first across the continent-第8章

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n　captured　from　the　Snake　Indians　and　sold　to　Chaboneau；　who　married　her。　　She　was　〃a　good　creature；　of　a　mild　and　gentle　disposition；　greatly　attached　to　the　whites。〃　In　the　expedition　she　proved　herself　more　valuable　to　the　explorers　than　her　husband；　and　Lewis　and　Clark　always　speak　of　her　in　terms　of　respect　and　admiration。

It　should　not　be　understood　that　all　the　interpreters　employed　by　white　men　on　such　expeditions　wholly　knew　the　spoken　language　of　the　tribes　among　whom　they　travelled。　To　some　extent　they　relied　upon　the　universal　language　of　signs　to　make　themselves　understood；　and　this　method　of　talking　is　known　to　all　sorts　and　kinds　of　Indians。　　Thus；　two　fingers　of　the　right　hand　placed　astraddle　the　wrist　of　the　left　hand　signifies　a　man　on　horseback；　and　the　number　of　men　on　horseback　is　quickly　added　by　holding　up　the　requisite　number　of　fingers。　Sleep　is　described　by　gently　inclining　the　head　on　the　hand；　and　the　number　of　〃sleeps；〃　or　nights；　is　indicated　by　the　fingers。　Killed；　or　dead；　is　described　by　closed　eyes　and　a　sudden　fall　of　the　head　on　the　talker's　chest；　and　so　on；　an　easily　understood　gesture；　with　a　few　Indian　words；　being　sufficient　to　tell　a　long　story　very　clearly。

Lewis　and　Clark　discovered　here　a　species　of　ermine　before　unknown　to　science。　　They　called　it　〃a　weasel；　perfectly　white　except　at　the　extremity　of　the　tail；　which　was　black。〃　This　animal；　highly　prized　on　account　of　its　pretty　fur；　was　not　scientifically　described　until　as　late　as　1829。　It　is　a　species　of　stoat。

The　wars　of　some　of　the　Indian　tribes　gave　Lewis　and　Clark　much　trouble　and　uneasiness。　　The　Sioux　were　at　war　with　the　Minnetarees　（Gros　Ventres；　or　Big　Bellies）；　and　the　Assiniboins；　who　lived　further　to　the　north；　continually　harassed　the　Sioux　and　the　Mandans；　treating　these　as　the　latter　did　the　Rickarees。　　The　white　chiefs　had　their　hands　full　all　winter　while　trying　to　preserve　peace　among　these　quarrelsome　and　thieving　tribes；　their　favorite　game　being　to　steal　each　other's　horses。　The　Indian　method　of　caring　for　their　horses　in　the　cold　winter　was　to　let　them　shift　for　themselves　during　the　day；　and　to　take　them　into　their　own　lodges　at　night　where　they　were　fed　with　the　juicy；　brittle　twigs　of　the　cottonwood　tree。　　With　this　spare　fodder　the　animals　thrive　and　keep　their　coats　fine　and　glossy。

Late　in　November；　a　collision　between　the　Sioux　and　the　Mandans　became　almost　certain；　in　consequence　of　the　Sioux　having　attacked　a　small　hunting　party　of　the　Mandans；　killing　one；　wounding　two；　and　capturing　nine　horses。　Captain　Clark　mustered　and　armed　twenty…four　of　his　men；　crossed　over　into　the　Mandan　village　and　offered　to　lead　the　Indians　against　their　enemies。　The　offer　was　declined　on　account　of　the　deep　snows　which　prevented　a　march；　but　the　incident　made　friends　for　white　men；　and　the　tidings　of　it　had　a　wholesome　effect　on　the　other　tribes。

〃The　whole　religion　of　the　Mandans；〃　like　that　of　many　other　savage　tribes；　says　the　journal；　〃consists　in　the　belief　of　one　Great　Spirit　presiding　over　their　destinies。　　This　Being　must　be　in　the　nature　of　a　good　genius；　since　it　is　associated　with　the　healing　art；　and　‘great　spirit'　is　synonymous　with　‘great　medicine；'　a　name　applied　to　everything　which　they　do　not　comprehend。　Each　individual　selects　for　himself　the　particular　object　of　his　devotion；　which　is　termed　his　medicine；　and　is　either　some　invisible　being；　or　more　commonly　some　animal；　which　thenceforward　becomes　his　protector　or　his　intercessor　with　the　Great　Spirit；　to　propitiate　whom　every　attention　is　lavished　and　every　personal　consideration　is　sacrificed。　‘I　was　lately　owner　of　seventeen　horses；'　said　a　Mandan　to　us　one　day；　‘but　I　have　offered　them　all　up　to　my　medicine　and　am　now　poor。'　　He　had　in　reality　taken　all　his　wealth；　his　horses；　into　the　plain；　and；　turning　them　loose；　committed　them　to　the　care　of　his　medicine　and　abandoned　them　forever。　The　horses；　less　religious；　took　care　of　themselves；　and　the　pious　votary　travelled　home　on　foot。〃

