first across the continent-第29章

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　their　horses；　and　sometimes　the　lives　of　many　of　the　nation。〃

After　making　a　short　stage　on　their　journey；　October　11；　the　party　stopped　to　trade　with　the　Indians；　their　stock　of　provisions　being　low。　They　were　able　to　purchase　a　quantity　of　salmon　and　seven　dogs。　They　saw　here　a　novel　kind　of　vapor　bath　which　is　thus　described　in　the　journal：

〃While　this　traffic　was　going　on　we　observed　a　vapor　bath　or　sweating…house；　in　a　different　form　from　that　used　on　the　frontier　of　the　United　States　or　in　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　It　was　a　hollow　square　six　or　eight　feet　deep；　formed　in　the　river　bank　by　damming　up　with　mud　the　other　three　sides　and　covering　the　whole　completely；　except　an　aperture　about　two　feet　wide　at　the　top。　　The　bathers　descend　by　this　hole；　taking　with　them　a　number　of　heated　stones　and　jugs　of　water；　after　being　seated　round　the　room　they　throw　the　water　on　the　stones　till　the　steam　becomes　of　a　temperature　sufficiently　high　for　their　purposes。　The　baths　of　the　Indians　in　the　Rocky　Mountains　are　of　different　sizes；　the　most　common　being　made　of　mud　and　sticks　like　an　oven；　but　the　mode　of　raising　the　steam　is　exactly　the　same。　　Among　both　these　nations　it　is　very　uncommon　for　a　man　to　bathe　alone；　he　is　generally　accompanied　by　one　or　sometimes　several　of　his　acquaintances；　indeed；　it　is　so　essentially　a　social　amusement；　that　to　decline　going　in　to　bathe　when　invited　by　a　friend　is　one　of　the　highest　indignities　which　can　be　offered　to　him。　The　Indians　on　the　frontier　generally　use　a　bath　which　will　accommodate　only　one　person；　formed　of　a　wicker…work　of　willows　about　four　feet　high；　arched　at　the　top；　and　covered　with　skins。　　In　this　the　patient　sits；　till　by　means　of　the　heated　stones　and　water　he　has　perspired　sufficiently。　Almost　universally　these　baths　are　in　the　neighborhood　of　running　water；　into　which　the　Indians　plunge　immediately　on　coming　out　of　the　vapor　bath；　and　sometimes　return　again　and　subject　themselves　to　a　second　perspiration。　This　practice　is；　however；　less　frequent　among　our　neighboring　nations　than　those　to　the　westward。　　This　bath　is　employed　either　for　pleasure　or　for　health；　and　is　used　indiscriminately　for　all　kinds　of　diseases。〃

The　expedition　was　now　on　the　Snake　River；　making　all　possible　speed　toward　the　Columbia；　commonly　known　to　the　Indians　as　〃The　Great　River。〃　　The　stream　was　crowded　with　dangerous　rapids；　and　sundry　disasters　were　met　with　by　the　way；　thus；　on　the　fourteenth　of　October；　a　high　wind　blowing；　one　of　the　canoes　was　driven　upon　a　rock　sidewise　and　filled　with　water。　The　men　on　board　got　out　and　dragged　the　canoe　upon　the　rock；　where　they　held　her　above　water。　　Another　canoe；　having　been　unloaded；　was　sent　to　the　relief　of　the　shipwrecked　men；　who；　after　being　left　on　the　rock　for　some　time；　were　taken　off　without　any　other　loss　than　the　bedding　of　two　of　them。　But　accidents　like　this　delayed　the　party；　as　they　were　forced　to　land　and　remain　long　enough　to　dry　the　goods　that　had　been　exposed　to　the　water。　Several　such　incidents　are　told　in　the　journal　of　the　explorers。　Few　Indians　were　to　be　seen　along　the　banks　of　the　river；　but　occasionally　the　party　came　to　a　pile　of　planks　and　timbers　which　were　the　materials　from　which　were　built　the　houses　of　such　Indians　as　came　here　in　the　fishing　season　to　catch　a　supply　for　the　winter　and　for　trading　purposes。　Occasionally；　the　complete　scarcity　of　fuel　compelled　the　explorers　to　depart　from　their　general　rule　to　avoid　taking　any　Indian　property　without　leave；　and　they　used　some　of　these　house　materials　for　firewood；　with　the　intent　to　pay　the　rightful　owners；　if　they　should　ever　be　found。　On　the　sixteenth　of　October；　they　met　with　a　party　of　Indians；　of　whom　the　journal　gives　this　account：

