first across the continent-第29节

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ery　direction　round　the　camp；　which　will　enable　us　to　transport　our　stores；　if　necessary；　over　the　mountains。〃

While　Captain　Lewis　was　thus　engaged；　his　companions　in　the　canoes　were　slowly　and　laboriously　ascending　the　river　on　the　other　side　of　the　divide。　The　character　of　the　stream　was　much　as　it　had　been　for　several　days；　and　the　men　were　in　the　water　three…fourths　of　the　time；　dragging　the　boats　over　the　shoals。　　They　had　but　little　success　in　killing　game；　but　caught；　as　they　had　done　for　some　days　before；　numbers　of　fine　trout。

〃August　14。　　In　order　to　give　time　for　the　boats　to　reach　the　forks　of　Jefferson　River；〃　proceeds　the　narrative；　〃Captain　Lewis　determined　to　remain　where　he　was；　and　obtain　all　the　information　he　could　collect　in　regard　to　the　country。　Having　nothing　to　eat　but　a　little　flour　and　parched　meal；　with　the　berries　of　the　Indians；　he　sent　out　Drewyer　and　Shields；　who　borrowed　horses　from　the　natives；　to　hunt　for　a　few　hours。　About　the　same　time　the　young　warriors　set　out　for　the　same　purpose。　There　are　but　few　elk　or　black　tailed　deer　in　this　neighborhood；　and　as　the　common　red　deer　secrete　themselves　in　the　bushes　when　alarmed；　they　are　soon　safe　from　the　arrows；　which　are　but　feeble　weapons　against　any　animals　which　the　huntsmen　cannot　previously　run　down　with　their　horses。　　The　chief　game　of　the　Shoshonees；　therefore；　is　the　antelope；　which；　when　pursued；　retreats　to　the　open　plains；　where　the　horses　have　full　room　for　the　chase。　But　such　is　its　extraordinary　fleetness　and　wind；　that　a　single　horse　has　no　possible　chance　of　outrunning　it　or　tiring　it　down；　and　the　hunters　are　therefore　obliged　to　resort　to　stratagem。

〃About　twenty　Indians；　mounted　on　fine　horses；　and　armed　with　bows　and　arrows；　left　the　camp。　　In　a　short　time　they　descried　a　herd　of　ten　antelope：　they　immediately　separated　into　little　squads　of　two　or　three；　and　formed　a　scattered　circle　round　the　herd　for　five　or　six　miles；　keeping　at　a　wary　distance；　so　as　not　to　alarm　them　till　they　were　perfectly　enclosed；　and　selecting；　as　far　as　possible；　some　commanding　eminence　as　a　stand。　Having　gained　their　positions；　a　small　party　rode　towards　the　animals；　and　with　wonderful　dexterity　the　huntsmen　preserved　their　seats；　and　the　horses　their　footing；　as　they　ran　at　full　speed　over　the　hills；　down　the　steep　ravines；　and　along　the　borders　of　the　precipices。　They　were　soon　outstripped　by　the　antelopes；　which；　on　gaining　the　other　extremity　of　the　circle；　were　driven　back　and　pursued　by　the　fresh　hunters。　They　turned　and　flew；　rather　than　ran；　in　another　direction；　but　there；　too；　they　found　new　enemies。　　In　this　way　they　were　alternately　pursued　backward　and　forward；　till　at　length；　notwithstanding　the　skill　of　the　hunters；　they　all　escaped　and　the　party；　after　running　for　two　hours；　returned　without　having　caught　anything；　and　their　horses　foaming　with　sweat。　　This　chase；　the　greater　part　of　which　was　seen　from　the　camp；　formed　a　beautiful　scene；　but　to　the　hunters　it　is　exceedingly　laborious；　and　so　unproductive；　even　when　they　are　able　to　worry　the　animal　down　and　shoot　him；　that　forty　or　fifty　hunters　will　sometimes　be　engaged　for　half　a　day　without　obtaining　more　than　two　or　three　antelope。

〃Soon　after　they　returned；　our　two　huntsmen　came　in　with　no　better　success。　Captain　Lewis　therefore　made　a　little　paste　with　the　flour；　and　the　addition　of　some　berries　formed　a　very　palatable　repast。　Having　now　secured　the　good　will　of　Cameahwait；　Captain　Lewis　informed　him　of　his　wish　that　he　would　speak　to　the　warriors；　and　endeavor　to　engage　them　to　accompany　him　to　the　forks　of　Jefferson　River；　where　by　this　time　another　chief　＇Clark＇；　with　a　large　party　of　white　men；　was　awaiting　his　＇Lewis'＇　return；　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　take　about　thirty　horses　to　transport　the　merchandise；　that　they　should　be　well　rewarded　for　their　trouble；　and　that；　when　all　the　party　should　have　reached　the　Shoshonee　camp；　they　would　remain　some　time　among　them　to　trade　for　horses；　as　well　as　concert　plans　for　furnishing　them　in　future　with　regular　supplies　of　merchandise。　He　readily　consented　to　do　so；　and　after　collecting　the　tribe　together；　he　made　a　long　harangue。　　In　about　an　hour　and　a　half　he　returned；　and　told　Captain　Lewis　that　they　would　be　ready　to　accompany　him　in　the　morning。〃

But　the　Indians　were　suspicious　and　reluctant　to　take　the　word　of　the　white　man。　　Captain　Lewis；　almost　at　his　wits'　end；　appealed　to　their　courage。　　He　said　that　if　they　were　afraid　of　being　led　into　a　trap；　he　was　sure　that　some　among　them　were　not　afraid。

