first across the continent-第35章

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mber　8；　1805：　　〃Great　joy　in　camp。　We　are　in　view　of　the　Ocean；　this　great　Pacific　Ocean　which　we　have　been　so　long　anxious　to　see；　and　the　roaring　or　noise　made　by　the　waves　breaking　on　the　rocky　shores　（as　I　suppose）　may　be　heard　distinctly。〃　　Later；　same　day；　he　says；　〃Ocean　in　view！　O！　the　joy！〃　　Fortunately；　the　hardships　to　be　undergone　on　the　shores　of　the　ocean　were　then　unknown　and　undreamed　of；　the　travellers　were　thankful　to　see　the　sea；　the　goal　of　all　their　hopes；　the　end　of　their　long　pilgrimage　across　the　continent。

That　night　they　camped　near　the　mouth　of　the　river　in　what　is　now　known　as　Gray's　Bay；　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　in　the　southwest　corner　of　Wahkiacum　County。　　Before　they　could　reach　their　camping…place；　the　water　was　so　rough　that　some　of　the　men　had　an　unusual　experience；seasickness。　They　passed　a　disagreeable　night　on　a　narrow；　rocky　bench　of　land。　Next　day　they　say：

〃Fortunately　for　us；　the　tide　did　not　rise　as　high　as　our　camp　during　the　night；　but　being　accompanied　by　high　winds　from　the　south；　the　canoes；　which　we　could　not　place　beyond　its　reach；　were　filled　with　water；　and　were　saved　with　much　difficulty。　Our　position　was　very　uncomfortable；　but　as　it　was　impossible　to　move　from　it；　we　waited　for　a　change　of　weather。　It　rained；　however；　during　the　whole　day；　and　at　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　flood　tide　set　in；　accompanied　by　a　high　wind　from　the　south；　which；　about　four　o'clock；　shifted　to　the　southwest　and　blew　almost　a　gale　directly　from　the　sea。　The　immense　waves　now　broke　over　the　place　where　we　were　camped；　the　large　trees；　some　of　them　five　or　six　feet　thick；　which　had　lodged　at　the　point；　were　drifted　over　our　camp；　and　the　utmost　vigilance　of　every　man　could　scarcely　save　our　canoes　from　being　crushed　to　pieces。　　We　remained　in　the　water；　and　drenched　with　rain；　during　the　rest　of　the　day；　our　only　food　being　some　dried　fish　and　some　rain…water　which　we　caught。　Yet；　though　wet　and　cold；　and　some　of　them　sick　from　using　salt　water；　the　men　were　cheerful；　and　full　of　anxiety　to　see　more　of　the　ocean。　The　rain　continued　all　night。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　troubles。　　Next　day；　the　wind　having　lulled；　the　party　set　forth　again；　only　to　be　beaten　back　and　compelled　to　take　to　the　shore　again。　　This　was　their　experience　for　several　days。　For　example；　under　date　of　the　eleventh　the　journal　says：

〃The　wind　was　still　high　from　the　southwest；　and　drove　the　waves　against　the　shore　with　great　fury；　the　rain　too　fell　in　torrents；　and　not　only　drenched　us　to　the　skin；　but　loosened　the　stones　on　the　hillsides；　which　then　came　rolling　down　upon　us。　In　this　comfortless　situation　we　remained　all　day；　wet；　cold；　with　nothing　but　dried　fish　to　satisfy　our　hunger；　the　canoes　in　one　place　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves；　the　baggage　in　another；　and　all　the　men　scattered　on　floating　logs；　or　sheltering　themselves　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks　and　hillsides。　A　hunter　was　despatched　in　hopes　of　finding　some　fresh　meat；　but　the　hills　were　so　steep；　and　so　covered　with　undergrowth　and　fallen　timber；　that　he　could　not　penetrate　them；　and　he　was　forced　to　return。〃

