Nature’s Most Aggressive Welcome Wagon

The Day the Wilderness Tried to Cancel Meriwether Lewis\n\nOn June 13, 1805, explorer Meriwether Lewis (of the legendary Lewis and Clark expedition) reached the Great Falls of the Missouri River. While he expected a moment of majestic discovery, the local wildlife treated him like an unwanted intruder in a slapstick comedy. In the span of a single afternoon, Lewis was:\n\n1. Chased by a Grizzly Bear: After Lewis shot a buffalo for dinner, a grizzly bear decided Lewis looked like a better snack. Having forgotten to reload his rifle, Lewis had to sprint 80 yards and plunge into the river to escape!\n2. Stalked by a 'Tiger Cat': Only minutes after climbing out of the water, he encountered a cougar (which he called a 'tiger cat') that seemed ready to pounce.\n3. Charged by Three Buffalo: As if that weren't enough, three bull buffalo then decided to charge him simultaneously for no apparent reason.\n\nLewis later wrote in his journal that it seemed as if 'all the beasts of the neighborhood had made a league to destroy me.' It remains history’s most chaotic 'bad day at the office.' Next time you feel like the world is out to get you, just be glad you didn't have to fight the entire food chain before sunset! Happy Exploring!