〃To　doubt　the　courage　of　an　Indian　is　to　touch　the　tenderest　string　of　his　mind；　and　the　surest　way　to　rouse　him　to　any　dangerous　achievement。　Cameahwait　instantly　replied　that　he　was　not　afraid　to　die；　and　mounting　his　horse；　for　the　third　time　harangued　the　warriors。　He　told　them　that　he　was　resolved　to　go　if　he　went　alone；　or　if　he　were　sure　of　perishing；　that　he　hoped　there　were　among　those　who　heard　him　some　who　were　not　afraid　to　die；　and　who　would　prove　it　by　mounting　their　horses　and　following　him。　This　harangue　produced　an　effect　on　six　or　eight　only　of　the　warriors；　who　now　joined　their　chief。　　With　these　Captain　Lewis　smoked　a　pipe；　and　then；　fearful　of　some　change　in　their　capricious　temper；　set　out　immediately。〃

The　party　now　retraced　the　steps　so　lately　taken　by　Captain　Lewis　and　his　men。　　On　the　second　day　out；　one　of　the　spies　sent　forward　by　the　Indians　came　madly　galloping　back；　much　to　the　alarm　of　the　white　men。　It　proved；　however；　that　the　spy　had　returned　to　tell　his　comrades　that　one　of　the　white　hunters　＇Drewyer＇　had　killed　a　deer。　　An　Indian　riding　behind　Captain　Lewis；　fearful　that　he　should　not　get　his　share　of　the　spoil；　jumped　off　the　horse　and　ran　for　a　mile　at　full　speed。　The　journal　says：

〃Captain　Lewis　slackened　his　pace；　and　followed　at　a　sufficient　distance　to　observe　them。　　When　they　reached　the　place　where　Drewyer　had　thrown　out　the　intestines；　they　all　dismounted　in　confusion　and　ran　tumbling　over　each　other　like　famished　dogs。　Each　tore　away　whatever　part　he　could；　and　instantly　began　to　eat　it。　Some　had　the　liver；　some　the　kidneysin　short；　no　part　on　which　we　are　accustomed　to　look　with　disgust　escaped　them。　One　of　them；　who　had　seized　about　nine　feet　of　the　entrails；　was　chewing　at　one　end；　while　with　his　hand　he　was　diligently　clearing　his　way　by　discharging　the　contents　at　the　other。　It　was　indeed　impossible　to　see　these　wretches　ravenously　feeding　on　the　filth　of　animals；　the　blood　streaming　from　their　mouths；　without　deploring　how　nearly　the　condition　of　savages　approaches　that　of　the　brute　creation。　　Yet；　though　suffering　with　hunger；　they　did　not　attempt；　as　they　might　have　done；　to　take　by　force　the　whole　deer；　but　contented　themselves　with　what　had　been　thrown　away　by　the　hunter。　　Captain　Lewis　now　had　the　deer　skinned；　and　after　reserving　a　quarter　of　it　gave　the　rest　of　the　animal　to　the　chief；　to　be　divided　among　the　Indians；　who　immediately　devoured　nearly　the　whole　of　it　without　cooking。　　They　now　went　toward　the　＇Prairie＇　creek；　where　there　was　some　brushwood　to　make　a　fire；　and　found　Drewyer；　who　had　killed　a　second　deer。　The　same　struggle　for　the　entrails　was　renewed　here；　and　on　giving　nearly　the　whole　deer　to　the　Indians；　they　devoured　it　even　to　the　soft　part　of　the　hoofs。　　A　fire　being　made；　Captain　Lewis　had　his　breakfast；　during　which　Drewyer　brought　in　a　third　deer。　This　too；　after　reserving　one…quarter；　was　given　to　the　Indians；　who　now　seemed　completely　satisfied　and　in　good　humor。〃

They　now　approached　the　forks　of　the　Jefferson；　where　they　had　expected　to　meet　Clark　and　his　party　with　the　canoes。　Not　seeing　any　signs　of　them；　the　Lewis　party　were　placed　in　a　critical　position。　　The　Indians　were　again　alarmed　and　suspicious。　Here　Captain　Clark's　journal　says：

〃As　they　went　on　towards　the　point；　Captain　Lewis；　perceiving　how　critical　his　situation　had　become；　resolved　to　attempt　a　stratagem；　which　his　present　difficulty　seemed　completely　to　justify。　Recollecting　the　notes　he　had　left　at　the　point　for　us；　he　sent　Drewyer　for　them　with　an　Indian；　who　witnessed　his　taking　them　from　the　pole。　When　they　were　brought；　Captain　Lewis　told　Cameahwait　that；　on　leaving　his　brother　chief　at　the　place　where　the　river　issues　from　the　mountains；　it　was　agreed　that　the　boats　should　not　be　brought　higher　than　the　next　forks　we　should　meet；　but　that；　if　the　rapid　water　prevented　the　boats　from　coming　on　as　fast　as　they　expected；　his　brother　chief　was　to　send　a　note　to　the　first　forks　above　him；　to　let　him　know　where　they　were：　that　this　note　had　been　left　this　morning　at　the　forks；　and　mentioned　that　the　canoes　were　just　below　the　mountains；　and　coming　up　slowly　in　consequence　of　the　current。　　Captain　Lewis　added　that　he　would　stay　at　the　forks　for　his　brother　chief；　but　would　send　a　man　down　the　river；　and　that　if　Cameahwait　doubted　what　he　said；　one　of　their　young　men　could　go　with　him；　while　he　and　the　other　two　remained　at　the　forks。　This　story　satisfied　the　chief　and　the　greater　part　of　the　Indians；　but　a　few　did　not　conceal　their　suspicions；　observing　that　we　told　different　stories；　and　complaining　that　their　chief　exposed　them　to　danger　by　a　mistaken　c