CHAP. I.

The party set out on the expedition and pass Wood
river--Description of the town of St. Charles--Osage Woman
river--Gasconade and Osage Rivers described--Character of the
Osage Indians--Curious traditionary account of their Origin--The
party proceed and pass the Mine river--The two Charitons--The
Kanzas, Nodawa, Newahaw, Neeshnabatona, Little Nemahar, each of
which are particularly described--They encamp at the mouth of the
river Platte--A particular description of the surrounding
country--The various Creeks, Bays, Islands, Prairies, &c., given
in the course of the route.


On the acquisition of Louisiana, in the year 1803, the attention of the
government of the United States, was early directed towards exploring
and improving the new territory. Accordingly in the summer of the same
year, an expedition was planned by the president for the purpose of
discovering the courses and sources of the Missouri, and the most
convenient water communication thence to the Pacific ocean. His private
secretary captain Meriwether Lewis, and captain William Clarke, both
officers of the army of the United States, were associated in the
command of this enterprize. After receiving the requisite instructions,
captain Lewis left the seat of government, and being joined by captain
Clarke at Louisville, in Kentucky, proceeded to St. Louis, where they
arrived in the month of December. Their original* intention was to pass
the winter at La Charrette, the highest settlement on the Missouri. But
the Spanish commandant of the province, not having received an official
account of its transfer to the United States, was obliged by the general
policy of his government, to prevent strangers from passing through the