first across the continent-第63节

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；　Philosophy；　Philanthropy；　and　the　like；　and　were　compelled　to　use；　first；　the　names　of　their　own　party；　and　then　such　titles　as　were　suggested　by　trifling　incidents。　For　example；　when　they　reached　a　difficult　shoal　on　the　Yellowstone　River；　they　named　that　Buffalo　Shoal　because　they　found　a　buffalo　on　it；　and　Buffalo　Shoal　it　remains　unto　this　day。　In　like　manner；　when　they　reached　a　dangerous　rapid；　twenty　miles　below　that　point；　they　saw　a　bear　standing　on　a　rock　in　the　stream；　and　Bear　Rapid　the　place　was　and　is　named。　　Bear　and　buffalo　were　pretty　numerous　all　the　way　along　that　part　of　the　river　which　they　navigated　in　July。　　They　had　now　rejoined　the　boats；　and　on　the　last　day　of　July；　when　camped　at　a　point　two　miles　above　Wolf　Rapid　（so　called　from　seeing　a　wolf　there）；　the　buffalo　were　continually　prowling　about　the　camp　at　night；　exciting　much　alarm　lest　they　should　trample　on　the　boats　and　ruin　them。　In　those　days；　buffalo　were　so　numerous　that　they　were　a　nuisance　to　travellers；　and　they　were　so　free　from　fear　of　man　that　they　were　too　familiar　with　the　camps　and　equipage。　On　the　first　of　August　we　find　this　entry　in　the　journal　of　the　party：

〃The　buffalo　now　appear　in　vast　numbers。　　A　herd　happened　to　be　on　their　way　across　the　river。　　Such　was　the　multitude　of　these　animals　that；　though　the　river；　including　an　island　over　which　they　passed；　was　a　mile　wide；　the　herd　stretched；　as　thickly　as　they　could　swim；　from　one　side　to　the　other；　and　the　party　was　obliged　to　stop　for　an　hour。　They　consoled　themselves　for　the　delay　by　killing　four　of　the　herd；　and　then　having　proceeded　for　the　distance　of　forty…five　miles　＇in　all　to…day＇　to　an　island；　below　which　two　other　herds　of　buffalo；　as　numerous　as　the　first；　soon　after　crossed　the　river。〃

Again；　on　the　very　next　day；　we　find　this　entry：

〃The　river　was　now　about　a　mile　wide；　less　rapid；　and　more　divided　by　islands；　and　bars　of　sand　and　mud；　than　heretofore；　the　low　grounds；　too；　were　more　extensive；　and　contained　a　greater　quantity　of　cottonwood；　ash；　and　willows。　　On　the　northwest　was　a　low；　level　plain；　and　on　the　southeast　some　rugged　hills；　on　which　we　saw；　without　being　able　to　approach　them；　some　bighorns。　　Buffalo　and　elk；　as　well　as　their　pursuers；　the　wolves；　were　in　great　numbers。　On　each　side　of　the　river　there　were　several　dry　beds　of　streams；　but　the　only　one　of　any　considerable　size　was　one　to　which　they　gave　the　name　of　Ibex　River；　on　the　right；　about　thirty　yards　wide；　and　sixteen　miles　from　their　encampment　of　the　preceding　night。　The　bear；　which　had　given　them　so　much　trouble　at　the　head　of　the　Missouri；　they　found　equally　fierce　here。　　One　of　these　animals；　which　was　on　a　sand…bar　as　the　boat　passed；　raised　himself　on　his　hind　feet；　and　after　looking　at　the　party　for　a　moment；　plunged　in　and　swam　towards　them；　but；　after　receiving　three　balls　in　the　body；　he　turned　and　made　for　the　shore。　　Towards　evening　they　saw　another　enter　the　water　to　swim　across；　when　Captain　Clark　directed　the　boat　towards　the　shore；　and　just　as　the　animal　landed　shot　it　in　the　head。　　It　proved　to　be　the　largest　female　they　had　ever　seen；　and　was　so　old　that　its　tusks　were　worn　quite　smooth。　The　boats　escaped　with　difficulty　between　two　herds　of　buffalo　that　were　crossing　the　river；　and　came　near　being　again　detained　by　them。　Among　the　elk　of　this　neighborhood　they　saw　an　unusual　number　of　males；　while　higher　up　the　herds　consisted　chiefly　of　females。〃

It　is　almost　incredible　that　these　wild　animals　should　have　been　so　nearly　exterminated　by　hunters　and　other　rovers　of　the　plains；　very　soon　after　travel　set　in　across　the　continent。　　The　writer　of　these　lines；　who　crossed　the　plains　to　California　so　lately　as　1856；　saw　buffalo　killed　for　the　sake　of　their　tongues；　or　to　give　rifle　practice　to　the　wayfarers。　　After　the　overland　railroad　was　opened；　passengers　shot　buffalo　from　the　car…windows；　well　knowing　that　they　could　not　get　their　game；　even　if　they　should　kill　as　they　flew　by　a　herd。　There　are　no　buffalo　nor　elk　where　millions　once　roamed　almost　unmolested。

Early　in　the　afternoon　of　August　3；　the　party　reached　the　junction　of　the　Yellowstone　and　the　Missouri；　and　camped　on　the　same　spot　where　they　had　pitched　their　tents　on　the　26th　of　April；　1805。　They　were　nearing　the　end　of　their　long　journey。

But　their　troubles　thickened　as　they　drew　near　the　close　of　their　many　miles　of　travel。　　The　journal　for　August　4　has　this　record：

