ome were no more than
those attending the navigation of a swift and turbulent river, whose
erratic channel was filled with sand-bars and dead timber. The
travelers were enjoying a typical prairie season of the lower
altitudes, which makes an ideal setting for outdoor life. Here and
there they came in contact with friendly bands of Indians; occasionally
they encountered boats upon the river, manned by traders, who were
drifting with the current to St. Louis, bearing the plunder of a
season's traffic. Upon the banks of the stream were many tokens of the
inconstancy of purpose of the border life,--abandoned sites of Indian
villages and deserted fortifications that had been erected by traders
to serve for temporary convenience and protection. Nowhere was there a
sign of the American interpretation of the word "enterprise."

On June 26th they reached the mouth of the Kansas River, now marked by
Kansas City. There they camped for two days; there they fell in with
the Kansas Indians, with whom they held a pacific conference; and there
the hunters met for the first time with buffalo. Forty-three days had
been consumed in crossing what is now the State of Missouri.

July 26th camp was made at the mouth of the Platte River, six hundred
miles from St. Louis, where the town of Plattsmouth, Neb., stands; and
that date marked a radical change in the duties and conduct of the
expedition. The disposition of the Indians of the Lower Missouri was
already pretty well known, so that no time had been spent in
establishing relations with them. They were still mostly unspoiled
savages, to be sure; but they were acquainted with the appearance of
the whites, at least, and their bearing toward traders and colonists
had been for the most part decent. But the situation upon the Upper
Missouri was altogether different. Although the problem might not be
definitely stated, because many of its factors were unknown, it could
be foreseen that a solution would tax the genius of civilization. The
dominant nations of the plains Indians--those whose numerical strength
and war-like character made them feared by their neighbors--had their
domain above the Platte. The Sioux in particular had a mighty
reputation, established by treachery and ferocity in war. Their history
recorded a constant succession of cruel wars, most of which had had no
justification save in arrogance and bloody-mindedness. They did not
want to live at peace; for peace signified to them a