first across the continent-第16章

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across　the　river　at　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards　from　the　precipice。　From　the　perpendicular　cliff　on　the　north　to　the　distance　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　yards；　the　rocks　are　only　a　few　feet　above　the　water；　and；　when　the　river　is　high；　the　stream　finds　a　channel　across　them　forty　yards　wide；　and　near　the　higher　parts　of　the　ledge；　which　rise　about　twenty　feet；　and　terminate　abruptly　within　eighty　or　ninety　yards　of　the　southern　side。　Between　them　and　the　perpendicular　cliff　on　the　south；　the　whole　body　of　water　runs　with　great　swiftness。　　A　few　small　cedars　grow　near　this　ridge　of　rocks；　which　serves　as　a　barrier　to　defend　a　small　plain　of　about　three　acres；　shaded　with　cottonwood；　at　the　lower　extremity　of　which　is　a　grove　of　the　same　trees；　where　are　several　deserted　Indian　cabins　of　sticks；　below　which　the　river　is　divided　by　a　large　rock；　several　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　extending　down　the　stream　for　twenty　yards。　At　the　distance　of　three　hundred　yards　from　the　same　ridge　is　a　second　abutment　of　solid　perpendicular　rock；　about　sixty　feet　high；　projecting　at　right　angles　from　the　small　plain　on　the　north　for　one　hundred　and　thirty…four　yards　into　the　river。　After　leaving　this；　the　Missouri　again　spreads　itself　to　its　previous　breadth　of　three　hundred　yards；　though　with　more　than　its　ordinary　rapidity。〃

One　of　Lewis's　men　was　sent　back　to　inform　Captain　Clark　of　this　momentous　discovery；　which　finally　settled　all　doubt　as　to　which　was　the　true　Missouri。　　The　famous　Great　Falls　of　the　river　had　been　finally　reached。　Captain　Lewis　next　went　on　to　examine　the　rapids　above　the　falls。　The　journal　says：

〃After　passing　one　continued　rapid　and　three　cascades；　each　three　or　four　feet　high；　he　reached；　at　the　distance　of　five　miles；　a　second　fall。　　The　river　is　here　about　four　hundred　yards　wide；　and　for　the　distance　of　three　hundred　rushes　down　to　the　depth　of　nineteen　feet；　and　so　irregularly　that　he　gave　it　the　name　of　the　Crooked　Falls。　　From　the　southern　shore　it　extends　obliquely　upward　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　and　then　forms　an　acute　angle　downward　nearly　to　the　commencement　of　four　small　islands　close　to　the　northern　side。　　From　the　perpendicular　pitch　to　these　islands；　a　distance　of　more　than　one　hundred　yards；　the　water　glides　down　a　sloping　rock　with　a　velocity　almost　equal　to　that　of　its　fall：　above　this　fall　the　river　bends　suddenly　to　the　northward。　While　viewing　this　place；　Captain　Lewis　heard　a　loud　roar　above　him；　and；　crossing　the　point　of　a　hill　a　few　hundred　yards；　he　saw　one　of　the　most　beautiful　objects　in　nature：　　the　whole　Missouri　is　suddenly　stopped　by　one　shelving　rock；　which；　without　a　single　niche；　and　with　an　edge　as　straight　and　regular　as　if　formed　by　art；　stretches　itself　from　one　side　of　the　river　to　the　other　for　at　least　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　　Over　this　it　precipitates　itself　in　an　even；　uninterrupted　sheet；　to　the　perpendicular　depth　of　fifty　feet；　whence；　dashing　against　the　rocky　bottom；　it　rushes　rapidly　down；　leaving　behind　it　a　sheet　of　the　purest　foam　across　the　river。　The　scene　which　it　presented　was　indeed　singularly　beautiful；　since；　without　any　of　the　wild；　irregular　sublimity　of　the　lower　falls；　it　combined　all　the　regular　elegancies　which　the　fancy　of　a　painter　would　select　to　form　a　beautiful　waterfall。　　The　eye　had　scarcely　been　regaled　with　this　charming　prospect；　when　at　the　distance　of　half　a　mile　Captain　Lewis　observed　another　of　a　similar　kind。　To　this　he　immediately　hastened；　and　found　a　cascade　stretching　across　the　whole　river　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　with　a　descent　of　fourteen　feet；　though　the　perpendicular　pitch　was　only　six　feet。　　This；　too；　in　any　other　neighborhood；　would　have　been　an　object　of　great　magnificence；　but　after　what　he　had　just　seen；　it　became　of　secondary　interest。　His　curiosity　being；　however；　awakened；　he　determined　to　go　on；　even　should　night　overtake　him；　to　the　head　of　the　falls。

