Name: edHelper Discovering America II: 1805 (Fort -Pacific)

Spring had come to the Great Plains of North America. The Corps (pronounced core) of Discovery was ready for the next leg of their westward journey. Lewis and Clark and their men had come up the in the fall of 1804. At they had spent five months waiting out the cold weather.

Living with the was a French trapper named Charbonneau. His wife , (Sa-ka-ga-WEE-ah), was a Indian girl. She was soon to have a baby. The Captains had asked Sacagawea and her husband to come west with them. The team needed someone to help them speak with the Indian people they found along the way.

Sacagawea's baby was born February 11. His name, Jean Baptiste (jzon bap-TEEST), was French. The baby would travel on his mother's back for the entire trip. Captain Clark was fond of the little boy and called him "Pompy."

On April 7, 1805, the Corps headed west. They rode in two pirogues (PEE-ros) and six smaller canoes. There were thirty-three travelers in all, as well as Seaman, Lewis's big dog. Everyone was excited to be on the move again. Lewis wrote in his journal that the moment of their leaving was "among the most happy of my life."

The group pushed up the Missouri. In the area that is now , the travelers were awed at the huge herds of buffalo, antelope, and other game. Lewis had guessed that the Indian stories about grizzly bears were fairy tales. But when he saw the huge bears, he changed his mind. Several times grizzlies charged the men, roaring and snarling. Shooting the bears didn't always stop them. One was shot nine times. It was still attacking when it finally died! This bear was about six hundred pounds and nearly nine feet long.

Farther upriver, the going got tougher. A windstorm caused one of the pirogues to take on water. Bundles that held the captains' journals and other important gear began to float away. Sacagawea quickly grabbed the bundles out of the water. Most of the items were saved. Lewis and Clark were very thankful for her quick thinking.

The Corps traveled on. Lewis knew they would need horses for the next part of the trip. He was glad to find Sacagawea's people, the Shoshone. She and her husband were called upon to speak with , the leader of the tribe. They asked him to sell horses to the travelers. Suddenly, Sacagawea recognized the chief. He was her brother! She was very happy to see him. The Indian woman had been kidnapped by another tribe five years earlier and had not seen her family since.

With Shoshone horses, the party rode into the mountains. They would be over the mountains, they hoped, in day or two. They would find a river that would lead to the Pacific Ocean, the famous Northwest Passage. Lewis Name: edHelper stepped to the top of expecting to see an easy route to the Pacific. Instead, he saw tall, snow-covered peaks going on far into the distance.

The dreadful mountain crossing took eleven days. The trail was buried in snow and fallen timber. Men and horses fell and rolled down the steep hillsides. Lack of game forced them to kill some of the horses for food. The men were cold, exhausted, and starving. The mountains, now called the Bitterroots, seemed to go on and on.

Finally, the Corps staggered out onto the Weippe (WEE-yipe) Prairie. (NEZZ- purs) Indians fed them and helped them make canoes. Leaving their horses in the care of the Nez Perce, they paddled down the to the Snake and then to the . They were very close, now, to their goal.

On November 7, Clark wrote joyfully of seeing the ocean. But again they were disappointed. What they saw was Gray's Bay, still miles from the ocean. Nearly three weeks of heavy wind and rain forced them to camp at this spot. At last, in mid-November, they reached the Pacific shore. Five hundred fifty-four days had passed since they left St. Louis, Clark noted. They had come over four thousand miles.

Discovering America II: 1805 (Fort Mandan-Pacific) Questions

1. Where did the travelers spend the winter of 1804-1805? A. St. Louis B. With the Shoshone C. In the mountains D. At Fort Mandan 2. Why were Sacagawea and her husband included in the journey? A. To paddle the canoes B. As guides C. To cook for the men D. To speak with native people 3. Name one kind of wildlife the voyagers found on the Missouri River.

4. The expedition bought horses from the ______tribe. A. Blackfeet B. Mandan C. Shoshone D. Nez Perce Name: edHelper 5. What was Lewis hoping to find as he looked over Lemhi Pass? A. The Northwest Passage, an easy route to the ocean B. A good place to camp C. Villages D. The ocean 6. The Nez Perce who helped Lewis and Clark were living A. In Montana B. Near the ocean C. In the mountains D. On the Weippe Prairie 7. When they reached the Pacific, about how many miles had the travelers come since leaving St. Louis? A. About 2000 B. 10,000 C. A million D. Over 4000 8. For you, what was the most exciting part of the Lewis and Clark trip west? What do you think was most exciting for the explorers?