[Clark] we rose early took the Chief to the publick store & furnished him with Some clothes &c. took an early breckfast with Colo. Hunt and Set out decended to the Mississippi and down that river to St. Louis at which place we arived about 12 oClock. we Suffered the party to fire off their pieces as a Salute to the Town. we were met by all the village and received a harty welcom from it's inhabitants &. here I found my old acquaintance Majr. W. Christy who had Settled in this town in a public line as a Tavern Keeper. he furnished us with Store rooms for our baggage and we accepted of the invitation of Mr. Peter Choteau and [par] took a room in [the] his house of Mr. Peter Cadeaus Choteaus we payed a friendly visit to [Mes. Choteau and] Mr [Ogustus] August Chotau and Some of our old friends this evening. as the post had departed from St. Louis Capt Lewis wrote a note to Mr. Hay in Kahoka to detain the post at that place untill 12 tomorrow which was reather later than his usial time of leaveing it
Well, the much anticipated return celebration sounds like it all went off pretty well. The "Chief" got a new wardrobe and they stored their baggage in the back of a tavern. The Chouteaus were old time French residents of St Louis and seemingly long time friends of Captain Clark.
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