first across the continent-第6章

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l　or　council…room　was　in　the　shape　of　three…quarters　of　a　circle；　covered　at　the　top　and　sides　with　skins　well　dressed　and　sewed　together。　Under　this　shelter　sat　about　seventy　men；　forming　a　circle　round　the　chief；　before　whom　were　placed　a　Spanish　flag　and　the　one　we　had　given　them　yesterday。　　This　left　a　vacant　circle　of　about　six　feet　diameter；　in　which　the　pipe　of　peace　was　raised　on　two　forked　sticks；　about　six　or　eight　inches　from　the　ground；　and　under　it　the　down　of　the　swan　was　scattered。　A　large　fire；　in　which　they　were　cooking　provisions；　stood　near；　and　in　the　centre　about　four　hundred　pounds　of　buffalo　meat　as　a　present　for　us。　As　soon　as　we　were　seated；　an　old　man　got　up；　and　after　approving　what　we　had　done；　begged　us　take　pity　on　their　unfortunate　situation。　To　this　we　replied　with　assurances　of　protection。　　After　he　had　ceased；　the　great　chief　rose　and　delivered　a　harangue　to　the　same　effect；　then　with　great　solemnity　he　took　some　of　the　most　delicate　parts　of　the　dog　which　was　cooked　for　the　festival；　and　held　it　to　the　flag　by　way　of　sacrifice；　this　done；　he　held　up　the　pipe　of　peace；　and　first　pointed　it　toward　the　heavens；　then　to　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe；　then　to　the　earth；　made　a　short　speech；　lighted　the　pipe；　and　presented　it　to　us。　We　smoked；　and　he　again　harangued　his　people；　after　which　the　repast　was　served　up　to　us。　　It　consisted　of　the　dog　which　they　had　just　been　cooking；　this　being　a　great　dish　among　the　Sioux；　and　used　on　all　festivals；　to　this　were　added　pemitigon；　a　dish　made　of　buffalo　meat；　dried　or　jerked；　and　then　pounded　and　mixed　raw　with　grease　and　a　kind　of　ground　potato；　dressed　like　the　preparation　of　Indian　corn　called　hominy；　to　which　it　is　little　inferior。　　Of　all　these　luxuries；　which　were　placed　before　us　in　platters　with　horn　spoons；　we　took　the　pemitigon　and　the　potato；　which　we　found　good；　but　we　could　as　yet　partake　but　sparingly　of　the　dog。〃

The　〃pemitigon〃　mentioned　here　is　better　known　as　pemmican；　a　sort　of　dried　meat；　which　may　be　eaten　as　prepared；　or　pounded　fine　and　cooked　with　other　articles　of　food。　This　festival　concluded　with　a　grand　dance；　which　at　midnight　wound　up　the　affair。

As　the　description　of　these　Tetons；　given　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　will　give　the　reader　a　good　idea　of　the　manners；　customs；　and　personal　appearance　of　most　of　the　Sioux　nation；　we　will　copy　the　journal　in　full。　It　is　as　follows：

〃The　tribe　which　we　this　day　saw　are　a　part　of　the　great　Sioux　nation；　and　are　known　by　the　name　of　the　Teton　Okandandas：　　they　are　about　two　hundred　men　in　number；　and　their　chief　residence　is　on　both　sides　of　the　Missouri；　between　the　Chayenne　and　Teton　Rivers。　　In　their　persons　they　are　rather　ugly　and　ill…made；　their　legs　and　arms　being　too　small；　their　cheek…bones　high；　and　their　eyes　projecting。　The　females；　with　the　same　character　of　form；　are　more　handsome；　and　both　sexes　appear　cheerful　and　sprightly；　but　in　our　intercourse　with　them　we　discovered　that　they　were　cunning　and　vicious。

