The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-03-14

captain clark ana MS party with the
canoes. The story of this part of the
journey and the meeting of our Indian .
heroine with her tribe is of sufficient
interest to be transcribed verbatim.
The chronicler says:
THE Indians were full of suspicion
that they would be betrayed by the
whites. Captain Lewis had considera-
BILE trouble in allaying their fears and
had to use much diplomacy. He had
promised liberal exchanges for their
horses but what was still more seduct-
i've, he had told them that one of their
cOuntrywome cajaweah-whO had
been taken by the Minnetarees, accom-
panied the party below, and one of the
men had spread the report of our hav-
ing with us a man perfectly black,
whose hair was short and curled. This
last account had excited a great degree
of curiosity and they seemed more de-
sirous Of seeing this monster than of
obtaining the most favorable barter
for their horses
Saturday, August II. 1905, Captain
Lewis rose very early and dispatched
Drewyer and the Indian down the river
in quest of the boats. Shields (another
white mani was sent out at the same
time to hunt, while Mcneil Ghe other
of the remainder of their meat Drew
yer had been gone about two hours
and the Indians were all anxiously
waiting for some news, when an Indian
who had struggled a short distance
down the river returned with a report
that he had seen the white men. who
We're only a short distance below and
were coming on. The Indians were all
transported with joy, and the chief in
the warmth of his satisfaction. re-
newed his embraces to Captain Lewis.
who was quite as much delighted as
the Indians themselves. The report
was agreeably true.
ION setting out at o'clock CAPTAIN
Clarke, with Chaboneau and his wife.
walked on shore, but they had not gone
more than mile before Captain Clark
saw Sacajaweah, who was with her
husband hundred yards ahead. begin
to dance and show every mark of the
most extravagant Joy, turning around
to him and pointing to several Indians
whom he now saw advancing on horse
back, sucking her fingers at the same
time to indicate that they were Of her
native tribe AS they advanced Cap
tain Clarke discovered among them
Drewyer dressed like an Indian, from
party. While the boats were perform
ing the circuit he went toward the
forks with the Indians, who, as they
went along, sang aloud with the great
est appearance of delight.
I'VE soon drew near to the camp. and
just as we approached it a woman made
her way through the crowd toward Sac
ajaweah, and, recognizing each other.
they embraced with the most tender
affection. The meeting of these two
young women had in it something pc
cularly touching, not only in the ardent
manner in which their feelings were ex-
pressed, but from the real interest of
their situation.
''They had been companions in child
hood; in the war with the Minnetarees
they had both been taken prisoners in
the same battle; they had shared and
softened the rigOrs of their captivity.
till one of them had escaped from the
Minnetarees, with scarce hope of ever
seeing her friend relieved from the
hands of her enemies"
while Sacajaweah was renewing
among the women the friendships of
former days. Captain Clarke went on
and was received by Captain Lewis and
the chief, who, after the first embraces
and salutatiOns were over, conducted -
| him to a sort of circular tent, or shade,
| of willows. Here he was seated on a
! white robe, and the chief Immediately
| tied in his hair six small shells, resem-
| bling pearls, an ornament highly val
ued by these people, who procured them
in the course of trade from the seacoast.
! The moccasins of the whole party were
| taken off (Which indicates the sacred
sincerity of their professions when they
| smoke with strangely, and after much
| ceremony the smoking began. After
| this the conference was to be opened,
| and, glad of an opportunity to converse
more intelligently, Sacajaweah was sent
for. She came into the tent, sat down,
and was beginning to interpret when,
in the person of Cameahwait, she recog-
nized her brother. She instantly
jumped up and ran and embraced him,
throwing over him blanket and weep
ing profusely. The chief was himself
moved though not in the same degree.
After some conversation between them,
she resumed her seat and attempted to
interpret for us, but the new situation
seemed to Overpower her and she was
frequently interrupted by her tears.
| After the council was finished the I'M
| fortunate woman learned that all her
family was dead except two brothers,
one of whom was absent, and the son
of her eldest sister, a small boy, whom
she Immediately adopted"
Colonel Wheeler says: "The services
of Sacajaweah as interpreter and guide,
from the time the expedition had
preached the three forks of the Missouri,