Meriwether Lewis and William Clark arrived in Kaskaskia with twenty-four men on November 29, 1803. There they acquired the expedition's third boat, a pirogue. After recruiting twelve more soldiers, the captains hired expert boatman and interpreter Francois Labiche. Half French and half Omaha, Labiche became an enlisted and valuable member of the Corps. They also hired some local Frenchmen to man their boats. These engages came to Illinois from France, Canada, or New Orleans. Some were born on the frontier, and some were of Native American descent. They were experienced trappers and tradesmen, familiar with the dangers the journey would bring. After spending the winter with the Corps in the Mandan Villages, most engages returned home, bringing letters, journals, plants, animals, and news of the expedition with them.