landed, and were received with kindness by the inhabitants.... They
were all equally surprised and pleased at our arrival, for they had
long since abandoned all hopes of ever seeing us return."

The next day they came to the village of St. Charles; and on the 22d
they stopped at a cantonment of United States soldiery, three miles
above the mouth of the Missouri, where they passed the day. The
concluding paragraphs of the journals must be quoted literally from
Captain Clark:--

"September 23rd. Took an early brackfast with Colo Hunt and set out,
descended to the Mississippi and down that river to St. Louis at which
place we arived about 12 o'clock. We suffered the party to fire off
their pieces as a Salute to the Town. We were met by all the village
and received a harty welcom from its inhabitants &c here I found my old
acquaintance Maj W. Christy who had settled in this town in a public
line as a Tavern Keeper. He furnished us with storeroom for our baggage
and we accepted of the invitation of Mr. Peter Choteau and took a room
in his house. We payed a friendly visit to Mr. Auguste Choteau and some
of our old friends this evening. As the post had departed from St.
Louis Capt. Lewis wrote a note to Mr. Hay in Kahoka to detain the post
at that place until 12 tomorrow which was rather later than his usual
time of leaveing it.

"Wednesday 24th of September, 1806. I sleped but little last night
however we rose early and commenced wrighting our letters Capt. Lewis
wrote one to the presidend and I wrote Gov. Harrison and my friends in
Kentucky and sent off George Drewyer with those letters to Kohoka &
delivered them to Mr. Hays &c. We dined with Mr. Chotoux to day and
after dinner went to a store and purchased some clothes, which we gave
to a taylor and derected to be made. Capt. Lewis in opening his trunk
found all his papers wet and some seeds spoiled.

"Thursday 25th of Septr. 1806. had all our skins &c suned and stored
away in a storeroom of Mr. Caddy Choteau, payed some visits of form, to
the gentlemen of St. Louis, in the evening a dinner & Ball.

"Friday 26th of Septr. 1806. a fine morning we commenced wrighting,
&c."

That is the last word in the chronicles of the expedition,--modest,
unassuming, matter-of-fact--the word of one who had done a difficult
thing thoroughly and well, and who was at the end, as he had been
throughout, larger than the mere circumstances of his labor. His
companion was of the same stalwa