Missouri River near Platte River mouth — John Ordway: July 14, 1804
A sudden violent storm from the northeast struck around 7 a.m., nearly driving the boat onto a sandbar; the men leapt out to hold her steady and dropped anchor, while the two pirogues a quarter-mile ahead struggled as well. The storm ceased as abruptly as it began, and the wind shifted southeast, allowing the party to sail on. They passed an old trading fort and saw three elk, which Clark and Drouillard shot at unsuccessfully. Clark lost two days of notes overboard in the storm. Reuben Field rejoined with the horses that evening.
panied with some wind which detained us untill about 7 oClock,
we then Set out and proceeded on about a mile their their came
up a violent Storm from the N. E. of wind & rain which passed
through an open prarie, it came so suddenly by a black cloud &
dismal looking we were in a situation near the upper point of a
Sand Island & on the opposite Shore falling in, the boat nearly
quartering & blowing down the current, the Boat was in danger of
being thrown up of[f] the Sand but the men were all out in an
instant holding hir out Stemming the wind the anchor was im-
mediately carried out. So by all exertion we could make we kept
the boat from filling or takeing injury, the 2 pearogues ware
about a quarter of a mile ahead the men on board were much put
to it to keep them Safe, this Storm Suddenly Seased, and in one
minute the River was as Smooth as it was before,3 the wind
Shifted to the S. E. and we Set Sail & proceded on passed small
Island on the north Side & dined. R. Field who had charge of
the horses on shore did not join us last night, passed an old fort on
ment to begin at sunset of the same day and to continue each succeeding even-
ing until completed. Thwaites, I, 76.
1 Still so called; it runs across Atchison and Holt counties, Mo.
2 There was some error in taking the observation, since the Kansas-Nebraska
boundary, already passed, is the fortieth parallel of latitude.
3 Clark corroborates this with a remarkable exhibition of orthography;
“the Storm Sudenly Seased. and the river became Instancetaniously as Smoth
as Glass.”
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 97
the north Side, where Roe Bennet of S* Louis wintered 2 years &
traded with the Otteaus & pawnies, proceeded on passed a
handsome sand beach on the South ‘ Side, where we Saw three
large Elk the first wild ones I ever Saw. Cap* Clark & drewyer
Shot at them, but the distance was too long, they Ron or trotted
in to the River and Shannon Swam across after them we pro-
ceeded on passed a large creek behind the lower point of an
Island on the North Side called Neash-na-Batto-na,1 this Creek is
as large as the Mine River & runs parrelel with the Missouris
for some considerable distance, the men who were with the horses
joined us this evening. Cap* Clarks notes & Remarks of 2 days
blew overboard this morning in the Storm, and he was much put
to it to Recolect the courses &.C. we camped on the South
Side opposite an Island.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
...accompanied by some wind which detained us until about 7 o'clock. We then set out and proceeded on about a mile when there came up a violent storm from the N.E. of wind and rain which passed through an open prairie. It came so suddenly by a black cloud and dismal looking. We were in a situation near the upper point of a sand island, and on the opposite shore falling in, the boat nearly quartering and blowing down the current. The boat was in danger of being thrown up off the sand, but the men were all out in an instant holding her out, stemming the wind. The anchor was immediately carried out. So by all exertion we could make, we kept the boat from filling or taking injury. The two pirogues were about a quarter of a mile ahead; the men on board were much put to it to keep them safe. This storm suddenly ceased, and in one minute the river was as smooth as it was before. The wind shifted to the S.E. and we set sail and proceeded on, passed a small island on the north side, and dined. R. Field, who had charge of the horses on shore, did not join us last night. Passed an old fort on the north side, where Roe Bennet of St. Louis wintered two years and traded with the Otteaus (Otoes) and Pawnees. Proceeded on, passed a handsome sand beach on the south side, where we saw three large elk, the first wild ones I ever saw. Capt. Clark and Drewyer (Drouillard) shot at them, but the distance was too long. They ran or trotted into the river, and Shannon swam across after them. We proceeded on, passed a large creek behind the lower point of an island on the north side called Neash-na-Batto-na. This creek is as large as the Mine River and runs parallel with the Missouri for some considerable distance. The men who were with the horses joined us this evening.
Capt. Clark's notes and remarks of two days blew overboard this morning in the storm, and he was much put to it to recollect the courses, etc. We camped on the south side opposite an island.
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