“As the expedition had been long Since given out by the people of the U.S. Generly and almost forgotton, the St Louisians were much astonished.”

The expedition had accomplished its primary objectives: they had crossed the continent, mapped the route, documented hundreds of species new to Western science, established relations with dozens of Native nations, and returned with only one casualty (Sergeant Floyd, from natural causes).

Clark wrote to his brother: “We have returned, we bring with us considerable information relative to the Country through which we passed.” It was perhaps the greatest understatement in the history of American exploration.

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“I offered to take his little Son a butifull promising Child who is 19 months old.”

Charbonneau was paid $500.33 and given a horse. Sacagawea received nothing from the government for her services — a fact that has troubled historians and advocates ever since. Clark settled Charbonneau’s account, noting his services as interpreter.

Clark’s offer to educate Jean Baptiste would eventually be accepted. The boy was sent to Clark in St. Louis around 1809 and received a formal education. He later traveled to Europe and became a notable frontier figure, linguist, and mountain man.

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“This rock I shall call Pompy’s Tower, after the young Shoshone boy. I marked my name and the day of the month & year.”

Clark’s inscription — “Wm Clark July 25 1806” — remains visible today and is the only physical evidence of the expedition still in its original location along the trail. The site is now Pompeys Pillar National Monument, managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Clark described the pillar as 200 feet high and 400 paces in circumference, with “a most extensive view in every direction” from its summit.

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“She observed that She had traveled a long way with us to See the great waters, and that now that monstrous fish was also to be Seen, She thought it very hard that She Should not be permitted to See either.”

Clark allowed her to join the party. They crossed Tillamook Head and found the skeleton of a whale about 105 feet long on the beach near Ecola Creek. They managed to purchase about 300 pounds of blubber and several gallons of whale oil from the Tillamook people — a welcome addition to their monotonous diet of elk and fish.

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“Janey in favour of a place where there is plenty of Potas [wapato roots]. York: in favour of crossing the river.”

This vote is historically significant: it took place more than 60 years before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and more than a century before women or African Americans gained the right to vote nationally. That the captains valued every person’s input reflects both practical necessity and the egalitarian bonds forged by shared hardship.

The majority voted to cross to the south bank of the Columbia to investigate a site recommended by the local Clatsop people. This became the location of Fort Clatsop, their winter home.

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“Great joy in camp. We are in View of the Ocian, this great Pacific Octean which we been So long anxious to See, and the roreing or noise made by the waves brakeing on the rockey Shores may be heard distictly.”

After 18 months and over 4,100 miles of travel, the Corps of Discovery had accomplished the primary goal of the expedition — reaching the Pacific coast by an overland route. The moment was tempered, however, by the fact that they still had to find a suitable winter campsite and eventually make the entire return journey.

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“We arrived at the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the N.W.”

Clark estimated the Columbia to be about 960 yards wide at this point. Hundreds of Native people from the Yakama, Wanapum, and other plateau nations gathered to observe the expedition. The explorers noted enormous quantities of dried salmon at the riverside camps — evidence of the river’s legendary fish runs.

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“The Plains appeared covered with Spectators viewing the white men.”

The Nez Perce, led by Chief Twisted Hair, provided food — dried salmon and camas roots — though the sudden change in diet made many of the men violently ill. Nez Perce oral tradition records that a woman named Watkuweis, who had previously been treated kindly by Euro-Americans, urged her people not to harm the strangers.

The Nez Perce would become some of the expedition’s most important allies, caring for their horses while the Corps descended the Columbia by canoe and welcoming them warmly on the return journey.

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“I have been wet and as cold in every part as I ever was in my life. Indeed I was at one time fearfull my feet would freeze in the thin Mockersons which I wore.”

The expedition was reduced to eating candles, portable soup (a concentrated meat broth), and eventually slaughtering some of their pack horses. Game was virtually nonexistent in the high mountains. Several men became too sick and exhausted to travel. This 11-day ordeal through the Bitterroots was the closest the expedition came to complete failure.

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“Those people received us friendly, threw white robes over our Shoulders and smoked in the pipes of peace.”

The Salish generously traded horses with the expedition and shared information about the route ahead through the Bitterroot Mountains. Private Joseph Whitehouse noted that their language contained sounds “as if they had an Impediment in their Speech or a brogue on their Tongue.”

The Salish oral tradition preserves their own account of this encounter — they had never before seen Euro-Americans and were fascinated by the strangers’ appearance and trade goods.

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