History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States; Volume 1

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ss~ Lewis and Clat·ke's ~XjJedition advanced captain ClarJ<e discovered among thrm Drewye1• dresscdJike an Indian, from whom he lraJ•nt the sil uation of the party. 'Vhile the boats Wt•re p(wforming the cireuit, he went towards the forks with the Indians. who as tht•y went along, sa.ng aloud with the g•·eatrst appearance of dcHgh1. We soon drew neat· to the camp, ami Just as we approarhNl it a woman made h r r way tluougb the c•·oud towat·tls Saeaja­wca, and recognising each other, theJ embntred "ith tbc most tender affection. 'J'hc meeting of these two young wo­men had in it something pcculia.rJy touching, not only in the ardent manner in which their feelings w<·r·e expressed, but ft•om the real interest of their situation. 1'hc) had Leen companions in childhood, in the wa1· with tbe Minuctat·ees they had both been taken 1wisoners in the same battle, they had shared and softened the rigours of tbcil· captivity, till one of them had escaped from the Minnetarces, with scarce a hope of ever seeing her fl'iend reli(~Vt>d from the bands of hel' enemies. While Sacajawea was r·cnewing among the women the friendships of formel' days, captain Clarke went on, and was received by captain Lewis and the chief, who after the first eml>l'accs and salutations were over, conduct· ed him 1.o a sort of· circular tent ot• shade of willows. Here be was seated on a white a·obe; and the cllief immediate­ly tied in his hair· six small shells r·cscmbling pearls, an or. nameut highly valued hy these people, who p1·ocured them in the course of trade from the seaeoast. The moccasins of the whole par·ty were then taken oil', and after much ceremony the smoking began. After this the conference was to be open· ed, and glad of an opportunity of [,eing able to converse more intelligibly, Sacajawea was sent for; she came into the tent, sat down, ami was beginning to interpret, when i11 the person of Cauacahwait she re~ognised her brother: she instantly jumped up, and ran and eml)l'aced him, throwing over him her blanket and weclling pt·ofuscly: the chief was himself moved, though not in the same dcgt·ee. After some conversa· tion between them she Nsumed her seat, and attempted to in- Up the JJlissou1--i. J8S terpret for us,,but het• new situation seemetl to overpower her, and she was ft·cquently interrupted by her tears. After the council was iinished, the unf'ortunatc woman learnt that all her family we1·c deatl except two brothers, one of whom was a[,sent. and a son of her eldest sist<w, a small boy, who was immediately adopted by her. The canoes arriving soon after, we formed a camp in a meadow on the left side, a little be­low the forks; took out oua· baggage, and hy means of our sails and willow poles formccl a canopy i'oa· our Indian visitors. ALout four o'clock the chiefs aml war1·iors wct·e collected, and after the customary eeremonyof taking off the moccasins and smoking a pipe, we eXIllained to them in a long harangue the pur1loses of our visit, making themselves one conspi­cuous obj~ct of' the good wishes ol' our gove•·nmcnt, on whose sh·ength as well as its fl'icndly disposition we ~xpatiated . We toJd them or their dependance on the wi!l of our govern­ment foa· a ll future supplies of whatever was necessary eithei' for their comfort or defence; that as we were s<'nt to dis­cover the [,est route by which mea·ehandizc could be convey­ed to them, and no tnulc would be begun before our return, it was mutually advanlageous that we should proceed ·with as little delay as possilJJe; that we were under the ncccssit)' of requesting them to fut·nish us with hot·ses to transport our baggage act·oss the mountains, and a guide to show us the route, but that they should be amply remunerated for their horses, as well as fol' every other set·vicc they should rendm· us. In the meantime our fi1·st wish was, that they should immediately collect as many horses as we1·e necessa· ry to ir~mSI>OI't our baggage to their village, where, at our leisure we would t•·atle with them for as many horses as they could SI)are. '.fhe sr,eech made a favom·ault.~ impl·ession: the chief in repJy thanked US for OUt' expressions or f't-icnd~hjl> towat•ds himself and l1is natiou, and decla a·cd their willingness to ren~ clcr us every service. lie Jamcnh:tl tlmt it would be so long before they should Le sup}llied with tia·carms, but that till