Arikara villages near present-day Mobridge — John Ordway: October 8, 1804
The expedition continued upriver, passing high land and a stream they called Slate Run, with hunters working a timbered bottom on the north shore. They stopped for dinner at the mouth of a river they named Marappa (Grand River), where hunters returned having wounded an elk but killed nothing after spotting a large flock of goats. Captain Lewis took a meridian altitude reading. Later they passed an Arikara village, took aboard a Frenchman living there who reported friendly relations, and camped a mile above. Lewis visited the village and smoked with the chiefs.
proceeded on passd high land on S. S. passd a run on s. s. named
Slate run. Some hunters out on Shore N. S. hunting in a bottom
covered with Timber on N. S. passd an Island we halted at
12 oC. took dinner at the Mouth of a River which came in on
s. s. a large Timberd Bottom at the Mouth of this River we
named this River Marappa.6 the hunters came on board, they
ern maps. Assuming the maps to be correct, rather than the journals, it is
modern Swan Creek, in Walworth County.
1 The last word is not perfectly clear in the manuscript; nor am I able to
explain what is meant by the statement.
2 This stream is unnoticed by Clark; it is noted by Gass, but left unnamed;
and both noticed and named Goodrich by Whitehouse. I am unable to find it
on any of the modern maps at my disposal.
3 Variously given in the other journals as Cerwercerna, Sir war, and Sir-
warharna or Park. Clark explains that it is an Arikara name. It is modern
Owl or Moreau Creek, a considerable stream, draining several counties of west-
ern South Dakota.
4 “Called Grous Island.” Clark. Probably Blue Blanket Island of the
M. R. C. map.
6 So Gass and Whitehouse; but Clark says “on S. S.” Whichever side the
camp may have been it was near the 1,310 mile point of the Missouri.
■ Now called Grand River, a considerable stream draining the three west-
ernmost of the northern row of South Dakota counties. Ordway has con-
fused the name of the stream with that of the creek two miles above, which
he mentions further on. Clark calls Grand River by its Arikara name, Wetar-
hoo, and gives the name Maropa (also Hear par or Beaver Dam) to the stream
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 149
Saw a large flock of goats, wounded an Elk, but killed nothing,
the wind from the North. Cap* Lewis took the Medrian altd
& made the La’ [blank in Ms.] we proceeded on passd a Tim-
bered Bottom land on S. S. Barron hills on N. S. passd way on
one mile another creek on s. s. proceeded on passed an Island
on s. s. where we found a large RickorRee village on s. s. a nom-
ber of the Indians assembled on the Sand bar opposite the village
to See us. A frenchman with them, we took the frenchman1 on
board he Informed us that they were all friendly & Glad to See
us. we Camped about one mile ab° the first RickaRee village.2
Cap1 Lewis went to the village, carried Some tobacco & Smoaked
with the chiefs of thee nation, thier is 2 more villages of the
Rickarees a Short Distance ab° this place &. C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Proceeded on. Passed high land on the south side. Passed a run on the south side named Slate Run. Some hunters out on shore on the north side hunting in a bottom covered with timber on the north side. Passed an island. We halted at 12 o'clock and took dinner at the mouth of a river which came in on the south side, a large timbered bottom at the mouth of this river. We named this river Marappa. The hunters came on board. They saw a large flock of goats, wounded an elk, but killed nothing. The wind was from the north. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) took the meridian altitude and made the latitude [blank in manuscript].
We proceeded on. Passed a timbered bottom land on the south side, barren hills on the north side. Passed away on one mile another creek on the south side. Proceeded on. Passed an island on the south side, where we found a large RickorRee (Arikara) village on the south side. A number of the Indians assembled on the sandbar opposite the village to see us. A Frenchman was with them. We took the Frenchman on board. He informed us that they were all friendly and glad to see us. We camped about one mile above the first RickaRee (Arikara) village. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) went to the village, carried some tobacco, and smoked with the chiefs of the nation. There are 2 more villages of the Rickarees (Arikaras) a short distance above this place, etc.
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