Sacagawea Reunites with Her Brother Cameahwait

In one of the expedition’s most dramatic moments, Sacagawea was brought in to interpret during negotiations with the Shoshone chief — and discovered that the chief was her own brother, Cameahwait.

“She instantly jumped up, and ran and embraced him, throwing over him her blanket, and weeping profusely.”

This reunion had enormous practical consequences. Cameahwait agreed to provide the horses the expedition needed to cross the Bitterroot Mountains — a transaction that might never have occurred without the personal bond between Sacagawea and her brother.

Lewis named the camp where these negotiations took place “Camp Fortunate” — recognizing how lucky they were that the first Shoshone band they encountered was led by Sacagawea’s own brother.