Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — John Ordway: August 8, 1805
The party set out at sunrise after sending four hunters ahead at daybreak, traveling through a wide, smooth prairie valley roughly 10 to 12 miles across, where the three forks of the river converge. They passed the north fork (the Philanthropy) and continued up the middle fork, noting beaver dams, wild onions, goldenrod, sunflowers, and rich soil. Hunters brought in several deer and antelope, though Reuben Fields returned without finding the missing Shannon. The weather was warm and pleasant, and they camped in a thicket after navigating over 60 sharp river bends.
diew. 4 hunters sent out at light, we Set out at Sun rise and
proceeded on. passed beautiful praries on each side, but little
timber, only willows currents &. C. passed the left hand or
North fork has 2 mouths empties in at 2 places but is not as
large as the middle fork1 which we still take. Saw a little Snow
on the knobs back of this large and extensive valley, which is
Smooth level prarie. the 3 forks all comes in at this valley. Saw
wild Onions & golden rod. the prarie is covred with grass which
is high in places, the beaver abounds on these Rivers, they
have dams and ponds &. C. &. C. in different places, the Soil
of these praries is much better than it has been below for a long
distance, proceeded on passed a fine Spring on L. S. one of
the hunters brought us a deer which he had killed. Saw a nomber
of geese & ducks on the River, passed beautiful prarie on each
Side covred with high grass thissels Sun flowers Some clover and
different kinds of herbs &. C. at noon R. Fields who had been
hunting for Shannon returned to us. had not found him. had
killed a deer & a goat also, one other of the hunters came in had
killed a deer & a goat or antelope, the day warm, a verry pleas-
ant part of the country in this valley, which appears to be 10 or
12 miles wide all Smooth prarie except a fiew groves of cotton
trees willows & bushes beaver dams &. C. on the River, which is
verry crooked but not so rapid as below, and only about 25 yards
wide, and verry crooked the bends Short passed upwards of
1 The north fork was, of course, the Philanthropy, or modern Stinking Water
River. The middle fork, which the explorers regarded as the continuation
of Jefferson River, appears on modern maps as Beaver Head River.
262 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 9
60 points this day. Came [blank in Ms.] miles1 & Camped in a
thicket of bushes on the L. S. the hunters came in with another Deer.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Dew. Four hunters were sent out at daylight. We set out at sunrise and proceeded on. We passed beautiful prairies on each side, but with little timber, only willows, currants, etc. We passed the left-hand, or North, fork, which has two mouths and empties in at two places, but is not as large as the middle fork, which we still take. We saw a little snow on the knobs back of this large and extensive valley, which is smooth, level prairie. The three forks all come in at this valley. We saw wild onions and goldenrod. The prairie is covered with grass which is high in places. Beavers abound on these rivers; they have dams and ponds, etc., etc., in different places. The soil of these prairies is much better than it has been below for a long distance.
We proceeded on and passed a fine spring on the larboard side. One of the hunters brought us a deer which he had killed. We saw a number of geese and ducks on the river. We passed beautiful prairie on each side, covered with high grass, thistles, sunflowers, some clover, and different kinds of herbs, etc. At noon R. Fields, who had been hunting for Shannon, returned to us. He had not found him. He had killed a deer and a goat (antelope) as well. Another of the hunters came in, having killed a deer and a goat, or antelope.
The day was warm. This is a very pleasant part of the country, in this valley, which appears to be 10 or 12 miles wide, all smooth prairie except a few groves of cottonwood trees, willows, and bushes, with beaver dams, etc., on the river, which is very crooked but not as rapid as below, and only about 25 yards wide, and very crooked, the bends short. We passed upwards of 60 points this day. We came [blank in Ms.] miles and camped in a thicket of bushes on the larboard side. The hunters came in with another deer.
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