Building Fort Mandan — John Ordway: October 27, 1804
The expedition set out early and reached the first Mandan village on the south side of the river around 7 a.m., finding about 40 lodges built like those of the Arikaras. They met two or three Frenchmen, one living with a Native woman and their light-skinned child. After about two hours visiting with assembled villagers, mostly women and children since the men were hunting, they continued past a bluff with a coal-like black stripe and camped on the north side near the second village, choosing the spot as suitable for holding a council with the whole nation. They raised a flagpole and noted the distance from the Missouri's mouth as 1,610 miles.
eairly. proceeded on. at 7 oC. we arived at the 1st village of the
Mandens on S. S. their is about 40 houses or lodges in this village
1 Coues locates today’s camp in the vicinity of Washburn, McLean County.
2 Hugh McCracken, an ex-artilleryman, who had been for some years
in the employ of the North West Company. This company was organized
by a group of Montreal merchants in 1783-84 to compete with the Hudson’s
Bay Company for the fur trade, hitherto monopolized by the latter. In 1821,
after a generation of fierce rivalry, the older organization absorbed the younger.
3 In Mercer County, about five miles below the mouth of Knife River. The
end of the year’s journey was now at hand. The approach of winter warned
the lenders of the necessity of preparing winter quarters, and after some time
spent in seeking a suitable situation, a point was chosen three miles below to-
day’s camp, on the opposite side of the river in McLean County, and here Fort
Mandan was built.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 159
which are built much in the manner of the Rekarees. we found
two or 3 frenchmen one of them1 kept a Squaw & had a child
by hir which was tollerable white, we delayed about 2 hours with
them, they were assembled on the bank, especially the children,
who are verry numerous, the men mostly a hunting, we proceeded
on passed a Bluff on the S. S. with a black Stripe through the
center of it resembling Stone coal, a bottom opposite on N. S. on
which is the 2 village of the Mandens. we Camped on N. S.
little above the 2 village.2 the 3rd village nearly opposite on’S.
S. this is the most conveneint place to hold a counsel with the
whole nation, we hoisted a flag pole &. C. from the mouth of
the Missouri to this place is 1610 miles.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Started early. Proceeded on. At 7 o'clock we arrived at the 1st village of the Mandans on the south side. There are about 40 houses or lodges in this village, which are built much in the manner of the Rekarees (Arikaras). We found two or 3 Frenchmen; one of them kept a squaw and had a child by her which was tolerably white. We delayed about 2 hours with them. They were assembled on the bank, especially the children, who are very numerous; the men were mostly out hunting.
We proceeded on, passed a bluff on the south side with a black stripe through the center of it resembling stone coal, a bottom opposite on the north side, on which is the 2nd village of the Mandans. We camped on the north side a little above the 2nd village. The 3rd village is nearly opposite on the south side. This is the most convenient place to hold a council with the whole nation. We hoisted a flag pole, etc. From the mouth of the Missouri to this place is 1610 miles.
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