Camp Fortunate / Shoshone contact — John Ordway: August 13, 1805
The expedition continued upriver, sending hunters out and passing a spring (later named McNeal's Creek, modern Black Tail Deer Creek) on the left. The party noted narrowing valleys, grassy plains with sunflowers, scattered cottonwoods, and pine on distant hills. They breakfasted by a rocky cliff and pushed against a rapid current that eased in the afternoon. Wildlife included trout, otter, bald eagles, and ducks; Captain Clark shot a duck, and a hunter's deer was brought aboard. After 15 miles they camped on the prairie near present-day Dillon, Montana, with mountains visible ahead and two hunters still out.
proceeded on. Several hunters [sent out] to hunt, passed a hand-
some Spring run3 which came in on L. Side the hills make nearer
the River, the valley not so wide as below & a little higher.
Smooth plains covred with grass & Sun flowers &. C. Saw Some
pine timber on the high hills back from the River, we halted and
took breakfast at a high clift of rocks on L. Side the hills above
make near the River on the L. Side, we proceeded on the current
rapid, the plains continues on the L. Side and hills along the
1 Seven miles by land above the Beaver Head, and an equal distance below
the town of Dillon. Coues.
2 Twelve miles by water, four by land. The camp was a short distance
below the mouth of modern Black Tail Deer Creek, in the immediate vicinity
of the town of Dillon.
1 Named in honor of McNeal. a member of the expedition; modern Black
Tail Deer Creek.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 265
Stard. Side a fiew Scattering cotton trees along the River, in
the afternoon the current more gentle, we had caught a nomber
of fine Trout this Several days passed high clifts of rocks and
fine Springs on S. Side Saw a nomber of large otter diveing in
the River before us. Saw bald eagles ducks &.C. we took on
board a deer the hunters had killed. Came 15 miles this day and
camped on the Smooth prarie on L. Side.1 Cap1 Clark Shot a
duck, considerable of flax in these praries. Some of the party
saw some of the Seed. 2 of the hunters have not joined us this
evening, the mountains appear near a head of us.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Proceeded on. Several hunters were sent out to hunt. Passed a handsome spring run which came in on the larboard side. The hills come nearer to the river, and the valley is not as wide as below and is a little higher. Smooth plains covered with grass and sunflowers, etc. Saw some pine timber on the high hills back from the river. We halted and took breakfast at a high cliff of rocks on the larboard side. The hills above come near the river on the larboard side. We proceeded on, the current rapid. The plains continue on the larboard side and hills along the starboard side, with a few scattering cottonwood trees along the river.
In the afternoon the current became more gentle. We had caught a number of fine trout these last several days. Passed high cliffs of rocks and fine springs on the starboard side. Saw a number of large otter diving in the river before us. Saw bald eagles, ducks, etc. We took on board a deer the hunters had killed. Came 15 miles this day and camped on the smooth prairie on the larboard side. Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) shot a duck. There is a considerable amount of flax in these prairies; some of the party saw some of the seed. Two of the hunters have not joined us this evening. The mountains appear near ahead of us.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
