Missouri River near Arrow Rock — John Ordway: June 25, 1804
The expedition set out after a brief stop and passed a coal bank on the north side of the Missouri River containing apparently large coal deposits. They noted Coal (Chabaned) Creek to the north and Labunie Creek to the south, observing many deer feeding on young willow along the sandy beaches. The party traveled past high prairies, hills, and rocks, with signs of springs on the north side. Reuben Fields killed two deer and Captain Lewis shot a rabbit. After 11 miles, they camped on an island near the north shore. The flanking party failed to rejoin them that evening.
an hour, we Set out, passed a Coal Bank on the North Side which
appears to have Great quantity of Coal in it. we passed a Small
Creek Called Coal or (Chabaned)4 on the same side, we passed a
Creek on the South Side called Labunie5 we Saw a Great
nomber of Deer feeding on the Sand Beachs they feed on young
willow & are verry numerious. we passed Some Lands on high
praries on the South Side of the River, passed Some high hills on
1 Apparently modern Fishing River, which flows across Clay and the corner
of Ray counties.
2 Floyd wrote I lay Creek, Whitehouse, Straw Hill River, and Clark, Hay
Cabbin Creek. Clark explains that the stream was named “from Camps of
Straw built on it.” It is modern Little Blue Creek, in Jackson County.
3 Coues explains this name as a phonetic rendering of the French Charrrtins
ecartes — two creeks named Charretin, having separate courses (iscariis) but
with a common entrance into the Missouri. Two creeks in Clay County cor-
respond, apparently, with the location and the description in question.
4 Written “Chabonea” by Clark; identified by Coues as modern Rush Creek,
in Clay County.
6 Variously spelled by the diarists of the expedition as “Labenile,” “la beane,”
“La Benn,” “Bennets’,” and “un batteur La benne”; identified by Coues as
modern Mill Creek, in Jackson County.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 89
the South Side. Some Rocks, &.C. Signs of Springs on the N.
Side of Sd hills. R. Fields killed a Deer, we came 11 miles &
Camped on an Isd lower point of an Island near the North Side
of the River. Cap* Lewis killed aRabit. R. Fields killed a Deer,
this evening our flanking party did not Get to us this evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
After an hour, we set out, and passed a coal bank on the north side which appears to have a great quantity of coal in it. We passed a small creek called Coal or (Chabaned) on the same side. We passed a creek on the south side called Labunie. We saw a great number of deer feeding on the sand beaches; they feed on young willow and are very numerous. We passed some lands on high prairies on the south side of the river, passed some high hills on the south side. Some rocks, etc. Signs of springs on the north side of said hills.
R. Fields killed a deer. We came 11 miles and camped on an island, at the lower point of an island near the north side of the river. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) killed a rabbit. R. Fields killed a deer. This evening our flanking party did not get to us.
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