first across the continent-第25章

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〃On　setting　out　at　seven　o'clock；　Captain　Clark；　with　Chaboneau　and　his　wife；　walked　on　shore；　but　they　had　not　gone　more　than　a　mile　before　Captain　Clark　saw　Sacajawea；　who　was　with　her　husband　one　hundred　yards　ahead；　begin　to　dance　and　show　every　mark　of　the　most　extravagant　joy；　turning　round　to　him　and　pointing　to　several　Indians；　whom　he　now　saw　advancing　on　horseback；　sucking　her　fingers　at　the　same　time；　to　indicate　that　they　were　of　her　native　tribe。　As　they　advanced；　Captain　Clark　discovered　among　them　Drewyer　dressed　like　an　Indian；　from　whom　be　learned　the　situation　of　the　party。　While　the　boats　were　performing　the　circuit；　he　went　toward　the　forks　with　the　Indians；　who；　as　they　went　along；　sang　aloud　with　the　greatest　appearance　of　delight。

〃We　soon　drew　near　the　camp；　and　just　as　we　approached　it　a　woman　made　her　way　through　the　crowd　toward　Sacajawea；　recognizing　each　other；　they　embraced　with　the　most　tender　affection。　The　meeting　of　these　two　young　women　had　in　it　something　peculiarly　touching；　not　only　from　the　ardent　manner　in　which　their　feelings　were　expressed；　but　also　from　the　real　interest　of　their　situation。　They　had　been　companions　in　childhood；　in　the　war　with　the　Minnetarees　they　had　both　been　taken　prisoners　in　the　same　battle；　they　had　shared　and　softened　the　rigors　of　their　captivity　till　one　of　them　had　escaped　from　their　enemies　with　scarce　a　hope　of　ever　seeing　her　friend　rescued　from　their　hands。

〃While　Sacajawea　was　renewing　among　the　women　the　friendships　of　former　days；　Captain　Clark　went　on；　and　was　received　by　Captain　Lewis　and　the　chief；　who；　after　the　first　embraces　and　salutations　were　over；　conducted　him　to　a　sort　of　circular　tent　or　shade　of　willows。　　Here　he　was　seated　on　a　white　robe；　and　the　chief　immediately　tied　in　his　hair　six　small　shells　resembling　pearls；　an　ornament　highly　valued　by　these　people；　who　procure　them　in　the　course　of　trade　from　the　seacoast。　The　moccasins　of　the　whole　party　were　then　taken　off；　and；　after　much　ceremony；　the　smoking　began。　　After　this　the　conference　was　to　be　opened；　and；　glad　of　an　opportunity　of　being　able　to　converse　more　intelligibly；　Sacajawea　was　sent　for：　she　came　into　the　tent；　sat　down；　and　was　beginning　to　interpret；　when　in　the　person　of　Cameahwait　she　recognized　her　brother。　She　instantly　jumped　up；　and　ran　and　embraced　him；　throwing　over　him　her　blanket；　and　weeping　profusely：　the　chief　was　himself　moved；　though　not　in　the　same　degree。　After　some　conversation　between　them　she　resumed　her　seat；　and　attempted　to　interpret　for　us；　but　her　new　situation　seemed　to　overpower　her；　and　she　was　frequently　interrupted　by　her　tears。　After　the　council　was　finished；　the　unfortunate　woman　learned　that　all　her　family　were　dead　except　two　brothers；　one　of　whom　was　absent；　and　a　son　of　her　eldest　sister；　a　small　boy；　who　was　immediately　adopted　by　her。〃

The　two　parties；　Indian　and　white；　now　went　into　a　conference；　the　white　chiefs　explaining　that　it　would　be　needful　for　their　Indian　friends　to　collect　all　their　horses　and　help　to　transport　the　goods　of　the　explorers　over　the　Great　Divide。　　The　journal　says：

