first across the continent-第14章

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herd；　and　at　a　given　signal　show　themselves　and　advance　toward　the　buffaloes。　These　instantly　take　the　alarm；　and　finding　the　hunters　beside　them；　they　run　toward　the　disguised　Indian　or　decoy；　who　leads　them　on　at　full　speed　toward　the　river；　when；　suddenly　securing　himself　in　some　crevice　of　the　cliff　which　he　had　previously　fixed　on；　the　herd　is　left　on　the　brink　of　the　precipice。　　It　is　then　in　vain　for　the　foremost　buffaloes　to　retreat　or　even　to　stop；　they　are　pressed　on　by　the　hindmost　rank；　which；　seeing　no　danger　but　from　the　hunters；　goad　on　those　before　them　till　the　whole　are　precipitated；　and　the　shore　is　strewn　with　their　dead　bodies。　Sometimes；　in　this　perilous　seduction；　the　Indian　is　himself　either　trodden　under　foot　by　the　rapid　movements　of　the　buffaloes；　or　missing　his　footing　in　the　cliff　is　urged　down　the　precipice　by　the　falling　herd。　The　Indians　then　select　as　much　meat　as　they　wish；　the　rest　is　abandoned　to　the　wolves；　and　creates　a　most　dreadful　stench。　The　wolves　which　had　been　feasting　on　these　carcasses　were　very　fat；　and　so　gentle　that　one　of　them　was　killed　with　an　espontoon。〃＇1＇


＇1＇　A　short　spear。


The　dryness　and　purity　of　the　air　roused　the　admiration　of　the　explorers；　who　noticed　that　the　woodwork　of　the　cases　of　their　instruments　shrank；　and　the　joints　opened；　although　the　wood　was　old　and　perfectly　seasoned。　A　tablespoonful　of　water；　exposed　to　the　air　in　an　open　saucer；　would　wholly　evaporate　in　thirty…six　hours；　when　the　thermometer　did　not　mark　higher　than　the　〃Temperate〃　point　at　the　warmest　hour　of　the　day。　Contrary　to　their　expectations；　they　had　not　yet　met　with　any　Indians；　although　they　saw　many　signs　of　their　having　recently　been　in　that　vicinity。　The　journal　says：

〃In　the　course　of　the　day　＇May　30＇　we　passed　several　encampments　of　Indians；　the　most　recent　of　which　seemed　to　have　been　evacuated　about　five　weeks　since；　and；　from　the　several　apparent　dates；　we　supposed　that　they　were　formed　by　a　band　of　about　one　hundred　lodges；　who　were　travelling　slowly　up　the　river。　Although　no　part　of　the　Missouri　from　the　Minnetarees　to　this　place　exhibits　signs　of　permanent　settlements；　yet　none　seem　exempt　from　the　transient　visits　of　hunting…parties。　We　know　that　the　Minnetarees　of　the　Missouri　extend　their　excursions　on　the　south　side　of　the　river　as　high　as　the　Yellowstone；　and　the　Assiniboins　visit　the　northern　side；　most　probably　as　high　as　Porcupine　River。　　All　the　lodges　between　that　place　and　the　Rocky　Mountains　we　supposed　to　belong　to　the　Minnetarees　of　Fort　de　Prairie；　who　live　on　the　south　fork　of　the　Saskashawan。〃

The　party　now　entered　upon　some　of　the　natural　wonders　of　the　West；　which　have　since　become　famous。　　Their　journal　says：

〃These　hills　and　river…cliffs　exhibit　a　most　extraordinary　and　romantic　appearance。　　They　rise　in　most　places　nearly　perpendicular　from　the　water；　to　the　height　of　between　two　hundred　and　three　hundred　feet；　and　are　formed　of　very　white　sandstone；　so　soft　as　to　yield　readily　to　the　impression　of　water；　in　the　upper　part　of　which　lie　imbedded　two　or　three　thin　horizontal　strata　of　white　freestone；　insensible　to　the　rain；　on　the　top　is　a　dark　rich　loam；　which　forms　a　gradually　ascending　plain；　from　a　mile　to　a　mile　and　a　half　in　extent；　when　the　hills　again　rise　abruptly　to　the　height　of　about　three　hundred　feet　more。　In　trickling　down　the　cliffs；　the　water　has　worn　the　soft　sandstone　into　a　thousand　grotesque　figures；　among　which；　with　a　little　fancy；　may　be　discerned　elegant　ranges　of　freestone　buildings；　with　columns　variously　sculptured；　and　supporting　long　and　elegant　galleries；　while　the　parapets　are　adorned　with　statuary。　　On　a　nearer　approach　they　represent　every　form　of　elegant　ruinscolumns；　some　with　pedestals　and　capitals　entire；　others　mutilated　and　prostrate；　and　some　rising　pyramidally　over　each　other　till　they　terminate　in　a　sharp　point。　These　are　varied　by　niches；　alcoves；　and　the　customary　appearances　of　desolated　magnificence。　　The　illusion　is　increased　by　the　number　of　martins；　which　have　built　their　globular　nests　in　the　niches；　and　hover　over　these　columns；　as　in　our　country　they　are　accustomed　to　frequent　large　stone　structures。　　As　we　advance　there　seems　no　end　to　the　visionary　enchantment　which　surrounds　us。

