Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-02-26
STORY OF SACAWE]A
Continued from Page L.

the Little Missouri and reached the
Yellowstone river. Already they
were climbing the long slope toward
the mountains. Day by day the river
narrowed and grew swifter. The
men could no longer row and the
boats had to be towed, the men and
horses walking at the base of steep
banks. Hunters constantly foraged
for game. The first mountain bears
were seen and Bird Woman told the
plainsmen the trick of mountain
hunters in getting bears, antelopes
and bighorns. .us
Around the Great Falls.
The industrious and skillful little
woman made and me1ded moccasins
all day long, for rocks and cactus
plants wore out foot covering rapidly.
became difficult to every
one but this mountain-bred girl whose
feet grew lighter as she assembled.
Late in May, from a cliff to which
she led him, Captain Lewis got his
first glimpse of the Rockies, the snow
peaks dazzling in the sunshine.
Now the water became still swifter,
plunging down in dangerous rapids
between sheer walls of rock. Then
came burst Of glory above the
plains. 1t was the Great Falls-a
plume of spray eighty feet high be-
tween lofty cliffs. The boats had to
be carried around these falls for a
distance of twenty miles. Bird Wo-
man told how to make the carriages,
with wheels of cross sections of cot
tonwood trees, on which the boats
were set. Trappers from Canada had
taught the mountain tribes how to
make them.
Here were buffaloes, bears, ante
lope, bighorn sheep. Bird Woman
knew how to open gopher holes and
find the wild artichokes that were as
good as potatoes. She warned them
not to drink the water of alkaline
springs. She found goose eggs in the
tree nests. currants and service ber-
ries. She made ointment for sore
feet and for mosquito bites made
everyone comfortable with her
feminine ingenuity.
Through the Gates Of the West.
And then on the 18th of July she
became guide, as well as counselor
AMI friend, to the party. They had
entered the gates of the Rockies and
reached the three forks OF the Mis-
souri,. At the meeting of the waters
her eyes lit up, with recognition and
she led the way up the South Fork
over the old Shoshone trail to the
mountain pass.
Bird Woman now went on ahead
with her husband and Captain Clark
to find horses, Stree the boats were
no longer of any use. Straight as a
bird flies she made for the old home
of the Snake Indians. One day in
the middle Of August she saw several
Indians on ponies. She stopped,
gasped little with delight, then be-
gan a dancing run forward toward
the teoees of village hidden by a
spur.
When the others came up with her
she was embracing the Indian women
and children. In the Chief Cameah-
wait she found her own brother.
New guides were found now who
knew the way to the Great Sea
Water, and Bird Women and her
French husband remained for the
winter, guests of her tribe. 4f
The next summer they returned
with Clark anu Lewis to the Dakotas.
The Explorers Tribute. /. :.
They left her and her husband with
regret, b'lt were glad they could give
them $500, large sum in those days
out on the plains. It made them
rich in ponies and horses and built
them comfortable cabin. Bird
Woman refused to let her celebrated
baby go to Washington to be educat
ed, saying: "He will be most useful
here. When the white men come tic
live in this land they will need
friends"
In their account of the expedition
Lewis and Clark did not forget to pa,
a tribute to Bird Women They said;
"She was very observan. She had /
good memory, remembering localities
not seen since her childhood. Il
trouble she was full of resource
plucky and determined. With he
helpless infant she rode with tn,
men, guiding us unerTingly through
4 mountain Businesses and lionel.
passes. Intelligent, cheerful, re
sourceful, tireless, faithful, she in
spired us all. Long since has Birt
Woman departed to the Happy Hunt
ing Ground, Only her name an,
traits and story remais;; hut posterit.
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