first across the continent-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t　we　told　different　stories；　and　complaining　that　their　chief　exposed　them　to　danger　by　a　mistaken　confidence。　　Captain　Lewis　now　wrote；　by　the　light　of　some　willow…brush；　a　note　to　Captain　Clark；　which　he　gave　to　Drewyer；　with　an　order　to　use　all　possible　expedition　in　descending　the　river；　and　engaged　an　Indian　to　accompany　him　by　the　promise　of　a　knife　and　some　beads。

〃At　bedtime　the　chief　and　five　others　slept　round　the　fire　of　Captain　Lewis；　and　the　rest　hid　themselves　in　different　parts　of　the　willow…brush　to　avoid　the　enemy；　who；　they　feared；　would　attack　them　in　the　night。　Captain　Lewis　endeavored　to　assume　a　cheerfulness　he　did　not　feel；　to　prevent　the　despondency　of　the　savages。　　After　conversing　gayly　with　them　he　retired　to　his　mosquito…bier；　by　the　side　of　which　the　chief　now　placed　himself。　　He　lay　down；　yet　slept　but　little；　being　in　fact　scarcely　less　uneasy　than　his　Indian　companions。　　He　was　apprehensive　that；　finding　the　ascent　of　the　river　impracticable；　Captain　Clark　might　have　stopped　below　Rattlesnake　bluff；　and　the　messenger　would　not　meet　him。　The　consequence　of　disappointing　the　Indians　at　this　moment　would　most　probably　be　that　they　would　retire　and　secrete　themselves　in　the　mountains；　so　as　to　prevent　our　having　an　opportunity　of　recovering　their　confidence。　They　would　also　spread　a　panic　through　all　the　neighboring　Indians；　and　cut　us　off　from　the　supply　of　horses　so　useful　and　almost　so　essential　to　our　success。　　He　was　at　the　same　time　consoled　by　remembering　that　his　hopes　of　assistance　rested　on　better　foundations　than　their　generosity　their　avarice　and　their　curiosity。　　He　had　promised　liberal　exchanges　for　their　horses；　but　what　was　still　more　seductive；　he　had　told　them　that　one　of　their　countrywomen；　who　had　been　taken　with　the　Minnetarees；　accompanied　the　party　below；　and　one　of　the　men　had　spread　the　report　of　our　having　with　us　a　man　＇York＇　perfectly　black；　whose　hair　was　short　and　curled。　This　last　account　had　excited　a　great　degree　of　curiosity；　and　they　seemed　more　desirous　of　seeing　this　monster　than　of　obtaining　the　most　favorable　barter　for　their　horses。〃

On　the　following　day；　August　17；　the　two　parties　of　explorers　finally　met。　Under　that　date　the　journal　has　this　interesting　entry：

〃Captain　Lewis　rose　very　early　and　despatched　Drewyer　and　the　Indian　down　the　river　in　quest　of　the　boats。　Shields　was　sent　out　at　the　same　time　to　hunt；　while　M'Neal　prepared　a　breakfast　out　of　the　remainder　of　the　meat。　Drewyer　had　been　gone　about　two　hours；　and　the　Indians　were　all　anxiously　waiting　for　some　news；　when　an　Indian；　who　had　straggled　a　short　distance　down　the　river；　returned　with　a　report　that　he　had　seen　the　white　men；　who　were　only　a　short　distance　below；　and　were　coming　on。　The　Indians　were　transported　with　joy；　and　the　chief；　in　the　warmth　of　his　satisfaction；　renewed　his　embrace　to　Captain　Lewis；　who　was　quite　as　much　delighted　as　the　Indians　themselves。　The　report　proved　most　agreeably　true。

〃On　setting　out　at　seven　o'clock；　Captain　Clark；　with　Chaboneau　and　his　wife；　walked　on　shore；　but　they　had　not　gone　more　than　a　mile　before　Captain　Clark　saw　Sacajawea；　who　was　with　her　husband　one　hundred　yards　ahead；　begin　to　dance　and　show　every　mark　of　the　most　extravagant　joy；　turning　round　to　him　and　pointing　to　several　Indians；　whom　he　now　saw　advancing　on　horseback；　sucking　her　fingers　at　the　same　time；　to　indicate　that　they　were　of　her　native　tribe。　As　they　advanced；　Captain　Clark　discovered　among　them　Drewyer　dressed　like　an　Indian；　from　whom　be　learned　the　situation　of　the　party。　While　the　boats　were　performing　the　circuit；　he　went　toward　the　forks　with　the　Indians；　who；　as　they　went　along；　sang　aloud　with　the　greatest　appearance　of　delight。

〃We　soon　drew　near　the　camp；　and　just　as　we　approached　it　a　woman　made　her　way　through　the　crowd　toward　Sacajawea；　recognizing　each　other；　they　embraced　with　the　most　tender　affection。　The　meeting　of　these　two　young　women　had　in　it　something　peculiarly　touching；　not　only　from　the　ardent　manner　in　which　their　feelings　were　expressed；　but　also　from　the　real　interest　of　their　situation。　They　had　been　companions　in　childhood；　in　the　war　with　the　Minnetarees　they　had　both　been　taken　prisoners　in　the　same　battle；　they　had　shared　and　softened　the　rigors　of　their　captivity　till　one　of　them　had　escaped　from　their　enemies　with　scarce　a　hope　of　ever　seeing　her　friend　rescued　from　their　hands。

