first across the continent-第49节

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〃The　chief　wealth　of　this　island　consists　of　the　numerous　ponds　in　the　interior；　abounding　with　the　common　arrowhead　（sagittaria　sagittifolia）　to　the　root　of　which　is　attached　a　bulb　growing　beneath　it　in　the　mud。　This　bulb；　to　which　the　Indians　give　the　name　of　wappatoo；＇1＇　is　the　great　article　of　food；　and　almost　the　staple　article　of　commerce　on　the　Columbia。　　It　is　never　out　of　season；　so　that　at　all　times　of　the　year　the　valley　is　frequented　by　the　neighboring　Indians　who　come　to　gather　it。　It　is　collected　chiefly　by　the　women；　who　employ　for　the　purpose　canoes　from　ten　to　fourteen　feet　in　length；　about　two　feet　wide　and　nine　inches　deep；　and　tapering　from　the　middle；　where　they　are　about　twenty　inches　wide。　They　are　sufficient　to　contain　a　single　person　and　several　bushels　of　roots；　yet　so　very　light　that　a　woman　can　carry　them　with　ease。　She　takes　one　of　these　canoes　into　a　pond　where　the　water　is　as　high　as　the　breast；　and　by　means　of　her　toes　separates　from　the　root　this　bulb；　which　on　being　freed　from　the　mud　rises　immediately　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　is　thrown　into　the　canoe。　　In　this　manner　these　patient　females　remain　in　the　water　for　several　hours；　even　in　the　depth　of　winter。　This　plant　is　found　through　the　whole　extent　of　the　valley　in　which　we　now　are；　but　does　not　grow　on　the　Columbia　farther　eastward。〃


＇1＇　In　the　Chinook　jargon　〃Wappatoo〃　stands　for　potato。


The　natives　of　this　inland　region；　the　explorers　found；　were　larger　and　better…shaped　than　those　of　the　sea…coast；　but　they　were　nearly　all　afflicted　with　sore　eyes。　The　loss　of　one　eye　was　common；　and　not　infrequently　total　blindness　was　observed　in　men　of　mature　years；　while　blindness　was　almost　universal　among　the　old　people。　　The　white　men　made　good　use　of　the　eye…water　which　was　among　their　supplies；　it　was　gratefully　received　by　the　natives　and　won　them　friends　among　the　people　they　met。　　On　the　fifth　of　April　the　journal　has　this　entry：

〃In　the　course　of　his　chase　yesterday；　one　of　our　men　＇Collins＇；　who　had　killed　a　bear；　found　the　den　of　another　with　three　cubs　in　it。　He　returned　to…day　in　hopes　of　finding　her；　but　brought　only　the　cubs；　without　being　able　to　see　the　dam；　and　on　this　occasion　Drewyer；　our　most　experienced　huntsman；　assured　us　that　he　had　never　known　a　single　instance　where　a　female　bear；　which　had　once　been　disturbed　by　a　hunter　and　obliged　to　leave　her　young；　returned　to　them　again。　The　young　bears　were　sold　for　wappatoo　to　some　of　the　many　Indians　who　visited　us　in　parties　during　the　day　and　behaved　very　well。〃

And　on　the　ninth　is　this　entry：

〃The　wind　having　moderated；　we　reloaded　the　canoes　and　set　out　by　seven　o'clock。　We　stopped　to　take　up　the　two　hunters　who　left　us　yesterday；　but　were　unsuccessful　in　the　chase；　and　then　proceeded　to　the　Wahclellah　village；　situated　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　about　a　mile　below　Beacon　Rock。　　During　the　whole　of　the　route　from　camp　we　passed　along　under　high；　steep；　and　rocky　sides　of　the　mountains；　which　now　close　on　each　side　of　the　river；　forming　stupendous　precipices；　covered　with　fir　and　white　cedar。　Down　these　heights　frequently　descend　the　most　beautiful　cascades；　one　of　which；　a　large　creek；　throws　itself　over　a　perpendicular　rock　three　hundred　feet　above　the　water；　while　other　smaller　streams　precipitate　themselves　from　a　still　greater　elevation；　and　evaporating　in　a　mist；　collect　again　and　form　a　second　cascade　before　they　reach　the　bottom　of　the　rocks。　　We　stopped　to　breakfast　at　this　village。　We　here　found　the　tomahawk　which　had　been　stolen　from　us　on　the　fourth　of　last　November。　　They　assured　us　they　had　bought　it　of　the　Indians　below；　but　as　the　latter　had　already　informed　us　that　the　Wahclellahs　had　such　an　article；　which　they　had　stolen；　we　made　no　difficulty　about　retaking　our　property。〃

The　Columbia　along　the　region　through　which　the　expedition　was　now　passing　is　a　very　wild　and　picturesque　stream。　The　banks　are　high　and　rocky；　and　some　of　the　precipices　to　which　the　journal　refers　are　of　a　vast　perpendicular　height。　On　the　Oregon　side　of　the　river　are　five　cascades　such　as　those　which　the　journal　mentions。　　The　most　famous　and　beautiful　of　these　is　known　as　Multnomah　Falls。　　This　cataract　has　a　total　fall　of　more　than　six　hundred　feet；　divided　into　two　sections。　The　other　cascades　are　the　Bridal　Veil；　the　Horsetail；　the　Latourelle；　and　the　Oneonta；　and　all　are　within　a　few　miles　of　each　other。

