The soldiers had to pull the canoes with ropes.
The river did not run straight.
One day the men dragged the canoes twelve miles.
Then they were only four miles from where they had started.
They had to walk in the river all day.
Their feet were cut by the rocks.
They were ill from being wet so much.
It was hot in the day and cold at night.
They had no wood but willow.
They could not make a good fire.
But they had enough to eat.
Then the river grew very narrow.
The canoes could not go up it.
The soldiers put the canoes under water with rocks in them.
They made another cache.
In it they put skins, plants, seeds, minerals, maps, and some medicines.
Captain Lewis and some men went ahead.
They were looking for Indians.
They wanted to buy some horses.
After a time the river grew so narrow that a soldier put one foot on one
bank and his other foot on the other bank.
Then he said, "Thank God, I am alive to bestride the mighty Missouri."
Before this, people did not know where the Missouri began.
A little way off was the beginning of the mighty Columbia River.
The soldiers reached this place in August.
Captain Lewis was very happy as he drank some cold water from the
beginnings of these two rivers.
Captain Clark and the other men were coming behind.
Sacajawea was with them.
They had all the goods and walked slowly.