Quotes from the Lewis and Clark Expedition

These quotes provide insight into the recorded observations of Lewis and Clark and their focus on the land.

1. Jefferson on the scarcity of trees on the prairies: “That part of Upper Louisiana which borders on North Mexico is one immense prairie. It produces nothing but grass. It is filled with buffalo, deer, and other kinds of game. The land is represented as too rich for the growth of forest trees” (“Description of Louisiana,” 8th Congress, 1st Session, November 14, 1803, American State Papers, Class X, Miscellaneous, vol. 1, p. 346).

2. In a letter to Lewis, November 16, 1803, Jefferson encloses “Extracts from the Journal of M. Truteau, Agent for the Illinois trading company,” which includes the following sentence: “The soil of the Missouri is the most fertile in the Universe” (Jackson, Donald, ed., Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents, 1783-1854, Second Edition, 1978, University of Illinois Press, vol. 1, p.138).

3. Lewis to his mother, from Fort Mandan, March 31, 1805, writing about the Missouri River from Fort Dubois to Fort Mandan: “This immence river so far as we have yet ascended, waters one of the fairest portions of the globe, not do I believe that there is in the universe a similar extent of country, equally fertile, well watered, and intersected by such a number of navigable streams” (Jackson, vol. 1. p. 223.)

4. Lewis to his mother, from Fort Mandan, March 31, 1805, writing about “the open or prarie country” north of the Platte River: “…I had been led to believe, that it was barren, steril and sandy; but on the contrary I found it fertile in the extreem, the soil being from one to 20 feet in debth, consisting of a fine black loam, intermixed with a sufficient quantity of sand only to induce a luxuriant growth of grass and other vegitable productions…” (Jackson, vol. 1, pp. 223-224.)

5. Lewis to his mother, from Fort Mandan, March 31, 1805, writing about the scarcity of timber north of the Platte River: “This want of timber is by no means attributeable to a deficiency in the soil to produce it, but ows it’s orrigine to the ravages of the fires, which the natives kindle in these plains at all seasons of the year” (Jackson, vol. 1. p. 224).

6. Lewis on the fertility of the soil near the mouth of the Osage River: “The country watered by this river, is generally level & fertile.” The soil on the bottom lands “consists of a black rich loam many feet in debth. the uplands also consist of a dark loam overlaying a yellow or red clay” (Moulton, Gary E., ed. 1987. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, University of Nebraska Press, vol. 3, pp. 339-340).

7. Clark on the prairies and loess bluffs along the Missouri at St. Joseph, Missouri, July 7, 1804: “…those Praries on the river has verry much the appearence of…farms from the river Divided by narrow strips of wood land, which wood land is Situatd. on the runs leading to the river. passed a…Bluff of yellow Clay above the Prarie” (Moulton, vol. 2, p. 356).

8. As Clark is pursuing elk on July 19, 1804, near what is now Nebraska City, he is enchanted by a view of the prairie: “Came Suddenly into an open and bound less Prarie, I Say bound less because I could not See the extent of the plain in any Derection…This prospect was So Sudden & entertaining that I forgot the object of my prosute…” (Moulton, vol. 2, p. 394).

9. Clark’s bird’s-eye view of the prairie at “Council Bluff” (currently in Washington County, Nebraska) on July 30, 1804: “…the Countrey…is one Continual Plain as fur as Can be Seen, from the Bluff on the 2d rise imediately above our Camp the most butifull prospect of the River up & Down and the Countrey opsd. Presented it Self which I ever beheld; The River meandering the open and butifull Plains…” (Moulton, vol. 2, p. 430).

10. Clark’s description of the “Ionia Volcano” (Dixon County, Nebraska), August 24, 1804: “Commencement of a blue Clay Bluff of 180 or 190 feet high on the L. S. Those Bluffs appear to have been laterly on fire, and at this time is too hot for a man to bear his hand in the earth at any debth…” (Moulton, vol. 2, p. 505).

11. Clark’s description of bare hills washing into the river about 4 miles downriver from Chamberlain, South Dakota, September 14, 1804: “…all those parts of the hills which was Clear of Grass easily disolved and washed into the river and bottoms, and those hils under which the river run, Sliped into it and disolves and mixes with the water of the river…” (Moulton, vol. 3, p. 71).

12. Joseph Whitehouse on the soil near the first Mandan village, April 7, 1805: “…the Soil is very rich, producing Indian Corn, pumpkins, Squashes & beans in abundance” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 132).

13. Lewis on the soil near the mouth of the Little Missouri River, April 12, 1805: “the soil appears fertile and deep, it consists generally of a dark rich loam intermixed with a small proportion of fine sand” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 26).

