first across the continent-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　sensible　since　leaving　the　rapid。　Six　miles　lower　is　a　rock　rising　from　the　middle　of　the　river　to　the　height　of　one　hundred　feet；　and　about　eighty　yards　at　its　base。　We　continued　six　miles　further；　and　halted　for　the　night　under　a　high　projecting　rock　on　the　left　side　of　the　river；　opposite　the　point　of　a　large　meadow。

〃The　mountains；　which；　from　the　great　shoot　to　this　place；　are　high；　rugged；　and　thickly　covered　with　timber；　chiefly　of　the　pine　species；　here　leave　the　river　on　each　side；　the　river　becomes　two　and　one…half　miles　in　width；　the　low　grounds　are　extensive　and　well　supplied　with　wood。　　The　Indians　whom　we　left　at　the　portage　passed　us　on　their　way　down　the　river；　and　seven　others；　who　were　descending　in　a　canoe　for　the　purpose　of　trading　below；　camped　with　us。　　We　had　made　from　the　foot　of　the　great　shoot　twenty…nine　miles　to…day。　The　ebb　tide　rose　at　our　camp　about　nine　inches；　the　flood　must　rise　much　higher。　We　saw　great　numbers　of　water…fowl；　such　as　swan；　geese；　ducks　of　various　kinds；　gulls；　plovers；　and　the　white　and　gray　brant；　of　which　last　we　killed　eighteen。〃



Chapter　XVII

From　Tidewater　to　the　Sea

Near　the　mouth　of　the　river　which　the　explorers　named　Quicksand　River　（now　Sandy）；　they　met　a　party　of　fifteen　Indians　who　had　lately　been　down　to　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia。　　These　people　told　the　white　men　that　they　had　seen　three　vessels　at　anchor　below；　and；　as　these　must　needs　be　American；　or　European；　the　far…voyaging　explorers　were　naturally　pleased。　When　they　had　camped　that　night；　they　received　other　visitors　of　whom　the　journal　makes　mention：

〃A　canoe　soon　after　arrived　from　the　village　at　the　foot　of　the　last　rapid；　with　an　Indian　and　his　family；　consisting　of　a　wife；　three　children；　and　a　woman　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　from　the　Snake　Indians；　living　on　a　river　from　the　south；　which　we　afterward　found　to　be　the　Multnomah。　　Sacajawea　was　immediately　introduced　to　her；　in　hopes　that；　being　a　Snake　Indian；　they　might　understand　each　other；　but　their　language　was　not　sufficiently　intelligible　to　permit　them　to　converse　together。　The　Indian　had　a　gun　with　a　brass　barrel　and　cock；　which　he　appeared　to　value　highly。〃

The　party　had　missed　the　Multnomah　River　in　their　way　down；　although　this　is　one　of　the　three　largest　tributaries　of　the　Columbia；　John　Day's　River　and　the　Des　Chutes　being　the　other　two。　　A　group　of　islands　near　the　mouth　of　the　Multnomah　hides　it　from　the　view　of　the　passing　voyager。　The　stream　is　now　more　generally　known　as　the　Willamette；　or　Wallamet。　　The　large　city　of　Portland；　Oregon；　is　built　on　the　river；　about　twelve　miles　from　its　junction　with　the　Columbia。　　The　Indian　tribes　along　the　banks　of　the　Multnomah；　or　Willamette；　subsisted　largely　on　the　wappatoo；　an　eatable　root；　about　the　size　of　a　hen's　egg　and　closely　resembling　a　potato。　This　root　is　much　sought　after　by　the　Indians　and　is　eagerly　bought　by　tribes　living　in　regions　where　it　is　not　to　be　found。　The　party　made　great　use　of　the　wappatoo　after　they　had　learned　how　well　it　served　in　place　of　bread。　They　bought　here　all　that　the　Indians　could　spare　and　then　made　their　way　down　the　river　to　an　open　prairie　where　they　camped　for　dinner　and　found　many　signs　of　elk　and　deer。　The　journal　says：

〃When　we　landed　for　dinner；　a　number　of　Indians　from　the　last　village　came　down　for　the　purpose；　as　we　supposed；　of　paying　us　a　friendly　visit；　as　they　had　put　on　their　favorite　dresses。　In　addition　to　their　usual　covering　they　had　scarlet　and　blue　blankets；　sailors'　jackets　and　trousers；　shirts　and　hats。　They　had　all　of　them　either　war…axes；　spears；　and　bows　and　arrows；　or　muskets　and　pistols；　with　tin　powder…flasks。　We　smoked　with　them　and　endeavored　to　show　them　every　attention；　but　we　soon　found　them　very　assuming　and　disagreeable　companions。　While　we　were　eating；　they　stole　the　pipe　with　which　they　were　smoking；　and　the　greatcoat　of　one　of　the　men。　We　immediately　searched　them　all；　and　discovered　the　coat　stuffed　under　the　root　of　a　tree　near　where　they　were　sitting；　but　the　pipe　we　could　not　recover。　　Finding　us　determined　not　to　suffer　any　imposition；　and　discontented　with　them；　they　showed　their　displeasure　in　the　only　way　which　they　dared；　by　returning　in　an　ill…humor　to　their　village。

