a victory, here again saved
the day for the Americans. Because the weather was so cold, the route so
long, and the other difficulties in his way so great, Hamilton resolved to
wait until spring before going farther.

And not expecting to need his soldiers before spring, he sent back to
Detroit the greater part of his force. He kept with him about eighty of
the white soldiers and about the same number of Indian allies.

About six weeks later Clark learned from an Indian trader how small the
garrison was at Vincennes. You may be sure that he did not wait for
seasons to change. Quick to realize that this was his chance, he gathered
a force of one hundred and seventy men--nearly half of them creoles--and
in seven days he was on his way to Vincennes.

CLARK CAPTURES VINCENNES

The route, two hundred and forty miles in length, led eastward across what
is now Illinois. As often happens at this season, the weather had grown so
mild that the ice and snow had thawed, causing the rivers to overflow, and
the meadows and lowlands which lay along a large part of the route were
under water from three to five foot deep.

When we remember that there were no houses for shelter, no roads, and no
bridges across the swollen streams, we can imagine something of the
hardships of this midwinter journey. Only very strong men could endure
such exposure.

Knowing that cheerfulness would help greatly in keeping his men well and
willing, Clark encouraged feasting and merrymaking as all were gathered at
night around the blazing logs. There the game killed during the day was
cooked and eaten, and while some sang and danced, according to creole
custom, others sat before the huge fires and told exciting stories about
hunting and Indian warfare. Then, warmed and fed, all lay down by the fire
for the night's rest.

As long as this lasted the journey was by no means hard; but by the end of
a week conditions had changed, for they had reached the drowned lands of
the Wabash.

Coming first to the two branches of the Little Wabash, they found the
floods so high that the land between the two streams was entirely under
water, and they were facing a mighty river five miles wide and at no point
less than three feet deep, while, of course, in the river beds it was much
deeper.

But Clark was resourceful. He at once had his men build a pirogue, or
dugout canoe. In this he rowed across the first branch of the river, and
on the edge of the water-covered