Missouri River near Little Missouri — John Ordway: April 16, 1805
The party set off early with a gentle southeast wind, passing a sand beach on the north side piled with ice and snow four feet thick from the river's breakup. Captain Clark walked ashore and killed an antelope, while the men spotted buffalo and elk along the hillsides and bottoms. John Colter trapped a large fat beaver overnight. Trees were budding green and grasses sprouting in the bottoms. They sailed briefly but the river's bends limited it, covering 17 direct miles (26 by water) before camping at Grand Point on the south side.
off eairly as usal. proceeded on the wind gentle from S. E.
passed a Sand beach on the N. S. covered with Ice and Snow
heaps it lay 4 feet thick where the it [ice] was drove in. When the
river broke up. Cap* Clark walked on Shore on S. S. came to us
at breakfast had killed a antilope or Goat, we Saw a gang of
buffaloe on a Side hill on the S. S. also a gang of Elk near them.
See one Elk in a bottom near where we breakfasted, one of the
1 According to Clark, 3^ miles above Sunday Island. This name, given by
the explorers from the day of the week on which they reached the island, is
still retained on the M. R. C. map. The camp was in Mountrail County, a
little above the mouth of Indian Creek, and about midway between Shell Creek
and Little Knife River.
2 Probably modern Indian Creek of the M. R. C. map. Coues, who con-
ceived a violent dislike for Charbonneau, could find “nothing on present maps
witli which to identify it.”
3 The “while ones” were, of course, grizzlies. This is a notable event
in the history of the expedition for it marks the first encounter with this dreaded
beast. Only two days earlier Lewis had recorded the anxiety of the party to
meet some of llieni, their tracks having been seen in great abundance. This
“anxiety.” which the bears returned with interest, was soon amply satisfied,
and before many weeks we shall find the explorers quite content to leave the
grizzly to his own devices.
* So named because Clark saw, near its mouth, a pen designed ;is a trap to
catch antelopes. It is modern Little Knife Rivetf, in Mountrail County.
1 In McKenzie County, eight miles above the mouth of Little Knife River.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 197
party by the name of John Colter caught a verry large fat beaver
in a Steel trap last night, proceeded on. The trees are puting
out Green, the Grass begin to Grow in the bottoms & plains
which look beautiful, we Sailed Some with a Southerly blowey
wind, the river crooked So that we could not Sail much of the
time. Saw Some Scatering Sizeable Stone on the Sides of the
hills, halted about 7. oClock to dine at a bottom covered
with c. w. timber on the N. S. proceeded on passed Several
bottoms and plains on each Side of the river, came 17 miles
as the courses was taken but by water the way we came it was
about 26. Camped at at a point called Grand point on the South
Side.1 Saw different gangs of Elk S. S.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Off early as usual. Proceeded on, the wind gentle from S.E. Passed a sand beach on the north side covered with ice and snow heaps that lay 4 feet thick where the ice was driven in when the river broke up. Capt. Clark (Capt. Clark) walked on shore on the south side and came to us at breakfast, having killed an antelope or goat. We saw a herd of buffalo on a hillside on the south side, and also a herd of elk near them. We saw one elk in a bottom near where we breakfasted. One of the party by the name of John Colter caught a very large fat beaver in a steel trap last night.
Proceeded on. The trees are putting out green, and the grass begins to grow in the bottoms and plains, which look beautiful. We sailed some with a southerly blowing wind, but the river was so crooked that we could not sail much of the time. Saw some scattered sizable stones on the sides of the hills. Halted about 7 o'clock to dine at a bottom covered with cottonwood timber on the north side.
Proceeded on, passing several bottoms and plains on each side of the river. Came 17 miles as the courses were taken, but by water the way we came it was about 26. Camped at a point called Grand Point on the south side. Saw different herds of elk on the south side.
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