Missouri River near Osage River — John Ordway: June 7, 1804
The expedition traveled past high cliffs and a large spring flowing from the rocks, then reached Big Devil Creek, where they stopped for breakfast. Captain Lewis and several men hiked up the creek to investigate a salt lick. The party passed a painted projecting rock and discovered a den of rattlesnakes, killing three. They noted high bluffs and highlands along the river before camping at the mouth of Good Woman River. Hunters returned that evening with three bears and reported that the country between the rivers was rich.
wind passed high Clifts & a fine large Spring which Run from
under the clifts of Rocks, about 2 miles further we Come to a
1 Modern Cedar Creek, which empties into the Missouri from the north side
opposite Jefferson City.
2 Clark calls this Zancare, and Floyd, Zon Cer Creek. It joined the Missouri
from the south, eight miles above the mouth of Cedar Creek.
3 More exactly at a place called Lead-mine Hill, where according to French
reports lead ore was to be found; but Clark was unable to find any trace of the
mineral. According to Brackenridge it was nine miles above the mouth of
Cedar Creek. Early Western Travels, VI, 164.
4 Modern Bonne Femme Creek, which joins the Missouri midway between
Burlington and Claysville. Lead Creek is either modern Meadow, Bock, or
Mud, Creek, shown on the Missouri Biver Commission map. This map will be
cited henceforth by the initial letters, M. B. C. map.
5 Biddle describes this as “a strange figure resembling the bust of a man
with the horns of a stag.” Clark’s pictorial reproduction of it may be seen in
Thwaites. Two miles above, according to Clark’s reckoning, is the mouth
of Little Manitou Creek. As far back as 1752 it is laid down on D’Anville’s
map as the “Diable” Biver.
6 Modern Bocher Perce Biver, in Boone County. Clark explains its name
as due to “a projecting rock with a hole thro,” which was passed near the mouth
of the river.
84 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 8
Creek Called the Big Devil.1 we Stayed to Breakfast. Cap*
Lewis & Several men went with him out to a lick, up the Creek,
high Bluffs on N. Side, this Mountain Creek is 30 yds wide at the
moulh. We passed a painted part of a projecting Rock2 We
found this to be a den of rattle Snakes, we killed three, high
Land on South Side of the River, we Encamped at the mouth of
goodwomans River3 on Right the hunters came in with 3
Bears this evening & informed us that the Country between be-
tween these Rivers is Rich
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wind. We passed high cliffs and a fine large spring which ran out from under the cliffs of rocks. About 2 miles further we came to a creek called the Big Devil. We stopped for breakfast. Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and several men went with him out to a lick, up the creek. There were high bluffs on the north side. This Mountain Creek is 30 yards wide at the mouth.
We passed a painted part of a projecting rock. We found this to be a den of rattlesnakes, and we killed three. There was high land on the south side of the river. We camped at the mouth of Goodwoman's River on the right. The hunters came in with 3 bears this evening and informed us that the country between these rivers is rich.
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