first across the continent-第55节

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ler　size。　They　were　of　the　species　＇Ursus　horribilis＇　common　to　the　upper　part　of　the　Missouri；　and　might　well　be　termed　the　variegated　bear；　for　they　are　found　occasionally　of　a　black；　grizzly；　brown；　or　red　color。　There　is　every　reason　to　believe　them　to　be　of　precisely　the　same　species。　Those　of　different　colors　are　killed　together；　as　in　the　case　of　these　two；　and　as　we　found　the　white　and　bay　associated　together　on　the　Missouri；　and　some　nearly　white　were　seen　in　this　neighborhood　by　the　hunters。　Indeed；　it　is　not　common　to　find　any　two　bears　of　the　same　color；　and　if　the　difference　in　color　were　to　constitute　a　distinction　of　species；　the　number　would　increase　to　almost　twenty。　Soon　afterward　the　hunters　killed　a　female　bear　with　two　cubs。　The　mother　was　black；　with　a　considerable　intermixture　of　white　hairs　and　a　white　spot　on　the　breast。　　One　of　the　cubs　was　jet　black；　and　the　other　of　a　light　reddish…brown　or　bay　color。　　The　hair　of　these　variegated　bears　is　much　finer；　longer；　and　more　abundant　than　that　of　the　common　black　bear；　but　the　most　striking　differences　between　them　are　that　the　former　are　larger　and　have　longer　tusks；　and　longer　as　well　as　blunter　talons；　that　they　prey　more　on　other　animals；　that　they　lie　neither　so　long　nor　so　closely　in　winter　quarters；　and　that　they　never　climb　a　tree；　however　closely　pressed　by　the　hunters。　These　variegated　bears；　though　specifically　the　same　with　those　we　met　on　the　Missouri；　are　by　no　means　so　ferocious；　probably　because　the　scarcity　of　game　and　the　habit　of　living　on　roots　may　have　weaned　them　from　the　practices　of　attacking　and　devouring　animals。　Still；　however；　they　are　not　so　passive　as　the　common　black　bear；　which　is　also　to　be　found　here；　for　they　have　already　fought　with　our　hunters；　though　with　less　fury　than　those　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountains。

〃A　large　part　of　the　meat　we　gave　to　the　Indians；　to　whom　it　was　a　real　luxury；　as　they　scarcely　taste　flesh　once　in　a　month。　They　immediately　prepared　a　large　fire　of　dried　wood；　on　which　was　thrown　a　number　of　smooth　stones　from　the　river。　As　soon　as　the　fire　went　down　and　the　stones　were　heated；　they　were　laid　next　to　each　other　in　a　level　position；　and　covered　with　a　quantity　of　pine　branches；　on　which　were　placed　flitches　of　the　meat；　and　then　boughs　and　flesh　alternately　for　several　courses；　leaving　a　thick　layer　of　pine　on　the　top。　On　this　heap　they　then　poured　a　small　quantity　of　water；　and　covered　the　whole　with　earth　to　the　depth　of　four　inches。　After　remaining　in　this　state　for　about　three　hours；　the　meat　was　taken　off；　and　was　really　more　tender　than　that　which　we　had　boiled　or　roasted；　though　the　strong　flavor　of　the　pine　rendered　it　disagreeable　to　our　palates。　　This　repast　gave　them　much　satisfaction；　for；　though　they　sometimes　kill　the　black　bear；　they　attack　very　reluctantly　the　fierce　variegated　bear；　and　never　except　when　they　can　pursue　him　on　horseback　over　the　plains；　and　shoot　him　with　arrows。〃



Chapter　XXII

Camping　with　the　Nez　Perces

Soon　after　they　had　fixed　their　camp；　the　explorers　bade　farewell　to　their　good　friend　Tunnachemootoolt　and　his　young　men；　who　returned　to　their　homes　farther　down　the　river。　Others　of　the　Nez　Perce；　or　Chopunnish；　nation　visited　them；　and　the　strangers　were　interested　in　watching　the　Indians　preparing　for　their　hunt。　　As　they　were　to　hunt　the　deer；　they　had　the　head；　horns；　and　hide　of　that　animal　so　prepared　that　when　it　was　placed　on　the　head　and　body　of　a　hunter；　it　gave　a　very　deceptive　idea　of　a　deer；　the　hunter　could　move　the　head　of　the　decoy　so　that　it　looked　like　a　deer　feeding；　and　the　suspicious　animals　were　lured　within　range　of　the　Indians'　bow　and　arrow。

On　the　sixteenth　of　May；　Hohastillpilp　and　his　young　men　also　left　the　white　men's　camp　and　returned　to　their　own　village。　The　hunters　of　the　party　did　not　meet　with　much　luck　in　their　quest　for　game；　only　one　deer　and　a　few　pheasants　being　brought　in　for　several　days。　　The　party　were　fed　on　roots　and　herbs；　a　species　of　onion　being　much　prized　by　them。　Bad　weather　confined　them　to　their　camp；　and　a　common　entry　in　their　journal　refers　to　their　having　slept　all　night　in　a　pool　of　water　formed　by　the　falling　rain；　their　tent…cover　was　a　worn…out　leathern　affair　no　longer　capable　of　shedding　the　rain。　While　it　rained　in　the　meadows　where　they　were　camped；　they　could　see　the　snow　covering　the　higher　plains　above　them；　on　those　plains　the　snow　was　more　than　a　foot　deep；　and　yet　the　plants　and　shrubs　seemed　to　thrive　in　the　midst　of　the　snow。　On　the　mountains　the　snow　was　several　feet　in　depth。　The　journalist　says：　　〃So　that　within　twenty　miles　of　our　camp　we　observe　the　rigors　of　winter　cold；　the　cool　air　of　spring；　and　the　oppressive　heat　of　midsummer。〃　　They　kept　a　shrewd　lookout　for　the　possibilities　of　future　occupation　of　the　land　by　white　men；　and；　writing　here　of　country　and　its　character；　the　journalist　says：　〃In　short；　this　district　affords　many　advantages　to　settlers；　and　if　properly　cultivated；　would　yield　every　object　necessary　for　the　comfort　and　subsistence　of　civilized　man。〃　But　in　their　wildest　dreams；　Captains　Lewis　and　Clark　could　not　have　foreseen　that　in　that　identical　region　thrifty　settlements　of　white　men　should　flourish　and　that　the　time　would　come　when　the　scanty　remnant　of　the　Chopunnish；　whom　we　now　call　Nez　Perces；　would　be　gathered　on　a　reservation　near　their　camping…place。　But　both　of　these　things　have　come　to　pass。