〃We　then　proceeded　and　soon　met　two　canoes；　with　twelve　men　of　the　same　Skilloot　nation；　who　were　on　their　way　from　below。　The　larger　of　the　canoes　was　ornamented　with　the　figure　of　a　bear　in　the　bow　and　a　man　in　the　stern；　both　nearly　as　large　as　life；　both　made　of　painted　wood　and　very　neatly　fixed　to　the　boat。　In　the　same　canoe　were　two　Indians；　finely　dressed　and　with　round　hats。　This　circumstance　induced　us　to　give　the　name　of　Image…canoe　to　the　large　island；　the　lower　end　of　which　we　now　passed　at　the　distance　of　nine　miles　from　its　head。〃

Here　they　had　their　first　full　view　of　Mt。　　St。　Helen's；　sometimes　called　Mt。　　Ranier。　　The　peak　is　in　Washington　and　is　9；750　feet　high。　It　has　a　sugar…loaf；　or　conical；　shape　and　is　usually　covered　with　snow。　The　narrative　of　the　expedition　continues　as　follows：

〃The　Skilloots　that　we　passed　to…day　speak　a　language　somewhat　different　from　that　of　the　Echeloots　or　Chilluckittequaws　near　the　long　narrows。　　Their　dress；　however；　is　similar；　except　that　the　Skilloots　possess　more　articles　procured　from　the　white　traders；　and　there　is　this　farther　difference　between　them；　that　the　Skilloots；　both　males　and　females；　have　the　head　flattened。　Their　principal　food　is　fish；　wappatoo　roots；　and　some　elk　and　deer；　in　killing　which　with　arrows　they　seem　to　be　very　expert；　for　during　the　short　time　we　remained　at　the　village；　three　deer　were　brought　in。　We　also　observed　there　a　tame　blaireau；　＇badger＇。〃

The　journal；　November　5；　says：

〃Our　choice　of　a　camp　had　been　very　unfortunate；　for　on　a　sand…island　opposite　us　were　immense　numbers　of　geese；　swan；　ducks；　and　other　wild　fowl；　which　during　the　whole　night　serenaded　us　with　a　confusion　of　noises　which　completely　prevented　our　sleeping。　During　the　latter　part　of　the　night　it　rained；　and　we　therefore　willingly　left　camp　at　an　early　hour。　　We　passed　at　three　miles　a　small　prairie；　where　the　river　is　only　three…quarters　of　a　mile　in　width；　and　soon　after　two　houses　on　the　left；　half　a　mile　distant　from　each　other；　from　one　of　which　three　men　came　in　a　canoe　merely　to　look　at　us；　and　having　done　so　returned　home。　At　eight　miles　we　came　to　the　lower　point　of　an　island；　separated　from　the　right　side　by　a　narrow　channel；　on　which；　a　short　distance　above　the　end　of　the　island；　is　situated　a　large　village。　　It　is　built　more　compactly　than　the　generality　of　the　Indian　villages；　and　the　front　has　fourteen　houses；　which　are　ranged　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile　along　the　channel。　As　soon　as　we　were　discovered　seven　canoes　came　out　to　see　us；　and　after　some　traffic；　during　which　they　seemed　well　disposed　and　orderly；　accompanied　us　a　short　distance　below。〃

The　explorers　now　met　Indians　of　a　different　nation　from　those　whom　they　had　seen　before。　　The　journal　says：

