s, one scarlet ditto, five robes which we made out of our large
United States flag, a few old clothes trimmed with ribbons, and one
artillerist's uniform coat and hat, which probably Captain Clark will
never wear again. We have to depend entirely upon this meagre outfit for
the purchase of such horses and provisions as it will be in our power to
obtain--a scant dependence, indeed, for such a journey as is before us."

One of their last acts was to draw up a full list of the members of
the party, and, making several copies of it, to leave these among the
friendly Indians with instructions to give a paper to the first white
men who should arrive in the country. On the back of the paper was
traced the track by which the explorers had come and that by which
they expected to return. This is a copy of one of these important
documents:--

"The object of this list is, that through the medium of some civilized
person who may see the same, it may be made known to the informed
world, that the party consisting of the persons whose names are hereunto
annexed, and who were sent out by the government of the U'States in May,
1804, to explore the interior of the Continent of North America, did
penetrate the same by way of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, to the
discharge of the latter into the Pacific Ocean, where they arrived on
the 14th of November, 1805, and from whence they departed the 23d day of
March, 1806, on their return to the United States by the same rout they
had come out."

Curiously enough, one of these papers did finally reach the United
States. During the summer of 1806, the brig "Lydia," Captain Hill,
entered the Columbia for the purpose of trading with the natives. From
one of these Captain Hill secured the paper, which he took to
Canton, China, in January, 1807. Thence it was sent to a gentleman in
Philadelphia, having travelled nearly all the way round the world.

Fort Clatsop, as they called the rude collection of huts in which they
had burrowed all winter, with its rude furniture and shelters, was
formally given to Comowool, the Clatsop chief who had been so kind
to the party. Doubtless the crafty savage had had his eye on this
establishment, knowing that it was to be abandoned in the spring.

The voyagers left Fort Clatsop about one o'clock in the day, and, after
making sixteen miles up the river, camped for the night. Next day, they
reached an Indian village where they purchased "some wappatoo and a
dog fo