first across the continent-第44章

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rm　and　himself　had　forbidden　him　to　use　them。　Twisted　Hair　made　no　reply　to　this　speech；　and　we　then　told　Neeshnepahkeeook　of　our　arrangement　for　the　next　day。　He　appeared　to　be　very　well　satisfied；　and　said　he　would　himself　go　with　us　to　Broken　Arm；　who　expected　to　see　us；　and　had　TWO　BAD　HORSES　FOR　US；　by　which　expression　we　understood　that　Broken　Arm　intended　to　make　us　a　present　of　two　horses。〃

Next　day；　the　party　reached　the　house　of　Twisted…hair；　and　began　to　look　for　their　horses　and　saddles。　　The　journal　gives　this　account　of　the　search：

〃Late　in　the　afternoon；　Twisted…hair　returned　with　about　half　the　saddles　we　had　left　in　the　autumn；　and　some　powder　and　lead　which　were　buried　at　the　same　place。　　Soon　after；　the　Indians　brought　us　twenty…one　of　our　horses；　the　greater　part　of　which　were　in　excellent　order；　though　some　had　not　yet　recovered　from　hard　usage；　and　three　had　sore　backs。　We　were；　however；　very　glad　to　procure　them　in　any　condition。　Several　Indians　came　down　from　the　village　of　Tunnachemootoolt　and　passed　the　night　with　us。　　Cut…nose　and　Twisted…hair　seem　now　perfectly　reconciled；　for　they　both　slept　in　the　house　of　the　latter。　The　man　who　had　imposed　himself　upon　us　as　a　brother　of　Twisted…hair　also　came　and　renewed　his　advances；　but　we　now　found　that　he　was　an　impertinent；　proud　fellow；　of　no　respectability　in　the　nation；　and　we　therefore　felt　no　inclination　to　cultivate　his　intimacy。　Our　camp　was　in　an　open　plain；　and　soon　became　very　uncomfortable；　for　the　wind　was　high　and　cold；　and　the　rain　and　hail；　which　began　about　seven　o'clock；　changed　in　two　hours　to　a　heavy　fall　of　snow；　which　continued　till　after　six　o'clock　＇May　10th＇；　the　next　morning；　when　it　ceased；　after　covering　the　ground　eight　inches　deep　and　leaving　the　air　keen　and　cold。　　We　soon　collected　our　horses；　and　after　a　scanty　breakfast　of　roots　set　out　on　a　course　S。　35'0　E。〃

They　were　now　following　the　general　course　of　the　Kooskooskee；　or　Clearwater；　as　the　stream　is　called；　and　their　route　lay　in　what　is　now　Nez　Perce　County；　Idaho。　　They　have　passed　the　site　of　the　present　city　of　Lewiston；　named　for　Captain　Lewis。　　They　have　arrived　in　a　region　inhabited　by　the　friendly　Chopunnish；　or　Nez　Perce；　several　villages　of　which　nation　were　scattered　around　the　camp　of　the　white　men。　The　narrative　says：

〃We　soon　collected　the　men　of　consideration；　and　after　smoking；　explained　how　destitute　we　were　of　provisions。　　The　chief　spoke　to　the　people；　who　immediately　brought　two　bushels　of　dried　quamash…roots；　some　cakes　of　the　roots　of　cows；　and　a　dried　salmon…trout；　we　thanked　them　for　this　supply；　but　observed　that；　not　being　accustomed　to　live　on　roots　alone；　we　feared　that　such　diet　might　make　our　men　sick；　and　therefore　proposed　to　exchange　one　of　our　good　horses；　which　was　rather　poor；　for　one　that　was　fatter；　and　which　we　might　kill。　The　hospitality　of　the　chief　was　offended　at　the　idea　of　an　exchange；　he　observed　that　his　people　had　an　abundance　of　young　horses；　and　that　if　we　were　disposed　to　use　that　food　we　might　have　as　many　as　we　wanted。　　Accordingly；　they　soon　gave　us　two　fat　young　horses；　without　asking　anything　in　return；　an　act　of　liberal　hospitality　much　greater　than　any　we　have　witnessed　since　crossing　the　Rocky　Mountains；　if　it　be　not　in　fact　the　only　really　hospitable　treatment　we　have　received　in　this　part　of　the　world。　　We　killed　one　of　the　horses；　and　then　telling　the　natives　that　we　were　fatigued　and　hungry；　and　that　as　soon　as　we　were　refreshed　we　would　communicate　freely　with　them；　began　to　prepare　our　repast。