〃The　speech　made　a　favorable　impression。　　The　chief；　in　reply；　thanked　us　for　our　expressions　of　friendship　toward　himself　and　his　nation；　and　declared　their　willingness　to　render　us　every　service。　　He　lamented　that　it　would　be　so　long　before　they　should　be　supplied　with　firearms；　but　that　till　then　they　could　subsist　as　they　had　heretofore　done。　He　concluded　by　saying　that　there　were　not　horses　enough　here　to　transport　our　goods；　but　that　he　would　return　to　the　village　to…morrow；　bring　all　his　own　horses；　and　encourage　his　people　to　come　over　with　theirs。　　The　conference　being　ended　to　our　satisfaction；　we　now　inquired　of　Cameahwait　what　chiefs　were　among　the　party；　and　he　pointed　out　two　of　them。　　We　then　distributed　our　presents：　to　Cameahwait　we　gave　a　medal　of　small　size；　with　the　likeness　of　President　Jefferson；　and　on　the　reverse　a　figure　of　hands　clasped　with　a　pipe　and　tomahawk；　to　this　was　added　an　uniform　coat；　a　shirt；　a　pair　of　scarlet　leggings；　a　carrot　＇or　twist＇　of　tobacco；　and　some　small　articles。　　Each　of　the　other　chiefs　received　a　small　medal　struck　during　the　presidency　of　General　Washington；　a　shirt；　handkerchief；　leggings；　knife；　and　some　tobacco。　Medals　of　the　same　sort　were　also　presented　to　two　young　warriors；　who；　though　not　chiefs；　were　promising　youths　and　very　much　respected　in　the　tribe。　　These　honorary　gifts　were　followed　by　presents　of　paint；　moccasins；　awls；　knives；　beads；　and　looking…glasses。　We　also　gave　them　all　a　plentiful　meal　of　Indian　corn；　of　which　the　hull　is　taken　off　by　being　boiled　in　lye；　as　this　was　the　first　they　had　ever　tasted；　they　were　very　much　pleased　with　it。　They　had；　indeed；　abundant　sources　of　surprise　in　all　they　saw　the　appearance　of　the　men；　their　arms；　their　clothing；　the　canoes；　the　strange　looks　of　the　negro；　and　the　sagacity　of　our　dog；　all　in　turn　shared　their　admiration；　which　was　raised　to　astonishment　by　a　shot　from　the　air…gun。　This　operation　was　instantly　considered　‘great　medicine；'　by　which　they；　as　well　as　the　other　Indians；　mean　something　emanating　directly　from　the　Great　Spirit；　or　produced　by　his　invisible　and　incomprehensible　agency。　。　。　。

〃After　the　council　was　over　we　consulted　as　to　our　future　operations。　The　game　did　not　promise　to　last　here　for　many　days；　and　this　circumstance　combined　with　many　others　to　induce　our　going　on　as　soon　as　possible。　Our　Indian　information　as　to　the　state　of　the　Columbia　was　of　a　very　alarming　kind；　and　our　first　object　was；　of　course；　to　ascertain　the　practicability　of　descending　it；　of　which　the　Indians　discouraged　our　expectations。　It　was　therefore　agreed　that　Captain　Clark　should　set　off　in　the　morning　with　eleven　men；　furnished；　besides　their　arms；　with　tools　for　making　canoes：　that　he　should　take　Chaboneau　and　his　wife　to　the　camp　of　the　Shoshonees；　where　he　was　to　leave　them；　in　order　to　hasten　the　collection　of　horses；　that　he　should　then　lead　his　men　down　to　the　Columbia；　and　if　be　found　it　navigable；　and　the　timber　in　sufficient　quantity；　begin　to　build　canoes。　As　soon　as　he　had　decided　as　to　the　propriety　of　proceeding　down　the　Columbia　or　across　the　mountains；　be　was　to　send　back　one　of　the　men　with　information　of　it　to　Captain　Lewis；　who　by　that　time　would　have　brought　up　the　whole　party；　and　the　rest　of　the　baggage；　as　far　as　the　Shoshonee　village。　Preparations　were　accordingly　made　at　once　to　carry　out　the　arrangement。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

〃In　order　to　relieve　the　men　of　Captain　Clark's　party　from　the　heavy　weight　of　their　arms；　provisions；　and　tools；　we　exposed　a　few　articles　to　barter　for　horses；　and　soon　obtained　three　very　good　ones；　in　exchange　for　which　we　gave　a　uniform　coat；　a　pair　of　leggings；　a　few　handkerchiefs；　three　knives；　and　some　other　small　articles；　the　whole　of　which　did　not；　in　the　United　States；　cost　more　than　twenty　dollars；　a　fourth　was　purchased　by　the　men　for　an　old　checkered　shirt；　a　pair　of　old　leggings；　and　a　knife。　　The　Indians　seemed　to　be　quite　as　well　pleased　as　ourselves　at　the　bargain　they　had　made。　We　now　found　that　the　two　inferior　chiefs　were　somewhat　displeased　at　not　having　received　a　present　equal　to　that　given　to　the　great　chief；　who　appeared　in　a　dress　so　much　finer　than　their　own。　To　allay　their　discontent；　we　bestowed　on　them　two　old　coats；　and　promised　them　if　they　were　active　in　assisting　us　across　the　mountains　they　should　have　an　additional　present。　This　treatment　completely　reconciled　them；　and　the　whole　Indian　party；　except　two　men　and　two　women；　set　out　in　perfect　good　humor　to　return　to　their　home　with　Captain　Clark。〃



