first across the continent-第49章

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o　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　all　hands　if　the　Indians　should　attempt　to　steal　anything　in　the　night。　Next　morning　trouble　began。　　Says　the　journal：

〃At　sunrise；　the　Indians　got　up　and　crowded　around　the　fire　near　which　J。　Fields；　who　was　then　on　watch；　had　carelessly　left　his　rifle；　near　the　head　of　his　brother；　who　was　still　asleep。　One　of　the　Indians　slipped　behind　him；　and；　unperceived；　took　his　brother's　and　his　own　rifle；　while　at　the　same　time　two　others　seized　those　of　Drewyer　and　Captain　Lewis。　　As　soon　as　Fields　turned；　he　saw　the　Indian　running　off　with　the　rifles；　instantly　calling　his　brother；　they　pursued　him　for　fifty　or　sixty　yards；　just　as　they　overtook　him；　in　the　scuffle　for　the　rifles　R。　Fields　stabbed　him　through　the　heart　with　his　knife。　The　Indian　ran　about　fifteen　steps　and　fell　dead。　　They　now　ran　back　with　their　rifles　to　the　camp。　　The　moment　the　fellow　touched　his　gun；　Drewyer；　who　was　awake；　jumped　up　and　wrested　it　from　him。　The　noise　awoke　Captain　Lewis；　who　instantly　started　from　the　ground　and　reached　for　his　gun；　but　finding　it　gone；　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；　and　turning　saw　the　Indian　running　off　with　it。　He　followed　him　and　ordered　him　to　lay　it　down；　which　he　did　just　as　the　two　Fields　came　up；　and　were　taking　aim　to　shoot　him；　when　Captain　Lewis　ordered　them　not　to　fire；　as　the　Indian　did　not　appear　to　intend　any　mischief。　　He　dropped　the　gun　and　was　going　slowly　off　when　Drewyer　came　out　and　asked　permission　to　kill　him；　but　this　Captain　Lewis　forbade；　as　he　had　not　yet　attempted　to　shoot　us。　But　finding　that　the　Indians　were　now　endeavoring　to　drive　off　all　the　horses；　he　ordered　all　three　of　us　to　follow　the　main　party；　who　were　chasing　the　horses　up　the　river；　and　fire　instantly　upon　the　thieves；　while　he；　without　taking　time　to　run　for　his　shot…pouch；　pursued　the　fellow　who　had　stolen　his　gun　and　another　Indian；　who　were　driving　away　the　horses　on　the　left　of　the　camp。　He　pressed　them　so　closely　that　they　left　twelve　of　their　horses；　but　continued　to　drive　off　one　of　our　own。

〃At　the　distance　of　three　hundred　paces　they　entered　a　steep　niche　in　the　river…bluffs；　when　Captain　Lewis；　being　too　much　out　of　breath　to　pursue　them　any　further；　called　out；　as　he　had　done　several　times　before；　that　unless　they　gave　up　the　horse　he　would　shoot　them。　As　he　raised　his　gun　one　of　the　Indians　jumped　behind　a　rock　and　spoke　to　the　other；　who　stopped　at　the　distance　of　thirty　paces。　Captain　Lewis　shot　him　in　the　belly。　　He　fell　on　his　knees　and　right　elbow；　but；　raising　himself　a　little；　fired；　and　then　crawled　behind　a　rock。　　The　shot　had　nearly　proved　fatal；　for　Captain　Lewis；　who　was　bareheaded；　felt　the　wind　of　the　ball　very　distinctly。　Not　having　his　shot…pouch；　be　could　not　reload　his　rifle；　and；　having　only　a　single　charge　also　for　his　pistol；　he　thought　it　most　prudent　not　to　attack　them　farther；　and　retired　slowly　to　the　camp。　He　was　met　by　Drewyer；　who；　hearing　the　report　of　the　guns；　had　come　to　his　assistance；　leaving　the　Fields　to　follow　the　other　Indians。　　Captain　Lewis　ordered　him　to　call　out　to　them　to　desist　from　the　pursuit；　as　we　could　take　the　horses　of　the　Indians　in　place　of　our　own；　but　they　were　at　too　great　a　distance　to　hear　him。　He　therefore　returned　to　the　camp；　and　while　he　was　saddling　the　horses　the　Fields　returned　with　four　of　our　own；　having　followed　the　Indians　until　two　of　them　swam　the　river　and　two　others　ascended　the　hills；　so　that　the　horses　became　dispersed。〃

The　white　men　were　gainers　by　this　sad　affair；　for　they　had　now　in　their　possession　four　of　the　Indians'　horses；　and　had　lost　one　of　their　own。　Besides　these；　they　found　in　the　camp　of　the　Indians　four　shields；　two　bows　and　their　quivers；　and　one　of　their　two　guns。　The　captain　took　some　buffalo　meat　which　be　found　in　the　camp；　and　then　the　rest　of　their　baggage　was　burned　on　the　spot。　The　flag　given　to　one　of　the　so…called　chiefs　was　retaken；　but　the　medal　given　to　the　dead　man　was　left　around　his　neck。　The　consequences　of　this　unfortunate　quarrel　were　far…reaching。　The　tribe　whose　member　was　killed　by　the　white　men　never　forgave　the　injury；　and　for　years　after　there　was　no　safety　for　white　men　in　their　vicinity　except　when　the　wayfarers　were　in　great　numbers　or　strongly　guarded。

