Timeline & Map PDF  720 KB

"We set out early, passed Willow Creek* and some (stone) rock (above) below the mouth of the Seouex river** on the Starboard Side  those Clifts are about 170 feet high, this river heads with the St. peters*** and is navagable 75 leagues (by the act of Mr Durien (Dorian) to a fall of near 200 for (from), 2 large & som Small Pitchs****  below the falls on the (left) right a Creek coms in on which (all the red pipe stone is percured, & in the prairies about a place of Peace with all nations*****.  passed a place in a Prairie where the Mahars had a village******.  Campd. on the L. Side*******."   Clark

Willow Creek*  - Perry Creek, which meets the Missouri at Sioux City, Iowa

Seouex river**  - The Big Sioux River reaches the Missouri after skirting the western edge of Sioux City.  It forms the South Dakota-Iowa boundary, Union County, South Dakota lying to the west.

St. peters***  - The St. Peters River is the present Minnesota River.  The source of the Big Sioux in northeast South Dakota is fairly close to that of the Minnesota River on the Minnesota-South Dakota border, in the are called Coteau des Prairies.

Small Pitchs****  - "Pitch" is frequently used by the captains in reference to a waterfall.  The term was used in Virginia for a slope or descent.

Peace with all nations***** - The red stone is catlinite, named for the artist George Catlin, who brought it to the attention of mineralogists.  It is found at the quarries along Pipestone Creek, Pipestone Minnesota.  The area is now a national monument and only Indians are allowed to extract the stone.  Tradition holds that the quarries were neutral ground where all tribes met in peace. 

Mahars had a village****** - The Omahas are said to have had a village here before founding Tonwontonga; it was called Ti tanga jinga.  Dorsey notes that the lodges here were made of wood, that is, they were bark-covered "wig-wams," no earth lodges or tipis.  This village was probably located several miles west of present Dakota City, Nebraska. 

Campd. on the L. Side******* - In Union County, south of present Jefferson, and probably on the north side of Lake Goodenough, which appears to have been the 1804 bed of the Missouri.

August 22, 1804  (First vote west of the Mississippi River)

"ordered a Vote for a Serjeant to chuse one of three which may be the highest number. The highest numbers are P. Gass had 19 votes."

"J. Fields Sent out to hunt Came to the Boat and informed that he had killed a Buffalow* in the plain a head. Cap. Lewis took 12 Men and had the buffalow brought to the boat ."

"In a northerley derection from the Mouth of this Creek in an emence Plain a high Hill* is situated, and appears of a Conic form, and by the different nations of Indians in this quarter is Suppose to be the residence of Deavels."

"Capt Lewis & Myself concluded to go and See the mound which was viewed with such turror by all the different nations in this quarter. We selected 9 men to go along."

"after jurking the meat Killed yesterday and prepareing the Elk Skins for a Toe Roape, we Set out Leaving Dreyer & Shannon to hunt the horses which was lost with directions to follow us keeping on the high lands."