first across the continent-第59节

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onth；　having　reached　their　old　camping…ground　here；　the　party　set　to　work　making　boat…gear　and　preparing　to　leave　their　comrades　in　camp　well　fixed　for　their　stay。　The　journal　adds：

〃On　opening　the　cache；　we　found　the　bearskins　entirely　destroyed　by　the　water；　which　in　a　flood　of　the　river　had　penetrated　to　them。　All　the　specimens　of　plants；　too；　were　unfortunately　lost：　the　chart　of　the　Missouri；　however；　still　remained　unhurt；　and　several　articles　contained　in　trunks　and　boxes　had　suffered　but　little　injury；　but　a　vial　of　laudanum　had　lost　its　stopper；　and　the　liquid　had　run　into　a　drawer　of　medicines；　which　it　spoiled　beyond　recovery。　The　mosquitoes　were　so　troublesome　that　it　was　impossible　even　to　write　without　a　mosquito　bier。　　The　buffalo　were　leaving　us　fast；　on　their　way　to　the　southeast。〃

One　of　the　party　met　with　an　amusing　adventure　here；　which　is　thus　described：

〃At　night　M'Neal；　who　had　been　sent　in　the　morning　to　examine　the　cache　at　the　lower　end　of　the　portage；　returned；　but　had　been　prevented　from　reaching　that　place　by　a　singular　adventure。　Just　as　he　arrived　near　Willow　run；　he　approached　a　thicket　of　brush　in　which　was　a　white　bear；　which　he　did　not　discover　till　he　was　within　ten　feet　of　him。　　His　horse　started；　and　wheeling　suddenly　round；　threw　M'Neal　almost　immediately　under　the　bear；　which　started　up　instantly。　　Finding　the　bear　raising　himself　on　his　hind　feet　to　attack　him；　he　struck　him　on　the　head　with　the　butt　end　of　his　musket；　the　blow　was　so　violent　that　it　broke　the　breech　of　the　musket　and　knocked　the　bear　to　the　ground。　Before　he　recovered　M'Neal；　seeing　a　willow…tree　close　by；　sprang　up；　and　there　remained　while　the　bear　closely　guarded　the　foot　of　the　tree　until　late　in　the　afternoon。　　He　then　went　off；　M'Neal　being　released　came　down；　and　having　found　his　horse；　which　had　strayed　off　to　the　distance　of　two　miles；　returned　to　camp。　These　animals　are；　indeed；　of　a　most　extraordinary　ferocity；　and　it　is　matter　of　wonder　that　in　all　our　encounters　we　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　escape。　　We　are　now　troubled　with　another　enemy；　not　quite　so　dangerous；　though　even　more　disagreeable…these　are　the　mosquitoes；　who　now　infest　us　in　such　myriads　that　we　frequently　get　them　into　our　throats　when　breathing；　and　the　dog　even　howls　with　the　torture　they　occasion。〃

The　intention　of　Captain　Lewis　was　to　reach　the　river　sometimes　known　as　Maria's；　and　sometimes　as　Marais；　or　swamp。　　This　stream　rises　near　the　boundary　between　Montana　and　the　British　possessions；　and　flows　into　the　Missouri；　where　the　modern　town　of　Ophir　is　built。　The　men　left　at　the　great　falls　were　to　dig　up　the　canoes　and　baggage　that　had　been　cached　there　the　previous　year；　and　be　ready　to　carry　around　the　portage　of　the　falls　the　stuff　that　would　be　brought　from　the　two　forks　of　the　Jefferson；　later　on；　by　Sergeant　Ordway　and　his　party。　It　will　be　recollected　that　this　stuff　had　also　been　cached　at　the　forks　of　the　Jefferson；　the　year　before。　　The　two　parties；　thus　united；　were　to　go　down　to　the　entrance　of　Maria's　River　into　the　Missouri；　and　Captain　Lewis　expected　to　join　them　there　by　the　fifth　of　August；　if　he　failed　to　meet　them　by　that　time；　they　were　to　go　on　down　the　river　and　meet　Captain　Clark　at　the　mouth　of　the　Yellowstone。　　This　explanation　is　needed　to　the　proper　understanding　of　the　narrative　that　follows；　for　we　now　have　to　keep　track　of　three　parties　of　the　explorers。

Captain　Lewis　and　his　men；　having　travelled　northwest　about　twenty　miles　from　the　great　falls　of　the　Missouri；　struck　the　trail　of　a　wounded　buffalo。　　They　were　dismayed　by　the　sight；　for　that　assured　them　that　there　were　Indians　in　the　vicinity；　and　the　most　natural　thing　to　expect　was　that　these　were　Blackfeet；　or　Minnetarees；　both　of　these　tribes　are　vicious　and　rascally　people；　and　they　would　not　hesitate　to　attack　a　small　party　and　rob　them　of　their　guns；　if　they　thought　themselves　able　to　get　away　with　them。

They　were　now　in　the　midst　of　vast　herds　of　buffalo；　so　numerous　that　the　whole　number　seemed　one　immense　herd。　　Hanging　on　the　flanks　were　many　wolves；　hares　and　antelope　were　also　abundant。　　On　the　fourth　day　out；　Captain　Lewis　struck　the　north　fork　of　Maria's　River；　now　known　as　Cut…bank　River；　in　the　northwest　corner　of　Montana。　　He　was　desirous　of　following　up　the　stream；　to　ascertain；　if　possible；　whether　its　fountain…head　was　below；　or　above；　the　boundary　between　the　United　States　and　the　British　possessions。　Bad　weather　and　an　accident　to　his　chronometer　prevented　his　accomplishing　his　purpose；　and；　on　the　twenty…sixth　of　July；　he　turned　reluctantly　back；　giving　the　name　of　Cape　Disappointment　to　his　last　camping…place。　Later　in　that　day；　as　they　were　travelling　down　the　main　stream　（Maria's　River）；　they　encountered　the　Indians　whom　they　had　hoped　to　avoid。　Let　us　read　the　story　as　it　is　told　in　the　journal　of　the　party：