A　forced　march　was　now　necessary　for　the　explorers；　and　they　set　out　as　speedily　as　possible；　well　knowing　that　the　Indians　would　be　on　their　trail。　By　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　that　day　they　had　reached　Tansy　River；　now　known　as　the　Teton；　having　travelled　sixty…three　miles。　They　rested　for　an　hour　and　a　half　to　refresh　their　horses；　and　then　pushed　on　for　seventeen　miles　further　before　camping　again。　Having　killed　a　buffalo；　they　had　supper　and　stopped　two　hours。　Then；　travelling　through　vast　herds　of　buffalo　until　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　they　halted　again；　almost　dead　with　fatigue；　they　rested　until　daylight。　　On　awaking；　they　found　themselves　so　stiff　and　sore　with　much　riding　that　they　could　scarcely　stand。　But　the　lives　of　their　friends　now　at　or　near　the　mouth　of　Maria's　River　were　at　stake；　as　well　as　their　own。　　Indeed；　it　was　not　certain　but　that　the　Indians　had；　by　hard　riding　and　a　circuitous　route；　already　attacked　the　river　party　left　at　the　falls。　So　Captain　Lewis　told　his　men　that　they　must　go　on；　and；　if　attacked；　they　must　tie　their　horses　together　by　the　head　and　stand　together；　selling　their　lives　as　dearly　as　possible；　or　routing　their　enemies。　The　journal　now　says：

〃To　this　they　all　assented；　and　we　therefore　continued　our　route　to　the　eastward；　till　at　the　distance　of　twelve　miles　we　came　near　the　Missouri；　when　we　heard　a　noise　which　seemed　like　the　report　of　a　gun。　We　therefore　quickened　our　pace　for　eight　miles　farther；　and；　being　about　five　miles　from　Grog　Spring；　now　heard　distinctly　the　noise　of　several　rifles　from　the　river。　　We　hurried　to　the　bank；　and　saw　with　exquisite　satisfaction　our　friends　descending　the　river。　They　landed　to　greet　us；　and　after　turning　our　horses　loose；　we　embarked　with　our　baggage；　and　went　down　to　the　spot　where　we　had　made　a　deposite。　　This；　after　reconnoitring　the　adjacent　country；　we　opened；　but；　unfortunately；　the　cache　had　caved　in；　and　most　of　the　articles　were　injured。　　We　took　whatever　was　still　worth　preserving；　and　immediately　proceeded　to　the　point；　where　we　found　our　deposits　in　good　order。　　By　a　singular　good　fortune；　we　were　here　joined　by　Sergeant　Gass　and　Willard　from　the　Falls；　who　had　been　ordered　to　come　with　the　horses　here　to　assist　in　procuring　meat　for　the　voyage；　as　it　had　been　calculated　that　the　canoes　would　reach　this　place　much　sooner　than　Captain　Lewis's　party。　After　a　very　heavy　shower　of　rain　and　hail；　attended　with　violent　thunder　and　lightning；　we　started　from　the　point；　and　giving　a　final　discharge　to　our　horses；　went　over　to　the　island　where　we　had　left　our　red　pirogue；　which；　however；　we　found　much　decayed；　and　we　had　no　means　of　repairing　her。　　We　therefore　took　all　the　iron　work　out　of　her；　and；　proceeding　down　the　river　fifteen　miles；　encamped　near　some　cottonwood　trees；　one　of　which　was　of　the　narrow…leafed　species；　and　the　first　of　that　kind　we　had　remarked　in　ascending　the　river。

〃Sergeant　Ordway's　party；　which　had　left　the　mouth　of　Madison　River　on　the　thirteenth；　had　descended　in　safety　to　White　Bear　Island；　where　he　arrived　on　the　nineteenth；　and；　after　collecting　the　baggage；　had　left　the　falls　on　the　twenty…seventh　in　the　white　pirogue　and　five　canoes；　while　Sergeant　Gass　and　Willard　set　out　at　the　same　time　by　land　with　the　horses；　and　thus　fortunately　met　together。〃

Sergeant　Ordway's　party；　it　will　be　recollected；　had　left　Captain　Clark　at　the　three　forks　of　the　Missouri；　to　which　they　had　come　down　the　Jefferson；　and　thence　had　passed　down　the　Missouri　to　White　Bear　Islands；　and；　making　the　portage；　had　joined　the　rest　of　the　party　just　in　time　to　reinforce　them。　Game　was　now　abundant　the　buffalo　being　in　enormous　herds；　and　the　bighorn　were　also　numerous；　the　flesh　of　these　animals　was　in　fine　condition；　resembling　the　best　of　mutton　in　flavor。　The　reunited　party　now　descended　the　river；　the　intention　being　to　reach　the　mouth