The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-26
LEWIS AND CLARKE
Were the First White Men TO PeDe-
trate the Pacific Northwest.
A WOMAN THEIR GUIDE
She Brought Them Up the Mis-
souri, River and Upon the
Headwaters OF the
Columbia.

/ credit for the success of the first ex-
| pedition OF white men to this beloved
country of ours was due to a character
not yet sufficiently honored among the
| people who are the beneficiaries of her
sacrihces. namely, woman OF the
| Snake, or Shoshone, tribe Of Indians
Sasajaweah by name.
To an article compiled largely from
the journals Of Captains Lewis and
Clarke. by Col. William F. Wheeler OF
Helena. Mont. which appeared i'm the
Northwest Magazine for April 1894.
the public is indebted for much infor-
nation concerning the character and
services OF this truly remarkable wo-
man.
his narrative that 1T almost seems
there was an especial providence TAX
ing care OF the Lewis and Clarke eX-
petition, and N So Sacajaweah was
especially created and wonderfully
preserved on several occasions. 10
make that expedition a success"
She was stolen from her native tribe
in her girlhood by a hostile band OF
Mnnetarees. or Sioux. and carried
away from her Snake river home. more
than thousand miles down the Mis-
souri,. and sold as a slave to Cana
dian Frenchman, Toussaint Chabon-
eau, by name. who seems to have been
a familiar friend of all the tribes OF
that region.
sonage. to whom we also owe n debt of
gratitude, brought the young girl up
kindly. and aftcrward married her.
though the chronicles indicate freely
that he was multi-benedict already.
Chaboneau was a hunter and trap
per. and knew the languages OF all the
native tribes along the Missouri river
lou a
guages from the home OF her own tribe
TO the Columbia river. The pair. with
their infant son-leaving other sundry
and several Mesdames Chaboneau be-
hind. TO oblivion-joined the Lewis and
Clarke expedition at its first winter
camp. near a Mandan village. and act !
ed as faithful and intelligent guides !
commissaries. interpreters and friends |
throughout all the years covered by |
the expedition.
Once. soon after they started upon
their travels. Sacajaweah was danger
ously Ill., but was cured by the waters
OF a sulphur spring.
\ few days later. Captain Clarke, |
Chaboneau, Sacajaweah and child took I
refuge from a violent rain under some /
shelving rocks near the mouth OF a ra-
vine about a quarter Of "a mile above /
the great falls Of the Missouri. SO ter \
rifle became the storm In moment 4
that n torrent OF water, mud and rocks
came rolling down the gulch. and had
not Captain Clarke seen the wave a
moment before IL reached their retreat
the whole party would inevitably have
been engulfed. and swept over the
falls. The chronicler says.
Captain Clarke fortunately saw IL a
moment before IL reached them and,
springing up. with his gun and shot
pouch in his left hand. with his right
he clambered up the steep blum. push
ing on the Indian woman with her
child I'm her arms: her husband too,
had seized her hand and was pulling
her up the HILL but was 50 terrified at |
the danger that. but for Captain
Clarke. he and his wife and child
would have been lost. Cap
tain Clarke lost his compass and UNI
brella. Chaboneau his gun. shot pouch
and tomahawk and the Indian woman
has just time to grasp her child before
the net in which II hay at her feet was
carried down with the current"
\ prcvidential escape. indeed. An IL
ustration in the Northwest Magazine
for May. 1894. represents this worthy
Indian matron, with Captains Lewis
and Clarke. Standing on a promontory
II the junction OF the three forks
named by them Gallatin. Madison and
Jefferson, which form the Missouri
L pom this spot. the Identical spot from
which she was carried away captive I'm
her childhood, the gallant and grateful
people OF Montana purpose 10 erect a
monument to her upon the centennial
or the arrival OF the expedi-
ion at that place. July %. 1905
From that point the expedition pro-
ceded westward under guidance. as she
the country perfectly
IL may occur TO US. In this enlight-
ned generation. TO wonder whether
.f. q III d.
wonderful equipment OF isms and olo- .
,ies We so much admire. could retain |
Turing five years absence "A sufficiently
trong recollection OF localities for even
much simpler feat than a thousand /
nile journey through a wilderness. II
lot why not?
The party proceeded-by advice OF
he Indian woman-up the jefferson
liver upon which stream. or the
-reater river Cthe Columbia). which she 4
ssured them headed near the same 9
ource and flowed to the westward
hey would somewhere surely find the
ummer camping ground OF her native
ribe.
she does not, however" saws the
ournal OF those days. show any ioy
Z the prospect OF being restored 10
er country, for she seemed % possess
he folly of the philosophy OF not SUI
sring her feelings To extend beyond
he anxiety OF having plenty 10 eat and
few trinkets TO wear'-a touch OF ma
are which should bring the heroine :
Ito sympathy with Ewes daughters / \.
u all nations and kindreds and 4
lngues and people"
Proceeding up the north fork Of the I.
effersUn river. and assured by SAGA
lweah that they must now De- very /
EAR the home ~ the Snake Indians
aptain Lewis with three men pressed
oh 81 ~ A..
EDITION. on August 2. determined 10
nd the expected allies as soon as
rssible. as b. was impossible 10 trans
lrt the impedimenta OF the command
'russ the mountains without the aid
horses
Two days later they sighted an In
an mounted ON an elegant horse
ifhnnf "A sllll. mud n sr-IM .frir.- L. / 81