The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-28

and Sacajawea, whose husband had de-
serted her in her extremity, rescued the
more important ones before attempting to
save herself and babe. 1t was the first
conspicuous exhibition of her presence ef
mind and hardness.
Several months later, the circumstance
of Sacajawea being a member of the
Shoshones was of great advantage TO the
explorers. When the expedition reached
The country OF these Indians, Sacajawea
encount cred some of the women of her
tribe, and this meeting made possible
conference with the chief Sacaiawea
was called into the conference to act as
interpreterfi and recognized Camewalt, the
chief, as her brother. In recording this
incident the journal of the hardy travel
ers says:
"She instantly jumped up and ran and
embraced him, throwing over him her
blanket. weeping profusely. The chief
himself was moved, though not in the
same degree"
Through the il fuerce of Sacajawea, the
Shoshones showed the expedition every
courtesy, directing the voyagers, and sup
rlyirg them With horses. And from
then cef orth Sacajawea was the most i'm
portant one in the line of interpreter at
the councils with the various Indian
tribes.
Sacajawea was the only woman on the
expedition, and she conducted herself dui-
ing the long journey with as much mod
esty, and sense of Tropriety, as her most
cultured white sister could have shown.
She rode with the leaders in advance of
the rest OF the company. and her pres
cree served to allay the suspicious OF
the Indians through whose country the
party passed.
Received No Reward.
When the expedition reached the coast,
Captain Lewis persl AIDED the Indian wo-
man to give MIN her girdle of blue heads,
so that he might trade 1t for a sea-otter
skin. At Christmas time she presented
Lewis, v no seems to have been her ia
vorite, with two dozen tails of the white
weasel; and at a time of distress she
gave him a piece Of bread which she had
saved for a long time, intending in case
of extremity, to use 1t for her baby. On
the return trip, when all were In doubt,
and the wilderness seemed likely to swal-
low them. the Indian woman, who ir early
childhood had passed through the region.
pointed the way.
Such is the story of Saeajawea-wife,
guide, heroine. And the end? When the
party of adventures had reached on its
return trip the Minnetaree villages,
Chaponneau decided to stay there, and
the faithful guide. remained
faithful to her husband. and stayed with
him. The captains gave Chabonneau $500
for his services but the Indian woman re-
ceived nothing. Sacajawea lived on with
her husband the old life that she had
been accustomed to. From having been
the trusted and beloved friend Of the
she became again the
slave wife of the degenerate French
voyageur. When Breckenridge came upon
her in 1911, he found her IN poor health
and it is probable that she died soon
after. Nothing further was heard of her;
and the rive, to which In a moment OF
gallant appreciation the captains gave
her name, now hears another designation.
But at the Western Worlds Fair OF
1906, 100 years after Saeajawea was en-
trusted with the key that unlocked the
road to Asia, the neglected heroine will
be given a place in history along with
Pocahontas. The statue will be of bronze
and will be given a permanent place in
one OF Portlands public parks after the
is over. Miss Alice Cooper or
Denver has been selected to execute the
memorial. This will be not only the first
statue ever erected to an indian woman,
but a type of the new recognition that
has come to the civilized red man or
today.