Part 31 (1/2)
The tide changed quickly when it began to set the other way Lewis led an advance party across the range One day, deep in the lass, as was his custoave a sudden exclah McNeal ”Soood horse, too--that means he has more horses somewhere Come, ill call to hi but suspicion for the newcoth and ay at top speed Once more they were alone, and none the better off
”His people are that way,” said Lewis ”Coht, and still they found none of the natives But they began to see signs of Indians now, fresh tracks, hoofprints of many horses And thus finally they came upon two Indian women and a child, whom the white men surprised before they were able to escape Lewis took up the child, and showed the mother that he was a friend
”These are Shoshones,” said he to his ue from Sacajawea These are her people We are safe!”
Sixty warriors reat peace pipe, again the spread blanket inviting the council The Shoshones showed no signs of hostility--the feords of their tongue which Leas able to speak gave theo back now across the range, and tell Captain Clark to bring up the ht's 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 strea down, bearing the tidings Sacajawea ran on ahead in glee
”My people! My people!” she cried
They were indeed safe now Sacajawea found her brother, the chief of this band of Shoshones, and was irlhood, who had long hed and wept in turn as they welcoreat person Never had such news as this co the Shoshones[5]
[Footnote 5: Cam-e-ah-as the name of Sacajawea's brother, the Shoshone chief The country where Lewis h the Gate of the Mountains, not far from Helena, Montana, and ascend the upper valley of the Missouri, as it sweeps west of what is now the Yellowstone Park, and one ree of comfort the trail of the early explorers If one should then follow the Jefferson Fork of the great river up to its last narrowing, one would reach the country of Cam-e-ah-wit Here is the crest of the Continental Divide, where it sweeps up fro in, as if in a vast cup, the three reat river Much of that valley country is in fertile farms today Lewis and Clark passed within twelvehistory in the early sixties--the wild placer days of gold- in Montana
As for Sacajawea, she has a monument--a very poor and inadequate one--in the city of Portland, Oregon The crest of the Great Divide, where she met her brother, would have been a better place It was here, in effect, that she ended that extraordinary guidance--soht the white irl's birth and childhood, here a the Shoshones, who had fled to the uns of the Blackfeet Recall her capture here by the Minnetarees fro journey thence to the east, on foot, by horse, in bull-hide canoes, es It is soainst the swift current of the waters, beyond the Great Falls, past Helena, west of the Yellowstone Park, and up to the Continental Divide, where she met her brother You will find that that is still more of a journey, even today, with roads, and towns, and uide you Meriwether Lewis could not havethe courses of the stars, at Philadelphia, preparing to lead his expedition, Sacajaas learning the story of nature also; and she aiting to guide the white uided her in such unbelievably strange fashi+on? The Indians so journeys, their war parties traveled far, and their captives also; but in all the history of the tribes there is no record of a journey made by any Indian woman equal to that of Sacajawea Why did she make it? What hand pointed out the way for her?
A statue to her? She should have a thousandthe old trail! Her name should be known familiarly by every school child in America!]
All were now content to lie for a few days at the Shoshone village A brisk trade in Indian horses now sprang up--they would be footmen no more
”Which way, Sacajawea?” Meriwether Lewis once irl
But now she only shook her head
”Not know,” said she ”Theseriver that way
Not knohich way”
”Now, Merne,” said Williaot to learn the best way out fro river below, some of these valleys must run down to it Their waters probably flow to the Columbia The Indians talk of saloods which must have been made by white uide and explore off to the southwest It looks better there”
”No good--no good!” insisted Sacajawea ”That way no good My brother say go that way”
She pointed to the north, and insisted that the party should go in that direction
For a hundred miles Clark scouted down the headwaters of the Salmon River, and at last turned back, to report that neither horse nor boat ever could get through At the Shoshone village, uneasy, thefor hi north
The Indian guide, who had served Clark unwillingly, at length ad across the o north,” said Lewis