Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led an expedition party that started its journey in St. Louis, Missouri, and traveled overland west to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition lasted from 1804 until 1806 and gathered much scientific information about the previously unexplored region. Meriwether Lewis kept a personal journal, which was eventually published under the title The Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
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June 14, 1805
I descended the hill and directed my course to the bend of the Missouri near which there was a herd of at least a thousand buffalo; here I thought it would be well to kill a buffaloe and leave him untill my return from the river and if I then found that I had not time to get back to camp this evening to remain all night here. . . . I selected a fat buffaloe and shot him. . . . While I was gaze attentively on the poor animal, . . . having entirely forgotten to reload my rifle, a large white, or rather brown bear, had perceived and crept on me within 20 steps before I discovered him; . . . I drew up my gun to shoot, but at the same instant recollected that she was not loaded. . . . There was no place by means of which I could conceal myself from this monster untill I could charge [load] my rifle; . . .I thought of retreating at a brisk walk as fast as he was advancing untill I could reach a tree about 300 yards below me, but I had no sooner turned myself about but he pitched at [leaned toward] me, open mouthed and full speed. I ran about 80 yards and found he gained on me fast. I then ran into the water . . . to such depth that I could stand and he would be obliged to swim, and that I could in that situation defend myself with my espontoon, [a short spear]. I . . . presented the point of my espontoon; at this instant he arrived at the edge of the water within about 20 feet of me; the moment I put myself in this attitude of defense he suddenly wheeled about as if frightened, declined to combat on such unequal grounds, and retreated with quite as great precipitation [rashness] as he had just before pursued me. . . .
I . . . charged my gun, which I had still retained . . . throughout this curious adventure. I saw him run through the level open plain about three miles, till he disappeared in the woods on medecine river; during the whole of this distance he ran at full speed, sometimes appearing to look behind him as if he expected pursuit. . . .
My direction led me directly to an animal that I at first supposed was a wolf; but on nearer approach . . . discovered that it was not. . . . It couched itself down like a cat looking immediately at me as if it designed [intended] to spring on me. I took aim and fired, it instantly disappeared down into its burrow; I loaded my gun and . . . saw the track from which I am . . . convinced that it was of the tiger kind. [Then] three bull buffaloe, which were feeding with a large herd about half a mile from me on my left, . . . ran full speed towards me. . . . When they arrived within a hundred yards they mad[e] a halt, took a good view of me and retreated with precipitation. I . . . did not think it prudent [sensible] to remain all night at this place which really from the succession of curious adventures wore the impression . . . of enchantment; . . . I thought it might be a dream, but the prickley pears [cactus] which pierced my feet . . . convinced me that I was really awake, and that it was necessary to make the best of my way to camp.
