14 Muhlenbergia, Volume 5 



"THE BITTER ROOT 

 By A. A. Heller 



On the 21st day of May, 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis 

 and Captain William Clark, with a hardy company of twenty- 

 six young men set sail up the Missouri river from their camp 

 above St. Louis, the objective point being the mouth of the Co- 

 lumbia river. The journey was comparatively easy and pleas- 

 ant during the first stages, enlivened by frequent halts to hold 

 councils with the different Indian tribes, with plenty of game to 

 be had for the taking, and no special hardships to overcome. 



They wintered among the Mandans in the present state of 

 North Dakota, resuming the journey on April 8, 1805, and on 

 August 13th reached the watershed between the Missouri and 

 the Columbia. On the headwaters of the Missouri hardships 

 and adventures came thick and fast. Game was often scarce, 

 mosquitoes were anything but scarce, canoes were upset, fierce 

 grizzly bears had to be reckoned with, and altogether life was 

 what we are accustomed to call "strenuous." 



They reached the mot.th of the Columbia on December 3d, 

 establishing winter quarters at Fort Clatsop near the site of the 

 present town of Astoria, Oregon. Here they remained until 

 March 23, 1906, when the homeward march was begun over 

 practically the same ground as on the outward trip. 



Among other things President Jefferson instructed Captain 

 Lewis to note the food plants of the Indians and the "date at 

 which particular plants put forth flowers and leaves." The in- 

 structions were carried out remarkably well considering the cir- 

 cumstances, else this sketch had not been written. 



On July 1, 1806, they had again overcome the perils of the 

 Bitterroot mountains and were on their eastern slope. Here, 

 near the junction of Lo Lo creek with the Bitterroot river, in 

 Missoula county, Montana, southwest of Missoula, Captain Lewis 

 collected the handsome plants which were to commemorate his 

 name among botanists, a lid to furnish the state flower for the 

 future great state of Montana, as well as lend its name to the 

 wild and rugged ranges where it was first found. 



