The Shoshone (also known as the Snake Indians) occupied territory in the northern Rocky Mountains and the Snake River plains. The expedition’s encounter with the Lemhi Shoshone band in August 1805 was one of the journey’s most consequential events.
The captains knew they needed Shoshone horses to cross the Rocky Mountains — this was one reason they valued Sacagawea’s linguistic abilities. When Lewis finally made contact with Cameahwait’s band and Sacagawea discovered the chief was her brother, the diplomatic breakthrough ensured the expedition received the horses and guides they desperately needed.
The Shoshone were a horse-rich but gun-poor people, frequently raided by the better-armed Blackfeet and Hidatsa. They eagerly sought the trade relationship the expedition promised, though the hoped-for American trading posts were slow to materialize.
