Council Bluffs, Iowa (first council site) — John Ordway: July 30, 1804
The party traveled upriver searching for a suitable camping spot to await the arrival of the Otoe Indians, eventually stopping around 7 o'clock at high bluffs on the south side beneath a wooded strip. They noted the area's beautiful high prairie as ideal town country. The white horse died overnight from weakness after swimming the Missouri. Drouillard killed a deer, while Joseph and Reuben Field brought in three deer plus a badger, which Captain Lewis had skinned and stuffed to send to St. Louis. The American flag was raised. The location was named Council Bluffs.
in order to find a good place to camp & wait for the Zotteaus
Indians to come in & C we proceded on passd where G.
Drewyer camped last night. The white Horse dyed last night,
fell down the Bank being weak by gitting filled with water
swimming the Missouri on 28th ul* G. Drewyer killed one Deer,
we proceded on past a high bank & bottom prarie arived at
high blufs on S. S. we camped about 7 oClock close under the
foot of the bluffs in a Strip of woods which make along under the
Ridge to the River the Timber is copper nut white oak Black
walnut Elm bass wood or lynn hickery &. C. below this handsome
bottom prarie, above the Timber and bluffs is a beautiful high
prarie, I think it is the Smothest & prittyset place for a Town I
ever Saw. back of this high large prarie, their is uneven praries
Some Timber in the vallies & on the branches &. C. J° Fields &
Reuben went hunting J° killed & brought in an animel which
the French call a brarow1 (we hoisted the american Flag &C.
expect the Zottous &c this animal Resembles our Ground hogs in
colour & Shape nearly but the head like a dogs, four feet like a
bear especially the claws. Inside like a hog long teeth they
live on flyes & bugs &. C. and dig in the Ground like a G. Hog
they Say they gravel like a possom. Cap* Lewis had this animal
Skined [and] the Skin Stuffed in order to send back to S* Louis;
the 2 hunters killed 3 deer took out the horses to bring them in.
This place is named Counsel Bluffs.2 Late 41°, 17m 00 North.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
In order to find a good place to camp and wait for the Zotteaus Indians to come in, etc., we proceeded on, passed where G. Drewyer (Drouillard) camped last night. The white horse died last night, fell down the bank, being weak from getting filled with water swimming the Missouri on the 28th ultimo. G. Drewyer killed one deer. We proceeded on past a high bank and bottom prairie, arrived at high bluffs on the south side. We camped about 7 o'clock close under the foot of the bluffs in a strip of woods which runs along under the ridge to the river. The timber is copper nut, white oak, black walnut, elm, basswood or linn, hickory, etc. Below this handsome bottom prairie, above the timber and bluffs, is a beautiful high prairie. I think it is the smoothest and prettiest place for a town I ever saw. Back of this high large prairie, there are uneven prairies with some timber in the valleys and on the branches, etc.
J. Fields and Reuben went hunting. J. killed and brought in an animal which the French call a brarow (we hoisted the American flag, etc., expecting the Zottous, etc.). This animal resembles our groundhogs in color and shape nearly, but the head is like a dog's, four feet like a bear, especially the claws. The inside is like a hog, with long teeth. They live on flies and bugs, etc., and dig in the ground like a groundhog. They say they burrow like a possum. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) had this animal skinned and the skin stuffed in order to send back to St. Louis. The 2 hunters killed 3 deer and took out the horses to bring them in. This place is named Council Bluffs. Latitude 41°, 17m 00 North.
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