first across the continent-第31节

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ad　decided　as　to　the　propriety　of　proceeding　down　the　Columbia　or　across　the　mountains；　be　was　to　send　back　one　of　the　men　with　information　of　it　to　Captain　Lewis；　who　by　that　time　would　have　brought　up　the　whole　party；　and　the　rest　of　the　baggage；　as　far　as　the　Shoshonee　village。　Preparations　were　accordingly　made　at　once　to　carry　out　the　arrangement。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

〃In　order　to　relieve　the　men　of　Captain　Clark's　party　from　the　heavy　weight　of　their　arms；　provisions；　and　tools；　we　exposed　a　few　articles　to　barter　for　horses；　and　soon　obtained　three　very　good　ones；　in　exchange　for　which　we　gave　a　uniform　coat；　a　pair　of　leggings；　a　few　handkerchiefs；　three　knives；　and　some　other　small　articles；　the　whole　of　which　did　not；　in　the　United　States；　cost　more　than　twenty　dollars；　a　fourth　was　purchased　by　the　men　for　an　old　checkered　shirt；　a　pair　of　old　leggings；　and　a　knife。　　The　Indians　seemed　to　be　quite　as　well　pleased　as　ourselves　at　the　bargain　they　had　made。　We　now　found　that　the　two　inferior　chiefs　were　somewhat　displeased　at　not　having　received　a　present　equal　to　that　given　to　the　great　chief；　who　appeared　in　a　dress　so　much　finer　than　their　own。　To　allay　their　discontent；　we　bestowed　on　them　two　old　coats；　and　promised　them　if　they　were　active　in　assisting　us　across　the　mountains　they　should　have　an　additional　present。　This　treatment　completely　reconciled　them；　and　the　whole　Indian　party；　except　two　men　and　two　women；　set　out　in　perfect　good　humor　to　return　to　their　home　with　Captain　Clark。〃



Chapter　XIV

Across　the　Great　Divide

Captain　Clark　had　now　left　the　water…shed　of　the　Missouri　behind　him；　and　was　pressing　on；　over　a　broken；　hilly　country；　to　the　lands　from　which　issue　the　tributaries　of　the　Columbia。　　The　Indian　village　which　Captain　Lewis　had　previously　visited　had　been　removed　two　miles　up　the　stream　on　which　it　was　situated；　and　was　reached　by　Clark　on　August　20。　The　party　was　very　ceremoniously　received　by　Chief　Cameahwait；　and　all　hands　began　to　explain　to　the　white　men　the　difficulties　of　the　situation。　How　to　transport　the　canoes　and　baggage　over　the　mountains　to　some　navigable　stream　leading　into　the　Columbia　was　now　the　serious　problem。　The　Indian　chief　and　his　old　men　dwelt　on　the　obstacles　in　the　way　and　argued　that　it　was　too　late　in　the　season　to　make　the　attempt。　They　even　urged　the　white　men　to　stay　with　them　until　another　spring；　when　Indian　guides　would　be　furnished　them　to　proceed　on　their　journey　westward。

On　the　twenty…first；　Clark　passed　the　junction　of　two　streams；　the　Salmon　and　the　Lemhi；　which　is　now　the　site　of　Salmon　City；　Idaho。　　As　Captain　Lewis　was　the　first　white　man　who　had　seen　these　waters；　Clark　gave　to　the　combined　water…course　the　name　of　Lewis'　River。　　The　mountains　here　assumed　a　formidable　aspect；　and　the　stream　was　too　narrow；　rapid；　and　rock…bound　to　admit　of　navigation。　　The　journal　says　of　Captain　Clark：

He　soon　began　to　perceive　that　the　Indian　accounts　had　not　been　exaggerated。　　At　the　distance　of　a　mile　he　passed　a　small　creek　＇on　the　right＇；　and　the　points　of　four　mountains；　which　were　rocky；　and　so　high　that　it　seemed　almost　impossible　to　cross　them　with　horses。　The　road　lay　over　the　sharp　fragments　of　rocks　which　had　fallen　from　the　mountains；　and　were　strewed　in　heaps　for　miles　together；　yet　the　horses；　altogether　unshod；　travelled　across　them　as　fast　as　the　men；　without　detaining　them　a　moment。　　They　passed　two　bold　running　streams；　and　reached　the　entrance　of　a　small　river；　where　a　few　Indian　families　resided；　who　had　not　been　previously　acquainted　with　the　arrival　of　the　whites；　the　guide　was　behind；　and　the　woods　were　so　thick　that　we　came　upon　them　unobserved；　till　at　a　very　short　distance。　　As　soon　as　they　saw　us　the　women　and　children　fled　in　great　consternation；　the　men　offered　us　everything　they　hadthe　fish　on　the　scaffolds；　the　dried　berries；　and　the　collars　of　elks'　tushes　worn　by　the　children。　We　took　only　a　small　quantity　of　the　food；　and　gave　them　in　return　some　small　articles　which　conduced　very　much　to　pacify　them。　The　guide　now　coming　up；　explained　to　them　who　we　were　and　the　object　of　our　visit；　which　seemed　to　relieve　their　fears；　still　a　number　of　the　women　and　children　did　not　recover　from　their　fright；　but　cried　during　our　stay；　which　lasted　about　an　hour。　The　guide；　whom　we　found　a　very　intelligent；　friendly　old　man；　informed　us　that　up　this　river　there　was　a　road　which　led　over　the　mountains　to　the　Missouri。〃

