Virginia Argus

WASHINGTON CITY, October 27.

It is, with the sincerest pleasure, that we announce to our fellow citizens, the arrival of CAPTAIN Lewis, with his exploring party, at St. Louis.

The President of the United States has received a letter from him, dated at St. Louis, September 23, at which place himself, Captain Clarke and their party arrived that day. They had passed the preceding winter at a place which he calls Fort Clatsop, near the mouth of Columbia river. They set out thence on the 27th of March last, and arrived at the foot of the Rocky mountains May 10, where they were detained until June 24, by the snows which rendered the passage over those mountains impracticable until then. He found it two thousand five hundred and seventy-five miles from the mouth of the Missouri to the great falls of that river, thence by land passing the Rocky mountains to a navigable part of the Kooskooske three-hundred and forty miles, of which two hundred would admit good road, and one hundred and forty miles over the tremendous mountains which for sixty miles are covered with eternal snows, thence seventy-three miles down the Kooskooske into a south eastwardly branch of the Columbia, one hundred and fifty-four miles down that to the main river of the Columbia, and then four hundred and thirteen miles to the Pacific, in all three thousand five hundred and fifty-five miles from the mouth of the Missouri to the mouth of the Columbia. In this last river the tide flows one hundred and eighty-three miles, to within seven miles of its great rapids, and so far would admit large sloops; and from thence upwards may be navigated by batteaux and periaugers. He speaks of this whole line furnishing the most valuable furs in the world, and a short and direct course for them to the eastern coast of China; but that the greatest part of these would be from the head of the Missouri. He says it is fortunate he did not send back from the head of the Missouri any part of his force, consisting of thirty-one men, as more than once they owed their lives and the fate of the expedition to their numbers. One man of his party had died before he reached fort Mandan in one thousand eight hundred and four; every other one is returned in good health.

Capt. Lewis expected to remain at St. Louis some days to settle with and discharge his men, and would then set out for Washington by the way of Vincennes, Louisville, Abingdon, Fincastle, Staunton and Charlottesville. He is accompanied by the great Mandan chief, who is on a visit to Washington. Capt. Lewis speaks of his colleague, Captain Clarke, in the most affectionate terms, and declares his equal title to whatever merit may be ascribed to the success of this enterprize.