first across the continent-第38章

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〃Whilst　smoking　with　the　Indians；　Captain　Clark　was　surprised；　about　ten　o'clock；　by　a　loud；　shrill　outcry　from　the　opposite　village；　on　hearing　which　all　the　Indians　immediately　started　up　to　cross　the　creek；　and　the　guide　informed　him　that　someone　had　been　killed。　On　examination　one　of　the　men　＇M'Neal＇　was　discovered　to　be　absent；　and　a　guard　＇Sergeant　Pryor　and　four　men＇　despatched；　who　met　him　crossing　the　creek　in　great　haste。　　An　Indian　belonging　to　another　band；　who　happened　to　be　with　the　Killamucks　that　evening；　had　treated　him　with　much　kindness；　and　walked　arm　in　arm　with　him　to　a　tent　where　our　man　found　a　Chinnook　squaw；　who　was　an　old　acquaintance。　From　the　conversation　and　manner　of　the　stranger；　this　woman　discovered　that　his　object　was　to　murder　the　white　man　for　the　sake　of　the　few　articles　on　his　person；　when　he　rose　and　pressed　our　man　to　go　to　another　tent　where　they　would　find　something　better　to　eat；　she　held　M'Neal　by　the　blanket；　not　knowing　her　object；　he　freed　himself　from　her；　and　was　going　on　with　his　pretended　friend；　when　she　ran　out　and　gave　the　shriek　which　brought　the　men　of　the　village　over；　and　the　stranger　ran　off　before　M'Neal　knew　what　had　occasioned　the　alarm。〃

The　〃mighty　hunter〃　of　the　Lewis　and　Clark　expedition　was　Drewyer；　whose　name　has　frequently　been　mentioned　in　these　pages。　Under　date　of　January　12；　the　journal　has　this　just　tribute　to　the　man：

〃Our　meat　is　now　becoming　scarce；　we　therefore　determined　to　jerk　it；　and　issue　it　in　small　quantities；　instead　of　dividing　it　among　the　four　messes；　and　leaving　to　each　the　care　of　its　own　provisions；　a　plan　by　which　much　is　lost；　in　consequence　of　the　improvidence　of　the　men。　Two　hunters　had　been　despatched　in　the　morning；　and　one　of　them；　Drewyer；　had　before　evening　killed　seven　elk。　　We　should　scarcely　be　able　to　subsist；　were　it　not　for　the　exertions　of　this　most　excellent　hunter。　The　game　is　scarce；　and　nothing　is　now　to　be　seen　except　elk；　which　for　almost　all　the　men　are　very　difficult　to　be　procured；　but　Drewyer；　who　is　the　offspring　of　a　Canadian　Frenchman　and　an　Indian　woman；　has　passed　his　life　in　the　woods；　and　unites；　in　a　wonderful　degree；　the　dexterous　aim　of　the　frontier　huntsman　with　the　intuitive　sagacity　of　the　Indian；　in　pursuing　the　faintest　tracks　through　the　forest。　All　our　men；　however；　have　indeed　become　so　expert　with　the　rifle　that　we　are　never　under　apprehensions　as　to　food；　since；　whenever　there　is　game　of　any　kind；　we　are　almost　certain　of　procuring　it。〃

The　narrative　of　the　explorers　gives　this　account　of　the　Chinooks：

〃The　men　are　low　in　stature；　rather　ugly；　and　ill　made；　their　legs　being　small　and　crooked；　their　feet　large；　and　their　heads；　like　those　of　the　women；　flattened　in　a　most　disgusting　manner。　　These　deformities　are　in　part　concealed　by　robes　made　of　sea…otter；　deer；　elk；　beaver　or　fox　skins。　They　also　employ　in　their　dress　robes　of　the　skin　of　a　cat　peculiar　to　this　country；　and　of　another　animal　of　the　same　size；　which　is　light　and　durable；　and　sold　at　a　high　price　by　the　Indians　who　bring　it　from　above。　In　addition　to　these　are　worn　blankets；　wrappers　of　red；　blue；　or　spotted　cloth；　and　some　old　sailors'　clothes；　which　are　very　highly　prized。　The　greater　part　of　the　men　have　guns；　with　powder　and　ball。

