The captains' journal entries marveled at the abundant wildlife and awesome landscape around them. Lewis wrote on April 28, 1805 near the present day White Cliffs and Fort Union area of the Missouri River, … coal is in great abundance and the salts still increase in quantity; the banks of the river and sandbars are incrusted with it in many places and appear perfectly white as if cover with snow or frost.
Clark noted… Great numbers of Buffalow, Elk, Deer, antilope, beaver, Procupins, and water fowl seen to day, such as, Geese, ducks of dift, kinds, & a fiew Swan.
Lewis again marvels at the uniqueness of this country including the sudden and severe plains weather when he notes on June 29, 1805,… I have scarcely experienced a day . . . without experience some novel occurrence among the party or witnessing the appearance of some uncommon object.
Corps member John Ordway saw mooce deer which was much larger than the common deer near the mouth of the Milk River, May 10, 1805.
Bessey's locoweed (Oxytropis besseyi) was one of about 31 plants Lewis discovered and was able to retain a specimen, now housed at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Many plant specimens he collected on the westward trip were lost during the perils of travel.
The following are a few of the stops in the journey:
