first across the continent-第52章

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l　landed　shot　it　in　the　head。　　It　proved　to　be　the　largest　female　they　had　ever　seen；　and　was　so　old　that　its　tusks　were　worn　quite　smooth。　The　boats　escaped　with　difficulty　between　two　herds　of　buffalo　that　were　crossing　the　river；　and　came　near　being　again　detained　by　them。　Among　the　elk　of　this　neighborhood　they　saw　an　unusual　number　of　males；　while　higher　up　the　herds　consisted　chiefly　of　females。〃

It　is　almost　incredible　that　these　wild　animals　should　have　been　so　nearly　exterminated　by　hunters　and　other　rovers　of　the　plains；　very　soon　after　travel　set　in　across　the　continent。　　The　writer　of　these　lines；　who　crossed　the　plains　to　California　so　lately　as　1856；　saw　buffalo　killed　for　the　sake　of　their　tongues；　or　to　give　rifle　practice　to　the　wayfarers。　　After　the　overland　railroad　was　opened；　passengers　shot　buffalo　from　the　car…windows；　well　knowing　that　they　could　not　get　their　game；　even　if　they　should　kill　as　they　flew　by　a　herd。　There　are　no　buffalo　nor　elk　where　millions　once　roamed　almost　unmolested。

Early　in　the　afternoon　of　August　3；　the　party　reached　the　junction　of　the　Yellowstone　and　the　Missouri；　and　camped　on　the　same　spot　where　they　had　pitched　their　tents　on　the　26th　of　April；　1805。　They　were　nearing　the　end　of　their　long　journey。

But　their　troubles　thickened　as　they　drew　near　the　close　of　their　many　miles　of　travel。　　The　journal　for　August　4　has　this　record：

〃The　camp　became　absolutely　uninhabitable　in　consequence　of　the　multitude　of　mosquitoes；　the　men　could　not　work　in　preparing　skins　for　clothing；　nor　hunt　in　the　timbered　low　grounds；　there　was　no　mode　of　escape；　except　by　going　on　the　sand…bars　in　the　river；　where；　if　the　wind　should　blow；　the　insects　do　not　venture；　but　when　there　is　no　wind；　and　particularly　at　night；　when　the　men　have　no　covering　except　their　worn…out　blankets；　the　pain　they　suffer　is　scarcely　to　be　endured。　There　was　also　a　want　of　meat；　for　no　buffalo　were　to　be　found；　and　though　elk　are　very　abundant；　yet　their　fat　and　flesh　is　more　difficult　to　dry　in　the　sun；　and　is　also　much　more　easily　spoiled　than　the　meat　or　fat　of　either　deer　or　buffalo。

〃Captain　Clark　therefore　determined　to　go　on　to　some　spot　which　should　be　free　from　mosquitoes　and　furnish　more　game。　　Having　written　a　note　to　Captain　Lewis；　to　inform　him　of　his　intention；　and　stuck　it　on　a　pole　at　the　confluence　of　the　two　rivers；　he　loaded　the　canoes　at　five　in　the　afternoon；　proceeded　down　the　river　to　the　second　point；　and　camped　on　a　sand…bar；　but　here　the　mosquitoes　seemed　to　be　even　more　numerous　than　above。　The　face　of　the　Indian　child　was　considerably　puffed　up　and　swollen　with　their　bites；　the　men　could　procure　scarcely　any　sleep　during　the　night；　and　the　insects　continued　to　harass　them　next　morning；　as　they　proceeded。　On　one　occasion　Captain　Clark　went　on　shore　and　ascended　a　hill　after　one　of　the　bighorns；　but　the　mosquitoes　were　in　such　multitudes　that　he　could　not　keep　them　from　the　barrel　of　his　rifle　long　enough　to　take　aim。　About　ten　o'clock；　however；　a　light　breeze　sprung　up　from　the　northwest；　and　dispersed　them　in　some　degree。　　Captain　Clark　then　landed　on　a　sand…bar；　intending　to　wait　for　Captain　Lewis；　and　went　out　to　hunt。　But　not　finding　any　buffalo；　he　again　proceeded　in　the　afternoon；　and　having　killed　a　large　white　bear；　camped　under　a　high　bluff　exposed　to　a　light　breeze　from　the　southwest；　which　blew　away　the　mosquitoes。　About　eleven　o'clock；　however；　the　wind　became　very　high　and　a　storm　of　rain　came　on；　which　lasted　for　two　hours；　accompanied　with　sharp　lightning　and　loud　peals　of　thunder。

