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Interpretive signs at an I-15 rest area, north of Great Falls at
a Teton River crossing, provide a good review of events on this
segment of the trail. Lewis' squad set up camp at the Upper Portage
Camp of June 18, 1805, on the Missouri east side. Opening the cache
buried in '05, they found many damaged or destroyed. Lewis noted
bear skins, plant specimens, and medical supplies among items lost-irreplaceable
expedition artifacts. Some articles survived by carefully drying.
They started preparing for the journey forward by fashioning animal
skin clothing and drying meat and plant roots. They remained at
the Upper Portage across from White Bear Islands 7/12-15. Lewis
moved his camp down to the Great Falls on the 16th of July.
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had to adjust his Marias River exploration; 10 horses vanished (stolen?)
by 7/15, so he reduced to 3 men and 6 horses. The remaining crew waited
for 9 men of Clark' party to join them and continue down the Missouri
to a rendezvous with Lewis at the Marias confluence. Lewis' squad
moved north 7/17 to the Teton River ( named Tansy in 1805 in their
notes) northwest of Ft Benton, and many miles southeast of the I-15
rest area cited above. Continue north on I-15; it's as close you can
get to the trail for now. |
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