Missouri River Breaks area — John Ordway: May 17, 1805
The party traveled along a stretch of river bordered by mountainous, eroded hills and white knobs, with scattered patches of pitch pine but little grass. They observed large herds of elk, now more plentiful than buffalo, along with geese and goslings on the river. Around 2 p.m. they stopped to dine at a narrow bottom on the south side near old Indian camp remains, resuming travel about an hour later. Ordway and several others killed their first female brown bear, and Captain Clark shot an elk near their evening camp.
worn to decipher. Perhaps two lines missing] Saw Spots of
pitch pine but the knobs are washed so that their is not ever any
grass on them the River hills look mountainous and make near
the river on each Side we saw large gangs of Elk which are gitting
more pleanty than the buffaloe we saw a nomber of geese and
goslins in the River about 2 oClock P. m. we halted to dine at a
narrow bottom on the s. s. where their was Some old Indians
camps, about 3 we proceeded on. towards evening I and Several
more of the party killed a femail brown bear, the first female we
killed, passed a creek on s.s. verry high hills and white knobs, which
are washed by rains. Some Spots of pitch pine on each Side of the
River, came [blank in Ms.]1 miles and Camped on a narrow
plain on s. s. where Cap* Clark killed 1 Elk.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
worn to decipher. Perhaps two lines missing] Saw spots of pitch pine, but the knobs are washed so that there is hardly any grass on them. The river hills look mountainous and come close to the river on each side. We saw large herds of elk, which are getting more plentiful than the buffalo. We saw a number of geese and goslings in the river. About 2 o'clock P.M. we halted to dine at a narrow bottom on the south side, where there were some old Indian camps. About 3 we proceeded on.
Towards evening I and several more of the party killed a female brown bear, the first female we killed. Passed a creek on the south side, very high hills and white knobs, which are washed by rains. Some spots of pitch pine on each side of the river. Came [blank in Ms.] miles and camped on a narrow plain on the south side, where Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) killed 1 elk.
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