〃The　camp　became　absolutely　uninhabitable　in　consequence　of　the　multitude　of　mosquitoes；　the　men　could　not　work　in　preparing　skins　for　clothing；　nor　hunt　in　the　timbered　low　grounds；　there　was　no　mode　of　escape；　except　by　going　on　the　sand…bars　in　the　river；　where；　if　the　wind　should　blow；　the　insects　do　not　venture；　but　when　there　is　no　wind；　and　particularly　at　night；　when　the　men　have　no　covering　except　their　worn…out　blankets；　the　pain　they　suffer　is　scarcely　to　be　endured。　There　was　also　a　want　of　meat；　for　no　buffalo　were　to　be　found；　and　though　elk　are　very　abundant；　yet　their　fat　and　flesh　is　more　difficult　to　dry　in　the　sun；　and　is　also　much　more　easily　spoiled　than　the　meat　or　fat　of　either　deer　or　buffalo。

〃Captain　Clark　therefore　determined　to　go　on　to　some　spot　which　should　be　free　from　mosquitoes　and　furnish　more　game。　　Having　written　a　note　to　Captain　Lewis；　to　inform　him　of　his　intention；　and　stuck　it　on　a　pole　at　the　confluence　of　the　two　rivers；　he　loaded　the　canoes　at　five　in　the　afternoon；　proceeded　down　the　river　to　the　second　point；　and　camped　on　a　sand…bar；　but　here　the　mosquitoes　seemed　to　be　even　more　numerous　than　above。　The　face　of　the　Indian　child　was　considerably　puffed　up　and　swollen　with　their　bites；　the　men　could　procure　scarcely　any　sleep　during　the　night；　and　the　insects　continued　to　harass　them　next　morning；　as　they　proceeded。　On　one　occasion　Captain　Clark　went　on　shore　and　ascended　a　hill　after　one　of　the　bighorns；　but　the　mosquitoes　were　in　such　multitudes　that　he　could　not　keep　them　from　the　barrel　of　his　rifle　long　enough　to　take　aim。　About　ten　o'clock；　however；　a　light　breeze　sprung　up　from　the　northwest；　and　dispersed　them　in　some　degree。　　Captain　Clark　then　landed　on　a　sand…bar；　intending　to　wait　for　Captain　Lewis；　and　went　out　to　hunt。　But　not　finding　any　buffalo；　he　again　proceeded　in　the　afternoon；　and　having　killed　a　large　white　bear；　camped　under　a　high　bluff　exposed　to　a　light　breeze　from　the　southwest；　which　blew　away　the　mosquitoes。　About　eleven　o'clock；　however；　the　wind　became　very　high　and　a　storm　of　rain　came　on；　which　lasted　for　two　hours；　accompanied　with　sharp　lightning　and　loud　peals　of　thunder。

〃The　party　rose；　next　day；　very　wet；　and　proceeded　to　a　sand…bar　below　the　entrance　of　Whiteearth　River。　　Just　above　this　place　the　Indians；　apparently　within　seven；　or　eight　days　past；　had　been　digging　a　root　which　they　employ　in　making　a　kind　of　soup。　　Having　fixed　their　tents；　the　men　were　employed　in　dressing　skins　and　hunting。　They　shot　a　number　of　deer；　but　only　two　of　them　were　fat；　owing　probably　to　the　great　quantities　of　mosquitoes　which　annoy　them　while　feeding。〃

On　the　eleventh　of　August　the　Clark　party　came　up　with　the　two　white　traders　from　Illinois；　of　whom　we　have　already　made　mention　as　having　been　met　by　the　Lewis　party　on　their　way　down　the　river。　These　were　the　first　white　men　they　had　seen　（except　themselves）　since　they　parted　with　the　three　French　trappers；　near　the　Little　Missouri；　in　April；　1805；　From　them　the　wayworn　voyagers　received　the　latest　news　from　the　United　States。　　From　them　they　also　had　some　unfavorable　tidings。　The　journal　says：

〃These　men　had　met　the　boat　which　we　had　despatched　from　Fort　Mandan；　on　board　of　which；　they　were　told；　was　a　Ricara　chief　on　his　way　to　Washington；　and　also　another　party　of　Yankton　chiefs；　accompanying　Mr。　Durion　on　a　visit　of　the　same　kind。　　We　were　sorry　to　learn　that　the　Mandans　and　Minnetarees　were　at　war　with　the　Ricaras；　and　had　killed　two　of　them。　The　Assiniboins　too　are　at　war　with　the　Mandans。　　They　have；　in　consequence；　prohibited　the　Northwestern　Company　from　trading　to　the　Missouri；　and　even　killed　two　of　their　traders　near　Mouse　River；　they　are　now　lying　in　wait　for　Mr。　McKenzie　of　the　Northwestern　Company；　who　has　been　for　a　long　time　among　the　Minnetarees。　　These　appearances　are　rather　unfavorable　to　our　project　of　carrying　some　of　the　chiefs　to　the　United　States；　but　we　still　hope　that；　by　effecting　a　peace　between　the　Mandans；　Minnetarees；　and　Ricaras；　the　views　of　our　Government　may　be　accomplished。〃

Next　day；　August　12；　1806；　the　party；　slowly　descending　the　river；　were　overjoyed　to　see　below　them　the　little　flotilla　of　Captain　Lewis　and　his　men。　But　they　were　alarmed　when　they　discovered　that　Lewis　was　not　with　them；　as　the　boats　landed　at　the　shore；　the　captain　was　not　to　be　seen。　Captain　Clark's　party；　on　coming　up　with　their　friends；　were　told　that　Lewis　was　lying　in　the　pirogue；　having　been　accidentally　wounded。　The　whole　party　were　now　happily　reunited；　and　they　were　soon　joined　by　the　two　Illinois　traders　whom　they　had　met　up　the　river；　these　men　wished　to　accompany　the　expedition　down　the　river　as　far　as　the　Mandan　nation；　for　the　purpose　of　trading；　they　were　more　secure　with　a　large　p