Chapter　XIV

Across　the　Great　Divide

Captain　Clark　had　now　left　the　water…shed　of　the　Missouri　behind　him；　and　was　pressing　on；　over　a　broken；　hilly　country；　to　the　lands　from　which　issue　the　tributaries　of　the　Columbia。　　The　Indian　village　which　Captain　Lewis　had　previously　visited　had　been　removed　two　miles　up　the　stream　on　which　it　was　situated；　and　was　reached　by　Clark　on　August　20。　The　party　was　very　ceremoniously　received　by　Chief　Cameahwait；　and　all　hands　began　to　explain　to　the　white　men　the　difficulties　of　the　situation。　How　to　transport　the　canoes　and　baggage　over　the　mountains　to　some　navigable　stream　leading　into　the　Columbia　was　now　the　serious　problem。　The　Indian　chief　and　his　old　men　dwelt　on　the　obstacles　in　the　way　and　argued　that　it　was　too　late　in　the　season　to　make　the　attempt。　They　even　urged　the　white　men　to　stay　with　them　until　another　spring；　when　Indian　guides　would　be　furnished　them　to　proceed　on　their　journey　westward。

On　the　twenty…first；　Clark　passed　the　junction　of　two　streams；　the　Salmon　and　the　Lemhi；　which　is　now　the　site　of　Salmon　City；　Idaho。　　As　Captain　Lewis　was　the　first　white　man　who　had　seen　these　waters；　Clark　gave　to　the　combined　water…course　the　name　of　Lewis'　River。　　The　mountains　here　assumed　a　formidable　aspect；　and　the　stream　was　too　narrow；　rapid；　and　rock…bound　to　admit　of　navigation。　　The　journal　says　of　Captain　Clark：

He　soon　began　to　perceive　that　the　Indian　accounts　had　not　been　exaggerated。　　At　the　distance　of　a　mile　he　passed　a　small　creek　＇on　the　right＇；　and　the　points　of　four　mountains；　which　were　rocky；　and　so　high　that　it　seemed　almost　impossible　to　cross　them　with　horses。　The　road　lay　over　the　sharp　fragments　of　rocks　which　had　fallen　from　the　mountains；　and　were　strewed　in　heaps　for　miles　together；　yet　the　horses；　altogether　unshod；　travelled　across　them　as　fast　as　the　men；　without　detaining　them　a　moment。　　They　passed　two　bold　running　streams；　and　reached　the　entrance　of　a　small　river；　where　a　few　Indian　families　resided；　who　had　not　been　previously　acquainted　with　the　arrival　of　the　whites；　the　guide　was　behind；　and　the　woods　were　so　thick　that　we　came　upon　them　unobserved；　till　at　a　very　short　distance。　　As　soon　as　they　saw　us　the　women　and　children　fled　in　great　consternation；　the　men　offered　us　everything　they　hadthe　fish　on　the　scaffolds；　the　dried　berries；　and　the　collars　of　elks'　tushes　worn　by　the　children。　We　took　only　a　small　quantity　of　the　food；　and　gave　them　in　return　some　small　articles　which　conduced　very　much　to　pacify　them。　The　guide　now　coming　up；　explained　to　them　who　we　were　and　the　object　of　our　visit；　which　seemed　to　relieve　their　fears；　still　a　number　of　the　women　and　children　did　not　recover　from　their　fright；　but　cried　during　our　stay；　which　lasted　about　an　hour。　The　guide；　whom　we　found　a　very　intelligent；　friendly　old　man；　informed　us　that　up　this　river　there　was　a　road　which　led　over　the　mountains　to　the　Missouri。〃

To　add　to　their　difficulties；　game　had　almost　entirely　disappeared；　and　the　abundant　fish　in　the　river　could　not　be　caught　for　lack　of　proper　fishing…tackle。　Timber　from　which　canoes　could　be　made；　there　was　none；　and　the　rapids　in　the　rivers　were　sharp　and　violent。　With　his　Indian　guide　and　three　men；　Captain　Clark　now　pressed　on　his　route　of　survey；　leaving　the　remainder　of　his　men　behind　to　hunt　and　fish。　He　went　down　the　Salmon　River　about　fifty…two　miles；　making　his　way　as　best　he　could　along　its　banks。　　Finding　the　way　absolutely　blocked　for　their　purposes；　Captain　Clark　returned　on　the　twenty…fifth　of　August　and　rejoined　the　party