Which way did they go?

Which way did they go?. . As the Corps of Discovery approached this river valley, the convergence of several rivers presented Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with a choice of routes. Lewis and a few men traveled ahead of Clark to investigate the various rivers. After some exploration, Lewis left a note recommending that Clark take his men and the canoes up the Jefferson River. The note was tied to a sapling at the fork with Wisdom River (Big Hole). The sapling must have been chewed and taken away by a beaver, because Clark never saw it. , When Clark arrived at the rivers' fork he chose to follow the Wisdom. The river proved to be narrow and choked with encroaching willows on its tight curves. One canoe capsized and two were swamped before they before they were discovered by one of Lewis' men and rejoined the group. , Today, the Jefferson River and Valley are known as the Beaverhead, the Wisdom River was renamed the Big Hole, and the Philanthropy was renanded the Ruby. , (side-bar on left;) , Jefferson River Beavers , ... where I left the note. This note had unfortunately been placed on a green pole which the beaver had cut and carried off together with the note...this accident deprived Capt. Clark of any information with respect to the country." - Meriwether Lewis, August 05, 1805 , Beavers (Castor canadensis) were plentiful along the Beaverhead River when the Corps of Discovery passed through this area in 1805. Beaver chew on saplings for the sweet cambium layer just under the bark.