e 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.

Chapter XXVI -- The End of a Long Journey

The reunited party now set out for the lower river and proceeded rapidly
down-stream, favored with a good wind. They made eighty-six miles on
the first day, passing the mouth of the Little Missouri early in the
forenoon, and camping at Miry River, on the northeast side of the
Missouri. On the second day they arrived at the principal village of the
Minnetarees, where they were received with cordial welcome by their old
friends. The explorers fired their blunderbuss several times by way of
salute, and the Indian chiefs expressed their satisfaction at the safe
return of the white men. One of the Minnetaree chiefs, however, wept
bitterly at the sight of the whites, and it was explained by his friends
that their coming reminded him of the death of his son, who had been
lately killed by the Blackfoot Indians.

Arriving at the village of the Mandans, of which Black Cat was the
chief, a council was called, and the chiefs of the expedition endeavored
to persuade some of the leading men of the tribe to accompany them to
Washington to see "the Great Father." Black Cat expressed his strong
desire to visit the United States and see the Great Father, but he was
afraid of the Sioux, their ancient enemies, through whose territory they
must pass on their way down to the white man's country. This chief,