〃He　therefore　pursued　the　southwest　course　of　the　river；　which　was　one　constant　succession　of　rapids　and　small　cascades；　at　every　one　of　which　the　bluffs　grew　lower；　or　the　bed　of　the　river　became　more　on　a　level　with　the　plains。　　At　the　distance　of　two　and　one…half　miles　he　arrived　at　another　cataract；　of　twenty…six　feet。　　The　river　is　here　six　hundred　yards　wide；　but　the　descent　is　not　immediately　perpendicular；　though　the　river　falls　generally　with　a　regular　and　smooth　sheet；　for　about　one…third　of　the　descent　a　rock　protrudes　to　a　small　distance；　receives　the　water　in　its　passage；　and　gives　it　a　curve。　On　the　south　side　is　a　beautiful　plain；　a　few　feet　above　the　level　of　the　falls；　on　the　north；　the　country　is　more　broken；　and　there　is　a　hill　not　far　from　the　river。　　Just　below　the　falls　is　a　little　island　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　well　covered　with　timber。　Here　on　a　cottonwood　tree　an　eagle　had　fixed　her　nest；　and　seemed　the　undisputed　mistress　of　a　spot；　to　contest　whose　dominion　neither　man　nor　beast　would　venture　across　the　gulfs　that　surround　it；　and　which　is　further　secured　by　the　mist　rising　from　the　falls。　This　solitary　bird　could　not　escape　the　observation　of　the　Indians；　who　made　the　eagle's　nest　a　part　of　their　description　of　the　falls；　which　now　proves　to　be　correct　in　almost　every　particular；　except　that　they　did　not　do　justice　to　the　height。

〃Just　above　this　is　a　cascade　of　about　five　feet；　beyond　which；　as　far　as　could　be　discerned；　the　velocity　of　the　water　seemed　to　abate。　Captain　Lewis　now　ascended　the　hill　which　was　behind　him；　and　saw　from　its　top　a　delightful　plain；　extending　from　the　river　to　the　base　of　the　Snowy　＇Rocky＇　Mountains　to　the　south　and　southwest。　Along　this　wide；　level　country　the　Missouri　pursued　its　winding　course；　filled　with　water　to　its　smooth；　grassy　banks；　while　about　four　miles　above；　it　was　joined　by　a　large　river　flowing　from　the　northwest；　through　a　valley　three　miles　in　width；　and　distinguished　by　the　timber　which　adorned　its　shores。　The　Missouri　itself　stretches　to　the　south；　in　one　unruffled　stream　of　water；　as　if　unconscious　of　the　roughness　it　must　soon　encounter；　and　bearing　on　its　bosom　vast　flocks　of　geese；　while　numerous　herds　of　buffalo　are　feeding　on　the　plains　which　surround　it。

〃Captain　Lewis　then　descended　the　hill；　and　directed　his　course　towards　the　river　falling　in　from　the　west。　He　soon　met　a　herd　of　at　least　a　thousand　buffalo；　and；　being　desirous　of　providing　for　supper；　shot　one　of　them。　The　animal　immediately　began　to　bleed；　and　Captain　Lewis；　who　had　forgotten　to　reload　his　rifle；　was　intently　watching　to　see　him　fall；　when　he　beheld　a　large　brown　bear　which　was　stealing　on　him　unperceived；　and　was　already　within　twenty　steps。　In　the　first　moment　of　surprise　he　lifted　his　rifle；　but；　remembering　instantly　that　it　was　not　charged；　and　that　he　had　no　time　to　reload；　he　felt　that　there　was　no　safety　but　in　flight。　It　was　in　the　open；　level　plain；　not　a　bush　nor　a　tree　within　three　hundred　yards；　the　bank　of　the　river　sloping；　and　not　more　than　three　feet　high；　so　that　there　was　no　possible　mode　of　concealment。　　Captain　Lewis；　therefore；　thought　of　retreating　with　a　quick　walk；　as　fast　as　the　bear　advanced；　towards　the　nearest　tree；　but；　as　soon　as　he　turned；　the　bear　rushed　open…mouthed；　and　at　full　speed；　upon　him。　Captain　Lewis　ran　about　eighty　yards；　but　finding　that　the　animal　gained　on　him　fast；　it　flashed　on　his　mind　that；　by　getting　into　the　water　to　such　a　depth　that　the　bear　would　be　obliged　to　attack　him　swimming；　there　was　still　some　chance　of　his　life；　he　therefore　turned　short；　plunged　into　the　river　about　waist…deep；　and　facing　about　presented　the　point　of　his　espontoon。　The　bear　arrived　at　the　water's　edge　within　twenty　feet　of　him；　but　as　soon　as　he　put　himself　in　this　posture　of　defence；　the　bear　seemed　frightened；　and　wheeling　about；　retreated　with　as　much　precipitation　as　he　had　pursued。　　Very　glad　to　be　released　from　this　danger；　Captain　Lewis　returned　to　the　shore；　and　observed　him　run　with　great　speed；　sometimes　looking　back　as　if　he　expected　to　be　pursued；　till　he　reached　the　woods。　He　could　not　conceive　the　cause　of　the　sudden　alarm　of　the　bear；　but　congratulated　himself　on　his　escape　when　he　saw　his　own　track　torn　to　pieces　by　the　furious　animal；　and　learned　from　the　whole　adventure　never　to　suffer　his　rifle　to　be　a　moment　unloaded。〃