And　this　is　the　record　for　the　next　day：

〃About　three　o'clock　a　tremendous　gale　of　wind　arose　accompanied　with　lightning；　thunder；　and　hail：　　at　six　it　lightened　up　for　a　short　time；　but　a　violent　rain　soon　began；　and　lasted　through　the　day。　During　the　storm；　one　of　our　boats；　secured　by　being　sunk　with　great　quantities　of　stone；　got　loose；　but；　drifting　against　a　rock；　was　recovered　without　having　received　much　injury。　　Our　situation　now　became　much　more　dangerous；　for　the　waves　were　driven　with　fury　against　the　rocks　and　trees；　which　till　now　had　afforded　us　refuge：　we　therefore　took　advantage　of　the　low　tide；　and　moved　about　half　a　mile　round　a　point　to　a　small　brook；　which　we　had　not　observed　before　on　account　of　the　thick　bushes　and　driftwood　which　concealed　its　mouth。　Here　we　were　more　safe；　but　still　cold　and　wet；　our　clothes　and　bedding　rotten　as　well　as　wet；　our　baggage　at　a　distance；　and　the　canoes；　our　only　means　of　escape　from　this　place；　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves。　Still；　we　continued　to　enjoy　good　health；　and　even　had　the　luxury　of　feasting　on　some　salmon　and　three　salmon　trout　which　we　caught　in　the　brook。　Three　of　the　men　attempted　to　go　round　a　point　in　our　small　Indian　canoe；　but　the　high　waves　rendered　her　quite　unmanageable；　these　boats　requiring　the　seamanship　of　the　natives　to　make　them　live　in　so　rough　a　sea。〃

It　should　be　borne　in　mind　that　the　canoes　of　the　explorers　were　poor　dug…outs；　unfit　to　navigate　the　turbulent　waters　of　the　bay；　and　the　men　were　not　so　expert　in　that　sort　of　seamanship　as　were　the　Indians　whom　they；　with　envy；　saw　breasting　the　waves　and　making　short　voyages　in　the　midst　of　the　storms。　　It　continued　to　rain　without　any　intermission；　and　the　waves　dashed　up　among　the　floating　logs　of　the　camp　in　a　very　distracting　manner。　The　party　now　had　nothing　but　dried　fish　to　eat；　and　it　was　with　great　difficulty　that　a　fire　could　be　built。　　On　the　fifteenth　of　the　month；　Captain　Lewis　having　found　a　better　camping…place　near　a　sandy　beach；　they　started　to　move　their　luggage　thither；　but　before　they　could　get　under　way；　a　high　wind　from　the　southwest　sprung　up　and　they　were　forced　to　remain。　But　the　sun　came　out　and　they　were　enabled　to　dry　their　stuff；　much　of　which　had　been　spoiled　by　the　rain　which　had　prevailed　for　the　past　ten　days。　Their　fish　also　was　no　longer　fit　to　eat；　and　they　were　indeed　in　poor　case。　Captain　Lewis　was　out　on　a　prospecting　trip；　and　the　party　set　out　and　found　a　beach　through　which　a　pleasant　brook　flowed　to　the　river；　making　a　very　good　camping…place。　At　the　mouth　of　this　stream　was　an　ancient　Chinook　village；　which；　says　the　journal；　〃has　at　present　no　inhabitants　but　fleas。〃　The　adventurers　were　compelled　to　steer　wide　of　all　old　Indian　villages；　they　were　so　infested　with　fleas。　　At　times；　so　great　was　the　pest；　the　men　were　forced　to　take　off　all　their　clothing　and　soak　themselves　and　their　garments　in　the　river　before　they　could　be　rid　of　the　insects。　The　site　of　their　new　camp　was　at　the　southeast　end　of　Baker's　Bay；　sometimes　called　Haley's　Bay；　a　mile　above　a　very　high　point　of　rocks。　On　arriving　at　this　place；　the　voyagers　met　with　an　unpleasant　experience　of　which　the　journal　gives　this　account：

〃Here　we　met　Shannon；　who　had　been　sent　back　to　meet　us　by　Captain　Lewis。　　The　day　Shannon　left　us　in　the　canoe；　he　and　Willard　proceeded　till　they　met　a　party　of　twenty　Indians；　who；　having　never　heard　of　us；　did　not　know　where　they　＇our　men＇　came　from；　they；　however；　behaved　with　so　much　civility；　and　seemed　so　anxious　that　the　men　should　go　with　them　toward　the　sea；　that　their　suspicions　were　excited；　and　they　declined　going　on。　The　Indians；　however；　would　not　leave　them；　the　men　being　confirmed　in　their　suspicions；　and　fearful　that　if　they　went　into　the　woods　to　sleep　they　would　be　cut　to　pieces　in　the　night；　thought　it　best　to　pass　the　night　in　the　midst　of　the　Indians。　　They　therefore　made　a　fire；　and　after　talking　with　them　to　a　late　hour；　laid　down　with　their　rifles　under　their　heads。　　As　they　awoke　that　morning　they　found　that　the　Indians　had　stolen　and　concealed　their　guns。　Having　demanded　them　in　vain；　Shannon　seized　a　club；　and　was　about　assaulting　one　of　the　Indians；　whom　he　suspected　as　a　thief；　when　another　Indian　began　to　load　a　fowling…piece　with　the　intention　of　shooting　him。　He　therefore　stopped；　and　explained　by　signs　that　if　they　did　not　give　up　the　guns　a　large　party　would　come　down　the　river　before　the　sun　rose　to　such　a　height；　and　put　every　one　of　them　to　death。　Fortunately；　Captain　Lewis　and　his　party　appeared　at　this　time。　The　terrified　Indians　immediately　brought　the　guns；　and　five　of　them　came　on　with　Shannon。　　To　these　men　we　declared　that　if　ever　any　one　of　their　nation　stole　anything　from　us；　he　should　be　instantly　shot。　They　reside　to　the　north　of　this　place；　and　speak　a　language　different　from　that　of　the　people　higher　up　the　river。

