Clark's "Dismal Nitch"

In November of 1805, as the party traveled the final miles in their long journey towards the Pacific, the winter coastal weather took a turn for the worse. Stuck for 6 days at what Clark called "this dismal nitch", the party suffered through terrible rain and wind storms, lack of food and level ground to sleep and the knowledge that they were within miles of the ocean, but could not reach it. From November 9th through the 15th, they camped on "the eastern side of Point Ellice, Pacific County, Washington, near the Megler Rest Area, now also the Clark's Dismal Nitch unit of Lewis & Clark National Historical Park"(Moulton V.6, 40).

It is in times of trial such as this that the true character of people is often revealed. William Clark begins his report of this harrowing time on November 9th, as follows:

The tide of last night did not rise Sufficintly high to come into our camp, but the Canoes which was exposed to the mercy of the waves &c. which accompanied the returning tide, they all filled, and with great attention we Saved them untill the tide left them dry - wind Hard from the South and rained hard all the fore part of the day, at 2 oClock P M the flood tide came in accompanied with emence waves and heavy winds, floated the trees and Drift which was on the point on which we Camped and tosed them about in Such a manner as to endanger the Canoes verry much, with every exertion and the Strictest attention by every individual of the party was Scercely Sufficient to Save our Canoes from being crushed by those monsterous trees maney of them nearly 200 feet long and from 4 to 7 feet through. our camp entirely under water dureing the hight of the tide, every man as wet as water could make them all the last night and to day all day as the rain Continued all day, at 4 oClock P M the wind Shifted about to the S. W. and blew with great violence imediately from the Ocian for about two hours, notwithstanding the disagreeable Situation of our party all wet and Cold (and one which they have experienced for Several days past) they are chearfull and anxious to See further into the Ocian, The water of the river being too Salt to use we are obliged to make use of rain water - Some of the party not accustomed to Salt water has made too free a use of it on them it acts as a pergitive. at this dismal point we must Spend another night as the wind & waves are too high to proceed. (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 38)

The next day, November 10th, the Expedition was only able to travel 10 miles due to continued wet and windy conditions. That night, Clark wrote:

…formed a camp on the Drift Logs which appeared to be the only Situation we could find to lie, the hills being either a perpendicular Clift, or Steep assent, riseing to about 500 feet— our Canoes we Secured as well as we could— we are all wet the rain haveing continued all day, our beding and maney other articles, employ our Selves drying our blankets— nothing to eate but dried fish pounded which we brought from the falls... (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 39-40)

On November 11th, William Clark wrote:

A hard rain all the last night, dureing the last tide the logs on which we lay was all on float Sent out Jo Fields to hunt, he Soon returned and informed us that the hills was So high & Steep, & thick with undergroth and fallen Timber that he could not get out any distance; about 12 oClock 5 Indians came down in a canoe, the wind verry high from the S. W. with most tremendious waves brakeing with great violence against the Shores, rain falling in torrents, we are all wet as usial and our Situation is truly a disagreeable one; the great quantites of rain which has loosened the Stones on the hill Sides, and the Small Stones fall down upon us, our canoes at one place at the mercy of the waves, our baggage in another and our Selves and party Scattered on floating logs and Such dry Spots as can be found on the hill Sides, and Crivices of the rocks. we purchased of the Indians 13 red charr which we found to be an excellent fish we have Seen those Indians above and are of a nation who reside above and on the opposit Side who call themselves (Galt-har-ma) [NB: Cath lah ma they are badly clad & illy made, Small and Speak a language much resembling the last nation, one of those men had on a Salors Jacket and Pantiloons and made Signs that he got those Clothes from the white people who lived below the point &c. those people left us and Crossed the river (which is about ~ miles wide at this place) through the highest waves I ever Saw a Small vestles ride. Those Indians are Certainly the best Canoe navigaters I ever Saw. rained all day. (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 41)

On November 12th, 1806, William Clark wrote:

A Tremendious wind from the S. W. about 3 oClock this morning with Lightineng and hard claps of Thunder, and Hail which Continued untill 6 oClock a. m. when it became light for a Short time, then the heavens became Sudenly darkened by a black Cloud from the S. W. and rained with great violence untill 12 oClock, the waves tremendious brakeing with great fury against the rocks and trees on which we were encamped. our Situation is dangerous. we took the advantage of a low tide and moved our camp around a point to a Small wet bottom at the mouth of a Brook, which we had not observed when we Came to this cove; from it being verry thick and obscured by drift trees and thick bushes It would be distressing to See our Situation, all wet and Colde our bedding also wet, (and the robes of the party which Compose half the bedding is rotten and we are not in a Situation (not) to supply their places) in a wet bottom Scercely large enough to contain us, (with) our baggage half a mile from us and Canoes at the mercy of the waves, altho Secured as well as possible, Sunk with emence parcels of Stone to wate them down to prevent their dashing to pieces against the rocks; one got loose last night and was left on a rock a Short distance below, without rciving more dammage than a Split in her bottom— Fortunately for us our men are healthy. men Gibson Bratten & Willard attempted to go aroud the point below in our Indian Canoe, much Such a canoe as the Indians visited us in yesterday, they proceeded to the point from which they were oblige to return, the waves tossing them about at will I walked up the branch and giged 3 Salmon trout. the party killed 13 Salmon to day in a branch about 2 miles above, rain Continued. (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 43)

On November 13th, 1805, Clark commented that “...if we were to have cold weather to accompany the rain which we have had for this 6 or 8 days passed we must eneviatilbly Suffer verry much as Clothes are Scerce with us…” Clark, from Moulton V.6, 43-45). The next day a canoe was broken when crashed against the rocks.

On November 15th, 1805, William Clark wrote:

...About 3 oClock the wind luled, and the river became calm, (we) I had the canoes loaded in great haste and Set Out, from this dismal nitich where we have been confined for 6 days passed, without the possibility of proceeding on, returning to a better Situation, or get out to hunt, Scerce of Provisions, and torents of rain poreing on us all the time— proceeded on passed the blustering point below which I found a butifull Sand beech thro which runs a Small [NB?: river from the hills] below the mouth of this Stream is a village of 36 houses uninhabited by anything except flees, here I met C. Shannon and 5 Indians... (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 49-50)

Two days later, Clark announced that he would be setting out the following morning by land for the Pacific Ocean. He determined that all who wished to join him be permitted. After all, they had crossed a continent to get to this place, who could bear to stop now? Only 11 men elected to do so, however. These were John Ordway, Nathaniel Pryor, Joseph and Reuben Field, George Shannon, William Bratton, John Colter, Peter Weiser, Francois (William) Labiche, Toussaint Charbonneau and York.

<< Return to Stories Reveal Character