first across the continent-第42节

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arly　hour。　　We　passed　at　three　miles　a　small　prairie；　where　the　river　is　only　three…quarters　of　a　mile　in　width；　and　soon　after　two　houses　on　the　left；　half　a　mile　distant　from　each　other；　from　one　of　which　three　men　came　in　a　canoe　merely　to　look　at　us；　and　having　done　so　returned　home。　At　eight　miles　we　came　to　the　lower　point　of　an　island；　separated　from　the　right　side　by　a　narrow　channel；　on　which；　a　short　distance　above　the　end　of　the　island；　is　situated　a　large　village。　　It　is　built　more　compactly　than　the　generality　of　the　Indian　villages；　and　the　front　has　fourteen　houses；　which　are　ranged　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　along　the　channel。　As　soon　as　we　were　discovered　seven　canoes　came　out　to　see　us；　and　after　some　traffic；　during　which　they　seemed　well　disposed　and　orderly；　accompanied　us　a　short　distance　below。〃

The　explorers　now　met　Indians　of　a　different　nation　from　those　whom　they　had　seen　before。　　The　journal　says：

〃These　people　seem　to　be　of　a　different　nation　from　those　we　have　just　passed；　they　are　low　in　stature；　ill　shaped；　and　all　have　their　heads　flattened。　　They　call　themselves　Wahkiacum；　and　their　language　differs　from　that　of　the　tribes　above；　with　whom　they　trade　for　wappatoo…roots。　The　houses　are　built　in　a　different　style；　being　raised　entirely　above　ground；　with　the　caves　about　five　feet　high　and　the　door　at　the　corner。　Near　the　end；　opposite　this　door；　is　a　single　fireplace；　round　which　are　the　beds；　raised　four　feet　from　the　floor　of　earth；　over　the　fire　are　hung　the　fresh　fish；　which；　when　dried；　are　stowed　away　with　the　wappatoo…roots　under　the　beds。　The　dress　of　the　men　is　like　that　of　the　people　above；　but　the　women　are　clad　in　a　peculiar　manner；　the　robe　not　reaching　lower　than　the　hip；　and　the　body　being　covered　in　cold　weather　by　a　sort　of　corset　of　fur；　curiously　plaited　and　reaching　from　the　arms　to　the　hip；　added　to　this　is　a　sort　of　petticoat；　or　rather　tissue　of　white　cedar　bark；　bruised　or　broken　into　small　strands；　and　woven　into　a　girdle　by　several　cords　of　the　same　material。　Being　tied　round　the　middle；　these　strands　hang　down　as　low　as　the　knee　in　front；　and　to　the　mid…leg　behind；　they　are　of　sufficient　thickness　to　answer　the　purpose　of　concealment　whilst　the　female　stands　in　an　erect　position；　but　in　any　other　attitude　form　but　a　very　ineffectual　defence。　　Sometimes　the　tissue　is　strings　of　silk…grass；　twisted　and　knotted　at　the　end。　After　remaining　with　them　about　an　hour；　we　proceeded　down　the　channel　with　an　Indian　dressed　in　a　sailor's　jacket　for　our　pilot；　and　on　reaching　the　main　channel　were　visited　by　some　Indians　who　have　a　temporary　residence　on　a　marshy　island　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　is　a　great　abundance　of　water…fowl。〃

The　tribe　of　Indians　known　as　the　Wahkiacums　has　entirely　disappeared；　but　the　name　survives　as　that　of　one　of　the　counties　of　Washington　bordering　on　the　Columbia。　　Wahkiacum　is　the　county　lying　next　west　of　Cowlitz。　　When　the　explorers　passed　down　the　river　under　the　piloting　of　their　Indian　friend　wearing　a　sailor's　jacket；　they　were　in　a　thick　fog。　This　cleared　away　and　a　sight　greeted　their　joyful　vision。　Their　story　says：

〃At　a　distance　of　twenty　miles　from　our　camp；　we　halted　at　a　village　of　Wahkiacums；　consisting　of　seven　ill…looking　houses；　built　in　the　same　form　with　those　above；　and　situated　at　the　foot　of　the　high　hills　on　the　right；　behind　two　small　marshy　islands。　We　merely　stopped　to　purchase　some　food　and　two　beaver　skins；　and　then　proceeded。　　Opposite　to　these　islands　the　hills　on　the　left　retire；　and　the　river　widens　into　a　kind　of　bay；　crowded　with　low　islands；　subject　to　be　overflowed　occasionally　by　the　tide。　　We　had　not　gone　far　from　this　village　when；　the　fog　suddenly　clearing　away；　we　were　at　last　presented　with　the　glorious　sight　of　the　oceanthat　ocean；　the　object　of　all　our　labors；　the　reward　of　all　our　anxieties。　This　animating　sight　exhilarated　the　spirits　of　all　the　party；　who　were　still　more　delighted　on　hearing　the　distant　roar　of　the　breakers。　　We　went　on　with　great　cheerfulness　along　the　high；　mountainous　country　which　bordered　the　right　bank：　the　shore；　however；　was　so　bold　and　rocky；　that　we　could　not；　until　at　a　distance　of　fourteen　miles　from　the　last　village；　find　any　spot　fit　for　an　encampment。　　Having　made　during　the　day　thirty…four　miles；　we　now　spread　our　mats　on　the　ground；　and　passed　the　night　in　the　rain。　　Here　we　were　joined　by　our　small　canoe；　which　had　been　separated　from　us　during　the　fog　this　morning。　Two　Indians　from　the　last　village　also　accompanied　us　to　the　camp；　but；　having　detected　them　in　stealing　a　knife；　they　were　sent　off。〃

