first across the continent-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


re　of　alum。　Many　geese　were　feeding　in　the　prairies；　and　a　number　of　magpies；　which　build　their　nests　much　like　those　of　the　blackbird；　in　trees；　and　composed　of　small　sticks；　leaves；　and　grass；　open　at　the　top；　the　egg　is　of　a　bluish…brown　color；　freckled　with　reddish…brown　spots。　We　also　killed　a　large　hooting…owl　resembling　that　of　the　United　States　except　that　it　was　more　booted　and　clad　with　feathers。　　On　the　hills　are　many　aromatic　herbs；　resembling　in　taste；　smell；　and　appearance　the　sage；　hyssop；　wormwood；　southernwood；　juniper；　and　dwarf　cedar；　a　plant　also　about　two　or　three　feet　high；　similar　to　the　camphor　in　smell　and　taste；　and　another　plant　of　the　same　size；　with　a　long；　narrow；　smooth；　soft　leaf；　of　an　agreeable　smell　and　flavor；　which　is　a　favorite　food　of　the　antelope；　whose　necks　are　often　perfumed　by　rubbing　against　it。〃

What　the　journalist　intended　to　say　here　was　that　at　least　one　of　the　aromatic　herbs　resembled　sage；　hyssop；　wormwood；　and　southernwood；　and　that　there　were　junipers　and　dwarf　cedars。　The　pungent…smelling　herb　was　the　wild　sage；　now　celebrated　in　stories　of　adventure　as　the　sage…brush。　It　grows　abundantly　in　the　alkali　country；　and　is　browsed　upon　by　a　species　of　grouse　known　as　the　sage…hen。　Junipers　and　dwarf　cedars　also　grow　on　the　hills　of　the　alkali　and　sage…brush　country。　The　sage　belongs　to　the　Artemisia　family　of　plants。

Four　days　later；　the　journal　had　this　interesting　entry：

〃The　country　to…day　presented　the　usual　variety　of　highlands　interspersed　with　rich　plains。　　In　one　of　these　we　observed　a　species　of　pea　bearing　a　yellow　flower；　which　is　now　in　blossom；　the　leaf　and　stalk　resembling　the　common　pea。　It　seldom　rises　higher　than　six　inches；　and　the　root　is　perennial。　On　the　rose…bushes　we　also　saw　a　quantity　of　the　hair　of　a　buffalo；　which　had　become　perfectly　white　by　exposure　and　resembled　the　wool　of　the　sheep；　except　that　it　was　much　finer　and　more　soft　and　silky。　A　buffalo　which　we　killed　yesterday　had　shed　his　long　hair；　and　that　which　remained　was　about　two　inches　long；　thick；　fine；　and　would　have　furnished　five　pounds　of　wool；　of　which　we　have　no　doubt　an　excellent　cloth　may　be　made。　Our　game　to…day　was　a　beaver；　a　deer；　an　elk；　and　some　geese。　。　。　。

〃On　the　hills　we　observed　considerable　quantities　of　dwarf　juniper；　which　seldom　grows　higher　than　three　feet。　　We　killed　in　the　course　of　the　day　an　elk；　three　geese；　and　a　beaver。　　The　beaver　on　this　part　of　the　Missouri　are　in　greater　quantities；　larger　and　fatter；　and　their　fur　is　more　abundant　and　of　a　darker　color；　than　any　we　have　hitherto　seen。　Their　favorite　food　seems　to　be　the　bark　of　the　cottonwood　and　willow；　as　we　have　seen　no　other　species　of　tree　that　has　been　touched　by　them；　and　these　they　gnaw　to　the　ground　through　a　diameter　of　twenty　inches。〃

And　on　the　twenty…first　of　April　the　journal　says：

〃Last　night　there　was　a　hard　white　frost；　and　this　morning　the　weather　was　cold；　but　clear　and　pleasant；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　however；　it　became　cloudy　and　the　wind　rose。　The　country　is　of　the　same　description　as　within　the　few　last　days。　We　saw　immense　quantities　of　buffalo；　elk；　deer；　antelopes；　geese；　and　some　swans　and　ducks；　out　of　which　we　procured　three　deer　and　four　buffalo　calves；　which　last　are　equal　in　flavor　to　the　most　delicious　veal；　also　two　beaver　and　an　otter。〃

As　the　party　advanced　to　the　westward；　following　the　crooked　course　of　the　Missouri；　they　were　very　much　afflicted　with　inflamed　eyes；　occasioned　by　the　fine；　alkaline　dust　that　blew　so　lightly　that　it　sometimes　floated　for　miles；　like　clouds　of　smoke。　The　dust　even　penetrated　the　works　of　one　of　their　watches；　although　it　was　protected　by　tight；　double　cases。　In　these　later　days；　even　the　double　windows　of　the　railway　trains　do　not　keep　out　this　penetrating　dust；　which　makes　one's　skin　dry　and　rough。

