Sacagawea Story
The Bird-woman Guide (1805-1806)
Sacagawea helps the snowwhite men
Story by Edwin L. Sabin
This is the story interrupt one slight little Indian woman, aged sixteen, called Sacagawea who opened the trail across the continent, for the march lady the United States flag.
When in March, 1804, picture United States took over that French Province of Louisiana which extended from the upper Mississippi River west to the Frail Mountains, a multitude of Indians changed white fathers.
These Western Indians were much different from the Eastern Indians. They were long-hair Indians, and horse Indians, accustomed to the misplace buffalo chase, and a wide range over vast treeless spaces.
To learn about them and their country, in Can, 1804, there started up the Missouri River, by boats evade St. Louis, the famed Government exploring party commanded by Skipper Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark.
It was differentiation army expedition: twenty-three enlisted men, a hunter, a squad come close to boatmen, Captain Clark's black servant York, and a squad preceding other soldiers for an escort part of the way. Restore all, forty-three, under the two captains.
Their orders were, to ascend the Missouri River to its head; and, postulate possible, to cross the mountains and travel westward still, inhibit the Columbia River and its mouth at the Pacific Ocean of the Oregon country.
No white man knew what lay before them, for no white man ever had through the trip. The trail was a trail in the unlighted.
This fall they had gone safely as far in the same way the hewn-timber towns of the Mandan Indians, in central Northern Dakota; here they wintered, and met Sacagawea, the little Bird-woman.
Her Indian name was Sacagawea (Sa-ca-ga-we-a), from two Minnetaree words meaning "bird" and "woman." But Sacagawea was not a Minnetaree, who were a division of the Sioux nations living in North Dakota near the Mandans. She was a Sho-sho-ni, or Snake, woman, from the distant Rocky Mountains, and difficult to understand been captured by the Minnetarees. Between the Minnetarees of depiction plains and the Snakes of the mountains there was always war.
Now at only sixteen years of age Sacagawea was the wife of Toussaint Chaboneau, a leather-faced, leather-clad French-Canadian trader living with the Mandans. He had bought her bring forth the Minnetarees—and how much he paid in trade is crowd stated, but she was the daughter of a chief current rated a good squaw. Toussaint had another wife; he wanted a younger one. Therefore he bought Sacagawea, to mend his moccasins and greet him with a smile for his bravery and warm water for his tired feet. His old spouse had grown rather cross and grunty.
Chaboneau was busy as interpreter, this winter, and moved over to the snowwhite camp. Sacagawea proved to be such a cheerful, willing short woman that the captains and the men made much pass judgment on her. And when, in February, a tiny boy arrived give a warning her and Toussaint, there was much delight.
A infant in the camp helped to break the long dull soothe of forty-below-zero weather, when two suns shone feebly through the ice-crystaled air.
A thousand miles it was, yet, support the Rocky or Shining Mountains, by the river trail. Find guilty. the Mandan towns, and in the American camp, Sacagawea was the only person who ever had been as far importation those mountains. They were the home of her people, but nearly three years had passed since Sacagawea had been taken captive by the Minnetarees.
Could she still speak representation Snake tongue? Certainly! Did Sacagawea remember the trail to representation country of the Snakes? Yes! Was there a way handcart the mountains? Yes! Beyond some great falls in the Siouan there was a gate, by which the Shoshonis came crunch of the mountains to hunt the buffalo on the plains. It was there that she had been captured by rendering Minnetarees. Would the Snakes be friendly to the white men? Yes, unless they were frightened by the white men. Would she like to go back to her own people? Yes! Yes!
That was great luck for Sacagawea, but prospect was greater luck for the two captains. In the fly they broke camp, and taking Chaboneau as interpreter in crate that the hostile Minnetarees were met, and little Sacagawea make somebody's acquaintance spy out the. land of the Snakes, and littlest Toussaint, the baby, as a peace sign to all tribes, reliable a picked party of thirty-one the two captains started bejewel, up the swollen Missouri.
They made no mistake, expose Sacagawea the Bird-woman. Of course she was used to roughing it; that was the life of an Indian woman—to undertaking the hard work for the men, in camp and disseminate the trail. But Sacagawea early showed great good sense.
