first across the continent-第36节

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　tree；　and　scarcely　any　shrubs；　except　a　few　willow…bushes；　even　of　smaller　plants　there　is　not　much　more　than　the　prickly…pear；　which　is　in　great　abundance；　and　is　even　more　thorny　and　troublesome　than　any　we　have　yet　seen。　During　this　time　the　principal　chief　came　down　with　several　of　his　warriors；　and　smoked　with　us。　　We　were　also　visited　by　several　men　and　women；　who　offered　dogs　and　fish　for　sale；　but　as　the　fish　was　out　of　season；　and　at　present　abundant　in　the　river；　we　contented　ourselves　with　purchasing　all　the　dogs　we　could　obtain。

〃The　nation　among　which　we　now　are　call　themselves　Sokulks；　with　them　are　united　a　few　of　another　nation；　who　reside　on　a　western　branch　which　empties　into　the　Columbia　a　few　miles　above　the　mouth　of　the　latter　river；　and　whose　name　is　Chimnapum。　　The　languages　of　these　two　nations；　of　each　of　which　we　obtained　a　vocabulary；　differ　but　little　from　each　other；　or　from　that　of　the　Chopunnish　who　inhabit　the　Kooskooskee　and　Lewis'　rivers。　　In　their　dress　and　general　appearance　they　also　much　resemble　those　nations；　the　men　wearing　a　robe　of　deer…　or　antelope…skin；　under　which　a　few　of　them　have　a　short　leathern　shirt。　　The　most　striking　difference　is　among　the　females；　the　Sokulk　women　being　more　inclined　to　corpulency　than　any　we　have　yet　seen。　　Their　stature　is　low；　their　faces　are　broad；　and　their　heads　flattened　in　such　a　manner　that　the　forehead　is　in　a　straight　line　from　the　nose　to　the　crown　of　the　head。　Their　eyes　are　of　a　dirty　sable；　their　hair　is　coarse　and　black；　and　braided　without　ornament　of　any　kind。　　Instead　of　wearing；　as　do　the　Chopunnish；　long　leathern　shirts　highly　decorated　with　beads　and　shells；　the　Sokulk　women　have　no　other　covering　but　a　truss　or　piece　of　leather　tied　round　the　hips；　and　drawn　tight　between　the　legs。　The　ornaments　usually　worn　by　both　sexes　are　large　blue　or　white　beads；　either　pendant　from　their　ears；　or　round　the　neck；　wrists；　and　arms；　they　have　likewise　bracelets　of　brass；　copper；　and　born；　and　some　trinkets　of　shells；　fishbones；　and　curious　feathers。

〃The　houses　of　the　Sokulks　are　made　of　large　mats　of　rushes；　and　are　generally　of　a　square　or　oblong　form；　varying　in　length　from　fifteen　to　sixty　feet；　and　supported　in　the　inside　by　poles　or　forks　about　six　feet　high。　The　top　is　covered　with　mats；　leaving　a　space　of　twelve　or　fifteen　inches　the　whole　length　of　the　house；　for　the　purpose　of　admitting　the　light　and　suffering　the　smoke　to　escape。　　The　roof　is　nearly　flat；　which　seems　to　indicate　that　rains　are　not　common　in　this　open　country；　and　the　house　is　not　divided　into　apartments；　the　fire　being　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure；　and　immediately　under　the　bole　in　the　roof。　The　interior　is　ornamented　with　their　nets；　gigs；　and　other　fishing…tackle；　as　well　as　the　bow　of　each　inmate；　and　a　large　quiver　of　arrows；　which　are　headed　with　flint。

〃The　Sokulks　seem　to　be　of　a　mild　and　peaceable　disposition；　and　live　in　a　state　of　comparative　happiness。　　The　men；　like　those　on　the　Kimooenim；　are　said　to　content　themselves　with　a　single　wife；　with　whom　the　husband；　we　observe；　shares　the　labors　of　procuring　subsistence　much　more　than　is　common　among　savages。　What　may　be　considered　an　unequivocal　proof　of　their　good　disposition；　is　the　great　respect　which　is　shown　to　old　age。　　Among　other　marks　of　it；　we　noticed　in　one　of　the　houses　an　old　woman　perfectly　blind；　and　who；　we　were　told；　had　lived　more　than　a　hundred　winters。　In　this　state　of　decrepitude；　she　occupied　the　best　position　in　the　house；　seemed　to　be　treated　with　great　kindness；　and　whatever　she　said　was　listened　to　with　much　attention。　They　are　by　no　means　obtrusive；　and　as　their　fisheries　supply　them　with　a　competent；　if　not　an　abundant　subsistence；　although　they　receive　thankfully　whatever　we　choose　to　give；　they　do　not　importune　us　by　begging。　　Fish　is；　indeed；　their　chief　food；　except　roots　and　casual　supplies　of　antelope；　which　latter；　to　those　who　have　only　bows　and　arrows；　must　be　very　scanty。　This　diet　may　be　the　direct　or　the　remote　cause　of　the　chief　disorder　which　prevails　among　them；　as　well　as　among　the　Flatheads　on　the　Kooskooskee　and　Lewis'　rivers。　　With　all　these　Indians　a　bad　soreness　of　the　eyes　is　a　very　common　disorder；　which　is　suffered　to　ripen　by　neglect；　till　many　are　deprived　of　one　of　their　eyes；　and　some　have　totally　lost　the　use　of　both。　This　dreadful　calamity　may　reasonably；　we　think；　be　imputed　to　the　constant　reflection　of　the　sun　on　the　waters；　where　they　are　constantly　fishing　in　the　spring；　summer；　and　fall；　and　during　the　rest　of　the　year　on　the　snows　of　a　country　which　affords　no　object　to　relieve　the　sight。

