first across the continent-第23节

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ed　with　hair；　and　are　much　larger　than　those　of　the　common　rat；　the　toes　also　are　longer；　the　eyes　are　black　and　prominent；　the　whiskers　very　long　and　full；　the　tail　is　rather　longer　than　the　body；　and　covered　with　fine　fur　and　hair　of　the　same　size　with　that　on　the　back；　which　is　very　close；　short；　and　silky　in　its　texture。　This　was　the　first　we　had　met；　although　its　nests　are　very　frequent　in　the　cliffs　of　rocks　and　hollow　trees；　where　we　also　found　large　quantities　of　the　shells　and　seed　of　the　prickly…pear。〃

The　queer　rat　discovered　by　Lewis　and　Clark　was　then　unknown　to　science。　It　is　now　known　in　the　Far　West　as　the　pack…rat。　It　lives　in　holes　and　crevices　of　the　rocks；　and　it　subsists　on　the　shells　and　seeds　of　the　prickly　pear；　which　is　usually　abundant　in　the　hunting　grounds　of　the　little　animal。　The　explorers　were　now　constantly　in　full　view　of　the　Rocky　Mountain；　on　which；　however；　their　present　title　had　not　then　been　conferred。　Under　date　of　July　2；　the　journal　says：

〃The　mosquitoes　are　uncommonly　troublesome。　　The　wind　was　again　high　from　the　southwest。　　These　winds　are　in　fact　always　the　coldest　and　most　violent　which　we　experience；　and　the　hypothesis　which　we　have　formed　on　that　subject　is；　that　the　air；　coming　in　contact　with　the　Snowy　Mountains；　immediately　becomes　chilled　and　condensed；　and　being　thus　rendered　heavier　than　the　air　below；　it　descends　into　the　rarefied　air　below；　or　into　the　vacuum　formed　by　the　constant　action　of　the　sun　on　the　open　unsheltered　plains。　The　clouds　rise　suddenly　near　these　mountains；　and　distribute　their　contents　partially　over　the　neighboring　plains。　The　same　cloud　will　discharge　hail　alone　in　one　part；　hail　and　rain　in　another；　and　rain　only　in　a　third；　all　within　the　space　of　a　few　miles；　while　at　the　same　time　there　is　snow　falling　on　the　mountains　to　the　southeast　of　us。　　There　is　at　present　no　snow　on　those　mountains；　that　which　covered　them　on　our　arrival；　as　well　as　that　which　has　since　fallen；　having　disappeared。　The　mountains　to　the　north　and　northwest　of　us　are　still　entirely　covered　with　snow；　indeed；　there　has　been　no　perceptible　diminution　of　it　since　we　first　saw　them；　which　induces　a　belief　either　that　the　clouds　prevailing　at　this　season　do　not　reach　their　summits　or　that　they　deposit　their　snow　only。　They　glisten　with　great　beauty　when　the　sun　shines　on　them　in　a　particular　direction；　and　most　probably　from　this　glittering　appearance　have　derived　the　name　of　the　Shining　Mountains。〃

A　mysterious　noise；　heard　by　the　party；　here　engaged　their　attention；　as　it　did　years　afterwards　the　attention　of　other　explorers。　The　journal　says：

〃Since　our　arrival　at　the　falls　we　have　repeatedly　heard　a　strange　noise　coming　from　the　mountains　in　a　direction　a　little　to　the　north　of　west。　It　is　heard　at　different　periods　of　the　day　and　night　（sometimes　when　the　air　is　perfectly　still　and　without　a　cloud）；　and　consists　of　one　stroke　only；　or　of　five　or　six　discharges　in　quick　succession。　　It　is　loud；　and　resembles　precisely　the　sound　of　a　six…pound　piece　of　ordnance　at　the　distance　of　three　miles。　　The　Minnetarees　frequently　mentioned　this　noise；　like　thunder；　which　they　said　the　mountains　made；　but　we　had　paid　no　attention　to　it；　believing　it　to　have　been　some　superstition；　or　perhaps　a　falsehood。　The　watermen　also　of　the　party　say　that　the　Pawnees　and　Ricaras　give　the　same　account　of　a　noise　heard　in　the　Black　Mountains　to　the　westward　of　them。　The　solution　of　the　mystery　given　by　the　philosophy　of　the　watermen　is；　that　it　is　occasioned　by　the　bursting　of　the　rich　mines　of　silver　confined　within　the　bosom　of　the　mountains。〃

Of　these　strange　noises　there　are　many　explanations；　the　most　plausible　being　that　they　are　caused　by　the　explosion　of　the　species　of　stone　known　as　the　geode；　fragments　of　which　are　frequently　found　among　the　mountains。　The　geode　has　a　hollow　cell　within；　lined　with　beautiful　crystals　of　many　colors。

Independence　Day；　1805；　was　celebrated　with　becoming　patriotism　and　cheerfulness　by　these　far…wandering　adventurers。　Their　record　says：

〃An　elk　and　a　beaver　are　all　that　were　killed　to…day；　the　buffalo　seem　to　have　withdrawn　from　our　neighborhood；　though　several　of　the　men；　who　went　to…day　to　visit　the　falls　for　the　first　time；　mention　that　they　are　still　abundant　at　that　place。　We　contrived；　however；　to　spread　not　a　very　sumptuous　but　a　comfortable　table　in　honor　of　the　day；　and　in　the　evening　gave　the　men　a　drink　of　spirits；　which　was　the　last　of　our　stock。　Some　of　them　appeared　sensible　to　the　effects　of　even　so　small　a　quantity；　and　as　is　usual　among　them　on　all　festivals；　the　fiddle　was　produced　and　a　dance　begun；　which　lasted　till　nine　o'clock；　when　it　was　interrupted　by　a　heavy　shower　of　rain。　They　continued　their　merriment；　however；　till　a　late　hour。〃

