Soul Stance River - 18

12 hours of excruciating labor pangs have Sacagawea breathing into the face of Death, as she violently shakes her head back and forth, teeth clenched, sweat boiling and eyes furious it seems to me that she is detetmined to attack Death itself, this cannot go on, she must deliver or die, my Mother had told me of an ancient remedy, to induce birth, a potion made of ground rattlesnake tail, during the voyage I have collected some snake specimens, I have what is needed, we've gotten ahold of her, after she just hit a chamber maid with a backhand that put the simple woman into a stupor, thank the Lord, shortly after drinking the potion the baby plunged forth into this world ready for the glory of pain, he is named Jean Baptise, Winter is letting go, finally, the ice is letting go, for five months we have been anchored in a glacier exercising, studying, repairing, talking, gaurding, sharing women, negotiating, idling, gambling, learning about the Gods of ancient desires, the Unknown is calling us from every direction of unexplored creation, even the stars seem to speak our names when the night is shallow, it is time to meet our future in the energy of ambition, Destiny, the storehouse of our exotic and scientific knowledge is being sent back down river to St. Louis, then to Washington with a dozen men, this decision will ensure the success of the mission in part while helping us that go further west to be more efficient, the Hidatsas have no experience past the Rocky Mountains whether it be of land, rivers or Indians but through the eyes of their traditional raiding and hunting we know to expect the character of the Missouri to diversify significantly as it brings us closer to it's sovereign source in the mountains, we expect to portage briefly, and we anticipate friendly encounter with the Shoshone Indians whom are the best horse herders on the continent, it is likely that we will fail if horses are not obtained, we will be the first White Men to enter the realm beyond those primordial peaks where trespass may lead to disorientation or termination, the two pirogues and six large canoes that we have hold an arsenal that can instantly make any owner thereof the most wealthy and powerful warlord in this part of the world making us a target for banditry that would shame the great marauding Goths of Rome and in defending against such a demise would put the Corps of Discovery on par with the Crusader bloodshed of Jeruselum, fortunately I have contracted Charbonneau and Sacagawea to join us in the quest to the west, she may prove to be worth more than all the lead and powder this side of the Mississippi, I pray Sacagawea be our angel of access, J.A.B.