The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1917-05-17

In your tawny watersl Across wha
wide prairies did you come. anon,
what hills, through what vast forests
How long, great river was your jour
ney, snnicient to afr0rd so tremendou.
gathering Of the watersg
A hundred years ago the great Mis-
souri, made no answer TO these Ques
lions IL was open highway only foI
those who dared
The flag which fioated over the last
stockade OF Spain. the farthest out
post OF France. now was ADVANCING
step by step. inch BY inch, up the
giant foOd OF the Missouri, borne on
the flagship OF a fotilla consisting OF
one hatboat and two skifs. carrying
ar army whose guns were one swivel
piece aud thirty rides.
4 When sail and oar and settling pole
proved unavailing the men were out
and overheard. running the banks with
the cOrdelle. AS they labored thus on
( TIE line. like so many yOked cattle.
using each ounce OF weight and strain
ing muscle to hold the heavy boat
against the current. snags would catch
I the line. stumps would foul II. trees
growing close to the banks edge would
arrest It Sometimes the great boat.
swung sldewise in the current in spite
Of the last art OF the steersmen. would
tauten the line like tense fiddle string,
dipping the men like so many insects
from their footing and casting them
into the river. to emerge as best they
might
Cruzatte, Labiehe. Drouillard. all the
French vOyageurs. with the infinite
French patience smiled and sweated
their way through. The New Eng
landers grew grim; the Kentuckians
fumed and swore- But little by little.
inch by inch. creeping. creeping. pay
ing the toll exacted. they went on day
by day. leaving the old world behind
them. morning by morning advancing
farther into the new.
The sun blistered them by day,
clouds OF pests tormented them by
night, miasmatie lowlands threatened
them both night and day. but they
went on
The immensely OF the river itself was
an appalling thing. Its bends swept {
miles long In giant arcs. But bend
after bend they spanned, bar after bar
they skirted, bank after bank they con-
quered. and went ON.
On ahead somewhere lay the power 1
full Sioux nation, doubt and dread OF I
all the traders who had ever passed 4
up the Missouri DOriOn. the Indian
interpreter Of the exploring party. mar I
ried among them, admitted that even I
be could not tell what the Sioux
might do.
The expedition struck camp at last
high up on the great river. In the
country OF the YanktonnaIs. The
Sioux long had marked its coming and
were ready for its landing. Their sig.
nal fires called In the villages to meet
the boats OF the white men
They came riding down In bands.
whOoping and shouting. painted and
half naked. well armed-splendId saw
ages. fearing no man. proud, caprlciOus,
They were curious as TO
the errand Of these new men who
came carrying a new dag, these men
who could make the thunder speak
For now the heavy piece on the bow
0f the great barge spoke In no uneer-
tain terms. so that its echoes ran back
llong the river shores. No such boat,
10 such gun as this. had ever been
Ieen I'm that country before.
Tell them to make a council, Do
iOn." said Lewis. Say that only real
.hiefs must come, for we viii not treat
With any but their head men. II they
wish to see rs soon let them come to
ur village here"
You are chiefsT said DOrion-
Have not seen it, win tell
hem So"
But Dorion had been gone but a
hort time when be came hurrying
ack from the Indian village.
The runners say plenty buffalo close
y" be reported. The chief, she'll
I'll the people to hunt the buffalo"
William Clark turned to his COM
aniOn-
You hear that, Merne7v said be.
Why should we not 90 alsoT'
"AgreedF' said Merfwether Lewis.
But stay; have a thought We will
, as they go and hunt as they do. To
lpress an Indian beat him at bis own
ime. You and must ride this day.
Ill"
Yes, and without saddles too. Very
ell, learned that Of my brother, who
armed it Of the Indians themselves.
I'd know you and both can shoot
e bow as well as most Indians-that
IS part Of our early education.
ght better have been In school some
mes when was learning the bow"
'Dorion,D said Lewis to the inter
eter, go back TO the village and tell 4.
sir chief to send two bows with 9
inty Of arrows Tell them that we
'rn to waste any powder on 50 small
game as the buffalo. On ahead are
lmaIs each one OF which Is as big as
enty bUHalo-we keep our great
D for those. AS for buffalo. we kin
IN as the Indians do-with the bow
I with the spear" ~
wifi and wide spread the word
ong the Sioux that the white chiefs lie
uld run the buffalo with their own nei