first across the continent-第28节

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〃They　then　continued　through　the　low　bottom；　along　the　main　stream；　near　the　foot　of　the　mountains　on　their　right。　For　the　first　five　miles；　the　valley　continues　toward　the　southwest；　being　from　two　to　three　miles　in　width；　then　the　main　stream；　which　had　received　two　small　branches　from　the　left　in　the　valley；　turned　abruptly　to　the　west　through　a　narrow　bottom　between　the　mountains。　The　road　was　still　plain；　and；　as　it　led　them　directly　on　toward　the　mountain；　the　stream　gradually　became　smaller；　till；　after　going　two　miles；　it　had　so　greatly　diminished　in　width　that　one　of　the　men；　in　a　fit　of　enthusiasm；　with　one　foot　on　each　side　of　the　river；　thanked　God　that　he　had　lived　to　bestride　the　Missouri。　　As　they　went　along　their　hopes　of　soon　seeing　the　Columbia　＇that　is；　the　Pacific　watershed＇　arose　almost　to　painful　anxiety；　when　after　four　miles　from　the　last　abrupt　turn　of　the　river　＇which　turn　had　been　to　the　west＇；　they　reached　a　small　gap　formed　by　the　high　mountains；　which　recede　on　each　side；　leaving　room　for　the　Indian　road。　From　the　foot　of　one　of　the　lowest　of　these　mountains；　which　rises　with　a　gentle　ascent　of　about　half　a　mile；　issues　the　remotest　water　of　the　Missouri。

〃They　had　now　reached　the　hidden　sources　of　that　river；　which　had　never　yet　been　seen　by　civilized　man。　　As　they　quenched　their　thirst　at　the　chaste　and　icy　fountainas　they　sat　down　by　the　brink　of　that　little　rivulet；　which　yielded　its　distant　and　modest　tribute　to　the　parent　oceanthey　felt　themselves　rewarded　for　all　their　labors　and　all　their　difficulties。

〃They　left　reluctantly　this　interesting　spot；　and；　pursuing　the　Indian　road　through　the　interval　of　the　hills；　arrived　at　the　top　of　a　ridge；　from　which　they　saw　high　mountains；　partially　covered　with　snow；　still　to　the　west　of　them。

〃The　ridge　on　which　they　stood　formed　the　dividing　line　between　the　waters　of　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　Oceans。　　They　followed　a　descent　much　steeper　than　that　on　the　eastern　side；　and　at　the　distance　of　three…quarters　of　a　mile　reached　a　handsome；　bold　creek　of　cold；　clear　water　running　to　the　westward。　They　stopped　to　taste；　for　the　first　time；　the　waters　of　the　Columbia；　and；　after　a　few　minutes；　followed　the　road　across　steep　hills　and　low　hollows；　when　they　came　to　a　spring　on　the　side　of　a　mountain。　Here　they　found　a　sufficient　quantity　of　dry　willow…brush　for　fuel；　and　therefore　halted　for　the　night；　and；　having　killed　nothing　in　the　course　of　the　day；　supped　on　their　last　piece　of　pork；　and　trusted　to　fortune　for　some　other　food　to　mix　with　a　little　flour　and　parched　meal；　which　was　all　that　now　remained　of　their　provisions。〃



Chapter　XIII

From　the　Minnetarees　to　the　Shoshonees

Travelling　in　a　westerly　direction；　with　a　very　gradual　descent；　Captain　Lewis；　on　the　thirteenth　of　August；　came　upon　two　Indian　women；　a　man；　and　some　dogs。　　The　Indians　sat　down　when　the　strangers　first　came　in　sight；　as　if　to　wait　for　their　coming；　but；　soon　taking　alarm；　they　all　fled；　much　to　the　chagrin　of　the　white　men。　　Now　striking　into　a　well…worn　Indian　road；　they　found　themselves　surely　near　a　village。　The　journal　says：

〃They　had　not　gone　along　the　road　more　than　a　mile；　when　on　a　sudden　they　saw　three　female　Indians；　from　whom　they　had　been　concealed　by　the　deep　ravines　which　intersected　the　road；　till　they　were　now　within　thirty　paces　of　each　other。　　One　of　them；　a　young　woman；　immediately　took　to　flight；　the　other　two；　an　elderly　woman　and　a　little　girl；　seeing　they　were　too　near　for　them　to　escape；　sat　on　the　ground；　and　holding　down　their　heads　seemed　as　if　reconciled　to　the　death　which　they　supposed　awaited　them。　The　same　habit　of　holding　down　the　head　and　inviting　the　enemy　to　strike；　when　all　chance　of　escape　is　gone；　is　preserved　in　Egypt　to　this　day。

〃Captain　Lewis　instantly　put　down　his　rifle；　and　advancing　toward　them；　took　the　woman　by　the　hand；　raised　her　up；　and　repeated　the　words　‘tabba　bone！'　at　the　same　time　stripping　up　his　shirt…sleeve　to　prove　that　he　was　a　white　man　for　his　hands　and　face　had　become　by　constant　exposure　quite　as　dark　as　their　own。　　She　appeared　immediately　relieved　from　her　alarm；　and　Drewyer　and　Shields　now　coming　up；　Captain　Lewis　gave　them　some　beads；　a　few　awls；　pewter　mirrors；　and　a　little　paint；　and　told　Drewyer　to　request　the　woman　to　recall　her　companion；　who　had　escaped　to　some　distance　and；　by　alarming　the　Indians；　might　cause　them　to　attack　him　without　any　time　for　explanation。　She　did　as　she　was　desired；　and　the　young　woman　returned　almost　out　of　breath。　　Captain　Lewis　gave　her　an　equal　portion　of　trinkets；　and　painted　the　tawny　checks　of　all　three　of　them　with　vermilion；　a　ceremony　which　among　the　Shoshonees　is　emblematic　of　peace。

