Chapter II
FROM THE PLATTE TO OTO COUNCIL
II. July 23–August 18, 1804
monday July 23d 1804
WE Lay By for the porpos of Resting and take Som
observations at this place and to Send for Som
Indians Sent George Drougher and ouer Bowsman
wo is aquainted with the nations nothing worth Relating to
day
tuesday July 24th
we mad Larg and Long f[l]ags Staff and Histed it up
Histed ouer Collars [colors] in the morning for the Reseptions
of Indians who we expected Hear when the Rain and wind
Came So that we wase forst to take it down Sent Some of
ouer men out to Hunt Some ore timber for to make Some
ores as the timber of that Coind is verry [s]Carse up the
River Continued Showery all day
Wendesday July 25th..
Continued Hear as the Capts is not Don there Riting ouer
men Returnd whome we had Sent to the town and found non
of them at Home but Seen Some fresh Sine of them.
Thursday July 26th
ouer men fineshed the oares nothing worth Relating except
the wind was verry villant from the South Est
Friday July 27th
Swam ouer Horses over on to the South Side on acount of
the travilen is beter Set out at 12 oclock P. m prossed on
under a Jentell Brees from the South Este Sailed made 10
miles encamt on the South Side at Prarie
Satturday July 28th
Set out verry erley this morning prossed on passed a Creek
on the North Side Called Beaver Creek is about 20 yards
wide the Land is Low that on the South is Prarie Land Rain
the fore part of the day the Latter part Clear with wind from
the North Est. made 10 miles Campt on the N. Side the
Land is Low that on the South is High prarie Land ouer
flanken partey Came with one Indian thay found on the South
Side
Sunday July 29th
we Set out after we Dspashed the Indian and one of ouer
men with him to bring the Rest of his party the Reasen this
man Gives of His being with so small a party is that He Has
not Got Horses to Go in the Large praries after the Buflows
but Stayes about the Town and River to Hunte the Elke to
seporte thare famileys passed the mouth of Boyers River on
the N. Side it about 30 yards wide the Land is Low Bottom
Land out from the River is High Hills Campt on the
North Side at a prarie
monday July 30th
Set out verry erley this morning Cam 3 miles Sopt for the
man whome we Had Sent with the Indian yesterday He has
not Returnd Yet Sent 2 men out Hunting Did not Return
Last night Campt on the South Side at prarie
Tuesday July 31th 1804
we Lay By for to See the Indianes who we expect Hear to
See the Captains. I am verry Sick and Has ben for Somtime
but have Recoverd my helth again the Indianes have not
Come yet this place is Called Council Bluff 2 men went out
on the 30th of July and Lost ouer horses
Wendesday august 1th 1804
Lay by all this day expecting the Indianes every ouer Sent
George Drougher out to Hunt ouer Horses Sent one man
Down the River to whare we eat Diner on the 28th of July to
See if aney Indianes Had been thare He Returnd and Saw
no Sigen of them
Thursday auguste 2d
Ouer men hough we had Sent after ouer Horses Returnd
With them and Killed one Elke ouer men Killed 3 Deer to
day the Indianes Came whou we had expected thay fired
meney Guns when thay Came in Site of us and we ansered
them withe the Cannon thay Came in about 2 hundred yardes
of us Capt Lewis and Clark met them at Shakeing Handes
we fired another Cannon thare wase 6 Chiefs and 7 men and
one French man with them who has Lived with them for som
yeares and has a familey with them
Friday august 3dth
the Council was held and all partes was agreed the Captens
Give them meney presentes thes is the ottoe and the
Missouries the Missouries is a verry Small nathion the ottoes
is a verry Large nathion So thay Live in one village on the
Plate River after the Council was over we took ouer Leave
of them and embarked at 3 oclock P. m under a Jentell Brees
from the South Est Sailed made 6 miles Campt on the
South Side the Land Low, that on the N. prarie Land.
