Iowa Tribe Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

French Canoe Men Share Spirits Heading Upriver

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:25 +0000

& procd on verry well one of the hunters killed a rackoon Saw
1 Auguste Chouteau.
2 This was the first spirituous liquor tasted by any of the party since July 4,
1805.
3 About two miles, according to Clark, below the camp of Aug. 4, 1804.
4 Today’s camp was on the site of the encampment of July 22-26, 1804.
« “imediately opposit our encampment of 16th and 17th of July 1804.”
Clark. The camp was therefore in southeastern Otoe County, Nebr., just
below the southern boundary of Iowa, on the Nebraska side of the river.
398 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Sept. 11
a number of Turkeys about 3 P. M. we met four frenchmen with
a canoe loaded with goods going up trading, they gave us a
dram we then procd on untill evening and Camped on an Island.1

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Deserter Moses Reed Tried and Sentenced to Run Gauntlet

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:43 +0000

brought with them Reed the deserter, likewise the Big chief of the
Zottaus called the Big horse,4 and a nother chief called pete-
valiar5 of Missouri & a Frenchman & 7 of the wariers came for the
purpose of treating with the Mahas & C. Reed tried & punished
towards evening;6 the Chiefs verry Sorrey &. C. as Liberty (had
been at the village) has not returned with Drewyer
1 Clark writes that the creek was “Darned” by beavers, which Biddle
alters to “damned” — a procedure not commonly attributed to quadrupeds.
2 They were taken with “trails or brush nets.” Gass.
3 Moses B. Reed. For his desertion see ante, journal entries of August 4
and 6. For his punishment see post, entry of August 18. Clark records (Aug-
ust 17) that the pursuing party caught La Liberty also, “but he decived them
and got away.”
* The Big Horse was a well-known chief of the Oto tribe. At the time of
Long’s expedition (1819-20) he is spoken of as the principal chief.
6 Called Little Thief by Clark.
6 Whitehouse’s record of Reed’s punishment is equally laconic. It is de-
scribed by Clark as follows: “[we] proceeded to the trial of Reed, he confessed
that he ‘Deserted & stold a public Rifle Shot-pouch Powder & Ball’ and re-
quested we would be as favourable with him as we Could consistantly with our
112 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 19
Aug* Sunday 19th pleasant S wind, the Indians got up their
horses to water them, all the Indians appear to be friendly,
at about the hour of 9 o. Clock Cap* Lewis & Cap1 Clark read a
Speech to the Indians & counseled with them. Gave one a medel &
the rest they gave commissions & made them all chiefs &. C. they
appeared to be willing to make peace with the Mahars & all other
nations the Captains Gave them Some Small articles of Goods
&. C. & gave them provisions while they remained with us.
the most of this day taken up in giving the Indians Good counsel
&. C. Sg1 Floyd taken verry Sudenly 111 this morning with a
collick. Cap* M. Lewis invited the above petevaliar [and] the Big
Chief to go to see the presidant &. C. &. C.
Aug.1 Monday 20th pleasant, we Set of[f] under a gentle
Breeze from S. E, the Indians chiefs Set out to return to their
village. Sg* Floyd worse than he was yesterday we Sailed on
verry well till noon when we came too on S. S. Serg1 Charles
Floyd Expired directly after we halted a little past the middle of
the day.1 he was laid out in the Best Manner possable. we pro-
ceeded on to the first hills N. S. there we dug the Grave2 on a
handsome Sightly Round knob close to the Bank, we buried him
with the honours of war. the usal Serrymony performed (by
Cap* Lewis as custommary in a Settlement, we put a red ceeder
post hughn [hewed] & branded his name date &. C. we named
those Bluffs Sergeant Charles Floyds Bluffs Distant from the
Oathes — which we were and only Sentenced him to run the Gantlet four times
through the Party & that each man with 9 Swichies Should punish him and for
him not to be considered in future as one of the Party. The three principal
Chiefs petitioned for Pardin for this man after we explained the injurey such
men could doe them by false representations, & explan’g the Customs of our
Countrey they were all Satisfied with the propriety of the Sentence & was
Witness to the punishment.”
In after years Bratton was in the habit of relating to his children that instead
of switches the men used their ramrods on the culprit, and that the blows
were well laid on, in the fear that anyone showing leniency would incur similar
punishment. Gass, Introduction, p. xxv.
1 Clark gives a fuller account of Floyd’s illness and death. He “Died with
a great deal of Composure * * * This Man at all times gave us proofs
of his firmness and Determined resolution to doe Service to his Countrey and
honor to himself.”
2 Within the limits of Sioux City, Iowa. The grave was long a noted land-
mark to voyagers upon the Missouri. Having been partly washed away by
the river, in 1857 Floyd’s remains were reinterred in a safer place about an
eighth of a mile farther back. In 1901 a monumental shaft to the dead ser-
geant was dedicated with fitting ceremony.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 113
Mouth of the Missouri 949 § miles by water,1 we then proceeded
on a short distance to a creek which we Call Floyds Creek2 (came
15. or 18. miles to day where we Camped N. S.
1 On the M. R. C. map the distance is given as 805 miles.
2 Still called Floyd River. It drains several counties of northwestern Iowa,
and joins the Missouri within the limits of Sioux City.
CHAPTER IV
From Floyd’s Creek to Teton River, August 21-
September 24, 1804

