first across the continent-第7章

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them　feats　of　strength　which；　added　to　his　looks；　made　him　more　terrible　than　we　wished　him　to　be。〃

〃On　October　10th；〃　says　the　journal；　〃the　weather　was　fine；　and　as　we　were　desirous　of　assembling　the　whole　nation　at　once；　we　despatched　Mr。　Gravelines　（a　trader）who；　with　Mr。　Tabeau；　another　French　trader；　had　breakfasted　with　usto　invite　the　chiefs　of　the　two　upper　villages　to　a　conference。　They　all　assembled　at　one　o'clock；　and　after　the　usual　ceremonies　we　addressed　them　in　the　same　way　in　which　we　had　already　spoken　to　the　Ottoes　and　Sioux。　　We　then　made　or　acknowledged　three　chiefs；　one　for　each　of　the　three　villages；　giving　to　each　a　flag；　a　medal；　a　red　coat；　a　cocked　hat　and　feather；　also　some　goods；　paint　and　tobacco；　which　they　divided　among　themselves。　After　this　the　air…gun　was　exhibited；　very　much　to　their　astonishment；　nor　were　they　less　surprised　at　the　color　and　manner　of　York。　　On　our　side　we　were　equally　gratified　at　discovering　that　these　Ricaras　made　use　of　no　spirituous　liquors　of　any　kind；　the　example　of　the　traders　who　bring　it　to　them；　so　far　from　tempting；　having　in　fact　disgusted　them。　Supposing　that　it　was　as　agreeable　to　them　as　to　the　other　Indians；　we　had　at　first　offered　them　whiskey；　but　they　refused　it　with　this　sensible　remark；　that　they　were　surprised　that　their　father　should　present　to　them　a　liquor　which　would　make　them　fools。　On　another　occasion　they　observed　to　Mr。　Tabeau　that　no　man　could　be　their　friend　who　tried　to　lead　them　into　such　follies。〃

Presents　were　exchanged　by　the　Indians　and　the　white　men；　among　the　gifts　from　the　former　was　a　quantity　of　a　large；　rich　bean；　which　grows　wild　and　is　collected　by　mice。　The　Indians　hunt　for　the　mice's　deposits　and　cook　and　eat　them。　The　Rickarees　had　a　grand　powwow　with　the　white　chiefs　and；　after　accepting　presents；　agreed　to　preserve　peace　with　all　men；　red　or　white。　　On　the　thirteenth　of　the　month　the　explorers　discovered　a　stream　which　they　named　Stone…Idol　Creek；　on　account　of　two　stones；　resembling　human　figures；　which　adorn　its　banks。　　The　creek　is　now　known　as　Spring　River；　and　is　in　Campbell　County；　South　Dakota。　　Concerning　the　stone　images　the　Indians　gave　this　tradition：

〃A　young　man　was　deeply　enamoured　with　a　girl　whose　parents　refused　their　consent　to　the　marriage。　　The　youth　went　out　into　the　fields　to　mourn　his　misfortunes；　a　sympathy　of　feeling　led　the　lady　to　the　same　spot；　and　the　faithful　dog　would　not　cease　to　follow　his　master。　After　wandering　together　and　having　nothing　but　grapes　to　subsist　on；　they　were　at　last　converted　into　stone；　which；　beginning　at　the　feet；　gradually　invaded　the　nobler　parts；　leaving　nothing　unchanged　but　a　bunch　of　grapes　which　the　female　holds　in　her　hand　to　this　day。　Whenever　the　Ricaras　pass　these　sacred　stones；　they　stop　to　make　some　offering　of　dress　to　propitiate　these　deities。　　Such　is　the　account　given　by　the　Ricara　chief；　which　we　had　no　mode　of　examining；　except　that　we　found　one　part　of　the　story　very　agreeably　confirmed；　for　on　the　river　near　where　the　event　is　said　to　have　occurred　we　found　a　greater　abundance　of　fine　grapes　than　we　had　yet　seen。〃

While　at　their　last　camp　in　the　country　now　known　as　South　Dakota；　October　14；　1804；　one　of　the　soldiers；　tried　by　a　court…martial　for　mutinous　conduct；　was　sentenced　to　receive　seventy…five　lashes　on　the　bare　back。　The　sentence　was　carried　out　then　and　there。　　The　Rickaree　chief；　who　accompanied　the　party　for　a　time；　was　so　affected　by　the　sight　that　he　cried　aloud　during　the　whole　proceeding。　　When　the　reasons　for　the　punishment　were　explained　to　him；　he　acknowledged　the　justice　of　the　sentence；　but　said　he　would　have　punished　the　offender　with　death。　His　people；　he　added；　never　whip　even　their　children　at　any　age　whatever。

