f the long journey, and
we are desirous of seeing our country and friends." This quotation from
the journal gives us our first intimation that any Indians accompanied
Big White to the United States. He appears to have had a small retinue
of followers men, women, and children--with him.

Below the mouth of the Platte, September 12, Lewis and Clark met
Gravelines, the interpreter who was sent to Washington from Fort Mandan,
in 1805, with despatches, natural history specimens, and a Ricara chief.
The chief had unfortunately died in Washington, and Gravelines was now
on his way to the Ricaras with a speech from President Jefferson and the
presents that had been given to the chief. He also had instructions to
teach the Ricaras in agriculture.

It is interesting to note how that the explorers, now tolerably well
acquainted with the Indian character since their long experience with
the red men, had adopted a very different bearing from that which they
had when coming up the river, in 1805. Here is an extract from their
journal, September 14:--

"We resumed our journey. This being a part of the river to which the
Kansas resort, in order to rob the boats of traders, we held ourselves
in readiness to fire upon any Indians who should offer us the slightest
indignity; as we no longer needed their friendship, and found that a
tone of firmness and decision is the best possible method of making
proper impressions on these freebooters. However, we did not
encounter any of them; but just below the old Kansas village met three
trading-boats from St. Louis, on their way to the Yanktons and Mahas."

Thirty miles below the island of Little Osage village, the party met
Captain McClellan, formerly of the United States army. He informed
Captain Lewis that the party had been given up for lost, people
generally believing that they would never again be heard from; but,
according to the journal of one of the party, "The President of the U.
States yet had hopes of us." The last news received in "the U. States"
from the explorers was that sent from Fort Mandan, by Gravelines, in
1805.

Scarcity of provisions once more disturbed the party, so that, on the
eighteenth of September, the journal sets forth the fact that game was
very scarce and nothing was seen by the hunters but a bear and three
turkeys, which they were unable to reach. The men, however, were
perfectly satisfied, although they were allowed only one biscuit
per day. An abundance of