Astoria Chapter 15

In which Mr. Hunt encounters stiff competition and complications in securing loyal voyagers, notably the half-breed interpreter Pierre Dorion, whose familial and legal troubles add to the expedition's perplexities as they depart St. Louis amidst warnings of Indian hostilities and harsh wilderness conditions. Along the Missouri, the party meets venerable frontiersmen Daniel Boone and John Colter, the latter recounting thrilling escapes from Blackfeet warriors, while the journey is marked by Indian war-feasts, relentless rains, and the haunting presence of circling turkey-buzzards.