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slaves. Of these 2,000 human beings 680 were landed from the "William" and 520 from the "Wildfire." The remainder died enroute.

The boarding crew from the "Wyandotte" weighted and consigned to the deep twenty-one bodies from the "William," death's harvest of the preceding night. The "Mohawk" crew did likewise with fourteen bodies from the "Wildfire."

The passage across was usually made in from eight to ten weeks, never less, more frequently in excess. The horrors of the "middle passage" across the western ocean were surely not of such a nature as to improve the physical condition of the wretched, docile savages, for notwithstanding their supposed savagery, they were docile and reasonably tractable towards their white masters, inspired, perhaps, through fear and ignorance.

The captives cost from $5 to $25 in the first instance and were sold at from $150 to $400 after their delivery in the United States.

PART II

CHAPTER X

EARLY EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS

LONG'S YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION-FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE MISSOURI-THE FIRE BOAT THAT WALKS ON THE WATER-LONG'S INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY EXPEDITION-JOSEPH RENVILLE, GUIDE-FEASTED BY THE WAHPETONS-CHIEF WANATON-THE DEBATABLE LAND-RETURN OF THE HUNT-DOG SLEDGES AND TRAVOIS-RED RIVER CARTS-ARISTOCRACY OF THE PLAINS-EXPEDITION OF MAJ. SAMUEL WOODS-OPENING OF NAVIGATION ON THE RED RIVER-ON THE MISSOURI RIVER-LOUISIANA FUR COMPANIES.

"By mutual confidence and mutual aid

Great deeds are done and great discoveries made."

"What was only a path is now made a high road.”

-Homer's Iliad.

-Martial Epigrams, Book 7, 60.

LONG'S YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION 1819-1820

James Monroe, as President of the United States, was desirous of protecting the frontier from British aggression, being convinced that the whole western country took a great interest in the success of the contemplated establishment of a military post at the mouth of the Yellowstone River; that it was looked upon as a measure better calculated to preserve the peace of the frontier, secure 'to us the fur trade, and break up the intercourse between the British traders and the Indians, than any other which had been taken by the Government, and he expressed a willingness to assume great responsibility in hastening its consummation.

Accordingly, Maj. Stephen H. Long was selected to conduct the expedition to the mouth of the Yellowstone, or to the Mandan villages, as a part of the system of measures which had for its object the extension of the fur trade. The newspapers of the period took a very rosy view of the great benefits to follow in the wake of this expedition, and were confident that it would strike at the very root of British influence. An able corps of scientific men were included in the party, several of whom accompanied him to the Red River three years later. Their instructions followed those given to Lewis and Clark, but the importance of selecting a point near the forty-ninth parallel of latitude, where a sphere of influence might be established, was strongly impressed upon them.

Great preparations were made for the expedition, and in all about eight hundred men assembled at St. Louis, and other points, but the summer faded, and was succeeded by the chilly blasts of autumn, and nothing was accomplished,

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