〃The　women　have　in　general　handsome　faces；　but　are　low　and　disproportioned；　with　small　feet　and　large　legs；　occasioned；　probably；　by　strands　of　beads；　or　various　strings；　drawn　so　tight　above　the　ankles　as　to　prevent　the　circulation　of　the　blood。　　Their　dress；　like　that　of　the　Wahkiacums；　consists　of　a　short　robe　and　a　tissue　of　cedar　bark。　　Their　hair　hangs　loosely　down　the　shoulders　and　back；　and　their　ears；　neck；　and　wrists　are　ornamented　with　blue　beads。　　Another　decoration；　which　is　very　highly　prized；　consists　of　figures　made　by　puncturing　the　arms　or　legs；　and　on　the　arms　of　one　of　the　squaws　we　observed　the　name　of　J。　Bowman；　executed　in　the　same　way。　　In　language；　habits；　and　in　almost　every　other　particular；　they　resemble　the　Clatsops；　Cathlamahs；　and；　indeed；　all　the　people　near　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia；　though　they　appeared　to　be　inferior　to　their　neighbors　in　honesty　as　well　as　spirit。　No　ill　treatment　or　indignity　on　our　part　seemed　to　excite　any　feeling　except　fear；　nor；　although　better　provided　than　their　neighbors　with　arms；　have　they　enterprise　enough　either　to　use　them　advantageously　against　the　animals　of　the　forest；　or　offensively　against　the　tribes　near　them；　who　owe　their　safety　more　to　the　timidity　than　the　forbearance　of　the　Chinooks。　　We　had　heard　instances　of　pilfering　while　we　were　among　them；　and　therefore　gave　a　general　order　excluding　them　from　our　encampment；　so　that　whenever　an　Indian　wished　to　visit　us；　he　began　by　calling　out　‘No　Chinook。'　　It　is　not　improbable　that　this　first　impression　may　have　left　a　prejudice　against　them；　since；　when　we　were　among　the　Clatsops　and　other　tribes　at　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia；　they　had　less　opportunity　of　stealing；　if　they　were　so　disposed。〃

The　weeks　remaining　before　the　party　set　out　on　their　return　were　passed　without　notable　incident。　　The　journal　is　chiefly　occupied　with　comments　on　the　weather；　which　was　variable；　and　some　account　of　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　Indian　tribes　along　the　Columbia　River。　　At　that　time；　so　few　traders　had　penetrated　the　wilds　of　the　Lower　Columbia　that　the　Indians　were　not　supplied　with　firearms　to　any　great　extent。　Their　main　reliance　was　the　bow　and　arrow。　　A　few　shotguns　were　seen　among　them；　but　no　rifles；　and　great　was　the　admiration　and　wonder　with　which　the　Indians　saw　the　white　men　slay　birds　and　animals　at　a　long　distance。　Pitfalls　for　elk　were　constructed　by　the　side　of　fallen　trees　over　which　the　animals　might　leap。　　Concerning　the　manufactures　of　the　Clatsops；　they　reported　as　follows：

〃Their　hats　are　made　of　cedar…bark　and　bear…grass；　interwoven　together　in　the　form　of　a　European　hat；　with　a　small　brim　of　about　two　inches；　and　a　high　crown　widening　upward。　　They　are　light；　ornamented　with　various　colors　and　figures；　and　being　nearly　water…proof；　are　much　more　durable　than　either　chip　or　straw　hats。　These　hats　form　a　small　article　of　traffic　with　the　whites；　and　their　manufacture　is　one　of　the　best　exertions　of　Indian　industry。　They　are；　however；　very　dexterous　in　making　a　variety　of　domestic　utensils；　among　which　are　bowls；　spoons；　scewers　＇skewers＇；　spits；　and　baskets。　The　bowl　or　trough　is　of　different　shapesround；　semicircular；　in　the　form　of　a　canoe；　or　cubic；　and　generally　dug　out　of　a　single　piece　of　wood；　the　larger　vessels　have　holes　in　the　sides　by　way　of　handles；　and　all　are　executed　with　great　neatness。　In　these　vessels　they　boil　their　food；　by　throwing　hot　stones　into　the　water；　and　extract　oil　from　different　animals　in　the　same　way。　Spoons　are　not　very　abundant；　nor　is　there　anything　remarkable　in　their　shape；　except　that　they　are　large　and　the　bowl　broad。　Meat　is　roasted　on　one　end　of　a　sharp　skewer；　placed　erect　before　the　fire；　with　the　other　end　fixed　in　the　ground。

