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This Mandan chief, Shahaka, remained a year among the whites; and in the
summer of 1807, Clark, then Indian agent for Louisiana, sent him up the Missouri
with two trading-parties and a small detachment of soldiers. During Shahaka's
absence, his people and the Arikara had been engaged in hostilities, and the latter
tribe had been joined by some Sioux; Clark says "(no doubt under the influence of
the British Traders) to prevent all parties from assending the Missouri." On Sept. 9
these hostiles attacked the American party, which was conducted by Ensign Nathaniel
Pryor, and compelled him to return to St. Louis. See letters by Clark and Pryor,
narrating the circumstances of this affair, in Annals of Iowa, Jan., 1895, pp. 613–
620. Shahaka was finally sent to his home by Lewis, arriving there Sept. 24, 1809.
See Chittenden, Amer. Fur Trade, i, pp. 139–141.—Ed.

William Christy was a Scotch Irishman of Pennsylvania, whose father had served
under Braddock (1755). Born at Carlisle in 1764, he early removed to Pittsburg
and then to Kentucky, where he lived neighbor to the Clarks at Louisville. Having
served both under St. Clair (1791) and Wayne (1794), his health became shattered;
upon the advice of his physician he removed in 1804 to St. Louis, where he lived until
his death in 1849, contributing largely to the upbuilding of the new community. He
served in several public capacities—as judge, major of militia, auditor of public
accounts, and register of the federal land office (1820–33).—Ed.

John Hays came from New York to Cahokia in the early days of the American
regime. He embarked in the Mississippi fur trade, was sheriff of St. Clair County for
a protracted term (1798–1818), and at this time was in charge of the United States
mails at Cahokia.—Ed.