Missouri River through Dakota territory — John Ordway: September 1, 1806
The expedition departed early, sending two hunters ahead in a small canoe. Around 9 a.m. they passed the mouth of the Niobrara River and spotted nine armed Indians on the north shore signaling them to land. Wary they might be Tetons, the party floated past and halted downstream. Hearing gunfire, Captain Clark rushed back with ten men but found the Indians were friendly Yanktons shooting at a discarded keg. The officers smoked with them and gave corn and ribbon. The group continued on, killed an elk, and camped on a sand beach opposite their August 1804 council site. Mosquitoes troubled them that evening.
Set out eairly and procd on two hunters went on with a Small
canoe to hunt about 9 A. M. we passd the m° of rapid water
[Niobrara] river a Short distance below we Saw nine Indians on
the N. Shore which run out of a thicket five of them had guns
the others bows & arrows, they Signd to us to put to shore but
we floated a short distance below a point at an open place as we
expected they were the Tetons as Soon as we halted we heard
several guns fire we expecting that the Indians were fireing at
our hunters who were behind Cap1 Clark Instantly run up with 10
men but soon returned with the Indians and found that they had
been fireing at a kegg we had thrown out above and our hunters
came up safe, we found these to be Yanktons Nation & good
Indians and friends to us our officers Smoaked with them and
gave them a bushel of corn & Some ribben and then we procd on
towards evening we killed a fat Elk on an Island, in the evening
we Camped on a sand beach N. Side opposite to this Camp we
Counceled with the yanktons or babruleys on the last of August
1804. Some Musquetoes this evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Set out early and proceeded on. Two hunters went ahead with a small canoe to hunt. About 9 A.M. we passed the mouth of Rapid Water [Niobrara] River. A short distance below, we saw nine Indians on the north shore who ran out of a thicket. Five of them had guns, the others bows and arrows. They signaled to us to come to shore, but we floated a short distance below to a point at an open place, as we expected they were the Tetons. As soon as we halted, we heard several guns fire. We expected that the Indians were firing at our hunters who were behind. Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) instantly ran up with 10 men, but soon returned with the Indians, and found that they had been firing at a keg we had thrown out above. Our hunters came up safe. We found these to be of the Yanktons Nation, and good Indians and friends to us. Our officers smoked with them and gave them a bushel of corn and some ribbon, and then we proceeded on.
Toward evening we killed a fat elk on an island. In the evening we camped on a sand beach on the north side, opposite to this camp where we counciled with the Yanktons, or Bois Brulés, on the last of August 1804. Some mosquitoes this evening.
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