With the lack of elk and their diminishing trade items, the Captains decided to move the departure date up from April 1st to March 23, 1806. They posted this document in their room at the fort and gave some copies to local natives. On the reverse side, Lewis noted: "...we added a sketch of the connection of the upper branches of the Missouri with those of the Columbia,...on which we also delienated the track we had come and that we meant to pursue on our return where the same happened to vary." A copy showed up in Philadelphia in 1807. It came by way of China. They turned over ownership of the fort to Clatsop Chief Coboway. He was the Corps's most "kind an[d] hospitable" neighbor. They had managed to acquire two more Indian canoes - one traded for and one stolen - to paddle up the Columbia's current and waves. The Corps arrived in St. Louis on September 23, 1806 at 12 PM.
Much of the return journey retraces the outbound route. This site has documented this portion of the return trip. The rest will be documented later.