〃The　men　shave　the　hair　off　their　heads；　except　a　small　tuft　on　the　top；　which　they　suffer　to　grow；　and　wear　in　plaits　over　the　shoulders；　to　this　they　seem　much　attached；　as　the　loss　of　it　is　the　usual　sacrifice　at　the　death　of　near　relations。　In　full　dress；　the　men　of　consideration　wear　a　hawk's　feather；　or　calumet　feather　worked　with　porcupine　quills；　and　fastened　to　the　top　of　the　head；　from　which　it　falls　back。　　The　face　and　body　are　generally　painted　with　a　mixture　of　grease　and　coal。　Over　the　shoulders　is　a　loose　robe　or　mantle　of　buffalo　skin　dressed　white；　adorned　with　porcupine　quills；　loosely　fixed；　so　as　to　make　a　jingling　noise　when　in　motion；　and　painted　with　various　uncouth　figures；　unintelligible　to　us；　but　to　them　emblematic　of　military　exploits　or　any　other　incident：　the　hair　of　the　robe　is　worn　next　the　skin　in　fair　weather；　but　when　it　rains　the　hair　is　put　outside；　and　the　robe　is　either　thrown　over　the　arm　or　wrapped　round　the　body；　all　of　which　it　may　cover。　　Under　this；　in　the　winter　season；　they　wear　a　kind　of　shirt　resembling　ours；　made　either　of　skin　or　cloth；　and　covering　the　arms　and　body。　Round　the　middle　is　fixed　a　girdle　of　cloth；　or　procured　dressed　elk…skin；　about　an　inch　in　width；　and　closely　tied　to　the　body；　to　this　is　attached　a　piece　of　cloth；　or　blanket；　or　skin；　about　a　foot　wide；　which　passes　between　the　legs；　and　is　tucked　under　the　girdle　both　before　and　behind。　From　the　hip　to　the　ankle　is　covered　by　leggins　of　dressed　antelope　skins；　with　seams　at　the　sides　two　inches　in　width；　and　ornamented　by　little　tufts　of　hair；　the　produce　of　the　scalps　they　have　made　in　war；　which　are　scattered　down　the　leg。　The　winter　moccasins　are　of　dressed　buffalo　skin；　the　hair　being　worn　inward；　and　soled　with　thick　elk…skin　parchment；　those　for　summer　are　of　deer　or　elk…skin；　dressed　without　the　hair；　and　with　soles　of　elk…skin。　On　great　occasions；　or　whenever　they　are　in　full　dress；　the　young　men　drag　after　them　the　entire　skin　of　a　polecat　fixed　to　the　heel　of　the　moccasin。　Another　skin　of　the　same　animal；　either　tucked　into　the　girdle　or　carried　in　the　hand；　serves　as　a　pouch　for　their　tobacco；　or　what　the　French　traders　call　bois　roule。＇1＇　This　is　the　inner　bark　of　a　species　of　red　willow；　which；　being　dried　in　the　sun　or　over　the　fire；　is；　rubbed　between　the　hands　and　broken　into　small　pieces；　and　used　alone　or　mixed　with　tobacco。　The　pipe　is　generally　of　red　earth；　the　stem　made　of　ash；　about　three　or　four　feet　long；　and　highly　decorated　with　feathers；　hair；　and　porcupine…quills。


＇1＇　This　is　bois　roule；　or　〃rolled　wood；〃　a　poor　kind　of　tobacco　rolled　with　various　kinds　of　leaves；　such　as　the　sumach　and　dogwood。　The　Indian　name　is　kinnikinick。

。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

〃While　on　shore　to…day　we　witnessed　a　quarrel　between　two　squaws；　which　appeared　to　be　growing　every　moment　more　boisterous；　when　a　man　came　forward；　at　whose　approach　every　one　seemed　terrified　and　ran。　He　took　the　squaws　and　without　any　ceremony　whipped　them　severely。　On　inquiring　into　the　nature　of　such　summary　justice；　we　learned　that　this　man　was　an　officer　well　known　to　this　and　many　other　tribes。　His　duty　is　to　keep　the　peace；　and　the　whole　interior　police　of　the　village　is　confided　to　two　or　three　of　these　officers；　who　are　named　by　the　chief　and　remain　in　power　some　days；　at　least　till　the　chief　appoints　a　successor。　They　seem　to　be　a　sort　of　constable　or　sentinel；　since　they　are　always　on　the　watch　to　keep　tranquillity　during　the　day　and　guard　the　camp　in　the　night。　The　short　duration　of　the　office　is　compensated　by　its　authority。　His　power　is　supreme；　and　in　the　suppression　of　any　riot　or　disturbance　no　resistance　to　him　is　suffered；　his　person　is　sacred；　and　if　in　the　execution　of　his　duty　he　strikes　even　a　chief　of　the　second　class；　he　cannot　be　punished　for　this　salutary　insolence。　In　general　he　accompanies　the　person　of　the　chief；　and　when　ordered　to　any　duty；　however　dangerous；　it　is　a　point　of　honor　rather　to　die　than　to　refuse　obedience。　　Thus；　when　they　attempted　to　stop　us　yesterday；　the　chief　ordered　one　of　these　men　to　take　possession　of　the　boat；　he　immediately　put　his　arms　around　the　mast；　and；　as　we　understood；　no　force　except　the　command　of　the　chief　would　have　induced　him　to　release　his　hold。　Like　the　other　men　his　body　is　blackened；　but　his　distinguishing　mark　is　a　collection　of　two　or　three　raven…skins　fixed　to　the　girdle　behind　the　back　in　such　a　way　that　the　tails　stick　out　horizontally　from　the　body。　On　his　head；　too；　is　a　raven…skin　split　into　two　parts；　and　tied　so　as　to　let　the　beak　project　from　the　forehead。〃