On　the　twenty…fifth　of　April；　the　explorers　believed；　by　the　signs　which　they　observed；　that　they　must　be　near　the　great　unknown　river　of　which　they　had　dimly　heard　as　rising　in　the　rocky　passes　of　the　Great　Divide　and　emptying　into　the　Missouri。　　Captain　Lewis　accordingly　left　the　party；　with　four　men；　and　struck　off　across　the　country　in　search　of　the　stream。　Under　the　next　day's　date　the　journal　reports　the　return　of　Captain　Lewis　and　says：

〃On　leaving　us　yesterday　he　pursued　his　route　along　the　foot　of　the　hills；　which　be　descended　to　the　distance　of　eight　miles；　from　these　the　wide　plains　watered　by　the　Missouri　and　the　Yellowstone　spread　themselves　before　the　eye；　occasionally　varied　with　the　wood　of　the　banks；　enlivened　by　the　irregular　windings　of　the　two　rivers；　and　animated　by　vast　herds　of　buffalo；　deer；　elk；　and　antelope。　The　confluence　of　the　two　rivers　was　concealed　by　the　wood；　but　the　Yellowstone　itself　was　only　two　miles　distant；　to　the　south。　He　therefore　descended　the　hills　and　camped　on　the　bank　of　the　river；　having　killed；　as　he　crossed　the　plain；　four　buffaloes；　the　deer　alone　are　shy　and　retire　to　the　woods；　but　the　elk；　antelope；　and　buffalo　suffered　him　to　approach　them　without　alarm；　and　often　followed　him　quietly　for　some　distance。〃

The　famous　water…course；　first　described　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　was　named　by　them　the　Yellow　Stone　River。　　Earlier　than　this；　however；　the　French　voyageurs　had　called　the　Upper　Missouri　the　Riviere　Jaune；　or　Yellow　River；　but　it　is　certain　that　the　stream；　which　rises　in　the　Yellowstone　National　Park；　was　discovered　and　named　by　Lewis　and　Clark。　　One　of　the　party；　Private　Joseph　Fields；　was　the　first　white　man　who　ever　ascended　the　Yellowstone　for　any　considerable　distance。　Sent　up　the　river　by　Captains　Lewis　and　Clark；　he　travelled　about　eight　miles；　and　observed　the　currents　and　sand…bars。　Leaving　the　mouth　of　the　river；　the　party　went　on　their　course　along　the　Missouri。　　The　journal；　under　date　of　April　27；　says：

〃From　the　point　of　junction　a　wood　occupies　the　space　between　the　two　rivers；　which　at　the　distance　of　a　mile　come　within　two　hundred　and　fifty　yards　of　each　other。　　There　a　beautiful　low　plain　commences；　widening　as　the　rivers　recede；　and　extends　along　each　of　them　for　several　miles；　rising　about　half　a　mile　from　the　Missouri　into　a　plain　twelve　feet　higher　than　itself。　The　low　plain　is　a　few　inches　above　high　water　mark；　and　where　it　joins　the　higher　plain　there　is　a　channel　of　sixty　or　seventy　yards　in　width；　through　which　a　part　of　the　Missouri；　when　at　its　greatest　height；　passes　into　the　Yellowstone。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

The　northwest　wind　rose　so　high　at　eleven　o'clock　that　we　were　obliged　to　stop　till　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　when　we　proceeded　till　dusk。　On　the　south　a　beautiful　plain　separates　the　two　rivers；　till　at　about　six　miles　there　is　a　piece　of　low　timbered　ground；　and　a　little　above　it　bluffs；　where　the　country　rises　gradually　from　the　river：　　the　situations　on　the　north　are　more　high　and　open。　We　encamped　on　that　side；　the　wind；　the　sand　which　it　raised；　and　the　rapidity　of　the　current　having　prevented　our　advancing　more　than　eight　miles；　during　the　latter　part　of　the　day　the　river　became　wider；　and　crowded　with　sand…bars。　The　game　was　in　such　plenty　that　we　killed　only　what　was　necessary　for　our　subsistence。　For　several　days　past　we　have　seen　great　numbers　of　buffalo　lying　dead　along　the　shore；　some　of　them　partly　devoured　by　the　wolves。　They　have　either　sunk　through　the　ice　during　the　winter；　or　been　drowned　in　attempting　to　cross；　or　else；　after　crossing　to　some　high　bluff；　have　found　themselves　too　much　exhausted　either　to　ascend　or　swim　back　again；　and　perished　for　want　of　food：　in　this　situation　we　found　several　small　parties　of　them。　There　are　geese；　too；　in　abundance；　and　more　bald　eagles　than　we　have　hitherto　observed；　the　nests　of　these　last　being　always　accompanied　by　those　of　two　or　three　magpies；　who　are　their　inseparable　attendants。〃