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Mineral Deposits of Sulfur, Brass, and Copperas Examined

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:43 +0000

verry Swift, the wind hard from the South, we proceeded on
round a bend & Sand bar N. S. the hills make to the River on
S. S. below the hills their is Some large Timber of cottonwood
Elm Maple &. C. Some oak & ceeder on the Bluffs, we halted
under the Bluffs & found different kinds of oar which has the
appearence of brass, copperas alum &. C. &. C. all of which has a
Sulphear Smell. Broken praries Back. The 2 men who had been
with the horses from the Mahars village, joined us below Sd
Bluffs, had killed 2 Deer 2 other men went on with the horses
hunting . G. Drewyer caught one Beaver last night, a small
creek comes in close above sd Bluffs which we call Roloje Cr.8
on S. S. we proceeded on under a fine Breeze from the South.
1 The Big Sioux rises in eastern South Dakota; it forms the boundary be-
tween Iowa and South Dakota from the northern boundary of the former
state to its moufh. The latter is only about four miles above the mouth of
Floyd Biver.
2 In Dakota County, Nebr., a few miles from the Dixon County line.
3 Modern Iowa Creek, in Dixon County. Nebr.
114
KOI TE OF LEWIS AND CLARK: WKSI F.HN PORTION
SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 115
passed a Red ceeder Bluff on the South Side & little above on
the Same Side we passed an Alum Stone clift about 50 feet high
& a great nomber of birds nests near the top of the clift. we
Sailed on to a prarie where we Camped on N. S.1 after Sailing
19 miles back of sd prarie is a large pond we see a great deal of
Elk Sign.

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La Liberty Dispatched to Summon the Otoes

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:41 +0000

we Set out Eairly. J° Barter4 a Frenchman who could Speak the
Zoteau language went with the Indian in order to Git as many of
them together as possable & bring them to the River above this
place So that we may see & treat with them &. C. we proceded
on along a large bottom prarie on N. S. passed a Small Creek on
N. S. called Boyer Creek5 about noon we came to high land on the
S. S. where we Stoped to Dine. & jerk our meat which Drewyer
brought to us. Willard sent back to last nights camp for his
Tommahawk which he left we Delayed about 2 hours, caught
Several of the largest cat fish we have ever caught in this River.
1 Clark calls it Indian Knob Creek, and Floyd, Beaver Creek. It is modern
Pigeon Creek, which joins the Missouri near Crescent City, Iowa, a few miles
above Council Bluffs.
2 The Oto tribe of Indians.
3 In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, a mile below the mouth of Boyer River.
* Elsewhere than in Ordway’s journal he is called “La Liberty.” The giving
of his real name by Onlway should make possible, at last, the identification
of this member of the expedition. Thus far. however, 1 have not succeeded
in identifying him. Possibly be is the Joab Barton who died near Jefferson
City about 1820, for whom see Houck, Missouri, I, 211.
-Still known as Hover Hiver. It is a considerable stream of west-central
Iowa.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 103
(one Swallowed a hook bit of[f] the line, caught the Same G.
hook) the Missouri is much more crooked since we passed the
Great River Platte than before but not so Rapid in general;
more praries the Timber Scarser &. C. The Timber mostly
cottonwood except on the hills which is oak Black Walnut hickery
Elm Basswood &. C. Willard lost his rifle in a large Creek called
Boyer N. S. came back for help to find it. the white pearogue
went back with him & got out his Rifle, which was sunk deep in
the mud, we proceded on along a round bend & prarie on N. S.
We Camped on the North Side in a thin Grove of cotton wood.

