Obtaining Vital Food, Supplies and Information

A Customary and Proper Welcome
The Salish people gave the strangers many gifts during their brief encounter here at the Great Clearing.
They gave their guests roots, berries, animal furs, and vital information about the trails and tribes to the west.
As many of the Expedition's horses were exhausted, the Salish also gave them a dozen "ellegant horses," wooden pack saddles, lash chords and three young colts.
The Salish gifts represented a huge amount of manual labor, which was primarily the work of Salish women, over countless days and months.
In return, the Salish graciously accepted two flags, four shirts, four medals, some tobacco, a few small articles, and seven lame horses.


Five Languages
The sound of the Salish language was fascinating to the explorers. Sergeant Whitehouse and Captain Clark said it had a throaty, "gurgling" tone spoken as with a "burr on the tongue."
Because it was a language no one in the Expedition spoke, transactions between the two groups went through five translations.
A Shoshone lad who lived with the Salish was able to translate to Sacajawea, who was also Shoshone, who passed the message to Charbonneau, her husband, in the Hidatsa language.
Charboneau translated to Labiche in



French who then delivered the message to the captains in English.

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Show me all markers in:  Sula, MT  |  Ravalli County  |  59871  |  Montana  |  United States of America

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First Impressions
The Great Clearing
Join the Voyage of Discovery
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Lewis and Clark at Ross' Hole
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Lost Trail Pass

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