first across the continent-第51部分

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epahkeeook　and　Hohastillpilp　（who　had　returned　to　us）　to　demand　it。　On　their　arrival；　they　found　that　the　present　possessor　of　it；　who　had　purchased　it　of　the　thief；　was　at　the　point　of　death；　and　his　relations　were　unwilling　to　give　it　up；　as　they　wished　to　bury　it　in　the　grave　with　the　deceased。　The　influence　of　Neeshnepahkeeook；　however；　at　length　prevailed；　and　they　consented　to　surrender　the　tomahawk　on　receiving　two　strands　of　beads　and　a　handkerchief　from　Drewyer；　and　from　each　of　the　chiefs　a　horse；　to　be　killed　at　the　funeral　of　their　kinsman；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country。〃


＇1＇　See　page　23。


The　Chopunnish　chiefs　now　gave　their　final　answer　to　the　two　captains　who　had　requested　guides　from　them。　　The　chiefs　said　that　they　could　not　accompany　the　party；　but　later　in　the　summer　they　might　cross　the　great　divide　and　spend　the　next　winter　on　the　headwaters　of　the　Missouri。　　At　present；　they　could　only　promise　that　some　of　their　young　men　should　go　with　the　whites；　these　had　not　been　selected；　but　they　would　be　sent　on　after　the　party；　if　the　two　captains　insisted　on　starting　now。　This　was　not　very　encouraging；　for　they　had　depended　upon　the　Indians　for　guidance　over　the　exceedingly　difficult　and　even　dangerous　passages　of　the　mountains。　　Accordingly；　it　was　resolved　that；　while　waiting　on　the　motions　of　the　Indians；　the　party　might　as　well　make　a　visit　to　Quamash　flats；　where　they　could　lay　in　a　stock　of　provisions　for　their　arduous　journey。　It　is　not　certain　which　of　the　several　Quamash　flats　mentioned　in　the　history　of　the　expedition　is　here　referred　to；　but　it　is　likely　that　the　open　glade　in　which　Captain　Clark　first　struck　the　low　country　of　the　west　is　here　meant。　It　was　here　that　he　met　the　Indian　boys　hiding　in　the　grass；　and　from　here　he　led　the　expedition　out　of　the　wilderness。　For　〃quamash〃　read　〃camass；〃　an　edible　root　much　prized　by　the　Nez　Perces　then　and　now。

While　they　lingered　at　their　camp；　they　were　visited　by　several　bands　of　friendly　Indians。　　The　explorers　traded　horses　with　their　visitors；　and；　with　what　they　already　had；　they　now　found　their　band　to　number　sixty…five；　all　told。　Having　finished　their　trading；　they　invited　the　Indians　to　take　part　in　the　games　of　prisoners'　base　and　foot…racing；　in　the　latter　game　the　Indians　were　very　expert；　being　able　to　distance　the　fleetest　runner　of　the　white　men's　party。　At　night；　the　games　were　concluded　by　a　dance。　　The　account　of　the　expedition　says　that　the　captains　were　desirous　of　encouraging　these　exercises　before　they　should　begin　the　passage　over　the　mountains；　〃as　several　of　the　men　are　becoming　lazy　from　inaction。〃

On　the　tenth　of　June　the　party　set　out　for　Quamash　flats；　each　man　well　mounted　and　leading　a　spare　horse　which　carried　a　small　load。　To　their　dismay；　they　found　that　their　good　friends；　the　Chopunnish；　unwilling　to　part　with　them；　were　bound　to　accompany　them　to　the　hunting…grounds。　The　Indians　would　naturally　expect　to　share　in　the　hunt　and　to　be　provided　for　by　the　white　men。　The　party　halted　there　only　until　the　sixth　of　June；　and　then；　collecting　their　horses；　set　out　through　what　proved　to　be　a　very　difficult　trail　up　the　creek　on　which　they　were　camped；　in　a　northeasterly　direction。　　There　was　still　a　quantity　of　snow　on　the　ground；　although　this　was　in　shady　places　and　hollows。　Vegetation　was　rank；　and　the　dogtooth　violet；　honeysuckle；　blue…bell；　and　columbine　were　in　blossom。　　The　pale　blue　flowers　of　the　quamash　gave　to　the　level　country　the　appearance　of　a　blue　lake。　Striking　Hungry　Creek；　which　Captain　Clark　had　very　appropriately　named　when　he　passed　that　way；　the　previous　September；　they　followed　it　up　to　a　mountain　for　about　three　miles；　when　they　found　themselves　enveloped　in　snow；　their　limbs　were　benumbed；　and　the　snow；　from　twelve　to　fifteen　feet　deep；　so　paralyzed　their　feet　that　further　progress　was　impossible。　Here　the　journal　should　be　quoted：

