Chapter 10 - Firstborn through Chapter 14 - Near Disasters Summary

In Chapter 10 - Firstborn, Clark describes the birth of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, the narrator of the book. The birth is said to be a hard birth with much labor. Finally, the ground rattles of a rattlesnake are admitted as medicine and the birth completes shortly thereafter. Clark refers to Jean Baptiste as Pomp throughout the novel. In Chapter 11 - Charbonneau's Demands, Sacajawea talks about the arrangement between Charbonneau and the Corps of Discovery. Originally Charbonneau agreed to join the expedition as a typical member, meaning he would stand night watches, row, and work—in addition to his duties as a translator. As the winter passes Charbonneau becomes convinced his worth is great and his services are indispensable to the success of the mission. He therefore demands that he...