Journal entry · July 12, 1804
Missouri River near Platte River mouth — John Ordway: July 12, 1804
John Ordway · Missouri River near St. Joseph area · Thwaites Vol. Quaife 1916
That night's camp, per the NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino): island left side opposite Big Nemaha River
Cloaths,4 &.C., the Capts take observations. Several hunters
went out this mornins the hunters which went out yesterday
on the South Side went up the Mahas River this River is
about 80 y^ wide and navigable for pearogues Some distance up.
this prarie comes to its mouth and continues both Sides. A long
distance in the Country, one Sentinel a Sleep on his post last
night, and tried by court martial this day.5 Drewyer killed 2
Deer to day.
1 Written “de Salamin” by Clark; “Solomon’s Island” by Biddle, and so
shown on Nicollet’s map.
2 Still the Little Tarkio, in Holt County, Mo.; characterized by Coues as
“a sloughy stream, whose waters have leaked into the Missouri in places at
least 20 miles apart.” On modern maps its mouth is variously located. On
the M. R. C. map it is shown just below Forest City, Mo.
3 Clark wrote “Ne Ma How”; Whitehouse, “Grande-mo-haugh”; Gass
gives “Moha,” and Floyd “Granma mohug.” It is the modern Grand Nemaha
of southeastern Nebraska, joining the Missouri just above the Kansas-Nebraska
boundary. In passing from the Little Tarkio to the Grand Nemaha, there-
fore, the expedition crossed this boundary line.
4 Floyd notes (July 11) that “the men is all Sick.” and Clark that they are
“much fatigued.”
5 The culprit, Alexander Willard, was sentenced to receive “One hundred
lashes on his bear back, at four different times in equal proportion,” the punish-
96 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 13
Entities mentioned in this entry
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The NPS atlas for this night
island left side opposite Big Nemaha River
NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino) · Camp of July 11 to July 12, 1804
NPS sites within 5 miles of this camp
- Leary Site (opens in a new tab) NPS High Potential Historic Site · National Historic Landmark · 2.4 mi
- Big Lake State Park (opens in a new tab) Visitor center/museum · 3.7 mi
Source: National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Park Atlas.
Terrain360 · the place today
Missouri River near St. Joseph area in 360°
10 frames across 1.7 mi of the route around this location
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