To　add　to　their　difficulties；　game　had　almost　entirely　disappeared；　and　the　abundant　fish　in　the　river　could　not　be　caught　for　lack　of　proper　fishing…tackle。　Timber　from　which　canoes　could　be　made；　there　was　none；　and　the　rapids　in　the　rivers　were　sharp　and　violent。　With　his　Indian　guide　and　three　men；　Captain　Clark　now　pressed　on　his　route　of　survey；　leaving　the　remainder　of　his　men　behind　to　hunt　and　fish。　He　went　down　the　Salmon　River　about　fifty…two　miles；　making　his　way　as　best　he　could　along　its　banks。　　Finding　the　way　absolutely　blocked　for　their　purposes；　Captain　Clark　returned　on　the　twenty…fifth　of　August　and　rejoined　the　party　that　he　had　left　behind。　　These　had　not　been　able　to　kill　anything；　and　for　a　time　starvation　stared　them　in　the　face。　Under　date　of　August　27；　the　journal　says：

〃The　men；　who　were　engaged　last　night　in　mending　their　moccasins；　all　except　one；　went　out　hunting；　but　no　game　was　to　be　procured。　One　of　the　men；　however；　killed　a　small　salmon；　and　the　Indians　made　a　present　of　another；　on　which　the　whole　party　made　a　very　slight　breakfast。　These　Indians；　to　whom　this　life　is　familiar；　seem　contented；　although　they　depend　for　subsistence　on　the　scanty　productions　of　the　fishery。　But　our　men；　who　are　used　to　hardships；　but　have　been　accustomed　to　have　the　first　wants　of　nature　regularly　supplied；　feel　very　sensibly　their　wretched　situation；　their　strength　is　wasting　away；　they　begin　to　express　their　apprehensions　of　being　without　food　in　a　country　perfectly　destitute　of　any　means　of　supporting　life；　except　a　few　fish。　In　the　course　of　the　day　an　Indian　brought　into　the　camp　five　salmon；　two　of　which　Captain　Clark　bought　and　made　a　supper　for　the　party。〃

Two　days　later；　Captain　Clark　and　his　men　joined　the　main　party；　having　met　the　only　repulse　that　was　suffered　by　the　expedition　from　first　to　last。　Eluding　the　vigilance　of　the　Indians；　caches；　or　hiding…places；　for　the　baggage　were　constructed；　filled；　and　concealed；　the　work　being　done　after　dark。　　The　weather　was　now　very　cold；　although　August　had　not　passed。　Ink　froze　in　the　pen　during　the　night；　and　the　meadows　were　white　with　frost；　but　the　days　were　warm；　even　hot。

In　the　absence　of　Captain　Clark；　his　colleague　and　party　had　been　visited　by　Cameahwait　and　about　fifty　of　his　band；　with　their　women　and　children。　Captain　Lewis'　journal　says：

〃After　they　had　camped　near　us　and　turned　loose　their　horses；　we　called　a　council　of　all　the　chiefs　and　warriors；　and　addressed　them　in　a　speech。　　Additional　presents　were　then　distributed；　particularly　to　the　two　second　chiefs；　who　had；　agreeably　to　their　promises；　exerted　themselves　in　our　favor。　The　council　was　then　adjourned；　and　all　the　Indians　were　treated　with　an　abundant　meal　of　boiled　Indian　corn　and　beans。　The　poor　wretches；　who　had　no　animal　food　and　scarcely　anything　but　a　few　fish；　had　been　almost　starved；　and　received　this　new　luxury　with　great　thankfulness。　　Out　of　compliment　to　the　chief；　we　gave　him　a　few　dried　squashes；　which　we　had　brought　from　the　Mandans；　and　he　declared　it　was　the　best　food　he　had　ever　tasted　except　sugar；　a　small　lump　of　which　he　had　received　from　his　sister　Sacajawea。　　He　now　declared　how　happy　they　should　all　be　to　live　in　a　country　which　produced　so　many　good　things；　and　we　told　him　that　it　would　not　be　long　before　the　white　men　would　put　it　in　their　power　to　live　below　the　mountains；　where　they　might　themselves　cultivate　all　these　kinds　of　food；　instead　of　wandering　in　the　mountains。　　He　appeared　to　be　much　pleased　with　this　information；　and　the　whole　party　being　now　in　excellent　temper　after　their　repast；　we　began　our　purchase　of　horses。　We　soon　obtained　five　very　good　ones；　on　very　reasonable　terms　that　is；　by　giving　for　each　horse　merchandise　which　cost　us　originally　about　6。　We　have　again　to　admire　the　perfect　decency　and　propriety　of　the　Indians；　for　though　so　numerous；　they　do　not　attempt　to　crowd　round　our　camp　or　take　anything　which　they　see　lying　about；　and　whenever　they　borrow　knives　or　kettles　or　any　other　article　from　the　men；　they　return　them　with　great　fidelity。〃

Captain　Lewis　anxiously　wished　to　push　on　to　meet　Clark；　who；　as　we　have　seen；　was　then　far　down　on　the　Salmon　River。　　Lewis　was　still　at　the　forks　of　Jefferson　River；　it　should　be　borne　in　mind；　and　their　objective　point　was　the　upper　Shoshonee　village　on　the　Lemhi　River；　across　the　divide。　While　on　the　way　over　the　divide；　Lewis　was　greatly　troubled　by　the　freaks　of　the　Indians；　who；　regardless　of　their　promises；　would　propose　to　return　to　the　buffalo　country　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　mountains。　Learning　that　Cameahwait　and　his　chiefs　had　sent　a　messenger　over　to　the　Lemhi　to　notify　the　village　to　come　and　join　an　expedition　of　this　sort；　Captain　Lewis　was　dismayed。