Toussaint Charbonneau was part Iroqois. He was born in or near
Montreal Canada around 1759.
Lewis, Clark,
Hidatsas and the Mandans didn't have much
respect for Charbonneau. They were sick of his bragging and rough
ways so they gave him nicknames like Chief of Little Village and Forest
Bear. Charbonneau had either bought or won Sacagawea then married
her. He had many other Shoshone wives. When the Corps came
around he wanted to be the interpreter. At the last minute he came to
Lewis and Clark with a list of demands. It included that he would only
work as an interpreter. He would do no labor under any circumstances. He
would never have to stand guard. And he could leave the Corps whenever
he wanted to, taking whatever and whoever he needed to survive. The
captains would not accept this. Charbonneau went anyway. They
wanted him to come along because then that would have the help of Sacagawea.
Sacagawea
Alana J. White
1997