Part 27 (1/2)
THE APPEAL
”Well done, Will Clark!” said Meriwether Lehen, at length, one cold winter , they stood within the walls of the coo on with our work in co splendidly!”
”Yes, Mr Jefferson will find that we have been busy,” rejoined Clark
”The barge will go doell loaded in the spring They'll have the best of it--downhill, and over country they have crossed”
”True,” uide now, that is sure Two interpreters we have, who may or may not be of use, but no one knows the country But now--you know our other new interpreter, the sullen chap, Charbonneau--that polygamous scamp with two or three Indian wives?”
”Yes, and a surly brute he is!”
”Well, it seems that last suirl not over sixteen years of age, I should judge He bought her--she was a slave, a captive brought down froirl, and always smiles She seems friendly to us--see the moccasins she made for me but now And I only had to knock her husband down once for beating her!”
”Lucky rinned William Clark ”I have knocked him down half a dozen times, and she has made me no moccasins at all But what then?”
”So far as I can learn, that Indian girl is the only huirl says that she was taken captive years ago soreat river comes in, which they call the Yellow Rock River--the 'Ro'jaune,' Jussaume calls it Very well Many days' or weeks' journey toward the west, this river coain within a half-day's march of the Missouri That is near the suirl's people live there”
”By the Lord, Merne, you're a genius for getting over new country!”
”Wait I find the child very bright--very clear of mind And listen, Will--the s than that of aon to theuide out yonder as any horse-stealing warrior in a hurry to get into a country and in a hurry to get out of it again Raiding parties cling to the river-courses, which they know; but she and her people must have been far to the west of any place these adventurers of the Minnetarees ever saw Sacajawea she calls herself--the 'Bird Woood omen! She has come back like a dove to the ark, this Bird Woman William Clark, we shall reach the sea--or, at least, you will do so, Will,” he concluded
”What do you mean, Merne? Surely, if I do, you will also!”
”I cannot be sure”
The florid face of William Clark showed a frown of displeasure
”You are not as well as you should be--you work too much That is not just to Mr Jefferson, Merne, nor to our men, nor to me”
”It was for that reason I took you on Doesn't a s, two arms, two limbs, two eyes? We are those for Mr Jefferson--even crippled, the expedition will live You are asout of your blankets, hopeful and hungry!”
Meriwether Lewis turned to his colleague with the sweet smile which sometimes his friends saw
”You see, I ah at ht, I have often told you Humor , Will, I knoill be planted on the last parapet of life--you were born to succeed For myself, I stillabout the burden which would be too heavy, the trail which would be long At times I doubt”
”Confound it, Merne, you have not been yourself since you got that accursed letter in the night last su, I don't deny”
”I pray Heaven you'll never get another!” said William Clark ”From a married woman, too! Thank God I've no such affair on !”
And Clark, growling anathemas on all women, stalked away to find his axmen
The snows had come soft and deep, blown on the icy winds The horses of the Mandans were housed in the lodges, and lived on cottonwood instead of grass When the vast herds of buffalo came down from the broken hills into the shelter of the flats, the men returned frostbitten with their loads of meat The sky was dark The days were short
To improve the morale of their men, the leaders now planned certain festivities for the well stuffed with such delicacies as the co cherished in the coht be spared
On Christht out a fiddle A dance was ordered, and went on all day long on the puncheon floor of theand tunics belted close to their lean waists, the white men danced to the tunes of their own land--the reels and hoedowns of old Virginia and Kentucky