first across the continent-第54节

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aving　made　a　fire；　and　cooked　our　supper　of　horseflesh　and　roots；　collected　all　the　distinguished　men　present；　and　spent　the　evening　in　making　known　who　we　were；　what　were　the　objects　of　our　journey；　and　in　answering　their　inquiries。　To　each　of　the　chiefs　Tunnachemootoolt　and　Hohastillpilp　we　gave　a　small　medal；　explaining　their　use　and　importance　as　honorary　distinctions　both　among　the　whites　and　the　red　men。　Our　men　were　well　pleased　at　once　more　having　made　a　hearty　meal。　They　had　generally　been　in　the　habit　of　crowding　into　the　houses　of　the　Indians；　to　purchase　provisions　on　the　best　terms　they　could；　for　the　inhospitality　of　the　country　was　such；　that　often；　in　the　extreme　of　hunger；　they　were　obliged　to　treat　the　natives　with　but　little　ceremony；　but　this　Twisted　Hair　had　told　us　was　very　disagreeable。　Finding　that　these　people　are　so　kind　and　liberal；　we　ordered　our　men　to　treat　them　with　the　greatest　respect；　and　not　to　throng　round　their　fires；　so　that　they　now　agree　perfectly　well　together。　After　the　council　the　Indians　felt　no　disposition　to　retire；　and　our　tent　was　filled　with　them　all　night。〃

As　the　expedition　was　here　in　a　populous　country；　among　many　bands　of　Indians；　it　was　thought　wise　to　have　a　powwow　with　the　head　men　and　explain　to　them　what　were　the　intentions　of　the　United　States　Government。　　But；　owing　to　the　crooked　course　which　their　talk　must　needs　take；　it　was　very　difficult　to　learn　if　the　Indians　finally　understood　what　was　said。　Here　is　the　journal's　account　of　the　way　in　which　the　powwow　was　conducted：

〃We　collected　the　chiefs　and　warriors；　and　having　drawn　a　map　of　the　relative　situation　of　our　country　on　a　mat　with　a　piece　of　coal；　detailed　the　nature　and　power　of　the　American　nation；　its　desire　to　preserve　harmony　between　all　its　red　brethren；　and　its　intention　of　establishing　trading…houses　for　their　relief　and　support。　　It　was　not　without　difficulty；　nor　till　after　nearly　half　the　day　was　spent；　that　we　were　able　to　convey　all　this　information　to　the　Chopunnish；　much　of　which　might　have　been　lost　or　distorted　in　its　circuitous　route　through　a　variety　of　languages；　for　in　the　first　place；　we　spoke　in　English　to　one　of　our　men；　who　translated　it　into　French　to　Chaboneau；　he　interpreted　it　to　his　wife　in　the　Minnetaree　language；　she　then　put　it　into　Shoshonee；　and　the　young　Shoshonee　prisoner　explained　it　to　the　Chopunnish　in　their　own　dialect。　At　last　we　succeeded　in　communicating　the　impression　we　wished；　and　then　adjourned　the　council；　after　which　we　amused　them　by　showing　the　wonders　of　the　compass；　spy…glass；　magnet；　watch；　and　air…gun；　each　of　which　attracted　its　share　of　admiration。〃

The　simple…minded　Indians；　who　seemed　to　think　that　the　white　men　could　heal　all　manner　of　diseases；　crowded　around　them　next　day；　begging　for　medicines　and　treatment。　　These　were　freely　given；　eye…water　being　most　in　demand。　　There　was　a　general　medical　powwow。　The　journal　adds：

〃Shortly　after；　the　chiefs　and　warriors　held　a　council　among　themselves；　to　decide　on　an　answer　to　our　speech；　and　the　result　was；　as　we　were　informed；　that　they　had　full　confidence　in　what　we　had　told　them；　and　were　resolved　to　follow　our　advice。　　This　determination　having　been　made；　the　principal　chief；　Tunnachemootoolt；　took　a　quantity　of　flour　of　the　roots　of　cow…weed　＇cowas＇；　and　going　round　to　all　the　kettles　and　baskets　in　which　his　people　were　cooking；　thickened　the　soup　into　a　kind　of　mush。　　He　then　began　an　harangue；　setting　forth　the　result　of　the　deliberations　among　the　chiefs；　and　after　exhorting　them　to　unanimity；　concluded　with　an　invitation　to　all　who　acquiesced　in　the　proceedings　of　the　council　to　come　and　eat；　while　those　who　were　of　a　different　mind　were　requested　to　show　their　dissent　by　not　partaking　of　the　feast。　　During　this　animated　harangue；　the　women；　who　were　probably　uneasy　at　the　prospect　of　forming　this　proposed　new　connection　with　strangers；　tore　their　hair；　and　wrung　their　hands　with　the　greatest　appearance　of　distress。　But　the　concluding　appeal　of　the　orator　effectually　stopped　the　mouths　of　every　malecontent；　and　the　proceedings　were　ratified；　and　the　mush　devoured　with　the　most　zealous　unanimity。

〃The　chiefs　and　warriors　then　came　in　a　body　to　visit　us　as　we　were　seated　near　our　tent；　and　at　their　instance；　two　young　men；　one　of　whom　was　a　son　of　Tunnachemootoolt；　and　the　other　the　youth　whose　father　had　been　killed　by　the　Pahkees；　presented　to　us　each　a　fine　horse。　We　invited　the　chiefs　to　be　seated；　and　gave　every　one　of　them　a　flag；　a　pound　of　powder；　and　fifty　balls；　and　a　present　of　the　same　kind　to　the　young　men　from　whom　we　had　received　the　horses。　They　then　invited　us　into　the　tent；　and　said　that　they　now　wished　to　answer　what　we　had　told　them　yesterday；　but　that　many　of　their　people　were　at　that　moment　waiting　in　great　pain　for　our　medical　assistance。〃