To　this　day；　all　the　Northwest　Indians　speak　of　anything　that　is　highly　useful　or　influential　as　〃great　medicine。〃

One　cold　December　day；　a　Mandan　chief　invited　the　explorers　to　join　them　in　a　grand　buffalo　hunt。　　The　journal　adds：

〃Captain　Clark　with　fifteen　men　went　out　and　found　the　Indians　engaged　in　killing　buffalo。　　The　hunters；　mounted　on　horseback　and　armed　with　bows　and　arrows；　encircle　the　herd　and　gradually　drive　them　into　a　plain　or　an　open　place　fit　for　the　movements　of　horse；　they　then　ride　in　among　them；　and　singling　out　a　buffalo；　a　female　being　preferred；　go　as　close　as　possible　and　wound　her　with　arrows　till　they　think　they　have　given　the　mortal　stroke；　when　they　pursue　another；　till　the　quiver　is　exhausted。　If；　which　rarely　happens；　the　wounded　buffalo　attacks　the　hunter；　he　evades　his　blow　by　the　agility　of　his　horse；　which　is　trained　for　the　combat　with　great　dexterity。　When　they　have　killed　the　requisite　number　they　collect　their　game；　and　the　squaws　and　attendants　come　up　from　the　rear　and　skin　and　dress　the　animals。　　Captain　Clark　killed　ten　buffalo；　of　which　five　only　were　brought　to　the　fort；　the　rest；　which　could　not　be　conveyed　home；　being　seized　by　the　Indians；　among　whom　the　custom　is　that　whenever　a　buffalo　is　found　dead　without　an　arrow　or　any　particular　mark；　he　is　the　property　of　the　finder；　so　that　often　a　hunter　secures　scarcely　any　of　the　game　he　kills；　if　the　arrow　happens　to　fall　off。〃

The　weather　now　became　excessively　cold；　the　mercury　often　going　thirty…two　degrees　below　zero。　　Notwithstanding　this；　however；　the　Indians　kept　up　their　outdoor　sports；　one　favorite　game　of　which　resembled　billiards。　But　instead　of　a　table；　the　players　had　an　open　flooring；　about　fifty　yards　long；　and　the　balls　were　rings　of　stone；　shot　along　the　flooring　by　means　of　sticks　like　billiard…cues。　The　white　men　had　their　sports；　and　they　forbade　the　Indians　to　visit　them　on　Christmas　Day；　as　this　was　one　of　their　〃great　medicine　days。〃　　The　American　flag　was　hoisted　on　the　fort　and　saluted　with　a　volley　of　musketry。　The　men　danced　among　themselves；　their　best　provisions　were　brought　out　and　〃the　day　passed；〃　says　the　journal；　〃in　great　festivity。〃

The　party　also　celebrated　New　Year's　Day　by　similar　festivities。　Sixteen　of　the　men　were　given　leave　to　go　up　to　the　first　Mandan　village　with　their　musical　instruments；　where　they　delighted　the　whole　tribe　with　their　dances；　one　of　the　French　voyageurs　being　especially　applauded　when　he　danced　on　his　hands　with　his　head　downwards。　The　dancers　and　musicians　were　presented　with　several　buffalo…robes　and　a　large　quantity　of　Indian　corn。　　The　cold　grew　more　intense；　and　on　the　tenth　of　the　month　the　mercury　stood　at　forty　degrees　below　zero。　Some　of　the　men　were　badly　frost…bitten；　and　a　young　Indian；　about　thirteen　years　old；　who　had　been　lost　in　the　snows；　came　into　the　fort。　The　journal　says：