〃During　this　time　a　principal　chief；　called　Hohastillpilp；　came　from　his　village；　about　six　miles　distant；　with　a　party　of　fifty　men；　for　the　purpose　of　visiting　us。　　We　invited　him　into　our　circle；　and　he　alighted　and　smoked　with　us；　while　his　retinue；　with　five　elegant　horses；　continued　mounted　at　a　short　distance。　While　this　was　going　on；　the　chief　had　a　large　leathern　tent　spread　for　us；　and　desired　that　we　would　make　it　our　home　so　long　as　we　remained　at　his　village。　　We　removed　there；　and　having　made　a　fire；　and　cooked　our　supper　of　horseflesh　and　roots；　collected　all　the　distinguished　men　present；　and　spent　the　evening　in　making　known　who　we　were；　what　were　the　objects　of　our　journey；　and　in　answering　their　inquiries。　To　each　of　the　chiefs　Tunnachemootoolt　and　Hohastillpilp　we　gave　a　small　medal；　explaining　their　use　and　importance　as　honorary　distinctions　both　among　the　whites　and　the　red　men。　Our　men　were　well　pleased　at　once　more　having　made　a　hearty　meal。　They　had　generally　been　in　the　habit　of　crowding　into　the　houses　of　the　Indians；　to　purchase　provisions　on　the　best　terms　they　could；　for　the　inhospitality　of　the　country　was　such；　that　often；　in　the　extreme　of　hunger；　they　were　obliged　to　treat　the　natives　with　but　little　ceremony；　but　this　Twisted　Hair　had　told　us　was　very　disagreeable。　Finding　that　these　people　are　so　kind　and　liberal；　we　ordered　our　men　to　treat　them　with　the　greatest　respect；　and　not　to　throng　round　their　fires；　so　that　they　now　agree　perfectly　well　together。　After　the　council　the　Indians　felt　no　disposition　to　retire；　and　our　tent　was　filled　with　them　all　night。〃

As　the　expedition　was　here　in　a　populous　country；　among　many　bands　of　Indians；　it　was　thought　wise　to　have　a　powwow　with　the　head　men　and　explain　to　them　what　were　the　intentions　of　the　United　States　Government。　　But；　owing　to　the　crooked　course　which　their　talk　must　needs　take；　it　was　very　difficult　to　learn　if　the　Indians　finally　understood　what　was　said。　Here　is　the　journal's　account　of　the　way　in　which　the　powwow　was　conducted：

〃We　collected　the　chiefs　and　warriors；　and　having　drawn　a　map　of　the　relative　situation　of　our　country　on　a　mat　with　a　piece　of　coal；　detailed　the　nature　and　power　of　the　American　nation；　its　desire　to　preserve　harmony　between　all　its　red　brethren；　and　its　intention　of　establishing　trading…houses　for　their　relief　and　support。　　It　was　not　without　difficulty；　nor　till　after　nearly　half　the　day　was　spent；　that　we　were　able　to　convey　all　this　information　to　the　Chopunnish；　much　of　which　might　have　been　lost　or　distorted　in　its　circuitous　route　through　a　variety　of　languages；　for　in　the　first　place；　we　spoke　in　English　to　one　of　our　men；　who　translated　it　into　French　to　Chaboneau；　he　interpreted　it　to　his　wife　in　the　Minnetaree　language；　she　then　put　it　into　Shoshonee；　and　the　young　Shoshonee　prisoner　explained　it　to　the　Chopunnish　in　their　own　dialect。　At　last　we　succeeded　in　communicating　the　impression　we　wished；　and　then　adjourned　the　council；　after　which　we　amused　them　by　showing　the　wonders　of　the　compass；　spy…glass；　magnet；　watch；　and　air…gun；　each　of　which　attracted　its　share　of　admiration。〃

The　simple…minded　Indians；　who　seemed　to　think　that　the　white　men　could　heal　all　manner　of　diseases；　crowded　around　them　next　day；　begging　for　medicines　and　treatment。　　These　were　freely　given；　eye…water　being　most　in　demand。　　There　was　a　general　medical　powwow。　The　journal　adds：

