Missouri River near Platte River mouth — John Ordway: July 14, 1804

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.