Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-06-06

every way" assented his companion
They stood and gazed about them at
tine scene of wild beauty. The river
ran In long curves between bold and
sculptured bluffs, among groves Of ma
tive trees, now softly green. Above,
on the prairies, lay carpet of the shy
wild rose, most beautiful of the prai-
rie blossoms. All about were shrubs
and flowers, now putting forth their
claims in the renewed life of spring.
On the plains fed the buffalo, far as
the eye could reach. Antelope, deer,
the shy bighorn, all these might be
seen, and the footprints Of the giant
bears along the beaches. It was the
wilderness, and it was theirs. They
owned it all!
Thus far they had seen no sign Of
any human occupancy. They did not
meet single human being, red or
white, all that summer. A vast silent,
unclaimed land, beautiful and abound
ing, lay waiting for occupancy. There
was no map Of it, none save that writ
ten on the soil now and then by an In
dian girl sixteen years Of age.
They, plodded on now. taking the
right hand stream, with full confidence
in their guidance, forging onward a
little every day between the high
banks of the swift river that came
down from the great mountains. April
passed and May.
"Soon we see the mountains" insist
ed Sacajawea.
And at last. two months out from
the Mandans, Lewis looked westward
from little eminence and saw a low,
broken line, white in spots, not to be
confused with the lesser eminences of
the nearby landscape.
ut is the mountainsv' he exclaimed.
There lie the Stonies! They do exist!
We shall surely reach them! We have
wOn!'
Not yet had they won. These shin
ing mountains lay a long distance to
the westward, and yet other questions
were to be settled ere they might be
reached.
Often again in emergencies, often
again in cases Of doubt, whether to 60
in this direction or that. whether to
take this fork of a river or that, did
Sacajawea come to the rescue with
unerring instinct. Always did she
guide them true. And so niche is
due her in history as one who has a
right to share in the glory of that ex-
petition.
May we not wonder in these later
days If any Of US, who reap so care
lessly and so selfshly where others
have plowed and sown, reflect as we
should upon the first cost Of what we
call our own? The $15,O0O,O00 paid
for the vast empire which these men
were exploring-that was little-that
was naught But, alb, the cost in blood
and toll and WEAKNESS, in love and
loyalty and faith, in daring and suffer-
ing and heartbreak of those who went
ahead 1t was a few brave leaders
who furnished the stark. unflinching
courage for all.
After many hardships the mountains
were reached, and Lewis led an ad-
vance party across the range. One
day, deep in the mountains. he was
sweeping the country with his spy
glass, as was his custom. He gave a
sudden exclamation.
"What is it, captain?" asked one OF
| thu I'M rkr USo,,,n
mo, q man-an Indian! Riding q
good horse too. That means he has
more horses somewhere Come. we
will call to him.!
The wild rider. however. had moth
ing but suspicion for the newcomers.
Staring at them. he wheeled at length
and was away at top speed. Once
more they were alone and none the bet
ter off.
His people are that way" said Lew
is. Come
But all that day passed and that
night, and still they found none of the
natives. But they began to see signs
Of Indians now-fresh tracks. hoof
prints of many horses. And thus
finally they came upon two Indian wO-
men and child. whom the white men
surprised before they were able to es-
cape. Lewis took up the child and
showed the mother that he was a
friend
"These are Shoshones," said he to
his men. II can speak with them. l
have learned some of their tongue
from Sacajawea. These are her peO-
pie. We are safer
Sixty warriors met them. all mount
ed, all gorgeously clad Again the
great peace pipe. again the spread
blanket inviting the council. The ShO-
shones showed no signs Of hostility
the few words of their tongue which
Lewis was able to speak gave them
assurance
"McNeal." said Lewis, "go back now
across the range and tell Captain Clark
to bring up the men,"
| William Clark, given one nights
sleep, was his energetic self again and
not in mind to lie in camp. he had
already ordered camp broken, more Of
the heavier articles cached. the canoes
concealed here and there along the
stream and had pushed on after Lewis.
He met McNeal coming down bearing
the tidings. Sacajawea ran on ahead
In glee.
my people! My people!' she cried.
They were indeed safe now. Sacaja-
Xea found her brother. the chief Of