He was Sacagawea's
husband. He also had other several wives. He was hired because he
could communicate with many of the Indians. He was a man of no particular
merit, but some believe he was hired because of Sacagawea.
Either he bought Sacagawea or he won
her from the Chief in some kind of gambling game.
He is a fur trapper from Canada.
He was born somewhere around Montreal, Canada around 1759. He was
also part Iroquois
The Madnans
and Hidatsas didn't have much respect for him.
they would mock his bragging and give him insulting nicknames like: Chief
of Little Village and Forest Bear.
On the expedition
Cahrbonneau
was at the helm of the boat and in panic he dropped the pillar and started
to pray for mercy, then Pierre Cruzatte
threatened to shoot him if he did not take hold of the rudder. After
that Lewis said Charbonneau was the
worst steersman of the party and maybe the most timid weatherman in the
world. Also on the expedition a river threatened to sweep Charbonneau
but Clark rescued him, and saved his life.
He wanted to accompany the Corps to
see President Thomas Jefferson as an
interpreter with the Hidatsas, but the Hidatsas refused. Charbonneau
was discharged and paid. He received 500 dollars.
After the expedition Charbonneau,
Sacagawea and Jean remained in the vanity
of the Madans and Hidatsa villages. Then after a few months they
moved to St. Louis. Clark took care
of Jean when they moved. In the fall of 1810 Charbonneau bought some
land from Clark.
According to the Shoshone
Oral Tradition after the expedition Sacagawea left Charbonneau and became
a wander.
Sacagawea
Alana J. White
1997
p. 8, 9, 24, 25, 28, 36, 47, 100, 101, 107, 109, 110
