Departure from Fort Mandan, Missouri River — John Ordway: April 12, 1805

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.