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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/38774-8.txt b/38774-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a02d71 --- /dev/null +++ b/38774-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10069 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Oregon and Eldorado, by Thomas Bulfinch + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Oregon and Eldorado + or, Romance of the Rivers + +Author: Thomas Bulfinch + +Release Date: February 6, 2012 [EBook #38774] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +OREGON AND ELDORADO. + + + + +OREGON AND ELDORADO; + +OR, + +ROMANCE OF THE RIVERS. + + + + +BY + +THOMAS BULFINCH, + +AUTHOR OF "THE AGE OF FABLE," "THE AGE OF CHIVALRY," ETC. + + + + +BOSTON: +J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY. +1866. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, + by THOMAS BULFINCH, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the + District of Massachusetts. + + + + +STEREOTYPED BY C. J. PETERS AND SON. +PRINTED BY GEORGE C. RAND AND AVERY. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +When one observes attentively the maps of South and North America, no +feature appears more striking than the provision which Nature seems to +have made, in both continents, for water-communication across the +breadth of each. In the Northern continent, this channel of +communication is formed by the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, which +stretch over an extent of three thousand miles, interrupted only by the +ridge of the Rocky Mountains. In the Southern continent, the River +Amazon, in its path from the Andes to the sea, traverses a course of +thirty-three hundred miles. In both cases, a few hundred miles of +land-carriage will complete the transit from ocean to ocean. The analogy +presented in the length and direction of these magnificent +water-pathways is preserved in their history. A series of romantic +adventures attaches to each. I indulge the hope, that young readers who +have so favorably received my former attempts to amuse and instruct +them, in my several works reviving the fabulous legends of remote ages, +will find equally attractive these true narratives of bold adventure, +whose date is comparatively recent. Moreover, their scenes are laid, in +the one instance, in our own country; and, in the other, in that great +and rising empire of Brazil to which our distinguished naturalist, Prof. +Agassiz, has gone on a pilgrimage of science. It will enable us better +to appreciate the discoveries and observations which the professor will +lay before us on his return, to know something beforehand of the history +and peculiarities of the region which is the scene of his labors; and, +on the other hand, the route across the North-American continent, to +which the first part of the volume relates, deprives increased interest, +at this time, from the fact that it nearly corresponds to the route of +the contemplated Northern Pacific Railroad. + +BOSTON, June, 1866. T. B. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + OREGON. + +CHAPTER I. + +DISCOVERY OF COLUMBIA RIVER 1 + + +CHAPTER II. + +LEWIS AND CLARKE 14 + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE SIOUX 23 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS 33 + + +CHAPTER V. + +INDIAN TRIBES 45 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE MARCH RESUMED 57 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE JOURNEY CONTINUED 85 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SOURCES OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA 97 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE PARTY IN THE BOATS 107 + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA 120 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CLARKE'S RIVER 131 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER 147 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WINTER-QUARTERS 176 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A NEW YEAR 187 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WINTER LIFE 197 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE RETURN 210 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 230 + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +CAPT. CLARKE'S ROUTE DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE 241 + + + ELDORADO. + +CHAPTER I. + +THE DISCOVERY 255 + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORELLANA DESCENDS THE RIVER 265 + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORELLANA'S ADVENTURE CONTINUED 275 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH 285 + + +CHAPTER V. + +RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION 293 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RALEIGH'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED 307 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +RALEIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION 316 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS 326 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE DOWN THE AMAZON 339 + + +CHAPTER X. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE CONTINUED 349 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION 361 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED 373 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED 387 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONCLUDED 396 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LATEST EXPLORATIONS 404 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE NATURALIST ON THE AMAZON 427 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ANIMATED NATURE 446 + + + + +OREGON. + + + + +OREGON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +DISCOVERY OF COLUMBIA RIVER. + + +A few years ago, there was still standing in Bowdoin Square, Boston, +opposite the Revere House, an ancient mansion, since removed to make +room for the granite range called the Coolidge Building. In that +mansion, then neither old nor inelegant, but, on the contrary, having +good pretensions to rank among the principal residences of the place, +was assembled, in the year 1787, a group, consisting of the master of +the mansion, Dr. Bulfinch, his only son Charles, and Joseph Barrell, +their neighbor, an eminent merchant of Boston. The conversation turned +upon the topic of the day,--the voyages and discoveries of Capt. Cook, +the account of which had lately been published. The brilliant +achievements of Capt. Cook, his admirable qualities, and his sad fate +(slain by the chance stroke of a Sandwich-Islander, in a sudden brawl +which arose between the sailors and the natives),--these formed the +current of the conversation; till at last it changed, and turned more +upon the commercial aspects of the subject. Mr. Barrell was particularly +struck with what Cook relates of the abundance of valuable furs offered +by the natives of the country in exchange for beads, knives, and other +trifling commodities valued by them. The remark of Capt. Cook respecting +the sea-otter was cited:-- + +"This animal abounds here: the fur is softer and finer than that of any +other we know of; and therefore the discovery of this part of the +continent, where so valuable an article of commerce may be met with, +cannot be a matter of indifference." He adds in a note, "The sea-otter +skins are sold by the Russians to the Chinese at from sixteen to twenty +pounds each." + +Mr. Barrell remarked, "There is a rich harvest to be reaped there by +those who shall first go in." The idea thus suggested was followed out +in future conversations at the doctor's fireside, admitting other +congenial spirits to the discussion, and resulted in the equipping of an +expedition consisting of two vessels, the ship "Columbia" and sloop +"Washington," to make the proposed adventure. The partners in the +enterprise were Joseph Barrell, Samuel Brown, Charles Bulfinch, John +Derby, Crowell Hatch, and J. M. Pintard. So important was the expedition +deemed by the adventurers themselves, that they caused a medal to be +struck, bearing on one side a representation of the two vessels under +sail, and on the other the names of the parties to the enterprise. +Several copies of this medal were made both in bronze and silver, and +distributed to public bodies and distinguished individuals. One of these +medals lies before the writer as he pens these lines. A representation +is subjoined:-- + +[Illustration] + +The expedition was also provided with sea-letters, issued by the Federal +Government agreeably to a resolution of Congress, and with passports +from the State of Massachusetts; and they received letters from the +Spanish minister plenipotentiary in the United States, recommending them +to the attention of the authorities of his nation on the Pacific coast. + +The "Columbia" was commanded by John Kendrick, to whom was intrusted the +general control of the expedition. The master of the "Washington" was +Robert Gray. + +The two vessels sailed together from Boston on the 30th of September, +1787: thence they proceeded to the Cape Verde Islands, and thence to the +Falkland Islands, in each of which groups they procured refreshments. In +January, 1788, they doubled Cape Horn; immediately after which they were +separated during a violent gale. The "Washington," continuing her course +through the Pacific, made the north-west coast in August, near the 46th +degree of latitude. Here Capt. Gray thought he perceived indications of +the mouth of a river; but he was unable to ascertain the fact, in +consequence of his vessel having grounded, and been attacked by the +savages, who killed one of his men, and wounded the mate. But she +escaped without further injury, and, on the 17th of September, reached +Nootka Sound, which had been agreed upon as the port of re-union in case +of separation. The "Columbia" did not enter the sound until some days +afterward. + +The two vessels spent their winter in the sound; where the "Columbia" +also lay during the following summer, collecting furs, while Capt. +Gray, in the "Washington," explored the adjacent waters. On his return +to Nootka, it was agreed upon between the two captains that Kendrick +should take command of the sloop, and remain on the coast, while Gray, +in the "Columbia," should carry to Canton all the furs which had been +collected by both vessels. This was accordingly done; and Gray arrived +on the 6th of December at Canton, where he sold his furs, and took in a +cargo of tea, with which he entered Boston on the 10th of August, 1790, +having carried the flag of the United States for the first time round +the world. + +Kendrick, immediately on parting with the "Columbia," proceeded with the +"Washington" to the Strait of Fuca, through which he sailed, in its +whole length, to its issue in the Pacific, in lat. 51. To him belongs +the credit of ascertaining that Nootka and the parts adjacent are an +island, to which the name of Vancouver's Island has since been given, +which it now retains. Vancouver was a British commander who followed in +the track of the Americans a year later. The injustice done to Kendrick +by thus robbing him of the credit of his discovery is but one of many +similar instances; the greatest of all being that by which our +continent itself bears the name, not of Columbus, but of a subsequent +navigator. + +Capt. Kendrick, during the time occupied by Gray in his return voyage, +besides collecting furs, engaged in various speculations; one of which +was the collection, and transportation to China, of the odoriferous wood +called "sandal," which grows in many of the tropical islands of the +Pacific, and is in great demand throughout the Celestial Empire, for +ornamental fabrics, and also for medicinal purposes. Vancouver +pronounced this scheme chimerical; but experience has shown that it was +founded on just calculations, and the business has ever since been +prosecuted with advantage, especially by Americans. + +Another of Kendrick's speculations has not hitherto produced any fruit. +In the summer of 1791, he purchased from Maquinna, Wicanish, and other +Indian chiefs, several large tracts of land near Nootka Sound, for which +he obtained deeds, duly _marked_ by those personages, and witnessed by +the officers and men of the "Washington." Attempts were afterwards made +by the owners of the vessel to sell these lands in London, but no +purchasers were found; and applications have since been addressed by the +legal representatives of the owners to the Government of the United +States for a confirmation of the title, but hitherto without success. + +Capt. Kendrick lost his life by a singular accident. In exchanging +salutes with a Spanish vessel which they met at the Sandwich Islands, +the wad of the gun of the Spaniard struck Capt. Kendrick as he stood on +the deck of his vessel, conspicuous in his dress-coat and cocked hat as +commander of the expedition. It was instantly fatal. + +The ship "Columbia" returned to Boston from Canton under the command of +Gray, as already stated, arriving on the 10th of August, 1790; but the +cargo of Chinese articles brought by her was insufficient to cover the +expenses of her voyage: nevertheless her owners determined to persevere +in the enterprise, and refitted the ship for a new voyage of the same +kind. + +The "Columbia," under her former captain, Gray, left Boston, on her +second voyage, on the 28th of September, 1790, and, without the +occurrence of any thing worthy of note, arrived at Clyoquot, near the +entrance of Fuca's Strait, on the 5th of June, 1791. There, and in the +neighboring waters, she remained through the summer and winter +following, engaged in trading and exploring. In the spring of 1792, Gray +took his departure in the ship, on a cruise southward, along the coast, +bent on ascertaining the truth of appearances which had led him in the +former voyage to suspect the existence of a river discharging its waters +at or about the latitude of 46 degrees. During his cruise, he met the +English vessels commanded by Commodore Vancouver. "On the 29th of +April," Vancouver writes in his journal, "at four o'clock, a sail was +discovered to the westward, standing in shore. This was a very great +novelty, not having seen any vessel but our consort during the last +eight months. She soon hoisted American colors, and fired a gun to +leeward. At six, we spoke her. She proved to be the ship 'Columbia,' +commanded by Capt. Robert Gray, belonging to Boston, whence she had been +absent nineteen months. I sent two of my officers on board to acquire +such information as might be serviceable in our future operations. Capt. +Gray informed them of his having been off the mouth of a river, in the +latitude of 46 degrees 10 minutes, for nine days; but the outset or +reflux was so strong as to prevent his entering." + +To this statement of Capt. Gray, Vancouver gave little credit. He +remarks, "I was thoroughly persuaded, as were also most persons of +observation on board, that we could not have passed any safe navigable +opening, harbor, or place of security for shipping, from Cape Mendocino +to Fuca's Strait." + +After parting with the English ships, Gray sailed along the coast of the +continent southward; and on the 7th of May, 1792, he "saw an entrance +which had a very good appearance of a harbor." Passing through this +entrance, he found himself in a bay, "well sheltered from the sea by +long sand-bars and spits," where he remained three days trading with the +natives, and then resumed his voyage, bestowing on the place thus +discovered the name of Bulfinch's Harbor, in honor of one of the owners +of his ship. This is now known as Gray's Harbor. + +At daybreak on the 11th, after leaving Bulfinch's Harbor, Gray observed +the entrance of his desired port, bearing east-south-east, distant six +leagues; and running into it with all sails set, between the breakers, +he anchored at one o'clock in a large river of fresh water, ten miles +above its mouth. At this spot he remained three days, engaged in trading +with the natives, and filling his casks with water; and then sailed up +the river about twelve miles along its northern shore, where, finding +that he could proceed no farther from having taken the wrong channel, he +again came to anchor. On the 20th, he recrossed the bar at the mouth of +the river, and regained the Pacific. + +On leaving the river, Gray gave it the name of his ship, the Columbia, +which it still bears. He called the southern point of land, at the +entrance, Cape Adams; and the northern, Cape Hancock. The former of +these names retains its place in the maps, the latter does not; the +promontory being known as Cape Disappointment,--a name it received from +Lieut. Meares, an English navigator, who, like Capt. Gray, judged from +appearances that there was the outlet of a river at that point, but +failed to find it, and recorded his failure in the name he assigned to +the conspicuous headland which marked the place of his fruitless search. + + NOTE. As the discovery of Columbia River was an event of + historical importance, the reader will perhaps be gratified to + see it as recorded in the words of Capt. Gray himself, copied + from his logbook as follows:-- + + "May 11 (1792), at eight, P.M., the entrance of Bulfinch's + Harbor bore north, distance four miles. Sent up the + main-top-gallant yard, and set all sail. At four, A.M., saw the + entrance of our desired port, bearing east-south-east, distance + six leagues; in steering sails, and hauled our wind in shore. + At eight, A.M., being a little to windward of the entrance of + the harbor, bore away, and ran in east-north-east between the + breakers, having from five to seven fathoms of water. When we + were over the bar, we found this to be a large river of fresh + water, up which we steered. Many canoes came alongside. At one, + P.M., came to, with the small bower in ten fathoms black and + white sand. The entrance between the bars bore west-south-west, + distant ten miles; the north side of the river a half-mile + distant from the ship, the south side of the same two and a + half miles distance; a village on the north side of the river, + west by north, distant three-quarters of a mile. Vast numbers + of natives came alongside. People employed in pumping the salt + water out of our water-casks, in order to fill with fresh, + while the ship floated in. So ends." + +From the mouth of Columbia River, Gray sailed to Nootka Sound, where he +communicated his recent discoveries to the Spanish commandant, Quadra; +to whom he also gave charts and descriptions of Bulfinch's Harbor, and +of the mouth of the Columbia. He departed for Canton in September, and +thence sailed to the United States. + +The voyages of Kendrick and Gray were not profitable to the adventurers, +yet not fruitless of benefit to their country. They opened the way to +subsequent enterprises in the same region, which were eminently +successful. And, in another point of view, these expeditions were +fraught with consequences of the utmost importance. Gray's discovery of +Columbia River was the point most relied upon by our negotiators in a +subsequent era for establishing the claim of the United States to the +part of the continent through which that river flows; and it is in a +great measure owing to that discovery that the growing State of Oregon +is now a part of the American Republic. + +From the date of the discovery of Columbia River to the war of 1812, the +direct trade between the American coast and China was almost entirely in +the hands of the citizens of the United States. The British merchants +were restrained from pursuing it by the opposition of their East-India +Company; the Russians were not admitted into Chinese ports; and few +ships of any other nation were seen in that part of the ocean. The trade +was prosecuted by men whose names are still distinguished among us as +those of the master-spirits of American commerce,--the Thorndikes, the +Perkinses, Lambs, Sturgis, Cushing, and others of Boston, Astor and +others of New York. The greater number of the vessels sent from the +United States were fine ships or brigs laden with valuable cargoes of +West-India productions, British manufactured articles, and French, +Italian, and Spanish wines and spirits; and the owners were men of large +capital and high reputation in the commercial world, some of whom were +able to compete with the British companies, and even to control their +movements. + +During all this period, though constant accessions were made to the +knowledge of the coast by means of commercial adventure, the interior of +the continent, from the Mississippi to the ocean, remained unknown. The +intercourse of the people of the United States with the native tribes +was restricted by several causes. One was the possession of Louisiana by +the Spaniards; another, the retention by the British of several +important posts south of the Great Lakes, within the acknowledged +territory of the Union. At length, by the treaty of 1794 between Great +Britain and the United States, those posts were given up to the +Americans; and by treaty with France, in 1803, Louisiana, which had come +into possession of that power in 1800, was ceded to the United States. +From this period, the Government and people of the United States ceased +to be indifferent to the immense and important region whose destinies +were committed to them; and the ensuing narrative will relate the first +attempt made by national authority to occupy and explore the country. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +LEWIS AND CLARKE. + + +In the year 1786, John Ledyard of Connecticut, who had been with Capt. +Cook in his voyage of discovery to the north-west coast of America in +1776-1780, was in Paris, endeavoring to engage a mercantile company in +the fur-trade of that coast. He had seen, as he thought, unequalled +opportunities for lucrative traffic in the exchange of the furs of that +country for the silks and teas of China. But his representations were +listened to with incredulity by the cautious merchants of Europe, and he +found it impossible to interest any so far as to induce them to fit out +an expedition for the object proposed. + +Disappointed and needy, he applied for advice and assistance to Mr. +Jefferson, at that time the American minister at the court of France. +Ledyard had no views of pecuniary gain in the contemplated enterprise: +he sought only an opportunity of indulging his love of adventure by +exploring regions at that time unknown. Mr. Jefferson, as the guardian +of his country's interests and the friend of science, was warmly +interested in any scheme which contemplated the opening of the vast +interior regions of the American continent to the occupancy of civilized +man. Since it was impossible to engage mercantile adventurers to fit out +an expedition by sea, Mr. Jefferson proposed to Ledyard that he should +go as a traveller, by land, through the Russian territories, as far as +the eastern coast of the continent of Asia, and from thence get such +conveyance as he could to the neighboring coast of America, and thus +reach the spot where his main journey was to begin. Ledyard eagerly +embraced the proposal. Permission was obtained from the Empress +Catharine of Russia, and the enterprising traveller, in December, 1786, +set forth. He traversed Denmark and Sweden; passed round the head of the +Gulf of Bothnia, after an unsuccessful attempt to cross it on the ice; +and reached St. Petersburg in March, 1787, without money, shoes, or +stockings, having gone this immense journey on foot in an arctic winter. +At St. Petersburg he obtained notice, money to the amount of twenty +guineas, and permission to accompany a convoy of stores to Yakoutsk, in +Siberia. But, for some unexplained reason, he was arrested at that +place by order of the empress, and conveyed back to Europe; being +cautioned, on his release, not again to set foot within the Russian +territories, under penalty of death. This harsh treatment is supposed to +have arisen from the jealousy of the Russian fur-traders, who feared +that Ledyard's proceedings would rouse up rivals in their trade. + +Mr. Jefferson did not, upon this disappointment, abandon the idea of an +exploration of the interior of the American continent. At his +suggestion, the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia took +measures, in 1792, to send suitable persons to make a similar transit of +the continent in the opposite direction; that is, by ascending the +Missouri, and descending the Columbia. Nothing was effected, however, at +that time, except awakening the attention of Capt. Meriwether Lewis, a +young officer in the American army, a neighbor and relative of Gen. +Washington. He eagerly sought to be employed to make the contemplated +journey. + +In 1803, Mr. Jefferson, being then President of the United States, +proposed to Congress to send an exploring party to trace the Missouri to +its source; to cross the highlands, and follow the best water +communication which might offer itself, to the Pacific Ocean. Congress +approved the proposal, and voted a sum of money to carry it into +execution. Capt. Lewis, who had then been two years with Mr. Jefferson +as his private secretary, immediately renewed his solicitations to have +the direction of the expedition. Mr. Jefferson had now had opportunity +of knowing him intimately, and believed him to be brave, persevering, +familiar with the Indian character and customs, habituated to the +hunting life, honest, and of sound judgment. He trusted that he would be +careful of those committed to his charge, yet steady in the maintenance +of discipline. On receiving his appointment, Capt. Lewis repaired to +Philadelphia, and placed himself under its distinguished professors, +with a view to acquire familiarity with the nomenclature of the natural +sciences. He selected, as his companion in the proposed expedition, +William Clarke, a brother-officer, known and esteemed by him. + +While these things were going on, the treaty with France was concluded, +by which the country of Louisiana was ceded to the United States. This +event, which took place in 1803, greatly increased the interest felt by +the people of the United States in the proposed expedition. + +In the spring of 1804, the preparations being completed, the explorers +commenced their route. The party consisted of nine young men from +Kentucky, fourteen soldiers of the United-States army who volunteered +their services, two French watermen, an interpreter, a hunter, and a +black servant of Capt. Clarke. In addition to these, a further force of +fifteen men attended on the commencement of the expedition to secure +safety during the transit through some Indian tribes whose hostility was +apprehended. The necessary stores were divided into seven bales and one +box, the latter containing a small portion of each article in case of a +loss of any one of the bales. The stores consisted of clothing, working +tools, ammunition, and other articles of prime necessity. To these were +added fourteen bales and one box of Indian presents, composed of richly +laced coats and other articles of dress, medals, flags, knives, and +tomahawks for the chiefs; ornaments of different kinds, particularly +beads, looking-glasses, handkerchiefs, paints, and generally such +articles as were deemed best calculated for the taste of the Indians. +The company embarked on board of three boats. The first was a keel-boat, +fifty-five feet long, carrying one large square sail and twenty-two +oars. A deck of ten feet, at each end, formed a forecastle and cabin. +This was accompanied by two open boats of six oars. Two horses were to +be led along the banks of the river, for bringing home game, or hunting +in case of scarcity. + +The narrative of the expedition was written by the commanders from day +to day, and published after their return. We shall tell the story of +their adventures nearly in the language of their own journal, with such +abridgments as our plan renders necessary. + +May 14, 1804.--All the preparations being completed, they left their +encampment this day. The character of the river itself was the most +interesting object of examination for the first part of their voyage. +Having advanced, in two months, about four hundred and fifty miles, they +write as follows: "The ranges of hills on opposite sides of the river +are twelve or fifteen miles apart, rich plains and prairies, with the +river, occupying the intermediate space, partially covered near the +river with cotton-wood or Balm-of-Gilead poplar. The whole lowland +between the parallel ranges of hills seems to have been formed of mud of +the river, mixed with sand and clay. The sand of the neighboring banks, +added to that brought down by the stream, forms sand-bars, projecting +into the river. These drive the stream to the opposite bank, the loose +texture of which it undermines, and at length deserts its ancient bed +for a new passage. It is thus that the banks of the Missouri are +constantly falling in, and the river changing its bed. + +"On one occasion, the party encamped on a sand-bar in the river. Shortly +after midnight, the sleepers were startled by the sergeant on guard +crying out that the sand-bar was sinking: and the alarm was timely +given; for scarcely had they got off with the boats before the bank +under which they had been lying fell in; and, by the time the opposite +shore was reached, the ground on which they had been encamped sunk also. + +"We had occasion here to observe the process of the undermining of these +hills by the Missouri. The first attacks seem to be made on the hills +which overhang the river. As soon as the violence of the current +destroys the grass at the foot of them, the whole texture appears +loosened, and the ground dissolves, and mixes with the water. At one +point, a part of the cliff, nearly three-quarters of a mile in length, +and about two hundred feet in height, had fallen into the river. As the +banks are washed away, the trees fall in, and the channel becomes filled +with buried logs." + + +RIVER SCENERY. + +"July 12.--We remained to-day for the purpose of making lunar +observations. Capt. Clarke sailed a few miles up the Namaha River, and +landed on a spot where he found numerous artificial mounds. + + NOTE. A late traveller, Rev. Samuel Parker, speaks thus of + these mounds: "The mounds, which some have called the work of + unknown generations of men, were scattered here in all + varieties of form and magnitude, thousands in number. Some of + them were conical, some elliptical, some square, and some + parallelograms. One group attracted my attention particularly. + They were twelve in number, of conical form, with their bases + joined, and twenty or thirty feet high. They formed two-thirds + of a circle, with an area of two hundred feet in diameter. If + these were isolated, who would not say they were artificial? + But, when they are only a group among a thousand others, who + will presume to say they all are the work of man?... + + "It is said by those who advocate the belief that they are the + work of ancient nations; that they present plain evidence of + this in the fact that they contain human bones, articles of + pottery, and the like. That some of them have been used for + burying-places, is undoubtedly true; but may it not be + questioned whether they were _made_, or only _selected_, for + burying-places? No one who has ever seen the thousands and ten + thousands scattered through the Valley of the Mississippi will + be so credulous as to believe that a hundredth part of them + were the work of man." + +"From the top of the highest mound, a delightful prospect presented +itself,--the lowland of the Missouri covered with an undulating grass +nearly five feet high, gradually rising into a second plain, where rich +weeds and flowers were interspersed with copses of the Osage plum. +Farther back from the river were seen small groves of trees, an +abundance of grapes, the wild cherry of the Missouri,--resembling our +own, but larger, and growing on a small bush. The plums are of three +kinds,--two of a yellow color, and distinguished by one of the species +being larger than the other; a third species of red color. All have an +excellent flavor, particularly the yellow kind." + + +PIPE-CLAY ROCK. + +"Aug. 21.--We passed the mouth of the Great Sioux River. Our Indian +interpreter tells us that on the head waters of this river is the quarry +of red rock of which the Indians make their pipes; and the necessity of +procuring that article has introduced a law of nations, by which the +banks of the stream are sacred; and even tribes at war meet without +hostility at these quarries, which possess a right of asylum. Thus we +find, even among savages, certain principles deemed sacred, by which the +rigors of their merciless system of warfare are mitigated." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE SIOUX. + + +The Indian tribes which our adventurers had thus far encountered had +been friendly, or at least inoffensive; but they were feeble bands, and +all of them lived in terror of their powerful neighbors, the Sioux. On +the 23d of September, the party reached a region inhabited by the +Tetons, a tribe of Sioux. The journal gives an account of their +intercourse with these new acquaintances as follows:-- + +"The morning was fine; and we raised a flag-staff, and spread an awning, +under which we assembled, with all the party under arms. The chiefs and +warriors from the Indian camp, about fifty in number, met us; and Capt. +Lewis made a speech to them. After this, we went through the ceremony of +acknowledging the chiefs by giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag of +the United States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather; to +the two other chiefs, a medal and some small presents; and to two +warriors of consideration, certificates. We then invited the chiefs on +board, and showed them the boat, the air-gun, and such curiosities as we +thought might amuse them. In this we succeeded too well; for after +giving them a quarter of a glass of whiskey, which they seemed to like +very much, it was with much difficulty we could get rid of them. They at +last accompanied Capt. Clarke back to shore in a boat with five men; but +no sooner had the party landed than three of the Indians seized the +cable of the boat, and one of the soldiers of the chief put his arms +round the mast. The second chief, who affected intoxication, then said +that we should not go on; that they had not received presents enough +from us. Capt. Clarke told him that we would not be prevented from going +on; that we were not squaws, but warriors; that we were sent by our +great Father, who could in a moment exterminate them. The chief replied +that he, too, had warriors; and was proceeding to lay hands on Capt. +Clarke, who immediately drew his sword, and made a signal to the boat to +prepare for action. The Indians who surrounded him drew their arrows +from their quivers, and were bending their bows, when the swivel in the +large boat was pointed towards them, and twelve of our most determined +men jumped into the small boat, and joined Capt. Clarke. This movement +made an impression on them; for the grand chief ordered the young men +away from the boat, and the chiefs withdrew, and held a short council +with the warriors. Being unwilling to irritate them, Capt. Clarke then +went forward, and offered his hand to the first and second chiefs, who +refused to take it. He then turned from them, and got into the boat, but +had not gone more than a stone's-throw, when the two chiefs and two of +the warriors waded in after him; and he took them on board. + +"Sept. 26.--Our conduct yesterday seemed to have inspired the Indians +with respect; and, as we were desirous of cultivating their +acquaintance, we complied with their wish that we should give them an +opportunity of treating us well, and also suffer their squaws and +children to see us and our boat, which would be perfectly new to them. +Accordingly, after passing a small island and several sand-bars, we came +to on the south shore, where a crowd of men, women, and children, were +waiting to receive us. Capt. Lewis went on shore, and, observing that +their disposition seemed friendly, resolved to remain during the night +to a dance which they were preparing for us. The captains, who went on +shore one after the other, were met on the landing by ten well-dressed +young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated, and carried them +to a large council-house, where they were placed on a dressed +buffalo-skin by the side of the grand chief. The hall, or council-room, +was in the shape of three-quarters of a circle, covered at the top and +sides with skins well dressed, and sewed together. Under this shelter +sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the chief, before whom +were placed a Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday. In +the vacant space in the centre, the pipe of peace was raised on two +forked sticks about six or eight inches from the ground, and under it +the down of the swan was scattered. A large fire, at which they were +cooking, stood near, and a pile of about four hundred pounds of +buffalo-meat, as a present for us. + +"As soon as we were seated, an old man rose, and, after approving what +we had done, begged us to take pity upon their unfortunate situation. To +this we replied with assurances of protection. After he had ceased, the +great chief rose, and delivered an harangue to the same effect. Then, +with great solemnity, he took some of the more delicate parts of the +dog, which was cooked for the festival, and held it to the flag by way +of sacrifice: this done, he held up the pipe of peace, and first pointed +it towards the heavens, then to the four quarters of the globe, and then +to the earth; made a short speech; lighted the pipe, and presented it to +us. We smoked, and he again harangued his people; after which the repast +was served up to us. It consisted of the dog, which they had just been +cooking; this being a great dish among the Sioux, and used at all +festivals. To this was added _pemitigon_, a dish made of buffalo-meat, +dried, and then pounded, and mixed raw with fat; and a root like the +potato, dressed like the preparation of Indian-corn called hominy. Of +all these luxuries, which were placed before us in platters, with horn +spoons, we took the pemitigon and the potato, which we found good; but +we could as yet partake but sparingly of the dog. We ate and smoked for +an hour, when it became dark. Every thing was then cleared away for the +dance; a large fire being made in the centre of the house, giving at +once light and warmth to the ball-room. The orchestra was composed of +about ten men, who played on a sort of tambourine formed of skin +stretched across a hoop, and made a jingling noise with a long stick, +to which the hoofs of deer and goats were hung. The third instrument was +a small skin bag, with pebbles in it. These, with five or six young men +for the vocal part, made up the band. + +"The women then came forward highly decorated; some with poles in their +hands, on which were hung the scalps of their enemies; others with guns, +spears, or different trophies, taken in war by their husbands, brothers, +or connections. Having arranged themselves in two columns, as soon as +the music began they danced towards each other till they met in the +centre; when the rattles were shaken, and they all shouted, and returned +back to their places. They have no steps, but shuffle along the ground; +nor does the music appear to be any thing more than a confusion of +noises, distinguished only by hard or gentle blows upon the +buffalo-skin. The song is perfectly extemporaneous. In the pauses of the +dance, any man of the company comes forward, and recites, in a low, +guttural tone, some little story or incident, which is either martial or +ludicrous. This is taken up by the orchestra and the dancers, who repeat +it in a higher strain, and dance to it. Sometimes they alternate, the +orchestra first performing; and, when it ceases, the women raise their +voices, and make a music more agreeable, that is, less intolerable, than +that of the musicians. + +"The harmony of the entertainment had nearly been disturbed by one of +the musicians, who, thinking he had not received a due share of the +tobacco we had distributed during the evening, put himself into a +passion, broke one of the drums, threw two of them into the fire, and +left the band. They were taken out of the fire: a buffalo-robe, held in +one hand, and beaten with the other, supplied the place of the lost drum +or tambourine; and no notice was taken of the offensive conduct of the +man. We staid till twelve o'clock at night, when we informed the chiefs +that they must be fatigued with all these attempts to amuse us, and +retired, accompanied by four chiefs, two of whom spent the night with us +on board." + + +THE SIOUX. + +"The tribe which we this day saw are a part of the great Sioux nation, +and are known by the name of the _Teton Okandandas_: they are about two +hundred men in number, and their chief residence is on both sides of the +Missouri, between the Cheyenne and Teton Rivers. + +"The men shave the hair off their heads, except a small tuft on the top, +which they suffer to grow, and wear in plaits over the shoulders. To +this they seem much attached, as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice +at the death of near relations. In full dress, the men of consideration +wear a hawk's feather or calumet feather, worked with porcupine-quills, +and fastened to the top of the head, from which it falls back. The face +and body are generally painted with a mixture of grease and coal. Over +the shoulders is a loose robe or mantle of buffalo-skin, adorned with +porcupine-quills, which are loosely fixed so as to make a jingling noise +when in motion, and painted with various uncouth figures unintelligible +to us, but to them emblematic of military exploits or any other +incident. The hair of the robe is worn next the skin in fair weather; +but, when it rains, the hair is put outside. Under this robe they wear +in winter a kind of shirt, made either of skin or cloth, covering the +arms and body. Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or elk-skin, +about an inch in width, and closely tied to the body. To this is +attached a piece of cloth or blanket or skin about a foot wide, which +passes between the legs, and is tucked under the girdle both before and +behind. From the hip to the ankle, the man is covered with leggings of +dressed antelope-skins, with seams at the sides two inches in width, and +ornamented by little tufts of hair, the product of the scalps they have +taken in war, which are scattered down the leg. + +"The moccasons are of dressed buffalo-skin, the hair being worn inwards. +On great occasions, or whenever they are in full dress, the young men +drag after them the entire skin of a polecat, fixed to the heel of the +moccason. + +"The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, and is parted from the +forehead across the head; at the back of which it is either collected +into a kind of bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. Their moccasons +are like those of the men, as are also the leggings, which do not reach +beyond the knee, where they are met by a long, loose mantle of skin, +which reaches nearly to the ankles. This is fastened over the shoulders +by a string, and has no sleeves; but a few pieces of the skin hang a +short distance down the arm. Sometimes a girdle fastens this skin round +the waist, and over all is thrown a robe like that worn by the men. + +"Their lodges are very neatly constructed. They consist of about one +hundred cabins, made of white buffalo-hide, with a larger cabin in the +centre for holding councils and dances. They are built round with poles +about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with white skins. These +lodges may be taken to pieces, packed up, and carried with the nation, +wherever they go, by dogs, which bear great burdens. The women are +chiefly employed in dressing buffalo-skins. These people seem +well-disposed, but are addicted to stealing any thing which they can +take without being observed." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS. + + +Sept. 1, 1804.--The daily progress of the expedition from this date is +marked by no incidents of more importance than the varying fortunes of +travel, as they found the river more or less favorable to navigation, +and the game more or less abundant on the banks. Their progress was from +twelve to twenty miles a day. In general, their sails served them; but +they were sometimes obliged to resort to the use of tow-lines, which, +being attached to a tree or other firm object on the shore, enabled the +men to pull the boat along. This seems but a slow method of voyaging; +yet they found it by no means the slowest, and were sorry when the +nature of the banks, being either too lofty or too low, precluded their +use of it. Their narrative is, however, varied by accounts of the +scenery and natural productions of the country through which they +passed, and by anecdotes of the Indians. While they are making their +toilsome advance up the river, let us see what they have to tell us of +the strange people and remarkable objects which they found on their way. + + +PRAIRIE-DOGS. + +"We arrived at a spot on the gradual descent of the hill, nearly four +acres in extent, and covered with small holes. These are the residences +of little animals called prairie-dogs, who sit erect near the mouth of +the hole, and make a whistling noise, but, when alarmed, take refuge in +their holes. In order to bring them out, we poured into one of the holes +five barrels of water, without filling it; but we dislodged and caught +the owner. After digging down another of the holes for six feet, we +found, on running a pole into it, that we had not yet dug half-way to +the bottom. We discovered two frogs in the hole; and near it we killed a +rattlesnake, which had swallowed a small prairie-dog. We have been told, +though we never witnessed the fact, that a sort of lizard and a snake +live habitually with these animals. + +"The prairie-dog is well named, as it resembles a dog in most +particulars, though it has also some points of similarity to the +squirrel. The head resembles the squirrel in every respect, except that +the ear is shorter. The tail is like that of the ground-squirrel; the +toe-nails are long, the fur is fine, and the long hair is gray." + + +ANTELOPES. + +"Of all the animals we have seen, the antelope possesses the most +wonderful fleetness. Shy and timorous, they generally repose only on the +ridges, which command a view in all directions. Their sight +distinguishes the most distant danger; their power of smell defeats the +attempt at concealment; and, when alarmed, their swiftness seems more +like the flight of birds than the movement of an animal over the ground. +Capt. Lewis, after many unsuccessful attempts, succeeded in approaching, +undiscovered, a party of seven, which were on an eminence. The only male +of the party frequently encircled the summit of the hill, as if to +discover if any danger threatened the party. When Capt. Lewis was at the +distance of two hundred yards, they became alarmed, and fled. He +immediately ran to the spot they had left. A ravine concealed them from +him; but the next moment they appeared on a second ridge, at the +distance of three miles. He doubted whether they could be the same; but +their number, and the direction in which they fled, satisfied him that +it was the same party: yet the distance they had made in the time was +such as would hardly have been possible to the swiftest racehorse." + + +PELICAN ISLAND. + +"42.--This name we gave to a long island, from the numbers of pelicans +which were feeding on it. One of them being killed, we poured into his +bag five gallons of water." + + NOTE. "The antelopes are becoming very numerous. Their speed + exceeds that of any animal I have ever seen. Our hounds can do + nothing in giving them the chase: so soon are they left far in + the rear, that they do not follow them more than ten or twenty + rods before they return, looking ashamed of their defeat. Our + hunters occasionally take the antelope by coming upon them by + stealth. When they are surprised, they start forward a very + small space, then turn, and, with high-lifted heads, stare for + a few seconds at the object which has alarmed them, and then, + with a half-whistling snuff, bound off, seeming to be as much + upon wings as upon feet. They resemble the goat, but are far + more beautiful. Though they are of different colors, yet they + are generally red, and have a large, fine, prominent eye. Their + flesh is good for food, and about equals venison."--_Parker's + Tour._ + + +INDIAN VILLAGES AND AGRICULTURE. + +"We halted for dinner at a deserted village, which we suppose to have +belonged to the Ricaras. It is situated in a low plain on the river, and +consists of about eighty lodges, of an octagon form, neatly covered with +earth, placed as close to each other as possible, and picketed round. +The skin-canoes, mats, buckets, and articles of furniture, found in the +lodges, induce us to suppose that it was left in the spring. We found +three different kinds of squashes growing in the village. + +"Another village, which we reached two days later, was situated on an +island, which is three miles long, and covered with fields, in which the +Indians raise corn, beans, and potatoes. We found here several Frenchmen +living among the Indians, as interpreters or traders. The Indians gave +us some corn, beans, and dried squashes; and we gave them a steel mill, +with which they were much pleased. We sat conversing with the chiefs +some time, during which they treated us to a bread made of corn and +beans, also corn and beans boiled, and a large rich bean which they take +from the mice of the prairie, who discover and collect it. We gave them +some sugar, salt, and a sun-glass." + + +YORK, THE NEGRO. + +"The object which seemed to astonish the Indians most was Capt. Clarke's +servant, York,--a sturdy negro. They had never seen a human being of +that color, and therefore flocked round him to examine the monster. By +way of amusement, he told them that he had once been a wild animal, and +been caught and tamed by his master, and, to convince them, showed them +feats of strength, which, added to his looks, made him more terrible +than we wished him to be. At all the villages he was an object of +astonishment. The children would follow him constantly, and, if he +chanced to turn towards them, would run with great terror." + + +STONE-IDOL CREEK. + +"We reached the mouth of a creek, to which we gave the name of +Stone-Idol Creek; for, on passing up, we discovered, that, a few miles +back from the Missouri, there are two stones resembling human figures, +and a third like a dog; all which are objects of great veneration among +the Ricaras. Their history would adorn the "Metamorphoses" of Ovid. A +young man was in love with a girl whose parents refused their consent to +the marriage. The youth went out into the fields to mourn his +misfortunes: a sympathy of feeling led the girl to the same spot; and +the faithful dog would not fail to follow his master. After wandering +together, and having nothing but grapes to subsist on, they were at last +converted into stone, which, beginning at the feet, gradually invaded +the nobler parts, leaving nothing unchanged but a bunch of grapes, which +the female holds in her hands to this day. Such is the account given by +the Ricara chief, which we had no means of testing, except that we found +one part of the story very agreeably confirmed; for on the banks of the +creek we found a greater abundance of fine grapes than we had seen +elsewhere." + + +GOATS. + +"Great numbers of goats are crossing the river, and directing their +course to the westward. We are told that they spend the summer in the +plains east of the Missouri, and at this season (October) are returning +to the Black Mountains, where they subsist on leaves and shrubbery +during the winter, and resume their migrations in the spring. At one +place, we saw large flocks of them in the water. They had been gradually +driven into the river by the Indians, who now lined the shore so as to +prevent their escape, and were firing on them; while boys went into the +river, and killed them with sticks. They seemed to have been very +successful; for we counted fifty-eight which they had killed. In the +evening they made a feast, that lasted till late at night, and caused +much noise and merriment. + +"The country through which we passed has wider river-bottoms and more +timber than those we have been accustomed to see; the hills rising at a +distance, and by gradual ascents. We have seen great numbers of elk, +deer, goats, and buffaloes, and the usual attendants of these last,--the +wolves, which follow their movements, and feed upon those who die by +accident, or are too feeble to keep pace with the herd. We also wounded +a white bear, and saw some fresh tracks of those animals, which are +twice as large as the tracks of a man." + + +THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE. + +"In the evening, the prairie took fire, either by accident or design, +and burned with great fury; the whole plain being enveloped in flames. +So rapid was its progress, that a man and a woman were burned to death +before they could reach a place of safety. Another man, with his wife +and child, were much burned, and several other persons narrowly escaped +destruction. Among the rest, a boy of the half-breed escaped unhurt in +the midst of the flames. His safety was ascribed by the Indians to the +Great Spirit, who had saved him on account of his being white. But a +much more natural cause was the presence of mind of his mother, who, +seeing no hopes of carrying off her son, threw him on the ground, and, +covering him with the fresh hide of a buffalo, escaped herself from the +flames. As soon as the fire had passed, she returned, and found him +untouched; the skin having prevented the flame from reaching the grass +where he lay." + + +A COUNCIL. + +"After making eleven miles, we reached an old field, where the Mandans +had cultivated grain last summer. We encamped for the night about half a +mile below the first village of the Mandans. As soon as we arrived, a +crowd of men, women, and children, came down to see us. Capt. Lewis +returned with the principal chiefs to the village, while the others +remained with us during the evening. The object which seemed to surprise +them most was a corn-mill, fixed to the boat, which we had occasion to +use; while they looked on, and were delighted at observing the ease +with which it reduced the grain to powder. + +"Among others who visited us was the son of the grand chief of the +Mandans, who had both his little fingers cut off at the second joint. On +inquiring into this injury, we found that the custom was to express +grief for the death of relations by some corporeal suffering, and that +the usual mode was to lose a joint of the little finger, or sometimes of +other fingers. + +"Oct. 29, 1804.--The morning was fine, and we prepared our presents and +speech for the council. At ten o'clock, the chiefs were all assembled +under an awning of our sails. That the impression might be the more +forcible, the men were all paraded; and the council opened by a +discharge from the swivel of the boat. Capt. Lewis then delivered a +speech, which, like those we had already made, intermingled advice with +assurances of friendship and trade. While he was speaking, the Ahnahaway +chief grew very restless, and observed that he could not wait long, as +his camp was exposed to the hostilities of the Shoshonees. He was +instantly rebuked with great dignity, by one of the chiefs, for this +violation of decorum at such a moment, and remained quiet during the +rest of the council. This being over, we proceeded to distribute the +presents with great ceremony. One chief of each town was acknowledged +by the gift of a flag, a medal with the likeness of the President of the +United States, a uniform coat, hat, and feather. To the second chiefs we +gave a medal representing some domestic animals, and a loom for weaving; +to the third chiefs, medals with the impression of a farmer sowing +grain. A variety of other products were distributed; but none seemed to +give more satisfaction than an iron corn-mill which we gave them. + +"In the evening, our men danced among themselves to the music of the +violin, to the great amusement of the Indians." + + +THEY ENCAMP FOR THE WINTER. + +"Friday, Nov. 7, 1804.--Capt. Clarke having examined the shores, and +found a position where there was plenty of timber, we encamped, and +began to fell trees to build our huts. The timber which we employ is +cotton-wood (poplar) and elm, with some ash of inferior size. By the +8th, our huts were advanced very well; on the 13th, we unloaded the +boat, and stowed away the contents in a storehouse which we had built. + +"Nov. 20.--This day we moved into our huts, which are now completed. We +call our place Fort Mandan. It is situated on a point of low ground on +the north side of the Missouri, covered with tall and heavy cotton-wood. +The works consist of two rows of huts or sheds, forming an angle where +they join each other; each row containing four rooms of fourteen feet +square and seven feet high, with plank ceiling, and the roof slanting so +as to form a loft above the rooms, the highest part of which is eighteen +feet from the ground. The backs of the huts formed a wall of that +height; and, opposite the angle, the place of the wall was supplied by +picketing. In the area were two rooms for stores and provisions. The +latitude, by observation, is 47° 22´, long. 101°; and the computed +distance from the mouth of the Missouri, sixteen hundred miles. + +"Nov. 21.--We are now settled in our winter habitation, and shall wait +with much impatience the first return of spring to continue our +journey." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +INDIAN TRIBES. + + +"The villages near which we are established are the residence of three +distinct nations,--the Mandans, the Ahnahaways, and the Minnetarees. The +Mandans say, that, many years ago, their tribe was settled in nine +villages, the ruins of which we passed about eighty miles below. Finding +themselves wasting away before the small-pox and the Sioux, they moved +up the river, and planted themselves opposite the Ricaras. Their numbers +are very much reduced, and they now constitute but two villages,--one on +each side of the river, and at a distance of three miles from each +other. Both villages together may raise about three hundred and fifty +men." + + +AHNAHAWAYS. + +"Four miles from the lower Mandan village is one inhabited by the +Ahnahaways. This nation formerly dwelt on the Missouri, about thirty +miles below where they now live. The Assinaboins and Sioux forced them +to a spot five miles higher, and thence, by a second emigration, to +their present situation, in order to obtain an asylum near the +Minnetarees. Their whole force is about fifty men." + + +MINNETAREES. + +"About half a mile from this village, and in the same open plain with +it, is a village of Minnetarees, who are about one hundred and fifty men +in number. One and a half miles above this village is a second of the +same tribe, who may be considered the proper Minnetaree nation. It is +situated in a beautiful plain, and contains four hundred and fifty +warriors. The Mandans say that this people came out of the water to the +east, and settled near them. The Minnetarees, however, assert that they +grew where they now live, and will never emigrate from the spot; the +Great Spirit having declared, that, if they move, they will all perish. + +"The inhabitants of these villages, all of which are within the compass +of six miles, live in harmony with each other. Their languages differ to +some extent; but their long residence together has enabled them to +understand one another's speech as to objects of daily occurrence, and +obvious to the senses. + +"All these tribes are at deadly feud with the Sioux, who are much more +powerful, and are consequently objects of continual apprehension. The +presence of our force kept the peace for the present. + +"Almost the whole of that vast tract of country comprised between the +Mississippi, the Red River of Lake Winnipeg, the Saskatchawan, and the +Missouri, is loosely occupied by a great nation whose primitive name is +Dahcotas, but who are called Sioux by the French, Sues by the English. +They are divided into numerous tribes, named Yanktons, Tetons, +Assinaboins, &c. These tribes are sometimes at war with one another, but +still acknowledge relationship, and are recognized by similarity of +language and by tradition." + + +RELIGION. + +"The religion of the Mandans consists in the belief of one Great Spirit +presiding over their destinies. This Being must be in the nature of a +good genius, since it is associated with the healing art; and the Great +Spirit is synonymous with Great Medicine,--a name also applied to every +thing they do not comprehend. They also believe in a multiplicity of +inferior spirits. Each individual selects for himself the particular +object of his devotion, which is termed his Medicine, and is either an +invisible being, or more commonly some animal, which thenceforward +becomes his protector, or his intercessor with the Great Spirit. To +propitiate the Medicine, every attention is lavished, and every personal +consideration is sacrificed. 'I was lately owner of seventeen horses,' +said a Mandan; 'but I have offered them all up to my Medicine, and am +now poor.' He had in reality taken them into the plain, and, turning +them loose, committed them to the care of his Medicine, and abandoned +them. + +"Their belief in a future state is connected with a tradition of their +origin. The whole nation, they say, once dwelt in one large village +underground. A grape-vine extended its roots down to their habitation; +and the earth, being broken round its stem, gave them a view of the +light. Some of the more adventurous climbed up the vine, and were +delighted with the sight of the earth, which they found covered with +buffaloes, and rich with every kind of fruit. Returning with the grapes +they had gathered, their countrymen were so pleased with the taste, that +the whole nation resolved to leave their dull residence for the upper +region. Men, women, and children ascended by means of the vine; but, +when about half the nation had reached the surface, a corpulent woman, +who was clambering up the vine, broke it with her weight, and, falling, +closed up the cavity. Those who had reached the surface, thus excluded +from their original seats, cherish the hopes of returning there when +they die." + + +INDIAN MANNERS. + +The following extract imparts some traits of Indian manners:-- + +"Nov. 22.--This morning, the sentinel informed us that an Indian was +about to kill his wife near the fort. We went to the house of our +interpreter, where we found the parties, and, after forbidding any +violence, inquired into the cause of his intending to commit such an +atrocity. It appeared that, some days ago, a quarrel had taken place +between him and his wife, in consequence of which she had taken refuge +in the house where the wives of our interpreter lived. By running away, +she forfeited her life, which might be lawfully taken by the husband. He +was now come for the purpose of completing his revenge. We gave him a +few presents, and tried to persuade him to take his wife home. The +grand chief, too, happened to arrive at the same moment, and reproached +him with his violence; till at length husband and wife went off +together, but by no means in a state of much apparent connubial +felicity." + + +THE WEATHER. + +"Dec. 12, 1804.--The thermometer at sunrise was thirty-eight degrees +below zero; on the 16th, twenty-two below; on the 17th, forty-five +below. On the 19th, it moderated a little. Notwithstanding the cold, we +observed the Indians at the village engaged, out in the open air, at a +game which resembles billiards. The platform, which answered for a +table, was formed with timber, smoothed and joined so as to be as level +as the floor of one of our houses. Instead of balls, they had circular +disks made of clay-stone, and flat like checkers." + + +THE ARGALI. + +"Dec. 22.--A number of squaws brought corn to trade for small articles +with the men. Among other things, we procured two horns of the animal +called by the hunters the Rocky-Mountain sheep, and by naturalists the +argali. The animal is about the size of a small elk or large deer; the +horns winding like those of a ram, which they resemble also in texture, +though larger and thicker. + +"Dec. 23.--The weather was fine and warm. We were visited by crowds of +Indians of all description, who came either to trade, or from mere +curiosity. Among the rest, Kagohami, the Little Raven, brought his wife +and son, loaded with corn; and she entertained us with a favorite Mandan +dish,--a mixture of pumpkins, beans, corn, and choke-cherries, all +boiled together in a kettle, and forming a composition by no means +unpalatable. + +"Dec. 25.--Christmas Day. We were awakened before day by a discharge of +fire-arms from the party. We had told the Indians not to visit us, as it +was one of our great Medicine-days; so that the men remained at home, +and amused themselves in various ways, particularly with dancing, in +which they take great pleasure. The American flag was hoisted for the +first time in the fort; the best provisions we had were brought out; and +this, with a little brandy, enabled them to pass the day in great +festivity." + + +THE BLACKSMITH. + +"Dec. 27.--We were fortunate enough to have among our men a good +blacksmith, whom we set to work to make a variety of articles. His +operations seemed to surprise the Indians who came to see us; but +nothing could equal their astonishment at the bellows, which they +considered a _very great Medicine_." + + +THE DYING CHIEF. + +"Kagohami came to see us early. His village was afflicted by the death +of one of their aged chiefs, who, from his account, must have been more +than a hundred years old. Just as he was dying, he requested his +grand-children to dress him in his best robe, and carry him up to a +hill, and seat him on a stone, with his face down the river, towards +their old village, that he might go straight to his brother, who had +passed before him to the ancient village underground." + + +THE MEDICINE-STONE. + +"Oheenaw and Shahaka came down to see us, and mentioned that several of +their countrymen had gone to consult their _Medicine-stone_ as to the +prospects of the following year. This Medicine-stone is the great oracle +of the Mandans, and whatever it announces is believed with implicit +confidence. Every spring, and on some occasions during the summer, a +deputation visits the sacred spot, where there is a thick, porous stone +twenty feet in circumference, with a smooth surface. Having reached the +place, the ceremony of smoking to it is performed by the deputies, who +alternately take a whiff themselves, and then present the pipe to the +stone. After this, they retire to an adjoining wood for the night, +during which it may be safely presumed all the embassy do not sleep; +and, in the morning, they read the destinies of the nation in the white +marks on the stone, which those who made them are at no loss to +decipher. The Minnetarees have a stone of a similar kind, which has the +same qualities, and the same influence over the nation." + + +THE INDIANS' ENDURANCE OF COLD. + +"Jan. 10, 1805.--The weather now exhibited the intensity of cold. This +morning, at sunrise, the mercury stood at forty degrees below zero. One +of the men, separated from the rest in hunting, was out all night. In +the morning he returned, and told us that he had made a fire, and kept +himself tolerably warm. A young Indian, about thirteen years of age, +came in soon after. He had been overtaken by the night, and had slept in +the snow, with no covering but a pair of deer-skin moccasons and +leggings, and a buffalo-robe. His feet were frozen; but we restored +them by putting them in cold water, rendering him every attention in our +power. Another Indian, who had been missing, returned about the same +time. Although his dress was very thin, and he had slept in the snow, +without a fire, he had not suffered any inconvenience. These Indians +support the rigors of the season in a way which we had hitherto thought +impossible." + + +SUPPLIES OF FOOD. + +"Our supplies are chiefly procured by hunting; but occasional additions +are made by the Indians, sometimes in the way of gifts, and sometimes in +exchange for the services of the blacksmith, who is a most important +member of the party. + +"Feb. 18.--Our stock of meat is exhausted, so that we must confine +ourselves to vegetable diet till the return of our hunters. For this, +however, we are at no loss, since yesterday and to-day our blacksmith +got large quantities of corn from the Indians who came to the fort. + +"Sunday, March 3.--The men are all employed in preparing the boats. We +are visited by a party of Indians with corn. A flock of ducks passed up +the river to-day. + +"Wednesday, 13.--We had a fine day, and a south-west wind. Many Indians +came to see us, who are so anxious for battle-axes, that our smiths have +not a moment's leisure, and procure us an abundance of corn." + + +HUNTING BUFFALOES ON THE ICE. + +"March 25, 1805.--A fine day, the wind south-west. The river rose nine +inches, and the ice began breaking away. Our canoes are now nearly +ready, and we expect to set out as soon as the river is sufficiently +clear of ice to permit us to pass. + +"March 29.--The ice came down this morning in great quantities. We have +had few Indians at the fort for the last three or four days, as they are +now busy in catching the floating buffaloes. Every spring, as the river +is breaking up, the surrounding plains are set on fire, and the +buffaloes tempted to cross the river in search of the fresh grass which +immediately succeeds to the burning. On their way, they are often +insulated on a large cake or mass of ice which floats down the river. +The Indians now select the most favorable points for attack, and, as the +buffalo approaches, run with astonishing agility across the trembling +ice, sometimes pressing lightly a cake of not more than two feet +square. The animal is, of course, unsteady, and his footsteps insecure, +on this new element, so that he can make but little resistance; and the +hunter who has given him his death-wound paddles his icy boat to the +shore, and secures his prey." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE MARCH RESUMED. + + +From the 1st of November, 1804, to the 1st of April, 1805, the +expedition remained stationary at their fort. Some of their number had +been sent back to the States with despatches to the Government, and with +specimens of the natural productions of the country. On resuming their +march on the 4th of April, the party consisted of thirty-two persons. +Besides the commanders, there were three sergeants,--Ordway, Prior, and +Gass; twenty-three privates, besides Capt. Clark's black servant York; +two interpreters,--George Drewyer and Toussaint Chaboneau. The wife of +Chaboneau, an Indian woman, with her young child, accompanied her +husband. All this party, with the luggage, was stored in six small +canoes and two pirogues. They left the fort with fair weather, and, +after making four miles, encamped on the north side of the river, nearly +opposite the first Mandan village. We continue their journal. + + +THE RIVER-SHORE. + +"April 8.--The river-banks exhibit indications of volcanic agency. The +bluffs which we passed to-day are upwards of one hundred feet high, +composed of yellow clay and sand, with horizontal strata of carbonated +wood resembling pit-coal, from one to five feet in thickness, scattered +through the bluff at different elevations. Great quantities of +pumice-stone and lava are seen in many parts of the hills, where they +are broken and washed into gullies by the rain. We passed a bluff which +is on fire, and throws out quantities of smoke, which has a strong, +sulphurous smell. On the sides of the hills is a white substance, which +appears in considerable quantities on the surface, and tastes like a +mixture of common salt with Glauber salts. Many of the springs which +come from the foot of the hills are so impregnated with this substance, +that the water has an unpleasant taste, and a purgative effect." + + +THE PRAIRIE-MICE. + +"April, 1805.--We saw, but could not procure, an animal that burrows in +the ground, similar to the burrowing-squirrel, except that it is only +one-third of its size. This may be the animal whose works we have often +seen in the plains and prairies. They consist of a little hillock of ten +or twelve pounds of loose earth, which would seem to have been reversed +from a flower-pot; and no aperture is seen in the ground from which it +could have been brought. On removing gently the earth, you discover that +the soil has been broken in a circle of about an inch and a half in +diameter, where the ground is looser, though still no opening is +perceptible. When we stopped for dinner, the Indian woman went out, and, +penetrating with a sharp stick the holes of the mice, brought a quantity +of wild artichokes, which the mice collect, and hoard in large +quantities. The root is white, of an ovate form, from one to three +inches long, and generally of the size of a man's finger; and two, four, +and sometimes six roots are attached to a single stalk. Its flavor, as +well as the stalk that issues from it, resemble those of the Jerusalem +artichoke, except that the latter is much larger." + + +THE YELLOW-STONE RIVER. + +"Certain signs, known to the hunters, induced them to believe that we +were at no great distance from the Yellow-stone River. In order to +prevent delay, Capt. Lewis determined to go on by land in search of +that river, and make the necessary observations, so as to enable us to +proceed immediately after the boats should join him. + +"On leaving the party, he pursued his route along the foot of the hills; +ascending which, the wide plains watered by the Missouri and the +Yellow-stone spread themselves before his eye, occasionally varied with +the wood of the banks, enlivened by the windings of the two rivers, and +animated by vast herds of buffaloes, deer, elk, and antelope." + + +NATURAL HISTORY. + +"May, 1805.--We reached the mouth of a river flowing from the north, +which, from the unusual number of porcupines near it, we called +Porcupine River. These animals are so careless and clumsy, that we can +approach very near without disturbing them as they are feeding on the +young willows. The porcupine is common in all parts of the territory, +and for its quills is held in high estimation by the Indians. It is +interesting to see with how much ingenuity, and in how many various +forms, the Indians manufacture these quills into ornamental work, such +as moccasons, belts, and various other articles." + + +WOLVES. + +"The wolves are very numerous, and of two species. First, the small +wolf, or burrowing dog of the prairies, which is found in almost all the +open plains. It is of an intermediate size, between the fox and dog, +very delicately formed, fleet and active. The ears are large, erect, and +pointed; the head long and pointed, like that of a fox; the tail long +and bushy; the hair and fur of a pale reddish-brown, and much coarser +than that of the fox. These animals usually associate in bands of ten or +twelve, and are rarely, if ever, seen alone; not being able singly to +attack a deer or antelope. They live, and rear their young, in burrows, +which they fix near some pass much frequented by game, and sally out in +a body against any animal which they think they can overpower, but, on +the slightest alarm, retreat to their burrows, making a noise exactly +like that of a small dog. + +"The second species is lower, shorter in the legs, and thicker, than the +Atlantic wolf. They do not burrow, nor do they bark, but howl; and they +frequent the woods and plains, and skulk along the herds of buffaloes, +in order to attack the weary or wounded." + + +ELK. + +"Among the animals of the deer kind, the elk is the largest and most +majestic. It combines beauty with magnitude and strength; and its large, +towering horns give it an imposing appearance. Its senses are so keen in +apprehension, that it is difficult to be approached; and its speed in +flight is so great, that it mocks the chase. Its flesh resembles beef, +but is less highly flavored, and is much sought for by the Indians and +hunters. Its skin is esteemed, and much used in articles of clothing and +for moccasons." + + +BEAVERS. + +"We saw many beavers to-day. The beaver seems to contribute very much to +the widening of the river and the formation of islands. They begin by +damming up the channels of about twenty yards width between the islands. +This obliges the river to seek another outlet; and, as soon as this is +effected, the channel stopped by the beaver becomes filled with mud and +sand. The industrious animal is thus driven to another channel, which +soon shares the same fate; till the river spreads on all sides, and cuts +the projecting points of land into islands. + +"The beaver dams differ in shape, according to the nature of the place +in which they are built. If the water in the river or creek have but +little motion, the dam is almost straight; but, when the current is more +rapid, it is always made with a considerable curve, convex toward the +stream. The materials made use of are drift-wood, green willows, birch, +and poplars, if they can be got; also mud and stones, intermixed in such +a manner as must evidently contribute to the strength of the dam. In +places which have been long frequented by beavers undisturbed, their +dams, by frequent repairing, become a solid bank, capable of resisting a +great force both of water and ice; and as the willow, poplar, and birch +generally take root, and shoot up, they, by degrees, form a kind of +regular planted hedge, in some places so tall that birds build their +nests among the branches. The beaver-houses are constructed of the same +materials as their dams, and are always proportioned in size to the +number of inhabitants, which seldom exceeds four old and six or eight +young ones. The houses are of a much ruder construction than their dams: +for, notwithstanding the sagacity of these animals, it has never been +observed that they aim at any other convenience in their house than to +have a dry place to lie on; and there they usually eat their victuals, +such as they take out of the water. Their food consists of roots of +plants, like the pond-lily, which grows at the bottom of the lakes and +rivers. They also eat the bark of trees, particularly those of the +poplar, birch, and willow. + +"The instinct of the beavers leading them to live in associations, they +are in an unnatural position, when, in any locality, their numbers are +so much reduced as to prevent their following this instinct. The beaver +near the settlement is sad and solitary: his works have been swept away, +his association broken up, and he is reduced to the necessity of +burrowing in the river-bank, instead of building a house for himself. +Such beavers are called 'terriers.' One traveller says that these +solitaries are also called 'old bachelors.'" + + +THE WHITE, BROWN, OR GRISLY BEAR. + +"April 29.--All these names are given to the same species, which +probably changes in color with the season, or with the time of life. Of +the strength and ferocity of this animal, the Indians give dreadful +accounts. They never attack him but in parties of six or eight persons, +and, even then, are often defeated with the loss of some of the party. + +"May 18.--One of our men who had been suffered to go ashore came running +to the boats with cries and every symptom of terror. As soon as he could +command his breath, he told us, that, about a mile below, he had shot a +white bear, which immediately turned and ran towards him, but, being +wounded, had not been able to overtake him. Capt. Lewis, with seven men, +went in search of the bear, and, having found his track, followed him by +the blood for a mile, came up with him, and shot him with two balls +through the skull. He was a monstrous animal, and a most formidable +enemy. Our man had shot him through the centre of the lungs: yet the +bear had pursued him furiously for half a mile; then returned more than +twice that distance, and, with his talons, dug himself a bed in the +earth, two feet deep and five feet long, and was perfectly alive when +they found him, which was at least two hours after he received the +wound. The fleece and skin of the bear were a heavy burden for two men; +and the oil amounted to eight gallons. + +"The wonderful power of life of these animals, added to their great +strength, renders them very formidable. Their very track in the mud or +sand, which we have sometimes found eleven inches long and seven and a +quarter wide, exclusive of the talons, is alarming; and we had rather +encounter two Indians than a single brown bear. There is no chance of +killing them by a single shot, unless the ball is sent through the +brain; and this is very difficult to be done, on account of two large +muscles which cover the side of the forehead, and the sharp projection +of the frontal bone, which is very thick." + + + NOTE. + + Their strength is astonishingly great. Lieut. Stein of the + dragoons, a man of undoubted veracity, told me he saw some + buffaloes passing near some bushes where a grisly bear lay + concealed: the bear, with one stroke, tore three ribs from a + buffalo, and left it dead.--_Parker._ + + Although endowed with such strength, and powers of destruction, + the grisly bear is not disposed to begin the attack. Mr. + Drummond, a later traveller, states, that, in his excursions + over the Rocky Mountains, he had frequent opportunity of + observing the manners of these animals; and it often happened, + that in turning the point of a rock, or sharp angle of a + valley, he came suddenly upon one or more of them. On such + occasions they reared on their hind-legs, and made a loud noise + like a person breathing quick, but much harsher. He kept his + ground, without attempting to molest them; and they on their + part, after attentively regarding him for some time, generally + wheeled round, and galloped off: though, from their known + disposition, there is little doubt but he would have been torn + in pieces, had he lost his presence of mind and attempted to + fly. When he discovered them at a distance, he often frightened + them away by beating on a large tin box in which he carried his + specimens of plants. + + +THE BLACK BEAR. + +"The black bear, common in the United States, is scarcely more than half +the size of the grisly bear. Its favorite food is berries of various +kinds; but, when these are not to be procured, it lives upon roots, +insects, fish, eggs, and such birds and quadrupeds as it can surprise. +It passes the winter in a torpid state, selecting a spot for its den +under a fallen tree, and, having scratched away a portion of the soil, +retires to the place at the commencement of a snow storm, when the snow +soon furnishes it with a close, warm covering. Its breath makes a small +opening in the den, and the quantity of hoar-frost which gathers round +the hole serves to betray its retreat to the hunter. In more southern +districts, where the timber is of larger size, bears often shelter +themselves in hollow trees." + + +BUFFALOES. + +"The buffalo is about as large as our domestic cattle; and their long, +shaggy, woolly hair, which covers their head, neck, and shoulders, +gives them a formidable appearance, and, at a distance, something like +that of the lion. In many respects, they resemble our horned cattle; are +cloven-footed, chew the cud, and select the same kind of food. Their +flesh is in appearance and taste much like beef, but of superior flavor. +Their heads are formed like the ox, perhaps a little more round and +broad; and, when they run, they carry them rather low. Their horns, +ears, and eyes, as seen through their shaggy hair, appear small, and, +cleared from their covering, are not large. Their legs and feet are +small and trim; the fore-legs covered with the long hair of the +shoulders, as low down as the knee. Though their figure is clumsy in +appearance, they run swiftly, and for a long time without much +slackening their speed; and, up steep hills or mountains, they more than +equal the best horses. They unite in herds, and, when feeding, scatter +over a large space; but, when fleeing from danger, they collect into +dense columns: and, having once laid their course, they are not easily +diverted from it, whatever may oppose. So far are they from being a +fierce or revengeful animal, that they are very shy and timid; and in no +case did we see them offer to make an attack but in self-defence, and +then they always sought the first opportunity to escape. When they run, +they lean alternately from side to side. They are fond of rolling upon +the ground like horses, which is not practised by our domestic cattle. +This is so much their diversion, that large places are found without +grass, and considerably excavated by them." + + NOTE. Rev. Mr. Parker thus describes a buffalo-hunt:-- + + "To-day we unexpectedly saw before us a large herd of + buffaloes. All halted to make preparation for the chase. The + young men, and all the good hunters, prepared themselves, + selected the swiftest horses, examined the few guns they had, + and also took a supply of arrows with their bows. They advanced + towards the herd of buffaloes with great caution, lest they + should frighten them before they should make a near approach, + and also to reserve the power of their horses for the chase, + when it should be necessary to bring it into full requisition. + When the buffaloes took the alarm, and fled, the rush was made, + each Indian selecting for himself the one to which he happened + to come nearest. All were in swift motion, scouring the valley. + A cloud of dust began to rise; firing of guns, and shooting of + arrows, followed in close succession. Soon, here and there, + buffaloes were seen prostrated; and the women, who followed + close in the rear, began the work of securing the acquisition, + and the men were away again in pursuit of the flying herd. + Those in the chase, when as near as two rods, shoot and wheel, + expecting the wounded animal to turn upon them. The horses + seemed to understand the way to avoid danger. As soon as the + wounded animal flies again, the chase is renewed; and such is + the alternate wheeling and chasing, until the buffalo sinks + beneath his wounds." + + +INDIAN METHOD OF HUNTING THE BUFFALO. + +"May 30, 1805.--We passed a precipice about one hundred and twenty feet +high, under which lay scattered the fragments of at least a hundred +carcasses of buffaloes. These buffaloes had been chased down the +precipice in a way very common on the Missouri, and by which vast herds +are destroyed in a moment. The mode of hunting is to select one of the +most active and fleet young men, who is disguised by a buffalo-skin +round his body; the skin of the head, with the ears and horns, fastened +on his own head in such a way as to deceive the buffaloes. Thus dressed, +he fixes himself at a convenient distance between a herd of buffaloes +and any of the river precipices, which sometimes extend for some miles. +His companions, in the mean time, get in the rear and side of the herd, +and, at a given signal, show themselves, and advance towards the +buffaloes. They 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 to retreat, or even to stop. They are pressed on by the +hindmost rank, who, seeing no danger but from the hunters, goad on those +before them, till the whole are precipitated over the cliff, and the +shore is covered with their dead bodies. Sometimes, in this perilous +adventure, the Indian decoy is either trodden under foot, or, missing +his footing in the cliff, is urged down the precipice by the falling +herd." + + +WHICH IS THE TRUE RIVER? + +"June 3, 1805.--We came to for the night, for the purpose of examining +in the morning a large river which enters opposite to us. It now became +an interesting question, which of those two streams is what the Indians +call Ahmateahza, or the Missouri, which, they tell us, has its head +waters 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 have been +tracing does not come near the Columbia, and be obliged to turn back, +we shall have lost the travelling season, and seriously disheartened +our men. We determined, therefore, to examine well before deciding on +our course, and, for this purpose, despatched two canoes with three men +up each of the streams, with orders to ascertain the width, depth, and +rapidity of the currents, so as to judge of their comparative bodies of +water. Parties were also sent out by land to penetrate the country, and +discover from the rising grounds, if possible, the distant bearings of +the two rivers. While they were gone, the two commanders ascended +together the high grounds in the fork of the two rivers, whence they had +an extensive prospect of the surrounding country. On every side, it was +spread into one vast plain covered with verdure, in which innumerable +herds of buffaloes were roaming, attended by their enemies the wolves. +Some flocks of elk also were seen; and the solitary antelopes were +scattered, with their young, over the plain. The direction of the rivers +could not be long distinguished, as they were soon lost in the extent of +the plain. + +"On our return, we continued our examination. The width of the north +branch is two hundred yards; that of the south is three hundred and +seventy-two. The north, though narrower, is deeper than the south: its +waters also are of the same whitish-brown color, thickness, and +turbidness as the Missouri. They run in the same boiling and roaring +manner which has uniformly characterized the Missouri; and its bed is +composed of some gravel, but principally mud. The south fork is broader, +and its waters are perfectly transparent. The current is rapid, but the +surface smooth and unruffled; and its bed is composed of round and flat +smooth stones, like those of rivers issuing from a mountainous country. + +"In the evening, the exploring parties returned, after ascending the +rivers in canoes for some distance, then continuing on foot, just +leaving themselves time to return by night. Their accounts were far from +deciding the important question of our future route; and we therefore +determined each of us to ascend one of the rivers during a day and a +half's march, or farther, if necessary for our satisfaction. + +"Tuesday, June 4, 1805.--This morning, Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clarke set +out, each with a small party, by land, to explore the two rivers. Capt. +Lewis traced the course of the north fork for fifty-nine miles, and +found, that, for all that distance, its direction was northward; and, as +the latitude we were now in was 47° 24´, it was highly improbable, +that, by going farther north, we should find between this and the +Saskatchawan any stream which can, as the Indians assure us the Missouri +does, possess a navigable current for some distance within the Rocky +Mountains. + +"These considerations, with others drawn from the observations of Capt. +Clarke upon the south branch, satisfied the chiefs that the South River +was the true Missouri; but the men generally were of a contrary opinion, +and much of their belief depended upon Crusatte, an experienced waterman +on the Missouri, who gave it as his opinion that the north fork was the +main river. In order that nothing might be omitted which could prevent +our falling into error, it was agreed that one of us should ascend the +southern branch by land until he reached either the falls or the +mountains. In the mean time, in order to lighten our burdens as much as +possible, we determined to deposit here all the heavy baggage which we +could possibly spare, as well as some provisions, salt, powder, and +tools. The weather being fair, we dried all our baggage and merchandise, +and made our deposit, or cache. Our cache is made in this manner: In the +high plain on the side of the river, we choose a dry situation, and, +drawing a small circle of about twenty inches diameter, remove the sod +as carefully as possible. The hole is then sunk perpendicularly a foot +deep, or more if the ground be not firm. It is now worked gradually +wider as it deepens, till at length it becomes six or seven feet deep, +shaped nearly like a kettle, or the lower part of a large still, with +the bottom somewhat sunk at the centre. As the earth is dug, it is +carefully laid on a skin or cloth, in which it is carried away, and +thrown into the river, so as to leave no trace of it. A floor to the +cache is then made of dry sticks, on which is thrown hay, or a hide +perfectly dry. The goods, being well aired and dried, are laid on this +floor, and prevented from touching the sides by other dried sticks, as +the baggage is stowed away. When the hole is nearly full, a skin is laid +over the goods; and, on this, earth is thrown, and beaten down, until, +with the addition of the sod, the whole is on a level with the ground, +and there remains no appearance of an excavation. Careful measurements +are taken to secure the ready recovery of the cache on the return; and +the deposit is left in perfect confidence of finding every thing safe +and sound after the lapse of months, or even years." + + +THE FALLS OF THE MISSOURI. + +"June 12.--This morning, Capt. Lewis set out with four men on an +exploration, to ascend the southern branch, agreeably to our plan. He +left the bank of the river in order to avoid the deep ravines, which +generally extend from the shore to a distance of two or three miles in +the plain. On the second day, having travelled about sixty miles from +the point of departure, on a sudden their ears were saluted with the +agreeable sound of falling water; and, as they advanced, a spray which +seemed driven by the wind rose above the plain like a column of smoke, +and vanished in an instant. Towards this point, Capt. Lewis directed his +steps; and the noise, increasing as he approached, soon became too +powerful to be ascribed to any thing but the Great Falls of the +Missouri. Having travelled seven miles after first hearing the sound, he +reached the falls. The hills, as he approached the river, were difficult +of transit, and two hundred feet high. Down these he hurried, and, +seating himself on a rock, enjoyed the spectacle of this stupendous +object, which, ever since the creation, had been lavishing its +magnificence upon the desert, unseen by civilized man. + +"The river, immediately at its cascade, is three hundred yards wide, and +is pressed in by a perpendicular cliff, which rises to about one hundred +feet, and extends up the stream for a mile. On the other side, the bluff +is also perpendicular for three hundred yards above the falls. For +ninety or a hundred yards from the left cliff, the water falls in one +smooth, even sheet, over a precipice eighty feet in height. The +remaining part of the river rushes with an accelerated current, but, +being received as it falls by irregular rocks below, forms a brilliant +spectacle of perfectly white foam, two hundred yards in length, and +eighty in height. The spray is dissipated into a thousand shapes, on all +of which the sun impresses the brightest colors of the rainbow. The +principal cascade is succeeded by others of less grandeur, but of +exceeding beauty and great variety, for about twenty miles in +extent."[1] + + +A PORTAGE. + +"June 21.--Having reached the falls, we found ourselves obliged to get +past them by transporting our boats overland by what is called a +_portage_. The distance was eighteen miles. It was necessary to +construct a truck or carriage to transport the boats; and the making of +the wheels and the necessary framework took ten days. The axle-trees, +made of an old mast, broke repeatedly, and the cottonwood tongues gave +way; so that the men were forced to carry as much baggage as they could +on their backs. The prickly pear annoyed them much by sticking through +their moccasons. It required several trips to transport all the canoes +and baggage; and, though the men put double soles to their moccasons, +the prickly pear, and the sharp points of earth formed by the trampling +of the buffaloes during the late rains, wounded their feet; and, as the +men were laden as heavily as their strength would permit, the crossing +was very painful. They were obliged to halt and rest frequently; and, at +almost every stopping-place, they would throw themselves down, and fall +asleep in an instant. Yet no one complained, and they went on with +cheerfulness. + +"Having decided to leave here one of the pirogues, we set to work to fit +up a boat of skins, upon a frame of iron which had been prepared at the +armory at Harper's Ferry. It was thirty-six feet long, four feet and a +half wide at top, and twenty-six inches wide at bottom. It was with +difficulty we found the necessary timber to complete it, even tolerably +straight sticks, four and a half feet long. The sides were formed of +willow-bark, and, over this, elk and buffalo skins." + + +A NARROW ESCAPE. + +"June 29.--Capt. Clarke, having lost some notes and remarks which he had +made on first ascending the river, determined to go up along its banks +in order to supply the deficiency. He had reached the falls, accompanied +by his negro-servant York, and by Chaboneau, the half-breed Indian +interpreter, and his wife with her young child. On his arrival there, he +observed a dark cloud in the west, which threatened rain; and looked +around for some shelter. About a quarter of a mile above the falls he +found a deep ravine, where there were some shelving rocks, under which +they took refuge. They were perfectly sheltered from the rain, and +therefore laid down their guns, compass, and other articles which they +carried with them. The shower was at first moderate; it then increased +to a heavy rain, the effects of which they did not feel. Soon after, a +torrent of rain and hail descended. The rain seemed to fall in a solid +mass, and, instantly collecting in the ravine, came rolling down in a +dreadful torrent, carrying the mud and rocks, and every thing that +opposed it. Capt. Clarke fortunately saw it a moment before it reached +them, and springing up, with his gun in his left hand, with his right he +clambered up the steep bluff, pushing on the Indian woman with her child +in her arms. Her husband, too, had seized her hand, and was pulling her +up the hill, but was so terrified at the danger, that, but for Capt. +Clarke, he would have been lost, with his wife and child. So +instantaneous was the rise of the water, that, before Capt. Clarke had +secured his gun and begun to ascend the bank, the water was up to his +waist; and he could scarce get up faster than it rose, till it reached +the height of fifteen feet, with a furious current, which, had they +waited a moment longer, would have swept them into the river, just above +the falls, down which they must inevitably have been carried. As it was, +Capt. Clarke lost his compass, Chaboneau his gun, shot-pouch, and +tomahawk; and the Indian woman had just time to grasp her child before +the net in which it lay was carried down the current." + + +PROGRESS RESUMED. + +"July 4.--The boat was now completed, except what was in fact the most +difficult part,--the making her seams secure. Having been unsuccessful +in all our attempts to procure tar, we have formed a composition of +pounded charcoal with beeswax and buffalo-tallow to supply its place. If +this resource fail us, it will be very unfortunate, as, in every other +respect, the boat answers our purpose completely. Although not quite +dry, she can be carried with ease by five men: she is very strong, and +will carry a load of eight thousand pounds, with her complement of men. + +"July 9.--The boat having now become sufficiently dry, we gave it a coat +of the composition, then a second, and launched it into the water. She +swam perfectly well. The seats were then fixed, and the oars fitted. But +after a few hours' exposure to the wind, which blew with violence, we +discovered that nearly all the composition had separated from the skins, +so that she leaked very much. To repair this misfortune without pitch +was impossible; and, as none of that article was to be procured, we were +obliged to abandon her, after having had so much labor in the +construction. + +"It now becomes necessary to provide other means for transporting the +baggage which we had intended to stow in her. For this purpose, we shall +want two canoes; but for many miles we have not seen a single tree fit +to be used for that purpose. The hunters, however, report that there is +a low ground about eight miles above us by land, and more than twice +that distance by water, in which we may probably find trees large +enough. Capt. Clarke has therefore determined to set out by land for +that place, with ten of the best workmen, who will be occupied in +building the canoes, till the rest of the party, after taking the boat +to pieces and making the necessary deposits, shall transport the +baggage, and join them with the other six canoes. + +"Capt. Clarke accordingly proceeded on eight miles by land; the distance +by water being twenty-three miles. Here he found two cottonwood-trees, +and proceeded to convert them into boats. The rest of the party took the +iron boat to pieces, and deposited it in a _cache_, or hole, with some +other articles of less importance. + +"July 11.--Sergeant Ordway, with four canoes and eight men, set sail in +the morning to the place where Capt. Clarke had fixed his camp. The +canoes were unloaded and sent back, and the remainder of the baggage in +a second trip was despatched to the upper camp. + +"July 15.--We rose early, embarked all our baggage on board the canoes, +which, though eight in number, were heavily laden, and at ten o'clock +set out on our journey. + +"July 16.--We had now arrived at the point where the Missouri emerges +from the Rocky Mountains. The current of the river becomes stronger as +we advance, and the spurs of the mountain approach towards the river, +which is deep, and not more than seventy yards wide. The low grounds are +now but a few yards in width; yet they furnish room for an Indian road, +which winds under the hills on the north side of the river. The general +range of these hills is from south-east to north-west; and the cliffs +themselves are about eight hundred feet above the water, formed almost +entirely of a hard black rock, on which are scattered a few dwarf pine +and cedar trees. + +"As the canoes were heavily laden, all the men not employed in working +them walked on shore. The navigation is now very laborious. The river is +deep, but with little current; the low grounds are very narrow; the +cliffs are steep, and hang over the river so much, that, in places, we +could not pass them, but were obliged to cross and recross from one side +of the river to the other in order to make our way." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] Dimensions of Niagara Falls,--American, 960 feet wide, 162 feet +high; English, 700 feet wide, 150 feet high. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +JOURNEY CONTINUED. + + +July 4.--Since our arrival at the falls, we have repeatedly heard a +strange noise coming from the mountains, in a direction a little to the +north of west. It is heard at different periods of the day and night, +sometimes when the air is perfectly still and without a cloud; and +consists of one stroke only, or of five or six discharges in quick +succession. It is loud, and resembles precisely the sound of a six-pound +piece of ordnance, at the distance of three miles. The Minnetarees +frequently mentioned this noise, like thunder, which they said the +mountains made; but we had paid no attention to them, believing it to be +some superstition, or else a falsehood. The watermen also of the party +say that the Pawnees and Ricaras give the same account of a noise heard +in the Black Mountains, to the westward of them. The solution of the +mystery, given by the philosophy of the watermen, is, that it is +occasioned by the bursting of the rich mines of silver confined within +the bosom of the mountain.[2] + +"An elk and a beaver are all that were killed to-day: the buffaloes seem +to have withdrawn from our neighborhood. We contrived, however, to +spread a comfortable table in honor of the day; and in the evening gave +the men a drink of spirits, which was the last of our stock." + + +VEGETATION. + +"July 15.--We find the prickly-pear--one of the greatest beauties, as +well as one of the greatest inconveniences, of the plains--now in full +bloom. The sunflower too, a plant common to every part of the Missouri, +is here very abundant, and in bloom. The Indians of the Missouri, and +more especially those who do not cultivate maize, make great use of this +plant for bread, and in thickening their soup. They first parch, and +then pound it between two stones until it is reduced to a fine meal. +Sometimes they add a portion of water, and drink it thus diluted; at +other times they add a sufficient proportion of marmow-fat to reduce it +to the consistency of common dough, and eat it in that manner. This last +composition we preferred to the rest, and thought it at that time very +palatable. + +"There are also great quantities of red, purple, yellow, and black +currants. The currants are very pleasant to the taste, and much +preferable to those of our gardens. The fruit is not so acid, and has a +more agreeable flavor." + + +THE BIG-HORNED OR MOUNTAIN RAM. + +"July 18.--This morning we saw a large herd of the big-horned animals, +who were bounding among the rocks in the opposite cliff with great +agility. These inaccessible spots secure them from all their enemies; +and the only danger they encounter is in wandering among these +precipices, where we should suppose it scarcely possible for any animal +to stand. A single false step would precipitate them at least five +hundred feet into the river. + +"The game continues abundant. We killed to-day the largest male elk we +have yet seen. On placing it in its natural, erect position, we found +that it measured five feet three inches from the point of the hoof to +the top of the shoulder. + +"The antelopes are yet lean. This fleet and quick-sighted animal is +generally the victim of its curiosity. When they first see the hunters, +they run with great velocity. If the hunter lies down on the ground, and +lifts up his arm, his hat, or his foot, the antelope returns on a light +trot to look at the object, and sometimes goes and returns two or three +times, till at last he approaches within reach of the rifle. So, too, +they sometimes leave their flock to go and look at the wolves, who +crouch down, and, if the antelope be frightened at first, repeat the +same manoeuvre, and sometimes relieve each other, till they decoy the +antelope from his party near enough to seize it." + + +THE GATES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + +"July 20.--During the day, in the confined valley through which we are +passing, the heat is almost insupportable; yet, whenever we obtain a +glimpse of the lofty tops of the mountains, we are tantalized with a +view of the snow. A mile and a half farther on, the rocks approach the +river on both sides, forming a most sublime and extraordinary spectacle. +For six miles, these rocks rise perpendicularly from the water's edge +to the height of nearly twelve hundred feet. They are composed of a +black granite near the base; but judging from its lighter color above, +and from fragments that have fallen from it, we suppose the upper part +to be flint, of a yellowish-brown and cream color. Nothing can be +imagined more tremendous than the frowning darkness of these rocks, +which project over the river, and menace us with destruction. The river, +one hundred and fifty yards in width, seems to have forced its channel +down this solid mass: but so reluctantly has it given way, that, during +the whole distance, the water is very deep even at the edges; and, for +the first three miles, there is not a spot, except one of a few yards in +extent, on which a man could stand between the water and the towering +perpendicular of the mountain. The convulsion of the passage must have +been terrible; since, at its outlet, there are vast columns of rock torn +from the mountain, which are strewed on both sides of the river, the +trophies, as it were, of victory. We were obliged to go on some time +after dark, not being able to find a spot large enough to encamp on. +This extraordinary range of rocks we called the Gates of the Rocky +Mountains." + + +NATURAL PRODUCTIONS. + +"July 29.--This morning the hunters brought in some fat deer of the +long-tailed red kind, which are the only kind we have found at this +place. There are numbers of the sandhill-cranes feeding in the meadows. +We caught a young one, which, though it had nearly attained its full +growth, could not fly. It is very fierce, and strikes a severe blow with +its beak. The kingfisher has become quite common this side of the falls; +but we have seen none of the summer duck since leaving that place. Small +birds are also abundant in the plains. Here, too, are great quantities +of grasshoppers, or crickets; and, among other animals, large ants, with +a reddish-brown body and legs, and a black head, which build little +cones of gravel ten or twelve inches high, without a mixture of sticks, +and with but little earth. In the river we see a great abundance of +fish, but cannot tempt them to bite by any thing on our hooks." + + +THE FORKS OF THE MISSOURI. + +"July 28, 1805.--From the height of a limestone cliff, Capt. Lewis +observed the three forks of the Missouri, of which this river is one. +The middle and south-west forks unite at half a mile above the entrance +of the south-east fork. The country watered by these rivers, as far as +the eye could command, was a beautiful combination of meadow and +elevated plain, covered with a rich grass, and possessing more timber +than is usual on the Missouri. A range of high mountains, partially +covered with snow, is seen at a considerable distance, running from +south to west. + +"To the south-east fork the name of Gallatin was assigned, in honor of +the Secretary of the Treasury. On examining the other two streams, it +was difficult to decide which was the larger or real Missouri: they are +each ninety yards wide, and similar in character and appearance. We were +therefore induced to discontinue the name of Missouri, and to give to +the south-west branch the name of Jefferson, in honor of the President +of the United States and the projector of the enterprise; and called the +middle branch Madison, after James Madison, Secretary of State. + +"July 30.--We reloaded our canoes, and began to ascend Jefferson River. +The river soon became very crooked; the current, too, is rapid, impeded +with shoals, which consist of coarse gravel. The islands are numerous. +On the 7th of August, we had, with much fatigue, ascended the river +sixty miles, when we reached the junction of a stream from the +north-west, which we named Wisdom River. We continued, however, to +ascend the south-east branch, which we were satisfied was the true +continuation of the Jefferson." + + +THE SHOSHONEES, OR SNAKE INDIANS. + +"July 28.--We are now very anxious to see the Snake Indians. After +advancing for several hundred miles into this wild and mountainous +country, we may soon expect that the game will abandon us. With no +information of the route, we may be unable to find a passage across the +mountains when we reach the head of the river, at least such an one as +will lead us to the Columbia. And, even were we so fortunate as to find +a branch of that river, the timber which we have hitherto seen in these +mountains does not promise us any wood fit to make canoes; so that our +chief dependence is on meeting some tribe from whom we may procure +horses. + +"Sacajawea, our Indian woman, informs us that we are encamped on the +precise spot where her countrymen, the Snake Indians, had their huts +five years ago, when the Minnetarees came upon them, killed most of the +party, and carried her away prisoner. She does not, however, show any +distress at these recollections, nor any joy at the prospect of being +restored to her country; for she seems to possess the folly, or the +philosophy, of not suffering her feelings to extend beyond the anxiety +of having plenty to eat, and trinkets to wear. + +"Aug. 9.--Persuaded of the absolute necessity of procuring horses to +cross the mountains, it was determined that one of us should proceed in +the morning to the head of the river, and penetrate the mountains till +he found the Shoshonees, or some other nation, who could assist us in +transporting our baggage. Immediately after breakfast, Capt. Lewis took +Drewyer, Shields, and McNeal; and, slinging their knapsacks, they set +out, with a resolution to meet some nation of Indians before they +returned, however long it might be. + +"Aug. 11.--It was not till the third day after commencing their search +that they met with any success. Capt. Lewis perceived with the greatest +delight, at the distance of two miles, a man on horseback coming towards +them. On examining him with the glass, Capt. Lewis saw that he was of a +different nation from any we had hitherto met. He was armed with a bow +and a quiver of arrows, and mounted on an elegant horse without a +saddle; while a small string, attached to the under-jaw, answered as a +bridle. Convinced that he was a Shoshonee, and knowing how much our +success depended upon the friendly offices of that nation, Capt. Lewis +was anxious to approach without alarming him. He therefore advanced +towards the Indian at his usual pace. When they were within a mile of +each other, the Indian suddenly stopped. Capt. Lewis immediately +followed his example; took his blanket from his knapsack, and, holding +it with both hands at the two corners, threw it above his head, and +unfolded it as he brought it to the ground, as if in the act of +spreading it. This signal, which originates in the practice of spreading +a robe or a skin as a seat for guests to whom they wish to show +kindness, is the universal sign of friendship among the Indians. As +usual, Capt. Lewis repeated this signal three times. Still the Indian +kept his position, and looked with an air of suspicion on Drewyer and +Shields, who were now advancing on each side. Capt. Lewis was afraid to +make any signal for them to halt, lest he should increase the suspicions +of the Indian, who began to be uneasy; and they were too distant to hear +his voice. He therefore took from his pack some beads, a looking-glass, +and a few trinkets, which he had brought for the purpose; and, leaving +his gun, advanced unarmed towards the Indian, who remained in the same +position till Capt. Lewis came within two hundred yards of him, when he +turned his horse, and began to move off slowly. Capt. Lewis then called +out to him, as loud as he could, 'Tabba bone,'--which, in the Shoshonee +language, means _White man_; but, looking over his shoulder, the Indian +kept his eyes on Drewyer and Shields, who were still advancing, till +Capt. Lewis made a signal to them to halt. This, Drewyer obeyed; but +Shields did not observe it, and still went forward. The Indian, seeing +Drewyer halt, turned his horse about, as if to wait for Capt. Lewis, who +had now reached within one hundred and fifty paces, repeating the words, +'Tabba bone,' and holding up the trinkets in his hand; at the same time +stripping up his sleeve to show that he was white. The Indian suffered +him to advance within one hundred paces, then suddenly turned his horse, +and, giving him the whip, leaped across the creek, and disappeared in an +instant among the willows. They followed his track four miles, but could +not get sight of him again, nor find any encampment to which he +belonged. + +"Meanwhile the party in the canoes advanced slowly up the river till +they came to a large island, to which they gave the name of +Three-thousand-mile Island, on account of its being at that distance +from the mouth of the Missouri." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[2] There are many stories, from other sources, confirmatory of these +noises in mountainous districts. One solution, suggested by +Humboldt,--who does not, however, record the fact as of his own +observation,--is, that "this curious phenomenon announces a +disengagement of hydrogen, produced by a bed of coal in a state of +combustion." This solution is applicable only to mountains which contain +coal, unless chemical changes in other minerals might be supposed +capable of producing a similar effect. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SOURCES OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA. + + +Aug. 12, 1805.--Capt. Lewis decided to advance along the foot of the +mountains, hoping to find a road leading across them. At the distance of +four miles from his camp, he found a large, plain, Indian road, which +entered the valley from the north-east. Following this road towards the +south-west, the valley, for the first five miles, continued in the same +direction; then the main stream turned abruptly to the west, through a +narrow bottom between the mountains. We traced the stream, which +gradually became smaller, till, two miles farther up, it had so +diminished, that one of the men, in a fit of enthusiasm, with one foot +on each side of the rivulet, thanked God that he had lived to bestride +the Missouri. Four miles from thence, we came to the spot where, from +the foot of a mountain, issues the remotest water of the mighty river. + +"We had now traced the Missouri to its source, which had never before +been seen by civilized man; and as we quenched our thirst at the pure +and icy fountain, and stretched ourselves by the brink of the little +rivulet which yielded its distant and modest tribute to the parent +ocean, we felt rewarded for all our labors. + +"We left reluctantly this interesting spot, and, pursuing the Indian +road, arrived at the top of a ridge, from whence we saw high mountains, +partially covered with snow, still to the west of us. The ridge on which +we stood formed, apparently, the dividing-line between the waters of the +Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. We followed a descent much steeper than +that on the eastern side, and, at the distance of three-quarters of a +mile, reached a handsome, bold creek of cold, clear water, running to +the westward. We stopped for a moment, to taste, for the first time, the +waters of the Columbia; and then followed the road across hills and +valleys, till we found a spring, and a sufficient quantity of dry +willow-brush for fuel; and there halted for the night." + + +THEY MEET WITH INDIANS. + +"Aug. 13.--Very early in the morning, Capt. Lewis resumed the Indian +road, which led him in a western direction, through an open, broken +country. At five miles' distance, he reached a creek about ten yards +wide, and, on rising the hill beyond it, had a view of a handsome little +valley about a mile in width, through which they judged, from the +appearance of the timber, that a stream probably flowed. On a sudden, +they discovered two women, a man, and some dogs, on an eminence about a +mile before them. The strangers viewed them apparently with much +attention; and then two of them sat down, as if to await Capt. Lewis's +arrival. He went on till he had reached within about half a mile; then +ordered his party to stop, put down his knapsack and rifle, and, +unfurling the flag, advanced alone towards the Indians. + +"The women soon retreated behind the hill; but the man remained till +Capt. Lewis came within a hundred yards of him, when he, too, went off, +though Capt. Lewis called out 'Tabba bone' ('White man'), loud enough to +be heard distinctly. The dogs, however, were less shy, and came close to +him. He therefore thought of tying a handkerchief with some beads round +their necks, and then to let them loose, to convince the fugitives of +his friendly intentions; but the dogs would not suffer him to take hold +of them, and soon left him. + +"He now made a signal to the men, who joined him; and then all followed +the track of the Indians, which led along a continuation of the same +road they had been travelling. It was dusty, and seemed to have been +much used lately both by foot-passengers and horsemen. + +"They had not gone along it more than a mile, when, on a sudden, they +saw three female Indians, from whom they had been concealed by the deep +ravines which intersected the road, till they were now within thirty +paces of them. One of them, a young woman, immediately took to flight: +the other two, an old woman and little girl, seeing we were too near for +them to escape, sat on the ground, and, holding down their heads, seemed +as if reconciled to the death which they supposed awaited them. Capt. +Lewis instantly put down his rifle, and, advancing towards them, took +the woman by the hand, raised her up, and repeated the words, 'Tabba +bone,' at the same time stripping up his sleeve to show that he was a +white man; for his hands and face had become by exposure quite as dark +as their own. + +"She appeared immediately relieved from her alarm; and, Drewyer and +Shields now coming up, Capt. Lewis gave her some beads, a few awls, +pewter mirrors, and a little paint, and told Drewyer to request the +woman to recall her companion, who had escaped to some distance, and, by +alarming the Indians, might cause them to attack him, without any time +for explanation. She did as she was desired, and the young woman +returned readily. Capt. Lewis gave her an equal portion of trinkets, and +painted the tawny cheeks of all three of them with vermilion, which, +besides its ornamental effect, has the advantage of being held among the +Indians as emblematic of peace. + +"After they had become composed, he informed them by signs of his wish +to go to their camp in order to see their chiefs and warriors. They +readily complied, and conducted the party along the same road down the +river. In this way they marched two miles, when they met a troop of +nearly sixty warriors, mounted on excellent horses, riding at full speed +towards them. As they advanced, Capt. Lewis put down his gun, and went +with the flag about fifty paces in advance. The chief, who, with two +men, was riding in front of the main body, spoke to the women, who now +explained that the party was composed of white men, and showed +exultingly the presents they had received. The three men immediately +leaped from their horses, came up to Capt. Lewis, and embraced him with +great cordiality,--putting their left arm over his right shoulder, and +clasping his back,--applying at the same time their left cheek to his, +and frequently vociferating, 'Ah-hi-e!'--'_I am glad! I am glad!_' + +"The whole body of warriors now came forward, and our men received the +caresses, and no small share of the grease and paint, of their new +friends. After this fraternal embrace, Capt. Lewis lighted a pipe, and +offered it to the Indians, who had now seated themselves in a circle +around our party. But, before they would receive this mark of +friendship, they pulled off their moccasons; a custom which, we +afterwards learned, indicates their sincerity when they smoke with a +stranger. + +"After smoking a few pipes, some trifling presents were distributed +among them, with which they seemed very much pleased, particularly with +the blue beads and the vermilion. + +"Capt. Lewis then informed the chief that the object of his visit was +friendly, and should be explained as soon as he reached their camp; but +that in the mean time, as the sun was oppressive, and no water near, he +wished to go there as soon as possible. They now put on their moccasons; +and their chief, whose name was Cameahwait, made a short speech to the +warriors. Capt. Lewis then gave him the flag, which he informed him was +the emblem of peace, and that now and for the future it was to be the +pledge of union between us and them. The chief then moved on, our party +followed, and the rest of the warriors brought up the rear. + +"At the distance of four miles from where they had first met the +Indians, they reached the camp, which was in a handsome, level meadow on +the bank of the river. Here they were introduced into a leathern lodge +which was assigned for their reception. After being seated on green +boughs and antelope-skins, one of the warriors pulled up the grass in +the centre of the lodge, so as to form a vacant circle of two feet in +diameter, in which he kindled a fire. The chief then produced his pipe +and tobacco; the warriors all pulled off their moccasons, and our party +were requested to take off their own. This being done, the chief +lighted his pipe at the fire, and then, retreating from it, began a +speech several minutes long; at the end of which he pointed the stem of +his pipe towards the four cardinal points of the heavens, beginning with +the east, and concluding with the north. After this ceremony, he +presented the stem in the same way to Capt. Lewis, who, supposing it an +invitation to smoke, put out his hand to receive the pipe; but the chief +drew it back, and continued to repeat the same offer three times; after +which he pointed the stem to the heavens, then took three whiffs +himself, and presented it again to Capt. Lewis. Finding that this last +offer was in good earnest, he smoked a little, and returned it. The pipe +was then held to each of the white men, and, after they had taken a few +whiffs, was given to the warriors. + +"The bowl of the pipe was made of a dense, transparent, green stone, +very highly polished, about two and a half inches long, and of an oval +figure; the bowl being in the same direction with the stem. The tobacco +is of the same kind with that used by the Minnetarees and Mandans of the +Missouri. The Shoshonees do not cultivate this plant, but obtain it from +the bands who live farther south. + +"The ceremony of smoking being concluded, Capt. Lewis explained to the +chief the purposes of his visit; and, as by this time all the women and +children of the camp had gathered around the lodge to indulge in a view +of the first white men they had ever seen, he distributed among them the +remainder of the small articles he had brought with him. + +"It was now late in the afternoon, and our party had tasted no food +since the night before. On apprising the chief of this fact, he said +that he had nothing but berries to eat, and presented some cakes made of +service-berries and choke-cherries which had been dried in the sun. Of +these, Capt. Lewis and his companions made as good a meal as they were +able. + +"The chief informed him that the stream which flowed by them discharged +itself, at the distance of half a day's march, into another of twice its +size; but added that there was no timber there suitable for building +canoes, and that the river was rocky and rapid. The prospect of going on +by land was more pleasant; for there were great numbers of horses +feeding round the camp, which would serve to transport our stores over +the mountains. + +"An Indian invited Capt. Lewis into his lodge, and gave him a small +morsel of boiled antelope, and a piece of fresh salmon, roasted. This +was the first salmon he had seen, and perfectly satisfied him that he +was now on the waters of the Pacific. + +"On returning to the lodge, he resumed his conversation with the chief; +after which he was entertained with a dance by the Indians. The music +and dancing--which were in no respect different from those of the +Missouri Indians--continued nearly all night; but Capt. Lewis retired to +rest about twelve o'clock, when the fatigues of the day enabled him to +sleep, though he was awaked several times by the yells of the dancers." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE PARTY IN THE BOATS. + + +August, 1805.--While these things were occurring to Capt. Lewis, the +party in the boats were slowly and laboriously ascending the river. It +was very crooked, the bends short and abrupt, and obstructed by so many +shoals, over which the canoes had to be dragged, that the men were in +the water three-fourths of the day. They saw numbers of otters, some +beavers, antelopes, ducks, geese, and cranes; but they killed nothing +except a single deer. They caught, however, some very fine trout. The +weather was cloudy and cool; and at eight o'clock a shower of rain fell. + +Next day, as the morning was cold, and the men stiff and sore from the +fatigues of yesterday, they did not set out till seven o'clock. The +river was shallow, and, as it approached the mountains, formed one +continued rapid, over which they were obliged to drag the boats with +great labor and difficulty. By these means, they succeeded in making +fourteen miles; but this distance did not exceed more than six and a +half in a straight line. + +Several successive days were passed in this manner (the daily progress +seldom exceeding a dozen miles), while the party anxiously expected to +be rejoined by Capt. Lewis and his men, with intelligence of some relief +by the aid of friendly Indians. In the mean time, Capt. Lewis was as +anxiously expecting their arrival, to confirm the good impressions he +had made on the Indians, as well as to remove some lurking doubts they +still felt as to his intentions. + + +CAPT. LEWIS AMONG THE SHOSHONEES. + +Aug. 14.--In order to give time for the boats to reach the forks of +Jefferson River, Capt. Lewis determined to remain where he was, and +obtain all the information he could with regard to the country. Having +nothing to eat but a little flour and parched meal, with the berries of +the Indians, he sent out Drewyer and Shields, who borrowed horses of the +natives, to hunt. At the same time, the young warriors set out for the +same purpose. + +There are but few elk or black-tailed deer in this region; and, as the +common red deer secrete themselves in the bushes when alarmed, they are +soon safe from the arrows of the Indian hunters, which are but feeble +weapons against any animal which the huntsmen cannot previously run +down. The chief game of the Shoshonees, therefore, is the antelope, +which, when pursued, runs to the open plains, where the horses have full +room for the chase. But such is this animal's extraordinary fleetness +and wind, that a single horse has no chance of outrunning it, or tiring +it down; and the hunters are therefore obliged to resort to stratagem. +About twenty Indians, mounted on fine horses, and armed with bows and +arrows, left the camp. In a short time, they descried a herd of ten +antelopes. They immediately separated into little squads of two or +three, and formed a scattered circle round the herd for five or six +miles, keeping at a wary distance, so as not to alarm them till they +were perfectly enclosed. Having gained their positions, a small party +rode towards the herd; the huntsman preserving his seat with wonderful +tenacity, and the horse his footing, as he ran at full speed over the +hills, and down the ravines, and along the edges of precipices. They +were soon outstripped by the antelopes, which, on gaining the other +limit of the circle, were driven back, and pursued by fresh hunters. +They turned, and flew, rather than ran, in another direction; but there, +too, they found new enemies. In this way they were alternately driven +backwards and forwards, till at length, notwithstanding the skill of the +hunters, they all escaped; and the party, after running two hours, +returned without having caught any thing, and their horses foaming with +sweat. This chase, the greater part of which was seen from the camp, +formed a beautiful scene; but to the hunters it is exceedingly +laborious, and so unproductive, even when they are able to worry the +animal down and shoot him, that forty or fifty hunters will sometimes be +engaged for half a day without obtaining more than two or three +antelopes. Soon after they returned, our two huntsmen came in with no +better success. Capt. Lewis therefore made a little paste with the +flour, and the addition of some berries formed a tolerable repast. + +Having now secured the good-will of Cameahwait, Capt. Lewis informed him +of his wish,--that he would speak to the warriors, and endeavor to +engage them to accompany him to the forks of Jefferson River, where, by +this time, another chief, with a large party of white men, were waiting +his return. He added, that it would be necessary to take about thirty +horses to transport the merchandise; that they should be well rewarded +for their trouble; and that, when all the party should have reached the +Shoshonee camp, they would remain some time among them, and trade for +horses, as well as concert plans for furnishing them in future with +regular supplies of merchandise. Cameahwait readily consented to do as +requested; and, after collecting the tribe together, he made a long +harangue, and in about an hour and a half returned, and told Capt. Lewis +that they would be ready to accompany him next morning. + +Capt. Lewis rose early, and, having eaten nothing yesterday except his +scanty meal of flour and berries, felt the pain of extreme hunger. On +inquiry, he found that his whole stock of provisions consisted of two +pounds of flour. This he ordered to be divided into two equal parts, and +one-half of it boiled with the berries into a sort of pudding; and, +after presenting a large share to the chief, he and his three men +breakfasted on the remainder. Cameahwait was delighted with this new +dish. He took a little of the flour in his hand, tasted it, and examined +it very carefully, asking if it was made of roots. Capt. Lewis +explained how it was produced, and the chief said it was the best thing +he had eaten for a long time. + +Breakfast being finished, Capt. Lewis endeavored to hasten the departure +of the Indians, who seemed reluctant to move, although the chief +addressed them twice for the purpose of urging them. On inquiring the +reason, Capt. Lewis learned that the Indians were suspicious that they +were to be led into an ambuscade, and betrayed to their enemies. He +exerted himself to dispel this suspicion, and succeeded so far as to +induce eight of the warriors, with Cameahwait, to accompany him. It was +about twelve o'clock when his small party left the camp, attended by +Cameahwait and the eight warriors. At sunset they reached the river, and +encamped about four miles above the narrow pass between the hills, which +they had noticed in their progress some days before. Drewyer had been +sent forward to hunt; but he returned in the evening unsuccessful; and +their only supply, therefore, was the remaining pound of flour, stirred +in a little boiling water, and divided between the four white men and +two of the Indians. + +Next morning, as neither our party nor the Indians had any thing to eat, +Capt. Lewis sent two of his hunters out to procure some provision. At +the same time, he requested Cameahwait to prevent his young men from +going out, lest, by their noise, they might alarm the game. This measure +immediately revived their suspicions, and some of them followed our two +men to watch them. After the hunters had been gone about an hour, Capt. +Lewis mounted, with one of the Indians behind him, and the whole party +set out. Just then, they saw one of the spies coming back at full speed +across the plain. The chief stopped, and seemed uneasy: the whole band +were moved with fresh suspicions; and Capt. Lewis himself was anxious, +lest, by some unfortunate accident, some hostile tribe might have +wandered that way. The young Indian had hardly breath to say a few words +as he came up, when the whole troop dashed forward as fast as their +horses could carry them; and Capt. Lewis, astonished at this movement, +was borne along for nearly a mile, before he learned, with great +satisfaction, that it was all caused by the spy's having come to +announce that one of the white men had killed a deer. + +When they reached the place where Drewyer, in cutting up the deer, had +thrown out the intestines, the Indians dismounted in confusion, and ran, +tumbling over each other, like famished dogs: each tore away whatever +part he could, and instantly began to devour it. Some had the liver, +some the kidneys: in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look +with disgust escaped them. It was, indeed, impossible to see these +wretches ravenously feeding on the refuse of animals, and the blood +streaming from their mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition +of savages approaches that of the brute creation. Yet, though suffering +with hunger, they did not attempt to take (as they might have done) by +force the whole deer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown +away by the hunter. Capt. Lewis had the deer skinned, and, after +reserving a quarter of it, gave the rest of the animal to the chief, to +be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured the whole without +cooking. + + +THEY MEET THE BOAT PARTY. + +As they were now approaching the place where they had been told they +should see the white men, Capt. Lewis, to guard against any +disappointment, explained the possibility of our men not having reached +the forks, in consequence of the difficulty of the navigation; so that, +if they should not find us at that spot, they might be assured of our +being not far below. After stopping two hours to let the horses graze, +they remounted, and rode on rapidly, making one of the Indians carry the +flag, so that the party in the boats might recognize them as they +approached. To their great mortification, on coming within sight of the +forks, no canoes were to be seen. + +Uneasy, lest at this moment he should be abandoned, and all his hopes of +obtaining aid from the Indians be destroyed, Capt. Lewis gave the chief +his gun, telling him, if the enemies of his nation were in the bushes, +he might defend himself with it; and that the chief might shoot him as +soon as they discovered themselves betrayed. The other three men at the +same time gave their guns to the Indians, who now seemed more easy, but +still suspicious. Luckily, he had a hold on them by other ties than +their generosity. He had promised liberal exchanges for their horses; +but, what was still more attractive, he had told them that one of their +country-women, who had been taken by the Minnetarees, accompanied the +party below: and one of the men had spread the report of our having with +us a man perfectly black, whose hair was short and curled. This last +account had excited a great degree of curiosity; and they seemed more +desirous of seeing this monster than of obtaining the most favorable +barter for their horses. + +In the mean time, the boat party under Capt. Clarke, struggling against +rapids and shallows, had made their way to a point only four miles by +land, though ten by water, from where Capt. Lewis and the Indians were. +Capt. Clarke had seen from an eminence the forks of the river, and sent +the hunters up. They must have left it only a short time before Capt. +Lewis's arrival. + +Aug. 17.--Capt. Lewis rose early, and despatched Drewyer and the Indian +down the river in quest of the boats. They had been gone about two +hours, and the Indians were all anxiously waiting for some news, when an +Indian who had straggled a short distance down the river returned, with +a report that he had seen the white men, who were not far below, and +were coming on. The Indians were all delighted; and the chief, in the +warmth of his affection, renewed his embrace to Capt. Lewis, who, though +quite as much gratified, would willingly have spared that manifestation +of it. The report proved true. On commencing the day's progress, Capt. +Clarke, with Chaboneau and his wife, walked by the river-side; but they +had not gone more than a mile, when Capt. Clarke saw Sacajawea, the +Indian woman, who was some distance in advance, begin to dance, and show +every mark of extravagant joy, pointing to several Indians, whom he now +saw advancing on horseback. As they approached, Capt. Clarke discovered +Drewyer among them, from whom he learned the situation of Capt. Lewis +and his party. While the boats were performing the circuit, Capt. Clarke +went towards the forks with the Indians, who, as they went along, sang +aloud with the greatest appearance of delight. + +They soon drew near the camp; and, as they approached it, a woman made +her way through the crowd towards Sacajawea, when, recognizing each +other, they embraced with the most tender affection. The meeting of +these two young women had in it something peculiarly touching. They had +been companions in childhood, and, in the war with the Minnetarees, had +both been taken prisoners in the same battle. They had shared the same +captivity, till one had escaped, leaving her friend with scarce a hope +of ever seeing her again. + +While Sacajawea was renewing among the women the friendships of former +days, Capt. Clarke went on, and was received by Capt. Lewis and the +chief, who, after the first embraces and salutations, conducted him to a +sort of circular tent constructed of willow-branches. Here he was seated +on a white robe; and the chief tied in his hair six small shells +resembling pearls,--an ornament highly valued by these people. After +smoking, a conference was held, Sacajawea acting as interpreter. Capt. +Lewis told them he had been sent to discover the best route by which +merchandise could be conveyed to them, and, since no trade would be +begun before our return, it was naturally desirable that we should +proceed with as little delay as possible; that we were under the +necessity of requesting them to furnish us with horses to transport our +baggage across the mountains, and a guide to show us the route; but that +they should be amply remunerated for their horses, as well as for any +other service they should render us. In the mean time, our first wish +was that they should immediately collect as many horses as were +necessary to transport our baggage to their village, where, at our +leisure, we would trade with them for as many horses as they could +spare. + +The speech made a favorable impression. The chief thanked us for our +friendly intentions, and declared their willingness to render us every +service. He promised to return to the village next day, and to bring all +his own horses, and to encourage his people to bring theirs. We then +distributed our presents. To Cameahwait we gave a medal of the small +size, with the likeness of President Jefferson, and on the reverse a +figure of hands clasped, with a pipe and tomahawk. To this were added a +uniform-coat, a shirt, a pair of scarlet leggings, a lump of tobacco, +and some small articles. Each of the other chiefs received similar +presents, excepting the dress-coat. These honorary gifts were followed +by presents of paint, moccasons, awls, knives, beads, and +looking-glasses. They had abundant sources of surprise in all they saw. +The appearance of the men, their arms, their clothing, the canoes, the +strange looks of the negro, and the sagacity of our dog, all in turn +shared their admiration, which was raised to astonishment by a shot from +the air-gun. This was immediately pronounced a _Great Medicine_, by +which they mean something produced by the Great Spirit himself in some +incomprehensible way. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA. + + +August, 1805.--Our Indian information as to the navigation of the +Columbia was of a very discouraging character. It was therefore agreed +that Capt. Clarke should set off in the morning with eleven men, +furnished, besides their arms, with tools for making canoes; that he +should take Chaboneau and his wife to the camp of the Shoshonees, where +he was to leave them to hasten the collection of horses; that he was +then to lead his men down to the Columbia; and if he found it navigable, +and the timber in sufficient quantity, should begin to build canoes. As +soon as he should have decided on the question of proceeding, whether +down the river or across the mountains, he was to send back one of the +men, with information of his decision, to Capt. Lewis, who would tarry +meanwhile at the Shoshonee village. + +Aug. 20.--Capt. Clarke set out at six o'clock. Passing through a +continuation of hilly, broken country, he met several parties of +Indians. An old man among them was pointed out, who was said to know +more of the nature of the country north than any other person; and Capt. +Clarke engaged him as a guide. + +The first point to ascertain was the truth of the Indian information as +to the difficulty of descending the river. For this purpose, Capt. +Clarke and his men set out at three o'clock in the afternoon, +accompanied by his Indian guide. At the distance of four miles he +crossed the river, and, eight miles from the camp, halted for the night. +As Capt. Lewis was the first white man who had visited its waters, Capt. +Clarke gave the stream the name of Lewis's River. + +Aug. 23.