Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-05-30
CHAPTER xVs
Under One Flag.

"I river-what tld1ngS 90 you
IV carry from the great noun
tains yonder in the unknown
lands? In what region grew this great
pine which swims with you to the
sea? What fat lands reared this heavy
trunk, which sinks at last, to be buried
in the sands?
What jewels lie under your flood?
What rich minerals float impalpably
in your tawny waters? Across what
wide prairies did you come, among
what hills, through what vast forests?
How long, great river, was your jour
ney, sufficient to afford so tremendous
gathering of the waters?
A hundred years ago the great Mis-
souri, made no answer to these ques-
lions. It was open highway only for
those who dared.
The flag which foated 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 flotilla consisting Of
one fatboat and two skiffs. carrying
ar army whose guns were one swivel
piece and thirty rifles.
When sail and oar and setting pole
proved unavailing the men were out
and overheard, running the banks with
the cordelle. AS they labored thus on
the line. like so many yoked cattle.
using zach ounce of weight and strain
ing muscle to hold the heavy boat
against the current, snagS would catch
the line. stumps would foul it, trees
growing close to the banks edge would
arrest it. Sometimes the great boat,
swung sidewise in the current in spite
of the last art Of the steersmen. would
tauten the line like a tense fiddle string,
Tipping the men like so many insects
from their footing and casting them
into the river, to emerge as be. they
might. ,.sT-r
Cruzatte, Labiche. 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
then, smbrnfng ~ morning advancing
farther into the new. ri ~sl u
The sun blistered them by day;
clouds of pests tormented them by
night, miasmatic lowlapds 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
full Sioux nation, doubt and dread Of
all the traders who had ever passed
up the Missouri. Dorion. the Indian
interpreter of the exploring party, mar
ried among them, admitted that even
he 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, capricious,
bloodthirsty. They were curious as to
the errand of these new men who
came carrying a new flag, these men
who could make the thunder speak.
For now the heavy piece on the bow
Of the great barge spoke in no uncer-
tain terms. so that its echoes ran back
along the river shores. No such boat.
no such gun as this. had ever been
seen in that country before.
Tell them to make council. Do.
rich" suil Lewis. Say that only real
chiefs must come. for we will not treat
with any but their head men, If they
wish to see us soon let them come to
our village here.
"Yo,! are c.!ie!s!' said Dorion.
Have / lot sen it? will tell