In september 1799 , he set out for missouri where a son had preceded him . He settled in the femme osage valley where he continued to hunt and roam until his death .
Lewis authorized the construction of fort madison on the mississippi river and fort osage on the missouri river . His attention was also demanded by the osage indians , who protested treaties and whose land had been encroached upon by emigrant tribes such as the cherokee .
Though the us government collapses almost immediately , the small , agile governments of native americans , like the osage nation of oklahoma , prove to be the most stable , reliable nations in america .