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June 13, 1805  (Arrival at the Great Falls of the Missouri)

 Lewis discovers the great falls of the Missouri: " I had proceed on this course about two miles with Goodrich at some distance behind me whin my ears were saluted with the agreeable sound of a fall of water and advancing a little further I saw the spray arrise above the plain like a collumn of smoke which soon began to make a roaring too tremendious to be mistaken for any cause short of the great falls of the Missouri. Here I arrived about 12 Oclock. From the reflection of the sum on the sprey or mist which arrises from these falls is a beautifull rainbow produced which adds not a little to the beauty of this majestically grand senery."

June 14, 1805

"This morning at sunrise I dispatched Joseph Fields with a letter to Capt. Clark and ordered him to keep sufficiently near the river to observe it's situation in order that he might be enabled to give Capt. Clark an idea of the point at which it would be best to halt to make our portage. .. about ten OClock while the men were engaged with the meat I took my Gun and espontoon and thought I would walk a few miles and see where the rappids termineated above... at the distance of about five miles I arrived at a fall of about 19 feet this pitch which I called the crooked falls* ... just above this rapid the river makes a suddon bend to the right I should have returned from hence but hearing a tremendious roaring above me I continued my rout across the point of a hill a few hundred yards further and was again presented by one of the most beatifull objects in nature, a cascade of about fifty feet** perpendicular stretching at rightangles across the river from side to side to the distance of at least a quarter mile.   I now thought that if a skillfulll painter had been asked to make a beautifull cascade that he would most probably have presented the precise image of this one.  I had scarcely infixed my eyes from this pleasing object before I discovered another fall*** above at the distance of half a mile, thus invited I did not once think of returning but hurried thither to amuse myself with this newly discovered object.   still pursuing the river with it's course passing a continued sene of rappids and small cascades, at the distance of 2 1/2 miles I arrived at another cataract of 26 feet ****.  this fall is certainly much the greatest I ever beheld except those two which I have mentioned below.  below this fall at a little distance a beatifull little island well timbered,,, in this Island on a Cottonwood tree an Eagle has placed her nest; a more inaccessable spot I beleive she could not have found; for neither man nor beast dare pass those gulphs which seperate her little domain from the shores." 

crooked falls* - Crooked Falls still bears that name

a cascade of about fifty feet** - Rainbow Falls, Lewis and Clark's "Handsom Falls", now greatly altered by Rainbow Dam

fall***- Colter Falls (now submerged)

cataract of 26 feet **** - Black Eagle Falls, just below the present town of Black Eagle, Montana.  The eagles' nest on the island below the falls, a distinguishing feature referred to by the Hidatsas in their directions to the captains, was still there in 1860.

  " the woman excessively bad this morning. Her case is somewhat dangerous. Passed the camp Capt. Lewis made the first night. At 4 o Clock this evening Jo Fields returned from Capt. Lewis with a letter for me, Capt Lewis dates his letter from the Great falls of the Missouri."  Clark

June 15, 1805

Lewis awaits Clark’s arrival at the great falls of the Missouri: " proceeded on with great dificuelty as the river is more rapid we can hear the falls this morning verry distinctly. The current excessively rapid and dificuelt to assend. The men in the water from morning untill night hauling the cord & boats walking on sharp rocks and round sliperery stones."

June 16, 1805

The group is reunited near the great falls of the Missouri. The Captains turn their attention to Sacagawea: " I reached the camp found the woman extreemly ill and much reduced by her indisposition. This gave me concern as well for the poor object herself, then with a young child in her arms… I found that two dozes of barks and opium which I had given her since my arrival had produced an alteration in her pulse for the better; I caused her to drink the mineral water altogether."  Lewis

June 17, 1805

The men begin to build transporting vehicles to maneuver around the great falls of the Missouri. Sacagawea is recovering: " I set six men at work to prepare four sets of truck wheels with couplings, toungs and bodies, that they might either be used without the bodies for transporting our canoes, or with them in transporting our baggage. The woman much better today."  Lewis