--Capt. Clarke set out very early; but as his route lay along +the steep side of a mountain, over irregular and broken masses of rocks, +which wounded the horses' feet, he was obliged to proceed slowly. At the +distance of four miles, he reached the river; but the rocks here became +so steep, and projected so far into the stream, that there was no mode +of passing except through the water. This he did for some distance, +though the current was very rapid, and so deep, that they were forced to +swim their horses. After following the edge of the stream for about a +mile, he reached a small meadow, below which the whole current of the +river beat against the shore on which he was, and which was formed of a +solid rock, perfectly inaccessible to horses. He therefore resolved to +leave the horses and the greater part of the men at this place, and +continue his examination of the river on foot, in order to determine if +there were any possibility of descending it in canoes. + +With his guide and three men he proceeded, clambering over immense +rocks, and along the sides of precipices which bordered the stream. The +river presented a succession of shoals, neither of which could be passed +with loaded canoes; and the baggage must therefore be transported for +considerable distances over the steep mountains, where it would be +impossible to employ horses. Even the empty boats must be let down the +rapids by means of cords, and not even in this way without great risk +both to the canoes and the men. + +Disappointed in finding a route by way of the river, Capt. Clarke now +questioned his guide more particularly respecting an Indian road which +came in from the north. The guide, who seemed intelligent, drew a map on +the sand, and represented this road as leading to a great river where +resided a nation called Tushepaws, who, having no salmon on their river, +came by this road to the fish-wears on Lewis's River. After a great deal +of conversation, or rather signs, Capt. Clarke felt persuaded that his +guide knew of a road from the Shoshonee village they had left, to the +great river toward the north, without coming so low down as this, on a +road impracticable for horses. He therefore hastened to return thither, +sending forward a man on horseback with a note to Capt. Lewis, apprising +him of the result of his inquiries. + +From the 25th to the 29th of August, Capt. Clarke and his men were +occupied in their return to the Shoshonee village, where Capt. Lewis and +party were awaiting them. During their march, the want of provisions was +such, that if it had not been for the liberality of the Indians, who +gave them a share of their own scanty supplies, they must have perished. +The main dependence for food was upon salmon and berries. It was seldom +they could get enough of these for a full meal; and abstinence and the +strange diet caused some sickness. Capt. Lewis, on the contrary, had +found the game sufficiently abundant to supply their own party, and to +spare some to the Indians; so that, when their friends rejoined them, +they had it in their power to immediately relieve their wants. + + +THE SHOSHONEES. + +The Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake Indians,--a +vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of the +southern parts of the Rocky Mountains, and of the plains on each side. +The Shoshonees, with whom we now are, amount to about a hundred +warriors, and three times that number of women and children. Within +their own recollection, they formerly lived in the plains; but they have +been driven into the mountains by the roving Indians of the Saskatchawan +country, and are now obliged to visit only occasionally and by stealth +the country of their ancestors. From the middle of May to the beginning +of September, they reside on the waters of the Columbia. During this +time, they subsist chiefly on salmon; and, as that fish disappears on +the approach of autumn, they are obliged to seek subsistence elsewhere. +They then cross the ridge to the waters of the Missouri, down which they +proceed cautiously till they are joined by other bands of their own +nation, or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate against the common +enemy. Being now strong in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloes in +the plains eastward of the mountains, near which they spend the winter, +till the return of the salmon invites them to the Columbia. + +In this loose and wandering existence, they suffer the extremes of want: +for two-thirds of the year they are forced to live in the mountains, +passing whole weeks without meat, and with nothing to eat but a few fish +and roots. + +Yet the Shoshonees are not only cheerful, but gay; and their character +is more interesting than that of any other Indians we have seen. They +are frank and communicative; fair in their dealings; and we have had no +reason to suspect that the display of our new and valuable wealth has +tempted them into a single act of theft. While they have shared with us +the little they possess, they have always abstained from begging any +thing of us. + +Their wealth is in horses. Of these they have at least seven hundred, +among which are about forty colts, and half that number of mules. The +original stock was procured from the Spaniards; but now they raise their +own, which are generally of good size, vigorous, and patient of fatigue +as well as of hunger. Every warrior has one or two tied to a stake near +his hut day and night, so as to be always prepared for action. The mules +are obtained in the course of trade from the Spaniards of California. +They are highly valued. The worst are considered as worth the price of +two horses. + +The Shoshonee warrior always fights on horseback. He possesses a few bad +guns, which are reserved for war; but his common arms are the bow and +arrow, a shield, a lance, and a weapon called _pogamogon_, which +consists of a handle of wood, with a stone weighing about two pounds, +and held in a cover of leather, attached to the handle by a leather +thong. At the other end is a loop, which is passed round the wrist, so +as to secure the hold of the instrument, with which they strike a very +severe blow. + +The bow is made of cedar or pine, covered on the outer side with sinews +and glue. Sometimes it is made of the horn of an elk, covered on the +back like those of wood. The arrows are more slender than those of other +Indians we have seen. They are kept, with the implements for striking +fire, in a narrow quiver formed of different kinds of skin. It is just +long enough to protect the arrows from the weather, and is fastened upon +the back of the wearer by means of a strap passing over the right +shoulder, and under the left arm. The shield is a circular piece of +buffalo-skin, about two feet four inches in diameter, ornamented with +feathers, with a fringe round it of dressed leather, and adorned with +paintings of strange figures. + +Besides these, they have a kind of armor, something like a coat of mail, +which is formed by a great many folds of antelope-skins, united by a +mixture of glue and sand. With this they cover their own bodies and +those of their horses, and find it impervious to the arrow. + +The caparison of their horses is a halter and saddle. The halter is made +of strands of buffalo-hair platted together; or is merely a thong of raw +hide, made pliant by pounding and rubbing. The halter is very long, and +is never taken from the neck of the horse when in constant use. One end +of it is first tied round the neck in a knot, and then brought down to +the under-jaw, round which it is formed into a simple noose, passing +through the mouth. It is then drawn up on the right side, and held by +the rider in his left hand, while the rest trails after him to some +distance. With these cords dangling alongside of them, the horse is put +to his full speed, without fear of falling; and, when he is turned to +graze, the noose is merely taken from his mouth. + +The saddle is formed, like the pack-saddles used by the French and +Spaniards, of two flat, thin boards, which fit the sides of the horse, +and are kept together by two cross-pieces, one before and the other +behind, which rise to a considerable height, making the saddle deep and +narrow. Under this, a piece of buffalo-skin, with the hair on, is +placed, so as to prevent the rubbing of the board; and, when the rider +mounts, he throws a piece of skin or robe over the saddle, which has no +permanent cover. When stirrups are used, they consist of wood covered +with leather; but stirrups and saddles are conveniences reserved for +women and old men. The young warriors rarely use any thing except a +small, leather pad stuffed with hair, and secured by a girth made of a +leathern thong. In this way, they ride with great expertness; and they +have particular dexterity in catching the horse when he is running at +large. They make a noose in the rope, and although the horse may be at +some distance, or even running, rarely fail to fix it on his neck; and +such is the docility of the animal, that, however unruly he may seem, he +surrenders as soon as he feels the rope on him. + +The horse becomes an object of attachment. A favorite is frequently +painted, and his ears cut into various shapes. The mane and tail, which +are never drawn nor trimmed, are decorated with feathers of birds; and +sometimes a warrior suspends at the breast of his horse the finest +ornaments he possesses. + +Thus armed and mounted, the Shoshonee is a formidable enemy, even with +the feeble weapons which he is still obliged to use. When they attack at +full speed, they bend forward, and cover their bodies with the shield, +while with the right hand they shoot under the horse's neck. + + +INDIAN HORSES AND RIDERS. + +They are so well supplied with horses, that every man, woman, and child +is mounted; and all they have is packed upon horses. Small children, not +more than three years old, are mounted alone, and generally upon colts. +They are tied upon the saddle to keep them from falling, especially when +they go to sleep, which they often do when they become fatigued. Then +they lie down upon the horse's shoulders; and, when they awake, they lay +hold of their whip, which is fastened to the wrist of their right hand, +and apply it smartly to their horses: and it is astonishing to see how +these little creatures will guide and run them. Children that are still +younger are put into an incasement made with a board at the back, and a +wicker-work around the other parts, covered with cloth inside and +without, or, more generally, with dressed skins; and they are carried +upon the mother's back, or suspended from a high knob upon the fore part +of their saddles. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CLARKE'S RIVER. + + +AUG. 31.--Capt. Lewis, during the absence of his brother-officer, had +succeeded in procuring from the Indians, by barter, twenty-nine +horses,--not quite one for each man. Capt. Clarke having now rejoined +us, and the weather being fine, we loaded our horses, and prepared to +start. We took our leave of the Shoshonees, and accompanied by the old +guide, his four sons, and another Indian, began the descent of the +river, which Capt. Clarke had named Lewis's River. After riding twelve +miles, we encamped on the bank; and, as the hunters had brought in three +deer early in the morning, we did not feel in want of provisions. + +On the 31st of August, we made eighteen miles. Here we left the track of +Capt. Clarke, and began to explore the new route recommended by the +Indian guide, and which was our last hope of getting out of the +mountains. + +During all day, we rode over hills, from which are many drains and small +streams, and, at the distance of eighteen miles, came to a large creek, +called Fish Creek, emptying into the main river, which is about six +miles from us. + +Sept. 2.--This morning, all the Indians left us, except the old guide, +who now conducted us up Fish Creek. We arrived shortly after at the +forks of the creek. The road we were following now turned in a contrary +direction to our course, and we were left without any track; but, as no +time was to be lost, we began to cut our road up the west branch of the +creek. This we effected with much difficulty. The thickets of trees and +brush through which we were obliged to cut our way required great labor. +Our course was over the steep and rocky sides of the hills, where the +horses could not move without danger of slipping down, while their feet +were bruised by the rocks, and stumps of trees. Accustomed as these +animals were to this kind of life, they suffered severely. Several of +them fell to some distance down the sides of the hills, some turned over +with the baggage, one was crippled, and two gave out exhausted with +fatigue. After crossing the creek several times, we had made five miles +with great labor, and encamped in a small, stony, low ground. It was +not, however, till after dark that the whole party was collected; and +then, as it rained, and we killed nothing, we passed an uncomfortable +night. We had been too busily occupied with the horses to make any +hunting excursion; and, though we saw many beaver-dams in the creek, we +saw none of the animals. + +Next day, our experiences were much the same, with the addition of a +fall of snow at evening. The day following, we reached the head of a +stream which directed its course more to the westward, and followed it +till we discovered a large encampment of Indians. When we reached them, +and alighted from our horses, we were received with great cordiality. A +council was immediately assembled, white robes were thrown over our +shoulders, and the pipe of peace introduced. After this ceremony, as it +was too late to go any farther, we encamped, and continued smoking and +conversing with the chiefs till a late hour. + +Next morning, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and informed them +who we were, and the purpose for which we visited their country. All +this was, however, conveyed to them in so many different languages, +that it was not comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded +to the more intelligible language of presents, and made four chiefs by +giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to each. We received in +turn, from the principal chiefs, a present, consisting of the skins of +an otter and two antelopes; and were treated by the women to some dried +roots and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and succeeded in +exchanging seven, and purchasing eleven. + +These Indians are a band of the Tushepaws, a numerous people of four +hundred and fifty tents, residing on the head waters of the Missouri and +Columbia Rivers, and some of them lower down the latter river. They +seemed kind and friendly, and willingly shared with us berries and +roots, which formed their only stock of provisions. Their only wealth is +their horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this band had +with them at least five hundred. + +We proceeded next day, and, taking a north-west direction, crossed, +within a distance of a mile and a half, a small river from the right. +This river is the main stream; and, when it reaches the end of the +valley, it is joined by two other streams. To the river thus formed we +gave the name of Clarke's River; he being the first white man who ever +visited its waters. + +We followed the course of the river, which is from twenty-five to thirty +yards wide, shallow, and stony, with the low grounds on its borders +narrow; and encamped on its right bank, after making ten miles. Our +stock of flour was now exhausted, and we had but little corn; and, as +our hunters had killed nothing except two pheasants, our supper +consisted chiefly of berries. + +The next day, and the next, we followed the river, which widened to +fifty yards, with a valley four or five miles broad. At ten miles from +our camp was a creek, which emptied itself on the west side of the +river. It was a fine bold creek of clear water, about twenty yards wide; +and we called it Traveller's Rest: for, as our guide told us we should +here leave the river, we determined to make some stay for the purpose of +collecting food, as the country through which we were to pass has no +game for a great distance. + +Toward evening, one of the hunters returned with three Indians whom he +had met. We found that they were Tushepaw Flatheads in pursuit of +strayed horses. We gave them some boiled venison and a few presents, +such as a fish hook, a steel to strike fire, and a little powder; but +they seemed better pleased with a piece of ribbon which we tied in the +hair of each of them. Their people, they said, were numerous, and +resided on the great river in the plain below the mountains. From that +place, they added, the river was navigable to the ocean. The distance +from this place is five "sleeps," or days' journeys. + +On resuming our route, we proceeded up the right side of the creek (thus +leaving Clarke's River), over a country, which, at first plain and good, +became afterwards as difficult as any we had yet traversed. + +We had now reached the sources of Traveller's-rest Creek, and followed +the road, which became less rugged. At our encampment this night, the +game having entirely failed us, we killed a colt, on which we made a +hearty supper. We reached the river, which is here eighty yards wide, +with a swift current and a rocky channel. Its Indian name is +Kooskooskee. + + +KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER. + +Sept. 16.--This morning, snow fell, and continued all day; so that by +evening it was six or eight inches deep. It covered the track so +completely, that we were obliged constantly to halt and examine, lest we +should lose the route. The road is, like that of yesterday, along steep +hillsides, obstructed with fallen timber, and a growth of eight +different species of pine, so thickly strewed, that the snow falls from +them upon us as we pass, keeping us continually wet to the skin. We +encamped in a piece of low ground, thickly timbered, but scarcely large +enough to permit us to lie level. We had made thirteen miles. We were +wet, cold, and hungry; yet we could not procure any game, and were +obliged to kill another horse for our supper. This want of provisions, +the extreme fatigue to which we were subjected, and the dreary prospect +before us, began to dispirit the men. They are growing weak, and losing +their flesh very fast. + +After three days more of the same kind of experience, on Friday, 20th +September, an agreeable change occurred. Capt. Clarke, who had gone +forward in hopes of finding game, came suddenly upon a beautiful open +plain partially stocked with pine. Shortly after, he discovered three +Indian boys, who, observing the party, ran off, and hid themselves in +the grass. Capt. Clarke immediately alighted, and, giving his horse and +gun to one of the men, went after the boys. He soon relieved their +apprehensions, and sent them forward to the village, about a mile off, +with presents of small pieces of ribbon. Soon after the boys had +reached home, a man came out to meet the party, with great caution; but +he conducted them to a large tent in the village, and all the +inhabitants gathered round to view with a mixture of fear and pleasure +the wonderful strangers. The conductor now informed Capt. Clarke, by +signs, that the spacious tent was the residence of the great chief, who +had set out three days ago, with all the warriors, to attack some of +their enemies towards the south-west; that, in the mean time, there were +only a few men left to guard the women and children. They now set before +them a small piece of buffalo-meat, some dried salmon, berries, and +several kinds of roots. Among these last was one which is round, much +like an onion in appearance, and sweet to the taste. It is called +_quamash_, and is eaten either in its natural state, or boiled into a +kind of soup, or made into a cake, which is called _pasheco_. After our +long abstinence, this was a sumptuous repast. We returned the kindness +of the people with a few small presents, and then went on, in company +with one of the chiefs, to a second village in the same plain, at a +distance of two miles. Here the party was treated with great kindness, +and passed the night. + +The two villages consist of about thirty double tents; and the people +call themselves Chopunnish, or Pierced-nose. The chief drew a chart of +the river on the sand, and explained that a greater chief than himself, +who governed this village, and was called the Twisted-hair, was now +fishing at the distance of half a day's ride down the river. His chart +made the Kooskooskee to fork a little below his camp, below which the +river passed the mountains. Here was a great fall of water, near which +lived white people, from whom they procured the white beads and brass +ornaments worn by the women. + +Capt. Clarke engaged an Indian to guide him to the Twisted-hair's camp. +For twelve miles, they proceeded through the plain before they reached +the river-hills, which are very high and steep. The whole valley from +these hills to the Rocky Mountains is a beautiful level country, with a +rich soil covered with grass. There is, however, but little timber, and +the ground is badly watered. The plain is so much sheltered by the +surrounding hills, that the weather is quite warm (Sept. 21), while the +cold of the mountains was extreme. + +From the top of the river-hills we descended for three miles till we +reached the water-side, between eleven and twelve o'clock at night. +Here we found a small camp of five women and three children; the chief +himself being encamped, with two others, on a small island in the river. +The guide called to him, and he came over. Capt. Clarke gave him a +medal, and they smoked together till one o'clock. + +Next day, Capt. Clarke passed over to the island with the Twisted-hair, +who seemed to be cheerful and sincere. The hunters brought in three +deer; after which Capt. Clarke left his party, and, accompanied by the +Twisted-hair and his son, rode back to the village, where he found Capt. +Lewis and his party just arrived. + +The plains were now crowded with Indians, who came to see the white men +and the strange things they brought with them; but, as our guide was a +perfect stranger to their language, we could converse by signs only. Our +inquiries were chiefly directed to the situation of the country. The +Twisted-hair drew a chart of the river on a white elk-skin. According to +this, the Kooskooskee forks a few miles from this place: two days' +journey towards the south is another and larger fork, on which the +Shoshonee Indians fish; five days' journey farther is a large river from +the north-west, into which Clarke's River empties itself. From the +junction with that river to the falls is five days' journey farther. On +all the forks, as well as on the main river, great numbers of Indians +reside; and at the falls are establishments of whites. This was the +story of the Twisted-hair. + +Provision here was abundant. We purchased a quantity of fish, berries, +and roots; and in the afternoon went on to the second village. We +continued our purchases, and obtained as much provision as our horses +could carry in their present weak condition. Great crowds of the natives +are round us all night; but we have not yet missed any thing, except a +knife and a few other small articles. + +Sept. 24.--The weather is fair. All round the village the women are +busily employed in gathering and dressing the pasheco-root, large +quantities of which are heaped up in piles all over the plain. + +We feel severely the consequence of eating heartily after our late +privations. Capt. Lewis and two of his men were taken very ill last +evening, and to-day he can hardly sit on his horse. Others could not +mount without help; and some were forced to lie down by the side of the +road for some time. + +Our situation rendered it necessary to husband our remaining strength; +and it was determined to proceed down the river in canoes. Capt. Clarke +therefore set out with Twisted-hair and two young men in quest of timber +for canoes. + +Sept. 27, 28, and 29.--Sickness continued. Few of the men were able to +work; yet preparations were made for making five canoes. A number of +Indians collect about us in the course of the day to gaze at the strange +appearance of every thing belonging to us. + +Oct. 4.--The men were now much better, and Capt. Lewis so far recovered +as to walk about a little. The canoes being nearly finished, it became +necessary to dispose of the horses. They were therefore collected to the +number of thirty-eight, and, being branded and marked, were delivered to +three Indians,--the two brothers and the son of a chief; the chief +having promised to accompany us down the river. To each of these men we +gave a knife and some small articles; and they agreed to take good care +of the horses till our return. + +We had all our saddles buried in a _cache_ near the river, about half a +mile below, and deposited at the same time a canister of powder and a +bag of balls. + + +THE VOYAGE DOWN THE KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER. + +Oct. 7.--This morning, all the canoes were put in the water, and loaded, +the oars fitted, and every preparation made for setting out. When we +were all ready, the chief who had promised to accompany us was not to be +found: we therefore proceeded without him. The Kooskooskee is a clear, +rapid stream, with a number of shoals and difficult places. This day and +the next, we made a distance of fifty miles. We passed several +encampments of Indians on the islands and near the rapids, which +situations are chosen as the most convenient for taking salmon. At one +of these camps we found the chief, who, after promising to descend the +river with us, had left us. He, however, willingly came on board, after +we had gone through the ceremony of smoking. + +Oct. 10.--A fine morning. We loaded the canoes, and set off at seven +o'clock. After passing twenty miles, we landed below the junction of a +large fork of the river, from the south. Our arrival soon attracted the +attention of the Indians, who flocked from all directions to see us. +Being again reduced to fish and roots, we made an experiment to vary our +food by purchasing a few dogs; and, after having been accustomed to +horse-flesh, felt no disrelish to this new dish. The Chopunnish have +great numbers of dogs, but never use them for food; and our feeding on +the flesh of that animal brought us into ridicule as dog-eaters. + +This southern branch is, in fact, the main stream of Lewis's River, on +whose upper waters we encamped when among the Shoshonees. At its mouth, +Lewis's River is about two hundred and fifty yards wide, and its water +is of a greenish-blue color. The Kooskooskee, whose waters are clear as +crystal, is one hundred and fifty yards in width; and, after the union, +the joint-stream extends to the width of three hundred yards. + +The Chopunnish, or Pierced-nose Indians, who reside on the Kooskooskee +and Lewis's Rivers, are in person stout, portly, well-looking men. The +women are small, with good features, and generally handsome, though the +complexion of both sexes is darker than that of the Tushepaws. In dress, +they resemble that nation, being fond of displaying their ornaments. The +buffalo or elk-skin robe, decorated with beads, sea-shells (chiefly +mother-of-pearl), attached to an otter-skin collar, is the dress of the +men. The same ornaments are hung in the hair, which falls in front in +two cues: they add feathers, paints of different colors (principally +white, green, and blue), which they find in their own country. In +winter, they wear a shirt of dressed skins; long, painted leggings, and +moccasons; and a plait of twisted grass round the neck. + +The dress of the women is more simple, consisting of a long shirt of the +mountain-sheep skin, reaching down to the ankles, without a girdle. To +this are tied little pieces of brass and shells, and other small +articles; but the head is not at all ornamented. + +The Chopunnish have few amusements; for their life is painful and +laborious, and all their exertions are necessary to earn a precarious +subsistence. During the summer and autumn, they are busily occupied in +fishing for salmon, and collecting their winter store of roots. In +winter, they hunt the deer on snow-shoes over the plains; and, towards +spring, cross the mountains to the Missouri in pursuit of the buffalo. + +The soil of these prairies is a light-yellow clay. It is barren, and +produces little more than a bearded grass about three inches high, and +the prickly-pear, of which we found three species. The first is the +broad-leaved kind, common to this river with the Missouri; the second +has a leaf of a globular form, and is also frequent on the upper part +of the Missouri; the third is peculiar to this country. It consists of +small, thick leaves of a circular form, which grow from the margin of +each other. These leaves are armed with a great number of thorns, which +are strong, and appear to be barbed. As the leaf itself is very slightly +attached to the stem, as soon as one thorn touches the moccason, it +adheres, and brings with it the leaf, which is accompanied with a +re-enforcement of thorns. This species was a greater annoyance on our +march than either of the others. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE KOOSKOOSKEE WITH LEWIS'S RIVER TO THE COLUMBIA. + + +From the mouth of the Kooskooskee to that of the Lewis is about a +hundred miles; which distance they descended in seven days. The +navigation was greatly impeded by rapids, which they passed with more or +less danger and difficulty; being greatly indebted to the assistance of +the Indians, as they thankfully acknowledge. Sometimes they were obliged +to unload their boats, and to carry them round by land. All these rapids +are fishing-places, greatly resorted to in the season. + +On the 17th of October (1805), having reached the junction of Lewis's +River with the Columbia, they found by observation that they were in +latitude 46° 15´, and longitude 119°. They measured the two rivers by +angles, and found, that, at the junction, the Columbia is 960 yards +wide; and Lewis's River, 575: but, below their junction, the joint +river is from one to three miles in width, including the islands. From +the point of junction, the country is a continued plain, rising +gradually from the water. There is through this plain no tree, and +scarcely any shrub, except a few willow-bushes; and, even of smaller +plants, there is not much besides the prickly-pear, which is abundant. + +In the course of the day, Capt. Clarke, in a small canoe, with two men, +ascended the Columbia. At the distance of five miles, he came to a small +but not dangerous rapid. On the bank of the river opposite to this is a +fishing-place, consisting of three neat houses. Here were great +quantities of salmon drying on scaffolds; and, from the mouth of the +river upwards, he saw immense numbers of dead salmon strewed along the +shore, or floating on the water. + +The Indians, who had collected on the banks to view him, now joined him +in eighteen canoes, and accompanied him up the river. A mile above the +rapids, he observed three houses of mats, and landed to visit them. On +entering one of the houses, he found it crowded with men, women, and +children, who immediately provided a mat for him to sit on; and one of +the party undertook to prepare something to eat. He began by bringing +in a piece of pine-wood that had drifted down the river, which he split +into small pieces with a wedge made of the elk's horn, by means of a +mallet of stone curiously carved. The pieces were then laid on the fire, +and several round stones placed upon them. One of the squaws now brought +a bucket of water, in which was a large salmon about half dried; and, as +the stones became heated, they were put into the bucket till the salmon +was sufficiently boiled. It was then taken out, put on a platter of +rushes neatly made, and laid before Capt. Clarke. Another was boiled for +each of his men. Capt. Clarke found the fish excellent. + +At another island, four miles distant, the inhabitants were occupied in +splitting and drying salmon. The multitudes of this fish are almost +inconceivable. The water is so clear, that they can readily be seen at +the depth of fifteen or twenty feet; but at this season they float in +such quantities down the stream, and are drifted ashore, that the +Indians have nothing to do but collect, split, and dry them. The Indians +assured him by signs that they often used dry fish as fuel for the +common occasions of cooking. The evening coming on, he returned to camp. + +Capt. Clarke, in the course of his excursion, shot several grouse and +ducks; also a prairie-cock,--a bird of the pheasant kind, about the size +of a small turkey. It measured, from the beak to the end of the toe, two +feet six inches; from the extremity of the wings, three feet six inches; +and the feathers of the tail were thirteen inches long. This bird we +have seen nowhere except upon this river. Its chief food is the +grasshopper, and the seeds of wild plants peculiar to this river and the +Upper Missouri. + + +ADVENTURE OF CAPT. CLARKE. + +Oct. 19.--Having resumed their descent of the Columbia, they came to a +very dangerous rapid. In order to lighten the boats, Capt. Clarke +landed, and walked to the foot of the rapid. Arriving there before +either of the boats, except a canoe, he sat down on a rock to wait for +them; and, seeing a crane fly across the river, shot it, and it fell +near him. Several Indians had been, before this, passing on the opposite +side; and some of them, alarmed at his appearance or the report of the +gun, fled to their houses. Capt. Clarke was afraid that these people +might not have heard that white men were coming: therefore, in order to +allay their uneasiness before the whole party should arrive, he got into +the canoe with three men, and rowed over towards the houses, and, while +crossing, shot a duck, which fell into the water. As he approached, no +person was to be seen, except three men; and they also fled as he came +near the shore. He landed before five houses close to each other; but no +person appeared: and the doors, which were of mat, were closed. He went +towards one of them with a pipe in his hand, and, pushing aside the mat, +entered the lodge, where he found thirty-two persons, men and women, +with a few children, all in the greatest consternation; some hanging +down their heads; others crying, and wringing their hands. He went up to +them all, and shook hands with them in the most friendly manner. Their +apprehensions gradually subsided, but revived on his taking out a +burning-glass (there being no roof to the lodge), and lighting his pipe. +Having at length restored some confidence by the gift of some small +presents, he visited some other houses, where he found the inhabitants +similarly affected. Confidence was not completely attained until the +boats arrived, and then the two chiefs who accompanied the party +explained the friendly intentions of the expedition. The sight of +Chaboneau's wife also dissipated any remaining doubts, as it is not the +practice among the Indians to allow women to accompany a war-party. + +To account for their fears, they told the two chiefs that they had seen +the white men fall from the sky. Having heard the report of Capt. +Clarke's rifle, and seen the birds fall, and not having seen him till +after the shot, they fancied that he had himself dropped from the +clouds. + +This belief was strengthened, when, on entering the lodge, he brought +down fire from heaven by means of his burning-glass. We soon convinced +them that we were only mortals; and, after one of our chiefs had +explained our history and objects, we all smoked together in great +harmony. + +Our encampment that night was on the river-bank opposite an island, on +which were twenty-four houses of Indians, all of whom were engaged in +drying fish. We had scarcely landed when about a hundred of them came +over to visit us, bringing with them a present of some wood, which was +very acceptable. We received them in as kind a manner as we could, +smoked with them, and gave the principal chief a string of wampum; but +the highest satisfaction they enjoyed was in the music of our two +violins, with which they seemed much delighted. They remained all night +at our fires. + + +AN INDIAN BURYING-PLACE. + +We walked to the head of the island for the purpose of examining a +vault, or burying-place, which we had remarked in coming along. The +place in which the dead are deposited is a building about sixty feet +long and twelve feet wide, formed by placing in the ground poles, or +forks, six feet high, across which a long pole is extended the whole +length of the structure. Against this ridge-pole are placed broad +boards, and pieces of wood, in a slanting direction, so as to form a +shed. The structure stands east and west, open at both ends. On entering +the western end, we observed a number of bodies wrapped carefully in +leather robes, and arranged in rows on boards, which were then covered +with a mat. This part of the building was destined for those who had +recently died. A little farther on, limbs, half decayed, were scattered +about; and in the centre of the building was a large pile of them heaped +promiscuously. At the eastern extremity was a mat, on which twenty-one +skulls were arranged in a circular form: the mode of interment being +first to wrap the body in robes; and, as it decays, the bones are thrown +into the heap, and the skulls placed together in order. From the +different boards and pieces of wood which form the vault were suspended +on the inside fishing-nets, baskets, wooden bowls, robes, skins, +trenchers, and trinkets of various kinds, intended as offerings of +affection to deceased relatives. On the outside of the vault were the +skeletons of several horses, and great quantities of bones in the +neighborhood, which induced us to believe that these animals were +sacrificed at the funeral-rites of their masters. + +In other parts of the route, the travellers found a different species of +cemetery. The dead were placed in canoes, and these canoes were raised +above the ground by a scaffolding of poles. The motive was supposed to +be to protect them from wild beasts. + + +FALLS OF THE COLUMBIA. + +About a hundred and fifty miles below the junction of Lewis's River, we +reached the Great Falls. At the commencement of the pitch, which +includes the falls, we landed, and walked down to examine them, and +ascertain on which side we could make a portage most easily. From the +lower end of the island, where the rapids begin, to the perpendicular +fall, is about two miles. Here the river contracts, when the water is +low, to a very narrow space; and, with only a short distance of swift +water, it makes its plunge twenty feet perpendicularly; after which it +rushes on, among volcanic rocks, through a channel four miles in length, +and then spreads out into a gentle, broad current. + +We will interrupt the narrative here to introduce from later travellers +some pictures of the remarkable region to which our explorers had now +arrived. It was not to be expected that Capts. Lewis and Clarke should +have taxed themselves, in their anxious and troubled march, to describe +natural wonders, however striking. + +Lieut. Frémont thus describes this remarkable spot:-- + + THE DALLES.--"In a few miles we descended to the river, which + we reached at one of its highly interesting features, known as + the Dalles of the Columbia. The whole volume of the river at + this place passes between the walls of a chasm, which has the + appearance of having been rent through the basaltic strata + which form the valley-rock of the region. At the narrowest + place, we found the breadth, by measurement, fifty-eight yards, + and the average height of the walls above the water twenty-five + feet, forming a trough between the rocks; whence the name, + probably applied by a Canadian voyageur." + +The same scene is described by Theodore Winthrop in his "Canoe and +Saddle:"-- + + "The Dalles of the Columbia, upon which I was now looking, + must be studied by the American Dante, whenever he comes, for + imagery to construct his Purgatory, if not his Inferno. At + Walla-walla, two great rivers, Clarke's and Lewis's, drainers + of the continent north and south, unite to form the Columbia. + It flows furiously for a hundred and twenty miles westward. + When it reaches the dreary region where the outlying ridges of + the Cascade chain commence, it finds a great, low surface, + paved with enormous polished sheets of basaltic rock. These + plates, in French, _dalles_, give the spot its name. The great + river, a mile wide not far above, finds but a narrow rift in + this pavement for its passage. The rift gradually draws its + sides closer, and, at the spot now called the Dalles, + subdivides into three mere slits in the sharp-edged rock. At + the highest water, there are other minor channels; but + generally this continental flood is cribbed and compressed + within its three chasms suddenly opening in the level floor, + each chasm hardly wider than a leap a hunted fiend might take." + +It is not easy to picture to one's self, from these descriptions, the +peculiar scenery of the Dalles. Frémont understands the name as +signifying a _trough_; while Winthrop interprets it as _plates_, or +_slabs_, of rock. The following description by Lieut. (now Gen.) Henry +L. Abbot, in his "Report of Explorations for a Railroad Route," &c., +will show that the term, in each of its meanings, is applicable to +different parts of the channel:-- + + "At the Dalles of the Columbia, the river rushes through a + chasm only about two hundred feet wide, with vertical, + basaltic sides, rising from twenty to thirty feet above the + water. Steep hills closely border the chasm, leaving in some + places scarcely room on the terrace to pass on horseback. The + water rushes through this basaltic trough with such violence, + that it is always dangerous, and in some stages of the water + impossible, for a boat to pass down. The contraction of the + river-bed extends for about three miles. Near the lower end of + it, the channel divides into several sluices, and then + gradually becomes broader, until, where it makes a great bend + to the south, it is over a quarter of a mile in width." + +After this interruption, the journal is resumed:-- + +"We soon discovered that the nearest route was on the right side, and +therefore dropped down to the head of the rapid, unloaded the canoes, +and took all the baggage over by land to the foot of the rapid. The +distance is twelve hundred yards, part of it over loose sands, +disagreeable to pass. The labor of crossing was lightened by the +Indians, who carried some of the heavy articles for us on their horses. +Having ascertained the best mode of bringing down the canoes, the +operation was conducted by Capt. Clarke, by hauling the canoes over a +point of land four hundred and fifty-seven yards to the water. One mile +farther down, we reached a pitch of the river, which, being divided by +two large rocks, descends with great rapidity over a fall eight feet in +height. As the boats could not be navigated down this steep descent, we +were obliged to land, and let them down as gently as possible by strong +ropes of elk-skin, which we had prepared for the purpose. They all +passed in safety, except one, which, being loosed by the breaking of the +ropes, was driven down, but was recovered by the Indians below." + +Our travellers had now reached what have since been called the Cascade +Mountains; and we must interrupt their narrative to give some notices of +this remarkable scenery from later explorers. We quote from Abbot's +Report:-- + + "There is great similarity in the general topographical + features of the whole Pacific slope. The Sierra Nevada in + California, and the Cascade range in Oregon, form a continuous + wall of mountains nearly parallel to the coast, and from one + hundred to two hundred miles distant from it. The main crest of + this range is rarely elevated less than six thousand feet above + the level of the sea, and many of its peaks tower into the + region of eternal snow." + +Lieut. Abbot thus describes a view of these peaks and of the Columbia +River:-- + + "At an elevation of five thousand feet above the sea, we stood + upon the summit of the pass. For days we had been struggling + blindly through dense forests; but now the surrounding country + lay spread out before us for more than a hundred miles. The + five grand snow-peaks, Mount St. Helens, Mount Ranier, Mount + Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, rose majestically above + a rolling sea of dark fir-covered ridges, some of which the + approaching winter had already begun to mark with white. On + every side, as far as the eye could reach, terrific convulsions + of Nature had recorded their fury; and not even a thread of + blue smoke from the camp-fire of a wandering savage disturbed + the solitude of the scene." + + THE COLUMBIA RIVER.--"The Columbia River forces its way through + the Cascade range by a pass, which, for wild and sublime + natural scenery, equals the celebrated passage of the Hudson + through the Highlands. For a distance of about fifty miles, + mountains covered with clinging spruces, firs, and pines, where + not too precipitous to afford even these a foothold, rise + abruptly from the water's edge to heights varying from one + thousand to three thousand feet. Vertical precipices of + columnar basalt are occasionally seen, rising from fifty to a + hundred feet above the river level. In other places, the long + mountain-walls of the river are divided by lateral cañons + (pronounced _canyons_), containing small tributaries, and + occasionally little open spots of good land, liable to be + overflowed at high water." + +CAÑONS.--The plains east of the Cascade Mountains, through the +whole extent of Oregon and California, are covered with a volcanic +deposit composed of trap, basalt, and other rocks of the same class. +This deposit is cleft by chasms often more than a thousand feet deep, +at the bottom of which there usually flows a stream of clear, cold +water. This is sometimes the only water to be procured for the distance +of many miles; and the traveller may be perishing with thirst while he +sees far below him a sparkling stream, from which he is separated by +precipices of enormous height and perpendicular descent. To chasms of +this nature the name of _cañons_ has been applied, borrowed from the +Spaniards of Mexico. We quote Lieut. Abbot's description of the cañon of +Des Chutes River, a tributary of the Columbia:-- + + "Sept. 30.--As it was highly desirable to determine accurately + the position and character of the cañon of Des Chutes River, I + started this morning with one man to follow down the creek to + its mouth, leaving the rest of the party in camp. Having + yesterday experienced the inconveniences of travelling in the + bottom of a cañon, I concluded to try to-day the northern + bluff. It was a dry, barren plain, gravelly, and sometimes + sandy, with a few bunches of grass scattered here and there. + Tracks of antelopes or deer were numerous. After crossing one + small ravine, and riding about five miles from camp, we found + ourselves on the edge of the vast cañon of the river, which, + far below us, was rushing through a narrow trough of basalt, + resembling the Dalles of the Columbia. We estimated the depth + of the cañon at a thousand feet. On each side, the precipices + were very steep, and marked in many places by horizontal lines + of vertical, basaltic columns, fifty or sixty feet in height. + The man who was with me rolled a large rock, shaped like a + grindstone, and weighing about two hundred pounds, from the + summit. It thundered down for at least a quarter of a + mile,--now over a vertical precipice, now over a steep mass of + detritus, until at length it plunged into the river with a + hollow roar, which echoed and re-echoed through the gorge for + miles. By ascending a slight hill, I obtained a fine view of + the surrounding country. The generally level character of the + great basaltic table-land around us was very manifest from this + point. Bounded on the west by the Cascade Mountains, the plain + extends far towards the south,--a sterile, treeless waste." + + THE CASCADES.--"About forty miles below the Dalles, all + navigation is suspended by a series of rapids called the + Cascades. The wild grandeur of this place surpasses + description. The river rushes furiously over a narrow bed + filled with bowlders, and bordered by mountains which echo back + the roar of the waters. The descent at the principal rapids is + thirty-four feet; and the total fall at the Cascades, sixty-one + feet. Salmon pass up the river in great numbers; and the + Cascades, at certain seasons of the year, are a favorite + fishing resort with the Indians, who build slight stagings over + the water's edge, and spear the fish, or catch them in rude + dip-nets, as they slowly force their way up against the + current." + +We now return to our travellers. + + +INDIAN MODE OF PACKING SALMON. + +Near our camp are five large huts of Indians engaged in drying fish, and +preparing it for market. The manner of doing this is by first opening +the fish, and exposing it to the sun on scaffolds. When it is +sufficiently dried, it is pounded between two stones till it is +pulverized, and is then placed in a basket, about two feet long and one +in diameter, neatly made of grass and rushes, and lined with the skin of +the salmon, stretched and dried for the purpose. Here they are pressed +down as hard as possible, and the top covered with skins of fish, which +are secured by cords through the holes of the basket. These baskets are +then placed in some dry situation, the corded part upwards; seven being +usually placed as close as they can be together, and five on the top of +them. The whole is then wrapped up in mats, and made fast by cords. +Twelve of these baskets, each of which contains from ninety to a hundred +pounds, form a stack, which is now left exposed till it is sent to +market. The fish thus preserved are kept sound and sweet for several +years; and great quantities of it, they inform us, are sent to the +Indians who live lower down the river, whence it finds its way to the +whites who visit the mouth of the Columbia. We observe, both near the +lodges and on the rocks in the river, great numbers of stacks of these +pounded fish. + +Beside the salmon, there are great quantities of salmon-trout, and +another smaller species of trout, which they save in another way. A hole +of any size being dug, the sides and bottom are lined with straw, over +which skins are laid. On these the fish, after being well dried, is +laid, covered with other skins, and the hole closed with a layer of +earth, twelve or fifteen inches deep. These supplies are for their +winter food. + +The stock of fish, dried and pounded, was so abundant, that Capt. Clarke +counted one hundred and seven stacks of them, making more than ten +thousand pounds. + + +THE INDIAN BOATMEN. + +The canoes used by these people are built of white cedar or pine, very +light, wide in the middle, and tapering towards the ends; the bow being +raised, and ornamented with carvings of the heads of animals. As the +canoe is the vehicle of transportation, the Indians have acquired great +dexterity in the management of it, and guide it safely over the roughest +waves. + +We had an opportunity to-day of seeing the boldness of the Indians. One +of our men shot a goose, which fell into the river, and was floating +rapidly towards the great shoot, when an Indian, observing it, plunged +in after it. The whole mass of the waters of the Columbia, just +preparing to descend its narrow channel, carried the bird down with +great rapidity. The Indian followed it fearlessly to within a hundred +and fifty feet of the rocks, where, had he arrived, he would inevitably +have been dashed to pieces; but, seizing his prey, he turned round, and +swam ashore with great composure. We very willingly relinquished our +right to the bird in favor of the Indian, who had thus secured it at the +hazard of his life. He immediately set to work, and picked off about +half the feathers, and then, without opening it, ran a stick through it, +and carried it off to roast. + + +INDIAN HOUSES. + +While the canoes were coming on, impeded by the difficulties of the +navigation, Capt. Clarke, with two men, walked down the river-shore, and +came to a village belonging to a tribe called Echeloots. The village +consisted of twenty-one houses, scattered promiscuously over an elevated +position. The houses were nearly equal in size, and of similar +construction. A large hole, twenty feet wide and thirty in length, is +dug to the depth of six feet. The sides are lined with split pieces of +timber in an erect position, rising a short distance above the surface +of the ground. These timbers are secured in their position by a pole, +stretched along the side of the building, near the eaves, supported by a +post at each corner. The timbers at the gable-ends rise higher, the +middle pieces being the tallest. Supported by these, there is a +ridge-pole running the whole length of the house, forming the top of the +roof. From this ridge-pole to the eaves of the house are placed a number +of small poles, or rafters, secured at each end by fibres of the cedar. +On these poles is laid a covering of white cedar or arbor-vitæ, kept on +by strands of cedar-fibres. A small distance along the whole length of +the ridge-pole is left uncovered for the admission of light, and to +permit the smoke to escape. The entrance is by a small door at the +gable-end, thirty inches high, and fourteen broad. Before this hole is +hung a mat; and on pushing it aside, and crawling through, the descent +is by a wooden ladder, made in the form of those used among us. + +One-half of the inside is used as a place of deposit for their dried +fish, and baskets of berries: the other half, nearest the door, remains +for the accommodation of the family. On each side are arranged, near the +walls, beds of mats, placed on platforms or bedsteads, raised about two +feet from the ground. In the middle of the vacant space is the fire, or +sometimes two or three fires, when, as is usually the case, the house +contains several families. + +The inhabitants received us with great kindness, and invited us to their +houses. On entering one of them, we saw figures of men, birds, and +different animals, cut and painted on the boards which form the sides of +the room, the figures uncouth, and the workmanship rough; but doubtless +they were as much esteemed by the Indians as our finest domestic +adornments are by us. The chief had several articles, such as scarlet +and blue cloth, a sword, a jacket, and hat, which must have been +procured from the whites. On one side of the room were two wide split +boards, placed together so as to make space for a rude figure of a man, +cut and painted on them. On pointing to this, and asking what it meant, +he said something, of which all we understood was "good," and then +stepped to the image, and brought out his bow and quiver, which, with +some other warlike implements, were kept behind it. The chief then +directed his wife to hand him his _Medicine-bag_, from which he brought +out fourteen fore-fingers, which he told us had once belonged to the +same number of his enemies. They were shown with great exultation; and +after an harangue, which we were left to presume was in praise of his +exploits, the fingers were carefully replaced among the valuable +contents of the red Medicine-bag. This bag is an object of religious +regard, and it is a species of sacrilege for any one but its owner to +touch it. + +In all the houses are images of men, of different shapes, and placed as +ornaments in the parts of the house where they are most likely to be +seen. + + +A SUBMERGED FOREST. + +Oct. 30.--The river is now about three-quarters of a mile wide, with a +current so gentle, that it does not exceed a mile and a half an hour; +but its course is obstructed by large rocks, which seem to have fallen +from the mountains. What is, however, most singular, is, that there are +stumps of pine-trees scattered to some distance in the river, which has +the appearance of having been dammed below, and forced to encroach on +the shore. + + NOTE. Rev. S. Parker says, "We noticed a remarkable + phenomenon,--trees standing in their natural position in the + river, where the water is twenty feet deep. In many places, + they were so numerous, that we had to pick our way with our + canoe as through a forest. The water is so clear, that I had an + opportunity of examining their position down to their spreading + roots, and found them in the same condition as when standing in + their native forest. It is evident that there has been an + uncommon subsidence of a tract of land, more than twenty miles + in length, and more than a mile in width. That the trees are + not wholly decayed down to low-water mark, proves that the + subsidence is comparatively of recent date; and their + undisturbed natural position proves that it took place in a + tranquil manner, not by any tremendous convulsion of Nature." + + +THE RIVER WIDENS.--THEY MEET THE TIDE. + +Nov. 2, 1805.--Longitude about 122°. At this point the first tidewater +commences, and the river widens to nearly a mile in extent. The low +grounds, too, become wider; and they, as well as the mountains on each +side, are covered with pine, spruce, cotton-wood, a species of ash, and +some alder. After being so long accustomed to the dreary nakedness of +the country above, the change is as grateful to the eye as it is useful +in supplying us with fuel. + +The ponds in the low grounds on each side of the river are resorted to +by vast quantities of fowls, such as swans, geese, brants, cranes, +storks, white gulls, cormorants, and plover. The river is wide, and +contains a great number of sea-otters. In the evening, the hunters +brought in game for a sumptuous supper, which we shared with the +Indians, great numbers of whom spent the night with us. During the +night, the tide rose eighteen inches near our camp. + + +A LARGE VILLAGE.--COLUMBIA VALLEY. + +Nov. 4.--Next day, we landed on the left bank of the river, at a village +of twenty-five houses. All of these were thatched with straw, and built +of bark, except one, which was about fifty feet long, built of boards, +in the form of those higher up the river; from which it differed, +however, in being completely above ground, and covered with broad split +boards. This village contains about two hundred men of the Skilloot +nation, who seem well provided with canoes, of which there were +fifty-two (some of them very large) drawn up in front of the village. + +On landing, we found an Indian from up the river, who had been with us +some days ago, and now invited us into a house, of which he appeared to +own a part. Here he treated us with a root, round in shape, about the +size of a small Irish potato, which they call _wappatoo_. It is the +common arrowhead, or sagittifolia, so much esteemed by the Chinese, +and, when roasted in the embers till it becomes soft, has an agreeable +taste, and is a very good substitute for bread. + +Here the ridge of low mountains running north-west and south-east +crosses the river, and forms the western boundary of the plain through +which we have just passed.[3] This great plain, or valley, is about +sixty miles wide in a straight line; while on the right and left it +extends to a great distance. It is a fertile and delightful country, +shaded by thick groves of tall timber, watered by small ponds, and lying +on both sides of the river. The soil is rich, and capable of any species +of culture; but, in the present condition of the Indians, its chief +production is the wappatoo-root, which grows spontaneously and +exclusively in this region. Sheltered as it is on both sides, the +temperature is much milder than that of the surrounding country. Through +its whole extent, it is inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians, who +either reside in it permanently, or visit its waters in quest of fish +and wappatoo-roots. We gave it the name of the Columbia Valley. + + +COFFIN ROCK. + +Among some interesting islands of basalt, there is one called Coffin +Rock, situated in the middle of the river, rising ten or fifteen feet +above high-freshet water. It is almost entirely covered with canoes, in +which the dead are deposited, which gives it its name. In the section of +country from Wappatoo Island to the Pacific Ocean, the Indians, instead +of committing their dead to the earth, deposit them in canoes; and these +are placed in such situations as are most secure from beasts of prey, +upon such precipices as this island, upon branches of trees, or upon +scaffolds made for the purpose. The bodies of the dead are covered with +mats, and split planks are placed over them. The head of the canoe is a +little raised, and at the foot there is a hole made for water to escape. + + +THEY REACH THE OCEAN. + +Next day we passed the mouth of a large river, a hundred and fifty yards +wide, called by the Indians Cowalitz. A beautiful, extensive plain now +presented itself; but, at the distance of a few miles, the hills again +closed in upon the river, so that we could not for several miles find a +place sufficiently level to fix our camp upon for the night. + +Thursday, Nov. 7.--The morning was rainy, and the fog so thick, that we +could not see across the river. We proceeded down the river, with an +Indian for our pilot, till, after making about twenty miles, the fog +cleared off, and we enjoyed the delightful prospect of the +OCEAN, the object of all our labors, the reward of all our +endurance. This cheering view exhilarated the spirits of all the party, +who listened with delight to the distant roar of the breakers. + +For ten days after our arrival at the coast, we were harassed by almost +incessant rain. On the 12th, a violent gale of wind arose, accompanied +with thunder, lightning, and hail. The waves were driven with fury +against the rocks and trees, which had till then afforded us a partial +defence. Cold and wet; our clothes and bedding rotten as well as wet; +the canoes, our only means of escape from the place, at the mercy of the +waves,--we were, however, fortunate enough to enjoy good health. + +Saturday, Nov. 16.--The morning was clear and beautiful. We put out our +baggage to dry, and sent several of the party to hunt. The camp was in +full view of the ocean. The wind was strong from the south-west, and +the waves very high; yet the Indians were passing up and down the bay in +canoes, and several of them encamped near us. The hunters brought in two +deer, a crane, some geese and ducks, and several brant. The tide rises +at this place eight feet six inches, and rolls over the beach in great +waves. + + +AN EXCURSION DOWN THE BAY. + +Capt. Clarke started on Monday, 18th November, on an excursion by land +down the bay, accompanied by eleven men. The country is low, open, and +marshy, partially covered with high pine and a thick undergrowth. At the +distance of about fifteen miles they reached the cape, which forms the +northern boundary of the river's mouth, called Cape Disappointment, so +named by Capt. Meares, after a fruitless search for the river. It is an +elevated circular knob, rising with a steep ascent a hundred and fifty +feet or more above the water, covered with thick timber on the inner +side, but open and grassy in the exposure next the sea. The opposite +point of the bay is a very low ground, about ten miles distant, called, +by Capt. Gray, Point Adams. + +The water for a great distance off the mouth of the river appears very +shallow; and within the mouth, nearest to Point Adams, there is a large +sand-bar, almost covered at high tide. We could not ascertain the +direction of the deepest channel; for the waves break with tremendous +force across the bay. + +Mr. Parker speaks more fully of this peculiarity of the river:-- + + "A difficulty of such a nature as is not easily overcome exists + in regard to the navigation of this river; which is, the + sand-bar at its entrance. It is about five miles, across the + bar, from Cape Disappointment out to sea. In no part of that + distance is the water upon the bar over eight fathoms deep, and + in one place only five, and the channel only about half a mile + in width. So wide and open is the ocean, that there is always a + heavy swell: and, when the wind is above a gentle breeze, there + are breakers quite across the bar; so that there is no passing + it, except when the wind and tide are both favorable. Outside + the bar, there is no anchorage; and there have been instances, + in the winter season, of ships lying off and on thirty days, + waiting for an opportunity to pass: and a good pilot is always + needed. High, and in most parts perpendicular, basaltic rocks + line the shores." + +The following is Theodore Winthrop's description of the Columbia, taken +from his "Canoe and Saddle:"-- + + "A wall of terrible breakers marks the mouth of the + Columbia,--Achilles of rivers. + + "Other mighty streams may swim feebly away seaward, may sink + into foul marshes, may trickle through the ditches of an oozy + delta, may scatter among sand-bars the currents that once moved + majestic and united; but to this heroic flood was destined a + short life and a glorious one,--a life all one strong, + victorious struggle, from the mountains to the sea. It has no + infancy: two great branches collect its waters up and down the + continent. They join, and the Columbia is born--to full + manhood. It rushes forward jubilant through its magnificent + chasm, and leaps to its death in the Pacific." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Since called the Coast range. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WINTER-QUARTERS. + + +November, 1805.--Having now examined the coast, it becomes necessary to +decide on the spot for our winter-quarters. We must rely chiefly for +subsistence upon our arms, and be guided in the choice of our residence +by the supply of game which any particular spot may offer. The Indians +say that the country on the opposite side of the river is better +supplied with elk,--an animal much larger, and more easily killed, than +the deer, with flesh more nutritive, and a skin better fitted for +clothing. The neighborhood of the sea is, moreover, recommended by the +facility of supplying ourselves with salt, and the hope of meeting some +of the trading-vessels, which are expected about three months hence, +from which we may procure a fresh supply of trinkets for our journey +homewards. These considerations induced us to determine on visiting the +opposite side of the bay; and, if there was an appearance of plenty of +game, to establish ourselves there for the winter. + +Monday, 25th November, we set out; but, as the wind was too high to +suffer us to cross the river, we kept near the shore, watching for a +favorable change. On leaving our camp, seven Clatsops in a canoe +accompanied us, but, after going a few miles, left us, and steered +straight across through immense, high waves, leaving us in admiration at +the dexterity with which they threw aside each wave as it threatened to +come over their canoe. + +Next day, with a more favorable wind, we began to cross the river. We +passed between some low, marshy islands, and reached the south side of +the Columbia, and landed at a village of nine large houses. Soon after +we landed, three Indians came down from the village with wappatoo-roots, +which we purchased with fish-hooks. + +We proceeded along the shore till we came to a remarkable knob of land +projecting about a mile and a half into the bay, about four miles round, +while the neck of land which unites it to the main is not more than +fifty yards across. We went round this projection, which we named Point +William; but the waves then became so high, that we could not venture +any farther, and therefore landed on a beautiful shore of pebbles of +various colors, and encamped near an old Indian hut on the isthmus. + + +DISCOMFORTS. + +Nov. 27.--It rained hard all next day, and the next, attended with a +high wind from the south-west. It was impossible to proceed on so rough +a sea. We therefore sent several men to hunt, and the rest of us +remained during the day in a situation the most cheerless and +uncomfortable. On this little neck of land, we are exposed, with a +miserable covering which does not deserve the name of a shelter, to the +violence of the winds. All our bedding and stores are completely wet, +our clothes rotting with constant exposure, and no food except the dried +fish brought from the falls, to which we are again reduced. The hunters +all returned hungry, and drenched with rain; having seen neither deer +nor elk, and the swans and brants too shy to be approached. At noon, the +wind shifted to the north-west, and blew with such fury, that many trees +were blown down near us. The gale lasted with short intervals during the +whole night; but towards morning the wind lulled, though the rain +continued, and the waves were still high. + +30th.--The hunters met with no better success this day and the next, and +the weather continued rainy. But on Monday, 2d December, one of the +hunters killed an elk at the distance of six miles from the camp, and a +canoe was sent to bring it. This was the first elk we had killed on the +west side of the Rocky Mountains; and, condemned as we have been to the +dried fish, it forms a most acceptable food. + +The rain continued, with brief interruptions, during the whole month of +December. There were occasional falls of snow, but no frost or ice. + + +WINTER-QUARTERS. + +Capt. Lewis returned from an excursion down the bay, having left two of +his men to guard six elks and five deer which the party had shot. He had +examined the coast, and found a river a short distance below, on which +we might encamp for the winter, with a sufficiency of elk for our +subsistence within reach. This information was very satisfactory, and we +decided on going thither as soon as we could move from the point; but it +rained all night and the following day. + +Saturday, 7th December, 1805, was fair. We therefore loaded our canoes, +and proceeded: but the tide was against us, and the waves very high; so +that we were obliged to proceed slowly and cautiously. We at length +turned a point, and found ourselves in a deep bay. Here we landed for +breakfast, and were joined by a party sent out three days ago to look +for the six elk. After breakfast, we coasted round the bay, which is +about four miles across, and receives two rivers. We called it +Meriwether's Bay, from the Christian name of Capt. Lewis, who was, no +doubt, the first white man who surveyed it. On reaching the south side +of the bay, we ascended one of the rivers for three miles to the first +point of highland, on its western bank, and formed our camp in a thick +grove of lofty pines about two hundred yards from the water, and thirty +feet above the level of the high tides. + + +THE CLATSOPS AT HOME. + +Capt. Clarke started on an expedition to the seashore, to fix upon a +place for the salt-works. He took six men with him; but three of them +left in pursuit of a herd of elk. He met three Indians loaded with fresh +salmon, which they had taken, and were returning to their village, +whither they invited him to accompany them. He agreed; and they brought +out a canoe hid along the bank of a creek. Capt. Clarke and his party +got on board, and in a short time were landed at the village, consisting +of twelve houses, inhabited by twelve families of Clatsops. These houses +were on the south exposure of a hill, and sunk about four feet deep into +the ground; the walls, roof, and gable-ends being formed of split-pine +boards; the descent through a small door down a ladder. There were two +fires in the middle of the room, and the beds disposed round the walls, +two or three feet from the floor, so as to leave room under them for +their bags, baskets, and household articles. The floor was covered with +mats. + +Capt. Clarke was received with much attention. As soon as he entered, +clean mats were spread, and fish, berries, and roots set before him on +small, neat platters of rushes. After he had eaten, the men of the other +houses came and smoked with him. They appeared much neater in their +persons than Indians generally are. + +Towards evening, it began to rain and blow violently; and Capt. Clarke +therefore determined to remain during the night. When they thought his +appetite had returned, an old woman presented him, in a bowl made of +light-colored horn, a kind of sirup, pleasant to the taste, made from a +species of berry common in this country, about the size of a cherry, +called by the Indians _shelwel_. Of these berries a bread is also +prepared, which, being boiled with roots, forms a soup, which was served +in neat wooden trenchers. This, with some cockles, was his repast. + +The men of the village now collected, and began to gamble. The most +common game was one in which one of the company was banker, and played +against all the rest. He had a piece of bone about the size of a large +bean; and, having agreed with any one as to the value of the stake, he +would pass the bone with great dexterity from one hand to the other, +singing at the same time to divert the attention of his adversary. Then, +holding up his closed hands, his antagonist was challenged to say in +which of them the bone was, and lost or won as he pointed to the right +or wrong hand. + +To this game of hazard they abandon themselves with great ardor. +Sometimes every thing they possess is sacrificed to it; and this evening +several of the Indians lost all the beads which they had with them. + +This lasted for three hours; when, Capt. Clarke appearing disposed to +sleep, the man who had been most attentive, and whose name was Cuskalah, +spread two new mats by the fire; and, ordering his wife to retire to her +own bed, the rest of the company dispersed at the same time. Capt. +Clarke then lay down, and slept as well as the fleas would permit him. + +Next morning was cloudy, with some rain. He walked on the seashore, and +observed the Indians walking up and down, and examining the shore. He +was at a loss to understand their object till one of them explained that +they were in search of fish, which are thrown on shore by the tide; +adding, in English, "Sturgeon is good." There is every reason to suppose +that these Clatsops depend for their subsistence during the winter +chiefly on the fish thus casually thrown on the coast. + +After amusing himself for some time on the beach, Capt. Clarke returned +toward the village. One of the Indians asked him to shoot a duck which +he pointed out. He did so; and, having accidentally shot off its head, +the bird was brought to the village, and all the Indians came round in +astonishment. They examined the duck, the musket, and the very small +bullet (a hundred to the pound); and then exclaimed in their language, +"Good musket: don't understand this kind of musket." + +They now placed before him their best roots, fish, and sirup; after +which he bought some berry-bread and a few roots in exchange for +fish-hooks, and then set out to return by the same route by which he +came. He was accompanied by Cuskalah and his brother part of the way, +and proceeded to the camp through a heavy rain. The party had been +occupied during his absence in cutting down trees and in hunting. + +Next day, two of our hunters returned with the pleasing intelligence of +their having killed eighteen elk about six miles off. Our huts begin to +rise; for, though it rains all day, we continue our labors, and are glad +to find that the beautiful balsam-pine splits into excellent boards more +than two feet in width. + +Dec. 15.--Capt. Clarke, with sixteen men, set out in three canoes to get +the elk which were killed. After landing as near the spot as possible, +the men were despatched in small parties to bring in the game; each man +returning with a quarter of an animal. It was accomplished with much +labor and suffering; for the rain fell incessantly. + + +THE FORT COMPLETED. + +We now had the meat-house covered, and all our game carefully hung up in +small pieces. Two days after, we covered in four huts. Five men were +sent out to hunt, and five others despatched to the seaside, each with a +large kettle, in order to begin the manufacture of salt. The rest of the +men were employed in making pickets and gates for our fort. + +Dec. 31.--As if it were impossible to have twenty-four hours of pleasant +weather, the sky last evening clouded up, and the rain began, and +continued through the day. In the morning, there came down two +canoes,--one from the Wahkiacum village; the other contained three men +and a squaw of the Skilloot nation. They brought wappatoo and shanatac +roots, dried fish, mats made of flags and rushes, dressed elk-skins, and +tobacco, for which, particularly the skins, they asked an extravagant +price. We purchased some wappatoo and a little tobacco, very much like +that we had seen among the Shoshonees, put up in small, neat bags made +of rushes. These we obtained in exchange for a few articles, among which +fish-hooks are the most esteemed. One of the Skilloots brought a gun +which wanted some repair; and, when we had put it in order, we received +from him a present of about a peck of wappatoo. We then gave him a piece +of sheepskin and blue cloth to cover the lock, and he very thankfully +offered a further present of roots. There is an obvious superiority of +these Skilloots over the Wahkiacums, who are intrusive, thievish, and +impertinent. Our new regulations, however, and the appearance of the +sentinel, have improved the behavior of all our Indian visitors. They +left the fort before sunset, even without being ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A NEW YEAR. + + +We were awaked at an early hour by the discharge of a volley of +small-arms to salute the new year. This is the only way of doing honor +to the day which our situation admits; for our only dainties are boiled +elk and wappatoo, enlivened by draughts of water. + +Next day, we were visited by the chief, Comowool, and six Clatsops. +Besides roots and berries, they brought for sale three dogs. Having been +so long accustomed to live on the flesh of dogs, the most of us have +acquired a fondness for it; and any objection to it is overcome by +reflecting, that, while we subsisted on that food, we were fatter, +stronger, and in better health, than at any period since leaving the +buffalo country, east of the mountains. + +The Indians also brought with them some whale's blubber, which they +obtained, they told us, from their neighbors who live on the sea-coast, +near one of whose villages a whale has recently been thrown and +stranded. It was white, and not unlike the fat of pork, though of a more +porous and spongy texture; and, on being cooked, was found to be tender +and palatable, in flavor resembling the flesh of the beaver. + +Two of the five men who were despatched to make salt returned. They had +formed an establishment about fifteen miles south-west of our fort, near +some scattered houses of the Clatsops, where they erected a comfortable +camp, and had killed a stock of provisions. They brought with them a +gallon of the salt of their manufacture, which was white, fine, and very +good. It proves to be a most agreeable addition to our food; and, as +they can make three or four quarts a day, we have a prospect of a +plentiful supply. + + +THE WHALE. + +The appearance of the whale seemed to be a matter of importance to all +the neighboring Indians; and in hopes that we might be able to procure +some of it for ourselves, or at least purchase some from the Indians, a +small parcel of merchandise was prepared, and a party of men got in +readiness to set out in the morning. As soon as this resolution was +known, Chaboneau and his wife requested that they might be permitted to +accompany us. The poor woman urged very earnestly that she had travelled +a great way with us to see the great water, yet she had never been down +to the coast; and, now that this monstrous fish also was to be seen, it +seemed hard that she should not be permitted to see either the ocean or +the whale. So reasonable a request could not be denied: they were +therefore suffered to accompany Capt. Clarke, who next day, after an +early breakfast, set out with twelve men in two canoes. + +He proceeded down the river on which we are encamped into Meriwether +Bay; from whence he passed up a creek three miles to some high, open +land, where he found a road. He there left the canoes, and followed the +path over deep marshes to a pond about a mile long. Here they saw a herd +of elk; and the men were divided into small parties, and hunted them +till after dark. Three of the elk were wounded; but night prevented our +taking more than one, which was brought to the camp, and cooked with +some sticks of pine which had drifted down the creeks. The weather was +beautiful, the sky clear, and the moon shone brightly,--a circumstance +the more agreeable, as this is the first fair evening we have enjoyed +for two months. + +Thursday, Jan. 2.--There was a frost this morning. We rose early, and +taking eight pounds of flesh, which was all that remained of the elk, +proceeded up the south fork of the creek. At the distance of two miles +we found a pine-tree, which had been felled by one of our salt-makers, +on which we crossed the deepest part of the creek, and waded through the +rest. We then went over an open, ridgy prairie, three-quarters of a mile +to the sea-beach; after following which for three miles, we came to the +mouth of a beautiful river, with a bold, rapid current, eighty-five +yards wide, and three feet deep in its shallowest crossings. On its +north-east side are the remains of an old village of Clatsops, inhabited +by only a single family, who appeared miserably poor and dirty. We gave +the man two fish-hooks to ferry the party over the river, which, from +the tribe on its banks, we called Clatsop River. The creek which we had +passed on a tree approaches this river within about a hundred yards, +and, by means of a portage, supplies a communication with the villages +near Point Adams. + +After going on for two miles, we found the salt-makers encamped near +four houses of Clatsops and Killimucks, who, though poor and dirty, +seemed kind and well-disposed. We persuaded a young Indian, by the +present of a file and a promise of some other articles, to guide us to +the spot where the whale lay. He led us for two and a half miles over +the round, slippery stones at the foot of a high hill projecting into +the sea, and then, suddenly stopping, and uttering the word "peshack," +or bad, explained by signs that we could no longer follow the coast, but +must cross the mountain. This threatened to be a most laborious +undertaking; for the side was nearly perpendicular, and the top lost in +clouds. He, however, followed an Indian path, which wound along, and +favored the ascent as much as possible; but it was so steep, that, at +one place, we were forced to draw ourselves up for about a hundred feet +by means of bushes and roots. + + +CLARKE'S POINT OF VIEW. + +At length, after two hours' labor, we reached the top of the mountain, +where we looked down with astonishment on the height of ten or twelve +hundred feet which we had ascended. We were here met by fourteen Indians +loaded with oil and blubber, the spoils of the whale, which they were +carrying in very heavy burdens over this rough mountain. On leaving +them, we proceeded over a bad road till night, when we encamped on a +small run. We were all much fatigued: but the weather was pleasant; +and, for the first time since our arrival here, an entire day has passed +without rain. + +In the morning we set out early, and proceeded to the top of the +mountain, the highest point of which is an open spot facing the ocean. +It is situated about thirty miles south-east of Cape Disappointment, and +projects nearly two and a half miles into the sea. Here one of the most +delightful views imaginable presents itself. Immediately in front is the +ocean, which breaks with fury on the coast, from the rocks of Cape +Disappointment as far as the eye can discern to the north-west, and +against the highlands and irregular piles of rock which diversify the +shore to the south-east. To this boisterous scene, the Columbia, with +its tributary waters, widening into bays as it approaches the ocean, and +studded on both sides with the Chinook and Clatsop villages, forms a +charming contrast; while immediately beneath our feet are stretched rich +prairies, enlivened by three beautiful streams, which conduct the eye to +small lakes at the foot of the hills. We stopped to enjoy the romantic +view from this place, which we distinguished by the name of Clarke's +Point of View, and then followed our guide down the mountain. + + +THE WHALE. + +The descent was steep and dangerous. In many places, the hillsides, +which are formed principally of yellow clay, have been loosened by the +late rains, and are slipping into the sea in large masses of fifty and a +hundred acres. In other parts, the path crosses the rugged, +perpendicular, basaltic rocks which overhang the sea, into which a false +step would have precipitated us. + +The mountains are covered with a very thick growth of timber, chiefly +pine and fir; some trees of which, perfectly sound and solid, rise to +the height of two hundred and ten feet, and are from eight to twelve in +diameter. Intermixed is the white cedar, or arbor-vitæ, and some trees +of black alder, two or three feet thick, and sixty or seventy in height. +At length we reached the sea-level, and continued for two miles along +the sand-beach, and soon after reached the place where the waves had +thrown the whale on shore. The animal had been placed between two +villages of Killimucks; and such had been their industry, that there now +remained nothing but the skeleton, which we found to be a hundred and +five feet in length. Capt. Clarke named the place Ecola, or Whale +Creek. + +The natives were busied in boiling the blubber in a large square trough +of wood by means of heated stones, preserving the oil thus extracted in +bladders and the entrails of the whale. The refuse pieces of the +blubber, which still contained a portion of oil, were hung up in large +flitches, and, when wanted for use, were warmed on a wooden spit before +the fire, and eaten, either alone, or with roots of the rush and +shanatac. The Indians, though they had great quantities, parted with it +very reluctantly, at such high prices, that our whole stock of +merchandise was exhausted in the purchase of about three hundred pounds +of blubber and a few gallons of oil. + +Next morning was fine, the wind from the north-east; and, having divided +our stock of the blubber, we began at sunrise to retrace our steps in +order to reach our encampment, which we called Fort Clatsop, thirty-five +miles distant, with as little delay as possible. We met several parties +of Indians on their way to trade for blubber and oil with the +Killimucks: we also overtook a party returning from the village, and +could not but regard with astonishment the heavy loads which the women +carry over these fatiguing and dangerous paths. As one of the women was +descending a steep part of the mountain, her load slipped from her back; +and she stood holding it by a strap with one hand, and with the other +supporting herself by a bush. Capt. Clarke, being near her, undertook to +replace the load, and found it almost as much as he could lift, and +above one hundred pounds in weight. Loaded as they were, they kept pace +with us till we reached the salt-makers' camp, where we passed the +night, while they continued their route. + +Next day, we proceeded across Clatsop River to the place where we had +left our canoes, and, as the tide was coming in, immediately embarked +for the fort, at which place we arrived about ten o'clock at night. + + +DREWYER, THE HUNTER. + +Jan. 12, 1806.--Two hunters had been despatched in the morning; and one +of them, Drewyer, had, before evening, killed seven elks. We should +scarcely be able to subsist, were it not for the exertions of this +excellent hunter. The game is scarce; and none is now to be seen except +elk, which, to almost all the men, are very difficult to be procured. +But Drewyer, who is the offspring of a Canadian Frenchman and an Indian +woman, has passed his life in the woods, and unites in a wonderful +degree the dexterous aim of the frontier huntsman with the sagacity of +the Indian in pursuing the faintest tracks through the forest. All our +men have indeed become so expert with the rifle, that, when there is +game of any kind, we are almost certain of procuring it. + +Monday, Jan. 13.--Capt. Lewis took all the men who could be spared, and +brought in the seven elk, which they found untouched by the wolves. The +last of the candles which we brought with us being exhausted, we now +began to make others of elk-tallow. We also employed ourselves in +jerking the meat of the elk. We have three of the canoes drawn up out of +the reach of the water, and the other secured by a strong cord, so as to +be ready for use if wanted. + +Jan. 16.--To-day we finished curing our meat; and having now a plentiful +supply of elk and salt, and our houses dry and comfortable, we wait +patiently for the moment of resuming our journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WINTER LIFE. + + +Jan. 18, 1806.--We are all occupied in dressing skins, and preparing +clothes for our journey homewards. This morning, we sent out two parties +of hunters in different directions. We were visited by three Clatsops, +who came merely for the purpose of smoking and conversing with us. + +Jan. 21.--Two of the hunters came back with three elks, which form a +timely addition to our stock of provision. The Indian visitors left us +at twelve o'clock. + +The Clatsops and other nations have visited us with great freedom. +Having acquired much of their language, we are enabled, with the +assistance of gestures, to hold conversations with great ease. We find +them inquisitive and loquacious; by no means deficient in acuteness. +They are generally cheerful, but seldom gay. Every thing they see +excites their attention and inquiries. + +Their treatment of women and old men depends very much on the usefulness +of these classes. Thus, among the Clatsops and Chinooks, who live upon +fish and roots, which the women are equally expert with the men in +procuring, the women have a rank and influence far greater than they +have among the hunting tribes. On many subjects their judgments and +opinions are respected; and, in matters of trade, their advice is +generally asked and followed. So with the old men: when one is unable to +pursue the chase, his counsels may compensate for his want of activity; +but in the next state of infirmity, when he can no longer travel from +camp to camp as the tribe roams about for subsistence, he is found to be +a burden. In this condition they are abandoned among the Sioux and other +hunting-tribes of the Missouri. As the tribe are setting out for some +new excursion where the old man is unable to follow, his children or +nearest relations place before him a piece of meat and some water; and +telling him that he has lived long enough, that it is now time for him +to go home to his relations, who can take better care of him than his +friends on earth, they leave him without remorse to perish, when his +little supply is exhausted. + +Though this is doubtless true as a general rule, yet, in the villages of +the Minnetarees and Ricaras, we saw no want of kindness to old men: on +the contrary, probably because in villages the more abundant means of +subsistence renders such cruelty unnecessary, the old people appeared to +be treated with attention; and some of their feasts, particularly the +buffalo-dances, were intended chiefly as an occasion of contribution for +the old and infirm. + + +FLATHEAD INDIANS. + +The custom of flattening the head by artificial pressure during infancy +prevails among all the nations we have seen west of the Rocky Mountains. +To the east of that barrier the fashion is so perfectly unused, that +they designate the western Indians, of whatever tribe, by the common +name of Flatheads. The practice is universal among the Killimucks, +Clatsops, Chinooks, and Cathlamahs,--the four nations with whom we have +had most intercourse. Soon after the birth of her child, the mother +places it in the compressing-frame, where it is kept for ten or twelve +months. The operation is so gradual, that it is not attended with pain. +The heads of the children, when they are released from the bandage, are +not more than two inches thick about the upper edge of the forehead: +nor, with all its efforts, can nature ever restore their shape; the +heads of grown persons being often in a straight line from the tip of +the nose to the top of the forehead. + + +TEMPERANCE.--GAMBLING. + +Their houses usually contain several families, consisting of parents, +sons and daughters, daughters-in-law and grand-children, among whom the +provisions are in common, and harmony seldom interrupted. As these +families gradually expand into tribes, or nations, the paternal +authority is represented by the chief of each association. The +chieftainship is not hereditary: the chief's ability to render service +to his neighbors, and the popularity which follows it, is the foundation +of his authority, which does not extend beyond the measure of his +personal influence. + +The harmony of their private life is protected by their ignorance of +spirituous liquors. Although the tribes near the coast have had so much +intercourse with the whites, they do not appear to possess any +knowledge of those dangerous luxuries; at least, they have never +inquired of us for them. Indeed, we have not observed any liquor of an +intoxicating quality used among any Indians west of the Rocky Mountains; +the universal beverage being pure water. They, however, almost +intoxicate themselves by smoking tobacco, of which they are excessively +fond. But the common vice of all these people is an attachment to games +of chance, which they pursue with a ruinous avidity. The game of the +pebble has already been described. Another game is something like the +play of ninepins. Two pins are placed on the floor, about the distance +of a foot from each other, and a small hole made in the earth behind +them. The players then go about ten feet from the hole, into which they +try to roll a small piece resembling the men used at checkers. If they +succeed in putting it into the hole, they win the stake. If the piece +rolls between the pins, but does not go into the hole, nothing is won or +lost; but the wager is lost if the checker rolls outside the pins. +Entire days are wasted at these games, which are often continued through +the night round the blaze of their fires, till the last article of +clothing or the last blue bead is lost and won. + + +TREES. + +The whole neighborhood of the coast is supplied with great quantities of +excellent timber. The predominant growth is the fir, of which we have +seen several species. The first species grows to an immense size, and is +very commonly twenty-seven feet in circumference, six feet above the +earth's surface. They rise to the height of two hundred and thirty feet, +and one hundred and twenty of that height without a limb. We have often +found them thirty-six feet in circumference. One of our party measured +one, and found it to be forty-two feet in circumference at a point +beyond the reach of an ordinary man. This tree was perfectly sound; and, +at a moderate calculation, its height may be estimated at three hundred +feet. + +The second is a much more common species, and constitutes at least +one-half of the timber in this neighborhood. It resembles the spruce, +rising from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty feet; and is +from four to six feet in diameter, straight, round, and regularly +tapering. + +The stem of the black alder arrives at a great size. It is sometimes +found growing to the height of sixty or seventy feet, and is from two to +four in diameter. + +There is a tree, common on the Columbia River, much resembling the ash, +and another resembling the white maple, though much smaller. + +The undergrowth consists of honeysuckle, alder, whortleberry, a plant +like the mountain-holly, green brier, and fern. + + +ANIMALS. + +The beaver of this country is large and fat: the flesh is very +palatable, and, at our table, was a real luxury. On the 7th of January, +our hunter found a beaver in his trap, of which he made a bait for +taking others. This bait will entice the beaver to the trap as far as he +can smell it; and this may be fairly stated to be at the distance of a +mile, as their sense of smelling is very acute. + +The sea-otter resides only on the sea-coast or in the neighborhood of +the salt water. When fully grown, he attains to the size of a large +mastiff dog. The ears, which are not an inch in length, are thick, +pointed, fleshy, and covered with short hair; the tail is ten inches +long, thick at the point of insertion, and partially covered with a deep +fur on the upper side; the legs are very short, covered with fur, and +the feet with short hair. The body of this animal is long, and of the +same thickness throughout. From the extremity of the tail to the nose, +they measure five feet. The color is a uniform dark brown, and when in +good condition, and in season, perfectly black. This animal is +unrivalled for the beauty, richness, and softness of his fur. The inner +part of the fur, when opened, is lighter than the surface in its natural +position. There are some black and shining hairs intermixed with the +fur, which are rather longer, and add much to its beauty. + + +HORSES AND DOGS. + +The horse is confined chiefly to the nations inhabiting the great plains +of the Columbia, extending from latitude forty to fifty north, and +occupying the tract of country lying between the Rocky Mountains and a +range of mountains which crosses the Columbia River about the great +falls. In this region they are very numerous. + +They appear to be of an excellent race, lofty, well formed, active, and +enduring. Many of them appear like fine English coursers. Some of them +are pied, with large spots of white irregularly scattered, and +intermixed with a dark-brown bay. The greater part, however, are of a +uniform color, marked with stars, and white feet. The natives suffer +them to run at large in the plains, the grass of which affords them +their only winter subsistence; their masters taking no trouble to lay in +a winter's store for them. They will, nevertheless, unless much +exercised, fatten on the dry grass afforded by the plains during the +winter. The plains are rarely moistened by rain, and the grass is +consequently short and thin. + +Whether the horse was originally a native of this country or not, the +soil and climate appear to be perfectly well adapted to his nature. +Horses are said to be found wild in many parts of this country. + +The dog is small, about the size of an ordinary cur. He is usually +party-colored; black, white, brown, and brindle being the colors most +predominant. The head is long, the nose pointed, the eyes small, the +ears erect and pointed like those of the wolf. The hair is short and +smooth, excepting on the tail, where it is long and straight, like that +of the ordinary cur-dog. The natives never eat the flesh of this animal, +and he appears to be in no other way serviceable to them but in hunting +the elk. To us, on the contrary, it has now become a favorite food; for +it is found to be a strong, healthy diet, preferable to lean deer or +elk, and much superior to horse-flesh in any state. + + +BURROWING SQUIRREL. + +There are several species of squirrels not different from those found in +the Atlantic States. There is also a species of squirrel, evidently +distinct, which we denominate the burrowing squirrel. He measures one +foot five inches in length, of which the tail comprises two and a half +inches only. The neck and legs are short; the ears are likewise short, +obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head. The eyes are of a moderate +size, the pupil black, and the iris of a dark, sooty brown. The teeth, +and indeed the whole contour, resemble those of the squirrel. + +These animals associate in large companies, occupying with their burrows +sometimes two hundred acres of land. The burrows are separate, and each +contains ten or twelve of these inhabitants. There is a little mound in +front of the hole, formed of the earth thrown out of the burrow; and +frequently there are three or four distinct holes, forming one burrow, +with their entrances around the base of a mound. These mounds, about two +feet in height and four in diameter, are occupied as watch-towers by the +inhabitants of these little communities. The squirrels are irregularly +distributed about the tract they thus occupy,--ten, twenty, or thirty +yards apart. When any person approaches, they make a shrill whistling +sound, somewhat resembling "tweet, tweet, tweet;" the signal for their +party to take the alarm, and to retire into their intrenchments. They +feed on the grass of their village, the limits of which they never +venture to exceed. As soon as the frost commences, they shut themselves +up in their caverns, and continue until the spring opens. + + +BIRDS. + +THE GROUSE, OR PRAIRIE-HEN.--This is peculiarly the inhabitant +of the great plains of the Columbia, but does not differ from those of +the upper portion of the Missouri. In the winter season, this bird is +booted to the first joint of the toes. The toes are curiously bordered +on their lower edges with narrow, hard scales, which are placed very +close to each other, and extend horizontally about one-eighth of an inch +on each side of the toes, adding much to the broadness of the feet,--a +security which Nature has furnished them for passing over the snow with +more ease,--and, what is very remarkable, in the summer season these +scales drop from the feet. The color of this bird is a mixture of dark +brown, reddish, and yellowish brown, with white confusedly mixed. The +reddish-brown prevails most on the upper parts of the body, wings, and +tail; and the white, under the belly and the lower parts of the breast +and tail. They associate in large flocks in autumn and winter; and, even +in summer, are seen in companies of five or six. They feed on grass, +insects, leaves of various shrubs in the plains, and the seeds of +several species of plants which grow in richer soils. In winter, their +food consists of the buds of the willow and cottonwood, and native +berries. + +The cock of the plains is found on the plains of the Columbia in great +abundance. The beak is large, short, covered, and convex; the upper +exceeding the lower chap. The nostrils are large, and the back black. +The color is a uniform mixture of a dark-brown, resembling the dove, and +a reddish or yellowish brown, with some small black specks. The habits +of this bird resemble those of the grouse, excepting that his food is +the leaf and buds of the pulpy-leaved thorn. The flesh is dark, and only +tolerable in point of flavor. + + +HORNED FROG. + +The horned lizard, or horned frog, called, for what reason we never +could learn, the prairie buffalo, is a native of these plains as well +as of those of the Missouri. The color is generally brown, intermixed +with yellowish spots. The animal is covered with minute scales, +interspersed with small horny points, or prickles, on the upper surface +of the body. The belly and throat resemble those of the frog, and are of +a light yellowish-brown. The edge of the belly is likewise beset with +small horny projections. The eye is small and dark. Above and behind the +eyes there are several bony projections, which resemble horns sprouting +from the head. + +These animals are found in greatest numbers in the sandy, open plains, +and appear most abundant after a shower of rain. They are sometimes +found basking in the sunshine, but generally conceal themselves in +little holes of the earth. This may account for their appearance in such +numbers after rain, as their holes may thus be rendered untenantable. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE RETURN. + + +March, 1806.--Many reasons had inclined us to remain at Fort Clatsop +till the 1st of April. Besides the want of fuel in the Columbian plains, +and the impracticability of crossing the mountains before the beginning +of June, we were anxious to see some of the foreign traders, from whom, +by our ample letters of credit, we might recruit our exhausted stores of +merchandise. About the middle of March, however, we became seriously +alarmed for the want of food. The elk, our chief dependence, had at +length deserted its usual haunts in our neighborhood, and retreated to +the mountains. We were too poor to purchase food from the Indians; so +that we were sometimes reduced, notwithstanding all the exertions of our +hunters, to a single day's provision in advance. The men too, whom the +constant rains and confinement had rendered unhealthy, might, we hoped, +be benefited by leaving the coast, and resuming the exercise of +travelling. We therefore determined to leave Fort Clatsop, ascend the +river slowly, consume the month of March in the woody country, where we +hoped to find subsistence, and in this way reach the plains about the +1st of April, before which time it will be impossible to cross them. + +During the winter, we have been very industrious in dressing skins; so +that we now have a sufficient quantity of clothing, besides between +three and four hundred pairs of moccasons. But the whole stock of goods +on which we are to depend for the purchase of horses or of food, during +the long journey of four thousand miles, is so much diminished, that it +might all be tied in two handkerchiefs. We therefore feel that our chief +dependence must be on our guns, which, fortunately, are all in good +order, as we took the precaution of bringing a number of extra locks, +and one of our men proved to be an excellent gunsmith. The powder had +been secured in leaden canisters; and, though on many occasions they had +been under water, it remained perfectly dry: and we now found ourselves +in possession of one hundred and forty pounds of powder, and twice that +weight of lead,--a stock quite sufficient for the route homewards. + +We were now ready to leave Fort Clatsop; but the rain prevented us for +several days from calking the canoes, and we were forced to wait for +calm weather before we could attempt to pass Point William, which +projects about a mile and a half into the sea, forming, as it were, the +dividing-line between the river and the ocean; for the water below is +salt, while that above is fresh. + +On March 23, at one o'clock in the afternoon, we took a final leave of +Fort Clatsop. We doubled Point William without any injury, and at six +o'clock reached the mouth of a small creek, where we found our hunters. +They had been fortunate enough to kill two elks, which were brought in, +and served for breakfast next morning. + +Next day, we were overtaken by two Wahkiacums, who brought two dogs, for +which they wanted us to give them some tobacco; but, as we had very +little of that article left, they were obliged to go away disappointed. +We received at the same time an agreeable supply of three eagles and a +large goose, brought in by the hunters. + +We passed the entrance of Cowalitz River, seventy miles from our winter +camp. This stream enters the Columbia from the north; is one hundred and +fifty yards wide; deep and navigable, as the Indians assert, for a +considerable distance; and probably waters the country west and north of +the Cascade Mountains, which cross the Columbia between the great falls +and rapids. During the day, we passed a number of fishing-camps on both +sides of the river, and were constantly attended by small parties of +Skilloots, who behaved in the most orderly manner, and from whom we +purchased as much fish and roots as we wanted, on moderate terms. The +night continued as the day had been,--cold, wet, and disagreeable; which +is the general character of the weather in this region at this season. + +March 29.--At an early hour, we resumed our route, and halted for +breakfast at the upper end of an island where is properly the +commencement of the great Columbian Valley. We landed at a village of +fourteen large wooden houses. The people received us kindly, and spread +before us wappatoo and anchovies; but, as soon as we had finished +enjoying this hospitality (if it deserves that name), they began to ask +us for presents. They were, however, perfectly satisfied with the small +articles which we distributed according to custom, and equally pleased +with our purchasing some wappatoo, twelve dogs, and two sea-otter +skins. We also gave the chief a small medal, which he soon transferred +to his wife. + +April 1.--We met a number of canoes filled with families descending the +river. These people told us that they lived at the Great Rapids, but +that a scarcity of provisions there had induced them to come down in +hopes of finding subsistence in this fertile valley. All those who lived +at the rapids, as well as the nations above them, they said, were in +much distress for want of food, having consumed their winter store of +dried fish, and not expecting the return of the salmon before the next +full moon, which will be on the 2d of May. + +This intelligence was disagreeable and embarrassing. From the falls to +the Chopunnish nation, the plains afford no deer, elk, or antelope, on +which we can rely for subsistence. The horses are very poor at this +season; and the dogs must be in the same condition, if their food, the +fish, have failed. On the other hand, it is obviously inexpedient to +wait for the return of the salmon, since, in that case, we may not reach +the Missouri before the ice will prevent our navigating it. We therefore +decided to remain here only till we collect meat enough to last us till +we reach the Chopunnish nation, with whom we left our horses on our +downward journey, trusting that we shall find the animals safe, and have +them faithfully returned to us; for, without them, the passage of the +mountains will be almost impracticable. + +April 2, 1806.--Several canoes arrived to visit us; and among the party +were two young men who belonged to a nation, which, they said, resides +at the falls of a large river which empties itself into the south side +of the Columbia, a few miles below us; and they drew a map of the +country with a coal on a mat. In order to verify this information, Capt. +Clarke persuaded one of the young men, by the present of a +burning-glass, to accompany him to the river, in search of which he +immediately set out with a canoe and seven of our men. + +In the evening, Capt. Clarke returned from his excursion. After +descending about twenty miles, he entered the mouth of a large river, +which was concealed, by three small islands opposite its entrance, from +those who pass up or down the Columbia. This river, which the Indians +call Multnomah, from a nation of the same name residing near it on +Wappatoo Island, enters the Columbia one hundred and forty miles above +the mouth of the latter river. The current of the Multnomah, which is +also called Willamett, is as gentle as that of the Columbia; and it +appears to possess water enough for the largest ship, since, on sounding +with a line of five fathoms, they could find no bottom. + +Capt. Clarke ascended the river to the village of his guide. He found +here a building two hundred and twenty-six feet in front, entirely above +ground, and all under one roof; otherwise it would seem more like a +range of buildings, as it is divided into seven distinct apartments, +each thirty feet square. The roof is formed of rafters, with round poles +laid on them longitudinally. The whole is covered with a double row of +the bark of the white cedar, secured by splinters of dried fir, inserted +through it at regular distances. In this manner, the roof is made light, +strong, and durable. + +In the house were several old people of both sexes, who were treated +with much respect, and still seemed healthy, though most of them were +perfectly blind. + +On inquiring the cause of the decline of their village, which was shown +pretty clearly by the remains of several deserted buildings, an old man, +father of the guide, and a person of some distinction, brought forward a +woman very much marked with the small-pox, and said, that, when a girl, +she was near dying with the disorder which had left those marks, and +that the inhabitants of the houses now in ruins had fallen victims to +the same disease. + + +WAPPATOO ISLAND AND ROOT. + +Wappatoo Island is a large extent of country lying between the Multnomah +River and an arm of the Columbia. The island is about twenty miles long, +and varies in breadth from five to ten miles. The land is high, and +extremely fertile, and on most parts is supplied with a heavy growth of +cottonwood, ash, and willow. But the chief wealth of this island +consists of the numerous ponds in the interior, abounding with the +common arrowhead (_Sagittaria sagittifolia_), to the root of which is +attached a bulb growing beneath it, in the mud. This bulb, to which the +Indians give the name of _wappatoo_, is the great article of food, and +almost the staple article of commerce, on the Columbia. It is never out +of season; so that, at all times of the year, the valley is frequented +by the neighboring Indians who come to gather it. It is collected +chiefly by the women, who employ for the purpose canoes from ten to +fourteen feet in length, about two feet wide, and nine inches deep, +tapering from the middle, where they are about twenty inches wide. They +are sufficient to contain a single person and several bushels of roots; +yet so light, that a woman can carry one with ease. She takes one of +these canoes into a pond where the water is as high as the breast, and, +by means of her toes, separates from the root this bulb, which, on being +freed from the mud, rises immediately to the surface of the water, and +is thrown into the canoe. In this manner, these patient females remain +in the water for several hours, even in the depth of winter. This plant +is found through the whole extent of the valley in which we now are, but +does not grow on the Columbia farther eastward. + + +SCENERY OF THE RIVER AND SHORES. + +Above the junction of the Multnomah River, we passed along under high, +steep, and rocky sides of the mountains, which here close in on each +side of the river, forming stupendous precipices, covered with the fir +and white cedar. Down these heights frequently descend the most +beautiful cascades,--one of which, a large stream, throws itself over a +perpendicular rock, three hundred feet above the water; while other +smaller streams precipitate themselves from a still greater elevation, +and, separating into a mist, again collect, and form a second cascade +before they reach the bottom of the rocks. + +The hills on both sides of the river are about two hundred and fifty +feet high, generally abrupt and craggy, and in many places presenting a +perpendicular face of black, hard, basaltic rock. From the top of these +hills, the country extends itself, in level plains, to a very great +distance. + +To one remarkable elevation we gave the name of Beacon Rock. It stands +on the north side of the river, insulated from the hills. The northern +side has a partial growth of fir or pine. To the south, it rises in an +unbroken precipice to the height of seven hundred feet, where it +terminates in a sharp point, and may be seen at the distance of twenty +miles. This rock may be considered as the point where tidewater +commences. + +April 19.--We formed our camp at the foot of the Long Narrows, a little +above a settlement of Skilloots. Their dwellings were formed by sticks +set in the ground, and covered with mats and straw, and so large, that +each was the residence of several families. + +The whole village was filled with rejoicing at having caught a salmon, +which was considered as the harbinger of vast quantities that would +arrive in a few days. In the belief that it would hasten their coming, +the Indians, according to their custom, dressed the fish, and cut it +into small pieces, one of which was given to every child in the village; +and, in the good humor excited by this occurrence, they parted, though +reluctantly, with four horses, for which we gave them two kettles, +reserving to ourselves only one. + +We resumed our route, and soon after halted on a hill, from the top of +which we had a commanding view of the range of mountains in which Mount +Hood stands, and which continued south as far as the eye could reach; +their summits being covered with snow. Mount Hood bore south thirty +degrees west; and another snowy summit, which we have called Mount +Jefferson, south ten degrees west. + +Capt. Clarke crossed the river, with nine men and a large part of the +merchandise, to purchase, if possible, twelve horses to transport our +baggage, and some pounded fish, as a reserve, on the passage across the +mountains. He succeeded in purchasing only four horses, and those at +double the price that had been paid to the Shoshonees. + +April 20.--As it was much for our interest to preserve the good will of +these people, we passed over several small thefts which they had +committed; but this morning we learned that six tomahawks and a knife +had been stolen during the night. We addressed ourselves to the chief, +who seemed angry with his people; but we did not recover the articles: +and soon afterwards two of our spoons were missing. We therefore ordered +them all from the camp. They left us in ill-humor, and we therefore kept +on our guard against any insult. + +April 22.--We began our march at seven o'clock. We had just reached the +top of a hill near the village, when the load of one of the horses +turned; and the animal, taking fright at a robe which still adhered to +him, ran furiously toward the village. Just as he came there, the robe +fell, and an Indian made way with it. The horse was soon caught; but the +robe was missing, and the Indians denied having seen it. These repeated +acts of knavery had quite exhausted our patience; and Capt. Lewis set +out for the village, determined to make them deliver up the robe, or to +burn their houses to the ground. This retaliation was happily rendered +unnecessary; for on his way he met two of our men, who had found the +robe in one of the huts, hid behind some baggage. + +April 24.--The Indians had promised to take our canoes in exchange for +horses; but, when they found that we were resolved on travelling by +land, they refused giving us any thing for them, in hopes that we would +be forced to leave them. Disgusted at this conduct, we determined rather +to cut them in pieces than suffer these people to possess them; and +actually began to do so, when they consented to give us several strands +of beads for each canoe. + +We had now a sufficient number of horses to carry our baggage, and +therefore proceeded wholly by land. Passing between the hills and the +northern shore of the river, we had a difficult and fatiguing march over +a road alternately sandy and rocky. + +The country through which we have passed for several days is of uniform +character. The hills on both sides of the river are about two hundred +and fifty feet high, in many places presenting a perpendicular face of +black, solid rock. From the top of these hills, the country extends, in +level plains, to a very great distance, and, though not as fertile as +land near the falls, produces an abundant supply of low grass, which is +an excellent food for horses. The grass must indeed be unusually +nutritious: for even at this season of the year, after wintering on the +dry grass of the plains, and being used with greater severity than is +usual among the whites, many of the horses were perfectly fat; nor had +we seen a single one that was really poor. + +Having proceeded thirty-one miles, we halted for the night not far from +some houses of the Walla-wallas. Soon after stopping, we were joined by +seven of that tribe, among whom we recognized a chief by the name of +Yellept, who had visited us in October last, when we gave him a medal. + +He appeared very much pleased at seeing us again, and invited us to +remain at his village three or four days, during which he would supply +us with such food as they had, and furnish us with horses for our +journey. After the cold, inhospitable treatment we had lately received, +this kind offer was peculiarly acceptable. After having made a hasty +meal, we accompanied him to his village. Immediately on our arrival, +Yellept, who proved to be a man of much influence, collected the +inhabitants, and after having made an harangue to them, the object of +which was to induce them to treat us hospitably, set them an example by +bringing himself an armful of wood, and a platter containing three +roasted mullets. They immediately followed the example by furnishing us +with an abundance of the only sort of fuel they use,--the stems of +shrubs growing in the plains. We then purchased four dogs, on which we +supped heartily, having been on short allowance for two days previously. + +We learned from these people, that, opposite to their village, there was +a route which led to the mouth of the Kooskooskee; that the road was +good, and passed over a level country well supplied with water and +grass; and that we should meet with plenty of deer and antelope. We knew +that a road in that direction would shorten our route eighty miles; and +we concluded to adopt this route. + +Fortunately there was among these Walla-wallas a prisoner belonging to a +tribe of the Shoshonee Indians. Our Shoshonee woman, Sacajawea, though +she belonged to another tribe, spoke the same language as this prisoner; +and by their means we were enabled to explain ourselves to the Indians, +and to answer all their inquiries with respect to ourselves and the +object of our journey. Our conversation inspired them with such +confidence, that they soon brought several sick persons for whom they +requested our assistance. We splintered the broken arm of one, gave some +relief to another whose knee was contracted by rheumatism, and +administered what we thought would be useful for ulcers and eruptions +of the skin on various parts of the body, which are very common +disorders among them. But our most valuable medicine was eye-water, +which we distributed, and which, indeed, they very much required; for +complaints of the eyes, occasioned by living so much on the water, and +aggravated by the fine sand of the plains, were universal among them. + +We were by no means dissatisfied at this new resource for obtaining +subsistence, as the Indians would give us no provisions without +merchandise, and our stock was very much reduced. We carefully abstained +from giving them any thing but harmless medicines; and our prescriptions +might be useful, and were therefore entitled to some remuneration. + +May 5.--Almost the only instance of rudeness we encountered in our whole +trip occurred here. We made our dinner on two dogs and a small quantity +of roots. While we were eating, an Indian standing by, and looking with +great derision at our eating dog's-flesh, threw a half-starved puppy +almost into Capt. Lewis's plate, laughing heartily at the humor of it. +Capt. Lewis took up the animal, and flung it back with great force into +the fellow's face, and, seizing his tomahawk, threatened to cut him down +if he dared to repeat such insolence. He went off, apparently much +mortified; and we continued our dog-repast very quietly. + +Here we met our old Chopunnish guide and his family; and soon afterward +one of our horses, which had been separated from the others in the +charge of Twisted-hair, was caught, and restored to us. + + +THE WALLA-WALLA. + +We reached (May 1) a branch of the Walla-walla River. The hills of this +creek are generally abrupt and rocky; but the narrow bottom bordering +the stream is very fertile, and both possess twenty times as much timber +as the Columbia itself. Indeed, we now find, for the first time since +leaving Fort Clatsop, an abundance of firewood. The growth consists of +cotton-wood, birch, the crimson haw, willow, choke-cherry, yellow +currants, gooseberry, honeysuckle, rose-bushes, sumac, together with +some corn-grass and rushes. + +The advantage of a comfortable fire induced us, as the night was come, +to halt at this place. We were soon supplied by Drewyer with a beaver +and an otter; of which we took only a part of the beaver, and gave the +rest to the Indians. The otter is a favorite food, though much +inferior, in our estimation, to the dog, which they will not eat. The +horse, too, is seldom eaten, and never except when absolute necessity +compels. This fastidiousness does not, however, seem to proceed so much +from any dislike to the food as from attachment to the animal; for many +of them eat very freely of the horse-beef we give them. + +There is very little difference in the general face of the country here +from that of the plains on the Missouri, except that the latter are +enlivened by vast herds of buffaloes, elks, and other animals, which are +wanting here. Over these wide bottoms we continued, till, at the +distance of twenty-six miles from our last encampment, we halted for the +night. + +We had scarcely encamped, when three young men from the Walla-walla +village came in with a steel-trap, which we had inadvertently left +behind, and which they had come a whole day's journey on purpose to +restore. This act of integrity was the more pleasing because it +corresponds perfectly with the general behavior of the Walla-wallas, +among whom we had lost carelessly several knives, which were always +returned as soon as found. We may, indeed, justly affirm, that, of all +the Indians whom we have met, the Walla-wallas were the most +hospitable, honest, and sincere. + + +TWISTED-HAIR. + +On Wednesday, the 7th of May, we reached the Kooskooskee, and found it +much more navigable than when we descended it last year. The water was +risen, and covered the rocks and shoals. Here we found the chief, named +Twisted-hair, in whose charge we had left our horses in our outward +journey. We had suspicions that our horses, and especially our saddles, +might not be easily recoverable after our long absence. The Twisted-hair +was invited to come, and smoke with us. He accepted the invitation, and, +as we smoked our pipes over the fire, informed us, that, according to +his promise, he had collected the horses, and taken charge of them; but +another chief, the Broken-arm, becoming jealous of him because the +horses were confided to his care, was constantly quarrelling with him. +At length, being an old man, and unwilling to live in perpetual +disputes, he had given up the care of the horses, which had consequently +become scattered. The greater part of them were, however, still in this +neighborhood. He added, that on the rise of the river, in the spring, +the earth had fallen from the door of the _cache_, and exposed the +saddles, some of which had probably been lost; but, as soon as he was +acquainted with the situation of them, he had had them buried in another +place, where they were now. He promised that he would, on the morrow, +send his young men, and collect such of the horses as were in the +neighborhood. He kept his word. Next day, the Indians brought in +twenty-one of the horses, the greater part of which were in excellent +order; and the Twisted-hair restored about half the saddles we had left +in the _cache_, and some powder and lead which were buried at the same +place. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + + +May 17.--The country along the Rocky Mountains, for several hundred +miles in length and fifty in width, is a high level plain; in all its +parts extremely fertile, and in many places covered with a growth of +tall, long-leaved pine. Nearly the whole of this wide tract is covered +with a profusion of grass and plants, which are at this time as high as +the knee. Among these are a variety of esculent plants and roots, +yielding a nutritious and agreeable food. The air is pure and dry; the +climate as mild as that of the same latitudes in the Atlantic States, +and must be equally healthy, since all the disorders which we have +witnessed may fairly be imputed to other causes than the climate. Of +course, the degrees of heat and cold obey the influence of situation. +Thus the rains of the low grounds are snows in the high plains; and, +while the sun shines with intense heat in the confined river-bottoms, +the plains enjoy a much cooler air; and, at the foot of the mountains, +the snows are even now many feet in depth. + + +CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS. + +An attempt to cross the mountains in the early part of June failed on +account of the snow, which still covered the track. It was plain we +should have no chance of finding either grass or underwood for our +horses. To proceed, therefore, would be to hazard the loss of our +horses; in which case, if we should be so fortunate as to escape with +our lives, we should be obliged to abandon our papers and collections. +It was accordingly decided not to venture farther; to deposit here all +the baggage and provisions for which we had no immediate use, and to +return to some spot where we might live by hunting till the snow should +have melted, or a guide be procured to conduct us. We submitted, June +17, to the mortification of retracing our steps three days' march. + +On the 24th June, having been so fortunate as to engage three Indians to +go with us to the falls of the Missouri for the compensation of two +guns, we set out on our second attempt to cross the mountains. On +reaching the place where we had left our baggage, we found our deposit +perfectly safe. It required two hours to arrange our baggage, and +prepare a hasty meal; after which the guides urged us to set off, as we +had a long ride to make before we could reach a spot where there was +grass for our horses. We mounted, and followed their steps; sometimes +crossed abruptly steep hills, and then wound along their sides, near +tremendous precipices, where, had our horses slipped, we should have +been irrecoverably lost. Our route lay along the ridges which separate +the waters of the Kooskooskee and Chopunnish, and above the heads of all +the streams; so that we met no running water. Late in the evening, we +reached a spot where we encamped near a good spring of water. It was on +the steep side of a mountain, with no wood, and a fair southern aspect, +from which the snow seemed to have disappeared for about ten days, and +an abundant growth of young grass, like greensward, had sprung up. There +was also a species of grass not unlike flag, with a broad succulent +leaf, which is confined to the upper parts of the mountains. It is a +favorite food with the horses; but it was then either covered with snow, +or just making its appearance. + +June 27.--We continued our route over the high and steep hills of the +same great ridge. At eight miles' distance, we reached an eminence where +the Indians have raised a conical mound of stone six or eight feet high. +From this spot we have a commanding view of the surrounding mountains, +which so completely enclose us, that, although we have once passed them, +we should despair of ever escaping from them without the assistance of +the Indians; but our guides traverse this trackless region with a kind +of instinctive sagacity. They never hesitate; they are never +embarrassed; yet so undeviating is their step, that, wherever the snow +has disappeared for even a hundred paces, we find the summer road. With +their aid, the snow is scarcely a disadvantage; for although we are +often obliged to slide down, yet the fallen timber and the rocks, which +are now covered up, were much more troublesome when we passed in the +autumn. + + NOTE. A later traveller through this region writes, "The + mountains are indeed _rocky_. They are rocks heaped upon rocks, + with no vegetation, excepting a few cedars growing out of the + crevices near their base. Their tops are covered with perpetual + snow. The main ridge of the mountains is of _gneiss_ rock; yet, + to-day, parallel ridges of a rock, nearly allied to _basalt_, + have abounded. These ridges appear to be volcanic, forced up in + _dikes_ at different distances from each other, running from + east-north-east to west-south-west. The strata are mostly + vertical; but some are a little dipped to the south. + + "Our encampment was near a small stream which runs through a + volcanic chasm, which is more than a hundred feet deep, with + perpendicular sides. Here was a passage made for the _water_ by + _fire_." + + +THE PARTY AGREE TO SEPARATE. + +July 3, 1806.--It was agreed here that the expedition should be divided, +to unite again at the confluence of the Missouri and the Yellowstone. +The separation took place near the point where Clarke's River is crossed +by the forty-seventh parallel of latitude. Capt. Lewis, with nine men, +was to cross the mountains in a direction as nearly due east as +possible, expecting to find some tributary of the Missouri, by following +which he might reach that river, and by it retrace his way homeward. +Capt. Clarke, with the remainder of the party, was to seek the head +waters of the Yellowstone, and follow that stream to the proposed place +of re-union. + +In conformity with this arrangement, Capt. Lewis, under the guidance of +friendly Indians, crossed the mountains by a route which led him, after +travelling one hundred and four miles, to Medicine River, and by that +river to the Missouri. He reached the falls of the Missouri on the 17th +of July, and leaving there a portion of his party, under Sergt. Gass, to +make preparations for transporting their baggage and canoes round the +falls, set out, accompanied by Drewyer and the two brothers Fields, with +six horses, to explore Maria's River, to ascertain its extent toward the +north. From the 18th to the 26th, they were engaged in this exploration. +On the eve of their return, an event occurred, which, being the only +instance in which the expedition was engaged in any conflict with the +Indians with loss of life, requires to be particularly related. + + +CONFLICT WITH THE INDIANS. + +We were passing through a region frequented by the Minnetarees, a band +of Indians noted for their thievish propensities and unfriendly +dispositions. Capt. Lewis was therefore desirous to avoid meeting with +them. Drewyer had been sent out for game, and Capt. Lewis ascended a +hill to look over the country. Scarcely had he reached the top, when he +saw, about a mile on his left, a collection of about thirty horses. By +the aid of his spy-glass, he discovered that one-half of the horses +were saddled, and that, on the eminence above the horses, several +Indians were looking down towards the river, probably at Drewyer. This +was a most unwelcome sight. Their probable numbers rendered any contest +with them of doubtful issue. To attempt to escape would only invite +pursuit; and our horses were so bad, that we must certainly be +overtaken: besides which, Drewyer could not yet be aware that Indians +were near; and, if we ran, he would most probably be sacrificed. We +therefore determined to make the best of our situation, and advance +towards them in a friendly manner. The flag which we had brought in case +of such an emergency was therefore displayed, and we continued slowly +our march towards them. Their whole attention was so engaged by Drewyer, +that they did not immediately discover us. As soon as they did so, they +appeared to be much alarmed, and ran about in confusion. When we came +within a quarter of a mile, one of the Indians mounted, and rode towards +us. When within a hundred paces of us, he halted; and Capt. Lewis, who +had alighted to receive him, held out his hand, and beckoned him to +approach: but he only looked at us, and then, without saying a word, +returned to his companions. + +The whole party now descended the hill, and rode towards us. As yet we +saw only eight, but presumed that there must be more behind, as there +were several more horses saddled. Capt. Lewis had with him but two men; +and he told them his fears that these were Indians of the Minnetaree +tribe, and that they would attempt to rob us, and advised them to be on +the alert, should there appear any disposition to attack us. + +When the two parties came within a hundred yards of each other, all the +Indians, except one, halted. Capt. Lewis therefore ordered his two men +to halt, while he 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 our two men. They all now came up; and, after +alighting, the Indians asked to smoke with us. Capt. 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, who +returned with them. + +As it was growing late, Capt. Lewis proposed that they should encamp +with us; for he was glad to see them, and had a great deal to say to +them. They assented; and, being soon joined by Drewyer, the evening was +spent in conversation with the Indians, in which Capt. Lewis endeavored +to persuade them to cultivate peace with their neighbors. Finding them +very fond of the pipe, Capt. Lewis, who was desirous of keeping a +constant watch during the night, smoked with them to a late hour; and, +as soon as they were all asleep, he woke R. Fields, and ordering him to +rouse us all in case any Indian left the camp, as he feared they would +attempt to steal our horses, he lay down by the side of Drewyer in the +tent with the Indians, while the brothers Fields were stretched near the +fire at the mouth of the tent. + +At sunrise, the Indians got up, and crowded round the fire, near which +J. Fields, who was then on watch, had carelessly left his rifle, near +the head of his brother, who was 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 Capt. +Lewis. As soon as Fields turned round, he saw the Indian running off +with the rifles; and, instantly calling his brother, they pursued him +for fifty or sixty yards; and just as they overtook him, in the scuffle +for the rifles, R. Fields stabbed him through the heart with his knife. +The Indian ran a few steps, and fell dead. They recovered their rifles, +and ran back to the camp. + +The moment the fellow touched his gun, Drewyer, who was awake, jumped +up, and wrested it from him. The noise awoke Capt. Lewis, who instantly +started from the ground, and reached to seize his gun, but found it +gone, and, turning about, saw the Indian running off with it. He +followed, and called to him to lay down the gun; which he did. By this +time, the rest of the Indians were endeavoring to drive off our horses; +and Capt. Lewis ordered his men to follow them, and fire upon the +thieves if they did not release our horses. The result was, that we +recovered four of our horses, and as many of theirs which they had left +behind; so that we were rather gainers by the contest. Besides the +Indian killed by Fields, one other was badly wounded. + +We had no doubt but that we should be immediately pursued by a much +larger party. Our only chance of safety was in rejoining our friends, +who were many miles distant. We therefore pushed our horses as fast as +we could; and, fortunately for us, the Indian horses proved very good. +The plains were level, free from stones and prickly-pears, and in fine +order for travelling over from the late rains. We commenced our ride in +the early morning. At three o'clock, we had ridden, by estimate, +sixty-three miles. We halted for an hour and a half to refresh our +horses; then pursued our journey seventeen miles farther, when, as night +came on, we killed a buffalo, and again stopped for two hours. The sky +was now overclouded; but, as the moon gave light enough to show us the +route, we continued for twenty miles farther, and then, exhausted with +fatigue, halted at two in the morning. Next day, we rejoined the main +body of our party in safety. + +Capt. Lewis with his companions pursued their way down the Missouri, +passing those points already noticed in their ascent. Our narrative, +therefore, will leave them here, and attend the course of Capt. Clarke +and his party down the Yellowstone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +CAPT. CLARKE'S ROUTE DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE. + + +July 3, 1806.--The party under Capt. Clarke, consisting of fifteen men, +with fifty horses, set out through the valley of Clarke's River, along +the western side of which they rode in a southern direction. The valley +is from ten to fifteen miles in width, and is diversified by a number of +small open plains, abounding with grass and a variety of sweet-scented +plants, and watered by numerous streams rushing from the western +mountains. These mountains were covered with snow about one-fifth of the +way from the top; and some snow was still to be seen in the hollows of +the mountains to the eastward. + +July 7.--They reached Wisdom River, and stopped for dinner at a hot +spring situated in the open plain. The bed of the spring is about +fifteen yards in circumference, and composed of loose, hard, gritty +stones, through which the water boils in large quantities. It is +slightly impregnated with sulphur, and so hot, that a piece of meat, +about the size of three fingers, was completely cooked in twenty-five +minutes. + +July 8.--They arrived at Jefferson's River, where they had deposited +their goods in the month of August the year before. They found every +thing safe, though some of the goods were a little damp, and one of the +canoes had a hole in it. They had now crossed from Traveller's-Rest +Creek to the head of Jefferson's River, which seems to form the best and +shortest route over the mountains during almost the whole distance of +one hundred and sixty-four miles. It is, in fact, an excellent road; +and, by cutting down a few trees, it might be rendered a good route for +wagons, with the exception of about four miles over one of the +mountains, which would require a little levelling. + +July 10.--The boats were now loaded, and Capt. Clarke divided his men +into two bands. Sergt. Ordway, with nine men, in six canoes, was to +descend the river; while Capt. Clarke, with the remaining ten, the wife +and child of Chaboneau, and fifty horses, were to proceed by land to the +Yellowstone. The latter party set out at five in the afternoon from the +forks of the Missouri, in a direction nearly east. The plain was +intersected by several great roads leading to a gap in the mountain +about twenty miles distant, in a direction east-north-east; but the +Indian woman, who was acquainted with the country, recommended another +gap more to the south, through which Capt. Clarke determined to proceed. + +They started early the next morning, and, pursuing the route recommended +by the squaw, encamped in the evening at the entrance of the gap +mentioned by her. Through this gap they passed next day, and, at the +distance of six miles, reached the top of the dividing ridge which +separates the waters of the Missouri from those of the Yellowstone. Nine +miles from the summit, they reached the Yellowstone itself, about a mile +and a half below where it issues from the Rocky Mountains. The distance +from the head of the Missouri to this place is forty-eight miles, the +greater part of which is through a level plain. They halted for three +hours to rest their horses, and then pursued the Buffalo Road along the +banks of the river. + +Although but just emerging from a high, snowy mountain, the Yellowstone +is here a bold, rapid, and deep stream, one hundred and twenty yards in +width. They continued their course along the river till the 23d, when +the party embarked on board of two canoes, each of which was +twenty-eight feet long, sixteen or eighteen inches deep, and from +sixteen to twenty-four inches wide. Sergt. Prior, with two men, was +directed to take the horses to the Mandans for safe keeping until the +re-union of the expedition. + +July 24.--At eight o'clock, Capt. Clarke and the remainder of his party +embarked, and proceeded very steadily down the river. They passed the +mouths of several large rivers emptying into the Yellowstone; one of +which was called the Big-horn, from the numbers of that remarkable +species of sheep seen in its neighborhood. Next day, Capt. Clarke landed +to examine a curious rock, situated in an extensive bottom on the right, +about two hundred and fifty paces from the shore. It is nearly two +hundred paces in circumference, two hundred feet high, and accessible +only from the north-east; the other sides consisting of perpendicular +cliffs, of a light-colored, gritty stone. The soil on the summit is five +or six feet deep, of a good quality, and covered with short grass. From +this height, the eye ranges over a wide extent of variegated country. On +the south-west are the Rocky Mountains, covered with snow; on the north, +a lower range, called the Little Wolf Mountains. The low grounds of the +river extend nearly six miles to the southward, when they rise into +plains, reaching to the mountains. The north side of the river is +bounded by jutting, romantic cliffs, beyond which the plains are open +and extensive, and the whole country enlivened by herds of buffaloes, +elks, and wolves. After enjoying the prospect from this rock, to which +Capt. Clarke gave the name of Pompey's Pillar, he descended, and +continued his route. At the distance of six or seven miles, he stopped +to secure two bighorns, which had been shot from the boat, and, while on +shore, saw in the face of the cliff, about twenty feet above the water, +a fragment of the rib of a fish, three feet long, and nearly three +inches round, embedded in the rock itself. + + +BEAVERS, BUFFALOES, MOSQUITOES. + +The beavers were in great numbers along the banks of the river, and +through the night were flapping their tails in the water round the +boats. + +Aug. 1.--The buffaloes appeared in vast numbers. A herd happened to be +on their way across the river. Such was the multitude of these animals, +that although the river, including an island over which they passed, was +a mile in width, the herd stretched, as thick as they could swim, +completely from one side to the other. Our party, descending the river, +was obliged to stop for an hour to let the procession pass. We consoled +ourselves for the delay by killing four of the herd, and then proceeded, +till, at the distance of forty-five miles, two other herds of buffaloes, +as numerous as the first, crossed the river in like manner. + +Aug. 4.--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 low grounds: in short, 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 inflict is scarcely to be endured. + +On one occasion, Capt. Clarke 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. + +This annoyance continued, till, on the 11th of September, they write, +"We are no longer troubled with mosquitoes, which do not seem to +frequent this part of the river; and, after having been persecuted with +them during the whole route from the falls, it is a most happy +exemption. Their noise was very agreeably exchanged for that of the +wolves, which were howling in various directions all round us." + +Aug. 12, 1806.--The party continued to descend the river. One of their +canoes had, by accident, a small hole made in it; and they halted for +the purpose of covering it with a piece of elk-skin. While there, about +noon, they were overjoyed at seeing the boats of Capt. Lewis's party +heave in sight. The whole expedition being now happily re-united, at +about three o'clock all embarked on board the boats; but as the wind was +high, accompanied with rain, we did not proceed far before we halted for +the night. + + +THEY PART WITH SOME OF THEIR COMPANIONS. + +On the 14th August, having now reached a part of the river where we +occasionally met the boats of adventurous traders ascending the river, +Capt. Lewis was applied to by one of the men, Colter, who was desirous +of joining two trappers, who proposed to him to accompany them, and +share their profits. The offer was an advantageous one; and as he had +always performed his duty, and his services might be dispensed with, +Capt. Lewis consented to his going, provided none of the rest would ask +or expect a similar indulgence. To this they cheerfully answered, that +they wished Colter every success, and would not apply for a discharge +before we reached St. Louis. We therefore supplied him, as did his +comrades also, with powder and lead, and a variety of articles which +might be useful to him; and he left us the next day. + +The example of this man shows how easily men may be weaned from the +habits of civilized life, and brought to relish the manners of the +woods. This hunter had now been absent many years from his country, and +might naturally be presumed to have some desire to return to his native +seats; yet, just at the moment when he is approaching the frontiers, he +is tempted by a hunting-scheme to go back to the solitude of the woods. + +A few days after this, Chaboneau, with his wife and child, concluded to +follow us no longer, as he could be no longer useful to us. We offered +to take him with us to the United States; but he said that he had there +no acquaintance, and preferred remaining among the Indians. This man has +been very serviceable to us, and his wife particularly so, among the +Shoshonees. She has borne with a patience truly admirable the fatigues +of our long journey, encumbered with the charge of an infant, which is +now only nineteen months old. We paid him his wages, amounting to five +hundred dollars and thirty-three cents, including the price of a horse +and a lodge purchased of him, and pursued our journey without him. + + +THEY REACH HOME. + +Sept. 8, 1806.--We reached Council Bluffs, and stopped for a short time +to examine the situation of the place, and were confirmed in our belief +that it would be a very eligible spot for a trading establishment.[4] +Being anxious to reach the junction of the Platte River, we plied our +oars so well, that by night we had made seventy-eight miles, and landed +at our old encampment, on the ascent, twelve miles above that river. We +had here occasion to remark the wonderful evaporation from the Missouri. +The river does not appear to contain more water, nor is its channel +wider, than at the distance of one thousand miles nearer its source, +although within that space it receives about twenty rivers (some of them +of considerable width), and a great number of smaller streams. + +A few days more brought us to the mouth of the Kansas River. About a +mile below it, we landed to view the country. The low grounds are +delightful, the whole country exhibiting a rich appearance; but the +weather was oppressively warm. Descending as we had done from a high, +open country, between the latitudes of forty-six and forty-nine degrees, +to the wooded plains in thirty-eight and thirty-nine degrees, the heat +would have been intolerable, had it not been for the constant winds from +the south and the south-west. + +On the 20th September, we reached the mouth of Osage River. A few miles +lower down, we saw on the banks some cows feeding; and the whole party +involuntarily raised a shout of joy at the sight of this evidence of +civilization and domestic life. + +We soon after reached the little French village of La Charette, which we +saluted with a discharge of four guns and three hearty cheers. We +landed, and were received with kindness by the inhabitants, as well as +by some traders who were on their way to traffic with the Osages. They +were all surprised and pleased at our arrival; for they had long since +abandoned all hopes of ever seeing us return. + +The third day after this,--viz., on Tuesday, the 23d of September, +1806,--we arrived at St. Louis, and, having fired a salute, went on +shore, and received the heartiest and most hospitable welcome from the +whole village. + + +CONCLUSION. + +The successful termination of the expedition was a source of surprise +and delight to the whole country. The humblest of its citizens had taken +a lively interest in the issue of this journey, and looked forward with +impatience for the information it would furnish. Their anxieties, too, +for the safety of the party, had been kept in a state of excitement by +lugubrious rumors, circulated from time to time on uncertain +authorities, and uncontradicted by letters or other direct information, +from the time when the party left the Mandan towns, on their ascent up +the river, in 1804, until their actual return to St. Louis. + +The courage, perseverance, and discretion displayed by the commanders, +and the fidelity and obedience of the men, were the theme of general +approbation, and received the favorable notice of Government. A donation +of lands was made to each member of the party; Capt. Lewis was appointed +Governor of Louisiana, which, at that time, embraced the whole country +west of the Mississippi, within the boundaries of the United States; and +Capt. Clarke was made Superintendent of Indian Affairs. + +It was not until some years after, however, that the world was put in +possession of the detailed history of the expedition. Capt. Lewis, in +the midst of other cares, devoted what time he could to the preparation +of his journals for publication, and, in 1809, was on his way to +Philadelphia for that purpose, but, at a village in Tennessee, was taken +ill, and prevented from proceeding. Here the energetic mind, which had +encountered so unfalteringly the perils and sufferings of the desert, +gave way. Constitutional despondency overcame him: it is probable he +lost his reason; for, in a rash moment, he applied a pistol to his head, +and destroyed his life. His journals were published under the charge of +Paul Allen of Philadelphia. