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Confluence of the Marias with the Missouri River, August 3, 1997

[View: north/northeast.  47° 55’ 26” N - 110° 29’ 41” W]

[Lewis]                                                                                   Monday June 3^rd 1805

. . .  to mistake the stream at this period of the season, two months of the traveling

season having now elapsed, and to ascend such stream to the Rocky Mountain or

perhaps much further before we could inform ourselves whether it did approach

the Columbia or not, and then be obliged to return and take the other stream would

not only loose us the whole of this season but would probably so dishearten the

party that it might defeat the expedition altogether.

[Lewis]                                                                               Saturday June 8^th 1805 

. . .  The whole of my party to a man except myself were fully peswaided that this  

river was the Missouri, but being fully of opinion that it was neither the main stream

or that which it would be advisable for us to take, I determined to give it a name

and in honour of Miss Maria W—d.  called it Maria’s River.