August 13, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

August 13, 1804

 

13th of August Munday 1804.    Set out this morning at Day light the usial time and proceeded on under a gentle Breeze from the S. E.    passed the Island.

N. 66° W.   2 ¾ mls. to pt. of low willows on the S. S.    a Sand bar make-
ing out from it &
N. 11 W.   5 ¼ ms. to a pt. of Cotton wood on the 〈L. S.〉 bend to the S. S.
passing over 〈1½ Ms to〉 the pt. of a Sand bar from the
S. S. & one from the L. Side, Wind fair
S. 44° W,   2 ½ Mes. to a point on the S. S.
West      ¾ to a Willow Isd on S. point and opsd. to which Mr. Mackey
had a Small fort in which he traded withe the Mahars the winter
95 & 96 & call the place Fort Charles [1]
N. 50 W.   1〈¾〉 Mes. to a Point of high woods below the Mo. of a beayuw
from a Pond in a Bend to the L. S.
N. 20 E   2 ¼ me. to a pt. of Willows on the L. S.    passed a Creek on
which the Mahar village [2] is Situated    at 1½ me. a Sand
bar on the S. S. & one on the L. S.    Passed the Willow
Island on the S. S. Wind hard
North      ¼ of a me. on the Sand bar L. S.
N. 69 W.   2 ½ ms. to the upper pt. of Cotton wood in a Bend in the
L. S. opsd. a lge Island, he[re] We Came too    formed a
Camp on the Sand L. S. [3] & Dispatched Sgt. Oddeway
Peter Crousett & 3 men to the Village of the Mahars,
1 League for the nation to Come and talk with us on
tormorrow, the S. E. wind Continues high, we take Some
Lune [lunar] observations and go—
  17  

From this Fish Camp the River is N 55° West as far as Can be Seen, the Sand bar only changeing the Derection of the Current    the Hills leave the river on the L. Side

 

Set out this morning at Light the usial time and proceeded on under a gentle Breeze from the S E

N. 66° W.   2 ¾ ms. to a pt. of Low willows on the S. S. a bar makeing out.
passed the Sd.
N. 11° W.   5 ¼ to a pt. of Cotton wood. 〈L. S.〉 in a Bend to the S. S.
passed over the pt. of a Sand bar from L. S.
S. 44° W   2 ½ to a pt. on the S. S. opposit to the place Mr. Ja: McKey
had a tradeing house in 95 & 96 & named it Fort Charles
West      ¾ of a Mile to the Pt. of willow Isd. on the L. point
N. 50° W.   1 me. to a point of high wood below the mouth of a Beayoue
Communicating with a Pond L. S.
N. 20° E.   2 ¼ mes. to a pt. of willows on the L. S.    passed a Creek at 1 ½
mes. on which the Mahar Village is Situated    a Sand bar
on S. S. & one on L. S haveing passed the willow Isd.
North      ¼ me. on the Sand bar L. S.
N. 69 W.   2 12 ms. to the upper Point of Some Cottonwood trees in a
Bend to the L. S. opposit the lower pt. of a large Island
Situated on the S. S.    we formed a Camp on a Sand bar
on the L. S. & Detached Sergt. Ordeway Peter Crusatt,
Geroge Shannon Werner & Carrn. [4] to the Mahar Village
with a flag & Some Tobacco to invite the Nation to See &
talke with us on tomorrow—    we took Some Luner ob-
sivations this evening.    the air Pleasent
  17 ¼  
 

On the Laboard shore about three miles East of the Maha vilage.

Observed time and distance of ☉'s & ☽'s nearest Limbs.—with Sexant.

  Time     Distance
  h      m      s    
P.M. 3    57      9   95°   56'  15"
  4      1    32   "      58    —
  "      4    45   "      59    30
  "      6    51   96   —    —
  "      7    57   "      —    30
  "      9    17   "      —    45
  "    11    52   "        1      7.5
  "    13    —   "        2    —
  h      m      s    
P.M. 4    51      9   96°  12'   30"
  "    52    33   "      13    —
  "    54      5   "      13    30
  "    55    26   "      14    —
  "    56    22   "      14    15
  "    57    36   "      14    30
  h      m      s    
P.M. 4    33    18   96°   7'   45
  "    34    44   "        8    30
  "    35      7   "        8    37.5
  "    37    22   "        9    15
  "    38    24   "        9    45
  "    39    22   "        9    45
  h      m      s    
P.M. 5      7    59   96°  17'  45"
  "    10    56   "      18    30
  "    12    33   "      19    45
  "    15      5   "      20    15
  "    16      6   "       20    15
  "    17      1   "       20    45
  "    18      5   "       21    —
  "    19      1   "       21    22.5
 