It　was　agreed；　therefore；　that　Captain　Clark；　who　seems　to　have　been　their　favorite　physician；　should　attend　to　the　sick　and　lame；　while　Captain　Lewis　should　conduct　a　council　with　the　chiefs　and　listen　to　what　they　had　to　say。　　The　upshot　of　the　powwow　was　that　the　Chopunnish　said　they　had　sent　three　of　their　warriors　with　a　pipe　to　make　peace　with　the　Shoshonees；　last　summer；　as　they　had　been　advised　to　do　by　the　white　men。　　The　Shoshonees；　unmindful　of　the　sacredness　of　this　embassy；　had　killed　the　young　warriors　and　had　invited　the　battle　which　immediately　took　place；　in　which　the　Chopunnish　killed　forty…two　of　the　Shoshonees；　to　get　even　for　the　wanton　killing　of　their　three　young　men。　The　white　men　now　wanted　some　of　the　Chopunnish　to　accompany　them　to　the　plains　of　the　Missouri；　but　the　Indians　were　not　willing　to　go　until　they　were　assured　that　they　would　not　be　waylaid　and　slain　by　their　enemies　of　the　other　side　of　the　mountains。　The　Chopunnish　would　think　over　the　proposal　that　some　of　their　young　men　should　go　over　the　range　with　the　white　men；　a　decision　on　this　point　should　be　reached　before　the　white　men　left　the　country。　　Anyhow；　the　white　men　might　be　sure　that　the　Indians　would　do　their　best　to　oblige　their　visitors。　Their　conclusion　was；　〃For；　although　we　are　poor；　our　hearts　are　good。〃　The　story　of　this　conference　thus　concludes：

〃As　soon　as　this　speech　was　concluded；　Captain　Lewis　replied　at　some　length；　with　this　they　appeared　highly　gratified；　and　after　smoking　the　pipe；　made　us　a　present　of　another　fat　horse　for　food。　　We；　in　turn；　gave　Broken…arm　a　phial　of　eye…water；　with　directions　to　wash　the　eyes　of　all　who　should　apply　for　it；　and　as　we　promised　to　fill　it　again　when　it　was　exhausted；　he　seemed　very　much　pleased　with　our　liberality。　To　Twisted…hair；　who　had　last　night　collected　six　more　horses；　we　gave　a　gun；　one　hundred　balls；　and　two　pounds　of　powder；　and　told　him　he　should　have　the　same　quantity　when　we　received　the　remainder　of　our　horses。　In　the　course　of　the　day　three　more　of　them　were　brought　in；　and　a　fresh　exchange　of　small　presents　put　the　Indians　in　excellent　humor。　On　our　expressing　a　wish　to　cross　the　river　and　form　a　camp；　in　order　to　hunt　and　fish　till　the　snows　had　melted；　they　recommended　a　position　a　few　miles　distant；　and　promised　to　furnish　us　to…morrow　with　a　canoe　to　cross。　We　invited　Twisted…hair　to　settle　near　our　camp；　for　he　has　several　young　sons；　one　of　whom　we　hope　to　engage　as　a　guide；　and　he　promised　to　do　so。　　Having　now　settled　all　their　affairs；　the　Indians　divided　themselves　into　two　parties；　and　began　to　play　the　game　of　hiding　a　bone；　already　described　as　common　to　all　the　natives　of　this　country；　which　they　continued　playing　for　beads　and　other　ornaments。〃

As　there　was　so　dismal　a　prospect　for　crossing　the　snow…covered　mountains　at　this　season　of　the　year；　the　captains　of　the　expedition　resolved　to　establish　a　camp　and　remain　until　the　season　should　be　further　advanced。　Accordingly；　a　spot　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　recommended　to　them　by　the　Indians；　was　selected；　and　a　move　across　the　stream　was　made。　A　single　canoe　was　borrowed　for　the　transit　of　the　baggage；　and　the　horses　were　driven　in　to　swim　across；　and　the　passage　was　accomplished　without　loss。　The　camp　was　built　on　the　site　of　an　old　Indian　house；　in　a　circle　about　thirty　yards　in　diameter；　near　the　river　and　in　an　advantageous　position。　As　soon　as　the　party　were　encamped；　the　two　Chopunnish　chiefs　came　down　to　the　opposite　bank；　and；　with　twelve　of　their　nation；　began　to　sing。　This　was　the　custom　of　these　people；　being　a　token　of　their　friendship　on　such　occasions。　　The　captains　sent　a　canoe　over　for　the　chiefs；　and；　after　smoking　for　some　time；　Hohastillpilp　presented　Captain　with　a　fine　gray　horse　which　he　had　brought　over　for　that　purpose；　and　he　was　perfectly　satisfied　to　receive　in　return　a　handkerchief；　two　hundred　balls；　and　four　pounds　of　powder。

Here　is　some　curious　information　concerning　the　bears　which　they　found　in　this　region。　　It　must　be　borne　in　mind　that　they　were　still　west　of　the　Bitter　Root　Mountains：

〃The　hunters　killed　some　pheasants；　two　squirrels；　and　a　male　and　a　female　bear；　the　first　of　which　was　large；　fat；　and　of　a　bay　color；　the　second　meagre；　grizzly；　and　of　smaller　size。　They　were　of　the　species　＇Ursus　horribilis＇　common　to　the　upper　part　of　the　Missouri；　and