first across the continent-第30章

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s　among　them；　as　well　as　among　the　Flatheads　on　the　Kooskooskee　and　Lewis'　rivers。　　With　all　these　Indians　a　bad　soreness　of　the　eyes　is　a　very　common　disorder；　which　is　suffered　to　ripen　by　neglect；　till　many　are　deprived　of　one　of　their　eyes；　and　some　have　totally　lost　the　use　of　both。　This　dreadful　calamity　may　reasonably；　we　think；　be　imputed　to　the　constant　reflection　of　the　sun　on　the　waters；　where　they　are　constantly　fishing　in　the　spring；　summer；　and　fall；　and　during　the　rest　of　the　year　on　the　snows　of　a　country　which　affords　no　object　to　relieve　the　sight。

〃Among　the　Sokulks；　indeed　among　all　the　tribes　whose　chief　subsistence　is　fish；　we　have　observed　that　bad　teeth　are　very　general；　some　have　the　teeth；　particularly　those　of　the　upper　jaw；　worn　down　to　the　gums；　and　many　of　both　sexes；　even　of　middle　age；　have　lost　them　almost　entirely。　This　decay　of　the　teeth　is　a　circumstance　very　unusual　among　Indians；　either　of　the　mountains　or　the　plains；　and　seems　peculiar　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　Columbia。　　We　cannot　avoid　regarding　as　one　principal　cause　of　it　the　manner　in　which　they　eat　their　food。　　The　roots　are　swallowed　as　they　are　dug　from　the　ground；　frequently　covered　with　a　gritty　sand；　so　little　idea　have　they　that　this　is　offensive　that　all　the　roots　they　offer　us　for　sale　are　in　the　same　condition。〃

The　explorers　were　now　at　the　entrance　of　the　mighty　Columbia；〃The　Great　River〃　of　which　they　had　heard　so　much　from　the　Indians。　　We　might　suppose　that　when　they　actually　embarked　upon　the　waters　of　the　famous　stream；　variously　known　as　〃The　River　of　the　North〃　and　〃The　Oregon；〃　the　explorers　would　be　touched　with　a　little　of　the　enthusiasm　with　which　they　straddled　the　headwaters　of　the　Missouri　and　gazed　upon　the　snow…covered　peaks　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　But　no　such　kindling　of　the　imagination　seems　to　have　been　noted　in　their　journal。　In　this　commonplace　way；　according　to　their　own　account；　Captain　Clark　entered　upon　the　mighty　Columbia：

〃In　the　course　of　the　day　＇October　17；　1805＇；　Captain　Clark；　in　a　small　canoe　with　two　men；　ascended　the　Columbia。　　At　the　distance　of　five　miles　he　passed　an　island　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　at　the　head　of　which　was　a　small　but　not　dangerous　rapid。　On　the　left　bank；　opposite　to　this　island；　was　a　fishing…place　consisting　of　three　mat　houses。　　Here　were　great　quantities　of　salmon　drying　on　scaffolds；　and；　indeed；　from　the　mouth　of　the　river　upward；　he　saw　immense　numbers　of　dead　salmon　strewed　along　the　shore；　or　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　which　is　so　clear　that　the　fish　may　be　seen　swimming　at　the　depth　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　The　Indians；　who　had　collected　on　the　banks　to　observe　him；　now　joined　him　in　eighteen　canoes；　and　accompanied　him　up　the　river。　A　mile　above　the　rapids　he　came　to　the　lower　point　of　an　island；　where　the　course　of　the　stream；　which　had　been　from　its　mouth　north　eighty…three　degrees　west；　now　became　due　west。　He　proceeded　in　that　direction；　until；　observing　three　house's　of　mats　at　a　short　distance；　he　landed　to　visit　them。　On　entering　one　of　these　houses；　he　found　it　crowded　with　men；　women；　and　children；　who　immediately　provided　a　mat　for　him　to　sit　on；　and　one　of　the　party　undertook　to　prepare　something　to　eat。　He　began　by　bringing　in　a　piece　of　pine　wood　that　had　drifted　down　the　river；　which　he　split　into　small　pieces　with　a　wedge　made　of　elkhorn；　by　means　of　a　mallet　of　stone　curiously　carved。　　The　pieces　of　wood　were　then　laid　on　the　fire；　and　several　round　stones　placed　upon　them。　One　of　the　squaws　now　brought　a　bucket　of　water；　in　which　was　a　large　salmon　about　half　dried；　and；　as　the　stones　became　heated；　they　were　put　into　the　bucket　till　the　salmon　was　sufficiently　boiled　for　use。　It　was　then　taken　out；　put　on　a　platter　of　rushes　neatly　made；　and　laid　before　Captain　Clark；　while　another　was　boiled　for　each　of　his　men。　During　these　preparations　he　smoked　with　such　about　him　as　would　accept　of　tobacco；　but　very　few　were　desirous　of　smoking；　a　custom　which　is　not　general　among　them；　and　chiefly　used　as　a　matter　of　form　in　great　ceremonies。

