Three Forks to Beaver's Head Summary and Analysis

On July 28, the captains agree to name the three forks of the Missouri after the most important men in the government of the United States: The President, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Treasury. The western fork is christened Jefferson's River, the middle one Madison's River and the eastern fork Gallatins' River (after Albert Gallatin). On that day, Lewis also notes their encampment is located precisely where the kidnapping of Sacagawea and her friends occurred five years earlier. He is quite surprised to see that the woman does not display any emotion in that regard and that she is just perfectly content to be wherever she has food and clothes.

A few days afterward, Clark observes the fresh tracks of a man climbing up a hill not too far from the...