Arikara villages near present-day Mobridge — John Ordway: October 8, 1804

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.