squash, and beans Chinooks living along Washington’s Columbia River Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia) Clastops from the Oregon coast Elk, Wild Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza lepidota), and berries Shoshone tribesmen from what is now Idaho and Montana Antelope and the first taste of salmon Chopunnish (Idaho and Washington) section of the Nez Perce tribe, who ranged over Idaho, Washington and Oregon Dog as well as edible roots The Corps were most inventive, creating techniques to enhance their lives and to utilize as much of every item as possible. At Fort Clatsop, they figured out how to extract salt from sea water. The resulting salt was used as flavoring and for curing and preserving meat. Nonetheless, many nights the men went to sleep hungry. Hunting was not foolproof, game was sometimes better at hiding than the men were at finding. Rain and hot weather spoiled perishables and even their clothing rotted right off their backs. Small wonder the journals many times reflected the low spirits that were prevalent. Clark wrote on September 11, 1804: "he had been 12 days without any thing to eat but grapes & one rabbit, which he killed by shooting a piece of hard Stick in place of a ball…Thus a man had like to have starved to death in a land of plenty for the want of Bulits or something to kill his meat." Another example of their engenuity, this recipe from The Lewis & Clark Cookbook: Historic Recipes from the Corps of Discoveryand Jefferson's America (Lewis & Clark Expedition) by Leslie Mansfield, an official cookbook for the National Council Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. Home Corned Beef Fresh meat generally spoils after a few days without refrigeration or some kind of preservation. However meat laid in a salt brine for several weeks can be stored much longer. This process, known as corning, allowed members of the Corps of Discovery, to maintain a supply of edible meat throughout the cold months of winter. 4 quarts warm water 2 cups kosher salt ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons pickling spice 1 teaspoon salt peter (optional) 5 pounds fresh beef brisket 2 onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 6 whole cloves In a large non-reactive pot, whisk together the warm water, salt, sugar, pickling spice, and salt peter (if used) until the salt has dissolved. Place the brisket in the brine and weigh down with a plate. The beef must be completely submerged at all time. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 3 weeks. Turn the brisket every 5 days. After 3 weeks remove the brisket from the brine and rinse well. Discard the brine. The corned beef is now ready to be cooked. Remove the corned beef from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Place the corned beef in a large pot and barely cover with water. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 2 ½ hours, or until very tender. To serve, slice the meat across the grain. Serves 8 to 10 From www.lewisandclarktrail.com/hunting.htm