The Explorers, Hungry For News From Home, Would Have Tarried And
Talked Longer With Their New-Found Friends, But They Were Anxious
To Get Down To Civilization Once More.
Their journal also says:
"The Indians, particularly the squaws and children, are weary of the
long journey, and we are desirous of seeing our country and friends."
This quotation from the journal gives us our first intimation that any
Indians accompanied Big White to the United States.
He appears to have
had a small retinue of followers men, women, and children - with him.
Below the mouth of the Platte, September 12, Lewis and Clark
met Gravelines, the interpreter who was sent to Washington from
Fort Mandan, in 1805, with despatches, natural history specimens,
and a Ricara chief. The chief had unfortunately died in Washington,
and Gravelines was now on his way to the Ricaras with a speech from
President Jefferson and the presents that had been given to the chief.
He also had instructions to teach the Ricaras in agriculture.
It is interesting to note how that the explorers, now tolerably
well acquainted with the Indian character since their long
experience with the red men, had adopted a very different bearing
from that which they had when coming up the river, in 1805.
Here is an extract from their journal, September 14: -
"We resumed our journey. This being a part of the river to
which the Kansas resort, in order to rob the boats of traders,
we held ourselves in readiness to fire upon any Indians who
should offer us the slightest indignity; as we no longer needed
their friendship, and found that a tone of firmness and decision
is the best possible method of making proper impressions on
these freebooters. However, we did not encounter any of them;
but just below the old Kansas village met three trading-boats
from St. Louis, on their way to the Yanktons and Mahas."
Thirty miles below the island of Little Osage village, the party
met Captain McClellan, formerly of the United States army.
He informed Captain Lewis that the party had been given up
for lost, people generally believing that they would never again
be heard from; but, according to the journal of one of the party,
"The President of the U. States yet had hopes of us."
The last news received in "the U. States" from the explorers
was that sent from Fort Mandan, by Gravelines, in 1805.
Scarcity of provisions once more disturbed the party, so that,
on the eighteenth of September, the journal sets forth the fact
that game was very scarce and nothing was seen by the hunters
but a bear and three turkeys, which they were unable to reach.
The men, however, were perfectly satisfied, although they
were allowed only one biscuit per day. An abundance of
pawpaws growing along the banks sufficed as nutritious food.
The pawpaw is native to many of the Western States of
the Republic. It is a fruit three or four inches long,
growing on a small tree, or bush. The fruit is sweet and juicy
and has several bean-shaped seeds embedded in the pulp.
The voyagers now began to see signs of civilization on the banks
of the river. Near the mouth of the Gasconade, above St. Louis,
they beheld cows grazing in the meadows. The journal says:
"The whole party almost involuntarily raised a shout of joy
at seeing this image of civilization and domestic life."
Men who have been wandering in pathless wildernesses,
remote from man, for more than two years, might well be
moved by the sights of a homelike farm and a settled life.
Soon after this the party reached the little French village
of La Charette which they saluted with four guns and three
hearty cheers. Then, according to the journal, they landed and
were warmly received by the people, who had long since abandoned
all hope of ever seeing these far-voyaging adventurers return.
Here are the last entries in the journal that has been our guide
so long across the continent and back again to the haunts of men: -
"Sunday, September 21st, we proceeded; and as several
settlements have been made during our absence, we were
refreshed with the sight of men and cattle along the banks.
We also passed twelve canoes of Kickapoo Indians, going on
a hunting-excursion. At length, after coming forty-eight miles,
we saluted, with heartfelt satisfaction, the village of
St. Charles, and on landing were treated with the greatest
hospitality and kindness by all the inhabitants of that place.
Their civility detained us till ten o'clock the next morning,
"September 22d, when the rain having ceased, we set out for Coldwater Creek,
about three miles from the mouth of the Missouri, where we found a cantonment
of troops of the United States, with whom we passed the day; and then,
"September 23d, descended to the Mississippi, and round to St. Louis,
where we arrived at twelve o'clock; and having fired a salute,
went on shore and received the heartiest and most hospitable welcome
from the whole village."
The two captains were very busily employed, as soon as they arrived
in St. Louis, with writing letters to their friends and to the officers
of the government who were concerned to know of their safe return
to civilization. Captain Lewis' letter to the President of the
United States, announcing his arrival, was dated Sept. 23, 1806.
President Jefferson's reply was dated October 20 of that year.
In his letter the President expressed his "unspeakable joy"
at the safe return of the expedition. He said that the unknown scenes
in which they had been engaged and the length of time during which no
tidings had been received from them "had begun to be felt awfully."
It may seem strange to modern readers familiar with the means
for rapid travel and communication that no news from the explorers,
later than that which they sent from the Mandan country, was received
in the United States until their return, two years and four months later.
But mail facilities were very scanty in those far-off days,
even in the settled portions of the Mississippi Valley, and few
traders had then penetrated to those portions of the Lower Missouri
that had just been travelled by Lewis and Clark.
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