Chapter　VIII

In　the　Haunts　of　Grizzlies　and　Buffalo

Game；　which　had　been　somewhat　scarce　after　leaving　the　Yellowstone；　became　more　plentiful　as　they　passed　on　to　the　westward　；　still　following　the　winding　course　of　the　Missouri。　　Much　of　the　time；　baffling　winds　and　the　crookedness　of　the　stream　made　sailing　impossible；　and　the　boats　were　towed　by　men　walking　along　the　banks。

Even　this　was　sometimes　difficult；　on　account　of　the　rocky　ledges　that　beset　the　shores；　and　sharp　stones　that　lay　in　the　path　of　the　towing　parties。　On　the　twenty…eighth　of　April；　however；　having　a　favorable　wind；　the　party　made　twenty…eight　miles　with　their　sails；　which　was　reckoned　a　good　day's　journey。　　On　that　day　the　journal　records　that　game　had　again　become　very　abundant；　deer　of　various　kinds；　elk；　buffalo；　antelope；　bear；　beaver；　and　geese　being　numerous。　　The　beaver；　it　was　found；　had　wrought　much　damage　by　gnawing　down　trees；　some　of　these；　not　less　than　three　feet　in　diameter　had　been　gnawed　clean　through　by　the　beaver。　On　the　following　day　the　journal　has　this　record：

〃We　proceeded　early；　with　a　moderate　wind。　　Captain　Lewis；　who　was　on　shore　with　one　hunter；　met；　about　eight　o'clock；　two　white　＇grizzly＇　bears。　Of　the　strength　and　ferocity　of　this　animal　the　Indians　had　given　us　dreadful　accounts。　　They　never　attack　him　but　in　parties　of　six　or　eight　persons；　and　even　then　are　often　defeated　with　a　loss　of　one　or　more　of　their　party。　　Having　no　weapons　but　bows　and　arrows；　and　the　bad　guns　with　which　the　traders　supply　them；　they　are　obliged　to　approach　very　near　to　the　bear；　as　no　wound　except　through　the　head　or　heart　is　mortal；　they　frequently　fall　a　sacrifice　if　they　miss　their　aim。　　He　rather　attacks　than　avoids　a　man；　and　such　is　the　terror　which　he　has　inspired；　that　the　Indians　who　go　in　quest　of　him　paint　themselves　and　perform　all　the　superstitious　rites　customary　when　they　make　war　on　a　neighboring　nation。　Hitherto；　those　bears　we　had　seen　did　not　appear　desirous　of　encountering　us；　but　although　to　a　skilful　rifleman　the　danger　is　very　much　diminished；　yet　the　white　bear　is　still　a　terrible　animal。　　On　approaching　these　two；　both　Captain　Lewis　and　the　hunter　fired；　and　each　wounded　a　bear。　One　of　them　made　his　escape；　the　other　turned　upon　Captain　Lewis　and　pursued　him　seventy　or　eighty　yards；　but　being　badly　wounded　the　bear　could　not　run　so　fast　as　to　prevent　him　from　reloading　his　piece；　which　be　again　aimed　at　him；　and　a　third　shot　from　the　hunter　brought　him　to　the　ground。　He　was　a　male；　not　quite　full　grown；　and　weighed　about　three　hundred　pounds。　The　legs　are　somewhat　longer　than　those　of　the　black　bear；　and　the　talons　and　tusks　much　larger　and　longer。　　Its　color　is　a　yellowish…brown；　the　eyes　are　small；　black；　and　piercing；　the　front　of　the　fore　legs　near　the　feet　is　usually　black；　and　the　fur　is　finer；　thicker；　and　deeper　than　that　of　the　black　bear。　　Add　to　which；　it　is　a　more　furious　animal；　and　very　remarkable　for　the　wounds　which　it　will　bear　without　dying。〃

Next　day；　the　hunter　killed　the　largest　elk　which　they　had　ever　seen。　It　stood　five　feet　three　inches　high　from　hoof　to　shoulder。　Antelopes　were　also　numerous；　but　lean；　and　not　very　good　for　food。　Of　the　antelope　the　journal　says：

〃These　fleet　and　quick…sighted　animals　are　generally　the　victims　of　their　curiosity。　　When　they　first　see　the　hunters；　they　run　with　great　velocity；　if　he　lies　down　on　the　ground；