Interpreters with Lewis and Clark: The Story of Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau By W. Dale Nelson
Western History
$24.95
6 x 9. 192 pp. 22 illustrations. 2 maps. Notes. Bibliography. Index.
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New for the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark expedition
When interpreter Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trader living among the Hidatsas, and his Shoshone Indian wife, Sacagawea, joined the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804, they headed into country largely unknown to them, as it was to Thomas Jefferson's hand-picked explorers. There is little doubt as to the importance of Sacagawea's presence on the journey. She has become a near-legendary figure for her role as interpreter, guide, and "token of peace." Toussaint, however, has been maligned in both fiction and nonfiction alikeLewis himself called him a man of no peculiar merit.
W. Dale Nelson offers a frank and honest portrayal of Toussaint, suggesting his character has perhaps been judged too harshly. He was indeed valuable as an interpreter and no doubt helpful with his knowledge of the Indian tribes the group encountered. For example, Toussaint proved his worth in negotiations with the Shoshones for much-needed horses, and with his experience as a fur trader, he always seemed to strike a better bargain than his companions... read more.