〃After　eating　the　fish；　which　was　of　an　excellent　flavor；　Captain　Clark　set　out　and；　at　the　distance　of　four　miles　from　the　last　island；　came　to　the　lower　point　of　another　near　the　left　shore；　where　he　halted　at　two　large　mat…houses。　Here；　as　at　the　three　houses　below；　the　inhabitants　were　occupied　in　splitting　and　drying　salmon。　The　multitudes　of　this　fish　are　almost　inconceivable。　The　water　is　so　clear　that　they　can　readily　be　seen　at　the　depth　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；　but　at　this　season　they　float　in　such　quantities　down　the　stream；　and　are　drifted　ashore；　that　the　Indians　have　only　to　collect；　split；　and　dry　them　on　the　scaffolds。　Where　they　procure　the　timber　of　which　these　scaffolds　are　composed　he　could　not　learn；　but　as　there　is　nothing　but　willow…bushes　to　be　seen　for　a　great　distance　from　this　place；　it　rendered　very　probable　what　the　Indians　assured　him　by　signs；　that　they　often　used　dried　fish　as　fuel　for　the　common　occasions　of　cooking。　From　this　island　they　showed　him　the　entrance　of　the　western　branch　of　the　Columbia；　called　the　Tapteal；　which；　as　far　as　could　be　seen；　bears　nearly　west　and　empties　about　eight　miles　above　into　the　Columbia；　the　general　course　of　which　is　northwest。〃

The　Tapteal；　as　the　journal　calls　it；　is　now　known　as　the　Yakima；　a　stream　which　has　its　source　in　the　Cascade　range　of　mountains；　Washington。　　The　party　tarried　here　long　enough　to　secure　from　the　Indians　a　tolerably　correct　description　of　the　river　upon　which　they　were　about　to　embark。　One　of　the　chiefs　drew　upon　the　skin…side　of　a　buffalo　robe　a　sketch　of　the　Columbia。　　And　this　was　transferred　to　paper　and　put　into　the　journal。　That　volume　adds　here：

〃Having　completed　the　purposes　of　our　stay；　we　now　began　to　lay　in　our　stores。　　Fish　being　out　of　season；　we　purchased　forty　dogs；　for　which　we　gave　small　articles；　such　as　bells；　thimbles；　knitting…needles；　brass　wire；　and　a　few　beads；　an　exchange　with　which　they　all　seemed　perfectly　satisfied。　These　dogs；　with　six　prairie…cocks　killed　this　morning；　formed　a　plentiful　supply　for　the　present。　　We　here　left　our　guide　and　the　two　young　men　who　had　accompanied　him；　two　of　the　three　being　unwilling　to　go　any　further；　and　the　third　being　of　no　use；　as　he　was　not　acquainted　with　the　river　below。　We　therefore　took　no　Indians　but　our　two　chiefs；　and　resumed　our　journey　in　the　presence　of　many　of　the　Sokulks；　who　came　to　witness　our　departure。　The　morning　was　cool　and　fair；　and　the　wind　from　the　southeast。〃

They　now　began　again　to　meet　Indians　who　had　never　before　seen　white　men。　On　the　nineteenth；　says　the　journal：