14. Lewis on the soil in an area of Mountrail County, North Dakota, April 14, 1805: “where the land is level, it is uniformly fertile consisting of a dark loam intermixed with a proportion of fine sand. it is generally covered with a short grass resembling very much the blue grass” (Moulton, vol. 4, pp. 35-36).

15. Lewis on the fertility of treeless plains in Roosevelt County, Montana, May 1, 1805: “the country appears much more pleasant and fertile than that we have passed for several days…the high country on either side of the river is one vast plain, intirely destitute of timber, but is apparently fertile, consisting of a dark rich mellow looking lome” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 96).

16. Lewis on the soil in an area of Valley and Garfield Counties, Montana, May 11, 1805: “…the soil of both hills and bottoms appear…furtile…it consists of a black looking lome with a moderate portion of sand…when thrown in the water it desolves as readily as loaf sugar and effervesses like marle…the tops of these hills…is a light colored poor sterile sandy soil, the base usually a yellow or white clay; it produces scarecly any grass… (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 140).

17. Lewis on the hills in an area of Phillips and Garfield Counties, Montana, May 17, 1805: “it is somewhat singular that the lower part of these hills appear to be formed of a dark rich loam while the upper region about 150 feet is formed of a whiteish brown sand, so hard in many parts as to resemble stone…” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 159).

18. Lewis on the soil in “a valley of wavy country” near the mouth of the Musselshell River, May 21, 1805: “the soil is fertile, produces a fine turf of low grass and some herbs, also immence quantities of the Prickley pear, without a stick of timber of any description” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 176).

19. Lewis on the hills near South Mountain Creek, in Fergus County, Montana, May 24, 1805: “The country high and broken…the soil poor and sterile, sandy near the tops of the hills, the whole producing but little grass…” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 189).

20. Lewis on the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, May 26, 1805: “This is truly a desert barren country…” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 202).

21. Clark on the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, May 26, 1805: “this Countrey may with propriety I think be termed the Deserts of America, as I do not Conceive any part can ever be Settled, as it is deficient in water, Timber & too Steep to be tilled (Moulton, vol. 4, pp. 205-206).

22. Whitehouse on the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, May 27, 1805: “these mountains appear to be a desert part of the country…barron broken rich soil but too much of a desert to be inhabited, or cultivated” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 171).

23. Patrick Gass on the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, May 27, 1805: “We have now got into a country which presents little to our view, but scenes of barreness and desolation; and see no encouraging prospects that it will terminate.” This area is also the “Sterile desert we lately entered” (Moulton, vol. 10, p. 94).

24. Gass on the quality of the land along the lower reaches of the Missouri, May 27, 1805: “From the mouth of the Missouri to that of the river Platte, a distance of more than six hundred miles, the land is generally of a good quality, with a sufficient quantity of timber; in many places very rich, and the country pleasant and beautiful” (Moulton, vol. 10, p. 94).

25. Gass on the quality of the land from the Platte River to the Missouri Breaks (Chouteau County, Montana), May 27, 1805: “From the…river Platte…to the Sterile desert we lately entered…the soil is less rich, and except in the bottoms, the land of an inferior quality; but may in general be called good second rate land…the upland is almost entirely without timber, and consists of large prairies or plains…” (Moulton, vol. 10, p. 94).

26. Lewis on the White Cliffs area of the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, May 31, 1805: “The hills and river Clifts which we passed today exhibit a most romantic appearance. The bluffs of the river rise to a height of from 2 to 300 feet and in most places nearly perpendicular; they are formed of a remarkable white sandstone which is sufficiently soft to give way readily to the impression of water…the earth on the top of these Clifts is a dark rich loam, which forming a gradually ascending plain extends back from 1/2 a mile to a mile where the hills commence and rise abruptly to a hight of about 300 feet more” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 225).

27. John Ordway on the White Cliffs area of the Missouri River Breaks, Chouteau County, Montana, July 29, 1806: “we entered the high clay broken country white clay hills and the white walls resembling ancient towns & buildings…” (Moulton, vol. 9, p. 343).

28. Lewis on soil near the Marias River, June 5, 1805: “it is astonishing what a quantity of water it takes to saturate the soil of this country, the earth of the plains are now open in large crivices in many places and yet looks like a rich loam…” June 7, 1805: “the grownd remarkably slipry…this clay not only appears to require more water to saturate it…than any earth I ever observed but when saturated it appears…to yeald it’s moisture with equal difficulty” (Moulton, vol. 4, pp. 257 and 262).

29. Lewis on the plains along the Marias River, July 17 and 18, 1806: “the plains are beautifull and level but the soil is but thin” (Moulton, vol. 8, p. 117). “The plains are more broken than they were yesterday and have become more inferior in point of soil…small gravel is every where distributed over the surface…the soil is generally a white or whiteish blue clay, this where it has been trodden by the buffaloe when wet has now become as firm as brickbat and stands in an inumerable little points…” (Moulton, vol. 8, p. 118).