It　is　not　very　easy　for　us；　who　have　lived　comfortably　at　home；　or　who　have　travelled　only　in　luxurious　railway…cars　and　handsomely　equipped　steamers；　to　realize　the　joy　and　rapture　with　which　these　far…wandering　explorers　hailed　the　sight　of　the　sea；the　sea　to　which　they　had　so　long　been　journeying；　through　deserts；　mountain…passes；　and　tangled　wildernesses。　In　his　diary　Captain　Clark　thus　sets　down　some　indication　of　his　joy　on　that　memorable　day；　November　8；　1805：　　〃Great　joy　in　camp。　We　are　in　view　of　the　Ocean；　this　great　Pacific　Ocean　which　we　have　been　so　long　anxious　to　see；　and　the　roaring　or　noise　made　by　the　waves　breaking　on　the　rocky　shores　（as　I　suppose）　may　be　heard　distinctly。〃　　Later；　same　day；　he　says；　〃Ocean　in　view！　O！　the　joy！〃　　Fortunately；　the　hardships　to　be　undergone　on　the　shores　of　the　ocean　were　then　unknown　and　undreamed　of；　the　travellers　were　thankful　to　see　the　sea；　the　goal　of　all　their　hopes；　the　end　of　their　long　pilgrimage　across　the　continent。

That　night　they　camped　near　the　mouth　of　the　river　in　what　is　now　known　as　Gray's　Bay；　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　in　the　southwest　corner　of　Wahkiacum　County。　　Before　they　could　reach　their　camping…place；　the　water　was　so　rough　that　some　of　the　men　had　an　unusual　experience；seasickness。　They　passed　a　disagreeable　night　on　a　narrow；　rocky　bench　of　land。　Next　day　they　say：

〃Fortunately　for　us；　the　tide　did　not　rise　as　high　as　our　camp　during　the　night；　but　being　accompanied　by　high　winds　from　the　south；　the　canoes；　which　we　could　not　place　beyond　its　reach；　were　filled　with　water；　and　were　saved　with　much　difficulty。　Our　position　was　very　uncomfortable；　but　as　it　was　impossible　to　move　from　it；　we　waited　for　a　change　of　weather。　It　rained；　however；　during　the　whole　day；　and　at　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　flood　tide　set　in；　accompanied　by　a　high　wind　from　the　south；　which；　about　four　o'clock；　shifted　to　the　southwest　and　blew　almost　a　gale　directly　from　the　sea。　The　immense　waves　now　broke　over　the　place　where　we　were　camped；　the　large　trees；　some　of　them　five　or　six　feet　thick；　which　had　lodged　at　the　point；　were　drifted　over　our　camp；　and　the　utmost　vigilance　of　every　man　could　scarcely　save　our　canoes　from　being　crushed　to　pieces。　　We　remained　in　the　water；　and　drenched　with　rain；　during　the　rest　of　the　day；　our　only　food　being　some　dried　fish　and　some　rain…water　which　we　caught。　Yet；　though　wet　and　cold；　and　some　of　them　sick　from　using　salt　water；　the　men　were　cheerful；　and　full　of　anxiety　to　see　more　of　the　ocean。　The　rain　continued　all　night。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　troubles。　　Next　day；　the　wind　having　lulled；　the　party　set　forth　again；　only　to　be　beaten　back　and　compelled　to　take　to　the　shore　again。　　This　was　their　experience　for　several　days。　For　example；　under　date　of　the　eleventh　the　journal　says：

〃The　wind　was　still　high　from　the　southwest；　and　drove　the　waves　against　the　shore　with　great　fury；　the　rain　too　fell　in　torrents；　and　not　only　drenched　us　to　the　skin；　but　loosened　the　stones　on　the　hillsides；　which　then　came　rolling　down　upon　us。　In　this　comfortless　situation　we　remained　all　day；　wet；　cold；　with　nothing　but　dried　fish　to　satisfy　our　hunger；　the　canoes　in　one　place　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves；　the　baggage　in　another；　and　all　the　men　scattered　on　floating　logs；　or　sheltering　themselves　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks　and　hillsides。　A　hunter　was　despatched　in　hopes　of　finding　some　fresh　meat；　but　the　hills　were　so　steep；　and　so　covered　with　undergrowth　and　fallen　timber；　that　he　could　not　penetrate　them；　and　he　was　forced　to　return。〃

And　this　is　the　record　for　the　next　day：

〃About　three　o'clock　a　tremendous　gale　of　wind　arose　accompanied　with　lightning；　thunder；　and　hail：　　at　six　it　lightened　up　for　a　short　time；　but　a　violent　rain　soon　began；　and　lasted　through　the　day。　During　the　storm；　one　of　our　boats；　secured　by　being　sunk　with　great　quantities　of　stone；　got　loose；　but；　drifting　against　a　rock；　was　recovered　without　having　received　much　injury。　　Our　situation　now　became　much　more　dangerous；　for　the　waves　were　driven　with　fury　against　the　rocks　and　trees；　which　till　now　had　afforded　us　refuge：　we　therefore　took　advantage　of　the　low　tide；　and　moved　about　half　a　mile　round　a　point　to　a　small　brook；　which　we　had　not　observed　before　on　account　of　the　thick　bushes　and　driftwood　which　concealed　its　mouth。　Here　we　were　more　safe；　but　still　cold　and　wet；　our　clothes　and　bedding　rotten　as　well　as　wet；　our　baggage　at　a　distance；　and　the　canoes；　our　only　means　of　escape　from　this　place；　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves。　Still；　we　continued　to　enjoy　good　health；　an