Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1932-10-27

/ wea found herself on horse-one or
the Shoshoni Understanding back to
| he HIdatsa camp between guards.
| She was trophy OF the raid, just as
were the horses and the Shoshoni
scalps.
Charhonneau, a French-Canadian
| voyageur living among the Hidatsa'
saw the quiet captive maiden. She
seemed strong. she was modest, and
pretty as Indian girls go; he bought
her to add 70 his household, a wife
| and slave combined. What Sacagawea
thought, We will never know. Perhaps
she was pleased to be chosen by
white man: perhaps she remembered
longingly some youth at the Shoshoni
camp. She did not say she quietly as
sumed her new duties.
Then Lewis and Clark came to the
| village on their famous expedition and
engaged Charhonnean as guide and
| interpreter. Sacagawea went along to
attend her husband. but by and by the
white men noticed that 1t was the
woman who knew the way, and the
woman who could speak the many In
dian tongues. The cowardly Charlton
neau was just another greedy mouth
| a worthless hraggart, who talked much
but did little.
As they assembled the Missouri river,
amid adventures with bears and other
unpleasant happenings, an accident
occurred which peried the very life
OF their expedition. Charhonneau was
Mt the helm Of a canoe containing pa
pers, instruments. medicines. and mi
most every article Indispensable for
the success of our enterprise" A
squat came up, and the boat turned
partly around The guide. losing his
head. managed to almost overtsrn the
craft. and many of the precious con-
tents were spilled into the river. The
leaders were on shea: the men In the
boat were busy trying to right her.
What could save the valuable cargo2
Let the explorer himself answer:
1.-THE Indian woman to whom | as
cribe equal fortitude and resolution
with any person on board !. caught
and preserved most OF the articles
which were washed overheard"
This was only one Of the dangers
encountered on the long trail. There
were turbulent rivers, foods danger
ons rocks. wild and fierce animals.
Through them all Sacagawea, her tiny
| hoh hnr ho al ~ IN har no
tiently made her way. The little fell
low seemed to take his adventurous
entry into life as a matter OF course
and somehow we are glad that he was
along. He was care. OF course. and
added another to the burdens which
Sacagawea must hear. And yet there
were moments when she could hold
him close and love him-beautiful lit
tie interudes In the long. nerilous
journey. when her haby's bright eyes
gave her new courage.
The first hand of the Shoshonl had
been reached. The chief came to well
come his white visitors. and Sacaga-
wea was sent out to meet him as in
/ ttl1i tlti. M tftUiit Sttt tdi NUliiFi WI
II she would know any Of his band,
and ii must have surprised her to see
her brother at its hend Lewis wrote
afterward. however. that she showed
no emotion at the meeting. Why should
she? Life was crammed with adven-
lures, dangers, and surprises for her.
This was lust one more experience to
he endured.
Their meeting came about at an
hour of great need for the expedition.
Horses and supplies were indisnens-
able. Without the good words spoken
for them by Sacagawea. they might
not have obtained either. hut she
counseled her brother TO help the ey-
plorers. and they were enable to 20
on across the divide.
On the return Journey, the resource
full woman again saved them. Cark's
party was lost In the mountain passes
Of Montana, but she guided them to
safety.
When they reached the ShOshonI in
Wyoming, she stopped. Here was the
end Of the trail for her. These were
her people, and although she had heen
a fountain Of strength. she felt the
need Of rest The Wind River reserva-
ton was created at about this time,
and she and her son took up their
abode within its borders.
Charbonneau went hack to the
Hdatsa. He was seen, an old man,
In 1898. In the Hidatsa country, but
his history ceases there.
In 1880, an old. old woman sat
among her people. recalling memories,
She was nearly hundred years old
but she had been young and strong
once when the great white explorers
had trusted themselves to her. She
sighed. remembering. Her eyes shut
Ended now were her days on earth.
But Sacagawea had gone on another
voyage OF discovery.