Monday 13th    we Set out eairly.    proceeded on under a gentle Breese from Souhard    we passed the mouth of the Mahar Creek [6] below an Island S. Side of the Missouri R.    we proceeded on to the lower point of another Island N. S. opposite to which we Camped on S. Side Near the Mahar Village, I and 3 [7] more of the party went out to the Village or to the place where it formely Stood. [8]    we passed through high Grass in the low prarie & came to the Mahar Creek on our way.    proceeded along Creek till we came to 3 forks which came in near together below the Village.    we crossed the North branch and proceded along the South branch which was verry fatigueing for the high Grass Sunflowers & thistles [9] &C all of which were above 10 feet high, a great quantity of wild peas [10] among those weeds, we broke our way through them till we came to where their had been a village of about 300 Cabbins called the Mahar village.    it was burned about 4 years ago immediately after near half the Nation died with the Small pox, which was as I was informed about 400, we found none of the natives about the place    they were out hunting the Buffelow, we ascended the hill above the village on which was all the Graves of the former, I Saw the grave also where the Grand chief of the Punckhas [11] was buried about the Same time the Mahars were &.C. &.C—    we Camped on the hill about 5 miles from the Boats.    we Struck up a fire    the Musquetoes verry troublesome, we were in Great want of warter but found none,

 

monday august 13th    Set out verry erley this morning    prosed on under a Jentel Brees from the South Est—    Sailed    〈day C〉 morning Clouday    about 10 ock, 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

 

Monday 13th.    We proceeded this morning with a fair wind; and at 2 landed on a sandy beach, near the Maha village, on the south side of the river. A sergeant and one man were sent to the village, who did not return this day.

 

Monday Augt. 13th    Arived. at the fish camp Neer the Mahars Village at 4 oclock this day    the Commanding Officer Sent a Serjt. & 4 Men with a white flagg, to the Village to Invite them to Come to a treaty, but the[y] found no Indians at the Village    Returnd. Nixt day after 12 Oclock—

Monday August 13th    We embarked early this morning and continued on, at 4 oClock P. M we arrived at a Camp, near the Mahaw Village when the commanding Officer, sent a Serjeant and four Men, with a White flag to the village, to Invite them to come to a Treaty.—

The Serjeant & party proceeded on to the Mahaw Village but found no Indians there, we continued here this day, waiting for their return.—

1. Mackay established this post, named for the reigning king of Spain, Charles IV, in November 1795, and wintered there. From here his companion, Evans, made his journey up the Missouri to the Mandan villages. The site was in Dakota County, Nebraska, southeast of Homer and south of Omaha Creek, but has not been discovered by researchers. Nasatir (BLC), 1:98–108; Atlas maps 7 and 16; MRC map 27; MRR maps 74, 75. (back)
2. This is perhaps the best-known Omaha village. It was called "Big Village," or Tonwontonga. Fletcher & La Flesche, 86, 99; Champe; Steinacher & Carlson, 29–36. It is in Dakota County, about one mile north of present Homer and six and a half miles south of Dakota City, on or near U.S. Highway 77. Appleman (LC), 335; Atlas map 16; MRC map 27; MRR map 75. (back)
3. In either Dakota County, Nebraska, or Woodbury County, Iowa, and a few miles south of present Dakota City. Atlas map 16; MRC 27; MRR map 75. (back)
4. One of the few references to "Carrn.," who is otherwise "E. Cann" and "Cane" (see July 4 and August 25, 1804). Presumably he was one of the French engagés, although he is not mentioned under that name in the list of boatmen of May 26, 1804. See Appendix A. (back)
5. Lewis's observation from Codex O. (back)
6. Omaha Creek, north of the Dakota-Thurston county line, Nebraska. (back)
7. According to Clark the detachment consisted of Ordway, Cruzatte, George Shannon, William Werner, and the mysterious "Carrn," for whom see Clark's entry for this date and Appendix A. (back)
8. Ordway's route this day cannot be determined with great accuracy, but he seems to have gone up Omaha Creek and then crossed it to what he conceived to be forks of the creek, perhaps Fiddlers, Wigle, and South Omaha creeks. He then apparently camped on a hill near the Omaha village for the night. The village he discusses in this entry is Tonwontonga (see Clark's entry for this day). The rest of his discussion about the village, its surroundings, and the Omaha people is apparently taken from Clark's entry of August 14 (see notes there). (back)
9. Probaby the common sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., and an unknown thistle, Cirsium sp. (back)
10. An unidentified legume with pea-like characteristics. (back)
11. No information seems to be available to identify a chief of the Poncas buried here. The statement may be unreliable or inaccurate. (back)