there was no time for mourning.
The men went into camp at a short distance below the mouth of the
Yellowstone, where they occupied themselves, while waiting for Lewis's
party, in hunting and dressing skins, which they meant to offer to the
Mandans in exchange for needed stores.

While they were thus engaged, on the 11th they hailed a canoe passing
up stream, that contained two men who had come from the Illinois
country to hunt upon the Yellowstone. These were the first whites seen
since April 13, 1805, a period of sixteen months. As a matter of course
Clark was famished for news from the United States; but what he got
from the wanderers was not cheerful.

"These two men [who had left the Illinois in the summer of 1804] had
met the boat which we had dispatched from Fort Mandan, on board of
which, they were told, was a Ricara chief on his way to Washington; and
also another party of Yankton chiefs, accompanying Mr. Dorion on a
visit of the same kind. We were sorry to learn that the Mandans and
Minnetarees were at war with the Ricaras, and had killed two of them.
The Assiniboins too are at war with the Mandans. They have, in
consequence, prohibited the Northwestern Company from trading to the
Missouri, and even killed two of their traders near Mouse River; they
are now lying in wait for Mr. McKenzie of the Northwestern Company, who
had been for a long time among the Minnetarees. These appearances are
rather unfavorable to our project of carrying some of the chiefs to the
United States; but we still hope that, by effecting a peace between the
Mandans, Minnetarees, and Ricaras, the views of our government may be
accomplished."

This meant that the solemn treaties of peace concluded at Fort Mandan
amongst the several Indian tribes, under the auspices of the
expedition, had been broken. The news was displeasing, but probably not
wholly unexpected.

August 14th, two days after the reunion of the two parties, they came
again to the home of their acquaintances, the Mandans and the
Minnetarees. They showed these people every consideration; and the
swivel gun, which could not be used on the small boats, was presented
to old Le Borgne, who bore it in state to his lodge, thinking his own
thoughts. One of the Mandan chiefs joined them here for the journey
down the river.

Then occurred another brief conference with the Ricaras, with a renewal
of the old pledges of peace and good will toward all men--excepting the
Sioux. Reckle