The Big Muddy
Crumbling homesteads and othere relics recall the rich history along the upper Missouri River.
After a wind-assisted day of paddling, we arrive at Slaughter River, another Lewis and Clark campsite. This camp was named for the “vast many mangled carcasses of buffalo which had been driven over a precipice . . . by the Indians.” The buffalo jump, or pishkun, was a commonly used buffalo-hunting technique in the area. In the early 1800s, millions of buffalo still roamed the plains, and large herds were common along the upper Missouri. Steamboats were occasionally held up for hours as herds crossed the river in front of them. We’ve seen deer, and an incredible variety of birdlife, but it’s hard to imagine seeing a thousand buffalo crest the ridge and swim across the river.
Lying under a huge cottonwood in camp, I wonder if the tree is more than 200 years old. Was it just a sapling when Lewis and Clark came through, wondering what was ahead? Could they ever relax and simply enjoy their surroundings, or was the pressure of finding food and pulling canoes upstream too overwhelming? Randy and I aren’t feeling too much pressure as we relax in camp while drinking beer and being serenaded by a great horned owl.
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On our last day of paddling we leave the steep cliffs of the upper Missouri behind and enter a large open valley. Here is where the Judith River joins the Missouri, and just below that spot is our take-out. We land near the boat ramp and unload our gear. Once we’re organized, we walk downriver to a large stand of cottonwood trees where Lewis and Clark camped. A round steel marker reads, “Lewis and Clark Campsite, May 28, 1805.” Once again I speculate about what was going through the minds of those explorers, miles away from home with no safety net when things went wrong. What if they couldn’t find game for food, and their supplies ran low? They must have spent a lot of time worrying about where the crew’s next meal was coming from.
“Hey Tom, let’s go. I hear there’s a great diner in Lewistown, and I’m starving for a big omelet,” Randy announces. Unlike the Corps of Discovery, the Tom and Randy Expedition has the option of eating at a warm diner in town.
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