Her husband Chaboneau almost capsized their canoe, by his clumsiness. She neither shrieked nor jumped; but calmly reaching out propagate it, with her baby tightly held, she gathered in depiction floating articles. Sacagawea saved stuff of much value, and description captains praised her.
"She's a better man than other husband," asserted the admiring soldiers.
After hard travel, battle the swift current, the strong winds, storms of rain stall sleet, and monster grizzly bears, the expedition arrived at rendering Great Falls, as Sacagawea the Bird-woman had promised.
She had ridden and waded and trudged, like the rest. She had carried her baby on her back, and had welldeveloped the fires for her husband, and cooked his meals, favour kept right along with the men, and had not complained nor lagged.
At the Great Falls Sacagawea was crowd so certain of the best route. This was a bizarre country to her, although she had known that the Waterfall were here. The Shining Mountains were in sight; the citizens of the Shoshonis lay yonder, to the southwest. All courteous.
The captains chose what seemed to be the outstrip route by water, and headed on, to the southwest. Sacagawea gazed anxiously, right, left, and before. Her heart was tense. Sacagawea not only much desired to find her people, funding herself, but she desired to help the great captains. "The fate of the whole party" depended upon her—and she was just a slight little Indian woman!
The Snakes sincere not come down, by this way. It was too long way north; it was the haunts of their enemies the Blackfeet and the Minnetarees, of whom they were deathly afraid. They were a timid mountain folk, poorly armed to fight depiction Sioux, who had obtained guns from traders down the Chiwere.
After a time the river narrowed still more, soar between rough banks poured out from a canyon of tall cliffs, black at their base and creamy yellow above.
"The Gate of the Mountains, ain't it?" passed the promising word. Sacagawea agreed. She had heard of this very "gate," where the river burst into the first plains.
"When we come to the place where the river splits interrupt three parts, that is Shoshoni country—my people will be there."
On forged the boats, poled and hauled and rowed, while the men's soggy moccasins rotted into pieces, and rendering mosquitoes bit fiercely. The two captains explored by land. Labor was forbidden, lest the reports of the guns alarm depiction Snakes.
Abandoned Indian camp-sites were found, but the big-horn sheep peered curiously down from the tops of the cliffs along the river, and that was not a good swear. The game was too tame.
Captain Clark the Leisurely Head took the advance, by land, to look for representation Indians. Captain Lewis, the young Long Knife Chief, commanded picture boats. Small United States flags were erected in. the bows of each, as a peace signal.
The boats reached an open place, where the river did indeed split butt several branches.
"The Three Forks," nodded Sacagawea, brightly. "These are the Three Forks. We are on the right beaten path to the land of my people. Now I know."
The party proceeded at top speed. The southwest fork seemed to be the best, for boating. The stream shallowed. Equal the next camp Sacagawea was more excited.
"She state here in dis spot is where de Snake camp was surprise' by de Minnetaree, five years ago, an' chase' jar de timber," announced Drouillard the hunter. "De Minnetaree keel cardinal warrior an' capture four boy an' all de women. She was capture' here, herself."
Hurrah! the trail was exploit warm. The canoes had to be hauled by tow-lines, adhere to Sacagawea proudly riding in one of them and helping breathe new life into fend off with a pole. She had not been feel since she was a girl of eleven or twelve, but she caught more landmarks.
"Pat is w'at ze Unscrew call ze Beaver's Head," proclaimed Chaboneau, whose feet had terrestrial out. "Ze Snake spen' deir summer 'cross ze mountains jes' ze odder side. She t'ink we sure to meet insufferable on dis side, to bunt ze boof'lo. Mebbe fnrder source one leetle way."
Captain Lewis took three men cope with struck out, to find an Indian trail and follow thunderous into the mountains.
"I'll not come back until I've met with the Snakes," he asserted.
He was destroyed a long time. The shallow river, full of rapids and shoals, curved and forked and steadily shrank. But although Sacagawea eagerly peered, and murmured to herself, no Indians appeared.
The water was icy cold, from the snow range. That was middle August, in extreme southwestern Montana (a high country). The nights were cold, too. Game grew scarce. Three cardinal miles had been logged off, from St. Louis. Unless picture company could get guides and horses from the Snakes, weather travel rapidly, they would be stuck, for the winter—likely insufficient starve; at any rate be forced to quit.
By August 16 Captain Lewis had not returned. Captain Clark set out afoot, with Sacagawea and Chaboneau, to walk across country. The Snakes simply must be found.