〃But　the　most　curious　workmanship　is　that　of　the　basket。　It　is　formed　of　cedar…bark　and　bear…grass；　so　closely　interwoven　that　it　is　water…tight；　without　the　aid　of　either　gum　or　resin。　The　form　is　generally　conic；　or　rather　the　segment　＇frustum＇　of　a　cone；　of　which　the　smaller　end　is　the　bottom　of　the　basket；　and　being　made　of　all　sizes；　from　that　of　the　smallest　cup　to　the　capacity　of　five　or　six　gallons；　they　answer　the　double　purpose　of　a　covering　for　the　head　or　to　contain　water。　Some　of　them　are　highly　ornamented　with　strands　of　bear…grass；　woven　into　figures　of　various　colors；　which　require　great　labor；　yet　they　are　made　very　expeditiously　and　sold　for　a　trifle。　It　is　for　the　construction　of　these　baskets　that　the　bear…grass　forms　an　article　of　considerable　traffic。　　It　grows　only　near　the　snowy　region　of　the　high　mountains；　the　blade；　which　is　two　feet　long　and　about　three…eighths　of　an　inch　wide；　is　smooth；　strong；　and　pliant；　the　young　blades　particularly；　from　their　not　being　exposed　to　the　sun　and　air；　have　an　appearance　of　great　neatness；　and　are　generally　preferred。　　Other　bags　and　baskets；　not　waterproof；　are　made　of　cedar…bark；　silk…grass；　rushes；　flags；　and　common　coarse　sedge；　for　the　use　of　families。　In　these　manufactures；　as　in　the　ordinary　work　of　the　house；　the　instrument　most　in　use　is　a　knife；　or　rather　a　dagger。　The　handle　of　it　is　small；　and　has　a　strong　loop　of　twine　for　the　thumb；　to　prevent　its　being　wrested　from　the　band。　On　each　side　is　a　blade；　double…edged　and　pointed；　the　longer　from　nine　to　ten　inches；　the　shorter　from　four　to　five。　This　knife　is　carried　habitually　in　the　hand；　sometimes　exposed；　but　mostly；　when　in　company　with　strangers；　is　put　under　the　robe。〃

Naturally；　all　of　the　Columbia　River　Indians　were　found　to　be　expert　in　the　building　and　handling　of　canoes。　Here　their　greatest　skill　was　employed。　　And；　it　may　be　added；　the　Indians　of　the　North　Pacific　coast　to…day　are　equally　adept　and　skilful。　　The　canoes　of　the　present　race　of　red　men　do　not　essentially　differ　from　those　of　the　tribes　described　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　and　who　are　now　extinct。　The　Indians　then　living　above　tide…water　built　canoes　of　smaller　size　than　those　employed　by　the　nations　farther　down　the　river。　The　canoes　of　the　Tillamooks　and　other　tribes　living　on　the　seacoast　were　upwards　of　fifty　feet　long；　and　would　carry　eight　or　ten　thousand　pounds'　weight；　or　twenty…five　or　thirty　persons。　These　were　constructed　from　the　trunk　of　a　single　tree；　usually　white　cedar。　　The　bow　and　stern　rose　much　higher　than　the　gunwale；　and　were　adorned　by　grotesque　figures　excellently　well　carved　and　fitted　to　pedestals　cut　in　the　solid　wood　of　the　canoe。　The　same　method　of　adornment　may　be　seen　among　the　aborigines　of　Alaska　and　other　regions　of　the　North　Pacific；　to…day。　The　figures　are　made　of　small　pieces　of　wood　neatly　fitted　together　by　inlaying　and　mortising；　without　any　spike　of　any　kind。　When　one　reflects　that　the　Indians　seen　by　Lewis　and　Clark　constructed　their　large　canoes　with　very　poor　tools；　it　is　impossible　to　withhold　one's　admiration　of　their　industry　and　patience。　The　journal　says：

〃Our　admiration　of　their　skill　in　these　curious　constructions　was　increased　by　observing　the　very　inadequate　implements　which　they　use。　These　Indians　possess　very　few　axes；　and　the　only　tool　they　employ；　from　felling　the　tree　to　the　delicate　workmanship　of　the　images；　is　a　chisel　made　of　an　old　file；　about　an　inch　or　an　inch　and　a　half　in　width。　Even　of　this；　too；　they　have　not　learned　the　proper　management；　for　the　chisel　is　sometimes　fixed　in　a　large　block　of　wood；　and；　being　held　in　the　right　hand；　the　block　is　pushed　with　the　left；　without　the　aid　of　a　mallet。　　But　under　all　these　disadvantages；　their　canoes；　which　one　would　suppose　to　be　the　work　of　years；　are　made　in　a　few　weeks。　A　canoe；　however；　is　very　highly　prized；　being　in　traffic　an　article　of　the　greatest　value　except　a　wife；　and　of　equal　value　with　her；　so　that　a　lover　generally　gives　a　canoe　to　the　father　in　exchange　for　his　daughter。　。　。　。

〃The　harmony　of　their　private　life　is　secured　by　their　ignorance　of　spirituous　liquors；　the　earliest　and　most　dreadful　present　which　civilization　has　given　to　the　other　natives　of　the　cont