30. Whitehouse on the plains below Great Falls, June 25, 1805: “below the falls the plains are inferior in point of Soil…more Stones on the Sides of the hills, Grass but a few inches high and but a few flowers in the plains” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 211).

31. Whitehouse on an area in southern Cascade County, Montana, July 17, 1805: “The Country appears to be a mere desart…” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 230).

32. Lewis on the soil in a valley near Helena, Montana, July 21, 1805: “the grass in these extensive bottoms is green and fine, about 18 inches or 2 feet high. the land is a black rich loam and appears very fertile” (Moulton, vol. 4, p. 412).

33. Whitehouse at Three Forks, July 27, 1805: “…a most delightful situated place, and exceeds any that we have yet seen, it affording a most delightfull prospect, the land extremely rich & fertile; and the bottoms large and well timbered, and to all appearance must be healthy, and may be called the Paradice of the Mesouri River” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 244).

34. Lewis on the soils along the Jefferson River, Gallatin County, Montana, July 31, 1805: “the bottom land fertile and of a black rich loam. the uplands poor sterile and of a light yellow clay with a mixture of small smooth pebble and gravel…” (Moulton, vol. 5, p. 18).

35. Lewis on a valley in Madison County, Montana, August 2, 1805: “The vally…consists of a beautifull level plain with but little timber and that confined to the verge of the river; the land is tolerably fertile, and is either a black or a dark yellow loam, covered with grass from 9 inches to 2 feet high” (Moulton, vol. 5. p. 31).

36. Lewis on soil fertility in an area of Beaverhead County, Montana, August 10, 1805: “the uplands are covered with prickly pears and twisted or bearded grass and are but poor; some parts of the bottom lands are covered with grass and tolerably fertile; but much the greater proportion is… very inferior in point of soil” (Moulton, vol. 5, p. 65).

37. Ordway on a plain in Beaverhead County, Montana, August 25, 1805: “…proceeded on through the level Sandy plain or desert covred with nothing but wild hysop & golden rod, and prickley pears” (Moulton, vol. 9, p. 210).

38. Whitehouse on erosion near where Tower Creek flows into the Salmon River, Lemhi County, Idaho, August 31, 1805: “…crossed over some rough hills, some of them very steep, & passed through some deep Vallies, which had white earth in them, which was occasioned by the Earth being washed down from the Hills of that Collour” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 294).

39. Ordway on an area near Gibbonsville, Lemhi County, Idaho, September 2, 1805: “crossed several branches. Some places muddy. We call this place dismal Swamp. Several beaver dams in it…this is a verry lonesome place” (Moulton, vol. 9, p. 216).

40. Clark on the landscape in an area of Ravalli County, Montana, September 8, 1805: “The bottoms as also the hills Stoney bad land” (Moulton, vol. 5, p. 190).

41. Lewis on the soil in the Bitterroot Valley, near Travelers’ Rest, September 9, 1805: “the land through which we passed is but indifferent a could white gravely soil” (Moulton, vol. 5, p. 192).

42. Gass on the desert mountains along the Lolo Trail in Idaho, September 1805: “We continued over high desert mountains…” (September 17). “We can see no prospect of getting off these desert mountains yet…” (September 18). “We have…some hopes of getting soon out of this horrible mountainous desert…” (September 19). “…there was no chance of killing any game in these desert mountains” (September 20). “…in the evening arrived in a fine large valley, clear of these dismal and horrible mountains” (September 22). See Moulton, vol. 10, pp. 143-146.

43. Lewis as he descends mountains in Idaho County, Idaho, September 20, 1805: “the soil as you leave the hights of the mountains becomes gradually more fertile. the land through which we passed this evening is of an excellent quality tho very broken, it is a dark grey soil” (Moulton, vol. 5, p. 218).

44. Whitehouse on Weippe Prairie, Clearwater County, Idaho, September 24, 1805: “the Soil verry rich and lays handsom for cultivation” (Moulton, vol. 11, p. 331).

45. Ordway on Weippe Prairie, Clearwater County, Idaho, September 24, 1805: “the Soil verry rich and lays delightful for cultivation” (Moulton, vol. 9, p. 229).

46. Ordway on Weippe Prairie, Clearwater County, Idaho, June 10, 1806: “this level consists of about 2000 ackers of level Smooth prarie on which is not a tree or Shreub, but the lowest parts is covred with commass…a fine timbred country all around this rich land the Soil is deep black & verry rich & easy for cultervation” (Moulton, vol. 9, p. 321).