〃His　father；　who　came　last　night　to　inquire　after　him　very　anxiously；　had　sent　him　in　the　afternoon　to　the　fort；　he　was　overtaken　by　the　night；　and　was　obliged　to　sleep　on　the　snow　with　no　covering　except　a　pair　of　antelope…skin　moccasins　and　leggins；　and　a　buffalo…robe。　His　feet　being　frozen；　we　put　them　into　cold　water；　and　gave　him　every　attention　in　our　power。　　About　the　same　time　an　Indian　who　had　also　been　missing　returned　to　the　fort。　Although　his　dress　was　very　thin；　and　he　had　slept　on　the　snow　without　a　fire；　he　had　not　suffered　the　slightest　inconvenience。　We　have　indeed　observed　that　these　Indians　support　the　rigors　of　the　season　in　a　way　which　we　had　hitherto　thought　impossible。　A　more　pleasing　reflection　occurred　at　seeing　the　warm　interest　which　the　situation　of　these　two　persons　had　excited　in　the　village。　The　boy　had　been　a　prisoner；　and　adopted　from　charity；　yet　the　distress　of　the　father　proved　that　he　felt　for　him　the　tenderest　affection。　The　man　was　a　person　of　no　distinction；　yet　the　whole　village　was　full　of　anxiety　for　his　safety；　and；　when　they　came　to　us；　borrowed　a　sleigh　to　bring　them　home　with　ease　if　they　had　survived；　or　to　carry　their　bodies　if　they　had　perished。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

January　13。　　Nearly　one　half　of　the　Mandan　nation　passed　down　the　river　to　hunt　for　several　days。　　In　these　excursions；　men；　women；　and　children；　with　their　dogs；　all　leave　the　village　together；　and；　after　discovering　a　spot　convenient　for　the　game；　fix　their　tents；　all　the　family　bear　their　part　in　the　labor；　and　the　game　is　equally　divided　among　the　families　of　the　tribe。　When　a　single　hunter　returns　from　the　chase　with　more　than　is　necessary　for　his　own　immediate　consumption；　the　neighbors　are　entitled　by　custom　to　a　share　of　it：　　they　do　not；　however；　ask　for　it；　but　send　a　squaw；　who；　without　saying　anything；　sits　down　by　the　door　of　the　lodge　till　the　master　understands　the　hint；　and　gives　her　gratuitously　a　part　for　her　family。〃

By　the　end　of　January；　1805；　the　weather　had　so　far　moderated　that　the　explorers　thought　they　might　cut　their　boats　from　the　ice　in　the　river　and　prepare　to　resume　their　voyage；　but　the　ice　being　three　feet　thick；　they　made　no　progress　and　were　obliged　to　give　up　the　attempt。　Their　stock　of　meat　was　low；　although　they　had　had　good　success　when　the　cold　was　not　too　severe　to　prevent　them　from　hunting　deer；　elk；　and　buffalo。　The　Mandans；　who　were　careless　in　providing　food　for　future　supplies；　also　suffered　for　want　of　meat；　sometimes　going　for　days　without　flesh　food。　Captain　Clark　and　eighteen　men　went　down　the　river　in　search　of　game。　The　hunters；　after　being　out　nine　days；　returned　and　reported　that　they　had　killed　forty　deer；　three　buffalo；　and　sixteen　elk。　But　much　of　the　game　was　lean　and　poor；　and　the　wolves；　who　devour　everything　left　out　at　night；　had　stolen　a　quantity　of　the　flesh。　Four　men；　with　sleds；　were　sent　out　to　bring　into　camp　the　meat；　which　had　been　secured　against　wolves　by　being　stored　in　pens。　These　men　were　attacked　by　Sioux；　about　one　hundred　in　number；　who　robbed　them　of　their　game　and　two　of　their　three　horses。　Captain　Lewis；　with　twenty…four　men；　accompanied　by　some　of　the　Mandans；　set　out　in　pursuit　of　the　marauders。　　They　were　unsuccessful；　however；　but；　having　found　a　part　of　their　game　untouched；　they　brought　it　back；　and　this；　with　other　game　killed　after　their　chase　of　the　Sioux；　gave　them　three　thousand　pounds　of　meat；　they　had　killed　thirty…six　deer；　fourteen　elk；　and　one　wolf。

By　the　latter　part　of　February；　the　party　were　able　to　get　their　boats　from　the　ice。　　These　were　dragged　ashore；　and　the　work　of　making　them　ready　for　their　next　voyage　was　begun。　As　the　ice　in　the　river　began　to　break　up；　the　Mandans　had　great　sport　chasing　across　the　floating　cakes　of　ice　the　buffalo　who　were　tempted　over　by　the　appearance　of　green；　growing　grass　on　the　other　side。　The　Indians　were　very　expert　in　their　pursuit　of　the　animals；　which　finally　slipped　from　their　insecure　footing　on　the　drifting　ice；　and　were　killed。

At　this　point；　April　7；　1805；　the　escorting　party；　the　voyageurs；　and　one　interpreter；　returned　down　the　river　in　their　barge。　This　party　consisted　of　thirteen　persons；　all　told；　and　to　them　were　intrusted　several　packages　of　specimens　for　President　Jefferson；　with　letters　and　official　reports。　The　presents　for　Mr。