〃The　party　rose；　next　day；　very　wet；　and　proceeded　to　a　sand…bar　below　the　entrance　of　Whiteearth　River。　　Just　above　this　place　the　Indians；　apparently　within　seven；　or　eight　days　past；　had　been　digging　a　root　which　they　employ　in　making　a　kind　of　soup。　　Having　fixed　their　tents；　the　men　were　employed　in　dressing　skins　and　hunting。　They　shot　a　number　of　deer；　but　only　two　of　them　were　fat；　owing　probably　to　the　great　quantities　of　mosquitoes　which　annoy　them　while　feeding。〃

On　the　eleventh　of　August　the　Clark　party　came　up　with　the　two　white　traders　from　Illinois；　of　whom　we　have　already　made　mention　as　having　been　met　by　the　Lewis　party　on　their　way　down　the　river。　These　were　the　first　white　men　they　had　seen　（except　themselves）　since　they　parted　with　the　three　French　trappers；　near　the　Little　Missouri；　in　April；　1805；　From　them　the　wayworn　voyagers　received　the　latest　news　from　the　United　States。　　From　them　they　also　had　some　unfavorable　tidings。　The　journal　says：

〃These　men　had　met　the　boat　which　we　had　despatched　from　Fort　Mandan；　on　board　of　which；　they　were　told；　was　a　Ricara　chief　on　his　way　to　Washington；　and　also　another　party　of　Yankton　chiefs；　accompanying　Mr。　Durion　on　a　visit　of　the　same　kind。　　We　were　sorry　to　learn　that　the　Mandans　and　Minnetarees　were　at　war　with　the　Ricaras；　and　had　killed　two　of　them。　The　Assiniboins　too　are　at　war　with　the　Mandans。　　They　have；　in　consequence；　prohibited　the　Northwestern　Company　from　trading　to　the　Missouri；　and　even　killed　two　of　their　traders　near　Mouse　River；　they　are　now　lying　in　wait　for　Mr。　McKenzie　of　the　Northwestern　Company；　who　has　been　for　a　long　time　among　the　Minnetarees。　　These　appearances　are　rather　unfavorable　to　our　project　of　carrying　some　of　the　chiefs　to　the　United　States；　but　we　still　hope　that；　by　effecting　a　peace　between　the　Mandans；　Minnetarees；　and　Ricaras；　the　views　of　our　Government　may　be　accomplished。〃

Next　day；　August　12；　1806；　the　party；　slowly　descending　the　river；　were　overjoyed　to　see　below　them　the　little　flotilla　of　Captain　Lewis　and　his　men。　But　they　were　alarmed　when　they　discovered　that　Lewis　was　not　with　them；　as　the　boats　landed　at　the　shore；　the　captain　was　not　to　be　seen。　Captain　Clark's　party；　on　coming　up　with　their　friends；　were　told　that　Lewis　was　lying　in　the　pirogue；　having　been　accidentally　wounded。　The　whole　party　were　now　happily　reunited；　and　they　were　soon　joined　by　the　two　Illinois　traders　whom　they　had　met　up　the　river；　these　men　wished　to　accompany　the　expedition　down　the　river　as　far　as　the　Mandan　nation；　for　the　purpose　of　trading；　they　were　more　secure　with　a　large　party　of　white　men　than　they　would　be　if　left　to　themselves。



Chapter　XXVI

The　End　of　a　Long　Journey

The　reunited　party　now　set　out　for　the　lower　river　and　proceeded　rapidly　down…stream；　favored　with　a　good　wind。　　They　made　eighty…six　miles　on　the　first　day；　passing　the　mouth　of　the　Little　Missouri　early　in　the　forenoon；　and　camping　at　Miry　River；　on　the　northeast　side　of　the　Missouri。　　On　the　second　day　they　arrived　at　the　principal　village　of　the　Minnetarees；　where　they　were　received　with　cordial　welcome　by　their　old　friends。　The　explorers　fired　their　blunderbuss　several　times　by　way　of　salute；　and　the　Indian　chiefs　expressed　their　satisfaction　at　the　safe　return　of　the　white　men。　　One　of　the　Minnetaree　chiefs；　however；　wept　bitterly　at　the　sight　of　the　whites；　and　it　was　explained　by　his　friends　that　their　coming　reminded　him　of　the　death　of　his　son；　who　had　been　lately　killed　by　the　Blackfoot　Indians。

