Great Falls of the Missouri — John Ordway: June 17, 1805
The crew worked on hauling canoes up Portage Creek and began building small wagons to carry the canoes, goods, and baggage overland around the Great Falls. Captain Clark and five men set out to survey and measure the portage route to where the river could be navigated again. Two hunters went searching for elk skins to cover the iron-framed boat for use above the falls, since the largest craft would be left behind. Buffalo were plentiful but timber was scarce. One canoe overturned and others filled with water during the difficult haul up the rapids, but all reached the small four-foot falls safely.
takeing the canoes up the little River. 6 men employed making
Small low waggons for the purpose of hailing the canoes, Goods
& baggage through the plains by the falls. Cap* Clark and five
men went to Survey and measure the distance &. C. to the head of
the falls to where we could take the water again. 2 hunters out in
order to git Elk Skins to cover or bottom our Iron boat2 when
1 Which they named Portage Creek. It is modern Belt Creek, on the bound-
ary between Chouteau and Cascade counties.
2 In preparation for such a contingency Lewis had had made for him at the
United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry the irim frame of a boat, which was
to be completed by covering it with skins. On trial, however, as we shall
shortly see, the device proved impracticable, and Lewis was reluctantly com-
pelled to abandon it.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 233
we git ab° the falls, as we will Stand in need of it, as we leave
our largest craft at this place, the timber is verry scarse about
the falls, the buffalow pleanty. in the evening we got the canoes
up the Small River about If miles to the falls of it of about 4 feet
prepinticular. we had some difficulty in gitting them up the
rapids to this place one canoe turned over, was near hurting
the 2 men in hir. Several others filled with water hailing them up
Such Steep rapids, but we got them all up Safe to this falls of the
little River, and carried them out on a level, turned them on one
Side to dry &. C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Taking the canoes up the little River. Six men were employed making small low wagons for the purpose of hauling the canoes, goods, and baggage through the plains by the falls. Capt. Clark (Capt. Clark) and five men went to survey and measure the distance, etc., to the head of the falls, to where we could take the water again. Two hunters were out in order to get elk skins to cover or bottom our iron boat for when we get above the falls, as we will stand in need of it, since we will leave our largest craft at this place. The timber is very scarce about the falls, but the buffalo are plenty.
In the evening we got the canoes up the small river about one and a half miles to the falls of it, which are about 4 feet perpendicular. We had some difficulty in getting them up the rapids to this place. One canoe turned over and nearly hurt the two men in her. Several others filled with water as we hauled them up such steep rapids, but we got them all up safe to this falls of the little River, and carried them out onto a level, turning them on one side to dry, etc.
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