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32 advancement of the work ; and I think I can promise with some confidence that it shall be ready as soon as the publisher is prepared to print it. Having made up my mind to-day, I am desirous that no delay shall occur on my part." He therefore will soon visit the General at Fincastle. The latter replied (March 25) with "most sincere acknowledgments for the friendly sentiments," and urged an immediate visit, "as my business calls me to Louisiana; and nothing detains me but the business I wish with you." Biddle made the trip to Fincastle, noted Clark's oral statements, and carried back with him to Philadelphia the journals and maps of the expedition, from which he at once began to write his narrative. In May Clark sent to the editor a young man named George Shannon, who as a mere boy of sixteen years, had creditably served as one of the privates in the expedition. Then twenty-three years old, and studying for the law, Shannon appears to have remained in Philadelphia throughout most of the time spent in drafting the narrative, and materially assisted Biddle, both in interpreting the notebooks and giving personal recollections of the tour. Not only did Clark tender the services of Shannon, but he himself was in frequent correspondence with the editor, and purchased and forwarded to him the journal of Sergeant Ordway. We have seen that the journal of Sergeant Gass had already been published in 1807.

The talented young editor at once surrendered himself almost completely to the difficult task before him. He had promised Clark that the narrative should be ready