〃Among　the　Sokulks；　indeed　among　all　the　tribes　whose　chief　subsistence　is　fish；　we　have　observed　that　bad　teeth　are　very　general；　some　have　the　teeth；　particularly　those　of　the　upper　jaw；　worn　down　to　the　gums；　and　many　of　both　sexes；　even　of　middle　age；　have　lost　them　almost　entirely。　This　decay　of　the　teeth　is　a　circumstance　very　unusual　among　Indians；　either　of　the　mountains　or　the　plains；　and　seems　peculiar　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　Columbia。　　We　cannot　avoid　regarding　as　one　principal　cause　of　it　the　manner　in　which　they　eat　their　food。　　The　roots　are　swallowed　as　they　are　dug　from　the　ground；　frequently　covered　with　a　gritty　sand；　so　little　idea　have　they　that　this　is　offensive　that　all　the　roots　they　offer　us　for　sale　are　in　the　same　condition。〃

The　explorers　were　now　at　the　entrance　of　the　mighty　Columbia；〃The　Great　River〃　of　which　they　had　heard　so　much　from　the　Indians。　　We　might　suppose　that　when　they　actually　embarked　upon　the　waters　of　the　famous　stream；　variously　known　as　〃The　River　of　the　North〃　and　〃The　Oregon；〃　the　explorers　would　be　touched　with　a　little　of　the　enthusiasm　with　which　they　straddled　the　headwaters　of　the　Missouri　and　gazed　upon　the　snow…covered　peaks　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　But　no　such　kindling　of　the　imagination　seems　to　have　been　noted　in　their　journal。　In　this　commonplace　way；　according　to　their　own　account；　Captain　Clark　entered　upon　the　mighty　Columbia：

〃In　the　course　of　the　day　＇October　17；　1805＇；　Captain　Clark；　in　a　small　canoe　with　two　men；　ascended　the　Columbia。　　At　the　distance　of　five　miles　he　passed　an　island　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　at　the　head　of　which　was　a　small　but　not　dangerous　rapid。　On　the　left　bank；　opposite　to　this　island；　was　a　fishing…place　consisting　of　three　mat　houses。　　Here　were　great　quantities　of　salmon　drying　on　scaffolds；　and；　indeed；　from　the　mouth　of　the　river　upward；　he　saw　immense　numbers　of　dead　salmon　strewed　along　the　shore；　or　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　which　is　so　clear　that　the　fish　may　be　seen　swimming　at　the　depth　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　The　Indians；　who　had　collected　on　the　banks　to　observe　him；　now　joined　him　in　eighteen　canoes；　and　accompanied　him　up　the　river。　A　mile　above　the　rapids　he　came　to　the　lower　point　of　an　island；　where　the　course　of　the　stream；　which　had　been　from　its　mouth　north　eighty…three　degrees　west；　now　became　due　west。　He　proceeded　in　that　direction；　until；　observing　three　house's　of　mats　at　a　short　distance；　he　landed　to　visit　them。　On　entering　one　of　these　houses；　he　found　it　crowded　with　men；　women；　and　children；　who　immediately　provided　a　mat　for　him　to　sit　on；　and　one　of　the　party　undertook　to　prepare　something　to　eat。　He　began　by　bringing　in　a　piece　of　pine　wood　that　had　drifted　down　the　river；　which　he　split　into　small　pieces　with　a　wedge　made　of　elkhorn；　by　means　of　a　mallet　of　stone　curiously　carved。　　The　pieces　of　wood　were　then　laid　on　the　fire；　and　several　round　stones　placed　upon　them。　One　of　the　squaws　now　brought　a　bucket　of　water；　in　which　was　a　large　salmon　about　half　dried；　and；　as　the　stones　became　heated；　they　were　put　into　the　bucket　till　the　salmon　was　sufficiently　boiled　for　use。　It　was　then　taken　out；　put　on　a　platter　of　rushes　neatly　made；　and　laid　before　Captain　Clark；　while　another　was　boiled　for　each　of　his　men。　During　these　preparations　he　smoked　with　such　about　him　as　would　accept　of　tobacco；　but　very　few　were　desirous　of　smoking；　a　custom　which　is　not　general　among　them；　and　chiefly　used　as　a　matter　of　form　in　great　ceremonies。

〃After　eating　the　fish；　which　was　of　an　excellent　flavor；　Captain　Clark　set　out　and；　at　the　distance　of　four　miles　from　the　last　island；　came　to　the　lower　point　of　another　near　the　left　shore；　where　he　halted　at　two　large　mat…houses。　Here；　as　at　the　three　houses　below；　the　inhabitants　were　occupied　in　splitting　and　drying　salmon。　The　multitudes　of　this　fish　are　almost　inconceivable。　The　water　is　so　clear　that　they　can　readily　be　seen　at　the　depth　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；　but　at　this　season　they　float　in　such　quantities　down　the　stream；　and　are　drifted　ashore；　that　the　Indians　have　only　to　collect；　split；　and　dry　them　on　the　scaffolds。　Where　they　procure　the　timber　of　which　these　scaffolds　are　composed　he　could　not　learn；　but　as　there　is　nothing　but　willow…bushes　to　be　seen　for　a　great　distance　from　this　place；　it　rendered　very　probable　what　the　Indians　assured　him　by　signs；　that　they　often　used　dried　fish　as　fuel　for　the　common　occasions　of　cooking。　From　this　island　they　showed　him　the　entrance　of　the　western　branch　of　the　Columbia；　called　the　Tapteal；　which；　as　far　as　could　b