〃In　the　midst　of　this　fantastic　scenery　are　vast　ranges　of　walls；　which　seem　the　productions　of　art；　so　regular　is　the　workmanship。　They　rise　perpendicularly　from　the　river；　sometimes　to　the　height　of　one　hundred　feet；　varying　in　thickness　from　one　to　twelve　feet；　being　as　broad　at　the　top　as　below。　　The　stones　of　which　they　are　formed　are　black；　thick；　durable；　and　composed　of　a　large　portion　of　earth；　intermixed　and　cemented　with　a　small　quantity　of　sand　and　a　considerable　proportion　of　talk　＇talc＇　or　quartz。　These　stones　are　almost　invariably　regular　parallelopipeds　of　unequal　sizes　in　the　wall；　but　equally　deep　and　laid　regularly　in　ranges　over　each　other　like　bricks；　each　breaking　and　covering　the　interstice　of　the　two　on　which　it　rests；　but　though　the　perpendicular　interstice　be　destroyed；　the　horizontal　one　extends　entirely　through　the　whole　work。　The　stones　are　proportioned　to　the　thickness　of　the　wall　in　which　they　are　employed；　being　largest　in　the　thickest　walls。　The　thinner　walls　are　composed　of　a　single　depth　of　the　parallelopiped；　while　the　thicker　ones　consist　of　two　or　more　depths。　These　walls　pass　the　river　at　several　places；　rising　from　the　water's　edge　much　above　the　sandstone　bluffs；　which　they　seem　to　penetrate；　thence　they　cross　in　a　straight　line；　on　either　side　of　the　river；　the　plains；　over　which　they　tower　to　the　height　of　from　ten　to　seventy　feet；　until　they　lose　themselves　in　the　second　range　of　hills。　Sometimes　they　run　parallel　in　several　ranges　near　to　each　other；　sometimes　intersect　each　other　at　right　angles；　and　have　the　appearance　of　walls　of　ancient　houses　or　gardens。〃

The　wall…like；　canyon　formations　were　charted　by　Lewis　and　Clark　as　〃The　Stone　Walls。〃　　Their　fantastic　outlines　have　been　admired　and　described　by　modern　tourists；　and　some　of　them　have　been　named　〃Cathedral　Rocks；〃　〃Citadel　Rock；〃　〃Hole　in　the　Wall；〃　and　so　on。

Passing　out　of　this　wonderful　region；　the　expedition　entered　upon　a　more　level　country；　here　and　there　broken　by　bluffy　formations　which　extended　along　the　river；　occasionally　interspersed　with　low　hills。　Their　journal　says：

〃In　the　plains　near　the　river　are　the　choke…cherry；　yellow　and　red　currant　bushes；　as　well　as　the　wild　rose　and　prickly　pear；　both　of　which　are　now　in　bloom。　　From　the　tops　of　the　river…hills；　which　are　lower　than　usual；　we　enjoyed　a　delightful　view　of　the　rich；　fertile　plains　on　both　sides；　in　many　places　extending　from　the　river…cliffs　to　a　great　distance　back。　In　these　plains　we　meet；　occasionally；　large　banks　of　pure　sand；　which　were　driven　apparently　by　the　southwest　winds　and　there　deposited。　The　plains　are　more　fertile　some　distance　from　the　river　than　near　its　banks；　where　the　surface　of　the　earth　is　very　generally　strewed　with　small　pebbles；　which　appear　to　be　smoothed　and　worn　by　the　agitation　of　the　waters　with　which　they　were；　no　doubt；　once　covered。〃