Arriving　at　the　village　of　the　Mandans；　of　which　Black　Cat　was　the　chief；　a　council　was　called；　and　the　chiefs　of　the　expedition　endeavored　to　persuade　some　of　the　leading　men　of　the　tribe　to　accompany　them　to　Washington　to　see　〃the　Great　Father。〃　　Black　Cat　expressed　his　strong　desire　to　visit　the　United　States　and　see　the　Great　Father；　but　he　was　afraid　of　the　Sioux；　their　ancient　enemies；　through　whose　territory　they　must　pass　on　their　way　down　to　the　white　man's　country。　This　chief；　it　will　be　recollected；　was　given　a　flag　and　a　medal　by　the　two　captains　when　they　passed　up　the　river　on　their　way　to　the　Rocky　Mountains　and　the　Pacific　coast。　The　flag　was　now　brought　on　and　hoisted　on　the　lodge　of　Black　Cat。　　On　that　occasion；　also；　the　commanders　of　the　expedition　had　given　the　Indians　a　number　of　useful　articles；　among　them　being　a　portable　corn…mill。　But　the　Indians　had　other　uses　for　metal；　and　they　had　taken　the　mill　apart　and　used　the　iron　for　the　purpose　of　making　barbs　for　their　arrows。　From　the　Omahas；　who　were　located　here；　the　white　men　received　a　present　of　as　much　corn　as　three　men　could　carry。　Black　Cat　also　gave　them　a　dozen　bushels　of　corn。

Their　days　of　starvation　and　famine　were　over。　　They　were　next　visited　by　Le　Borgne；　better　known　as　One…eye；　the　head　chief　of　all　the　Minnetarees；　to　whom　Lewis　and　Clark　also　extended　an　invitation　to　go　to　Washington　to　see　the　Great　Father。　　The　journal　says：

〃Le　Borgne　began　by　declaring　that　he　much　desired　to　visit　his　Great　Father；　but　that　the　Sioux　would　certainly　kill　any　of　the　Mandans　who　should　attempt　to　go　down　the　river。　They　were　bad　people；　and　would　not　listen　to　any　advice。　When　he　saw　us　last；　we　had　told　him　that　we　had　made　peace　with　all　the　nations　below；　yet　the　Sioux　had　since　killed　eight　of　his　tribe；　and　stolen　a　number　of　their　horses。　The　Ricaras　too　had　stolen　their　horses；　and　in　the　contest　his　people　had　killed　two　of　the　Ricaras。　　Yet　in　spite　of　these　dispositions　he　had　always　had　his　ears　open　to　our　counsels；　and　had　actually　made　a　peace　with　the　Chayennes　and　the　Indians　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　He　concluded　by　saying；　that　however　disposed　they　were　to　visit　the　United　States；　the　fear　of　the　Sioux　would　prevent　them　from　going　with　us。〃

The　truth　was　that　One…eye　had　no　notion　of　going　to　Washington；　he　was　afraid　of　nobody；　and　his　plea　of　possible　danger　among　the　Sioux　was　mere　nonsense　to　deceive　the　white　men。　Captain　Clark　visited　the　village　of　Black　Cat；　and　that　worthy　savage　made　the　same　excuse　that　Le　Borgne　（One…eye）　had　already　put　forth；　he　was　afraid　of　the　Sioux。　　The　journal　adds：

〃Captain　Clark　then　spoke　to　the　chiefs　and　warriors　of　the　village。　He　told　them　of　his　anxiety　that　some　of　them　should　see　their　Great　Father；　hear　his　good　words；　and　receive　his　gifts；　and　requested　them　to　fix　on　some　confidential　chief　who　might　accompany　us。　To　this　they　made　the　same　objections　as　before；　till　at　length　a　young　man　offered　to　go；　and　the　warriors　all　assented　to　it。　But　the　character　of　this　man　was　known　to　be　bad；　and　one　of　the　party　with　Captain　Clark　informed　him　that　at　the　moment　he　＇this　Indian＇　had　in　his　possession　a　knife　which　he　had　stolen。　Captain　Clark　therefore　told　the　chief　of　this　theft；　and　ordered　the　knife　to　be　given　up。　　This　was　done　with　a　poor　apology　for　having　it　in　his　possession；　and　Captain　Clark　then　reproached　the　chiefs　for　wishing　to　send　such　a　fellow　to　see　and　hear　so　distinguished　a　person　as　their　Great　Father。　　They　all　hung　down　their　heads　for　some　time；　till　Black　Cat　apologized　by　saying　that　the　danger　was　such　that　they　were　afraid　of　sending　any　one　of　their　chiefs；　as　they　considered　his　loss　almost　inevitable。〃

Although　there　was　so　much　reluctance　on　the　part　of　the　Indians　to　leave　their　roving　life；　even　for　a　few　months；　there　were　some　white　men　among　the　explorers　who　were　willing　to　give　up　their　home　in　〃the　States。〃　　The　journal　says：

〃In　the　evening　Colter　applied　to　us　for　permission　to　join　the　two　trappers　who　had　accompanied　us；　and　who　now　proposed　an　expedition　up　the　river；　in　which　they　were　to　find　trap