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Show X\' iii only saying, wr ·wish ~·ou to err on the sid~. o.r your _sal'ety, and to bring !Jack your llat·ty sal'e, even af at he w1th less infoJ'mation. ''As far· up the l\1 issour·i as the wlaih~ scUlenwnts cx-trntl. an inter·<.·oua·se will pa·oba!Jly lw found to exist IJctwccn ttu·m and the Spanish }lOsts of' St. Louis opposite Cahokia, 01• St. Gt·nevieve opposite Kasliaslda. Ft·om sti ll l'm·t liei' up the dvrr· the tt'«Hiers may fnrnish a convt·yaltce fot· lettet ·s. Bcy(md that you may perhaps be able to engage Intlians to bring lcttct'S rm~ the govcnmHmt to Cahokia, Ol' Kaskaskia, on pr·onaising that they shall thrre rccche such s1wcial com}lcnsation as you shall have stipulated with them. Avail yourself ol' these means to eomuumicate ·to us. at Measonahle intca·vals. a <·opy or youa~ joua·nal, notes and obset·vatious of every kind, putting into cypher whatever might do injury if brtraycd. " Should you reach the Paeifie ocean. inform yourself of the cia·cumstanccs which may decitlc wbethcu~ the furs of those pat'ts may not llc collcctetl as advantageously at the bead of the ~lis onl'i (convenient as is SUJ>posed to the watea ·s of the Coloa·ado and Oregan ot• Columbia) as at N ootlia Sound, or any othf:t' point of that coast; and t.hat trade he couscqucntly conductrd through the :l\lissour·i and U uitcd States mo1·e llcudicially than lly the cil·cumuavigation now Jlractised. u On your al'l'ival on that coast, endeavour to learn if there be any poa·t within your reach fr·cquentcd by the sea \'esse Is of any nation, and to send two of yout' trusty pcOJlle baek by sea, in sut:h way as shall appea1· practicaiJle, with a copy of youl' notes; anti should you be of opinion that the return of' your· party hy the way they \vent will be immi· nently dangerous, then ship the whole, and rctu1•n by sea; ()y the way either of Ca11e llm·n, ot· the Ua}le of Goou Hope, as you shall lac able. As you will be without money, clothes, oa· provisions, you must endeavour to usc the credit of tbc Cnitcd States to oLtain them; for which pm·poso open letters xix uf credit ~hall be fut·ni shed JOll, authot·iziu~ you to dt·aw on the executive or th. United States, OJ' any or its officers. in any part or the wol'ld, on which dt·<w:;hts can IJc disposr<l o(', and lO apply with OUI' t•ecommrntlations to the consuls, agents, mer<'hants, ot· ci t izcns of any nation with which we Jrave intrl'(~OIII'sc, assua·ing them, in out' name, that any aids t.l&ey may fm·uish you shall t>e honout·ahJy t'Cpaitl, and ou deruaud. O ut· consuls, Thomas llewcs~ at Batavia. in Java, William BtH·hauan. in the lsles or F1·ancc a.nd Bout·bon. and .John .Elm!Siic. at thr Cape of Good llupc, will IJc able to s~rpp l ,v you a~ nrc<'ssith•s. hy da·a.ughts on us. " Should you find it saft• to t'dlll'n hy the way you go, a l't('.t' sending two of you a· party r•oti!Hl h,v sra. OJ' with your whole pat·ty, if' no conveyance h:r S('a <·an he found. do so; JlHLking su<'la ohs<~t·vations 011 yom· a·ettll'll as may sca·vc to supply, cot•J•ect, or conlit•m those made on you1· outwaa~d .I oua·ney. " Ou a·ecntel'ing I he U nitc<.l States and reaching a place of safety, dise laat·gc arty of you a· attendants who may desit·e and deserve it, pt·ocut·iug fo1· them iu11uediate payment of all ancal's of pay and clothing which may havr inu.uncd since their 'h'pat·tul'(', and assm·e them that thf'y shall be l'ecom .. nwnded to the libcPality of the le~i slatllt'C fot• the gl'ant of a. sol<liel·'s p()J'tion of Janel each. as pr·oposcd in my message t.o congt·c ss, and repai1· yom·scl 1', with your papct·s, to Hac scat of govra·nuH'!lt. " To pt·oviclc. on t Jw accident of you a· cl ~ath. again st. anarc lay, di sp<·t·sion, and tlae cons<·qtaeut clangm· to your· p«uty, n.sul total 1'ailua·c of the entca·pri sr, you ctl'e hc t·cby authot ·iz<'d, hy any instt·u ment sjgned and \Hittc.•n in yom· own hand, to nanh' the pct•son among tht•m wlao shall suc•crcd to the command on your deerase, and by like instr·uments fo c·han~e the nomination, fr·om time to time, as fua·ther c.•xper ·ittWe of the <·.h~u·a<;ters accompan)·ing you sl1all point out ~upc l'iot· fitm• ."i; ami all the powr a·s and authorities givtm to ) OUl'sclf at·c~, in thl• evcnl of.' OUl' cJ('alh, t.l'aU'ifCl'I'efl to, and |