〃After　crossing　by　land　we　halted　for　dinner；　and　whilst　we　were　eating　were　visited　by　five　Indians；　who　came　up　the　river　on　foot　in　great　haste。　　We　received　them　kindly；　smoked　with　them；　and　gave　them　a　piece　of　tobacco　to　smoke　with　their　tribe。　On　receiving　the　present　they　set　out　to　return；　and　continued　running　as　fast　as　they　could　while　they　remained　in　sight。　Their　curiosity　had　been　excited　by　the　accounts　of　our　two　chiefs；　who　had　gone　on　in　order　to　apprise　the　tribes　of　our　approach　and　of　our　friendly　disposition　toward　them。　After　dinner　we　reloaded　the　canoes　and　proceeded。　We　soon　passed　a　rapid　opposite　the　upper　point　of　a　sandy　island　on　the　left；　which　has　a　smaller　island　near　it。　At　three　miles　is　a　gravelly　bar　in　the　river；　four　miles　beyond　this　the　Kimooenim　＇Snake＇　empties　into　the　Columbia；　and　at　its　mouth　has　an　island　just　below　a　small　rapid。

〃We　halted　above　the　point　of　junction；　on　the　Kimooenim；　to　confer　with　the　Indians；　who　had　collected　in　great　numbers　to　receive　us。　On　landing　we　were　met　by　our　two　chiefs；　to　whose　good　offices　we　were　indebted　for　this　reception；　and　also　the　two　Indians　who　had　passed　us　a　few　days　since　on　horseback；　one　of　whom　appeared　to　be　a　man　of　influence；　and　harangued　the　Indians　on　our　arrival。　After　smoking　with　the　Indians；　we　formed　a　camp　at　the　point　where　the　two　rivers　unite；　near　to　which　we　found　some　driftwood；　and　were　supplied　by　our　two　old　chiefs　with　the　stalks　of　willows　and　some　small　bushes　for　fuel。

〃We　had　scarcely　fixed　the　camp　and　got　the　fires　prepared；　when　a　chief　came　from　the　Indian　camp　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　up　the　Columbia；　at　the　head　of　nearly　two　hundred　men。　They　formed　a　regular　procession；　keeping　time　to　the　music；　or；　rather；　noise　of　their　drums；　which　they　accompanied　with　their　voices；　and　as　they　advanced；　they　ranged　themselves　in　a　semicircle　around　us；　and　continued　singing　for　some　time。　We　then　smoked　with　them　all；　and　communicated；　as　well　as　we　could　by　signs；　our　friendly　intentions　towards　every　nation；　and　our　joy　at　finding　ourselves　surrounded　by　our　children。　After　this　we　proceeded　to　distribute　presents　among　them；　giving　the　principal　chief　a　large　medal；　a　shirt；　and　a　handkerchief；　to　the　second　chief；　a　medal　of　a　smaller　size；　and　to　a　third；　who　had　come　down　from　some　of　the　upper　villages；　a　small　medal　and　a　handkerchief。　　This　ceremony　being　concluded；　they　left　us；　but　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon　several　of　them　returned；　and　remained　with　us　till　a　late　hour。　After　they　had　dispersed；　we　proceeded　to　purchase　provisions；　and　were　enabled　to　collect　seven　dogs；　to　which　some　of　the　Indians　added　small　presents　of　fish；　and　one　of　them　gave　us　twenty　pounds　of　fat　dried　horse…flesh。〃

The　explorers　were　still　in　the　country　which　is　now　the　State　of　Washington；　at　a　point　where　the　counties　of　Franklin；　Yakima；　and　Walla　Walla　come　together；　at　the　junction　of　the　Snake　and　the　Columbia。　　We　quote　now　from　the　journal：

〃From　the　point　of　junction　the　country　is　a　continued　plain；　low　near　the　water；　from　which　it　rises　gradually；　and　the　only　elevation　to　be　seen　is　a　range　of　high　country　running　from　northeast　to　southwest；　where　it　joins　a　range　of　mountains　from　the　southwest；　and　is　on　the　opposite　side　about　two　miles　from　the　Columbia。　　There　is　on　this　plain　no　tree；　and　scarcely　any　shrubs；　except　a　few　willow…bushes；　even　of　smaller　plants　there　is　not　much　more　than　the　prickly…pear；　which　is　in　great　abundance；　and　is　even　more　thorny　and　troublesome　than　any　we　have　yet　seen。　During　this　time　the　principal　chief　came　down　with　several　of　his　warriors；　and　smoked　with　us。　　We　were　also　visited　by　several　men　and　women；　who　offered　dogs　and　fish　for　sale；　but　as　the　fish　was　out　of　season；　and　at　present　abundant　in　the　river；　we　contented　ourselves　with　purchasing　all　the　dogs　we　could　obtain。