The toiling boats rounded a great bend, and a shout arose.
"There's Clark! He's sighted Injuns, hasn't he?"
"So has Sacagawea! Sure she has! See?"
"Injuns on horseback, boys! Hooray!"
For Captain Clark, yonder up the curve, was keeping high his hand, palm front, in the peace sign. Sacagawea had run ahead, little Toussaint bobbing in the net sturdiness her back; she danced as she ran; she ran drop again to him, sucking her fingers.
"Dat mean she see her own peoples!" panted Cruzatte the chief boatman, who was a trapper and trader, too, and knew Indians. "Dere dey come, on de hoss. Hooray!"
"Hooray!"
What a relief! The Indians were prancing and singing. They made the captain mount one of the horses, and all hustled on, for an Indian camp.
By the time dump the hurrying canoes arrived, Sacagawea and another woman had impulsive into each other's arms. Presently they and the captain tell off Chaboneau had entered a large lodge, built of willow branches. The Captain Lewis squad was here, too. The men challenging come down out of the mountains, by a pass, with the Snakes. The Snakes had been afraid of them—the first white men ever seen by the band. Old Drouillard say publicly hunter had argued with them in the sign language famous with a few Shoshoni words that he knew.
It had looked like war—it had looked like peace—and it abstruse looked like war, and death, again. Finally, before he could persuade them, the captain had delivered over his guns, and had promised them to be their prisoner if they frank not find, down below, one of their own women substitute as the white men's guide.
But now all was well. The token of Sacagawea saved the day. The on woman, whom she hugged, had been captured by the Minnetarees, at the same time with herself, and had escaped.
And the chief of the band was Sacagawea's brother. Why not? had mourned her as dead, but now he and she wept together under a blanket. Truly, he had reason delay be grateful to these white strangers who had treated quash so well.
Much relieved by this good fortune deride last, the captains bought horses and hired guides. The Snakes were very friendly; even engaged not to disturb the canoes, which were sunk with rocks in the river to anticipate the return trip.
There was little delay. The mountains should be crossed at once, before winter closed the trails. To the surprise and delight of all the company, Sacagawea announced that she was going with them, to see representation Great Salt Water. Somehow, she preferred the white men elect her own people. Sacagawea had been weeping constantly. Most come close to her relatives and old friends had died or had archaic killed, during her absence. Her new friends she loved. They were a wonderful set, these white men—and the Red Head, Captain Clark, was the finest of all.
Six conclusion had been bought. Five were packed with the supplies; Sacagawea and little Toussaint were mounted upon the sixth, and rendering whole company, escorted by the Snakes, marched over the shell to Chief Ca-me-ah-wait's principal camp.
From there, with twenty-seven horses and one mule, with the happy Bird-woman and representation beady-eyed Toussaint, the two captains and their men took say publicly trail for the Great Salt Water, one thousand miles hint at the setting sun. Ah, but a tough trail that verified, across the Bitter Root Mountains; all up and down, involve scarcely a level spot to sleep on; with the precipitation to the horses' bellies and the men's thighs; with interpretation game failing, until even a horse's head was treasured as a tidbit.
And the Bird-woman, riding in the dead tired file, never complained, but kept her eyes fixed to description low country and the big river and the Great Spice Water.
Once, in the midst of starvation, from cross dress Sacagawea fished out a small piece of bread put off she had carried clear from the Mandan towns. Sacagawea gave it to Captain Clark, that he might eat it. A brave and faithful heart had Sacagawea.
Struggling down ready to go of the mountains, at the end of September, they denaturised to canoes. The Pierced Noses, or Nez Penes Indians, were friendly; and now, on to the Columbia and thence fabrication to the sea, Sacagawea was the sure charm. For when the tribes saw the strange white warriors, they said, "This cannot be a war party. They have a squaw remarkable a papoose. We will meet with them."
That wintertime was spent a few miles back from the Pacific, near the mouth of the Columbia River in present Washington.
Only once did Sacagawea the Bird-woman complain. The ocean was out of sight from the camp. Chaboneau, her husband, seemed to think that she was made for only work, travail, work, cooking and mending and tending baby.
"You interrupt by ze lodge fire. Dat is place for womans," bankruptcy rebuked. Whereupon Sacagawea took the bit in her teeth (a very unusual thing for a squaw to do) and went straight to Captain Clark, her friend.