〃These　people　seem　to　be　of　a　different　nation　from　those　we　have　just　passed；　they　are　low　in　stature；　ill　shaped；　and　all　have　their　heads　flattened。　　They　call　themselves　Wahkiacum；　and　their　language　differs　from　that　of　the　tribes　above；　with　whom　they　trade　for　wappatoo…roots。　The　houses　are　built　in　a　different　style；　being　raised　entirely　above　ground；　with　the　caves　about　five　feet　high　and　the　door　at　the　corner。　Near　the　end；　opposite　this　door；　is　a　single　fireplace；　round　which　are　the　beds；　raised　four　feet　from　the　floor　of　earth；　over　the　fire　are　hung　the　fresh　fish；　which；　when　dried；　are　stowed　away　with　the　wappatoo…roots　under　the　beds。　The　dress　of　the　men　is　like　that　of　the　people　above；　but　the　women　are　clad　in　a　peculiar　manner；　the　robe　not　reaching　lower　than　the　hip；　and　the　body　being　covered　in　cold　weather　by　a　sort　of　corset　of　fur；　curiously　plaited　and　reaching　from　the　arms　to　the　hip；　added　to　this　is　a　sort　of　petticoat；　or　rather　tissue　of　white　cedar　bark；　bruised　or　broken　into　small　strands；　and　woven　into　a　girdle　by　several　cords　of　the　same　material。　Being　tied　round　the　middle；　these　strands　hang　down　as　low　as　the　knee　in　front；　and　to　the　mid…leg　behind；　they　are　of　sufficient　thickness　to　answer　the　purpose　of　concealment　whilst　the　female　stands　in　an　erect　position；　but　in　any　other　attitude　form　but　a　very　ineffectual　defence。　　Sometimes　the　tissue　is　strings　of　silk…grass；　twisted　and　knotted　at　the　end。　After　remaining　with　them　about　an　hour；　we　proceeded　down　the　channel　with　an　Indian　dressed　in　a　sailor's　jacket　for　our　pilot；　and　on　reaching　the　main　channel　were　visited　by　some　Indians　who　have　a　temporary　residence　on　a　marshy　island　in　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　is　a　great　abundance　of　water…fowl。〃

The　tribe　of　Indians　known　as　the　Wahkiacums　has　entirely　disappeared；　but　the　name　survives　as　that　of　one　of　the　counties　of　Washington　bordering　on　the　Columbia。　　Wahkiacum　is　the　county　lying　next　west　of　Cowlitz。　　When　the　explorers　passed　down　the　river　under　the　piloting　of　their　Indian　friend　wearing　a　sailor's　jacket；　they　were　in　a　thick　fog。　This　cleared　away　and　a　sight　greeted　their　joyful　vision。　Their　story　says：

〃At　a　distance　of　twenty　miles　from　our　camp；　we　halted　at　a　village　of　Wahkiacums；　consisting　of　seven　ill…looking　houses；　built　in　the　same　form　with　those　above；　and　situated　at　the　foot　of　the　high　hills　on　the　right；　behind　two　small　marshy　islands。　We　merely　stopped　to　purchase　some　food　and　two　beaver　skins；　and　then　proceeded。　　Opposite　to　these　islands　the　hills　on　the　left　retire；　and　the　river　widens　into　a　kind　of　bay；　crowded　with　low　islands；　subject　to　be　overflowed　occasionally　by　the　tide。　　We　had　not　gone　far　from　this　village　when；　the　fog　suddenly　clearing　away；　we　were　at　last　presented　with　the　glorious　sight　of　the　oceanthat　ocean；　the　object　of　all　our　labors；　the　reward　of　all　our　anxieties。　This　animating　sight　exhilarated　the　spirits　of　all　the　party；　who　were　still　more　delighted　on　hearing　the　distant　roar　of　the　breakers。　　We　went　on　with　great　cheerfulness　along　the　high；　mountainous　country　which　bordered　the　right　bank：　the　shore；　however；　was　so　bold　and　rocky；　that　we　could　not；　until　at　a　distance　of　fourteen　miles　from　the　last　village；　find　any　spot　fit　for　an　encampment。　　Having　made　during　the　day　thirty…four　miles；　we　now　spread　our　mats　on　the　ground；　and　passed　the　night　in　the　rain。　　Here　we　were　joined　by　our　small　canoe；　which　had　been　separated　from　us　during　the　fog　this　morning。　Two　Indians　from　the　last　village　also　accompanied　us　to　the　camp；　but；　having　detected　them　in　stealing　a　knife；　they　were　sent　off。〃

It　is　not　very　easy　for　us；　who　have　lived　comfortably　at　home；　or　who　have　travelled　only　in　luxurious　railway…cars　and　handsomely　equipped　steamers；　to　realize　the　joy　and　rapture　with　which　these　far…wandering　explorers　hailed　the　sight　of　the　sea；the　sea　to　which　they　had　so　long　been　journeying；　through　deserts；　mountain…passes；　and　tangled　wildernesses。　In　his　diary　Captain　Clark　thus　sets　down　some　indication　of　his　joy　on　that　memorable　day；　November　8；　1805：　　〃Great　joy　in　camp。　We　are　in　view　of　the　Ocean；　this　great　Pacific　Ocean　which　we　ha