first across the continent-第33章

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hites；　and　on　one　side　of　the　room　were　two　wide；　split　boards；　placed　together　so　as　to　make　space　for　a　rude　figure　of　a　man　cut　and　painted　on　them。　On　pointing　to　this；　and　asking　him　what　it　meant；　he　said　something；　of　which　all　that　we　understood　was　‘good；'　and　then　stepped　up　to　the　painting；　and　took　out　his　bow　and　quiver；　which；　with　some　other　warlike　instruments；　were　kept　behind　it。

〃He　then　directed　his　wife　to　hand　him　his　medicine…bag；　from　which　he　drew　out　fourteen　forefingers；　which　he　told　us　had　belonged　to　the　same　number　of　his　enemies；　whom　he　had　killed　in　fighting　with　the　nations　to　the　southeast；　in　which　direction　he　pointed；　alluding；　no　doubt；　to　the　Snake　Indians；　the　common　enemy　of　the　tribes　on　the　Columbia。　This　bag　is　usually　about　two　feet　in　length；　and　contains　roots；　pounded　dirt；　etc。；　which　only　the　Indians　know　how　to　appreciate。　It　is　suspended　in　the　middle　of　the　lodge；　and　it　is　considered　as　a　species　of　sacrilege　for　any　one　but　the　owner　to　touch　it。　It　is　an　object　of　religious　fear；　and；　from　its　supposed　sanctity；　is　the　chief　place　for　depositing　their　medals　and　more　valuable　articles。　They　have　likewise　small　bags；　which　they　preserve　in　their　great　medicine…bag；　from　whence　they　are　taken；　and　worn　around　their　waists　and　necks　as　amulets　against　any　real　or　imaginary　evils。　This　was　the　first　time　we　had　been　apprised　that　the　Indians　ever　carried　from　the　field　any　other　trophy　than　the　scalp。　These　fingers　were　shown　with　great　exultation；　and；　after　an　harangue；　which　we　were　left　to　presume　was　in　praise　of　his　exploits；　the　chief　carefully　replaced　them　among　the　valuable　contents　of　his　red　medicine…bag。　The　inhabitants　of　this　village　being　part　of　the　same　nation　with　those　of　the　village　we　had　passed　above；　the　language　of　the　two　was　the　same；　and　their　houses　were　of　similar　form　and　materials；　and　calculated　to　contain　about　thirty　souls。　They　were　unusually　hospitable　and　good…humored；　so　that　we　gave　to　the　place　the　name　of　the　Friendly　village。　　We　breakfasted　here；　and　after　purchasing　twelve　dogs；　four　sacks　of　fish；　and　a　few　dried　berries；　proceeded　on　our　journey。　　The　hills　as　we　passed　were　high；　with　steep；　rocky　sides；　with　pine　and　white　oak；　and　an　undergrowth　of　shrubs　scattered　over　them。〃

Leaving　the　Friendly　village；　the　party　went　on　their　way　down　the　river。　Four　miles　below　they　came　to　a　small　and　rapid　river　which　they　called　the　Cataract　River；　but　which　is　now　known　as　the　Klikitat。　　The　rapids　of　the　stream；　according　to　the　Indians；　were　so　numerous　that　salmon　could　not　ascend　it；　and　the　Indians　who　lived　along　its　banks　subsisted　on　what　game　they　could　kill　with　their　bows　and　arrows　and　on　the　berries　which；　in　certain　seasons；　were　plentiful。　　Again　we　notice　the　purchase　of　dogs；　this　time　only　four　were　bought；　and　the　party　proceeded　on　their　way。　That　night；　having　travelled　thirty…two　miles；　they　camped　on　the　right　bank　of　the　river　in　what　is　now　Skamania　County；　Washington。　　Three　huts　were　inhabited　by　a　considerable　number　of　Indians；　of　whom　the　journal　has　this　to　say：

〃On　our　first　arrival　they　seemed　surprised；　but　not　alarmed；　and　we　soon　became　intimate　by　means　of　smoking　and　our　favorite　entertainment　for　the　Indians；　the　violin。　　They　gave　us　fruit；　roots；　and　root…bread；　and　we　purchased　from　them　three　dogs。　The　houses　of　these　people　are　similar　to　those　of　the　Indians　above；　and　their　language　is　the　same；　their　dress　also；　consisting　of　robes　or　skins　of　wolves；　deer；　elk；　and　wildcat；　is　made　nearly　after　the　same　model；　their　hair　is　worn　in　plaits　down　each　shoulder；　and　round　their　neck　is　put　a　strip　of　some　skin　with　the　tail　of　the　animal　hanging　down　over　the　breast；　like　the　Indians　above；　they　are　fond　of　otter…skins；　and　give　a　great　price　for　them。　We　here　saw　the　skin　of　a　mountain　sheep；　which　they　say　lives　among　the　rocks　in　the　mountains；　the　skin　was　covered　with　white　hair；　the　wool　was　long；　thick；　and　coarse；　with　long　coarse　hair　on　the　top　of　the　neck　and　on　the　back；　resembling　somewhat　the　bristles　of　a　goat。　Immediately　behind　the　village　is　a　pond；　in　which　were　great　numbers　of　small　swan。〃

