Page:The Pacific Monthly vol. 14.djvu/124

 tle Frenchman informed Sacajawea that this was her opportunity.

She Avas at this time 18 years of age, and readily promised to lead the expedi- tion over the pathless wilderness that stretched for hundreds of miles west- ward from the headwaters of the Mis- souri.

In the spring of 1805 they came into the land of the Shoshones, whom they fonnd honest, true and fearless. Their horses Avere their pride, and they had so many that they were willing to trade some of them for tomahawks. Until the white man came among them they had never seen steel hatchets, guns, rifles and the like. The lightning-like feats of the paleface with some of these weapons were a continual source of astonishment to the Indians.

In the western part of Idaho they came across the tribe from which Saca- jawea had been stolen five years previous, and one of the old women recognized the girl as the child who had been taken away from her. The relatives of the Indian maid tried to persuade her to abandon the party and remain in her old home, but Sacajawea was "true blue" and would not rest content until she had seen the explorers reach the Pacific Ocean. Besides, had she not given her word?

One of the most memorable (though al- most tragic) occurrences of the trip was the meeting of the Lewis and Clark band with Sacajawea's brother and his war- riors. Doubtless, if the little "bird woman" had not been with the party the expedition would have ended then and there.

It was just before they came to the headwaters of the Columbia Eiver as they were defiling down a narrow canyon when a band of Indians, in war paint and thundering the war whoop, came down upon them. The chief, a fierce-looking savage, looming tall and strong at the head of the column, seemed intent on wiping the company out of existence. He probably would have done so, as the band of white men were weak from a long fast, and the Indians far outnumbered the ex- plorers, had not Sacajawea sprung for- ward with a little cry of pleasure and surprise, and in tlio language of the at-

tacking tribe soon convinced the chief that she was his long-lost sister. He sprang from his horse and caught the girl in his arms.

Wlien he found out how fond the white men were of her, how she was regarded as their leader, and how a white man had made her his wife, the chief became their friend, seeing that they had all the rations and horses they required. He also sent runners ahead to warn the Sho- shone people as far as the setting sun not to molest the travelers.

Not until November 7, 1805, after more than two years of hardship and privation, did Lewis and Clark reach the western limits of sunset land. Here they built a rude fortification, which they named Fort Clatsop, after a friendly tribe of Indians they had met on their way to the sea. Here the company spent all winter, the men spending their time in w'riting up reports, studying the cus- toms of the tribes about them, the fauna, the animal life, the climate, the topo- grapliical and geographical formation of the country, etc.

Sacajawea was an object of supreme curiosity to the Chinook Indian women, among whom they now stayed. She had a white man for a husband, a little half- breed boy, Toussant, for a son, and acted as guide for a large band of white men.

On March 23, 1806, Lewis and Clark and their band of intrepid men left Fort Clatsop to retrace their steps to civiliza- tion, back to the ]\Iandan country where they had first met Sacajawea, the "bird Avoman." She insisted on s:oing Avith them, and she had her Avay, although her people begged her to remain Avith the Slioshones. Near AAdiere the toAvn of Bismarck noAV stands, in South Dakota, the Avhito men left her with her husband and litttlo boy. On parting LeAvis gave $500 to Charboneau in payment for his services as cook. Avliile to Sacajawea lie gave a number of trinlcets and bead Avork'. Clark begged to be alloAved to educate the little Toussant, and Avhen he was three years old SacajaAvea and her husband took him to St. Louis, Avhere General Clark ])laced hiui in a convent. He received a good education and became a man of