University of Virginia Library

Summary of official report, in the National Intelligencer for October
27, 1806:[4]

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349

It is a pleasure to announce the arrival of Captain Lewis with his exploring
party at St. Louis. They wintered near the mouth of the Columbia river;
leaving thence Mar. 27, were detained by snows in the mountains until June 24.
He found it 2575 miles from the mouth of Missouri to the great falls; thence by
land over the Rocky mountains 340 miles, of which 200 would admit a good
road, the rest over tremendous mountains. Then 73 miles down the Kooskooske
into a south eastwardly branch of the Columbia, 154 miles down that to the
Columbia, and then 413 miles to the Pacific; 3555 miles in all. Speaks of the
whole country furnishing valuable furs. Says it was fortunate he sent no men
back, since they owed their lives more than once to their numbers. Captain
Lewis will remain a few days in St. Louis, and then proceed to Washington accompanied
by the Mandan chief. He speaks of his colleague Captain Clark in
the most affectionate terms, and ascribes to him an equal share in the success of
this enterprise.