The　〃mountain　sheep〃　mentioned　here　are　not　the　bighorn　of　which　we　have　heard　something　in　the　earlier　part　of　this　narrative；　but　a　species　of　wild　goat　found　among　the　Cascade　Mountains。　　The　〃wildcat〃　above　referred　to　is　probably　that　variety　of　lynx　known　in　Canada　and　most　of　the　Northern　States　and　the　Pacific　as　the　loup…cervier；　or　vulgarly；　the　〃lucifee。〃

On　the　last　day　of　October；　the　next　of　the　more　difficult　rapids　being　near；　Captain　Clark　went　ahead　to　examine　the　〃shoot；〃　as　the　explorers　called　the　place　which　we　know　as　the　chute。　In　the　thick　wood　that　bordered　the　river　he　found　an　ancient　burial…place　which　he　thus　describes：

〃It　consists　of　eight　vaults　made　of　pine　or　cedar　boards　closely　connected；　about　eight　feet　square　and　six　in　height；　the　top　covered　with　wide　boards　sloping　a　little；　so　as　to　convey　off　the　rain。　　The　direction　of　all　of　these　vaults　is　east　and　west；　the　door　being　on　the　eastern　side；　partially　stopped　with　wide　boards　decorated　with　rude　pictures　of　men　and　other　animals。　On　entering　he　found　in　some　of　them　four　dead　bodies；　carefully　wrapped　in　skins；　tied　with　cords　of　grass　and　bark；　lying　on　a　mat；　in　a　direction　east　and　west。　　The　other　vaults　contained　only　bones；　which　were　in　some　of　them　piled　to　the　height　of　four　feet。　On　the　tops　of　the　vaults；　and　on　poles　attached　to　them；　bung　brass　kettles　and　frying…pans　with　holes　in　their　bottoms；　baskets；　bowls；　sea…shells；　skins；　pieces　of　cloth；　hair；　bags　of　trinkets　and　small　bonesthe　offerings　of　friendship　or　affection；　which　have　been　saved　by　a　pious　veneration　from　the　ferocity　of　war；　or　the　more　dangerous　temptations　of　individual　gain。　The　whole　of　the　walls　as　well　as　the　door　were　decorated　with　strange　figures　cut　and　painted　on　them；　and　besides　were　several　wooden　images　of　men；　some　so　old　and　decayed　as　to　have　almost　lost　their　shape；　which　were　all　placed　against　the　sides　of　the　vaults。　These　images；　as　well　as　those　in　the　houses　we　have　lately　seen；　do　not　appear　to　be　at　all　the　objects　of　adoration；　in　this　place　they　were　most　probably　intended　as　resemblances　of　those　whose　decease　they　indicate；　when　we　observe　them　in　houses；　they　occupy　the　most　conspicuous　part；　but　are　treated　more　like　ornaments　than　objects　of　worship。〃

The　white　men　were　visited　at　their　camp　by　many　Indians　from　the　villages　farther　up　the　stream。　　The　journal　says：

〃We　had　an　opportunity　of　seeing　to…day　the　hardihood　of　the　Indians　of　the　neighboring　village。　　One　of　the　men　shot　a　goose；　which　fell　into　the　river　and　was　floating　rapidly　toward　the　great　shoot；　when　an　Indian　observing　it　plunged　in　after　it。　The　whole　mass　of　the　waters　of　the　Columbia；　just　preparing　to　descend　its　narrow　channel；　carried　the　animal　down　with　great　rapidity。　The　Indian　followed　it　fearlessly　to　within　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　of　the　rocks；　where　he　would　inevitably　have　been　dashed　to　pieces；　but　seizing　his　prey　he　turned　round　and　swam　ashore　with　great　composure。　We　very　willingly　relinquished　our　right　to　the　bird　in　favor　of　the　Indian　who　had　thus　saved　it　at　the　imminent　hazard　of　his　life；　he　immediately　set　to　work　and　picked　off　about　half　the　feathers；　and　then；　without　opening　it；　ran　a　stick　through　it　and　carried　it　off　to　roast。〃

