Journal entry · September 20, 1804

Missouri River near Big Bend — John Ordway: September 20, 1804

John Ordway · Missouri River near Big Bend · Thwaites Vol. Quaife 1916

That night's camp, per the NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino): bar left side, Great Bend, 1st camp, SD

on with the horse across a bend in order to hunt — we Set off
eairly proceeded on under a gentle Breeze from the E. passed
an Is1 on N. S. passd the m° of a creek on S. S. named prickly
pair creek2 passd a bottom (& long bend point) covered with
thin Timber. Cap* Clark walked on Shore across the point — we
proceeded on passed a handsome Bottom covered with Timber
on S. S. where we halted [and] took dinner. Cap* Lewis & R. Fields
walked out to hunt We Sailed along Round the Big Bend about
27 miles passd 2 Islands & Several Sand bars & a Saltish Sand
run on N. S. & camped on a Sand bar on N. S. the Captains &
the men who had been with them returned to the Boat had killed
1 he Goat one She Goat & 1 long tailed Deer. We Saved the
Skins of the Goats and the Bones in order to Send back to the
States next Spring. The She Goats have verry little horns, but
are a handsome animal — about 1 oClock at night the Sand bar
where we lay was falling in verry fast the current Swift, we
ware obledged to git on board as soon as possable & proceed on
about a mile & made over to S. S. where we Camped again the
moon Shined pleasant all night, we passed a black Bluff on S. S.
where their is Some Salt peter on the Stones &.C.

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The NPS atlas for this night

bar left side, Great Bend, 1st camp, SD

NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino)

About 25.8 miles of travel mapped this day (NPS’s reconstruction of the course)

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Source: National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Park Atlas.

Nearest 360° imagery: Narrows Earth Mound Terrain360’s closest capture is about 5.8 miles from this entry’s tagged location.
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