On　the　eighteenth　of　October；　the　party　reached　Cannonball　River；　which　rises　in　the　Black　Hills　and　empties　in　the　Missouri　in　Morton　County；　North　Dakota。　　Its　name　is　derived　from　the　perfectly　round；　smooth；　black　stones　that　line　its　bed　and　shores。　Here　they　saw　great　numbers　of　antelope　and　herds　of　buffalo；　and　of　elk。　　They　killed　six　fallow　deer；　and　next　day　they　counted　fifty…two　herds　of　buffalo　and　three　herds　of　elk　at　one　view；　they　also　observed　deer；　wolves；　and　pelicans　in　large　numbers。

The　ledges　in　the　bluffs　along　the　river　often　held　nests　of　the　calumet　bird；　or　golden　eagle。　　These　nests；　which　are　apparently　resorted　to；　year　after　year；　by　the　same　pair　of　birds；　are　usually　out　of　reach；　except　by　means　of　ropes　by　which　the　hunters　are　let　down　from　the　cliffs　overhead。　The　tail…feathers　of　the　bird　are　twelve　in　number；　about　a　foot　long；　and　are　pure　white　except　at　the　tip；　which　is　jet…black。　So　highly　prized　are　these　by　the　Indians　that　they　have　been　known　to　exchange　a　good　horse　for　two　feathers。

The　party　saw　here　a　great　many　elk；　deer；　antelope；　and　buffalo；　and　these　last　were　dogged　along　their　way　by　wolves　who　follow　them　to　feed　upon　those　that　die　by　accident；　or　are　too　weak　to　keep　up　with　the　herd。　Sometimes　the　wolves　would　pounce　upon　a　calf；　too　young　and　feeble　to　trot　with　the　other　buffalo；　and　although　the　mother　made　an　effort　to　save　her　calf；　the　creature　was　left　to　the　hungry　wolves；　the　herd　moving　along　without　delay。

On　the　twenty…first　of　October；　the　explorers　reached　a　creek　to　which　the　Indians　gave　the　name　of　Chisshetaw；　now　known　as　Heart　River；　which；　rising　in　Stark　County；　North　Dakota；　and　running　circuitously　through　Morton　County；　empties　into　the　Missouri　opposite　the　city　of　Bismarck。　　At　this　point　the　Northern　Pacific　Railway　now　crosses　the　Missouri；　and　here；　where　is　built　the　capital　of　North　Dakota；　began；　in　those　days；　a　series　of　Mandan　villages；　with　the　people　of　which　the　explorers　were　to　become　tolerably　well　acquainted；　for　it　had　been　decided　that　the　increasing　cold　of　the　weather　would　compel　them　to　winter　in　this　region。　But　they　were　as　yet　uncertain　as　to　the　exact　locality　at　which　they　would　build　their　camp　of　winter。　　Here　they　met　one　of　the　grand　chiefs　of　the　Mandans；　who　was　on　a　hunting　excursion　with　his　braves。　This　chief　greeted　with　much　ceremony　the　Rickaree　chief　who　accompanied　the　exploring　party。　　The　Mandans　and　Rickarees　were　ancient　enemies；　but；　following　the　peaceful　councils　of　the　white　men；　the　chiefs　professed　amity　and　smoked　together　the　pipe　of　peace。　A　son　of　the　Mandan　chief　was　observed　to　have　lost　both　of　his　little　fingers；　and　when　the　strangers　asked　how　this　happened；　they　were　told　that　the　fingers　had　been　cut　off　（according　to　the　Mandan　custom）　to　show　the　grief　of　the　young　man　at　the　loss　of　some　of　his　relations。



Chapter　VI

Winter　among　the　Mandans

Before　finally　selecting　the　spot　on　which　to　build　their　winter　quarters；　Lewis　and　Clark　held　councils　with　the　chiefs　of　the　tribes　who　were　to　be　their　neighbors　during　the　cold　season。　These　were　Mandans；　Annahaways；　and　Minnetarees；　tribes　living　peacefully　in　the　same　region　of　country。　　The　principal　Mandan　chief　was　Black　Cat；　White　Buffalo　Robe　Unfolded　represented　the　Annahaways；　and　the　Minnetaree　chief　was　Black　Moccasin。　　This　last…named　chief　could　not　come　to　the　council；　but　was　represented　by　Caltahcota；　or　Cherry　on　a　Bush。　　The　palaver　being　over；　presents　were　distributed。　The　account　says：