47. Clark on the Columbian Valley, from near the mouth of the Sandy River to the mouth of the Kalama River (in Cowlitz County, Washington), November 5, 1805: “The valley…from above the mouth of Quick Sand River to this place may be computed at 60 miles wide on a direct line, & extends a great Distanc to the right & left rich thickly Covered with tall timber…This is certainly a fertill and a handsom valley…” (Moulton, vol. 6, p. 24).

48. Gass on the soil in the vicinity of Fort Clatsop, December 8, 1805: “Near our camp, the country is closely timbered with spruce-pine, the soil rich, but not deep…” (Moulton, vol. 10, 181).

49. Clark on wave erosion near a Tillamook village along the Pacific, January 8, 1806: “The Coast…is slipping from the Sides of the high hills, in emence masses; fifty or a hundred acres at a time give way and a great proportion of an instant precipitated into the Ocean. those hills and mountains are principally composed of a yellow Clay; their Slipping off or Spliting assunder…is no doubt Caused by the incessant rains…” (Moulton, vol. 6, pp. 182-183).

50. Lewis on the valley between the Coast and Cascade Ranges in Washington and Oregon, March 30, 1806: “the highlands in this valley are rolling tho’ by no means too steep for cultivation they are generally fertile of a dark rich loam and tolerably free of stones. this valley…would be copetent to the maintainance of 40 or 50 thousand souls if properly cultivated and is indeed the only desireable situation for a settlement which I have seen on the West side of the Rocky mountains” (Moulton, vol. 7, p. 34).

51. Gass on an area of the Columbia Basin near the Touchet River, Walla Walla County, Washington, April 30, 1806: “The whole of this plain is of a sandy surface and affords but thin grass…On the south side of this branch [the Touchet River] the soil is of earth and rich, covered with grass, and very handsome” (Moulton, vol. 10, p. 218).

52. Lewis on the plains near Clarkston, Washington, May 4, 1806: “the lands through which we passed today are fertile consisting of a dark rich loam…these plains are in many places well covered with the Longleafed pine, with some Larch and balsom fir. the soil is extreemly fertile no dose it appear so thisty as that of the same apparent texture of the open plains” (Moulton, vol. 7, p. 205).

53. Lewis at the junction of the North Fork and main branch of the Clearwater River in Idaho, May 9, 1806: “The country along the rocky mountains for several hundred miles in length and about 50 in width is level and extreemly fertile…this country would form an extensive settlement…I have no doubt but this tract of country if cultivated would produce in great abundance every article…necessary to the comfort and subsistence of civillized man” (Moulton, vol. 7, p. 233-234).

54. Lewis on the plains northeast of Great Falls, July 17, 1806: “the land is not fertile, at least far less so, than the plains of the Columbia or those lower down this river, it is a light coloured soil intermixed with a considerable proportion of coarse gravel without sand, when dry it cracks and appears thursty and is very hard, in it’s wet state, it is as soft and slipry as so much soft soap” (Moulton, vol. 8, pp. 112-113).

55. Clark on the plains along the Yellowstone River, near Billings, July 21, 1806: “the plains are butifull and leavel but the Soil is but thin Stoney and in many parts of the plains & bottoms there are great quantity of prickly pears” ( Moulton, vol. 8, p. 210).

56. From Nicholas Biddle’s notes after an interview with Clark, April 1810: “The muddiness of Missouri, owing to its running thru a rich level country of thick dark loam mixed with a small proportion of very fine sand” (Jackson, vol. 2, p. 504).

57. From Nicholas Biddle’s notes taken during an interview with Clark, April 1810: “Prairie countries generally level thinly watered, very rich” (Jackson, vol. 2, p. 506).

58. From Nicholas Biddle’s notes taken during an interview with Clark, April 1810: “The Prairie are not as one would suppose from the name, meadows or bottoms but a sort of high plain or rolling colline -- without timber -- some high forests retain timber -- but generally along margins of creeks & rivers most timber --caused by waters stopping fire…” Jackson, vol. 2, p. 507).

59. From Nicholas Biddle’s notes taken during an interview with Clark, April 1810: “The hills generally speaking below the Platte composed of a good soil generally timbered -- above that river the soil of the hills better but with very little timber --black rich soil” (Jackson, vol. 2, p. 513).

60. From Nicholas Biddle’s notes taken during an interview with Clark, April 1810: “Generally speaking fine soil up the Missouri to the River Platte fine soil thin timbered well calculated for settlement. Above Platte open wanting timber quite up to mountains -- not so good for Settlet. on acct. of scarce timber, and bad water up to near mountains -- the creeks having not much water & what there is is brackish” (Jackson, vol. 2, p. 530).

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