On　the　ninth　of　April　the　voyagers　reached　the　point　at　which　they　were　to　leave　tidewater；　fifty…six　miles　above　the　mouth　of　the　Multnomah；　or　Willamette。　　They　were　now　at　the　entrance　of　the　great　rapids　which　are　known　as　the　Cascades　of　the　Columbia；　and　which　occupy　a　space　on　the　river　about　equal　to　four　miles　and　a　half。　They　were　still　navigating　the　stream　with　their　canoes；　camping　sometimes　on　the　north　side　and　sometimes　on　the　south　side　of　the　river。　This　time　they　camped　on　the　north　side；　and　during　the　night　lost　one　of　their　boats；　which　got　loose　and　drifted　down　to　the　next　village　of　the　Wahclellahs；　some　of　whom　brought　it　back　to　the　white　men's　camp　and　were　rewarded　for　their　honesty　by　a　present　of　two　knives。　It　was　found　necessary　to　make　a　portage　here；　but　a　long　and　severe　rainstorm　set　in；　and　the　tents　and　the　skins　used　for　protecting　the　baggage　were　soaked。　　The　journal　goes　on　with　the　narrative　thus：

We　determined　to　take　the　canoes　first　over　the　portage；　in　hopes　that　by　the　afternoon　the　rain　would　cease；　and　we　might　carry　our　baggage　across　without　injury。　This　was　immediately　begun　by　almost　the　whole　party；　who　in　the　course　of　the　day　dragged　four　of　the　canoes　to　the　head　of　the　rapids；　with　great　difficulty　and　labor。　　A　guard；　consisting　of　one　sick　man　and　three　who　had　been　lamed　by　accidents；　remained　with　Captain　Lewis　＇and　a　cook＇　to　guard　the　baggage。　This　precaution　was　absolutely　necessary　to　protect　it　from　the　Wahclellahs；　whom　we　discovered　to　be　great　thieves；　notwithstanding　their　apparent　honesty　in　restoring　our　boat；　indeed；　so　arrogant　and　intrusive　have　they　become　that　nothing　but　our　numbers；　we　are　convinced；　saves　us　from　attack。　They　crowded　about　us　while　we　were　taking　up　the　boats；　and　one　of　them　had　the　insolence　to　throw　stones　down　the　bank　at　two　of　our　men。

〃We　now　found　it　necessary　to　depart　from　our　mild　and　pacific　course　of　conduct。　　On　returning　to　the　head　of　the　portage；　many　of　them　met　our　men　and　seemed　very　ill…disposed。　Shields　had　stopped　to　purchase　a　dog；　and　being　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　party；　two　Indians　pushed　him　out　of　the　road；　and　attempted　to　take　the　dog　from　him。　　He　had　no　weapon　but　a　long　knife；　with　which　he　immediately　attacked　them　both；　hoping　to　put　them　to　death　before　they　had　time　to　draw　their　arrows；　but　as　soon　as　they　saw　his　design　they　fled　into　the　woods。　Soon　afterward　we　were　told　by　an　Indian　who　spoke　Clatsop；　which　we　had　ourselves　learned　during　the　winter；　that　the　Wahclellahs　had　carried　off　Captain　Lewis'　dog　to　their　village　below。　Three　men　well　armed　were　instantly　despatched　in　pursuit　of　them；　with　orders　to　fire　if　there　was　the　slightest　resistance　or　hesitation。　At　the　distance　of　two　miles　they　came　within　sight　of　the　thieves；　who；　finding　themselves　pursued；　left　the　dog　and　made　off。　We　now　ordered　all　the　Indians　out　of　our　camp；　and　explained　to　them　that　whoever　stole　any　of　our　baggage；　or　insulted　our　men；　should　be　instantly　shot；　a　resolution　which　we　were　determined　to　enforce；　as　it　was　now　our　only　means　of　safety。

〃We　were　visited　during　the　day　by　a　chief　of　the　Clahclellahs；　who　seemed　mortified　at　the　behavior　of　the　Indians；　and　told　us　that　the　persons　at　the　head　of　their　outrages　were　two　very　bad　men　who　belonged　to　the　Wahclellah　tribe；　but　that　the　nation　did　not　by　any　means　wish　to　displease　us。　This　chief　seemed　very　well…disposed；　and　we　had　every　reason　to　believe　was　much　respected　by　the　neighboring　Indians。　　We　therefore　gave　him　a　small　medal　and　showed　him　all　the　attention　in　our　power；　with　which　he　appeared　very　much　gratified。〃

The　portage　of　these　rapids　was　very　difficult　and　tiresome。　The　total　distance　of　the　first　stage　was　twenty…eight　hundred　yards　along　a　narrow　way　rough　with　rocks　and　now　slippery　with　rain。　One　of　the　canoes　was　lost　here　by　being　driven　out　into　the　strong　current；　where　the　force　of　the　water　was　so　great　that　it　could　not　be　held　by　the　men；　the　frail　skiff　drifted　down　the　rapids　and　disappeared。　They　now　had　two　canoes　and　two　periogues　left；　and　the　loads　were　divided　among　these　craft。　　This　increased　the　difficulties　of　navigation；　and　Captain　Lewis　crossed　over　to　the　south　side　of　the　river　in　search　of　canoes　to　be　purchased　from　the　Indians；　who　lived　in　a　village　on　that　side　of　the　stream。　　The　narrative　continues：

〃The　village　now　consisted　of　eleven　houses；　crowded　with　inhabitants；　and　about　sixty　fighting　men。　　They　were　very　well　disposed；　and　we　found　no　difficulty　in　procuring　two　small　canoes；　in　exchange　for　two　robes　and　four　elk…skins。　He　also　purchased　with　deer…skins　three　dogs；an　animal　which　has　now　become　a　favorite　food；　for　it　is　found　to　be　a　strong；　healthy　diet；　preferable　to　lean　deer　or　e