〃One　chief　of　each　town　was　acknowledged　by　a　gift　of　a　flag；　a　medal　with　the　likeness　of　the　President　of　the　United　States；　a　uniform　coat；　hat　and　feather。　　To　the　second　chiefs　we　gave　a　medal　representing　some　domestic　animals　and　a　loom　for　weaving；　to　the　third　chiefs；　medals　with　the　impressions　of　a　farmer　sowing　grain。　A　variety　of　other　presents　were　distributed；　but　none　seemed　to　give　them　more　satisfaction　than　an　iron　corn…mill　which　we　gave　to　the　Mandans。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

In　the　evening　the　prairie　took　fire；　either　by　accident　or　design；　and　burned　with　great　fury；　the　whole　plain　being　enveloped　in　flames。　So　rapid　was　its　progress　that　a　man　and　a　woman　were　burned　to　death　before　they　could　reach　a　place　of　safety；　another　man；　with　his　wife　and　child；　were　much　burned；　and　several　other　persons　narrowly　escaped　destruction。　Among　the　rest；　a　boy　of　the　half　white　breed　escaped　unhurt　in　the　midst　of　the　flames；　his　safety　was　ascribed　to　the　great　medicine　spirit；　who　had　preserved　him　on　account　of　his　being　white。　　But　a　much　more　natural　cause　was　the　presence　of　mind　of　his　mother；　who；　seeing　no　hopes　of　carrying　off　her　son；　threw　him　on　the　ground；　and；　covering　him　with　the　fresh　hide　of　a　buffalo；　escaped　herself　from　the　flames。　As　soon　as　the　fire　had　passed；　she　returned　and　found　him　untouched；　the　skin　having　prevented　the　flame　from　reaching　the　grass　on　which　he　lay。〃

Next　day；　says　the　journal；

〃We　were　visited　by　two　persons　from　the　lower　village：　one；　the　Big　White；　the　chief　of　the　village；　the　other；　the　Chayenne；　called　the　Big　Man：　　they　had　been　hunting；　and　did　not　return　yesterday　early　enough　to　attend　the　council。　At　their　request　we　repeated　part　of　our　speech　of　yesterday；　and　put　the　medal　round　the　neck　of　the　chief。　　Captain　Clark　took　a　pirogue　and　went　up　the　river　in　search　of　a　good　wintering…place；　and　returned　after　going　seven　miles　to　the　lower　point　of　an　island　on　the　north　side；　about　one　mile　in　length。　He　found　the　banks　on　the　north　side　high；　with　coal　occasionally；　and　the　country　fine　on　all　sides；　but　the　want　of　wood；　and　the　scarcity　of　game　up　the　river；　induced　us　to　decide　on　fixing　ourselves　lower　down　during　the　winter。　In　the　evening　our　men　danced　among　themselves；　to　the　great　amusement　of　the　Indians。〃

It　may　be　said　here　that　the　incident　of　a　life　saved　from　fire　by　a　raw…hide；　originally　related　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　is　the　foundation　of　a　great　many　similar　stories　of　adventures　among　the　Indians。　　Usually；　however；　it　is　a　wise　and　well…seasoned　white　trapper　who　saves　his　life　by　this　device。

Having　found　a　good　site　for　their　winter　camp；　the　explorers　now　built　a　number　of　huts；　which　they　called　Fort　Mandan。　　The　place　was　on　the　north　bank　of　the　Missouri　River；　in　what　is　now　McLean　County；　North　Dakota；　about　sixteen　hundred　miles　up　the　river　from　St。　Louis；　and　seven　or　eight　miles　below　the　mouth　of　Big　Knife　River。　　On　the　opposite　bank；　years　later；　the　United　States　built　a　military　post　known　as　Fort　Clark；　which　may　be　found　on　some　of　the　present…day　maps。　The　huts　were　built　of　logs；　and　were　arranged　in　two　rows；　four　rooms　in　each　hut；　the　whole　number　being　placed　in　the　form　of　an　angle；　with　a　stockade；　or　picket；　across　the　two　outer　ends　of　the　angle；　in　which　was　a　gate；　kept　locked　at　night。　The　roofs　of　the　huts　slanted　upward　from　the　inner　side　of　the　rows；　making　the　outer　side　of　each　hut　eighteen　feet　high；　and　the　lofts　of　these　were　made　warm　and　comfortable　with　dry　grass　mixed　with　clay；　Here　they　were　continually　visited　during　the　winter　by　Indians　from　all　the　region　around。　Here；　too；　they　secured　the　services　of　an　interpreter；　one　Chaboneau；　who　continued　with　them　to　the　end。　This　man's　wife；　Sacajawea；　whose　Indian　name　was　translated　〃Bird　Woman；〃　had　been　captured　from　the　Snake　Indians　and　sold　to　Chaboneau；　who　married　her。　　She　was　〃a　good　creature；