"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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