hen Lewis and Clark embarked upon their epic journey in 1804, they had little knowledge of the people they would encounter along the Missouri. They virtually knew nothing about the tribes of the Columbia, let alone how or by what means those people would communicate.

With the help of interpreters, they were sometimes able to effectively exchange information with the tribes along the way. However, there were many times when their interpreters were not able to help them. Often they had to rely on other methods of communication, such as sign language and drawing.