Missouri River approaching Cannonball River — John Ordway: October 16, 1804
The expedition set out at daylight, passing an abandoned Cheyenne fort and several creeks and rivers along the Missouri. They breakfasted on a willow island and continued under a gentle southwest breeze. In the evening, Captain Lewis and a hunter went ashore to hunt. Nearby, the party witnessed a large group of Arikara Indians driving a flock of pronghorn antelope into the river and killing more than 40 with bows and arrows, with horsemen keeping the herd in the water. The hunter killed three antelope, and the group camped on the south side.
off at day light, passed an old Shian fort on the S.S. where
the Chian nation of Indians lived Some years ago. proceeded on
passed a creek on s.s. called [blank in Ms.]1 passed a Bottom
covered with Timbers on N.S. at half past 7 oC. we halted [and]
took breakfast on a willow Island S.S. passd the Mouth of a
River on S. S. called [blank in Ms.]2 high naked hills back from
the River, we proceeded on under a gentle breeze from the S.W.
towards evening Cap1 Lewis & one hunter went out hunting on
S. S. of the River, directly after we passed a hunting Camp of the
R.Ree nation on N.S. ab° the camp we Saw a Great nomber of
Indians on each side of the River, they were Shooting a flock of
Goats which they had drove into the River. They Shot upwards
of 40 of them & got them to Shore, they had Shot them all with
their Bows & arrows, we Saw Some of the Goats floating down
with the arrows Sticking up in them, we Saw a large flock of
Goats back on the hills, which we Suppose they had Scared from
the River, our hunter killed 3 Goats out of the Same flock,
the Indians killed theirs when the Indians killed the Goats in
the River they Swam in & drew them out to each Shore, we Saw them
all lying along the Shore &. Some Indians on horseback to keep
them or the flock in the River. So that they might kill as many
as they pleased, we Camped on the S.S.3 where Cap* Lewis &
our hunter joined us.
1 “which we call Chien Creek.” Clark.
2 Clark notices and names five streams passed this day, all in southern
Emmons and Morton counties. It is not possible to identify all of them with
assurance. One of them, called Wan-crone by Clark, Cones identifies as modem
Big Beaver Creek which flows across (lie central part of Emmons County.
3 In Morton County, four miles above the mouth of Big Beaver Creek.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 155
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Off at daylight, we passed an old Cheyenne fort on the south side, where the Cheyenne nation of Indians lived some years ago. We proceeded on, and passed a creek on the south side called [blank in manuscript]. We passed a bottom covered with timber on the north side. At half past 7 o'clock we halted and took breakfast on a willow island on the south side. We passed the mouth of a river on the south side called [blank in manuscript]. There were high naked hills back from the river. We proceeded on under a gentle breeze from the southwest.
Toward evening Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and one hunter went out hunting on the south side of the river. Directly after, we passed a hunting camp of the Arikara (R.Ree) nation on the north side. Above the camp we saw a great number of Indians on each side of the river. They were shooting at a flock of goats which they had driven into the river. They shot upwards of 40 of them and got them to shore. They had shot them all with their bows and arrows. We saw some of the goats floating down with the arrows sticking up in them. We saw a large flock of goats back on the hills, which we supposed they had scared from the river. Our hunter killed 3 goats out of the same flock, and the Indians killed theirs as well.
When the Indians killed the goats in the river, they swam in and drew them out to each shore. We saw them all lying along the shore, and some Indians on horseback keeping the flock in the river so that they might kill as many as they pleased. We camped on the south side, where Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and our hunter joined us.
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