Chapter 15 To the Mandans Fall 1804 Summary and Analysis

Throughout September, the voyage continues upriver through panoplies of natural wonder. Huge herds of migrating mammals are seen daily and enormous flights of migrating birds pass overhead. The weather temporizes and frosts kill off the clouds of mosquitoes, as the trip becomes one of entire enjoyment. The party encounters their first grizzly bear; they refer to it as a white bear. They also pass through the deserted outer lands of the once-mighty Arikara tribe; empty villages and lands a mute testimony to the mass deaths recently caused by smallpox and other diseases. Eventually they arrive at the Arikara heartland and discover a tribe about three thousands strong. The meeting proceeds well and the Indians are friendly. One chief accompanies Lewis and Clark upriver to the next great tribal area of the Mandans, ostensibly...