November 10, 1804

Greetings from the trail!
Our winter quarters are almost complete and we have decided to call it "Fort Mandan," in honor of the Mandan people who have been such good hosts to us. Unlike the other Native Americans we have met, these people live in a permanent village in buildings made of earth and timber and they cultivate crops. We met with their chiefs and smoked a peace pipe and they said they would be happy to winter with us and trade supplies.

We have also acquired two new members for our party. A trapper named Charbonneau approached the fort, looking for work, along with his Shoshone wife Sacagawea. Charbonneau is a disagreeable man and I doubt his strength and ability, but Sacagawea could be a tremendous asset to our expedition. She knows the mountain region and can help us trade for horses there. She is expecting a child, however, and I wonder how a woman and a newborn will tolerate the path ahead.
— Meriwether Lewis