Their　bill…of…fare；　according　to　Captain　Lewis；　was　bacon；　beans；　suet　dumplings；　and　buffalo　meat；　which；　he　says；　〃gave　them　no　just　cause　to　covet　the　sumptuous　feasts　of　our　countrymen　on　this　day。〃　More　than　a　year　passed　before　they　again　saw　and　tasted　spirits。

Great　expectations　were　entertained　of　the　boat　that　was　built　here　on　the　iron　frame　brought　all　the　way　from　Harper's　Ferry；　Virginia。　　The　frame　was　covered　with　dressed　skins　of　buffalo　and　elk；　the　seams　being　coated　with　a　composition　of　powdered　charcoal　and　beeswax；　in　default　of　tar　or　pitch。　This　craft　was　well　named　the　〃Experiment；〃　and　a　disappointing　experiment　it　proved　to　be。　　Here　is　Captain　Lewis'　account　of　her　failure：

〃The　boat　having　now　become　sufficiently　dry；　we　gave　her　a　coat　of　the　composition；　which　after　a　proper　interval　was　repeated；　and　the　next　morning；　Tuesday；　July　9th；　she　was　launched　into　the　water；　and　swam　perfectly　well。　　The　seats　were　then　fixed　and　the　oars　fitted；　but　after　we　had　loaded　her；　as　well　as　the　canoes；　and　were　on　the　point　of　setting　out；　a　violent　wind　caused　the　waves　to　wet　the　baggage；　so　that　we　were　forced　to　unload　the　boats。　　The　wind　continued　high　until　evening；　when　to　our　great　disappointment　we　discovered　that　nearly　all　the　composition　had　separated　from　the　skins　and　left　the　seams　perfectly　exposed；　so　that　the　boat　now　leaked　very　much。　To　repair　this　misfortune　without　pitch　is　impossible；　and　as　none　of　that　article　is　to　be　procured；　we　therefore；　however　reluctantly；　are　obliged　to　abandon　her；　after　having　had　so　much　labor　in　the　construction。　We　now　saw　that　the　section　of　the　boat　covered　with　buffalo…skins　on　which　hair　had　been　left　answered　better　than　the　elk…skins；　and　leaked　but　little；　while　that　part　which　was　covered　with　hair　about　one…eighth　of　an　inch　retained　the　composition　perfectly；　and　remained　sound　and　dry。　　From　this　we　perceived　that　had　we　employed　buffalo　instead　of　elk　skins；　not　singed　them　so　closely　as　we　did；　and　carefully　avoided　cutting　the　leather　in　sewing；　the　boat　would　have　been　sufficient　even　with　the　present　composition；　or　had　we　singed　instead　of　shaving　the　elk…skins；　we　might　have　succeeded。　But　we　discovered　our　error　too　late；　the　buffalo　had　deserted　us；　and　the　travelling　season　was　so　fast　advancing　that　we　had　no　time　to　spare　for　experiments；　therefore；　finding　that　she　could　be　no　longer　useful；　she　was　sunk　in　the　water；　so　as　to　soften　the　skins；　and　enable　us　the　more　easily　to　take　her　to　pieces。

〃It　now　became　necessary　to　provide　other　means　for　transporting　the　baggage　which　we　had　intended　to　stow　in　her。　For　this　purpose　we　shall　want　two　more　canoes；　but　for　many　miles　from　below　the　mouth　of　the　Musselshell　River　to　this　place　we　have　not　seen　a　single　tree　fit　to　be　used　in　that　way。　The　hunters；　however；　who　have　hitherto　been　sent　after　timber；　mention　that　there　is　a　low　ground　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river；　about　eight　miles　above　us　by　land；　and　more　than　twice　that　distance　by　water；　in　which　we　may　probably　find　trees　large　enough　for　our　purposes。　　Captain　Clark　determined；　therefore；　to　set　out　by　land　for　that　place　with　ten　of　the　best　workmen；　who　would　be　occupied　in　building　the　canoes　till　the　rest　of　the　party；　after　taking　the　boat　to　pieces；　and　making　the　necessary　deposits；　should　transport　the　baggage；　and　join　them　with　the　other　six　canoes。

〃He　accordingly　passed　over　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　river　with　his　party　next　day；　and　proceeded　on　eight　miles　by　land；　the　distance　by　water　being　twenty…three　and　three　quarter　miles。　Here　he　found　two　cottonwood　trees；　but；　on　cutting　them　down；　one　proved　to　be　hollow；　split　at　the　top　in　falling；　and　both　were　much　damaged　at　the　bottom。　　He　searched　the　neighborhood；　but　could　find　none　which　would　suit　better；　and　therefore　was　obliged　to　make　use　of　those　which　he　had　felled；　shortening　them　in　order　to　avoid　the　cracks；　and　supplying　the　deficiency　by　making　them　as　wide　as　possible。　They　were　equally　at　a　loss　for　wood　of　which　they　might　make　handles　for　their　axes；　the　eyes　of　which　not　being　round；　they　were　obliged　to　split　the　timber　in　such　a　manner　that　thirteen　of　the　handles　broke　in　the　course　of　the　day；　though　made　of　the　best　wood　they　could　find　for　the　purpose；　which　was　the　chokecherry。

〃The　rest　of　the　party　took　the　frame　of　the　boat　to　pieces；　deposited　it　in　a　cache　or　hole；