Missouri River near Yellowstone approach — John Ordway: April 21, 1805
A clear but chilly morning began with water frozen in buckets by the fire. The party traveled along the Missouri, observing hills and valleys covered with buffalo and elk, and finding a goose nest with four eggs high in a tree. Captain Clark hunted on the south side, killing four deer but failing to approach a buffalo calf in the open plain. The afternoon turned cloudy and windy. They passed the mouth of White Earth River, a clear 15-yard-wide creek on the north side, and camped after 15 miles. Hunters took two buffalo calves and an elk.
water in the buckets setting near the fire, a Clear and pleasant
morning, but verry chilly & cold, we proceeded on. Saw the
hills and vallies on S. S. covered with buffaloe. Some calfs among
them, one of the party dumb a Steep of a tree which had a Goose
nest in the top of it found four Eggs in it. passed round the
bottom covered with timber which we camped on last night
about 10 oC. we halted & took breakfast, proceeded on passed
hills and round knobs on S. S. and a large bottom on N. S. Cap*
Clark went on the S. S. to hunt. Came to us at dinner, had
killed 4 Deer in a bottom covered with Small timber he at-
tempted to kill a buffaloe Calf but could not git near enofe with-
out being discovered by them, the plain being so open, about 3
oClock clouded up cold the wind began to blow as usal. we
dined at a redish bluff on N. S. Saw large gang of buffaloe &
calfs Elk also on the opposite Shore, delayed about one hour
& proceeded on passed the mouth of a large Creek on the N. S.
Called White Earth River.3 it is about 15 yards wide at the
mouth & Clear water & gentle current. Camped on the South
1 Near the corpse of a squaw which had recently been deposited on a scafTold,
the customary method in this region of disposing of the dead.
2 Kinnikinick was the Indian substitute for tobacco. It was made from
the leaves and bark of various trees and shrubs, among which may be noted
the red bearberry, the silky cornel, and the red-osier dogwood.
3 Lewis supposes its name to have been given because of the great quantities
of alkali salts along its banks, which in many places are so thickly covered as
to appear perfectly white. Journal, April 22. He notes that the water is
“much clearer than that of the Missouri”; notwithstanding which it bears
the modern name of Little Muddy River. It flows through central Williams
County, with the town of Williston at its mouth.
200 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [April 22
Side at a bottom1 came 15 miles to day. Some of the men
killed 2 buffaloe Calfs, & one Elk. We Saw this day 4 other[s] on
a drift. Potts shot one of them in head but it Sunk, the rest
plunged in to the water and swam down the river, and Drewyer
killed & Got one of them, a Cool evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Water in the buckets sitting near the fire. A clear and pleasant morning, but very chilly and cold. We proceeded on. Saw the hills and valleys on the south side covered with buffalo. Some calves among them. One of the party climbed up a steep tree which had a goose nest in the top of it; found four eggs in it. Passed round the bottom covered with timber which we camped on last night.
About 10 o'clock we halted and took breakfast, then proceeded on. Passed hills and round knobs on the south side and a large bottom on the north side. Capt. Clark went on the south side to hunt. He came to us at dinner, having killed 4 deer in a bottom covered with small timber. He attempted to kill a buffalo calf but could not get near enough without being discovered by them, the plain being so open.
About 3 o'clock it clouded up cold and the wind began to blow as usual. We dined at a reddish bluff on the north side. Saw a large gang of buffalo and calves, elk also on the opposite shore. Delayed about one hour and proceeded on. Passed the mouth of a large creek on the north side, called White Earth River. It is about 15 yards wide at the mouth, with clear water and gentle current. Camped on the south side at a bottom. Came 15 miles today.
Some of the men killed 2 buffalo calves and one elk. We saw this day 4 others on a drift. Potts shot one of them in the head but it sank; the rest plunged into the water and swam down the river, and Drewyer killed and got one of them. A cool evening.
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