Missouri River near Big Bend — John Ordway: September 24, 1804
The party set out early under a gentle southeast breeze, passing a prairie on the north side dotted with ripe plum orchards and the mouth of a creek on the south. Around 7 a.m., they met up with Colter, who had killed two elk and a deer, but while the meat was being loaded, Indians stole his horse and some salt. The captains confronted five Indians on shore, demanding the horse's return. The expedition continued to the mouth of the Teton River and camped, where a Sioux chief called Buffalo Medicine shared tobacco and food peacefully overnight.
off eairly. proceeded on passed a handsome prarie on N.S. where
we found large plumb orcheds covered with ripe plumbs. passd the
m° of a high water creek on S.S.4 proceeded on under a gentle
breeze from S.E. about 7 oClock we Saw Colter who had been
with the horse on an Island S.S. he called for the pearogue to take
in the Game he had killed which was 2 Elk & a Deer, while they
were a Dressing and gitting the meat on board the Indians Stole
the horse & Some Salt out of his bag &.C. we saw 5 Indians
on Shore. Colter came running along the Shore [and] Informed us
that the Indians had Stole the horse bridle &.C. took Colter on
bord. Sailed up opposite to the 5 Indians, halted, ankered out 100
y6* from Shore. One of our frenchman Spoke to them in Nemaha
language and asked them who their chief is. they could not under-
1 Clark places camp and creek on the south side; this, together with the
other facts noted by him points to Loiselle Creek, of the M. R. C. map as the
site of the camp for the night. It is about two miles above the boundary be-
tween Lyman and Stanley counties.
2 Named from the “great Smoke” which the explorers saw as an accom-
paniment of the prairie fire. Now called Chappelle Creek, in Hughes County.
8 Clark says on the south side. Probably the camp was not far from the
mouth of Medicine Creek, which flows across Hughes County and joins the
Missouri near the 1,157 mile point.
* Now called Antelope Creek, in Stanley County. On the opposite side of
the river Hackbcrry Creek comes in. At its mouth, Coues states, is the site
of old Fort Sully, “for some time a formidable menace to the turbulent Tetons.”
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 137
stand but little they had informed us that the Grand chiefs name
is the Black Buffalow. the Captains told them that they or Some
of the young men had Stole our horse and if they would bring the
horse We would Speak to them, and if they did not we would not
Speak to them, they Said they knew nothing of the horse but if
their young men had Stole him they must find him & return him
again, the Capt3 told them it was well & we would Speak to their
chiefs Tomorrow, we then proceeded on to the mouth of Teton
River1 where we Encamped on s.s. we ankered out 100 yd3 from
shore, all remained on bord except the Guard Cooks & frenchman
who remained on Shore with our pearogue the 5 Indians Stayed
with the Guard all night verry peaceable, we had an old french-
man with us who could speak a little of the Souix language he
found that one of them was a chief, the Capte Gave them Some
Tobacco Shook hands and Smoked with them &.C. This chiefs
name is Buff the Medicine [Buffalo medicine] he told us that all
their lodge would come tomorrow, they Eat and Slept with us
friendly, a flag pole hoisted.
1 So named by Lewis and Clark because here they encountered the Teton
Sioux, encamped two miles above its mouth. The Sioux name for the stream
signified Bad River, and this is its modern name. In view of the explorers’
reception by the Teton, they might well have retained the native name. It
is an eastward-flowing stream which joins the Missouri opposite Pierre, the
capital of the state. At the mouth of Bad River, Fort Pierre Chouteau, short-
ened in common usage to Fort Pierre, was built in 1831.
CHAPTER V
From Teton River to Fort Mandan, September 25-
November 1, 1804
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Off early. Proceeded on, passed a handsome prairie on the north side, where we found large plum orchards covered with ripe plums. Passed the mouth of a high-water creek on the south side. Proceeded on under a gentle breeze from the southeast. About 7 o'clock we saw Colter, who had been with the horse on an island on the south side. He called for the pirogue to take in the game he had killed, which was 2 elk and a deer. While they were dressing it and getting the meat on board, the Indians stole the horse and some salt out of his bag, etc. We saw 5 Indians on shore. Colter came running along the shore and informed us that the Indians had stolen the horse, bridle, etc. We took Colter on board. Sailed up opposite to the 5 Indians, halted, and anchored out 100 yards from shore. One of our Frenchmen spoke to them in the Nemaha language and asked them who their chief is. They could not understand much. They had informed us that the grand chief's name is the Black Buffalo.
The captains told them that they or some of the young men had stolen our horse, and if they would bring the horse we would speak to them, and if they did not we would not speak to them. They said they knew nothing of the horse, but if their young men had stolen him they must find him and return him again. The captains told them it was well, and we would speak to their chiefs tomorrow. We then proceeded on to the mouth of Teton River, where we camped on the south side. We anchored out 100 yards from shore. All remained on board except the guard, cooks, and Frenchman, who remained on shore with our pirogue. The 5 Indians stayed with the guard all night, very peaceable. We had an old Frenchman with us who could speak a little of the Sioux language. He found that one of them was a chief. The captains gave them some tobacco, shook hands, and smoked with them, etc. This chief's name is Buff the Medicine (Buffalo Medicine). He told us that all their lodge would come tomorrow. They ate and slept with us friendly. A flag pole hoisted.
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