Missouri River near Little Missouri — John Ordway: April 16, 1805

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.