〃The　nation　among　which　we　now　are　call　themselves　Sokulks；　with　them　are　united　a　few　of　another　nation；　who　reside　on　a　western　branch　which　empties　into　the　Columbia　a　few　miles　above　the　mouth　of　the　latter　river；　and　whose　name　is　Chimnapum。　　The　languages　of　these　two　nations；　of　each　of　which　we　obtained　a　vocabulary；　differ　but　little　from　each　other；　or　from　that　of　the　Chopunnish　who　inhabit　the　Kooskooskee　and　Lewis'　rivers。　　In　their　dress　and　general　appearance　they　also　much　resemble　those　nations；　the　men　wearing　a　robe　of　deer…　or　antelope…skin；　under　which　a　few　of　them　have　a　short　leathern　shirt。　　The　most　striking　difference　is　among　the　females；　the　Sokulk　women　being　more　inclined　to　corpulency　than　any　we　have　yet　seen。　　Their　stature　is　low；　their　faces　are　broad；　and　their　heads　flattened　in　such　a　manner　that　the　forehead　is　in　a　straight　line　from　the　nose　to　the　crown　of　the　head。　Their　eyes　are　of　a　dirty　sable；　their　hair　is　coarse　and　black；　and　braided　without　ornament　of　any　kind。　　Instead　of　wearing；　as　do　the　Chopunnish；　long　leathern　shirts　highly　decorated　with　beads　and　shells；　the　Sokulk　women　have　no　other　covering　but　a　truss　or　piece　of　leather　tied　round　the　hips；　and　drawn　tight　between　the　legs。　The　ornaments　usually　worn　by　both　sexes　are　large　blue　or　white　beads；　either　pendant　from　their　ears；　or　round　the　neck；　wrists；　and　arms；　they　have　likewise　bracelets　of　brass；　copper；　and　born；　and　some　trinkets　of　shells；　fishbones；　and　curious　feathers。

〃The　houses　of　the　Sokulks　are　made　of　large　mats　of　rushes；　and　are　generally　of　a　square　or　oblong　form；　varying　in　length　from　fifteen　to　sixty　feet；　and　supported　in　the　inside　by　poles　or　forks　about　six　feet　high。　The　top　is　covered　with　mats；　leaving　a　space　of　twelve　or　fifteen　inches　the　whole　length　of　the　house；　for　the　purpose　of　admitting　the　light　and　suffering　the　smoke　to　escape。　　The　roof　is　nearly　flat；　which　seems　to　indicate　that　rains　are　not　common　in　this　open　country；　and　the　house　is　not　divided　into　apartments；　the　fire　being　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure；　and　immediately　under　the　bole　in　the　roof。　The　interior　is　ornamented　with　their　nets；　gigs；　and　other　fishing…tackle；　as　well　as　the　bow　of　each　inmate；　and　a　large　quiver　of　arrows；　which　are　headed　with　flint。

〃The　Sokulks　seem　to　be　of　a　mild　and　peaceable　disposition；　and　live　in　a　state　of　comparative　happiness。　　The　men；　like　those　on　the　Kimooenim；　are　said　to　content　themselves　with　a　single　wife；　with　whom　the　husband；　we　observe；　shares　the　labors　of　procuring　subsistence　much　more　than　is　common　among　savages。　What　may　be　considered　an　unequivocal　proof　of　their　good　disposition；　is　the　great　respect　which　is　shown　to　old　age。　　Among　other　marks　of　it；　we　noticed　in　one　of　the　houses　an　old　woman　perfectly　blind；　and　who；　we　were　told；　had　lived　more　than　a　hundred　winters。　In　this　state　of　decrepitude；　she　occupied　the　best　position　in　the　house；　seemed　to　be　treated　with　great　kindness；　and　whatever　she　said　was　listened　to　with　much　attention。　They　are　by　no　means　obtrusive；　and　as　their　fisheries　supply　them　with　a　competent；　if　not　an　abundant　subsistence；　although　they　receive　thankfully　whatever　we　choose　to　give；　they　do　not　importune　us　by　begging。　　Fish　is；　indeed；　their　chief　food；　except　roots　and　casual　supplies　of　antelope；　which　latter；　to　those　who　have　only　bows　and　arrows；　must　be　very　scanty。　This　diet　may　be　the　direct　or　the　remote　cause　of　the　chief　disorder　which　prevails　among　them；　as　well　as　among　the　Flatheads　on　the　Kooskooskee　and　Lewis'　rivers。　　With　all　these　I