The Ordway new era., 1909-12-31


4 possession OF the great
northwest-has not been
written. No legends are told from
mother to daughter Of her patience.
courage and suffering; no poet has
tuned his lay to her story: history
itself does not contain her name.
One honor has been paid her. The
women OF Oregon have caused TO be
craven in immortal bronze statue
OF Saca5awsa lor Sahcahgarweah).
the bird-woman. the Shoshone prin-
cess whose assistance 20 Lewis and
Clark made possible the success OF
that historic expedition and unveiled
TO civilization mighty empire.
More than century ago the Sho-
shoues dwell by the clear waters OF
the Snake river in the far northwest
The mighty and powerful MinitAress.
or BlSckievt. were their dreaded enc
mics, and. az frequent intervals. swept
silently and swiftly down upon them.
burning their villages. killing their
men and carrying @ their women In
one q these rAids- which took place
about the year l-SS. the BlAckfesi
captured and carried GO SacAiaNsa.
then 4 girl II o. /. years old. and
with her a eiTl companion. who ss-
capped or the Journey to the eastward
Her slaekfse; captors took SSeAiawes
TO the MAntsn country and sold her
Into slavery. She became the proper
" Of French trappsr and frontiers
man by the name OF CharbonneaU. and
when she reached her early teens
was taken BY Chsrbounsau As one OF
his squaws
One day in October. 1904. William
Clark and MsrriwethsT Lewis arrived
at the Mandan village with an sS-
ploring expedition headed for the Pa
cifc northwest. far beyond even the
Shoshone country, and went into win
ter quarters. In the spring they would
push on. Sacajawes heard OF It. Her
husband had already been employed
as interpreter. She visited Capt
Lewis and Capt. Clark early in No
vember and offered 10 go along as a
guide. Her services were accepted
and Chsrbonueau and Sacaiawea now
Joined the white mems camp and be
came part Of the expedition
The westward journey was begun
on the first Sunday in April. 1895. the
party consisting Of S= white men. and
with them went ChsTbonneau and
Cacajswea with her two-month-old
papoose strapped to her back. Thus
she carried him to the waters OF the
Pacific ocean and back TO Fort Man
dan. though frail woman not yet IS
years old
They made their way up the river
in cottonwood canoes and at length
came TO Sunday island" where they
anchored
Soon afterwards the captains named
river in her honor. the Sacajawea,
now set down on the maps as Crooked
creek. In Montana. Thence on to the
mountains SAcajawea bore her share
Of the eShausting hardships, helping
draw the boats along when the rapids
were too powerful to be stemmed with
the paddles. and often her feet were
painfully bruised by the sharp stones
and the prickly pear.
Finally the woman was taken i'll
with fever. and since the expedition
was dependent upon her for guidance
weeks was made until she was able TO
60 on.
In July the expedition camped on
the very spot where Sacajawea had
been captured five years before. an
event which she now realistically de-
scribed to her comrades. Later they
came to a place called Beavers Head.
which she recognized She told the
captains that II was not far from the
summer residence of the Shoshones,
and that she was certain that they
would meet them soon. But IL was
not until the nrst days Of August. aft
or many days of frishtful hunger. that
they reached the Lemhi. or Snake
river. - handsome. bold creek Of
clear water running to TIE westward. :.