Missouri River near Little Missouri — John Ordway: April 20, 1805
The expedition set out around 7 a.m. into cold, chilly air. Men caught beavers in traps, and a buffalo swam past but was spared because it was lean. Strong winds slowed progress to roughly one mile in two hours, with sand blowing off the bars like thick fog and nearly swamping the canoes. They halted on the north side, where Captain Lewis, hunting on shore, killed a deer. Hunters took two elk, another deer, a goose, and a beaver. They camped in a sheltered bottom, finding abandoned Indian items, amid snow squalls.
as it was yesterday this morning, we Set off about 7 oClock.
we found it Cold polling, the air chilley. proceeded on. Some
of the men caught two beaver in traps which they Set last night.
Saw a buffaloe Swim the river close before us but would not
Shoot him for he was not fat. the wind rose & blew Same as yes-
terday So that we could hardly make any head way. halted [and]
took breakfast about 10 0. C. 2 of the hunters Shot four beaver
directly in the edge of the river, delayed Som time the [wind]
abated a little, we proceded on the wind Shortly rose again
and blew so hard that the canoes were near filling they took in
considerable water, the Sand blew off the Sand bars & beaches
So that we could hardly See, it was like a thick fogg.2 it took us
about two hours to come about 1 miles, halted at a bottom on
the N. S. Cap1 Lewis who walked on Shore this morning killed
a deer and hung it up on the bank of the river near an old Indian
1 Ordway’s journal entry for April 26, 1805, indicates that Scannon was
Lewis’ dot;. The meaning of the cryptic statement seems to be, then, that
Scannon retrieved the goose.
2 Sand storms are of frequent occurrence along this portion of the Missouri.
Lewis expatiates (.journal, July 24) on the annoyance they caused the travelers.
The particles of sand are “so line and light that they are easily supported by
the air, ami arc carried by the wind for many miles, and at a distance exhibiting
every appearance of a collum of thick smoke.” The sand penetrated every-
thing, so that the explorers were compelled t<> “eat. drink, and breathe it .” It
even stopped Lewis’ watch, notwithstanding “her cases are double and tight.”
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 199
Camp where he made fire & Eat the liver of the deer, and went on.
we took it on board and went up the bottom about 3 miles where
we found a good harbour for the perogues to lay out of the wind
we halted and dryed the things which was Wet, & Camped for
the night, we found Some little notions which Some Indian had
hung up.1 Viz. a Scraper a paint bag with an ounce in it,
kinikaneck2 bags, flints &. C. the hunters killed 2 Elk Cap*
Lewis a white taild deer, one man killed a Goose. Drewyer
Shot a beaver, we Saw gangs of Elk running along near our
Camp we did not want any more meat or we might have killed
a pleanty. high Squawls of wind & flights of round Snow this day.
we took in Some water in the Canoe I was in. the water came
up to my Box So that a part of my paper Got wet.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
As it was yesterday this morning, we set off about 7 o'clock. We found it cold poling, the air chilly. Proceeded on. Some of the men caught two beaver in traps which they set last night. Saw a buffalo swim the river close before us but would not shoot him for he was not fat. The wind rose and blew the same as yesterday so that we could hardly make any headway. Halted and took breakfast about 10 o'clock. Two of the hunters shot four beaver directly in the edge of the river. Delayed some time, the wind abated a little, we proceeded on. The wind shortly rose again and blew so hard that the canoes were near filling; they took in considerable water. The sand blew off the sandbars and beaches so that we could hardly see; it was like a thick fog. It took us about two hours to come about one mile.
Halted at a bottom on the north side. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis), who walked on shore this morning, killed a deer and hung it up on the bank of the river near an old Indian camp where he made a fire and ate the liver of the deer, and went on. We took it on board and went up the bottom about 3 miles where we found a good harbor for the pirogues to lay out of the wind. We halted and dried the things which were wet, and camped for the night. We found some little notions which some Indian had hung up, namely: a scraper, a paint bag with an ounce in it, kinnikinnick bags, flints, etc. The hunters killed 2 elk, Capt Lewis a white-tailed deer, one man killed a goose. Drewyer (Drouillard) shot a beaver. We saw gangs of elk running along near our camp; we did not want any more meat or we might have killed plenty. High squalls of wind and flights of round snow this day. We took in some water in the canoe I was in. The water came up to my box so that a part of my paper got wet.
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