Satturday august 4th 1804
Set out erly this morning after the Rain was over it Rained
Last night with wind and thunder from the N. W. it Lasted
about an ouer prossed on the morning Clear passed a
Creek on the South Side as it has no name and the Council
was Held below it about 7 miles we Call it Council Creek or
Pond this Creek Comes out of a Large Pond which Lays
under the High prarie Hills the wood Land is not plenty
hear ondley along the River Banks in places, passed Som bad
Sand bares cnamt on the South Side a Large prarie that on
the N. is prarie Land
Sunday august 5th
Set out erley this morning Cam 2 miles when a verry hard
Storm of wind and Rain from the North Est it Lasted a
bout 2 ouers and Cleard up I have Remarked that I have
not heard much thunder in this Countrey Lightining is Common
as in other Countreys a verry Large Snake was killed
to day Called the Bull Snake his Colure Somthing Like a
Rattel Snake passed Severall Bad Sand bares made 16
miles Campt on the North Side at Som wood Land that on
the South is wood Land
monday August 6th 1804
we Set out at a erley ouer this morning prossed on passed
a Creek on the N. Side Called Soldiers Creek it Comes in
Back of a Isld near the N. S. about 12 oclock Last night a
villant Storm of wind and Rain from the N. W. Camt on
the South Side the Land is Low that on the N. S. the Saim
Tuesday August 7th
Set out at 6 oclock A. m prossed on day Clear wind
from the North west on the 4th of this month one of ouer
men by the name of Moses B. Reed went Back to ouer Camp
whare we had Left in the morning, to Git his Knife which
he Had Left at the Camp the Boat went on and He Did
not Return, that night nor the next day nor Night, pon
examining his nap-Sack we found that he had taken his Cloas
and all His powder and Balles, and had hid them out that
night and had made that an excuse to Desarte from us with out
aney Jest Case we never minded the Said man utill the 7th
we Sent 4 men after him we expect he will make for the
ottoe town as it is not mor than 2 days Jorney from whare
he Run away from us Water Good made 16 miles Campd
on the North Sid at Some Wood Land
Wendesday Augt. 8th 1804
Set out this morning at the usele time day Clear wind from
the N. W. prossed on passed the mouth of the Littel Soue
River on the N. Side it is about 80 yards wide this River
is navigable for Boates to Go up it for Som Distance in the
Cuntrey and Runes parelel with the Missourie 2 miles above
on a Sand Bare Saw Grait Nomber of Pelicans Capt Clark
went out on the South Side and Jo Collines Killed on [e]
Elke water Bad mad 12 miles Campd on the N. Side the
Land is Low march Land that on the South is prarie Land
Thursday augt the 9th
Set out at 7 oclock a, m, after the fague was Gon which
is verry thick in this Cuntrey Capt. Clark and my Self went
out on the South side passed a verry Bad place in the River
whare the water is verry Shellow mad 17 miles Campd. on
the South Side at prarie
Friday augt the 10th
Set out at errley ouer this morning prosed on passed a bad
Sand bare Which is verry Shallow made 23 miles Camped
on a sand bare on the N. Side the Land on the S.S. is High
Hilley Land
Satturday august 11th 1804
Set out after a verry hard Storm this morning of wind and
Rain continued untill 9 oclock A m. and Cleard up prosed
on passed a high Bluff whare the Kinge of the Mahas Died
about 4 yeares ago the Hill on which he is berred is about
300 feet High the nathion Goes 2 or 3 times a year to Cryes
over him Capt Lewis and Clark went up on the Hill to See
the Grave thay histed a flage on his Grave as noner [an
honor] for him which will pleas the Indianes, passed the
mouth of a Creek on the South Side Called Waie Con Di
Peeche or the Grait Sperit is Bad whare this Chief died and
about 300 Hundred of his men with the Small pox this
Chiefs name was the Black Bird made 15 miles Camped on
the North Side
Sunday august 12th 1804
Set out at the usel time prosed on under a Jentel Brees
from North Est Sailed day Clear passed Red Seeder
Bluffs on the South Side made 16 miles Camped on a
Sand bare in the middel of the River
Monday august 13th
Set out verry erley this morning prosed on under a Jentel
Brees from the South-Est Sailed morning Clouday about
10 o.ck. it Cleared up we aRived at the Mahas village about
2 oclock P m Sent Som of ouer men to Se if aney of the natives
was at Home thay Returnd found none of them at Home
Tuesday August 14th
Lay by for ouer men How we had Sent after the Desarter
on the 7th thes Indians has not Live at the town Sence the
Smallpoks was so bad abut 4 years ago thay Burnt thare
town and onley live about it in the winter and in the Spring
Go all of them in the praries after the Buflow and dos not
Return untill the fall to meet the french traders thay Rase
no Corn nor aney thing excep Som times thay Rase Som Corn
and then the Ottoe nation Comes and Cuts it Down while
thay are in the praries
Wendesday august 15th
Capt Clark and 10 of his men and my Self went to the
Mahas Creek a fishen and Caut 300 and 17 fish of Difernt
Coindes ouer men has not Returnd yet
Thursday august 16th
Capt Lewis and 12 of his men went to the Creek a fishen
Caut 709 fish Differnt Coindes
Friday august 17th
Continued Hear for ouer men thay did not Return Last
night
Satturday augt 18th
ouer men Returnd and Brot with them the man and Brot
with them the Grand Chief of the ottoes and 2 Loer ones and
6 youers [others?] of thare nattion[1]
[On last fly-leaf.]
