num_pages: 512
description: The story of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Pacific, told from the viewpoint of George Drouillard, their esteemed French/Shawnee hunter, interpreter, guide, and protector. The expedition was charged by President Jefferson with finding and mapping the perilous and unknown route, recording its flora and fauna, and convincing all the tribes along the way that the white man was their friend.Drouillard had to deal with the dangers of the trek - portaging waterfalls, fending off starvation, hostile Indians, mutinous soldiers and savage animals - and Meriwether Lewis, whose personality disintegrated during the journey.Drouillard understood both Indians and whites, and knew the inevitable fate of the Indian way of life. A man living in two cultures at the very edge of their contact, he drew on the best of his own heritage to serve both honorably. "Sign-Talker" illuminates both the tragedy and the triumph of the conquest.Thom is masterful at describing the wild beauty of the land, the fierce combat of man and animal, and man against nature, the excitement and rough humor of adventurous men. Like Drouillard, he understands the personalities of Indians as well as whites. His novels echo the heartbeat of American history.
language: English
title: Sign-Talker: The Adventure of George Drouillard on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
titlecomplete: Sign-Talker: The Adventure of George Drouillard on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
genres: Fiction, 19th Century, Historical, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Adult, Adventure
ratings_count: 640
publisher: Turtleback Books