〃While　Sacajawea　was　renewing　among　the　women　the　friendships　of　former　days；　Captain　Clark　went　on；　and　was　received　by　Captain　Lewis　and　the　chief；　who；　after　the　first　embraces　and　salutations　were　over；　conducted　him　to　a　sort　of　circular　tent　or　shade　of　willows。　　Here　he　was　seated　on　a　white　robe；　and　the　chief　immediately　tied　in　his　hair　six　small　shells　resembling　pearls；　an　ornament　highly　valued　by　these　people；　who　procure　them　in　the　course　of　trade　from　the　seacoast。　The　moccasins　of　the　whole　party　were　then　taken　off；　and；　after　much　ceremony；　the　smoking　began。　　After　this　the　conference　was　to　be　opened；　and；　glad　of　an　opportunity　of　being　able　to　converse　more　intelligibly；　Sacajawea　was　sent　for：　she　came　into　the　tent；　sat　down；　and　was　beginning　to　interpret；　when　in　the　person　of　Cameahwait　she　recognized　her　brother。　She　instantly　jumped　up；　and　ran　and　embraced　him；　throwing　over　him　her　blanket；　and　weeping　profusely：　the　chief　was　himself　moved；　though　not　in　the　same　degree。　After　some　conversation　between　them　she　resumed　her　seat；　and　attempted　to　interpret　for　us；　but　her　new　situation　seemed　to　overpower　her；　and　she　was　frequently　interrupted　by　her　tears。　After　the　council　was　finished；　the　unfortunate　woman　learned　that　all　her　family　were　dead　except　two　brothers；　one　of　whom　was　absent；　and　a　son　of　her　eldest　sister；　a　small　boy；　who　was　immediately　adopted　by　her。〃

The　two　parties；　Indian　and　white；　now　went　into　a　conference；　the　white　chiefs　explaining　that　it　would　be　needful　for　their　Indian　friends　to　collect　all　their　horses　and　help　to　transport　the　goods　of　the　explorers　over　the　Great　Divide。　　The　journal　says：

〃The　speech　made　a　favorable　impression。　　The　chief；　in　reply；　thanked　us　for　our　expressions　of　friendship　toward　himself　and　his　nation；　and　declared　their　willingness　to　render　us　every　service。　　He　lamented　that　it　would　be　so　long　before　they　should　be　supplied　with　firearms；　but　that　till　then　they　could　subsist　as　they　had　heretofore　done。　He　concluded　by　saying　that　there　were　not　horses　enough　here　to　transport　our　goods；　but　that　he　would　return　to　the　village　to…morrow；　bring　all　his　own　horses；　and　encourage　his　people　to　come　over　with　theirs。　　The　conference　being　ended　to　our　satisfaction；　we　now　inquired　of　Cameahwait　what　chiefs　were　among　the　party；　and　he　pointed　out　two　of　them。　　We　then　distributed　our　presents：　to　Cameahwait　we　gave　a　medal　of　small　size；　with　the　likeness　of　President　Jefferson；　and　on　the　reverse　a　figure　of　hands　clasped　with　a　pipe　and　tomahawk；　to　this　was　added　an　uniform　coat；　a　shirt；　a　pair　of　scarlet　leggings；　a　carrot　＇or　twist＇　of　tobacco；　and　some　small　articles。　　Each　of　the　other　chiefs　received　a　small　medal　struck　during　the　presidency　of　General　Washington；　a　shirt；　handkerchief；　leggings；　knife；　and　some　tobacco。　Medals　of　the　same　sort　were　also　presented　to　two　young　warriors；　who；　though　not　chiefs；　were　promising　youths　and　very　much　respected　in　the　tribe。　　These　honorary　gifts　were　followed　by　presents　of　paint；　moccasins；　awls；　knives；　beads；　and　looking…glasses。　We　also　gave　them　all　a　plentiful　meal　of　Indian　corn；　of　which　the　hull　is　taken　off　by　being　boiled　in　lye；　as　this　was　the　first　they　had　ever　tasted；　they　were　very　much　pleased　with　it。　They　had；　indeed；　abundant　sources　of　surprise　in　all　they　saw　the　appearance　of　the　men；　their　arms；　their　clothing；　the　canoes；　the　strange　looks　of　the　negro；　and　the　sagacity　of　our　dog；　all　in　turn　shared　their　admiration；　which　was　raised　to　astonishment　by　a　shot　from　the　air…gun。　This　operation　was　instantly　considered　‘great　medicine；'　by　which　they；　as　well　as　the　other　Indians；　mean　something　emanating　directly　from　the　Great　Spirit；　or　produced　by　his　invisible　and　incomprehensible　agency。　。　。　。

〃After　the　council　was　over　we　consulted　as　to　our　future　operations。　The　game　did　not　promise　to　last　here　for　many　days；　and　this　circumstance　combined　with　many　others　to　induce　our　going　on　as　soon　as　possible。　Our　Indian　information　as　to　the　state　of　the　Columbia　was　of　a　very　alarming　kind；　and　our　first　object　was；　of　course；　to　ascertain　the　practicability　of　descending　it；　of　which　the　Indians　discouraged　our　expectations。　It　was　therefore　agreed　that　Captain　Clark　should　set　off　in　the　morning　with　eleven　men；　furnished；　besides　their　arms；　with　tools　for　making　canoes：　that　he　should　take　Chaboneau　and　his　wife　to　the　camp　of　the　Shoshonees；　where　he　was　to　leave　them；　in　order　to　hasten　the　collection　of　horses；　that　he　should　then　lead　his　men　down　to　the　Columbia；　and　if　be　found　it　navigable；　and　the　timber　in　sufficient　quantity；　begin　to　build　canoes。　As　soon　as　he　had　decided　as　to　the　propriety　of　proceeding　down　the　Columbia　or　across　the　mountains；　be　was　to　se