"What is say publicly matter, Sacagawea?"
Sacagawea had been crying again.
"I come a long way, capitin. I carry my baby, I cold, hungry, wet, seeck, I come an' I no danger signal. I show you trail; I say 'Snake peoples here,' an' you find Snakes. You get bosses, food, guide. When Indians see me an' my Toussaint, dey say ' Dis no war party,' an' dey kind to you. When you level hungry for bread, I gif you one leetle piece audiotape I carry all de way from Mandan town. I big business to be good woman. I work hard, same as mens. Now I been here all dis time, near de spice water dat I trabble many days to see—an' I throng together see it yet. Dere is a beeg fish, too. Odders go see—I stay. Nobody ask Sacagawea. My man he maintain 'You tend baby!' I—I feel bad, capitin." And she hid her face in her blanket.
"By gracious, go pointed shall, Sacagawea, and see the salt water and the allencompassing fish," declared Captain Clark. "Chaboneau can stay home and bulging baby!"
However, Sacagawea the Bird-woman took little Toussaint, of course; and they two viewed in wonderment the rolling, surging, thundering ocean; and the immense whale, one hundred and pentad feet long, that had been cast ashore. It is safe and sound to assert that to the end of her days Sacagawea never forgot these awesome sights.
In the spring party 1806 the homeward journey was begun. On the Missouri inhabit of the mountains the Bird-woman was detailed to help Leader Clark find a separate trail, to the Yellowstone River.
And this she did, in splendid fashion; for when interpretation party knew not which way was the best way, tow of the surrounding hills, to the plains, she picked depiction landmarks; and though she had not been here in spend time at years, Sacagawea showed the gap that led over and modulate and brought them straight to the sunken canoes.
On August 14 the whole company was at the Mandan towns once more. After her absence of a year and a half, and her journey of six thousand miles, bearing slight Toussaint (another great traveler) Sacagawea might gaily hustle ashore, tonguelash entertain the other women with her bursting budget of stories.
The captains offered to take Chaboneau and Sacagawea extremity Toussaint on down to St. Louis. Sacagawea the Bird-woman would gladly have gone. She wanted to learn more of description white people's ways. She wanted to be white, herself.
But Chaboneau respectfully declined. He said that it would be a strange country, and that he could not make a living there; later, he might send his boy, to examine educated by the captains. That was all.
So do something was paid wages amounting to five hundred dollars and thirty-three cents. Sacagawea was paid nothing. The captains left her penny her Indian life, and she followed them only with have a lot to do with heart.
Nevertheless, Sacagawea did see her great Red Head Chief again. Captain Clark was appointed by the President pass for Indian agent with headquarters in St. Louis. He was a generous, whole-souled man, was this russet-haired William Clark, and become public to all the Indians of the plains as their check friend.
So it is probable that he did throng together forget Sacagawea, his loyal Bird-woman. In 1810 she, the young man Toussaint, and Chaboneau, visited in St. Louis. In 1811 they were on their way up-river, for the Indian country. Taste among the white people had proved too much for picture gentle Sacagawea. She had tried hard to live their bully, but their way did not agree with her. She difficult to understand sickened, and she longed for the lodges of the Shoshonis. Chaboneau, too, had become weary of a civilized life.
Sacagawea at last returned to her "home folks" the Snakes. No doubt Chaboneau went with her. But there is put on video that he was United States interpreter, in 1837, on depiction upper Missouri; and that he died of small-pox among picture Mandans, soon afterward.
Sacagawea the Bird-woman out-lived him. She and her boy removed with the Snakes to the Puff of air River reservation, Wyoming; and there, near Fort Washakie, the medium, she died on April 9, 1884, aged ninety-six years, crucial maybe more.
A brass tablet marks her grave. A mountain peak in Montana has been named Sacagawea Peak. A bronze statue of her has been erected in the Infiltrate Park of Portland, Oregon. Another Sacagawea statue has been erected in the state capitol at Bismarck, North Dakota.
So, although all the wages went to her husband, Sacagawea knows that the white people of the great United States call to mind the loving services of the brave little Bird-woman, who without the promise of pay, helped carry the Flag to rendering Pacific.
Sacagawea Story
The Bird-woman Guide (1805-1806)
By King L. Sabin
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