Captain Lewis Now Wrote, By The Light
Of Some Willow-Brush, A Note To Captain Clark, Which He Gave To Drewyer,
With An Order To Use All Possible Expedition In Descending The River,
And Engaged An Indian To Accompany Him By The Promise Of A Knife
And Some Beads.
"At bedtime the chief and five others slept round the fire of Captain Lewis,
and the rest hid themselves
In different parts of the willow-brush
to avoid the enemy, who, they feared, would attack them in the night.
Captain Lewis endeavored to assume a cheerfulness he did not feel,
to prevent the despondency of the savages. After conversing gayly
with them he retired to his mosquito-bier, by the side of which the chief
now placed himself. He lay down, yet slept but little, being in fact
scarcely less uneasy than his Indian companions. He was apprehensive that,
finding the ascent of the river impracticable, Captain Clark might have
stopped below Rattlesnake bluff, and the messenger would not meet him.
The consequence of disappointing the Indians at this moment would most
probably be that they would retire and secrete themselves in the mountains,
so as to prevent our having an opportunity of recovering their confidence.
They would also spread a panic through all the neighboring Indians,
and cut us off from the supply of horses so useful and almost so essential
to our success. He was at the same time consoled by remembering that his
hopes of assistance rested on better foundations than their generosity -
their avarice and their curiosity. He had promised liberal exchanges
for their horses; but what was still more seductive, he had told them
that one of their countrywomen, who had been taken with the Minnetarees,
accompanied the party below; and one of the men had spread the report of our
having with us a man [York] perfectly black, whose hair was short and curled.
This last account had excited a great degree of curiosity, and they seemed
more desirous of seeing this monster than of obtaining the most favorable
barter for their horses."
On the following day, August 17, the two parties of explorers finally met.
Under that date the journal has this interesting entry: -
"Captain Lewis rose very early and despatched Drewyer
and the Indian down the river in quest of the boats.
Shields was sent out at the same time to hunt, while M'Neal
prepared a breakfast out of the remainder of the meat.
Drewyer had been gone about two hours, and the Indians
were all anxiously waiting for some news, when an Indian,
who had straggled a short distance down the river,
returned with a report that he had seen the white men,
who were only a short distance below, and were coming on.
The Indians were transported with joy, and the chief, in the warmth
of his satisfaction, renewed his embrace to Captain Lewis,
who was quite as much delighted as the Indians themselves.
The report proved most agreeably true.
"On setting out at seven o'clock, Captain Clark, with Chaboneau
and his wife, walked on shore; but they had not gone more than a mile
before Captain Clark saw Sacajawea, who was with her husband one
hundred yards ahead, begin to dance and show every mark of the most
extravagant joy, turning round to him and pointing to several Indians,
whom he now saw advancing on horseback, sucking her fingers at
the same time, to indicate that they were of her native tribe.
As they advanced, Captain Clark discovered among them Drewyer dressed
like an Indian, from whom be learned the situation of the party.
While the boats were performing the circuit, he went toward the forks
with the Indians, who, as they went along, sang aloud with the greatest
appearance of delight.
"We soon drew near the camp, and just as we approached it
a woman made her way through the crowd toward Sacajawea;
recognizing each other, they embraced with the most tender affection.
The meeting of these two young women had in it something peculiarly
touching, not only from the ardent manner in which their feelings
were expressed, but also from the real interest of their situation.
They had been companions in childhood; in the war with the
Minnetarees they had both been taken prisoners in the same battle;
they had shared and softened the rigors of their captivity till
one of them had escaped from their enemies with scarce a hope
of ever seeing her friend rescued from their hands.
"While Sacajawea was renewing among the women the friendships
of former days, Captain Clark went on, and was received
by Captain Lewis and the chief, who, after the first embraces
and salutations were over, conducted him to a sort of circular
tent or shade of willows. Here he was seated on a white robe;
and the chief immediately tied in his hair six small shells
resembling pearls, an ornament highly valued by these people,
who procure them in the course of trade from the seacoast.
The moccasins of the whole party were then taken off, and,
after much ceremony, the smoking began. After this the conference
was to be opened; and, glad of an opportunity of being able
to converse more intelligibly, Sacajawea was sent for:
she came into the tent, sat down, and was beginning to interpret,
when in the person of Cameahwait she recognized her brother.
She instantly jumped up, and ran and embraced him,
throwing over him her blanket, and weeping profusely:
the chief was himself moved, though not in the same degree.
After some conversation between them she resumed her seat,
and attempted to interpret for us; but her new situation seemed
to overpower her, and she was frequently interrupted by her tears.
After the council was finished, the unfortunate woman learned
that all her family were dead except two brothers, one of whom
was absent, and a son of her eldest sister, a small boy,
who was immediately adopted by her."
The two parties, Indian and white, now went into a conference,
the white chiefs explaining that it would be needful for their Indian
friends to collect all their horses and help to transport the goods
of the explorers over the Great Divide.
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