Lewis and Clark are well known historical figures to all of us along with Sakakawea who’s place in history has expanded over the years. This area of North Dakota is especially important in the Lewis and Clark story because in 1804, it was the site of Ft. Mandan where the expedition spent its first winter. Near that site is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Here the story of their journey is detailed. Outside the center stands three large statues of Lewis, Clark and the Mandan Chief Sheheke-shote (White Coyote). With winter fast approaching and food supplies dwindling, Lewis decided they would build a fort here on the banks of the Missouri where they would shelter during the long, harsh winter ahead. Enter the Mandan people and their wise chief. He is quoted as saying, “If we eat, you shall eat; if we starve, you shall starve also.” It was quite fortunate that the expedition encountered the Mandan else they surely would not have survived the winter. The Mandan supplied them with bison meat, corn, squash and buffalo hides and in return they received the “trinkets” that Lewis brought along to trade.
As is often the case, happenstance plays as much a part in historical events as does good planning. Lewis planned for many things that were needed for the expedition but he also failed to plan for many of the “human” necessities such as warm blankets and food. It is said that he only brought 15 blankets for a group of 50 more or less. Pin Head! So without the buffalo hides that the Mandan provided, well let’s just say their numbers would have decreased. Food was another item. Many of the recruits were new to the army, young single men. Yet these same men were responsible for providing, preparing and cooking their own meals, really? When I think about it, it is nothing less than a miracle that they made it to the Pacific and back alive!
It was their good fortune to meet Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian explorer/trader (and buffoon, but I digress) who became a member of the expedition. He was also the captor-husband of Sakakawea. Sakakawea (Bird Woman) was a Shoshone woman who had been captured by the Hidatsa and sold to Charbonneau for one of his two wives. When you look closely at the story, she never really had a choice in accompanying the expedition, however she took a keen interest in helping them along the way. She was a hardy soul for sure. Before they set out, she had given birth to a son named Jean Baptiste. She carried that baby on her back the entire way. Good golly, I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been. Unlike her legend, she did not guide them but her worth was great. When they encountered the Shoshone further along, it was a great surprise to find that their chief, Cameahwait was Sakagawea’s brother. She was able to get him to supply horses that were badly needed. Without her help, their journey may never have been completed. You Go Girl!
Okay, okay enough history lesson. After the center, we made our way to Ft. Mandan. They do not know exactly where the fort was built but know it was within a 10 mile radius of this site. The fort itself was intended to serve them on the return trip, however it had burned before they returned. So the fort we visited is a reproduction built using the journals that told of the size, timber used etc. It is quite small and considering 50 or so people stayed there, yikes it must have been chummy. In the journals, they tell of the snow and how temperatures dropped to 45 below zero! (See how important blankets were?)
We joined a guided tour and the ranger was quite knowledgeable. We saw the quarters where they spent their time writing in journals, repairing and making rifles, axes and knives etc. They slept in the loft above the room and prepared their meals in the fireplace. Here you see a store room showing the varieties of corn the Mandan provided for them along with beans and a type of squash. On the right, are examples of items that were used for trade. A note about the tallow candles, they are made from animal fat. During times when they were desperate for food, they ate them along with many of the dogs they brought along and horses they acquired from the Shoshone. Desperate times..... Of the dogs they brought along, only one Newfoundland dog named Seaman made the return trip.
Among the rifles that the group brought along, two were especially important. One, an air rifle was surprisingly important. Nothing like the ones we see today, it had a reservoir in the stock to hold air that had to be pumped into it. They used a pump that took about 30 minutes to complete the task. What was so important about that? Well, the Indians were familiar with muskets etc. and knew that after each shot they had to be reloaded. This rifle could shoot eight shots without stopping. So any time they met with the Indians, this gun would be taken along and demonstrated to encourage them to be "friendly". The other important gun was this large rifle shown in the pictures. The ranger called it the "big bertha" (the gun not him). It weighs quite a bit and fired all sorts of things. It was kind of like a shrapnel gun. It was mounted similar to a cannon and fired for maximum effect.
One last tidbit and I will stop before you fall asleep. The object you see in the ranger's hand that looks like a stick with twine on it, but it is actually a tobacco pod. Tobacco was one of the items for trade. The processed tobacco placed inside a type of pouch and then the twine was wrapped around and secured. It was a great way to introduce the joys of smoking to the unsuspecting Plains Indians. In his other hand is a string of glass beads. The Indians had to use shells and other natural things to adorn their dresses. The glass beads were of great interest to them. On another note, they also used the metal from pots they traded for to make beads. The pots they said made the food taste metallic so they cut them into squares or strips and used them to decorate their dresses. Imagine the sound of the metal clinking as they danced. No big base speakers for them!Tomorrow we will travel to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Note: in the previous post, I made a mistake. The lithographs and sculptures were actually from the Lewis and Clark center, not the museum. My bad.
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