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[4] Now the site of Omaha City. + + + + +ELDORADO. + + + + +ELDORADO + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE DISCOVERY. + + +What is meant by Eldorado? Is there such a country? and, if there be, +where is it? The name literally means "The Golden Country," and was +given to an unknown region in South America by the Spaniards, who had +heard from the Indians marvellous tales of such a land lying in the +interior of the continent, where gold and precious stones were as common +as rocks and pebbles in other countries, and to be had for the trouble +of picking them up. It was also a land of spices and aromatic gums. The +first notion of this favored region was communicated by an Indian chief +to Gonzalo Pizarro, brother of the conqueror of Peru, whose imagination +was captivated by the account, and his ambition fired with a desire to +add this, which promised to be the most brilliant of all, to the +discoveries and conquests of his countrymen. He found no difficulty in +awakening a kindred enthusiasm in the bosoms of his followers. In a +short time, he mustered three hundred and fifty Spaniards, and four +thousand Indians. One hundred and fifty of his company were mounted. The +Indians were to carry the baggage and provisions, and perform the labors +of the expedition. + +A glance at the map of South America will give us a clear idea of the +scene of the expedition. The River Amazon, the largest river of the +globe, rises in the highest ranges of the Andes, and flows from west to +east through nearly the whole breadth of the continent. Pizarro's +expedition started in the year 1540 from Quito, near the sources of the +great river, and, marching east, soon became entangled in the deep and +intricate passes of the mountains. As they rose into the more elevated +regions, the icy winds that swept down the sides of the Cordilleras +benumbed their limbs, and many of the natives found a wintry grave in +the wilderness. On descending the eastern slope, the climate changed; +and, as they came to a lower level, the fierce cold was succeeded by a +suffocating heat, while tempests of thunder and lightning poured on them +with scarcely any intermission day or night. For more than six weeks, +the deluge continued unabated; and the forlorn wanderers, wet, and weary +with incessant toil, were scarcely able to drag their limbs along the +soil, broken up as it was, and saturated with the moisture. After months +of toilsome travel, they reached the region where grew the spice-trees. +Their produce resembled the cinnamon of the East in taste, but was of +inferior quality. They saw the trees bearing the precious bark spreading +out into broad forests; yet, however valuable it might be for future +commerce, it was of but little worth to them. But, from the savages whom +they occasionally met, they learned, that at ten days' distance was a +rich and fruitful land, abounding with gold, and inhabited by populous +nations. The Spaniards were so convinced of the existence of such a +country, that if the natives, on being questioned, professed their +ignorance of it, they were supposed to be desirous of concealing the +fact, and were put to the most horrible tortures, and even burnt alive, +to compel them to confess. It is no wonder, therefore, if they told, in +many instances, such stories as the Spaniards wished to hear, which +would also have the effect of ridding their own territories of their +troublesome guests by inducing them to advance farther. Pizarro had +already reached the limit originally proposed for the expedition; but +these accounts induced him to continue on. + +As they advanced, the country spread out into broad plains, terminated +by forests, which seemed to stretch on every side as far as the eye +could reach. The wood was thickly matted with creepers and climbing +plants, and at every step of the way they had to hew open a passage with +their axes; while their garments, rotting from the effects of the +drenching rains, caught in every bush, and hung about them in shreds. +Their provisions failed, and they had only for sustenance such herbs and +roots as they could gather in the forest, and such wild animals as, with +their inadequate means, they could capture. + +At length they came to a broad expanse of water, from whence flowed a +stream,--one of those which discharge their waters into the great River +Amazon. The sight gladdened their hearts, as they hoped to find a safer +and more practicable route by keeping along its banks. After following +the stream a considerable distance, the party came within hearing of a +rushing noise, that seemed like thunder issuing from the bowels of the +earth. The river tumbled along over rapids with frightful velocity, and +then discharged itself in a magnificent cataract, which they describe +as twelve hundred feet high. Doubtless this estimate must be taken with +some allowance for the excited feelings of the Spaniards, keenly alive +to impressions of the sublime and the terrible. + +For some distance above and below the falls, the bed of the river +contracted; so that its width did not exceed twenty feet. They +determined to cross, in hopes of finding a country that might afford +them better sustenance. A frail bridge was constructed by throwing +trunks of trees across the chasm, where the cliffs, as if split asunder +by some convulsion of Nature, descended sheer down a perpendicular depth +of several hundred feet. Over this airy causeway, the men and horses +succeeded in effecting their passage; though one Spaniard, made giddy by +heedlessly looking down, lost his footing, and fell into the boiling +surges below. They gained little by the exchange. The country wore the +same unpromising aspect: the Indians whom they occasionally met in the +pathless wilderness were fierce and unfriendly, and the Spaniards were +engaged in perpetual conflict with them. From these they learned that a +fruitful country was to be found down the river, at the distance of only +a few days' journey; and the Spaniards held on their weary way, still +hoping, and still deceived, as the promised land flitted before them, +like the rainbow, receding as they advanced. + +At length, spent with toil and suffering, Pizarro resolved to construct +a bark large enough to transport the weaker part of his company and his +baggage. The forests furnished him with timber; the shoes of the horses, +which had died on the road, or been slaughtered for food, were converted +into nails; gum, distilled from the trees, took the place of pitch; and +the tattered garments of the soldiers served for oakum. At the end of +two months, the vessel was ready, and the command given to Francisco +Orellana. The troops now moved forward through the wilderness, following +the course of the river; the vessel carrying the feebler soldiers. Every +scrap of provisions had long since been consumed. The last of their +horses had been devoured; and they greedily fed upon toads, serpents, +and even insects, which that country, teeming with the lower forms of +animal life, abundantly supplied. + +The natives still told of a rich district, inhabited by a populous +nation. It was, as usual, at the distance of several days' journey; and +Pizarro resolved to halt where he was, and send Orellana down in his +brigantine to procure a stock of provisions, with which he might +return, and put the main body in condition to resume their march. +Orellana, with fifty of the adventurers, pushed off into the middle of +the river, where the stream ran swiftly; and his bark, taken by the +current, shot forward as with the speed of an arrow, and was soon out of +sight. + +Days and weeks passed away, yet the vessel did not return; and no speck +was to be seen on the waters as the Spaniards strained their eyes to the +farthest point, till the banks closed in, and shut the view. Detachments +were sent out, and, though absent several days, came back without +intelligence of their comrades. Weary of suspense, Pizarro determined to +continue their march down the river, which they did, with incredible +suffering, for two months longer, till their doubts were dispelled by +the appearance of a white man, wandering, half naked, in the woods, in +whose famine-stricken countenance they recognized the features of one of +their countrymen. Orellana had passed swiftly down the river to the +point of its confluence with the Amazon, where he had been led to expect +that he should find supplies for the wants of himself and his +companions, but found none. Nor was it possible to return as he had +come, and make head against the current of the river. In this dilemma, a +thought flashed across his mind: it was, to leave the party under +Pizarro to their fate, and to pursue his course down the great river on +which he had entered; to explore Eldorado for himself, and make the best +of his way home to Spain to claim the glory and reward of discovery. His +reckless companions readily consented to this course, with the exception +of the individual whom Pizarro found; and him, when he remonstrated, +they put ashore, and left to shift for himself. + +Pizarro and his party, deserted in the wilderness, unable to advance +farther, had no alternative but to remain, or retrace their miserable +way to Quito, the place they had started from more than a year before. +They chose the latter, and commenced their return march with heavy +hearts. They took a more northerly route than that by which they had +approached the Amazon; and, though it was attended with fewer +difficulties, they experienced yet greater distresses, from their +greater inability to overcome them. Their only food was such scanty fare +as they could pick up in the forest, or happily meet with in some +forsaken Indian settlement, or wring by violence from the natives. Some +sickened and sank down by the way, and perished where they fell; for +there was none to help them. Intense misery had made them selfish; and +many a poor wretch was abandoned to his fate, to die alone in the +wilderness, or, more probably, to be devoured, while living, by the wild +animals which roamed over it. + +It took them a year to measure back their way to Quito; and the miseries +they had endured were testified to by their appearance when they +arrived, in sadly reduced numbers, at the place of their starting. Their +horses gone, their arms broken and rusted, the skins of wild animals +their only clothes, their long and matted locks streaming wildly down +their shoulders, their faces blackened by the tropical sun, their bodies +wasted by famine and disfigured by scars, it seemed as if the +charnel-house had given up its dead, as, with unsteady step, they crept +slowly onwards. More than half of the four thousand Indians who had +accompanied the expedition had perished; and of the Spaniards, only +eighty, and many of these irretrievably broken in constitution, found +their way back to Quito. + +Meanwhile, Orellana glided down the stream, which then was nameless and +unknown, but which has since been called by his name, though it is more +generally known by a name derived from a story which Orellana told, in +his account of his voyage, of a nation of Amazons inhabiting its banks. +But an account of Orellana's adventures must be reserved for our next +chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORELLANA DESCENDS THE RIVER. + + +When Orellana, in his ill-appointed bark, and with his crew enfeebled by +famine, had reached the junction of the River Napo with the Amazon, and +found no sources of supply which he had been led to expect, he had no +difficulty in satisfying his companions that their only chance of +preservation was in continuing their descent of the river, and leaving +the party under Pizarro to their fate. He then formally renounced the +commission which Pizarro had given him, and received the command anew +from the election of his men, that so he might make discoveries for +himself, and not, holding a deputed authority, in the name of another. +It was upon the last day of December, 1541, that this voyage was +begun,--one of the most adventurous that has ever been undertaken. The +little stock of provisions with which they had parted from the army was +already exhausted, and they boiled their leathern girdles and the +leather of their shoes with such herbs as seemed most likely to be +nourishing and harmless; for it was only by experiment that they were +able to distinguish the wholesome from the poisonous. On the 8th of +January, being reduced almost to the last extremity with hunger, they +heard before daylight an Indian drum,--a joyful sound; for be the +natives what they would, friendly or hostile, this they knew, that it +must be their own fault now if they should die of hunger. At daybreak, +being eagerly upon the lookout, they perceived four canoes, which put +back upon seeing the brigantine; and presently they saw a village where +a great body of the natives were assembled, and appeared ready to defend +it. The Spaniards were too hungry to negotiate. Orellana bade them land +in good order, and stand by each other. They attacked the Indians like +men who were famishing, and fought for food, put them speedily to the +rout, and found an immediate supply. While they were enjoying the fruits +of their victory, the Indians came near them, more to gratify curiosity +than resentment. Orellana spoke to them in some Indian language which +they partly understood. Some of them took courage, and approached him. +He gave them a few European trifles, and asked for their chief, who +came without hesitation, was well pleased with the presents which were +given him, and offered them any thing which it was in his power to +supply. Provisions were requested; and presently peacocks, partridges, +fish, and other things, were brought in great abundance. The next day, +thirteen chiefs came to see the strangers. They were gayly adorned with +feathers and gold, and had plates of gold upon the breast. Orellana +received them courteously, required them to acknowledge obedience to the +crown of Castile, took advantage as usual of their ignorance to affirm +that they consented, and took possession of their country in the +emperor's name. + +Such is Orellana's own account of this first interview. It was his +object to create a high idea of the riches of the provinces which he had +discovered. It is not probable that these tribes had any gold; for later +discoveries showed that none of the tribes on the Amazon were so far +advanced as to use it. It was here that they heard the first accounts of +the rich and powerful nation composed wholly of women, whom, in +recollection of the female warriors of classic antiquity, they called +the Amazons. Here the Spaniards built a better brigantine than the frail +one in which they were embarked. All fell to work, Orellana being the +first at any exertion that was required. They calked it with cotton; the +natives supplied pitch; and in thirty-five days the vessel was launched. +On the 24th of April, they once more embarked. For eighty leagues, the +banks were peopled with friendly tribes; then the course of the river +lay between desert mountains, and they were fain to feed upon herbs and +parched corn, not even finding a place where they could fish. + +Thus far they seem to have found the natives friendly, or not actively +hostile; but, as they descended, they came to a populous province, +belonging to a chief called Omagua, if, as is conjectured, that is not +rather the name of the tribe itself than of their chief. One morning, a +fleet of canoes was seen advancing with hostile demonstrations. The +Indians carried shields made of the skins of the alligator. They came on +with beat of tambour and with war-cries, threatening to devour the +strangers. The Spaniards brought their two vessels close together, that +they might aid one another in the defence. But, when they came to use +their powder, it was damp, and they had nothing but their cross-bows to +trust to; and, plying these as well as they could, they continued to +fall down the stream, fighting as they went. Presently they came to an +Indian town. Half the Spaniards landed to attack it, leaving their +companions to maintain the fight upon the water. + +They won the town, and loaded themselves with provisions; but eighteen +of the party were wounded, and one killed. They had neither surgeon nor +any remedy for the wounded. Nothing could be done for them except +"psalming;" that is, repeating some verses of the psalms over the wound. +This mode of treatment was not unusual; and, as it was less absurd than +the methods which were ordinarily in use at that day, it is no wonder if +it proved more successful. + +For two days and two nights after this, they were constantly annoyed by +the canoes of the natives following, and endeavoring to board them. But +the Spaniards had now dried some powder; and one of them, getting a +steady mark at the chief of the Indians, shot him in the breast. His +people gathered round him; and, while they were thus occupied, the +brigantines shot ahead. + +Thus they proceeded with alternate good and evil fortune, now finding +the Indians friendly, and supplies of provisions abundant; and then +encountering hostile tribes which assailed them with all their power, or +long regions of unpeopled country, where they were reduced to the +utmost straits for want of food. Six months had now been consumed on +their voyage, and as yet no appearance of Eldorado; though, if their +accounts may be trusted, they several times came upon populous places, +which had many streets, all opening upon the river, and apparently +leading to some greater city in the interior. On the 22d of June, on +turning an angle of the river, they saw the country far before them, and +great numbers of people collected, seemingly with hostile intentions. +Orellana offered them trinkets, at which they scoffed; but he persisted +in making towards the shore to get food, either by persuasion or force. +A shower of arrows was discharged from the shore, which wounded five of +the crew. They nevertheless landed, and, after a hot contest, repulsed +the natives, killing some seven or eight of them. The historian of the +voyage, who was one of the adventurers, affirms that ten or twelve +Amazons fought at the head of these people, who were their subjects, and +fought desperately; because any one who fled in battle would be beaten +to death by these female tyrants. He describes the women as very tall +and large-limbed, white of complexion, the hair long, platted, and +banded round the head. It is amusing to observe how this story was +magnified by later narrators, who learned it only by tradition. It is +stated in these late accounts that Orellana fought on this occasion with +a great army of women. + +Of a prisoner whom they took, Orellana asked questions about Eldorado +and the Amazons, and got, as usual, such answers as he expected. This +may partly be set down to the score of self-deception, and partly to the +fact that they conversed with these people by signs, and by means of the +few words of their language which the Spaniards knew, or supposed they +knew, the meaning of. He learned from the prisoner that the country was +subject to women, who lived after the manner of the Amazons of the +ancients, and who possessed gold and silver in abundance. There were in +their dominions fine temples of the sun, all covered with plates of +gold. Their houses were of stone, and their cities walled. We can hardly +doubt that the desire to tempt adventurers to join him in his subsequent +expedition to conquer and colonize those countries had its effect in +magnifying these marvels. + +Shortly after this, the Spaniards thought they perceived the _tide_. +After another day's voyage, they came to some inhabited islands, and, to +their infinite joy, saw that they had not been mistaken; for the marks +of the tide here were certain. Here they lost another of their party in +a skirmish with the natives. From this place the country was low; and +they could never venture to land, except upon the islands, among which +they sailed, as they supposed, about two hundred leagues; the tide +coming up with great force. One day the smaller vessel struck upon a +snag, which stove in one of her planks, and she filled. They, however, +landed to seek for provisions; but the inhabitants attacked them with +such force, that they were forced to retire; and, when they came to +their vessels, they found that the tide had left the only serviceable +one dry. Orellana ordered half his men to fight, and the other half to +thrust the vessel into the water: that done, they righted the old +brigantine, and fastened in a new plank, all which was completed in +three hours, by which time the Indians were weary of fighting, and left +them in peace. The next day they found a desert place, where Orellana +halted to repair both vessels. This took them eighteen days, during +which they suffered much from hunger. + +As they drew near the sea, they halted again for fourteen days, to +prepare for their sea-voyage; made cordage of herbs; and sewed the +cloaks, on which they slept, into sails. On the 8th of August, they +proceeded again, anchoring with stones when the tide turned, though it +sometimes came in such strength as to drag these miserable anchors. Here +the natives were happily of a milder mood than those whom they had +lately dealt with. From them they procured roots and Indian corn; and, +having laid in what store they could, they made ready to enter upon the +sea in these frail vessels, with their miserable tackling, and with +insufficient food, without pilot, compass, or any knowledge of the +coast. + +It was on the 26th of August that they sailed out of the river, passing +between two islands, which were about four leagues asunder. The whole +length of the voyage from the place where they had embarked to the sea +they computed at eighteen hundred leagues. Thus far their weather had +been always favorable, and it did not fail them now. They kept along the +coast to the northward, just at safe distance. The two brigantines +parted company in the night. They in the larger one got into the Gulf of +Paria, from whence all their labor at the oar for seven days could not +extricate them. During this time, they lived upon a sort of plum called +"nogos," being the only food they could find. At length they were +whirled through those tremendous channels which Columbus called the +"Dragon's mouths," and, September the 11th, not knowing where they were, +reached the Island of Cubagua, where they found a colony of their +countrymen. The old brigantine had arrived at the same place two days +before them. Here they were received with the welcome which their +wonderful adventure deserved; and from hence Orellana proceeded to +Spain, to give the king an account of his discoveries in person. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORELLANA'S ADVENTURE CONTINUED. + + +Orellana arrived safe in Spain, and was favorably received. His act of +insubordination in leaving his commander was forgotten in the success of +his achievement; for it had been successful, even if the naked facts +only had been told, inasmuch as it was the first event which led to any +certain knowledge of the immense regions that stretch eastward from the +Andes to the ocean, besides being in itself one of the most brilliant +adventures of that remarkable age. But Orellana's accounts went far +beyond these limits, and confirming all previous tales of the wonderful +Eldorado, with its temples roofed with gold, and its mountains composed +of precious stones, drew to his standard numerous followers. Every thing +promised fairly. The king granted him a commission to conquer the +countries which he had explored. He raised funds for the expedition, and +even found a wife who was willing to accompany him in May, 1544, he set +sail with four ships and four hundred men. + +But the tide of Orellana's fortune had turned. He stopped three months +at Teneriffe, and two at the Cape de Verde, where ninety-eight of his +people died, and fifty were invalided. The expedition proceeded with +three ships, and met with contrary winds, which detained them till their +water was exhausted; and, had it not been for heavy rains, all must have +perished. One ship put back in this distress, with seventy men and +eleven horses on board, and was never heard of after. The remaining two +reached the river. Having ascended about a hundred leagues, they stopped +to build a brigantine. Provisions were scarce here, and fifty-seven more +of his party died. These men were not, like his former comrades, +seasoned to the climate, and habituated to the difficulties of the new +world. One ship was broken up here for the materials: the other met with +an accident, and became unserviceable; and they cut her up, and made a +bark of the timbers. + +Orellana meanwhile, in the brigantine, was endeavoring to discover the +main branch of the river, which it had been easy to keep when carried +down by the stream, but which he now sought in vain for thirty days +among a labyrinth of channels. When he returned from this fruitless +search, he was ill, and told his people that he would go back to Point +St. Juan; and there he ordered them to seek him when they had got the +bark ready. But he found his sickness increase upon him, and determined +to abandon the expedition, and return to Europe. While he was seeking +provisions for the voyage, the Indians killed seventeen of his men. What +with vexation and disorder, he died in the river. This sealed the fate +of the expedition. The survivors made no further exertions to reach +Eldorado, but returned to their own country as they could. Such was the +fate of Orellana, who, as a discoverer, surpassed all his countrymen; +and though, as a conqueror, he was unfortunate, yet neither is he +chargeable with any of those atrocities toward the unhappy natives which +have left such a stain on the glories of Cortes and Pizarro. + +The next attempt we read of to discover Eldorado was made a few years +after, under Hernando de Ribera, by ascending the La Plata, or River of +Paraguay. He sailed in a brigantine with eighty men, and encountered no +hostility from the natives. They confirmed the stories of the Amazons +with their golden city. "How could they get at them?" was the next +question: "by land, or by water?"--"Only by land," was the reply. "But +it was a two-months' journey; and to reach them now would be impossible, +because the country was inundated." The Spaniards made light of this +obstacle, but asked for Indians to carry their baggage. The chief gave +Ribera twenty for himself, and five for each of his men; and these +desperate adventurers set off on their march over a flooded country. + +Eight days they travelled through water up to their knees, and sometimes +up to their middle. By slinging their hammocks to trees, and by this +means only, could they find dry positions for the night. Before they +could make a fire to dress their food, they were obliged to raise a rude +scaffolding; and this was unavoidably so insecure, that frequently the +fire burned through, and food and all fell into the water. They reached +another tribe, and were told that the Amazons' country was still nine +days farther on; and then still another tribe, who told them it would +take a month to reach them. Perhaps they would still have advanced; but +here an insuperable obstacle met them. The locusts for two successive +years had devoured every thing before them, and no food was to be had. +The Spaniards had no alternative but to march back. On their way, they +were reduced to great distress for want of food; and from this cause, +and travelling so long half under water, the greater number fell sick, +and many died. Of eighty men who accompanied Ribera upon this dreadful +march, only thirty recovered from its effects. + +This expedition added a few items to the story of Eldorado. Ribera +declares under oath that the natives told him of a nation of women, +governed by a woman, and so warlike as to be dreaded by all their +neighbors. They possessed plenty of white and yellow metal: their seats, +and all the utensils in their houses, were made of them. They lived on a +large island, which was in a huge lake, which they called the "Mansion +of the Sun," because the sun sank into it. The only way of accounting +for these stories is, that the Spaniards furnished, in the shape of +questions, the information which they fancied they received in reply; +the Indians assenting to what they understood but imperfectly, or not at +all. + + +MARTINEZ. + +Another expedition, not long after Orellana's, was that conducted by Don +Diego Ordaz, of which Sir Walter Raleigh, in his "History of Guiana," +gives an account. The expedition failed; Ordaz being slain in a mutiny +of his men, and those who went with him being scattered. The only +noticeable result was in the adventures of one Martinez, an officer of +Ordaz, who had charge of the ammunition. We tell the story in the +language of Sir Walter, slightly modernized:-- + + "It chanced, that while Ordaz, with his army, rested at the + port of Morequito, by some negligence the whole store of powder + provided for the service was set on fire; and Martinez, having + the chief charge thereof, was condemned by the general to be + executed forthwith. Martinez, being much favored by the + soldiers, had all means possible employed to save his life; but + it could not be obtained in other way but this,--that he should + be set into a canoe alone, without any food, and so turned + loose into the great river. But it pleased God that the canoe + was carried down the stream, and that certain of the Guianians + met it the same evening: and, not having at any time seen any + European, they carried Martinez into the land to be wondered + at; and so from town to town until he came to the great city of + Manoa, the seat and residence of Inga, the emperor. The + emperor, when he beheld him, knew him to be a Christian of + those who had conquered the neighboring country of Peru, and + caused him to be lodged in his palace, and well entertained. He + lived seven months in Manoa, but was not suffered to wander + into the country anywhere. He was also brought thither all the + way blindfolded by the Indians, until he came to the entrance + of Manoa itself. He avowed at his death that he entered the + city at noon, and then they uncovered his face; and that he + travelled all that day till night through the city, ere he came + to the palace of Inga. + + "After Martinez had lived seven months in Manoa, and began to + understand the language of the country, Inga asked him whether + he desired to return to his own country, or would willingly + abide with him. Martinez, not desirous to stay, obtained + permission of Inga to depart, who sent with him some Guianians + to conduct him to the river of Orinoco, with as much gold as + they could carry, which he gave to Martinez at his departure. + But, when he arrived at the river's side, the natives, being at + that time at war with Inga, robbed him and his Guianians of all + his treasure, save only two bottles made of gourds, which were + filled with beads of gold, which those people thought to + contain his drink or food, with which he was at liberty to + depart. So, in a canoe, he passed down by the river to + Trinidad, and from thence to Porto Rico, where he died. In the + time of his extreme sickness, and when he was without hope of + life, receiving the sacrament at the hands of his confessor, he + delivered this relation of his travels, and also called for his + calabazas, or gourds of gold beads, which he gave to the church + and the friars, to be prayed for. + + "This Martinez was the one who christened the city of Manoa by + the name 'Eldorado,' and upon this occasion. At the times of + their solemn feasts, when the emperor carouses with his + captains, tributaries, and governors, the manner is thus: All + those that pledge him are first stripped naked, and their + bodies anointed all over with a kind of white balsam very + precious. When they are anointed all over, certain servants of + the emperor, having prepared gold made into fine powder, blow + it through hollow canes upon their naked bodies until they be + all shining from the head to the foot. Upon this sight, and for + the abundance of gold which he saw in the city, the images of + gold in their temples, the plates, armors, and shields of gold + which they use in the wars, he called it Eldorado." + +Such is Sir Walter's narrative of one of the traditions which fired his +enthusiasm to undertake the conquest of Eldorado. He asserts that he +read it in "The Chancery of Saint Juan de Porto Rico," of which Berrio +had a copy. It is pretty plainly tinctured with fable, but probably had +an historical foundation. + +After this, a good many years elapsed before any other expedition of +note was fitted out in search of Eldorado. But the story grew, +notwithstanding. An imaginary kingdom was shaped out. It was governed by +a potentate who was called the Great Paytiti, sometimes the Great Moxu, +sometimes the Enim, or Great Pará. An impostor at Lima affirmed that he +had been in his capital, the city of Manoa, where not fewer than three +thousand workmen were employed in the silversmiths' street. He even +produced a map of the country, in which he had marked a hill of gold, +another of silver, and a third of salt. The columns of the palace were +described as of porphyry and alabaster, the galleries of ebony and +cedar: the throne was of ivory, and the ascent to it by steps of gold. +The palace was built of white stone. At the entrance were two towers, +and between them a column twenty-five feet in height. On its top was a +large silver moon; and two living lions were fastened to its base with +chains of gold. Having passed by these keepers, you came into a +quadrangle planted with trees, and watered by a silver fountain, which +spouted through four golden pipes. The gate of the palace was of copper, +and its bolt was received in the solid rock. Within, a golden sun was +placed upon an altar of silver; and four lamps were kept burning before +it day and night. + +It may surprise us that tales so palpably false as these should have +deceived any, to such an extent as to lead them to get up costly and +hazardous expeditions to go in search of the wonder; but we must +remember, that what the Spaniards had already realized and demonstrated +to the world in their conquests of Mexico and Peru was hardly less +astonishing than these accounts. It is therefore no wonder that +multitudes should be found willing to admit so much of the marvels of +Eldorado as to see in them a sufficient inducement to justify the +search; and others less credulous were perhaps willing to avail +themselves of the credulity of the multitude to accomplish plans of +conquest and ambition for themselves. Of the latter class, we may +imagine the celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh to be one, who, at this time, +undertook an expedition for the discovery and conquest of Eldorado. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH. + + +Walter Raleigh was born in the year 1552 in Devonshire, England, and +received a good education, completed by a residence of two years at the +University of Oxford. At the age of seventeen, he joined a volunteer +corps of English to serve in France in aid of the Protestant cause. +Afterwards he served five years in the Netherlands. In 1576, he +accompanied his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, on an expedition to +colonize some part of North America; which expedition was unsuccessful. +We next find him commanding a company of the royal troops in Ireland +during the rebellion raised by the Earl of Desmond. In consequence of +some serious differences which arose between him and his superior +officer, he found it necessary to repair to court to justify himself. It +was at this time that an incident occurred which recommended him to the +notice of Queen Elizabeth, and was the foundation of his fortunes. +Raleigh stood in the crowd one day where the queen passed on foot; and +when she came to a spot of muddy ground, and hesitated for a moment +where to step, he sprang forward, and, throwing from his shoulders his +handsome cloak ("his clothes being then," says a quaint old writer, "a +considerable part of his estate"), he spread it over the mud, so that +the queen passed over dry-shod, doubtless giving an approving look to +the handsome and quick-witted young officer. There is another story +which is not less probable, because it is not less in character with +both the parties. Finding some hopes of the queen's favor glancing on +him, he wrote, on a window where it was likely to meet her eye,-- + +"Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall." + +And her majesty, espying it, wrote underneath,-- + +"If thy heart fail thee, wherefore climb at all?" + +His progress in the queen's favor was enhanced by his demeanor when the +matter in dispute between him and his superior officer was brought +before the privy council, and each party was called upon to plead his +own cause. "What advantage he had in the case in controversy," says a +contemporary writer, "I know not; but he had much the better in the +manner of telling his tale." The result was, that he became a man of "no +slight mark;" "he had gotten the queen's ear in a trice;" "she took him +for a kind of oracle," and "loved to hear his reasons to her demands," +or, in more modern phrase, "his replies to her questions." + +The reign of Queen Elizabeth has been called the heroic age of England. +And, let us remember, the England of that day is ours as much as theirs +who still bear the name of Englishmen. The men whose gallant deeds we +now record were our ancestors, and their glory is our inheritance. + +The Reformation in religion had awakened all the energies of the human +mind. It had roused against England formidable enemies, among which +Spain was the most powerful and the most intensely hostile. She fitted +out the famous Armada to invade England; and England, on her part, sent +various expeditions to annoy the Spaniards in their lately acquired +possessions in South America. These expeditions were generally got up by +private adventurers; the queen and her great nobles often taking a share +in them. When there was nominal peace with Spain, such enterprises were +professedly for discovery and colonization, though the adventurers could +not always keep their hands off a rich prize of Spanish property that +fell in their way; but, for the last fifteen years of Elizabeth's reign, +there was open war between the two powers: and then these expeditions +had for their first object the annoyance of Spain, and discovery and +colonization for their second. + +We find Raleigh, after fortune began to smile upon him, engaged in a +second expedition, with Sir Humphrey Gilbert, for discovery and +colonization in America. He furnished, from his own means, a ship called +"The Raleigh," on board of which he embarked; but when a few days out, a +contagious disease breaking out among the crew, he put back into port, +and relinquished the expedition. Sir Humphrey, with the rest of the +squadron, consisting of five vessels, reached Newfoundland without +accident, took possession of the island, and left a colony there. He +then set out exploring along the American coast to the south, he himself +doing all the work in his little ten-ton cutter; the service being too +dangerous for the larger vessels to venture on. He spent the summer in +this labor till toward the end of August, when, in a violent storm, one +of the larger vessels, "The Delight," was lost with all her crew. "The +Golden Hind" and "Squirrel" were now left alone of the five ships. Their +provisions were running short, and the season far advanced; and Sir +Humphrey reluctantly concluded to lay his course for home. He still +continued in the small vessel, though vehemently urged by his friends to +remove to the larger one. "I will not forsake my little company, going +homeward," said he, "with whom I have passed so many storms and perils." +On the 9th of September, the weather was rough, and the cutter was with +difficulty kept afloat, struggling with the violence of the waves. When +the vessels came within hearing distance, Sir Humphrey cried out to his +companions in "The Hind," "Be of good courage: we are as near to heaven +by sea as by land." "That night, at about twelve o'clock," writes the +historian of the voyage, who was himself one of the adventurers, "the +cutter being ahead of us in 'The Golden Hind,' suddenly her lights were +out, and the watch cried, 'The general is cast away!' which was too +true." So perished a Christian hero. It was a fine end for a mortal man. +Let us not call it sad or tragic, but heroic and sublime. + +Raleigh, not discouraged by the ill success of this expedition, shortly +after obtained letters-patent for another enterprise of the same kind, +on the same terms as had been granted to Sir Humphrey. Two barks were +sent to explore some undiscovered part of America north of Florida, and +look out for a favorable situation for the proposed colony. This +expedition landed on Roanoke Island, near the mouth of Albemarle Sound. +Having taken formal possession of the country for the Queen of England +and her servant Sir Walter Raleigh, they returned, and gave so favorable +an account of the country, that her Majesty allowed it to be called +Virginia, after herself, a virgin queen. The next year, Raleigh sent out +a second expedition, and left a colony of a hundred men, which was the +first colony planted by Englishmen on the continent of America. Soon +after, Raleigh sent a third expedition with a hundred and fifty +colonists; but having now expended forty thousand pounds upon these +attempts, and being unable to persist further, or weary of waiting so +long for profitable returns, he assigned over his patent to a company of +merchants, and withdrew from further prosecution of the enterprise. + +The years which followed were the busiest of Raleigh's adventurous life. +He bore a distinguished part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and, +in the triumphant procession to return thanks at St. Paul's for that +great deliverance, he was conspicuous as commander of the queen's guard. +He was a member of Parliament, yet engaged personally in two naval +expeditions against the Spaniards, from which he reaped honor, but no +profit; and was at the height of favor with the queen. But, during his +absence at sea, the queen discovered that an intrigue existed between +Raleigh and one of the maids of honor, which was an offence particularly +displeasing to Elizabeth, who loved to fancy that all her handsome young +courtiers were too much attached to herself to be capable of loving any +other object. Raleigh, on his return, was committed a prisoner to the +Tower, and, on being released after a short confinement, retired to his +estate in Dorsetshire. It was during this retirement that he formed his +scheme for the discovery and conquest of Eldorado. It had long been a +subject of meditation to Raleigh, who declares in the dedication of his +"History of Guiana," published after his return, that "many years since, +he had knowledge, by relation, of that mighty, rich, and beautiful +empire of Guiana, and of that great and golden city which the Spaniards +call Eldorado, and the naturals Manoa."--"It is not possible," says one +of the historians of these events, "that Raleigh could have believed +the existence of such a kingdom. Credulity was not the vice of his +nature; but, having formed the project of colonizing Guiana, he employed +these fables as baits for vulgar cupidity." Other writers judge him more +favorably. It is probably true that he believed in the existence of such +a country as Eldorado; but we can hardly suppose that he put faith in +all the marvellous details which accompanied the main fact in popular +narration. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION. + + +As the attempts of Pizarro and Orellana were made by the route of the +river of the Amazons, and that of Ribera by the river of Paraguay, +Raleigh's approach was by the Orinoco, a river second in size only to +the Amazons, and which flows in a course somewhat parallel to that, and +some five or ten degrees farther to the north. The region of country +where this river discharges itself into the Atlantic was nominally in +possession of the Spaniards, though they had but one settlement in what +was called the province of Guiana,--the town of St. Joseph, then +recently founded; and another on the island of Trinidad, which lies +nearly opposite the mouth of the river. Raleigh, arriving at Trinidad, +stopped some days to procure such intelligence as the Spaniards resident +there could afford him respecting Guiana. He then proceeded to the main +land, destroyed the town which the Spaniards had lately built there, +and took the governor, Berrio, on board his own ship. He used his +prisoner well, and "gathered from him," he says, "as much of Guiana as +he knew." Berrio seems to have conversed willingly upon his own +adventures in exploring the country, having no suspicion of Raleigh's +views. He discouraged Raleigh's attempts to penetrate into the country, +telling him that he would find the river unnavigable for his ships, and +the nations hostile. These representations had little weight with +Raleigh, as he attributed them to a very natural wish on Berrio's part +to keep off foreigners from his province; but, on trying to find the +entrance to the river, he discovered Berrio's account to be true, so far +as related to the difficulties of the navigation. After a thorough +search for a practicable entrance, he gave up all hopes of passing in +any large vessel, and resolved to go with the boats. He took in his +largest boat, with himself, sixty men, including his cousin, his nephew, +and principal officers. Another boat carried twenty, and two others ten +each. "We had no other means," he says in his account afterward +published, "but to carry victual for a month in the same, and also to +lodge therein as we could, and to boil and dress our meat." + +The Orinoco, at nearly forty leagues from the sea, forms, like the Nile, +a kind of fan, strewed over with a multitude of little islands, that +divide it into numerous branches and channels, and force it to discharge +itself through this labyrinth into the sea by an infinity of mouths, +occupying an extent of more than sixty leagues. "The Indians who inhabit +those islands," says Raleigh, "in the summer, have houses upon the +ground, as in other places; in the winter they dwell upon the trees, +where they build very artificial towns and villages: for, between May +and September, the river rises to thirty feet upright, and then are +those islands overflowed twenty feet high above the level of the ground; +and for this cause they are enforced to live in this manner. They use +the tops of palmitos for bread; and kill deer, fish, and porks for the +rest of their sustenance." Raleigh's account is confirmed by later +travellers. Humboldt says, "The navigator, in proceeding along the +channels of the delta of the Orinoco at night, sees with surprise the +summits of the palm-trees illuminated by large fires. These are the +habitations of the Guaraons, which are suspended from the trees. These +tribes hang up mats in the air, which they fill with earth, and kindle, +on a layer of moist clay, the fire necessary for their household +wants." + +Passing up with the flood, and anchoring during the ebb, Raleigh and his +companions went on, till on the third day their galley grounded, and +stuck so fast, that they feared their discovery must end there, and they +be left to inhabit, like rooks upon trees, with these nations; but on +the morrow, after casting out all her ballast, with tugging and hauling +to and fro, they got her afloat. After four days more, they got beyond +the influence of the tide, and were forced to row against a violent +current, till they began to despair; the weather being excessively hot, +and the river bordered with high trees, that kept away the air. Their +provisions began to fail them; but some relief they found by shooting +birds of all colors,--carnation, crimson, orange, purple, and of all +other sorts, both simple and mixed. An old Indian whom they had pressed +into their service was a faithful guide to them, and brought them to an +Indian village, where they got a supply of bread, fish, and fowl. They +were thus encouraged to persevere, and next day captured two canoes +laden with bread, "and divers baskets of roots, which were excellent +meat." Probably these roots were no other than potatoes; for the +mountains of Quito, to which Sir Walter was now approaching, were the +native country of the potato, and the region from whence it was first +introduced into Europe. The Spaniards and Portuguese introduced it +earlier than the English; but to Raleigh belongs the credit of making it +known to his countrymen. The story is, that Sir Walter, on his return +home, had some of the roots planted in his garden at Youghal, in +Ireland, and that his gardener was sadly disappointed in autumn on +tasting the apples of the "fine American fruit," and proceeded to root +up the "useless weeds," when he discovered the tubers. + +Raleigh treated the natives with humanity, and, in turn, received +friendly treatment from them. The chiefs told him fine stories about the +gold-mines; but, unfortunately, the gold was not to be had without +labor, and the adventurers were in no condition to undertake mining +operations. What they wanted was to find a region like Mexico or Peru, +only richer, where gold might be found, not in the rocks or the bowels +of the earth, but in possession of the natives, in the form of barbaric +ornaments that they would freely barter for European articles, or images +of their gods, such as Christians might seize and carry away with an +approving conscience. + +Thus far, their search for such a region had been unsuccessful, and +their only hope was of reaching it by farther explorations. But the +river was rising daily, and the current flowed with such rapidity, that +they saw clearly, if it went on to increase as it had done for some time +past, it must soon debar all farther progress. + +Raleigh found by talking with the chiefs that they were all hostile to +the Spaniards, and willing enough to promise him their aid in driving +them out of the country. He accordingly told them that he was sent by a +great and virtuous queen to deliver them from the tyranny of the +Spaniards. He also learned that the Indians with whom he was conversing +were an oppressed race, having been conquered by a nation who dwelt +beyond the mountains,--a nation who wore large coats, and hats of +crimson color, and whose houses had many rooms, one over the other. They +were called the Eperumei; and against them all the other tribes would +gladly combine, for they were the general oppressors. Moreover, the +country of these Eperumei abounded in gold and all other good things. + +He continued to make daily efforts to ascend the river, and to explore +the tributary streams, but found his progress debarred in some quarters +by the rapid current of the swollen streams, and in others by falls in +the rivers. The falls of one of the tributaries of the Orinoco, the +Caroli, he describes as "a wonderful breach of waters, running in three +parts; and there appeared some ten or twelve over-falls in sight, every +one as high over the other as a church-tower." He was informed that the +lake from which the river issued was above a day's journey for one of +their canoes to cross, which he computed at about forty miles; that many +rivers fall into it, and great store of grains of gold was found in +those rivers. On one of these rivers, he was told, a nation of people +dwell "whose heads appear not above their shoulders;" which, he says, +"though it may be thought a mere fable, yet, for my own part, I am +resolved it is true, because every child in those provinces affirm the +same. They are reported to have their eyes in their shoulders, and their +mouths in the middle of their breasts, and that a long train of hair +growth backward between their shoulders." Raleigh adds, "It was not my +chance to hear of them till I was come away. If I had but spoken one +word of it while I was there, I might have brought one of them with me +to put the matter out of doubt." It might have been more satisfactory +for the philosophers if he had done so; but his word was quite enough +for the poets. One of that class, and the greatest of all, William +Shakspeare, was, at that very time, writing plays for the gratification +of Raleigh's gracious mistress and her subjects, and eagerly availed +himself of this new-discovered tribe to introduce one of them in his +play of "The Tempest," under the name of Caliban. He also makes Othello +tell the gentle Desdemona "of most disastrous chances, and of the +cannibals that each other eat; the Anthropophagi, and men whose heads do +grow beneath their shoulders." Nor are these the only instances in which +we think we trace the influence of the romantic adventurer on the +susceptible poet. The name of the divinity whom Caliban calls "my dam's +God Setebos" occurs in Raleigh's narrative as the name of an Indian +tribe; and Trinculo's plan of taking Caliban to England to make a show +of him seems borrowed from this hint of Raleigh's. In his days of +prosperity, Raleigh instituted a meeting of intellectual men at "The +Mermaid," a celebrated tavern. To this club, Shakspeare, Beaumont, +Fletcher, Jonson, Selden, Donne, and other distinguished literary men, +were accustomed to repair; and here doubtless the adventures and +discoveries of Sir Walter, set forth with that talent of which his +writings furnish abundant proof, often engaged the listening group. +Raleigh was then forty-eight, and Shakspeare thirty-six, years old. But, +in justice to Raleigh, it should be added, that he did not invent these +stories, and that later travellers and missionaries testify that such +tales were current among the Indians, though as yet no specimen of the +tribe has been seen by trustworthy narrators. + +Raleigh now found that he must bring his westward progress to a +conclusion: "for no half-day passed but the river began to rage and +overflow very fearfully; and the rains came down in terrible showers, +and gusts in great abundance, and men began to cry out for want of +shift; for no man had place to bestow any other apparel than that which +he wore on his back, and that was thoroughly washed on his body for the +most part ten times a day; and we had now been near a month, every day +passing to the westward, farther from our ships." They turned back, +therefore, and, passing down the stream, went, without labor and against +the wind, little less than one hundred miles a day. They stopped +occasionally, both for provisions, and for conference with the natives. +In particular, one old chief, with whom he had conferred formerly on his +ascent, gave him the confidential communication, that the attempt to +attack the city of Manoa, at that time, was desperate; for neither the +time of the year was favorable, nor had he nearly a sufficient force. He +advised, that, forbearing any further attempts at that time, Raleigh +should rest satisfied with the information he had gained, and return to +his own country for a larger force, with which to come again the next +year, and unite all the tribes which were hostile to the Eperumei, or +people of Manoa, and by their aid make an easy conquest of them. The old +chief added, that, for his part and his people's, they wanted no share +of the spoils of gold or precious stones: they only wanted to be avenged +on their enemies, and to rescue from them their women whom the Eperumei +had carried away in their frequent incursions; "so that, whereas they +were wont to have ten or twelve wives apiece, they were now enforced to +content themselves with three or four." + +Raleigh met with no material misadventure in his way down the river; +and, though a storm attacked them the same night, they anchored in the +mouth of the river; so that, in spite of every shelter they could derive +from the shores, the galley "had as much to do to live as could be, and +there wanted little of her sinking, and all those in her:" yet next day +they arrived safe at the Island of Trinidad, and found the ships at +anchor, "than which," says Raleigh, "there was never to us a more joyful +sight." + +Raleigh was not favorably received by the queen on his return, nor was +he welcomed with any popular applause; for he had brought home no booty, +and his account of the riches of the land into which he had led the way +was received with suspicion. He published it under this boastful title: +"The Discovery of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Guiana; with +a relation of the great and Golden City of Manoa, which the Spaniards +call Eldorado. Performed by Sir Walter Raleigh." In spite of all the +great promises which he held out, the acknowledgment that he had made a +losing voyage tended to abate that spirit of cupidity and enterprise +which he wished to excite. + +Sir Walter's history of his expedition contains, besides the marvels +already cited, numerous others, some of which have a basis of fact, +others not. Of the former kind is his account of oysters growing on +trees. He says, "We arrived at Trinidado the 22d of March, casting +anchor at Port Curiapan. I left the ships, and kept by the shore in my +barge, the better to understand the rivers, watering-places, and ports +of the island. In the way, I passed divers little brooks of fresh +water, and one salt river, that had store of oysters upon the branches +of the trees. All their oysters grow upon those boughs and sprays, and +not on the ground. The like is commonly seen in the West Indies and +elsewhere." + +Upon this narrative, Sir Robert Schomburgh, a late explorer, has the +following remark: "The first accounts brought to Europe, of oysters +growing on trees, raised as great astonishment as the relation of +Eldorado itself; and to those who were unacquainted with the fact that +these mollusks select the branches of the tree, on which they fix +themselves during high water, when the branches are immersed, it may +certainly sound strange, that shells, which we know live in Europe on +banks in the depths of the sea, should be found in the West Indies on +the branches of trees. They attach themselves chiefly to the +mangrove-tree, which grows along the shore of the sea, and rivers of +brackish water, and covers immense tracts of coast; rooting and +vegetating in a manner peculiar to itself, even as far as low-water +mark. The water flowing off during ebb leaves the branches, with the +oysters attached to them, high and dry." + +Respecting the Republic of Amazons, Sir Walter says, "I made inquiry +among the most ancient and best travelled of the Orenoqueponi; and I +was very desirous to understand the truth of those warlike women, +because of some it is believed, of others not. I will set down what hath +been delivered me for truth of those women; and I spake with a cacique, +or lord of people, who said that he had been in the river, and beyond it +also. The nations of those women are on the south side of the river, in +the province of Topago; and their chiefest strengths and retreats are in +the islands of said river. They accompany with men but once in a year, +and for the time of one month, which, I gather from their relation, to +be in April. At that time, all the kings of the borders assemble, and +the queens of the Amazons; and, after the queens have chosen, the rest +cast lots for their valentines. This one month they feast, dance, and +drink of their wines in abundance; and, the moon being done, they all +depart to their own provinces. If a son be born, they return him to the +father; if a daughter, they nourish it and retain it, all being desirous +to increase their own sex and kind. They carry on wars, and are very +blood-thirsty and cruel." + +Sir Robert Schomburgh, who explored these regions extensively between +the years 1835 and 1844, says, in reference to this subject, "The +result of this fatiguing and perilous journey has only strengthened our +conviction that this republic of women was one of those inventions, +designed merely to enhance the wonders, of which the new world was +regarded as the seat." It would, however, be unjust to condemn Raleigh's +proneness to a belief in their existence, when we find that Condamine +believed in them; that Humboldt hesitated to decide against them; and +that even Southey, the learned historian of Brazil, makes this remark, +"Had we never heard of the Amazons of antiquity, I should, without +hesitation, believe in those of America. Their existence is not the less +likely for that reason; and yet it must be admitted, that the probable +truth is made to appear suspicious by its resemblance to a known +fable." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RALEIGH'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED. + + +When Raleigh, on his first arrival, broke up the Spanish settlement in +Trinidad, he took Berrio, the governor, prisoner, and carried him with +him in his voyage up the river. Berrio seems to have borne his fate with +good temper, and conciliated the good will of Raleigh; so that, when the +expedition returned to the mouth of the river, he was set at liberty, +and collected his little colony again. Berrio probably shared the same +belief as Raleigh in the existence of the kingdom of Eldorado within the +limits of his province, and was naturally desirous to avail himself of +the respite which he gained by the termination of Raleigh's expedition, +until it should return in greater force to penetrate to Eldorado, and +take possession for himself and his countrymen. With these views, he +sent an officer of his, Domingo de Vera, to Spain, to levy men; sending, +according to Raleigh's account, "divers images, as well of men as of +beasts, birds, and fishes, cunningly wrought in gold," in hopes to +persuade the king to yield him some further help. This agent was more +successful than Raleigh in obtaining belief. He is described as a man of +great ability, and little scrupulous as to truth. Having been favorably +received by the government, he attracted notice by appearing in a +singular dress, which, as he was of great stature, and rode always a +great horse, drew all eyes, and made him generally known as the Indian +chief of Eldorado and the rich lands. Some trinkets in gold he +displayed, of Indian workmanship, and some emeralds, which he had +brought from America, and promised stores of both; and, by the aid of +influential persons, he obtained seventy thousand dollars at Madrid, and +five thousand afterwards at Seville, authority to raise any number of +adventurers (though Berrio had asked only for three hundred men), and +five good ships to carry them out. Adventurers flocked to him in Toledo, +La Mancha, and Estremadura. The expedition was beyond example popular. +Twenty captains of infantry, who had served in Italy and Flanders, +joined it. Not only those who had their fortunes to seek were deluded: +men of good birth and expectations left all to engage in the conquest of +Eldorado; and fathers of families gave up their employments, and sold +their goods, and embarked with their wives and children. Solicitations +and bribes were made use of by eager volunteers. The whole expedition +consisted of more than two thousand persons. + +They reached Trinidad after a prosperous voyage, and took possession of +the town. The little mischief which Raleigh had done had been easily +repaired; for indeed there was little that he could do. The place did +not contain thirty families, and the strangers were to find shelter as +they could. Rations of biscuit and salt meat, pulse, or rice, were +served out to them; but, to diminish the consumption as much as +possible, detachments were sent off in canoes to the main land, where +Berrio had founded the town of St. Thomas. Some flotillas effected their +progress safely; but one, which consisted of six canoes, met with bad +weather, and only three succeeded in entering the river, after throwing +their cargoes overboard. The others made the nearest shore, where they +were descried by the Caribs, a fierce tribe of natives, who slew them +all, except a few women whom they carried away, and one soldier, who +escaped to relate the fate of his companions. + +The city of St. Thomas contained at that time four hundred men, besides +women and children. Berrio, to prepare the way for the discovery and +conquest of Eldorado, sent out small parties of the new-comers under +experienced persons, that they might be seasoned to the difficulties +which they would have to undergo, and learn how to conduct themselves in +their intercourse with the Indians. They were to spread the news that +the king had sent out many Spaniards, and a large supply of axes, caps, +hawk-bells, looking-glasses, combs, and such other articles of traffic +as were in most request. They saw no appearance of those riches which +Raleigh had heard of, nor of that plenty which he had found. The people +with whom they met had but a scanty subsistence for themselves, and so +little of gold or silver or any thing else to barter for the hatchets +and trinkets of the Spaniards, that they were glad of the chance to +labor as boatmen, or give their children, in exchange for them. + +Berrio was not discouraged by the result of these journeys. Like +Raleigh, he was persuaded that the great and golden city stood on the +banks of a great lake, from which the River Caroli issued, about twelve +leagues east of the mouth whereof his town was placed. A force of eight +hundred men was now ordered on the discovery. The command was given to +Correa, an officer accustomed to Indian warfare. Three Franciscan monks, +and a lay brother of the same order, accompanied the expedition. Having +reached a spot where the country was somewhat elevated, and the +temperature cooler than in the region they had passed, they hutted +themselves on a sort of prairie, and halted there in the hope that rest +might restore those who began to feel the effect of an unwholesome +climate. The natives not only abstained from any acts of hostility, but +supplied them with fruits, and a sort of cassava (tapioca). This they +did in sure knowledge that disease would soon subdue these new-come +Spaniards to their hands. It was not long before a malignant fever broke +out among the adventurers, which carried off a third part of their +number. One comfort only was left them: the friars continued every day +to perform mass in a place where all the sufferers could hear it; and no +person died without performing and receiving all the offices which the +Romish Church has enjoined. Correa himself sank under the disease. He +might possibly have escaped it, acclimated as he was, if he had not +overtasked himself when food was to be sought from a distance, and +carried heavy loads to spare those who were less equal to the labor: for +now the crafty Indians no longer brought supplies, but left the +weakened Spaniards to provide for themselves as they could; and when +Correa was dead, of whom, as a man accustomed to Indian war, they stood +in fear, they collected their forces, and fell upon the Spaniards, who +apprehended no danger, and were most of them incapable of making any +defence. The plan appears to have been concerted with a young Indian +chief who accompanied the Spaniards under pretence of friendship; and +the women whom the Indians brought with them to carry home the spoils of +their enemies bore their part with stones and stakes in the easy +slaughter. The Spaniards who escaped the first attack fled with all +speed, some without weapons, and some without strength to use them. The +friars were the last to fly. With the soldiers to protect them, they +brought off their portable altar, two crosses, and a crucifix. No +attempt at resistance was made, except when a fugitive fell by the way. +The word then passed for one of the fathers: some soldiers stood with +their muskets to protect him while he hastily confessed and absolved the +poor wretch, whom his countrymen then commended to God, and left to the +mercy of the Indians. + +In some places, the enemy set fire to the grass and shrubbery, which in +that climate grow with extreme luxuriance; by which means many of this +miserable expedition perished. Not quite thirty out of the whole number +got safe back to the town of St. Thomas. That place was in a deplorable +state, suffering at once from a contagious disease and from a scarcity +of provisions. To add to the distress, about a hundred persons more had +just arrived from Trinidad. They came of necessity; for there were no +longer supplies of food at Trinidad to sustain them. But they came with +high-raised hopes, only repining at their ill luck in not having been in +the first expedition, by which they supposed the first spoils of +Eldorado had already been shared. They arrived like skeletons at a city +of death. Not only were provisions scarce, but the supply of salt had +altogether failed; and, without it, health in that climate cannot be +preserved. To add to their misery, the shoes had all been consumed, and +the country was infested by that insect (the chigua) which burrows in +the feet, and attacks the flesh wherever the slightest wound gives it +access. The torment occasioned by these insects was such, that the men +willingly submitted to the only remedy they knew of, and had the sores +cauterized with hot iron. + +Among those who had come from Spain to enter upon this land of promise, +there was a "beata," or pious woman, who had been attached to a convent +in Madrid, and accompanied a married daughter and her husband on this +unhappy adventure, and devoted herself to the service of the sick. Some +of the women, and she among them, looking upon the governor, Berrio, as +the cause of their miseries, and thinking, that, as long as he lived, +there was no hope of their escaping from this fatal place, resolved to +murder him, and provided themselves with knives for the purpose. The +indignation against him was so general, that they hesitated not to +impart their design to one of the friars; and, luckily for Berrio, he +interposed his influence to prevent it. One of the women who had sold +her possessions in Spain to join the expedition made her way to the +governor when the officers and friars were with him, and, emptying upon +the ground before him a bag which contained one hundred and fifty +doubloons, said, "Tyrant, take what is left, since you have brought us +here to die." Berrio replied, with less of anger than of distress in his +countenance, "I gave no orders to Domingo de Vera that he should bring +more than three hundred men." He offered no opposition to the departure +of such as would. Many who had strength or resolution enough trusted +themselves to the river in such canoes as they could find, without +boatmen or pilot, and endeavored to make their way back to Trinidad; +some perishing by the hands of the natives, others by drowning, others +by hunger, on the marshy shores which they reached. Vera soon died of a +painful disease in Trinidad; and Berrio did not long survive him. Such +was the issue of this great attempt for the conquest of the golden +empire; "of which," says an old Spanish historian, "it may be said, that +it was like Nebuchadnezzar's image, beginning in gold, but continuing +through baser metal, till it ended in rude iron and base clay." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +RALEIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION. + + +Raleigh's first voyage disappointed every one but himself. He pretended +to have obtained satisfactory evidence of the existence of Eldorado, and +information of the place where it was; also proof of the existence of +mines of gold; and to have conciliated the good will of the natives, and +secured their co-operation with him in any future attempt. But he had +brought home no gold; the shining stones which his followers had +abundantly supplied themselves with were found to be worthless: and +there was no evidence of the existence of a native sovereignty as far +advanced in civilization and refinement as the Mexicans and Peruvians, +the conquest of which would reflect as much glory upon the English name +as the achievements of Cortez and Pizarro had reflected upon that of +Spain. Raleigh's boastful representations, therefore, failed of effect. +None of his countrymen were inclined to join with him in a further +prosecution of the enterprise; and the subject was dropped for the time. + +Raleigh was soon restored to favor, and employed in the naval +expeditions against Spain which took place at this time. He greatly +distinguished himself on several occasions, and was in high favor with +Queen Elizabeth till her death; but, with the accession of James, his +fortunes fell. He was accused (whether justly or not is still doubtful) +of being concerned in treasonable plots against the king, and was +brought to trial, found guilty, condemned to death, and committed +prisoner to the Tower to await the execution of his sentence. + +Raleigh, withdrawn from active labors by his imprisonment, was not idle. +He turned to intellectual pursuits, and, with many minor pieces in prose +and verse, executed his greatest work, "The History of the World,"--a +project of such vast extent, that the bare idea of his undertaking it +excites our admiration. As an author, he stands on an eminence as high +as that which he obtained in other paths. Hume says, "He is the best +model of our ancient style;" and Hallam confirms the judgment. His +imprisonment lasted thirteen years. At the expiration of that time, he +had influence to have his sentence so far remitted as to allow him to +go on a second expedition in search of Eldorado. Twenty years had +elapsed since the former expedition; and the present was of a magnitude +more like a national enterprise than a private one. Sir Walter's own +ship, "The Destiny," carried thirty-six guns and two hundred men. There +were six other vessels, carrying from twenty-five guns to three each. +Raleigh embarked all his means in this expedition. His eldest son +commanded one of the ships; and eighty of his companions were gentlemen +volunteers and adventurers, many of them his relations. + +Those who have thoughtfully considered Raleigh's career have seen reason +to doubt whether he really believed the stories which he was so anxious +to impress upon others. They have thought it more likely that his real +object was to emulate the fame of Cortez and Pizarro; to dispossess +Spain of some portion of her conquests in South America, and transfer +them to his own country. This latter object was admissible at the time +of his first expedition, because Spain and England were then at war; but +was not so on the second, as the two nations were then at peace. But +Raleigh had reason to think, that, if he could succeed in his object, +there was no danger of his being called to very strict account +respecting his measures. + +He arrived off the coast of Guiana on the 12th of November, 1617; having +had a long and disastrous voyage. One ship had left him, and returned +home; another had foundered; forty-two of his men had died; many were +suffering from sickness, and himself among the number. But he found the +Indians friendly, and not forgetful of his former visit. He writes to +his wife, "To tell you that I might be here king of the country were a +vanity; but my name hath still lived among them here. They feed me with +fresh meat, and all that the country yields. All offer to obey me." + +Being too feeble from sickness to go himself, he sent forward an +expedition, under Capt. Keymis, to enter the Orinoco, and take +possession of the mines. Five companies of fifty men each, in five +shallops, composed the expedition; Raleigh, with the remainder of his +vessels, repairing to Trinidad to await the result. + +Since Raleigh's former expedition, the Spaniards had made a settlement +upon the main land, and founded a town to which they gave the name of +St. Thomas. The governor resided there, and there were in all about +five hundred inhabitants. On the 12th of January, the English flotilla +reached a part of the river twelve leagues from St. Thomas; and an +Indian fisherman carried the alarm to that place. The governor, +Palameque, mustered immediately the little force which he had at hand. +This consisted of fifty-seven men only. Messengers were sent to summon +those men who were at their farms, and two horsemen were sent out to +watch the invaders' movements. + +At eleven in the forenoon, the vessels anchored about a league from the +town. The men landed, and the scouts hastened back with the +intelligence. A Spanish officer, with ten men, was placed in ambush near +the city. As soon as he was informed of the direction which the English +were taking, he cut a match-cord in pieces, which he lighted at dark, +and placed at intervals, where they might deceive the invaders by +presenting the appearance of a greater force. The first discharge was +from two pieces of cannon against the boats. The Spaniard, with his +little band, then opened his fire upon the troops, and kept it up from +the bushes as he retired before them. This skirmishing continued about +an hour and a half, till he had fallen back to the place where the +governor and his people were drawn up, at the entrance of the city, to +make a stand. It was now nine at night. Raleigh says, in his account of +the action, that some of the English, at the first charge, began to +pause and recoil shamefully; whereupon his son, not tarrying for any +musketeers, ran up at the head of a company of pikemen, and received a +shot wound. Pressing then upon a Spanish captain with his sword, the +Spaniard, taking the small end of his musket in his hand, struck him on +the head with the stock, and felled him. His last words were, "Lord, +have mercy upon me, and prosper the enterprise!" and his death was +instantly avenged by his sergeant, who thrust the Spaniard through with +his halberd. In the heat of the fight, and in the confusion which the +darkness occasioned, the Spanish commander was separated from his +people, and slain. The Spaniards, however, had the advantage of knowing +the ground; and, betaking themselves to the houses, they fired from them +on the English, and killed many, till the assailants set fire to the +houses; thus depriving themselves of that booty which was their main +object. The English were now masters of the place; the remainder of the +defendants, with the women and children, under the command of Grados, +the officer who had deported himself so well in the first ambush, +effecting their escape across the river. Grados stationed them at a +place about ten miles distant from the town, where a few slight huts +were erected for the women and children. + +The captors searched in vain for gold in the city; but they had an idea +that there was a rich gold-mine a short distance up the river. +Accordingly, two launches, with twenty or thirty men in each, were +despatched up the Orinoco. They came to the mouth of the creek, which +led to the place where Grados had hutted the women and children; and the +largest of the launches was about to enter, when Grados, who had posted +nine of the invalids in ambush there, with about as many Indian bowmen, +fired upon them so unexpectedly, and with such good aim, that only one +of the crew is said to have escaped unhurt. The other launch also +suffered some loss. Three days after, three launches were sent to take +vengeance for this defeat; but Grados had removed his charge some two +leagues into the country, and these vessels went up the river about a +hundred leagues, treating with the Indians, to whom they made presents +and larger promises, and after eighteen or twenty days returned, having +effected nothing of importance. + +The English had now been four weeks in the city, annoyed by the +Spaniards and Indians, and losing many of their men, cut off in their +foraging excursions by ambushes. After the unsuccessful attempt to +discover the mine, no further effort was made for that purpose; Keymis +alleging in his excuse, that "the Spaniards, being gone off in a whole +body, lay in the woods between the mine and us, and it was impossible, +except they had been beaten out of the country, to pass up the woods and +craggy hills without the loss of the commanders, without whom the rest +would easily be cut to pieces." The English, accordingly, retreated from +the city, setting fire to the few houses that remained, and promising +the Indians, as they went, that they would return next year, and +complete the destruction of the Spaniards. + +Raleigh was by no means satisfied with Keymis's excuses for his failure +to discover the mine, and reproached him with so much severity, that +Keymis, after the interview, retired to his cabin, and shot himself +through the heart. + +When Raleigh arrived in England, he found that the tidings of his attack +on the Spaniards, and the utter failure of his expedition, had reached +there before him. The Spanish ambassador was clamorous for punishment +on what he called a piratical proceeding; and the king and the nation, +who might have pardoned a successful adventurer, had no indulgence to +extend to one so much the reverse. Finding a proclamation had been +issued for his arrest, Raleigh endeavored to escape to France, but was +taken in the attempt, and committed close prisoner to the Tower. He was +made a victim to court intrigue. The weak king, James, was then +negotiating a Spanish match for his son, and, to gratify the King of +Spain and his court, sacrificed one of the noblest of his subjects. +Without being put on trial for his late transactions, Raleigh's old +sentence, which had been suspended sixteen years, was revived against +him; and on the 29th of October, 1618, four months after his arrival, he +was beheaded on the scaffold. + +The fate of Raleigh caused a great sensation at the time, and has not +yet ceased to excite emotion. The poet Thomson, in his "Summer," finely +alludes to the various circumstances of his history, which we have +briefly recorded:-- + + "But who can speak +The numerous worthies of the 'Maiden reign'? +In Raleigh mark their every glory mixed,-- +Raleigh, the scourge of Spain, whose breast with all +The sage, the patriot, and the hero, burned. +Nor sunk his vigor when a coward reign +The warrior fettered, and at last resigned +To glut the vengeance of a vanquished foe: +Then, active still and unrestrained, his mind +Explored the vast extent of ages past, +And with his prison-hours enriched the world; +Yet found no times in all the long research +So glorious or so base as those he proved +In which he conquered and in which he bled." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS. + + +After so many abortive attempts to reach the Golden Empire, the ardor of +research greatly abated. No expeditions, composed of considerable +numbers, have since embarked in the enterprise; but from time to time, +for the century succeeding Raleigh's last attempt, private expeditions +were undertaken and encouraged by provincial governors; and several +hundred persons perished miserably in those fruitless endeavors. + +The adventure we are now about to record was of an entirely different +character in respect to its objects and the means employed; but it +occupied the same field of action, and called into exercise the same +qualities of courage and endurance. + +In 1735, the French Academy of Science made arrangements for sending out +two commissions of learned men to different and distant parts of the +world to make measurements, with a view to determining the dimensions +and figure of the earth. The great astronomer, Sir Isaac Newton, had +deduced from theory, and ventured to maintain, that the earth was not a +perfect globe, but a spheroid; that is, a globe flattened at the poles. +For a long time after Newton's splendid discoveries in astronomy, a +degree of national jealousy prevented the French philosophers from +accepting his conclusions; and they were not displeased to find, when +they could, facts opposed to them. Now, there were some supposed facts +which were incompatible with this idea of Newton's, that the earth was +flattened at the poles. The point was capable of being demonstrated by +measurements, with instruments, on the surface; for, if his theory was +true, a degree of latitude would be longer in the northern parts of the +globe than in the regions about the equator. + +We must not allow our story to become a scientific essay; and yet we +should like to give our readers, if we could, some idea of the principle +on which this process, which is called the measurement of an arc of the +meridian, was expected to show the magnitude and form of the earth. We +all know that geographical latitude means the position of places north +or south of the equator, and is determined by reference to the north or +pole star. A person south of the equator would not see the pole-star at +all. One at the equator, looking at the pole-star, would see it, if no +intervening object prevented, in the horizon. Advancing northward, he +would see it apparently rise, and advance toward him. As he proceeded, +it would continue to rise. When he had traversed half the distance to +the pole, he would see the pole-star about as we see it in Boston; that +is, nearly midway between the horizon and the zenith: and, when he had +reached the pole, he would see the pole-star directly over his head. +Dividing the quarter circle which the star has moved through into ninety +parts, we say, when the star has ascended one-ninetieth part, that the +observer has travelled over one degree of latitude. When the observer +has reached Boston, he has passed over somewhat more than forty-two +degrees, and, when he has reached the north-pole, ninety degrees, of +latitude. Thus we measure our latitude over the earth's surface by +reference to a circle in the heavens; and, because the portions into +which we divide that circle are equal, we infer that the portions of the +earth's surface which correspond to them are equal. This would be true +if the earth were a perfect globe: but if the earth be a spheroid, as +Newton's theory requires it to be, it would _not_ be true; for that +portion of the earth's surface which is flattened will have less +curvature than that which is not so, and less still than that portion +which is protuberant. The degrees of least curvature will be longest, +and those of greatest curvature shortest; that is, one would have to +travel farther on the flattened part of the earth to see any difference +in the position of the north-star than in those parts where the +curvature is greater. So a degree of latitude near the pole, if +determined by the position of the north-star, would be found, by actual +measurement, to be longer than one similarly determined at the equator. +It was to ascertain whether the fact was so that the two scientific +expeditions were sent out. + +The party which was sent to the northern regions travelled over snow and +ice, swamps and morasses, to the arctic circle, and fixed their station +at Tornea, in Lapland. The frozen surface of the river afforded them a +convenient level for fixing what is called by surveyors the base line. +The cold was so intense, that the glass froze to the mouth when they +drank, and the metallic measuring rod to the hand. In spite, however, of +perils and discomforts, they persevered in their task, and brought back +careful measurements of a degree in latitude 66° north, to be compared +with those made by the other party at the equator, whose movements we +propose more particularly to follow. + +Before we take leave of the northern commissioners, however, we will +mention another method they took of demonstrating the same fact. If the +earth be depressed at the poles, it must follow that bodies will weigh +heavier there, because they are nearer the centre of the earth. But how +could they test this fact, when all weights would be increased +alike,--the pound of feathers and the pound of lead? The question was +settled by observing the oscillation of a pendulum. The observers near +the pole found that the pendulum vibrated faster than usual, because, +being nearer the centre of the earth, the attracting power was +increased. To balance this, they had to lengthen the pendulum; and the +extent to which they had to do this measured the difference between the +earth's diameter at the poles, and that in the latitude from which they +came. + +The commissioners who were sent to the equatorial regions were Messrs. +Bouguer, La Condamine, and Godin, the last of whom was accompanied by +his wife. Two Spanish officers, Messrs. Juan and De Ulloa, joined the +commission. The party arrived at Quito in June, 1736, about two hundred +years after Gonzalo Pizarro started from the same place in his search +for Eldorado. In the interval, the country had become nominally +Christian. The city was the seat of a bishopric, an audience royal, and +other courts of justice; contained many churches and convents, and two +colleges. But the population was almost entirely composed of Indians, +who lived in a manner but very little different from that of their +ancestors at the time of the conquest. Cuença was the place next in +importance to the capital; and there, or in its neighborhood, the chief +labors of the commission were transacted. They were conducted under +difficulties as great as those of their colleagues in the frozen regions +of the north, but of a different sort. The inhabitants of the country +were jealous of the French commissioners, and supposed them to be either +heretics or sorcerers, and to have come in search of gold-mines. Even +persons connected with the administration employed themselves in +stirring up the minds of the people, till at last, in a riotous +assemblage at a bullfight, the surgeon of the French commissioners was +killed. After tedious and troublesome legal proceedings, the +perpetrators were let off with a nominal punishment. Notwithstanding +every difficulty, the commissioners completed their work in a +satisfactory manner, spending in all eight years in the task, including +the voyages out and home. + +The commissioners who had made the northern measurements reported the +length of the degree at 66° north latitude to be 57.422 toises; Messrs. +Bouguer and La Condamine, the equatorial degree, 56.753 toises; showing +a difference of 669 toises, or 4,389-¾ feet. The difference, as +corrected by later measurements, is stated by recent authorities at +3,662 English feet; by which amount the polar degree exceeds the +equatorial. Thus Newton's theory was confirmed. + +His scientific labors having been finished, La Condamine conceived the +idea of returning home by way of the Amazon River; though difficulties +attended the project, which we who live in a land of mighty rivers, +traversed by steamboats, can hardly imagine. The only means of +navigating the upper waters of the river was by rafts or canoes; the +latter capable of containing but one or two persons, besides a crew of +seven or eight boatmen. The only persons who were in the habit of +passing up and down the river were the Jesuit missionaries, who made +their periodical visits to their stations along its banks. A young +Spanish gentleman, Don Pedro Maldonado, who at first eagerly caught at +the idea of accompanying the French philosopher on his homeward route by +way of the river, was almost discouraged by the dissuasives urged by his +family and friends, and seemed inclined to withdraw from the enterprise; +so dangerous was the untried route esteemed. It was, however, at length +resolved that they should hazard the adventure; and a place of +rendezvous was appointed at a village on the river. On the 4th of July, +1743, La Condamine commenced his descent of one of the streams which +flow into the great river of the Amazons. The stream was too precipitous +in its descent to be navigated by boats of any kind, and the only method +used was by rafts. These are made of a light kind of wood, or rather +cane, similar to the bamboo, the single pieces of which are fastened +together by rushes, in such a manner, that they yield to every shock of +moderate violence, and consequently are not subject to be separated even +by the strongest. On such a conveyance, the French philosopher glided +down the stream of the Chuchunga, occasionally stopping on its banks for +a day or two at a time to allow the waters to abate, and admit of +passing a dangerous rapid more safely; and sometimes getting fast on the +shallows, and requiring to be drawn off by ropes by the Indian boatmen. +It was not till the 19th of July that he entered the main river at +Laguna, where he found his friend Maldonado, who had been waiting for +him some weeks. + +On the 23d of July, 1743, they embarked in two canoes of forty-two and +forty-four feet long, each formed out of one single trunk of a tree, and +each provided with a crew of eight rowers. They continued their course +night and day, in hopes to reach, before their departure, the +brigantines of the missionaries, in which they used to send once a year, +to Pará, the cacao which they collected in their missions, and for which +they got, in return, supplies of European articles of necessity. + +On the 25th of July, La Condamine and his companion passed the village +of a tribe of Indians lately brought under subjection, and in all the +wildness of savage life: on the 27th, they reached another more advanced +in civilization, yet not so far as to have abandoned their savage +practices of artificially flattening their heads, and elongating their +ears. The 1st of August, they landed at a missionary station, where they +found numerous Indians assembled, and some tribes so entirely barbarous +as to be destitute of clothing for either sex. "There are in the +interior," the narration goes on to say, "some tribes which devour the +prisoners taken in war; but there are none such on the banks of the +river." + +After leaving this station, they sailed day and night, equal to seven or +eight days' journey, without seeing any habitation. On the 5th of +August, they arrived at the first of the Portuguese missionary stations, +where they procured larger and more commodious boats than those in which +they had advanced hitherto. Here they began to see the first signs of +the benefits of access to European sources of supply, by means of the +vessel which went every year from Pará to Lisbon. They tarried six days +at the last of the missionary stations, and again made a change of boats +and of Indian crews. On the 28th August, being yet six hundred miles +from the sea, they perceived the ebb and flow of the tide. + +On the 19th September, they arrived at Pará, which La Condamine +describes as a great and beautiful city, built of stone, and enjoying a +commerce with Lisbon, which made it flourishing and increasing. He +observes, "It is, perhaps, the only European settlement where silver +does not pass for money; the whole currency being cocoa." He adds in a +note, "Specie currency has been since introduced." + +The Portuguese authorities received the philosophers with all the +civilities and hospitalities due to persons honored with the special +protection and countenance of two great nations,--France and Spain. The +cannon were fired; and the soldiers of the garrison, with the governor +of the province at their head, turned out to receive them. The governor +had received orders from the home government to pay all their expenses, +and to furnish them every thing requisite for their comfort and +assistance in their researches. La Condamine remained three months at +Pará; and then, declining the urgent request of the governor to embark +in a Portuguese vessel for home by way of Lisbon, he embarked in a boat +rowed by twenty-two Indians, under the command of a Portuguese officer, +to coast along the shores of the continent to the French colony of +Cayenne. + +The city of Pará from whence he embarked is not situated upon the Amazon +River, but upon what is called the River of Pará, which branches off +from the Amazon near its mouth, and discharges itself into the sea at a +distance of more than a hundred miles east of the Amazon. The +intervening land is an island called Marajo, along the coast of which +La Condamine and his party steered till they came to the place where the +Amazon River discharges into the sea that vast bulk of waters which has +been swelled by the contributions of numerous tributaries throughout a +course of more than three thousand miles in length. It here meets the +current which runs along the north-eastern coast of Brazil, and gives +rise to that phenomenon which is called by the Indians Pororoca. The +river and the current, having both great rapidity, and meeting nearly at +right angles, come into contact with great violence, and raise a +mountain of water to the height of one hundred and eighty feet. The +shock is so dreadful, that it makes all the neighboring islands tremble; +and fishermen and navigators fly from it in the utmost terror. The river +and the ocean appear to contend for the empire of the waves: but they +seem to come to a compromise; for the sea-current continues its way +along the coast of Guiana to the Island of Trinidad, while the current +of the river is still observable in the ocean at a distance of five +hundred miles from the shore. + +La Condamine passed this place of meeting in safety by waiting for a +favorable course of tides, crossing the Amazon at its mouth, steering +north; and after many delays, caused by the timidity and bad seamanship +of his Indian crew, arrived at last safe at Cayenne on the 26th +February, 1744, having been eight months on his voyage, two of which +were spent in his passage from Pará, a passage which he avers a French +officer and crew, two years after him, accomplished in six days. La +Condamine was received with all possible distinction at Cayenne, and in +due time found passage home to France, where he arrived 25th February, +1745. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE DOWN THE AMAZON. + + +One of the French commissioners, M. Godin, had taken with him on his +scientific errand to Peru his wife; a lady for whom we bespeak the kind +interest of our readers, for her name deserves honorable mention among +the early navigators of the Amazon. The labors of the commission +occupied several years; and when, in the year 1742, those labors were +happily brought to a conclusion, M. Godin was prevented, by +circumstances relating to himself individually, from accompanying his +colleagues in their return to France. His detention was protracted from +year to year, till at last, in 1749, he repaired alone to the Island of +Cayenne to prepare every thing necessary for the homeward voyage of +himself and his wife. + +From Cayenne he wrote to Paris to the minister of marine, and requested +that his government would procure for him the favorable interposition of +the court of Portugal to supply him with the means of ascending the +River Amazon to bring away his wife from Peru, and descend the stream +with her to the Island of Cayenne. Thirteen years had rolled by since +their arrival in the country, when at last Madame Godin saw her earnest +wish to return home likely to be gratified. All that time, she had lived +apart from her husband; she in Peru, he in the French colony of Cayenne. +At last, M. Godin had the pleasure to see the arrival of a galoot (a +small vessel having from sixteen to twenty oars on a side, and well +adapted for rapid progress), which had been fitted out by the order of +the King of Portugal, and despatched to Cayenne for the purpose of +taking him on his long-wished-for journey. He immediately embarked; but, +before he could reach the mouth of the Amazon River, he was attacked by +so severe an illness, that he saw himself compelled to stop at Oyapoc, a +station between Cayenne and the mouth of the river, and there to remain, +and to send one Tristan, whom he thought his friend, in lieu of himself, +up the river to seek Madame Godin, and escort her to him. He intrusted +to him also, besides the needful money, various articles of merchandise +to dispose of to the best advantage. The instructions which he gave him +were as follows:-- + +The galiot had orders to convey him to Loreto about half-way up the +Amazon River, the first Spanish settlement. From there he was to go to +Laguna, another Spanish town about twelve miles farther up, and to give +Mr. Godin's letter, addressed to his wife, in charge to a certain +ecclesiastic of that place, to be forwarded to the place of her +residence. He himself was to wait at Laguna the arrival of Madame Godin. + +The galiot sailed, and arrived safe at Loreto. But the faithless +Tristan, instead of going himself to Laguna, or sending the letter +there, contented himself with delivering the packet to a Spanish Jesuit, +who was going to quite another region on some occasional purpose. +Tristan himself, in the mean while, went round among the Portuguese +settlements to sell his commodities. The result was, that M. Godin's +letter, passing from hand to hand, failed to reach the place of its +destination. + +Meanwhile, by what means we know not, a blind rumor of the purpose and +object of the Portuguese vessel lying at Loreto reached Peru, and came +at last, but without any distinctness, to the ears of Madame Godin. She +learned through this rumor that a letter from her husband was on the way +to her; but all her efforts to get possession of it were fruitless. At +last, she resolved to send a faithful negro servant, in company with an +Indian, to the Amazon, to procure, if possible, more certain tidings. +This faithful servant made his way boldly through all hinderances and +difficulties which beset his journey, reached Loreto, talked with +Tristan, and brought back intelligence that he, with the Portuguese +vessel and all its equipments, were for her accommodation, and waited +her orders. + +Now, then, Madame Godin determined to undertake this most perilous and +difficult journey. She was staying at the time at Riobamba, about one +hundred and twenty miles south of Quito, where she had a house of her +own with garden and grounds. These, with all other things that she could +not take with her, she sold on the best terms she could. Her father, M. +Grandmaison, and her two brothers, who had been living with her in Peru, +were ready to accompany her. The former set out beforehand to a place +the other side of the Cordilleras to make arrangements for his +daughter's journey on her way to the ship. + +Madame Godin received about this time a visit from a certain Mr. R., who +gave himself out for a French physician, and asked permission to +accompany her. He promised, moreover, to watch over her health, and to +do all in his power to lighten the fatigues and discomforts of the +arduous journey. She replied, that she had no authority over the vessel +which was to carry her, and therefore could not answer for it that he +could have a place in it. Mr. R., thereupon, applied to the brothers of +Madame Godin; and they, thinking it very desirable that she should have +a physician with her, persuaded their sister to consent to take him in +her company. + +So, then, she started from Riobamba, which had been her home till this +time, the 1st of October, 1749, in company of the above-named persons, +her black man, and three Indian women. Thirty Indians, to carry her +baggage, completed her company. Had the luckless lady known what +calamities, sufferings, and disappointments awaited her, she would have +trembled at the prospect, and doubted of the possibility of living +through it all, and reaching the wished-for goal of her journey. + +The party went first across the mountains to Canelos, an Indian village, +where they thought to embark on a little stream which discharges itself +into the Amazon. The way thither was so wild and unbroken, that it was +not even passable for mules, and must be travelled entirely on foot. + +M. Grandmaison, who had set out a whole month earlier, had stopped at +Canelos no longer than was necessary to make needful preparations for +his daughter and her attendants. Then he had immediately pushed on +toward the vessel, to still keep in advance, and arrange matters for her +convenience at the next station to which she would arrive. Hardly had he +left Canelos, when the small-pox, a disease which in those regions is +particularly fatal, broke out, and in one week swept off one-half of the +inhabitants, and so alarmed the rest, that they deserted the place, and +plunged into the wilderness. Consequently, when Madame Godin reached the +place with her party, she found, to her dismay, only two Indians +remaining, whom the fury of the plague had spared; and, moreover, not +the slightest preparation either for her reception, or her furtherance +on her journey. This was the first considerable mishap which befell her, +and which might have served to forewarn her of the greater sufferings +which she was to encounter. + +A second followed shortly after. The thirty Indians who thus far had +carried the baggage, and had received their pay in advance, suddenly +absconded, whether from fear of the epidemic, or that they fancied, +having never seen a vessel except at a distance, that they were to be +compelled to go on board one, and be carried away. There stood, then, +the deserted and disappointed company, overwhelmed, and knowing not what +course to take, or how to help themselves. The safest course would have +been to leave all their baggage to its fate, and return back the way +they came; but the longing of Madame Godin for her beloved husband, from +whom she had now been separated so many years, gave her courage to bid +defiance to all the hinderances which lay in her way, and even to +attempt impossibilities. + +She set herself, therefore, to persuade the two Indians above mentioned +to construct a boat, and, by means of it, to take her and her company to +Andoas, another place about twelve days' journey distant. They willingly +complied, receiving their pay in advance. The boat was got ready; and +all the party embarked in it under the management of the two Indians. + +After they had run safely two days' journey down the stream, they drew +up to the bank to pass the night on shore. Here the treacherous Indians +took the opportunity, while the weary company slept, to run away; and, +when the travellers awoke next morning, they were nowhere to be found. +This was a new and unforeseen calamity, by which their future progress +was rendered greatly more hazardous. + +Without a knowledge of the stream or the country, and without a guide, +they again got on board their boat, and pushed on. The first day went by +without any misadventure. The second, they came up with a boat which lay +near the shore, alongside of an Indian hut built of branches of trees. +They found there an Indian, just recovered from the sickness, and +prevailed on him, by presents, to embark with them to take the helm. But +fate envied them this relief: for, the next day, Mr. R.'s hat fell into +the water; and the Indian, in endeavoring to recover it, fell overboard, +and was drowned, not having strength to swim to the shore. + +Now was the vessel again without a pilot, and steered by persons, not +one of whom had the least knowledge of the course. Ere long, the vessel +sprung a leak; and the unhappy company found themselves compelled to +land, and build a hut to shelter them. + +They were yet five or six days' journey from Andoas, the nearest place +of destination. Mr. R. offered, for himself and another Frenchman his +companion, to go thither, and make arrangements, that, within fourteen +days, a boat from there should arrive and bring them off. His proposal +was approved of. Madame Godin gave him her faithful black man to +accompany him. He himself took good care that nothing of his property +should be left behind. + +Fourteen days were now elapsed; but in vain they strained their eyes to +catch sight of the bark which Mr. R. had promised to send to their +relief. They waited twelve days longer, but in vain. Their situation +grew more painful every day. + +At last, when all hope in this quarter was lost, they hewed trees, and +fastened them together as well as they could, and made in this way a +raft. When they had finished it, they put on their baggage, and seated +themselves upon it, and suffered it to float down the stream. But even +this frail bark required a steersman acquainted with navigation; but +they had none such. In no long time, it struck against a sunken log, and +broke to pieces. The people and their baggage were cast into the river. +Great, however, as was the danger, no one was lost. Madame Godin sunk +twice to the bottom, but was at last rescued by her brothers. + +Wet through and through, exhausted, and half dead with fright, they at +last all gained the shore. But only imagine their lamentable, almost +desperate, condition! All their supplies lost; to make another raft +impossible; even their stock of provisions gone! And where were they +when all these difficulties overwhelmed them? In a horrid wilderness, +so thick grown up with trees and bushes, that one could make a passage +through it no other way than by axe and knife; inhabited only by +fiercest tigers, and by the most formidable of serpents,--the +rattlesnake. Moreover, they were without tools, without weapons! Could +their situation be more deplorable? + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE CONTINUED. + + +The unfortunate travellers had now but the choice of two desperate +expedients,--either to wait where they were the termination of their +wretched existence, or try the almost impossible task of penetrating +along the banks of the river, through the unbroken forest, till they +might reach Andoas. They chose the latter, but first made their way back +to their lately forsaken hut to take what little provisions they had +there left. Having accomplished this, they set out on their most painful +and dangerous journey. They observed, when they followed the shore of +the river, that its windings lengthened their way. To avoid this, they +endeavored, without leaving the course of the river, to keep a straight +course. By this means, they lost themselves in the entangled forest; and +every exertion to find their way was ineffectual. Their clothes were +torn to shreds, and hung dangling from their limbs; their bodies were +sadly wounded by thorns and briers; and, as their scanty provision of +food was almost gone, nothing seemed left to them but to sustain their +wretched existence with wild fruit, seeds and buds of the palm-trees. + +At last, they sank under their unremitted labor. Wearied with the +hardships of such travel, torn and bleeding in every part of their +bodies, and distracted with hunger, terror, and apprehensions, they lost +the small remnant of their energy, and could do no more. They sat down, +and had no power to rise again. In three or four days, one after another +died at this stage of their journey. Madame Godin lay for the space of +twenty-four hours by the side of her exhausted and helpless brothers and +companions: she felt herself benumbed, stupefied, senseless, yet at the +same time tormented by burning thirst. At last, Providence, on whom she +relied, gave her courage and strength to rouse herself and seek for a +rescue, which was in store for her, though she knew not where to look +for it. + +Around lay the dead bodies of her brothers and her other companions,--a +sight which at another time would have broken her heart. She was almost +naked. The scanty remnants of her clothing were so torn by the thorns as +to be almost useless. She cut the shoes from her dead brothers' feet, +bound the soles under her own, and plunged again into the thicket in +search of something to allay her raging hunger and thirst. Terror at +seeing herself so left alone in such a fearful wilderness, deserted by +all the world, and apprehension of a dreadful death constantly hovering +before her eyes, made such an impression upon her, that her hair turned +gray. + +It was not till the second day after she had resumed her wandering that +she found water, and, a little while after, some wild fruit, and a few +eggs of birds. But her throat was so contracted by long fasting, that +she could hardly swallow. These served to keep life in her frame. + +Eight long days she wandered in this manner hopelessly, and strove to +sustain her wretched existence. If one should read in a work of fiction +any thing equal to it, he would charge the author with exaggeration, and +violation of probability. But it is history; and, however incredible her +story may sound, it is rigidly conformed to the truth in all its +circumstances, as it was afterwards taken down from the mouth of Madame +Godin herself. + +On the eighth day of her hopeless wandering, the hapless lady reached +the banks of the Bobonosa, a stream which flows into the Amazon. At the +break of day, she heard at a little distance a noise, and was alarmed at +it. She would have fled, but at once reflected that nothing worse than +her present circumstances could happen to her. She took courage, and +went towards the place whence the sound proceeded; and here she found +two Indians, who were occupied in shoving their boat into the water. + +Madame Godin approached, and was kindly received by them. She told to +them her desire to be conveyed to Andoas; and the good savages consented +to carry her thither in their boat. They did so; and now behold her +arrived at that place which the mean and infamous treachery of Mr. R. +was the only cause of her not having reached long ago. This base fellow +had, with unfeeling cruelty, thrown to the winds his promise to procure +them a boat, and had gone on business of his own to Omaguas, a Spanish +mission station, without in the least troubling himself about his +pledged word, and the rescue of the unfortunates left behind. The honest +negro was more true to duty, though he was born and bred a heathen, and +the other a Christian. + +While the civilized and polished Frenchman unfeelingly went away, and +left his benefactress and her companions to languish in the depths of +misery, the sable heathen ceased not his exertions till he had procured +two Indians to go up the river with him, and bring away his deserted +mistress and her companions. But, most unfortunately, he did not reach +the hut where he had left them before they had carried into execution +the unlucky determination to leave the hut, and seek their way through +the wilderness. So he had the pain of failing to find her on his +arrival. + +Even then, the faithful creature did not feel as if all was done. He, +with his Indian companions, followed the traces of the party till he +came to the place where the bodies of the perished adventurers lay, +which were already so decayed, that he could not distinguish one from +the other. This pitiable sight led him to conclude that none of the +company could have escaped death. He returned to the hut to take away +some things of Madame Godin's which were left there, and carried them +not only back with him to Andoas, but from thence (another touching +proof of his fidelity) to Omaguas, that he might deposit the articles, +some of which were of considerable value, in the hands of the unworthy +Mr. R., to be by him delivered to the father of his lamented mistress. + +And how did this unworthy Mr. R. behave when he was apprised by the +negro of the lamentable death of those whom he had so unscrupulously +given over to destitution? Did he shudder at the magnitude and baseness +of his crime? Oh, no! Like a heartless knave, he added dishonesty to +cruelty, took the things into his keeping, and, to secure himself in the +possession of them, sent the generous negro back to Quito. Joachim--for +that was the name of this honest and noble black man--had unluckily set +out on his journey back before Madame Godin arrived at Andoas. Thus he +was lost to her; and her affliction at the loss of such a tried friend +showed that the greatness of her past misfortunes had not made her +incapable of feeling new distresses. + +In Andoas she found a Christian priest, a Spanish missionary; and the +behavior of this unchristian Christian contrasts with the conduct of her +two Indian preservers, as that of the treacherous R. with that of the +generous negro. For instance, when Madame Godin was in embarrassment how +to show her gratitude to the good Indians who had saved her life, she +remembered, that, according to the custom of the country, she wore +around her neck a pair of gold chains, weighing about four ounces. These +were her whole remaining property; but she hesitated not a moment, but +took them off, and gave one to each of her benefactors. They were +delighted beyond measure at such a gift; but the avaricious and +dishonest priest took them away from them before the face of the +generous giver, and gave them instead some yards of coarse cotton cloth, +which they call, in that country, Tukujo. And this man was one of those +who were sent to spread Christianity among the heathen, and one from +whom those same Indians whom he had treated so dishonestly would hear +the lesson, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods"! + +Madame Godin felt, at seeing such unchristian and unmanly behavior, such +deep disgust, that, as soon as she was somewhat recruited from the +effects of so many sufferings, she longed for a sight of some boat to +enable her to escape from the companionship of this unjust priest, and +get to Laguna, one of the aforementioned Spanish mission stations. A +kind Indian woman made her a petticoat of cotton cloth, though Madame +Godin had nothing to give her in payment for it. But this petticoat was +to her, afterwards, a sacred thing, that she would not have parted with +for any price. She laid it carefully away with the slippers which she +made of her brothers' shoes, and never could, in after-times, look at +the two without experiencing a rush of sad and tender recollections. + +At Laguna she had the good fortune to find a missionary of better +disposition. This one received her with kindness and sympathy, and +exerted himself every way he could to restore her health, shattered by +so much suffering. He wrote also on her behalf to the Governor of +Omaguas, to beg him to aid in expediting her journey. By this means, the +elegant Mr. R. learned that she was still alive; and as she was not +likely in future to be burdensome to him, while he might, through her +means, get a passage in the Portuguese vessel, he failed not to call +upon her at Laguna. He delivered to her there some few of the things +which Joachim had left in his charge; but to the question, "What had +become of the rest?" he had no other answer to make but "They were +spoilt." The knave forgot, when he said this, that gold bracelets, +snuff-boxes, ear-rings, and pearls, of which this property consisted, +are not apt to spoil. + +Madame Godin could not forbear making to him the well-merited reproach +that he was the cause of her late sufferings, and guilty of the mournful +death of her brothers and her other companions. She desired to know, +moreover, why he had sent away her faithful servant, the good Joachim; +and his unworthy reply was, he had apprehensions that he would murder +him. To the question, how he could have such a suspicion against a man +whose tried fidelity and honest disposition were known to him, he knew +not what to answer. + +The good missionary explained to Madame Godin, after she was somewhat +recruited from her late sufferings, the frightful length of the way, and +the labors and dangers of her journey yet to come, and tried hard to +induce her to alter her intention, and return to Rio Bambas, her former +residence, instead of setting forth to encounter a new series of +disappointments and perils. He promised, in that case, to convey her +safely and with comfort. But the heroic woman rejected the proposal with +immovable firmness. "God, who had so wonderfully protected her so far," +she said, "would have her in his keeping for the remainder of her way. +She had but one wish remaining, and that was to be re-united to her +husband; and she knew no danger terrible enough to induce her to give up +this one ruling desire of her heart." + +The missionary, therefore, had a boat got ready to carry her to the +Portuguese vessel. The Governor of Omaguas furnished the boat, and +supplied it well with provisions: and, that the commander of the +Portuguese galiot might be informed of her approach, he sent a smaller +boat with provisions, and two soldiers by land, along the banks of the +river, and betook himself to Loreto, where the galiot had been so long +lying; and there he waited till Madame Godin arrived. + +She still suffered severely from the consequences of the injuries which +she had sustained during her wanderings in the wilderness. Particularly, +the thumb of one hand, in which she had thrust a thorn, which they had +not been able to get out, was in a bad condition. The bone itself was +become carious, and she found it necessary to have the flesh cut open to +allow fragments of the bone to come out. As for the rest, she +experienced from the commander of the Portuguese vessel all possible +kindness, and reached the mouth of the Amazon River without any further +misadventure. + +Mr. Godin, who still continued at Oyapoc (the same place where on +account of sickness he had been obliged to stop), was no sooner informed +of the approach of his wife than he went on board a vessel, and coasted +along the shore till he met the galiot. The joy of again meeting, after +a separation of so many years, and after such calamities undergone, was, +as may well be supposed, on both sides, indescribably great. Their +re-union seemed like a resurrection from the dead, since both of them +had more than once given up all hope of ever seeing the other in this +life. + +The happy husband now conveyed his wife to Oyapoc, and thence to +Cayenne; whence they departed on their return to France, in company with +the venerable Mr. De Grandmaison. Madame Godin remained, however, +constantly sad, notwithstanding her present ample cause for joy; and +every endeavor to raise her spirits was fruitless, so deep and +inextinguishable an impression had the terrible sufferings she had +undergone made upon her mind. She spoke unwillingly of all that she had +suffered; and even her husband found out with difficulty, and by little +and little, the circumstances which we have narrated, taken from +accounts under his own hand. He thought he could thereby infer that she +had kept to herself, to spare his feelings, many circumstances of a +distressing nature, which she herself preferred to forget. Her heart, +too, was, by reason of her sufferings, so attuned to pity and +forbearance, that her compassion even extended to the base and wicked +men who had treated her with such injustice. She would therefore add +nothing to induce her husband to invoke the vengeance of the law +against the faithless Tristan, the first cause of all her misfortunes, +who had converted to his own use many thousand dollars' worth of +property which had been intrusted to him. She had even allowed herself +to be persuaded to take on board the boat from Omaguas down, for a +second time, the mean-souled Mr. R. + +So true is it that adversity and suffering do fulfil the useful purpose +of rendering the human heart tender, placable, and indulgent. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION. + + +In the month of August, 1850, Lieut. Herndon, of the United-States navy, +being on board the frigate "Vandalia," then lying at anchor in the +harbor of Valparaiso, received information that he was designated by the +Secretary of the Navy to explore the Valley of the Amazon. On the 4th of +April, being then at Lima, he received his orders, and, on the 21st of +May, commenced his land journey to the highest point on the Amazon +navigable for boats, which is about three hundred miles from its source; +in which distance there are twenty-seven rapids, the last of which is +called the Pongo (or falls) de Manseriche. Over these the water rushes +with frightful rapidity; but they are passed, with great peril and +difficulty, by means of rafts. From the Pongo de Manseriche, Lieut. +Herndon states that an unbroken channel of eighteen feet in depth may be +found to the Atlantic Ocean,--a distance of three thousand miles. + +The party consisted of Lieut. Herndon, commander; Passed-midshipman +Gibbon; a young master's mate named Richards; a young Peruvian, who had +made the voyage down the Amazon a few years before, who was employed as +interpreter to the Indians; and Mauricio, an Indian servant. They were +mounted on mules; and their baggage of all kinds, including +looking-glasses, beads, and other trinkets for the Indians, and some +supplies of provisions, were carried also on muleback, under the charge +of an _arriero_, or muleteer, who was an Indian. The party were +furnished with a tent, which often came in use for nightly shelter, as +the roadside inns furnished none, and the haciendas, or farm-houses, +which they sometimes availed themselves of, afforded but poor +accommodation. The following picture of the lieutenant's first night's +lodgings, not more than ten miles from Lima, is a specimen: "The house +was built of _adobe_, or sun-dried bricks, and roofed with tiles. It had +but one room, which was the general receptacle for all comers. A mud +projection, of two feet high and three wide, stood out from the walls of +the room all around, and served as a permanent bedplace for numbers. +Others laid their blankets and cloaks, and stretched themselves, on the +floor; so that, with whites, Indians, negroes, trunks, packages, +horse-furniture, game-cocks, and guinea-pigs, we had quite a caravansera +appearance." + +The lieutenant found the general answer to his inquiry for provisions +for his party, and of fodder for their animals, was, "No hay" (there is +none). The refusal of the people to sell supplies of these indispensable +articles was a source of continued inconvenience. It arose probably from +their fear to have it known that they had possessions, lest the hand of +authority should be laid upon them, and their property be taken without +payment. The cultivators, it must be remembered, are native Indians, +under the absolute control of their Spanish masters, and have no +recognized rights protected by law. While this state of things +continues, civilization is effectually debarred progress. + +The usual day's travel was twelve to fifteen miles. The route ascended +rapidly; and the River Rimac, along whose banks their road lay, was soon +reduced to a mountain torrent, raging in foam over the fragments of the +rocky cliffs which overhung its bed. The road occasionally widened out, +and gave room for a little cultivation. + +May 27.--They had now reached a height of ten thousand feet above the +level of the sea. Here the traveller feels that he is lifted above the +impurities of the lower regions of the atmosphere, and is breathing air +free from taint. The stars sparkled with intense brilliancy. The +temperature at night was getting cool, and the travellers found they +required all their blankets. But by day the heat was oppressive until +tempered by the sea-breeze, which set in about eleven o'clock in the +morning. + +The productions of the country are Indian corn, alfalfa (a species of +lucern), and potatoes. The potato, in this its native country, is small, +but very fine. They saw here a vegetable of the potato kind called +_oca_. Boiled or roasted, it is very agreeable to the taste, in flavor +resembling green corn. + +Here they entered upon the mining region. "The Earth here shows her +giant skeleton bare: mountains, rather than rocks, rear their gray heads +to the skies; and proximity made the scene more striking and sublime." +Lieut. Herndon had brought letters to the superintendent of the mines, +who received the travellers kindly and hospitably. This establishment is +managed by a superintendent and three assistants, and about forty +working hands. The laborers are Indians,--strong, hardy-looking +fellows, though low in stature, and stupid in expression. The manner of +getting the silver from the ore is this: The ore is broken into pieces +of the size of an English walnut, and then ground to a fine powder. The +ground ore is then mixed with salt, at the rate of fifty pounds of salt +to every six hundred of ore, and taken to the ovens to be toasted. After +being toasted, the ore is laid in piles of about six hundred pounds upon +the stone floor. The piles are then moistened with water, and +quicksilver is sprinkled on them through a woollen cloth. The mass is +well mixed by treading with the feet, and working with hoes. A little +calcined iron pyrites, called _magistral_, is also added. The pile is +often examined to see if the amalgamation is going on well. It is left +to stand for eight or nine days until the amalgamation is complete; then +carried to an elevated platform, and thrown into a well, or cavity: a +stream of water is turned on, and four or five men trample and wash it +with their feet. The amalgam sinks to the bottom, and the mud and water +are let off by an aperture in the lower part of the well. The amalgam is +then put into conical bags of coarse linen, which are hung up; and the +weight of the mass presses out a quantity of quicksilver, which oozes +through the linen, and is caught in vessels below. The mass, now dry, +and somewhat harder than putty, is carried to the ovens, where the +remainder of the quicksilver is driven off by heat, and the residue is +_plata pina_, or pure silver. The proportion of pure silver in the +amalgam is about twenty-two per cent. This is an unusually rich mine. + +Returning from the mine, the party met a drove of llamas on their way +from the hacienda. This is quite an imposing sight, especially when the +drove is encountered suddenly at a turn of the road. The leader, who is +always selected on account of his superior height, has his head +decorated with tufts of woollen fringe, hung with little bells; and his +great height (often six feet), gallant and graceful carriage, pointed +ear, restless eye, and quivering lip, as he faces you for a moment, make +him as striking an object as one can well conceive. Upon pressing on +him, he bounds aside either up or down the cliff, and is followed by the +herd, scrambling over places that would be impassable for the mule or +the ass. The llama travels not more than nine or ten miles a day, his +load being about one hundred and thirty pounds. He will not carry more, +and will be beaten to death rather than move when he is overloaded or +tired. The males only are worked: they appear gentle and docile, but, +when irritated, have a very savage look, and spit at the object of their +resentment. The guanaco, or alpaca, is another species of this animal, +and the vicunia a third. The guanaco is as large as the llama, and bears +a fleece of long and coarse wool. The vicunia is much smaller, and its +wool is short and fine: so valuable is it, that it brings at the port of +shipment a dollar a pound. Our travellers saw no guanacos, but now and +then, in crossing the mountains, caught a glimpse of the wild and shy +vicunia. They go in herds of ten or fifteen females, accompanied by one +male, who is ever on the alert. On the approach of danger, he gives +warning by a shrill whistle; and his charge make off with the speed of +the wind. + +On the 31st of May, the thermometer stood at thirty-six degrees at five, +A.M. This, it must be remembered, was in the torrid zone, in +the same latitude as Congo in Africa, and Sumatra in Asia; yet how +different the climate! This is owing to the elevation, which at this +water-shed of the continent, which separates the rivers of the Atlantic +from those of the Pacific, was about sixteen thousand feet above the +level of the sea. The peaks of the Cordillera presented the appearance +of a hilly country at home on a winter's day; while the lower ranges +were dressed in bright green, with placid little lakes interspersed, +giving an air of quiet beauty to the scene. + +The travellers next arrived at Morococha, where they found copper-mining +to be the prevailing occupation. The copper ore is calcined in the open +air, in piles consisting of ore and coal, which burn for a month. The +ore thus calcined is taken to the ovens; and sufficient heat is employed +to melt the copper, which runs off into moulds below. The copper, in +this state, is impure, containing fifty per cent of foreign matter; and +is worth fifteen cents the pound in England, where it is refined. There +is a mine of fine coal near the hacienda, which yields an abundant +supply. + +The travellers passed other mining districts, rich in silver and copper. +A large portion of the silver which forms the circulation of the world +is dug from the range of mountains which they were now crossing, and +chiefly from that slope of them which is drained off into the Amazon. + +Their descent, after leaving the mining country, was rapid. On June 6, +we find them at the head of a ravine leading down to the Valley of +Tarma. The height of this spot above the level of the sea was 11,270 +feet. As they rode down the steep descent, the plants and flowers that +they had left on the other side began to re-appear. First the short +grass and small clover, then barley, lucern, Indian corn, beans, +turnips, shrubs, bushes, trees, flowers, growing larger and gayer in +their colors, till the pretty little city of Tarma, imbosomed among the +hills, and enveloped in its covering of willows and fruit-trees, with +its long lawns of _alfalfa_ (the greenest of grasses) stretching out in +front, broke upon their view. It is a place of seven thousand +inhabitants, beautifully situated in an amphitheatre of mountains, which +are clothed nearly to the top with waving fields of barley. The +lieutenant gives an attractive description of this mountain city, whose +natural productions extend from the apples and peaches of the temperate +zone to the oranges and pine-apples of the tropics; and whose air is so +temperate and pure, that there was but one physician to a district of +twenty thousand people, and he was obliged to depend upon government for +a part of his support. + +The party left Tarma on the 16th of June, and resumed their descent of +the mountains. The ride was the wildest they had yet had. The ascents +and descents were nearly precipitous; and the scene was rugged, wild, +and grand beyond description. At certain parts of the road, it is +utterly impossible for two beasts to pass abreast, or for one to turn +and retreat; and the only remedy, when they meet, is to tumble one off +the precipice, or to drag him back by the tail until he reaches a place +where the other can pass. They met with a considerable fright in this +way one day. They were riding in single file along one of those narrow +ascents where the road is cut out of the mountain-side, and the +traveller has a perpendicular wall on one hand, and a sheer precipice of +many hundreds of feet upon the other. Mr. Gibbon was riding ahead. Just +as he was about to turn a sharp bend of the road, the head of a bull +peered round it, on the descent. When the bull came in full view, he +stopped; and the travellers could see the heads of other cattle +clustering over his quarters, and hear the shouts of the cattle-drivers +far behind, urging on their herd. The bull, with lowered crest, and +savage, sullen look, came slowly on, and actually got his head between +the perpendicular rock and the neck of Gibbon's mule. But the sagacious +beast on which he was mounted, pressing her haunches hard against the +wall, gathered her feet close under her, and turned as upon a pivot. +This placed the bull on the outside (there was room to pass, though no +one would have thought it); and he rushed by at the gallop, followed in +single file by the rest of the herd. The lieutenant owns that he and his +friend "felt frightened." + +On the 18th of June, they arrived at the first hacienda, where they saw +sugar-cane, yucca, pine-apples, and plantains. Besides these, cotton and +coffee were soon after found in cultivation. The laborers are native +Indians, nominally free, but, by the customs of the country, pretty +closely held in subjection to their employers. Their nominal wages are +half a dollar a day; but this is paid in articles necessary for their +support, which are charged to them at such prices as to keep them always +in debt. As debtors, the law will enforce the master's claim on them; +and it is almost hopeless for them to desert; for, unless they get some +distance off before they are recognized, they will be returned as +debtors to their employers. Freedom, under such circumstances, is little +better than slavery; but it _is_ better, for this reason,--that it only +requires some improvement in the intelligence and habits of the laborers +to convert it into a system of free labor worthy of the name. + +The _yucca_ (cassava-root) is a plant of fifteen or twenty feet in +height. It is difficult to distinguish this plant from the _mandioc_, +which is called "wild yucca;" and this, "sweet yucca." This may be eaten +raw; but the other is poisonous until subjected to heat in cooking, and +then is perfectly wholesome. The yucca answers the same purpose in Peru +that the mandioc does in Brazil. It is the general substitute for bread, +and, roasted or boiled, is very pleasant to the taste. The Indians also +make from it an intoxicating drink. Each plant will give from twenty to +twenty-five pounds of the eatable root, which grows in clusters like the +potato, and some tubers of which are as long and thick as a man's arm. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED. + + +On the 4th of July, the travellers arrived at the great mining station +of Cerro Pasco. The weather was so cold, that the lieutenant, not being +quite well, sat by the fire all day, trying to keep himself warm. The +town is a most curious-looking place, entirely honey-combed, and having +the mouths of mines, some of them two or three yards in diameter, gaping +everywhere. From the top of a hill, the best view is obtained of the +whole. Vast pits, called Tajos, surround this hill, from which many +millions of silver have been taken; and the miners are still burrowing, +like so many rabbits, in their bottoms and sides. The hill is penetrated +in every direction; and it would not be surprising if it should cave in, +any day, and bury many in its ruins. The falling-in of mines is of +frequent occurrence: one caved in, some years ago, and buried three +hundred persons. An English company undertook mining here in 1825, and +failed. Vast sums have been spent in constructing tunnels, and employing +steam machinery to drain the mines; and the parties still persevere, +encouraged by discovering, that, the lower they penetrate, the richer +are the ores. The yield of these mines is about two million dollars' +worth a year, which is equal to the yield of all the other mines of Peru +together. + +The lieutenant found the leading people here, as well as at Tarma, +enthusiastic on the subject of opening the Amazon to foreign commerce. +It will be a great day for them, they say, when the Americans get near +them with a steamer. + +On the 14th of July, they arrived at a spot of marshy ground, from which +trickled in tiny streams the waters, which, uniting with others, swell +till they form the broad River Huallaga, one of the head tributaries of +the Amazon. Their descent was now rapid; and the next day they found +themselves on a sudden among fruit-trees, with a patch of sugar-cane, on +the banks of the stream. The sudden transition from rugged +mountain-peaks, where there was no cultivation, to a tropical +vegetation, was marvellous. Two miles farther on, they came in sight of +a pretty village, almost hidden in the luxuriant vegetation. The whole +valley here becomes very beautiful. The land, which is a rich +river-bottom, is laid off into alternate fields of sugar-cane and +alfalfa. The blended green and yellow of this growth, divided by +willows, interspersed with fruit-trees, and broken into wavy lines by +the serpentine course of the river, presented a scene which filled them +with pleasurable emotions, and indicated that they had exchanged a +semi-barbarous for a civilized society. + +The party had had no occasion to complain of want of hospitality in any +part of their route; but here they seemed to have entered upon a country +where that virtue flourished most vigorously, having at its command the +means of gratifying it. The owner of the hacienda of Quicacan, an +English gentleman named Dyer, received the lieutenant and his large +party exactly as if it were a matter of course, and as if they had quite +as much right to occupy his house as they had to enter an inn. The next +day they had an opportunity to compare with the Englishman a fine +specimen of the Peruvian country gentleman. Col. Lucar is thus +described: "He is probably the richest and most influential man in the +province. He seems to have been the father of husbandry in these parts, +and is the very type of the old landed proprietor of Virginia, who has +always lived upon his estates, and attended personally to their +cultivation. Seated at the head of his table, with his hat on to keep +the draught from his head, and which he would insist upon removing +unless I would wear mine; his chair surrounded by two or three little +negro children, whom he fed with bits from his plate; and attending with +patience and kindness to the clamorous wants of a pair of splendid +peacocks, a couple of small parrots of brilliant and variegated plumage, +and a beautiful and delicate monkey,--I thought I had never seen a more +perfect pattern of the patriarch. His kindly and affectionate manner to +his domestics, and to his little grand-children, a pair of sprightly +boys, who came in the evening from the college, was also very pleasing." +The mention of a college in a region in some respects so barbarous may +surprise our readers; but such there is. It has a hundred pupils, an +income of seventy-five thousand dollars yearly, chemical and +philosophical apparatus, and one thousand specimens of European +minerals. + +Ijurra, our lieutenant's Peruvian companion, had written to the governor +of the village of Tingo Maria, the head of canoe navigation on the +Huallaga, to send Indians to meet the travellers here, and take their +luggage on to the place of embarkation. + +July 30.--The Indians came shouting into the farm-yard, thirteen in +number. They were young, slight, but muscular-looking fellows, and +wanted to shoulder the trunks, and be off at once. The lieutenant, +however, gave them some breakfast; and then the party set forward, and, +after a walk of six miles, reached the river, and embarked in the canoe. +Two Indian laborers, called _peons_, paddled the canoe, and managed it +very well. The peons cooked their dinner of cheese and rice, and made +them a good cup of coffee. They are lively, good-tempered fellows, and, +properly treated, make good and serviceable travelling companions. The +canoe was available only in parts of the river where the stream was free +from rapids. Where these occur, the cargo must be landed, and carried +round. Lieut. Herndon and his party were compelled to walk a good part +of the distance to Tingo Maria, which was thirty-six miles from where +they first took the canoe. + +"I saw here," says our traveller, "the _lucernago_, or fire-fly of this +country. It is a species of beetle, carrying two white lights in its +eyes, or rather in the places where the eyes of insects generally are, +and a red light between the scales of the belly; so that it reminded me +somewhat of the ocean steamers. They are sometimes carried to Lima +(enclosed in an apartment cut into a sugar-cane), where the ladies at +balls or theatres put them in their hair for ornament." + +At Tingo Maria, their arrival was celebrated with much festivity. The +governor got up a ball for them, where there was more hilarity than +ceremony. The next morning, the governor and his wife accompanied our +friends to the port. The governor made a short address to the canoe-men, +telling them that their passengers were "no common persons; that they +were to have a special care of them; to be very obedient," &c. They then +embarked, and stood off; the boatmen blowing their horns, and the party +on shore waving their hats, and shouting their adieus. + +The party had two canoes, about forty feet long by two and a half broad, +each hollowed out of a single log. The rowers stand up to paddle, having +one foot in the bottom of the boat, and the other on the gunwale. There +is a man at the bow of the boat to look out for rocks or sunken trees +ahead; and a steersman, who stands on a little platform at the stern of +the boat, and guides her motions. When the river was smooth, and free +from obstruction, they drifted with the current, the men sitting on the +trunks and boxes, chatting and laughing with each other; but, when they +approached a "bad place," their serious looks, and the firm position in +which each one planted himself at his post, showed that work was to be +done. When the bark had fairly entered the pass, the rapid gestures of +the bow-man, indicating the channel; the graceful position of the +steersman, holding his long paddle; and the desperate exertions of the +rowers, the railroad rush of the canoes, and the wild screaming laugh of +the Indians as the boat shot past the danger,--made a scene so exciting +as to banish the sense of danger. + +After this specimen of their travel, let us take a glimpse of their +lodging. "At half-past five, we camped on the beach. The first business +of the boatmen, when the canoe is secured, is to go off to the woods, +and cut stakes and palm-branches to make a house for the 'commander.' By +sticking long poles in the sand, chopping them half-way in two about +five feet above the ground, and bending the upper parts together, they +make in a few minutes the frame of a little shanty, which, thickly +thatched with palm-leaves, will keep off the dew or an ordinary rain. +Some bring the drift-wood that is lying about the beach, and make a +fire. The provisions are cooked and eaten, the bedding laid down upon +the leaves that cover the floor of the shanty, the mosquito nettings +spread; and after a cup of coffee, a glass of grog, and a cigar (if they +are to be had), everybody retires for the night by eight o'clock. The +Indians sleep round the hut, each under his narrow mosquito curtain, +which glisten in the moonlight like so many tombstones." + +The Indians have very keen senses, and see and hear things that would +escape more civilized travellers. One morning, they commenced paddling +with great vigor; for they said they heard monkeys ahead. It was not +till after paddling a mile that they reached the place. "When we came up +to them," says the lieutenant, "we found a gang of large red monkeys in +some tall trees by the river-side, making a noise like the grunting of a +herd of hogs. We landed; and, in a few moments, I found myself beating +my way through the thick undergrowth, and hunting monkeys with as much +excitement as I had ever felt in hunting squirrels when a boy." They +found the game hard to kill, and only got three,--the lieutenant, with +his rifle, one; and the Indians, with their blow-guns, two. The Indians +roasted and ate theirs, and Lieut. Herndon tried to eat a piece; but it +was so tough, that his teeth would make no impression upon it. + +Aug. 19.--The party arrived at Tarapoto. It is a town of three thousand +five hundred inhabitants, and the district of which it is the capital +numbers six thousand. The principal productions are rice, cotton, and +tobacco; and cotton-cloth, spun and woven by the women, with about as +little aid from machinery as the women in Solomon's time, of whom we are +told, "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the +distaff." The little balls of cotton thread which the women spin in this +way are used as currency (and this in a land of silver-mines), and pass +for twenty-five cents apiece in exchange for other goods, or twelve and +a half cents in money. Most of the trade is done by barter. A cow is +sold for one hundred yards of cotton cloth; a fat hog, for sixty; a +large sheep, twelve; twenty-five pounds of salt fish, for twelve; +twenty-five pounds of coffee, six; a head of plantains, which will weigh +from forty to fifty pounds, for three needles; and so forth. All +transportation of merchandise by land is made upon the backs of Indians, +for want of roads suitable for beasts of burden. The customary weight of +a load is seventy-five pounds: the cost of transportation to Moyobamba, +seventy miles, is six yards of cloth. It is easy to obtain, in the term +of six or eight days, fifty or sixty peons, or Indian laborers, for the +transportation of cargoes, getting the order of the governor, and paying +the above price, and supporting the peons on the way. The town is the +most important in the province of Mainas. The inhabitants are called +civilized, but have no idea of what we call comfort in their domestic +arrangements. The houses are of mud, thatched with palm, and have uneven +earth floors. The furniture consists of a grass hammock, a standing +bedplace, a coarse table, and a stool or two. The governor of this +populous district wore no shoes, and appeared to live pretty much like +the rest of them. + +Vessels of five feet draught of water may ascend the river, at the +lowest stage of the water, to within eighteen miles of Tarapoto. + +Our travellers accompanied a large fishing-party. They had four or five +canoes, and a large quantity of barbasco; a root which has the property +of stupefying, or intoxicating, the fish. The manner of fishing is to +close up the mouth of an inlet of the river with a network made of +reeds; and then, mashing the barbasco-root to a pulp, throw it into the +water. This turns the water white, and poisons it; so that the fish +soon begin rising to the surface, dead, and are taken into the canoes +with small tridents, or pronged sticks. Almost at the moment of throwing +the barbasco into the water, the smaller fish rise to the surface, and +die in one or two minutes; the larger fish survive longer. + +The salt fish, which constitutes an important article of food and also +of barter trade, is brought from down the river in large pieces of about +eight pounds each, cut from the _vaca marina_, or sea-cow, also found in +our Florida streams, and there called _manatee_. It is found in great +numbers in the Amazon and its principal tributaries. It is not, strictly +speaking, a fish, but an animal of the whale kind, which nourishes its +young at the breast. It is not able to leave the water; but, in feeding, +it gets near the shore, and raises its head out. It is most often taken +when feeding. + +Our travellers met a canoe of Indians, one man and two women, going up +the river for salt. They bought, with beads, some turtle-eggs, and +proposed to buy a monkey they had; but one of the women clasped the +little beast in her arms, and set up a great outcry, lest the man should +sell it. The man wore a long cotton gown, with a hole in the neck for +the head to come through, and short, wide sleeves. He had on his arm a +bracelet of monkeys' teeth, and the women had nose-rings of white beads. +Their dress was a cotton petticoat, tied round the waist; and all were +filthy. + +Sept. 1.