John Colter: Youngest Explorer of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

John Colter was 16 when the Lewis and Clark expedition set out. He stayed and hunted beaver and other animals in the Rocky Mountains for four years after the expedition. He was eventually caught by the fierce Blackfeet Indians. The Blackfeet hated Lewis and Clark. He knew the Blackfeet language and told the chief that he was with Lewis and Clark and because of that he should be able to fight the braves of the Blackfeet. They stripped him naked and told him to run and the Blackfeet braves began to chase after him. He out ran all but one of them. Then he suddenly stopped and the Blackfeet warrior stumbled and dropped his spear. Colter picked it up and killed him. Then he ran for his life. He jumped into the icy cold Jefferson River, and hid under some floating logs for a day and a night! Seven days later Colter crawled into st. Lisa’s fort. He survived to trap more Beaver and more animals.