〃After　they　had　become　composed；　he　informed　them　by　signs　of　his　wishes　to　go　to　their　camp；　in　order　to　see　their　chiefs　and　warriors；　they　readily　obeyed；　and　conducted　the　party　along　the　same　road　down　the　river。　　In　this　way　they　marched　two　miles；　when　they　met　a　troop　of　nearly　sixty　warriors；　mounted　on　excellent　horses；　riding　at　full　speed　toward　them。　As　they　advanced　Captain　Lewis　put　down　his　gun；　and　went　with　the　flag　about　fifty　paces　in　advance。　　The　chief；　who　with　two　men　was　riding　in　front　of　the　main　body；　spoke　to　the　women；　who　now　explained　that　the　party　was　composed　of　white　men；　and　showed　exultingly　the　presents　they　had　received。　The　three　men　immediately　leaped　from　their　horses；　came　up　to　Captain　Lewis；　and　embraced　him　with　great　cordiality；　putting　their　left　arm　over　his　right　shoulder；　and　clasping　his　back；　applying　at　the　same　time　their　left　cheek　to　his；　and　frequently　vociferating　ah　hi　e！　ah　hi　e！　‘I　am　much　pleased；　I　am　much　rejoiced。'　　The　whole　body　of　warriors　now　came　forward；　and　our　men　received　the　caresses；　and　no　small　share　of　the　grease　and　paint；　of　their　new　friends。　After　this　fraternal　embrace；　of　which　the　motive　was　much　more　agreeable　than　the　manner；　Captain　Lewis　lighted　a　pipe；　and　offered　it　to　the　Indians；　who　had　now　seated　themselves　in　a　circle　around　the　party。　　But；　before　they　would　receive　this　mark　of　friendship；　they　pulled　off　their　moccasins：　a　custom；　as　we　afterward　learned；　which　indicates　the　sacred　sincerity　of　their　professions　when　they　smoke　with　a　stranger；　and　which　imprecates　on　themselves　the　misery　of　going　barefoot　forever　if　they　prove　faithless　to　their　words　a　penalty　by　no　means　light　for　those　who　rove　over　the　thorny　plains　of　this　country。　。　。　。

〃After　smoking　a　few　pipes；　some　trifling　presents　were　distributed　among　them；　with　which　they　seemed　very　much　pleased；　particularly　with　the　blue　beads　and　the　vermilion。　Captain　Lewis　then　stated　to　the　chief　that　the　object　of　his　visit　was　friendly；　and　should　be　explained　as　soon　as　he　reached　their　camp；　and　that；　as　the　sun　was　oppressive；　and　no　water　near；　he　wished　to　go　there　as　soon　as　possible。　They　now　put　on　their　moccasins；　and　their　chief；　whose　name　was　Cameahwait；　made　a　short　speech　to　the　warriors。　Captain　Lewis　then　gave　him　the　flag；　which　he　informed　him　was　among　white　men　the　emblem　of　peace；　and；　now　that　he　had　received　it；　was　to　be　in　future　the　bond　of　union　between　them。　The　chief　then　moved　on；　our　party　followed　him；　and　the　rest　of　the　warriors；　in　a　squadron；　brought　up　the　rear。〃

Arriving　at　the　village；　the　ceremony　of　smoking　the　pipe　of　peace　was　solemnly　observed；　and　the　women　and　children　of　the　tribe　were　permitted　to　gaze　with　wonder　on　the　first　white　men　they　had　ever　seen。　The　Indians　were　not　much　better　provided　with　food　than　were　their　half…famished　visitors。　　But　some　cakes　made　of　service…berries　and　choke…berries　dried　in　the　sun　were　presented　to　the　white　men　〃on　which；〃　says　Captain　Lewis；　〃we　made　a　hearty　meal。〃　　Later　in　the　day；　however；　an　Indian　invited　Captain　Lewis　into　his　wigwam　and　treated　him　to　a　small　morsel　of　boiled　antelope　and　a　piece　of　fresh　salmon　roasted。　This　was　the　first　salmon　he　had　seen；　and　the　captain　was　now　assured　that　he　was　on　the　headwaters　of　the　Columbia。　　This　stream　was　what　is　now　known　as　the　Lemhi　River。　　The　water　was　clear　and　limpid；　flowing　down　a　bed　of　gravel；　its　general　direction　was　a　little　north　of　west。　The　journal　says：

〃The　chief　informed　him　that　this　stream　discharged；　at　the　distance　of　half　a　day's　march；　into　another　＇Salmon　River＇　of　twice　its　size；　coming　from　the　southwest；　but　added；　on　further　inquiry；　that　there　was　scarcely　more　timber　below　the　junction　of　those　rivers　than　in　this　neighborhood；　and　that　the　river　was　rocky；　rapid；　and　so　closely　confined　between　high　mountains　that　it　was　impossible　to　pass　down　it　either　by　land　or　water　to　the　great　lake　＇Pacific　Ocean＇；　where；　as　he　had　understood；　the　white　men　lived。

〃This　information　was　far　from　being　satisfactory；　for　there　was　no　timber　here　that　would　answer　the　purpose　of　building　canoes；　indeed　not　more　than　just　sufficient　for　fuel；　and　even　that　consisted　of　the　narrow…leaved　cottonwood；　the　red　and　the　narrow…leaved　willow；　chokecherry；　service…berry；　and　a　few　currant　bushes；　such　as　are　common　on　the　Missouri。　　The　prospect　of　going　on　by　land　is　more　pleasant；　for　there　are　great　numbers　of　horses　feeding　in　every　directio