--They arrived at Laguna. Here they found two travelling +merchants, a Portuguese and a Brazilian. They had four large boats, of +about eight tons each, and two or three canoes. Their cargo consisted of +iron and iron implements, crockery-ware, wine, brandy, copper kettles, +coarse short swords (a very common implement of the Indians), guns, +ammunition, salt, fish, &c., which they expected to exchange for straw +hats, cotton cloth, sugar, coffee, and money. They were also buying up +all the sarsaparilla they could find, and despatching it back in canoes. +They invited our travellers to breakfast; and the lieutenant says, "I +thought that I never tasted any thing better than the _farinha_, which I +saw now for the first time." + +Farinha is a general substitute for bread in all the course of the +Amazon below the Brazilian frontier. It is used by all classes; and the +boatmen seemed always contented with plenty of salt fish and farinha. +The women make it in this way: They soak the root of the _mandioc_ in +water till it is softened a little, when they scrape off the skin, and +grate the root upon a board, which is made into a rude grater by being +smeared with some of the adhesive gums of the forest, and then sprinkled +with pebbles. The white grated pulp is put into a conical-shaped bag +made of the coarse fibres of the palm. The bag is hung up to a peg +driven into a post of the hut; a lever is put through a loop at the +bottom of the bag; the short end of the lever is placed under a chock +nailed to the post below; and the woman hangs her weight on the long +end. This elongates the bag, and brings a heavy pressure upon the mass +within, causing the juice to ooze out through the wicker-work of the +bag. When sufficiently pressed, the mass is put on the floor of a mud +oven; heat is applied, and it is stirred with a stick till it granulates +into very irregular grains, and is sufficiently toasted to drive off all +the poisonous qualities which it has in a crude state. It is then packed +in baskets (lined and covered with palm-leaves) of about sixty-four +pounds' weight, which are generally sold all along the river at from +seventy-five cents to one dollar. The sediment of the juice is tapioca, +and is used to make custards, puddings, starch, &c. It will surprise +some of our readers to be told that the juice extracted in the +preparation of these wholesome and nutritive substances is a powerful +poison, and used by the Indians for poisoning the points of their +arrows. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED. + + +The Huallaga is navigable, for vessels drawing five feet depth of water, +285 miles; and forty miles farther for canoes. Our travellers had now +arrived at its junction with the Amazon; and their first sight of its +waters is thus described: "The march of the great river in its silent +grandeur was sublime; but in the untamed might of its turbid waters, as +they cut away its banks, tore down the gigantic denizens of the forest, +and built up islands, it was awful. I was reminded of our Mississippi at +its topmost flood; but this stream lacked the charm which the plantation +upon the bank, the city upon the bluff, and the steamboat upon the +waters, lend to its fellow of the North. But its capacities for trade +and commerce are inconceivably great; and to the touch of steam, +settlement, and cultivation, this majestic stream and its magnificent +water-shed would start up in a display of industrial results that would +make the Valley of the Amazon one of the most enchanting regions on the +face of the earth." + +Lieut. Herndon speaks of the Valley of the Amazon in language almost as +enthusiastic as that of Sir Walter Raleigh: "From its mountains you may +dig silver, iron, coal, copper, zinc, quicksilver, and tin; from the +sands of its tributaries you may wash gold, diamonds, and precious +stones; from its forests you may gather drugs of virtues the most rare, +spices of aroma the most exquisite, gums and resins of the most varied +and useful properties, dyes of hue the most brilliant, with cabinet and +building woods of the finest polish and the most enduring texture. Its +climate is an everlasting summer, and its harvest perennial." + +Sept. 8.--The party encamped at night on an island near the middle of +the river. "The Indians, cooking their big monkeys over a large fire on +the beach, presented a savage and most picturesque scene. They looked +more like devils roasting human beings, than any thing mortal." We ask +ourselves, on reading this, whether some such scene may not have given +rise to the stories of cannibalism which Raleigh and others record. + +They arrived at Nauta, a village of a thousand inhabitants, mostly +Indians. The governor of the district received them hospitably. Each +district has its governor, and each town its lieutenant-governor. These +are of European descent. The other authorities of a town are _curacas_, +captains, alcades, and constables. All these are Indians. The office of +curaca is hereditary, and is not generally interfered with by the white +governor. The Indians treat their curaca with great respect, and submit +to corporal punishment at his mandate. + +Sarsaparilla is one of the chief articles of produce collected here. It +is a vine of sufficient size to shoot up fifteen or twenty feet from the +root without support. It thus embraces the surrounding trees, and +spreads to a great distance. The main root sends out many tendrils, +generally about the thickness of a straw, and five feet long. These are +gathered, and tied up in bundles of about an _arroba_, or thirty-two +pounds' weight. It is found on the banks of almost every river of the +region; but many of these are not worked, on account of the savages +living on them, who attack the parties that come to gather it. The price +in Nauta is two dollars the arroba, and in Europe from forty to sixty +dollars. + +From Nauta, Lieut. Herndon ascended the Ucayali, a branch of the +Amazon, stretching to the north-west in a direction somewhat parallel to +the Huallaga. There is the essential difference between the two rivers, +as avenues for commerce, that the Ucayali is still in the occupation of +savage tribes, unchristianized except where under the immediate +influence of the mission stations planted among them; while the +population of the Huallaga is tolerably advanced in civilization. The +following sentences will give a picture of the Indians of the Ucayali: +"These people cannot count, and I can never get from them any accurate +idea of numbers. They are very little removed above 'the beasts that +perish.' They are filthy, and covered with sores. The houses are very +large, between thirty and forty feet in length, and ten or fifteen in +breadth. They consist of immense roofs of small poles and canes, +thatched with palm, and supported by short stakes, four feet high, +planted in the ground three or four feet apart, and having the spaces, +except between two in front, filled in with cane. They have no idea of a +future state, and worship nothing. But they can make bows and canoes; +and their women weave a coarse cloth from cotton, and dye it. Their +dress is a long cotton gown. They paint the face, and wear ornaments +suspended from the nose and lower lip." + +Next let us take a view of the means in operation to elevate these +people to civilization and Christianity. Sarayacu is a missionary +station, governed by four Franciscan friars, who are thus described: +"Father Calvo, meek and humble in personal concerns, yet full of zeal +and spirit for his office, clad in his long serge gown, belted with a +cord, with bare feet and accurate tonsure, habitual stoop, and generally +bearing upon his shoulder a beautiful and saucy bird of the parrot kind, +was my beau-ideal of a missionary monk. Bregati is a young and handsome +Italian, whom Father Calvo sometimes calls St. John. Lorente is a tall, +grave, and cold-looking Catalan. A lay-brother named Maguin, who did the +cooking, and who was unwearied in his attentions to us, made up the +establishment. I was sick here, and think that I shall ever remember +with gratitude the affectionate kindness of these pious and devoted +friars of St. Francis." + +The government is paternal. The Indians recognize in the "padre" the +power to appoint and remove curacas, captains, and other officers; to +inflict stripes, and to confine in the stocks. They obey the priests' +orders readily, and seem tractable and docile. The Indian men are +drunken and lazy: the women do most of the work; and their reward is to +be maltreated by their husbands, and, in their drunken frolics, to be +cruelly beaten, and sometimes badly wounded. + +Our party returned to the Amazon; and we find occurring in their +narrative names which are familiar to us in the history of our previous +adventurers. They touched at Omaguas, the port where Madame Godin found +kind friends in the good missionary and the governor, and where she +embarked on her way to the galiot at Loreto; and they passed the mouth +of the Napo, which enters the Amazon from the north,--the river down +which Orellana passed in the first adventure. The lieutenant says, "We +spoke two canoes that had come from near Quito by the Napo. There are +few Christianized towns on the Napo; and the rowers of the boats were a +more savage-looking set than I had seen,"--so slow has been the progress +of civilization in three hundred years. + +The Amazon seems to be the land of monkeys. Our traveller says, "I +bought a young monkey of an Indian woman to-day. It had coarse gray and +white hair; and that on the top of its head was stiff, like the quills +of the porcupine, and smoothed down in front as if it had been combed. I +offered the little fellow some plantain; but, finding he would not eat, +the woman took him, and put him to her breast, when he sucked away +manfully and with great gusto. She weaned him in a week, so that he +would eat plantain mashed up, and put into his mouth in small bits; but +the little beast died of mortification because I would not let him sleep +with his arms around my neck." + +They got from the Indians some of the milk from the cow-tree. This the +Indians drink, when fresh; and, brought in a calabash, it had a foamy +appearance, as if just drawn from the cow. It, however, coagulates very +soon, and becomes as hard and tenacious as glue. It does not appear to +be as important an article of subsistence as one would expect from the +name. + +Dec. 2.--They arrived at Loreto, the frontier town of the Peruvian +territory, and which reminds us again of Madame Godin, who there joined +the Portuguese galiot. Loreto is situated on an eminence on the left +bank of the river, which is here three-fourths of a mile wide, and one +hundred feet deep. There are three mercantile houses in Loreto, which do +a business of about ten thousand dollars a year. The houses at Loreto +are better built and better furnished than those of the towns on the +river above. The population of the place is two hundred and fifty, made +up of Brazilians, mulattoes, negroes, and a few Indians. + +At the next town, Tabatinga, the lieutenant entered the territory of +Brazil. When his boat, bearing the American flag, was descried at that +place, the Brazilian flag was hoisted; and when the lieutenant landed, +dressed in uniform, he was received by the commandant, also in uniform, +to whom he presented his passport from the Brazilian minister at +Washington. As soon as this document was perused, and the lieutenant's +rank ascertained, a salute of seven guns was fired from the fort; and +the commandant treated him with great civility, and entertained him at +his table, giving him roast beef, which was a great treat. + +It was quite pleasant, after coming from the Peruvian villages, which +are all nearly hidden in the woods, to see that Tabatinga had the forest +cleared away from about it; so that a space of forty or fifty acres was +covered with green grass, and had a grove of orange-trees in its midst. +The commandant told him that the trade of the river was increasing very +fast; that, in 1849, scarce one thousand dollars' worth of goods passed +up; in 1850, two thousand five hundred dollars; and this year, six +thousand dollars. + +The sarsaparilla seems thus far to have been the principal article of +commerce; but here they find another becoming of importance,--_manteca_, +or oil made of turtle-eggs. The season for making manteca generally +ends by the 1st of November. A commandant is appointed every year to +take care of the beaches, prevent disorder, and administer justice. +Sentinels are placed at the beginning of August, when the turtles +commence depositing their eggs. They see that no one wantonly interferes +with the turtles, or destroys the eggs. The process of making the oil is +very disgusting. The eggs are collected, thrown into a canoe, and +trodden into a mass with the feet. Water is poured on, and the mass is +left to stand in the sun for several days. The oil rises to the top, is +skimmed off, and boiled in large copper boilers. It is then put in +earthen pots of about forty-five pounds' weight. Each pot is worth, on +the beach, one dollar and thirty cents; and at Pará, from two and a half +to three dollars. The beaches of the Amazon and its tributaries yield +from five to six thousand pots annually. It is used for the same +purposes as lard with us. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONCLUDED. + + +On Jan. 4, at about the point of the junction of the Purus River with +the Amazon, Lieut. Herndon remarks, "The banks of the river are now +losing the character of savage and desolate solitude that characterizes +them above, and begin to show signs of habitation and cultivation. We +passed to-day several farms, with neatly framed and plastered houses, +and a schooner-rigged vessel lying off several of them." + +They arrived at the junction of the River Negro. This is one of the +largest of the tributaries of the Amazon, and derives its name from the +blackness of its waters. When taken up in a tumbler, the water is a +light-red color, like a pale juniper-water, and is probably colored by +some such berry. This river, opposite the town of Barra, is about a mile +and a half wide, and very beautiful. It is navigable for almost any +draughts to the Masaya, a distance of about four hundred miles: there +the rapids commence, and the farther ascent must be made in boats. By +this river, a communication exists with the Orinoco, by means of a +remarkable stream, the Cassaquiare, which seems to have been formed for +the sole purpose of connecting these two majestic rivers, and the future +dwellers upon them, in the bonds of perpetual union. Humboldt, the great +traveller and philosopher, thus speaks of it, "The Cassaquiare, as broad +as the Rhine, and whose course is one hundred and eighty miles in +length, will not much longer form in vain a navigable canal between two +basins of rivers which have a surface of one hundred and ninety thousand +square leagues. The grain of New Grenada will be carried to the banks of +the Rio Negro; boats will descend from the sources of the Napo and the +Ucayali, from the Andes of Quito and Upper Peru, to the mouths of the +Orinoco. A country nine or ten times larger than Spain, and enriched +with the most varied productions, is accessible in every direction by +the medium of the natural canal of the Cassaquiare and the bifurcation +of the rivers." + +The greatest of all the tributaries of the Amazon is the Madeira, whose +junction our travellers next reached. For four hundred and fifty miles +from its mouth, there is good navigation: then occur cascades, which are +navigable only for boats, and occupy three hundred and fifty miles, +above which the river is navigable for large vessels, by its great +tributaries, into Bolivia and Brazil. + +They next entered the country where the cocoa is regularly cultivated; +and the banks of the river present a much less desolate and savage +appearance than they do above. The cocoa-trees have a yellow-colored +leaf; and this, together with their regularity of size, distinguishes +them from the surrounding forest. Lieut. Herndon says, "I do not know a +prettier place than one of these plantations. The trees interlock their +branches, and, with their large leaves, make a shade impenetrable to any +ray of the sun; and the large, golden-colored fruits, hanging from +branch and trunk, shine through the green with a most beautiful effect. +This is the time of the harvest; and we found the people of every +plantation engaged in the open space before the house in breaking open +the shells of the fruit, and spreading the seed to dry in the sun. They +make a pleasant drink for a hot day by pressing out the juice of the +gelatinous pulp that envelops the seeds. It is called cocoa-wine: it is +a white, viscid liquor, has an agreeable, acid taste, and is very +refreshing." + +We must hasten on, and pass without notice many spots of interest on the +river; but, as we have now reached a comparatively civilized and known +region, it is less necessary to be particular. The Tapajos River +stretches its branches to the town of Diamantino, situated at the foot +of the mountains, where diamonds are found. Lieut. Herndon saw some of +the diamonds and gold-sand in the possession of a resident of Santarem, +who had traded much on the river. The gold-dust appeared to him equal in +quality to that he had seen from California. Gold and diamonds, which +are always united in this region as in many others, are found especially +in the numerous water-courses, and also throughout the whole country. +After the rains, the children of Diamantino hunt for the gold contained +in the earth even of the streets, and in the bed of the River Ouro, +which passes through the city; and they often collect considerable +quantities. It is stated that diamonds are sometimes found in the +stomachs of the fowls. The quantity of diamonds found in a year varies +from two hundred and fifty to five hundred _oitavas_; the oitava being +about seventeen carats. The value depends upon the quality and size of +the specimen, and can hardly be reduced to an estimate. It is seldom +that a stone of over half an oitava is found; and such a one is worth +from two to three hundred dollars. + +As an offset to the gold and diamonds, we have this picture of the +climate: "From the rising to the setting of the sun, clouds of stinging +insects blind the traveller, and render him frantic by the torments they +cause. Take a handful of the finest sand, and throw it above your head, +and you would then have but a faint idea of the number of these demons +who tear the skin to pieces. It is true, these insects disappear at +night, but only to give place to others yet more formidable. Large bats +(true, thirsty vampires) literally throng the forests, cling to the +hammocks, and, finding a part of the body exposed, rest lightly there, +and drain it of blood. The alligators are so numerous, and the noise +they make so frightful, that it is impossible to sleep." + +At Santarem they were told the tide was perceptible, but did not +perceive it. At Gurupa it was very apparent. This point is about five +hundred miles from the sea. About thirty-five miles below Gurupa +commences the great estuary of the Amazon. The river suddenly flows out +into an immense bay, which might appropriately be called the "bay of a +thousand islands;" for it is cut up into innumerable channels. The +travellers ran for days through channels varying from fifty to five +hundred yards in width, between numberless islands. This is the +India-rubber country. The shores are low: indeed, one seldom sees the +land at all; the trees on the banks generally standing in the water. The +party stopped at one of the establishments for making India-rubber. The +house was built of light poles, and on piles, to keep it out of the +water, which flowed under and around it. This was the store, and, rude +as it was, was a palace compared to the hut of the laborer who gathers +the India-rubber. The process is as follows: A longitudinal gash is made +in the bark of the tree with a hatchet. A wedge of wood is inserted to +keep the gash open; and a small clay cup is stuck to the tree, beneath +the gash. The cups may be stuck as close together as possible around the +tree. In four or five hours, the milk has ceased to run, and each wound +has given from three to five table-spoonfuls. The gatherer then collects +it from the cups, pours it into an earthen vessel, and commences the +operation of forming it into shapes, and smoking it. This must be done +at once, as the juice soon coagulates. A fire is made on the ground, +and a rude funnel placed over it to collect the smoke. The maker of the +rubber now takes his last, if he is making shoes, or his mould, which is +fastened to the end of a stick, pours the milk over it with a cup, and +passes it slowly several times through the smoke until it is dry. He +then pours on the other coats until he has the required thickness, +smoking each coating till it is dry. From twenty to forty coats make a +shoe. The soles and heels are, of course, given more coats than the body +of the shoe. The figures on the shoes are made by tracing them on the +rubber, while soft, with a coarse needle, or bit of wire. This is done +two days after the coating. In a week, the shoes are taken from the +last. The coating occupies about twenty-five minutes. + +The tree is tall, straight, and has a smooth bark. It sometimes reaches +a diameter of thirteen inches or more. Each incision makes a rough wound +on the tree, which, although it does not kill it, renders it useless, +because a smooth place is wanted to which to attach the cups. The milk +is white and tasteless, and may be taken into the stomach with impunity. + +Our travellers arrived at Pará on the 12th of April, 1852, and were most +hospitably and kindly received by Mr. Norris, the American consul. + +The journey of our travellers ends here. Lieut. Herndon's book is full +of instruction, conveyed in a pleasant style. He seems to have +manifested throughout good judgment, good temper, energy, and industry. +He had no collisions with the authorities or with individuals, and, on +his part, seems to have met friendly feelings and good offices +throughout his whole route. + + William Lewis Herndon was born in Fredericksburg, Va., on the + 25th of October, 1813. He entered the navy at the age of + fifteen; served in the Mexican war; and was afterwards engaged + for three years, with his brother-in-law, Lieut. Maury, in the + National Observatory at Washington. In 1851-2, he explored the + Amazon River, under commission of the United-States Government. + In 1857, he was commander of the steamer "Central America," + which left Havana for New York on Sept. 8, having on board four + hundred and seventy-four passengers and a crew of one hundred + and five men, and about two million dollars of gold. On Sept. + 11, during a violent gale from the north-east and a heavy sea, + she sprung a leak, and sunk, on the evening of Sept. 12, near + the outer edge of the Gulf Stream, in lat. 31° 44´ N. Only one + hundred and fifty of the persons on board were saved, including + the women and children. The gallant commander of the steamer + was seen standing upon the wheel-house at the time of her + sinking. + + In a former chapter, we have told the fate of Sir Humphrey + Gilbert. How fair a counterpart of that heroic death is this of + the gallant Herndon! + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LATEST EXPLORATIONS. + + +In the year 1845, an English gentleman, Henry Walter Bates, visited the +region of the Amazon for the purpose of scientific exploration. He went +prepared to spend years in the country, in order to study diligently its +natural productions. His stay was protracted until 1859, during which +time he resided successively at Pará, Santarem, Ega, Barra, and other +places; making his abode for months, or even years, in each. His account +of his observations and discoveries was published after his return, and +affords us the best information we possess respecting the country, its +inhabitants, and its productions, brought down almost to the present +time. Our extracts relate to the cities, the river and its shores, the +inhabitants civilized and savage, the great tributary rivers, the +vegetation, and the animals of various kinds. + +Before proceeding with our extracts, we will remark the various names of +the river. + +It is sometimes called, from the name of its discoverer, "Orellana." +This name is appropriate and well-sounding, but is not in general use. + +The name of "Marañon," pronounced Maranyon, is still often used. It is +probably derived from the natives. + +It is called "The River of the Amazons," from the fable of its former +inhabitants. + +This name is shortened into "The Amazons," and, without the plural sign, +"The Amazon," in common use. + +Above the junction of the River Negro, the river is designated as "The +Upper Amazon," or "Solimoens." + + +PARÁ. + +"On the morning of the 28th of May, 1848, we arrived at our destination. +The appearance of the city at sunrise was pleasing in the highest +degree. It is built on a low tract of land, having only one small rocky +elevation at its southern extremity: it therefore affords no +amphitheatral view from the river; but the white buildings roofed with +red tiles, the numerous towers and cupolas of churches and convents, +the crowns of palm-trees reared above the buildings, all sharply defined +against the clear blue sky, give an appearance of lightness and +cheerfulness which is most exhilarating. The perpetual forest hems the +city in on all sides landwards; and, towards the suburbs, picturesque +country-houses are seen scattered about, half buried in luxuriant +foliage. + +"The impressions received during our first walk can never wholly fade +from my mind. After traversing the few streets of tall, gloomy, +convent-looking buildings near the port, inhabited chiefly by merchants +and shopkeepers; along which idle soldiers, dressed in shabby uniforms, +carrying their muskets carelessly over their arms; priests; negresses +with red water-jars on their heads; sad-looking Indian women, carrying +their naked children astride on their hips; and other samples of the +motley life of the place,--were seen; we passed down a long, narrow +street leading to the suburbs. Beyond this, our road lay across a grassy +common, into a picturesque lane leading to the virgin forest. The long +street was inhabited by the poorer class of the population. The houses +were mostly in a dilapidated condition; and signs of indolence and +neglect were everywhere visible. But amidst all, and compensating every +defect, rose the overpowering beauty of the vegetation. The massive +dark crowns of shady mangoes were seen everywhere among the dwellings, +amidst fragrant, blossoming orange, lemon, and other tropical +fruit-trees,--some in flower, others in fruit at various stages of +ripeness. Here and there, shooting above the more dome-like and sombre +trees, were the smooth columnar stems of palms, bearing aloft their +magnificent crowns of finely-cut fronds. On the boughs of the taller and +more ordinary-looking trees sat tufts of curiously leaved parasites. +Slender woody lianas hung in festoons from the branches, or were +suspended in the form of cords and ribbons; while luxuriant creeping +plants overran alike tree-trunks, roofs, and walls, or toppled over +palings in copious profusion of foliage. + +"As we continued our walk, the brief twilight commenced; and the sounds +of multifarious life came from the vegetation around,--the whirring of +cicadas; the shrill stridulation of a vast number of crickets and +grasshoppers, each species sounding its peculiar note; the plaintive +hooting of tree-frogs, all blended together in one continuous ringing +sound,--the audible expression of the teeming profusion of Nature. This +uproar of life, I afterwards found, never wholly ceased, night or day: +in course of time, I became, like other residents, accustomed to it. +After my return to England, the death-like stillness of summer days in +the country appeared to me as strange as the ringing uproar did on my +first arrival at Pará." + + +CAMETÁ. + +"I staid at Cametá five weeks, and made a considerable collection of the +natural productions of the neighborhood. The town, in 1849, was +estimated to contain about five thousand inhabitants. The productions of +the district are cacao, India-rubber, and Brazil nuts. The most +remarkable feature in the social aspect of the place is the mixed nature +of the population,--the amalgamation of the white and Indian races being +here complete. The aborigines were originally very numerous on the +western bank of the Tocantins; the principal tribe being the Cametás, +from which the city takes its name. They were a superior nation, +settled, and attached to agriculture, and received with open arms the +white immigrants who were attracted to the district by its fertility, +natural beauty, and the healthfulness of the climate. The Portuguese +settlers were nearly all males. The Indian women were good-looking, and +made excellent wives; so the natural result has been, in the course of +two centuries, a complete blending of the two races. + +"The town consists of three long streets running parallel to the river, +with a few shorter ones crossing them at right angles. The houses are +very plain; being built, as usual in this country, simply of a strong +framework, filled up with mud, and coated with white plaster. A few of +them are of two or three stories. There are three churches, and also a +small theatre, where a company of native actors, at the time of my +visit, were representing light Portuguese plays with considerable taste +and ability. The people have a reputation all over the province for +energy and perseverance; and it is often said that they are as keen in +trade as the Portuguese. The lower classes are as indolent and sensual +here as in other parts of the province,--a moral condition not to be +wondered at, where perpetual summer reigns, and where the necessaries of +life are so easily obtained. But they are light-hearted, quick-witted, +communicative, and hospitable. I found here a native poet, who had +written some pretty verses, showing an appreciation of the natural +beauties of the country; and was told that the Archbishop of Bahia, the +primate of Brazil, was a native of Cametá. It is interesting to find +the mamelucos (half-breeds) displaying talent and enterprise; for it +shows that degeneracy does not necessarily result from the mixture of +white and Indian blood. + +"The forest behind Cametá is traversed by several broad roads, which +lead over undulating ground many miles into the interior. They pass +generally under shade, and part of the way through groves of coffee and +orange trees, fragrant plantations of cacao, and tracts of second-growth +woods. The narrow, broad-watered valleys, with which the land is +intersected, alone have remained clothed with primeval forest, at least +near the town. The houses along these beautiful roads belong chiefly to +mameluco, mulatto, and Indian families, each of which has its own small +plantation. There are only a few planters with large establishments; and +these have seldom more than a dozen slaves. Besides the main roads, +there are endless by-paths, which thread the forest, and communicate +with isolated houses. Along these the traveller may wander day after +day, without leaving the shade, and everywhere meet with cheerful, +simple, and hospitable people." + + +RIVERS AND CREEKS. + +"We made many excursions down the Irritiri, and saw much of these +creeks. The Magoary is a magnificent channel: the different branches +form quite a labyrinth, and the land is everywhere of little elevation. +All these smaller rivers throughout the Pará estuary are of the nature +of creeks. The land is so level, that the short local rivers have no +sources and downward currents, like rivers, as we understand them. They +serve the purpose of draining the land; but, instead of having a +constant current one way, they have a regular ebb and flow with the +tide. The natives call them _igarapés_, or canoe-paths. They are +characteristic of the country. The land is everywhere covered with +impenetrable forests: the houses and villages are all on the water-side, +and nearly all communication is by water. This semi-aquatic life of the +people is one of the most interesting features of the country. For short +excursions, and for fishing in still waters, a small boat, called +_montaria_, is universally used. It is made of five planks,--a broad one +for the bottom, bent into the proper shape by the action of heat, two +narrow ones for the sides, and two triangular pieces for stem and stern. +It has no rudder: the paddle serves for both steering and propelling. +The montaria takes here the place of the horse, mule, or camel of other +regions. Besides one or more montarias, almost every family has a larger +canoe, called _igarité_. This is fitted with two masts, a rudder, and +keel, and has an arched awning or cabin near the stern, made of a +framework of tough _lianas_, thatched with palm-leaves. In the igarité, +they will cross stormy rivers fifteen or twenty miles broad. The natives +are all boat-builders. It is often remarked by white residents, that the +Indian is a carpenter and shipwright by intuition. It is astonishing to +see in what crazy vessels these people will risk themselves. I have seen +Indians cross rivers in a leaky montaria when it required the nicest +equilibrium to keep the leak just above water: a movement of a +hair's-breadth would send all to the bottom; but they manage to cross in +safety. If a squall overtakes them as they are crossing in a +heavily-laden canoe, they all jump overboard, and swim about until the +heavy sea subsides, when they re-embark." + + +JUNCTION OF THE MADEIRA. + +"Our course lay through narrow channels between islands. We passed the +last of these, and then beheld to the south a sea-like expanse of +water, where the Madeira, the greatest tributary of the Amazons, after +two thousand miles of course, blends its waters with those of the king +of rivers. I was hardly prepared for a junction of waters on so vast a +scale as this, now nearly nine hundred miles from the sea. While +travelling week after week along the somewhat monotonous stream, often +hemmed in between islands, and becoming thoroughly familiar with it, my +sense of the magnitude of this vast water-system had become gradually +deadened; but this noble sight renewed the first feelings of wonder. One +is inclined, in such places as these, to think the Paraenses do not +exaggerate much when they call the Amazons the Mediterranean of South +America. Beyond the mouth of the Madeira, the Amazons sweeps down in a +majestic reach, to all appearance not a whit less in breadth before than +after this enormous addition to its waters. The Madeira does not ebb and +flow simultaneously with the Amazons; it rises and sinks about two +months earlier: so that it was now fuller than the main river. Its +current, therefore, poured forth freely from its mouth, carrying with it +a long line of floating trees, and patches of grass, which had been torn +from its crumbly banks in the lower part of its course. The current, +however, did not reach the middle of the main stream, but swept along +nearer to the southern shore. + +"The Madeira is navigable 480 miles from its mouth: a series of +cataracts and rapids then commences, which extends, with some intervals +of quiet water, about 160 miles, beyond which is another long stretch of +navigable stream." + + +JUNCTION OF THE RIO NEGRO. + +"A brisk wind from the east sprung up early in the morning of the 22d: +we then hoisted all sail, and made for the mouth of the Rio Negro. This +noble stream, at its junction with the Amazons, seems, from its +position, to be a direct continuation of the main river; while the +Solimoens, which joins it at an angle, and is somewhat narrower than its +tributary, appears to be a branch, instead of the main trunk, of the +vast water-system. + +"The Rio Negro broadens considerably from its mouth upward, and presents +the appearance of a great lake; its black-dyed waters having no current, +and seeming to be dammed up by the impetuous flow of the yellow, turbid +Solimoens, which here belches forth a continuous line of uprooted trees, +and patches of grass, and forms a striking contrast with its tributary. +In crossing, we passed the line a little more than half-way over, where +the waters of the two rivers meet, and are sharply demarcated from each +other. On reaching the opposite shore, we found a remarkable change. All +our insect pests had disappeared, as if by magic, even from the hold of +the canoe: the turmoil of an agitated, swiftly-flowing river, and its +torn, perpendicular, earthy banks, had given place to tranquil water, +and a coast indented with snug little bays, fringed with sloping, sandy +beaches. The low shore, and vivid, light-green, endlessly varied +foliage, which prevailed on the south side of the Amazons, were +exchanged for a hilly country, clothed with a sombre, rounded, and +monotonous forest. A light wind carried us gently along the coast to the +city of Barra, which lies about seven or eight miles within the mouth of +the river. + +"The town of Barra is built on a tract of elevated but very uneven land, +on the left bank of the Rio Negro, and contained, in 1850, about three +thousand inhabitants. It is now the principal station for the lines of +steamers which were established in 1853; and passengers and goods are +trans-shipped here for the Solimoens and Peru. A steamer runs once a +fortnight between Pará and Barra; and another as often between this +place and Nauta, in the Peruvian territory." + + +MAMELUCOS, OR HALF-BREEDS. + +"We landed at one of the cacao-plantations. The house was substantially +built; the walls formed of strong, upright posts, lathed across, +plastered with mud, and whitewashed; and the roof tiled. The family were +Mamelucos, or offspring of the European and the Indian. They seemed to +be an average sample of the poorer class of cacao-growers. All were +loosely dressed, and barefooted. A broad veranda extended along one side +of the house, the floor of which was simply the well-trodden earth; and +here hammocks were slung between the bare upright supports, a large +rush-mat being spread on the ground, upon which the stout, matron-like +mistress, with a tame parrot perched upon her shoulder, sat sewing with +two pretty-looking mulatto-girls. The master, coolly clad in shirt and +drawers, the former loose about his neck, lay in his hammock, smoking a +long gaudily painted wooden pipe. The household utensils--earthenware +jars, water-pots, and sauce-pans--lay at one end, near which was a +wood-fire, with the ever-ready coffee-pot simmering on the top of a +clay tripod. A large shed stood a short distance off, embowered in a +grove of banana, papaw, and mango trees; and under it were the troughs, +ovens, sieves, and other apparatus, for the preparation of mandioc. The +cleared space around the house was only a few yards in extent: beyond it +lay the cacao-plantations, which stretched on each side parallel to the +banks of the river. There was a path through the forest, which led to +the mandioc-fields, and, several miles beyond, to other houses on the +banks of an interior channel. We were kindly received, as is always the +case when a stranger visits these out-of-the-way habitations; the people +being invariably civil and hospitable. We had a long chat, took coffee; +and, on departing, one of the daughters sent a basketful of oranges, for +our use, down to the canoe." + + +MÚRA INDIANS. + +"On the 9th of January, we arrived at Matari, a miserable little +settlement of Múra Indians. Here we again anchored, and went ashore. The +place consisted of about twenty slightly built mud-hovels, and had a +most forlorn appearance, notwithstanding the luxuriant forest in its +rear. The absence of the usual cultivated trees and plants gave the +place a naked and poverty-stricken aspect. I entered one of the hovels, +where several women were employed cooking a meal. Portions of a large +fish were roasting over a fire made in the middle of the low chamber; +and the entrails were scattered about the floor, on which the women, +with their children, were squatted. These had a timid, distrustful +expression of countenance; and their bodies were begrimed with black +mud, which is smeared over the skin as a protection against musquitoes. +The children were naked: the women wore petticoats of coarse cloth, +stained in blotches with _murixi_, a dye made from the bark of a tree. +One of them wore a necklace of monkey's teeth. There were scarcely any +household utensils: the place was bare, with the exception of two dirty +grass hammocks hung in the corners. I missed the usual mandioc-sheds +behind the house, with their surrounding cotton, cacao, coffee, and +lemon trees. Two or three young men of the tribe were lounging about the +low, open doorway. They were stoutly-built fellows, but less +well-proportioned than the semi-civilized Indians of the Lower Amazons +generally are. The gloomy savagery, filth, and poverty of the people in +this place made me feel quite melancholy; and I was glad to return to +the canoe." + + +MARAUÁ TRIBE. + +A pleasanter picture is presented by the Indians of the Marauá tribe. +Our traveller thus describes a visit to them:-- + +"Our longest trip was to some Indian houses, a distance of fifteen or +eighteen miles up the Sapó; a journey made with one Indian paddler, and +occupying a whole day. The stream is not more than forty or fifty yards +broad: its waters are dark in color, and flow, as in all these small +rivers, partly under shade, between two lofty walls of forest. We +passed, in ascending, seven habitations, most of them hidden in the +luxuriant foliage of the banks; their sites being known only by small +openings in the compact wall of forest, and the presence of a canoe or +two tied up in little shady ports. The inhabitants are chiefly Indians +of the Marauá tribe, whose original territory comprises all the +by-streams lying between the Jutahí and the Juruá, near the mouths of +both these great tributaries. They live in separate families, or small +hordes; have no common chief; and are considered as a tribe little +disposed to adopt civilized customs, or be friendly with the whites. +One of the houses belonged to a Jurí family; and we saw the owner, an +erect, noble-looking old fellow, tattooed, as customary with his tribe, +in a large patch over the middle of his face, fishing, under the shade +of a colossal tree, with hook and line. He saluted us in the usual grave +and courteous manner of the better sort of Indians as we passed by. + +"We reached the last house, or rather two houses, about ten o'clock, and +spent there several hours during the heat of the day. The houses, which +stood on a high, clayey bank, were of quadrangular shape, partly open, +like sheds, and partly enclosed with rude, mud walls, forming one or two +chambers. The inhabitants, a few families of Marauás, received us in a +frank, smiling manner. None of them were tattooed: but the men had great +holes pierced in their ear-lobes, in which they insert plugs of wood; +and their lips were drilled with smaller holes. One of the younger men, +a fine, strapping fellow, nearly six feet high, with a large aquiline +nose, who seemed to wish to be particularly friendly to me, showed me +the use of these lip-holes, by fixing a number of little sticks in them, +and then twisting his mouth about, and going through a pantomime to +represent defiance in the presence of an enemy. + +"We left these friendly people about four o'clock in the afternoon, and, +in descending the umbrageous river, stopped, about half-way down, at +another house, built in one of the most charming situations I had yet +seen in this country. A clean, narrow, sandy pathway led from the shady +port to the house, through a tract of forest of indescribable +luxuriance. The buildings stood on an eminence in the middle of a level, +cleared space; the firm, sandy soil, smooth as a floor, forming a broad +terrace round them. The owner was a semi-civilized Indian, named Manoel; +a dull, taciturn fellow, who, together with his wife and children, +seemed by no means pleased at being intruded on in their solitude. The +family must have been very industrious; for the plantations were very +extensive, and included a little of almost all kinds of cultivated +tropical productions,--fruit-trees, vegetables, and even flowers for +ornament. The silent old man had surely a fine appreciation of the +beauties of Nature; for the site he had chosen commanded a view of +surprising magnificence over the summits of the forest; and, to give a +finish to the prospect, he had planted a large number of banana-trees in +the foreground, thus concealing the charred and dead stumps which would +otherwise have marred the effect of the rolling sea of greenery. The +sun set over the tree-tops before we left this little Eden; and the +remainder of our journey was made slowly and pleasantly, under the +checkered shade of the river banks, by the light of the moon." + + +THE FOREST. + +The following passage describes the scenery of one of the peculiar +channels by which the waters of the Amazon communicate with those of the +Pará River:-- + +"The forest wall under which we are now moving consists, besides palms, +of a great variety of ordinary forest-trees. From the highest branches +of these, down to the water, sweep ribbons of climbing-plants of the +most diverse and ornamental foliage possible. Creeping convolvuli and +others have made use of the slender lianas and hanging air-roots as +ladders to climb by. Now and then appears a mimosa or other tree, having +similar fine pinnate foliage; and thick masses of ingá border the water, +from whose branches hang long bean-pods, of different shape and size +according to the species, some of them a yard in length. Flowers there +are very few. I see now and then a gorgeous crimson blossom on long +spikes, ornamenting the sombre foliage towards the summits of the +forest. I suppose it to belong to a climber of the Combretaceous order. +There are also a few yellow and violet trumpet-flowers. The blossoms of +the ingás, although not conspicuous, are delicately beautiful. The +forest all along offers so dense a front, that one never obtains a +glimpse into the interior of the wilderness." + + +THE LIANA. + +"The plant which seems to the traveller most curious and singular is the +liana, a kind of osier, which serves for cordage, and which is very +abundant in all the hot parts of America. All the species of this genus +have this in common, that they twine around the trees and shrubs in +their way, and after progressively extending to the branches, sometimes +to a prodigious height, throw out shoots, which, declining +perpendicularly, strike root in the ground beneath, and rise again to +repeat the same course of uncommon growth. Other filaments, again, +driven obliquely by the winds, frequently attach themselves to +contiguous trees, and form a confused spectacle of cord, some in +suspension, and others stretched in every direction, not unfrequently +resembling the rigging of a ship. Some of these lianas are as thick as +the arm of a man; and some strangle and destroy the tree round which +they twine, as the boa-constrictor does its victims. At times it happens +that the tree dies at the root, and the trunk rots, and falls in powder, +leaving nothing but the spirals of liana, in form of a tortuous column, +insulated and open to the day. Thus Nature laughs to scorn and defies +the imitations of Art." + + +CACAO. + +"The Amazons region is the original home of the principal species of +chocolate-tree,--the theobroma cacao; and it grows in abundance in the +forests of the upper river. The forest here is cleared before planting, +and the trees are grown in rows. The smaller cultivators are all very +poor. Labor is scarce: one family generally manages its own small +plantation of ten to fifteen thousand trees; but, at harvest-time, +neighbors assist each other. It appeared to me to be an easy, pleasant +life: the work is all done under shade, and occupies only a few weeks in +the year. + +"The cultivated crop appears to be a precarious one. Little or no care, +however, is bestowed on the trees; and weeding is done very +inefficiently. The plantations are generally old, and have been made on +the low ground near the river, which renders them liable to inundation +when this rises a few inches more than the average. There is plenty of +higher land quite suitable to the tree; but it is uncleared: and the +want of labor and enterprise prevents the establishment of new +plantations." + + +THE COW-TREE. + +"We had heard a good deal about this tree, and about its producing from +its bark a copious supply of milk as pleasant to drink as that of the +cow. We had also eaten of its fruit at Pará, where it is sold in the +streets by negro market-women: we were glad, therefore, to see this +wonderful tree growing in its native wilds. It is one of the largest of +the forest-monarchs, and is peculiar in appearance, on account of its +deeply-scored, reddish, and ragged bark. A decoction of the bark, I was +told, is used as a red dye for cloth. A few days afterward, we tasted +its milk, which was drawn from dry logs that had been standing many days +in the hot sun at the saw-mills. It was pleasant with coffee, but had a +slight rankness when drunk pure. It soon thickens to a glue, which is +very tenacious, and is often used to cement broken crockery. I was told +that it was not safe to drink much of it; for a slave had recently lost +his life through taking it too freely. + +"To our great disappointment, we saw no flowers, or only such as were +insignificant in appearance. I believe it is now tolerably well +ascertained that the majority of forest-trees in equatorial Brazil have +small and inconspicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting insects are also +rare in the forest. Of course, they would not be found where their +favorite food was wanting. In the open country, on the Lower Amazons, +flowering trees and bushes are more abundant; and there a large number +of floral insects are attracted. The forest-bees in South America are +more frequently seen feeding on the sweet sap which exudes from the +trees than on flowers." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE NATURALIST ON THE AMAZON. + + +On the 16th of January, the dry season came abruptly to an end. The +sea-breezes, which had been increasing in force for some days, suddenly +ceased, and the atmosphere became misty: at length, heavy clouds +collected where a uniform blue sky had for many weeks prevailed, and +down came a succession of heavy showers, the first of which lasted a +whole day and night. This seemed to give a new stimulus to animal life. +On the first night, there was a tremendous uproar,--tree-frogs, +crickets, goat-suckers, and owls, all joining to perform a deafening +concert. One kind of goat-sucker kept repeating at intervals, throughout +the night, a phrase similar to the Portuguese words, 'Joao corta +pao,'--'John, cut wood;' a phrase which forms the Brazilian name of the +bird. An owl in one of the trees muttered now and then a succession of +syllables resembling the word 'murucututu.' Sometimes the croaking and +hooting of frogs and toads were so loud, that we could not hear one +another's voices within doors. Swarms of dragon-flies appeared in the +day-time about the pools of water created by the rain; and ants and +termites came forth in great numbers." + + +ANTS. + +This region is the very headquarters and metropolis of ants. There are +numerous species, differing in character and habits, but all of them at +war with man, and the different species with one another. Our author +thus relates his observations of the saüba-ant:-- + +"In our first walks, we were puzzled to account for large mounds of +earth, of a different color from the surrounding soil, which were thrown +up in the plantations and woods. Some of them were very extensive, being +forty yards in circumference, but not more than two feet in height. We +soon ascertained that these were the work of the saübas, being the +outworks, or domes, which overlie and protect the entrances to their +vast subterranean galleries. On close examination, I found the earth of +which they are composed to consist of very minute granules, +agglomerated without cement, and forming many rows of little ridges and +turrets. The difference of color from the superficial soil is owing to +their being formed of the undersoil brought up from a considerable +depth. It is very rarely that the ants are seen at work on these mounds. +The entrances seem to be generally closed: only now and then, when some +particular work is going on, are the galleries opened. In the larger +hillocks, it would require a great amount of excavation to get at the +main galleries; but I succeeded in removing portions of the dome in +smaller hillocks, and then I found that the minor entrances converged, +at the depth of about two feet, to one broad, elaborately worked +gallery, or mine, which was four or five inches in diameter. + +"The habit of the saüba-ant, of clipping and carrying away immense +quantities of leaves, has long been recorded in books of natural +history; but it has not hitherto been shown satisfactorily to what use +it applies the leaves. I discovered this only after much time spent in +investigation. The leaves are used to thatch the domes which cover the +entrances to their subterranean dwellings, thereby protecting from the +deluging rains the young broods in the nests beneath. Small hillocks, +covering entrances to the underground chambers, may be found in +sheltered places; and these are always thatched with leaves, mingled +with granules of earth. The heavily-laden workers, each carrying its +segment of leaf vertically, the lower end secured by its mandibles, +troop up, and cast their burthens on the hillock; another relay of +laborers place the leaves in position, covering them with a layer of +earthy granules, which are brought one by one from the soil beneath. + +"It is a most interesting sight to see the vast host of busy, diminutive +workers occupied on this work. Unfortunately, they choose cultivated +trees for their purpose, such as the coffee and orange trees." + + +THE FIRE-ANT. + +"Aveyros may be called the headquarters of the fire-ant, which might be +fittingly termed the scourge of this fine river. It is found only on +sandy soils, in open places, and seems to thrive most in the +neighborhood of houses and weedy villages, such as Aveyros: it does not +occur at all in the shades of the forest. Aveyros was deserted a few +years before my visit, on account of this little tormentor; and the +inhabitants had only recently returned to their houses, thinking its +numbers had decreased. It is a small species, of a shining reddish +color. The soil of the whole village is undermined by it. The houses are +overrun with them: they dispute every fragment of food with the +inhabitants, and destroy clothing for the sake of the starch. All +eatables are obliged to be suspended in baskets from the rafters, and +the cords well soaked with copaiba-balsam, which is the only thing known +to prevent them from climbing. They seem to attack persons from sheer +malice. If we stood for a few moments in the street, even at a distance +from their nests, we were sure to be overrun, and severely punished; +for, the moment an ant touched the flesh, he secured himself with his +jaws, doubled in his tail, and stung with all his might. The sting is +likened, by the Brazilians, to the puncture of a red-hot needle. When we +were seated on chairs in the evenings, in front of the house, to enjoy a +chat with our neighbors, we had stools to support our feet, the legs of +which, as well as those of the chairs, were well anointed with the +balsam. The cords of hammocks are obliged to be smeared in the same way, +to prevent the ants from paying sleepers a visit." + + +BUTTERFLIES. + +"At Villa Nova, I found a few species of butterflies which occurred +nowhere else on the Amazons. In the broad alleys of the forest, several +species of Morpho were common. One of these is a sister-form to the +Morpho Hecuba, and has been described under the name of Morpho Cisseis. +It is a grand sight to see these colossal butterflies by twos and threes +floating at a great height in the still air of a tropical morning. They +flap their wings only at long intervals; for I have noticed them to sail +a very considerable distance without a stroke. Their wing-muscles, and +the thorax to which they are attached, are very feeble in comparison +with the wide extent and weight of the wings; but the large expanse of +these members doubtless assists the insects in maintaining their aerial +course. The largest specimens of Morpho Cisseis measure seven inches and +a half in expanse. Another smaller kind, which I could not capture, was +of a pale, silvery-blue color; and the polished surface of its wings +flashed like a silver speculum, as the insect flapped its wings at a +great elevation in the sunlight." + + +THE BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER. + +"At Cametá, I chanced to verify a fact relating to the habits of a +large, hairy spider of the genus Mygale, in a manner worth recording. +The individual was nearly two inches in length of body; but the legs +expanded seven inches, and the entire body and legs were covered with +coarse gray and reddish hairs. I was attracted by a movement of the +monster on a tree-trunk: it was close beneath a deep crevice in the +tree, across which was stretched a dense white web. The lower part of +the web was broken; and two small birds, finches, were entangled in the +pieces. They were about the size of the English siskin; and I judged the +two to be male and female. One of them was quite dead; the other lay +under the body of the spider, not quite dead, and was smeared with the +filthy liquor, or saliva, exuded by the monster. I drove away the +spider, and took the birds; but the second one soon died. The fact of a +species of mygale sallying forth at night, mounting trees, and sucking +the eggs and young of hummingbirds, has been recorded long ago by Madame +Merian and Palisot de Beauvois; but, in the absence of any +confirmation, it has come to be discredited. From the way the fact has +been related, it would appear that it had been derived from the report +of natives, and had not been witnessed by the narrators. I found the +circumstance to be quite a novelty to the residents hereabouts. + +"The mygales are quite common insects. Some species make their cells +under stones; others form artificial tunnels in the earth; and some +build their dens in the thatch of houses. The natives call them +crab-spiders. The hairs with which they are clothed come off when +touched, and cause a peculiar and almost maddening irritation. The first +specimen that I killed and prepared was handled incautiously; and I +suffered terribly for three days afterward. I think this is not owing to +any poisonous quality residing in the hairs, but to their being short +and hard, and thus getting into the fine creases of the skin. Some +mygales are of immense size. One day, I saw the children belonging to an +Indian family who collected for me with one of these monsters, secured +by a cord round its waist, by which they were leading it about the house +as they would a dog." + + +BATS. + +"At Caripí, near Pará, I was much troubled by bats. The room where I +slept had not been used for many months, and the roof was open to the +tiles and rafters. I was aroused about midnight by the rushing noise +made by vast hosts of bats sweeping about the room. The air was alive +with them. They had put out the lamp; and, when I relighted it, the +place appeared blackened with the impish multitudes that were whirling +round and round. After I had laid about well with a stick for a few +minutes, they disappeared among the tiles; but, when all was still +again, they returned, and once more extinguished the light. I took no +further notice of them, and went to sleep. The next night, several of +them got into my hammock. I seized them as they were crawling over me, +and dashed them against the wall. The next morning, I found a wound, +evidently caused by a bat, on my hip. This was rather unpleasant: so I +set to work with the negroes, and tried to exterminate them. I shot a +great many as they hung from the rafters; and the negroes, having +mounted with ladders to the roof outside, routed out from beneath the +eaves many hundreds of them, including young broods. There were +altogether four species. By far the greater number belonged to the +Dysopes perotis, a species having very large ears, and measuring two +feet from tip to tip of the wings. I was never attacked by bats, except +on this occasion. The fact of their sucking the blood of persons +sleeping, from wounds which they make in the toes, is now well +established; but it is only a few persons who are subject to this +blood-letting." + + +PARROTS. + +"On recrossing the river in the evening, a pretty little parrot fell +from a great height headlong into the water near the boat, having +dropped from a flock which seemed to be fighting in the air. One of the +Indians secured it for me; and I was surprised to find the bird +uninjured. There had probably been a quarrel about mates, resulting in +our little stranger being temporarily stunned by a blow on the head from +the beak of a jealous comrade. It was of the species called by the +natives Maracaná; the plumage green, with a patch of scarlet under the +wings. I wished to keep the bird alive, and tame it; but all our efforts +to reconcile it to captivity were vain: it refused food, bit every one +who went near it, and damaged its plumage in its exertions to free +itself. My friends in Aveyros said that this kind of parrot never became +domesticated. After trying nearly a week, I was recommended to lend the +intractable creature to an old Indian woman living in the village, who +was said to be a skilful bird-tamer. In two days, she brought it back +almost as tame as the familiar love-birds of our aviaries. I kept my +little pet for upward of two years. It learned to talk pretty well, and +was considered quite a wonder, as being a bird usually so difficult of +domestication. I do not know what arts the old woman used. Capt. Antonio +said she fed it with her saliva. + +"Our maracaná used to accompany us sometimes in our rambles, one of the +lads carrying it on his head. One day, in the middle of a long +forest-road, it was missed, having clung probably to an overhanging +bough, and escaped into the thicket without the boy perceiving it. Three +hours afterwards, on our return by the same path, a voice greeted us in +a colloquial tone as we passed, 'Maracaná!' We looked about for some +time, but could not see any thing, until the word was repeated with +emphasis, 'Maracaná!' when we espied the little truant half concealed in +the foliage of a tree. He came down, and delivered himself up, +evidently as much rejoiced at the meeting as we were." + + +TURTLE-EGGS AND OIL. + +"I accompanied Cardozo in many wanderings on the Solimoens, or Upper +Amazons, during which we visited the _praias_ (sand-islands), the +turtle-pools in the forests, and the by-streams and lakes in the great +desert river. His object was mainly to superintend the business of +digging up turtle-eggs on the sand-banks; having been elected +_commandante_ for the year of the _praia-real_ (royal sand-island) of +Shimuni, the one lying nearest to Ega. There are four of these royal +praias within the district, all of which are visited annually by the Ega +people, for the purpose of collecting eggs, and extracting oil from +their yolks. Each has its commander, whose business is to make +arrangements for securing to every inhabitant an equal chance in the +egg-harvest, by placing sentinels to protect the turtles while laying. +The turtles descend from the interior pools to the main river in July +and August, before the outlets dry up, and then seek, in countless +swarms, their favorite sand-islands; for it is only a few praias that +are selected by them out of the great number existing. + +"We left Ega, on our first trip to visit the sentinels while the turtles +were yet laying, on the 26th of September. We found the two sentinels +lodged in a corner of the praia, or sand-bank, where it commences, at +the foot of the towering forest-wall of the island; having built for +themselves a little rancho with poles and palm-leaves. Great +preparations are obliged to be taken to avoid disturbing the sensitive +turtles, who, previous to crawling ashore to lay, assemble in great +shoals off the sand-bank. The men, during this time, take care not to +show themselves, and warn off any fisherman who wishes to pass near the +place. Their fires are made in a deep hollow near the borders of the +forest, so that the smoke may not be visible. The passage of a boat +through the shallow waters where the animals are congregated, or the +sight of a man, or a fire on the sand-bank, would prevent the turtles +from leaving the water that night to lay their eggs; and, if the causes +of alarm were repeated once or twice, they would forsake the praia for +some quieter place. Soon after we arrived, our men were sent with the +net to catch a supply of fish for supper. In half an hour, four or five +large basketsful were brought in. The sun set soon after our meal was +cooked: we were then obliged to extinguish the fire, and remove our +supper-materials to the sleeping-ground, a spit of land about a mile +off; this course being necessary on account of the musquitoes, which +swarm at night on the borders of the forest. + +"I rose from my hammock at daylight, and found Cardozo and the men +already up, watching the turtles. The sentinels had erected for this +purpose a stage about fifty feet high, on a tall tree near their +station, the ascent to which was by a roughly-made ladder of woody +lianas. The turtles lay their eggs by night, leaving the water in vast +crowds, and crawling to the central and highest part of the praia. These +places are, of course, the last to go under water, when, in unusually +wet seasons, the river rises before the eggs are hatched by the heat of +the sand. One would almost believe from this that the animals used +forethought in choosing a place; but it is simply one of those many +instances in animals where unconscious habit has the same result as +conscious prevision. The hours between midnight and dawn are the +busiest. The turtles excavate, with their broad-webbed paws, deep holes +in the fine sand; the first-comer, in each case, making a pit about +three feet deep, laying, its eggs (about a hundred and twenty in +number), and covering them with sand; the next making its deposit at +the top of that of its predecessor; and so on, until every pit is full. +The whole body of turtles frequenting a praia does not finish laying in +less than fourteen or fifteen days, even when there is no interruption. +When all have done, the area over which they have excavated is +distinguishable from the rest of the praia only by signs of the sand +having been a little disturbed. + +"On arriving at the edge of the forest, I mounted the sentinels' stage +just in time to see the turtles retreating to the water on the opposite +side of the sand-bank after having laid their eggs. The sight was well +worth the trouble of ascending the shaky ladder. They were about a mile +off; but the surface of the sand was blackened with the multitudes which +were waddling towards the river. The margin of the praia was rather +steep; and they all seemed to tumble, head-first, down the declivity, +into the water." + + * * * * * + +When the turtles have finished depositing their eggs, the process of +collecting them takes place, of which our author gives an account as +follows:-- + + +THE EGG-HARVEST. + +"My next excursion was made in company of Senior Cardozo, in the season +when all the population of the villages turns out to dig up turtle-eggs, +and to revel on the praias. Placards were posted on the church-doors at +Ega, announcing that the excavation on Shimuni would commence on the +17th October. We set out on the 16th, and passed on the way, in our +well-manned igarité (or two-masted boat), a large number of people, men, +women, and children, in canoes of all sizes, wending their way as if to +a great holiday gathering. By the morning of the 17th, some four hundred +persons were assembled on the borders of the sand-bank; each family +having erected a rude temporary shed of poles and palm-leaves to protect +themselves from the sun and rain. Large copper kettles to prepare the +oil, and hundreds of red earthenware jars, were scattered about on the +sand. + +"The excavation of the _taboleiro_, collecting the eggs, and preparing +the oil, occupied four days. The commandante first took down the names +of all the masters of households, with the number of persons each +intended to employ in digging. He then exacted a payment of about +fourpence a head towards defraying the expense of sentinels. The whole +were then allowed to go to the taboleiro. They ranged themselves round +the circle, each person armed with a paddle, to be used as a spade; and +then all began simultaneously to dig, on a signal being given--the roll +of drums--by order of the commandante. It was an animating sight to +behold the wide circle of rival diggers throwing up clouds of sand in +their energetic labors, and working gradually toward the centre of the +ring. A little rest was taken during the great heat of mid-day; and, in +the evening, the eggs were carried to the huts in baskets. By the end of +the second day, the taboleiro was exhausted: large mounds of eggs, some +of them four or five feet in height, were then seen by the side of each +hut, the produce of the labors of the family. + +"When no more eggs are to be found, the mashing process begins. The egg, +it may be mentioned, has a flexible or leathery shell: it is quite +round, and somewhat larger than a hen's egg. The whole heap is thrown +into an empty canoe, and mashed with wooden prongs; but sometimes naked +Indians and children jump into the mass, and tread it down, besmearing +themselves with the yolk, and making about as filthy a scene as can well +be imagined. This being finished, water is poured into the canoe, and +the fatty mass then left for a few hours to be heated by the sun, on +which the oil separates, and rises to the surface. The floating oil is +afterwards skimmed off with long spoons, made by tying large +mussel-shells to the end of rods, and purified over the fire in +copper-kettles. At least six thousand jars, holding each three gallons +of the oil, are exported annually from the Upper Amazons and the Madeira +to Pará, where it is used for lighting, frying fish, and other +purposes." + + +ELECTRIC EELS. + +"We walked over moderately elevated and dry ground for about a mile, and +then descended three or four feet to the dry bed of another creek. This +was pierced in the same way as the former water-course, with round holes +full of muddy water. They occurred at intervals of a few yards, and had +the appearance of having been made by the hands of man. As we +approached, I was startled at seeing a number of large serpent-like +heads bobbing above the surface. They proved to be those of electric +eels; and it now occurred to me that the round holes were made by these +animals working constantly round and round in the moist, muddy soil. +Their depth (some of them were at least eight feet deep) was doubtless +due also to the movements of the eels in the soft soil, and accounted +for their not drying up, in the fine season, with the rest of the creek. +Thus, while alligators and turtles in this great inundated forest region +retire to the larger pools during the dry season, the electric eels make +for themselves little ponds in which to pass the season of drought. + +"My companions now cut each a stout pole, and proceeded to eject the +eels in order to get at the other fishes, with which they had discovered +the ponds to abound. I amused them all very much by showing how the +electric shock from the eels could pass from one person to another. We +joined hands in a line, while I touched the biggest and freshest of the +animals on the head with my hunting-knife. We found that this experiment +did not succeed more than three times with the same eel, when out of the +water; for, the fourth time, the shock was hardly perceptible." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ANIMATED NATURE. + + +"The number and variety of climbing trees in the Amazons forests are +interesting, taken in connection with the fact of the very general +tendency of the animals also to become climbers. All the Amazonian, and +in fact all South-American monkeys, are climbers. There is no group +answering to the baboons of the Old World, which live on the ground. The +gallinaceous birds of the country, the representatives of the fowls and +pheasants of Asia and Africa, are all adapted, by the position of the +toes, to perch on trees; and it is only on trees, at a great height, +that they are to be seen. Many other similar instances could be +enumerated." + + +MONKEYS. + +"On the Upper Amazons, I once saw a tame individual of the Midas +leoninus, a species first described by Humboldt, which was still more +playful and intelligent than the more common M. ursulus. This rare and +beautiful monkey is only seven inches in length, exclusive of the tail. +It is named leoninus on account of the long, brown mane which hangs from +the neck, and which gives it very much the appearance of a diminutive +lion. In the house where it was kept, it was familiar with every one: +its greatest pleasure seemed to be to climb about the bodies of +different persons who entered. The first time I went in, it ran across +the room straightway to the chair on which I had sat down, and climbed +up to my shoulder: arrived there, it turned round, and looked into my +face, showing its little teeth, and chattering, as though it would say, +"Well, and how do _you_ do?" M. de St. Hilaire relates of a species of +this genus, that it distinguished between different objects depicted on +an engraving. M. Ardouin showed it the portraits of a cat and a wasp: at +these it became much terrified; whereas, at the sight of a figure of a +grasshopper or beetle, it precipitated itself on the picture, as if to +seize the objects there represented." + + +THE CAIARÁRA. + +"The light-brown caiarára is pretty generally distributed over the +forests of the level country. I saw it frequently on the banks of the +Upper Amazons, where it was always a treat to watch a flock leaping +amongst the trees; for it is the most wonderful performer in this line +of the whole tribe. The troops consist of thirty or more individuals, +which travel in single file. When the foremost of the flock reaches the +outermost branch of an unusually lofty tree, he springs forth into the +air without a moment's hesitation, and alights on the dome of yielding +foliage belonging to the neighboring tree, maybe fifty feet beneath; all +the rest following his example. They grasp, on falling, with hands and +tail, right themselves in a moment, and then away they go, along branch +and bough, to the next tree. + +"The caiarára is very frequently kept as a pet in the houses of natives. +I kept one myself for about a year, which accompanied me in my voyages, +and became very familiar, coming to me always on wet nights to share my +blanket. It keeps the house where it is kept in a perpetual uproar. When +alarmed or hungry, or excited by envy, it screams piteously. It is +always making some noise or other, often screwing up its mouth, and +uttering a succession of loud notes resembling a whistle. Mine lost my +favor at last by killing, in one of his jealous fits, another and much +choicer pet,--the nocturnal, owl-faced monkey. Some one had given this a +fruit which the other coveted: so the two got to quarrelling. The +owl-faced fought only with his paws, clawing out, and hissing, like a +cat: the other soon obtained the mastery, and, before I could interfere, +finished his rival by cracking its skull with its teeth. Upon this I got +rid of him." + + +THE COAITA. + +"The coaita is a large, black monkey, covered with coarse hair, and +having the prominent parts of the face of a tawny, flesh-colored hue. +The coaitas are called by some French zoölogists spider-monkeys, on +account of the length and slenderness of their body and limbs. In these +apes, the tail, as a prehensile organ, reaches its highest degree of +perfection; and, on this account, it would perhaps be correct to +consider the coaita as the extreme development of the American type of +apes. + +"The tail of the coaita is endowed with a wonderful degree of +flexibility. It is always in motion, coiling and uncoiling like the +trunk of an elephant, and grasping whatever comes within reach. + +"The flesh of this monkey is much esteemed by the natives in this part +of the country; and the military commandant every week sends a negro +hunter to shoot one for his table. One day I went on a coaita-hunt, with +a negro-slave to show me the way. When in the deepest part of the +ravine, we heard a rustling sound in the trees overhead; and Manoel soon +pointed out a coaita to me. There was something human-like in its +appearance, as the lean, shaggy creature moved deliberately among the +branches at a great height. I fired, but, unfortunately, only wounded +it. It fell, with a crash, headlong, about twenty or thirty feet, and +then caught a bough with its tail, which grasped it instantaneously; and +there the animal remained suspended in mid-air. Before I could reload, +it recovered itself, and mounted nimbly to the topmost branches, out of +the reach of a fowling-piece, where we could perceive the poor thing +apparently probing the wound with its fingers." + + +THE TAME COAITA. + +"I once saw a most ridiculously tame coaita. It was an old female, which +accompanied its owner, a trader on the river, in all his voyages. By way +of giving me a specimen of its intelligence and feeling, its master set +to, and rated it soundly, calling it scamp, heathen, thief, and so +forth, all through the copious Portuguese vocabulary of vituperation. +The poor monkey, quietly seated on the ground, seemed to be in sore +trouble at this display of anger. It began by looking earnestly at him; +then it whined, and lastly rocked its body to and fro with emotion, +crying piteously, and passing its long, gaunt arms continually over its +forehead; for this was its habit when excited, and the front of the head +was worn quite bald in consequence. At length, its master altered his +tone. 'It's all a lie,' my old woman. 'You're an angel, a flower, a +good, affectionate old creature,' and so forth. Immediately the poor +monkey ceased its wailing, and soon after came over to where the man +sat." + + +SCARLET-FACED MONKEY. + +The most singular of the Simian family in Brazil are the scarlet-faced +monkeys, called by the Indians Uakari, of which there are two +varieties, the white and red-haired. Mr. Bates first met with the +white-haired variety under the following circumstances:-- + +"Early one sunny morning, in the year 1855, I saw in the streets of Ega +a number of Indians carrying on their shoulders down to the port, to be +embarked on the Upper Amazons steamer, a large cage made of strong +lianas, some twelve feet in length, and five in height, containing a +dozen monkeys of the most grotesque appearance. Their bodies (about +eighteen inches in height, exclusive of limbs) were clothed from neck to +tail with very long, straight, and shining whitish hair; their heads +were nearly bald, owing to the very short crop of thin gray hairs; and +their faces glowed with the most vivid scarlet hue. As a finish to their +striking physiognomy, they had bushy whiskers of a sandy color, meeting +under the chin, and reddish yellow eyes. They sat gravely and silently +in a group, and altogether presented a strange spectacle." + +Another interesting creature is the owl-faced night ape. These monkeys +are not only owl-faced, but their habits are those of the moping bird. + +"They sleep all day long in hollow trees, and come forth to prey on +insects, and eat fruits, only in the night. They are of small size, the +body being about a foot long, and the tail fourteen inches; and are +clothed with soft gray and brown fur, similar in substance to that of +the rabbit. Their physiognomy reminds one of an owl or tiger-cat. The +face is round, and encircled by a ruff of whitish fur; the muzzle is not +at all prominent; the mouth and chin are small; the ears are very short, +scarcely appearing above the hair of the head; and the eyes are large, +and yellowish in color, imparting the staring expression of nocturnal +animals of prey. The forehead is whitish, and decorated with three black +stripes, which, in one of the species, continue to the crown, and in the +other meet on the top of the forehead. + +"These monkeys, although sleeping by day, are aroused by the least +noise; so that, when a person passes by a tree in which a number of them +are concealed, he is startled by the sudden apparition of a group of +little striped faces crowding a hole in a trunk." + +Mr. Bates had one of the Nyctipithæci for a pet, which was kept in a box +containing a broad-mouthed glass jar, into which it would dive, head +foremost, when any one entered the room, turning round inside, and +thrusting forth its inquisitive face an instant afterward to stare at +the intruder. The Nyctipithecus, when tamed, renders one very essential +service to its owner: it clears the house of bats as well as of insect +vermin. + +The most diminutive of the Brazilian monkeys is the "Hapale pygmæus," +only seven inches long in the body, with its little face adorned with +long, brown whiskers, which are naturally brushed back over the ears. +The general color of the animal is brownish-tawny; but the tail is +elegantly barred with black. + +Mr. Bates closes his account by stating that the total number of species +of monkeys which he found inhabiting the margins of the Upper and Lower +Amazons was thirty-eight, belonging to twelve different genera, forming +two distinct families. + + +THE SLOTH. + +"I once had an opportunity, in one of my excursions, of watching the +movements of a sloth. Some travellers in South America have described +the sloth as very nimble in its native woods, and have disputed the +justness of the name which has been bestowed upon it. The inhabitants of +the Amazons region, however, both Indians and descendants of the +Portuguese, hold to the common opinion, and consider the sloth as the +type of laziness. It is very common for one native to call to another, +in reproaching him for idleness, 'Bicho do Embaüba' (beast of the +cecropia-tree); the leaves of the cecropia being the food of the sloth. +It is a strange sight to see the uncouth creature, fit production of +these silent woods, lazily moving from branch to branch. Every movement +betrays, not indolence exactly, but extreme caution. He never looses his +hold from one branch without first securing himself to the next; and, +when he does not immediately find a bough to grasp with the rigid hooks +into which his paws are so curiously transformed, he raises his body, +supported on his hind legs, and claws around in search of a fresh +foothold. After watching the animal for about half an hour, I gave him a +charge of shot: he fell with a terrific crash, but caught a bough in his +descent with his powerful claws, and remained suspended. Two days +afterward, I found the body of the sloth on the ground; the animal +having dropped, on the relaxation of the muscles, a few hours after +death. In one of our voyages, I saw a sloth swimming across a river at a +place where it was probably three hundred yards broad. Our men caught +the beast, and cooked and ate him." + + +THE ANACONDA. + +"We had an unwelcome visitor while at anchor in the port. I was awakened +a little after midnight, as I lay in my little cabin, by a heavy blow +struck at the sides of the canoe close to my head, succeeded by the +sound of a weighty body plunging in the water. I got up; but all was +quiet again, except the cackle of fowls in our hen-coop, which hung over +the side of the vessel, about three feet from the cabin-door. Next +morning I found my poultry loose about the canoe, and a large rent in +the bottom of the hen-coop, which was about two feet from the surface of +the water. A couple of fowls were missing. + +"Antonio said the depredator was the sucumjú, the Indian name for the +anaconda, or great water-serpent, which had for months past been +haunting this part of the river, and had carried off many ducks and +fowls from the ports of various houses. I was inclined to doubt the fact +of a serpent striking at its prey from the water, and thought an +alligator more likely to be the culprit, although we had not yet met +with alligators in the river. Some days afterward, the young men +belonging to the different settlements agreed together to go in search +of the serpents. They began in a systematic manner, forming two +parties, each embarked in three or four canoes, and starting from points +several miles apart, whence they gradually approximated, searching all +the little inlets on both sides of the river. The reptile was found at +last, sunning itself on a log at the mouth of a muddy rivulet, and +despatched with harpoons. I saw it the day after it was killed. It was +not a very large specimen, measuring only eighteen feet nine inches in +length, and sixteen inches in circumference at the widest part of the +body." + + +ALLIGATORS. + +"Our rancho was a large one, and was erected in a line with the others, +near the edge of the sand-bank, which sloped rather abruptly to the +water. During the first week, the people were all more or less troubled +by alligators. Some half-dozen full-grown ones were in attendance off +the praia, floating about on the lazily flowing, muddy water. The +dryness of the weather had increased since we left Shimuni, the currents +had slackened, and the heat in the middle of the day was almost +insupportable. But no one could descend to bathe without being advanced +upon by one or other of these hungry monsters. There was much offal +cast into the river; and this, of course, attracted them to the place. +Every day, these visitors became bolder: at length, they reached a pitch +of impudence that was quite intolerable. Cardozo had a poodle-dog named +Carlito, which some grateful traveller whom he had befriended had sent +him from Rio Janeiro. He took great pride in this dog, keeping it well +sheared, and preserving his coat as white as soap and water could make +it. We slept in our rancho, in hammocks slung between the outer posts; a +large wood fire (fed with a kind of wood abundant on the banks of the +river, which keeps alight all night) being made in the middle, by the +side of which slept Carlito on a little mat. One night, I was awoke by a +great uproar. It was caused by Cardozo hurling burning firewood with +loud curses at a huge cayman, which had crawled up the bank, and passed +beneath my hammock (being nearest the water) towards the place where +Carlito lay. The dog raised the alarm in time. The reptile backed out, +and tumbled down the bank into the river; the sparks from the brands +hurled at him flying from his bony hide. Cardozo threw a harpoon at him, +but without doing him any harm." + + +THE PUMA. + +"One day, I was searching for insects in the bark of a fallen tree, when +I saw a large, cat-like animal advancing towards the spot. It came +within a dozen yards before perceiving me. I had no weapon with me but +an old chisel, and was getting ready to defend myself if it should make +a spring; when it turned round hastily, and trotted off. I did not +obtain a very distinct view of it; but I could see its color was that of +the puma, or American lion, although it was rather too small for that +species. + +"The puma is not a common animal in the Amazons forests. I did not see +altogether more than a dozen skins in the possession of the natives. The +fur is of a fawn-color. The hunters are not at all afraid of it, and +speak in disparaging terms of its courage. Of the jaguar they give a +very different account." + + +THE GREAT ANT-EATER. + +"The great ant-eater, _tamandua_ of the natives, was not uncommon here. +After the first few weeks of residence, I was short of fresh provisions. +The people of the neighborhood had sold me all the fowls they could +spare. I had not yet learned to eat the stale and stringy salt fish +which is the staple food of these places; and for several days I had +lived on rice-porridge, roasted bananas, and farinha. Florinda asked me +whether I could eat tamandua. I told her almost any thing in the shape +of flesh would be acceptable: so she went the next day with an old negro +named Antonio, and the dogs, and, in the evening, brought one of the +animals. The meat was stewed, and turned out very good, something like +goose in flavor. The people of Caripí would not touch a morsel, saying +it was not considered fit to eat in those parts. I had read, however, +that it was an article of food in other countries of South America. +During the next two or three weeks, whenever we were short of fresh +meat, Antonio was always ready, for a small reward, to get me a +tamandua. + +"The habits of the animal are now pretty well known. It has an +excessively long, slender muzzle, and a worm-like, extensile tongue. Its +jaws are destitute of teeth. The claws are much elongated, and its gait +is very awkward. It lives on the ground, and feeds on termites, or white +ants; the long claws being employed to pull in pieces the solid hillocks +made by the insects, and the long flexible tongue to lick them up from +the crevices." + + +THE JAGUAR. + +Our traveller, though he resided long and in various parts of the Amazon +country, never saw there a jaguar. How near he came to seeing one +appears in the following extract. This animal is the nearest approach +which America presents to the leopards and tigers of the Old World. + +"After walking about half a mile, we came upon a dry water-course, where +we observed on the margin of a pond the fresh tracks of a jaguar. This +discovery was hardly made, when a rush was heard amidst the bushes on +the top of a sloping bank, on the opposite side of the dried creek. We +bounded forward: it was, however, too late; for the animal had sped in a +few minutes far out of our reach. It was clear we had disturbed on our +approach the jaguar while quenching his thirst at the water-hole. A few +steps farther on, we saw the mangled remains of an alligator. The head, +fore-quarters, and bony shell, were all that remained: but the meat was +quite fresh, and there were many footmarks of the jaguar around the +carcass; so that there was no doubt this had formed the solid part of +the animal's breakfast." + + +PARÁ. + +"I arrived at Pará on the 17th of March, 1859, after an absence in the +interior of seven years and a half. My old friends, English, American, +and Brazilian, scarcely knew me again, but all gave me a very warm +welcome. I found Pará greatly changed and improved. It was no longer the +weedy, ruinous, village-looking place that it had appeared when I first +knew it in 1848. The population had been increased to twenty thousand by +an influx of Portuguese, Madeiran, and German immigrants; and, for many +years past, the provincial government had spent their considerable +surplus revenue in beautifying the city. The streets, formerly unpaved, +or strewed with stones and sand, were now laid with concrete in a most +complete manner: all the projecting masonry of the irregularly-built +houses had been cleared away, and the buildings made more uniform. Most +of the dilapidated houses were replaced by handsome new edifices, having +long and elegant balconies fronting the first floors, at an elevation of +several feet above the roadway. The large swampy squares had been +drained, weeded, and planted with rows of almond and other trees; so +that they were now a great ornament to the city, instead of an eye-sore +as they formerly were. Sixty public vehicles, light cabriolets, some of +them built in Pará, now plied in the streets, increasing much the +animation of the beautified squares, streets, and avenues. I was glad to +see several new book-sellers' shops; also a fine edifice devoted to a +reading-room, supplied with periodicals, globes, and maps; and a +circulating library. There were now many printing-offices, and four +daily newspapers. The health of the place had greatly improved since +1850,--the year of the yellow-fever; and Pará was now considered no +longer dangerous to new-comers. + +"So much for the improvements visible in the place; and now for the dark +side of the picture. The expenses of living had increased about +fourfold; a natural consequence of the demand for labor and for native +products of all kinds having augmented in greater ratio than the supply, +in consequence of large arrivals of non-productive residents, and +considerable importations of money, on account of the steamboat-company +and foreign merchants. + +"At length, on the 2d of June, I left Pará,--probably forever. I took a +last view of the glorious forest for which I had so much love, and to +explore which I had devoted so many years. The saddest hours I +recollect ever to have spent were those of the succeeding night, when, +the pilot having left us out of sight of land, though within the mouth +of the river, waiting for a wind, I felt that the last link which +connected me with the land of so many pleasing recollections was +broken." + + +THE END. + +PRESS OF GEO. C. RAND & AVERY, NO. 3, CORNHILL, BOSTON. + + + + +------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the | + | original document have been preserved. | + | | + | Typographical errors corrected in the text: | + | | + | Page 74 Sascatchawan changed to Saskatchawan | + | Page 103 Cameawait changed to Cameahwait | + | Page 192 Chinnook changed to Chinook | + | Page 198 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks | + | Page 199 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks | + | Page 199 Killamucks changed to Killimucks | + | Page 212 Wakiacums changed to Wahkiacums | + | Page 224 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee | + | Page 224 Sacajaweah chanaged to Sacajawea | + | Page 232 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee | + | Page 295 palmitoes changed to palmitos | + | Page 299 groweth changed to growth | + | Page 360 pursuaded changed to persuaded | + +------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Oregon and Eldorado, by Thomas Bulfinch + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + +***** This file should be named 38774-8.txt or 38774-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/7/38774/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Oregon and Eldorado + or, Romance of the Rivers + +Author: Thomas Bulfinch + +Release Date: February 6, 2012 [EBook #38774] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h1>OREGON AND ELDORADO.</h1> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h1>OREGON AND ELDORADO;</h1> + +<h4>OR,</h4> + +<h2>ROMANCE OF THE RIVERS.</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + + +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h2>THOMAS BULFINCH,</h2> + +<h4>AUTHOR OF "THE AGE OF FABLE," "THE AGE OF CHIVALRY," ETC.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>BOSTON:<br /> +J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY.<br /> +1866.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4> +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by<br /> +<span class="smcap">THOMAS BULFINCH</span>,<br /> +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4>STEREOTYPED BY C. J. PETERS AND SON.</h4> +<hr /> +<h4>PRINTED BY GEORGE C. RAND AND AVERY.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>When one observes attentively the maps of +South and North America, no feature appears +more striking than the provision which Nature +seems to have made, in both continents, for water-communication +across the breadth of each. +In the Northern continent, this channel of communication +is formed by the Missouri and Columbia +Rivers, which stretch over an extent of +three thousand miles, interrupted only by the +ridge of the Rocky Mountains. In the Southern +continent, the River Amazon, in its path from +the Andes to the sea, traverses a course of thirty-three +hundred miles. In both cases, a few +hundred miles of land-carriage will complete the +transit from ocean to ocean. The analogy presented +in the length and direction of these magnificent +water-pathways is preserved in their +history. A series of romantic adventures attaches +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span>to each. I indulge the hope, that young readers +who have so favorably received my former attempts +to amuse and instruct them, in my several +works reviving the fabulous legends of remote +ages, will find equally attractive these true narratives +of bold adventure, whose date is comparatively +recent. Moreover, their scenes are laid, in +the one instance, in our own country; and, in the +other, in that great and rising empire of Brazil +to which our distinguished naturalist, Prof. Agassiz, +has gone on a pilgrimage of science. It will +enable us better to appreciate the discoveries and +observations which the professor will lay before +us on his return, to know something beforehand +of the history and peculiarities of the region which +is the scene of his labors; and, on the other hand, +the route across the North-American continent, +to which the first part of the volume relates, deprives +increased interest, at this time, from the +fact that it nearly corresponds to the route of +the contemplated Northern Pacific Railroad.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Boston</span>, June 1866.<span class="rightsig">T. B.</span></p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<br /> +<h3>OREGON</h3> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="65%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER I.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap" width="85%">Discovery of Columbia River</td> + <td class="tdr" width="15%"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER II.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Lewis and Clarke</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER III.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Sioux</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER IV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Summary of Travel to Winter-Quarters</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER V.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Indian Tribes</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER VI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The March resumed</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER VII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Journey continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span>CHAPTER VIII. + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Sources of the Missouri and Columbia</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER IX.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Party in the Boats</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER X.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Descent of the Columbia</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_120">120</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Clarke's River</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Kooskooskee River</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Winter-Quarters</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XIV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">A New Year</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_187">187</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Winter Life</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XVI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Return</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XVII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Rocky Mountains</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_230">230</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XVIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Capt. Clarke's Route down the Yellowstone</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> +<h3>ELDORADO</h3> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="65%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents2"> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER I.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap" width="85%">The Discovery</td> + <td class="tdr" width="15%"><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER II.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Orellana descends the River</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_265">265</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER III.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Orellana's Adventure continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_275">275</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER IV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Sir Walter Raleigh</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_285">285</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER V.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Raleigh's First Expedition</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_293">293</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER VI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Raleigh's Adventures continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_307">307</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER VII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Raleigh's Second Expedition</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_316">316</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER VIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The French Philosophers</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_326">326</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</a></span>CHAPTER IX.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Madam Godin's Voyage down the Amazon</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_339">339</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER X.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Madame Godin's Voyage continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_349">349</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Herndon's Expedition</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_361">361</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Herndon's Expedition continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_373">373</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Herndon's Expedition continued</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_387">387</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XIV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Herndon's Expedition concluded</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_396">396</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Latest Explorations</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_404">404</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XVI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">The Naturalist on the Amazon</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_427">427</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc">CHAPTER XVII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl smcap">Animated Nature</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_446">446</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>OREGON.</h2> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</a></span> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>OREGON.</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>DISCOVERY OF COLUMBIA RIVER.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>A few years ago, there was still standing in +Bowdoin Square, Boston, opposite the Revere +House, an ancient mansion, since removed to make +room for the granite range called the Coolidge Building. +In that mansion, then neither old nor inelegant, +but, on the contrary, having good pretensions to rank +among the principal residences of the place, was assembled, +in the year 1787, a group, consisting of the +master of the mansion, Dr. Bulfinch, his only son +Charles, and Joseph Barrell, their neighbor, an eminent +merchant of Boston. The conversation turned +upon the topic of the day,—the voyages and discoveries +of Capt. Cook, the account of which had lately +been published. The brilliant achievements of Capt. +Cook, his admirable qualities, and his sad fate (slain +by the chance stroke of a Sandwich-Islander, in a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>sudden +brawl which arose between the sailors and the +natives),—these formed the current of the conversation; +till at last it changed, and turned more upon the +commercial aspects of the subject. Mr. Barrell was +particularly struck with what Cook relates of the +abundance of valuable furs offered by the natives of +the country in exchange for beads, knives, and other +trifling commodities valued by them. The remark of +Capt. Cook respecting the sea-otter was cited:—</p> + +<p>"This animal abounds here: the fur is softer and +finer than that of any other we know of; and therefore +the discovery of this part of the continent, where so +valuable an article of commerce may be met with, +cannot be a matter of indifference." He adds in a note, +"The sea-otter skins are sold by the Russians to the +Chinese at from sixteen to twenty pounds each."</p> + +<p>Mr. Barrell remarked, "There is a rich harvest to +be reaped there by those who shall first go in." The +idea thus suggested was followed out in future conversations +at the doctor's fireside, admitting other congenial +spirits to the discussion, and resulted in the +equipping of an expedition consisting of two vessels, +the ship "Columbia" and sloop "Washington," to make +the proposed adventure. The partners in the enterprise +were Joseph Barrell, Samuel Brown, Charles <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>Bulfinch, +John Derby, Crowell Hatch, and J. M. Pintard. +So important was the expedition deemed by the adventurers +themselves, that they caused a medal to be +struck, bearing on one side a representation of the two +vessels under sail, and on the other the names of the +parties to the enterprise. Several copies of this medal +were made both in bronze and silver, and distributed +to public bodies and distinguished individuals. +One of these medals lies before the writer as he pens +these lines. A representation is subjoined:—</p> + +<div class="img"> +<img border="0" src="images/imagep003.jpg" width="50%" alt="Medal" /> +</div> + +<p>The expedition was also provided with sea-letters, +issued by the Federal Government agreeably to a resolution +of Congress, and with passports from the State +of Massachusetts; and they received letters from the +Spanish minister plenipotentiary in the United States, +recommending them to the attention of the authorities +of his nation on the Pacific coast.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>The "Columbia" was commanded by John Kendrick, +to whom was intrusted the general control of the +expedition. The master of the "Washington" was +Robert Gray.</p> + +<p>The two vessels sailed together from Boston on the +30th of September, 1787: thence they proceeded to +the Cape Verde Islands, and thence to the Falkland +Islands, in each of which groups they procured refreshments. +In January, 1788, they doubled Cape +Horn; immediately after which they were separated +during a violent gale. The "Washington," continuing +her course through the Pacific, made the north-west +coast in August, near the 46th degree of latitude. +Here Capt. Gray thought he perceived indications of +the mouth of a river; but he was unable to ascertain +the fact, in consequence of his vessel having grounded, +and been attacked by the savages, who killed one of +his men, and wounded the mate. But she escaped +without further injury, and, on the 17th of September, +reached Nootka Sound, which had been agreed upon +as the port of re-union in case of separation. The "Columbia" +did not enter the sound until some days +afterward.</p> + +<p>The two vessels spent their winter in the sound; +where the "Columbia" also lay during the following +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>summer, collecting furs, while Capt. Gray, in the +"Washington," explored the adjacent waters. On his +return to Nootka, it was agreed upon between the +two captains that Kendrick should take command of +the sloop, and remain on the coast, while Gray, in the +"Columbia," should carry to Canton all the furs +which had been collected by both vessels. This was +accordingly done; and Gray arrived on the 6th of December +at Canton, where he sold his furs, and took in +a cargo of tea, with which he entered Boston on the +10th of August, 1790, having carried the flag of the +United States for the first time round the world.</p> + +<p>Kendrick, immediately on parting with the "Columbia," +proceeded with the "Washington" to the Strait +of Fuca, through which he sailed, in its whole length, +to its issue in the Pacific, in lat. 51. To him belongs +the credit of ascertaining that Nootka and the parts +adjacent are an island, to which the name of Vancouver's +Island has since been given, which it now retains. +Vancouver was a British commander who followed +in the track of the Americans a year later. +The injustice done to Kendrick by thus robbing him +of the credit of his discovery is but one of many similar +instances; the greatest of all being that by which +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>our continent itself bears the name, not of Columbus, +but of a subsequent navigator.</p> + +<p>Capt. Kendrick, during the time occupied by Gray +in his return voyage, besides collecting furs, engaged +in various speculations; one of which was the collection, +and transportation to China, of the odoriferous +wood called "sandal," which grows in many of the +tropical islands of the Pacific, and is in great demand +throughout the Celestial Empire, for ornamental fabrics, +and also for medicinal purposes. Vancouver pronounced +this scheme chimerical; but experience has +shown that it was founded on just calculations, and the +business has ever since been prosecuted with advantage, +especially by Americans.</p> + +<p>Another of Kendrick's speculations has not hitherto +produced any fruit. In the summer of 1791, he purchased +from Maquinna, Wicanish, and other Indian +chiefs, several large tracts of land near Nootka +Sound, for which he obtained deeds, duly <i>marked</i> by +those personages, and witnessed by the officers and +men of the "Washington." Attempts were afterwards +made by the owners of the vessel to sell these lands +in London, but no purchasers were found; and applications +have since been addressed by the legal representatives +of the owners to the Government of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>United States for a confirmation of the title, but +hitherto without success.</p> + +<p>Capt. Kendrick lost his life by a singular accident. +In exchanging salutes with a Spanish vessel +which they met at the Sandwich Islands, the wad of +the gun of the Spaniard struck Capt. Kendrick as he +stood on the deck of his vessel, conspicuous in his +dress-coat and cocked hat as commander of the expedition. +It was instantly fatal.</p> + +<p>The ship "Columbia" returned to Boston from Canton +under the command of Gray, as already stated, +arriving on the 10th of August, 1790; but the cargo +of Chinese articles brought by her was insufficient to +cover the expenses of her voyage: nevertheless her +owners determined to persevere in the enterprise, and +refitted the ship for a new voyage of the same kind.</p> + +<p>The "Columbia," under her former captain, Gray, +left Boston, on her second voyage, on the 28th of September, +1790, and, without the occurrence of any +thing worthy of note, arrived at Clyoquot, near the +entrance of Fuca's Strait, on the 5th of June, 1791. +There, and in the neighboring waters, she remained +through the summer and winter following, engaged in +trading and exploring. In the spring of 1792, Gray +took his departure in the ship, on a cruise southward, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>along the coast, bent on ascertaining the truth of appearances +which had led him in the former voyage +to suspect the existence of a river discharging its waters +at or about the latitude of 46 degrees. During +his cruise, he met the English vessels commanded by +Commodore Vancouver. "On the 29th of April," +Vancouver writes in his journal, "at four o'clock, a +sail was discovered to the westward, standing in shore. +This was a very great novelty, not having seen any +vessel but our consort during the last eight months. +She soon hoisted American colors, and fired a gun to +leeward. At six, we spoke her. She proved to be the +ship 'Columbia,' commanded by Capt. Robert Gray, +belonging to Boston, whence she had been absent nineteen +months. I sent two of my officers on board to +acquire such information as might be serviceable in +our future operations. Capt. Gray informed them of +his having been off the mouth of a river, in the latitude +of 46 degrees 10 minutes, for nine days; but the +outset or reflux was so strong as to prevent his entering."</p> + +<p>To this statement of Capt. Gray, Vancouver gave +little credit. He remarks, "I was thoroughly persuaded, +as were also most persons of observation on +board, that we could not have passed any safe <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>navigable +opening, harbor, or place of security for shipping, +from Cape Mendocino to Fuca's Strait."</p> + +<p>After parting with the English ships, Gray sailed +along the coast of the continent southward; and on +the 7th of May, 1792, he "saw an entrance which +had a very good appearance of a harbor." Passing +through this entrance, he found himself in a bay, +"well sheltered from the sea by long sand-bars and +spits," where he remained three days trading with +the natives, and then resumed his voyage, bestowing +on the place thus discovered the name of Bulfinch's +Harbor, in honor of one of the owners of his ship. +This is now known as Gray's Harbor.</p> + +<p>At daybreak on the 11th, after leaving Bulfinch's +Harbor, Gray observed the entrance of his desired +port, bearing east-south-east, distant six leagues; and +running into it with all sails set, between the breakers, +he anchored at one o'clock in a large river of +fresh water, ten miles above its mouth. At this spot +he remained three days, engaged in trading with the +natives, and filling his casks with water; and then +sailed up the river about twelve miles along its +northern shore, where, finding that he could proceed +no farther from having taken the wrong channel, he +again came to anchor. On the 20th, he recrossed the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>bar at the mouth of the river, and regained the Pacific.</p> + +<p>On leaving the river, Gray gave it the name of his +ship, the Columbia, which it still bears. He called +the southern point of land, at the entrance, Cape +Adams; and the northern, Cape Hancock. The former +of these names retains its place in the maps, the +latter does not; the promontory being known as Cape +Disappointment,—a name it received from Lieut. +Meares, an English navigator, who, like Capt. Gray, +judged from appearances that there was the outlet of +a river at that point, but failed to find it, and recorded +his failure in the name he assigned to the conspicuous +headland which marked the place of his fruitless +search.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. As the discovery of Columbia River was an event of historical +importance, the reader will perhaps be gratified to see it as recorded +in the words of Capt. Gray himself, copied from his logbook +as follows:—</p> + +<p>"May 11 (1792), at eight, <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, the entrance of Bulfinch's +Harbor bore north, distance four miles. Sent up the main-top-gallant +yard, and set all sail. At four, <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, saw the entrance +of our desired port, bearing east-south-east, distance six leagues; +in steering sails, and hauled our wind in shore. At eight, +<span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, being a little to windward of the entrance of the harbor, +bore away, and ran in east-north-east between the breakers, having +from five to seven fathoms of water. When we were over +the bar, we found this to be a large river of fresh water, up which +we steered. Many canoes came alongside. At one, <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, came +to, with the small bower in ten fathoms black and white sand. +The entrance between the bars bore west-south-west, distant ten +miles; the north side of the river a half-mile distant from the +ship, the south side of the same two and a half miles distance; +a village on the north side of the river, west by north, +distant three-quarters of a mile. Vast numbers of natives came +alongside. People employed in pumping the salt water out of +our water-casks, in order to fill with fresh, while the ship floated +in. So ends."</p></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>From the mouth of Columbia River, Gray sailed to +Nootka Sound, where he communicated his recent +discoveries to the Spanish commandant, Quadra; to +whom he also gave charts and descriptions of Bulfinch's +Harbor, and of the mouth of the Columbia. +He departed for Canton in September, and thence +sailed to the United States.</p> + +<p>The voyages of Kendrick and Gray were not profitable +to the adventurers, yet not fruitless of benefit to +their country. They opened the way to subsequent +enterprises in the same region, which were eminently +successful. And, in another point of view, these expeditions +were fraught with consequences of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>utmost +importance. Gray's discovery of Columbia River +was the point most relied upon by our negotiators in +a subsequent era for establishing the claim of the +United States to the part of the continent through +which that river flows; and it is in a great measure +owing to that discovery that the growing State of +Oregon is now a part of the American Republic.</p> + +<p>From the date of the discovery of Columbia River +to the war of 1812, the direct trade between the American +coast and China was almost entirely in the hands +of the citizens of the United States. The British +merchants were restrained from pursuing it by the +opposition of their East-India Company; the Russians +were not admitted into Chinese ports; and few ships +of any other nation were seen in that part of the +ocean. The trade was prosecuted by men whose +names are still distinguished among us as those of the +master-spirits of American commerce,—the Thorndikes, +the Perkinses, Lambs, Sturgis, Cushing, and +others of Boston, Astor and others of New York. The +greater number of the vessels sent from the United +States were fine ships or brigs laden with valuable +cargoes of West-India productions, British manufactured +articles, and French, Italian, and Spanish wines +and spirits; and the owners were men of large +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>capital and high reputation in the commercial world, +some of whom were able to compete with the British +companies, and even to control their movements.</p> + +<p>During all this period, though constant accessions +were made to the knowledge of the coast by means +of commercial adventure, the interior of the continent, +from the Mississippi to the ocean, remained unknown. +The intercourse of the people of the United States +with the native tribes was restricted by several +causes. One was the possession of Louisiana by the +Spaniards; another, the retention by the British of +several important posts south of the Great Lakes, +within the acknowledged territory of the Union. At +length, by the treaty of 1794 between Great Britain +and the United States, those posts were given up to +the Americans; and by treaty with France, in 1803, +Louisiana, which had come into possession of that +power in 1800, was ceded to the United States. +From this period, the Government and people of the +United States ceased to be indifferent to the immense +and important region whose destinies were committed +to them; and the ensuing narrative will relate the +first attempt made by national authority to occupy +and explore the country.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>LEWIS AND CLARKE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>In the year 1786, John Ledyard of Connecticut, +who had been with Capt. Cook in his voyage of +discovery to the north-west coast of America in 1776-1780, +was in Paris, endeavoring to engage a mercantile +company in the fur-trade of that coast. He had +seen, as he thought, unequalled opportunities for lucrative +traffic in the exchange of the furs of that country +for the silks and teas of China. But his representations +were listened to with incredulity by the cautious +merchants of Europe, and he found it impossible +to interest any so far as to induce them to fit out an +expedition for the object proposed.</p> + +<p>Disappointed and needy, he applied for advice and +assistance to Mr. Jefferson, at that time the American +minister at the court of France. Ledyard had no +views of pecuniary gain in the contemplated enterprise: +he sought only an opportunity of indulging his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>love of adventure by exploring regions at that time +unknown. Mr. Jefferson, as the guardian of his country's +interests and the friend of science, was warmly +interested in any scheme which contemplated the +opening of the vast interior regions of the American +continent to the occupancy of civilized man. Since +it was impossible to engage mercantile adventurers to +fit out an expedition by sea, Mr. Jefferson proposed to +Ledyard that he should go as a traveller, by land, +through the Russian territories, as far as the eastern +coast of the continent of Asia, and from thence get +such conveyance as he could to the neighboring coast +of America, and thus reach the spot where his main +journey was to begin. Ledyard eagerly embraced +the proposal. Permission was obtained from the Empress +Catharine of Russia, and the enterprising traveller, +in December, 1786, set forth. He traversed Denmark +and Sweden; passed round the head of the Gulf +of Bothnia, after an unsuccessful attempt to cross it +on the ice; and reached St. Petersburg in March, +1787, without money, shoes, or stockings, having gone +this immense journey on foot in an arctic winter. At +St. Petersburg he obtained notice, money to the +amount of twenty guineas, and permission to accompany +a convoy of stores to Yakoutsk, in Siberia. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>But, for some unexplained reason, he was arrested at +that place by order of the empress, and conveyed +back to Europe; being cautioned, on his release, not +again to set foot within the Russian territories, under +penalty of death. This harsh treatment is supposed +to have arisen from the jealousy of the Russian fur-traders, +who feared that Ledyard's proceedings would +rouse up rivals in their trade.</p> + +<p>Mr. Jefferson did not, upon this disappointment, +abandon the idea of an exploration of the interior of +the American continent. At his suggestion, the +American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia took +measures, in 1792, to send suitable persons to make a +similar transit of the continent in the opposite direction; +that is, by ascending the Missouri, and descending +the Columbia. Nothing was effected, however, +at that time, except awakening the attention of Capt. +Meriwether Lewis, a young officer in the American +army, a neighbor and relative of Gen. Washington. +He eagerly sought to be employed to make the contemplated +journey.</p> + +<p>In 1803, Mr. Jefferson, being then President of the +United States, proposed to Congress to send an exploring +party to trace the Missouri to its source; to +cross the highlands, and follow the best water <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>communication +which might offer itself, to the Pacific Ocean. +Congress approved the proposal, and voted a sum of +money to carry it into execution. Capt. Lewis, who +had then been two years with Mr. Jefferson as his private +secretary, immediately renewed his solicitations +to have the direction of the expedition. Mr. Jefferson +had now had opportunity of knowing him intimately, +and believed him to be brave, persevering, familiar +with the Indian character and customs, habituated +to the hunting life, honest, and of sound judgment. +He trusted that he would be careful of those +committed to his charge, yet steady in the maintenance +of discipline. On receiving his appointment, +Capt. Lewis repaired to Philadelphia, and placed himself +under its distinguished professors, with a view to +acquire familiarity with the nomenclature of the natural +sciences. He selected, as his companion in the +proposed expedition, William Clarke, a brother-officer, +known and esteemed by him.</p> + +<p>While these things were going on, the treaty with +France was concluded, by which the country of +Louisiana was ceded to the United States. This +event, which took place in 1803, greatly increased the +interest felt by the people of the United States in the +proposed expedition.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>In the spring of 1804, the preparations being completed, +the explorers commenced their route. The +party consisted of nine young men from Kentucky, +fourteen soldiers of the United-States army who volunteered +their services, two French watermen, an +interpreter, a hunter, and a black servant of Capt. +Clarke. In addition to these, a further force of fifteen +men attended on the commencement of the expedition +to secure safety during the transit through some Indian +tribes whose hostility was apprehended. The +necessary stores were divided into seven bales and +one box, the latter containing a small portion of each +article in case of a loss of any one of the bales. The +stores consisted of clothing, working tools, ammunition, +and other articles of prime necessity. To these +were added fourteen bales and one box of Indian presents, +composed of richly laced coats and other articles +of dress, medals, flags, knives, and tomahawks for +the chiefs; ornaments of different kinds, particularly +beads, looking-glasses, handkerchiefs, paints, and generally +such articles as were deemed best calculated +for the taste of the Indians. The company embarked +on board of three boats. The first was a keel-boat, +fifty-five feet long, carrying one large square sail and +twenty-two oars. A deck of ten feet, at each end, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>formed a forecastle and cabin. This was accompanied +by two open boats of six oars. Two horses were to +be led along the banks of the river, for bringing home +game, or hunting in case of scarcity.</p> + +<p>The narrative of the expedition was written by the +commanders from day to day, and published after +their return. We shall tell the story of their adventures +nearly in the language of their own journal, +with such abridgments as our plan renders necessary.</p> + +<p>May 14, 1804.—All the preparations being completed, +they left their encampment this day. The +character of the river itself was the most interesting +object of examination for the first part of their voyage. +Having advanced, in two months, about four +hundred and fifty miles, they write as follows: "The +ranges of hills on opposite sides of the river are twelve +or fifteen miles apart, rich plains and prairies, with +the river, occupying the intermediate space, partially +covered near the river with cotton-wood or Balm-of-Gilead +poplar. The whole lowland between the +parallel ranges of hills seems to have been formed of +mud of the river, mixed with sand and clay. The +sand of the neighboring banks, added to that brought +down by the stream, forms sand-bars, projecting into +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>the river. These drive the stream to the opposite +bank, the loose texture of which it undermines, and +at length deserts its ancient bed for a new passage. +It is thus that the banks of the Missouri are constantly +falling in, and the river changing its bed.</p> + +<p>"On one occasion, the party encamped on a sand-bar +in the river. Shortly after midnight, the sleepers +were startled by the sergeant on guard crying out +that the sand-bar was sinking: and the alarm was +timely given; for scarcely had they got off with the +boats before the bank under which they had been +lying fell in; and, by the time the opposite shore was +reached, the ground on which they had been encamped +sunk also.</p> + +<p>"We had occasion here to observe the process of +the undermining of these hills by the Missouri. The +first attacks seem to be made on the hills which overhang +the river. As soon as the violence of the current +destroys the grass at the foot of them, the whole +texture appears loosened, and the ground dissolves, +and mixes with the water. At one point, a part of +the cliff, nearly three-quarters of a mile in length, and +about two hundred feet in height, had fallen into the +river. As the banks are washed away, the trees fall +in, and the channel becomes filled with buried logs."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>RIVER SCENERY.</p> + +<p>"July 12.—We remained to-day for the purpose of +making lunar observations. Capt. Clarke sailed a few +miles up the Namaha River, and landed on a spot +where he found numerous artificial mounds.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. A late traveller, Rev. Samuel Parker, speaks thus of these +mounds: "The mounds, which some have called the work of +unknown generations of men, were scattered here in all varieties +of form and magnitude, thousands in number. Some of them +were conical, some elliptical, some square, and some parallelograms. +One group attracted my attention particularly. They +were twelve in number, of conical form, with their bases joined, +and twenty or thirty feet high. They formed two-thirds of a +circle, with an area of two hundred feet in diameter. If these +were isolated, who would not say they were artificial? But, +when they are only a group among a thousand others, who will +presume to say they all are the work of man?...</p> + +<p>"It is said by those who advocate the belief that they are the +work of ancient nations; that they present plain evidence of this +in the fact that they contain human bones, articles of pottery, +and the like. That some of them have been used for burying-places, +is undoubtedly true; but may it not be questioned whether +they were <i>made</i>, or only <i>selected</i>, for burying-places? No +one who has ever seen the thousands and ten thousands +scattered through the Valley of the Mississippi will be so credulous +as to believe that a hundredth part of them were the work +of man."</p></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>"From the top of the highest mound, a delightful +prospect presented itself,—the lowland of the Missouri +covered with an undulating grass nearly five +feet high, gradually rising into a second plain, where +rich weeds and flowers were interspersed with copses +of the Osage plum. Farther back from the river +were seen small groves of trees, an abundance of +grapes, the wild cherry of the Missouri,—resembling +our own, but larger, and growing on a small bush. +The plums are of three kinds,—two of a yellow color, +and distinguished by one of the species being larger +than the other; a third species of red color. All have +an excellent flavor, particularly the yellow kind."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">PIPE-CLAY ROCK.</p> + +<p>"Aug. 21.—We passed the mouth of the Great +Sioux River. Our Indian interpreter tells us that on +the head waters of this river is the quarry of red +rock of which the Indians make their pipes; and the +necessity of procuring that article has introduced a +law of nations, by which the banks of the stream are +sacred; and even tribes at war meet without hostility +at these quarries, which possess a right of asylum. +Thus we find, even among savages, certain principles +deemed sacred, by which the rigors of their merciless +system of warfare are mitigated."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>THE SIOUX.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>The Indian tribes which our adventurers had thus +far encountered had been friendly, or at least +inoffensive; but they were feeble bands, and all of +them lived in terror of their powerful neighbors, the +Sioux. On the 23d of September, the party reached +a region inhabited by the Tetons, a tribe of Sioux. +The journal gives an account of their intercourse +with these new acquaintances as follows:—</p> + +<p>"The morning was fine; and we raised a flag-staff, +and spread an awning, under which we assembled, +with all the party under arms. The chiefs and warriors +from the Indian camp, about fifty in number, met +us; and Capt. Lewis made a speech to them. After +this, we went through the ceremony of acknowledging +the chiefs by giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag +of the United States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked +hat and feather; to the two other chiefs, a medal and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>some small presents; and to two warriors of consideration, +certificates. We then invited the chiefs on +board, and showed them the boat, the air-gun, and +such curiosities as we thought might amuse them. +In this we succeeded too well; for after giving them +a quarter of a glass of whiskey, which they seemed +to like very much, it was with much difficulty we +could get rid of them. They at last accompanied +Capt. Clarke back to shore in a boat with five +men; but no sooner had the party landed than +three of the Indians seized the cable of the boat, +and one of the soldiers of the chief put his arms +round the mast. The second chief, who affected intoxication, +then said that we should not go on; that +they had not received presents enough from us. +Capt. Clarke told him that we would not be prevented +from going on; that we were not squaws, but warriors; +that we were sent by our great Father, who +could in a moment exterminate them. The chief replied +that he, too, had warriors; and was proceeding +to lay hands on Capt. Clarke, who immediately drew +his sword, and made a signal to the boat to prepare +for action. The Indians who surrounded him drew +their arrows from their quivers, and were bending +their bows, when the swivel in the large boat was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>pointed towards them, and twelve of our most determined +men jumped into the small boat, and joined +Capt. Clarke. This movement made an impression +on them; for the grand chief ordered the young men +away from the boat, and the chiefs withdrew, and held +a short council with the warriors. Being unwilling +to irritate them, Capt. Clarke then went forward, and +offered his hand to the first and second chiefs, who +refused to take it. He then turned from them, and +got into the boat, but had not gone more than a +stone's-throw, when the two chiefs and two of the +warriors waded in after him; and he took them on +board.</p> + +<p>"Sept. 26.—Our conduct yesterday seemed to +have inspired the Indians with respect; and, as we +were desirous of cultivating their acquaintance, we +complied with their wish that we should give them an +opportunity of treating us well, and also suffer their +squaws and children to see us and our boat, which +would be perfectly new to them. Accordingly, after +passing a small island and several sand-bars, we came +to on the south shore, where a crowd of men, women, +and children, were waiting to receive us. Capt. +Lewis went on shore, and, observing that their disposition +seemed friendly, resolved to remain during the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>night to a dance which they were preparing for us. +The captains, who went on shore one after the other, +were met on the landing by ten well-dressed young +men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated, +and carried them to a large council-house, where they +were placed on a dressed buffalo-skin by the side of +the grand chief. The hall, or council-room, was in the +shape of three-quarters of a circle, covered at the top +and sides with skins well dressed, and sewed together. +Under this shelter sat about seventy men, forming +a circle round the chief, before whom were placed a +Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday. +In the vacant space in the centre, the pipe of +peace was raised on two forked sticks about six or +eight inches from the ground, and under it the down +of the swan was scattered. A large fire, at which +they were cooking, stood near, and a pile of about +four hundred pounds of buffalo-meat, as a present +for us.</p> + +<p>"As soon as we were seated, an old man rose, and, +after approving what we had done, begged us to take +pity upon their unfortunate situation. To this we replied +with assurances of protection. After he had +ceased, the great chief rose, and delivered an harangue +to the same effect. Then, with great <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>solemnity, +he took some of the more delicate parts of the +dog, which was cooked for the festival, and held it to +the flag by way of sacrifice: this done, he held up +the pipe of peace, and first pointed it towards the +heavens, then to the four quarters of the globe, and +then to the earth; made a short speech; lighted the +pipe, and presented it to us. We smoked, and he +again harangued his people; after which the repast +was served up to us. It consisted of the dog, which +they had just been cooking; this being a great dish +among the Sioux, and used at all festivals. To this +was added <i>pemitigon</i>, a dish made of buffalo-meat, +dried, and then pounded, and mixed raw with fat; and +a root like the potato, dressed like the preparation of +Indian-corn called hominy. Of all these luxuries, +which were placed before us in platters, with horn +spoons, we took the pemitigon and the potato, which +we found good; but we could as yet partake but sparingly +of the dog. We ate and smoked for an hour, +when it became dark. Every thing was then cleared +away for the dance; a large fire being made in the +centre of the house, giving at once light and warmth +to the ball-room. The orchestra was composed of +about ten men, who played on a sort of tambourine +formed of skin stretched across a hoop, and made a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>jingling noise with a long stick, to which the hoofs +of deer and goats were hung. The third instrument +was a small skin bag, with pebbles in it. These, with +five or six young men for the vocal part, made up the +band.</p> + +<p>"The women then came forward highly decorated; +some with poles in their hands, on which were hung +the scalps of their enemies; others with guns, spears, +or different trophies, taken in war by their husbands, +brothers, or connections. Having arranged themselves +in two columns, as soon as the music began +they danced towards each other till they met in the +centre; when the rattles were shaken, and they all +shouted, and returned back to their places. They +have no steps, but shuffle along the ground; nor does +the music appear to be any thing more than a confusion +of noises, distinguished only by hard or gentle blows +upon the buffalo-skin. The song is perfectly extemporaneous. +In the pauses of the dance, any man of +the company comes forward, and recites, in a low, +guttural tone, some little story or incident, which is +either martial or ludicrous. This is taken up by the +orchestra and the dancers, who repeat it in a higher +strain, and dance to it. Sometimes they alternate, +the orchestra first performing; and, when it ceases, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>the women raise their voices, and make a music more +agreeable, that is, less intolerable, than that of the +musicians.</p> + +<p>"The harmony of the entertainment had nearly +been disturbed by one of the musicians, who, thinking +he had not received a due share of the tobacco +we had distributed during the evening, put himself +into a passion, broke one of the drums, threw two of +them into the fire, and left the band. They were +taken out of the fire: a buffalo-robe, held in one hand, +and beaten with the other, supplied the place of the +lost drum or tambourine; and no notice was taken of +the offensive conduct of the man. We staid till +twelve o'clock at night, when we informed the chiefs +that they must be fatigued with all these attempts to +amuse us, and retired, accompanied by four chiefs, +two of whom spent the night with us on board."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE SIOUX.</p> + +<p>"The tribe which we this day saw are a part of the +great Sioux nation, and are known by the name of +the <i>Teton Okandandas</i>: they are about two hundred +men in number, and their chief residence is on both +sides of the Missouri, between the Cheyenne and +Teton Rivers.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>"The men shave the hair off their heads, except a +small tuft on the top, which they suffer to grow, and +wear in plaits over the shoulders. To this they seem +much attached, as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice at +the death of near relations. In full dress, the men of +consideration wear a hawk's feather or calumet feather, +worked with porcupine-quills, and fastened to the +top of the head, from which it falls back. The face +and body are generally painted with a mixture of +grease and coal. Over the shoulders is a loose robe or +mantle of buffalo-skin, adorned with porcupine-quills, +which are loosely fixed so as to make a jingling noise +when in motion, and painted with various uncouth +figures unintelligible to us, but to them emblematic +of military exploits or any other incident. The hair +of the robe is worn next the skin in fair weather; +but, when it rains, the hair is put outside. Under +this robe they wear in winter a kind of shirt, made +either of skin or cloth, covering the arms and body. +Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or elk-skin, +about an inch in width, and closely tied to the +body. To this is attached a piece of cloth or blanket +or skin about a foot wide, which passes between the +legs, and is tucked under the girdle both before and +behind. From the hip to the ankle, the man is covered +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>with leggings of dressed antelope-skins, with seams +at the sides two inches in width, and ornamented +by little tufts of hair, the product of the scalps they +have taken in war, which are scattered down the leg.</p> + +<p>"The moccasons are of dressed buffalo-skin, the +hair being worn inwards. On great occasions, or +whenever they are in full dress, the young men drag +after them the entire skin of a polecat, fixed to the +heel of the moccason.</p> + +<p>"The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, +and is parted from the forehead across the head; at +the back of which it is either collected into a kind of +bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. Their moccasons +are like those of the men, as are also the leggings, +which do not reach beyond the knee, where +they are met by a long, loose mantle of skin, which +reaches nearly to the ankles. This is fastened over +the shoulders by a string, and has no sleeves; but a +few pieces of the skin hang a short distance down the +arm. Sometimes a girdle fastens this skin round the +waist, and over all is thrown a robe like that worn by +the men.</p> + +<p>"Their lodges are very neatly constructed. They +consist of about one hundred cabins, made of white +buffalo-hide, with a larger cabin in the centre for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>holding +councils and dances. They are built round with +poles about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with +white skins. These lodges may be taken to pieces, +packed up, and carried with the nation, wherever +they go, by dogs, which bear great burdens. The +women are chiefly employed in dressing buffalo-skins. +These people seem well-disposed, but are addicted to +stealing any thing which they can take without being +observed."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Sept. 1, 1804.—The daily progress of the expedition +from this date is marked by no incidents of +more importance than the varying fortunes of travel, as +they found the river more or less favorable to navigation, +and the game more or less abundant on the banks. +Their progress was from twelve to twenty miles +a day. In general, their sails served them; but they +were sometimes obliged to resort to the use of tow-lines, +which, being attached to a tree or other firm +object on the shore, enabled the men to pull the boat +along. This seems but a slow method of voyaging; +yet they found it by no means the slowest, and were +sorry when the nature of the banks, being either too +lofty or too low, precluded their use of it. Their narrative +is, however, varied by accounts of the scenery +and natural productions of the country through which +they passed, and by anecdotes of the Indians. While +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>they are making their toilsome advance up the river, +let us see what they have to tell us of the strange +people and remarkable objects which they found on +their way.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">PRAIRIE-DOGS.</p> + +<p>"We arrived at a spot on the gradual descent of +the hill, nearly four acres in extent, and covered with +small holes. These are the residences of little animals +called prairie-dogs, who sit erect near the mouth +of the hole, and make a whistling noise, but, when +alarmed, take refuge in their holes. In order to bring +them out, we poured into one of the holes five barrels +of water, without filling it; but we dislodged and +caught the owner. After digging down another of +the holes for six feet, we found, on running a pole into +it, that we had not yet dug half-way to the bottom. +We discovered two frogs in the hole; and near it we +killed a rattlesnake, which had swallowed a small +prairie-dog. We have been told, though we never +witnessed the fact, that a sort of lizard and a snake +live habitually with these animals.</p> + +<p>"The prairie-dog is well named, as it resembles a +dog in most particulars, though it has also some points +of similarity to the squirrel. The head resembles the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>squirrel in every respect, except that the ear is +shorter. The tail is like that of the ground-squirrel; +the toe-nails are long, the fur is fine, and the long +hair is gray."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ANTELOPES.</p> + +<p>"Of all the animals we have seen, the antelope +possesses the most wonderful fleetness. Shy and +timorous, they generally repose only on the ridges, +which command a view in all directions. Their sight +distinguishes the most distant danger; their power +of smell defeats the attempt at concealment; and, +when alarmed, their swiftness seems more like the +flight of birds than the movement of an animal over +the ground. Capt. Lewis, after many unsuccessful +attempts, succeeded in approaching, undiscovered, a +party of seven, which were on an eminence. The +only male of the party frequently encircled the summit +of the hill, as if to discover if any danger threatened +the party. When Capt. Lewis was at the distance +of two hundred yards, they became alarmed, +and fled. He immediately ran to the spot they had +left. A ravine concealed them from him; but the +next moment they appeared on a second ridge, at the +distance of three miles. He doubted whether they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>could be the same; but their number, and the direction +in which they fled, satisfied him that it was the +same party: yet the distance they had made in the +time was such as would hardly have been possible to +the swiftest racehorse."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">PELICAN ISLAND.</p> + +<p>"42.—This name we gave to a long island, from +the numbers of pelicans which were feeding on it. +One of them being killed, we poured into his bag five +gallons of water."</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. "The antelopes are becoming very numerous. Their speed +exceeds that of any animal I have ever seen. Our hounds can +do nothing in giving them the chase: so soon are they left far in +the rear, that they do not follow them more than ten or twenty +rods before they return, looking ashamed of their defeat. Our +hunters occasionally take the antelope by coming upon them by +stealth. When they are surprised, they start forward a very +small space, then turn, and, with high-lifted heads, stare for a +few seconds at the object which has alarmed them, and then, +with a half-whistling snuff, bound off, seeming to be as much +upon wings as upon feet. They resemble the goat, but are far +more beautiful. Though they are of different colors, yet they +are generally red, and have a large, fine, prominent eye. Their +flesh is good for food, and about equals venison."—<i>Parker's +Tour.</i></p></div> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>INDIAN VILLAGES AND AGRICULTURE.</p> + +<p>"We halted for dinner at a deserted village, which +we suppose to have belonged to the Ricaras. It is +situated in a low plain on the river, and consists of +about eighty lodges, of an octagon form, neatly +covered with earth, placed as close to each other as +possible, and picketed round. The skin-canoes, mats, +buckets, and articles of furniture, found in the lodges, +induce us to suppose that it was left in the spring. +We found three different kinds of squashes growing +in the village.</p> + +<p>"Another village, which we reached two days later, +was situated on an island, which is three miles long, +and covered with fields, in which the Indians raise +corn, beans, and potatoes. We found here several +Frenchmen living among the Indians, as interpreters +or traders. The Indians gave us some corn, beans, +and dried squashes; and we gave them a steel mill, +with which they were much pleased. We sat conversing +with the chiefs some time, during which they +treated us to a bread made of corn and beans, also +corn and beans boiled, and a large rich bean which +they take from the mice of the prairie, who discover +and collect it. We gave them some sugar, salt, and a +sun-glass."