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Drouillard Kills Buck; Beaver Caught Alive

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:41 +0000

Fields did not Return with the horses last night, they returned
this morning with out them & Set out with 2 more men to hunt
1 Corruption of blaireau, the French name for the badger.
2 Not to be confused with modern Council Bluffs, Iowa, some fifteen miles
south of this point; the camp was located in southeastern Washington County,
Nebr. At a later time Fort Calhoun was built near here.
104 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 1
them George Drewyer killed a fat Buck this morning & caught
a young Beaver in a trap last night which he keeps in order to
tame (which is easy to do a nomber traps set in the evening
on the opposite Side on a point, where their is a verry large
Sand bar back of the bar is a young Groth of cotten wood and
back of that a bottom prarie which extends back to the Ridge
which appears to be about 4 or 5 miles back from this River,
the Missouri is verry crooked courses on one Side or the other
all the way from the Great River Platte, but the current not so
Swift as below. Sergeant Floyd has been sick several days but
now is Gitting Some better, we expected the Zotteau nation
of Indians to day & the man which went for them but they did
not come. The reason is as we expect that they were So much
Scatred hunting that it takes some time for them to Git ready
but we wait for them.
August 1st 1804. Wednesday, a fair morning. 2 men out
hunting the Horses not found. 1 large bever caught last night in
G. Drewyers trap. Drewyer went to hunt for the Horses. Shields
went out a short time and killed & brought in a Deer; the wind
from S. E. J° Fields killed & brought in a Deer. George
Gibson killed a fat Buck brought in the Skin & Tallow & some
of the meat &. C.

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Reaching the Platte River Mouth at Midday

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:40 +0000

out at Sun rise under a gentle Breese from the South or S. E. We
1 “a little below Nebraska City.” Coues. The Iowa-Missouri boundary
was passed during the day.
2 There are numerous islands in the stretch of the river immediately above
and below Nebraska City. The names given by Ordway do not appear on
modern maps. Nicollet’s map shows Upper and Lower Oven Islands.
3 Two or three miles below the mouth of Weeping Water Creek, in the vicinity
of Nebraska City.
4 Shown on Perrin du Lac’s Carte Du Missouri I’An 1802 as ‘Teau qui pleure”;
on modern maps as Weeping Water Creek.
5 About midway between the northern and southern boundaries of Cass
County, Nebr.
100 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 22
proceded on verry well, passed Several Islands &. C. Some high
lands covered with Timber in this hill is semented rock & lime-
stone some fine Springs &. C. we arived at the mouth of the
platte River1 S. S. about 1 oClock this River Runs out and forms
Several large Sand bars thrown out by their is Some high hand-
some praries about this River, the Piatt River, the Rapidity of
the River Piatt which is much greater than that of the Missouris,
its width at the mouth across the bars is about f of a mile, higher
up we are told by one of our French Rowman that he was 2 years
up or on this River and that it does not rise four feet but Spreads
open 3 miles at Some places, we proceeded on round a large Sand
bar S. S. a hard wind from N. W. we put Relow past the last
mentioned Sand bar we passed a creek on S. S. called pappeo2
R. praries in p* between the Missouris & the Great R. Piatt but
flat Subject to overflow. Some large cotten wood Timber but
thin on the point, we Camped on the South Side of the River, a
prairie on the N. Side of the Missouris the party who were with
the Horses joined us with four Deer.

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Ascending Mosquito Creek Behind Willow Island

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:40 +0000

Timbered land and a good place to encamp we proceeded on
along a high bank S. S. hand some praries along this bank to
the hills which commenced about 10 miles above G. R. Piatt, we
passed on up a Creek on the N. called Marringua (French)
Musquetoe (English) Creek3 which comes in behind a willow
Island, we proceeded on 12 miles from G. R. Plate and encamped
1 The Platte is one of the great tributaries of the Missouri, draining most of
Nebraska and portions of Colorado and Wyoming. Brackenridge, who ascend-
ed the Missouri in 1811 in the company of a party of traders, relates that voy-
agers on the Missouri regarded the Platte as a point of as much importance
as mariners do the equinoctial line. All who had not passed it before must
treat or submit to be shaved, and the occasion was one of much merriment.
The portion of the river beginning at this point was regarded as the upper
Missouri. Early Western Travels, VI, 77. For a similar custom among the
watermen of the Mississippi upon arriving at the Grand Tower see Lewis’
journal, ante, 65.
2 Modern Papillion or Big Papillion Creek; its source is near South Omaha,
and its month a mile above the mouth of the Platte.
3 Still known as Mosquito Creek. It (lows across Harrison and Pottawat-
tamie counties, Iowa, joining the Missouri near the southern boundary of
the latter. Formerly its mouth was several miles farther south, in Mills County.
The M. R. (‘.. map represents the present mouth of the Mosquito as fifteen
miles above the mouth of the Platte, and the old mouth as nine miles above
the latter. This agrees with Clark’s statement, which placed the Mosquito
nine miles above the Platte.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 101
at 11 oClock on the N. Side of the Missourie at a point convenient
for observations & we cleared away, the willows & pitched our
Tents and built boweries &. C.1