Captain　Lewis　now　resumed　his　progress　towards　the　western；　or　Sun；　River；　then　more　commonly　known　among　the　Indians　as　Medicine　River。　　In　going　through　the　lowlands　of　this　stream；　he　met　an　animal　which　he　thought　was　a　wolf；　but　which　was　more　likely　a　wolverine；　or　carcajou。　The　journal　says：

〃It　proved　to　be　some　brownish　yellow　animal；　standing　near　its　burrow；　which；　when　he　came　nigh；　crouched；　and　seemed　as　if　about　to　spring　on　him。　Captain　Lewis　fired；　and　the　beast　disappeared　in　its　burrow。　From　the　track；　and　the　general　appearance　of　the　animal；　he　supposed　it　to　be　of　the　tiger　kind。　　He　then　went　on；　but；　as　if　the　beasts　of　the　forest　had　conspired　against　him；　three　buffalo　bulls；　which　were　feeding　with　a　large　herd　at　the　distance　of　half　a　mile；　left　their　companions；　and　ran　at　full　speed　towards　him。　He　turned　round；　and；　unwilling　to　give　up　the　field；　advanced　to　meet　them：　when　they　were　within　a　hundred　yards　they　stopped；　looked　at　him　for　some　time；　and　then　retreated　as　they　came。　　He　now　pursued　his　route　in　the　dark；　reflecting　on　the　strange　adventures　and　sights　of　the　day；　which　crowded　on　his　mind　so　rapidly；　that　he　should　have　been　inclined　to　believe　it　all　enchantment　if　the　thorns　of　the　prickly　pear；　piercing　his　feet；　had　not　dispelled　at　every　moment　the　illusion。　He　at　last　reached　the　party；　who　had　been　very　anxious　for　his　safety；　and　who　had　already　decided　on　the　route　which　each　should　take　in　the　morning　to　look　for　him。　　Being　much　fatigued；　he　supped；　and　slept　well　during　the　night。〃

On　awaking　the　next　morning；　Captain　Lewis　found　a　large　rattlesnake　coiled　on　the　trunk　of　a　tree　under　which　he　had　been　sleeping。　He　killed　it；　and　found　it　like　those　he　had　seen　before；　differing　from　those　of　the　Atlantic　States；　not　in　its　colors；　but　in　the　form　and　arrangement　of　them。　　Information　was　received　that　Captain　Clark　had　arrived　five　miles　below；　at　a　rapid　which　he　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　ascend；　and　that　he　was　waiting　there　for　the　party　above　to　rejoin　him。

After　the　departure　of　Captain　Lewis；　Captain　Clark　had　remained　a　day　at　Maria's　River；　to　complete　the　deposit　of　such　articles　as　they　could　dispense　with；　and　started　on　the　twelfth　of　June。

Four　days　later；　Captain　Clark　left　the　river；　having　sent　his　messenger　to　Captain　Lewis；　and　began　to　search　for　a　proper　portage　to　convey　the　pirogue　and　canoes　across　to　the　Columbia　River；　leaving　most　of　the　men　to　hunt；　make　wheels　and　draw　the　canoes　up　a　creek　which　they　named　Portage　Creek；　as　it　was　to　be　the　base　of　their　future　operations。　The　stream　is　now　known　as　Belt　Mountain　Creek。　　But　the　explorers　soon　found　that　although　the　pirogue　was　to　be　left　behind；　the　way　was　too　difficult　for　a　portage　even　for　canoes。　The　journal　says：

〃We　found　great　difficulty　and　some　danger　in　even　ascending　the　creek　thus　far；　in　consequence　of　the　rapids　and　rocks　of　the　channel　of　the　creek；　which　jus