Shoshone – Meager Provisions, Handsome Character

Journal 2005 08 19
Shoshone – Meager Provisions, Handsome Character

William Clark and the main party struggle up the high mountain river with their loaded canoes. Captain Lewis agonizes over their anticipated arrival as he “smokes pipe” with the Shoshones. Lewis is many things; biologist, horticulturist, astronomer, explorer and an ever more curious cultural anthropologist. He writes quite a bit about the Shoshones. I believe it is because of two reasons, three when you factor in his natural curiosity as one of the reasons.

First, he knows the best course to success for his mission is dependent upon understanding these people well enough to engage their help in bartering for horses. Second, he has time to observe them and record what he sees. Time has not been a luxury for him. And time allows him to contemplate the existence of this tribe of people.

Lewis observes a tribe of about four hundred people possessing about seven hundred horses. They are poor, except for the horses, lack a regular, abundant source of food and live in the highest mountains in our land to secure some measure of safety from their raiding neighbor tribes. I can almost see the wonder and head shaking realization that these people exist by moving across the Continental Divide pursuing salmon on the west and buffalo on the east. They are gearing up even now to meet with other smaller tribes to hunt buffalo on the plains and return into the mountains undetected by their enemies.

Lewis’ promises of peace with their neighbors and weapons to defend themselves elicit the response hoped for. Horses for their crossing of the mountains! And Clark and the main party finally join with Lewis and his scout party. Sacagawea was wearing a beautiful Shoshone dress in anticipation of meeting her relatives. She was overjoyed at being reunited with old friends and sad to hear of the deaths of many of her family.

The men busy themselves preparing packsaddles for carrying gear overland since overwater is no longer possible. Oars are being cut and used for boards in the saddles. The people of this nation are generous, trustworthy and genuinely fine people. The Captains describe them with many favorable terms including “handsome”. The more that Lewis pondered their “meager” existence the more he admired their human attributes and good character. Of all the people who had reason to steal and covet their weapons and provisions this nation did. To their credit, they did not steal, extort or attempt to wrangle goods from the Corps. They did trade for horses, their only real commodity, and valued knives, beads and colors for paint and dyes.

Is there a common bond between apparent poverty and good character and humility? Our grandparents and great-grandparents might say there is. Many of them grew up with “meager” supplies and didn’t know they were “poor”. Humility and good character drew gratefulness and satisfaction from their hearts. Entitlement seems to come with perceived wealth and “easy living”. Can we learn a lesson today from this small group of people who live along the spine of our countries highest mountains? We can if we see our human traits as a reflection of our Creator and as more valuable than anything we may own.