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Clark and Ordway Scout High Prairies Beyond Faun Creek

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:39 +0000

untill 7 oClock, Drewyer & Sg* Floyd went on Shore, we proceded
on till Breakfast after [breakfast] I went on Shore with Cap*
Clark on the South Side we Saw fresh Sign on [the] bank of
Elk crossed a creek named faun Creek which came in on the
South Side of Missouris we walked on over a Ridge came to
high large praries & hills, we walked on found Some cherries near
a handsome Spring River named cherry Run2 at which we drank
at the forks then followed it or one branch to the head which came
out of a ridige which joines the praries, and went up on a high R.
Ridge of prarie where we could See all around for a long distance
in the open praries or as far as our eyes could behold, and on the
opposite Side of the Missouris we saw a large & extensive prarie
which looked verry handsome, we walked along the hill
prarie came to a large Creek called ne-ma-haw Creek3 which is
about 30 yds wide we delayed their till the boat came in Site
then crossed & went on to a point where the Boat came & camped,
the flanking party who were with the horses did not join us this
1 Modern Nishnabotna River, which drains a considerable portion of south-
western Iowa and the western part of Atchison County, Mo.
2 The morning walk was taken in southeastern Nemaha County, Nebr.
Clark says of it that “three butifull Streems of running water” were crossed;
and the State Railway Commission map of 1907 shows three creeks (unnamed)
in the region in question. Two of these are evidently Ordway’s Faun Creek
and Cherry Run.
3 Modern Little Nemaha River; to be distinguished from Grand or Great
Nemaha, already passed. It flows through Otoe and Nemaha counties, and
joins the Missouri just below Nemaha City.
98 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 16
night, J° Fields went out on the North Side & killed a Deer, we
found plenty of ripe grapes along the Bottoms.

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Current Speed Measured Below Two-Hundred-Foot Bluffs

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:39 +0000

gentle Breeze from the S.E. by S. a fair morning, we proceded
on along this prarie passed Several Islands, the current of the
River Runs 50′ fathom in 41 seconds, their is but little timber
on either Side of the River, except the Islands and points which
are low wet & covered with lofty towering Cotton wood Mulbery
Elm &.C. &.C. we passed hill praries and a place in a high bank
1 Modern Sun Island, located about midway between Peru and Brownsville,
Nebr.
2 Clark notes passing an island called by the French “chauve” (bald); hence
he named the adjoining prairie “Ball pated Prarie.” On Nicollet’s map Bald
Island is shown in the northwestern corner of Atchison County in the state
of Missouri. Both the Missouri and the Nishnabolna have changed their
courses since Lewis and Clark’s time. Cones stales (I, 17) that the Nishna-
bolna nowhere approaches the Missouri so closely as Ordway here indicates;
yet a map of Atchison County before me, published in 1882, shows the Nish-
nabolna emptying into an old cut-off of the Missouri surrounding the Bald
Island of Nicollet’s map and Clark’s Bald Pated Prairie, some twenty-live
miles above the present moutb of the stream.
3 In northwestern Atchison County, Mo., not far from the Iowa line.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 99
where Some appearence of Iron oar where the Bank Sliped in to
the River about 200 feet high, we camped on the South Side of
the Missouris.1 towards night we Saw an Indian dog on the
Bank of the River, which appeared to have been lost. Drewyer
joined us with 2 Deer this evening.

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Frenchmen Return After Two Years in the Interior

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:35 +0000

River, foggy but fair day we passed a handsome Small prarie
on North Side of the River, verry hard water, about noon we
1 All the journalists of the expedition labor over this name. The modern
form of the name is Chariton, borne by a town and county in addition to the
two rivers, Big and Little Chariton.
2 This was Pierre Dorion. For a characterization of him see Coues, I, 21.
For an account of his connection with the exploring expedition see post, 122,
note 1.
3 Grand River, still so called, rises near the Missouri-Iowa boundary, and
runs in a southeasterly direction, draining a large portion of northwestern
Missouri.
86 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 15
met 2 canoes loaded with peltry, four Frenchman bound to S*
Charles, came from the Pannee1 nation, where they had been
hunting for 2 years, they came to us about 11 oClock A. M.
left us at 3 O.C. P.M. we proceeded on passed high Land on
the N. Side called Snake hills of the River,2 then we passed
Snake Creek on the N. Side of Missouri, we camped on N. Side.

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