“ by a m( ^~ r) Evans by order of the Spanish government, but whether he corrected by astronomical observation or not we are not informed. I hope this will reach you before your final departure. the acquisition of the country through which you are to pass has inspired the public generally with a great deal of interest in your enterprize. the enquiries are perpetual as to your progress. the Feds. alone still treat it as philosophism, and would rejoice in it’s failure. their bitterness increases with the diminution of their numbers and despair of a resurrection. I hope you will take care of yourself, and be the living witness of their malice and folly. present my salutations to m ( ^~ r) Clarke. assure all your party that we have our eyes turned on them with anxiety for their safety & the success of their enterprize. accept yourself assurances of sincere esteem & attachment. ”

On January 22 Jefferson wrote again: “ My letters since your departure have been of July 11. & 15. Nov. 16. and Jan. 13. yours recieved are of July 8. 15. 22. 25. Sep. 25. 30. & Oct. 3. since the date of the last we have no certain information of your movements.

" with mine of Nov. 16. I sent you some extracts made by myself from the journal of an agent of the trading company of S ^t. Louis up the Missouri. I now inclose a translation of that journal in full for your information. in that of the 13 ^th. inst. I inclosed you the map of a m ( ^~ r) Evans, a Welshman, employed by the Spanish government for that purpose, but whose original object I believe had been to go in search of the Welsh Indians, said to be up the Missouri. on this subject a m ( ^~ r) Rees of the same nation, established in the Western parts of Pensylvania, will write to you. N. Orleans was delivered to us on the 20 ^th. of Dec, and our garrisons & government established there, the order for the delivery of the Upper posts were to leave N. Orleans on the 28 ^th. and we presume all those posts will be occupied by our troops by the last day of the present month. when your instructions were penned, this new position was not so authentically known as to effect the complection of your instructions, being now become sovereigns of the country, without however any diminution of the Indian rights of occupancy, we are authorized to propose to them in direct terms the institution of commerce with them. it will now be proper you should inform those through whose country you will pass, or whom you may meet, that their late fathers the Spaniards have agreed to withdraw all their troops from all the waters & country of the Missisipi & Missouri, that they have surrendered to us all their subjects Spanish & French settled there, and all their posts & lands. that henceforward we become their fathers and friends, and that we shall endeavor that they shall have no cause to lament the change: that we have sent you to enquire into the nature of the country & the nations inhabiting it, to know at what places and times we must establish stores of goods among them, to exchange for their peltries; that as soon as you return with the necessary information, we shall propose supplies of goods and persons to carry them and make the proper establishments; that in the mean time, the same traders who reside among or visit them, and who now are a part of us, will continue to supply them as usual, that we shall endeavor to become acquainted with them as soon as possible; and that they will find in us faithful friends & protectors. although you will pass through no settlements of the Sioux (except seceders) yet you will probably meet with parties of them. on that nation we wish most particularly to make a friendly impression, because of their immense power, and because we learn that they are very desirous of being on the most friendly terms with us.

" I incloze you a letter which I believe is from some one on the part of the Philosophical society. they have made you a member, and your diploma is lodged with me; but I suppose it safest to keep it here, & not to send it after you . . . ”

On March 26, Lewis wrote to Jefferson from St. Louis and sent specimens: “I send you herewith inclosed, some slips of the Osages Plum and Apple. I fear the season is too far advanced for their success. had I earlyer learnt that these fruits were in the neighbourhood, they would have been forwarded at a more proper time . . . I obtained the cuttings, now sent you, from the garden of M ^r. Peter Choteau, who resided the greater portion of his time for many years with the Osage nation. it is from this gentleman, that I obtained the information I possess with respect to these fruits . . .”