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>YORK, THE NEGRO.</p> + +<p>"The object which seemed to astonish the Indians +most was Capt. Clarke's servant, York,—a sturdy +negro. They had never seen a human being of that +color, and therefore flocked round him to examine the +monster. By way of amusement, he told them that +he had once been a wild animal, and been caught and +tamed by his master, and, to convince them, showed +them feats of strength, which, added to his looks, +made him more terrible than we wished him to be. +At all the villages he was an object of astonishment. +The children would follow him constantly, and, if he +chanced to turn towards them, would run with great +terror."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">STONE-IDOL CREEK.</p> + +<p>"We reached the mouth of a creek, to which we +gave the name of Stone-Idol Creek; for, on passing +up, we discovered, that, a few miles back from the Missouri, +there are two stones resembling human figures, +and a third like a dog; all which are objects of great +veneration among the Ricaras. Their history would +adorn the "Metamorphoses" of Ovid. A young man +was in love with a girl whose parents refused their +consent to the marriage. The youth went out into +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>the fields to mourn his misfortunes: a sympathy of +feeling led the girl to the same spot; and the faithful +dog would not fail to follow his master. After wandering +together, and having nothing but grapes to +subsist on, they were at last converted into stone, +which, beginning at the feet, gradually invaded the +nobler parts, leaving nothing unchanged but a bunch +of grapes, which the female holds in her hands to this +day. Such is the account given by the Ricara chief, +which we had no means of testing, except that we +found one part of the story very agreeably confirmed; +for on the banks of the creek we found a greater +abundance of fine grapes than we had seen elsewhere."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">GOATS.</p> + +<p>"Great numbers of goats are crossing the river, and +directing their course to the westward. We are told +that they spend the summer in the plains east of the +Missouri, and at this season (October) are returning +to the Black Mountains, where they subsist on leaves +and shrubbery during the winter, and resume their +migrations in the spring. At one place, we saw +large flocks of them in the water. They had been +gradually driven into the river by the Indians, who +now lined the shore so as to prevent their escape, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>were firing on them; while boys went into the river, +and killed them with sticks. They seemed to have +been very successful; for we counted fifty-eight which +they had killed. In the evening they made a feast, +that lasted till late at night, and caused much noise +and merriment.</p> + +<p>"The country through which we passed has wider +river-bottoms and more timber than those we have +been accustomed to see; the hills rising at a distance, +and by gradual ascents. We have seen great numbers +of elk, deer, goats, and buffaloes, and the usual +attendants of these last,—the wolves, which follow +their movements, and feed upon those who die by accident, +or are too feeble to keep pace with the herd. +We also wounded a white bear, and saw some fresh +tracks of those animals, which are twice as large as +the tracks of a man."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE.</p> + +<p>"In the evening, the prairie took fire, either by accident +or design, and burned with great fury; the +whole plain being enveloped in flames. So rapid was +its progress, that a man and a woman were burned to +death before they could reach a place of safety. Another +man, with his wife and child, were much +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>burned, and several other persons narrowly escaped +destruction. Among the rest, a boy of the half-breed +escaped unhurt in the midst of the flames. His +safety was ascribed by the Indians to the Great +Spirit, who had saved him on account of his being +white. But a much more natural cause was the presence +of mind of his mother, who, seeing no hopes of +carrying off her son, threw him on the ground, and, +covering him with the fresh hide of a buffalo, escaped +herself from the flames. As soon as the fire had +passed, she returned, and found him untouched; the +skin having prevented the flame from reaching the +grass where he lay."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">A COUNCIL.</p> + +<p>"After making eleven miles, we reached an old field, +where the Mandans had cultivated grain last summer. +We encamped for the night about half a mile below +the first village of the Mandans. As soon as we arrived, +a crowd of men, women, and children, came +down to see us. Capt. Lewis returned with the principal +chiefs to the village, while the others remained +with us during the evening. The object which +seemed to surprise them most was a corn-mill, fixed +to the boat, which we had occasion to use; while they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>looked on, and were delighted at observing the ease +with which it reduced the grain to powder.</p> + +<p>"Among others who visited us was the son of the +grand chief of the Mandans, who had both his little +fingers cut off at the second joint. On inquiring into +this injury, we found that the custom was to express +grief for the death of relations by some corporeal suffering, +and that the usual mode was to lose a joint of +the little finger, or sometimes of other fingers.</p> + +<p>"Oct. 29, 1804.—The morning was fine, and we +prepared our presents and speech for the council. At +ten o'clock, the chiefs were all assembled under an +awning of our sails. That the impression might be +the more forcible, the men were all paraded; and the +council opened by a discharge from the swivel of the +boat. Capt. Lewis then delivered a speech, which, +like those we had already made, intermingled advice +with assurances of friendship and trade. While he +was speaking, the Ahnahaway chief grew very restless, +and observed that he could not wait long, as his camp +was exposed to the hostilities of the Shoshonees. He +was instantly rebuked with great dignity, by one of +the chiefs, for this violation of decorum at such a moment, +and remained quiet during the rest of the council. +This being over, we proceeded to distribute the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>presents with great ceremony. One chief of each +town was acknowledged by the gift of a flag, a medal +with the likeness of the President of the United +States, a uniform coat, hat, and feather. To the second +chiefs we gave a medal representing some domestic +animals, and a loom for weaving; to the third chiefs, +medals with the impression of a farmer sowing grain. +A variety of other products were distributed; but +none seemed to give more satisfaction than an iron +corn-mill which we gave them.</p> + +<p>"In the evening, our men danced among themselves +to the music of the violin, to the great amusement +of the Indians."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THEY ENCAMP FOR THE WINTER.</p> + +<p>"Friday, Nov. 7, 1804.—Capt. Clarke having examined +the shores, and found a position where there +was plenty of timber, we encamped, and began to fell +trees to build our huts. The timber which we employ +is cotton-wood (poplar) and elm, with some ash +of inferior size. By the 8th, our huts were advanced +very well; on the 13th, we unloaded the boat, +and stowed away the contents in a storehouse which +we had built.</p> + +<p>"Nov. 20.—This day we moved into our huts, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>which are now completed. We call our place Fort +Mandan. It is situated on a point of low ground +on the north side of the Missouri, covered with +tall and heavy cotton-wood. The works consist of +two rows of huts or sheds, forming an angle where +they join each other; each row containing four rooms +of fourteen feet square and seven feet high, with +plank ceiling, and the roof slanting so as to form a loft +above the rooms, the highest part of which is eighteen +feet from the ground. The backs of the huts +formed a wall of that height; and, opposite the angle, +the place of the wall was supplied by picketing. In +the area were two rooms for stores and provisions. +The latitude, by observation, is 47° 22´, long. 101°; +and the computed distance from the mouth of the +Missouri, sixteen hundred miles.</p> + +<p>"Nov. 21.—We are now settled in our winter +habitation, and shall wait with much impatience the +first return of spring to continue our journey."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>INDIAN TRIBES.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>"The villages near which we are established are +the residence of three distinct nations,—the +Mandans, the Ahnahaways, and the Minnetarees. +The Mandans say, that, many years ago, +their tribe was settled in nine villages, the ruins of +which we passed about eighty miles below. Finding +themselves wasting away before the small-pox and +the Sioux, they moved up the river, and planted +themselves opposite the Ricaras. Their numbers are +very much reduced, and they now constitute but two +villages,—one on each side of the river, and at a distance +of three miles from each other. Both villages +together may raise about three hundred and fifty +men."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">AHNAHAWAYS.</p> + +<p>"Four miles from the lower Mandan village is one +inhabited by the Ahnahaways. This nation formerly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>dwelt on the Missouri, about thirty miles below where +they now live. The Assinaboins and Sioux forced +them to a spot five miles higher, and thence, by a second +emigration, to their present situation, in order +to obtain an asylum near the Minnetarees. Their +whole force is about fifty men."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MINNETAREES.</p> + +<p>"About half a mile from this village, and in the +same open plain with it, is a village of Minnetarees, +who are about one hundred and fifty men in number. +One and a half miles above this village is a second of +the same tribe, who may be considered the proper Minnetaree +nation. It is situated in a beautiful plain, and +contains four hundred and fifty warriors. The Mandans +say that this people came out of the water to the +east, and settled near them. The Minnetarees, however, +assert that they grew where they now live, and +will never emigrate from the spot; the Great Spirit +having declared, that, if they move, they will all +perish.</p> + +<p>"The inhabitants of these villages, all of which are +within the compass of six miles, live in harmony with +each other. Their languages differ to some extent; +but their long residence together has enabled them to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>understand one another's speech as to objects of daily +occurrence, and obvious to the senses.</p> + +<p>"All these tribes are at deadly feud with the +Sioux, who are much more powerful, and are consequently +objects of continual apprehension. The presence +of our force kept the peace for the present.</p> + +<p>"Almost the whole of that vast tract of country +comprised between the Mississippi, the Red River of +Lake Winnipeg, the Saskatchawan, and the Missouri, +is loosely occupied by a great nation whose primitive +name is Dahcotas, but who are called Sioux by the +French, Sues by the English. They are divided into +numerous tribes, named Yanktons, Tetons, Assinaboins, +&c. These tribes are sometimes at war with +one another, but still acknowledge relationship, and +are recognized by similarity of language and by tradition."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">RELIGION.</p> + +<p>"The religion of the Mandans consists in the belief +of one Great Spirit presiding over their destinies. +This Being must be in the nature of a good genius, +since it is associated with the healing art; and the +Great Spirit is synonymous with Great Medicine,—a +name also applied to every thing they do not comprehend. +They also believe in a multiplicity of inferior +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>spirits. Each individual selects for himself the particular +object of his devotion, which is termed his Medicine, +and is either an invisible being, or more commonly +some animal, which thenceforward becomes +his protector, or his intercessor with the Great Spirit. +To propitiate the Medicine, every attention is lavished, +and every personal consideration is sacrificed. +'I was lately owner of seventeen horses,' said a +Mandan; 'but I have offered them all up to my Medicine, +and am now poor.' He had in reality taken +them into the plain, and, turning them loose, committed +them to the care of his Medicine, and abandoned +them.</p> + +<p>"Their belief in a future state is connected with a +tradition of their origin. The whole nation, they say, +once dwelt in one large village underground. A +grape-vine extended its roots down to their habitation; +and the earth, being broken round its stem, gave +them a view of the light. Some of the more adventurous +climbed up the vine, and were delighted with +the sight of the earth, which they found covered +with buffaloes, and rich with every kind of fruit. Returning +with the grapes they had gathered, their +countrymen were so pleased with the taste, that the +whole nation resolved to leave their dull residence +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>for the upper region. Men, women, and children +ascended by means of the vine; but, when about half +the nation had reached the surface, a corpulent woman, +who was clambering up the vine, broke it with +her weight, and, falling, closed up the cavity. Those +who had reached the surface, thus excluded from +their original seats, cherish the hopes of returning +there when they die."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">INDIAN MANNERS.</p> + +<p>The following extract imparts some traits of Indian +manners:—</p> + +<p>"Nov. 22.—This morning, the sentinel informed +us that an Indian was about to kill his wife near +the fort. We went to the house of our interpreter, +where we found the parties, and, after forbidding +any violence, inquired into the cause of his intending +to commit such an atrocity. It appeared +that, some days ago, a quarrel had taken place between +him and his wife, in consequence of which she +had taken refuge in the house where the wives of our +interpreter lived. By running away, she forfeited +her life, which might be lawfully taken by the husband. +He was now come for the purpose of completing +his revenge. We gave him a few presents, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>tried to persuade him to take his wife home. The +grand chief, too, happened to arrive at the same moment, +and reproached him with his violence; till +at length husband and wife went off together, but +by no means in a state of much apparent connubial +felicity."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE WEATHER.</p> + +<p>"Dec. 12, 1804.—The thermometer at sunrise was +thirty-eight degrees below zero; on the 16th, twenty-two +below; on the 17th, forty-five below. On the +19th, it moderated a little. Notwithstanding the cold, +we observed the Indians at the village engaged, out +in the open air, at a game which resembles billiards. +The platform, which answered for a table, was formed +with timber, smoothed and joined so as to be as level +as the floor of one of our houses. Instead of balls, +they had circular disks made of clay-stone, and flat +like checkers."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE ARGALI.</p> + +<p>"Dec. 22.—A number of squaws brought corn to +trade for small articles with the men. Among other +things, we procured two horns of the animal called by +the hunters the Rocky-Mountain sheep, and by naturalists +the argali. The animal is about the size of a +small elk or large deer; the horns winding like those +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>of a ram, which they resemble also in texture, though +larger and thicker.</p> + +<p>"Dec. 23.—The weather was fine and warm. We +were visited by crowds of Indians of all description, +who came either to trade, or from mere curiosity. +Among the rest, Kagohami, the Little Raven, +brought his wife and son, loaded with corn; and she +entertained us with a favorite Mandan dish,—a mixture +of pumpkins, beans, corn, and choke-cherries, all +boiled together in a kettle, and forming a composition +by no means unpalatable.</p> + +<p>"Dec. 25.—Christmas Day. We were awakened +before day by a discharge of fire-arms from the party. +We had told the Indians not to visit us, as it was one +of our great Medicine-days; so that the men remained +at home, and amused themselves in various ways, particularly +with dancing, in which they take great pleasure. +The American flag was hoisted for the first +time in the fort; the best provisions we had were +brought out; and this, with a little brandy, enabled +them to pass the day in great festivity."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE BLACKSMITH.</p> + +<p>"Dec. 27.—We were fortunate enough to have +among our men a good blacksmith, whom we set to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>work to make a variety of articles. His operations +seemed to surprise the Indians who came to see +us; but nothing could equal their astonishment at the +bellows, which they considered a <i>very great Medicine</i>."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE DYING CHIEF.</p> + +<p>"Kagohami came to see us early. His village was +afflicted by the death of one of their aged chiefs, who, +from his account, must have been more than a hundred +years old. Just as he was dying, he requested +his grand-children to dress him in his best robe, and +carry him up to a hill, and seat him on a stone, with +his face down the river, towards their old village, +that he might go straight to his brother, who had +passed before him to the ancient village underground."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE MEDICINE-STONE.</p> + +<p>"Oheenaw and Shahaka came down to see us, and +mentioned that several of their countrymen had gone +to consult their <i>Medicine-stone</i> as to the prospects of +the following year. This Medicine-stone is the great +oracle of the Mandans, and whatever it announces is +believed with implicit confidence. Every spring, +and on some occasions during the summer, a deputation +visits the sacred spot, where there is a thick, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>porous stone twenty feet in circumference, with a +smooth surface. Having reached the place, the ceremony +of smoking to it is performed by the deputies, +who alternately take a whiff themselves, and then +present the pipe to the stone. After this, they retire +to an adjoining wood for the night, during which it +may be safely presumed all the embassy do not sleep; +and, in the morning, they read the destinies of the nation +in the white marks on the stone, which those +who made them are at no loss to decipher. The +Minnetarees have a stone of a similar kind, which has +the same qualities, and the same influence over the +nation."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE INDIANS' ENDURANCE OF COLD.</p> + +<p>"Jan. 10, 1805.—The weather now exhibited the +intensity of cold. This morning, at sunrise, the +mercury stood at forty degrees below zero. One +of the men, separated from the rest in hunting, +was out all night. In the morning he returned, and +told us that he had made a fire, and kept himself tolerably +warm. A young Indian, about thirteen years of +age, came in soon after. He had been overtaken by +the night, and had slept in the snow, with no covering +but a pair of deer-skin moccasons and leggings, and a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>buffalo-robe. His feet were frozen; but we restored +them by putting them in cold water, rendering him +every attention in our power. Another Indian, who +had been missing, returned about the same time. Although +his dress was very thin, and he had slept in +the snow, without a fire, he had not suffered any inconvenience. +These Indians support the rigors of +the season in a way which we had hitherto thought +impossible."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">SUPPLIES OF FOOD.</p> + +<p>"Our supplies are chiefly procured by hunting; but +occasional additions are made by the Indians, sometimes +in the way of gifts, and sometimes in exchange +for the services of the blacksmith, who is a most important +member of the party.</p> + +<p>"Feb. 18.—Our stock of meat is exhausted, so +that we must confine ourselves to vegetable diet till +the return of our hunters. For this, however, we are +at no loss, since yesterday and to-day our blacksmith +got large quantities of corn from the Indians +who came to the fort.</p> + +<p>"Sunday, March 3.—The men are all employed in +preparing the boats. We are visited by a party of +Indians with corn. A flock of ducks passed up the +river to-day.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>"Wednesday, 13.—We had a fine day, and a south-west +wind. Many Indians came to see us, who are +so anxious for battle-axes, that our smiths have not a +moment's leisure, and procure us an abundance of +corn."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">HUNTING BUFFALOES ON THE ICE.</p> + +<p>"March 25, 1805.—A fine day, the wind south-west. +The river rose nine inches, and the ice began breaking +away. Our canoes are now nearly ready, and we +expect to set out as soon as the river is sufficiently +clear of ice to permit us to pass.</p> + +<p>"March 29.—The ice came down this morning in +great quantities. We have had few Indians at the +fort for the last three or four days, as they are now +busy in catching the floating buffaloes. Every +spring, as the river is breaking up, the surrounding +plains are set on fire, and the buffaloes tempted to +cross the river in search of the fresh grass which immediately +succeeds to the burning. On their way, +they are often insulated on a large cake or mass of +ice which floats down the river. The Indians now +select the most favorable points for attack, and, as the +buffalo approaches, run with astonishing agility across +the trembling ice, sometimes pressing lightly a cake +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>of not more than two feet square. The animal is, of +course, unsteady, and his footsteps insecure, on this +new element, so that he can make but little resistance; +and the hunter who has given him his death-wound +paddles his icy boat to the shore, and secures +his prey."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE MARCH RESUMED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>From the 1st of November, 1804, to the 1st of +April, 1805, the expedition remained stationary +at their fort. Some of their number had been sent +back to the States with despatches to the Government, +and with specimens of the natural productions +of the country. On resuming their march on the +4th of April, the party consisted of thirty-two persons. +Besides the commanders, there were three sergeants,—Ordway, +Prior, and Gass; twenty-three privates, +besides Capt. Clark's black servant York; two +interpreters,—George Drewyer and Toussaint Chaboneau. +The wife of Chaboneau, an Indian woman, +with her young child, accompanied her husband. All +this party, with the luggage, was stored in six small +canoes and two pirogues. They left the fort with +fair weather, and, after making four miles, encamped +on the north side of the river, nearly opposite the +first Mandan village. We continue their journal.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>THE RIVER-SHORE.</p> + +<p>"April 8.—The river-banks exhibit indications of +volcanic agency. The bluffs which we passed to-day +are upwards of one hundred feet high, composed of +yellow clay and sand, with horizontal strata of carbonated +wood resembling pit-coal, from one to five +feet in thickness, scattered through the bluff at different +elevations. Great quantities of pumice-stone and +lava are seen in many parts of the hills, where they +are broken and washed into gullies by the rain. We +passed a bluff which is on fire, and throws out quantities +of smoke, which has a strong, sulphurous smell. +On the sides of the hills is a white substance, which +appears in considerable quantities on the surface, and +tastes like a mixture of common salt with Glauber +salts. Many of the springs which come from the foot +of the hills are so impregnated with this substance, +that the water has an unpleasant taste, and a purgative +effect."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE PRAIRIE-MICE.</p> + +<p>"April, 1805.—We saw, but could not procure, an +animal that burrows in the ground, similar to the +burrowing-squirrel, except that it is only one-third of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>its size. This may be the animal whose works we +have often seen in the plains and prairies. They consist +of a little hillock of ten or twelve pounds of loose +earth, which would seem to have been reversed from +a flower-pot; and no aperture is seen in the ground +from which it could have been brought. On removing +gently the earth, you discover that the soil has +been broken in a circle of about an inch and a half in +diameter, where the ground is looser, though still no +opening is perceptible. When we stopped for dinner, +the Indian woman went out, and, penetrating with a +sharp stick the holes of the mice, brought a quantity +of wild artichokes, which the mice collect, and hoard +in large quantities. The root is white, of an ovate +form, from one to three inches long, and generally of +the size of a man's finger; and two, four, and sometimes +six roots are attached to a single stalk. Its flavor, +as well as the stalk that issues from it, resemble +those of the Jerusalem artichoke, except that the latter +is much larger."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE YELLOW-STONE RIVER.</p> + +<p>"Certain signs, known to the hunters, induced them +to believe that we were at no great distance from the +Yellow-stone River. In order to prevent delay, Capt. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>Lewis determined to go on by land in search of that +river, and make the necessary observations, so as to +enable us to proceed immediately after the boats +should join him.</p> + +<p>"On leaving the party, he pursued his route along +the foot of the hills; ascending which, the wide plains +watered by the Missouri and the Yellow-stone spread +themselves before his eye, occasionally varied with +the wood of the banks, enlivened by the windings of +the two rivers, and animated by vast herds of buffaloes, +deer, elk, and antelope."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">NATURAL HISTORY.</p> + +<p>"May, 1805.—We reached the mouth of a river +flowing from the north, which, from the unusual number +of porcupines near it, we called Porcupine River. +These animals are so careless and clumsy, that we can +approach very near without disturbing them as they +are feeding on the young willows. The porcupine is +common in all parts of the territory, and for its quills +is held in high estimation by the Indians. It is interesting +to see with how much ingenuity, and in how +many various forms, the Indians manufacture these +quills into ornamental work, such as moccasons, belts, +and various other articles."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>WOLVES.</p> + +<p>"The wolves are very numerous, and of two species. +First, the small wolf, or burrowing dog of the +prairies, which is found in almost all the open plains. +It is of an intermediate size, between the fox and dog, +very delicately formed, fleet and active. The ears +are large, erect, and pointed; the head long and +pointed, like that of a fox; the tail long and bushy; +the hair and fur of a pale reddish-brown, and much +coarser than that of the fox. These animals usually +associate in bands of ten or twelve, and are rarely, if +ever, seen alone; not being able singly to attack a +deer or antelope. They live, and rear their young, in +burrows, which they fix near some pass much frequented +by game, and sally out in a body against any +animal which they think they can overpower, but, on +the slightest alarm, retreat to their burrows, making +a noise exactly like that of a small dog.</p> + +<p>"The second species is lower, shorter in the legs, +and thicker, than the Atlantic wolf. They do not +burrow, nor do they bark, but howl; and they frequent +the woods and plains, and skulk along the +herds of buffaloes, in order to attack the weary or +wounded."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>ELK.</p> + +<p>"Among the animals of the deer kind, the elk is the +largest and most majestic. It combines beauty with +magnitude and strength; and its large, towering +horns give it an imposing appearance. Its senses +are so keen in apprehension, that it is difficult to +be approached; and its speed in flight is so great, +that it mocks the chase. Its flesh resembles beef, +but is less highly flavored, and is much sought for by +the Indians and hunters. Its skin is esteemed, and +much used in articles of clothing and for moccasons."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">BEAVERS.</p> + +<p>"We saw many beavers to-day. The beaver seems +to contribute very much to the widening of the river +and the formation of islands. They begin by damming +up the channels of about twenty yards width +between the islands. This obliges the river to seek +another outlet; and, as soon as this is effected, the +channel stopped by the beaver becomes filled with +mud and sand. The industrious animal is thus driven +to another channel, which soon shares the same fate; +till the river spreads on all sides, and cuts the projecting +points of land into islands.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>"The beaver dams differ in shape, according to +the nature of the place in which they are built. If the +water in the river or creek have but little motion, the +dam is almost straight; but, when the current is more +rapid, it is always made with a considerable curve, +convex toward the stream. The materials made use +of are drift-wood, green willows, birch, and poplars, +if they can be got; also mud and stones, intermixed +in such a manner as must evidently contribute to the +strength of the dam. In places which have been long +frequented by beavers undisturbed, their dams, by +frequent repairing, become a solid bank, capable of +resisting a great force both of water and ice; and as +the willow, poplar, and birch generally take root, and +shoot up, they, by degrees, form a kind of regular +planted hedge, in some places so tall that birds +build their nests among the branches. The beaver-houses +are constructed of the same materials as their +dams, and are always proportioned in size to the number +of inhabitants, which seldom exceeds four old +and six or eight young ones. The houses are of a +much ruder construction than their dams: for, notwithstanding +the sagacity of these animals, it has +never been observed that they aim at any other convenience +in their house than to have a dry place to lie +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>on; and there they usually eat their victuals, such as +they take out of the water. Their food consists of +roots of plants, like the pond-lily, which grows at the +bottom of the lakes and rivers. They also eat the +bark of trees, particularly those of the poplar, birch, +and willow.</p> + +<p>"The instinct of the beavers leading them to live in +associations, they are in an unnatural position, when, +in any locality, their numbers are so much reduced as +to prevent their following this instinct. The beaver +near the settlement is sad and solitary: his works +have been swept away, his association broken up, +and he is reduced to the necessity of burrowing in +the river-bank, instead of building a house for himself. +Such beavers are called 'terriers.' One traveller +says that these solitaries are also called 'old bachelors.'"</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE WHITE, BROWN, OR GRISLY BEAR.</p> + +<p>"April 29.—All these names are given to the same +species, which probably changes in color with the season, +or with the time of life. Of the strength and +ferocity of this animal, the Indians give dreadful accounts. +They never attack him but in parties of six +or eight persons, and, even then, are often defeated +with the loss of some of the party.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>"May 18.—One of our men who had been suffered +to go ashore came running to the boats with cries +and every symptom of terror. As soon as he could +command his breath, he told us, that, about a mile +below, he had shot a white bear, which immediately +turned and ran towards him, but, being wounded, +had not been able to overtake him. Capt. Lewis, with +seven men, went in search of the bear, and, having +found his track, followed him by the blood for a +mile, came up with him, and shot him with two balls +through the skull. He was a monstrous animal, and +a most formidable enemy. Our man had shot him +through the centre of the lungs: yet the bear +had pursued him furiously for half a mile; then returned +more than twice that distance, and, with his +talons, dug himself a bed in the earth, two feet deep +and five feet long, and was perfectly alive when they +found him, which was at least two hours after he received +the wound. The fleece and skin of the bear +were a heavy burden for two men; and the oil +amounted to eight gallons.</p> + +<p>"The wonderful power of life of these animals, added +to their great strength, renders them very formidable. +Their very track in the mud or sand, which +we have sometimes found eleven inches long and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>seven and a quarter wide, exclusive of the talons, is +alarming; and we had rather encounter two Indians +than a single brown bear. There is no chance of +killing them by a single shot, unless the ball is sent +through the brain; and this is very difficult to be +done, on account of two large muscles which cover +the side of the forehead, and the sharp projection +of the frontal bone, which is very thick."</p> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. Their strength is astonishingly great. Lieut. Stein of the +dragoons, a man of undoubted veracity, told me he saw some +buffaloes passing near some bushes where a grisly bear lay concealed: +the bear, with one stroke, tore three ribs from a buffalo, +and left it dead.—<i>Parker</i>.</p> + +<p>Although endowed with such strength, and powers of destruction, +the grisly bear is not disposed to begin the attack. Mr. +Drummond, a later traveller, states, that, in his excursions over +the Rocky Mountains, he had frequent opportunity of observing +the manners of these animals; and it often happened, that +in turning the point of a rock, or sharp angle of a valley, he +came suddenly upon one or more of them. On such occasions +they reared on their hind-legs, and made a loud noise like a +person breathing quick, but much harsher. He kept his +ground, without attempting to molest them; and they on their +part, after attentively regarding him for some time, generally +wheeled round, and galloped off: though, from their known disposition, +there is little doubt but he would have been torn in +pieces, had he lost his presence of mind and attempted to fly. +When he discovered them at a distance, he often frightened +them away by beating on a large tin box in which he carried +his specimens of plants.</p></div> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>THE BLACK BEAR.</p> + +<p>"The black bear, common in the United States, is +scarcely more than half the size of the grisly bear. +Its favorite food is berries of various kinds; but, +when these are not to be procured, it lives upon +roots, insects, fish, eggs, and such birds and quadrupeds +as it can surprise. It passes the winter in a +torpid state, selecting a spot for its den under a fallen +tree, and, having scratched away a portion of the soil, +retires to the place at the commencement of a snow storm, +when the snow soon furnishes it with a close, +warm covering. Its breath makes a small opening in +the den, and the quantity of hoar-frost which gathers +round the hole serves to betray its retreat to the +hunter. In more southern districts, where the timber +is of larger size, bears often shelter themselves in hollow +trees."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">BUFFALOES.</p> + +<p>"The buffalo is about as large as our domestic cattle; +and their long, shaggy, woolly hair, which covers +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>their head, neck, and shoulders, gives them a formidable +appearance, and, at a distance, something like +that of the lion. In many respects, they resemble +our horned cattle; are cloven-footed, chew the cud, +and select the same kind of food. Their flesh is in +appearance and taste much like beef, but of superior +flavor. Their heads are formed like the ox, perhaps +a little more round and broad; and, when they run, +they carry them rather low. Their horns, ears, +and eyes, as seen through their shaggy hair, appear +small, and, cleared from their covering, are not large. +Their legs and feet are small and trim; the fore-legs +covered with the long hair of the shoulders, as low +down as the knee. Though their figure is clumsy in +appearance, they run swiftly, and for a long time +without much slackening their speed; and, up steep +hills or mountains, they more than equal the best +horses. They unite in herds, and, when feeding, +scatter over a large space; but, when fleeing from +danger, they collect into dense columns: and, having +once laid their course, they are not easily diverted +from it, whatever may oppose. So far are they from +being a fierce or revengeful animal, that they are very +shy and timid; and in no case did we see them offer +to make an attack but in self-defence, and then they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>always sought the first opportunity to escape. When +they run, they lean alternately from side to side. They +are fond of rolling upon the ground like horses, which +is not practised by our domestic cattle. This is so +much their diversion, that large places are found +without grass, and considerably excavated by them."</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. Rev. Mr. Parker thus describes a buffalo-hunt:—</p> + +<p>"To-day we unexpectedly saw before us a large herd of buffaloes. +All halted to make preparation for the chase. The +young men, and all the good hunters, prepared themselves, selected +the swiftest horses, examined the few guns they had, and +also took a supply of arrows with their bows. They advanced +towards the herd of buffaloes with great caution, lest they +should frighten them before they should make a near approach, +and also to reserve the power of their horses for the chase, when +it should be necessary to bring it into full requisition. When +the buffaloes took the alarm, and fled, the rush was made, each +Indian selecting for himself the one to which he happened to +come nearest. All were in swift motion, scouring the valley. +A cloud of dust began to rise; firing of guns, and shooting of +arrows, followed in close succession. Soon, here and there, buffaloes +were seen prostrated; and the women, who followed close +in the rear, began the work of securing the acquisition, and the +men were away again in pursuit of the flying herd. Those in +the chase, when as near as two rods, shoot and wheel, expecting +the wounded animal to turn upon them. The horses seemed to +understand the way to avoid danger. As soon as the wounded +animal flies again, the chase is renewed; and such is the alternate +wheeling and chasing, until the buffalo sinks beneath his +wounds."</p></div> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>INDIAN METHOD OF HUNTING THE BUFFALO.</p> + +<p>"May 30, 1805.—We passed a precipice about +one hundred and twenty feet high, under which lay +scattered the fragments of at least a hundred carcasses +of buffaloes. These buffaloes had been chased +down the precipice in a way very common on the +Missouri, and by which vast herds are destroyed in +a moment. The mode of hunting is to select one of +the most active and fleet young men, who is disguised +by a buffalo-skin round his body; the skin of +the head, with the ears and horns, fastened on his +own head in such a way as to deceive the buffaloes. +Thus dressed, he fixes himself at a convenient distance +between a herd of buffaloes and any of the +river precipices, which sometimes extend for some +miles. His companions, in the mean time, get in the +rear and side of the herd, and, at a given signal, show +themselves, and advance towards the buffaloes. They +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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>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 to retreat, or even to +stop. They are pressed on by the hindmost rank, +who, seeing no danger but from the hunters, goad on +those before them, till the whole are precipitated +over the cliff, and the shore is covered with their +dead bodies. Sometimes, in this perilous adventure, +the Indian decoy is either trodden under foot, or, +missing his footing in the cliff, is urged down the +precipice by the falling herd."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">WHICH IS THE TRUE RIVER?</p> + +<p>"June 3, 1805.—We came to for the night, for the +purpose of examining in the morning a large river +which enters opposite to us. It now became an interesting +question, which of those two streams is what +the Indians call Ahmateahza, or the Missouri, which, +they tell us, has its head waters 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 have been tracing does not +come near the Columbia, and be obliged to turn back, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>we shall have lost the travelling season, and seriously +disheartened our men. We determined, therefore, to +examine well before deciding on our course, and, for +this purpose, despatched two canoes with three men +up each of the streams, with orders to ascertain the +width, depth, and rapidity of the currents, so as to +judge of their comparative bodies of water. Parties +were also sent out by land to penetrate the country, +and discover from the rising grounds, if possible, the +distant bearings of the two rivers. While they were +gone, the two commanders ascended together the +high grounds in the fork of the two rivers, whence +they had an extensive prospect of the surrounding +country. On every side, it was spread into one vast +plain covered with verdure, in which innumerable +herds of buffaloes were roaming, attended by their +enemies the wolves. Some flocks of elk also were +seen; and the solitary antelopes were scattered, with +their young, over the plain. The direction of the +rivers could not be long distinguished, as they were +soon lost in the extent of the plain.</p> + +<p>"On our return, we continued our examination. +The width of the north branch is two hundred yards; +that of the south is three hundred and seventy-two. +The north, though narrower, is deeper than the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>south: its waters also are of the same whitish-brown +color, thickness, and turbidness as the Missouri. +They run in the same boiling and roaring manner +which has uniformly characterized the Missouri; +and its bed is composed of some gravel, but principally +mud. The south fork is broader, and its waters +are perfectly transparent. The current is rapid, but +the surface smooth and unruffled; and its bed is composed +of round and flat smooth stones, like those of +rivers issuing from a mountainous country.</p> + +<p>"In the evening, the exploring parties returned, +after ascending the rivers in canoes for some distance, +then continuing on foot, just leaving themselves time +to return by night. Their accounts were far from +deciding the important question of our future route; +and we therefore determined each of us to ascend +one of the rivers during a day and a half's march, or +farther, if necessary for our satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Tuesday, June 4, 1805.—This morning, Capt. +Lewis and Capt. Clarke set out, each with a small +party, by land, to explore the two rivers. Capt. Lewis +traced the course of the north fork for fifty-nine miles, +and found, that, for all that distance, its direction was +northward; and, as the latitude we were now in was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>47° 24´, it was highly improbable, that, by going farther +north, we should find between this and the Saskatchawan +any stream which can, as the Indians assure +us the Missouri does, possess a navigable current +for some distance within the Rocky Mountains.</p> + +<p>"These considerations, with others drawn from the +observations of Capt. Clarke upon the south branch, +satisfied the chiefs that the South River was the true +Missouri; but the men generally were of a contrary +opinion, and much of their belief depended upon Crusatte, +an experienced waterman on the Missouri, who +gave it as his opinion that the north fork was the +main river. In order that nothing might be omitted +which could prevent our falling into error, it was +agreed that one of us should ascend the southern +branch by land until he reached either the falls or +the mountains. In the mean time, in order to lighten +our burdens as much as possible, we determined to +deposit here all the heavy baggage which we could +possibly spare, as well as some provisions, salt, powder, +and tools. The weather being fair, we dried all +our baggage and merchandise, and made our deposit, +or cache. Our cache is made in this manner: In the +high plain on the side of the river, we choose a dry +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>situation, and, drawing a small circle of about twenty +inches diameter, remove the sod as carefully as possible. +The hole is then sunk perpendicularly a foot +deep, or more if the ground be not firm. It is now +worked gradually wider as it deepens, till at length it +becomes six or seven feet deep, shaped nearly like a +kettle, or the lower part of a large still, with the bottom +somewhat sunk at the centre. As the earth is +dug, it is carefully laid on a skin or cloth, in which it +is carried away, and thrown into the river, so as to +leave no trace of it. A floor to the cache is then +made of dry sticks, on which is thrown hay, or a hide +perfectly dry. The goods, being well aired and dried, +are laid on this floor, and prevented from touching the +sides by other dried sticks, as the baggage is stowed +away. When the hole is nearly full, a skin is laid +over the goods; and, on this, earth is thrown, and +beaten down, until, with the addition of the sod, the +whole is on a level with the ground, and there remains +no appearance of an excavation. Careful measurements +are taken to secure the ready recovery of the +cache on the return; and the deposit is left in perfect +confidence of finding every thing safe and sound after +the lapse of months, or even years."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>THE FALLS OF THE MISSOURI.</p> + +<p>"June 12.—This morning, Capt. Lewis set out +with four men on an exploration, to ascend the southern +branch, agreeably to our plan. He left the bank +of the river in order to avoid the deep ravines, +which generally extend from the shore to a distance +of two or three miles in the plain. On the second +day, having travelled about sixty miles from the point +of departure, on a sudden their ears were saluted +with the agreeable sound of falling water; and, as +they advanced, a spray which seemed driven by the +wind rose above the plain like a column of smoke, +and vanished in an instant. Towards this point, Capt. +Lewis directed his steps; and the noise, increasing as +he approached, soon became too powerful to be ascribed +to any thing but the Great Falls of the Missouri. +Having travelled seven miles after first hearing +the sound, he reached the falls. The hills, as he +approached the river, were difficult of transit, and two +hundred feet high. Down these he hurried, and, seating +himself on a rock, enjoyed the spectacle of this +stupendous object, which, ever since the creation, +had been lavishing its magnificence upon the desert, +unseen by civilized man.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>"The river, immediately at its cascade, is three +hundred yards wide, and is pressed in by a perpendicular +cliff, which rises to about one hundred feet, +and extends up the stream for a mile. On the other +side, the bluff is also perpendicular for three hundred +yards above the falls. For ninety or a hundred +yards from the left cliff, the water falls in one smooth, +even sheet, over a precipice eighty feet in height. +The remaining part of the river rushes with an accelerated +current, but, being received as it falls by +irregular rocks below, forms a brilliant spectacle of +perfectly white foam, two hundred yards in length, +and eighty in height. The spray is dissipated into a +thousand shapes, on all of which the sun impresses +the brightest colors of the rainbow. The principal +cascade is succeeded by others of less grandeur, but +of exceeding beauty and great variety, for about +twenty miles in extent."<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">A PORTAGE.</p> + +<p>"June 21.—Having reached the falls, we found +ourselves obliged to get past them by transporting +our boats overland by what is called a <i>portage</i>. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>distance was eighteen miles. It was necessary to +construct a truck or carriage to transport the boats; +and the making of the wheels and the necessary +framework took ten days. The axle-trees, made of +an old mast, broke repeatedly, and the cottonwood +tongues gave way; so that the men were forced to +carry as much baggage as they could on their backs. +The prickly pear annoyed them much by sticking +through their moccasons. It required several trips to +transport all the canoes and baggage; and, though the +men put double soles to their moccasons, the prickly +pear, and the sharp points of earth formed by the +trampling of the buffaloes during the late rains, +wounded their feet; and, as the men were laden as +heavily as their strength would permit, the crossing +was very painful. They were obliged to halt and +rest frequently; and, at almost every stopping-place, +they would throw themselves down, and fall asleep in +an instant. Yet no one complained, and they went +on with cheerfulness.</p> + +<p>"Having decided to leave here one of the pirogues, +we set to work to fit up a boat of skins, upon a frame +of iron which had been prepared at the armory at +Harper's Ferry. It was thirty-six feet long, four feet +and a half wide at top, and twenty-six inches wide +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>at bottom. It was with difficulty we found the necessary +timber to complete it, even tolerably straight +sticks, four and a half feet long. The sides were +formed of willow-bark, and, over this, elk and buffalo +skins."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">A NARROW ESCAPE.</p> + +<p>"June 29.—Capt. Clarke, having lost some notes +and remarks which he had made on first ascending +the river, determined to go up along its banks in +order to supply the deficiency. He had reached the +falls, accompanied by his negro-servant York, and by +Chaboneau, the half-breed Indian interpreter, and +his wife with her young child. On his arrival there, he +observed a dark cloud in the west, which threatened +rain; and looked around for some shelter. About a +quarter of a mile above the falls he found a deep ravine, +where there were some shelving rocks, under +which they took refuge. They were perfectly sheltered +from the rain, and therefore laid down their +guns, compass, and other articles which they carried +with them. The shower was at first moderate; it +then increased to a heavy rain, the effects of which +they did not feel. Soon after, a torrent of rain and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>hail descended. The rain seemed to fall in a solid +mass, and, instantly collecting in the ravine, came +rolling down in a dreadful torrent, carrying the mud +and rocks, and every thing that opposed it. Capt. +Clarke fortunately saw it a moment before it reached +them, and springing up, with his gun in his left hand, +with his right he clambered up the steep bluff, pushing +on the Indian woman with her child in her arms. +Her husband, too, had seized her hand, and was pulling +her up the hill, but was so terrified at the danger, +that, but for Capt. Clarke, he would have been lost, +with his wife and child. So instantaneous was the +rise of the water, that, before Capt. Clarke had secured +his gun and begun to ascend the bank, the +water was up to his waist; and he could scarce get +up faster than it rose, till it reached the height of fifteen +feet, with a furious current, which, had they +waited a moment longer, would have swept them into +the river, just above the falls, down which they must +inevitably have been carried. As it was, Capt. Clarke +lost his compass, Chaboneau his gun, shot-pouch, and +tomahawk; and the Indian woman had just time to +grasp her child before the net in which it lay was +carried down the current."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>PROGRESS RESUMED.</p> + +<p>"July 4.—The boat was now completed, except +what was in fact the most difficult part,—the making +her seams secure. Having been unsuccessful in all +our attempts to procure tar, we have formed a composition +of pounded charcoal with beeswax and buffalo-tallow +to supply its place. If this resource fail +us, it will be very unfortunate, as, in every other respect, +the boat answers our purpose completely. Although +not quite dry, she can be carried with ease by +five men: she is very strong, and will carry a load of +eight thousand pounds, with her complement of men.</p> + +<p>"July 9.—The boat having now become sufficiently +dry, we gave it a coat of the composition, then a +second, and launched it into the water. She swam +perfectly well. The seats were then fixed, and the +oars fitted. But after a few hours' exposure to the +wind, which blew with violence, we discovered that +nearly all the composition had separated from the skins, +so that she leaked very much. To repair this misfortune +without pitch was impossible; and, as none of +that article was to be procured, we were obliged to +abandon her, after having had so much labor in the +construction.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>"It now becomes necessary to provide other means +for transporting the baggage which we had intended +to stow in her. For this purpose, we shall want two +canoes; but for many miles we have not seen a single +tree fit to be used for that purpose. The hunters, +however, report that there is a low ground about +eight miles above us by land, and more than twice +that distance by water, in which we may probably +find trees large enough. Capt. Clarke has therefore +determined to set out by land for that place, with ten +of the best workmen, who will be occupied in building +the canoes, till the rest of the party, after taking +the boat to pieces and making the necessary deposits, +shall transport the baggage, and join them with the +other six canoes.</p> + +<p>"Capt. Clarke accordingly proceeded on eight +miles by land; the distance by water being twenty-three +miles. Here he found two cottonwood-trees, +and proceeded to convert them into boats. The rest +of the party took the iron boat to pieces, and deposited +it in a <i>cache</i>, or hole, with some other articles of +less importance.</p> + +<p>"July 11.—Sergeant Ordway, with four canoes +and eight men, set sail in the morning to the place +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>where Capt. Clarke had fixed his camp. The canoes +were unloaded and sent back, and the remainder of +the baggage in a second trip was despatched to the +upper camp.</p> + +<p>"July 15.—We rose early, embarked all our baggage +on board the canoes, which, though eight in +number, were heavily laden, and at ten o'clock set out +on our journey.</p> + +<p>"July 16.—We had now arrived at the point +where the Missouri emerges from the Rocky Mountains. +The current of the river becomes stronger as +we advance, and the spurs of the mountain approach +towards the river, which is deep, and not more than +seventy yards wide. The low grounds are now but +a few yards in width; yet they furnish room for an +Indian road, which winds under the hills on the north +side of the river. The general range of these hills +is from south-east to north-west; and the cliffs themselves +are about eight hundred feet above the water, +formed almost entirely of a hard black rock, on which +are scattered a few dwarf pine and cedar trees.</p> + +<p>"As the canoes were heavily laden, all the men not +employed in working them walked on shore. The +navigation is now very laborious. The river is deep, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>but with little current; the low grounds are very narrow; +the cliffs are steep, and hang over the river so +much, that, in places, we could not pass them, but +were obliged to cross and recross from one side of +the river to the other in order to make our way."</p> + +<h4>FOOTNOTE:</h4> + +<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Dimensions of Niagara Falls,—American, 960 feet wide, 162 feet +high; English, 700 feet wide, 150 feet high.</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>JOURNEY CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>July 4.—Since our arrival at the falls, we +have repeatedly heard a strange noise coming +from the mountains, in a direction a little to the north +of west. It is heard at different periods of the day +and night, sometimes when the air is perfectly still +and without a cloud; and consists of one stroke only, +or of five or six discharges in quick succession. It +is loud, and resembles precisely the sound of a six-pound +piece of ordnance, at the distance of three +miles. The Minnetarees frequently mentioned this +noise, like thunder, which they said the mountains +made; but we had paid no attention to them, believing +it to be some superstition, or else a falsehood. +The watermen also of the party say that the Pawnees +and Ricaras give the same account of a noise heard +in the Black Mountains, to the westward of them. +The solution of the mystery, given by the philosophy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>of the watermen, is, that it is occasioned by the +bursting of the rich mines of silver confined within +the bosom of the mountain.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>"An elk and a beaver are all that were killed to-day: +the buffaloes seem to have withdrawn from our neighborhood. +We contrived, however, to spread a comfortable +table in honor of the day; and in the evening +gave the men a drink of spirits, which was the last of +our stock."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">VEGETATION.</p> + +<p>"July 15.—We find the prickly-pear—one of the +greatest beauties, as well as one of the greatest +inconveniences, of the plains—now in full bloom. +The sunflower too, a plant common to every part of +the Missouri, is here very abundant, and in bloom. +The Indians of the Missouri, and more especially those +who do not cultivate maize, make great use of this +plant for bread, and in thickening their soup. They +first parch, and then pound it between two stones +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>until it is reduced to a fine meal. Sometimes they +add a portion of water, and drink it thus diluted; at +other times they add a sufficient proportion of marmow-fat +to reduce it to the consistency of common +dough, and eat it in that manner. This last composition +we preferred to the rest, and thought it at that +time very palatable.</p> + +<p>"There are also great quantities of red, purple, yellow, +and black currants. The currants are very +pleasant to the taste, and much preferable to those +of our gardens. The fruit is not so acid, and has a +more agreeable flavor."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE BIG-HORNED OR MOUNTAIN RAM.</p> + +<p>"July 18.—This morning we saw a large herd of +the big-horned animals, who were bounding among +the rocks in the opposite cliff with great agility. +These inaccessible spots secure them from all their +enemies; and the only danger they encounter is in +wandering among these precipices, where we should +suppose it scarcely possible for any animal to stand. +A single false step would precipitate them at least +five hundred feet into the river.</p> + +<p>"The game continues abundant. We killed to-day +the largest male elk we have yet seen. On placing +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>it in its natural, erect position, we found that it +measured five feet three inches from the point of +the hoof to the top of the shoulder.</p> + +<p>"The antelopes are yet lean. This fleet and quick-sighted +animal is generally the victim of its curiosity. +When they first see the hunters, they run with great +velocity. If the hunter lies down on the ground, and +lifts up his arm, his hat, or his foot, the antelope +returns on a light trot to look at the object, and +sometimes goes and returns two or three times, till +at last he approaches within reach of the rifle. So, +too, they sometimes leave their flock to go and look +at the wolves, who crouch down, and, if the antelope +be frightened at first, repeat the same manœuvre, +and sometimes relieve each other, till they decoy the +antelope from his party near enough to seize it."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE GATES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p>"July 20.—During the day, in the confined valley +through which we are passing, the heat is almost +insupportable; yet, whenever we obtain a glimpse of +the lofty tops of the mountains, we are tantalized +with a view of the snow. A mile and a half farther +on, the rocks approach the river on both sides, forming +a most sublime and extraordinary spectacle. For +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>six miles, these rocks rise perpendicularly from the +water's edge to the height of nearly twelve hundred +feet. They are composed of a black granite near the +base; but judging from its lighter color above, and +from fragments that have fallen from it, we suppose +the upper part to be flint, of a yellowish-brown and +cream color. Nothing can be imagined more tremendous +than the frowning darkness of these rocks, +which project over the river, and menace us with +destruction. The river, one hundred and fifty yards +in width, seems to have forced its channel down this +solid mass: but so reluctantly has it given way, that, +during the whole distance, the water is very deep +even at the edges; and, for the first three miles, there +is not a spot, except one of a few yards in extent, on +which a man could stand between the water and the +towering perpendicular of the mountain. The convulsion +of the passage must have been terrible; +since, at its outlet, there are vast columns of rock +torn from the mountain, which are strewed on both +sides of the river, the trophies, as it were, of victory. +We were obliged to go on some time after dark, not +being able to find a spot large enough to encamp on. +This extraordinary range of rocks we called the Gates +of the Rocky Mountains."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.</p> + +<p>"July 29.—This morning the hunters brought in +some fat deer of the long-tailed red kind, which are +the only kind we have found at this place. There +are numbers of the sandhill-cranes feeding in the +meadows. We caught a young one, which, though it +had nearly attained its full growth, could not fly. It +is very fierce, and strikes a severe blow with its beak. +The kingfisher has become quite common this side +of the falls; but we have seen none of the summer +duck since leaving that place. Small birds are also +abundant in the plains. Here, too, are great quantities +of grasshoppers, or crickets; and, among other +animals, large ants, with a reddish-brown body and +legs, and a black head, which build little cones of +gravel ten or twelve inches high, without a mixture +of sticks, and with but little earth. In the river we +see a great abundance of fish, but cannot tempt them +to bite by any thing on our hooks."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE FORKS OF THE MISSOURI.</p> + +<p>"July 28, 1805.—From the height of a limestone +cliff, Capt. Lewis observed the three forks of the +Missouri, of which this river is one. The middle and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>south-west forks unite at half a mile above the entrance +of the south-east fork. The country watered +by these rivers, as far as the eye could command, was +a beautiful combination of meadow and elevated plain, +covered with a rich grass, and possessing more timber +than is usual on the Missouri. A range of high +mountains, partially covered with snow, is seen at a +considerable distance, running from south to west.</p> + +<p>"To the south-east fork the name of Gallatin was +assigned, in honor of the Secretary of the Treasury. +On examining the other two streams, it was difficult +to decide which was the larger or real Missouri: +they are each ninety yards wide, and similar in character +and appearance. We were therefore induced +to discontinue the name of Missouri, and to give to +the south-west branch the name of Jefferson, in honor +of the President of the United States and the projector +of the enterprise; and called the middle branch +Madison, after James Madison, Secretary of State.</p> + +<p>"July 30.—We reloaded our canoes, and began to +ascend Jefferson River. The river soon became very +crooked; the current, too, is rapid, impeded with +shoals, which consist of coarse gravel. The islands +are numerous. On the 7th of August, we had, with +much fatigue, ascended the river sixty miles, when +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>we reached the junction of a stream from the north-west, +which we named Wisdom River. We continued, +however, to ascend the south-east branch, +which we were satisfied was the true continuation +of the Jefferson."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE SHOSHONEES, OR SNAKE INDIANS.</p> + +<p>"July 28.—We are now very anxious to see the +Snake Indians. After advancing for several hundred +miles into this wild and mountainous country, we +may soon expect that the game will abandon us. +With no information of the route, we may be unable +to find a passage across the mountains when we +reach the head of the river, at least such an one as +will lead us to the Columbia. And, even were we +so fortunate as to find a branch of that river, the +timber which we have hitherto seen in these mountains +does not promise us any wood fit to make +canoes; so that our chief dependence is on meeting +some tribe from whom we may procure horses.</p> + +<p>"Sacajawea, our Indian woman, informs us that we +are encamped on the precise spot where her countrymen, +the Snake Indians, had their huts five years +ago, when the Minnetarees came upon them, killed +most of the party, and carried her away prisoner. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>She does not, however, show any distress at these +recollections, nor any joy at the prospect of being +restored to her country; for she seems to possess +the folly, or the philosophy, of not suffering her +feelings to extend beyond the anxiety of having +plenty to eat, and trinkets to wear.</p> + +<p>"Aug. 9.—Persuaded of the absolute necessity of +procuring horses to cross the mountains, it was determined +that one of us should proceed in the morning +to the head of the river, and penetrate the +mountains till he found the Shoshonees, or some +other nation, who could assist us in transporting our +baggage. Immediately after breakfast, Capt. Lewis +took Drewyer, Shields, and McNeal; and, slinging +their knapsacks, they set out, with a resolution to +meet some nation of Indians before they returned, +however long it might be.</p> + +<p>"Aug. 11.—It was not till the third day after commencing +their search that they met with any success. +Capt. Lewis perceived with the greatest delight, at +the distance of two miles, a man on horseback coming +towards them. On examining him with the glass, +Capt. Lewis saw that he was of a different nation +from any we had hitherto met. He was armed with +a bow and a quiver of arrows, and mounted on an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>elegant horse without a saddle; while a small string, +attached to the under-jaw, answered as a bridle. +Convinced that he was a Shoshonee, and knowing +how much our success depended upon the friendly +offices of that nation, Capt. Lewis was anxious to +approach without alarming him. He therefore advanced +towards the Indian at his usual pace. When +they were within a mile of each other, the Indian +suddenly stopped. Capt. Lewis immediately followed +his example; took his blanket from his knapsack, and, +holding it with both hands at the two corners, threw +it above his head, and unfolded it as he brought it to +the ground, as if in the act of spreading it. This +signal, which originates in the practice of spreading +a robe or a skin as a seat for guests to whom they +wish to show kindness, is the universal sign of friendship +among the Indians. As usual, Capt. Lewis repeated +this signal three times. Still the Indian kept +his position, and looked with an air of suspicion on +Drewyer and Shields, who were now advancing on +each side. Capt. Lewis was afraid to make any signal +for them to halt, lest he should increase the +suspicions of the Indian, who began to be uneasy; +and they were too distant to hear his voice. He +therefore took from his pack some beads, a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>looking-glass, +and a few trinkets, which he had brought for +the purpose; and, leaving his gun, advanced unarmed +towards the Indian, who remained in the same position +till Capt. Lewis came within two hundred yards +of him, when he turned his horse, and began to move +off slowly. Capt. Lewis then called out to him, as +loud as he could, 'Tabba bone,'—which, in the Shoshonee +language, means <i>White man</i>; but, looking +over his shoulder, the Indian kept his eyes on Drewyer +and Shields, who were still advancing, till Capt. +Lewis made a signal to them to halt. This, Drewyer +obeyed; but Shields did not observe it, and still +went forward. The Indian, seeing Drewyer halt, +turned his horse about, as if to wait for Capt. Lewis, +who had now reached within one hundred and fifty +paces, repeating the words, 'Tabba bone,' and holding +up the trinkets in his hand; at the same time stripping +up his sleeve to show that he was white. The +Indian suffered him to advance within one hundred +paces, then suddenly turned his horse, and, giving +him the whip, leaped across the creek, and disappeared +in an instant among the willows. They followed +his track four miles, but could not get sight of +him again, nor find any encampment to which he +belonged.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>"Meanwhile the party in the canoes advanced +slowly up the river till they came to a large island, +to which they gave the name of Three-thousand-mile +Island, on account of its being at that distance +from the mouth of the Missouri."</p> + +<h4>FOOTNOTE:</h4> + +<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> There are many stories, from other sources, confirmatory of these +noises in mountainous districts. One solution, suggested by Humboldt,—who +does not, however, record the fact as of his own observation,—is, +that "this curious phenomenon announces a disengagement of hydrogen, +produced by a bed of coal in a state of combustion." This solution +is applicable only to mountains which contain coal, unless chemical +changes in other minerals might be supposed capable of producing a +similar effect.</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE SOURCES OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Aug. 12, 1805.—Capt. Lewis decided to advance +along the foot of the mountains, hoping to find +a road leading across them. At the distance of four +miles from his camp, he found a large, plain, Indian +road, which entered the valley from the north-east. +Following this road towards the south-west, the valley, +for the first five miles, continued in the same +direction; then the main stream turned abruptly to +the west, through a narrow bottom between the +mountains. We traced the stream, which gradually +became smaller, till, two miles farther up, it had so +diminished, that one of the men, in a fit of enthusiasm, +with one foot on each side of the rivulet, thanked +God that he had lived to bestride the Missouri. Four +miles from thence, we came to the spot where, from +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>the foot of a mountain, issues the remotest water +of the mighty river.</p> + +<p>"We had now traced the Missouri to its source, +which had never before been seen by civilized man; +and as we quenched our thirst at the pure and icy +fountain, and stretched ourselves by the brink of the +little rivulet which yielded its distant and modest +tribute to the parent ocean, we felt rewarded for +all our labors.</p> + +<p>"We left reluctantly this interesting spot, and, +pursuing the Indian road, arrived at the top of a +ridge, from whence we saw high mountains, partially +covered with snow, still to the west of us. The ridge +on which we stood formed, apparently, the dividing-line +between the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic +Oceans. We followed a descent much steeper than +that on the eastern side, and, at the distance of +three-quarters of a mile, reached a handsome, bold +creek of cold, clear water, running to the westward. +We stopped for a moment, to taste, for the first time, +the waters of the Columbia; and then followed the +road across hills and valleys, till we found a spring, +and a sufficient quantity of dry willow-brush for fuel; +and there halted for the night."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>THEY MEET WITH INDIANS.</p> + +<p>"Aug. 13.—Very early in the morning, Capt. +Lewis resumed the Indian road, which led him in a +western direction, through an open, broken country. +At five miles' distance, he reached a creek about ten +yards wide, and, on rising the hill beyond it, had a +view of a handsome little valley about a mile in +width, through which they judged, from the appearance +of the timber, that a stream probably flowed. +On a sudden, they discovered two women, a man, and +some dogs, on an eminence about a mile before them. +The strangers viewed them apparently with much +attention; and then two of them sat down, as if to +await Capt. Lewis's arrival. He went on till he had +reached within about half a mile; then ordered his +party to stop, put down his knapsack and rifle, and, +unfurling the flag, advanced alone towards the Indians.</p> + +<p>"The women soon retreated behind the hill; but +the man remained till Capt. Lewis came within a +hundred yards of him, when he, too, went off, though +Capt. Lewis called out 'Tabba bone' ('White man'), +loud enough to be heard distinctly. The dogs, however, +were less shy, and came close to him. He +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>therefore thought of tying a handkerchief with some +beads round their necks, and then to let them loose, +to convince the fugitives of his friendly intentions; +but the dogs would not suffer him to take hold of +them, and soon left him.</p> + +<p>"He now made a signal to the men, who joined him; +and then all followed the track of the Indians, which +led along a continuation of the same road they had +been travelling. It was dusty, and seemed to have +been much used lately both by foot-passengers and +horsemen.</p> + +<p>"They had not gone along it more than a mile, +when, on a sudden, they saw three female Indians, +from whom they had been concealed by the deep +ravines which intersected the road, till they were +now within thirty paces of them. One of them, a +young woman, immediately took to flight: the other +two, an old woman and little girl, seeing we were +too near for them to escape, sat on the ground, and, +holding down their heads, seemed as if reconciled to +the death which they supposed awaited them. Capt. +Lewis instantly put down his rifle, and, advancing +towards them, took the woman by the hand, raised +her up, and repeated the words, 'Tabba bone,' at +the same time stripping up his sleeve to show that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>he was a white man; for his hands and face had +become by exposure quite as dark as their own.</p> + +<p>"She appeared immediately relieved from her +alarm; and, Drewyer and Shields now coming up, +Capt. Lewis gave her some beads, a few awls, pewter +mirrors, and a little paint, and told Drewyer to request +the woman to recall her companion, who had +escaped to some distance, and, by alarming the Indians, +might cause them to attack him, without any +time for explanation. She did as she was desired, +and the young woman returned readily. Capt. Lewis +gave her an equal portion of trinkets, and painted +the tawny cheeks of all three of them with vermilion, +which, besides its ornamental effect, has the +advantage of being held among the Indians as emblematic +of peace.</p> + +<p>"After they had become composed, he informed +them by signs of his wish to go to their camp in +order to see their chiefs and warriors. They readily +complied, and conducted the party along the same +road down the river. In this way they marched +two miles, when they met a troop of nearly sixty +warriors, mounted on excellent horses, riding at full +speed towards them. As they advanced, Capt. Lewis +put down his gun, and went with the flag about fifty +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>paces in advance. The chief, who, with two men, +was riding in front of the main body, spoke to the +women, who now explained that the party was composed +of white men, and showed exultingly the +presents they had received. The three men immediately +leaped from their horses, came up to Capt. +Lewis, and embraced him with great cordiality,—putting +their left arm over his right shoulder, and +clasping his back,—applying at the same time their +left cheek to his, and frequently vociferating, 'Ah-hi-e!'—'<i>I +am glad! I am glad!</i>'</p> + +<p>"The whole body of warriors now came forward, +and our men received the caresses, and no small +share of the grease and paint, of their new friends. +After this fraternal embrace, Capt. Lewis lighted a +pipe, and offered it to the Indians, who had now +seated themselves in a circle around our party. But, +before they would receive this mark of friendship, +they pulled off their moccasons; a custom which, we +afterwards learned, indicates their sincerity when +they smoke with a stranger.</p> + +<p>"After smoking a few pipes, some trifling presents +were distributed among them, with which they seemed +very much pleased, particularly with the blue beads +and the vermilion.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>"Capt. Lewis then informed the chief that the +object of his visit was friendly, and should be explained +as soon as he reached their camp; but that +in the mean time, as the sun was oppressive, and no +water near, he wished to go there as soon as possible. +They now put on their moccasons; and their chief, +whose name was Cameahwait, made a short speech to +the warriors. Capt. Lewis then gave him the flag, +which he informed him was the emblem of peace, +and that now and for the future it was to be the +pledge of union between us and them. The chief +then moved on, our party followed, and the rest of +the warriors brought up the rear.</p> + +<p>"At the distance of four miles from where they +had first met the Indians, they reached the camp, +which was in a handsome, level meadow on the bank +of the river. Here they were introduced into a +leathern lodge which was assigned for their reception. +After being seated on green boughs and antelope-skins, +one of the warriors pulled up the grass in +the centre of the lodge, so as to form a vacant circle +of two feet in diameter, in which he kindled a fire. +The chief then produced his pipe and tobacco; the +warriors all pulled off their moccasons, and our party +were requested to take off their own. This being +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>done, the chief lighted his pipe at the fire, and then, +retreating from it, began a speech several minutes +long; at the end of which he pointed the stem of +his pipe towards the four cardinal points of the +heavens, beginning with the east, and concluding +with the north. After this ceremony, he presented +the stem in the same way to Capt. Lewis, who, supposing +it an invitation to smoke, put out his hand to +receive the pipe; but the chief drew it back, and +continued to repeat the same offer three times; after +which he pointed the stem to the heavens, then +took three whiffs himself, and presented it again to +Capt. Lewis. Finding that this last offer was in good +earnest, he smoked a little, and returned it. The +pipe was then held to each of the white men, and, +after they had taken a few whiffs, was given to the +warriors.</p> + +<p>"The bowl of the pipe was made of a dense, transparent, +green stone, very highly polished, about two +and a half inches long, and of an oval figure; the +bowl being in the same direction with the stem. +The tobacco is of the same kind with that used by +the Minnetarees and Mandans of the Missouri. The +Shoshonees do not cultivate this plant, but obtain it +from the bands who live farther south.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>"The ceremony of smoking being concluded, Capt. +Lewis explained to the chief the purposes of his visit; +and, as by this time all the women and children of +the camp had gathered around the lodge to indulge +in a view of the first white men they had ever seen, +he distributed among them the remainder of the +small articles he had brought with him.</p> + +<p>"It was now late in the afternoon, and our party +had tasted no food since the night before. On apprising +the chief of this fact, he said that he had +nothing but berries to eat, and presented some cakes +made of service-berries and choke-cherries which +had been dried in the sun. Of these, Capt. Lewis +and his companions made as good a meal as they +were able.</p> + +<p>"The chief informed him that the stream which +flowed by them discharged itself, at the distance of +half a day's march, into another of twice its size; +but added that there was no timber there suitable for +building canoes, and that the river was rocky and +rapid. The prospect of going on by land was more +pleasant; for there were great numbers of horses +feeding round the camp, which would serve to transport +our stores over the mountains.</p> + +<p>"An Indian invited Capt. Lewis into his lodge, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>and gave him a small morsel of boiled antelope, and +a piece of fresh salmon, roasted. This was the first +salmon he had seen, and perfectly satisfied him that +he was now on the waters of the Pacific.</p> + +<p>"On returning to the lodge, he resumed his conversation +with the chief; after which he was entertained +with a dance by the Indians. The music and +dancing—which were in no respect different from +those of the Missouri Indians—continued nearly all +night; but Capt. Lewis retired to rest about twelve +o'clock, when the fatigues of the day enabled him to +sleep, though he was awaked several times by the +yells of the dancers."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE PARTY IN THE BOATS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>August, 1805.—While these things were occurring +to Capt. Lewis, the party in the boats were +slowly and laboriously ascending the river. It was +very crooked, the bends short and abrupt, and obstructed +by so many shoals, over which the canoes +had to be dragged, that the men were in the water +three-fourths of the day. They saw numbers of +otters, some beavers, antelopes, ducks, geese, and +cranes; but they killed nothing except a single deer. +They caught, however, some very fine trout. The +weather was cloudy and cool; and at eight o'clock a +shower of rain fell.</p> + +<p>Next day, as the morning was cold, and the men +stiff and sore from the fatigues of yesterday, they +did not set out till seven o'clock. The river was +shallow, and, as it approached the mountains, formed +one continued rapid, over which they were obliged +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>to drag the boats with great labor and difficulty. +By these means, they succeeded in making fourteen +miles; but this distance did not exceed more than +six and a half in a straight line.</p> + +<p>Several successive days were passed in this manner +(the daily progress seldom exceeding a dozen +miles), while the party anxiously expected to be +rejoined by Capt. Lewis and his men, with intelligence +of some relief by the aid of friendly Indians. +In the mean time, Capt. Lewis was as anxiously expecting +their arrival, to confirm the good impressions +he had made on the Indians, as well as to remove +some lurking doubts they still felt as to his intentions.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CAPT. LEWIS AMONG THE SHOSHONEES.</p> + +<p>Aug. 14.—In order to give time for the boats to +reach the forks of Jefferson River, Capt. Lewis determined +to remain where he was, and obtain all the +information he could with regard to the country. +Having nothing to eat but a little flour and parched +meal, with the berries of the Indians, he sent out +Drewyer and Shields, who borrowed horses of the +natives, to hunt. At the same time, the young warriors +set out for the same purpose.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>There are but few elk or black-tailed deer in this +region; and, as the common red deer secrete themselves +in the bushes when alarmed, they are soon +safe from the arrows of the Indian hunters, which +are but feeble weapons against any animal which the +huntsmen cannot previously run down. The chief +game of the Shoshonees, therefore, is the antelope, +which, when pursued, runs to the open plains, where +the horses have full room for the chase. But such is +this animal's extraordinary fleetness and wind, that a +single horse has no chance of outrunning it, or tiring +it down; and the hunters are therefore obliged to +resort to stratagem. About twenty Indians, mounted +on fine horses, and armed with bows and arrows, left +the camp. In a short time, they descried a herd of +ten antelopes. They immediately separated into little +squads of two or three, and formed a scattered circle +round the herd for five or six miles, keeping at a +wary distance, so as not to alarm them till they were +perfectly enclosed. Having gained their positions, a +small party rode towards the herd; the huntsman +preserving his seat with wonderful tenacity, and the +horse his footing, as he ran at full speed over the +hills, and down the ravines, and along the edges +of precipices. They were soon outstripped by the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>antelopes, which, on gaining the other limit of +the circle, were driven back, and pursued by fresh +hunters. They turned, and flew, rather than ran, in +another direction; but there, too, they found new +enemies. In this way they were alternately driven +backwards and forwards, till at length, notwithstanding +the skill of the hunters, they all escaped; and +the party, after running two hours, returned without +having caught any thing, and their horses foaming +with sweat. This chase, the greater part of which +was seen from the camp, formed a beautiful scene; +but to the hunters it is exceedingly laborious, and +so unproductive, even when they are able to worry +the animal down and shoot him, that forty or fifty +hunters will sometimes be engaged for half a day +without obtaining more than two or three antelopes. +Soon after they returned, our two huntsmen came in +with no better success. Capt. Lewis therefore made +a little paste with the flour, and the addition of some +berries formed a tolerable repast.</p> + +<p>Having now secured the good-will of Cameahwait, +Capt. Lewis informed him of his wish,—that he +would speak to the warriors, and endeavor to engage +them to accompany him to the forks of Jefferson +River, where, by this time, another chief, with a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>large party of white men, were waiting his return. +He added, that it would be necessary to take about +thirty horses to transport the merchandise; that they +should be well rewarded for their trouble; and that, +when all the party should have reached the Shoshonee +camp, they would remain some time among them, +and trade for horses, as well as concert plans for +furnishing them in future with regular supplies of +merchandise. Cameahwait readily consented to do +as requested; and, after collecting the tribe together, +he made a long harangue, and in about an +hour and a half returned, and told Capt. Lewis that +they would be ready to accompany him next morning.</p> + +<p>Capt. Lewis rose early, and, having eaten nothing +yesterday except his scanty meal of flour and berries, +felt the pain of extreme hunger. On inquiry, +he found that his whole stock of provisions consisted +of two pounds of flour. This he ordered to be divided +into two equal parts, and one-half of it boiled +with the berries into a sort of pudding; and, after +presenting a large share to the chief, he and his +three men breakfasted on the remainder. Cameahwait +was delighted with this new dish. He took a +little of the flour in his hand, tasted it, and examined +it very carefully, asking if it was made of roots. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>Capt. Lewis explained how it was produced, and the +chief said it was the best thing he had eaten for a +long time.</p> + +<p>Breakfast being finished, Capt. Lewis endeavored +to hasten the departure of the Indians, who seemed +reluctant to move, although the chief addressed them +twice for the purpose of urging them. On inquiring +the reason, Capt. Lewis learned that the Indians +were suspicious that they were to be led into an +ambuscade, and betrayed to their enemies. He exerted +himself to dispel this suspicion, and succeeded +so far as to induce eight of the warriors, with Cameahwait, +to accompany him. It was about twelve +o'clock when his small party left the camp, attended +by Cameahwait and the eight warriors. At sunset +they reached the river, and encamped about four +miles above the narrow pass between the hills, which +they had noticed in their progress some days before. +Drewyer had been sent forward to hunt; but he returned +in the evening unsuccessful; and their only +supply, therefore, was the remaining pound of flour, +stirred in a little boiling water, and divided between +the four white men and two of the Indians.</p> + +<p>Next morning, as neither our party nor the Indians +had any thing to eat, Capt. Lewis sent two of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>his hunters out to procure some provision. At the +same time, he requested Cameahwait to prevent his +young men from going out, lest, by their noise, they +might alarm the game. This measure immediately +revived their suspicions, and some of them followed +our two men to watch them. After the hunters had +been gone about an hour, Capt. Lewis mounted, with +one of the Indians behind him, and the whole party +set out. Just then, they saw one of the spies coming +back at full speed across the plain. The chief +stopped, and seemed uneasy: the whole band were +moved with fresh suspicions; and Capt. Lewis himself +was anxious, lest, by some unfortunate accident, +some hostile tribe might have wandered that way. +The young Indian had hardly breath to say a few +words as he came up, when the whole troop dashed +forward as fast as their horses could carry them; and +Capt. Lewis, astonished at this movement, was borne +along for nearly a mile, before he learned, with great +satisfaction, that it was all caused by the spy's having +come to announce that one of the white men had +killed a deer.</p> + +<p>When they reached the place where Drewyer, in +cutting up the deer, had thrown out the intestines, +the Indians dismounted in confusion, and ran, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>tumbling +over each other, like famished dogs: each tore +away whatever part he could, and instantly began to +devour it. Some had the liver, some the kidneys: +in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look +with disgust escaped them. It was, indeed, impossible +to see these wretches ravenously feeding on the +refuse of animals, and the blood streaming from their +mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition +of savages approaches that of the brute creation. +Yet, though suffering with hunger, they did not +attempt to take (as they might have done) by force +the whole deer, but contented themselves with what +had been thrown away by the hunter. Capt. Lewis +had the deer skinned, and, after reserving a quarter +of it, gave the rest of the animal to the chief, to +be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured +the whole without cooking.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THEY MEET THE BOAT PARTY.</p> + +<p>As they were now approaching the place where +they had been told they should see the white men, +Capt. Lewis, to guard against any disappointment, +explained the possibility of our men not having +reached the forks, in consequence of the difficulty +of the navigation; so that, if they should not find +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>us at that spot, they might be assured of our being +not far below. After stopping two hours to let the +horses graze, they remounted, and rode on rapidly, +making one of the Indians carry the flag, so that the +party in the boats might recognize them as they +approached. To their great mortification, on coming +within sight of the forks, no canoes were to be seen.</p> + +<p>Uneasy, lest at this moment he should be abandoned, +and all his hopes of obtaining aid from the +Indians be destroyed, Capt. Lewis gave the chief +his gun, telling him, if the enemies of his nation +were in the bushes, he might defend himself with it; +and that the chief might shoot him as soon as they +discovered themselves betrayed. The other three +men at the same time gave their guns to the Indians, +who now seemed more easy, but still suspicious. +Luckily, he had a hold on them by other ties than +their generosity. He had promised liberal exchanges +for their horses; but, what was still more attractive, +he had told them that one of their country-women, +who had been taken by the Minnetarees, accompanied +the party below: and one of the men had spread the +report of our having with us a man perfectly black, +whose hair was short and curled. This last account +had excited a great degree of curiosity; and they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>seemed more desirous of seeing this monster than +of obtaining the most favorable barter for their +horses.</p> + +<p>In the mean time, the boat party under Capt. +Clarke, struggling against rapids and shallows, had +made their way to a point only four miles by land, +though ten by water, from where Capt. Lewis and +the Indians were. Capt. Clarke had seen from an +eminence the forks of the river, and sent the hunters +up. They must have left it only a short time before +Capt. Lewis's arrival.</p> + +<p>Aug. 17.—Capt. Lewis rose early, and despatched +Drewyer and the Indian down the river in +quest of the boats. They had been gone about two +hours, and the Indians were all anxiously waiting +for some news, when an Indian who had straggled +a short distance down the river returned, with a +report that he had seen the white men, who were +not far below, and were coming on. The Indians +were all delighted; and the chief, in the warmth +of his affection, renewed his embrace to Capt. Lewis, +who, though quite as much gratified, would willingly +have spared that manifestation of it. The report +proved true. On commencing the day's progress, +Capt. Clarke, with Chaboneau and his wife, walked +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>by the river-side; but they had not gone more than +a mile, when Capt. Clarke saw Sacajawea, the Indian +woman, who was some distance in advance, begin to +dance, and show every mark of extravagant joy, +pointing to several Indians, whom he now saw advancing +on horseback. As they approached, Capt. +Clarke discovered Drewyer among them, from whom +he learned the situation of Capt. Lewis and his +party. While the boats were performing the circuit, +Capt. Clarke went towards the forks with the +Indians, who, as they went along, sang aloud with +the greatest appearance of delight.</p> + +<p>They soon drew near the camp; and, as they +approached it, a woman made her way through the +crowd towards Sacajawea, when, recognizing each +other, they embraced with the most tender affection. +The meeting of these two young women had in it +something peculiarly touching. They had been companions +in childhood, and, in the war with the Minnetarees, +had both been taken prisoners in the same +battle. They had shared the same captivity, till one +had escaped, leaving her friend with scarce a hope +of ever seeing her again.</p> + +<p>While Sacajawea was renewing among the women +the friendships of former days, Capt. Clarke +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>went on, and was received by Capt. Lewis and the +chief, who, after the first embraces and salutations, +conducted him to a sort of circular tent constructed +of willow-branches. Here he was seated on a white +robe; and the chief tied in his hair six small shells +resembling pearls,—an ornament highly valued by +these people. After smoking, a conference was held, +Sacajawea acting as interpreter. Capt. Lewis told +them he had been sent to discover the best route +by which merchandise could be conveyed to them, +and, since no trade would be begun before our return, +it was naturally desirable that we should proceed +with as little delay as possible; that we were +under the necessity of requesting them to furnish us +with horses to transport our baggage across the +mountains, and a guide to show us the route; but +that they should be amply remunerated for their +horses, as well as for any other service they should +render us. In the mean time, our first wish was +that they should immediately collect as many horses +as were necessary to transport our baggage to their +village, where, at our leisure, we would trade with +them for as many horses as they could spare.</p> + +<p>The speech made a favorable impression. The +chief thanked us for our friendly intentions, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>declared their willingness to render us every service. +He promised to return to the village next +day, and to bring all his own horses, and to encourage +his people to bring theirs. We then distributed +our presents. To Cameahwait we gave a medal of +the small size, with the likeness of President Jefferson, +and on the reverse a figure of hands clasped, +with a pipe and tomahawk. To this were added +a uniform-coat, a shirt, a pair of scarlet leggings, a +lump of tobacco, and some small articles. Each of +the other chiefs received similar presents, excepting +the dress-coat. These honorary gifts were followed +by presents of paint, moccasons, awls, knives, beads, +and looking-glasses. They had abundant sources of +surprise in all they saw. The appearance of the +men, their arms, their clothing, the canoes, the +strange looks of the negro, and the sagacity of our +dog, all in turn shared their admiration, which was +raised to astonishment by a shot from the air-gun. +This was immediately pronounced a <i>Great Medicine</i>, +by which they mean something produced by the +Great Spirit himself in some incomprehensible way.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>August, 1805.—Our Indian information as to +the navigation of the Columbia was of a very +discouraging character. It was therefore agreed +that Capt. Clarke should set off in the morning with +eleven men, furnished, besides their arms, with tools +for making canoes; that he should take Chaboneau +and his wife to the camp of the Shoshonees, where he +was to leave them to hasten the collection of horses; +that he was then to lead his men down to the Columbia; +and if he found it navigable, and the timber in +sufficient quantity, should begin to build canoes. As +soon as he should have decided on the question of +proceeding, whether down the river or across the +mountains, he was to send back one of the men, with +information of his decision, to Capt. Lewis, who would +tarry meanwhile at the Shoshonee village.</p> + +<p>Aug. 20.—Capt. Clarke set out at six o'clock. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>Passing through a continuation of hilly, broken country, +he met several parties of Indians. An old man +among them was pointed out, who was said to know +more of the nature of the country north than any +other person; and Capt. Clarke engaged him as a +guide.</p> + +<p>The first point to ascertain was the truth of the +Indian information as to the difficulty of descending +the river. For this purpose, Capt. Clarke and his +men set out at three o'clock in the afternoon, accompanied +by his Indian guide. At the distance of four +miles he crossed the river, and, eight miles from the +camp, halted for the night. As Capt. Lewis was the +first white man who had visited its waters, Capt. +Clarke gave the stream the name of Lewis's River.</p> + +<p>Aug. 23.—Capt. Clarke set out very early; but +as his route lay along the steep side of a mountain, +over irregular and broken masses of rocks, which +wounded the horses' feet, he was obliged to proceed +slowly. At the distance of four miles, he reached the +river; but the rocks here became so steep, and projected +so far into the stream, that there was no mode +of passing except through the water. This he did for +some distance, though the current was very rapid, +and so deep, that they were forced to swim their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>horses. After following the edge of the stream for +about a mile, he reached a small meadow, below which +the whole current of the river beat against the shore +on which he was, and which was formed of a solid +rock, perfectly inaccessible to horses. He therefore +resolved to leave the horses and the greater part of +the men at this place, and continue his examination +of the river on foot, in order to determine if there +were any possibility of descending it in canoes.</p> + +<p>With his guide and three men he proceeded, +clambering over immense rocks, and along the sides +of precipices which bordered the stream. The river +presented a succession of shoals, neither of which +could be passed with loaded canoes; and the baggage +must therefore be transported for considerable +distances over the steep mountains, where it would +be impossible to employ horses. Even the empty +boats must be let down the rapids by means of cords, +and not even in this way without great risk both to +the canoes and the men.</p> + +<p>Disappointed in finding a route by way of the +river, Capt. Clarke now questioned his guide more +particularly respecting an Indian road which came in +from the north. The guide, who seemed intelligent, +drew a map on the sand, and represented this road as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>leading to a great river where resided a nation called +Tushepaws, who, having no salmon on their river, +came by this road to the fish-wears on Lewis's River. +After a great deal of conversation, or rather signs, +Capt. Clarke felt persuaded that his guide knew of a +road from the Shoshonee village they had left, to the +great river toward the north, without coming so low +down as this, on a road impracticable for horses. He +therefore hastened to return thither, sending forward +a man on horseback with a note to Capt. Lewis, +apprising him of the result of his inquiries.</p> + +<p>From the 25th to the 29th of August, Capt. Clarke +and his men were occupied in their return to the +Shoshonee village, where Capt. Lewis and party were +awaiting them. During their march, the want of provisions +was such, that if it had not been for the liberality +of the Indians, who gave them a share of their +own scanty supplies, they must have perished. The +main dependence for food was upon salmon and berries. +It was seldom they could get enough of these +for a full meal; and abstinence and the strange diet +caused some sickness. Capt. Lewis, on the contrary, +had found the game sufficiently abundant to supply +their own party, and to spare some to the Indians; +so that, when their friends rejoined them, they had it +in their power to immediately relieve their wants.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>THE SHOSHONEES.</p> + +<p>The Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation +called Snake Indians,—a vague denomination, which +embraces at once the inhabitants of the southern +parts of the Rocky Mountains, and of the plains on +each side. The Shoshonees, with whom we now are, +amount to about a hundred warriors, and three times +that number of women and children. Within their +own recollection, they formerly lived in the plains; +but they have been driven into the mountains by the +roving Indians of the Saskatchawan country, and are +now obliged to visit only occasionally and by stealth +the country of their ancestors. From the middle of +May to the beginning of September, they reside on +the waters of the Columbia. During this time, they +subsist chiefly on salmon; and, as that fish disappears +on the approach of autumn, they are obliged to seek +subsistence elsewhere. They then cross the ridge to +the waters of the Missouri, down which they proceed +cautiously till they are joined by other bands of their +own nation, or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate +against the common enemy. Being now strong +in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloes in the +plains eastward of the mountains, near which they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>spend the winter, till the return of the salmon invites +them to the Columbia.</p> + +<p>In this loose and wandering existence, they suffer +the extremes of want: for two-thirds of the year they +are forced to live in the mountains, passing whole +weeks without meat, and with nothing to eat but a +few fish and roots.</p> + +<p>Yet the Shoshonees are not only cheerful, but gay; +and their character is more interesting than that of +any other Indians we have seen. They are frank and +communicative; fair in their dealings; and we have +had no reason to suspect that the display of our new +and valuable wealth has tempted them into a single +act of theft. While they have shared with us the +little they possess, they have always abstained from +begging any thing of us.</p> + +<p>Their wealth is in horses. Of these they have at +least seven hundred, among which are about forty +colts, and half that number of mules. The original +stock was procured from the Spaniards; but now they +raise their own, which are generally of good size, vigorous, +and patient of fatigue as well as of hunger. +Every warrior has one or two tied to a stake near his +hut day and night, so as to be always prepared for +action. The mules are obtained in the course of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>trade from the Spaniards of California. They are +highly valued. The worst are considered as worth +the price of two horses.</p> + +<p>The Shoshonee warrior always fights on horseback. +He possesses a few bad guns, which are reserved for +war; but his common arms are the bow and arrow, +a shield, a lance, and a weapon called <i>pogamogon</i>, +which consists of a handle of wood, with a stone +weighing about two pounds, and held in a cover of +leather, attached to the handle by a leather thong. +At the other end is a loop, which is passed round the +wrist, so as to secure the hold of the instrument, with +which they strike a very severe blow.</p> + +<p>The bow is made of cedar or pine, covered on the +outer side with sinews and glue. Sometimes it is +made of the horn of an elk, covered on the back like +those of wood. The arrows are more slender than +those of other Indians we have seen. They are kept, +with the implements for striking fire, in a narrow +quiver formed of different kinds of skin. It is just +long enough to protect the arrows from the weather, +and is fastened upon the back of the wearer by means +of a strap passing over the right shoulder, and under +the left arm. The shield is a circular piece of buffalo-skin, +about two feet four inches in diameter, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>ornamented with feathers, with a fringe round it of +dressed leather, and adorned with paintings of strange +figures.</p> + +<p>Besides these, they have a kind of armor, something +like a coat of mail, which is formed by a great +many folds of antelope-skins, united by a mixture of +glue and sand. With this they cover their own bodies +and those of their horses, and find it impervious to +the arrow.</p> + +<p>The caparison of their horses is a halter and saddle. +The halter is made of strands of buffalo-hair +platted together; or is merely a thong of raw hide, +made pliant by pounding and rubbing. The halter is +very long, and is never taken from the neck of the +horse when in constant use. One end of it is first +tied round the neck in a knot, and then brought +down to the under-jaw, round which it is formed into +a simple noose, passing through the mouth. It is +then drawn up on the right side, and held by the +rider in his left hand, while the rest trails after him +to some distance. With these cords dangling alongside +of them, the horse is put to his full speed, without +fear of falling; and, when he is turned to graze, +the noose is merely taken from his mouth.</p> + +<p>The saddle is formed, like the pack-saddles used by +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>the French and Spaniards, of two flat, thin boards, +which fit the sides of the horse, and are kept together +by two cross-pieces, one before and the other behind, +which rise to a considerable height, making the saddle +deep and narrow. Under this, a piece of buffalo-skin, +with the hair on, is placed, so as to prevent the +rubbing of the board; and, when the rider mounts, +he throws a piece of skin or robe over the saddle, +which has no permanent cover. When stirrups are +used, they consist of wood covered with leather; but +stirrups and saddles are conveniences reserved for +women and old men. The young warriors rarely use +any thing except a small, leather pad stuffed with +hair, and secured by a girth made of a leathern thong. +In this way, they ride with great expertness; and +they have particular dexterity in catching the horse +when he is running at large. They make a noose in +the rope, and although the horse may be at some distance, +or even running, rarely fail to fix it on his neck; +and such is the docility of the animal, that, however +unruly he may seem, he surrenders as soon as he feels +the rope on him.</p> + +<p>The horse becomes an object of attachment. A +favorite is frequently painted, and his ears cut into +various shapes. The mane and tail, which are never +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>drawn nor trimmed, are decorated with feathers of +birds; and sometimes a warrior suspends at the +breast of his horse the finest ornaments he possesses.</p> + +<p>Thus armed and mounted, the Shoshonee is a formidable +enemy, even with the feeble weapons which +he is still obliged to use. When they attack at full +speed, they bend forward, and cover their bodies with +the shield, while with the right hand they shoot under +the horse's neck.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">INDIAN HORSES AND RIDERS.</p> + +<p>They are so well supplied with horses, that every +man, woman, and child is mounted; and all they have +is packed upon horses. Small children, not more than +three years old, are mounted alone, and generally +upon colts. They are tied upon the saddle to keep +them from falling, especially when they go to sleep, +which they often do when they become fatigued. +Then they lie down upon the horse's shoulders; and, +when they awake, they lay hold of their whip, which +is fastened to the wrist of their right hand, and apply +it smartly to their horses: and it is astonishing to see +how these little creatures will guide and run them. +Children that are still younger are put into an incasement +made with a board at the back, and a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>wicker-work +around the other parts, covered with cloth +inside and without, or, more generally, with dressed +skins; and they are carried upon the mother's back, +or suspended from a high knob upon the fore part of +their saddles.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>CLARKE'S RIVER.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>AUG. 31.—Capt. Lewis, during the absence of +his brother-officer, had succeeded in procuring +from the Indians, by barter, twenty-nine horses,—not +quite one for each man. Capt. Clarke having now +rejoined us, and the weather being fine, we loaded +our horses, and prepared to start. We took our leave +of the Shoshonees, and accompanied by the old guide, +his four sons, and another Indian, began the descent +of the river, which Capt. Clarke had named Lewis's +River. After riding twelve miles, we encamped on +the bank; and, as the hunters had brought in three +deer early in the morning, we did not feel in want of +provisions.</p> + +<p>On the 31st of August, we made eighteen miles. +Here we left the track of Capt. Clarke, and began to +explore the new route recommended by the Indian +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>guide, and which was our last hope of getting out of +the mountains.</p> + +<p>During all day, we rode over hills, from which are +many drains and small streams, and, at the distance +of eighteen miles, came to a large creek, called Fish +Creek, emptying into the main river, which is about +six miles from us.</p> + +<p>Sept. 2.—This morning, all the Indians left us, except +the old guide, who now conducted us up Fish +Creek. We arrived shortly after at the forks of the +creek. The road we were following now turned in a +contrary direction to our course, and we were left +without any track; but, as no time was to be lost, we +began to cut our road up the west branch of the +creek. This we effected with much difficulty. The +thickets of trees and brush through which we were +obliged to cut our way required great labor. Our +course was over the steep and rocky sides of the +hills, where the horses could not move without danger +of slipping down, while their feet were bruised +by the rocks, and stumps of trees. Accustomed as +these animals were to this kind of life, they suffered +severely. Several of them fell to some distance down +the sides of the hills, some turned over with the baggage, +one was crippled, and two gave out exhausted +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>with fatigue. After crossing the creek several times, +we had made five miles with great labor, and encamped +in a small, stony, low ground. It was not, +however, till after dark that the whole party was collected; +and then, as it rained, and we killed nothing, +we passed an uncomfortable night. We had been too +busily occupied with the horses to make any hunting +excursion; and, though we saw many beaver-dams in +the creek, we saw none of the animals.</p> + +<p>Next day, our experiences were much the same, +with the addition of a fall of snow at evening. The +day following, we reached the head of a stream which +directed its course more to the westward, and followed +it till we discovered a large encampment of +Indians. When we reached them, and alighted from +our horses, we were received with great cordiality. +A council was immediately assembled, white robes +were thrown over our shoulders, and the pipe of +peace introduced. After this ceremony, as it was too +late to go any farther, we encamped, and continued +smoking and conversing with the chiefs till a late +hour.</p> + +<p>Next morning, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, +and informed them who we were, and the purpose +for which we visited their country. All this +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>was, however, conveyed to them in so many different +languages, that it was not comprehended without difficulty. +We therefore proceeded to the more intelligible +language of presents, and made four chiefs by +giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to +each. We received in turn, from the principal chiefs, +a present, consisting of the skins of an otter and two +antelopes; and were treated by the women to some +dried roots and berries. We then began to traffic for +horses, and succeeded in exchanging seven, and purchasing +eleven.</p> + +<p>These Indians are a band of the Tushepaws, a +numerous people of four hundred and fifty tents, residing +on the head waters of the Missouri and Columbia +Rivers, and some of them lower down the latter +river. They seemed kind and friendly, and willingly +shared with us berries and roots, which formed their +only stock of provisions. Their only wealth is their +horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this +band had with them at least five hundred.</p> + +<p>We proceeded next day, and, taking a north-west +direction, crossed, within a distance of a mile and a +half, a small river from the right. This river is the +main stream; and, when it reaches the end of the valley, +it is joined by two other streams. To the river +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>thus formed we gave the name of Clarke's River; he +being the first white man who ever visited its +waters.</p> + +<p>We followed the course of the river, which is from +twenty-five to thirty yards wide, shallow, and stony, +with the low grounds on its borders narrow; and encamped +on its right bank, after making ten miles. +Our stock of flour was now exhausted, and we had +but little corn; and, as our hunters had killed nothing +except two pheasants, our supper consisted chiefly of +berries.</p> + +<p>The next day, and the next, we followed the river, +which widened to fifty yards, with a valley four or five +miles broad. At ten miles from our camp was a creek, +which emptied itself on the west side of the river. +It was a fine bold creek of clear water, about twenty +yards wide; and we called it Traveller's Rest: for, as +our guide told us we should here leave the river, we +determined to make some stay for the purpose of collecting +food, as the country through which we were +to pass has no game for a great distance.</p> + +<p>Toward evening, one of the hunters returned with +three Indians whom he had met. We found that +they were Tushepaw Flatheads in pursuit of strayed +horses. We gave them some boiled venison and a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>few presents, such as a fish hook, a steel to strike fire, +and a little powder; but they seemed better pleased +with a piece of ribbon which we tied in the hair of +each of them. Their people, they said, were numerous, +and resided on the great river in the plain below +the mountains. From that place, they added, the +river was navigable to the ocean. The distance from +this place is five "sleeps," or days' journeys.</p> + +<p>On resuming our route, we proceeded up the right +side of the creek (thus leaving Clarke's River), over +a country, which, at first plain and good, became afterwards +as difficult as any we had yet traversed.</p> + +<p>We had now reached the sources of Traveller's-rest +Creek, and followed the road, which became less rugged. +At our encampment this night, the game having +entirely failed us, we killed a colt, on which we +made a hearty supper. We reached the river, which +is here eighty yards wide, with a swift current and +a rocky channel. Its Indian name is Kooskooskee.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER.</p> + +<p>Sept. 16.—This morning, snow fell, and continued +all day; so that by evening it was six or eight inches +deep. It covered the track so completely, that we +were obliged constantly to halt and examine, lest we +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>should lose the route. The road is, like that of yesterday, +along steep hillsides, obstructed with fallen timber, +and a growth of eight different species of pine, so +thickly strewed, that the snow falls from them upon +us as we pass, keeping us continually wet to the skin. +We encamped in a piece of low ground, thickly timbered, +but scarcely large enough to permit us to lie +level. We had made thirteen miles. We were wet, +cold, and hungry; yet we could not procure any game, +and were obliged to kill another horse for our supper. +This want of provisions, the extreme fatigue to +which we were subjected, and the dreary prospect +before us, began to dispirit the men. They are growing +weak, and losing their flesh very fast.</p> + +<p>After three days more of the same kind of experience, +on Friday, 20th September, an agreeable +change occurred. Capt. Clarke, who had gone forward +in hopes of finding game, came suddenly upon +a beautiful open plain partially stocked with pine. +Shortly after, he discovered three Indian boys, who, +observing the party, ran off, and hid themselves in the +grass. Capt. Clarke immediately alighted, and, giving +his horse and gun to one of the men, went after +the boys. He soon relieved their apprehensions, and +sent them forward to the village, about a mile off, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>with presents of small pieces of ribbon. Soon after +the boys had reached home, a man came out to meet +the party, with great caution; but he conducted them +to a large tent in the village, and all the inhabitants +gathered round to view with a mixture of fear and +pleasure the wonderful strangers. The conductor +now informed Capt. Clarke, by signs, that the spacious +tent was the residence of the great chief, who +had set out three days ago, with all the warriors, to +attack some of their enemies towards the south-west; +that, in the mean time, there were only a few men left +to guard the women and children. They now set before +them a small piece of buffalo-meat, some dried +salmon, berries, and several kinds of roots. Among +these last was one which is round, much like an onion +in appearance, and sweet to the taste. It is called +<i>quamash</i>, and is eaten either in its natural state, or +boiled into a kind of soup, or made into a cake, which +is called <i>pasheco</i>. After our long abstinence, this was +a sumptuous repast. We returned the kindness of +the people with a few small presents, and then went +on, in company with one of the chiefs, to a second village +in the same plain, at a distance of two miles. +Here the party was treated with great kindness, and +passed the night.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>The two villages consist of about thirty double +tents; and the people call themselves Chopunnish, or +Pierced-nose. The chief drew a chart of the river +on the sand, and explained that a greater chief than +himself, who governed this village, and was called +the Twisted-hair, was now fishing at the distance of +half a day's ride down the river. His chart made the +Kooskooskee to fork a little below his camp, below +which the river passed the mountains. Here was a +great fall of water, near which lived white people, +from whom they procured the white beads and brass +ornaments worn by the women.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke engaged an Indian to guide him to the +Twisted-hair's camp. For twelve miles, they proceeded +through the plain before they reached the +river-hills, which are very high and steep. The +whole valley from these hills to the Rocky Mountains +is a beautiful level country, with a rich soil covered +with grass. There is, however, but little timber, and +the ground is badly watered. The plain is so much +sheltered by the surrounding hills, that the weather +is quite warm (Sept. 21), while the cold of the mountains +was extreme.</p> + +<p>From the top of the river-hills we descended for +three miles till we reached the water-side, between +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>eleven and twelve o'clock at night. Here we found +a small camp of five women and three children; the +chief himself being encamped, with two others, on a +small island in the river. The guide called to him, +and he came over. Capt. Clarke gave him a medal, +and they smoked together till one o'clock.</p> + +<p>Next day, Capt. Clarke passed over to the island +with the Twisted-hair, who seemed to be cheerful and +sincere. The hunters brought in three deer; after +which Capt. Clarke left his party, and, accompanied +by the Twisted-hair and his son, rode back to the village, +where he found Capt. Lewis and his party just +arrived.</p> + +<p>The plains were now crowded with Indians, who +came to see the white men and the strange things +they brought with them; but, as our guide was a perfect +stranger to their language, we could converse by +signs only. Our inquiries were chiefly directed to +the situation of the country. The Twisted-hair drew +a chart of the river on a white elk-skin. According +to this, the Kooskooskee forks a few miles from +this place: two days' journey towards the south is +another and larger fork, on which the Shoshonee +Indians fish; five days' journey farther is a large +river from the north-west, into which Clarke's River +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>empties itself. From the junction with that river to +the falls is five days' journey farther. On all the +forks, as well as on the main river, great numbers of +Indians reside; and at the falls are establishments of +whites. This was the story of the Twisted-hair.</p> + +<p>Provision here was abundant. We purchased a +quantity of fish, berries, and roots; and in the afternoon +went on to the second village. We continued +our purchases, and obtained as much provision as our +horses could carry in their present weak condition. +Great crowds of the natives are round us all night; +but we have not yet missed any thing, except a knife +and a few other small articles.</p> + +<p>Sept. 24.—The weather is fair. All round the village +the women are busily employed in gathering and +dressing the pasheco-root, large quantities of which +are heaped up in piles all over the plain.</p> + +<p>We feel severely the consequence of eating heartily +after our late privations. Capt. Lewis and two of his +men were taken very ill last evening, and to-day he +can hardly sit on his horse. Others could not mount +without help; and some were forced to lie down by +the side of the road for some time.</p> + +<p>Our situation rendered it necessary to husband our +remaining strength; and it was determined to proceed +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>down the river in canoes. Capt. Clarke therefore set +out with Twisted-hair and two young men in quest +of timber for canoes.</p> + +<p>Sept. 27, 28, and 29.—Sickness continued. Few +of the men were able to work; yet preparations were +made for making five canoes. A number of Indians +collect about us in the course of the day to gaze at +the strange appearance of every thing belonging to +us.</p> + +<p>Oct. 4.—The men were now much better, and +Capt. Lewis so far recovered as to walk about a little. +The canoes being nearly finished, it became necessary +to dispose of the horses. They were therefore +collected to the number of thirty-eight, and, being +branded and marked, were delivered to three Indians,—the +two brothers and the son of a chief; +the chief having promised to accompany us down the +river. To each of these men we gave a knife and +some small articles; and they agreed to take good +care of the horses till our return.</p> + +<p>We had all our saddles buried in a <i>cache</i> near the +river, about half a mile below, and deposited at +the same time a canister of powder and a bag of +balls.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>THE VOYAGE DOWN THE KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER.</p> + +<p>Oct. 7.—This morning, all the canoes were put in +the water, and loaded, the oars fitted, and every preparation +made for setting out. When we were all +ready, the chief who had promised to accompany us +was not to be found: we therefore proceeded without +him. The Kooskooskee is a clear, rapid stream, with +a number of shoals and difficult places. This day +and the next, we made a distance of fifty miles. We +passed several encampments of Indians on the islands +and near the rapids, which situations are chosen +as the most convenient for taking salmon. At one of +these camps we found the chief, who, after promising +to descend the river with us, had left us. He, however, +willingly came on board, after we had gone +through the ceremony of smoking.</p> + +<p>Oct. 10.—A fine morning. We loaded the canoes, +and set off at seven o'clock. After passing twenty +miles, we landed below the junction of a large fork +of the river, from the south. Our arrival soon attracted +the attention of the Indians, who flocked from +all directions to see us. Being again reduced to fish +and roots, we made an experiment to vary our food +by purchasing a few dogs; and, after having been +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>accustomed to horse-flesh, felt no disrelish to this new +dish. The Chopunnish have great numbers of dogs, +but never use them for food; and our feeding on the +flesh of that animal brought us into ridicule as dog-eaters.</p> + +<p>This southern branch is, in fact, the main stream of +Lewis's River, on whose upper waters we encamped +when among the Shoshonees. At its mouth, Lewis's +River is about two hundred and fifty yards wide, and +its water is of a greenish-blue color. The Kooskooskee, +whose waters are clear as crystal, is one hundred +and fifty yards in width; and, after the union, the +joint-stream extends to the width of three hundred +yards.</p> + +<p>The Chopunnish, or Pierced-nose Indians, who reside +on the Kooskooskee and Lewis's Rivers, are in +person stout, portly, well-looking men. The women +are small, with good features, and generally handsome, +though the complexion of both sexes is darker +than that of the Tushepaws. In dress, they resemble +that nation, being fond of displaying their ornaments. +The buffalo or elk-skin robe, decorated with beads, +sea-shells (chiefly mother-of-pearl), attached to an +otter-skin collar, is the dress of the men. The same +ornaments are hung in the hair, which falls in front +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>in two cues: they add feathers, paints of different +colors (principally white, green, and blue), which +they find in their own country. In winter, they +wear a shirt of dressed skins; long, painted leggings, +and moccasons; and a plait of twisted grass +round the neck.</p> + +<p>The dress of the women is more simple, consisting +of a long shirt of the mountain-sheep skin, reaching +down to the ankles, without a girdle. To this are +tied little pieces of brass and shells, and other small +articles; but the head is not at all ornamented.</p> + +<p>The Chopunnish have few amusements; for their +life is painful and laborious, and all their exertions +are necessary to earn a precarious subsistence. During +the summer and autumn, they are busily occupied +in fishing for salmon, and collecting their winter store +of roots. In winter, they hunt the deer on snow-shoes +over the plains; and, towards spring, cross the +mountains to the Missouri in pursuit of the buffalo.</p> + +<p>The soil of these prairies is a light-yellow clay. +It is barren, and produces little more than a bearded +grass about three inches high, and the prickly-pear, +of which we found three species. The first is the +broad-leaved kind, common to this river with the Missouri; +the second has a leaf of a globular form, and is +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>also frequent on the upper part of the Missouri; the +third is peculiar to this country. It consists of small, +thick leaves of a circular form, which grow from the +margin of each other. These leaves are armed with a +great number of thorns, which are strong, and appear +to be barbed. As the leaf itself is very slightly attached +to the stem, as soon as one thorn touches the +moccason, it adheres, and brings with it the leaf, which +is accompanied with a re-enforcement of thorns. This +species was a greater annoyance on our march than +either of the others.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE KOOSKOOSKEE WITH<br /> LEWIS'S +RIVER TO THE COLUMBIA.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>From the mouth of the Kooskooskee to that of +the Lewis is about a hundred miles; which distance +they descended in seven days. The navigation +was greatly impeded by rapids, which they passed +with more or less danger and difficulty; being greatly +indebted to the assistance of the Indians, as they +thankfully acknowledge. Sometimes they were obliged +to unload their boats, and to carry them round by land. +All these rapids are fishing-places, greatly resorted to +in the season.</p> + +<p>On the 17th of October (1805), having reached the +junction of Lewis's River with the Columbia, they +found by observation that they were in latitude 46° +15´, and longitude 119°. They measured the two +rivers by angles, and found, that, at the junction, +the Columbia is 960 yards wide; and Lewis's River, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>575: but, below their junction, the joint river is from +one to three miles in width, including the islands. +From the point of junction, the country is a continued +plain, rising gradually from the water. There is +through this plain no tree, and scarcely any shrub, +except a few willow-bushes; and, even of smaller +plants, there is not much besides the prickly-pear, +which is abundant.</p> + +<p>In the course of the day, Capt. Clarke, in a small +canoe, with two men, ascended the Columbia. At the +distance of five miles, he came to a small but not dangerous +rapid. On the bank of the river opposite to +this is a fishing-place, consisting of three neat houses. +Here were great quantities of salmon drying on scaffolds; +and, from the mouth of the river upwards, he +saw immense numbers of dead salmon strewed along +the shore, or floating on the water.</p> + +<p>The Indians, who had collected on the banks to +view him, now joined him in eighteen canoes, and +accompanied him up the river. A mile above the +rapids, he observed three houses of mats, and landed +to visit them. On entering one of the houses, he +found it crowded with men, women, and children, +who immediately provided a mat for him to sit on; and +one of the party undertook to prepare something to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>eat. He began by bringing in a piece of pine-wood +that had drifted down the river, which he split into +small pieces with a wedge made of the elk's horn, +by means of a mallet of stone curiously carved. The +pieces were then laid on the fire, and several round +stones placed upon them. One of the squaws now +brought a bucket of water, in which was a large +salmon about half dried; and, as the stones became +heated, they were put into the bucket till the salmon +was sufficiently boiled. It was then taken out, put +on a platter of rushes neatly made, and laid before +Capt. Clarke. Another was boiled for each of his +men. Capt. Clarke found the fish excellent.</p> + +<p>At another island, four miles distant, the inhabitants +were occupied in splitting and drying salmon. +The multitudes of this fish are almost inconceivable. +The water is so clear, that they can readily be seen at +the depth of fifteen or twenty feet; but at this season +they float in such quantities down the stream, +and are drifted ashore, that the Indians have nothing +to do but collect, split, and dry them. The Indians +assured him by signs that they often used dry fish as +fuel for the common occasions of cooking. The evening +coming on, he returned to camp.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke, in the course of his excursion, shot +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>several grouse and ducks; also a prairie-cock,—a +bird of the pheasant kind, about the size of a small +turkey. It measured, from the beak to the end of +the toe, two feet six inches; from the extremity of the +wings, three feet six inches; and the feathers of the +tail were thirteen inches long. This bird we have +seen nowhere except upon this river. Its chief +food is the grasshopper, and the seeds of wild plants +peculiar to this river and the Upper Missouri.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ADVENTURE OF CAPT. CLARKE.</p> + +<p>Oct. 19.—Having resumed their descent of the +Columbia, they came to a very dangerous rapid. In +order to lighten the boats, Capt. Clarke landed, and +walked to the foot of the rapid. Arriving there before +either of the boats, except a canoe, he sat down +on a rock to wait for them; and, seeing a crane fly +across the river, shot it, and it fell near him. Several +Indians had been, before this, passing on the opposite +side; and some of them, alarmed at his appearance +or the report of the gun, fled to their houses. Capt. +Clarke was afraid that these people might not have +heard that white men were coming: therefore, in +order to allay their uneasiness before the whole +party should arrive, he got into the canoe with three +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>men, and rowed over towards the houses, and, while +crossing, shot a duck, which fell into the water. As +he approached, no person was to be seen, except +three men; and they also fled as he came near the +shore. He landed before five houses close to each +other; but no person appeared: and the doors, which +were of mat, were closed. He went towards one of +them with a pipe in his hand, and, pushing aside the +mat, entered the lodge, where he found thirty-two +persons, men and women, with a few children, all in +the greatest consternation; some hanging down their +heads; others crying, and wringing their hands. He +went up to them all, and shook hands with them +in the most friendly manner. Their apprehensions +gradually subsided, but revived on his taking out a +burning-glass (there being no roof to the lodge), and +lighting his pipe. Having at length restored some +confidence by the gift of some small presents, he visited +some other houses, where he found the inhabitants +similarly affected. Confidence was not completely +attained until the boats arrived, and then the +two chiefs who accompanied the party explained +the friendly intentions of the expedition. The sight +of Chaboneau's wife also dissipated any remaining +doubts, as it is not the practice among the Indians to +allow women to accompany a war-party.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>To account for their fears, they told the two chiefs +that they had seen the white men fall from the sky. +Having heard the report of Capt. Clarke's rifle, and +seen the birds fall, and not having seen him till after +the shot, they fancied that he had himself dropped +from the clouds.</p> + +<p>This belief was strengthened, when, on entering the +lodge, he brought down fire from heaven by means of +his burning-glass. We soon convinced them that we +were only mortals; and, after one of our chiefs had +explained our history and objects, we all smoked +together in great harmony.</p> + +<p>Our encampment that night was on the river-bank +opposite an island, on which were twenty-four houses +of Indians, all of whom were engaged in drying fish. +We had scarcely landed when about a hundred of +them came over to visit us, bringing with them a +present of some wood, which was very acceptable. +We received them in as kind a manner as we could, +smoked with them, and gave the principal chief a +string of wampum; but the highest satisfaction they +enjoyed was in the music of our two violins, with +which they seemed much delighted. They remained +all night at our fires.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>AN INDIAN BURYING-PLACE.</p> + +<p>We walked to the head of the island for the purpose +of examining a vault, or burying-place, which +we had remarked in coming along. The place in +which the dead are deposited is a building about +sixty feet long and twelve feet wide, formed by +placing in the ground poles, or forks, six feet high, +across which a long pole is extended the whole +length of the structure. Against this ridge-pole are +placed broad boards, and pieces of wood, in a slanting +direction, so as to form a shed. The structure +stands east and west, open at both ends. On entering +the western end, we observed a number of bodies +wrapped carefully in leather robes, and arranged in +rows on boards, which were then covered with a mat. +This part of the building was destined for those who +had recently died. A little farther on, limbs, half +decayed, were scattered about; and in the centre of +the building was a large pile of them heaped promiscuously. +At the eastern extremity was a mat, on +which twenty-one skulls were arranged in a circular +form: the mode of interment being first to wrap the +body in robes; and, as it decays, the bones are thrown +into the heap, and the skulls placed together in order. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>From the different boards and pieces of wood which +form the vault were suspended on the inside fishing-nets, +baskets, wooden bowls, robes, skins, trenchers, +and trinkets of various kinds, intended as offerings +of affection to deceased relatives. On the outside of +the vault were the skeletons of several horses, and +great quantities of bones in the neighborhood, which +induced us to believe that these animals were sacrificed +at the funeral-rites of their masters.</p> + +<p>In other parts of the route, the travellers found a +different species of cemetery. The dead were placed +in canoes, and these canoes were raised above the +ground by a scaffolding of poles. The motive was +supposed to be to protect them from wild beasts.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">FALLS OF THE COLUMBIA.</p> + +<p>About a hundred and fifty miles below the junction +of Lewis's River, we reached the Great Falls. At the +commencement of the pitch, which includes the falls, +we landed, and walked down to examine them, and +ascertain on which side we could make a portage +most easily. From the lower end of the island, where +the rapids begin, to the perpendicular fall, is about +two miles. Here the river contracts, when the water +is low, to a very narrow space; and, with only a short +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>distance of swift water, it makes its plunge twenty +feet perpendicularly; after which it rushes on, among +volcanic rocks, through a channel four miles in length, +and then spreads out into a gentle, broad current.</p> + +<p>We will interrupt the narrative here to introduce +from later travellers some pictures of the remarkable +region to which our explorers had now arrived. It +was not to be expected that Capts. Lewis and Clarke +should have taxed themselves, in their anxious and +troubled march, to describe natural wonders, however +striking.</p> + +<p>Lieut. Frémont thus describes this remarkable +spot:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="smcap">The Dalles.</span>—"In a few miles we descended to the river, +which we reached at one of its highly interesting features, known +as the Dalles of the Columbia. The whole volume of the river +at this place passes between the walls of a chasm, which has the +appearance of having been rent through the basaltic strata which +form the valley-rock of the region. At the narrowest place, we +found the breadth, by measurement, fifty-eight yards, and the +average height of the walls above the water twenty-five feet, +forming a trough between the rocks; whence the name, probably +applied by a Canadian voyageur."</p></div> + +<p>The same scene is described by Theodore Winthrop +in his "Canoe and Saddle:"—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The Dalles of the Columbia, upon which I was now looking, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>must be studied by the American Dante, whenever he comes, for +imagery to construct his Purgatory, if not his Inferno. At +Walla-walla, two great rivers, Clarke's and Lewis's, drainers of +the continent north and south, unite to form the Columbia. It +flows furiously for a hundred and twenty miles westward. +When it reaches the dreary region where the outlying ridges +of the Cascade chain commence, it finds a great, low surface, +paved with enormous polished sheets of basaltic rock. These +plates, in French, <i>dalles</i>, give the spot its name. The great +river, a mile wide not far above, finds but a narrow rift in this +pavement for its passage. The rift gradually draws its sides +closer, and, at the spot now called the Dalles, subdivides into +three mere slits in the sharp-edged rock. At the highest water, +there are other minor channels; but generally this continental +flood is cribbed and compressed within its three chasms suddenly +opening in the level floor, each chasm hardly wider than +a leap a hunted fiend might take."</p></div> + +<p>It is not easy to picture to one's self, from these +descriptions, the peculiar scenery of the Dalles. Frémont +understands the name as signifying a <i>trough</i>; +while Winthrop interprets it as <i>plates</i>, or <i>slabs</i>, of +rock. The following description by Lieut. (now Gen.) +Henry L. Abbot, in his "Report of Explorations for +a Railroad Route," &c., will show that the term, in +each of its meanings, is applicable to different parts +of the channel:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"At the Dalles of the Columbia, the river rushes through a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>chasm only about two hundred feet wide, with vertical, basaltic +sides, rising from twenty to thirty feet above the water. Steep +hills closely border the chasm, leaving in some places scarcely +room on the terrace to pass on horseback. The water rushes +through this basaltic trough with such violence, that it is always +dangerous, and in some stages of the water impossible, for a boat +to pass down. The contraction of the river-bed extends for +about three miles. Near the lower end of it, the channel divides +into several sluices, and then gradually becomes broader, +until, where it makes a great bend to the south, it is over a +quarter of a mile in width."</p></div> + +<p>After this interruption, the journal is resumed:—</p> + +<p>"We soon discovered that the nearest route was on +the right side, and therefore dropped down to the +head of the rapid, unloaded the canoes, and took all +the baggage over by land to the foot of the rapid. +The distance is twelve hundred yards, part of it over +loose sands, disagreeable to pass. The labor of crossing +was lightened by the Indians, who carried some +of the heavy articles for us on their horses. Having +ascertained the best mode of bringing down the canoes, +the operation was conducted by Capt. Clarke, +by hauling the canoes over a point of land four hundred +and fifty-seven yards to the water. One mile +farther down, we reached a pitch of the river, which, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>being divided by two large rocks, descends with great +rapidity over a fall eight feet in height. As the boats +could not be navigated down this steep descent, we +were obliged to land, and let them down as gently as +possible by strong ropes of elk-skin, which we had +prepared for the purpose. They all passed in safety, +except one, which, being loosed by the breaking of +the ropes, was driven down, but was recovered by the +Indians below."</p> + +<p>Our travellers had now reached what have since +been called the Cascade Mountains; and we must +interrupt their narrative to give some notices of this +remarkable scenery from later explorers. We quote +from Abbot's Report:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"There is great similarity in the general topographical features +of the whole Pacific slope. The Sierra Nevada in California, +and the Cascade range in Oregon, form a continuous +wall of mountains nearly parallel to the coast, and from one +hundred to two hundred miles distant from it. The main crest +of this range is rarely elevated less than six thousand feet above +the level of the sea, and many of its peaks tower into the region +of eternal snow."</p></div> + +<p>Lieut. Abbot thus describes a view of these peaks +and of the Columbia River:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"At an elevation of five thousand feet above the sea, we +stood upon the summit of the pass. For days we had been +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>struggling blindly through dense forests; but now the surrounding +country lay spread out before us for more than a hundred +miles. The five grand snow-peaks, Mount St. Helens, Mount +Ranier, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, rose +majestically above a rolling sea of dark fir-covered ridges, some +of which the approaching winter had already begun to mark +with white. On every side, as far as the eye could reach, terrific +convulsions of Nature had recorded their fury; and not +even a thread of blue smoke from the camp-fire of a wandering +savage disturbed the solitude of the scene."