Missouri River near Little Sioux River — Charles Floyd: August 14, 1804
The party remained in camp awaiting the return of the men sent on August 7 to pursue a deserter. Floyd notes that the Omaha Indians had abandoned their town about four years earlier after a devastating smallpox outbreak, burning it and now only inhabiting the area in winter, spending spring and summer hunting buffalo on the prairies and meeting French traders in fall. The next day, Captain Clark, Floyd, and ten men fished at Omaha Creek, catching 317 fish of various kinds. The pursuit party had still not returned.
Lay by for ouer men How we had Sent after the Desarter
on the 7″ thes Indians has not Live at the town Sence the
Smallpoks was so bad abut 4 years ago thay Burnt thare
town and onley live about it in the winter and in the Spring
Go all of them in the praries after the Buflow and dos not
Return untill the fall to meet the french traders thay Rase
no Corn nor aney thing excep Som times thay Rase Som Corn
and then the Ottoe nation Comes and Cuts it Down while
thay are in the praries
Wendesday august 15%
Capt Clark and 10 of his men and my Self went to the
Mahas Creek a fishen and Caut 300 and 17 fish of Difernt
Coindes ouer men has not Returnd yet
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We laid by waiting for our men whom we had sent after the deserter on the 7th. These Indians have not lived at the town since the smallpox was so bad about 4 years ago. They burnt their town and only live about it in the winter, and in the spring all of them go into the prairies after the buffalo and do not return until the fall to meet the French traders. They raise no corn nor anything, except sometimes they raise some corn, and then the Ottoe nation comes and cuts it down while they are in the prairies.
Wednesday August 15th
Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) and 10 of his men and myself went to the Mahas Creek fishing and caught 317 fish of different kinds. Our men have not returned yet.
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