Preparing to Proceed On With the arrival of Spring, and the thawing of the frozen Missouri river, the Corp of Discovery made preparations to send the large keel boat back to St. Louis with a report for President Jefferson, and to proceed onward with the expedition in their six small canoes and two large perogues.

In his journal, Clark wrote: "21st. March Thursday 1805 - a Cloudy Day Some Snow, the men Carried the remaining Canoes to the River, and all except 3 left to take care & complete the day to the Fort with their baggage..." "29th. of March Satturday 1805 - The ice has stoped running owing to Som obstickle above, repare the Boat & Perogues, and prepareing to Set out but fed Indians visit us to day they are now attending on the river bank to Catch the floating Buffalow" "April the 3rd Thursday 1805 - we are all day engaged packing up Sundery articles to be sent to the President of the U.S."

This woodcut from the first illustrated account of the Lewis & Clark diaries shows one of the canoes in trouble. October 8, 1805 Gass was thrown overboard when his canoe sunk in the Clearwater River rapids (Idaho).