</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Columbia River</span>.—"The Columbia River forces its +way through the Cascade range by a pass, which, for wild and +sublime natural scenery, equals the celebrated passage of the +Hudson through the Highlands. For a distance of about fifty +miles, mountains covered with clinging spruces, firs, and pines, +where not too precipitous to afford even these a foothold, rise +abruptly from the water's edge to heights varying from one +thousand to three thousand feet. Vertical precipices of columnar +basalt are occasionally seen, rising from fifty to a hundred +feet above the river level. In other places, the long mountain-walls +of the river are divided by lateral cañons (pronounced +<i>canyons</i>), containing small tributaries, and occasionally little +open spots of good land, liable to be overflowed at high water."</p></div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Cañons</span>.—The plains east of the Cascade Mountains, +through the whole extent of Oregon and California, +are covered with a volcanic deposit composed +of trap, basalt, and other rocks of the same class. +This deposit is cleft by chasms often more than a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>thousand feet deep, at the bottom of which there +usually flows a stream of clear, cold water. This is +sometimes the only water to be procured for the distance +of many miles; and the traveller may be perishing +with thirst while he sees far below him a +sparkling stream, from which he is separated by precipices +of enormous height and perpendicular descent. +To chasms of this nature the name of <i>cañons</i> +has been applied, borrowed from the Spaniards of +Mexico. We quote Lieut. Abbot's description of the +cañon of Des Chutes River, a tributary of the Columbia:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Sept. 30.—As it was highly desirable to determine accurately +the position and character of the cañon of Des Chutes +River, I started this morning with one man to follow down the +creek to its mouth, leaving the rest of the party in camp. Having +yesterday experienced the inconveniences of travelling in +the bottom of a cañon, I concluded to try to-day the northern +bluff. It was a dry, barren plain, gravelly, and sometimes +sandy, with a few bunches of grass scattered here and there. +Tracks of antelopes or deer were numerous. After crossing +one small ravine, and riding about five miles from camp, we +found ourselves on the edge of the vast cañon of the river, +which, far below us, was rushing through a narrow trough of +basalt, resembling the Dalles of the Columbia. We estimated +the depth of the cañon at a thousand feet. On each side, the +precipices were very steep, and marked in many places by horizontal +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>lines of vertical, basaltic columns, fifty or sixty feet in +height. The man who was with me rolled a large rock, shaped +like a grindstone, and weighing about two hundred pounds, +from the summit. It thundered down for at least a quarter of a +mile,—now over a vertical precipice, now over a steep mass of +detritus, until at length it plunged into the river with a hollow +roar, which echoed and re-echoed through the gorge for miles. +By ascending a slight hill, I obtained a fine view of the surrounding +country. The generally level character of the great +basaltic table-land around us was very manifest from this point. +Bounded on the west by the Cascade Mountains, the plain +extends far towards the south,—a sterile, treeless waste."</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Cascades</span>.—"About forty miles below the Dalles, all +navigation is suspended by a series of rapids called the Cascades. +The wild grandeur of this place surpasses description. +The river rushes furiously over a narrow bed filled with bowlders, +and bordered by mountains which echo back the roar of +the waters. The descent at the principal rapids is thirty-four +feet; and the total fall at the Cascades, sixty-one feet. Salmon +pass up the river in great numbers; and the Cascades, at certain +seasons of the year, are a favorite fishing resort with the +Indians, who build slight stagings over the water's edge, and +spear the fish, or catch them in rude dip-nets, as they slowly +force their way up against the current."</p></div> + +<p>We now return to our travellers.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">INDIAN MODE OF PACKING SALMON.</p> + +<p>Near our camp are five large huts of Indians engaged +in drying fish, and preparing it for market. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>The manner of doing this is by first opening the fish, +and exposing it to the sun on scaffolds. When it is +sufficiently dried, it is pounded between two stones +till it is pulverized, and is then placed in a basket, +about two feet long and one in diameter, neatly made +of grass and rushes, and lined with the skin of the +salmon, stretched and dried for the purpose. Here +they are pressed down as hard as possible, and the +top covered with skins of fish, which are secured by +cords through the holes of the basket. These baskets +are then placed in some dry situation, the corded part +upwards; seven being usually placed as close as they +can be together, and five on the top of them. The +whole is then wrapped up in mats, and made fast by +cords. Twelve of these baskets, each of which contains +from ninety to a hundred pounds, form a stack, +which is now left exposed till it is sent to market. +The fish thus preserved are kept sound and sweet for +several years; and great quantities of it, they inform +us, are sent to the Indians who live lower down the +river, whence it finds its way to the whites who visit +the mouth of the Columbia. We observe, both near +the lodges and on the rocks in the river, great numbers +of stacks of these pounded fish.</p> + +<p>Beside the salmon, there are great quantities of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span>salmon-trout, and another smaller species of trout, +which they save in another way. A hole of any size +being dug, the sides and bottom are lined with straw, +over which skins are laid. On these the fish, after +being well dried, is laid, covered with other skins, +and the hole closed with a layer of earth, twelve or +fifteen inches deep. These supplies are for their +winter food.</p> + +<p>The stock of fish, dried and pounded, was so abundant, +that Capt. Clarke counted one hundred and +seven stacks of them, making more than ten thousand +pounds.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE INDIAN BOATMEN.</p> + +<p>The canoes used by these people are built of white +cedar or pine, very light, wide in the middle, and +tapering towards the ends; the bow being raised, +and ornamented with carvings of the heads of animals. +As the canoe is the vehicle of transportation, +the Indians have acquired great dexterity in the +management of it, and guide it safely over the +roughest waves.</p> + +<p>We had an opportunity to-day of seeing the boldness +of the Indians. One of our men shot a goose, +which fell into the river, and was floating rapidly +towards the great shoot, when an Indian, observing +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>it, plunged in after it. The whole mass of the waters +of the Columbia, just preparing to descend its narrow +channel, carried the bird down with great rapidity. +The Indian followed it fearlessly to within a hundred +and fifty feet of the rocks, where, had he arrived, he +would inevitably have been dashed to pieces; but, +seizing his prey, he turned round, and swam ashore +with great composure. We very willingly relinquished +our right to the bird in favor of the Indian, +who had thus secured it at the hazard of his life. +He immediately set to work, and picked off about +half the feathers, and then, without opening it, ran a +stick through it, and carried it off to roast.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">INDIAN HOUSES.</p> + +<p>While the canoes were coming on, impeded by the +difficulties of the navigation, Capt. Clarke, with two +men, walked down the river-shore, and came to a +village belonging to a tribe called Echeloots. The village +consisted of twenty-one houses, scattered promiscuously +over an elevated position. The houses +were nearly equal in size, and of similar construction. +A large hole, twenty feet wide and thirty in length, +is dug to the depth of six feet. The sides are lined +with split pieces of timber in an erect position, rising +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>a short distance above the surface of the ground. +These timbers are secured in their position by a +pole, stretched along the side of the building, near +the eaves, supported by a post at each corner. The +timbers at the gable-ends rise higher, the middle +pieces being the tallest. Supported by these, there +is a ridge-pole running the whole length of the house, +forming the top of the roof. From this ridge-pole to +the eaves of the house are placed a number of small +poles, or rafters, secured at each end by fibres of the +cedar. On these poles is laid a covering of white +cedar or arbor-vitæ, kept on by strands of cedar-fibres. +A small distance along the whole length of the ridge-pole +is left uncovered for the admission of light, and +to permit the smoke to escape. The entrance is by a +small door at the gable-end, thirty inches high, and +fourteen broad. Before this hole is hung a mat; and +on pushing it aside, and crawling through, the descent +is by a wooden ladder, made in the form of +those used among us.</p> + +<p>One-half of the inside is used as a place of deposit +for their dried fish, and baskets of berries: the other +half, nearest the door, remains for the accommodation +of the family. On each side are arranged, near the +walls, beds of mats, placed on platforms or bedsteads, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>raised about two feet from the ground. In the middle +of the vacant space is the fire, or sometimes two +or three fires, when, as is usually the case, the house +contains several families.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants received us with great kindness, +and invited us to their houses. On entering one of +them, we saw figures of men, birds, and different animals, +cut and painted on the boards which form the +sides of the room, the figures uncouth, and the workmanship +rough; but doubtless they were as much +esteemed by the Indians as our finest domestic adornments +are by us. The chief had several articles, such +as scarlet and blue cloth, a sword, a jacket, and hat, +which must have been procured from the whites. +On one side of the room were two wide split boards, +placed together so as to make space for a rude figure +of a man, cut and painted on them. On pointing to +this, and asking what it meant, he said something, +of which all we understood was "good," and then +stepped to the image, and brought out his bow and +quiver, which, with some other warlike implements, +were kept behind it. The chief then directed his +wife to hand him his <i>Medicine-bag</i>, from which he +brought out fourteen fore-fingers, which he told us +had once belonged to the same number of his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>enemies. +They were shown with great exultation; and +after an harangue, which we were left to presume +was in praise of his exploits, the fingers were carefully +replaced among the valuable contents of the red +Medicine-bag. This bag is an object of religious regard, +and it is a species of sacrilege for any one but +its owner to touch it.</p> + +<p>In all the houses are images of men, of different +shapes, and placed as ornaments in the parts of the +house where they are most likely to be seen.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">A SUBMERGED FOREST.</p> + +<p>Oct. 30.—The river is now about three-quarters of +a mile wide, with a current so gentle, that it does not +exceed a mile and a half an hour; but its course is +obstructed by large rocks, which seem to have fallen +from the mountains. What is, however, most singular, +is, that there are stumps of pine-trees scattered +to some distance in the river, which has the appearance +of having been dammed below, and forced to +encroach on the shore.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. Rev. S. Parker says, "We noticed a remarkable phenomenon,—trees +standing in their natural position in the river, +where the water is twenty feet deep. In many places, they +were so numerous, that we had to pick our way with our canoe +as through a forest. The water is so clear, that I had an opportunity +of examining their position down to their spreading roots, +and found them in the same condition as when standing in their +native forest. It is evident that there has been an uncommon +subsidence of a tract of land, more than twenty miles in length, +and more than a mile in width. That the trees are not wholly +decayed down to low-water mark, proves that the subsidence is +comparatively of recent date; and their undisturbed natural +position proves that it took place in a tranquil manner, not by +any tremendous convulsion of Nature."</p></div> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>THE RIVER WIDENS.—THEY MEET THE TIDE.</p> + +<p>Nov. 2, 1805.—Longitude about 122°. At this +point the first tidewater commences, and the river +widens to nearly a mile in extent. The low grounds, +too, become wider; and they, as well as the mountains +on each side, are covered with pine, spruce, +cotton-wood, a species of ash, and some alder. After +being so long accustomed to the dreary nakedness of +the country above, the change is as grateful to the +eye as it is useful in supplying us with fuel.</p> + +<p>The ponds in the low grounds on each side of the +river are resorted to by vast quantities of fowls, such +as swans, geese, brants, cranes, storks, white gulls, +cormorants, and plover. The river is wide, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>contains +a great number of sea-otters. In the evening, +the hunters brought in game for a sumptuous supper, +which we shared with the Indians, great numbers of +whom spent the night with us. During the night, +the tide rose eighteen inches near our camp.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">A LARGE VILLAGE.—COLUMBIA VALLEY.</p> + +<p>Nov. 4.—Next day, we landed on the left bank of +the river, at a village of twenty-five houses. All of +these were thatched with straw, and built of bark, +except one, which was about fifty feet long, built of +boards, in the form of those higher up the river; from +which it differed, however, in being completely above +ground, and covered with broad split boards. This +village contains about two hundred men of the Skilloot +nation, who seem well provided with canoes, of +which there were fifty-two (some of them very large) +drawn up in front of the village.</p> + +<p>On landing, we found an Indian from up the river, +who had been with us some days ago, and now invited +us into a house, of which he appeared to own a +part. Here he treated us with a root, round in shape, +about the size of a small Irish potato, which they call +<i>wappatoo</i>. It is the common arrowhead, or <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>sagittifolia, +so much esteemed by the Chinese, and, when +roasted in the embers till it becomes soft, has an +agreeable taste, and is a very good substitute for +bread.</p> + +<p>Here the ridge of low mountains running north-west +and south-east crosses the river, and forms the +western boundary of the plain through which we +have just passed.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> This great plain, or valley, is +about sixty miles wide in a straight line; while on +the right and left it extends to a great distance. It +is a fertile and delightful country, shaded by thick +groves of tall timber, watered by small ponds, and +lying on both sides of the river. The soil is rich, +and capable of any species of culture; but, in the +present condition of the Indians, its chief production +is the wappatoo-root, which grows spontaneously and +exclusively in this region. Sheltered as it is on both +sides, the temperature is much milder than that of +the surrounding country. Through its whole extent, +it is inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians, who +either reside in it permanently, or visit its waters +in quest of fish and wappatoo-roots. We gave it the +name of the Columbia Valley.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span>COFFIN ROCK.</p> + +<p>Among some interesting islands of basalt, there is +one called Coffin Rock, situated in the middle of the +river, rising ten or fifteen feet above high-freshet +water. It is almost entirely covered with canoes, in +which the dead are deposited, which gives it its +name. In the section of country from Wappatoo +Island to the Pacific Ocean, the Indians, instead of +committing their dead to the earth, deposit them in +canoes; and these are placed in such situations as are +most secure from beasts of prey, upon such precipices +as this island, upon branches of trees, or upon scaffolds +made for the purpose. The bodies of the dead +are covered with mats, and split planks are placed +over them. The head of the canoe is a little raised, +and at the foot there is a hole made for water to +escape.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THEY REACH THE OCEAN.</p> + +<p>Next day we passed the mouth of a large river, a +hundred and fifty yards wide, called by the Indians +Cowalitz. A beautiful, extensive plain now presented +itself; but, at the distance of a few miles, the hills +again closed in upon the river, so that we could not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>for several miles find a place sufficiently level to fix +our camp upon for the night.</p> + +<p>Thursday, Nov. 7.—The morning was rainy, and the +fog so thick, that we could not see across the river. +We proceeded down the river, with an Indian for our +pilot, till, after making about twenty miles, the fog +cleared off, and we enjoyed the delightful prospect +of the <span class="smcap">Ocean</span>, the object of all our labors, the reward +of all our endurance. This cheering view exhilarated +the spirits of all the party, who listened with delight +to the distant roar of the breakers.</p> + +<p>For ten days after our arrival at the coast, we were +harassed by almost incessant rain. On the 12th, a +violent gale of wind arose, accompanied with thunder, +lightning, and hail. The waves were driven with +fury against the rocks and trees, which had till then +afforded us a partial defence. Cold and wet; our +clothes and bedding rotten as well as wet; the canoes, +our only means of escape from the place, at the +mercy of the waves,—we were, however, fortunate +enough to enjoy good health.</p> + +<p>Saturday, Nov. 16.—The morning was clear and +beautiful. We put out our baggage to dry, and sent +several of the party to hunt. The camp was in full +view of the ocean. The wind was strong from the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>south-west, and the waves very high; yet the Indians +were passing up and down the bay in canoes, and +several of them encamped near us. The hunters +brought in two deer, a crane, some geese and ducks, +and several brant. The tide rises at this place eight +feet six inches, and rolls over the beach in great +waves.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">AN EXCURSION DOWN THE BAY.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke started on Monday, 18th November, on +an excursion by land down the bay, accompanied by +eleven men. The country is low, open, and marshy, +partially covered with high pine and a thick undergrowth. +At the distance of about fifteen miles they +reached the cape, which forms the northern boundary +of the river's mouth, called Cape Disappointment, so +named by Capt. Meares, after a fruitless search for +the river. It is an elevated circular knob, rising with +a steep ascent a hundred and fifty feet or more above +the water, covered with thick timber on the inner +side, but open and grassy in the exposure next the +sea. The opposite point of the bay is a very low +ground, about ten miles distant, called, by Capt. Gray, +Point Adams.</p> + +<p>The water for a great distance off the mouth of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>river appears very shallow; and within the mouth, +nearest to Point Adams, there is a large sand-bar, +almost covered at high tide. We could not ascertain +the direction of the deepest channel; for the waves +break with tremendous force across the bay.</p> + +<p>Mr. Parker speaks more fully of this peculiarity of +the river:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"A difficulty of such a nature as is not easily overcome +exists in regard to the navigation of this river; which is, the +sand-bar at its entrance. It is about five miles, across the bar, +from Cape Disappointment out to sea. In no part of that distance +is the water upon the bar over eight fathoms deep, and in +one place only five, and the channel only about half a mile in +width. So wide and open is the ocean, that there is always a +heavy swell: and, when the wind is above a gentle breeze, there +are breakers quite across the bar; so that there is no passing it, +except when the wind and tide are both favorable. Outside the +bar, there is no anchorage; and there have been instances, in +the winter season, of ships lying off and on thirty days, waiting +for an opportunity to pass: and a good pilot is always needed. +High, and in most parts perpendicular, basaltic rocks line the +shores."</p></div> + +<p>The following is Theodore Winthrop's description +of the Columbia, taken from his "Canoe and Saddle:"—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"A wall of terrible breakers marks the mouth of the Columbia,—Achilles +of rivers.</p> + +<p>"Other mighty streams may swim feebly away seaward, may +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>sink into foul marshes, may trickle through the ditches of an +oozy delta, may scatter among sand-bars the currents that once +moved majestic and united; but to this heroic flood was destined +a short life and a glorious one,—a life all one strong, +victorious struggle, from the mountains to the sea. It has no +infancy: two great branches collect its waters up and down +the continent. They join, and the Columbia is born—to full +manhood. It rushes forward jubilant through its magnificent +chasm, and leaps to its death in the Pacific."</p></div> + +<h4>FOOTNOTE:</h4> + +<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Since called the Coast range.</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>WINTER-QUARTERS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>November, 1805.—Having now examined the +coast, it becomes necessary to decide on the +spot for our winter-quarters. We must rely chiefly +for subsistence upon our arms, and be guided in the +choice of our residence by the supply of game which +any particular spot may offer. The Indians say that +the country on the opposite side of the river is better +supplied with elk,—an animal much larger, and more +easily killed, than the deer, with flesh more nutritive, +and a skin better fitted for clothing. The neighborhood +of the sea is, moreover, recommended by the facility +of supplying ourselves with salt, and the hope +of meeting some of the trading-vessels, which are expected +about three months hence, from which we +may procure a fresh supply of trinkets for our journey +homewards. These considerations induced us to +determine on visiting the opposite side of the bay; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>and, if there was an appearance of plenty of game, to +establish ourselves there for the winter.</p> + +<p>Monday, 25th November, we set out; but, as the +wind was too high to suffer us to cross the river, we +kept near the shore, watching for a favorable change. +On leaving our camp, seven Clatsops in a canoe accompanied +us, but, after going a few miles, left us, +and steered straight across through immense, high +waves, leaving us in admiration at the dexterity with +which they threw aside each wave as it threatened to +come over their canoe.</p> + +<p>Next day, with a more favorable wind, we began +to cross the river. We passed between some low, +marshy islands, and reached the south side of the Columbia, +and landed at a village of nine large houses. +Soon after we landed, three Indians came down from +the village with wappatoo-roots, which we purchased +with fish-hooks.</p> + +<p>We proceeded along the shore till we came to a +remarkable knob of land projecting about a mile and +a half into the bay, about four miles round, while the +neck of land which unites it to the main is not more +than fifty yards across. We went round this projection, +which we named Point William; but the waves +then became so high, that we could not venture any +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>farther, and therefore landed on a beautiful shore of +pebbles of various colors, and encamped near an old +Indian hut on the isthmus.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">DISCOMFORTS.</p> + +<p>Nov. 27.—It rained hard all next day, and the +next, attended with a high wind from the south-west. +It was impossible to proceed on so rough a sea. We +therefore sent several men to hunt, and the rest of +us remained during the day in a situation the most +cheerless and uncomfortable. On this little neck of +land, we are exposed, with a miserable covering +which does not deserve the name of a shelter, to the +violence of the winds. All our bedding and stores +are completely wet, our clothes rotting with constant +exposure, and no food except the dried fish brought +from the falls, to which we are again reduced. The +hunters all returned hungry, and drenched with rain; +having seen neither deer nor elk, and the swans and +brants too shy to be approached. At noon, the wind +shifted to the north-west, and blew with such fury, +that many trees were blown down near us. The gale +lasted with short intervals during the whole night; +but towards morning the wind lulled, though the rain +continued, and the waves were still high.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>30th.—The hunters met with no better success +this day and the next, and the weather continued +rainy. But on Monday, 2d December, one of the +hunters killed an elk at the distance of six miles +from the camp, and a canoe was sent to bring it. +This was the first elk we had killed on the west side +of the Rocky Mountains; and, condemned as we have +been to the dried fish, it forms a most acceptable food.</p> + +<p>The rain continued, with brief interruptions, during +the whole month of December. There were occasional +falls of snow, but no frost or ice.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">WINTER-QUARTERS.</p> + +<p>Capt. Lewis returned from an excursion down the +bay, having left two of his men to guard six elks and +five deer which the party had shot. He had examined +the coast, and found a river a short distance +below, on which we might encamp for the winter, +with a sufficiency of elk for our subsistence within +reach. This information was very satisfactory, and +we decided on going thither as soon as we could +move from the point; but it rained all night and the +following day.</p> + +<p>Saturday, 7th December, 1805, was fair. We therefore +loaded our canoes, and proceeded: but the tide +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>was against us, and the waves very high; so that we +were obliged to proceed slowly and cautiously. We +at length turned a point, and found ourselves in a +deep bay. Here we landed for breakfast, and were +joined by a party sent out three days ago to look for +the six elk. After breakfast, we coasted round the +bay, which is about four miles across, and receives +two rivers. We called it Meriwether's Bay, from the +Christian name of Capt. Lewis, who was, no doubt, +the first white man who surveyed it. On reaching +the south side of the bay, we ascended one of the +rivers for three miles to the first point of highland, on +its western bank, and formed our camp in a thick +grove of lofty pines about two hundred yards from +the water, and thirty feet above the level of the high +tides.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE CLATSOPS AT HOME.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke started on an expedition to the seashore, +to fix upon a place for the salt-works. He took +six men with him; but three of them left in pursuit +of a herd of elk. He met three Indians loaded with +fresh salmon, which they had taken, and were returning +to their village, whither they invited him to accompany +them. He agreed; and they brought out a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span>canoe hid along the bank of a creek. Capt. Clarke +and his party got on board, and in a short time were +landed at the village, consisting of twelve houses, +inhabited by twelve families of Clatsops. These +houses were on the south exposure of a hill, and +sunk about four feet deep into the ground; the walls, +roof, and gable-ends being formed of split-pine boards; +the descent through a small door down a ladder. +There were two fires in the middle of the room, and +the beds disposed round the walls, two or three feet +from the floor, so as to leave room under them for +their bags, baskets, and household articles. The floor +was covered with mats.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke was received with much attention. +As soon as he entered, clean mats were spread, and +fish, berries, and roots set before him on small, neat +platters of rushes. After he had eaten, the men of +the other houses came and smoked with him. They +appeared much neater in their persons than Indians +generally are.</p> + +<p>Towards evening, it began to rain and blow violently; +and Capt. Clarke therefore determined to +remain during the night. When they thought his +appetite had returned, an old woman presented him, +in a bowl made of light-colored horn, a kind of sirup, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>pleasant to the taste, made from a species of berry +common in this country, about the size of a cherry, +called by the Indians <i>shelwel</i>. Of these berries a +bread is also prepared, which, being boiled with +roots, forms a soup, which was served in neat +wooden trenchers. This, with some cockles, was his +repast.</p> + +<p>The men of the village now collected, and began to +gamble. The most common game was one in which +one of the company was banker, and played against +all the rest. He had a piece of bone about the size +of a large bean; and, having agreed with any one as +to the value of the stake, he would pass the bone +with great dexterity from one hand to the other, +singing at the same time to divert the attention of +his adversary. Then, holding up his closed hands, +his antagonist was challenged to say in which of +them the bone was, and lost or won as he pointed to +the right or wrong hand.</p> + +<p>To this game of hazard they abandon themselves +with great ardor. Sometimes every thing they possess +is sacrificed to it; and this evening several of +the Indians lost all the beads which they had with +them.</p> + +<p>This lasted for three hours; when, Capt. Clarke <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>appearing +disposed to sleep, the man who had been +most attentive, and whose name was Cuskalah, spread +two new mats by the fire; and, ordering his wife to +retire to her own bed, the rest of the company dispersed +at the same time. Capt. Clarke then lay +down, and slept as well as the fleas would permit +him.</p> + +<p>Next morning was cloudy, with some rain. He +walked on the seashore, and observed the Indians +walking up and down, and examining the shore. He +was at a loss to understand their object till one of +them explained that they were in search of fish, +which are thrown on shore by the tide; adding, in +English, "Sturgeon is good." There is every reason +to suppose that these Clatsops depend for their subsistence +during the winter chiefly on the fish thus +casually thrown on the coast.</p> + +<p>After amusing himself for some time on the beach, +Capt. Clarke returned toward the village. One of +the Indians asked him to shoot a duck which he +pointed out. He did so; and, having accidentally +shot off its head, the bird was brought to the village, +and all the Indians came round in astonishment. +They examined the duck, the musket, and the very +small bullet (a hundred to the pound); and then <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>exclaimed +in their language, "Good musket: don't +understand this kind of musket."</p> + +<p>They now placed before him their best roots, fish, +and sirup; after which he bought some berry-bread +and a few roots in exchange for fish-hooks, and then +set out to return by the same route by which he +came. He was accompanied by Cuskalah and his +brother part of the way, and proceeded to the camp +through a heavy rain. The party had been occupied +during his absence in cutting down trees and in +hunting.</p> + +<p>Next day, two of our hunters returned with the +pleasing intelligence of their having killed eighteen +elk about six miles off. Our huts begin to rise; for, +though it rains all day, we continue our labors, +and are glad to find that the beautiful balsam-pine +splits into excellent boards more than two feet in +width.</p> + +<p>Dec. 15.—Capt. Clarke, with sixteen men, set out +in three canoes to get the elk which were killed. +After landing as near the spot as possible, the men +were despatched in small parties to bring in the +game; each man returning with a quarter of an +animal. It was accomplished with much labor and +suffering; for the rain fell incessantly.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>THE FORT COMPLETED.</p> + +<p>We now had the meat-house covered, and all our +game carefully hung up in small pieces. Two days +after, we covered in four huts. Five men were sent +out to hunt, and five others despatched to the seaside, +each with a large kettle, in order to begin the +manufacture of salt. The rest of the men were employed +in making pickets and gates for our fort.</p> + +<p>Dec. 31.—As if it were impossible to have twenty-four +hours of pleasant weather, the sky last evening +clouded up, and the rain began, and continued +through the day. In the morning, there came down +two canoes,—one from the Wahkiacum village; the +other contained three men and a squaw of the Skilloot +nation. They brought wappatoo and shanatac +roots, dried fish, mats made of flags and rushes, +dressed elk-skins, and tobacco, for which, particularly +the skins, they asked an extravagant price. We +purchased some wappatoo and a little tobacco, very +much like that we had seen among the Shoshonees, +put up in small, neat bags made of rushes. These +we obtained in exchange for a few articles, among +which fish-hooks are the most esteemed. One of the +Skilloots brought a gun which wanted some repair; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>and, when we had put it in order, we received from +him a present of about a peck of wappatoo. We then +gave him a piece of sheepskin and blue cloth to +cover the lock, and he very thankfully offered a further +present of roots. There is an obvious superiority +of these Skilloots over the Wahkiacums, who +are intrusive, thievish, and impertinent. Our new +regulations, however, and the appearance of the sentinel, +have improved the behavior of all our Indian +visitors. They left the fort before sunset, even without +being ordered.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>A NEW YEAR.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>We were awaked at an early hour by the discharge +of a volley of small-arms to salute the +new year. This is the only way of doing honor to +the day which our situation admits; for our only +dainties are boiled elk and wappatoo, enlivened by +draughts of water.</p> + +<p>Next day, we were visited by the chief, Comowool, +and six Clatsops. Besides roots and berries, they +brought for sale three dogs. Having been so long +accustomed to live on the flesh of dogs, the most of +us have acquired a fondness for it; and any objection +to it is overcome by reflecting, that, while we subsisted +on that food, we were fatter, stronger, and in +better health, than at any period since leaving the +buffalo country, east of the mountains.</p> + +<p>The Indians also brought with them some whale's +blubber, which they obtained, they told us, from their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>neighbors who live on the sea-coast, near one of +whose villages a whale has recently been thrown and +stranded. It was white, and not unlike the fat of +pork, though of a more porous and spongy texture; +and, on being cooked, was found to be tender and +palatable, in flavor resembling the flesh of the beaver.</p> + +<p>Two of the five men who were despatched to make +salt returned. They had formed an establishment +about fifteen miles south-west of our fort, near some +scattered houses of the Clatsops, where they erected +a comfortable camp, and had killed a stock of provisions. +They brought with them a gallon of the salt +of their manufacture, which was white, fine, and very +good. It proves to be a most agreeable addition to +our food; and, as they can make three or four quarts +a day, we have a prospect of a plentiful supply.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE WHALE.</p> + +<p>The appearance of the whale seemed to be a matter +of importance to all the neighboring Indians; and in +hopes that we might be able to procure some of it for +ourselves, or at least purchase some from the Indians, +a small parcel of merchandise was prepared, and a +party of men got in readiness to set out in the morning. +As soon as this resolution was known, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>Chaboneau +and his wife requested that they might be permitted +to accompany us. The poor woman urged +very earnestly that she had travelled a great way +with us to see the great water, yet she had never +been down to the coast; and, now that this monstrous +fish also was to be seen, it seemed hard that she +should not be permitted to see either the ocean or +the whale. So reasonable a request could not be +denied: they were therefore suffered to accompany +Capt. Clarke, who next day, after an early breakfast, +set out with twelve men in two canoes.</p> + +<p>He proceeded down the river on which we are encamped +into Meriwether Bay; from whence he passed +up a creek three miles to some high, open land, where +he found a road. He there left the canoes, and followed +the path over deep marshes to a pond about a +mile long. Here they saw a herd of elk; and the men +were divided into small parties, and hunted them till +after dark. Three of the elk were wounded; but +night prevented our taking more than one, which +was brought to the camp, and cooked with some +sticks of pine which had drifted down the creeks. +The weather was beautiful, the sky clear, and the +moon shone brightly,—a circumstance the more +agreeable, as this is the first fair evening we have +enjoyed for two months.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>Thursday, Jan. 2.—There was a frost this morning. +We rose early, and taking eight pounds of +flesh, which was all that remained of the elk, proceeded +up the south fork of the creek. At the distance +of two miles we found a pine-tree, which had +been felled by one of our salt-makers, on which we +crossed the deepest part of the creek, and waded +through the rest. We then went over an open, ridgy +prairie, three-quarters of a mile to the sea-beach; after +following which for three miles, we came to the mouth +of a beautiful river, with a bold, rapid current, eighty-five +yards wide, and three feet deep in its shallowest +crossings. On its north-east side are the remains of +an old village of Clatsops, inhabited by only a single +family, who appeared miserably poor and dirty. We +gave the man two fish-hooks to ferry the party over +the river, which, from the tribe on its banks, we called +Clatsop River. The creek which we had passed on a +tree approaches this river within about a hundred +yards, and, by means of a portage, supplies a communication +with the villages near Point Adams.</p> + +<p>After going on for two miles, we found the salt-makers +encamped near four houses of Clatsops and +Killimucks, who, though poor and dirty, seemed kind +and well-disposed. We persuaded a young Indian, by +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>the present of a file and a promise of some other articles, +to guide us to the spot where the whale lay. He +led us for two and a half miles over the round, slippery +stones at the foot of a high hill projecting into +the sea, and then, suddenly stopping, and uttering the +word "peshack," or bad, explained by signs that we +could no longer follow the coast, but must cross the +mountain. This threatened to be a most laborious +undertaking; for the side was nearly perpendicular, +and the top lost in clouds. He, however, followed an +Indian path, which wound along, and favored the ascent +as much as possible; but it was so steep, that, at +one place, we were forced to draw ourselves up for +about a hundred feet by means of bushes and roots.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CLARKE'S POINT OF VIEW.</p> + +<p>At length, after two hours' labor, we reached the +top of the mountain, where we looked down with +astonishment on the height of ten or twelve hundred +feet which we had ascended. We were here met +by fourteen Indians loaded with oil and blubber, the +spoils of the whale, which they were carrying in +very heavy burdens over this rough mountain. On +leaving them, we proceeded over a bad road till +night, when we encamped on a small run. We were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>all much fatigued: but the weather was pleasant; and, +for the first time since our arrival here, an entire day +has passed without rain.</p> + +<p>In the morning we set out early, and proceeded +to the top of the mountain, the highest point of +which is an open spot facing the ocean. It is situated +about thirty miles south-east of Cape Disappointment, +and projects nearly two and a half miles into the +sea. Here one of the most delightful views imaginable +presents itself. Immediately in front is the ocean, +which breaks with fury on the coast, from the rocks +of Cape Disappointment as far as the eye can discern +to the north-west, and against the highlands and irregular +piles of rock which diversify the shore to the +south-east. To this boisterous scene, the Columbia, +with its tributary waters, widening into bays as it +approaches the ocean, and studded on both sides with +the Chinook and Clatsop villages, forms a charming +contrast; while immediately beneath our feet are +stretched rich prairies, enlivened by three beautiful +streams, which conduct the eye to small lakes at the +foot of the hills. We stopped to enjoy the romantic +view from this place, which we distinguished by the +name of Clarke's Point of View, and then followed +our guide down the mountain.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>THE WHALE.</p> + +<p>The descent was steep and dangerous. In many +places, the hillsides, which are formed principally of +yellow clay, have been loosened by the late rains, and +are slipping into the sea in large masses of fifty and +a hundred acres. In other parts, the path crosses +the rugged, perpendicular, basaltic rocks which overhang +the sea, into which a false step would have precipitated +us.</p> + +<p>The mountains are covered with a very thick +growth of timber, chiefly pine and fir; some trees +of which, perfectly sound and solid, rise to the height +of two hundred and ten feet, and are from eight to +twelve in diameter. Intermixed is the white cedar, +or arbor-vitæ, and some trees of black alder, two or +three feet thick, and sixty or seventy in height. At +length we reached the sea-level, and continued for +two miles along the sand-beach, and soon after +reached the place where the waves had thrown the +whale on shore. The animal had been placed between +two villages of Killimucks; and such had been +their industry, that there now remained nothing but +the skeleton, which we found to be a hundred and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>five feet in length. Capt. Clarke named the place +Ecola, or Whale Creek.</p> + +<p>The natives were busied in boiling the blubber in +a large square trough of wood by means of heated +stones, preserving the oil thus extracted in bladders +and the entrails of the whale. The refuse pieces of +the blubber, which still contained a portion of oil, were +hung up in large flitches, and, when wanted for use, +were warmed on a wooden spit before the fire, and +eaten, either alone, or with roots of the rush and +shanatac. The Indians, though they had great quantities, +parted with it very reluctantly, at such high +prices, that our whole stock of merchandise was exhausted +in the purchase of about three hundred +pounds of blubber and a few gallons of oil.</p> + +<p>Next morning was fine, the wind from the north-east; +and, having divided our stock of the blubber, +we began at sunrise to retrace our steps in order to +reach our encampment, which we called Fort Clatsop, +thirty-five miles distant, with as little delay as possible. +We met several parties of Indians on their way +to trade for blubber and oil with the Killimucks: we +also overtook a party returning from the village, and +could not but regard with astonishment the heavy +loads which the women carry over these fatiguing +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>and dangerous paths. As one of the women was +descending a steep part of the mountain, her load +slipped from her back; and she stood holding it by a +strap with one hand, and with the other supporting +herself by a bush. Capt. Clarke, being near her, undertook +to replace the load, and found it almost as +much as he could lift, and above one hundred pounds +in weight. Loaded as they were, they kept pace with +us till we reached the salt-makers' camp, where we +passed the night, while they continued their route.</p> + +<p>Next day, we proceeded across Clatsop River to +the place where we had left our canoes, and, as the +tide was coming in, immediately embarked for the +fort, at which place we arrived about ten o'clock at +night.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">DREWYER, THE HUNTER.</p> + +<p>Jan. 12, 1806.—Two hunters had been despatched +in the morning; and one of them, Drewyer, had, before +evening, killed seven elks. We should scarcely be +able to subsist, were it not for the exertions of this +excellent hunter. The game is scarce; and none is +now to be seen except elk, which, to almost all the +men, are very difficult to be procured. But Drewyer, +who is the offspring of a Canadian Frenchman and an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span>Indian woman, has passed his life in the woods, and +unites in a wonderful degree the dexterous aim of the +frontier huntsman with the sagacity of the Indian in +pursuing the faintest tracks through the forest. All +our men have indeed become so expert with the rifle, +that, when there is game of any kind, we are almost +certain of procuring it.</p> + +<p>Monday, Jan. 13.—Capt. Lewis took all the men who +could be spared, and brought in the seven elk, which +they found untouched by the wolves. The last of the +candles which we brought with us being exhausted, +we now began to make others of elk-tallow. We also +employed ourselves in jerking the meat of the elk. +We have three of the canoes drawn up out of the +reach of the water, and the other secured by a strong +cord, so as to be ready for use if wanted.</p> + +<p>Jan. 16.—To-day we finished curing our meat; +and having now a plentiful supply of elk and salt, and +our houses dry and comfortable, we wait patiently for +the moment of resuming our journey.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>WINTER LIFE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Jan. 18, 1806.—We are all occupied in dressing +skins, and preparing clothes for our journey +homewards. This morning, we sent out two parties +of hunters in different directions. We were visited +by three Clatsops, who came merely for the purpose +of smoking and conversing with us.</p> + +<p>Jan. 21.—Two of the hunters came back with +three elks, which form a timely addition to our stock +of provision. The Indian visitors left us at twelve +o'clock.</p> + +<p>The Clatsops and other nations have visited us +with great freedom. Having acquired much of their +language, we are enabled, with the assistance of gestures, +to hold conversations with great ease. We +find them inquisitive and loquacious; by no means +deficient in acuteness. They are generally cheerful, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>but seldom gay. Every thing they see excites their +attention and inquiries.</p> + +<p>Their treatment of women and old men depends +very much on the usefulness of these classes. Thus, +among the Clatsops and Chinooks, who live upon +fish and roots, which the women are equally expert +with the men in procuring, the women have a rank +and influence far greater than they have among the +hunting tribes. On many subjects their judgments +and opinions are respected; and, in matters of trade, +their advice is generally asked and followed. So +with the old men: when one is unable to pursue the +chase, his counsels may compensate for his want of +activity; but in the next state of infirmity, when he +can no longer travel from camp to camp as the tribe +roams about for subsistence, he is found to be a burden. +In this condition they are abandoned among +the Sioux and other hunting-tribes of the Missouri. +As the tribe are setting out for some new excursion +where the old man is unable to follow, his children or +nearest relations place before him a piece of meat +and some water; and telling him that he has lived +long enough, that it is now time for him to go home +to his relations, who can take better care of him than +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>his friends on earth, they leave him without remorse +to perish, when his little supply is exhausted.</p> + +<p>Though this is doubtless true as a general rule, +yet, in the villages of the Minnetarees and Ricaras, +we saw no want of kindness to old men: on the contrary, +probably because in villages the more abundant +means of subsistence renders such cruelty unnecessary, +the old people appeared to be treated with attention; +and some of their feasts, particularly the +buffalo-dances, were intended chiefly as an occasion +of contribution for the old and infirm.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">FLATHEAD INDIANS.</p> + +<p>The custom of flattening the head by artificial +pressure during infancy prevails among all the nations +we have seen west of the Rocky Mountains. +To the east of that barrier the fashion is so perfectly +unused, that they designate the western Indians, of +whatever tribe, by the common name of Flatheads. +The practice is universal among the Killimucks, Clatsops, +Chinooks, and Cathlamahs,—the four nations +with whom we have had most intercourse. Soon +after the birth of her child, the mother places it in +the compressing-frame, where it is kept for ten or +twelve months. The operation is so gradual, that it +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>is not attended with pain. The heads of the children, +when they are released from the bandage, are not +more than two inches thick about the upper edge +of the forehead: nor, with all its efforts, can nature +ever restore their shape; the heads of grown +persons being often in a straight line from the tip of +the nose to the top of the forehead.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">TEMPERANCE.—GAMBLING.</p> + +<p>Their houses usually contain several families, consisting +of parents, sons and daughters, daughters-in-law +and grand-children, among whom the provisions +are in common, and harmony seldom interrupted. +As these families gradually expand into tribes, +or nations, the paternal authority is represented by +the chief of each association. The chieftainship is +not hereditary: the chief's ability to render service +to his neighbors, and the popularity which follows it, +is the foundation of his authority, which does not +extend beyond the measure of his personal influence.</p> + +<p>The harmony of their private life is protected by +their ignorance of spirituous liquors. Although the +tribes near the coast have had so much intercourse +with the whites, they do not appear to possess any +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>knowledge of those dangerous luxuries; at least, +they have never inquired of us for them. Indeed, +we have not observed any liquor of an intoxicating +quality used among any Indians west of the Rocky +Mountains; the universal beverage being pure water. +They, however, almost intoxicate themselves by smoking +tobacco, of which they are excessively fond. But +the common vice of all these people is an attachment +to games of chance, which they pursue with a ruinous +avidity. The game of the pebble has already +been described. Another game is something like the +play of ninepins. Two pins are placed on the floor, +about the distance of a foot from each other, and a +small hole made in the earth behind them. The players +then go about ten feet from the hole, into which +they try to roll a small piece resembling the men +used at checkers. If they succeed in putting it into +the hole, they win the stake. If the piece rolls between +the pins, but does not go into the hole, nothing +is won or lost; but the wager is lost if the checker +rolls outside the pins. Entire days are wasted at +these games, which are often continued through the +night round the blaze of their fires, till the last +article of clothing or the last blue bead is lost and +won.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>TREES.</p> + +<p>The whole neighborhood of the coast is supplied +with great quantities of excellent timber. The predominant +growth is the fir, of which we have seen +several species. The first species grows to an immense +size, and is very commonly twenty-seven feet +in circumference, six feet above the earth's surface. +They rise to the height of two hundred and thirty +feet, and one hundred and twenty of that height +without a limb. We have often found them thirty-six +feet in circumference. One of our party measured +one, and found it to be forty-two feet in circumference +at a point beyond the reach of an ordinary +man. This tree was perfectly sound; and, at a +moderate calculation, its height may be estimated at +three hundred feet.</p> + +<p>The second is a much more common species, and +constitutes at least one-half of the timber in this +neighborhood. It resembles the spruce, rising from +one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty +feet; and is from four to six feet in diameter, straight, +round, and regularly tapering.</p> + +<p>The stem of the black alder arrives at a great size. +It is sometimes found growing to the height of sixty +or seventy feet, and is from two to four in diameter.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>There is a tree, common on the Columbia River, +much resembling the ash, and another resembling +the white maple, though much smaller.</p> + +<p>The undergrowth consists of honeysuckle, alder, +whortleberry, a plant like the mountain-holly, green +brier, and fern.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ANIMALS.</p> + +<p>The beaver of this country is large and fat: the +flesh is very palatable, and, at our table, was a real +luxury. On the 7th of January, our hunter found a +beaver in his trap, of which he made a bait for taking +others. This bait will entice the beaver to the trap +as far as he can smell it; and this may be fairly stated +to be at the distance of a mile, as their sense of +smelling is very acute.</p> + +<p>The sea-otter resides only on the sea-coast or in +the neighborhood of the salt water. When fully +grown, he attains to the size of a large mastiff dog. +The ears, which are not an inch in length, are thick, +pointed, fleshy, and covered with short hair; the tail +is ten inches long, thick at the point of insertion, and +partially covered with a deep fur on the upper side; +the legs are very short, covered with fur, and the +feet with short hair. The body of this animal is +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>long, and of the same thickness throughout. From +the extremity of the tail to the nose, they measure +five feet. The color is a uniform dark brown, and +when in good condition, and in season, perfectly +black. This animal is unrivalled for the beauty, richness, +and softness of his fur. The inner part of the +fur, when opened, is lighter than the surface in its +natural position. There are some black and shining +hairs intermixed with the fur, which are rather +longer, and add much to its beauty.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">HORSES AND DOGS.</p> + +<p>The horse is confined chiefly to the nations inhabiting +the great plains of the Columbia, extending +from latitude forty to fifty north, and occupying the +tract of country lying between the Rocky Mountains +and a range of mountains which crosses the Columbia +River about the great falls. In this region they +are very numerous.</p> + +<p>They appear to be of an excellent race, lofty, well +formed, active, and enduring. Many of them appear +like fine English coursers. Some of them are pied, +with large spots of white irregularly scattered, and +intermixed with a dark-brown bay. The greater +part, however, are of a uniform color, marked with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>stars, and white feet. The natives suffer them to run +at large in the plains, the grass of which affords them +their only winter subsistence; their masters taking +no trouble to lay in a winter's store for them. They +will, nevertheless, unless much exercised, fatten on +the dry grass afforded by the plains during the winter. +The plains are rarely moistened by rain, and the +grass is consequently short and thin.</p> + +<p>Whether the horse was originally a native of this +country or not, the soil and climate appear to be perfectly +well adapted to his nature. Horses are said to +be found wild in many parts of this country.</p> + +<p>The dog is small, about the size of an ordinary cur. +He is usually party-colored; black, white, brown, and +brindle being the colors most predominant. The +head is long, the nose pointed, the eyes small, the +ears erect and pointed like those of the wolf. The +hair is short and smooth, excepting on the tail, where +it is long and straight, like that of the ordinary cur-dog. +The natives never eat the flesh of this animal, +and he appears to be in no other way serviceable to +them but in hunting the elk. To us, on the contrary, +it has now become a favorite food; for it is found to +be a strong, healthy diet, preferable to lean deer or +elk, and much superior to horse-flesh in any state.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>BURROWING SQUIRREL.</p> + +<p>There are several species of squirrels not different +from those found in the Atlantic States. There is +also a species of squirrel, evidently distinct, which +we denominate the burrowing squirrel. He measures +one foot five inches in length, of which the tail comprises +two and a half inches only. The neck and +legs are short; the ears are likewise short, obtusely +pointed, and lie close to the head. The eyes are of a +moderate size, the pupil black, and the iris of a dark, +sooty brown. The teeth, and indeed the whole contour, +resemble those of the squirrel.</p> + +<p>These animals associate in large companies, occupying +with their burrows sometimes two hundred +acres of land. The burrows are separate, and each +contains ten or twelve of these inhabitants. There +is a little mound in front of the hole, formed of the +earth thrown out of the burrow; and frequently there +are three or four distinct holes, forming one burrow, +with their entrances around the base of a mound. +These mounds, about two feet in height and four in +diameter, are occupied as watch-towers by the inhabitants +of these little communities. The squirrels are +irregularly distributed about the tract they thus <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>occupy,—ten, +twenty, or thirty yards apart. When +any person approaches, they make a shrill whistling +sound, somewhat resembling "tweet, tweet, tweet;" +the signal for their party to take the alarm, and to +retire into their intrenchments. They feed on the +grass of their village, the limits of which they never +venture to exceed. As soon as the frost commences, +they shut themselves up in their caverns, and continue +until the spring opens.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">BIRDS.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Grouse, or Prairie-Hen.</span>—This is peculiarly +the inhabitant of the great plains of the Columbia, +but does not differ from those of the upper portion +of the Missouri. In the winter season, this bird is +booted to the first joint of the toes. The toes are +curiously bordered on their lower edges with narrow, +hard scales, which are placed very close to each +other, and extend horizontally about one-eighth of +an inch on each side of the toes, adding much to the +broadness of the feet,—a security which Nature has +furnished them for passing over the snow with more +ease,—and, what is very remarkable, in the summer +season these scales drop from the feet. The color +of this bird is a mixture of dark brown, reddish, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>yellowish brown, with white confusedly mixed. The +reddish-brown prevails most on the upper parts of +the body, wings, and tail; and the white, under the +belly and the lower parts of the breast and tail. +They associate in large flocks in autumn and winter; +and, even in summer, are seen in companies of five or +six. They feed on grass, insects, leaves of various +shrubs in the plains, and the seeds of several species +of plants which grow in richer soils. In winter, their +food consists of the buds of the willow and cottonwood, +and native berries.</p> + +<p>The cock of the plains is found on the plains of +the Columbia in great abundance. The beak is large, +short, covered, and convex; the upper exceeding the +lower chap. The nostrils are large, and the back +black. The color is a uniform mixture of a dark-brown, +resembling the dove, and a reddish or yellowish +brown, with some small black specks. The habits +of this bird resemble those of the grouse, excepting +that his food is the leaf and buds of the pulpy-leaved +thorn. The flesh is dark, and only tolerable in point +of flavor.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">HORNED FROG.</p> + +<p>The horned lizard, or horned frog, called, for what +reason we never could learn, the prairie buffalo, is +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span>a native of these plains as well as of those of the +Missouri. The color is generally brown, intermixed +with yellowish spots. The animal is covered with +minute scales, interspersed with small horny points, +or prickles, on the upper surface of the body. The +belly and throat resemble those of the frog, and are +of a light yellowish-brown. The edge of the belly +is likewise beset with small horny projections. The +eye is small and dark. Above and behind the eyes +there are several bony projections, which resemble +horns sprouting from the head.</p> + +<p>These animals are found in greatest numbers in +the sandy, open plains, and appear most abundant +after a shower of rain. They are sometimes found +basking in the sunshine, but generally conceal themselves +in little holes of the earth. This may account +for their appearance in such numbers after rain, as +their holes may thus be rendered untenantable.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>THE RETURN.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>March, 1806.—Many reasons had inclined us +to remain at Fort Clatsop till the 1st of April. +Besides the want of fuel in the Columbian plains, and +the impracticability of crossing the mountains before +the beginning of June, we were anxious to see some +of the foreign traders, from whom, by our ample letters +of credit, we might recruit our exhausted stores +of merchandise. About the middle of March, however, +we became seriously alarmed for the want of +food. The elk, our chief dependence, had at length +deserted its usual haunts in our neighborhood, and retreated +to the mountains. We were too poor to purchase +food from the Indians; so that we were sometimes +reduced, notwithstanding all the exertions of +our hunters, to a single day's provision in advance. +The men too, whom the constant rains and confinement +had rendered unhealthy, might, we hoped, be +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>benefited by leaving the coast, and resuming the exercise +of travelling. We therefore determined to +leave Fort Clatsop, ascend the river slowly, consume +the month of March in the woody country, where we +hoped to find subsistence, and in this way reach the +plains about the 1st of April, before which time it +will be impossible to cross them.</p> + +<p>During the winter, we have been very industrious +in dressing skins; so that we now have a sufficient +quantity of clothing, besides between three and four +hundred pairs of moccasons. But the whole stock of +goods on which we are to depend for the purchase +of horses or of food, during the long journey of four +thousand miles, is so much diminished, that it might +all be tied in two handkerchiefs. We therefore feel +that our chief dependence must be on our guns, +which, fortunately, are all in good order, as we took +the precaution of bringing a number of extra locks, +and one of our men proved to be an excellent gunsmith. +The powder had been secured in leaden canisters; +and, though on many occasions they had been +under water, it remained perfectly dry: and we now +found ourselves in possession of one hundred and +forty pounds of powder, and twice that weight of +lead,—a stock quite sufficient for the route homewards.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>We were now ready to leave Fort Clatsop; but the +rain prevented us for several days from calking the +canoes, and we were forced to wait for calm weather +before we could attempt to pass Point William, which +projects about a mile and a half into the sea, forming, +as it were, the dividing-line between the river and +the ocean; for the water below is salt, while that +above is fresh.</p> + +<p>On March 23, at one o'clock in the afternoon, we +took a final leave of Fort Clatsop. We doubled +Point William without any injury, and at six o'clock +reached the mouth of a small creek, where we found +our hunters. They had been fortunate enough to +kill two elks, which were brought in, and served for +breakfast next morning.</p> + +<p>Next day, we were overtaken by two Wahkiacums, +who brought two dogs, for which they wanted us to +give them some tobacco; but, as we had very little +of that article left, they were obliged to go away +disappointed. We received at the same time an +agreeable supply of three eagles and a large goose, +brought in by the hunters.</p> + +<p>We passed the entrance of Cowalitz River, seventy +miles from our winter camp. This stream enters the +Columbia from the north; is one hundred and fifty +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>yards wide; deep and navigable, as the Indians assert, +for a considerable distance; and probably waters +the country west and north of the Cascade Mountains, +which cross the Columbia between the great +falls and rapids. During the day, we passed a number +of fishing-camps on both sides of the river, and +were constantly attended by small parties of Skilloots, +who behaved in the most orderly manner, and +from whom we purchased as much fish and roots as +we wanted, on moderate terms. The night continued +as the day had been,—cold, wet, and disagreeable; +which is the general character of the weather in this +region at this season.</p> + +<p>March 29.—At an early hour, we resumed our +route, and halted for breakfast at the upper end of an +island where is properly the commencement of the +great Columbian Valley. We landed at a village of +fourteen large wooden houses. The people received +us kindly, and spread before us wappatoo and anchovies; +but, as soon as we had finished enjoying this +hospitality (if it deserves that name), they began to +ask us for presents. They were, however, perfectly +satisfied with the small articles which we distributed +according to custom, and equally pleased with our +purchasing some wappatoo, twelve dogs, and two <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>sea-otter +skins. We also gave the chief a small medal, +which he soon transferred to his wife.</p> + +<p>April 1.—We met a number of canoes filled with +families descending the river. These people told us +that they lived at the Great Rapids, but that a +scarcity of provisions there had induced them to +come down in hopes of finding subsistence in this +fertile valley. All those who lived at the rapids, as +well as the nations above them, they said, were in +much distress for want of food, having consumed +their winter store of dried fish, and not expecting +the return of the salmon before the next full moon, +which will be on the 2d of May.</p> + +<p>This intelligence was disagreeable and embarrassing. +From the falls to the Chopunnish nation, the +plains afford no deer, elk, or antelope, on which we +can rely for subsistence. The horses are very poor +at this season; and the dogs must be in the same +condition, if their food, the fish, have failed. On the +other hand, it is obviously inexpedient to wait for +the return of the salmon, since, in that case, we may +not reach the Missouri before the ice will prevent our +navigating it. We therefore decided to remain here +only till we collect meat enough to last us till we +reach the Chopunnish nation, with whom we left our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>horses on our downward journey, trusting that we +shall find the animals safe, and have them faithfully +returned to us; for, without them, the passage of the +mountains will be almost impracticable.</p> + +<p>April 2, 1806.—Several canoes arrived to visit us; +and among the party were two young men who belonged +to a nation, which, they said, resides at the falls +of a large river which empties itself into the south +side of the Columbia, a few miles below us; and they +drew a map of the country with a coal on a mat. In +order to verify this information, Capt. Clarke persuaded +one of the young men, by the present of a +burning-glass, to accompany him to the river, in +search of which he immediately set out with a canoe +and seven of our men.</p> + +<p>In the evening, Capt. Clarke returned from his +excursion. After descending about twenty miles, he +entered the mouth of a large river, which was concealed, +by three small islands opposite its entrance, +from those who pass up or down the Columbia. This +river, which the Indians call Multnomah, from a nation +of the same name residing near it on Wappatoo +Island, enters the Columbia one hundred and forty +miles above the mouth of the latter river. The current +of the Multnomah, which is also called Willamett, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>is as gentle as that of the Columbia; and it appears to +possess water enough for the largest ship, since, on +sounding with a line of five fathoms, they could find +no bottom.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke ascended the river to the village of +his guide. He found here a building two hundred +and twenty-six feet in front, entirely above ground, +and all under one roof; otherwise it would seem more +like a range of buildings, as it is divided into seven +distinct apartments, each thirty feet square. The +roof is formed of rafters, with round poles laid on +them longitudinally. The whole is covered with a +double row of the bark of the white cedar, secured +by splinters of dried fir, inserted through it at regular +distances. In this manner, the roof is made light, +strong, and durable.</p> + +<p>In the house were several old people of both +sexes, who were treated with much respect, and still +seemed healthy, though most of them were perfectly +blind.</p> + +<p>On inquiring the cause of the decline of their village, +which was shown pretty clearly by the remains +of several deserted buildings, an old man, father of +the guide, and a person of some distinction, brought +forward a woman very much marked with the small-pox, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>and said, that, when a girl, she was near dying +with the disorder which had left those marks, and +that the inhabitants of the houses now in ruins had +fallen victims to the same disease.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">WAPPATOO ISLAND AND ROOT.</p> + +<p>Wappatoo Island is a large extent of country lying +between the Multnomah River and an arm of the Columbia. +The island is about twenty miles long, and +varies in breadth from five to ten miles. The land is +high, and extremely fertile, and on most parts is supplied +with a heavy growth of cottonwood, ash, and +willow. But the chief wealth of this island consists +of the numerous ponds in the interior, abounding with +the common arrowhead (<i>Sagittaria sagittifolia</i>), to +the root of which is attached a bulb growing beneath +it, in the mud. This bulb, to which the Indians give +the name of <i>wappatoo</i>, is the great article of food, +and almost the staple article of commerce, on the +Columbia. It is never out of season; so that, at all +times of the year, the valley is frequented by the +neighboring Indians who come to gather it. It is +collected chiefly by the women, who employ for the +purpose canoes from ten to fourteen feet in length, +about two feet wide, and nine inches deep, tapering +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>from the middle, where they are about twenty inches +wide. They are sufficient to contain a single person +and several bushels of roots; yet so light, that a woman +can carry one with ease. She takes one of these canoes +into a pond where the water is as high as the +breast, and, by means of her toes, separates from the +root this bulb, which, on being freed from the mud, +rises immediately to the surface of the water, and is +thrown into the canoe. In this manner, these patient +females remain in the water for several hours, even +in the depth of winter. This plant is found through +the whole extent of the valley in which we now are, +but does not grow on the Columbia farther eastward.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">SCENERY OF THE RIVER AND SHORES.</p> + +<p>Above the junction of the Multnomah River, we +passed along under high, steep, and rocky sides of +the mountains, which here close in on each side of +the river, forming stupendous precipices, covered +with the fir and white cedar. Down these heights +frequently descend the most beautiful cascades,—one +of which, a large stream, throws itself over a perpendicular +rock, three hundred feet above the water; +while other smaller streams precipitate themselves +from a still greater elevation, and, separating into a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>mist, again collect, and form a second cascade before +they reach the bottom of the rocks.</p> + +<p>The hills on both sides of the river are about two +hundred and fifty feet high, generally abrupt and +craggy, and in many places presenting a perpendicular +face of black, hard, basaltic rock. From the top +of these hills, the country extends itself, in level +plains, to a very great distance.</p> + +<p>To one remarkable elevation we gave the name of +Beacon Rock. It stands on the north side of the +river, insulated from the hills. The northern side +has a partial growth of fir or pine. To the south, it +rises in an unbroken precipice to the height of seven +hundred feet, where it terminates in a sharp point, +and may be seen at the distance of twenty miles. +This rock may be considered as the point where tidewater +commences.</p> + +<p>April 19.—We formed our camp at the foot of the +Long Narrows, a little above a settlement of Skilloots. +Their dwellings were formed by sticks set in the +ground, and covered with mats and straw, and so +large, that each was the residence of several families.</p> + +<p>The whole village was filled with rejoicing at having +caught a salmon, which was considered as the +harbinger of vast quantities that would arrive in a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span>few days. In the belief that it would hasten their +coming, the Indians, according to their custom, +dressed the fish, and cut it into small pieces, one +of which was given to every child in the village; +and, in the good humor excited by this occurrence, +they parted, though reluctantly, with four horses, +for which we gave them two kettles, reserving to +ourselves only one.</p> + +<p>We resumed our route, and soon after halted on a +hill, from the top of which we had a commanding +view of the range of mountains in which Mount +Hood stands, and which continued south as far as +the eye could reach; their summits being covered +with snow. Mount Hood bore south thirty degrees +west; and another snowy summit, which we have +called Mount Jefferson, south ten degrees west.</p> + +<p>Capt. Clarke crossed the river, with nine men +and a large part of the merchandise, to purchase, +if possible, twelve horses to transport our baggage, +and some pounded fish, as a reserve, on the passage +across the mountains. He succeeded in purchasing +only four horses, and those at double the price +that had been paid to the Shoshonees.</p> + +<p>April 20.—As it was much for our interest to preserve +the good will of these people, we passed over +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>several small thefts which they had committed; but +this morning we learned that six tomahawks and a +knife had been stolen during the night. We addressed +ourselves to the chief, who seemed angry +with his people; but we did not recover the articles: +and soon afterwards two of our spoons were missing. +We therefore ordered them all from the camp. They +left us in ill-humor, and we therefore kept on our +guard against any insult.</p> + +<p>April 22.—We began our march at seven o'clock. +We had just reached the top of a hill near the village, +when the load of one of the horses turned; and the +animal, taking fright at a robe which still adhered to +him, ran furiously toward the village. Just as he +came there, the robe fell, and an Indian made way +with it. The horse was soon caught; but the robe +was missing, and the Indians denied having seen it. +These repeated acts of knavery had quite exhausted +our patience; and Capt. Lewis set out for the village, +determined to make them deliver up the robe, or to +burn their houses to the ground. This retaliation +was happily rendered unnecessary; for on his way +he met two of our men, who had found the robe in +one of the huts, hid behind some baggage.</p> + +<p>April 24.—The Indians had promised to take our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span>canoes in exchange for horses; but, when they found +that we were resolved on travelling by land, they refused +giving us any thing for them, in hopes that we +would be forced to leave them. Disgusted at this +conduct, we determined rather to cut them in pieces +than suffer these people to possess them; and actually +began to do so, when they consented to give us several +strands of beads for each canoe.</p> + +<p>We had now a sufficient number of horses to carry +our baggage, and therefore proceeded wholly by land. +Passing between the hills and the northern shore of +the river, we had a difficult and fatiguing march over +a road alternately sandy and rocky.</p> + +<p>The country through which we have passed for +several days is of uniform character. The hills on +both sides of the river are about two hundred and +fifty feet high, in many places presenting a perpendicular +face of black, solid rock. From the top of +these hills, the country extends, in level plains, to a +very great distance, and, though not as fertile as +land near the falls, produces an abundant supply of +low grass, which is an excellent food for horses. The +grass must indeed be unusually nutritious: for even +at this season of the year, after wintering on the dry +grass of the plains, and being used with greater <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>severity +than is usual among the whites, many of the +horses were perfectly fat; nor had we seen a single +one that was really poor.</p> + +<p>Having proceeded thirty-one miles, we halted for +the night not far from some houses of the Walla-wallas. +Soon after stopping, we were joined by seven +of that tribe, among whom we recognized a chief by +the name of Yellept, who had visited us in October +last, when we gave him a medal.</p> + +<p>He appeared very much pleased at seeing us again, +and invited us to remain at his village three or four +days, during which he would supply us with such +food as they had, and furnish us with horses for our +journey. After the cold, inhospitable treatment we +had lately received, this kind offer was peculiarly +acceptable. After having made a hasty meal, we accompanied +him to his village. Immediately on our +arrival, Yellept, who proved to be a man of much +influence, collected the inhabitants, and after having +made an harangue to them, the object of which was to +induce them to treat us hospitably, set them an example +by bringing himself an armful of wood, and a platter +containing three roasted mullets. They immediately +followed the example by furnishing us with +an abundance of the only sort of fuel they use,—the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>stems of shrubs growing in the plains. We then purchased +four dogs, on which we supped heartily, having +been on short allowance for two days previously.</p> + +<p>We learned from these people, that, opposite to +their village, there was a route which led to the +mouth of the Kooskooskee; that the road was good, +and passed over a level country well supplied with +water and grass; and that we should meet with +plenty of deer and antelope. We knew that a road +in that direction would shorten our route eighty +miles; and we concluded to adopt this route.</p> + +<p>Fortunately there was among these Walla-wallas a +prisoner belonging to a tribe of the Shoshonee Indians. +Our Shoshonee woman, Sacajawea, though +she belonged to another tribe, spoke the same language +as this prisoner; and by their means we were +enabled to explain ourselves to the Indians, and to +answer all their inquiries with respect to ourselves +and the object of our journey. Our conversation +inspired them with such confidence, that they soon +brought several sick persons for whom they requested +our assistance. We splintered the broken +arm of one, gave some relief to another whose knee +was contracted by rheumatism, and administered +what we thought would be useful for ulcers and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>eruptions of the skin on various parts of the body, +which are very common disorders among them. But +our most valuable medicine was eye-water, which we +distributed, and which, indeed, they very much required; +for complaints of the eyes, occasioned by +living so much on the water, and aggravated by +the fine sand of the plains, were universal among +them.</p> + +<p>We were by no means dissatisfied at this new +resource for obtaining subsistence, as the Indians +would give us no provisions without merchandise, +and our stock was very much reduced. We carefully +abstained from giving them any thing but harmless +medicines; and our prescriptions might be useful, +and were therefore entitled to some remuneration.</p> + +<p>May 5.—Almost the only instance of rudeness we +encountered in our whole trip occurred here. We +made our dinner on two dogs and a small quantity of +roots. While we were eating, an Indian standing by, +and looking with great derision at our eating dog's-flesh, +threw a half-starved puppy almost into Capt. +Lewis's plate, laughing heartily at the humor of it. +Capt. Lewis took up the animal, and flung it back +with great force into the fellow's face, and, seizing +his tomahawk, threatened to cut him down if he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>dared to repeat such insolence. He went off, apparently +much mortified; and we continued our dog-repast +very quietly.</p> + +<p>Here we met our old Chopunnish guide and his +family; and soon afterward one of our horses, which +had been separated from the others in the charge of +Twisted-hair, was caught, and restored to us.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE WALLA-WALLA.</p> + +<p>We reached (May 1) a branch of the Walla-walla River. +The hills of this creek are generally abrupt +and rocky; but the narrow bottom bordering the +stream is very fertile, and both possess twenty +times as much timber as the Columbia itself. Indeed, +we now find, for the first time since leaving +Fort Clatsop, an abundance of firewood. The growth +consists of cotton-wood, birch, the crimson haw, willow, +choke-cherry, yellow currants, gooseberry, honeysuckle, +rose-bushes, sumac, together with some corn-grass +and rushes.</p> + +<p>The advantage of a comfortable fire induced us, as +the night was come, to halt at this place. We were +soon supplied by Drewyer with a beaver and an +otter; of which we took only a part of the beaver, +and gave the rest to the Indians. The otter is a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>favorite food, though much inferior, in our estimation, +to the dog, which they will not eat. The horse, too, +is seldom eaten, and never except when absolute +necessity compels. This fastidiousness does not, however, +seem to proceed so much from any dislike to +the food as from attachment to the animal; for many +of them eat very freely of the horse-beef we give +them.</p> + +<p>There is very little difference in the general face +of the country here from that of the plains on the +Missouri, except that the latter are enlivened by +vast herds of buffaloes, elks, and other animals, which +are wanting here. Over these wide bottoms we continued, +till, at the distance of twenty-six miles from +our last encampment, we halted for the night.</p> + +<p>We had scarcely encamped, when three young +men from the Walla-walla village came in with a +steel-trap, which we had inadvertently left behind, +and which they had come a whole day's journey +on purpose to restore. This act of integrity was +the more pleasing because it corresponds perfectly +with the general behavior of the Walla-wallas, among +whom we had lost carelessly several knives, which +were always returned as soon as found. We may, +indeed, justly affirm, that, of all the Indians whom we +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span>have met, the Walla-wallas were the most hospitable, +honest, and sincere.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">TWISTED-HAIR.</p> + +<p>On Wednesday, the 7th of May, we reached the +Kooskooskee, and found it much more navigable than +when we descended it last year. The water was +risen, and covered the rocks and shoals. Here we +found the chief, named Twisted-hair, in whose charge +we had left our horses in our outward journey. We +had suspicions that our horses, and especially our saddles, +might not be easily recoverable after our long +absence. The Twisted-hair was invited to come, and +smoke with us. He accepted the invitation, and, as +we smoked our pipes over the fire, informed us, that, +according to his promise, he had collected the horses, +and taken charge of them; but another chief, the +Broken-arm, becoming jealous of him because the +horses were confided to his care, was constantly quarrelling +with him. At length, being an old man, and +unwilling to live in perpetual disputes, he had given +up the care of the horses, which had consequently +become scattered. The greater part of them were, +however, still in this neighborhood. He added, that +on the rise of the river, in the spring, the earth had +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>fallen from the door of the <i>cache</i>, and exposed the +saddles, some of which had probably been lost; but, +as soon as he was acquainted with the situation of +them, he had had them buried in another place, where +they were now. He promised that he would, on the +morrow, send his young men, and collect such of the +horses as were in the neighborhood. He kept his +word. Next day, the Indians brought in twenty-one +of the horses, the greater part of which were in excellent +order; and the Twisted-hair restored about +half the saddles we had left in the <i>cache</i>, and some +powder and lead which were buried at the same +place.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>May 17.—The country along the Rocky Mountains, +for several hundred miles in length and +fifty in width, is a high level plain; in all its parts +extremely fertile, and in many places covered with a +growth of tall, long-leaved pine. Nearly the whole +of this wide tract is covered with a profusion of +grass and plants, which are at this time as high as +the knee. Among these are a variety of esculent +plants and roots, yielding a nutritious and agreeable +food. The air is pure and dry; the climate as mild +as that of the same latitudes in the Atlantic States, +and must be equally healthy, since all the disorders +which we have witnessed may fairly be imputed to +other causes than the climate. Of course, the degrees +of heat and cold obey the influence of situation. +Thus the rains of the low grounds are snows +in the high plains; and, while the sun shines with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span>intense heat in the confined river-bottoms, the plains +enjoy a much cooler air; and, at the foot of the mountains, +the snows are even now many feet in depth.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p>An attempt to cross the mountains in the early +part of June failed on account of the snow, which +still covered the track. It was plain we should have +no chance of finding either grass or underwood for +our horses. To proceed, therefore, would be to hazard +the loss of our horses; in which case, if we should be +so fortunate as to escape with our lives, we should +be obliged to abandon our papers and collections. +It was accordingly decided not to venture farther; +to deposit here all the baggage and provisions for +which we had no immediate use, and to return to +some spot where we might live by hunting till the +snow should have melted, or a guide be procured to +conduct us. We submitted, June 17, to the mortification +of retracing our steps three days' march.</p> + +<p>On the 24th June, having been so fortunate as to +engage three Indians to go with us to the falls of the +Missouri for the compensation of two guns, we set +out on our second attempt to cross the mountains. +On reaching the place where we had left our <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span>baggage, +we found our deposit perfectly safe. It required +two hours to arrange our baggage, and prepare +a hasty meal; after which the guides urged us +to set off, as we had a long ride to make before we +could reach a spot where there was grass for our +horses. We mounted, and followed their steps; sometimes +crossed abruptly steep hills, and then wound +along their sides, near tremendous precipices, where, +had our horses slipped, we should have been irrecoverably +lost. Our route lay along the ridges which +separate the waters of the Kooskooskee and Chopunnish, +and above the heads of all the streams; so that +we met no running water. Late in the evening, we +reached a spot where we encamped near a good +spring of water. It was on the steep side of a mountain, +with no wood, and a fair southern aspect, from +which the snow seemed to have disappeared for about +ten days, and an abundant growth of young grass, like +greensward, had sprung up. There was also a species +of grass not unlike flag, with a broad succulent leaf, +which is confined to the upper parts of the mountains. +It is a favorite food with the horses; but it +was then either covered with snow, or just making +its appearance.</p> + +<p>June 27.—We continued our route over the high +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>and steep hills of the same great ridge. At eight +miles' distance, we reached an eminence where the +Indians have raised a conical mound of stone six or +eight feet high. From this spot we have a commanding +view of the surrounding mountains, which so +completely enclose us, that, although we have once +passed them, we should despair of ever escaping from +them without the assistance of the Indians; but our +guides traverse this trackless region with a kind of +instinctive sagacity. They never hesitate; they are +never embarrassed; yet so undeviating is their step, +that, wherever the snow has disappeared for even a +hundred paces, we find the summer road. With their +aid, the snow is scarcely a disadvantage; for although +we are often obliged to slide down, yet the fallen +timber and the rocks, which are now covered up, +were much more troublesome when we passed in the +autumn.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>NOTE. A later traveller through this region writes, "The mountains +are indeed <i>rocky</i>. They are rocks heaped upon rocks, +with no vegetation, excepting a few cedars growing out of the +crevices near their base. Their tops are covered with perpetual +snow. The main ridge of the mountains is of <i>gneiss</i> rock; yet, +to-day, parallel ridges of a rock, nearly allied to <i>basalt</i>, have +abounded. These ridges appear to be volcanic, forced up in +<i>dikes</i> at different distances from each other, running from east-north-east +to west-south-west. The strata are mostly vertical; +but some are a little dipped to the south.</p> + +<p>"Our encampment was near a small stream which runs +through a volcanic chasm, which is more than a hundred feet +deep, with perpendicular sides. Here was a passage made for +the <i>water</i> by <i>fire</i>."</p></div> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>THE PARTY AGREE TO SEPARATE.</p> + +<p>July 3, 1806.—It was agreed here that the expedition +should be divided, to unite again at the confluence +of the Missouri and the Yellowstone. The +separation took place near the point where Clarke's +River is crossed by the forty-seventh parallel of latitude. +Capt. Lewis, with nine men, was to cross the +mountains in a direction as nearly due east as possible, +expecting to find some tributary of the Missouri, +by following which he might reach that river, and by +it retrace his way homeward. Capt. Clarke, with the +remainder of the party, was to seek the head waters +of the Yellowstone, and follow that stream to the +proposed place of re-union.</p> + +<p>In conformity with this arrangement, Capt. Lewis, +under the guidance of friendly Indians, crossed the +mountains by a route which led him, after travelling +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>one hundred and four miles, to Medicine River, and +by that river to the Missouri. He reached the falls +of the Missouri on the 17th of July, and leaving +there a portion of his party, under Sergt. Gass, to +make preparations for transporting their baggage +and canoes round the falls, set out, accompanied +by Drewyer and the two brothers Fields, with six +horses, to explore Maria's River, to ascertain its extent +toward the north. From the 18th to the 26th, +they were engaged in this exploration. On the eve +of their return, an event occurred, which, being the +only instance in which the expedition was engaged +in any conflict with the Indians with loss of life, +requires to be particularly related.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CONFLICT WITH THE INDIANS.</p> + +<p>We were passing through a region frequented by +the Minnetarees, a band of Indians noted for their +thievish propensities and unfriendly dispositions. +Capt. Lewis was therefore desirous to avoid meeting +with them. Drewyer had been sent out for +game, and Capt. Lewis ascended a hill to look over +the country. Scarcely had he reached the top, when +he saw, about a mile on his left, a collection of about +thirty horses. By the aid of his spy-glass, he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>discovered +that one-half of the horses were saddled, and +that, on the eminence above the horses, several Indians +were looking down towards the river, probably +at Drewyer. This was a most unwelcome sight. +Their probable numbers rendered any contest with +them of doubtful issue. To attempt to escape would +only invite pursuit; and our horses were so bad, that +we must certainly be overtaken: besides which, +Drewyer could not yet be aware that Indians were +near; and, if we ran, he would most probably be sacrificed. +We therefore determined to make the best of +our situation, and advance towards them in a friendly +manner. The flag which we had brought in case of +such an emergency was therefore displayed, and we +continued slowly our march towards them. Their +whole attention was so engaged by Drewyer, that they +did not immediately discover us. As soon as they did +so, they appeared to be much alarmed, and ran about +in confusion. When we came within a quarter of a +mile, one of the Indians mounted, and rode towards +us. When within a hundred paces of us, he halted; +and Capt. Lewis, who had alighted to receive him, +held out his hand, and beckoned him to approach: +but he only looked at us, and then, without saying a +word, returned to his companions.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>The whole party now descended the hill, and rode +towards us. As yet we saw only eight, but presumed +that there must be more behind, as there were several +more horses saddled. Capt. Lewis had with him +but two men; and he told them his fears that these +were Indians of the Minnetaree tribe, and that they +would attempt to rob us, and advised them to be +on the alert, should there appear any disposition to +attack us.</p> + +<p>When the two parties came within a hundred yards +of each other, all the Indians, except one, halted. +Capt. Lewis therefore ordered his two men to halt, +while he 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 our +two men. They all now came up; and, after alighting, +the Indians asked to smoke with us. Capt. 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, who returned with them.</p> + +<p>As it was growing late, Capt. Lewis proposed that +they should encamp with us; for he was glad to see +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span>them, and had a great deal to say to them. They +assented; and, being soon joined by Drewyer, the +evening was spent in conversation with the Indians, +in which Capt. Lewis endeavored to persuade them +to cultivate peace with their neighbors. Finding +them very fond of the pipe, Capt. Lewis, who was +desirous of keeping a constant watch during the +night, smoked with them to a late hour; and, as soon as +they were all asleep, he woke R. Fields, and ordering +him to rouse us all in case any Indian left the camp, +as he feared they would attempt to steal our horses, +he lay down by the side of Drewyer in the tent +with the Indians, while the brothers Fields were +stretched near the fire at the mouth of the tent.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, the Indians got up, and crowded round +the fire, near which J. Fields, who was then on +watch, had carelessly left his rifle, near the head of +his brother, who was 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 Capt. Lewis. As +soon as Fields turned round, he saw the Indian running +off with the rifles; and, instantly calling his +brother, they pursued him for fifty or sixty yards; +and just as they overtook him, in the scuffle for the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span>rifles, R. Fields stabbed him through the heart with +his knife. The Indian ran a few steps, and fell dead. +They recovered their rifles, and ran back to the camp.</p> + +<p>The moment the fellow touched his gun, Drewyer, +who was awake, jumped up, and wrested it from him. +The noise awoke Capt. Lewis, who instantly started +from the ground, and reached to seize his gun, but +found it gone, and, turning about, saw the Indian +running off with it. He followed, and called to him +to lay down the gun; which he did. By this time, +the rest of the Indians were endeavoring to drive off +our horses; and Capt. Lewis ordered his men to follow +them, and fire upon the thieves if they did not +release our horses. The result was, that we recovered +four of our horses, and as many of theirs which +they had left behind; so that we were rather gainers +by the contest. Besides the Indian killed by Fields, +one other was badly wounded.</p> + +<p>We had no doubt but that we should be immediately +pursued by a much larger party. Our only +chance of safety was in rejoining our friends, who +were many miles distant. We therefore pushed +our horses as fast as we could; and, fortunately +for us, the Indian horses proved very good. The +plains were level, free from stones and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span>prickly-pears, +and in fine order for travelling over from the +late rains. We commenced our ride in the early +morning. At three o'clock, we had ridden, by estimate, +sixty-three miles. We halted for an hour and a +half to refresh our horses; then pursued our journey +seventeen miles farther, when, as night came on, we +killed a buffalo, and again stopped for two hours. +The sky was now overclouded; but, as the moon +gave light enough to show us the route, we continued +for twenty miles farther, and then, exhausted +with fatigue, halted at two in the morning. Next day, +we rejoined the main body of our party in safety.</p> + +<p>Capt. Lewis with his companions pursued their +way down the Missouri, passing those points already +noticed in their ascent. Our narrative, therefore, +will leave them here, and attend the course of Capt. +Clarke and his party down the Yellowstone.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<h3>CAPT. CLARKE'S ROUTE DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>July 3, 1806.—The party under Capt. Clarke, +consisting of fifteen men, with fifty horses, set +out through the valley of Clarke's River, along the +western side of which they rode in a southern direction. +The valley is from ten to fifteen miles in width, +and is diversified by a number of small open plains, +abounding with grass and a variety of sweet-scented +plants, and watered by numerous streams rushing +from the western mountains. These mountains were +covered with snow about one-fifth of the way from +the top; and some snow was still to be seen in the +hollows of the mountains to the eastward.</p> + +<p>July 7.—They reached Wisdom River, and stopped +for dinner at a hot spring situated in the open plain. +The bed of the spring is about fifteen yards in circumference, +and composed of loose, hard, gritty +stones, through which the water boils in large <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span>quantities. +It is slightly impregnated with sulphur, and +so hot, that a piece of meat, about the size of three fingers, +was completely cooked in twenty-five minutes.</p> + +<p>July 8.—They arrived at Jefferson's River, where +they had deposited their goods in the month of August +the year before. They found every thing safe, +though some of the goods were a little damp, and +one of the canoes had a hole in it. They had now +crossed from Traveller's-Rest Creek to the head of Jefferson's +River, which seems to form the best and shortest +route over the mountains during almost the whole +distance of one hundred and sixty-four miles. It is, +in fact, an excellent road; and, by cutting down a few +trees, it might be rendered a good route for wagons, +with the exception of about four miles over one of +the mountains, which would require a little levelling.</p> + +<p>July 10.—The boats were now loaded, and Capt. +Clarke divided his men into two bands. Sergt. Ordway, +with nine men, in six canoes, was to descend +the river; while Capt. Clarke, with the remaining +ten, the wife and child of Chaboneau, and fifty horses, +were to proceed by land to the Yellowstone. The +latter party set out at five in the afternoon from +the forks of the Missouri, in a direction nearly east. +The plain was intersected by several great roads +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span>leading to a gap in the mountain about twenty miles +distant, in a direction east-north-east; but the Indian +woman, who was acquainted with the country, recommended +another gap more to the south, through which +Capt. Clarke determined to proceed.</p> + +<p>They started early the next morning, and, pursuing +the route recommended by the squaw, encamped in +the evening at the entrance of the gap mentioned by +her. Through this gap they passed next day, and, +at the distance of six miles, reached the top of the +dividing ridge which separates the waters of the Missouri +from those of the Yellowstone. Nine miles +from the summit, they reached the Yellowstone itself, +about a mile and a half below where it issues from +the Rocky Mountains. The distance from the head +of the Missouri to this place is forty-eight miles, the +greater part of which is through a level plain. They +halted for three hours to rest their horses, and then +pursued the Buffalo Road along the banks of the +river.</p> + +<p>Although but just emerging from a high, snowy +mountain, the Yellowstone is here a bold, rapid, and +deep stream, one hundred and twenty yards in width. +They continued their course along the river till the +23d, when the party embarked on board of two <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span>canoes, +each of which was twenty-eight feet long, sixteen +or eighteen inches deep, and from sixteen to +twenty-four inches wide. Sergt. Prior, with two men, +was directed to take the horses to the Mandans for +safe keeping until the re-union of the expedition.</p> + +<p>July 24.—At eight o'clock, Capt. Clarke and the +remainder of his party embarked, and proceeded very +steadily down the river. They passed the mouths of +several large rivers emptying into the Yellowstone; +one of which was called the Big-horn, from the numbers +of that remarkable species of sheep seen in its +neighborhood. Next day, Capt. Clarke landed to examine +a curious rock, situated in an extensive bottom +on the right, about two hundred and fifty paces from +the shore. It is nearly two hundred paces in circumference, +two hundred feet high, and accessible only from +the north-east; the other sides consisting of perpendicular +cliffs, of a light-colored, gritty stone. The +soil on the summit is five or six feet deep, of a good +quality, and covered with short grass. From this +height, the eye ranges over a wide extent of variegated +country. On the south-west are the Rocky +Mountains, covered with snow; on the north, a lower +range, called the Little Wolf Mountains. The low +grounds of the river extend nearly six miles to the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>southward, when they rise into plains, reaching to +the mountains. The north side of the river is bounded +by jutting, romantic cliffs, beyond which the plains +are open and extensive, and the whole country enlivened +by herds of buffaloes, elks, and wolves. After +enjoying the prospect from this rock, to which Capt. +Clarke gave the name of Pompey's Pillar, he descended, +and continued his route. At the distance +of six or seven miles, he stopped to secure two bighorns, +which had been shot from the boat, and, while +on shore, saw in the face of the cliff, about twenty +feet above the water, a fragment of the rib of a fish, +three feet long, and nearly three inches round, embedded +in the rock itself.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">BEAVERS, BUFFALOES, MOSQUITOES.</p> + +<p>The beavers were in great numbers along the +banks of the river, and through the night were flapping +their tails in the water round the boats.</p> + +<p>Aug. 1.—The buffaloes appeared in vast numbers. +A herd happened to be on their way across the river. +Such was the multitude of these animals, that although +the river, including an island over which +they passed, was a mile in width, the herd stretched, +as thick as they could swim, completely from one +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>side to the other. Our party, descending the river, +was obliged to stop for an hour to let the procession +pass. We consoled ourselves for the delay by killing +four of the herd, and then proceeded, till, at the distance +of forty-five miles, two other herds of buffaloes, +as numerous as the first, crossed the river in like +manner.</p> + +<p>Aug. 4.—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 low grounds: in short, 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 +inflict is scarcely to be endured.</p> + +<p>On one occasion, Capt. Clarke 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.</p> + +<p>This annoyance continued, till, on the 11th of September, +they write, "We are no longer troubled with +mosquitoes, which do not seem to frequent this part +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>of the river; and, after having been persecuted with +them during the whole route from the falls, it is a +most happy exemption. Their noise was very agreeably +exchanged for that of the wolves, which were +howling in various directions all round us."</p> + +<p>Aug. 12, 1806.—The party continued to descend +the river. One of their canoes had, by accident, a +small hole made in it; and they halted for the purpose +of covering it with a piece of elk-skin. While there, +about noon, they were overjoyed at seeing the boats +of Capt. Lewis's party heave in sight. The whole +expedition being now happily re-united, at about +three o'clock all embarked on board the boats; but +as the wind was high, accompanied with rain, we did +not proceed far before we halted for the night.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THEY PART WITH SOME OF THEIR COMPANIONS.</p> + +<p>On the 14th August, having now reached a part of +the river where we occasionally met the boats of adventurous +traders ascending the river, Capt. Lewis +was applied to by one of the men, Colter, who was +desirous of joining two trappers, who proposed to +him to accompany them, and share their profits. The +offer was an advantageous one; and as he had always +performed his duty, and his services might be <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>dispensed +with, Capt. Lewis consented to his going, provided +none of the rest would ask or expect a similar +indulgence. To this they cheerfully answered, that +they wished Colter every success, and would not +apply for a discharge before we reached St. Louis. +We therefore supplied him, as did his comrades also, +with powder and lead, and a variety of articles which +might be useful to him; and he left us the next day.</p> + +<p>The example of this man shows how easily men +may be weaned from the habits of civilized life, and +brought to relish the manners of the woods. This +hunter had now been absent many years from his +country, and might naturally be presumed to have +some desire to return to his native seats; yet, just at +the moment when he is approaching the frontiers, he +is tempted by a hunting-scheme to go back to the +solitude of the woods.</p> + +<p>A few days after this, Chaboneau, with his wife +and child, concluded to follow us no longer, as he +could be no longer useful to us. We offered to take +him with us to the United States; but he said that he +had there no acquaintance, and preferred remaining +among the Indians. This man has been very serviceable +to us, and his wife particularly so, among +the Shoshonees. She has borne with a patience truly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span>admirable the fatigues of our long journey, encumbered +with the charge of an infant, which is now +only nineteen months old. We paid him his wages, +amounting to five hundred dollars and thirty-three +cents, including the price of a horse and a lodge purchased +of him, and pursued our journey without him.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THEY REACH HOME.</p> + +<p>Sept. 8, 1806.—We reached Council Bluffs, and +stopped for a short time to examine the situation of +the place, and were confirmed in our belief that it +would be a very eligible spot for a trading establishment.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> +Being anxious to reach the junction of the +Platte River, we plied our oars so well, that by night +we had made seventy-eight miles, and landed at our +old encampment, on the ascent, twelve miles above +that river. We had here occasion to remark the +wonderful evaporation from the Missouri. The river +does not appear to contain more water, nor is its +channel wider, than at the distance of one thousand +miles nearer its source, although within that space +it receives about twenty rivers (some of them of +considerable width), and a great number of smaller +streams.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span>A few days more brought us to the mouth of the +Kansas River. About a mile below it, we landed to +view the country. The low grounds are delightful, +the whole country exhibiting a rich appearance; but +the weather was oppressively warm. Descending as +we had done from a high, open country, between the +latitudes of forty-six and forty-nine degrees, to the +wooded plains in thirty-eight and thirty-nine degrees, +the heat would have been intolerable, had it not been +for the constant winds from the south and the south-west.</p> + +<p>On the 20th September, we reached the mouth of +Osage River. A few miles lower down, we saw on +the banks some cows feeding; and the whole party +involuntarily raised a shout of joy at the sight of this +evidence of civilization and domestic life.</p> + +<p>We soon after reached the little French village of +La Charette, which we saluted with a discharge of +four guns and three hearty cheers. We landed, and +were received with kindness by the inhabitants, as +well as by some traders who were on their way to +traffic with the Osages. They were all surprised and +pleased at our arrival; for they had long since abandoned +all hopes of ever seeing us return.</p> + +<p>The third day after this,—viz., on Tuesday, the 23d +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span>of September, 1806,—we arrived at St. Louis, and, +having fired a salute, went on shore, and received +the heartiest and most hospitable welcome from the +whole village.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CONCLUSION.</p> + +<p>The successful termination of the expedition was a +source of surprise and delight to the whole country. +The humblest of its citizens had taken a lively interest +in the issue of this journey, and looked forward +with impatience for the information it would furnish. +Their anxieties, too, for the safety of the party, had +been kept in a state of excitement by lugubrious +rumors, circulated from time to time on uncertain +authorities, and uncontradicted by letters or other +direct information, from the time when the party left +the Mandan towns, on their ascent up the river, in +1804, until their actual return to St. Louis.</p> + +<p>The courage, perseverance, and discretion displayed +by the commanders, and the fidelity and +obedience of the men, were the theme of general +approbation, and received the favorable notice of +Government. A donation of lands was made to each +member of the party; Capt. Lewis was appointed +Governor of Louisiana, which, at that time, embraced +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span>the whole country west of the Mississippi, within the +boundaries of the United States; and Capt. Clarke +was made Superintendent of Indian Affairs.</p> + +<p>It was not until some years after, however, that +the world was put in possession of the detailed history +of the expedition. Capt. Lewis, in the midst of +other cares, devoted what time he could to the preparation +of his journals for publication, and, in 1809, was +on his way to Philadelphia for that purpose, but, at +a village in Tennessee, was taken ill, and prevented +from proceeding. Here the energetic mind, which +had encountered so unfalteringly the perils and sufferings +of the desert, gave way. Constitutional despondency +overcame him: it is probable he lost his +reason; for, in a rash moment, he applied a pistol to +his head, and destroyed his life. His journals were +published under the charge of Paul Allen of Philadelphia.</p> + +<h4>FOOTNOTE:</h4> + +<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Now the site of Omaha City.</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>ELDORADO.</h2> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>ELDORADO</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE DISCOVERY.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>What is meant by Eldorado? Is there such a +country? and, if there be, where is it? The +name literally means "The Golden Country," and +was given to an unknown region in South America +by the Spaniards, who had heard from the Indians +marvellous tales of such a land lying in the interior +of the continent, where gold and precious stones +were as common as rocks and pebbles in other countries, +and to be had for the trouble of picking them +up. It was also a land of spices and aromatic gums. +The first notion of this favored region was communicated +by an Indian chief to Gonzalo Pizarro, brother +of the conqueror of Peru, whose imagination was captivated +by the account, and his ambition fired with a +desire to add this, which promised to be the most <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span>brilliant +of all, to the discoveries and conquests of his +countrymen. He found no difficulty in awakening a +kindred enthusiasm in the bosoms of his followers. +In a short time, he mustered three hundred and fifty +Spaniards, and four thousand Indians. One hundred +and fifty of his company were mounted. The Indians +were to carry the baggage and provisions, and perform +the labors of the expedition.</p> + +<p>A glance at the map of South America will give +us a clear idea of the scene of the expedition. The +River Amazon, the largest river of the globe, rises in +the highest ranges of the Andes, and flows from west +to east through nearly the whole breadth of the continent. +Pizarro's expedition started in the year 1540 +from Quito, near the sources of the great river, and, +marching east, soon became entangled in the deep +and intricate passes of the mountains. As they rose +into the more elevated regions, the icy winds that +swept down the sides of the Cordilleras benumbed +their limbs, and many of the natives found a wintry +grave in the wilderness. On descending the eastern +slope, the climate changed; and, as they came to a +lower level, the fierce cold was succeeded by a suffocating +heat, while tempests of thunder and lightning +poured on them with scarcely any intermission day +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>or night. For more than six weeks, the deluge continued +unabated; and the forlorn wanderers, wet, and +weary with incessant toil, were scarcely able to drag +their limbs along the soil, broken up as it was, and +saturated with the moisture. After months of toilsome +travel, they reached the region where grew the +spice-trees. Their produce resembled the cinnamon +of the East in taste, but was of inferior quality. They +saw the trees bearing the precious bark spreading out +into broad forests; yet, however valuable it might be +for future commerce, it was of but little worth to them. +But, from the savages whom they occasionally met, +they learned, that at ten days' distance was a rich +and fruitful land, abounding with gold, and inhabited +by populous nations. The Spaniards were so convinced +of the existence of such a country, that if the +natives, on being questioned, professed their ignorance +of it, they were supposed to be desirous of +concealing the fact, and were put to the most horrible +tortures, and even burnt alive, to compel them to +confess. It is no wonder, therefore, if they told, in +many instances, such stories as the Spaniards wished +to hear, which would also have the effect of ridding +their own territories of their troublesome guests by +inducing them to advance farther. Pizarro had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>already +reached the limit originally proposed for the +expedition; but these accounts induced him to continue +on.</p> + +<p>As they advanced, the country spread out into +broad plains, terminated by forests, which seemed to +stretch on every side as far as the eye could reach. +The wood was thickly matted with creepers and +climbing plants, and at every step of the way they +had to hew open a passage with their axes; while +their garments, rotting from the effects of the drenching +rains, caught in every bush, and hung about them +in shreds. Their provisions failed, and they had only +for sustenance such herbs and roots as they could +gather in the forest, and such wild animals as, with +their inadequate means, they could capture.</p> + +<p>At length they came to a broad expanse of water, +from whence flowed a stream,—one of those which +discharge their waters into the great River Amazon. +The sight gladdened their hearts, as they hoped to +find a safer and more practicable route by keeping +along its banks. After following the stream a considerable +distance, the party came within hearing of +a rushing noise, that seemed like thunder issuing +from the bowels of the earth. The river tumbled +along over rapids with frightful velocity, and then +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>discharged itself in a magnificent cataract, which +they describe as twelve hundred feet high. Doubtless +this estimate must be taken with some allowance +for the excited feelings of the Spaniards, keenly alive +to impressions of the sublime and the terrible.</p> + +<p>For some distance above and below the falls, the +bed of the river contracted; so that its width did not +exceed twenty feet. They determined to cross, in +hopes of finding a country that might afford them +better sustenance. A frail bridge was constructed +by throwing trunks of trees across the chasm, where +the cliffs, as if split asunder by some convulsion of +Nature, descended sheer down a perpendicular depth +of several hundred feet. Over this airy causeway, +the men and horses succeeded in effecting their passage; +though one Spaniard, made giddy by heedlessly +looking down, lost his footing, and fell into the boiling +surges below. They gained little by the exchange. +The country wore the same unpromising aspect: the +Indians whom they occasionally met in the pathless +wilderness were fierce and unfriendly, and the Spaniards +were engaged in perpetual conflict with them. +From these they learned that a fruitful country was +to be found down the river, at the distance of only a +few days' journey; and the Spaniards held on their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span>weary way, still hoping, and still deceived, as the +promised land flitted before them, like the rainbow, +receding as they advanced.</p> + +<p>At length, spent with toil and suffering, Pizarro +resolved to construct a bark large enough to transport +the weaker part of his company and his baggage. +The forests furnished him with timber; the +shoes of the horses, which had died on the road, or +been slaughtered for food, were converted into nails; +gum, distilled from the trees, took the place of pitch; +and the tattered garments of the soldiers served for +oakum. At the end of two months, the vessel was +ready, and the command given to Francisco Orellana. +The troops now moved forward through the wilderness, +following the course of the river; the vessel +carrying the feebler soldiers. Every scrap of provisions +had long since been consumed. The last of +their horses had been devoured; and they greedily +fed upon toads, serpents, and even insects, which that +country, teeming with the lower forms of animal life, +abundantly supplied.</p> + +<p>The natives still told of a rich district, inhabited by +a populous nation. It was, as usual, at the distance of +several days' journey; and Pizarro resolved to halt +where he was, and send Orellana down in his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span>brigantine +to procure a stock of provisions, with which he +might return, and put the main body in condition to +resume their march. Orellana, with fifty of the adventurers, +pushed off into the middle of the river, +where the stream ran swiftly; and his bark, taken +by the current, shot forward as with the speed of an +arrow, and was soon out of sight.</p> + +<p>Days and weeks passed away, yet the vessel did +not return; and no speck was to be seen on the +waters as the Spaniards strained their eyes to the +farthest point, till the banks closed in, and shut +the view. Detachments were sent out, and, though +absent several days, came back without intelligence +of their comrades. Weary of suspense, Pizarro determined +to continue their march down the river, +which they did, with incredible suffering, for two +months longer, till their doubts were dispelled by +the appearance of a white man, wandering, half naked, +in the woods, in whose famine-stricken countenance +they recognized the features of one of their countrymen. +Orellana had passed swiftly down the river to +the point of its confluence with the Amazon, where +he had been led to expect that he should find supplies +for the wants of himself and his companions, +but found none. Nor was it possible to return as he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span>had come, and make head against the current of the +river. In this dilemma, a thought flashed across his +mind: it was, to leave the party under Pizarro to +their fate, and to pursue his course down the great +river on which he had entered; to explore Eldorado +for himself, and make the best of his way home to +Spain to claim the glory and reward of discovery. +His reckless companions readily consented to this +course, with the exception of the individual whom +Pizarro found; and him, when he remonstrated, they +put ashore, and left to shift for himself.</p> + +<p>Pizarro and his party, deserted in the wilderness, +unable to advance farther, had no alternative but to +remain, or retrace their miserable way to Quito, the +place they had started from more than a year before. +They chose the latter, and commenced their return +march with heavy hearts. They took a more northerly +route than that by which they had approached +the Amazon; and, though it was attended with fewer +difficulties, they experienced yet greater distresses, +from their greater inability to overcome them. Their +only food was such scanty fare as they could pick up +in the forest, or happily meet with in some forsaken +Indian settlement, or wring by violence from the +natives. Some sickened and sank down by the way, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span>and perished where they fell; for there was none to +help them. Intense misery had made them selfish; +and many a poor wretch was abandoned to his fate, to +die alone in the wilderness, or, more probably, to be +devoured, while living, by the wild animals which +roamed over it.</p> + +<p>It took them a year to measure back their way to +Quito; and the miseries they had endured were testified +to by their appearance when they arrived, in +sadly reduced numbers, at the place of their starting. +Their horses gone, their arms broken and rusted, the +skins of wild animals their only clothes, their long +and matted locks streaming wildly down their shoulders, +their faces blackened by the tropical sun, their +bodies wasted by famine and disfigured by scars, it +seemed as if the charnel-house had given up its dead, +as, with unsteady step, they crept slowly onwards. +More than half of the four thousand Indians who had +accompanied the expedition had perished; and of the +Spaniards, only eighty, and many of these irretrievably +broken in constitution, found their way back to +Quito.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Orellana glided down the stream, which +then was nameless and unknown, but which has since +been called by his name, though it is more generally +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span>known by a name derived from a story which Orellana +told, in his account of his voyage, of a nation of Amazons +inhabiting its banks. But an account of Orellana's +adventures must be reserved for our next +chapter.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>ORELLANA DESCENDS THE RIVER.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>When Orellana, in his ill-appointed bark, and +with his crew enfeebled by famine, had +reached the junction of the River Napo with the Amazon, +and found no sources of supply which he had +been led to expect, he had no difficulty in satisfying +his companions that their only chance of preservation +was in continuing their descent of the river, and leaving +the party under Pizarro to their fate. He then +formally renounced the commission which Pizarro had +given him, and received the command anew from the +election of his men, that so he might make discoveries +for himself, and not, holding a deputed authority, +in the name of another. It was upon the last day of +December, 1541, that this voyage was begun,—one of +the most adventurous that has ever been undertaken. +The little stock of provisions with which they had +parted from the army was already exhausted, and they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span>boiled their leathern girdles and the leather of their +shoes with such herbs as seemed most likely to be +nourishing and harmless; for it was only by experiment +that they were able to distinguish the wholesome +from the poisonous. On the 8th of January, +being reduced almost to the last extremity with hunger, +they heard before daylight an Indian drum,—a +joyful sound; for be the natives what they would, +friendly or hostile, this they knew, that it must be +their own fault now if they should die of hunger. At +daybreak, being eagerly upon the lookout, they perceived +four canoes, which put back upon seeing the +brigantine; and presently they saw a village where +a great body of the natives were assembled, and appeared +ready to defend it. The Spaniards were too +hungry to negotiate. Orellana bade them land in +good order, and stand by each other. They attacked +the Indians like men who were famishing, and fought +for food, put them speedily to the rout, and found an +immediate supply. While they were enjoying the +fruits of their victory, the Indians came near them, +more to gratify curiosity than resentment. Orellana +spoke to them in some Indian language which they +partly understood. Some of them took courage, and +approached him. He gave them a few European +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span>trifles, and asked for their chief, who came without +hesitation, was well pleased with the presents which +were given him, and offered them any thing which it +was in his power to supply. Provisions were requested; +and presently peacocks, partridges, fish, and +other things, were brought in great abundance. The +next day, thirteen chiefs came to see the strangers. +They were gayly adorned with feathers and gold, and +had plates of gold upon the breast. Orellana received +them courteously, required them to acknowledge +obedience to the crown of Castile, took advantage as +usual of their ignorance to affirm that they consented, +and took possession of their country in the emperor's +name.</p> + +<p>Such is Orellana's own account of this first interview. +It was his object to create a high idea of the +riches of the provinces which he had discovered. It +is not probable that these tribes had any gold; for +later discoveries showed that none of the tribes on the +Amazon were so far advanced as to use it. It was +here that they heard the first accounts of the rich and +powerful nation composed wholly of women, whom, +in recollection of the female warriors of classic antiquity, +they called the Amazons. Here the Spaniards +built a better brigantine than the frail one in which +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span>they were embarked. All fell to work, Orellana being +the first at any exertion that was required. They +calked it with cotton; the natives supplied pitch; +and in thirty-five days the vessel was launched. On +the 24th of April, they once more embarked. For +eighty leagues, the banks were peopled with friendly +tribes; then the course of the river lay between desert +mountains, and they were fain to feed upon herbs +and parched corn, not even finding a place where +they could fish.</p> + +<p>Thus far they seem to have found the natives +friendly, or not actively hostile; but, as they descended, +they came to a populous province, belonging to a +chief called Omagua, if, as is conjectured, that is not +rather the name of the tribe itself than of their chief. +One morning, a fleet of canoes was seen advancing +with hostile demonstrations. The Indians carried +shields made of the skins of the alligator. They came +on with beat of tambour and with war-cries, threatening +to devour the strangers. The Spaniards brought +their two vessels close together, that they might aid +one another in the defence. But, when they came to +use their powder, it was damp, and they had nothing +but their cross-bows to trust to; and, plying these as +well as they could, they continued to fall down the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span>stream, fighting as they went. Presently they came +to an Indian town. Half the Spaniards landed to +attack it, leaving their companions to maintain the +fight upon the water.</p> + +<p>They won the town, and loaded themselves with +provisions; but eighteen of the party were wounded, +and one killed. They had neither surgeon nor any +remedy for the wounded. Nothing could be done for +them except "psalming;" that is, repeating some +verses of the psalms over the wound. This mode of +treatment was not unusual; and, as it was less absurd +than the methods which were ordinarily in use at that +day, it is no wonder if it proved more successful.</p> + +<p>For two days and two nights after this, they were +constantly annoyed by the canoes of the natives following, +and endeavoring to board them. But the +Spaniards had now dried some powder; and one of +them, getting a steady mark at the chief of the Indians, +shot him in the breast. His people gathered +round him; and, while they were thus occupied, the +brigantines shot ahead.</p> + +<p>Thus they proceeded with alternate good and evil +fortune, now finding the Indians friendly, and supplies +of provisions abundant; and then encountering hostile +tribes which assailed them with all their power, or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span>long regions of unpeopled country, where they were +reduced to the utmost straits for want of food. Six +months had now been consumed on their voyage, and +as yet no appearance of Eldorado; though, if their accounts +may be trusted, they several times came upon +populous places, which had many streets, all opening +upon the river, and apparently leading to some +greater city in the interior. On the 22d of June, on +turning an angle of the river, they saw the country +far before them, and great numbers of people collected, +seemingly with hostile intentions. Orellana +offered them trinkets, at which they scoffed; but he +persisted in making towards the shore to get food, +either by persuasion or force. A shower of arrows +was discharged from the shore, which wounded five +of the crew. They nevertheless landed, and, after a +hot contest, repulsed the natives, killing some seven +or eight of them. The historian of the voyage, who +was one of the adventurers, affirms that ten or twelve +Amazons fought at the head of these people, who +were their subjects, and fought desperately; because +any one who fled in battle would be beaten to death +by these female tyrants. He describes the women +as very tall and large-limbed, white of complexion, the +hair long, platted, and banded round the head. It is +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span>amusing to observe how this story was magnified by +later narrators, who learned it only by tradition. It +is stated in these late accounts that Orellana fought +on this occasion with a great army of women.</p> + +<p>Of a prisoner whom they took, Orellana asked questions +about Eldorado and the Amazons, and got, as +usual, such answers as he expected. This may partly +be set down to the score of self-deception, and partly +to the fact that they conversed with these people by +signs, and by means of the few words of their language +which the Spaniards knew, or supposed they +knew, the meaning of. He learned from the prisoner +that the country was subject to women, who lived +after the manner of the Amazons of the ancients, and +who possessed gold and silver in abundance. There +were in their dominions fine temples of the sun, all +covered with plates of gold. Their houses were of +stone, and their cities walled. We can hardly doubt +that the desire to tempt adventurers to join him in +his subsequent expedition to conquer and colonize +those countries had its effect in magnifying these +marvels.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this, the Spaniards thought they perceived +the <i>tide</i>. After another day's voyage, they +came to some inhabited islands, and, to their infinite +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span>joy, saw that they had not been mistaken; for the +marks of the tide here were certain. Here they lost +another of their party in a skirmish with the natives. +From this place the country was low; and they could +never venture to land, except upon the islands, among +which they sailed, as they supposed, about two hundred +leagues; the tide coming up with great force. +One day the smaller vessel struck upon a snag, which +stove in one of her planks, and she filled. They, however, +landed to seek for provisions; but the inhabitants +attacked them with such force, that they were +forced to retire; and, when they came to their vessels, +they found that the tide had left the only serviceable +one dry. Orellana ordered half his men to fight, and +the other half to thrust the vessel into the water: +that done, they righted the old brigantine, and fastened +in a new plank, all which was completed in three +hours, by which time the Indians were weary of fighting, +and left them in peace. The next day they found +a desert place, where Orellana halted to repair both +vessels. This took them eighteen days, during which +they suffered much from hunger.</p> + +<p>As they drew near the sea, they halted again for +fourteen days, to prepare for their sea-voyage; made +cordage of herbs; and sewed the cloaks, on which they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span>slept, into sails. On the 8th of August, they proceeded +again, anchoring with stones when the tide +turned, though it sometimes came in such strength as +to drag these miserable anchors. Here the natives +were happily of a milder mood than those whom they +had lately dealt with. From them they procured +roots and Indian corn; and, having laid in what store +they could, they made ready to enter upon the sea in +these frail vessels, with their miserable tackling, and +with insufficient food, without pilot, compass, or any +knowledge of the coast.</p> + +<p>It was on the 26th of August that they sailed out +of the river, passing between two islands, which were +about four leagues asunder. The whole length of the +voyage from the place where they had embarked to +the sea they computed at eighteen hundred leagues. +Thus far their weather had been always favorable, +and it did not fail them now. They kept along the +coast to the northward, just at safe distance. The +two brigantines parted company in the night. They +in the larger one got into the Gulf of Paria, from +whence all their labor at the oar for seven days could +not extricate them. During this time, they lived upon +a sort of plum called "nogos," being the only food +they could find. At length they were whirled +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span>through those tremendous channels which Columbus +called the "Dragon's mouths," and, September the +11th, not knowing where they were, reached the +Island of Cubagua, where they found a colony of their +countrymen. The old brigantine had arrived at the +same place two days before them. Here they were +received with the welcome which their wonderful +adventure deserved; and from hence Orellana proceeded +to Spain, to give the king an account of his +discoveries in person.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>ORELLANA'S ADVENTURE CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Orellana arrived safe in Spain, and was favorably +received. His act of insubordination in +leaving his commander was forgotten in the success +of his achievement; for it had been successful, even +if the naked facts only had been told, inasmuch as it +was the first event which led to any certain knowledge +of the immense regions that stretch eastward +from the Andes to the ocean, besides being in itself +one of the most brilliant adventures of that remarkable +age. But Orellana's accounts went far beyond +these limits, and confirming all previous tales of the +wonderful Eldorado, with its temples roofed with +gold, and its mountains composed of precious stones, +drew to his standard numerous followers. Every +thing promised fairly. The king granted him a commission +to conquer the countries which he had explored. +He raised funds for the expedition, and even +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span>found a wife who was willing to accompany him in +May, 1544, he set sail with four ships and four hundred +men.</p> + +<p>But the tide of Orellana's fortune had turned. He +stopped three months at Teneriffe, and two at the +Cape de Verde, where ninety-eight of his people died, +and fifty were invalided. The expedition proceeded +with three ships, and met with contrary winds, which +detained them till their water was exhausted; and, had +it not been for heavy rains, all must have perished. +One ship put back in this distress, with seventy men +and eleven horses on board, and was never heard of +after. The remaining two reached the river. Having +ascended about a hundred leagues, they stopped +to build a brigantine. Provisions were scarce here, +and fifty-seven more of his party died. These men +were not, like his former comrades, seasoned to the +climate, and habituated to the difficulties of the new +world. One ship was broken up here for the materials: +the other met with an accident, and became +unserviceable; and they cut her up, and made a bark +of the timbers.</p> + +<p>Orellana meanwhile, in the brigantine, was endeavoring +to discover the main branch of the river, which +it had been easy to keep when carried down by the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span>stream, but which he now sought in vain for thirty +days among a labyrinth of channels. When he returned +from this fruitless search, he was ill, and told +his people that he would go back to Point St. Juan; +and there he ordered them to seek him when they +had got the bark ready. But he found his sickness +increase upon him, and determined to abandon the +expedition, and return to Europe. While he was +seeking provisions for the voyage, the Indians killed +seventeen of his men. What with vexation and disorder, +he died in the river. This sealed the fate of +the expedition. The survivors made no further exertions +to reach Eldorado, but returned to their own +country as they could. Such was the fate of Orellana, +who, as a discoverer, surpassed all his countrymen; +and though, as a conqueror, he was unfortunate, +yet neither is he chargeable with any of those atrocities +toward the unhappy natives which have left such +a stain on the glories of Cortes and Pizarro.</p> + +<p>The next attempt we read of to discover Eldorado +was made a few years after, under Hernando de Ribera, +by ascending the La Plata, or River of Paraguay. +He sailed in a brigantine with eighty men, +and encountered no hostility from the natives. They +confirmed the stories of the Amazons with their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span>golden city. "How could they get at them?" was +the next question: "by land, or by water?"—"Only +by land," was the reply. "But it was a two-months' +journey; and to reach them now would be impossible, +because the country was inundated." The Spaniards +made light of this obstacle, but asked for Indians +to carry their baggage. The chief gave Ribera +twenty for himself, and five for each of his men; and +these desperate adventurers set off on their march +over a flooded country.</p> + +<p>Eight days they travelled through water up to +their knees, and sometimes up to their middle. By +slinging their hammocks to trees, and by this means +only, could they find dry positions for the night. +Before they could make a fire to dress their food, +they were obliged to raise a rude scaffolding; and +this was unavoidably so insecure, that frequently the +fire burned through, and food and all fell into the +water. They reached another tribe, and were told +that the Amazons' country was still nine days farther +on; and then still another tribe, who told them it +would take a month to reach them. Perhaps they +would still have advanced; but here an insuperable +obstacle met them. The locusts for two successive +years had devoured every thing before them, and no +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span>food was to be had. The Spaniards had no alternative +but to march back. On their way, they were reduced +to great distress for want of food; and from +this cause, and travelling so long half under water, +the greater number fell sick, and many died. Of +eighty men who accompanied Ribera upon this dreadful +march, only thirty recovered from its effects.</p> + +<p>This expedition added a few items to the story of +Eldorado. Ribera declares under oath that the natives +told him of a nation of women, governed by a +woman, and so warlike as to be dreaded by all their +neighbors. They possessed plenty of white and yellow +metal: their seats, and all the utensils in their +houses, were made of them. They lived on a large +island, which was in a huge lake, which they called +the "Mansion of the Sun," because the sun sank into +it. The only way of accounting for these stories is, +that the Spaniards furnished, in the shape of questions, +the information which they fancied they received +in reply; the Indians assenting to what they +understood but imperfectly, or not at all.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MARTINEZ.</p> + +<p>Another expedition, not long after Orellana's, was +that conducted by Don Diego Ordaz, of which Sir +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span>Walter Raleigh, in his "History of Guiana," gives an +account. The expedition failed; Ordaz being slain +in a mutiny of his men, and those who went with him +being scattered. The only noticeable result was in +the adventures of one Martinez, an officer of Ordaz, +who had charge of the ammunition. We tell the +story in the language of Sir Walter, slightly modernized:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It chanced, that while Ordaz, with his army, rested at the +port of Morequito, by some negligence the whole store of powder +provided for the service was set on fire; and Martinez, having +the chief charge thereof, was condemned by the general to +be executed forthwith. Martinez, being much favored by the +soldiers, had all means possible employed to save his life; but it +could not be obtained in other way but this,—that he should +be set into a canoe alone, without any food, and so turned loose +into the great river. But it pleased God that the canoe was carried +down the stream, and that certain of the Guianians met it the +same evening: and, not having at any time seen any European, +they carried Martinez into the land to be wondered at; and so +from town to town until he came to the great city of Manoa, +the seat and residence of Inga, the emperor. The emperor, +when he beheld him, knew him to be a Christian of those who +had conquered the neighboring country of Peru, and caused +him to be lodged in his palace, and well entertained. He lived +seven months in Manoa, but was not suffered to wander into +the country anywhere. He was also brought thither all the +way blindfolded by the Indians, until he came to the entrance +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span>of Manoa itself. He avowed at his death that he entered the +city at noon, and then they uncovered his face; and that he +travelled all that day till night through the city, ere he came to +the palace of Inga.