Survival - Obtaining Vital Food, Supplies and information - Montana Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

One of a group of five interpretive signs at Sula on U.S. Hwy. 93 about 12 miles north of Lost Trail Pass.
Text of Sign: Survival - Obtaining Vital Food, Supplies and information
A Customary and Proper Welcome
The Salish people gave the strangers many gifts during their brief encounter here at the Great Clearing.
They gave their guests roots, berries, animal furs, and vital information about the trails and tribes to the west.
As many of the Expedition’s horses were exhausted, the Salish also gave them a dozen “ellegant Horses,” wooden pack saddles, lash chords and three young colts.
The Salish gifts represented a huge amount of manual labor, which was primarily the work of Salish women, over countless days and months.
In return, the Salish graciously accepted two flags, four shirts, four medals, some tobacco, a few small articles, and seven lame horses.
Five Languages
The sound of the Salish language was fascinating to the explorers. Sergeant Whitehouse and Captain Clark said it had a throaty, “gurgling” tone spoken as with a “burr on the tongue.”
Because it was a language no one in the Expedition spoke, transactions between the two groups went through five translations.
A Shoshone lad who lived with the Salish was able to translate to Sacajawea, who was also Shoshone, who passed the message to Charbonneau, her husband, in the Hidatsa language.
Charboneau translated to Labiche in French who then delivered the message to the captains in English.

Describe the area and history: Sign is located near the site of the community of Sula on the East Fork of the Bitterroot River. View of Bitterroot Mountains and the Ross Hole area.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/08/2010 Volcanoguy visited it