〃We　halted　at　the　sight　of　this　new　difficulty。　　We　already　knew　that　to　wait　till　the　snows　of　the　mountains　had　dissolved；　so　as　to　enable　us　to　distinguish　the　road；　would　defeat　our　design　of　returning　to　the　United　States　this　season。　We　now　found　also　that　as　the　snow　bore　our　horses　very　well；　travelling　was　infinitely　easier　than　it　was　last　fall；　when　the　rocks　and　fallen　timber　had　so　much　obstructed　our　march。　But　it　would　require　five　days　to　reach　the　fish…weirs　at　the　mouth　of　Colt　＇…killed＇　Creek；　even　if　we　were　able　to　follow　the　proper　ridges　of　the　mountains；　and　the　danger　of　missing　our　direction　is　exceedingly　great　while　every　track　is　covered　with　snow。　During　these　five　days；　too；　we　have　no　chance　of　finding　either　grass　or　underwood　for　our　horses；　the　snow　being　so　deep。　To　proceed；　therefore；　under　such　circumstances；　would　be　to　hazard　our　being　bewildered　in　the　mountains；　and　to　insure　the　loss　of　our　horses；　even　should　we　be　so　fortunate　as　to　escape　with　our　lives；　we　might　be　obliged　to　abandon　all　our　papers　and　collections。　It　was　therefore　decided　not　to　venture　any　further；　to　deposit　here　all　the　baggage　and　provisions　for　which　we　had　no　immediate　use；　and；　reserving　only　subsistence　for　a　few　days；　to　return　while　our　horses　were　yet　strong　to　some　spot　where　we　might　live　by　hunting；　till　a　guide　could　be　procured　to　conduct　us　across　the　mountains。　Our　baggage　was　placed　on　scaffolds　and　carefully　covered；　as　were　also　the　instruments　and　papers；　which　we　thought　it　safer　to　leave　than　to　risk　over　the　roads　and　creeks　by　which　we　came。〃

There　was　nothing　left　to　do　but　to　return　to　Hungry　Creek。　　Finding　a　scanty　supply　of　grass；　they　camped　under　most　depressing　circumstances；　their　outlook　now　was　the　passing　of　four　or　five　days　in　the　midst　of　snows　from　ten　to　fifteen　feet　deep；　with　no　guide；　no　road；　and　no　forage。　In　this　emergency；　two　men　were　sent　back　to　the　Chopunnish　country　to　hurry　up　the　Indians　who　had　promised　to　accompany　them　over　the　mountains；　and；　to　insure　a　guide；　these　men　were　authorized　to　offer　a　rifle　as　a　reward　for　any　one　who　would　undertake　the　task。　For　the　present；　it　was　thought　best　to　return　to　Quamash　flats。



Chapter　XXIII

Crossing　the　Bitter　Root　Mountains

Disasters　many　kept　pace　with　the　unhappy　explorers　on　their　way　back　to　Quamash　flats　after　their　rebuff　at　the　base　of　the　Bitter　Root　Mountains。　　One　of　the　horses　fell　down　a　rough　and　rocky　place；　carrying　his　rider　with　him；　but　fortunately　neither　horse　nor　man　was　killed。　　Next；　a　man；　sent　ahead　to　cut　down　the　brush　that　blocked　the　path；　cut　himself　badly　on　the　inside　of　his　thigh　and　bled　copiously。　The　hunters　sent　out　for　game　returned　empty…handed。　The　fishermen　caught　no　fish；　but　broke　the　two　Indian　gigs；　or　contrivances　for　catching　fish；　with　which　they　had　been　provided。　The　stock　of　salt　had　given　out；　the　bulk　of　their　supply　having　been　left　on　the　mountain。　　Several　large　mushrooms　were　brought　in　by　Cruzatte；　but　these　were　eaten　without　pepper；　salt；　or　any　kind　of　grease；〃a　very　tasteless；　insipid　food；〃　as　the　journal　says。　To　crown　all；　the　mosquitoes　were　pestilential　in　their　numbers　and　venom。

