Rapid descent of Missouri, 70-80 miles/day — John Ordway: August 21, 1806
Traveling downriver, the party met three French trappers, including Rivet, who had worked as high as the Yellowstone River and were heading to the Mandans to retrieve traps before returning to St. Louis. Around 11 a.m. they reached the upper Arikara village, firing blunderbusses on arrival. They found a Cheyenne trading party there along with three Frenchmen and a Spaniard, and learned 1,500 Sioux had gone to war against the Mandans. The officers gave a Cheyenne leader a medal but failed to recruit any natives to travel downriver. They camped at the lower Arikara village, where Ross joined them, and traded for robes and moccasins.
and proceed on soon met three frenchmen one by the name of
Revey5 they have been trapping as high as the river Roshjone
1 At the site of an old Ankara village, several miles below Fort Mandan.
Going ashore to view their habitation of the winter of 1804-5, Clark found
that only some pickets and one of the houses in the rear bastion remained
standing, the greater portion of the fort having been destroyed by an accidental
fire. The site of the fort itself disappeared a few years later, being worn away
by the erosion of the river.
2 Modern Heart River; the camp was near the site where the party had
encamped Oct. 20, 1804, a short distance below Bismarck, N. Dak.
3 Having descended but ten miles below the camp of the day before. This
night Clark enjoyed a rare luxury. Through the liberality of Jessaume and
the squaws he was provided with a “piece of a lodge,” the only covering he had
enjoyed, since leaving the Columbia, sufficient to keep off the rain.
* “haveing made 81 miles only.” Clark. This remark may be taken as
an indication of the eagerness of the explorers to be at their journey’s end.
At noon the party passed the mouth of Cannon Ball River, and at three o’clock
that of Big Beaver Creek. The camp was therefore some distance below the
latter point.
6 Revey (Rivet) had been with the expedition during the autumn of 1804
392 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 22
but have made out but poorly and have been living at the Ricka-
rees and are now going to the Mandans for their traps and and
then they Say they will return to S4 Louis. So we procd on about
11 A. M. we arived at the upper village of Rickarees where we
halted after fireing our blunderbusses, they gathered on the
bank verry numerous a party of the Chiens are here trading
with these natives for corn give buffaloe meat dryed meat in return
three frenchman are living here & one Spanyard. they informed
us that 15 hundred of the Souix nation had gone up to war with
the Mandans. our officers gave a principal man of the chien
nation a meddle, he gave in return Some fat dryed buffaloe meat,
our officers tryed to git Some of these natives to go down with us
but they did not incline to go as they Said they had Sent one
with Mr Gravveleen and he had not returnd this nation of chien
or dog Indians live at the heads of chien river towards the black
hills, they say they are afraid of the white people and of any
thing they have for they think it to be great medicin. Still Say
that they have a great deal of fur in their country and have no
trade for it &C. in the evening we mooved down to the lower
village of Rickarees and Camped Ross joined us in order to go
down with us. we traded for Robes & Mockasons Some of which
was handsome &C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We proceeded on, and soon met three Frenchmen, one by the name of Revey. They had been trapping as high as the river Roshjone (Yellowstone), but had made out only poorly, and have been living at the Rickarees (Arikaras). They are now going to the Mandans for their traps, and then they say they will return to St. Louis.
So we proceeded on. About 11 A.M. we arrived at the upper village of the Rickarees, where we halted after firing our blunderbusses. They gathered on the bank very numerous. A party of the Chiens (Cheyennes) are here trading with these natives for corn, giving buffalo meat and dried meat in return. Three Frenchmen are living here, and one Spaniard. They informed us that fifteen hundred of the Sioux nation had gone up to war with the Mandans.
Our officers gave a principal man of the Chien nation a medal; he gave in return some fat dried buffalo meat. Our officers tried to get some of these natives to go down with us, but they did not incline to go, as they said they had sent one with Mr. Gravveleen (Gravelines) and he had not returned. This nation of Chien, or Dog Indians, live at the heads of Chien (Cheyenne) River, towards the Black Hills. They say they are afraid of the white people and of anything they have, for they think it to be great medicine. Still, they say that they have a great deal of fur in their country and have no trade for it, etc.
In the evening we moved down to the lower village of the Rickarees and camped. Ross joined us in order to go down with us. We traded for robes and moccasins, some of which were handsome, etc.
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