ety.

Trace this Indian girl's birth and childhood, here among the
Shoshones, who had fled to the mountains to escape the guns of the
Blackfeet. Recall her capture here by the Minnetarees from the Dakota
country. Picture her long journey thence to the east, on foot, by
horse, in bull-hide canoes, many hundreds of miles, to the Mandan
villages. It is something of a journey, even now. Reverse that
journey, go against 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
maps to guide you. Meriwether Lewis could not have made it without
her.

While he was studying the courses of the stars, at Philadelphia,
preparing to lead his expedition, Sacajawea was learning the story of
nature also; and she was waiting to guide the white men when they
reached the Mandan villages. Who guided her in such unbelievably
strange fashion? The Indians sometimes made long 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 thousand memorials along the 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 more asked the Indian
girl.

But now she only shook her head.

"Not know," said she. "These my people. They say big river that way.
Not know which way."

"Now, Merne," said William Clark, "it's my turn again. We have got to
learn the best way out from these mountains. If there is a big river
below, some of these valleys must run down to it. Their waters
probably flow to the Columbia. The Indians talk of salmon and of
white men--they have heard of goods which must have been made by white
men. We are in touch with the Pacific here. I'll get a guide 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 hundre