Historic Excuse To Gather At The River

OK, so day two of the Lewis and Clark Heritage Days is over. Sunny with clear skies was welcome weather especially following the report of rain which never occurred. A ‘laid back' day with scouts visiting in small groups. Seven hundred scouts held a Camporee in the park to earn a merit badge camping overnight and it must have been wild.
I held two Discovery Walks as advertised and visitors really expected a hike. But we did a short walk. I saw no reason to walk the length of the point and repeat the same litany over and over – that is – none of these trees and not one blade of grass was here two hundred years ago. The Snake River was measured at about 475 yards wide at the mouth compared to the nearly half mile today. The water is high as it is now because of Ice Harbor dam on the Snake river to the north and McNary dam on the Columbia river to the south. The natives knew the Corps of Discovery was a peaceful group because a woman and her baby were present. Every Native American left their women and children home safely in their lodges when they went on war party.
Because there are so many gaps in the knowledge of Sacajawea's dress, actions and habits I felt free to suppose some that I believe to be possible. She probably wore deer skin leggings wrapped above her knees and a dress that probably came below her knees. I believe she carried her baby against her breast most of the time while in the canoe making her movements easier and the baby safer. Twice the journals mentioned a cradle board was washed away in canoe upsets but obviously no baby lost. As a sixteen year old she was an intelligent, curious, and adventuresome woman well trained in food gathering and child rearing by her elders before she was kidnaped. How she came into Charbonneau's possession is unknown. He could have very well bragged at having won her in a card game, but we only have hearsay of his word.
I did have time to get around to the encampment of actors doing what the Corps of Discovery members did 200 years ago. There were very credible men playing Captains Lewis and Clark, Sgt Gass, and others. Others portrayed mountain men, paddle makers, flint knappers, and Native Peoples. I discovered that my camera chip of 256 MB will only hold 136 photos. Bummer. But I got some good ones so I shouldn't complain. None of myself and my elkskin garment. Maybe tomorrow.
I had two great helpers with the items we displayed. One was a regular volunteer teacher at McNary Education programs and the other was a retired school teacher who also gathered native plants. A poster of a desert and sandy river shore was most helpful in explaining what the Lewis and Clark landing site looked like 200 years ago. A scene quite difficult to imagine because the park is very green and well covered with 50 year old trees. The park is every bit as lovely as envisioned by the Daughters of Washington State Pioneers back in 1946 when they worked so hard have it designated Sacajawea State Park.
The most awesome fact is – the Corps actually did land there.
Naomi Sherer