〃It　was　now　apparent　that　the　sea　was　at　all　times　too　rough　for　us　to　proceed　further　down　the　bay　by　water。　We　therefore　landed；　and　having　chosen　the　best　spot　we　could　select；　made　our　camp　of　boards　from　the　old　＇Chinook＇　village。　We　were　now　situated　comfortably；　and　being　visited　by　four　Wahkiacums　with　wappatoo…roots；　were　enabled　to　make　an　agreeable　addition　to　our　food。〃

On　the　seventeenth　Captain　Lewis　with　a　small　party　of　his　men　coasted　the　bay　as　far　out　as　Cape　Disappointment　and　some　distance　to　the　north　along　the　seacoast。　　Game　was　now　plenty；　and　the　camp　was　supplied　with　ducks；　geese；　and　venison。　　Bad　weather　again　set　in。　The　journal　under　date　of　November　22　says：

〃It　rained　during　the　whole　night；　and　about　daylight　a　tremendous　gale　of　wind　rose　from　the　S。S。E。；　and　continued　through　the　day　with　great　violence。　The　sea　ran　so　high　that　the　water　came　into　our　camp；　which　the　rain　prevents　us　from　leaving。　　We　purchased　from　the　old　squaw；　for　armbands　and　rings；　a　few　wappatoo…roots；　on　which　we　subsisted。　　They　are　nearly　equal　in　flavor　to　the　Irish　potato；　and　afford　a　very　good　substitute　for　bread。　The　bad　weather　drove　several　Indians　to　our　camp；　but　they　were　still　under　the　terrors　of　the　threat　which　we　made　on　first　seeing　them；　and　behaved　with　the　greatest　decency。

〃The　rain　continued　through　the　night；　November　23；　and　the　morning　was　calm　and　cloudy。　　The　hunters　were　sent　out；　and　killed　three　deer；　four　brant；　and　three　ducks。　　Towards　evening　seven　Clatsops　came　over　in　a　canoe；　with　two　skins　of　the　sea…otter。　To　this　article　they　attached　an　extravagant　value；　and　their　demands　for　it　were　so　high；　that　we　were　fearful　it　would　too　much　reduce　our　small　stock　of　merchandise；　on　which　we　had　to　depend　for　subsistence　on　our　return；　to　venture　on　purchasing　it。　To　ascertain；　however；　their　ideas　as　to　the　value　of　different　objects；　we　offered　for　one　of　these　skins　a　watch；　a　handkerchief；　an　American　dollar；　and　a　bunch　of　red　beads；　but　neither　the　curious　mechanism　of　the　watch；　nor　even　the　red　beads；　could　tempt　the　owner：　　he　refused　the　offer；　but　asked　for　tiacomoshack；　or　chief　beads；　the　most　common　sort　of　coarse　blue…colored　beads；　the　article　beyond　all　price　in　their　estimation。　Of　these　blue　beads　we　had　but　few；　and　therefore　reserved　them　for　more　necessitous　circumstances。〃

The　officers　of　the　expedition　had　hoped　and　expected　to　find　here　some　of　the　trading　ships　that　were　occasionally　sent　along　the　coast　to　barter　with　the　natives；　but　none　were　to　be　found。　They　were　soon　to　prepare　for　winter…quarters；　and　they　still　hoped　that　a　trader　might　appear　in　the　spring　before　they　set　out　on　their　homeward　journey　across　the　continent。　Very　much　they　needed　trinkets　to　deal　with　the　natives　in　exchange　for；　the　needful　articles　of　food　on　the　route。　But　（we　may　as　well　say　here）　no　such　relief　ever　appeared。　It　is　strange　that　President　Jefferson；　in　the　midst　of　his　very　minute　orders　and　preparations　for　the　benefit　of　the　explorers；　did　not　think　of　sending　a　relief　ship　to　meet　the　party　at　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia。　　They　would　have　been　saved　a　world　of　care；　worry；　and　discomfort。　But　at　that　time　the　European　nations　who　held