</p> + +<p>"After Martinez had lived seven months in Manoa, and began +to understand the language of the country, Inga asked him +whether he desired to return to his own country, or would willingly +abide with him. Martinez, not desirous to stay, obtained +permission of Inga to depart, who sent with him some Guianians +to conduct him to the river of Orinoco, with as much gold as +they could carry, which he gave to Martinez at his departure. +But, when he arrived at the river's side, the natives, being at +that time at war with Inga, robbed him and his Guianians of all +his treasure, save only two bottles made of gourds, which were +filled with beads of gold, which those people thought to contain +his drink or food, with which he was at liberty to depart. So, +in a canoe, he passed down by the river to Trinidad, and from +thence to Porto Rico, where he died. In the time of his extreme +sickness, and when he was without hope of life, receiving +the sacrament at the hands of his confessor, he delivered this +relation of his travels, and also called for his calabazas, or +gourds of gold beads, which he gave to the church and the +friars, to be prayed for.</p> + +<p>"This Martinez was the one who christened the city of Manoa +by the name 'Eldorado,' and upon this occasion. At the times +of their solemn feasts, when the emperor carouses with his captains, +tributaries, and governors, the manner is thus: All those +that pledge him are first stripped naked, and their bodies +anointed all over with a kind of white balsam very precious. +When they are anointed all over, certain servants of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span>emperor, +having prepared gold made into fine powder, blow it +through hollow canes upon their naked bodies until they be all +shining from the head to the foot. Upon this sight, and for the +abundance of gold which he saw in the city, the images of gold +in their temples, the plates, armors, and shields of gold which +they use in the wars, he called it Eldorado."</p></div> + +<p>Such is Sir Walter's narrative of one of the traditions +which fired his enthusiasm to undertake the +conquest of Eldorado. He asserts that he read it +in "The Chancery of Saint Juan de Porto Rico," of +which Berrio had a copy. It is pretty plainly tinctured +with fable, but probably had an historical foundation.</p> + +<p>After this, a good many years elapsed before any +other expedition of note was fitted out in search of +Eldorado. But the story grew, notwithstanding. An +imaginary kingdom was shaped out. It was governed +by a potentate who was called the Great Paytiti, +sometimes the Great Moxu, sometimes the Enim, or +Great Pará. An impostor at Lima affirmed that he +had been in his capital, the city of Manoa, where not +fewer than three thousand workmen were employed +in the silversmiths' street. He even produced a map +of the country, in which he had marked a hill of gold, +another of silver, and a third of salt. The columns +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span>of the palace were described as of porphyry and alabaster, +the galleries of ebony and cedar: the throne +was of ivory, and the ascent to it by steps of gold. +The palace was built of white stone. At the entrance +were two towers, and between them a column +twenty-five feet in height. On its top was a large +silver moon; and two living lions were fastened to its +base with chains of gold. Having passed by these +keepers, you came into a quadrangle planted with +trees, and watered by a silver fountain, which spouted +through four golden pipes. The gate of the palace +was of copper, and its bolt was received in the solid +rock. Within, a golden sun was placed upon an altar +of silver; and four lamps were kept burning before it +day and night.</p> + +<p>It may surprise us that tales so palpably false as +these should have deceived any, to such an extent +as to lead them to get up costly and hazardous expeditions +to go in search of the wonder; but we must +remember, that what the Spaniards had already realized +and demonstrated to the world in their conquests +of Mexico and Peru was hardly less astonishing +than these accounts. It is therefore no wonder +that multitudes should be found willing to admit so +much of the marvels of Eldorado as to see in them +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span>a sufficient inducement to justify the search; and +others less credulous were perhaps willing to avail +themselves of the credulity of the multitude to accomplish +plans of conquest and ambition for themselves. +Of the latter class, we may imagine the +celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh to be one, who, at this +time, undertook an expedition for the discovery and +conquest of Eldorado.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>SIR WALTER RALEIGH.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Walter Raleigh was born in the year 1552 +in Devonshire, England, and received a good +education, completed by a residence of two years at +the University of Oxford. At the age of seventeen, +he joined a volunteer corps of English to serve in +France in aid of the Protestant cause. Afterwards +he served five years in the Netherlands. In 1576, he +accompanied his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, +on an expedition to colonize some part of North America; +which expedition was unsuccessful. We next +find him commanding a company of the royal troops +in Ireland during the rebellion raised by the Earl of +Desmond. In consequence of some serious differences +which arose between him and his superior officer, +he found it necessary to repair to court to justify +himself. It was at this time that an incident occurred +which recommended him to the notice of Queen <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span>Elizabeth, +and was the foundation of his fortunes. Raleigh +stood in the crowd one day where the queen passed +on foot; and when she came to a spot of muddy +ground, and hesitated for a moment where to step, +he sprang forward, and, throwing from his shoulders +his handsome cloak ("his clothes being then," says a +quaint old writer, "a considerable part of his estate"), +he spread it over the mud, so that the queen passed +over dry-shod, doubtless giving an approving look to +the handsome and quick-witted young officer. There +is another story which is not less probable, because +it is not less in character with both the parties. Finding +some hopes of the queen's favor glancing on him, +he wrote, on a window where it was likely to meet +her eye,—</p> + +<p class="cen"> +"Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall."<br /> +</p> + +<p>And her majesty, espying it, wrote underneath,—</p> + +<p class="cen"> +"If thy heart fail thee, wherefore climb at all?"<br /> +</p> + +<p>His progress in the queen's favor was enhanced by +his demeanor when the matter in dispute between +him and his superior officer was brought before the +privy council, and each party was called upon to plead +his own cause. "What advantage he had in the case +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span>in controversy," says a contemporary writer, "I know +not; but he had much the better in the manner of telling +his tale." The result was, that he became a man +of "no slight mark;" "he had gotten the queen's +ear in a trice;" "she took him for a kind of oracle," +and "loved to hear his reasons to her demands," +or, in more modern phrase, "his replies to her questions."</p> + +<p>The reign of Queen Elizabeth has been called the +heroic age of England. And, let us remember, the +England of that day is ours as much as theirs who +still bear the name of Englishmen. The men whose +gallant deeds we now record were our ancestors, and +their glory is our inheritance.</p> + +<p>The Reformation in religion had awakened all the +energies of the human mind. It had roused against +England formidable enemies, among which Spain was +the most powerful and the most intensely hostile. +She fitted out the famous Armada to invade England; +and England, on her part, sent various expeditions to +annoy the Spaniards in their lately acquired possessions +in South America. These expeditions were +generally got up by private adventurers; the queen +and her great nobles often taking a share in them. +When there was nominal peace with Spain, such <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span>enterprises +were professedly for discovery and colonization, +though the adventurers could not always keep +their hands off a rich prize of Spanish property that +fell in their way; but, for the last fifteen years of +Elizabeth's reign, there was open war between the +two powers: and then these expeditions had for their +first object the annoyance of Spain, and discovery and +colonization for their second.</p> + +<p>We find Raleigh, after fortune began to smile upon +him, engaged in a second expedition, with Sir Humphrey +Gilbert, for discovery and colonization in +America. He furnished, from his own means, a ship +called "The Raleigh," on board of which he embarked; +but when a few days out, a contagious disease breaking +out among the crew, he put back into port, and +relinquished the expedition. Sir Humphrey, with +the rest of the squadron, consisting of five vessels, +reached Newfoundland without accident, took possession +of the island, and left a colony there. He then +set out exploring along the American coast to the +south, he himself doing all the work in his little ten-ton +cutter; the service being too dangerous for the +larger vessels to venture on. He spent the summer +in this labor till toward the end of August, when, in +a violent storm, one of the larger vessels, "The <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span>Delight," +was lost with all her crew. "The Golden +Hind" and "Squirrel" were now left alone of the five +ships. Their provisions were running short, and the +season far advanced; and Sir Humphrey reluctantly +concluded to lay his course for home. He still continued +in the small vessel, though vehemently urged by +his friends to remove to the larger one. "I will not +forsake my little company, going homeward," said he, +"with whom I have passed so many storms and perils." +On the 9th of September, the weather was rough, and +the cutter was with difficulty kept afloat, struggling +with the violence of the waves. When the vessels +came within hearing distance, Sir Humphrey cried +out to his companions in "The Hind," "Be of good +courage: we are as near to heaven by sea as by land." +"That night, at about twelve o'clock," writes the historian +of the voyage, who was himself one of the adventurers, +"the cutter being ahead of us in 'The Golden +Hind,' suddenly her lights were out, and the watch +cried, 'The general is cast away!' which was too +true." So perished a Christian hero. It was a fine +end for a mortal man. Let us not call it sad or tragic, +but heroic and sublime.</p> + +<p>Raleigh, not discouraged by the ill success of this +expedition, shortly after obtained letters-patent for +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span>another enterprise of the same kind, on the same +terms as had been granted to Sir Humphrey. Two +barks were sent to explore some undiscovered part +of America north of Florida, and look out for a favorable +situation for the proposed colony. This expedition +landed on Roanoke Island, near the mouth of +Albemarle Sound. Having taken formal possession +of the country for the Queen of England and her servant +Sir Walter Raleigh, they returned, and gave so +favorable an account of the country, that her Majesty +allowed it to be called Virginia, after herself, a virgin +queen. The next year, Raleigh sent out a second +expedition, and left a colony of a hundred men, which +was the first colony planted by Englishmen on the +continent of America. Soon after, Raleigh sent a +third expedition with a hundred and fifty colonists; +but having now expended forty thousand pounds upon +these attempts, and being unable to persist further, or +weary of waiting so long for profitable returns, he +assigned over his patent to a company of merchants, +and withdrew from further prosecution of the enterprise.</p> + +<p>The years which followed were the busiest of Raleigh's +adventurous life. He bore a distinguished +part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and, in the +triumphant procession to return thanks at St. Paul's +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span>for that great deliverance, he was conspicuous as commander +of the queen's guard. He was a member of +Parliament, yet engaged personally in two naval expeditions +against the Spaniards, from which he reaped +honor, but no profit; and was at the height of favor +with the queen. But, during his absence at sea, the +queen discovered that an intrigue existed between +Raleigh and one of the maids of honor, which was an +offence particularly displeasing to Elizabeth, who +loved to fancy that all her handsome young courtiers +were too much attached to herself to be capable of +loving any other object. Raleigh, on his return, was +committed a prisoner to the Tower, and, on being released +after a short confinement, retired to his estate +in Dorsetshire. It was during this retirement that +he formed his scheme for the discovery and conquest +of Eldorado. It had long been a subject of meditation +to Raleigh, who declares in the dedication of his "History +of Guiana," published after his return, that "many +years since, he had knowledge, by relation, of that +mighty, rich, and beautiful empire of Guiana, and of +that great and golden city which the Spaniards call +Eldorado, and the naturals Manoa."—"It is not possible," +says one of the historians of these events, "<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span>that +Raleigh could have believed the existence of such a +kingdom. Credulity was not the vice of his nature; +but, having formed the project of colonizing Guiana, +he employed these fables as baits for vulgar cupidity." +Other writers judge him more favorably. It +is probably true that he believed in the existence of +such a country as Eldorado; but we can hardly suppose +that he put faith in all the marvellous details +which accompanied the main fact in popular narration.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>As the attempts of Pizarro and Orellana were +made by the route of the river of the Amazons, +and that of Ribera by the river of Paraguay, +Raleigh's approach was by the Orinoco, a river second +in size only to the Amazons, and which flows in a +course somewhat parallel to that, and some five or +ten degrees farther to the north. The region of +country where this river discharges itself into the +Atlantic was nominally in possession of the Spaniards, +though they had but one settlement in what +was called the province of Guiana,—the town of St. +Joseph, then recently founded; and another on the +island of Trinidad, which lies nearly opposite the +mouth of the river. Raleigh, arriving at Trinidad, +stopped some days to procure such intelligence as +the Spaniards resident there could afford him respecting +Guiana. He then proceeded to the main +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span>land, destroyed the town which the Spaniards had +lately built there, and took the governor, Berrio, on +board his own ship. He used his prisoner well, and +"gathered from him," he says, "as much of Guiana +as he knew." Berrio seems to have conversed willingly +upon his own adventures in exploring the country, +having no suspicion of Raleigh's views. He +discouraged Raleigh's attempts to penetrate into the +country, telling him that he would find the river +unnavigable for his ships, and the nations hostile. +These representations had little weight with Raleigh, +as he attributed them to a very natural wish on Berrio's +part to keep off foreigners from his province; +but, on trying to find the entrance to the river, he +discovered Berrio's account to be true, so far as related +to the difficulties of the navigation. After a +thorough search for a practicable entrance, he gave +up all hopes of passing in any large vessel, and resolved +to go with the boats. He took in his largest +boat, with himself, sixty men, including his cousin, +his nephew, and principal officers. Another boat carried +twenty, and two others ten each. "We had no +other means," he says in his account afterward published, +"but to carry victual for a month in the same, +and also to lodge therein as we could, and to boil and +dress our meat."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span>The Orinoco, at nearly forty leagues from the sea, +forms, like the Nile, a kind of fan, strewed over with +a multitude of little islands, that divide it into numerous +branches and channels, and force it to discharge +itself through this labyrinth into the sea by an infinity +of mouths, occupying an extent of more than +sixty leagues. "The Indians who inhabit those +islands," says Raleigh, "in the summer, have houses +upon the ground, as in other places; in the winter +they dwell upon the trees, where they build very +artificial towns and villages: for, between May and +September, the river rises to thirty feet upright, and +then are those islands overflowed twenty feet high +above the level of the ground; and for this cause +they are enforced to live in this manner. They use +the tops of palmitos for bread; and kill deer, fish, and +porks for the rest of their sustenance." Raleigh's +account is confirmed by later travellers. Humboldt +says, "The navigator, in proceeding along the +channels of the delta of the Orinoco at night, sees +with surprise the summits of the palm-trees illuminated +by large fires. These are the habitations +of the Guaraons, which are suspended from the +trees. These tribes hang up mats in the air, +which they fill with earth, and kindle, on a layer +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span>of moist clay, the fire necessary for their household +wants."</p> + +<p>Passing up with the flood, and anchoring during the +ebb, Raleigh and his companions went on, till on the +third day their galley grounded, and stuck so fast, +that they feared their discovery must end there, and +they be left to inhabit, like rooks upon trees, with +these nations; but on the morrow, after casting out +all her ballast, with tugging and hauling to and fro, +they got her afloat. After four days more, they got +beyond the influence of the tide, and were forced to +row against a violent current, till they began to despair; +the weather being excessively hot, and the +river bordered with high trees, that kept away the +air. Their provisions began to fail them; but some +relief they found by shooting birds of all colors,—carnation, +crimson, orange, purple, and of all +other sorts, both simple and mixed. An old Indian +whom they had pressed into their service was a faithful +guide to them, and brought them to an Indian village, +where they got a supply of bread, fish, and fowl. +They were thus encouraged to persevere, and next +day captured two canoes laden with bread, "and +divers baskets of roots, which were excellent meat." +Probably these roots were no other than potatoes; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span>for the mountains of Quito, to which Sir Walter was +now approaching, were the native country of the potato, +and the region from whence it was first introduced +into Europe. The Spaniards and Portuguese +introduced it earlier than the English; but to Raleigh +belongs the credit of making it known to his countrymen. +The story is, that Sir Walter, on his return +home, had some of the roots planted in his garden at +Youghal, in Ireland, and that his gardener was sadly +disappointed in autumn on tasting the apples of the +"fine American fruit," and proceeded to root up the +"useless weeds," when he discovered the tubers.</p> + +<p>Raleigh treated the natives with humanity, and, in +turn, received friendly treatment from them. The +chiefs told him fine stories about the gold-mines; but, +unfortunately, the gold was not to be had without +labor, and the adventurers were in no condition to +undertake mining operations. What they wanted was +to find a region like Mexico or Peru, only richer, +where gold might be found, not in the rocks or the +bowels of the earth, but in possession of the natives, +in the form of barbaric ornaments that they would +freely barter for European articles, or images of their +gods, such as Christians might seize and carry away +with an approving conscience.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span>Thus far, their search for such a region had been +unsuccessful, and their only hope was of reaching it +by farther explorations. But the river was rising +daily, and the current flowed with such rapidity, that +they saw clearly, if it went on to increase as it had +done for some time past, it must soon debar all farther +progress.</p> + +<p>Raleigh found by talking with the chiefs that they +were all hostile to the Spaniards, and willing enough +to promise him their aid in driving them out of the +country. He accordingly told them that he was sent +by a great and virtuous queen to deliver them from +the tyranny of the Spaniards. He also learned that +the Indians with whom he was conversing were an +oppressed race, having been conquered by a nation +who dwelt beyond the mountains,—a nation who wore +large coats, and hats of crimson color, and whose +houses had many rooms, one over the other. They +were called the Eperumei; and against them all the +other tribes would gladly combine, for they were the +general oppressors. Moreover, the country of these +Eperumei abounded in gold and all other good things.</p> + +<p>He continued to make daily efforts to ascend the +river, and to explore the tributary streams, but found +his progress debarred in some quarters by the rapid +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span>current of the swollen streams, and in others by falls +in the rivers. The falls of one of the tributaries of +the Orinoco, the Caroli, he describes as "a wonderful +breach of waters, running in three parts; and there +appeared some ten or twelve over-falls in sight, every +one as high over the other as a church-tower." He +was informed that the lake from which the river +issued was above a day's journey for one of their +canoes to cross, which he computed at about forty +miles; that many rivers fall into it, and great store +of grains of gold was found in those rivers. On one +of these rivers, he was told, a nation of people dwell +"whose heads appear not above their shoulders;" +which, he says, "though it may be thought a mere +fable, yet, for my own part, I am resolved it is true, +because every child in those provinces affirm the +same. They are reported to have their eyes in their +shoulders, and their mouths in the middle of their +breasts, and that a long train of hair growth backward +between their shoulders." Raleigh adds, "It +was not my chance to hear of them till I was come +away. If I had but spoken one word of it while I was +there, I might have brought one of them with me to +put the matter out of doubt." It might have been +more satisfactory for the philosophers if he had done +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span>so; but his word was quite enough for the poets. +One of that class, and the greatest of all, William +Shakspeare, was, at that very time, writing plays for +the gratification of Raleigh's gracious mistress and +her subjects, and eagerly availed himself of this new-discovered +tribe to introduce one of them in his play +of "The Tempest," under the name of Caliban. He also +makes Othello tell the gentle Desdemona "of most +disastrous chances, and of the cannibals that each +other eat; the Anthropophagi, and men whose heads +do grow beneath their shoulders." Nor are these +the only instances in which we think we trace the +influence of the romantic adventurer on the susceptible +poet. The name of the divinity whom Caliban +calls "my dam's God Setebos" occurs in Raleigh's +narrative as the name of an Indian tribe; and Trinculo's +plan of taking Caliban to England to make a +show of him seems borrowed from this hint of Raleigh's. +In his days of prosperity, Raleigh instituted +a meeting of intellectual men at "The Mermaid," a +celebrated tavern. To this club, Shakspeare, Beaumont, +Fletcher, Jonson, Selden, Donne, and other distinguished +literary men, were accustomed to repair; +and here doubtless the adventures and discoveries of +Sir Walter, set forth with that talent of which his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span>writings furnish abundant proof, often engaged the +listening group. Raleigh was then forty-eight, and +Shakspeare thirty-six, years old. But, in justice to +Raleigh, it should be added, that he did not invent +these stories, and that later travellers and missionaries +testify that such tales were current among the +Indians, though as yet no specimen of the tribe has +been seen by trustworthy narrators.</p> + +<p>Raleigh now found that he must bring his westward +progress to a conclusion: "for no half-day passed but +the river began to rage and overflow very fearfully; +and the rains came down in terrible showers, and +gusts in great abundance, and men began to cry out +for want of shift; for no man had place to bestow any +other apparel than that which he wore on his back, +and that was thoroughly washed on his body for the +most part ten times a day; and we had now been near +a month, every day passing to the westward, farther +from our ships." They turned back, therefore, and, +passing down the stream, went, without labor and +against the wind, little less than one hundred miles a +day. They stopped occasionally, both for provisions, +and for conference with the natives. In particular, +one old chief, with whom he had conferred formerly +on his ascent, gave him the confidential <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span>communication, +that the attempt to attack the city of Manoa, at +that time, was desperate; for neither the time of the +year was favorable, nor had he nearly a sufficient +force. He advised, that, forbearing any further attempts +at that time, Raleigh should rest satisfied with +the information he had gained, and return to his own +country for a larger force, with which to come again +the next year, and unite all the tribes which were +hostile to the Eperumei, or people of Manoa, and by +their aid make an easy conquest of them. The old +chief added, that, for his part and his people's, they +wanted no share of the spoils of gold or precious +stones: they only wanted to be avenged on their enemies, +and to rescue from them their women whom the +Eperumei had carried away in their frequent incursions; +"so that, whereas they were wont to have ten +or twelve wives apiece, they were now enforced to +content themselves with three or four."</p> + +<p>Raleigh met with no material misadventure in his +way down the river; and, though a storm attacked +them the same night, they anchored in the mouth of +the river; so that, in spite of every shelter they could +derive from the shores, the galley "had as much to +do to live as could be, and there wanted little of her +sinking, and all those in her:" yet next day they +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span>arrived safe at the Island of Trinidad, and found the +ships at anchor, "than which," says Raleigh, "there +was never to us a more joyful sight."</p> + +<p>Raleigh was not favorably received by the queen +on his return, nor was he welcomed with any popular +applause; for he had brought home no booty, and his +account of the riches of the land into which he had +led the way was received with suspicion. He published +it under this boastful title: "The Discovery +of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Guiana; +with a relation of the great and Golden City of Manoa, +which the Spaniards call Eldorado. Performed by +Sir Walter Raleigh." In spite of all the great promises +which he held out, the acknowledgment that he +had made a losing voyage tended to abate that spirit +of cupidity and enterprise which he wished to excite.</p> + +<p>Sir Walter's history of his expedition contains, besides +the marvels already cited, numerous others, some +of which have a basis of fact, others not. Of the former +kind is his account of oysters growing on trees. +He says, "We arrived at Trinidado the 22d of March, +casting anchor at Port Curiapan. I left the ships, and +kept by the shore in my barge, the better to understand +the rivers, watering-places, and ports of the +island. In the way, I passed divers little brooks of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span>fresh water, and one salt river, that had store of oysters +upon the branches of the trees. All their oysters +grow upon those boughs and sprays, and not on +the ground. The like is commonly seen in the West +Indies and elsewhere."</p> + +<p>Upon this narrative, Sir Robert Schomburgh, a late +explorer, has the following remark: "The first accounts +brought to Europe, of oysters growing on trees, +raised as great astonishment as the relation of Eldorado +itself; and to those who were unacquainted with +the fact that these mollusks select the branches of +the tree, on which they fix themselves during high +water, when the branches are immersed, it may certainly +sound strange, that shells, which we know live +in Europe on banks in the depths of the sea, should +be found in the West Indies on the branches of trees. +They attach themselves chiefly to the mangrove-tree, +which grows along the shore of the sea, and rivers of +brackish water, and covers immense tracts of coast; +rooting and vegetating in a manner peculiar to itself, +even as far as low-water mark. The water flowing +off during ebb leaves the branches, with the oysters +attached to them, high and dry."</p> + +<p>Respecting the Republic of Amazons, Sir Walter +says, "I made inquiry among the most ancient and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span>best travelled of the Orenoqueponi; and I was very +desirous to understand the truth of those warlike +women, because of some it is believed, of others not. +I will set down what hath been delivered me for +truth of those women; and I spake with a cacique, +or lord of people, who said that he had been in the +river, and beyond it also. The nations of those women +are on the south side of the river, in the province of +Topago; and their chiefest strengths and retreats +are in the islands of said river. They accompany +with men but once in a year, and for the time of one +month, which, I gather from their relation, to be in +April. At that time, all the kings of the borders assemble, +and the queens of the Amazons; and, after +the queens have chosen, the rest cast lots for their +valentines. This one month they feast, dance, and +drink of their wines in abundance; and, the moon +being done, they all depart to their own provinces. +If a son be born, they return him to the father; if a +daughter, they nourish it and retain it, all being desirous +to increase their own sex and kind. They carry +on wars, and are very blood-thirsty and cruel."</p> + +<p>Sir Robert Schomburgh, who explored these regions +extensively between the years 1835 and +1844, says, in reference to this subject, "The <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span>result +of this fatiguing and perilous journey has only +strengthened our conviction that this republic of +women was one of those inventions, designed merely +to enhance the wonders, of which the new world was +regarded as the seat." It would, however, be unjust +to condemn Raleigh's proneness to a belief in their +existence, when we find that Condamine believed in +them; that Humboldt hesitated to decide against +them; and that even Southey, the learned historian +of Brazil, makes this remark, "Had we never heard +of the Amazons of antiquity, I should, without hesitation, +believe in those of America. Their existence is +not the less likely for that reason; and yet it must be +admitted, that the probable truth is made to appear +suspicious by its resemblance to a known fable."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>RALEIGH'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>When Raleigh, on his first arrival, broke up the +Spanish settlement in Trinidad, he took Berrio, +the governor, prisoner, and carried him with him in +his voyage up the river. Berrio seems to have borne +his fate with good temper, and conciliated the good +will of Raleigh; so that, when the expedition returned +to the mouth of the river, he was set at liberty, and +collected his little colony again. Berrio probably +shared the same belief as Raleigh in the existence of +the kingdom of Eldorado within the limits of his +province, and was naturally desirous to avail himself +of the respite which he gained by the termination of +Raleigh's expedition, until it should return in greater +force to penetrate to Eldorado, and take possession +for himself and his countrymen. With these views, +he sent an officer of his, Domingo de Vera, to Spain, +to levy men; sending, according to Raleigh's account, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span>"divers images, as well of men as of beasts, birds, and +fishes, cunningly wrought in gold," in hopes to persuade +the king to yield him some further help. This +agent was more successful than Raleigh in obtaining +belief. He is described as a man of great ability, and +little scrupulous as to truth. Having been favorably +received by the government, he attracted notice by +appearing in a singular dress, which, as he was of +great stature, and rode always a great horse, drew all +eyes, and made him generally known as the Indian +chief of Eldorado and the rich lands. Some trinkets +in gold he displayed, of Indian workmanship, and some +emeralds, which he had brought from America, and +promised stores of both; and, by the aid of influential +persons, he obtained seventy thousand dollars at Madrid, +and five thousand afterwards at Seville, authority +to raise any number of adventurers (though Berrio +had asked only for three hundred men), and five good +ships to carry them out. Adventurers flocked to him +in Toledo, La Mancha, and Estremadura. The expedition +was beyond example popular. Twenty captains +of infantry, who had served in Italy and Flanders, +joined it. Not only those who had their fortunes to +seek were deluded: men of good birth and expectations +left all to engage in the conquest of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span>Eldorado; +and fathers of families gave up their employments, +and sold their goods, and embarked with their wives +and children. Solicitations and bribes were made use +of by eager volunteers. The whole expedition consisted +of more than two thousand persons.</p> + +<p>They reached Trinidad after a prosperous voyage, +and took possession of the town. The little mischief +which Raleigh had done had been easily repaired; for +indeed there was little that he could do. The place +did not contain thirty families, and the strangers were +to find shelter as they could. Rations of biscuit and +salt meat, pulse, or rice, were served out to them; but, +to diminish the consumption as much as possible, detachments +were sent off in canoes to the main land, +where Berrio had founded the town of St. Thomas. +Some flotillas effected their progress safely; but one, +which consisted of six canoes, met with bad weather, +and only three succeeded in entering the river, after +throwing their cargoes overboard. The others made +the nearest shore, where they were descried by the +Caribs, a fierce tribe of natives, who slew them all, +except a few women whom they carried away, and +one soldier, who escaped to relate the fate of his companions.</p> + +<p>The city of St. Thomas contained at that time four +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span>hundred men, besides women and children. Berrio, +to prepare the way for the discovery and conquest of +Eldorado, sent out small parties of the new-comers +under experienced persons, that they might be seasoned +to the difficulties which they would have to undergo, +and learn how to conduct themselves in their +intercourse with the Indians. They were to spread +the news that the king had sent out many Spaniards, +and a large supply of axes, caps, hawk-bells, looking-glasses, +combs, and such other articles of traffic as +were in most request. They saw no appearance of +those riches which Raleigh had heard of, nor of that +plenty which he had found. The people with whom +they met had but a scanty subsistence for themselves, +and so little of gold or silver or any thing else to barter +for the hatchets and trinkets of the Spaniards, +that they were glad of the chance to labor as boatmen, +or give their children, in exchange for them.</p> + +<p>Berrio was not discouraged by the result of these +journeys. Like Raleigh, he was persuaded that the +great and golden city stood on the banks of a great +lake, from which the River Caroli issued, about twelve +leagues east of the mouth whereof his town was +placed. A force of eight hundred men was now +ordered on the discovery. The command was given +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span>to Correa, an officer accustomed to Indian warfare. +Three Franciscan monks, and a lay brother of the +same order, accompanied the expedition. Having +reached a spot where the country was somewhat +elevated, and the temperature cooler than in the region +they had passed, they hutted themselves on a +sort of prairie, and halted there in the hope that rest +might restore those who began to feel the effect of an +unwholesome climate. The natives not only abstained +from any acts of hostility, but supplied them with +fruits, and a sort of cassava (tapioca). This they did +in sure knowledge that disease would soon subdue +these new-come Spaniards to their hands. It was not +long before a malignant fever broke out among the +adventurers, which carried off a third part of their +number. One comfort only was left them: the friars +continued every day to perform mass in a place where +all the sufferers could hear it; and no person died +without performing and receiving all the offices which +the Romish Church has enjoined. Correa himself +sank under the disease. He might possibly have escaped +it, acclimated as he was, if he had not overtasked +himself when food was to be sought from a +distance, and carried heavy loads to spare those who +were less equal to the labor: for now the crafty <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span>Indians +no longer brought supplies, but left the weakened +Spaniards to provide for themselves as they +could; and when Correa was dead, of whom, as a man +accustomed to Indian war, they stood in fear, they +collected their forces, and fell upon the Spaniards, +who apprehended no danger, and were most of them +incapable of making any defence. The plan appears +to have been concerted with a young Indian chief +who accompanied the Spaniards under pretence of +friendship; and the women whom the Indians brought +with them to carry home the spoils of their enemies +bore their part with stones and stakes in the easy +slaughter. The Spaniards who escaped the first attack +fled with all speed, some without weapons, and +some without strength to use them. The friars were +the last to fly. With the soldiers to protect them, +they brought off their portable altar, two crosses, and +a crucifix. No attempt at resistance was made, except +when a fugitive fell by the way. The word then +passed for one of the fathers: some soldiers stood +with their muskets to protect him while he hastily +confessed and absolved the poor wretch, whom his +countrymen then commended to God, and left to the +mercy of the Indians.</p> + +<p>In some places, the enemy set fire to the grass and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span>shrubbery, which in that climate grow with extreme +luxuriance; by which means many of this miserable +expedition perished. Not quite thirty out of the +whole number got safe back to the town of St. Thomas. +That place was in a deplorable state, suffering at once +from a contagious disease and from a scarcity of provisions. +To add to the distress, about a hundred persons +more had just arrived from Trinidad. They +came of necessity; for there were no longer supplies +of food at Trinidad to sustain them. But they came +with high-raised hopes, only repining at their ill luck +in not having been in the first expedition, by which +they supposed the first spoils of Eldorado had already +been shared. They arrived like skeletons at a city of +death. Not only were provisions scarce, but the supply +of salt had altogether failed; and, without it, health +in that climate cannot be preserved. To add to their +misery, the shoes had all been consumed, and the +country was infested by that insect (the chigua) +which burrows in the feet, and attacks the flesh +wherever the slightest wound gives it access. The +torment occasioned by these insects was such, that +the men willingly submitted to the only remedy they +knew of, and had the sores cauterized with hot iron.</p> + +<p>Among those who had come from Spain to enter +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span>upon this land of promise, there was a "beata," or +pious woman, who had been attached to a convent in +Madrid, and accompanied a married daughter and her +husband on this unhappy adventure, and devoted herself +to the service of the sick. Some of the women, +and she among them, looking upon the governor, +Berrio, as the cause of their miseries, and thinking, +that, as long as he lived, there was no hope of their +escaping from this fatal place, resolved to murder +him, and provided themselves with knives for the +purpose. The indignation against him was so general, +that they hesitated not to impart their design to +one of the friars; and, luckily for Berrio, he interposed +his influence to prevent it. One of the women who +had sold her possessions in Spain to join the expedition +made her way to the governor when the officers +and friars were with him, and, emptying upon the +ground before him a bag which contained one hundred +and fifty doubloons, said, "Tyrant, take what is +left, since you have brought us here to die." Berrio +replied, with less of anger than of distress in his countenance, +"I gave no orders to Domingo de Vera that +he should bring more than three hundred men." He +offered no opposition to the departure of such as +would. Many who had strength or resolution enough +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span>trusted themselves to the river in such canoes as +they could find, without boatmen or pilot, and endeavored +to make their way back to Trinidad; some +perishing by the hands of the natives, others by +drowning, others by hunger, on the marshy shores +which they reached. Vera soon died of a painful disease +in Trinidad; and Berrio did not long survive +him. Such was the issue of this great attempt for +the conquest of the golden empire; "of which," says +an old Spanish historian, "it may be said, that it was +like Nebuchadnezzar's image, beginning in gold, but +continuing through baser metal, till it ended in rude +iron and base clay."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>RALEIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>Raleigh's first voyage disappointed every one +but himself. He pretended to have obtained +satisfactory evidence of the existence of Eldorado, +and information of the place where it was; also proof +of the existence of mines of gold; and to have conciliated +the good will of the natives, and secured their +co-operation with him in any future attempt. But he +had brought home no gold; the shining stones which +his followers had abundantly supplied themselves +with were found to be worthless: and there was no +evidence of the existence of a native sovereignty as +far advanced in civilization and refinement as the +Mexicans and Peruvians, the conquest of which +would reflect as much glory upon the English name +as the achievements of Cortez and Pizarro had reflected +upon that of Spain. Raleigh's boastful representations, +therefore, failed of effect. None of his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span>countrymen were inclined to join with him in a further +prosecution of the enterprise; and the subject +was dropped for the time.</p> + +<p>Raleigh was soon restored to favor, and employed +in the naval expeditions against Spain which took +place at this time. He greatly distinguished himself +on several occasions, and was in high favor with +Queen Elizabeth till her death; but, with the accession +of James, his fortunes fell. He was accused +(whether justly or not is still doubtful) of being concerned +in treasonable plots against the king, and was +brought to trial, found guilty, condemned to death, +and committed prisoner to the Tower to await the +execution of his sentence.</p> + +<p>Raleigh, withdrawn from active labors by his imprisonment, +was not idle. He turned to intellectual +pursuits, and, with many minor pieces in prose and +verse, executed his greatest work, "The History of +the World,"—a project of such vast extent, that the +bare idea of his undertaking it excites our admiration. +As an author, he stands on an eminence as high as +that which he obtained in other paths. Hume says, +"He is the best model of our ancient style;" and Hallam +confirms the judgment. His imprisonment lasted +thirteen years. At the expiration of that time, he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span>had influence to have his sentence so far remitted as +to allow him to go on a second expedition in search +of Eldorado. Twenty years had elapsed since the +former expedition; and the present was of a magnitude +more like a national enterprise than a private +one. Sir Walter's own ship, "The Destiny," carried +thirty-six guns and two hundred men. There were +six other vessels, carrying from twenty-five guns to +three each. Raleigh embarked all his means in this +expedition. His eldest son commanded one of the +ships; and eighty of his companions were gentlemen +volunteers and adventurers, many of them his relations.</p> + +<p>Those who have thoughtfully considered Raleigh's +career have seen reason to doubt whether he really +believed the stories which he was so anxious to impress +upon others. They have thought it more likely +that his real object was to emulate the fame of Cortez +and Pizarro; to dispossess Spain of some portion +of her conquests in South America, and transfer +them to his own country. This latter object was admissible +at the time of his first expedition, because +Spain and England were then at war; but was not +so on the second, as the two nations were then at +peace. But Raleigh had reason to think, that, if he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span>could succeed in his object, there was no danger of +his being called to very strict account respecting his +measures.</p> + +<p>He arrived off the coast of Guiana on the 12th of +November, 1617; having had a long and disastrous +voyage. One ship had left him, and returned home; +another had foundered; forty-two of his men had died; +many were suffering from sickness, and himself among +the number. But he found the Indians friendly, and +not forgetful of his former visit. He writes to his +wife, "To tell you that I might be here king of the +country were a vanity; but my name hath still lived +among them here. They feed me with fresh meat, +and all that the country yields. All offer to obey +me."</p> + +<p>Being too feeble from sickness to go himself, he +sent forward an expedition, under Capt. Keymis, to +enter the Orinoco, and take possession of the mines. +Five companies of fifty men each, in five shallops, +composed the expedition; Raleigh, with the remainder +of his vessels, repairing to Trinidad to await the +result.</p> + +<p>Since Raleigh's former expedition, the Spaniards +had made a settlement upon the main land, and +founded a town to which they gave the name of St. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span>Thomas. The governor resided there, and there were +in all about five hundred inhabitants. On the 12th +of January, the English flotilla reached a part of the +river twelve leagues from St. Thomas; and an Indian +fisherman carried the alarm to that place. The governor, +Palameque, mustered immediately the little +force which he had at hand. This consisted of fifty-seven +men only. Messengers were sent to summon +those men who were at their farms, and two horsemen +were sent out to watch the invaders' movements.</p> + +<p>At eleven in the forenoon, the vessels anchored +about a league from the town. The men landed, and +the scouts hastened back with the intelligence. A +Spanish officer, with ten men, was placed in ambush +near the city. As soon as he was informed of the +direction which the English were taking, he cut a +match-cord in pieces, which he lighted at dark, and +placed at intervals, where they might deceive the invaders +by presenting the appearance of a greater +force. The first discharge was from two pieces of +cannon against the boats. The Spaniard, with his +little band, then opened his fire upon the troops, and +kept it up from the bushes as he retired before them. +This skirmishing continued about an hour and a half, +till he had fallen back to the place where the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span>governor +and his people were drawn up, at the entrance +of the city, to make a stand. It was now nine at +night. Raleigh says, in his account of the action, +that some of the English, at the first charge, began to +pause and recoil shamefully; whereupon his son, not +tarrying for any musketeers, ran up at the head of a +company of pikemen, and received a shot wound. +Pressing then upon a Spanish captain with his sword, +the Spaniard, taking the small end of his musket in +his hand, struck him on the head with the stock, and +felled him. His last words were, "Lord, have mercy +upon me, and prosper the enterprise!" and his death +was instantly avenged by his sergeant, who thrust +the Spaniard through with his halberd. In the heat +of the fight, and in the confusion which the darkness +occasioned, the Spanish commander was separated +from his people, and slain. The Spaniards, however, +had the advantage of knowing the ground; and, betaking +themselves to the houses, they fired from them on +the English, and killed many, till the assailants set +fire to the houses; thus depriving themselves of that +booty which was their main object. The English +were now masters of the place; the remainder of the +defendants, with the women and children, under the +command of Grados, the officer who had deported +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span>himself so well in the first ambush, effecting their +escape across the river. Grados stationed them at a +place about ten miles distant from the town, where a +few slight huts were erected for the women and children.</p> + +<p>The captors searched in vain for gold in the city; +but they had an idea that there was a rich gold-mine +a short distance up the river. Accordingly, two +launches, with twenty or thirty men in each, were +despatched up the Orinoco. They came to the mouth +of the creek, which led to the place where Grados +had hutted the women and children; and the largest +of the launches was about to enter, when Grados, +who had posted nine of the invalids in ambush there, +with about as many Indian bowmen, fired upon them +so unexpectedly, and with such good aim, that only +one of the crew is said to have escaped unhurt. The +other launch also suffered some loss. Three days after, +three launches were sent to take vengeance for +this defeat; but Grados had removed his charge some +two leagues into the country, and these vessels went +up the river about a hundred leagues, treating with +the Indians, to whom they made presents and larger +promises, and after eighteen or twenty days returned, +having effected nothing of importance.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span>The English had now been four weeks in the city, +annoyed by the Spaniards and Indians, and losing +many of their men, cut off in their foraging excursions +by ambushes. After the unsuccessful attempt to discover +the mine, no further effort was made for that +purpose; Keymis alleging in his excuse, that "the +Spaniards, being gone off in a whole body, lay in the +woods between the mine and us, and it was impossible, +except they had been beaten out of the country, +to pass up the woods and craggy hills without the +loss of the commanders, without whom the rest would +easily be cut to pieces." The English, accordingly, +retreated from the city, setting fire to the few houses +that remained, and promising the Indians, as they +went, that they would return next year, and complete +the destruction of the Spaniards.</p> + +<p>Raleigh was by no means satisfied with Keymis's +excuses for his failure to discover the mine, and reproached +him with so much severity, that Keymis, +after the interview, retired to his cabin, and shot himself +through the heart.</p> + +<p>When Raleigh arrived in England, he found that +the tidings of his attack on the Spaniards, and the +utter failure of his expedition, had reached there before +him. The Spanish ambassador was clamorous +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span>for punishment on what he called a piratical proceeding; +and the king and the nation, who might have +pardoned a successful adventurer, had no indulgence +to extend to one so much the reverse. Finding a +proclamation had been issued for his arrest, Raleigh +endeavored to escape to France, but was taken in the +attempt, and committed close prisoner to the Tower. +He was made a victim to court intrigue. The weak +king, James, was then negotiating a Spanish match +for his son, and, to gratify the King of Spain and his +court, sacrificed one of the noblest of his subjects. +Without being put on trial for his late transactions, +Raleigh's old sentence, which had been suspended +sixteen years, was revived against him; and on the +29th of October, 1618, four months after his arrival, +he was beheaded on the scaffold.</p> + +<p>The fate of Raleigh caused a great sensation at the +time, and has not yet ceased to excite emotion. The +poet Thomson, in his "Summer," finely alludes to the +various circumstances of his history, which we have +briefly recorded:—</p> + +<div style="margin-left: 25%; margin-right: 20%;"><p> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">"But who can speak</span><br /> +The numerous worthies of the 'Maiden reign'?<br /> +In Raleigh mark their every glory mixed,—<br /> +Raleigh, the scourge of Spain, whose breast with all<br /> +The sage, the patriot, and the hero, burned.<br /> +Nor sunk his vigor when a coward reign<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span> +The warrior fettered, and at last resigned<br /> +To glut the vengeance of a vanquished foe:<br /> +Then, active still and unrestrained, his mind<br /> +Explored the vast extent of ages past,<br /> +And with his prison-hours enriched the world;<br /> +Yet found no times in all the long research<br /> +So glorious or so base as those he proved<br /> +In which he conquered and in which he bled."<br /> +</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>After so many abortive attempts to reach the +Golden Empire, the ardor of research greatly +abated. No expeditions, composed of considerable +numbers, have since embarked in the enterprise; but +from time to time, for the century succeeding Raleigh's +last attempt, private expeditions were undertaken +and encouraged by provincial governors; and +several hundred persons perished miserably in those +fruitless endeavors.</p> + +<p>The adventure we are now about to record was of +an entirely different character in respect to its objects +and the means employed; but it occupied the +same field of action, and called into exercise the same +qualities of courage and endurance.</p> + +<p>In 1735, the French Academy of Science made +arrangements for sending out two commissions of +learned men to different and distant parts of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span>world to make measurements, with a view to determining +the dimensions and figure of the earth. The +great astronomer, Sir Isaac Newton, had deduced +from theory, and ventured to maintain, that the earth +was not a perfect globe, but a spheroid; that is, a +globe flattened at the poles. For a long time after +Newton's splendid discoveries in astronomy, a degree +of national jealousy prevented the French philosophers +from accepting his conclusions; and they were +not displeased to find, when they could, facts opposed +to them. Now, there were some supposed facts which +were incompatible with this idea of Newton's, that +the earth was flattened at the poles. The point was +capable of being demonstrated by measurements, with +instruments, on the surface; for, if his theory was true, +a degree of latitude would be longer in the northern +parts of the globe than in the regions about the equator.</p> + +<p>We must not allow our story to become a scientific +essay; and yet we should like to give our readers, if +we could, some idea of the principle on which this +process, which is called the measurement of an arc of +the meridian, was expected to show the magnitude +and form of the earth. We all know that geographical +latitude means the position of places north or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span>south of the equator, and is determined by reference +to the north or pole star. A person south of the +equator would not see the pole-star at all. One at +the equator, looking at the pole-star, would see it, if +no intervening object prevented, in the horizon. Advancing +northward, he would see it apparently rise, +and advance toward him. As he proceeded, it would +continue to rise. When he had traversed half the +distance to the pole, he would see the pole-star about +as we see it in Boston; that is, nearly midway between +the horizon and the zenith: and, when he had reached +the pole, he would see the pole-star directly over his +head. Dividing the quarter circle which the star +has moved through into ninety parts, we say, when +the star has ascended one-ninetieth part, that the observer +has travelled over one degree of latitude. +When the observer has reached Boston, he has passed +over somewhat more than forty-two degrees, and, +when he has reached the north-pole, ninety degrees, +of latitude. Thus we measure our latitude over the +earth's surface by reference to a circle in the heavens; +and, because the portions into which we divide +that circle are equal, we infer that the portions of the +earth's surface which correspond to them are equal. +This would be true if the earth were a perfect globe: +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span>but if the earth be a spheroid, as Newton's theory +requires it to be, it would <i>not</i> be true; for that portion +of the earth's surface which is flattened will have +less curvature than that which is not so, and less still +than that portion which is protuberant. The degrees +of least curvature will be longest, and those of greatest +curvature shortest; that is, one would have to +travel farther on the flattened part of the earth to +see any difference in the position of the north-star +than in those parts where the curvature is greater. +So a degree of latitude near the pole, if determined +by the position of the north-star, would be found, by +actual measurement, to be longer than one similarly +determined at the equator. It was to ascertain +whether the fact was so that the two scientific expeditions +were sent out.</p> + +<p>The party which was sent to the northern regions +travelled over snow and ice, swamps and morasses, +to the arctic circle, and fixed their station at Tornea, +in Lapland. The frozen surface of the river afforded +them a convenient level for fixing what is called by +surveyors the base line. The cold was so intense, +that the glass froze to the mouth when they drank, +and the metallic measuring rod to the hand. In spite, +however, of perils and discomforts, they persevered +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span>in their task, and brought back careful measurements +of a degree in latitude 66° north, to be compared with +those made by the other party at the equator, whose +movements we propose more particularly to follow.</p> + +<p>Before we take leave of the northern commissioners, +however, we will mention another method they +took of demonstrating the same fact. If the earth be +depressed at the poles, it must follow that bodies will +weigh heavier there, because they are nearer the +centre of the earth. But how could they test this +fact, when all weights would be increased alike,—the +pound of feathers and the pound of lead? The question +was settled by observing the oscillation of a pendulum. +The observers near the pole found that the +pendulum vibrated faster than usual, because, being +nearer the centre of the earth, the attracting power +was increased. To balance this, they had to lengthen +the pendulum; and the extent to which they had to +do this measured the difference between the earth's +diameter at the poles, and that in the latitude from +which they came.</p> + +<p>The commissioners who were sent to the equatorial +regions were Messrs. Bouguer, La Condamine, and +Godin, the last of whom was accompanied by his wife. +Two Spanish officers, Messrs. Juan and De Ulloa, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span>joined the commission. The party arrived at Quito +in June, 1736, about two hundred years after Gonzalo +Pizarro started from the same place in his search for +Eldorado. In the interval, the country had become +nominally Christian. The city was the seat of a +bishopric, an audience royal, and other courts of +justice; contained many churches and convents, and +two colleges. But the population was almost entirely +composed of Indians, who lived in a manner but very +little different from that of their ancestors at the time +of the conquest. Cuença was the place next in importance +to the capital; and there, or in its neighborhood, +the chief labors of the commission were transacted. +They were conducted under difficulties as +great as those of their colleagues in the frozen regions +of the north, but of a different sort. The inhabitants +of the country were jealous of the French commissioners, +and supposed them to be either heretics or +sorcerers, and to have come in search of gold-mines. +Even persons connected with the administration employed +themselves in stirring up the minds of the +people, till at last, in a riotous assemblage at a bullfight, +the surgeon of the French commissioners was +killed. After tedious and troublesome legal proceedings, +the perpetrators were let off with a nominal +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span>punishment. Notwithstanding every difficulty, the +commissioners completed their work in a satisfactory +manner, spending in all eight years in the task, including +the voyages out and home.</p> + +<p>The commissioners who had made the northern +measurements reported the length of the degree at +66° north latitude to be 57.422 toises; Messrs. Bouguer +and La Condamine, the equatorial degree, 56.753 +toises; showing a difference of 669 toises, or 4,389¾ +feet. The difference, as corrected by later measurements, +is stated by recent authorities at 3,662 English +feet; by which amount the polar degree exceeds the +equatorial. Thus Newton's theory was confirmed.</p> + +<p>His scientific labors having been finished, La Condamine +conceived the idea of returning home by way +of the Amazon River; though difficulties attended the +project, which we who live in a land of mighty rivers, +traversed by steamboats, can hardly imagine. The +only means of navigating the upper waters of the +river was by rafts or canoes; the latter capable of +containing but one or two persons, besides a crew of +seven or eight boatmen. The only persons who were +in the habit of passing up and down the river were +the Jesuit missionaries, who made their periodical +visits to their stations along its banks. A young +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span>Spanish gentleman, Don Pedro Maldonado, who at +first eagerly caught at the idea of accompanying the +French philosopher on his homeward route by way +of the river, was almost discouraged by the dissuasives +urged by his family and friends, and seemed inclined +to withdraw from the enterprise; so dangerous +was the untried route esteemed. It was, however, +at length resolved that they should hazard the +adventure; and a place of rendezvous was appointed +at a village on the river. On the 4th of July, 1743, +La Condamine commenced his descent of one of the +streams which flow into the great river of the Amazons. +The stream was too precipitous in its descent +to be navigated by boats of any kind, and the only +method used was by rafts. These are made of a +light kind of wood, or rather cane, similar to the bamboo, +the single pieces of which are fastened together +by rushes, in such a manner, that they yield to every +shock of moderate violence, and consequently are not +subject to be separated even by the strongest. On +such a conveyance, the French philosopher glided +down the stream of the Chuchunga, occasionally stopping +on its banks for a day or two at a time to allow +the waters to abate, and admit of passing a dangerous +rapid more safely; and sometimes getting fast on the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span>shallows, and requiring to be drawn off by ropes by +the Indian boatmen. It was not till the 19th of July +that he entered the main river at Laguna, where he +found his friend Maldonado, who had been waiting +for him some weeks.</p> + +<p>On the 23d of July, 1743, they embarked in two +canoes of forty-two and forty-four feet long, each +formed out of one single trunk of a tree, and each +provided with a crew of eight rowers. They continued +their course night and day, in hopes to reach, +before their departure, the brigantines of the missionaries, +in which they used to send once a year, to +Pará, the cacao which they collected in their missions, +and for which they got, in return, supplies of European +articles of necessity.</p> + +<p>On the 25th of July, La Condamine and his companion +passed the village of a tribe of Indians lately +brought under subjection, and in all the wildness of +savage life: on the 27th, they reached another more +advanced in civilization, yet not so far as to have +abandoned their savage practices of artificially flattening +their heads, and elongating their ears. The +1st of August, they landed at a missionary station, +where they found numerous Indians assembled, and +some tribes so entirely barbarous as to be destitute +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span>of clothing for either sex. "There are in the interior," +the narration goes on to say, "some tribes +which devour the prisoners taken in war; but there +are none such on the banks of the river."</p> + +<p>After leaving this station, they sailed day and +night, equal to seven or eight days' journey, without +seeing any habitation. On the 5th of August, they +arrived at the first of the Portuguese missionary stations, +where they procured larger and more commodious +boats than those in which they had advanced +hitherto. Here they began to see the first signs of +the benefits of access to European sources of supply, +by means of the vessel which went every year from +Pará to Lisbon. They tarried six days at the last of +the missionary stations, and again made a change of +boats and of Indian crews. On the 28th August, +being yet six hundred miles from the sea, they perceived +the ebb and flow of the tide.</p> + +<p>On the 19th September, they arrived at Pará, +which La Condamine describes as a great and beautiful +city, built of stone, and enjoying a commerce with +Lisbon, which made it flourishing and increasing. +He observes, "It is, perhaps, the only European +settlement where silver does not pass for money; +the whole currency being cocoa." He adds in a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span>note, "Specie currency has been since introduced."</p> + +<p>The Portuguese authorities received the philosophers +with all the civilities and hospitalities due to +persons honored with the special protection and countenance +of two great nations,—France and Spain. The +cannon were fired; and the soldiers of the garrison, +with the governor of the province at their head, +turned out to receive them. The governor had received +orders from the home government to pay all +their expenses, and to furnish them every thing requisite +for their comfort and assistance in their researches. +La Condamine remained three months at +Pará; and then, declining the urgent request of the +governor to embark in a Portuguese vessel for home +by way of Lisbon, he embarked in a boat rowed by +twenty-two Indians, under the command of a Portuguese +officer, to coast along the shores of the continent +to the French colony of Cayenne.</p> + +<p>The city of Pará from whence he embarked is not +situated upon the Amazon River, but upon what is +called the River of Pará, which branches off from the +Amazon near its mouth, and discharges itself into the +sea at a distance of more than a hundred miles +east of the Amazon. The intervening land is an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span>island called Marajo, along the coast of which La Condamine +and his party steered till they came to the +place where the Amazon River discharges into the +sea that vast bulk of waters which has been swelled +by the contributions of numerous tributaries throughout +a course of more than three thousand miles in +length. It here meets the current which runs along +the north-eastern coast of Brazil, and gives rise to +that phenomenon which is called by the Indians Pororoca. +The river and the current, having both great +rapidity, and meeting nearly at right angles, come +into contact with great violence, and raise a mountain +of water to the height of one hundred and eighty +feet. The shock is so dreadful, that it makes all the +neighboring islands tremble; and fishermen and navigators +fly from it in the utmost terror. The river +and the ocean appear to contend for the empire of the +waves: but they seem to come to a compromise; +for the sea-current continues its way along the coast +of Guiana to the Island of Trinidad, while the current +of the river is still observable in the ocean at a distance +of five hundred miles from the shore.</p> + +<p>La Condamine passed this place of meeting in +safety by waiting for a favorable course of tides, +crossing the Amazon at its mouth, steering north; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span>and after many delays, caused by the timidity and +bad seamanship of his Indian crew, arrived at last +safe at Cayenne on the 26th February, 1744, having +been eight months on his voyage, two of which were +spent in his passage from Pará, a passage which he +avers a French officer and crew, two years after him, +accomplished in six days. La Condamine was received +with all possible distinction at Cayenne, and +in due time found passage home to France, where he +arrived 25th February, 1745.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE DOWN THE AMAZON.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>One of the French commissioners, M. Godin, had +taken with him on his scientific errand to Peru +his wife; a lady for whom we bespeak the kind interest +of our readers, for her name deserves honorable mention +among the early navigators of the Amazon. The +labors of the commission occupied several years; and +when, in the year 1742, those labors were happily +brought to a conclusion, M. Godin was prevented, by +circumstances relating to himself individually, from +accompanying his colleagues in their return to France. +His detention was protracted from year to year, till +at last, in 1749, he repaired alone to the Island of +Cayenne to prepare every thing necessary for the +homeward voyage of himself and his wife.</p> + +<p>From Cayenne he wrote to Paris to the minister of +marine, and requested that his government would +procure for him the favorable interposition of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span>court of Portugal to supply him with the means of +ascending the River Amazon to bring away his wife +from Peru, and descend the stream with her to the +Island of Cayenne. Thirteen years had rolled by since +their arrival in the country, when at last Madame +Godin saw her earnest wish to return home likely to +be gratified. All that time, she had lived apart from +her husband; she in Peru, he in the French colony of +Cayenne. At last, M. Godin had the pleasure to see +the arrival of a galoot (a small vessel having from sixteen +to twenty oars on a side, and well adapted for +rapid progress), which had been fitted out by the +order of the King of Portugal, and despatched to Cayenne +for the purpose of taking him on his long-wished-for +journey. He immediately embarked; but, before +he could reach the mouth of the Amazon River, he was +attacked by so severe an illness, that he saw himself +compelled to stop at Oyapoc, a station between Cayenne +and the mouth of the river, and there to remain, +and to send one Tristan, whom he thought his friend, +in lieu of himself, up the river to seek Madame Godin, +and escort her to him. He intrusted to him also, besides +the needful money, various articles of merchandise +to dispose of to the best advantage. The +instructions which he gave him were as follows:—</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span>The galiot had orders to convey him to Loreto +about half-way up the Amazon River, the first Spanish +settlement. From there he was to go to Laguna, +another Spanish town about twelve miles farther up, +and to give Mr. Godin's letter, addressed to his wife, +in charge to a certain ecclesiastic of that place, to be +forwarded to the place of her residence. He himself +was to wait at Laguna the arrival of Madame Godin.</p> + +<p>The galiot sailed, and arrived safe at Loreto. But +the faithless Tristan, instead of going himself to Laguna, +or sending the letter there, contented himself +with delivering the packet to a Spanish Jesuit, who +was going to quite another region on some occasional +purpose. Tristan himself, in the mean while, went +round among the Portuguese settlements to sell his +commodities. The result was, that M. Godin's letter, +passing from hand to hand, failed to reach the place +of its destination.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, by what means we know not, a blind +rumor of the purpose and object of the Portuguese +vessel lying at Loreto reached Peru, and came at last, +but without any distinctness, to the ears of Madame +Godin. She learned through this rumor that a letter +from her husband was on the way to her; but all her +efforts to get possession of it were fruitless. At last, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span>she resolved to send a faithful negro servant, in company +with an Indian, to the Amazon, to procure, if possible, +more certain tidings. This faithful servant made +his way boldly through all hinderances and difficulties +which beset his journey, reached Loreto, talked with +Tristan, and brought back intelligence that he, with +the Portuguese vessel and all its equipments, were +for her accommodation, and waited her orders.</p> + +<p>Now, then, Madame Godin determined to undertake +this most perilous and difficult journey. She was +staying at the time at Riobamba, about one hundred +and twenty miles south of Quito, where she had a +house of her own with garden and grounds. These, +with all other things that she could not take with her, +she sold on the best terms she could. Her father, M. +Grandmaison, and her two brothers, who had been +living with her in Peru, were ready to accompany her. +The former set out beforehand to a place the other +side of the Cordilleras to make arrangements for his +daughter's journey on her way to the ship.</p> + +<p>Madame Godin received about this time a visit +from a certain Mr. R., who gave himself out for a +French physician, and asked permission to accompany +her. He promised, moreover, to watch over her +health, and to do all in his power to lighten the fatigues +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span>and discomforts of the arduous journey. She replied, +that she had no authority over the vessel which was +to carry her, and therefore could not answer for it +that he could have a place in it. Mr. R., thereupon, +applied to the brothers of Madame Godin; and they, +thinking it very desirable that she should have a physician +with her, persuaded their sister to consent to +take him in her company.</p> + +<p>So, then, she started from Riobamba, which had been +her home till this time, the 1st of October, 1749, in +company of the above-named persons, her black man, +and three Indian women. Thirty Indians, to carry +her baggage, completed her company. Had the luckless +lady known what calamities, sufferings, and disappointments +awaited her, she would have trembled at +the prospect, and doubted of the possibility of living +through it all, and reaching the wished-for goal of her +journey.</p> + +<p>The party went first across the mountains to Canelos, +an Indian village, where they thought to embark +on a little stream which discharges itself into the Amazon. +The way thither was so wild and unbroken, +that it was not even passable for mules, and must be +travelled entirely on foot.</p> + +<p>M. Grandmaison, who had set out a whole month +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</a></span>earlier, had stopped at Canelos no longer than was +necessary to make needful preparations for his daughter +and her attendants. Then he had immediately +pushed on toward the vessel, to still keep in advance, +and arrange matters for her convenience at the next +station to which she would arrive. Hardly had he +left Canelos, when the small-pox, a disease which in +those regions is particularly fatal, broke out, and in +one week swept off one-half of the inhabitants, and so +alarmed the rest, that they deserted the place, and +plunged into the wilderness. Consequently, when +Madame Godin reached the place with her party, she +found, to her dismay, only two Indians remaining, +whom the fury of the plague had spared; and, moreover, +not the slightest preparation either for her +reception, or her furtherance on her journey. This +was the first considerable mishap which befell her, +and which might have served to forewarn her of the +greater sufferings which she was to encounter.</p> + +<p>A second followed shortly after. The thirty Indians +who thus far had carried the baggage, and had +received their pay in advance, suddenly absconded, +whether from fear of the epidemic, or that they +fancied, having never seen a vessel except at a +distance, that they were to be compelled to go on +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span>board one, and be carried away. There stood, then, +the deserted and disappointed company, overwhelmed, +and knowing not what course to take, or how to help +themselves. The safest course would have been to +leave all their baggage to its fate, and return back +the way they came; but the longing of Madame Godin +for her beloved husband, from whom she had now +been separated so many years, gave her courage to +bid defiance to all the hinderances which lay in her +way, and even to attempt impossibilities.</p> + +<p>She set herself, therefore, to persuade the two Indians +above mentioned to construct a boat, and, by +means of it, to take her and her company to Andoas, +another place about twelve days' journey distant. +They willingly complied, receiving their pay in advance. +The boat was got ready; and all the party +embarked in it under the management of the two +Indians.</p> + +<p>After they had run safely two days' journey down +the stream, they drew up to the bank to pass the night +on shore. Here the treacherous Indians took the opportunity, +while the weary company slept, to run +away; and, when the travellers awoke next morning, +they were nowhere to be found. This was a new and +unforeseen calamity, by which their future progress +was rendered greatly more hazardous.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span>Without a knowledge of the stream or the country, +and without a guide, they again got on board their +boat, and pushed on. The first day went by without +any misadventure. The second, they came up with a +boat which lay near the shore, alongside of an Indian +hut built of branches of trees. They found there an +Indian, just recovered from the sickness, and prevailed +on him, by presents, to embark with them to +take the helm. But fate envied them this relief: for, +the next day, Mr. R.'s hat fell into the water; and the +Indian, in endeavoring to recover it, fell overboard, and +was drowned, not having strength to swim to the +shore.</p> + +<p>Now was the vessel again without a pilot, and steered +by persons, not one of whom had the least knowledge +of the course. Ere long, the vessel sprung a leak; and +the unhappy company found themselves compelled to +land, and build a hut to shelter them.</p> + +<p>They were yet five or six days' journey from Andoas, +the nearest place of destination. Mr. R. offered, +for himself and another Frenchman his companion, to +go thither, and make arrangements, that, within fourteen +days, a boat from there should arrive and bring +them off. His proposal was approved of. Madame +Godin gave him her faithful black man to accompany +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span>him. He himself took good care that nothing of his +property should be left behind.</p> + +<p>Fourteen days were now elapsed; but in vain they +strained their eyes to catch sight of the bark which +Mr. R. had promised to send to their relief. They +waited twelve days longer, but in vain. Their situation +grew more painful every day.</p> + +<p>At last, when all hope in this quarter was lost, they +hewed trees, and fastened them together as well as +they could, and made in this way a raft. When they +had finished it, they put on their baggage, and seated +themselves upon it, and suffered it to float down the +stream. But even this frail bark required a steersman +acquainted with navigation; but they had none +such. In no long time, it struck against a sunken log, +and broke to pieces. The people and their baggage +were cast into the river. Great, however, as was the +danger, no one was lost. Madame Godin sunk twice +to the bottom, but was at last rescued by her brothers.</p> + +<p>Wet through and through, exhausted, and half dead +with fright, they at last all gained the shore. But +only imagine their lamentable, almost desperate, condition! +All their supplies lost; to make another raft +impossible; even their stock of provisions gone! +And where were they when all these difficulties <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span>overwhelmed +them? In a horrid wilderness, so thick +grown up with trees and bushes, that one could make +a passage through it no other way than by axe and +knife; inhabited only by fiercest tigers, and by the +most formidable of serpents,—the rattlesnake. Moreover, +they were without tools, without weapons! +Could their situation be more deplorable?</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>The unfortunate travellers had now but the choice +of two desperate expedients,—either to wait +where they were the termination of their wretched +existence, or try the almost impossible task of penetrating +along the banks of the river, through the unbroken +forest, till they might reach Andoas. They +chose the latter, but first made their way back to their +lately forsaken hut to take what little provisions they +had there left. Having accomplished this, they set +out on their most painful and dangerous journey. +They observed, when they followed the shore of the +river, that its windings lengthened their way. To +avoid this, they endeavored, without leaving the +course of the river, to keep a straight course. By +this means, they lost themselves in the entangled forest; +and every exertion to find their way was ineffectual. +Their clothes were torn to shreds, and hung +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span>dangling from their limbs; their bodies were sadly +wounded by thorns and briers; and, as their scanty +provision of food was almost gone, nothing seemed +left to them but to sustain their wretched existence +with wild fruit, seeds and buds of the palm-trees.</p> + +<p>At last, they sank under their unremitted labor. +Wearied with the hardships of such travel, torn and +bleeding in every part of their bodies, and distracted +with hunger, terror, and apprehensions, they lost the +small remnant of their energy, and could do no more. +They sat down, and had no power to rise again. In +three or four days, one after another died at this stage +of their journey. Madame Godin lay for the space of +twenty-four hours by the side of her exhausted and +helpless brothers and companions: she felt herself +benumbed, stupefied, senseless, yet at the same time +tormented by burning thirst. At last, Providence, on +whom she relied, gave her courage and strength to +rouse herself and seek for a rescue, which was in store +for her, though she knew not where to look for it.</p> + +<p>Around lay the dead bodies of her brothers and her +other companions,—a sight which at another time +would have broken her heart. She was almost naked. +The scanty remnants of her clothing were so torn by +the thorns as to be almost useless. She cut the shoes +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span>from her dead brothers' feet, bound the soles under +her own, and plunged again into the thicket in search +of something to allay her raging hunger and thirst. +Terror at seeing herself so left alone in such a fearful +wilderness, deserted by all the world, and apprehension +of a dreadful death constantly hovering before +her eyes, made such an impression upon her, that her +hair turned gray.</p> + +<p>It was not till the second day after she had resumed +her wandering that she found water, and, a little while +after, some wild fruit, and a few eggs of birds. But +her throat was so contracted by long fasting, that +she could hardly swallow. These served to keep life +in her frame.</p> + +<p>Eight long days she wandered in this manner hopelessly, +and strove to sustain her wretched existence. +If one should read in a work of fiction any thing equal +to it, he would charge the author with exaggeration, +and violation of probability. But it is history; and, +however incredible her story may sound, it is rigidly +conformed to the truth in all its circumstances, as it +was afterwards taken down from the mouth of Madame +Godin herself.</p> + +<p>On the eighth day of her hopeless wandering, the +hapless lady reached the banks of the Bobonosa, a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span>stream which flows into the Amazon. At the break +of day, she heard at a little distance a noise, and was +alarmed at it. She would have fled, but at once reflected +that nothing worse than her present circumstances +could happen to her. She took courage, and +went towards the place whence the sound proceeded; +and here she found two Indians, who were occupied +in shoving their boat into the water.</p> + +<p>Madame Godin approached, and was kindly received +by them. She told to them her desire to be conveyed +to Andoas; and the good savages consented to carry +her thither in their boat. They did so; and now behold +her arrived at that place which the mean and +infamous treachery of Mr. R. was the only cause of +her not having reached long ago. This base fellow +had, with unfeeling cruelty, thrown to the winds his +promise to procure them a boat, and had gone on +business of his own to Omaguas, a Spanish mission +station, without in the least troubling himself about his +pledged word, and the rescue of the unfortunates left +behind. The honest negro was more true to duty, +though he was born and bred a heathen, and the other +a Christian.</p> + +<p>While the civilized and polished Frenchman unfeelingly +went away, and left his benefactress and her +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span>companions to languish in the depths of misery, the +sable heathen ceased not his exertions till he had procured +two Indians to go up the river with him, and +bring away his deserted mistress and her companions. +But, most unfortunately, he did not reach the +hut where he had left them before they had carried +into execution the unlucky determination to leave the +hut, and seek their way through the wilderness. So +he had the pain of failing to find her on his arrival.</p> + +<p>Even then, the faithful creature did not feel as if all +was done. He, with his Indian companions, followed +the traces of the party till he came to the place where +the bodies of the perished adventurers lay, which +were already so decayed, that he could not distinguish +one from the other. This pitiable sight led him to +conclude that none of the company could have escaped +death. He returned to the hut to take away some +things of Madame Godin's which were left there, and +carried them not only back with him to Andoas, but +from thence (another touching proof of his fidelity) to +Omaguas, that he might deposit the articles, some of +which were of considerable value, in the hands of the +unworthy Mr. R., to be by him delivered to the father +of his lamented mistress.</p> + +<p>And how did this unworthy Mr. R. behave when +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span>he was apprised by the negro of the lamentable death +of those whom he had so unscrupulously given over to +destitution? Did he shudder at the magnitude and +baseness of his crime? Oh, no! Like a heartless +knave, he added dishonesty to cruelty, took the things +into his keeping, and, to secure himself in the possession +of them, sent the generous negro back to Quito. +Joachim—for that was the name of this honest and +noble black man—had unluckily set out on his journey +back before Madame Godin arrived at Andoas. +Thus he was lost to her; and her affliction at the loss +of such a tried friend showed that the greatness of her +past misfortunes had not made her incapable of feeling +new distresses.</p> + +<p>In Andoas she found a Christian priest, a Spanish +missionary; and the behavior of this unchristian Christian +contrasts with the conduct of her two Indian +preservers, as that of the treacherous R. with that of +the generous negro. For instance, when Madame +Godin was in embarrassment how to show her gratitude +to the good Indians who had saved her life, she +remembered, that, according to the custom of the country, +she wore around her neck a pair of gold chains, +weighing about four ounces. These were her whole +remaining property; but she hesitated not a moment, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span>but took them off, and gave one to each of her benefactors. +They were delighted beyond measure at such a +gift; but the avaricious and dishonest priest took them +away from them before the face of the generous giver, +and gave them instead some yards of coarse cotton +cloth, which they call, in that country, Tukujo. And +this man was one of those who were sent to spread +Christianity among the heathen, and one from whom +those same Indians whom he had treated so dishonestly +would hear the lesson, "Thou shalt not covet +thy neighbor's goods"!</p> + +<p>Madame Godin felt, at seeing such unchristian and +unmanly behavior, such deep disgust, that, as soon +as she was somewhat recruited from the effects of so +many sufferings, she longed for a sight of some boat +to enable her to escape from the companionship of this +unjust priest, and get to Laguna, one of the aforementioned +Spanish mission stations. A kind Indian +woman made her a petticoat of cotton cloth, though +Madame Godin had nothing to give her in payment +for it. But this petticoat was to her, afterwards, a +sacred thing, that she would not have parted with for +any price. She laid it carefully away with the slippers +which she made of her brothers' shoes, and never +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span>could, in after-times, look at the two without experiencing +a rush of sad and tender recollections.</p> + +<p>At Laguna she had the good fortune to find a missionary +of better disposition. This one received her +with kindness and sympathy, and exerted himself +every way he could to restore her health, shattered +by so much suffering. He wrote also on her behalf +to the Governor of Omaguas, to beg him to aid in expediting +her journey. By this means, the elegant Mr. +R. learned that she was still alive; and as she was not +likely in future to be burdensome to him, while he +might, through her means, get a passage in the Portuguese +vessel, he failed not to call upon her at +Laguna. He delivered to her there some few of the +things which Joachim had left in his charge; but to +the question, "What had become of the rest?" he had +no other answer to make but "They were spoilt." +The knave forgot, when he said this, that gold bracelets, +snuff-boxes, ear-rings, and pearls, of which this +property consisted, are not apt to spoil.</p> + +<p>Madame Godin could not forbear making to him the +well-merited reproach that he was the cause of her +late sufferings, and guilty of the mournful death of +her brothers and her other companions. She desired +to know, moreover, why he had sent away her faithful +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span>servant, the good Joachim; and his unworthy reply +was, he had apprehensions that he would murder +him. To the question, how he could have such a +suspicion against a man whose tried fidelity and honest +disposition were known to him, he knew not what +to answer.</p> + +<p>The good missionary explained to Madame Godin, +after she was somewhat recruited from her late sufferings, +the frightful length of the way, and the labors and +dangers of her journey yet to come, and tried hard to +induce her to alter her intention, and return to Rio +Bambas, her former residence, instead of setting forth +to encounter a new series of disappointments and +perils. He promised, in that case, to convey her +safely and with comfort. But the heroic woman rejected +the proposal with immovable firmness. "God, +who had so wonderfully protected her so far," she +said, "would have her in his keeping for the remainder +of her way. She had but one wish remaining, and +that was to be re-united to her husband; and she +knew no danger terrible enough to induce her to give +up this one ruling desire of her heart."</p> + +<p>The missionary, therefore, had a boat got ready to +carry her to the Portuguese vessel. The Governor +of Omaguas furnished the boat, and supplied it well +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span>with provisions: and, that the commander of the Portuguese +galiot might be informed of her approach, he +sent a smaller boat with provisions, and two soldiers +by land, along the banks of the river, and betook himself +to Loreto, where the galiot had been so long +lying; and there he waited till Madame Godin arrived.</p> + +<p>She still suffered severely from the consequences +of the injuries which she had sustained during her +wanderings in the wilderness. Particularly, the +thumb of one hand, in which she had thrust a thorn, +which they had not been able to get out, was in a bad +condition. The bone itself was become carious, and +she found it necessary to have the flesh cut open to +allow fragments of the bone to come out. As for the +rest, she experienced from the commander of the Portuguese +vessel all possible kindness, and reached the +mouth of the Amazon River without any further misadventure.</p> + +<p>Mr. Godin, who still continued at Oyapoc (the same +place where on account of sickness he had been obliged +to stop), was no sooner informed of the approach of +his wife than he went on board a vessel, and coasted +along the shore till he met the galiot. The joy of +again meeting, after a separation of so many +years, and after such calamities undergone, was, as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</a></span>may well be supposed, on both sides, indescribably +great. Their re-union seemed like a resurrection from +the dead, since both of them had more than once +given up all hope of ever seeing the other in this life.</p> + +<p>The happy husband now conveyed his wife to Oyapoc, +and thence to Cayenne; whence they departed +on their return to France, in company with the venerable +Mr. De Grandmaison. Madame Godin remained, +however, constantly sad, notwithstanding her present +ample cause for joy; and every endeavor to raise her +spirits was fruitless, so deep and inextinguishable an +impression had the terrible sufferings she had undergone +made upon her mind. She spoke unwillingly of +all that she had suffered; and even her husband found +out with difficulty, and by little and little, the circumstances +which we have narrated, taken from accounts +under his own hand. He thought he could thereby +infer that she had kept to herself, to spare his feelings, +many circumstances of a distressing nature, which she +herself preferred to forget. Her heart, too, was, by +reason of her sufferings, so attuned to pity and forbearance, +that her compassion even extended to the +base and wicked men who had treated her with such +injustice. She would therefore add nothing to induce +her husband to invoke the vengeance of the law +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</a></span>against the faithless Tristan, the first cause of all her +misfortunes, who had converted to his own use many +thousand dollars' worth of property which had been +intrusted to him. She had even allowed herself to be +persuaded to take on board the boat from Omaguas +down, for a second time, the mean-souled Mr. R.</p> + +<p>So true is it that adversity and suffering do fulfil +the useful purpose of rendering the human heart +tender, placable, and indulgent.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>HERNDON'S EXPEDITION.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>In the month of August, 1850, Lieut. Herndon, of +the United-States navy, being on board the frigate +"Vandalia," then lying at anchor in the harbor of +Valparaiso, received information that he was designated +by the Secretary of the Navy to explore the +Valley of the Amazon. On the 4th of April, being +then at Lima, he received his orders, and, on the 21st +of May, commenced his land journey to the highest +point on the Amazon navigable for boats, which is +about three hundred miles from its source; in which +distance there are twenty-seven rapids, the last of +which is called the Pongo (or falls) de Manseriche. +Over these the water rushes with frightful rapidity; +but they are passed, with great peril and difficulty, +by means of rafts. From the Pongo de Manseriche, +Lieut. Herndon states that an unbroken channel +of eighteen feet in depth may be found to the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</a></span>Atlantic Ocean,—a distance of three thousand +miles.</p> + +<p>The party consisted of Lieut. Herndon, commander; +Passed-midshipman Gibbon; a young master's mate +named Richards; a young Peruvian, who had made +the voyage down the Amazon a few years before, +who was employed as interpreter to the Indians; +and Mauricio, an Indian servant. They were mounted +on mules; and their baggage of all kinds, including +looking-glasses, beads, and other trinkets for the Indians, +and some supplies of provisions, were carried +also on muleback, under the charge of an <i>arriero</i>, +or muleteer, who was an Indian. The party were +furnished with a tent, which often came in use +for nightly shelter, as the roadside inns furnished +none, and the haciendas, or farm-houses, which +they sometimes availed themselves of, afforded but +poor accommodation. The following picture of the +lieutenant's first night's lodgings, not more than ten +miles from Lima, is a specimen: "The house was +built of <i>adobe</i>, or sun-dried bricks, and roofed with +tiles. It had but one room, which was the general +receptacle for all comers. A mud projection, of two +feet high and three wide, stood out from the walls of +the room all around, and served as a permanent <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</a></span>bedplace +for numbers. Others laid their blankets and +cloaks, and stretched themselves, on the floor; so +that, with whites, Indians, negroes, trunks, packages, +horse-furniture, game-cocks, and guinea-pigs, we had +quite a caravansera appearance."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant found the general answer to his inquiry +for provisions for his party, and of fodder for +their animals, was, "No hay" (there is none). The +refusal of the people to sell supplies of these indispensable +articles was a source of continued inconvenience. +It arose probably from their fear to have it +known that they had possessions, lest the hand of +authority should be laid upon them, and their property +be taken without payment. The cultivators, it +must be remembered, are native Indians, under the +absolute control of their Spanish masters, and have +no recognized rights protected by law. While this +state of things continues, civilization is effectually +debarred progress.</p> + +<p>The usual day's travel was twelve to fifteen miles. +The route ascended rapidly; and the River Rimac, +along whose banks their road lay, was soon reduced +to a mountain torrent, raging in foam over the fragments +of the rocky cliffs which overhung its bed. +The road occasionally widened out, and gave room +for a little cultivation.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</a></span>May 27.—They had now reached a height of ten +thousand feet above the level of the sea. Here the +traveller feels that he is lifted above the impurities +of the lower regions of the atmosphere, and is breathing +air free from taint. The stars sparkled with intense +brilliancy. The temperature at night was getting +cool, and the travellers found they required all +their blankets. But by day the heat was oppressive +until tempered by the sea-breeze, which set in about +eleven o'clock in the morning.</p> + +<p>The productions of the country are Indian corn, +alfalfa (a species of lucern), and potatoes. The potato, +in this its native country, is small, but very fine. +They saw here a vegetable of the potato kind called +<i>oca</i>. Boiled or roasted, it is very agreeable to the +taste, in flavor resembling green corn.</p> + +<p>Here they entered upon the mining region. "The +Earth here shows her giant skeleton bare: mountains, +rather than rocks, rear their gray heads to the skies; +and proximity made the scene more striking and sublime." +Lieut. Herndon had brought letters to the +superintendent of the mines, who received the travellers +kindly and hospitably. This establishment is +managed by a superintendent and three assistants, +and about forty working hands. The laborers are +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</a></span>Indians,—strong, hardy-looking fellows, though low +in stature, and stupid in expression. The manner of +getting the silver from the ore is this: The ore is +broken into pieces of the size of an English walnut, +and then ground to a fine powder. The ground ore +is then mixed with salt, at the rate of fifty pounds of +salt to every six hundred of ore, and taken to the +ovens to be toasted. After being toasted, the ore is +laid in piles of about six hundred pounds upon the +stone floor. The piles are then moistened with +water, and quicksilver is sprinkled on them through +a woollen cloth. The mass is well mixed by treading +with the feet, and working with hoes. A little calcined +iron pyrites, called <i>magistral</i>, is also added. +The pile is often examined to see if the amalgamation +is going on well. It is left to stand for eight or nine +days until the amalgamation is complete; then carried +to an elevated platform, and thrown into a well, or +cavity: a stream of water is turned on, and four or +five men trample and wash it with their feet. The +amalgam sinks to the bottom, and the mud and water +are let off by an aperture in the lower part of the +well. The amalgam is then put into conical bags of +coarse linen, which are hung up; and the weight of +the mass presses out a quantity of quicksilver, which +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</a></span>oozes through the linen, and is caught in vessels below. +The mass, now dry, and somewhat harder than +putty, is carried to the ovens, where the remainder +of the quicksilver is driven off by heat, and the residue +is <i>plata pina</i>, or pure silver. The proportion of +pure silver in the amalgam is about twenty-two per +cent. This is an unusually rich mine.</p> + +<p>Returning from the mine, the party met a drove of +llamas on their way from the hacienda. This is quite +an imposing sight, especially when the drove is encountered +suddenly at a turn of the road. The leader, +who is always selected on account of his superior +height, has his head decorated with tufts of woollen +fringe, hung with little bells; and his great height +(often six feet), gallant and graceful carriage, pointed +ear, restless eye, and quivering lip, as he faces you +for a moment, make him as striking an object as one +can well conceive. Upon pressing on him, he bounds +aside either up or down the cliff, and is followed by +the herd, scrambling over places that would be impassable +for the mule or the ass. The llama travels +not more than nine or ten miles a day, his load being +about one hundred and thirty pounds. He will not +carry more, and will be beaten to death rather than +move when he is overloaded or tired. The males +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</a></span>only are worked: they appear gentle and docile, +but, when irritated, have a very savage look, and spit +at the object of their resentment. The guanaco, or +alpaca, is another species of this animal, and the +vicunia a third. The guanaco is as large as the +llama, and bears a fleece of long and coarse wool. +The vicunia is much smaller, and its wool is short and +fine: so valuable is it, that it brings at the port of +shipment a dollar a pound. Our travellers saw no +guanacos, but now and then, in crossing the mountains, +caught a glimpse of the wild and shy vicunia. +They go in herds of ten or fifteen females, accompanied +by one male, who is ever on the alert. On +the approach of danger, he gives warning by a shrill +whistle; and his charge make off with the speed of +the wind.</p> + +<p>On the 31st of May, the thermometer stood at +thirty-six degrees at five, <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> This, it must be remembered, +was in the torrid zone, in the same latitude +as Congo in Africa, and Sumatra in Asia; yet +how different the climate! This is owing to the elevation, +which at this water-shed of the continent, +which separates the rivers of the Atlantic from those +of the Pacific, was about sixteen thousand feet above +the level of the sea. The peaks of the Cordillera +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</a></span>presented the appearance of a hilly country at home +on a winter's day; while the lower ranges were +dressed in bright green, with placid little lakes interspersed, +giving an air of quiet beauty to the scene.</p> + +<p>The travellers next arrived at Morococha, where +they found copper-mining to be the prevailing occupation. +The copper ore is calcined in the open air, +in piles consisting of ore and coal, which burn for a +month. The ore thus calcined is taken to the ovens; +and sufficient heat is employed to melt the copper, +which runs off into moulds below. The copper, in +this state, is impure, containing fifty per cent of foreign +matter; and is worth fifteen cents the pound in +England, where it is refined. There is a mine of fine +coal near the hacienda, which yields an abundant +supply.</p> + +<p>The travellers passed other mining districts, rich +in silver and copper. A large portion of the silver +which forms the circulation of the world is dug from +the range of mountains which they were now crossing, +and chiefly from that slope of them which is +drained off into the Amazon.</p> + +<p>Their descent, after leaving the mining country, +was rapid. On June 6, we find them at the head of a +ravine leading down to the Valley of Tarma. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</a></span>height of this spot above the level of the sea was +11,270 feet. As they rode down the steep descent, +the plants and flowers that they had left on the other +side began to re-appear. First the short grass and +small clover, then barley, lucern, Indian corn, beans, +turnips, shrubs, bushes, trees, flowers, growing larger +and gayer in their colors, till the pretty little city of +Tarma, imbosomed among the hills, and enveloped in +its covering of willows and fruit-trees, with its long +lawns of <i>alfalfa</i> (the greenest of grasses) stretching +out in front, broke upon their view. It is a place of +seven thousand inhabitants, beautifully situated in an +amphitheatre of mountains, which are clothed nearly +to the top with waving fields of barley. The lieutenant +gives an attractive description of this mountain +city, whose natural productions extend from the apples +and peaches of the temperate zone to the oranges +and pine-apples of the tropics; and whose air is so +temperate and pure, that there was but one physician +to a district of twenty thousand people, and he was +obliged to depend upon government for a part of his +support.</p> + +<p>The party left Tarma on the 16th of June, and resumed +their descent of the mountains. The ride was +the wildest they had yet had. The ascents and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</a></span>descents +were nearly precipitous; and the scene was +rugged, wild, and grand beyond description. At certain +parts of the road, it is utterly impossible for two +beasts to pass abreast, or for one to turn and retreat; +and the only remedy, when they meet, is to tumble +one off the precipice, or to drag him back by the tail +until he reaches a place where the other can pass. +They met with a considerable fright in this way one +day. They were riding in single file along one of +those narrow ascents where the road is cut out of +the mountain-side, and the traveller has a perpendicular +wall on one hand, and a sheer precipice of many +hundreds of feet upon the other. Mr. Gibbon was +riding ahead. Just as he was about to turn a sharp +bend of the road, the head of a bull peered round it, +on the descent. When the bull came in full view, he +stopped; and the travellers could see the heads of +other cattle clustering over his quarters, and hear +the shouts of the cattle-drivers far behind, urging on +their herd. The bull, with lowered crest, and savage, +sullen look, came slowly on, and actually got his head +between the perpendicular rock and the neck of Gibbon's +mule. But the sagacious beast on which he +was mounted, pressing her haunches hard against the +wall, gathered her feet close under her, and turned as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</a></span>upon a pivot. This placed the bull on the outside +(there was room to pass, though no one would have +thought it); and he rushed by at the gallop, followed +in single file by the rest of the herd. The lieutenant +owns that he and his friend "felt frightened."</p> + +<p>On the 18th of June, they arrived at the first hacienda, +where they saw sugar-cane, yucca, pine-apples, +and plantains. Besides these, cotton and coffee were +soon after found in cultivation. The laborers are native +Indians, nominally free, but, by the customs of +the country, pretty closely held in subjection to their +employers. Their nominal wages are half a dollar a +day; but this is paid in articles necessary for their +support, which are charged to them at such prices as +to keep them always in debt. As debtors, the law +will enforce the master's claim on them; and it is +almost hopeless for them to desert; for, unless they +get some distance off before they are recognized, +they will be returned as debtors to their employers. +Freedom, under such circumstances, is little better +than slavery; but it <i>is</i> better, for this reason,—that +it only requires some improvement in the intelligence +and habits of the laborers to convert it into a system +of free labor worthy of the name.</p> + +<p>The <i>yucca</i> (cassava-root) is a plant of fifteen or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</a></span>twenty feet in height. It is difficult to distinguish +this plant from the <i>mandioc</i>, which is called "wild +yucca;" and this, "sweet yucca." This may be eaten +raw; but the other is poisonous until subjected to +heat in cooking, and then is perfectly wholesome. +The yucca answers the same purpose in Peru that +the mandioc does in Brazil. It is the general substitute +for bread, and, roasted or boiled, is very pleasant +to the taste. The Indians also make from it an intoxicating +drink. Each plant will give from twenty to +twenty-five pounds of the eatable root, which grows +in clusters like the potato, and some tubers of which +are as long and thick as a man's arm.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>On the 4th of July, the travellers arrived at the +great mining station of Cerro Pasco. The +weather was so cold, that the lieutenant, not being +quite well, sat by the fire all day, trying to keep himself +warm. The town is a most curious-looking place, +entirely honey-combed, and having the mouths of +mines, some of them two or three yards in diameter, +gaping everywhere. From the top of a hill, the +best view is obtained of the whole. Vast pits, called +Tajos, surround this hill, from which many millions of +silver have been taken; and the miners are still burrowing, +like so many rabbits, in their bottoms and +sides. The hill is penetrated in every direction; and +it would not be surprising if it should cave in, any +day, and bury many in its ruins. The falling-in of +mines is of frequent occurrence: one caved in, some +years ago, and buried three hundred persons. An +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</a></span>English company undertook mining here in 1825, and +failed. Vast sums have been spent in constructing +tunnels, and employing steam machinery to drain the +mines; and the parties still persevere, encouraged by +discovering, that, the lower they penetrate, the richer +are the ores. The yield of these mines is about two +million dollars' worth a year, which is equal to the +yield of all the other mines of Peru together.</p> + +<p>The lieutenant found the leading people here, as +well as at Tarma, enthusiastic on the subject of opening +the Amazon to foreign commerce. It will be a +great day for them, they say, when the Americans +get near them with a steamer.</p> + +<p>On the 14th of July, they arrived at a spot of marshy +ground, from which trickled in tiny streams the waters, +which, uniting with others, swell till they form +the broad River Huallaga, one of the head tributaries +of the Amazon. Their descent was now rapid; and +the next day they found themselves on a sudden +among fruit-trees, with a patch of sugar-cane, on the +banks of the stream. The sudden transition from +rugged mountain-peaks, where there was no cultivation, +to a tropical vegetation, was marvellous. Two +miles farther on, they came in sight of a pretty village, +almost hidden in the luxuriant vegetation. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</a></span>whole valley here becomes very beautiful. The land, +which is a rich river-bottom, is laid off into alternate +fields of sugar-cane and alfalfa. The blended green +and yellow of this growth, divided by willows, interspersed +with fruit-trees, and broken into wavy lines +by the serpentine course of the river, presented a +scene which filled them with pleasurable emotions, +and indicated that they had exchanged a semi-barbarous +for a civilized society.</p> + +<p>The party had had no occasion to complain of want +of hospitality in any part of their route; but here they +seemed to have entered upon a country where that +virtue flourished most vigorously, having at its command +the means of gratifying it. The owner of the +hacienda of Quicacan, an English gentleman named +Dyer, received the lieutenant and his large party exactly +as if it were a matter of course, and as if they +had quite as much right to occupy his house as they +had to enter an inn. The next day they had an +opportunity to compare with the Englishman a fine +specimen of the Peruvian country gentleman. Col. +Lucar is thus described: "He is probably the richest +and most influential man in the province. He seems +to have been the father of husbandry in these parts, +and is the very type of the old landed proprietor of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</a></span>Virginia, who has always lived upon his estates, and +attended personally to their cultivation. Seated at +the head of his table, with his hat on to keep the +draught from his head, and which he would insist upon +removing unless I would wear mine; his chair surrounded +by two or three little negro children, whom +he fed with bits from his plate; and attending with +patience and kindness to the clamorous wants of a +pair of splendid peacocks, a couple of small parrots of +brilliant and variegated plumage, and a beautiful and +delicate monkey,—I thought I had never seen a more +perfect pattern of the patriarch. His kindly and +affectionate manner to his domestics, and to his little +grand-children, a pair of sprightly boys, who came in +the evening from the college, was also very pleasing." +The mention of a college in a region in some respects +so barbarous may surprise our readers; but such +there is. It has a hundred pupils, an income of seventy-five +thousand dollars yearly, chemical and philosophical +apparatus, and one thousand specimens of +European minerals.</p> + +<p>Ijurra, our lieutenant's Peruvian companion, had +written to the governor of the village of Tingo Maria, +the head of canoe navigation on the Huallaga, to send +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</a></span>Indians to meet the travellers here, and take their +luggage on to the place of embarkation.</p> + +<p>July 30.—The Indians came shouting into the +farm-yard, thirteen in number. They were young, +slight, but muscular-looking fellows, and wanted to +shoulder the trunks, and be off at once. The lieutenant, +however, gave them some breakfast; and then +the party set forward, and, after a walk of six miles, +reached the river, and embarked in the canoe. Two +Indian laborers, called <i>peons</i>, paddled the canoe, and +managed it very well. The peons cooked their dinner +of cheese and rice, and made them a good cup +of coffee. They are lively, good-tempered fellows, +and, properly treated, make good and serviceable +travelling companions. The canoe was available +only in parts of the river where the stream was free +from rapids. Where these occur, the cargo must be +landed, and carried round. Lieut. Herndon and his +party were compelled to walk a good part of the +distance to Tingo Maria, which was thirty-six miles +from where they first took the canoe.</p> + +<p>"I saw here," says our traveller, "the <i>lucernago</i>, +or fire-fly of this country. It is a species of beetle, +carrying two white lights in its eyes, or rather in the +places where the eyes of insects generally are, and a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</a></span>red light between the scales of the belly; so that it +reminded me somewhat of the ocean steamers. They +are sometimes carried to Lima (enclosed in an apartment +cut into a sugar-cane), where the ladies at balls +or theatres put them in their hair for ornament."</p> + +<p>At Tingo Maria, their arrival was celebrated with +much festivity. The governor got up a ball for them, +where there was more hilarity than ceremony. The +next morning, the governor and his wife accompanied +our friends to the port. The governor made a short +address to the canoe-men, telling them that their passengers +were "no common persons; that they were +to have a special care of them; to be very obedient," +&c. They then embarked, and stood off; the boatmen +blowing their horns, and the party on shore waving +their hats, and shouting their adieus.</p> + +<p>The party had two canoes, about forty feet long by +two and a half broad, each hollowed out of a single +log. The rowers stand up to paddle, having one foot +in the bottom of the boat, and the other on the gunwale. +There is a man at the bow of the boat to look +out for rocks or sunken trees ahead; and a steersman, +who stands on a little platform at the stern of the +boat, and guides her motions. When the river was +smooth, and free from obstruction, they drifted with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</a></span>the current, the men sitting on the trunks and boxes, +chatting and laughing with each other; but, when +they approached a "bad place," their serious looks, +and the firm position in which each one planted himself +at his post, showed that work was to be done. +When the bark had fairly entered the pass, the rapid +gestures of the bow-man, indicating the channel; the +graceful position of the steersman, holding his long +paddle; and the desperate exertions of the rowers, the +railroad rush of the canoes, and the wild screaming +laugh of the Indians as the boat shot past the danger,—made +a scene so exciting as to banish the +sense of danger.</p> + +<p>After this specimen of their travel, let us take a +glimpse of their lodging. "At half-past five, we +camped on the beach. The first business of the boatmen, +when the canoe is secured, is to go off to the +woods, and cut stakes and palm-branches to make a +house for the 'commander.' By sticking long poles +in the sand, chopping them half-way in two about +five feet above the ground, and bending the upper +parts together, they make in a few minutes the frame +of a little shanty, which, thickly thatched with palm-leaves, +will keep off the dew or an ordinary rain. +Some bring the drift-wood that is lying about the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</a></span>beach, and make a fire. The provisions are cooked +and eaten, the bedding laid down upon the leaves +that cover the floor of the shanty, the mosquito nettings +spread; and after a cup of coffee, a glass of grog, +and a cigar (if they are to be had), everybody retires +for the night by eight o'clock. The Indians sleep +round the hut, each under his narrow mosquito curtain, +which glisten in the moonlight like so many +tombstones."</p> + +<p>The Indians have very keen senses, and see and +hear things that would escape more civilized travellers. +One morning, they commenced paddling with +great vigor; for they said they heard monkeys ahead. +It was not till after paddling a mile that they reached +the place. "When we came up to them," says the +lieutenant, "we found a gang of large red monkeys +in some tall trees by the river-side, making a noise +like the grunting of a herd of hogs. We landed; and, +in a few moments, I found myself beating my way +through the thick undergrowth, and hunting monkeys +with as much excitement as I had ever felt in hunting +squirrels when a boy." They found the game +hard to kill, and only got three,—the lieutenant, with +his rifle, one; and the Indians, with their blow-guns, +two. The Indians roasted and ate theirs, and Lieut. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</a></span>Herndon tried to eat a piece; but it was so tough, +that his teeth would make no impression upon it.</p> + +<p>Aug. 19.—The party arrived at Tarapoto. It +is a town of three thousand five hundred inhabitants, +and the district of which it is the capital numbers six +thousand. The principal productions are rice, cotton, +and tobacco; and cotton-cloth, spun and woven by +the women, with about as little aid from machinery +as the women in Solomon's time, of whom we are +told, "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her +hands hold the distaff." The little balls of cotton +thread which the women spin in this way are used +as currency (and this in a land of silver-mines), and +pass for twenty-five cents apiece in exchange for +other goods, or twelve and a half cents in money. +Most of the trade is done by barter. A cow is sold +for one hundred yards of cotton cloth; a fat hog, for +sixty; a large sheep, twelve; twenty-five pounds of +salt fish, for twelve; twenty-five pounds of coffee, six; +a head of plantains, which will weigh from forty to +fifty pounds, for three needles; and so forth. All +transportation of merchandise by land is made upon +the backs of Indians, for want of roads suitable for +beasts of burden. The customary weight of a load +is seventy-five pounds: the cost of transportation to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</a></span>Moyobamba, seventy miles, is six yards of cloth. It +is easy to obtain, in the term of six or eight days, +fifty or sixty peons, or Indian laborers, for the transportation +of cargoes, getting the order of the governor, +and paying the above price, and supporting the +peons on the way. The town is the most important +in the province of Mainas. The inhabitants are called +civilized, but have no idea of what we call comfort in +their domestic arrangements. The houses are of +mud, thatched with palm, and have uneven earth +floors. The furniture consists of a grass hammock, a +standing bedplace, a coarse table, and a stool or two. +The governor of this populous district wore no shoes, +and appeared to live pretty much like the rest of +them.</p> + +<p>Vessels of five feet draught of water may ascend the +river, at the lowest stage of the water, to within eighteen +miles of Tarapoto.</p> + +<p>Our travellers accompanied a large fishing-party. +They had four or five canoes, and a large quantity of +barbasco; a root which has the property of stupefying, +or intoxicating, the fish. The manner of fishing +is to close up the mouth of an inlet of the river with +a network made of reeds; and then, mashing the barbasco-root +to a pulp, throw it into the water. This +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</a></span>turns the water white, and poisons it; so that the fish +soon begin rising to the surface, dead, and are taken +into the canoes with small tridents, or pronged sticks. +Almost at the moment of throwing the barbasco into +the water, the smaller fish rise to the surface, and die +in one or two minutes; the larger fish survive longer.</p> + +<p>The salt fish, which constitutes an important article +of food and also of barter trade, is brought from +down the river in large pieces of about eight pounds +each, cut from the <i>vaca marina</i>, or sea-cow, also +found in our Florida streams, and there called <i>manatee</i>. +It is found in great numbers in the Amazon +and its principal tributaries. It is not, strictly speaking, +a fish, but an animal of the whale kind, which +nourishes its young at the breast. It is not able to +leave the water; but, in feeding, it gets near the +shore, and raises its head out. It is most often taken +when feeding.</p> + +<p>Our travellers met a canoe of Indians, one man and +two women, going up the river for salt. They +bought, with beads, some turtle-eggs, and proposed +to buy a monkey they had; but one of the women +clasped the little beast in her arms, and set up a +great outcry, lest the man should sell it. The man +wore a long cotton gown, with a hole in the neck for +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</a></span>the head to come through, and short, wide sleeves. +He had on his arm a bracelet of monkeys' teeth, and +the women had nose-rings of white beads. Their +dress was a cotton petticoat, tied round the waist; +and all were filthy.</p> + +<p>Sept. 1.—They arrived at Laguna. Here they +found two travelling merchants, a Portuguese and a +Brazilian. They had four large boats, of about eight +tons each, and two or three canoes. Their cargo consisted +of iron and iron implements, crockery-ware, +wine, brandy, copper kettles, coarse short swords (a +very common implement of the Indians), guns, ammunition, +salt, fish, &c., which they expected to exchange +for straw hats, cotton cloth, sugar, coffee, and money. +They were also buying up all the sarsaparilla they +could find, and despatching it back in canoes. They +invited our travellers to breakfast; and the lieutenant +says, "I thought that I never tasted any thing better +than the <i>farinha</i>, which I saw now for the first +time."</p> + +<p>Farinha is a general substitute for bread in all the +course of the Amazon below the Brazilian frontier. +It is used by all classes; and the boatmen seemed +always contented with plenty of salt fish and farinha. +The women make it in this way: They soak the root +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[Pg 385]</a></span>of the <i>mandioc</i> in water till it is softened a little, +when they scrape off the skin, and grate the root +upon a board, which is made into a rude grater by +being smeared with some of the adhesive gums of the +forest, and then sprinkled with pebbles. The white +grated pulp is put into a conical-shaped bag made of +the coarse fibres of the palm. The bag is hung up to +a peg driven into a post of the hut; a lever is put +through a loop at the bottom of the bag; the short end +of the lever is placed under a chock nailed to the +post below; and the woman hangs her weight on the +long end. This elongates the bag, and brings a heavy +pressure upon the mass within, causing the juice to +ooze out through the wicker-work of the bag. When +sufficiently pressed, the mass is put on the floor of a +mud oven; heat is applied, and it is stirred with a +stick till it granulates into very irregular grains, and +is sufficiently toasted to drive off all the poisonous +qualities which it has in a crude state. It is then +packed in baskets (lined and covered with palm-leaves) +of about sixty-four pounds' weight, which are +generally sold all along the river at from seventy-five +cents to one dollar. The sediment of the juice +is tapioca, and is used to make custards, puddings, +starch, &c. It will surprise some of our readers to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[Pg 386]</a></span>be told that the juice extracted in the preparation of +these wholesome and nutritive substances is a powerful +poison, and used by the Indians for poisoning +the points of their arrows.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>The Huallaga is navigable, for vessels drawing +five feet depth of water, 285 miles; and forty +miles farther for canoes. Our travellers had now arrived +at its junction with the Amazon; and their first +sight of its waters is thus described: "The march +of the great river in its silent grandeur was sublime; +but in the untamed might of its turbid waters, as +they cut away its banks, tore down the gigantic denizens +of the forest, and built up islands, it was awful. +I was reminded of our Mississippi at its topmost flood; +but this stream lacked the charm which the plantation +upon the bank, the city upon the bluff, and the steamboat +upon the waters, lend to its fellow of the North. +But its capacities for trade and commerce are inconceivably +great; and to the touch of steam, settlement, +and cultivation, this majestic stream and its magnificent +water-shed would start up in a display of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</a></span>industrial results that would make the Valley of the +Amazon one of the most enchanting regions on the +face of the earth."</p> + +<p>Lieut. Herndon speaks of the Valley of the Amazon +in language almost as enthusiastic as that of Sir +Walter Raleigh: "From its mountains you may dig +silver, iron, coal, copper, zinc, quicksilver, and tin; +from the sands of its tributaries you may wash gold, +diamonds, and precious stones; from its forests you +may gather drugs of virtues the most rare, spices of +aroma the most exquisite, gums and resins of the most +varied and useful properties, dyes of hue the most +brilliant, with cabinet and building woods of the finest +polish and the most enduring texture. Its climate is +an everlasting summer, and its harvest perennial."</p> + +<p>Sept. 8.—The party encamped at night on an +island near the middle of the river. "The Indians, +cooking their big monkeys over a large fire on the +beach, presented a savage and most picturesque +scene. They looked more like devils roasting human +beings, than any thing mortal." We ask ourselves, +on reading this, whether some such scene may not +have given rise to the stories of cannibalism which +Raleigh and others record.</p> + +<p>They arrived at Nauta, a village of a thousand <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</a></span>inhabitants, +mostly Indians. The governor of the district +received them hospitably. Each district has its governor, +and each town its lieutenant-governor. These +are of European descent. The other authorities of a +town are <i>curacas</i>, captains, alcades, and constables. +All these are Indians. The office of curaca is hereditary, +and is not generally interfered with by the white +governor. The Indians treat their curaca with great +respect, and submit to corporal punishment at his +mandate.</p> + +<p>Sarsaparilla is one of the chief articles of produce +collected here. It is a vine of sufficient size to shoot +up fifteen or twenty feet from the root without support. +It thus embraces the surrounding trees, and +spreads to a great distance. The main root sends out +many tendrils, generally about the thickness of a +straw, and five feet long. These are gathered, and +tied up in bundles of about an <i>arroba</i>, or thirty-two +pounds' weight. It is found on the banks of almost +every river of the region; but many of these are not +worked, on account of the savages living on them, +who attack the parties that come to gather it. The +price in Nauta is two dollars the arroba, and in Europe +from forty to sixty dollars.</p> + +<p>From Nauta, Lieut. Herndon ascended the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[Pg 390]</a></span>Ucayali, +a branch of the Amazon, stretching to the +north-west in a direction somewhat parallel to the +Huallaga. There is the essential difference between +the two rivers, as avenues for commerce, that the +Ucayali is still in the occupation of savage tribes, unchristianized +except where under the immediate influence +of the mission stations planted among them; +while the population of the Huallaga is tolerably advanced +in civilization. The following sentences will +give a picture of the Indians of the Ucayali: "These +people cannot count, and I can never get from them +any accurate idea of numbers. They are very little +removed above 'the beasts that perish.' They are +filthy, and covered with sores. The houses are very +large, between thirty and forty feet in length, and ten +or fifteen in breadth. They consist of immense roofs +of small poles and canes, thatched with palm, and supported +by short stakes, four feet high, planted in the +ground three or four feet apart, and having the spaces, +except between two in front, filled in with cane. They +have no idea of a future state, and worship nothing. +But they can make bows and canoes; and their women +weave a coarse cloth from cotton, and dye it. Their +dress is a long cotton gown. They paint the face, and +wear ornaments suspended from the nose and lower +lip."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[Pg 391]</a></span>Next let us take a view of the means in operation +to elevate these people to civilization and Christianity. +Sarayacu is a missionary station, governed by four +Franciscan friars, who are thus described: "Father +Calvo, meek and humble in personal concerns, yet full +of zeal and spirit for his office, clad in his long serge +gown, belted with a cord, with bare feet and accurate +tonsure, habitual stoop, and generally bearing upon +his shoulder a beautiful and saucy bird of the parrot +kind, was my beau-ideal of a missionary monk. Bregati +is a young and handsome Italian, whom Father +Calvo sometimes calls St. John. Lorente is a tall, +grave, and cold-looking Catalan. A lay-brother named +Maguin, who did the cooking, and who was unwearied +in his attentions to us, made up the establishment. I +was sick here, and think that I shall ever remember +with gratitude the affectionate kindness of these pious +and devoted friars of St. Francis."</p> + +<p>The government is paternal. The Indians recognize +in the "padre" the power to appoint and remove +curacas, captains, and other officers; to inflict stripes, +and to confine in the stocks. They obey the priests' +orders readily, and seem tractable and docile. The +Indian men are drunken and lazy: the women do most +of the work; and their reward is to be maltreated +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[Pg 392]</a></span>by their husbands, and, in their drunken frolics, to be +cruelly beaten, and sometimes badly wounded.</p> + +<p>Our party returned to the Amazon; and we find +occurring in their narrative names which are familiar +to us in the history of our previous adventurers. They +touched at Omaguas, the port where Madame Godin +found kind friends in the good missionary and the +governor, and where she embarked on her way to +the galiot at Loreto; and they passed the mouth of the +Napo, which enters the Amazon from the north,—the +river down which Orellana passed in the first adventure. +The lieutenant says, "We spoke two canoes +that had come from near Quito by the Napo. There +are few Christianized towns on the Napo; and the +rowers of the boats were a more savage-looking set +than I had seen,"—so slow has been the progress of +civilization in three hundred years.</p> + +<p>The Amazon seems to be the land of monkeys. Our +traveller says, "I bought a young monkey of an Indian +woman to-day. It had coarse gray and white hair; +and that on the top of its head was stiff, like the quills +of the porcupine, and smoothed down in front as if it +had been combed. I offered the little fellow some +plantain; but, finding he would not eat, the woman +took him, and put him to her breast, when he sucked +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[Pg 393]</a></span>away manfully and with great gusto. She weaned +him in a week, so that he would eat plantain mashed +up, and put into his mouth in small bits; but the little +beast died of mortification because I would not let +him sleep with his arms around my neck."</p> + +<p>They got from the Indians some of the milk from +the cow-tree. This the Indians drink, when fresh; +and, brought in a calabash, it had a foamy appearance, +as if just drawn from the cow. It, however, coagulates +very soon, and becomes as hard and tenacious +as glue. It does not appear to be as important an +article of subsistence as one would expect from the +name.</p> + +<p>Dec. 2.—They arrived at Loreto, the frontier +town of the Peruvian territory, and which reminds +us again of Madame Godin, who there joined the Portuguese +galiot. Loreto is situated on an eminence on +the left bank of the river, which is here three-fourths +of a mile wide, and one hundred feet deep. There +are three mercantile houses in Loreto, which do a +business of about ten thousand dollars a year. The +houses at Loreto are better built and better furnished +than those of the towns on the river above. The population +of the place is two hundred and fifty, made up +of Brazilians, mulattoes, negroes, and a few Indians.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[Pg 394]</a></span>At the next town, Tabatinga, the lieutenant entered +the territory of Brazil. When his boat, bearing the +American flag, was descried at that place, the Brazilian +flag was hoisted; and when the lieutenant landed, +dressed in uniform, he was received by the commandant, +also in uniform, to whom he presented his passport +from the Brazilian minister at Washington. As +soon as this document was perused, and the lieutenant's +rank ascertained, a salute of seven guns was +fired from the fort; and the commandant treated him +with great civility, and entertained him at his table, +giving him roast beef, which was a great treat.</p> + +<p>It was quite pleasant, after coming from the Peruvian +villages, which are all nearly hidden in the +woods, to see that Tabatinga had the forest cleared +away from about it; so that a space of forty or fifty +acres was covered with green grass, and had a grove +of orange-trees in its midst. The commandant told +him that the trade of the river was increasing very +fast; that, in 1849, scarce one thousand dollars' worth +of goods passed up; in 1850, two thousand five hundred +dollars; and this year, six thousand dollars.</p> + +<p>The sarsaparilla seems thus far to have been the +principal article of commerce; but here they find +another becoming of importance,—<i>manteca</i>, or oil +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[Pg 395]</a></span>made of turtle-eggs. The season for making manteca +generally ends by the 1st of November. A commandant +is appointed every year to take care of the +beaches, prevent disorder, and administer justice. +Sentinels are placed at the beginning of August, when +the turtles commence depositing their eggs. They +see that no one wantonly interferes with the turtles, +or destroys the eggs. The process of making the oil +is very disgusting. The eggs are collected, thrown +into a canoe, and trodden into a mass with the feet. +Water is poured on, and the mass is left to stand in +the sun for several days. The oil rises to the top, is +skimmed off, and boiled in large copper boilers. It is +then put in earthen pots of about forty-five pounds' +weight. Each pot is worth, on the beach, one dollar +and thirty cents; and at Pará, from two and a half to +three dollars. The beaches of the Amazon and its +tributaries yield from five to six thousand pots +annually. It is used for the same purposes as lard +with us.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[Pg 396]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONCLUDED.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>On Jan. 4, at about the point of the junction +of the Purus River with the Amazon, Lieut. +Herndon remarks, "The banks of the river are +now losing the character of savage and desolate +solitude that characterizes them above, and begin to +show signs of habitation and cultivation. We passed +to-day several farms, with neatly framed and plastered +houses, and a schooner-rigged vessel lying off several +of them."</p> + +<p>They arrived at the junction of the River Negro. +This is one of the largest of the tributaries of the +Amazon, and derives its name from the blackness of +its waters. When taken up in a tumbler, the water +is a light-red color, like a pale juniper-water, and is +probably colored by some such berry. This river, +opposite the town of Barra, is about a mile and a half +wide, and very beautiful. It is navigable for almost +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[Pg 397]</a></span>any draughts to the Masaya, a distance of about four +hundred miles: there the rapids commence, and the +farther ascent must be made in boats. By this river, +a communication exists with the Orinoco, by means +of a remarkable stream, the Cassaquiare, which seems +to have been formed for the sole purpose of connecting +these two majestic rivers, and the future dwellers +upon them, in the bonds of perpetual union. Humboldt, +the great traveller and philosopher, thus speaks +of it, "The Cassaquiare, as broad as the Rhine, and +whose course is one hundred and eighty miles in +length, will not much longer form in vain a navigable +canal between two basins of rivers which have a +surface of one hundred and ninety thousand square +leagues. The grain of New Grenada will be carried +to the banks of the Rio Negro; boats will descend +from the sources of the Napo and the Ucayali, from +the Andes of Quito and Upper Peru, to the mouths of +the Orinoco. A country nine or ten times larger +than Spain, and enriched with the most varied productions, +is accessible in every direction by the +medium of the natural canal of the Cassaquiare and +the bifurcation of the rivers."</p> + +<p>The greatest of all the tributaries of the Amazon +is the Madeira, whose junction our travellers next +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[Pg 398]</a></span>reached. For four hundred and fifty miles from its +mouth, there is good navigation: then occur cascades, +which are navigable only for boats, and occupy three +hundred and fifty miles, above which the river is +navigable for large vessels, by its great tributaries, +into Bolivia and Brazil.</p> + +<p>They next entered the country where the cocoa is +regularly cultivated; and the banks of the river present +a much less desolate and savage appearance than +they do above. The cocoa-trees have a yellow-colored +leaf; and this, together with their regularity of size, +distinguishes them from the surrounding forest. +Lieut. Herndon says, "I do not know a prettier place +than one of these plantations. The trees interlock +their branches, and, with their large leaves, make a +shade impenetrable to any ray of the sun; and the +large, golden-colored fruits, hanging from branch and +trunk, shine through the green with a most beautiful +effect. This is the time of the harvest; and we found +the people of every plantation engaged in the open +space before the house in breaking open the shells of +the fruit, and spreading the seed to dry in the sun. +They make a pleasant drink for a hot day by pressing +out the juice of the gelatinous pulp that envelops the +seeds. It is called cocoa-wine: it is a white, viscid +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[Pg 399]</a></span>liquor, has an agreeable, acid taste, and is very refreshing."</p> + +<p>We must hasten on, and pass without notice many +spots of interest on the river; but, as we have now +reached a comparatively civilized and known region, +it is less necessary to be particular. The Tapajos +River stretches its branches to the town of Diamantino, +situated at the foot of the mountains, where +diamonds are found. Lieut. Herndon saw some of +the diamonds and gold-sand in the possession of a resident +of Santarem, who had traded much on the river. +The gold-dust appeared to him equal in quality to that +he had seen from California. Gold and diamonds, +which are always united in this region as in many +others, are found especially in the numerous water-courses, +and also throughout the whole country. +After the rains, the children of Diamantino hunt for +the gold contained in the earth even of the streets, +and in the bed of the River Ouro, which passes through +the city; and they often collect considerable quantities. +It is stated that diamonds are sometimes found +in the stomachs of the fowls. The quantity of diamonds +found in a year varies from two hundred and +fifty to five hundred <i>oitavas</i>; the oitava being about +seventeen carats. The value depends upon the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[Pg 400]</a></span>quality +and size of the specimen, and can hardly be reduced +to an estimate. It is seldom that a stone of +over half an oitava is found; and such a one is worth +from two to three hundred dollars.</p> + +<p>As an offset to the gold and diamonds, we have this +picture of the climate: "From the rising to the setting +of the sun, clouds of stinging insects blind the +traveller, and render him frantic by the torments +they cause. Take a handful of the finest sand, and +throw it above your head, and you would then have +but a faint idea of the number of these demons who +tear the skin to pieces. It is true, these insects disappear +at night, but only to give place to others yet +more formidable. Large bats (true, thirsty vampires) +literally throng the forests, cling to the hammocks, +and, finding a part of the body exposed, rest lightly +there, and drain it of blood. The alligators are so +numerous, and the noise they make so frightful, that +it is impossible to sleep."</p> + +<p>At Santarem they were told the tide was perceptible, +but did not perceive it. At Gurupa it was very +apparent. This point is about five hundred miles +from the sea. About thirty-five miles below Gurupa +commences the great estuary of the Amazon. The +river suddenly flows out into an immense bay, which +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[Pg 401]</a></span>might appropriately be called the "bay of a thousand +islands;" for it is cut up into innumerable channels. +The travellers ran for days through channels varying +from fifty to five hundred yards in width, between +numberless islands. This is the India-rubber country. +The shores are low: indeed, one seldom sees the land +at all; the trees on the banks generally standing in +the water. The party stopped at one of the establishments +for making India-rubber. The house was built +of light poles, and on piles, to keep it out of the +water, which flowed under and around it. This was +the store, and, rude as it was, was a palace compared +to the hut of the laborer who gathers the India-rubber. +The process is as follows: A longitudinal gash +is made in the bark of the tree with a hatchet. A +wedge of wood is inserted to keep the gash open; and +a small clay cup is stuck to the tree, beneath the gash. +The cups may be stuck as close together as possible +around the tree. In four or five hours, the milk has +ceased to run, and each wound has given from three +to five table-spoonfuls. The gatherer then collects it +from the cups, pours it into an earthen vessel, and +commences the operation of forming it into shapes, +and smoking it. This must be done at once, as the +juice soon coagulates. A fire is made on the ground, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[Pg 402]</a></span>and a rude funnel placed over it to collect the smoke. +The maker of the rubber now takes his last, if he is +making shoes, or his mould, which is fastened to the +end of a stick, pours the milk over it with a cup, and +passes it slowly several times through the smoke +until it is dry. He then pours on the other coats +until he has the required thickness, smoking each +coating till it is dry. From twenty to forty coats +make a shoe. The soles and heels are, of course, given +more coats than the body of the shoe. The figures +on the shoes are made by tracing them on the rubber, +while soft, with a coarse needle, or bit of wire. This +is done two days after the coating. In a week, the +shoes are taken from the last. The coating occupies +about twenty-five minutes.