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"These Men Had Met The Boat Which We Had Despatched From Fort Mandan, On Board
Of Which, They Were Told, Was A Ricara Chief On His Way To Washington;
And Also Another Party Of Yankton Chiefs, Accompanying Mr. Durion
On A Visit Of The Same Kind.
We were sorry to learn that the Mandans
and Minnetarees were at war with the Ricaras, and had killed two of them.
The Assiniboins too are at war with the Mandans.
They have, in consequence,
prohibited the Northwestern Company from trading to the Missouri, and even
killed two of their traders near Mouse River; they are now lying in wait
for Mr. McKenzie of the Northwestern Company, who has been for a long time
among the Minnetarees. These appearances are rather unfavorable to our
project of carrying some of the chiefs to the United States; but we still
hope that, by effecting a peace between the Mandans, Minnetarees, and Ricaras,
the views of our Government may be accomplished."
Next day, August 12, 1806, the party, slowly descending the river, were
overjoyed to see below them the little flotilla of Captain Lewis and his men.
But they were alarmed when they discovered that Lewis was not with them;
as the boats landed at the shore, the captain was not to be seen.
Captain Clark's party, on coming up with their friends, were told
that Lewis was lying in the pirogue, having been accidentally wounded.
The whole party were now happily reunited, and they were soon joined by
the two Illinois traders whom they had met up the river; these men wished
to accompany the expedition down the river as far as the Mandan nation,
for the purpose of trading; they were more secure with a large party
of white men than they would be if left to themselves.
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