They recognized the wife and children of Pierre Dorion.

She and her sons had crossed the Blue Mountains in January with nothing but a horse, a few knives, and what she knew.

The horse was gone.

The winter was over.

The Columbia River was running clear.

The children called out in French because French was the language that would be understood.

Franchère wrote it down.

And Marie Aioe Dorion, Ioway woman, interpreter’s wife, expedition member, winter survivor, mother of two living boys — she went on to the next thing.