In　describing　the　dress　of　the　Chopunnish；　or　Nez　Perces；　the　journal　says　that　tippets；　or　collars；　were　worn　by　the　men。　〃That　of　Hohastillpilp；〃　says　the　journal；　〃was　formed　of　human　scalps　and　adorned　with　the　thumbs　and　fingers　of　several　men　slain　by　him　in　battle。〃　　And　yet　the　journal　immediately　adds：　〃The　Chopunnish　are　among　the　most　amiable　men　we　have　seen。　Their　character　is　placid　and　gentle；　rarely　moved　to　passion；　yet　not　often　enlivened　by　gayety。〃　　In　short；　the　Indians　were　amiable　savages；　and　it　is　a　savage　trait　to　love　to　destroy　one's　enemies。

Here　is　an　entry　in　the　journal　of　May　19　which　will　give　the　reader　some　notion　of　the　privations　and　the　pursuits　of　the　party　while　shut　up　in　camp　for　weary　weeks　in　the　early　summer　of　1806：

〃After　a　cold；　rainy　night；　during　a　greater　part　of　which　we　lay　in　the　water；　the　weather　became　fair；　we　then　sent　some　men　to　a　village　above　us；　on　the　opposite　side；　to　purchase　some　roots。　They　carried　with　them　for　this　purpose　a　small　collection　of　awls；　knitting…pins；　and　armbands；　with　which　they　obtained　several　bushels　of　the　root　of　cows；　and　some　bread　of　the　same　material。　They　were　followed；　too；　by　a　train　of　invalids　from　the　village；　who　came　to　ask　for　our　assistance。　　The　men　were　generally　afflicted　with　sore　eyes；　but　the　women　had　besides　this　a　variety　of　other　disorders；　chiefly　rheumatic；　a　violent　pain　and　weakness　in　the　loins；　which　is　a　common　complaint　among　them；　one　of　them　seemed　much　dejected；　and　as　we　thought；　from　the　account　of　her　disease；　hysterical。　We　gave　her　thirty　drops　of　laudanum；　and　after　administering　eye…water；　rubbing　the　rheumatic　patients　with　volatile　liniment；　and　giving　cathartics　to　others；　they　all　thought　themselves　much　relieved　and　returned　highly　satisfied　to　the　village。　We　were　fortunate　enough　to　retake　one　of　the　horses　on　which　we　＇Captain　Lewis＇　had　crossed　the　Rocky　Mountains　in　the　autumn；　and　which　had　become　almost　wild　since　that　time。〃

A　day　or　two　later；　the　journal　has　this　significant　entry：　〃On　parcelling　out　the　stores；　the　stock　of　each　man　was　found　to　be　only　one　awl；　and　one　knitting…pin；　half　an　ounce　of　vermilion；　two　needles；　a　few　skeins　of　thread；　and　about　a　yard　of　ribbon　a　slender　means　of　bartering　for　our　subsistence；　but　the　men　have　been　so　much　accustomed　to　privations　that　now　neither　the　want　of　meat　nor　the　scanty　funds　of　the　party　excites　the　least　anxiety　among　them。〃　To　add　to　their　discomfort；　there　was　a　great　deal　of　sickness　in　the　camp；　owing　to　the　low　diet　of　the　men。　　Sacajawea's　baby　was　ill　with　mumps　and　teething；　and　it　is　suggested　that　the　two　captains　would　have　been　obliged　to　〃walk　the　floor　all　night；〃　if　there　had　been　any　floor　to　walk　on；　as　it　was；　they　were　deprived　of　their　nightly　rest。　Here　is　an　example　of　what　the　doctors　would　call　heroic　treatment　by　Captain　Clark；　who　conducted　all　such　experiments：

〃With　one　of　the　men　＇Bratton＇　we　have　ventured　an　experiment　of　a　very　robust　nature。　　He　has　been　for　some　time　sick；　but　has　now　recovered　his　flesh；　eats　heartily；　and　digests　well；　but　has　so　great　a　weakness　in　the　loins　that　he　cannot　walk　or　even　sit　upright　without　extreme　pain。　　After　we　had　in　vain　exhausted　the　resources　of　our　art；　one　of　the　hunters　mentioned　that　he　had　known　persons　in　similar　situations　to　be　restored　by　violent　sweats；　and　at　the　request　of　the　patient；　we　permitted　the　remedy　to　be　applied。　For　this　purpose　a　hole　about　four　feet　deep　and　three　in　diameter　was　dug　in　the　earth；　and　heated　well　by　a　large　fire　in　the　bottom　of　it。　The　fire　was　then　taken　out；　and　an　arch　formed　over　the　hole　by　means　of　willow…poles；　and　covered　with　several　blankets　so　as　to　make　a　perfect　awning。　　The　patient　being　stripped　nak