〃At　the　distance　of　three　miles　we　ascended　the　hills　close　to　the　river…side；　while　Drewyer　pursued　the　valley　of　the　river　on　the　opposite　side。　　But　scarcely　had　Captain　Lewis　reached　the　high　plain　when　he　saw；　about　a　mile　on　his　left；　a　collection　of　about　thirty　horses。　　He　immediately　halted；　and　by　the　aid　of　his　spy…glass　discovered　that　one…half　of　the　horses　were　saddled；　and　that　on　the　eminence　above　the　horses　several　Indians　were　looking　down　toward　the　river；　probably　at　Drewyer。　　This　was　a　most　unwelcome　sight。　Their　probable　numbers　rendered　any　contest　with　them　of　doubtful　issue；　to　attempt　to　escape　would　only　invite　pursuit；　and　our　horses　were　so　bad　that　we　must　certainly　be　overtaken；　besides　which；　Drewyer　could　not　yet　be　aware　that　the　Indians　were　near；　and　if　we　ran　be　would　most　probably　be　sacrificed。　We　therefore　determined　to　make　the　most　of　our　situation；　and　advance　toward　them　in　a　friendly　manner。　　The　flag　which　we　had　brought　in　case　of　any　such　accident　was　therefore　displayed；　and　we　continued　slowly　our　march　toward　them。　　Their　whole　attention　was　so　engaged　by　Drewyer　that　they　did　not　immediately　discover　us。　As　soon　as　they　did　see　us；　they　appeared　to　be　much　alarmed　and　ran　about　in　confusion；　some　of　them　came　down　the　hill　and　drove　their　horses　within　gunshot　of　the　eminence；　to　which　they　then　returned；　as　if　to　await　our　arrival。　When　we　came　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　one　of　the　Indians　mounted　and　rode　at　full　speed　to　receive　us；　but　when　within　a　hundred　paces　of　us；　he　halted。　　Captain　Lewis；　who　had　alighted　to　receive　him；　held　out　his　hand　and　beckoned　to　him　to　approach；　he　only　looked　at　us　for　some　time；　and　then；　without　saying　a　word；　returned　to　his　companions　with　as　much　baste　as　be　had　advanced。　The　whole　party　now　descended　the　hill　and　rode　toward　us。　As　yet　we　saw　only　eight；　but　presumed　that　there　must　be　more　behind　us；　as　there　were　several　horses　saddled。　We　however　advanced；　and　Captain　Lewis　now　told　his　two　men　that　he　believed　these　were　the　Minnetarees　of　Fort　de　Prairie；　who；　from　their　infamous　character；　would　in　all　probability　attempt　to　rob　us；　but　being　determined　to　die　rather　than　lose　his　papers　and　instruments；　he　intended　to　resist　to　the　last　extremity；　and　advised　them　to　do　the　same；　and　to　be　on　the　alert　should　there　be　any　disposition　to　attack　us。　When　the　two　parties　came　within　a　hundred　yards　of　each　other；　all　the　Indians；　except　one；　halted。　　Captain　Lewis　therefore　ordered　his　two　men　to　halt　while　be　advanced；　and　after　shaking　hands　with　the　Indian；　went　on　and　did　the　same　with　the　others　in　the　rear；　while　the　Indian　himself　shook　hands　with　the　two　men。　They　all　now　came　up；　and　after　alighting；　the　Indians　asked　to　smoke　with　us。　　Captain　Lewis；　who　was　very　anxious　for　Drewyer's　safety；　told　them　that　the　man　who　had　gone　down　the　river　had　the　pipe；　and　requested　that　as　they　had　seen　him；　one　of　them　would　accompany　R。　Fields；　to　bring　him　back。　To　this　they　assented；　and　Fields　went　with　a　young　man　in　search　of　Drewyer。〃

Captain　Lewis　now　asked　them　by　signs　if　they　were　Minnetarees　of　the　north；　and　he　was　sorry　to　be　told　in　reply　that　they　were；　he　knew　them　to　be　a　bad　lot。　　When　asked　if　they　had　any　chief　among　them；　they　pointed　out　three。　　The　captain　did　not　believe　them；　but；　in　order　to　keep　on　good　terms　with　them；　he　gave　to　one　a　flag；　to　another　a　medal；　and　to　the　third　a　handkerchief。　　At　Captain　Lewis'　suggestion；　the　Indians　and　the　white　men　camped　together；　and　in　the　course　of　the　evening　the　red　men　told　the　captain　that　they　were　part　of　a　big　band　of　their　tribe；　or　nation。　The　rest　of　the　tribe；　they　said；　were　hunting　further　up　the　river；　and　were　then　in　camp　near　the　foot　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　The　captain；　in　return；　told　them　that　his　party　had　come　from　the　great　lake　where　the　sun　sets；　and　that　he　was　in　hopes　that　he　could　induce　the　Minnetarees　to　live　in　peace　with　their　neighbors　and　come　and　trade　at　the　posts　that　would　be　established　in　their　country　by　and　by。　He　offered　them　ten　horses　and　some　tobacco　if　they　would　accompany　his　party　down　the　river　below　the　great　falls。　　To　this　they　made　no　reply。　Being　still　suspicious　of　these　sullen　guests；　Captain　Lewis　made　his　dispositions　for　the　night；　with　orders　for　the　sentry　on　duty　to　rouse