Council Bluffs, Iowa (first council site) — John Ordway: July 30, 1804

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.