Near Platte River, Council Bluffs area — John Ordway: July 29, 1804
The expedition departed early, sending a French interpreter named J. Barter (elsewhere called La Liberty) along with an Indian to gather the Oto tribe for a council upriver. The party traveled past a prairie bottom and Boyer Creek on the north side, stopping around noon on the south side to dine and jerk meat brought in by Drouillard. They caught the largest catfish yet seen on the river. Willard lost his rifle in Boyer Creek, and the white pirogue helped recover it from the mud. They camped on the north side in a cottonwood grove.
we Set out Eairly. J° Barter4 a Frenchman who could Speak the
Zoteau language went with the Indian in order to Git as many of
them together as possable & bring them to the River above this
place So that we may see & treat with them &. C. we proceded
on along a large bottom prarie on N. S. passed a Small Creek on
N. S. called Boyer Creek5 about noon we came to high land on the
S. S. where we Stoped to Dine. & jerk our meat which Drewyer
brought to us. Willard sent back to last nights camp for his
Tommahawk which he left we Delayed about 2 hours, caught
Several of the largest cat fish we have ever caught in this River.
1 Clark calls it Indian Knob Creek, and Floyd, Beaver Creek. It is modern
Pigeon Creek, which joins the Missouri near Crescent City, Iowa, a few miles
above Council Bluffs.
2 The Oto tribe of Indians.
3 In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, a mile below the mouth of Boyer River.
* Elsewhere than in Ordway’s journal he is called “La Liberty.” The giving
of his real name by Onlway should make possible, at last, the identification
of this member of the expedition. Thus far. however, 1 have not succeeded
in identifying him. Possibly be is the Joab Barton who died near Jefferson
City about 1820, for whom see Houck, Missouri, I, 211.
-Still known as Hover Hiver. It is a considerable stream of west-central
Iowa.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 103
(one Swallowed a hook bit of[f] the line, caught the Same G.
hook) the Missouri is much more crooked since we passed the
Great River Platte than before but not so Rapid in general;
more praries the Timber Scarser &. C. The Timber mostly
cottonwood except on the hills which is oak Black Walnut hickery
Elm Basswood &. C. Willard lost his rifle in a large Creek called
Boyer N. S. came back for help to find it. the white pearogue
went back with him & got out his Rifle, which was sunk deep in
the mud, we proceded on along a round bend & prarie on N. S.
We Camped on the North Side in a thin Grove of cotton wood.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We set out early. J. Barter, a Frenchman who could speak the Oto language, went with the Indian in order to get as many of them together as possible and bring them to the river above this place so that we may see and treat with them, etc. We proceeded on along a large bottom prairie on the north side. Passed a small creek on the north side called Boyer Creek. About noon we came to high land on the south side, where we stopped to dine and jerk our meat, which Drewyer brought to us. Willard was sent back to last night's camp for his tomahawk, which he had left. We delayed about 2 hours, and caught several of the largest catfish we have ever caught in this river.
(One swallowed a hook and bit off the line; we caught the same fish and hook again.) The Missouri is much more crooked since we passed the Great River Platte than before, but not so rapid in general; more prairies, the timber scarcer, etc. The timber is mostly cottonwood except on the hills, which is oak, black walnut, hickory, elm, basswood, etc. Willard lost his rifle in a large creek called Boyer on the north side, and came back for help to find it. The white pirogue went back with him and got out his rifle, which was sunk deep in the mud. We proceeded on along a round bend and prairie on the north side. We camped on the north side in a thin grove of cottonwood.
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