When　the　party　of　explorers　subsequently　made　ready　to　leave；　signs　of　reluctance　to　have　them　go　were　apparent　among　the　Indians。　　Finally；　several　of　the　chief　warriors　sat　on　the　rope　that　held　the　boat　to　the　shore。　　Irritated　by　this；　Captain　Lewis　got　ready　to　fire　upon　the　warriors；　but；　anxious　to　avoid　bloodshed；　he　gave　them　more　tobacco；　which　they　wanted；　and　then　said　to　the　chief；　〃You　have　told　us　that　you　were　a　great　man；　and　have　influence；　now　show　your　influence　by　taking　the　rope　from　those　men；　and　we　will　then　go　on　without　further　trouble。〃　This　appeal　to　the　chieftain's　pride　had　the　desired　effect。　The　warriors　were　compelled　to　give　up　the　rope；　which　was　delivered　on　board；　and　the　party　set　sail　with　a　fresh　breeze　from　the　southeast。

The　explorers　were　soon　out　of　the　country　of　the　Teton　Sioux　and　into　that　of　the　Ricaras；　or；　as　these　Indians　are　more　commonly　called；　the　Rickarees。

On　the　first　day　of　October　they　passed　the　mouth　of　a　river　incorrectly　known　as　Dog　River；　as　if　corrupted　from　the　French　word　chien。　But　the　true　name　is　Cheyenne；　from　the　Indians　who　bear　that　title。　The　stream　rises　in　the　region　called　the　Black　Mountains　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　on　account　of　the　great　quantity　of　dark　cedar　and　pine　trees　that　covered　the　hills。　　This　locality　is　now　known　as　the　Black　Hills；　in　the　midst　of　which　is　the　famous　mining　district　of　Deadwood。　　In　these　mountains；　according　to　Lewis　and　Clark；　were　to　be　found　〃great　quantities　of　goats；　white　bear；　prairie　cocks；　and　a　species　of　animal　which　resembled　a　small　elk；　with　large　circular　horns。〃　　By　the　〃white　bear〃　the　reader　must　understand　that　the　grizzly　bear　is　meant。　Although　this　animal；　which　was　first　discovered　and　described　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　is　commonly　referred　to　in　the　earlier　pages　of　the　journal　as　〃white；〃　the　error　naturally　came　from　a　desire　to　distinguish　it　from　the　black　and　the　cinnamon…colored　bears。　Afterwards；　the　journal　refers　to　this　formidable　creature　as　the　grizzly；　and　again　as　the　grisly。　　Certainly；　the　bear　was　a　grizzled　gray；　but　the　name　〃grisly；〃　that　is　to　say；　horrible；　or　frightful；　fitted　him　very　well。　　The　Latin　name；　ursus　horribilis　is　not　unlike　one　of　those　of　Lewis　and　Clark's　selection。　The　animals　with　circular　curled　horns；　which　the　explorers　thought　resembled　a　small　elk；　are　now　known　as　the　Rocky　Mountain　sheep；　or　bighorn。　　They　very　little　resemble　sheep；　however；　except　in　color；　head；　horns；　and　feet。　　They　are　now　so　scarce　as　to　be　almost　extinct。　They　were　among　the　discoveries　of　Lewis　and　Clark。　　The　prairie　cock　is　known　to　western　sportsmen　as　〃prairie　chicken；〃　it　is　a　species　of　grouse。

It　was　now　early　in　October；　and　the　weather　became　very　cool。　So　great　is　the　elevation　of　those　regions　that；　although　the　days　might　be　oppressively　warm；　the　nights　were　cold　and　white　frosts　were　frequent。　　Crossing　the　Rocky　Mountains　at　the　South　Pass；　far　south　of　Lewis　and　Clark's　route；　emigrants　who　suffered　from　intense　heat　during　the　middle　of　day　found　water　in　their　pails　frozen　solid　in　the　morning。

The　Rickarees　were　very　curious　and　inquisitive　regarding　the　white　men。　But　the　journal　adds：　　〃The　object　which　appeared　to　astonish　the　Indians　most　was　Captain　Clark's　servant　York；　a　remarkably　stout；　strong　negro。　They　had　never　seen　a　being　of　that　color；　and　therefore　flocked　round　him　to　examine　the　extraordinary　monster。　　By　way　of　amusement；　he　told　them　that　he　had　once　been　a　wild　animal；　and　been　caught　and　tamed　by　his　master；　and　to　convince　them；　showed　them　feats　of　strength　which；　added　to　his　looks；　made　him　more　terrible　than　we　wished　him　to　be。〃