Gibson, played lively music on stringed boxes called violins. Each night the two captains, and Pat and other soldiers, wrote on paper the story of the trip. York, the black man, was Captain Clark's servant. Early in the morning a horn was blown to arouse the camp. During the days the captains frequently went ashore, to explore.
It was well, thought Peter, that Pierre Dorion, a trader who lived with the Sioux, was aboard the boats, for the fierce Sioux Indians did not like strangers. Still, who could whip the United States?
In the afternoon of the eighth day after leaving Chief Little Thief, old Pierre, from where he was standing with the two captains on the barge and gazing right and left and before, cried aloud and pointed.
"Dere she is!"
"What, Dorion?"
"De Jacques, w'at is also call de Yankton River; my people de Yankton Sioux lif on her. Mebbe soon now we see some."
The barge, flying its white peace flag, bordered with red and blue, ploughed on. All eyes aboard were directed intently before. The mouth of the river gradually opened, amidst the trees.
"We'll halt there for dinner," ordered Captain Lewis. "That looks like a good landing-place just above the mouth, Will."
Captain Clark nodded, and the barge began to veer in; the two pirogues or smaller boats imitated.
