Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-12-21


when presently at the council she be-
gan to interpret the speech of the
chief, 10, it was her own brother
whose words she was translating!
A Arm friendship was at once estab-
lished between the party and the
the Indian girl had made
further progress possible.
Serving a. a Guide.
"Henceforth the way was smoothed.
Horses and guides we're furnished;
the friendly Shoshones passed the
white men on to the Flatheads and
they in turn to the Nez Perces. At
the councils Sacajawea was always
the important one is the line of inter
prefers. The Captains speculated,
amused as to what kind of represen-
taulon it was that at last reached the
mountain men, when their speech,
done into French for Chabonneau,
rendered by him into Minnetaree for
Sacajawea, filtered on from her
Shoshone into Chopunnish, Ootla-
shoot or whatever barbaric dialect
might be at hand. But some mes
sage was conveyed, and through the
Indian girl those remotest wilds first
heard of the greatness of Uncle Sam
and the good things he meditated for
his newly gained children of the for
est. Nor was it solely as an inter-
prefer that she was useful. AS the
party passed from tribe to tribe, who
were always timorous at the first en-
counter, disposed to fly like frightened
deer, the sight of Sacajawea with her
papoose, riding with the Captains, was
reassuring. It could be no war party
If a squaw and her baby were among
them.
"The Pacific was safely reached be-
fore winter set in, and the journals
record the wonder of the squaw before
the great ocean, and the mighty whale
which its waters had cast upon the
beach. With the tribes near the coast
there might have been much barter;
but Lewis and Clark had now quite
exhausted their stock of merchandise;
there could be no more trading unless
they fairly stripped themselves.
I'VE read how Clark, TO obtain a
fine horse, gave in exchange his
sword; while Lewis, determined to
obtain a magnificent skin of the sea-
otter, persuaded Sacajawea to let him
buy it with her girdle Of blue beads.
1t is, however, with Clark that the
Indian girl seems to have been more
especially associated. At Christmas
time her present to him is two dozen
|. tails of the white weasel; and at a
time of distress, when starvation
seems near. it is pathetic to read how
!, with almost too great loyalty to her
. captain. she gives him the piece OF
bread which somehow she had re-
, served for long time, intending 1t In
| case of extremity for her baby.
On the Return Journey.
"As the expedition worked its way
back again in 1906, the friends made
' through Sacajawea remained faithful
Though in part the road had beer
once travelled, to some extent the
, party struck into new paths, and ir
3 the mountains sometimes felt them
3 selves to be utterly lost When al
. were in doubt and the wilderness
r seemed likely to swallow them, ther
e the strange capability of Sacajawes
Q proved their salvation. AS a littl'
4 child she had come with her people
e through this desert, and now, witt
r the keen sight of the migrating birt
S which directs its course by landmark
! not noticeable by ordinary sight
:, again and again she pointed out tn
r path. So 1t was that in the summe
9 the expedition came again to tn
Q Minnctaree villages, having accom-
e plished an immortal achievement
) Nothing remained for them but
70 short and easy course down stream t
k st. Louis and civilization. Her
d Chabonneau decided to take up agai
10 his abode. at the spot where he ha
d enlisted, and here stayed, too, Sacs
e. jawea, under the thrall Of her lor
tx and master. The student Of Lew
D. and Clark reads with a pang ths
N while Chabonneau received $500 Il
~ his services, Sacajawea received notl
le ing not even her freedom; and 1t
Or perhaps the most serious blemish III
3. on the rame of the Captains that, Il
dr all the record shows. the gentle faitl
RI. fulness. the affection. the extraord
ed nary skill OF this daughter Of Il
n. wilderness remained unrequited.
lo Fond AZ White 0eon1e