Hello and welcome to a history of the United States.

Episode 203, Lewis and Clark, Part 3. Last time out, we took the Lewis

and Clark expedition from May to September 1804, covering the journey from the Mississippi River

in Illinois into South Dakota as they worked their way up the Missouri, just passing the White River. Let's get

straight into things, shall we? We'll begin with a bit of scene setting. After hearing a lot

from Clark last time out, this is an excerpt of Lewis's diary from the 15th of September.

Quote, Before sunrise, I set out with six of my best hunters,

two of whom I dispatched to the lower side of the Corvus Creek, two with orders to hunt

the bottoms and woodland to the river, while I retained two others to accompany me in the

intermediate country.

One quarter of a mile in rear of our camp, which was situated in a fine open grove of cottonwood,

past a grove of plum trees, loaded with fruit and now ripe,

observed but little difference between this fruit and that of a similar kind,

common the Atlantic states. The trees are smaller and more thickly set. This forest of plum trees

garnish a plane about 20 feet more elevated than that on which we were encamped. This plane extends with the same

breadth from the creek below to the distance of near three miles above parallel with the river.

And it is entirely occupied by the burrows of the barking squirrel, prairie dog, hitherto described.

This animal appears here in infinite numbers, and the shortness and verdue of grass gave the

plain the apparent throughout its whole extent of beautiful bowling green in fine order. Its aspect is southeast. A great number of

walls of the small kind, hawks and some pole cats were to be seen. I presume that those animals feed

upon this squirrel. Found the country in every direction for about three miles

intersected with deep ravines and irregular hills of 100 to 200 feet high. At the top of this hills,

...