〃Shortly　after；　the　chiefs　and　warriors　held　a　council　among　themselves；　to　decide　on　an　answer　to　our　speech；　and　the　result　was；　as　we　were　informed；　that　they　had　full　confidence　in　what　we　had　told　them；　and　were　resolved　to　follow　our　advice。　　This　determination　having　been　made；　the　principal　chief；　Tunnachemootoolt；　took　a　quantity　of　flour　of　the　roots　of　cow…weed　＇cowas＇；　and　going　round　to　all　the　kettles　and　baskets　in　which　his　people　were　cooking；　thickened　the　soup　into　a　kind　of　mush。　　He　then　began　an　harangue；　setting　forth　the　result　of　the　deliberations　among　the　chiefs；　and　after　exhorting　them　to　unanimity；　concluded　with　an　invitation　to　all　who　acquiesced　in　the　proceedings　of　the　council　to　come　and　eat；　while　those　who　were　of　a　different　mind　were　requested　to　show　their　dissent　by　not　partaking　of　the　feast。　　During　this　animated　harangue；　the　women；　who　were　probably　uneasy　at　the　prospect　of　forming　this　proposed　new　connection　with　strangers；　tore　their　hair；　and　wrung　their　hands　with　the　greatest　appearance　of　distress。　But　the　concluding　appeal　of　the　orator　effectually　stopped　the　mouths　of　every　malecontent；　and　the　proceedings　were　ratified；　and　the　mush　devoured　with　the　most　zealous　unanimity。

〃The　chiefs　and　warriors　then　came　in　a　body　to　visit　us　as　we　were　seated　near　our　tent；　and　at　their　instance；　two　young　men；　one　of　whom　was　a　son　of　Tunnachemootoolt；　and　the　other　the　youth　whose　father　had　been　killed　by　the　Pahkees；　presented　to　us　each　a　fine　horse。　We　invited　the　chiefs　to　be　seated；　and　gave　every　one　of　them　a　flag；　a　pound　of　powder；　and　fifty　balls；　and　a　present　of　the　same　kind　to　the　young　men　from　whom　we　had　received　the　horses。　They　then　invited　us　into　the　tent；　and　said　that　they　now　wished　to　answer　what　we　had　told　them　yesterday；　but　that　many　of　their　people　were　at　that　moment　waiting　in　great　pain　for　our　medical　assistance。〃

It　was　agreed；　therefore；　that　Captain　Clark；　who　seems　to　have　been　their　favorite　physician；　should　attend　to　the　sick　and　lame；　while　Captain　Lewis　should　conduct　a　council　with　the　chiefs　and　listen　to　what　they　had　to　say。　　The　upshot　of　the　powwow　was　that　the　Chopunnish　said　they　had　sent　three　of　their　warriors　with　a　pipe　to　make　peace　with　the　Shoshonees；　last　summer；　as　they　had　been　advised　to　do　by　the　white　men。　　The　Shoshonees；　unmindful　of　the　sacredness　of　this　embassy；　had　killed　the　young　warriors　and　had　invited　the　battle　which　immediately　took　place；　in　which　the　Chopunnish　killed　forty…two　of　the　Shoshonees；　to　get　even　for　the　wanton　killing　of　their　three　young　men。　The　white　men　now　wanted　some　of　the　Chopunnish　to　accompany　them　to　the　plains　of　the　Missouri；　but　the　Indians　were　not　willing　to　go　until　they　were　assured　that　they　would　not　be　waylaid　and　slain　by　their　enemies　of　the　other　side　of　the　mountains。　The　Chopunnish　would　think　over　the　proposal　that　some　of　their　young　men　should　go　over　the　range　with　the　white　men；　a　decision　on　this　point　should　be　reached　before　the　white　men　left　the　country。　　Anyhow；　the　white　men　might　be　sure　that　the　Indians　would　do　their　best　to　oblige　their　visitors。　Their　conclusion　was；　〃For；　although　we　are　poor；　our　hearts　are　good。〃　The　story　of　this　conference　thus　concludes：

〃As　soon　as　this　speech　was　concluded；　Captain　Lewis　replied　at　some　length；　with　this　they　appeared　highly　gratified；　and　after　smoking　the　pipe；　made　us　a　present　of　another　fat　horse　for　food。　　We；　in　turn；　gave　Broken…arm　a　phial　of　eye…water；　with　directions　to　wash　the　eyes　of　all　who　should　apply　for　it；　and　as　we　promised　to　fill　it　again　when　it　was　exhausted；　he　seemed　very　much　pleased　with　our　liberality。　To　Twisted…hair；　who　had　last　night　collected　six　more　horses；　we　gave　a　gun；　one　hundred　balls；　and　two　pounds　of　powder；　and　told　him　he　should　have　the　same　quantity　when　we　received　the　remainder　of　our　horses。　In　the　course　of　the　day　three　more　of　them　were　brought　in；　and　a　fresh　exchange　of　small　presents　put　the　Indians　in　excellent　humor。　On　our　expressing　a　wish　to　cross　the　river　and　form　a　camp；　in　order　to　hunt　and　fish　till　the　snows　had　melted；　they　recommended　a　position　a　few　miles　distant；　and　promised　to　furnish　us　to…morrow　with　a　canoe　to　cross