Departure from Fort Mandan, Missouri River — John Ordway: April 12, 1805
The expedition set off early, passing high hills on the south side of the river. A hunter shot a large beaver swimming in the river. After about five miles, around 9 a.m., they reached the mouth of the Little Missouri River, roughly 90 miles from the Mandan villages, where the officers stopped to take observations. Hunters fanned out, with Captain Clark killing a white rabbit and others bringing in a deer and a bald eagle. Two French trappers joined them with two beaver. A windy, rainy squall with thunder struck around 3 p.m. before clearing by sunset.
we Set off eairly. proceeded on passed high range of hills on the
South Side of the River, one of our hunters Shot a verry large
beaver which was Swimming in the River, proceeded on about
5 miles which took us till abl 9 oClock we arived at the Mouth of
the little River Missourie about 90 mlB from the Mandans.2
we halted in the mouth of this R. for our officers to take obser-
vations, this River is 120 yards wide at the mouth, but rapid and
muddy like the big Missourie. Several of the hunters went out
hunting. Cap’ Clark went out a Short distance and killed [a]
white rabit. found wild Inions &. C. one of the hunters killed a
deer, another killed a bald Eagle, the men all returned but had
not killed any thing more. The frenchmen came to us had
caught 2 beaver last night, about 3 oClock their came up a
Squawl of verry high wind and rain. Some thunder, the wind
lasted untill afer Sunset, then clear[ed] up pleasant evening,
one of the hunters discovered a fine Spring of water which came
from under a high hill on S. S.3 high mountains back from the
River on the S. S. the country in general from the Mandans
to this place on the [left] is hilley and broken4 except in the bot-
toms in the bends of the River which is low Smoth & Sandy,
covered with cottonwood & Small arsh timber which is all the
timber in the country is on the Streams & in the bends of this
Missourie the Soil back from the River is tollarable Good but
barron plains without timber or water &. C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We set off early. We proceeded on, passing a high range of hills on the south side of the river. One of our hunters shot a very large beaver which was swimming in the river. We proceeded on about 5 miles, which took us until about 9 o'clock, when we arrived at the mouth of the Little Missouri River, about 90 miles from the Mandans. We halted at the mouth of this river so our officers could take observations. This river is 120 yards wide at the mouth, but rapid and muddy like the big Missouri. Several of the hunters went out hunting. Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) went out a short distance and killed a white rabbit. He found wild onions, etc. One of the hunters killed a deer, another killed a bald eagle. The men all returned, but had not killed anything more.
The Frenchmen came to us, having caught 2 beaver last night. About 3 o'clock there came up a squall of very high wind and rain, with some thunder. The wind lasted until after sunset, then cleared up to a pleasant evening. One of the hunters discovered a fine spring of water which came from under a high hill on the south side. There are high mountains back from the river on the south side. The country in general from the Mandans to this place on the left is hilly and broken, except in the bottoms in the bends of the river, which are low, smooth, and sandy, covered with cottonwood and small ash timber. This is all the timber in the country—it is only on the streams and in the bends of this Missouri. The soil back from the river is tolerably good, but consists of barren plains without timber or water, etc.
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