Missouri River near Cheyenne River — John Ordway: October 2, 1804
The party met Mr. Valley, an English-speaking trader among the Sioux, who assured them they would encounter few more troublesome Sioux. He traveled with them briefly before turning back. They passed a large bottom and completed the Little Bend of the Missouri, a 20-mile loop only two miles across by land. Indians on the north hills, identifying themselves as Yankton Sioux from about 20 lodges, called them ashore, but the group declined and continued on. The wind shifted northwest. They camped on a sandbar mid-river, skipping hunting due to Indian presence.
over to us this morning, we found him to be Mr Valley,2 the
Trador among The Souix nation he could talk English, he in-
formed us that we Should not see many more of the Souix to
Trouble us. he came with us a Short distance & returned, we
proceeded on passed a large Bottom on s. s. Some Timber on
the edge of the river, about 2 o. Clock we came round a bend
where we had come 20 miles round, & it was only 2 miles across
by land.3 we discovered Some Indians on the hills N. S. one of
them came down to the River, we asked him what he wanted
he Said (there was 20 lodges) or so in the Yanktown Souix lan-
guage that he wanted us to come to Shore, we told him we had
Spoke to his chief &.C. & proceeded on. the wind Shifted to
N. W. passed an Island4 on N. S. to a creek on the S. Side.
souri. The explorers made the obvious mistake of confusing the Indian name
Cheyenne with chien, the French word for dog.
1 In Sully County, eleven miles above the mouth of Cheyenne River.
2 Thwaites supposes this man to have been some connection of the Valle
family, prominent in Spanish Louisiana. Clark records that he had spent the
previous winter “300 Leagues up the Chien River under the Black mountains” —
the Black Hills of western South Dakota.
3 They had completed the passage of the Little Bend of the Missouri, a loop
similar to the Grand Detour, farther below.
4 “This Island we call Isd of Caution.” Clark. It is modern Plum Island,
shown on the M. R. C. map at the 1,240 mile point.
146 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Oct. 3
Camped on a Sand bar in the middle of the River. — no hunting
for Indians Troublesome.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Over to us this morning, we found him to be Mr. Valley, the trader among the Sioux nation. He could speak English, and he informed us that we should not see many more of the Sioux to trouble us. He came with us a short distance and then returned. We proceeded on, passing a large bottom on the south side, with some timber on the edge of the river. About 2 o'clock we came round a bend where we had traveled 20 miles around, but it was only 2 miles across by land.
We spotted some Indians on the hills on the north side. One of them came down to the river. We asked him what he wanted, and he said (in the Yankton Sioux language) that there were 20 lodges or so, and that he wanted us to come to shore. We told him we had spoken to his chief, etc., and proceeded on. The wind shifted to the northwest. We passed an island on the north side, then came to a creek on the south side. We camped on a sandbar in the middle of the river. — No hunting, for the Indians were troublesome.
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