Missouri River near Vermillion area — John Ordway: August 22, 1804
The expedition traveled upriver against a swift current, aided by a strong south wind. Along the south side, they passed bluffs with cottonwood, elm, maple, oak, and cedar, and stopped to examine mineral deposits resembling brass, copperas, and alum, all giving off a sulfur smell. Two men returning from the Omaha village rejoined the party below the bluffs, having killed two deer, while Drouillard had trapped a beaver overnight. They named a small creek Roloje Creek, passed a red cedar bluff and a 50-foot alum cliff covered with bird nests, and camped on the north side after 19 miles, noting abundant elk sign.
verry Swift, the wind hard from the South, we proceeded on
round a bend & Sand bar N. S. the hills make to the River on
S. S. below the hills their is Some large Timber of cottonwood
Elm Maple &. C. Some oak & ceeder on the Bluffs, we halted
under the Bluffs & found different kinds of oar which has the
appearence of brass, copperas alum &. C. &. C. all of which has a
Sulphear Smell. Broken praries Back. The 2 men who had been
with the horses from the Mahars village, joined us below Sd
Bluffs, had killed 2 Deer 2 other men went on with the horses
hunting . G. Drewyer caught one Beaver last night, a small
creek comes in close above sd Bluffs which we call Roloje Cr.8
on S. S. we proceeded on under a fine Breeze from the South.
1 The Big Sioux rises in eastern South Dakota; it forms the boundary be-
tween Iowa and South Dakota from the northern boundary of the former
state to its moufh. The latter is only about four miles above the mouth of
Floyd Biver.
2 In Dakota County, Nebr., a few miles from the Dixon County line.
3 Modern Iowa Creek, in Dixon County. Nebr.
114
KOI TE OF LEWIS AND CLARK: WKSI F.HN PORTION
SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 115
passed a Red ceeder Bluff on the South Side & little above on
the Same Side we passed an Alum Stone clift about 50 feet high
& a great nomber of birds nests near the top of the clift. we
Sailed on to a prarie where we Camped on N. S.1 after Sailing
19 miles back of sd prarie is a large pond we see a great deal of
Elk Sign.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Very swift, the wind hard from the south, we proceeded on around a bend and sand bar on the north side. The hills come down to the river on the south side. Below the hills there is some large timber of cottonwood, elm, maple, etc., some oak and cedar on the bluffs. We halted under the bluffs and found different kinds of ore which have the appearance of brass, copperas, alum, etc., etc., all of which have a sulphur smell. Broken prairies behind. The two men who had been with the horses from the Mahars (Omahas) village joined us below said bluffs, having killed 2 deer. Two other men went on with the horses, hunting. G. Drewyer (Drouillard) caught one beaver last night. A small creek comes in close above said bluffs, which we call Roloje Creek, on the south side. We proceeded on under a fine breeze from the south.
Passed a red cedar bluff on the south side, and a little above on the same side we passed an alum stone cliff about 50 feet high, with a great number of birds' nests near the top of the cliff. We sailed on to a prairie where we camped on the north side, after sailing 19 miles. Back of said prairie is a large pond. We see a great deal of elk sign.
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