With　many　hair's…breadth　escapes；　the　expedition　now　passed　through　the　rapids　or　〃great　shoot。〃　　The　river　here　is　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards　wide　and　the　rapids　are　confined　to　an　area　four　hundred　yards　long；　crowded　with　islands　and　rocky　ledges。　They　found　the　Indians　living　along　the　banks　of　the　stream　to　be　kindly　disposed；　but　they　had　learned；　by　their　intercourse　with　tribes　living　below；　to　set　a　high　value　on　their　wares。　They　asked　high　prices　for　anything　they　had　for　sale。　The　journal　says：

〃We　cannot　learn　precisely　the　nature　of　the　trade　carried　on　by　the　Indians　with　the　inhabitants　below。　　But　as　their　knowledge　of　the　whites　seems　to　be　very　imperfect；　and　as　the　only　articles　which　they　carry　to　market；　such　as　pounded　fish；　bear…grass；　and　roots；　cannot　be　an　object　of　much　foreign　traffic；　their　intercourse　appears　to　be　an　intermediate　trade　with　the　natives　near　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia。　　From　them　these　people　obtain；　in　exchange　for　their　fish；　roots；　and　bear…grass；　blue　and　white　beads；　copper　tea…kettles；　brass　armbands；　some　scarlet　and　blue　robes；　and　a　few　articles　of　old　European　clothing。　　But　their　great　object　is　to　obtain　beads；　an　article　which　holds　the　first　place　in　their　ideas　of　relative　value；　and　to　procure　which　they　will　sacrifice　their　last　article　of　clothing　or　last　mouthful　of　food。　Independently　of　their　fondness　for　them　as　an　ornament；　these　beads　are　the　medium　of　trade；　by　which　they　obtain　from　the　Indians　still　higher　up　the　river；　robes；　skins；　chappelel　bread；　bear…grass；　etc。　Those　Indians　in　turn　employ　them　to　procure　from　the　Indians　in　the　Rocky　Mountains；　bear…grass；　pachico…roots；　robes；　etc。

〃These　Indians　are　rather　below　the　common　size；　with　high　cheek…bones；　their　noses　are　pierced；　and　in　full　dress　ornamented　with　a　tapering　piece　of　white　shell　or　wampum　about　two　inches　long。　Their　eyes　are　exceedingly　sore　and　weak；　many　of　them　have　only　a　single　eye；　and　some　are　perfectly　blind。　　Their　teeth　prematurely　decay；　and　in　frequent　instances　are　altogether　worn　away。　Their　general　health；　however；　seems　to　be　good；　the　only　disorder　we　have　remarked　being　tumors　in　different　parts　of　the　body。〃

The　more　difficult　rapid　was　passed　on　the　second　day　of　November；　the　luggage　being　sent　down　by　land　and　the　empty　canoes　taken　down　with　great　care。　The　journal　of　that　date　says：

〃The　rapid　we　have　just　passed　is　the　last　of　all　the　descents　of　the　Columbia。　　At　this　place　the　first　tidewater　commences；　and　the　river　in　consequence　widens　immediately　below　the　rapid。　As　we　descended　we　reached；　at　the　distance　of　one　mile　from　the　rapid；　a　creek　under　a　bluff　on　the　left；　at　three　miles　is　the　lower　point　of　Strawberry　Island。　　To　this　immediately　succeed　three　small　islands　covered　with　wood。　　In　the　meadow　to　the　right；　at　some　distance　from　the　hills；　stands　a　perpendicular　rock　about　eight　hundred　feet　high　and　four　hundred　yards　around　the　base。　This　we　called　Beacon　Rock。　　Just　below　is　an　Indian　village　of　nine　houses；　situated　between　two　small　creeks。　At　this　village　the　river　widens　to　nearly　a　mile　in　extent；　the　low　grounds　become　wider；　and　they　as　well　as　the　mountains　on　each　side　are　covered　with　pine；　spruce…pine；　cottonwood；　a　species　of　ash；　and　some　alder。　　After　being　so　long　accustomed　to　the　dreary　nakedness　of　the　country　above；　the　change　is　as　grateful　to　the　eye　as　it　is　useful　in　supplying　us　with　fuel。　Four　miles　from　the　village　is　a　point　of　land　on　the　right；　where　the　hills　become　lower；　but　are　still　thickly　timbered。　The　river　is　now　about　two　miles　wide；　the　current　smooth　and　gentle；　and　the　effect　of　the　tide　has　been　sensible　since　leaving　the　rapid。　Six　miles　lower　is　a　rock　rising　from　the　middle　of　the　river　to