This is the story of Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trader, and his Shoshone wife, Sacagawea, who both joined the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804 as interpreters and guides. Sacagawea has become a near-legendary figure for her role on the expedition, but Toussaint's contribution largely has been overlooked - Lewis himself called him ""a man of no peculiar merit."" Now W. Dale Nelson offers a frank and honest portrayal of Toussaint, showing that his contributions as interpreter and guide were just as valuable as Sacagawea's help. Nelson also explores the life of Toussaint and Sacagawea's son, Jean Baptiste, who was born on the expedition, and follows his later western exploits as mountain man, scout, mayor, and judge in this family biography.