Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
CHAPTER ".

The geese were now indeed flying
down the river. coming In long, dark
lines ont Of the icy north. Sometimes
1.-THE sky was overcast hours at
stretch. 4 new note came into the
voice of the wind. The nights grew
, colder.
Autumn vas at hand. soon II would
; he winter-winter on thF plans. IL
was late in October more than ilTe
months out from st. Louis. when MT
JefYerson's "Nolunteers for the DIS
coyery of the West" arrived In the
Mandan country.
Long ago war and disease wiped
cut the gentle Mandan people. Iooay
two cities stand where their green
fields once showed the first broken
soil north of the Platte river: But
century ago that region, althoush
little known TO our government az
Washington, was not unknown 70
others. The Mandan villages lay at
great wilderness crossroads. or rath :,
! er at the apex Of q triangle, beyond
which non" had gone.
! Hcreabout:s the Sieur dc Ia Ncrend-
rye had crossed on his own journey
tof exploration two generations ear
! lie.. More lately the emissar!es o.
the great British companies. although
privately warning with one another
! had pushed west over the As$lHlhoihe-
.
idans now for q decade. Thus 'f;tr
came the western trail from Canada,
and halted.
ended all the trails Of trading or
travelling white men. Therefore,
lewis and CLARK found white men
located here before th.m-M Me- racit :
en-, an freshman: Jussaume. French
man; Henderson, an Englishnan: La
iRouue, another FrenchmaU-an over
from the Assinihoine country: ana
! all il hardly need be said. excited and
anxious over this wholly unexpected
iarrival Of white strangers in their
{, Big White. chief OF the Mandars.
" elcomed the new party as friends.
for he was quick {" grasp the ad-
vantage the Whit 'nen's goods gay gay :.
tribes. and also quick T" understand
, the virtue OF competition.
i "Erothers," said he, you have come
tor our beaver and our robes. AS FOR
! ,,s. We want powder and ball and
! more iron hatchetS and knives. We
! nav, traded with the AssiniboineJ.
| who are foolish people. and have
/ taken all their goods away from them.
; We have killed the Rccs until VIZ
are tired Of killing them. The S!ouA
4. will not trouble US II we have pieIty
Of powder and, ball. We know thai
| YOU have come t. trade with US.
| SEE, the snow is here. Light your
lodge fires with the Maudans stay
there until the grass comes once
! more.
! I'VE open our ears 20 what Big
| White has said" replied Lewis
speaking through Jussaumc. the
! Freachman. who sYon vas added as
, Interpreter 20 the party. We are
| children of a great father in the
; east who gives you this medal with
| his picture on il. He sends you this
d, coat. this hat Of chief. lie gives
you this Ratchet. this case OF tobacco.
There are other hatcifets and more
| tobacco for your people.
! What great father is that? de-
manded Big White. 1T seems there
ARE many; great fathers in these days!
] Who are you strangers who come
from 50 far.
| You Yourself shall judge. Big
White. When. the geese fly up tho
river and the grass is green our. great
boat here is going back. down the
river The great father is curious &c
| know his children. the MandanS. II
| YOU, Big White, wish to go to see him
when the grass is green you shall
sit yonder in that boat and go al
the way with some of my men. You
shall shake his hand. When you come
back you can tell the story to your
own people. Then all the tribes viii
cease to wage war. Your wemei
once more may take off their mecca
sins at night when they sleep"
TT is good" said the Mandan
t"Ahaie! Come any stay with us un
til the grass is green and viii