Nevertheless；　the　leaders　of　the　expedition　were　determined　to　press　on　and　pass　the　Bitter　Root　Mountains　as　soon　as　a　slight　rest　at　Quamash　flats　should　be　had。　　If　they　should　tarry　until　the　snows　melted　from　the　trail；　they　would　be　too　late　to　reach　the　United　States　that　winter　and　would　be　compelled　to　pass　the　next　winter　at　some　camp　high　up　on　the　Missouri；　as　they　had　passed　one　winter　at　Fort　Mandan；　on　their　way　out。　This　is　the　course　of　argument　which　Captain　Lewis　and　Clark　took　to　persuade　each　other　as　to　the　best　way　out　of　their　difficulties：

〃The　snows　have　formed　a　hard；　coarse　bed　without　crust；　on　which　the　horses　walk　safely　without　slipping；　the　chief　difficulty；　therefore；　is　to　find　the　road。　　In　this　we　may　be　assisted　by　the　circumstance　that；　though　generally　ten　feet　in　depth；　the　snow　has　been　thrown　off　by　the　thick　and　spreading　branches　of　the　trees；　and　from　round　the　trunk；　while　the　warmth　of　the　trunk　itself；　acquired　by　the　reflection　of　the　sun；　or　communicated　by　natural　heat　of　the　earth；　which　is　never　frozen　under　these　masses；　has　dissolved　the　snow　so　much　that　immediately　at　the　roots　its　depth　is　not　more　than　one　or　two　feet。　　We　therefore　hope　that　the　marks　of　the　baggage　rubbing　against　the　trees　may　still　be　perceived；　and　we　have　decided；　in　case　the　guide　cannot　be　procured；　that　one　of　us　will　take　three　or　four　of　our　most　expert　woodsmen；　several　of　our　best　horses；　and　an　ample　supply　of　provisions；　go　on　two　days'　journey　in　advance；　and　endeavor　to　trace　the　route　by　the　marks　of　the　Indian　baggage　on　the　trees；　which　we　would　then　mark　more　distinctly　with　a　tomahawk。　When　they　should　have　reached　two　days'　journey　beyond　Hungry　Creek；　two　of　the　men　were　to　be　sent　back　to　apprise　the　rest　of　their　success；　and　if　necessary　to　cause　them　to　delay　there；　lest；　by　advancing　too　soon；　they　should　be　forced　to　halt　where　no　food　could　be　obtained　for　the　horses。　If　the　traces　of　the　baggage　be　too　indistinct；　the　whole　party　is　to　return　to　Hungry　Creek；　and　we　will　then　attempt　the　passage　by　ascending　the　main　southwest　branch　of　Lewis'　River　through　the　country　of　the　Shoshonees；　over　to　Madison　or　Gallatin　River。　　On　that　route；　the　Chopunnish　inform　us；　there　is　a　passage　not　obstructed　by　snow　at　this　period　of　the　year。〃

On　their　return　to　Quamash　flats　the　party　met　two　Indians　who；　after　some　parley；　agreed　to　pilot　them　over　the　mountains；　these　camped　where　they　were；　and　the　party　went　on　to　the　flats；　having　exacted　a　promise　from　the　Indians　that　they　would　wait　there　two　nights　for　the　white　men　to　come　along。　When　the　party　reached　their　old　camp；　they　found　that　one　of　their　hunters　had　killed　a　deer；　which　was　a　welcome　addition　to　their　otherwise　scanty　supper。　　Next　day；　the　hunters　met　with　astonishing　luck；　bringing　into　camp　eight　deer　and　three　bears。　Four　of　the　men　were　directed　to　go　to　the　camp　of　the　two　Indians；　and　if　these　were　bent　on　going　on；　to　accompany　them　and　so　mark；　or　blaze；　the　trees　that　the　rest　of　the　party　would　have　no　difficulty　in　finding　the　way；　later　on。

Meanwhil