Under　date　of　June　2d；　the　journal　says：

〃The　current　of　the　river　is　strong　but　regular；　the　timber　increases　in　quantity；　the　low　grounds　become　more　level　and　extensive；　and　the　bluffs　are　lower　than　before。　　As　the　game　is　very　abundant；　we　think　it　necessary　to　begin　a　collection　of　hides　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　leathern　boat；　which　we　intend　constructing　shortly。　The　hunters；　who　were　out　the　greater　part　of　the　day；　brought　in　six　elk；　two　buffalo；　two　mule…deer；　and　a　bear。　This　last　animal　had　nearly　cost　us　the　lives　of　two　of　our　hunters；　who　were　together　when　he　attacked　them。　　One　of　them　narrowly　escaped　being　caught；　and　the　other；　after　running　a　considerable　distance；　concealed　himself　in　some　thick　bushes；　and；　while　the　bear　was　in　quick　pursuit　of　his　hiding…place；　his　companion　came　up；　and　fortunately　shot　the　animal　through　the　head。〃

Here　the　party　came　to　the　mouth　of　a　large　river　which　entered　the　Missouri　from　the　northwest；　at　the　site　of　the　latter…day　town　of　Ophir；　Montana。　　This　stream　they　named　Maria's　River；　in　honor　of　another　Virginia　damsel。　　So　large　and　important　in　appearance　was　Maria's　River　that　the　explorers　were　not　certain　which　was　the　main　stream；　that　which　came　in　from　the　north；　or　that　which；　flowing　here　in　a　general　course　from　southwest　to　northeast；　was　really　the　true　Missouri。　　The　journal　says：

〃It　now　became　an　interesting　question；　which　of　these　two　streams　is　what　the　Minnetarees　call　Ahmateahza；　or　Missouri；　which　they　describe　as　approaching　very　near　to　the　Columbia。　　On　our　right　decision　much　of　the　fate　of　the　expedition　depends；　since　if；　after　ascending　to　the　Rocky　Mountains　or　beyond　them；　we　should　find　that　the　river　we　were　following　did　not　come　near　the　Columbia；　and　be　obliged　to　return；　we　should　not　only　lose　the　travelling　season；　two　months　of　which　have　already　elapsed；　but　probably　dishearten　the　men　so　much　as　to　induce　them　either　to　abandon　the　enterprise；　or　yield　us　a　cold　obedience；　instead　of　the　warm　and　zealous　support　which　they　have　hitherto　afforded　us。　　We　determined；　therefore；　to　examine　well　before　we　decided　on　our　future　course。　For　this　purpose　we　despatched　two　canoes　with　three　men　up　each　of　the　streams；　with　orders　to　ascertain　the　width；　depth；　and　rapidity　of　the　current；　so　as　to　judge　of　their　comparative　bodies　of　water。　At　the　same　time　parties　were　sent　out　by　land　to　penetrate　the　country；　and　discover　from　the　rising　grounds；　if　possible；　the　distant　bearings　of　the　two　rivers；　and　all　were　directed　to　return　toward　evening。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Both　parties　returned　without　bringing　any　information　that　would　settle　the　point。　　Which　was　the　true　Missouri　still　remained　uncertain。　Under　these　circumstances；　it　became　necessary　that　there　should　be　a　more　thorough　exploration；　and　the　next　morning　Captains　Lewis　and　Clark　set　out　at　the　head　of　two　separate　parties；　the　former　to　examine　the　north；　and　the　latter　the　south　fork。　In　his　progress　Captain　Lewis　and　his　party　were　frequently　obliged　to　quit　the　course　of　the　river　and　cross　the　plains　and　hills；　but　he　did　not　lose　sight　of　its　general　direction；　and　carefully　took　the　bearings　of　the　distant　mountains。　On　the　morning　of　the　third　day　he　became　convinced　that　this　river　pursued　a　course　too　far　north　for　his　contemplated　route　to　the　Pacific；　and　he　accordingly　determined　to　return；　but　judged　it　advisable　to　wait　till　noon；　that　he　might　obtain　a　meridian　altitude。　In　this；　however；　he　was　disappointed；　owing　to　the　state　of　the　weather。　Much　rain　had　fallen；　and　their　return　was　somewhat　difficult；　and　not　unattended　with　danger；　as　the　following　incident；　which　occurred　on　June　7th；　will　show：

〃In　passing　along　the　side　of　a　bluff　at　a　narrow　pass　thirty　yards　in　length；　Captain　Lewis　slipped；　and；　but　for　a　fortunate　recovery　by　means　of　his　spontoon；　would　have　been　precipitated　into　the　river　over　a　precipice　of　about　ninety　feet。　He　had　just　reached　a　spot　where；　by　the　assistance　of　his　spontoon；　he　could　stand　with　tolerable　safety；　when　he　heard　a　voice　behind　him　cry