〃The　great　chief；　with　two　of　his　inferior　chiefs　and　a　third　belonging　to　a　band　on　the　river　below；　made　us　a　visit　at　a　very　early　hour。　　The　first　of　these　was　called　Yelleppit；　a　handsome；　well…proportioned　man；　about　five　feet　eight　inches　high；　and　thirty…five　years　of　age；　with　a　bold　and　dignified　countenance；　the　rest　were　not　distinguished　in　their　appearance。　We　smoked　with　them；　and　after　making　a　speech；　gave　a　medal；　a　handkerchief；　and　a　string　of　wampum　to　Yelleppit；　but　a　string　of　wampum　only　to　the　inferior　chiefs。　　He　requested　us　to　remain　till　the　middle　of　the　day；　in　order　that　all　his　nation　might　come　and　see　us；　but　we　excused　ourselves　by　telling　him　that　on　our　return　we　would　spend　two　or　three　days　with　him。　This　conference　detained　us　till　nine　o'clock；　by　which　time　great　numbers　of　the　Indians　had　come　down　to　visit　us。　On　leaving　them　we　went　on　for　eight　miles；　when　we　came　to　an　island　near　the　left　shore；　which　continued　six　miles　in　length。　At　its　lower　extremity　is　a　small　island　on　which　are　five　houses；　at　present　vacant；　though　the　scaffolds　of　fish　are　as　usual　abundant。　　A　short　distance　below　are　two　more　islands；　one　of　them　near　the　middle　of　the　river。　On　this　there　were　seven　houses；　but　as　soon　as　the　Indians；　who　were　drying　fish；　saw　us；　they　fled　to　their　houses；　and　not　one　of　them　appeared　till　we　had　passed；　when　they　came　out　in　greater　numbers　than　is　usual　for　houses　of　that　size；　which　induced　us　to　think　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　five　lodges　had　been　alarmed　at　our　approach　and　taken　refuge　with　them。　We　were　very　desirous　of　landing　in　order　to　relieve　their　apprehensions；　but　as　there　was　a　bad　rapid　along　the　island　all　our　care　was　necessary　to　prevent　injury　to　the　canoes。　At　the　foot　of　this　rapid　is　a　rock　on　the　left　shore；　which　is　fourteen　miles　from　our　camp　of　last　night　and　resembles　a　hat　in　shape。〃

Later　in　the　day；　Captain　Clark　ascended　a　bluff　on　the　river　bank；　where　he　saw　〃a　very　high　mountain　covered　with　snow。〃　　This　was　Mount　St。　Helen's；　in　Cowlitz　County；　Washington。　　The　altitude　of　the　peak　is　nine　thousand　seven　hundred　and　fifty　feet。　〃Having　arrived　at　the　lower　ends　of　the　rapids　below　the　bluff　before　any　of　the　rest　of　the　party；　be　sat　down　on　a　rock　to　wait　for　them；　and；　seeing　a　crane　fly　across　the　river；　shot　it；　and　it　fell　near　him。　　Several　Indians　had　been　before　this　passing　on　the　opposite　side　towards　the　rapids；　and　some　who　were　then　nearly　in　front　of　him；　being　either　alarmed　at　his　appearance　or　the　report　of　the　gun；　fled　to　their　houses。　Captain　Clark　was　afraid　that　these　people　had　not　yet　heard　that　the　white　men　were　coming；　and　therefore；　in　order　to　allay　their　uneasiness　before　the　rest　of　the　party　should　arrive；　he　got　into　the　small　canoe　with　three　men；　rowed　over　towards　the　houses；　and；　while　crossing；　shot　a　duck；　which　fell　into　the　water。　As　he　approached　no　person　was　to　be　seen　except　three　men　in　the　plains；　and　they；　too；　fled　as　he　came　near　the　shore。　He　landed　in　front　of　five　houses　close　to　each　other；　but　no　one　appeared；　and　the　doors；　which　were　of　mat；　were　closed。　He　went　towards　one　of　them　with　a　pipe　in　his　hand；　and；　pushing　aside　the　mat；　entered　the　lodge；　where　he　found　thirty…two　persons；　chiefly　men　and　women；　with　a　few　children；　all　in　the　greatest　consternation；　some　hanging　down　their　heads；　others　crying　and　wringing　their　hands。　　He　went　up　to　them；　and　shook　hands　with　each　one　in　the　most　friendly　manner；　but　their　apprehensions；　which　had　for　a　moment　subsided；　revived　on　his　taking　out　a　burning…glass；　as　there　was　no　roof　to　the　house；　and　lighting　his　pipe：　　he　then　offered　it　to　several　of　the　men；　and　distributed　among　the　women　and　children　some　small　trinkets　which　he　had　with　him；　and　gradually　restored　a　degree　of　tranquillity　among　them。

〃Leaving　this　house；　and　directing　each　of　his　men　to　visit　a　house；　he　entered　a　second。　　Here　he　found　the　inmates　more　terrified　than　those　in　the　first；　but　he　succeeded　in　pacifying　them；　and　afterward　went　into　the　other　houses；　where　the　men　had　been　equally　successful。　Retiring　from　the　houses；　he　seated　himself　on　a　rock；　and　beckoned　to　some　of　the　men　to　come　and　smoke　with　him；　but　none　of　them　ventured　to　join　him　till　the　canoes　arrived　with　the　two　chiefs；　who　immediately　explained　our　pacific　intention　towards　them。　Soon　after　the　interpreter's　wife　＇Sacajawea＇　landed；　and　her　presence　dissipated　all　doubts　of　our　being　well…disposed；　since　in　this　country　no　woman　ever　accompanies　a　war　party：　they　therefore　all