</p> + +<p>The tree is tall, straight, and has a smooth bark. +It sometimes reaches a diameter of thirteen inches or +more. Each incision makes a rough wound on the +tree, which, although it does not kill it, renders it +useless, because a smooth place is wanted to which +to attach the cups. The milk is white and tasteless, +and may be taken into the stomach with impunity.</p> + +<p>Our travellers arrived at Pará on the 12th of April, +1852, and were most hospitably and kindly received +by Mr. Norris, the American consul.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[Pg 403]</a></span>The journey of our travellers ends here. Lieut. +Herndon's book is full of instruction, conveyed in a +pleasant style. He seems to have manifested throughout +good judgment, good temper, energy, and industry. +He had no collisions with the authorities or with individuals, +and, on his part, seems to have met friendly +feelings and good offices throughout his whole route.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>William Lewis Herndon was born in Fredericksburg, Va., +on the 25th of October, 1813. He entered the navy at the age of +fifteen; served in the Mexican war; and was afterwards engaged +for three years, with his brother-in-law, Lieut. Maury, in the National +Observatory at Washington. In 1851-2, he explored the +Amazon River, under commission of the United-States Government. +In 1857, he was commander of the steamer "Central +America," which left Havana for New York on Sept. 8, having on +board four hundred and seventy-four passengers and a crew of one +hundred and five men, and about two million dollars of gold. On +Sept. 11, during a violent gale from the north-east and a heavy +sea, she sprung a leak, and sunk, on the evening of Sept. 12, +near the outer edge of the Gulf Stream, in lat. 31° 44´ N. Only +one hundred and fifty of the persons on board were saved, including +the women and children. The gallant commander of the +steamer was seen standing upon the wheel-house at the time of +her sinking.</p> + +<p>In a former chapter, we have told the fate of Sir Humphrey +Gilbert. How fair a counterpart of that heroic death is this of +the gallant Herndon!</p></div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[Pg 404]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>LATEST EXPLORATIONS.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>In the year 1845, an English gentleman, Henry +Walter Bates, visited the region of the Amazon +for the purpose of scientific exploration. He went +prepared to spend years in the country, in order to +study diligently its natural productions. His stay +was protracted until 1859, during which time he +resided successively at Pará, Santarem, Ega, Barra, +and other places; making his abode for months, or +even years, in each. His account of his observations +and discoveries was published after his return, +and affords us the best information we possess respecting +the country, its inhabitants, and its productions, +brought down almost to the present time. Our +extracts relate to the cities, the river and its shores, +the inhabitants civilized and savage, the great tributary +rivers, the vegetation, and the animals of various +kinds.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[Pg 405]</a></span>Before proceeding with our extracts, we will remark +the various names of the river.</p> + +<p>It is sometimes called, from the name of its discoverer, +"Orellana." This name is appropriate and well-sounding, +but is not in general use.</p> + +<p>The name of "Marañon," pronounced Maranyon, +is still often used. It is probably derived from the +natives.</p> + +<p>It is called "The River of the Amazons," from the +fable of its former inhabitants.</p> + +<p>This name is shortened into "The Amazons," and, +without the plural sign, "The Amazon," in common +use.</p> + +<p>Above the junction of the River Negro, the river +is designated as "The Upper Amazon," or "Solimoens."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">PARÁ.</p> + +<p>"On the morning of the 28th of May, 1848, we arrived +at our destination. The appearance of the city +at sunrise was pleasing in the highest degree. It is +built on a low tract of land, having only one small +rocky elevation at its southern extremity: it therefore +affords no amphitheatral view from the river; +but the white buildings roofed with red tiles, the +numerous towers and cupolas of churches and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[Pg 406]</a></span>convents, +the crowns of palm-trees reared above the +buildings, all sharply defined against the clear blue +sky, give an appearance of lightness and cheerfulness +which is most exhilarating. The perpetual forest +hems the city in on all sides landwards; and, towards +the suburbs, picturesque country-houses are seen +scattered about, half buried in luxuriant foliage.</p> + +<p>"The impressions received during our first walk +can never wholly fade from my mind. After traversing +the few streets of tall, gloomy, convent-looking +buildings near the port, inhabited chiefly by merchants +and shopkeepers; along which idle soldiers, +dressed in shabby uniforms, carrying their muskets +carelessly over their arms; priests; negresses with +red water-jars on their heads; sad-looking Indian +women, carrying their naked children astride on their +hips; and other samples of the motley life of the place,—were +seen; we passed down a long, narrow street +leading to the suburbs. Beyond this, our road lay +across a grassy common, into a picturesque lane leading +to the virgin forest. The long street was inhabited +by the poorer class of the population. The +houses were mostly in a dilapidated condition; and +signs of indolence and neglect were everywhere visible. +But amidst all, and compensating every defect, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[Pg 407]</a></span>rose the overpowering beauty of the vegetation. +The massive dark crowns of shady mangoes were +seen everywhere among the dwellings, amidst fragrant, +blossoming orange, lemon, and other tropical +fruit-trees,—some in flower, others in fruit at various +stages of ripeness. Here and there, shooting +above the more dome-like and sombre trees, were +the smooth columnar stems of palms, bearing aloft +their magnificent crowns of finely-cut fronds. On +the boughs of the taller and more ordinary-looking +trees sat tufts of curiously leaved parasites. Slender +woody lianas hung in festoons from the branches, or +were suspended in the form of cords and ribbons; +while luxuriant creeping plants overran alike tree-trunks, +roofs, and walls, or toppled over palings in +copious profusion of foliage.</p> + +<p>"As we continued our walk, the brief twilight commenced; +and the sounds of multifarious life came from +the vegetation around,—the whirring of cicadas; the +shrill stridulation of a vast number of crickets and +grasshoppers, each species sounding its peculiar +note; the plaintive hooting of tree-frogs, all blended +together in one continuous ringing sound,—the audible +expression of the teeming profusion of Nature. +This uproar of life, I afterwards found, never wholly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[Pg 408]</a></span>ceased, night or day: in course of time, I became, +like other residents, accustomed to it. After my return +to England, the death-like stillness of summer +days in the country appeared to me as strange as the +ringing uproar did on my first arrival at Pará."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CAMETÁ.</p> + +<p>"I staid at Cametá five weeks, and made a considerable +collection of the natural productions of the +neighborhood. The town, in 1849, was estimated to +contain about five thousand inhabitants. The productions +of the district are cacao, India-rubber, and +Brazil nuts. The most remarkable feature in the +social aspect of the place is the mixed nature of the +population,—the amalgamation of the white and Indian +races being here complete. The aborigines +were originally very numerous on the western bank +of the Tocantins; the principal tribe being the Cametás, +from which the city takes its name. They were +a superior nation, settled, and attached to agriculture, +and received with open arms the white immigrants +who were attracted to the district by its fertility, +natural beauty, and the healthfulness of the climate. +The Portuguese settlers were nearly all males. The +Indian women were good-looking, and made excellent +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[Pg 409]</a></span>wives; so the natural result has been, in the course +of two centuries, a complete blending of the two +races.</p> + +<p>"The town consists of three long streets running +parallel to the river, with a few shorter ones crossing +them at right angles. The houses are very plain; +being built, as usual in this country, simply of a +strong framework, filled up with mud, and coated +with white plaster. A few of them are of two or +three stories. There are three churches, and also a +small theatre, where a company of native actors, at +the time of my visit, were representing light Portuguese +plays with considerable taste and ability. The +people have a reputation all over the province for +energy and perseverance; and it is often said that +they are as keen in trade as the Portuguese. The +lower classes are as indolent and sensual here as in +other parts of the province,—a moral condition not +to be wondered at, where perpetual summer reigns, +and where the necessaries of life are so easily obtained. +But they are light-hearted, quick-witted, communicative, +and hospitable. I found here a native +poet, who had written some pretty verses, showing +an appreciation of the natural beauties of the country; +and was told that the Archbishop of Bahia, the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[Pg 410]</a></span>primate of Brazil, was a native of Cametá. It is interesting +to find the mamelucos (half-breeds) displaying +talent and enterprise; for it shows that degeneracy +does not necessarily result from the mixture of +white and Indian blood.</p> + +<p>"The forest behind Cametá is traversed by several +broad roads, which lead over undulating ground many +miles into the interior. They pass generally under +shade, and part of the way through groves of coffee +and orange trees, fragrant plantations of cacao, and +tracts of second-growth woods. The narrow, broad-watered +valleys, with which the land is intersected, +alone have remained clothed with primeval forest, at +least near the town. The houses along these beautiful +roads belong chiefly to mameluco, mulatto, and +Indian families, each of which has its own small +plantation. There are only a few planters with large +establishments; and these have seldom more than a +dozen slaves. Besides the main roads, there are endless +by-paths, which thread the forest, and communicate +with isolated houses. Along these the traveller +may wander day after day, without leaving the shade, +and everywhere meet with cheerful, simple, and hospitable +people."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[Pg 411]</a></span>RIVERS AND CREEKS.</p> + +<p>"We made many excursions down the Irritiri, and +saw much of these creeks. The Magoary is a magnificent +channel: the different branches form quite a +labyrinth, and the land is everywhere of little elevation. +All these smaller rivers throughout the Pará +estuary are of the nature of creeks. The land is so +level, that the short local rivers have no sources and +downward currents, like rivers, as we understand +them. They serve the purpose of draining the land; +but, instead of having a constant current one way, +they have a regular ebb and flow with the tide. The +natives call them <i>igarapés</i>, or canoe-paths. They are +characteristic of the country. The land is everywhere +covered with impenetrable forests: the houses +and villages are all on the water-side, and nearly all +communication is by water. This semi-aquatic life +of the people is one of the most interesting features +of the country. For short excursions, and for fishing +in still waters, a small boat, called <i>montaria</i>, is universally +used. It is made of five planks,—a broad +one for the bottom, bent into the proper shape by +the action of heat, two narrow ones for the sides, +and two triangular pieces for stem and stern. It has +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[Pg 412]</a></span>no rudder: the paddle serves for both steering and +propelling. The montaria takes here the place of the +horse, mule, or camel of other regions. Besides one +or more montarias, almost every family has a larger +canoe, called <i>igarité</i>. This is fitted with two masts, +a rudder, and keel, and has an arched awning or +cabin near the stern, made of a framework of tough +<i>lianas</i>, thatched with palm-leaves. In the igarité, +they will cross stormy rivers fifteen or twenty miles +broad. The natives are all boat-builders. It is often +remarked by white residents, that the Indian is a carpenter +and shipwright by intuition. It is astonishing +to see in what crazy vessels these people will risk +themselves. I have seen Indians cross rivers in a +leaky montaria when it required the nicest equilibrium +to keep the leak just above water: a movement +of a hair's-breadth would send all to the bottom; but +they manage to cross in safety. If a squall overtakes +them as they are crossing in a heavily-laden canoe, +they all jump overboard, and swim about until the +heavy sea subsides, when they re-embark."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">JUNCTION OF THE MADEIRA.</p> + +<p>"Our course lay through narrow channels between +islands. We passed the last of these, and then <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[Pg 413]</a></span>beheld +to the south a sea-like expanse of water, where +the Madeira, the greatest tributary of the Amazons, +after two thousand miles of course, blends its waters +with those of the king of rivers. I was hardly prepared +for a junction of waters on so vast a scale as +this, now nearly nine hundred miles from the sea. +While travelling week after week along the somewhat +monotonous stream, often hemmed in between +islands, and becoming thoroughly familiar with it, my +sense of the magnitude of this vast water-system had +become gradually deadened; but this noble sight renewed +the first feelings of wonder. One is inclined, +in such places as these, to think the Paraenses do +not exaggerate much when they call the Amazons +the Mediterranean of South America. Beyond the +mouth of the Madeira, the Amazons sweeps down in +a majestic reach, to all appearance not a whit less in +breadth before than after this enormous addition to +its waters. The Madeira does not ebb and flow simultaneously +with the Amazons; it rises and sinks +about two months earlier: so that it was now fuller +than the main river. Its current, therefore, poured +forth freely from its mouth, carrying with it a long +line of floating trees, and patches of grass, which had +been torn from its crumbly banks in the lower part of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[Pg 414]</a></span>its course. The current, however, did not reach the +middle of the main stream, but swept along nearer to +the southern shore.</p> + +<p>"The Madeira is navigable 480 miles from its +mouth: a series of cataracts and rapids then commences, +which extends, with some intervals of quiet +water, about 160 miles, beyond which is another long +stretch of navigable stream."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">JUNCTION OF THE RIO NEGRO.</p> + +<p>"A brisk wind from the east sprung up early in +the morning of the 22d: we then hoisted all sail, and +made for the mouth of the Rio Negro. This noble +stream, at its junction with the Amazons, seems, from +its position, to be a direct continuation of the main +river; while the Solimoens, which joins it at an angle, +and is somewhat narrower than its tributary, appears +to be a branch, instead of the main trunk, of the vast +water-system.</p> + +<p>"The Rio Negro broadens considerably from its +mouth upward, and presents the appearance of a +great lake; its black-dyed waters having no current, +and seeming to be dammed up by the impetuous flow +of the yellow, turbid Solimoens, which here belches +forth a continuous line of uprooted trees, and patches +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</a></span>of grass, and forms a striking contrast with its tributary. +In crossing, we passed the line a little more +than half-way over, where the waters of the two +rivers meet, and are sharply demarcated from each +other. On reaching the opposite shore, we found a +remarkable change. All our insect pests had disappeared, +as if by magic, even from the hold of the +canoe: the turmoil of an agitated, swiftly-flowing +river, and its torn, perpendicular, earthy banks, had +given place to tranquil water, and a coast indented +with snug little bays, fringed with sloping, sandy +beaches. The low shore, and vivid, light-green, endlessly +varied foliage, which prevailed on the south +side of the Amazons, were exchanged for a hilly +country, clothed with a sombre, rounded, and monotonous +forest. A light wind carried us gently along +the coast to the city of Barra, which lies about seven +or eight miles within the mouth of the river.</p> + +<p>"The town of Barra is built on a tract of elevated +but very uneven land, on the left bank of the Rio +Negro, and contained, in 1850, about three thousand +inhabitants. It is now the principal station for the +lines of steamers which were established in 1853; and +passengers and goods are trans-shipped here for the +Solimoens and Peru. A steamer runs once a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</a></span>fortnight +between Pará and Barra; and another as often +between this place and Nauta, in the Peruvian territory."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MAMELUCOS, OR HALF-BREEDS.</p> + +<p>"We landed at one of the cacao-plantations. The +house was substantially built; the walls formed of +strong, upright posts, lathed across, plastered with +mud, and whitewashed; and the roof tiled. The family +were Mamelucos, or offspring of the European and +the Indian. They seemed to be an average sample +of the poorer class of cacao-growers. All were loosely +dressed, and barefooted. A broad veranda extended +along one side of the house, the floor of which was +simply the well-trodden earth; and here hammocks +were slung between the bare upright supports, a +large rush-mat being spread on the ground, upon +which the stout, matron-like mistress, with a tame +parrot perched upon her shoulder, sat sewing with +two pretty-looking mulatto-girls. The master, coolly +clad in shirt and drawers, the former loose about his +neck, lay in his hammock, smoking a long gaudily +painted wooden pipe. The household utensils—earthenware +jars, water-pots, and sauce-pans—lay at one +end, near which was a wood-fire, with the ever-ready +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</a></span>coffee-pot simmering on the top of a clay tripod. A +large shed stood a short distance off, embowered in a +grove of banana, papaw, and mango trees; and under +it were the troughs, ovens, sieves, and other apparatus, +for the preparation of mandioc. The cleared +space around the house was only a few yards in +extent: beyond it lay the cacao-plantations, which +stretched on each side parallel to the banks of the +river. There was a path through the forest, which +led to the mandioc-fields, and, several miles beyond, +to other houses on the banks of an interior channel. +We were kindly received, as is always the case when +a stranger visits these out-of-the-way habitations; the +people being invariably civil and hospitable. We had +a long chat, took coffee; and, on departing, one of the +daughters sent a basketful of oranges, for our use, +down to the canoe."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MÚRA INDIANS.</p> + +<p>"On the 9th of January, we arrived at Matari, a +miserable little settlement of Múra Indians. Here +we again anchored, and went ashore. The place consisted +of about twenty slightly built mud-hovels, and +had a most forlorn appearance, notwithstanding the +luxuriant forest in its rear. The absence of the usual +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</a></span>cultivated trees and plants gave the place a naked +and poverty-stricken aspect. I entered one of the +hovels, where several women were employed cooking +a meal. Portions of a large fish were roasting over a +fire made in the middle of the low chamber; and the +entrails were scattered about the floor, on which the +women, with their children, were squatted. These +had a timid, distrustful expression of countenance; +and their bodies were begrimed with black mud, +which is smeared over the skin as a protection +against musquitoes. The children were naked: the +women wore petticoats of coarse cloth, stained in +blotches with <i>murixi</i>, a dye made from the bark of +a tree. One of them wore a necklace of monkey's +teeth. There were scarcely any household utensils: +the place was bare, with the exception of two dirty +grass hammocks hung in the corners. I missed the +usual mandioc-sheds behind the house, with their +surrounding cotton, cacao, coffee, and lemon trees. +Two or three young men of the tribe were lounging +about the low, open doorway. They were stoutly-built +fellows, but less well-proportioned than the +semi-civilized Indians of the Lower Amazons generally +are. The gloomy savagery, filth, and poverty +of the people in this place made me feel +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</a></span>quite melancholy; and I was glad to return to the +canoe."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MARAUÁ TRIBE.</p> + +<p>A pleasanter picture is presented by the Indians +of the Marauá tribe. Our traveller thus describes a +visit to them:—</p> + +<p>"Our longest trip was to some Indian houses, a +distance of fifteen or eighteen miles up the Sapó; +a journey made with one Indian paddler, and occupying +a whole day. The stream is not more than forty +or fifty yards broad: its waters are dark in color, and +flow, as in all these small rivers, partly under shade, +between two lofty walls of forest. We passed, in +ascending, seven habitations, most of them hidden +in the luxuriant foliage of the banks; their sites +being known only by small openings in the compact +wall of forest, and the presence of a canoe or two +tied up in little shady ports. The inhabitants are +chiefly Indians of the Marauá tribe, whose original +territory comprises all the by-streams lying between +the Jutahí and the Juruá, near the mouths of both +these great tributaries. They live in separate families, +or small hordes; have no common chief; and are +considered as a tribe little disposed to adopt civilized +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</a></span>customs, or be friendly with the whites. One of the +houses belonged to a Jurí family; and we saw the +owner, an erect, noble-looking old fellow, tattooed, as +customary with his tribe, in a large patch over the +middle of his face, fishing, under the shade of a colossal +tree, with hook and line. He saluted us in the +usual grave and courteous manner of the better sort +of Indians as we passed by.</p> + +<p>"We reached the last house, or rather two houses, +about ten o'clock, and spent there several hours during +the heat of the day. The houses, which stood +on a high, clayey bank, were of quadrangular shape, +partly open, like sheds, and partly enclosed with rude, +mud walls, forming one or two chambers. The inhabitants, +a few families of Marauás, received us in a +frank, smiling manner. None of them were tattooed: +but the men had great holes pierced in their ear-lobes, +in which they insert plugs of wood; and their +lips were drilled with smaller holes. One of the +younger men, a fine, strapping fellow, nearly six feet +high, with a large aquiline nose, who seemed to wish +to be particularly friendly to me, showed me the use +of these lip-holes, by fixing a number of little sticks +in them, and then twisting his mouth about, and +going through a pantomime to represent defiance in +the presence of an enemy.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</a></span>"We left these friendly people about four o'clock +in the afternoon, and, in descending the umbrageous +river, stopped, about half-way down, at another house, +built in one of the most charming situations I had yet +seen in this country. A clean, narrow, sandy pathway +led from the shady port to the house, through +a tract of forest of indescribable luxuriance. The +buildings stood on an eminence in the middle of a +level, cleared space; the firm, sandy soil, smooth as +a floor, forming a broad terrace round them. The +owner was a semi-civilized Indian, named Manoel; +a dull, taciturn fellow, who, together with his wife +and children, seemed by no means pleased at being +intruded on in their solitude. The family must have +been very industrious; for the plantations were very +extensive, and included a little of almost all kinds of +cultivated tropical productions,—fruit-trees, vegetables, +and even flowers for ornament. The silent old +man had surely a fine appreciation of the beauties of +Nature; for the site he had chosen commanded a +view of surprising magnificence over the summits of +the forest; and, to give a finish to the prospect, he +had planted a large number of banana-trees in the +foreground, thus concealing the charred and dead +stumps which would otherwise have marred the effect +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</a></span>of the rolling sea of greenery. The sun set over the +tree-tops before we left this little Eden; and the remainder +of our journey was made slowly and pleasantly, +under the checkered shade of the river banks, +by the light of the moon."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE FOREST.</p> + +<p>The following passage describes the scenery of +one of the peculiar channels by which the waters +of the Amazon communicate with those of the Pará +River:—</p> + +<p>"The forest wall under which we are now moving +consists, besides palms, of a great variety of ordinary +forest-trees. From the highest branches of these, +down to the water, sweep ribbons of climbing-plants +of the most diverse and ornamental foliage possible. +Creeping convolvuli and others have made use of the +slender lianas and hanging air-roots as ladders to +climb by. Now and then appears a mimosa or other +tree, having similar fine pinnate foliage; and thick +masses of ingá border the water, from whose branches +hang long bean-pods, of different shape and size according +to the species, some of them a yard in length. +Flowers there are very few. I see now and then +a gorgeous crimson blossom on long spikes, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</a></span>ornamenting +the sombre foliage towards the summits of +the forest. I suppose it to belong to a climber +of the Combretaceous order. There are also a few +yellow and violet trumpet-flowers. The blossoms of +the ingás, although not conspicuous, are delicately +beautiful. The forest all along offers so dense a +front, that one never obtains a glimpse into the +interior of the wilderness."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE LIANA.</p> + +<p>"The plant which seems to the traveller most curious +and singular is the liana, a kind of osier, which +serves for cordage, and which is very abundant in all +the hot parts of America. All the species of this +genus have this in common, that they twine around +the trees and shrubs in their way, and after progressively +extending to the branches, sometimes to a prodigious +height, throw out shoots, which, declining +perpendicularly, strike root in the ground beneath, +and rise again to repeat the same course of uncommon +growth. Other filaments, again, driven obliquely +by the winds, frequently attach themselves to contiguous +trees, and form a confused spectacle of cord, +some in suspension, and others stretched in every +direction, not unfrequently resembling the rigging of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</a></span>a ship. Some of these lianas are as thick as the arm +of a man; and some strangle and destroy the tree +round which they twine, as the boa-constrictor does +its victims. At times it happens that the tree dies +at the root, and the trunk rots, and falls in powder, +leaving nothing but the spirals of liana, in form of a +tortuous column, insulated and open to the day. Thus +Nature laughs to scorn and defies the imitations of +Art."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">CACAO.</p> + +<p>"The Amazons region is the original home of the +principal species of chocolate-tree,—the theobroma +cacao; and it grows in abundance in the forests of +the upper river. The forest here is cleared before +planting, and the trees are grown in rows. The +smaller cultivators are all very poor. Labor is +scarce: one family generally manages its own small +plantation of ten to fifteen thousand trees; but, at +harvest-time, neighbors assist each other. It appeared +to me to be an easy, pleasant life: the work +is all done under shade, and occupies only a few +weeks in the year.</p> + +<p>"The cultivated crop appears to be a precarious +one. Little or no care, however, is bestowed on the +trees; and weeding is done very inefficiently. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</a></span>plantations are generally old, and have been made on +the low ground near the river, which renders them +liable to inundation when this rises a few inches +more than the average. There is plenty of higher +land quite suitable to the tree; but it is uncleared: +and the want of labor and enterprise prevents the +establishment of new plantations."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE COW-TREE.</p> + +<p>"We had heard a good deal about this tree, and +about its producing from its bark a copious supply of +milk as pleasant to drink as that of the cow. We had +also eaten of its fruit at Pará, where it is sold in the +streets by negro market-women: we were glad, therefore, +to see this wonderful tree growing in its native +wilds. It is one of the largest of the forest-monarchs, +and is peculiar in appearance, on account of +its deeply-scored, reddish, and ragged bark. A decoction +of the bark, I was told, is used as a red dye +for cloth. A few days afterward, we tasted its milk, +which was drawn from dry logs that had been standing +many days in the hot sun at the saw-mills. It +was pleasant with coffee, but had a slight rankness +when drunk pure. It soon thickens to a glue, which +is very tenacious, and is often used to cement broken +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[Pg 426]</a></span>crockery. I was told that it was not safe to drink +much of it; for a slave had recently lost his life +through taking it too freely.</p> + +<p>"To our great disappointment, we saw no flowers, +or only such as were insignificant in appearance. I +believe it is now tolerably well ascertained that the +majority of forest-trees in equatorial Brazil have +small and inconspicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting +insects are also rare in the forest. Of course, they +would not be found where their favorite food was +wanting. In the open country, on the Lower Amazons, +flowering trees and bushes are more abundant; +and there a large number of floral insects are attracted. +The forest-bees in South America are +more frequently seen feeding on the sweet sap which +exudes from the trees than on flowers."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[Pg 427]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>THE NATURALIST ON THE AMAZON.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>On the 16th of January, the dry season came abruptly +to an end. The sea-breezes, which had +been increasing in force for some days, suddenly +ceased, and the atmosphere became misty: at length, +heavy clouds collected where a uniform blue sky had +for many weeks prevailed, and down came a succession +of heavy showers, the first of which lasted a +whole day and night. This seemed to give a new +stimulus to animal life. On the first night, there +was a tremendous uproar,—tree-frogs, crickets, goat-suckers, +and owls, all joining to perform a deafening +concert. One kind of goat-sucker kept repeating at +intervals, throughout the night, a phrase similar to +the Portuguese words, 'Joao corta pao,'—'John, +cut wood;' a phrase which forms the Brazilian name +of the bird. An owl in one of the trees muttered +now and then a succession of syllables resembling +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[Pg 428]</a></span>the word 'murucututu.' Sometimes the croaking and +hooting of frogs and toads were so loud, that we could +not hear one another's voices within doors. Swarms +of dragon-flies appeared in the day-time about the +pools of water created by the rain; and ants and +termites came forth in great numbers."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ANTS.</p> + +<p>This region is the very headquarters and metropolis +of ants. There are numerous species, differing +in character and habits, but all of them at war +with man, and the different species with one another. +Our author thus relates his observations of the saüba-ant:—</p> + +<p>"In our first walks, we were puzzled to account +for large mounds of earth, of a different color from +the surrounding soil, which were thrown up in the +plantations and woods. Some of them were very extensive, +being forty yards in circumference, but not +more than two feet in height. We soon ascertained +that these were the work of the saübas, being the +outworks, or domes, which overlie and protect the +entrances to their vast subterranean galleries. On +close examination, I found the earth of which they +are composed to consist of very minute granules, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[Pg 429]</a></span>agglomerated +without cement, and forming many rows +of little ridges and turrets. The difference of color +from the superficial soil is owing to their being +formed of the undersoil brought up from a considerable +depth. It is very rarely that the ants are seen at +work on these mounds. The entrances seem to be +generally closed: only now and then, when some particular +work is going on, are the galleries opened. In +the larger hillocks, it would require a great amount +of excavation to get at the main galleries; but I succeeded +in removing portions of the dome in smaller +hillocks, and then I found that the minor entrances +converged, at the depth of about two feet, to one +broad, elaborately worked gallery, or mine, which was +four or five inches in diameter.</p> + +<p>"The habit of the saüba-ant, of clipping and carrying +away immense quantities of leaves, has long been +recorded in books of natural history; but it has not +hitherto been shown satisfactorily to what use it applies +the leaves. I discovered this only after much +time spent in investigation. The leaves are used to +thatch the domes which cover the entrances to their +subterranean dwellings, thereby protecting from the +deluging rains the young broods in the nests beneath. +Small hillocks, covering entrances to the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[Pg 430]</a></span>underground chambers, may be found in sheltered +places; and these are always thatched with leaves, +mingled with granules of earth. The heavily-laden +workers, each carrying its segment of leaf vertically, +the lower end secured by its mandibles, troop up, and +cast their burthens on the hillock; another relay of +laborers place the leaves in position, covering them +with a layer of earthy granules, which are brought +one by one from the soil beneath.</p> + +<p>"It is a most interesting sight to see the vast +host of busy, diminutive workers occupied on this +work. Unfortunately, they choose cultivated trees +for their purpose, such as the coffee and orange +trees."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE FIRE-ANT.</p> + +<p>"Aveyros may be called the headquarters of the +fire-ant, which might be fittingly termed the scourge +of this fine river. It is found only on sandy soils, in +open places, and seems to thrive most in the neighborhood +of houses and weedy villages, such as Aveyros: +it does not occur at all in the shades of the +forest. Aveyros was deserted a few years before my +visit, on account of this little tormentor; and the inhabitants +had only recently returned to their houses, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[Pg 431]</a></span>thinking its numbers had decreased. It is a small +species, of a shining reddish color. The soil of the +whole village is undermined by it. The houses are +overrun with them: they dispute every fragment of +food with the inhabitants, and destroy clothing for +the sake of the starch. All eatables are obliged to +be suspended in baskets from the rafters, and the +cords well soaked with copaiba-balsam, which is the +only thing known to prevent them from climbing. +They seem to attack persons from sheer malice. If +we stood for a few moments in the street, even at a +distance from their nests, we were sure to be overrun, +and severely punished; for, the moment an ant +touched the flesh, he secured himself with his jaws, +doubled in his tail, and stung with all his might. The +sting is likened, by the Brazilians, to the puncture of +a red-hot needle. When we were seated on chairs in +the evenings, in front of the house, to enjoy a chat +with our neighbors, we had stools to support our +feet, the legs of which, as well as those of the chairs, +were well anointed with the balsam. The cords of +hammocks are obliged to be smeared in the same +way, to prevent the ants from paying sleepers a +visit."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[Pg 432]</a></span>BUTTERFLIES.</p> + +<p>"At Villa Nova, I found a few species of butterflies +which occurred nowhere else on the Amazons. +In the broad alleys of the forest, several species of +Morpho were common. One of these is a sister-form +to the Morpho Hecuba, and has been described under +the name of Morpho Cisseis. It is a grand sight to +see these colossal butterflies by twos and threes floating +at a great height in the still air of a tropical +morning. They flap their wings only at long intervals; +for I have noticed them to sail a very considerable +distance without a stroke. Their wing-muscles, +and the thorax to which they are attached, are very +feeble in comparison with the wide extent and weight +of the wings; but the large expanse of these members +doubtless assists the insects in maintaining their +aerial course. The largest specimens of Morpho Cisseis +measure seven inches and a half in expanse. +Another smaller kind, which I could not capture, was +of a pale, silvery-blue color; and the polished surface +of its wings flashed like a silver speculum, as the +insect flapped its wings at a great elevation in the +sunlight."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[Pg 433]</a></span>THE BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER.</p> + +<p>"At Cametá, I chanced to verify a fact relating to +the habits of a large, hairy spider of the genus Mygale, +in a manner worth recording. The individual +was nearly two inches in length of body; but the +legs expanded seven inches, and the entire body and +legs were covered with coarse gray and reddish +hairs. I was attracted by a movement of the monster +on a tree-trunk: it was close beneath a deep +crevice in the tree, across which was stretched a +dense white web. The lower part of the web was +broken; and two small birds, finches, were entangled +in the pieces. They were about the size of the English +siskin; and I judged the two to be male and +female. One of them was quite dead; the other lay +under the body of the spider, not quite dead, and was +smeared with the filthy liquor, or saliva, exuded by +the monster. I drove away the spider, and took the +birds; but the second one soon died. The fact of +a species of mygale sallying forth at night, mounting +trees, and sucking the eggs and young of hummingbirds, +has been recorded long ago by Madame Merian +and Palisot de Beauvois; but, in the absence of any +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[Pg 434]</a></span>confirmation, it has come to be discredited. From the +way the fact has been related, it would appear that it +had been derived from the report of natives, and had +not been witnessed by the narrators. I found the +circumstance to be quite a novelty to the residents +hereabouts.</p> + +<p>"The mygales are quite common insects. Some +species make their cells under stones; others form +artificial tunnels in the earth; and some build their +dens in the thatch of houses. The natives call them +crab-spiders. The hairs with which they are clothed +come off when touched, and cause a peculiar and almost +maddening irritation. The first specimen that +I killed and prepared was handled incautiously; and +I suffered terribly for three days afterward. I think +this is not owing to any poisonous quality residing in +the hairs, but to their being short and hard, and thus +getting into the fine creases of the skin. Some mygales +are of immense size. One day, I saw the children +belonging to an Indian family who collected for +me with one of these monsters, secured by a cord +round its waist, by which they were leading it about +the house as they would a dog."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[Pg 435]</a></span>BATS.</p> + +<p>"At Caripí, near Pará, I was much troubled by +bats. The room where I slept had not been used for +many months, and the roof was open to the tiles and +rafters. I was aroused about midnight by the rushing +noise made by vast hosts of bats sweeping about +the room. The air was alive with them. They had +put out the lamp; and, when I relighted it, the place +appeared blackened with the impish multitudes that +were whirling round and round. After I had laid +about well with a stick for a few minutes, they disappeared +among the tiles; but, when all was still again, +they returned, and once more extinguished the light. +I took no further notice of them, and went to sleep. +The next night, several of them got into my hammock. +I seized them as they were crawling over me, +and dashed them against the wall. The next morning, +I found a wound, evidently caused by a bat, on +my hip. This was rather unpleasant: so I set to +work with the negroes, and tried to exterminate +them. I shot a great many as they hung from the +rafters; and the negroes, having mounted with ladders +to the roof outside, routed out from beneath +the eaves many hundreds of them, including young +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[Pg 436]</a></span>broods. There were altogether four species. By far +the greater number belonged to the Dysopes perotis, +a species having very large ears, and measuring two +feet from tip to tip of the wings. I was never attacked +by bats, except on this occasion. The fact of +their sucking the blood of persons sleeping, from +wounds which they make in the toes, is now well +established; but it is only a few persons who are +subject to this blood-letting."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">PARROTS.</p> + +<p>"On recrossing the river in the evening, a pretty +little parrot fell from a great height headlong into the +water near the boat, having dropped from a flock +which seemed to be fighting in the air. One of the +Indians secured it for me; and I was surprised to find +the bird uninjured. There had probably been a quarrel +about mates, resulting in our little stranger being +temporarily stunned by a blow on the head from the +beak of a jealous comrade. It was of the species +called by the natives Maracaná; the plumage green, +with a patch of scarlet under the wings. I wished to +keep the bird alive, and tame it; but all our efforts +to reconcile it to captivity were vain: it refused food, +bit every one who went near it, and damaged its <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[Pg 437]</a></span>plumage +in its exertions to free itself. My friends in +Aveyros said that this kind of parrot never became +domesticated. After trying nearly a week, I was +recommended to lend the intractable creature to an +old Indian woman living in the village, who was said +to be a skilful bird-tamer. In two days, she brought it +back almost as tame as the familiar love-birds of our +aviaries. I kept my little pet for upward of two +years. It learned to talk pretty well, and was considered +quite a wonder, as being a bird usually so +difficult of domestication. I do not know what arts +the old woman used. Capt. Antonio said she fed it +with her saliva.</p> + +<p>"Our maracaná used to accompany us sometimes +in our rambles, one of the lads carrying it on his +head. One day, in the middle of a long forest-road, +it was missed, having clung probably to an overhanging +bough, and escaped into the thicket without the +boy perceiving it. Three hours afterwards, on our +return by the same path, a voice greeted us in a colloquial +tone as we passed, 'Maracaná!' We looked +about for some time, but could not see any thing, +until the word was repeated with emphasis, 'Maracaná!' +when we espied the little truant half concealed +in the foliage of a tree. He came down, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[Pg 438]</a></span>delivered himself up, evidently as much rejoiced at +the meeting as we were."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">TURTLE-EGGS AND OIL.</p> + +<p>"I accompanied Cardozo in many wanderings on +the Solimoens, or Upper Amazons, during which we +visited the <i>praias</i> (sand-islands), the turtle-pools in +the forests, and the by-streams and lakes in the great +desert river. His object was mainly to superintend +the business of digging up turtle-eggs on the sand-banks; +having been elected <i>commandante</i> for the year +of the <i>praia-real</i> (royal sand-island) of Shimuni, the +one lying nearest to Ega. There are four of these +royal praias within the district, all of which are visited +annually by the Ega people, for the purpose of +collecting eggs, and extracting oil from their yolks. +Each has its commander, whose business is to make +arrangements for securing to every inhabitant an +equal chance in the egg-harvest, by placing sentinels +to protect the turtles while laying. The turtles descend +from the interior pools to the main river in +July and August, before the outlets dry up, and then +seek, in countless swarms, their favorite sand-islands; +for it is only a few praias that are selected by them +out of the great number existing.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[Pg 439]</a></span>"We left Ega, on our first trip to visit the sentinels +while the turtles were yet laying, on the 26th of September. +We found the two sentinels lodged in a corner +of the praia, or sand-bank, where it commences, at +the foot of the towering forest-wall of the island; having +built for themselves a little rancho with poles and +palm-leaves. Great preparations are obliged to be +taken to avoid disturbing the sensitive turtles, who, +previous to crawling ashore to lay, assemble in great +shoals off the sand-bank. The men, during this time, +take care not to show themselves, and warn off any +fisherman who wishes to pass near the place. Their +fires are made in a deep hollow near the borders of +the forest, so that the smoke may not be visible. The +passage of a boat through the shallow waters where +the animals are congregated, or the sight of a man, or +a fire on the sand-bank, would prevent the turtles +from leaving the water that night to lay their eggs; +and, if the causes of alarm were repeated once or +twice, they would forsake the praia for some quieter +place. Soon after we arrived, our men were sent +with the net to catch a supply of fish for supper. In +half an hour, four or five large basketsful were brought +in. The sun set soon after our meal was cooked: we +were then obliged to extinguish the fire, and remove +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[Pg 440]</a></span>our supper-materials to the sleeping-ground, a spit of +land about a mile off; this course being necessary on +account of the musquitoes, which swarm at night +on the borders of the forest.</p> + +<p>"I rose from my hammock at daylight, and found +Cardozo and the men already up, watching the turtles. +The sentinels had erected for this purpose a +stage about fifty feet high, on a tall tree near their +station, the ascent to which was by a roughly-made +ladder of woody lianas. The turtles lay their eggs +by night, leaving the water in vast crowds, and +crawling to the central and highest part of the +praia. These places are, of course, the last to go +under water, when, in unusually wet seasons, the +river rises before the eggs are hatched by the heat +of the sand. One would almost believe from this +that the animals used forethought in choosing a +place; but it is simply one of those many instances +in animals where unconscious habit has the same +result as conscious prevision. The hours between +midnight and dawn are the busiest. The turtles +excavate, with their broad-webbed paws, deep holes +in the fine sand; the first-comer, in each case, making +a pit about three feet deep, laying, its eggs +(about a hundred and twenty in number), and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[Pg 441]</a></span>covering +them with sand; the next making its deposit at +the top of that of its predecessor; and so on, until +every pit is full. The whole body of turtles frequenting +a praia does not finish laying in less than +fourteen or fifteen days, even when there is no +interruption. When all have done, the area over +which they have excavated is distinguishable from +the rest of the praia only by signs of the sand having +been a little disturbed.</p> + +<p>"On arriving at the edge of the forest, I mounted +the sentinels' stage just in time to see the turtles +retreating to the water on the opposite side of the +sand-bank after having laid their eggs. The sight +was well worth the trouble of ascending the shaky +ladder. They were about a mile off; but the surface +of the sand was blackened with the multitudes +which were waddling towards the river. The margin +of the praia was rather steep; and they all +seemed to tumble, head-first, down the declivity, into +the water."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>When the turtles have finished depositing their +eggs, the process of collecting them takes place, +of which our author gives an account as follows:—</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[Pg 442]</a></span>THE EGG-HARVEST.</p> + +<p>"My next excursion was made in company of Senior +Cardozo, in the season when all the population +of the villages turns out to dig up turtle-eggs, and to +revel on the praias. Placards were posted on the +church-doors at Ega, announcing that the excavation +on Shimuni would commence on the 17th October. +We set out on the 16th, and passed on the way, in +our well-manned igarité (or two-masted boat), a large +number of people, men, women, and children, in canoes +of all sizes, wending their way as if to a great +holiday gathering. By the morning of the 17th, some +four hundred persons were assembled on the borders +of the sand-bank; each family having erected a rude +temporary shed of poles and palm-leaves to protect +themselves from the sun and rain. Large copper kettles +to prepare the oil, and hundreds of red earthenware +jars, were scattered about on the sand.</p> + +<p>"The excavation of the <i>taboleiro</i>, collecting the +eggs, and preparing the oil, occupied four days. +The commandante first took down the names of all +the masters of households, with the number of persons +each intended to employ in digging. He then +exacted a payment of about fourpence a head towards +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[Pg 443]</a></span>defraying the expense of sentinels. The whole were +then allowed to go to the taboleiro. They ranged +themselves round the circle, each person armed with +a paddle, to be used as a spade; and then all began +simultaneously to dig, on a signal being given—the +roll of drums—by order of the commandante. It was +an animating sight to behold the wide circle of rival +diggers throwing up clouds of sand in their energetic +labors, and working gradually toward the centre of +the ring. A little rest was taken during the great +heat of mid-day; and, in the evening, the eggs were +carried to the huts in baskets. By the end of the +second day, the taboleiro was exhausted: large +mounds of eggs, some of them four or five feet in +height, were then seen by the side of each hut, the +produce of the labors of the family.</p> + +<p>"When no more eggs are to be found, the mashing +process begins. The egg, it may be mentioned, has +a flexible or leathery shell: it is quite round, and +somewhat larger than a hen's egg. The whole heap +is thrown into an empty canoe, and mashed with +wooden prongs; but sometimes naked Indians and +children jump into the mass, and tread it down, besmearing +themselves with the yolk, and making about +as filthy a scene as can well be imagined. This being +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[Pg 444]</a></span>finished, water is poured into the canoe, and the fatty +mass then left for a few hours to be heated by the +sun, on which the oil separates, and rises to the surface. +The floating oil is afterwards skimmed off with +long spoons, made by tying large mussel-shells to the +end of rods, and purified over the fire in copper-kettles. +At least six thousand jars, holding each three gallons +of the oil, are exported annually from the Upper Amazons +and the Madeira to Pará, where it is used for +lighting, frying fish, and other purposes."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ELECTRIC EELS.</p> + +<p>"We walked over moderately elevated and dry +ground for about a mile, and then descended three +or four feet to the dry bed of another creek. This +was pierced in the same way as the former water-course, +with round holes full of muddy water. They +occurred at intervals of a few yards, and had the appearance +of having been made by the hands of man. +As we approached, I was startled at seeing a number +of large serpent-like heads bobbing above the +surface. They proved to be those of electric eels; +and it now occurred to me that the round holes were +made by these animals working constantly round and +round in the moist, muddy soil. Their depth (some +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[Pg 445]</a></span>of them were at least eight feet deep) was doubtless +due also to the movements of the eels in the soft soil, +and accounted for their not drying up, in the fine +season, with the rest of the creek. Thus, while +alligators and turtles in this great inundated forest +region retire to the larger pools during the dry +season, the electric eels make for themselves little +ponds in which to pass the season of drought.</p> + +<p>"My companions now cut each a stout pole, and +proceeded to eject the eels in order to get at the +other fishes, with which they had discovered the +ponds to abound. I amused them all very much by +showing how the electric shock from the eels could +pass from one person to another. We joined hands +in a line, while I touched the biggest and freshest of +the animals on the head with my hunting-knife. We +found that this experiment did not succeed more than +three times with the same eel, when out of the water; +for, the fourth time, the shock was hardly perceptible."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[Pg 446]</a></span> +<br /> + +<hr /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>ANIMATED NATURE.</h3> +<br /> + +<p>"The number and variety of climbing trees in +the Amazons forests are interesting, taken in +connection with the fact of the very general tendency +of the animals also to become climbers. All +the Amazonian, and in fact all South-American monkeys, +are climbers. There is no group answering to +the baboons of the Old World, which live on the +ground. The gallinaceous birds of the country, the +representatives of the fowls and pheasants of Asia +and Africa, are all adapted, by the position of the +toes, to perch on trees; and it is only on trees, at a +great height, that they are to be seen. Many other +similar instances could be enumerated.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">MONKEYS.</p> + +<p>"On the Upper Amazons, I once saw a tame individual +of the Midas leoninus, a species first <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[Pg 447]</a></span>described +by Humboldt, which was still more playful +and intelligent than the more common M. ursulus. +This rare and beautiful monkey is only seven inches +in length, exclusive of the tail. It is named leoninus +on account of the long, brown mane which hangs +from the neck, and which gives it very much the appearance +of a diminutive lion. In the house where +it was kept, it was familiar with every one: its +greatest pleasure seemed to be to climb about the +bodies of different persons who entered. The first +time I went in, it ran across the room straightway to +the chair on which I had sat down, and climbed up to +my shoulder: arrived there, it turned round, and +looked into my face, showing its little teeth, and chattering, +as though it would say, "Well, and how do +<i>you</i> do?" M. de St. Hilaire relates of a species of +this genus, that it distinguished between different +objects depicted on an engraving. M. Ardouin +showed it the portraits of a cat and a wasp: at +these it became much terrified; whereas, at the sight +of a figure of a grasshopper or beetle, it precipitated +itself on the picture, as if to seize the objects there +represented."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[Pg 448]</a></span>THE CAIARÁRA.</p> + +<p>"The light-brown caiarára is pretty generally distributed +over the forests of the level country. I saw +it frequently on the banks of the Upper Amazons, +where it was always a treat to watch a flock leaping +amongst the trees; for it is the most wonderful performer +in this line of the whole tribe. The troops +consist of thirty or more individuals, which travel in +single file. When the foremost of the flock reaches +the outermost branch of an unusually lofty tree, he +springs forth into the air without a moment's hesitation, +and alights on the dome of yielding foliage +belonging to the neighboring tree, maybe fifty feet +beneath; all the rest following his example. They +grasp, on falling, with hands and tail, right themselves +in a moment, and then away they go, along +branch and bough, to the next tree.</p> + +<p>"The caiarára is very frequently kept as a pet in +the houses of natives. I kept one myself for about +a year, which accompanied me in my voyages, and +became very familiar, coming to me always on wet +nights to share my blanket. It keeps the house +where it is kept in a perpetual uproar. When +alarmed or hungry, or excited by envy, it screams +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[Pg 449]</a></span>piteously. It is always making some noise or other, +often screwing up its mouth, and uttering a succession +of loud notes resembling a whistle. Mine lost +my favor at last by killing, in one of his jealous fits, +another and much choicer pet,—the nocturnal, owl-faced +monkey. Some one had given this a fruit +which the other coveted: so the two got to quarrelling. +The owl-faced fought only with his paws, +clawing out, and hissing, like a cat: the other soon +obtained the mastery, and, before I could interfere, +finished his rival by cracking its skull with its teeth. +Upon this I got rid of him."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE COAITA.</p> + +<p>"The coaita is a large, black monkey, covered +with coarse hair, and having the prominent parts of +the face of a tawny, flesh-colored hue. The coaitas +are called by some French zoölogists spider-monkeys, +on account of the length and slenderness of +their body and limbs. In these apes, the tail, as a +prehensile organ, reaches its highest degree of perfection; +and, on this account, it would perhaps be +correct to consider the coaita as the extreme development +of the American type of apes.</p> + +<p>"The tail of the coaita is endowed with a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[Pg 450]</a></span>wonderful +degree of flexibility. It is always in motion, +coiling and uncoiling like the trunk of an elephant, +and grasping whatever comes within reach.</p> + +<p>"The flesh of this monkey is much esteemed by the +natives in this part of the country; and the military +commandant every week sends a negro hunter to +shoot one for his table. One day I went on a coaita-hunt, +with a negro-slave to show me the way. When +in the deepest part of the ravine, we heard a rustling +sound in the trees overhead; and Manoel soon +pointed out a coaita to me. There was something +human-like in its appearance, as the lean, shaggy +creature moved deliberately among the branches at +a great height. I fired, but, unfortunately, only +wounded it. It fell, with a crash, headlong, about +twenty or thirty feet, and then caught a bough with +its tail, which grasped it instantaneously; and there +the animal remained suspended in mid-air. Before +I could reload, it recovered itself, and mounted +nimbly to the topmost branches, out of the reach +of a fowling-piece, where we could perceive the +poor thing apparently probing the wound with its +fingers."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[Pg 451]</a></span>THE TAME COAITA.</p> + +<p>"I once saw a most ridiculously tame coaita. It +was an old female, which accompanied its owner, a +trader on the river, in all his voyages. By way of +giving me a specimen of its intelligence and feeling, +its master set to, and rated it soundly, calling it scamp, +heathen, thief, and so forth, all through the copious +Portuguese vocabulary of vituperation. The poor +monkey, quietly seated on the ground, seemed to be +in sore trouble at this display of anger. It began by +looking earnestly at him; then it whined, and lastly +rocked its body to and fro with emotion, crying +piteously, and passing its long, gaunt arms continually +over its forehead; for this was its habit when excited, +and the front of the head was worn quite bald +in consequence. At length, its master altered his +tone. 'It's all a lie,' my old woman. 'You're an angel, +a flower, a good, affectionate old creature,' and +so forth. Immediately the poor monkey ceased its +wailing, and soon after came over to where the man +sat."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">SCARLET-FACED MONKEY.</p> + +<p>The most singular of the Simian family in Brazil +are the scarlet-faced monkeys, called by the Indians +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[Pg 452]</a></span>Uakari, of which there are two varieties, the white +and red-haired. Mr. Bates first met with the white-haired +variety under the following circumstances:—</p> + +<p>"Early one sunny morning, in the year 1855, I saw +in the streets of Ega a number of Indians carrying +on their shoulders down to the port, to be embarked +on the Upper Amazons steamer, a large cage made +of strong lianas, some twelve feet in length, and five +in height, containing a dozen monkeys of the most grotesque +appearance. Their bodies (about eighteen +inches in height, exclusive of limbs) were clothed +from neck to tail with very long, straight, and shining +whitish hair; their heads were nearly bald, +owing to the very short crop of thin gray hairs; and +their faces glowed with the most vivid scarlet hue. +As a finish to their striking physiognomy, they had +bushy whiskers of a sandy color, meeting under the +chin, and reddish yellow eyes. They sat gravely and +silently in a group, and altogether presented a strange +spectacle."</p> + +<p>Another interesting creature is the owl-faced night +ape. These monkeys are not only owl-faced, but +their habits are those of the moping bird.</p> + +<p>"They sleep all day long in hollow trees, and come +forth to prey on insects, and eat fruits, only in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[Pg 453]</a></span>night. They are of small size, the body being about +a foot long, and the tail fourteen inches; and are +clothed with soft gray and brown fur, similar in substance +to that of the rabbit. Their physiognomy +reminds one of an owl or tiger-cat. The face is +round, and encircled by a ruff of whitish fur; the muzzle +is not at all prominent; the mouth and chin are +small; the ears are very short, scarcely appearing +above the hair of the head; and the eyes are large, +and yellowish in color, imparting the staring expression +of nocturnal animals of prey. The forehead is +whitish, and decorated with three black stripes, which, +in one of the species, continue to the crown, and in +the other meet on the top of the forehead.</p> + +<p>"These monkeys, although sleeping by day, are +aroused by the least noise; so that, when a person +passes by a tree in which a number of them are concealed, +he is startled by the sudden apparition of +a group of little striped faces crowding a hole in a +trunk."</p> + +<p>Mr. Bates had one of the Nyctipithæci for a pet, +which was kept in a box containing a broad-mouthed +glass jar, into which it would dive, head foremost, +when any one entered the room, turning round inside, +and thrusting forth its inquisitive face an instant <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[Pg 454]</a></span>afterward +to stare at the intruder. The Nyctipithecus, +when tamed, renders one very essential service to its +owner: it clears the house of bats as well as of insect +vermin.</p> + +<p>The most diminutive of the Brazilian monkeys is +the "Hapale pygmæus," only seven inches long in +the body, with its little face adorned with long, brown +whiskers, which are naturally brushed back over the +ears. The general color of the animal is brownish-tawny; +but the tail is elegantly barred with black.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bates closes his account by stating that the +total number of species of monkeys which he found +inhabiting the margins of the Upper and Lower Amazons +was thirty-eight, belonging to twelve different +genera, forming two distinct families.</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE SLOTH.</p> + +<p>"I once had an opportunity, in one of my excursions, +of watching the movements of a sloth. Some +travellers in South America have described the sloth +as very nimble in its native woods, and have disputed +the justness of the name which has been bestowed +upon it. The inhabitants of the Amazons region, however, +both Indians and descendants of the Portuguese, +hold to the common opinion, and consider the sloth +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[Pg 455]</a></span>as the type of laziness. It is very common for one +native to call to another, in reproaching him for idleness, +'Bicho do Embaüba' (beast of the cecropia-tree); +the leaves of the cecropia being the food of the +sloth. It is a strange sight to see the uncouth creature, +fit production of these silent woods, lazily +moving from branch to branch. Every movement +betrays, not indolence exactly, but extreme caution. +He never looses his hold from one branch without +first securing himself to the next; and, when he does +not immediately find a bough to grasp with the rigid +hooks into which his paws are so curiously transformed, +he raises his body, supported on his hind +legs, and claws around in search of a fresh foothold. +After watching the animal for about half an hour, I +gave him a charge of shot: he fell with a terrific +crash, but caught a bough in his descent with his +powerful claws, and remained suspended. Two days +afterward, I found the body of the sloth on the +ground; the animal having dropped, on the relaxation +of the muscles, a few hours after death. In one of +our voyages, I saw a sloth swimming across a river +at a place where it was probably three hundred yards +broad. Our men caught the beast, and cooked and +ate him."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[Pg 456]</a></span>THE ANACONDA.</p> + +<p>"We had an unwelcome visitor while at anchor in +the port. I was awakened a little after midnight, as +I lay in my little cabin, by a heavy blow struck at the +sides of the canoe close to my head, succeeded by the +sound of a weighty body plunging in the water. I +got up; but all was quiet again, except the cackle of +fowls in our hen-coop, which hung over the side of +the vessel, about three feet from the cabin-door. +Next morning I found my poultry loose about the +canoe, and a large rent in the bottom of the hen-coop, +which was about two feet from the surface of the +water. A couple of fowls were missing.</p> + +<p>"Antonio said the depredator was the sucumjú, the +Indian name for the anaconda, or great water-serpent, +which had for months past been haunting this +part of the river, and had carried off many ducks and +fowls from the ports of various houses. I was inclined +to doubt the fact of a serpent striking at its +prey from the water, and thought an alligator more +likely to be the culprit, although we had not yet met +with alligators in the river. Some days afterward, +the young men belonging to the different settlements +agreed together to go in search of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[Pg 457]</a></span>serpents. +They began in a systematic manner, forming +two parties, each embarked in three or four canoes, +and starting from points several miles apart, whence +they gradually approximated, searching all the little +inlets on both sides of the river. The reptile was +found at last, sunning itself on a log at the mouth of +a muddy rivulet, and despatched with harpoons. I +saw it the day after it was killed. It was not a very +large specimen, measuring only eighteen feet nine +inches in length, and sixteen inches in circumference +at the widest part of the body."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">ALLIGATORS.</p> + +<p>"Our rancho was a large one, and was erected in a +line with the others, near the edge of the sand-bank, +which sloped rather abruptly to the water. During +the first week, the people were all more or less +troubled by alligators. Some half-dozen full-grown +ones were in attendance off the praia, floating about +on the lazily flowing, muddy water. The dryness of +the weather had increased since we left Shimuni, +the currents had slackened, and the heat in the middle +of the day was almost insupportable. But no one +could descend to bathe without being advanced upon +by one or other of these hungry monsters. There +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[Pg 458]</a></span>was much offal cast into the river; and this, of course, +attracted them to the place. Every day, these visitors +became bolder: at length, they reached a pitch of +impudence that was quite intolerable. Cardozo had +a poodle-dog named Carlito, which some grateful +traveller whom he had befriended had sent him from +Rio Janeiro. He took great pride in this dog, keeping +it well sheared, and preserving his coat as white +as soap and water could make it. We slept in our +rancho, in hammocks slung between the outer posts; +a large wood fire (fed with a kind of wood abundant +on the banks of the river, which keeps alight all +night) being made in the middle, by the side of +which slept Carlito on a little mat. One night, I was +awoke by a great uproar. It was caused by Cardozo +hurling burning firewood with loud curses at a huge +cayman, which had crawled up the bank, and passed +beneath my hammock (being nearest the water) +towards the place where Carlito lay. The dog raised +the alarm in time. The reptile backed out, and tumbled +down the bank into the river; the sparks from +the brands hurled at him flying from his bony hide. +Cardozo threw a harpoon at him, but without doing +him any harm."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">[Pg 459]</a></span>THE PUMA.</p> + +<p>"One day, I was searching for insects in the bark +of a fallen tree, when I saw a large, cat-like animal +advancing towards the spot. It came within a dozen +yards before perceiving me. I had no weapon with +me but an old chisel, and was getting ready to defend +myself if it should make a spring; when it turned +round hastily, and trotted off. I did not obtain a very +distinct view of it; but I could see its color was that +of the puma, or American lion, although it was +rather too small for that species.</p> + +<p>"The puma is not a common animal in the Amazons +forests. I did not see altogether more than a dozen +skins in the possession of the natives. The fur is of +a fawn-color. The hunters are not at all afraid of it, +and speak in disparaging terms of its courage. Of +the jaguar they give a very different account."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen">THE GREAT ANT-EATER.</p> + +<p>"The great ant-eater, <i>tamandua</i> of the natives, +was not uncommon here. After the first few weeks +of residence, I was short of fresh provisions. The +people of the neighborhood had sold me all the fowls +they could spare. I had not yet learned to eat the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[Pg 460]</a></span>stale and stringy salt fish which is the staple food of +these places; and for several days I had lived on +rice-porridge, roasted bananas, and farinha. Florinda +asked me whether I could eat tamandua. I told her +almost any thing in the shape of flesh would be acceptable: +so she went the next day with an old +negro named Antonio, and the dogs, and, in the evening, +brought one of the animals. The meat was +stewed, and turned out very good, something like +goose in flavor. The people of Caripí would not +touch a morsel, saying it was not considered fit to eat +in those parts. I had read, however, that it was an +article of food in other countries of South America. +During the next two or three weeks, whenever we +were short of fresh meat, Antonio was always ready, +for a small reward, to get me a tamandua.</p> + +<p>"The habits of the animal are now pretty well known. +It has an excessively long, slender muzzle, and a +worm-like, extensile tongue. Its jaws are destitute of +teeth. The claws are much elongated, and its gait +is very awkward. It lives on the ground, and feeds +on termites, or white ants; the long claws being employed +to pull in pieces the solid hillocks made by the +insects, and the long flexible tongue to lick them up +from the crevices."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[Pg 461]</a></span>THE JAGUAR.</p> + +<p>Our traveller, though he resided long and in various +parts of the Amazon country, never saw there a +jaguar. How near he came to seeing one appears +in the following extract. This animal is the nearest +approach which America presents to the leopards and +tigers of the Old World.</p> + +<p>"After walking about half a mile, we came upon a +dry water-course, where we observed on the margin +of a pond the fresh tracks of a jaguar. This discovery +was hardly made, when a rush was heard +amidst the bushes on the top of a sloping bank, on +the opposite side of the dried creek. We bounded +forward: it was, however, too late; for the animal had +sped in a few minutes far out of our reach. It was +clear we had disturbed on our approach the jaguar +while quenching his thirst at the water-hole. A few +steps farther on, we saw the mangled remains of an +alligator. The head, fore-quarters, and bony shell, +were all that remained: but the meat was quite fresh, +and there were many footmarks of the jaguar around +the carcass; so that there was no doubt this had +formed the solid part of the animal's breakfast."</p> +<br /> + +<p class="cen"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[Pg 462]</a></span>PARÁ.</p> + +<p>"I arrived at Pará on the 17th of March, 1859, +after an absence in the interior of seven years and +a half. My old friends, English, American, and Brazilian, +scarcely knew me again, but all gave me a +very warm welcome. I found Pará greatly changed +and improved. It was no longer the weedy, ruinous, +village-looking place that it had appeared when I first +knew it in 1848. The population had been increased +to twenty thousand by an influx of Portuguese, Madeiran, +and German immigrants; and, for many years +past, the provincial government had spent their considerable +surplus revenue in beautifying the city. +The streets, formerly unpaved, or strewed with stones +and sand, were now laid with concrete in a most +complete manner: all the projecting masonry of the +irregularly-built houses had been cleared away, and +the buildings made more uniform. Most of the dilapidated +houses were replaced by handsome new edifices, +having long and elegant balconies fronting the +first floors, at an elevation of several feet above +the roadway. The large swampy squares had been +drained, weeded, and planted with rows of almond +and other trees; so that they were now a great <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[Pg 463]</a></span>ornament +to the city, instead of an eye-sore as they formerly +were. Sixty public vehicles, light cabriolets, +some of them built in Pará, now plied in the streets, increasing +much the animation of the beautified squares, +streets, and avenues. I was glad to see several new +book-sellers' shops; also a fine edifice devoted to a +reading-room, supplied with periodicals, globes, and +maps; and a circulating library. There were now +many printing-offices, and four daily newspapers. +The health of the place had greatly improved since +1850,—the year of the yellow-fever; and Pará was +now considered no longer dangerous to new-comers.</p> + +<p>"So much for the improvements visible in the +place; and now for the dark side of the picture. The +expenses of living had increased about fourfold; a +natural consequence of the demand for labor and for +native products of all kinds having augmented in +greater ratio than the supply, in consequence of +large arrivals of non-productive residents, and considerable +importations of money, on account of the +steamboat-company and foreign merchants.</p> + +<p>"At length, on the 2d of June, I left Pará,—probably +forever. I took a last view of the glorious +forest for which I had so much love, and to explore +which I had devoted so many years. The saddest +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[Pg 464]</a></span>hours I recollect ever to have spent were those of +the succeeding night, when, the pilot having left us +out of sight of land, though within the mouth of the +river, waiting for a wind, I felt that the last link +which connected me with the land of so many pleasing +recollections was broken."</p> +<br /> + +<h3>THE END.</h3> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h4><span class="smcap">Press of Geo. C. Rand & Avery, No. 3, Cornhill, Boston.</span></h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="tr"> +<p class="cen"><a name="TN" id="TN"></a>Transcriber's Note</p> +<br /> +Some inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in +the original document has been preserved.<br /> +<br /> +Typographical errors corrected in the text:<br /> +<br /> +Page 74 Sascatchawan changed to Saskatchawan<br /> +Page 103 Cameawait changed to Cameahwait<br /> +Page 192 Chinnook changed to Chinook<br /> +Page 198 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks<br /> +Page 199 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks<br /> +Page 199 Killamucks changed to Killimucks<br /> +Page 212 Wakiacums changed to Wahkiacums<br /> +Page 224 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee<br /> +Page 224 Sacajaweah chanaged to Sacajawea<br /> +Page 232 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee<br /> +Page 295 palmitoes changed to palmitos<br /> +Page 299 groweth changed to growth<br /> +Page 360 pursuaded changed to persuaded<br /> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Oregon and Eldorado, by Thomas Bulfinch + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + +***** This file should be named 38774-h.htm or 38774-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/7/38774/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/38774-h/images/imagep003.jpg b/38774-h/images/imagep003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..420ca5e --- /dev/null +++ b/38774-h/images/imagep003.jpg diff --git a/38774.txt b/38774.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c25b0dc --- /dev/null +++ b/38774.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10069 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Oregon and Eldorado, by Thomas Bulfinch + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Oregon and Eldorado + or, Romance of the Rivers + +Author: Thomas Bulfinch + +Release Date: February 6, 2012 [EBook #38774] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + +OREGON AND ELDORADO. + + + + +OREGON AND ELDORADO; + +OR, + +ROMANCE OF THE RIVERS. + + + + +BY + +THOMAS BULFINCH, + +AUTHOR OF "THE AGE OF FABLE," "THE AGE OF CHIVALRY," ETC. + + + + +BOSTON: +J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY. +1866. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, + by THOMAS BULFINCH, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the + District of Massachusetts. + + + + +STEREOTYPED BY C. J. PETERS AND SON. +PRINTED BY GEORGE C. RAND AND AVERY. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +When one observes attentively the maps of South and North America, no +feature appears more striking than the provision which Nature seems to +have made, in both continents, for water-communication across the +breadth of each. In the Northern continent, this channel of +communication is formed by the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, which +stretch over an extent of three thousand miles, interrupted only by the +ridge of the Rocky Mountains. In the Southern continent, the River +Amazon, in its path from the Andes to the sea, traverses a course of +thirty-three hundred miles. In both cases, a few hundred miles of +land-carriage will complete the transit from ocean to ocean. The analogy +presented in the length and direction of these magnificent +water-pathways is preserved in their history. A series of romantic +adventures attaches to each. I indulge the hope, that young readers who +have so favorably received my former attempts to amuse and instruct +them, in my several works reviving the fabulous legends of remote ages, +will find equally attractive these true narratives of bold adventure, +whose date is comparatively recent. Moreover, their scenes are laid, in +the one instance, in our own country; and, in the other, in that great +and rising empire of Brazil to which our distinguished naturalist, Prof. +Agassiz, has gone on a pilgrimage of science. It will enable us better +to appreciate the discoveries and observations which the professor will +lay before us on his return, to know something beforehand of the history +and peculiarities of the region which is the scene of his labors; and, +on the other hand, the route across the North-American continent, to +which the first part of the volume relates, deprives increased interest, +at this time, from the fact that it nearly corresponds to the route of +the contemplated Northern Pacific Railroad. + +BOSTON, June, 1866. T. B. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + OREGON. + +CHAPTER I. + +DISCOVERY OF COLUMBIA RIVER 1 + + +CHAPTER II. + +LEWIS AND CLARKE 14 + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE SIOUX 23 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS 33 + + +CHAPTER V. + +INDIAN TRIBES 45 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE MARCH RESUMED 57 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE JOURNEY CONTINUED 85 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SOURCES OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA 97 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE PARTY IN THE BOATS 107 + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA 120 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CLARKE'S RIVER 131 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER 147 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WINTER-QUARTERS 176 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A NEW YEAR 187 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WINTER LIFE 197 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE RETURN 210 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 230 + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +CAPT. CLARKE'S ROUTE DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE 241 + + + ELDORADO. + +CHAPTER I. + +THE DISCOVERY 255 + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORELLANA DESCENDS THE RIVER 265 + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORELLANA'S ADVENTURE CONTINUED 275 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH 285 + + +CHAPTER V. + +RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION 293 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RALEIGH'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED 307 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +RALEIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION 316 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS 326 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE DOWN THE AMAZON 339 + + +CHAPTER X. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE CONTINUED 349 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION 361 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED 373 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED 387 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONCLUDED 396 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LATEST EXPLORATIONS 404 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE NATURALIST ON THE AMAZON 427 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ANIMATED NATURE 446 + + + + +OREGON. + + + + +OREGON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +DISCOVERY OF COLUMBIA RIVER. + + +A few years ago, there was still standing in Bowdoin Square, Boston, +opposite the Revere House, an ancient mansion, since removed to make +room for the granite range called the Coolidge Building. In that +mansion, then neither old nor inelegant, but, on the contrary, having +good pretensions to rank among the principal residences of the place, +was assembled, in the year 1787, a group, consisting of the master of +the mansion, Dr. Bulfinch, his only son Charles, and Joseph Barrell, +their neighbor, an eminent merchant of Boston. The conversation turned +upon the topic of the day,--the voyages and discoveries of Capt. Cook, +the account of which had lately been published. The brilliant +achievements of Capt. Cook, his admirable qualities, and his sad fate +(slain by the chance stroke of a Sandwich-Islander, in a sudden brawl +which arose between the sailors and the natives),--these formed the +current of the conversation; till at last it changed, and turned more +upon the commercial aspects of the subject. Mr. Barrell was particularly +struck with what Cook relates of the abundance of valuable furs offered +by the natives of the country in exchange for beads, knives, and other +trifling commodities valued by them. The remark of Capt. Cook respecting +the sea-otter was cited:-- + +"This animal abounds here: the fur is softer and finer than that of any +other we know of; and therefore the discovery of this part of the +continent, where so valuable an article of commerce may be met with, +cannot be a matter of indifference." He adds in a note, "The sea-otter +skins are sold by the Russians to the Chinese at from sixteen to twenty +pounds each." + +Mr. Barrell remarked, "There is a rich harvest to be reaped there by +those who shall first go in." The idea thus suggested was followed out +in future conversations at the doctor's fireside, admitting other +congenial spirits to the discussion, and resulted in the equipping of an +expedition consisting of two vessels, the ship "Columbia" and sloop +"Washington," to make the proposed adventure. The partners in the +enterprise were Joseph Barrell, Samuel Brown, Charles Bulfinch, John +Derby, Crowell Hatch, and J. M. Pintard. So important was the expedition +deemed by the adventurers themselves, that they caused a medal to be +struck, bearing on one side a representation of the two vessels under +sail, and on the other the names of the parties to the enterprise. +Several copies of this medal were made both in bronze and silver, and +distributed to public bodies and distinguished individuals. One of these +medals lies before the writer as he pens these lines. A representation +is subjoined:-- + +[Illustration] + +The expedition was also provided with sea-letters, issued by the Federal +Government agreeably to a resolution of Congress, and with passports +from the State of Massachusetts; and they received letters from the +Spanish minister plenipotentiary in the United States, recommending them +to the attention of the authorities of his nation on the Pacific coast. + +The "Columbia" was commanded by John Kendrick, to whom was intrusted the +general control of the expedition. The master of the "Washington" was +Robert Gray. + +The two vessels sailed together from Boston on the 30th of September, +1787: thence they proceeded to the Cape Verde Islands, and thence to the +Falkland Islands, in each of which groups they procured refreshments. In +January, 1788, they doubled Cape Horn; immediately after which they were +separated during a violent gale. The "Washington," continuing her course +through the Pacific, made the north-west coast in August, near the 46th +degree of latitude. Here Capt. Gray thought he perceived indications of +the mouth of a river; but he was unable to ascertain the fact, in +consequence of his vessel having grounded, and been attacked by the +savages, who killed one of his men, and wounded the mate. But she +escaped without further injury, and, on the 17th of September, reached +Nootka Sound, which had been agreed upon as the port of re-union in case +of separation. The "Columbia" did not enter the sound until some days +afterward. + +The two vessels spent their winter in the sound; where the "Columbia" +also lay during the following summer, collecting furs, while Capt. +Gray, in the "Washington," explored the adjacent waters. On his return +to Nootka, it was agreed upon between the two captains that Kendrick +should take command of the sloop, and remain on the coast, while Gray, +in the "Columbia," should carry to Canton all the furs which had been +collected by both vessels. This was accordingly done; and Gray arrived +on the 6th of December at Canton, where he sold his furs, and took in a +cargo of tea, with which he entered Boston on the 10th of August, 1790, +having carried the flag of the United States for the first time round +the world. + +Kendrick, immediately on parting with the "Columbia," proceeded with the +"Washington" to the Strait of Fuca, through which he sailed, in its +whole length, to its issue in the Pacific, in lat. 51. To him belongs +the credit of ascertaining that Nootka and the parts adjacent are an +island, to which the name of Vancouver's Island has since been given, +which it now retains. Vancouver was a British commander who followed in +the track of the Americans a year later. The injustice done to Kendrick +by thus robbing him of the credit of his discovery is but one of many +similar instances; the greatest of all being that by which our +continent itself bears the name, not of Columbus, but of a subsequent +navigator. + +Capt. Kendrick, during the time occupied by Gray in his return voyage, +besides collecting furs, engaged in various speculations; one of which +was the collection, and transportation to China, of the odoriferous wood +called "sandal," which grows in many of the tropical islands of the +Pacific, and is in great demand throughout the Celestial Empire, for +ornamental fabrics, and also for medicinal purposes. Vancouver +pronounced this scheme chimerical; but experience has shown that it was +founded on just calculations, and the business has ever since been +prosecuted with advantage, especially by Americans. + +Another of Kendrick's speculations has not hitherto produced any fruit. +In the summer of 1791, he purchased from Maquinna, Wicanish, and other +Indian chiefs, several large tracts of land near Nootka Sound, for which +he obtained deeds, duly _marked_ by those personages, and witnessed by +the officers and men of the "Washington." Attempts were afterwards made +by the owners of the vessel to sell these lands in London, but no +purchasers were found; and applications have since been addressed by the +legal representatives of the owners to the Government of the United +States for a confirmation of the title, but hitherto without success. + +Capt. Kendrick lost his life by a singular accident. In exchanging +salutes with a Spanish vessel which they met at the Sandwich Islands, +the wad of the gun of the Spaniard struck Capt. Kendrick as he stood on +the deck of his vessel, conspicuous in his dress-coat and cocked hat as +commander of the expedition. It was instantly fatal. + +The ship "Columbia" returned to Boston from Canton under the command of +Gray, as already stated, arriving on the 10th of August, 1790; but the +cargo of Chinese articles brought by her was insufficient to cover the +expenses of her voyage: nevertheless her owners determined to persevere +in the enterprise, and refitted the ship for a new voyage of the same +kind. + +The "Columbia," under her former captain, Gray, left Boston, on her +second voyage, on the 28th of September, 1790, and, without the +occurrence of any thing worthy of note, arrived at Clyoquot, near the +entrance of Fuca's Strait, on the 5th of June, 1791. There, and in the +neighboring waters, she remained through the summer and winter +following, engaged in trading and exploring. In the spring of 1792, Gray +took his departure in the ship, on a cruise southward, along the coast, +bent on ascertaining the truth of appearances which had led him in the +former voyage to suspect the existence of a river discharging its waters +at or about the latitude of 46 degrees. During his cruise, he met the +English vessels commanded by Commodore Vancouver. "On the 29th of +April," Vancouver writes in his journal, "at four o'clock, a sail was +discovered to the westward, standing in shore. This was a very great +novelty, not having seen any vessel but our consort during the last +eight months. She soon hoisted American colors, and fired a gun to +leeward. At six, we spoke her. She proved to be the ship 'Columbia,' +commanded by Capt. Robert Gray, belonging to Boston, whence she had been +absent nineteen months. I sent two of my officers on board to acquire +such information as might be serviceable in our future operations. Capt. +Gray informed them of his having been off the mouth of a river, in the +latitude of 46 degrees 10 minutes, for nine days; but the outset or +reflux was so strong as to prevent his entering." + +To this statement of Capt. Gray, Vancouver gave little credit. He +remarks, "I was thoroughly persuaded, as were also most persons of +observation on board, that we could not have passed any safe navigable +opening, harbor, or place of security for shipping, from Cape Mendocino +to Fuca's Strait." + +After parting with the English ships, Gray sailed along the coast of the +continent southward; and on the 7th of May, 1792, he "saw an entrance +which had a very good appearance of a harbor." Passing through this +entrance, he found himself in a bay, "well sheltered from the sea by +long sand-bars and spits," where he remained three days trading with the +natives, and then resumed his voyage, bestowing on the place thus +discovered the name of Bulfinch's Harbor, in honor of one of the owners +of his ship. This is now known as Gray's Harbor. + +At daybreak on the 11th, after leaving Bulfinch's Harbor, Gray observed +the entrance of his desired port, bearing east-south-east, distant six +leagues; and running into it with all sails set, between the breakers, +he anchored at one o'clock in a large river of fresh water, ten miles +above its mouth. At this spot he remained three days, engaged in trading +with the natives, and filling his casks with water; and then sailed up +the river about twelve miles along its northern shore, where, finding +that he could proceed no farther from having taken the wrong channel, he +again came to anchor. On the 20th, he recrossed the bar at the mouth of +the river, and regained the Pacific. + +On leaving the river, Gray gave it the name of his ship, the Columbia, +which it still bears. He called the southern point of land, at the +entrance, Cape Adams; and the northern, Cape Hancock. The former of +these names retains its place in the maps, the latter does not; the +promontory being known as Cape Disappointment,--a name it received from +Lieut. Meares, an English navigator, who, like Capt. Gray, judged from +appearances that there was the outlet of a river at that point, but +failed to find it, and recorded his failure in the name he assigned to +the conspicuous headland which marked the place of his fruitless search. + + NOTE. As the discovery of Columbia River was an event of + historical importance, the reader will perhaps be gratified to + see it as recorded in the words of Capt. Gray himself, copied + from his logbook as follows:-- + + "May 11 (1792), at eight, P.M., the entrance of Bulfinch's + Harbor bore north, distance four miles. Sent up the + main-top-gallant yard, and set all sail. At four, A.M., saw the + entrance of our desired port, bearing east-south-east, distance + six leagues; in steering sails, and hauled our wind in shore. + At eight, A.M., being a little to windward of the entrance of + the harbor, bore away, and ran in east-north-east between the + breakers, having from five to seven fathoms of water. When we + were over the bar, we found this to be a large river of fresh + water, up which we steered. Many canoes came alongside. At one, + P.M., came to, with the small bower in ten fathoms black and + white sand. The entrance between the bars bore west-south-west, + distant ten miles; the north side of the river a half-mile + distant from the ship, the south side of the same two and a + half miles distance; a village on the north side of the river, + west by north, distant three-quarters of a mile. Vast numbers + of natives came alongside. People employed in pumping the salt + water out of our water-casks, in order to fill with fresh, + while the ship floated in. So ends." + +From the mouth of Columbia River, Gray sailed to Nootka Sound, where he +communicated his recent discoveries to the Spanish commandant, Quadra; +to whom he also gave charts and descriptions of Bulfinch's Harbor, and +of the mouth of the Columbia. He departed for Canton in September, and +thence sailed to the United States. + +The voyages of Kendrick and Gray were not profitable to the adventurers, +yet not fruitless of benefit to their country. They opened the way to +subsequent enterprises in the same region, which were eminently +successful. And, in another point of view, these expeditions were +fraught with consequences of the utmost importance. Gray's discovery of +Columbia River was the point most relied upon by our negotiators in a +subsequent era for establishing the claim of the United States to the +part of the continent through which that river flows; and it is in a +great measure owing to that discovery that the growing State of Oregon +is now a part of the American Republic. + +From the date of the discovery of Columbia River to the war of 1812, the +direct trade between the American coast and China was almost entirely in +the hands of the citizens of the United States. The British merchants +were restrained from pursuing it by the opposition of their East-India +Company; the Russians were not admitted into Chinese ports; and few +ships of any other nation were seen in that part of the ocean. The trade +was prosecuted by men whose names are still distinguished among us as +those of the master-spirits of American commerce,--the Thorndikes, the +Perkinses, Lambs, Sturgis, Cushing, and others of Boston, Astor and +others of New York. The greater number of the vessels sent from the +United States were fine ships or brigs laden with valuable cargoes of +West-India productions, British manufactured articles, and French, +Italian, and Spanish wines and spirits; and the owners were men of large +capital and high reputation in the commercial world, some of whom were +able to compete with the British companies, and even to control their +movements. + +During all this period, though constant accessions were made to the +knowledge of the coast by means of commercial adventure, the interior of +the continent, from the Mississippi to the ocean, remained unknown. The +intercourse of the people of the United States with the native tribes +was restricted by several causes. One was the possession of Louisiana by +the Spaniards; another, the retention by the British of several +important posts south of the Great Lakes, within the acknowledged +territory of the Union. At length, by the treaty of 1794 between Great +Britain and the United States, those posts were given up to the +Americans; and by treaty with France, in 1803, Louisiana, which had come +into possession of that power in 1800, was ceded to the United States. +From this period, the Government and people of the United States ceased +to be indifferent to the immense and important region whose destinies +were committed to them; and the ensuing narrative will relate the first +attempt made by national authority to occupy and explore the country. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +LEWIS AND CLARKE. + + +In the year 1786, John Ledyard of Connecticut, who had been with Capt. +Cook in his voyage of discovery to the north-west coast of America in +1776-1780, was in Paris, endeavoring to engage a mercantile company in +the fur-trade of that coast. He had seen, as he thought, unequalled +opportunities for lucrative traffic in the exchange of the furs of that +country for the silks and teas of China. But his representations were +listened to with incredulity by the cautious merchants of Europe, and he +found it impossible to interest any so far as to induce them to fit out +an expedition for the object proposed. + +Disappointed and needy, he applied for advice and assistance to Mr. +Jefferson, at that time the American minister at the court of France. +Ledyard had no views of pecuniary gain in the contemplated enterprise: +he sought only an opportunity of indulging his love of adventure by +exploring regions at that time unknown. Mr. Jefferson, as the guardian +of his country's interests and the friend of science, was warmly +interested in any scheme which contemplated the opening of the vast +interior regions of the American continent to the occupancy of civilized +man. Since it was impossible to engage mercantile adventurers to fit out +an expedition by sea, Mr. Jefferson proposed to Ledyard that he should +go as a traveller, by land, through the Russian territories, as far as +the eastern coast of the continent of Asia, and from thence get such +conveyance as he could to the neighboring coast of America, and thus +reach the spot where his main journey was to begin. Ledyard eagerly +embraced the proposal. Permission was obtained from the Empress +Catharine of Russia, and the enterprising traveller, in December, 1786, +set forth. He traversed Denmark and Sweden; passed round the head of the +Gulf of Bothnia, after an unsuccessful attempt to cross it on the ice; +and reached St. Petersburg in March, 1787, without money, shoes, or +stockings, having gone this immense journey on foot in an arctic winter. +At St. Petersburg he obtained notice, money to the amount of twenty +guineas, and permission to accompany a convoy of stores to Yakoutsk, in +Siberia. But, for some unexplained reason, he was arrested at that +place by order of the empress, and conveyed back to Europe; being +cautioned, on his release, not again to set foot within the Russian +territories, under penalty of death. This harsh treatment is supposed to +have arisen from the jealousy of the Russian fur-traders, who feared +that Ledyard's proceedings would rouse up rivals in their trade. + +Mr. Jefferson did not, upon this disappointment, abandon the idea of an +exploration of the interior of the American continent. At his +suggestion, the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia took +measures, in 1792, to send suitable persons to make a similar transit of +the continent in the opposite direction; that is, by ascending the +Missouri, and descending the Columbia. Nothing was effected, however, at +that time, except awakening the attention of Capt. Meriwether Lewis, a +young officer in the American army, a neighbor and relative of Gen. +Washington. He eagerly sought to be employed to make the contemplated +journey. + +In 1803, Mr. Jefferson, being then President of the United States, +proposed to Congress to send an exploring party to trace the Missouri to +its source; to cross the highlands, and follow the best water +communication which might offer itself, to the Pacific Ocean. Congress +approved the proposal, and voted a sum of money to carry it into +execution. Capt. Lewis, who had then been two years with Mr. Jefferson +as his private secretary, immediately renewed his solicitations to have +the direction of the expedition. Mr. Jefferson had now had opportunity +of knowing him intimately, and believed him to be brave, persevering, +familiar with the Indian character and customs, habituated to the +hunting life, honest, and of sound judgment. He trusted that he would be +careful of those committed to his charge, yet steady in the maintenance +of discipline. On receiving his appointment, Capt. Lewis repaired to +Philadelphia, and placed himself under its distinguished professors, +with a view to acquire familiarity with the nomenclature of the natural +sciences. He selected, as his companion in the proposed expedition, +William Clarke, a brother-officer, known and esteemed by him. + +While these things were going on, the treaty with France was concluded, +by which the country of Louisiana was ceded to the United States. This +event, which took place in 1803, greatly increased the interest felt by +the people of the United States in the proposed expedition. + +In the spring of 1804, the preparations being completed, the explorers +commenced their route. The party consisted of nine young men from +Kentucky, fourteen soldiers of the United-States army who volunteered +their services, two French watermen, an interpreter, a hunter, and a +black servant of Capt. Clarke. In addition to these, a further force of +fifteen men attended on the commencement of the expedition to secure +safety during the transit through some Indian tribes whose hostility was +apprehended. The necessary stores were divided into seven bales and one +box, the latter containing a small portion of each article in case of a +loss of any one of the bales. The stores consisted of clothing, working +tools, ammunition, and other articles of prime necessity. To these were +added fourteen bales and one box of Indian presents, composed of richly +laced coats and other articles of dress, medals, flags, knives, and +tomahawks for the chiefs; ornaments of different kinds, particularly +beads, looking-glasses, handkerchiefs, paints, and generally such +articles as were deemed best calculated for the taste of the Indians. +The company embarked on board of three boats. The first was a keel-boat, +fifty-five feet long, carrying one large square sail and twenty-two +oars. A deck of ten feet, at each end, formed a forecastle and cabin. +This was accompanied by two open boats of six oars. Two horses were to +be led along the banks of the river, for bringing home game, or hunting +in case of scarcity. + +The narrative of the expedition was written by the commanders from day +to day, and published after their return. We shall tell the story of +their adventures nearly in the language of their own journal, with such +abridgments as our plan renders necessary. + +May 14, 1804.--All the preparations being completed, they left their +encampment this day. The character of the river itself was the most +interesting object of examination for the first part of their voyage. +Having advanced, in two months, about four hundred and fifty miles, they +write as follows: "The ranges of hills on opposite sides of the river +are twelve or fifteen miles apart, rich plains and prairies, with the +river, occupying the intermediate space, partially covered near the +river with cotton-wood or Balm-of-Gilead poplar. The whole lowland +between the parallel ranges of hills seems to have been formed of mud of +the river, mixed with sand and clay. The sand of the neighboring banks, +added to that brought down by the stream, forms sand-bars, projecting +into the river. These drive the stream to the opposite bank, the loose +texture of which it undermines, and at length deserts its ancient bed +for a new passage. It is thus that the banks of the Missouri are +constantly falling in, and the river changing its bed. + +"On one occasion, the party encamped on a sand-bar in the river. Shortly +after midnight, the sleepers were startled by the sergeant on guard +crying out that the sand-bar was sinking: and the alarm was timely +given; for scarcely had they got off with the boats before the bank +under which they had been lying fell in; and, by the time the opposite +shore was reached, the ground on which they had been encamped sunk also. + +"We had occasion here to observe the process of the undermining of these +hills by the Missouri. The first attacks seem to be made on the hills +which overhang the river. As soon as the violence of the current +destroys the grass at the foot of them, the whole texture appears +loosened, and the ground dissolves, and mixes with the water. At one +point, a part of the cliff, nearly three-quarters of a mile in length, +and about two hundred feet in height, had fallen into the river. As the +banks are washed away, the trees fall in, and the channel becomes filled +with buried logs." + + +RIVER SCENERY. + +"July 12.--We remained to-day for the purpose of making lunar +observations. Capt. Clarke sailed a few miles up the Namaha River, and +landed on a spot where he found numerous artificial mounds. + + NOTE. A late traveller, Rev. Samuel Parker, speaks thus of + these mounds: "The mounds, which some have called the work of + unknown generations of men, were scattered here in all + varieties of form and magnitude, thousands in number. Some of + them were conical, some elliptical, some square, and some + parallelograms. One group attracted my attention particularly. + They were twelve in number, of conical form, with their bases + joined, and twenty or thirty feet high. They formed two-thirds + of a circle, with an area of two hundred feet in diameter. If + these were isolated, who would not say they were artificial? + But, when they are only a group among a thousand others, who + will presume to say they all are the work of man?... + + "It is said by those who advocate the belief that they are the + work of ancient nations; that they present plain evidence of + this in the fact that they contain human bones, articles of + pottery, and the like. That some of them have been used for + burying-places, is undoubtedly true; but may it not be + questioned whether they were _made_, or only _selected_, for + burying-places? No one who has ever seen the thousands and ten + thousands scattered through the Valley of the Mississippi will + be so credulous as to believe that a hundredth part of them + were the work of man." + +"From the top of the highest mound, a delightful prospect presented +itself,--the lowland of the Missouri covered with an undulating grass +nearly five feet high, gradually rising into a second plain, where rich +weeds and flowers were interspersed with copses of the Osage plum. +Farther back from the river were seen small groves of trees, an +abundance of grapes, the wild cherry of the Missouri,--resembling our +own, but larger, and growing on a small bush. The plums are of three +kinds,--two of a yellow color, and distinguished by one of the species +being larger than the other; a third species of red color. All have an +excellent flavor, particularly the yellow kind." + + +PIPE-CLAY ROCK. + +"Aug. 21.--We passed the mouth of the Great Sioux River. Our Indian +interpreter tells us that on the head waters of this river is the quarry +of red rock of which the Indians make their pipes; and the necessity of +procuring that article has introduced a law of nations, by which the +banks of the stream are sacred; and even tribes at war meet without +hostility at these quarries, which possess a right of asylum. Thus we +find, even among savages, certain principles deemed sacred, by which the +rigors of their merciless system of warfare are mitigated." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE SIOUX. + + +The Indian tribes which our adventurers had thus far encountered had +been friendly, or at least inoffensive; but they were feeble bands, and +all of them lived in terror of their powerful neighbors, the Sioux. On +the 23d of September, the party reached a region inhabited by the +Tetons, a tribe of Sioux. The journal gives an account of their +intercourse with these new acquaintances as follows:-- + +"The morning was fine; and we raised a flag-staff, and spread an awning, +under which we assembled, with all the party under arms. The chiefs and +warriors from the Indian camp, about fifty in number, met us; and Capt. +Lewis made a speech to them. After this, we went through the ceremony of +acknowledging the chiefs by giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag of +the United States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather; to +the two other chiefs, a medal and some small presents; and to two +warriors of consideration, certificates. We then invited the chiefs on +board, and showed them the boat, the air-gun, and such curiosities as we +thought might amuse them. In this we succeeded too well; for after +giving them a quarter of a glass of whiskey, which they seemed to like +very much, it was with much difficulty we could get rid of them. They at +last accompanied Capt. Clarke back to shore in a boat with five men; but +no sooner had the party landed than three of the Indians seized the +cable of the boat, and one of the soldiers of the chief put his arms +round the mast. The second chief, who affected intoxication, then said +that we should not go on; that they had not received presents enough +from us. Capt. Clarke told him that we would not be prevented from going +on; that we were not squaws, but warriors; that we were sent by our +great Father, who could in a moment exterminate them. The chief replied +that he, too, had warriors; and was proceeding to lay hands on Capt. +Clarke, who immediately drew his sword, and made a signal to the boat to +prepare for action. The Indians who surrounded him drew their arrows +from their quivers, and were bending their bows, when the swivel in the +large boat was pointed towards them, and twelve of our most determined +men jumped into the small boat, and joined Capt. Clarke. This movement +made an impression on them; for the grand chief ordered the young men +away from the boat, and the chiefs withdrew, and held a short council +with the warriors. Being unwilling to irritate them, Capt. Clarke then +went forward, and offered his hand to the first and second chiefs, who +refused to take it. He then turned from them, and got into the boat, but +had not gone more than a stone's-throw, when the two chiefs and two of +the warriors waded in after him; and he took them on board. + +"Sept. 26.--Our conduct yesterday seemed to have inspired the Indians +with respect; and, as we were desirous of cultivating their +acquaintance, we complied with their wish that we should give them an +opportunity of treating us well, and also suffer their squaws and +children to see us and our boat, which would be perfectly new to them. +Accordingly, after passing a small island and several sand-bars, we came +to on the south shore, where a crowd of men, women, and children, were +waiting to receive us. Capt. Lewis went on shore, and, observing that +their disposition seemed friendly, resolved to remain during the night +to a dance which they were preparing for us. The captains, who went on +shore one after the other, were met on the landing by ten well-dressed +young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated, and carried them +to a large council-house, where they were placed on a dressed +buffalo-skin by the side of the grand chief. The hall, or council-room, +was in the shape of three-quarters of a circle, covered at the top and +sides with skins well dressed, and sewed together. Under this shelter +sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the chief, before whom +were placed a Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday. In +the vacant space in the centre, the pipe of peace was raised on two +forked sticks about six or eight inches from the ground, and under it +the down of the swan was scattered. A large fire, at which they were +cooking, stood near, and a pile of about four hundred pounds of +buffalo-meat, as a present for us. + +"As soon as we were seated, an old man rose, and, after approving what +we had done, begged us to take pity upon their unfortunate situation. To +this we replied with assurances of protection. After he had ceased, the +great chief rose, and delivered an harangue to the same effect. Then, +with great solemnity, he took some of the more delicate parts of the +dog, which was cooked for the festival, and held it to the flag by way +of sacrifice: this done, he held up the pipe of peace, and first pointed +it towards the heavens, then to the four quarters of the globe, and then +to the earth; made a short speech; lighted the pipe, and presented it to +us. We smoked, and he again harangued his people; after which the repast +was served up to us. It consisted of the dog, which they had just been +cooking; this being a great dish among the Sioux, and used at all +festivals. To this was added _pemitigon_, a dish made of buffalo-meat, +dried, and then pounded, and mixed raw with fat; and a root like the +potato, dressed like the preparation of Indian-corn called hominy. Of +all these luxuries, which were placed before us in platters, with horn +spoons, we took the pemitigon and the potato, which we found good; but +we could as yet partake but sparingly of the dog. We ate and smoked for +an hour, when it became dark. Every thing was then cleared away for the +dance; a large fire being made in the centre of the house, giving at +once light and warmth to the ball-room. The orchestra was composed of +about ten men, who played on a sort of tambourine formed of skin +stretched across a hoop, and made a jingling noise with a long stick, +to which the hoofs of deer and goats were hung. The third instrument was +a small skin bag, with pebbles in it. These, with five or six young men +for the vocal part, made up the band. + +"The women then came forward highly decorated; some with poles in their +hands, on which were hung the scalps of their enemies; others with guns, +spears, or different trophies, taken in war by their husbands, brothers, +or connections. Having arranged themselves in two columns, as soon as +the music began they danced towards each other till they met in the +centre; when the rattles were shaken, and they all shouted, and returned +back to their places. They have no steps, but shuffle along the ground; +nor does the music appear to be any thing more than a confusion of +noises, distinguished only by hard or gentle blows upon the +buffalo-skin. The song is perfectly extemporaneous. In the pauses of the +dance, any man of the company comes forward, and recites, in a low, +guttural tone, some little story or incident, which is either martial or +ludicrous. This is taken up by the orchestra and the dancers, who repeat +it in a higher strain, and dance to it. Sometimes they alternate, the +orchestra first performing; and, when it ceases, the women raise their +voices, and make a music more agreeable, that is, less intolerable, than +that of the musicians. + +"The harmony of the entertainment had nearly been disturbed by one of +the musicians, who, thinking he had not received a due share of the +tobacco we had distributed during the evening, put himself into a +passion, broke one of the drums, threw two of them into the fire, and +left the band. They were taken out of the fire: a buffalo-robe, held in +one hand, and beaten with the other, supplied the place of the lost drum +or tambourine; and no notice was taken of the offensive conduct of the +man. We staid till twelve o'clock at night, when we informed the chiefs +that they must be fatigued with all these attempts to amuse us, and +retired, accompanied by four chiefs, two of whom spent the night with us +on board." + + +THE SIOUX. + +"The tribe which we this day saw are a part of the great Sioux nation, +and are known by the name of the _Teton Okandandas_: they are about two +hundred men in number, and their chief residence is on both sides of the +Missouri, between the Cheyenne and Teton Rivers. + +"The men shave the hair off their heads, except a small tuft on the top, +which they suffer to grow, and wear in plaits over the shoulders. To +this they seem much attached, as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice +at the death of near relations. In full dress, the men of consideration +wear a hawk's feather or calumet feather, worked with porcupine-quills, +and fastened to the top of the head, from which it falls back. The face +and body are generally painted with a mixture of grease and coal. Over +the shoulders is a loose robe or mantle of buffalo-skin, adorned with +porcupine-quills, which are loosely fixed so as to make a jingling noise +when in motion, and painted with various uncouth figures unintelligible +to us, but to them emblematic of military exploits or any other +incident. The hair of the robe is worn next the skin in fair weather; +but, when it rains, the hair is put outside. Under this robe they wear +in winter a kind of shirt, made either of skin or cloth, covering the +arms and body. Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or elk-skin, +about an inch in width, and closely tied to the body. To this is +attached a piece of cloth or blanket or skin about a foot wide, which +passes between the legs, and is tucked under the girdle both before and +behind. From the hip to the ankle, the man is covered with leggings of +dressed antelope-skins, with seams at the sides two inches in width, and +ornamented by little tufts of hair, the product of the scalps they have +taken in war, which are scattered down the leg. + +"The moccasons are of dressed buffalo-skin, the hair being worn inwards. +On great occasions, or whenever they are in full dress, the young men +drag after them the entire skin of a polecat, fixed to the heel of the +moccason. + +"The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, and is parted from the +forehead across the head; at the back of which it is either collected +into a kind of bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. Their moccasons +are like those of the men, as are also the leggings, which do not reach +beyond the knee, where they are met by a long, loose mantle of skin, +which reaches nearly to the ankles. This is fastened over the shoulders +by a string, and has no sleeves; but a few pieces of the skin hang a +short distance down the arm. Sometimes a girdle fastens this skin round +the waist, and over all is thrown a robe like that worn by the men. + +"Their lodges are very neatly constructed. They consist of about one +hundred cabins, made of white buffalo-hide, with a larger cabin in the +centre for holding councils and dances. They are built round with poles +about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with white skins. These +lodges may be taken to pieces, packed up, and carried with the nation, +wherever they go, by dogs, which bear great burdens. The women are +chiefly employed in dressing buffalo-skins. These people seem +well-disposed, but are addicted to stealing any thing which they can +take without being observed." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS. + + +Sept. 1, 1804.--The daily progress of the expedition from this date is +marked by no incidents of more importance than the varying fortunes of +travel, as they found the river more or less favorable to navigation, +and the game more or less abundant on the banks. Their progress was from +twelve to twenty miles a day. In general, their sails served them; but +they were sometimes obliged to resort to the use of tow-lines, which, +being attached to a tree or other firm object on the shore, enabled the +men to pull the boat along. This seems but a slow method of voyaging; +yet they found it by no means the slowest, and were sorry when the +nature of the banks, being either too lofty or too low, precluded their +use of it. Their narrative is, however, varied by accounts of the +scenery and natural productions of the country through which they +passed, and by anecdotes of the Indians. While they are making their +toilsome advance up the river, let us see what they have to tell us of +the strange people and remarkable objects which they found on their way. + + +PRAIRIE-DOGS. + +"We arrived at a spot on the gradual descent of the hill, nearly four +acres in extent, and covered with small holes. These are the residences +of little animals called prairie-dogs, who sit erect near the mouth of +the hole, and make a whistling noise, but, when alarmed, take refuge in +their holes. In order to bring them out, we poured into one of the holes +five barrels of water, without filling it; but we dislodged and caught +the owner. After digging down another of the holes for six feet, we +found, on running a pole into it, that we had not yet dug half-way to +the bottom. We discovered two frogs in the hole; and near it we killed a +rattlesnake, which had swallowed a small prairie-dog. We have been told, +though we never witnessed the fact, that a sort of lizard and a snake +live habitually with these animals. + +"The prairie-dog is well named, as it resembles a dog in most +particulars, though it has also some points of similarity to the +squirrel. The head resembles the squirrel in every respect, except that +the ear is shorter. The tail is like that of the ground-squirrel; the +toe-nails are long, the fur is fine, and the long hair is gray." + + +ANTELOPES. + +"Of all the animals we have seen, the antelope possesses the most +wonderful fleetness. Shy and timorous, they generally repose only on the +ridges, which command a view in all directions. Their sight +distinguishes the most distant danger; their power of smell defeats the +attempt at concealment; and, when alarmed, their swiftness seems more +like the flight of birds than the movement of an animal over the ground. +Capt. Lewis, after many unsuccessful attempts, succeeded in approaching, +undiscovered, a party of seven, which were on an eminence. The only male +of the party frequently encircled the summit of the hill, as if to +discover if any danger threatened the party. When Capt. Lewis was at the +distance of two hundred yards, they became alarmed, and fled. He +immediately ran to the spot they had left. A ravine concealed them from +him; but the next moment they appeared on a second ridge, at the +distance of three miles. He doubted whether they could be the same; but +their number, and the direction in which they fled, satisfied him that +it was the same party: yet the distance they had made in the time was +such as would hardly have been possible to the swiftest racehorse." + + +PELICAN ISLAND. + +"42.--This name we gave to a long island, from the numbers of pelicans +which were feeding on it. One of them being killed, we poured into his +bag five gallons of water." + + NOTE. "The antelopes are becoming very numerous. Their speed + exceeds that of any animal I have ever seen. Our hounds can do + nothing in giving them the chase: so soon are they left far in + the rear, that they do not follow them more than ten or twenty + rods before they return, looking ashamed of their defeat. Our + hunters occasionally take the antelope by coming upon them by + stealth. When they are surprised, they start forward a very + small space, then turn, and, with high-lifted heads, stare for + a few seconds at the object which has alarmed them, and then, + with a half-whistling snuff, bound off, seeming to be as much + upon wings as upon feet. They resemble the goat, but are far + more beautiful. Though they are of different colors, yet they + are generally red, and have a large, fine, prominent eye. Their + flesh is good for food, and about equals venison."--_Parker's + Tour._ + + +INDIAN VILLAGES AND AGRICULTURE. + +"We halted for dinner at a deserted village, which we suppose to have +belonged to the Ricaras. It is situated in a low plain on the river, and +consists of about eighty lodges, of an octagon form, neatly covered with +earth, placed as close to each other as possible, and picketed round. +The skin-canoes, mats, buckets, and articles of furniture, found in the +lodges, induce us to suppose that it was left in the spring. We found +three different kinds of squashes growing in the village. + +"Another village, which we reached two days later, was situated on an +island, which is three miles long, and covered with fields, in which the +Indians raise corn, beans, and potatoes. We found here several Frenchmen +living among the Indians, as interpreters or traders. The Indians gave +us some corn, beans, and dried squashes; and we gave them a steel mill, +with which they were much pleased. We sat conversing with the chiefs +some time, during which they treated us to a bread made of corn and +beans, also corn and beans boiled, and a large rich bean which they take +from the mice of the prairie, who discover and collect it. We gave them +some sugar, salt, and a sun-glass." + + +YORK, THE NEGRO. + +"The object which seemed to astonish the Indians most was Capt. Clarke's +servant, York,--a sturdy negro. They had never seen a human being of +that color, and therefore flocked round him to examine the monster. By +way of amusement, he told them that he had once been a wild animal, and +been caught and tamed by his master, and, to convince them, showed them +feats of strength, which, added to his looks, made him more terrible +than we wished him to be. At all the villages he was an object of +astonishment. The children would follow him constantly, and, if he +chanced to turn towards them, would run with great terror." + + +STONE-IDOL CREEK. + +"We reached the mouth of a creek, to which we gave the name of +Stone-Idol Creek; for, on passing up, we discovered, that, a few miles +back from the Missouri, there are two stones resembling human figures, +and a third like a dog; all which are objects of great veneration among +the Ricaras. Their history would adorn the "Metamorphoses" of Ovid. A +young man was in love with a girl whose parents refused their consent to +the marriage. The youth went out into the fields to mourn his +misfortunes: a sympathy of feeling led the girl to the same spot; and +the faithful dog would not fail to follow his master. After wandering +together, and having nothing but grapes to subsist on, they were at last +converted into stone, which, beginning at the feet, gradually invaded +the nobler parts, leaving nothing unchanged but a bunch of grapes, which +the female holds in her hands to this day. Such is the account given by +the Ricara chief, which we had no means of testing, except that we found +one part of the story very agreeably confirmed; for on the banks of the +creek we found a greater abundance of fine grapes than we had seen +elsewhere." + + +GOATS. + +"Great numbers of goats are crossing the river, and directing their +course to the westward. We are told that they spend the summer in the +plains east of the Missouri, and at this season (October) are returning +to the Black Mountains, where they subsist on leaves and shrubbery +during the winter, and resume their migrations in the spring. At one +place, we saw large flocks of them in the water. They had been gradually +driven into the river by the Indians, who now lined the shore so as to +prevent their escape, and were firing on them; while boys went into the +river, and killed them with sticks. They seemed to have been very +successful; for we counted fifty-eight which they had killed. In the +evening they made a feast, that lasted till late at night, and caused +much noise and merriment. + +"The country through which we passed has wider river-bottoms and more +timber than those we have been accustomed to see; the hills rising at a +distance, and by gradual ascents. We have seen great numbers of elk, +deer, goats, and buffaloes, and the usual attendants of these last,--the +wolves, which follow their movements, and feed upon those who die by +accident, or are too feeble to keep pace with the herd. We also wounded +a white bear, and saw some fresh tracks of those animals, which are +twice as large as the tracks of a man." + + +THE PRAIRIE ON FIRE. + +"In the evening, the prairie took fire, either by accident or design, +and burned with great fury; the whole plain being enveloped in flames. +So rapid was its progress, that a man and a woman were burned to death +before they could reach a place of safety. Another man, with his wife +and child, were much burned, and several other persons narrowly escaped +destruction. Among the rest, a boy of the half-breed escaped unhurt in +the midst of the flames. His safety was ascribed by the Indians to the +Great Spirit, who had saved him on account of his being white. But a +much more natural cause was the presence of mind of his mother, who, +seeing no hopes of carrying off her son, threw him on the ground, and, +covering him with the fresh hide of a buffalo, escaped herself from the +flames. As soon as the fire had passed, she returned, and found him +untouched; the skin having prevented the flame from reaching the grass +where he lay." + + +A COUNCIL. + +"After making eleven miles, we reached an old field, where the Mandans +had cultivated grain last summer. We encamped for the night about half a +mile below the first village of the Mandans. As soon as we arrived, a +crowd of men, women, and children, came down to see us. Capt. Lewis +returned with the principal chiefs to the village, while the others +remained with us during the evening. The object which seemed to surprise +them most was a corn-mill, fixed to the boat, which we had occasion to +use; while they looked on, and were delighted at observing the ease +with which it reduced the grain to powder. + +"Among others who visited us was the son of the grand chief of the +Mandans, who had both his little fingers cut off at the second joint. On +inquiring into this injury, we found that the custom was to express +grief for the death of relations by some corporeal suffering, and that +the usual mode was to lose a joint of the little finger, or sometimes of +other fingers. + +"Oct. 29, 1804.--The morning was fine, and we prepared our presents and +speech for the council. At ten o'clock, the chiefs were all assembled +under an awning of our sails. That the impression might be the more +forcible, the men were all paraded; and the council opened by a +discharge from the swivel of the boat. Capt. Lewis then delivered a +speech, which, like those we had already made, intermingled advice with +assurances of friendship and trade. While he was speaking, the Ahnahaway +chief grew very restless, and observed that he could not wait long, as +his camp was exposed to the hostilities of the Shoshonees. He was +instantly rebuked with great dignity, by one of the chiefs, for this +violation of decorum at such a moment, and remained quiet during the +rest of the council. This being over, we proceeded to distribute the +presents with great ceremony. One chief of each town was acknowledged +by the gift of a flag, a medal with the likeness of the President of the +United States, a uniform coat, hat, and feather. To the second chiefs we +gave a medal representing some domestic animals, and a loom for weaving; +to the third chiefs, medals with the impression of a farmer sowing +grain. A variety of other products were distributed; but none seemed to +give more satisfaction than an iron corn-mill which we gave them. + +"In the evening, our men danced among themselves to the music of the +violin, to the great amusement of the Indians." + + +THEY ENCAMP FOR THE WINTER. + +"Friday, Nov. 7, 1804.--Capt. Clarke having examined the shores, and +found a position where there was plenty of timber, we encamped, and +began to fell trees to build our huts. The timber which we employ is +cotton-wood (poplar) and elm, with some ash of inferior size. By the +8th, our huts were advanced very well; on the 13th, we unloaded the +boat, and stowed away the contents in a storehouse which we had built. + +"Nov. 20.--This day we moved into our huts, which are now completed. We +call our place Fort Mandan. It is situated on a point of low ground on +the north side of the Missouri, covered with tall and heavy cotton-wood. +The works consist of two rows of huts or sheds, forming an angle where +they join each other; each row containing four rooms of fourteen feet +square and seven feet high, with plank ceiling, and the roof slanting so +as to form a loft above the rooms, the highest part of which is eighteen +feet from the ground. The backs of the huts formed a wall of that +height; and, opposite the angle, the place of the wall was supplied by +picketing. In the area were two rooms for stores and provisions. The +latitude, by observation, is 47 deg. 22', long. 101 deg.; and the computed +distance from the mouth of the Missouri, sixteen hundred miles. + +"Nov. 21.--We are now settled in our winter habitation, and shall wait +with much impatience the first return of spring to continue our +journey." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +INDIAN TRIBES. + + +"The villages near which we are established are the residence of three +distinct nations,--the Mandans, the Ahnahaways, and the Minnetarees. The +Mandans say, that, many years ago, their tribe was settled in nine +villages, the ruins of which we passed about eighty miles below. Finding +themselves wasting away before the small-pox and the Sioux, they moved +up the river, and planted themselves opposite the Ricaras. Their numbers +are very much reduced, and they now constitute but two villages,--one on +each side of the river, and at a distance of three miles from each +other. Both villages together may raise about three hundred and fifty +men." + + +AHNAHAWAYS. + +"Four miles from the lower Mandan village is one inhabited by the +Ahnahaways. This nation formerly dwelt on the Missouri, about thirty +miles below where they now live. The Assinaboins and Sioux forced them +to a spot five miles higher, and thence, by a second emigration, to +their present situation, in order to obtain an asylum near the +Minnetarees. Their whole force is about fifty men." + + +MINNETAREES. + +"About half a mile from this village, and in the same open plain with +it, is a village of Minnetarees, who are about one hundred and fifty men +in number. One and a half miles above this village is a second of the +same tribe, who may be considered the proper Minnetaree nation. It is +situated in a beautiful plain, and contains four hundred and fifty +warriors. The Mandans say that this people came out of the water to the +east, and settled near them. The Minnetarees, however, assert that they +grew where they now live, and will never emigrate from the spot; the +Great Spirit having declared, that, if they move, they will all perish. + +"The inhabitants of these villages, all of which are within the compass +of six miles, live in harmony with each other. Their languages differ to +some extent; but their long residence together has enabled them to +understand one another's speech as to objects of daily occurrence, and +obvious to the senses. + +"All these tribes are at deadly feud with the Sioux, who are much more +powerful, and are consequently objects of continual apprehension. The +presence of our force kept the peace for the present. + +"Almost the whole of that vast tract of country comprised between the +Mississippi, the Red River of Lake Winnipeg, the Saskatchawan, and the +Missouri, is loosely occupied by a great nation whose primitive name is +Dahcotas, but who are called Sioux by the French, Sues by the English. +They are divided into numerous tribes, named Yanktons, Tetons, +Assinaboins, &c. These tribes are sometimes at war with one another, but +still acknowledge relationship, and are recognized by similarity of +language and by tradition." + + +RELIGION. + +"The religion of the Mandans consists in the belief of one Great Spirit +presiding over their destinies. This Being must be in the nature of a +good genius, since it is associated with the healing art; and the Great +Spirit is synonymous with Great Medicine,--a name also applied to every +thing they do not comprehend. They also believe in a multiplicity of +inferior spirits. Each individual selects for himself the particular +object of his devotion, which is termed his Medicine, and is either an +invisible being, or more commonly some animal, which thenceforward +becomes his protector, or his intercessor with the Great Spirit. To +propitiate the Medicine, every attention is lavished, and every personal +consideration is sacrificed. 'I was lately owner of seventeen horses,' +said a Mandan; 'but I have offered them all up to my Medicine, and am +now poor.' He had in reality taken them into the plain, and, turning +them loose, committed them to the care of his Medicine, and abandoned +them. + +"Their belief in a future state is connected with a tradition of their +origin. The whole nation, they say, once dwelt in one large village +underground. A grape-vine extended its roots down to their habitation; +and the earth, being broken round its stem, gave them a view of the +light. Some of the more adventurous climbed up the vine, and were +delighted with the sight of the earth, which they found covered with +buffaloes, and rich with every kind of fruit. Returning with the grapes +they had gathered, their countrymen were so pleased with the taste, that +the whole nation resolved to leave their dull residence for the upper +region. Men, women, and children ascended by means of the vine; but, +when about half the nation had reached the surface, a corpulent woman, +who was clambering up the vine, broke it with her weight, and, falling, +closed up the cavity. Those who had reached the surface, thus excluded +from their original seats, cherish the hopes of returning there when +they die." + + +INDIAN MANNERS. + +The following extract imparts some traits of Indian manners:-- + +"Nov. 22.--This morning, the sentinel informed us that an Indian was +about to kill his wife near the fort. We went to the house of our +interpreter, where we found the parties, and, after forbidding any +violence, inquired into the cause of his intending to commit such an +atrocity. It appeared that, some days ago, a quarrel had taken place +between him and his wife, in consequence of which she had taken refuge +in the house where the wives of our interpreter lived. By running away, +she forfeited her life, which might be lawfully taken by the husband. He +was now come for the purpose of completing his revenge. We gave him a +few presents, and tried to persuade him to take his wife home. The +grand chief, too, happened to arrive at the same moment, and reproached +him with his violence; till at length husband and wife went off +together, but by no means in a state of much apparent connubial +felicity." + + +THE WEATHER. + +"Dec. 12, 1804.--The thermometer at sunrise was thirty-eight degrees +below zero; on the 16th, twenty-two below; on the 17th, forty-five +below. On the 19th, it moderated a little. Notwithstanding the cold, we +observed the Indians at the village engaged, out in the open air, at a +game which resembles billiards. The platform, which answered for a +table, was formed with timber, smoothed and joined so as to be as level +as the floor of one of our houses. Instead of balls, they had circular +disks made of clay-stone, and flat like checkers." + + +THE ARGALI. + +"Dec. 22.--A number of squaws brought corn to trade for small articles +with the men. Among other things, we procured two horns of the animal +called by the hunters the Rocky-Mountain sheep, and by naturalists the +argali. The animal is about the size of a small elk or large deer; the +horns winding like those of a ram, which they resemble also in texture, +though larger and thicker. + +"Dec. 23.--The weather was fine and warm. We were visited by crowds of +Indians of all description, who came either to trade, or from mere +curiosity. Among the rest, Kagohami, the Little Raven, brought his wife +and son, loaded with corn; and she entertained us with a favorite Mandan +dish,--a mixture of pumpkins, beans, corn, and choke-cherries, all +boiled together in a kettle, and forming a composition by no means +unpalatable. + +"Dec. 25.--Christmas Day. We were awakened before day by a discharge of +fire-arms from the party. We had told the Indians not to visit us, as it +was one of our great Medicine-days; so that the men remained at home, +and amused themselves in various ways, particularly with dancing, in +which they take great pleasure. The American flag was hoisted for the +first time in the fort; the best provisions we had were brought out; and +this, with a little brandy, enabled them to pass the day in great +festivity." + + +THE BLACKSMITH. + +"Dec. 27.--We were fortunate enough to have among our men a good +blacksmith, whom we set to work to make a variety of articles. His +operations seemed to surprise the Indians who came to see us; but +nothing could equal their astonishment at the bellows, which they +considered a _very great Medicine_." + + +THE DYING CHIEF. + +"Kagohami came to see us early. His village was afflicted by the death +of one of their aged chiefs, who, from his account, must have been more +than a hundred years old. Just as he was dying, he requested his +grand-children to dress him in his best robe, and carry him up to a +hill, and seat him on a stone, with his face down the river, towards +their old village, that he might go straight to his brother, who had +passed before him to the ancient village underground." + + +THE MEDICINE-STONE. + +"Oheenaw and Shahaka came down to see us, and mentioned that several of +their countrymen had gone to consult their _Medicine-stone_ as to the +prospects of the following year. This Medicine-stone is the great oracle +of the Mandans, and whatever it announces is believed with implicit +confidence. Every spring, and on some occasions during the summer, a +deputation visits the sacred spot, where there is a thick, porous stone +twenty feet in circumference, with a smooth surface. Having reached the +place, the ceremony of smoking to it is performed by the deputies, who +alternately take a whiff themselves, and then present the pipe to the +stone. After this, they retire to an adjoining wood for the night, +during which it may be safely presumed all the embassy do not sleep; +and, in the morning, they read the destinies of the nation in the white +marks on the stone, which those who made them are at no loss to +decipher. The Minnetarees have a stone of a similar kind, which has the +same qualities, and the same influence over the nation." + + +THE INDIANS' ENDURANCE OF COLD. + +"Jan. 10, 1805.--The weather now exhibited the intensity of cold. This +morning, at sunrise, the mercury stood at forty degrees below zero. One +of the men, separated from the rest in hunting, was out all night. In +the morning he returned, and told us that he had made a fire, and kept +himself tolerably warm. A young Indian, about thirteen years of age, +came in soon after. He had been overtaken by the night, and had slept in +the snow, with no covering but a pair of deer-skin moccasons and +leggings, and a buffalo-robe. His feet were frozen; but we restored +them by putting them in cold water, rendering him every attention in our +power. Another Indian, who had been missing, returned about the same +time. Although his dress was very thin, and he had slept in the snow, +without a fire, he had not suffered any inconvenience. These Indians +support the rigors of the season in a way which we had hitherto thought +impossible." + + +SUPPLIES OF FOOD. + +"Our supplies are chiefly procured by hunting; but occasional additions +are made by the Indians, sometimes in the way of gifts, and sometimes in +exchange for the services of the blacksmith, who is a most important +member of the party. + +"Feb. 18.--Our stock of meat is exhausted, so that we must confine +ourselves to vegetable diet till the return of our hunters. For this, +however, we are at no loss, since yesterday and to-day our blacksmith +got large quantities of corn from the Indians who came to the fort. + +"Sunday, March 3.--The men are all employed in preparing the boats. We +are visited by a party of Indians with corn. A flock of ducks passed up +the river to-day. + +"Wednesday, 13.--We had a fine day, and a south-west wind. Many Indians +came to see us, who are so anxious for battle-axes, that our smiths have +not a moment's leisure, and procure us an abundance of corn." + + +HUNTING BUFFALOES ON THE ICE. + +"March 25, 1805.--A fine day, the wind south-west. The river rose nine +inches, and the ice began breaking away. Our canoes are now nearly +ready, and we expect to set out as soon as the river is sufficiently +clear of ice to permit us to pass. + +"March 29.--The ice came down this morning in great quantities. We have +had few Indians at the fort for the last three or four days, as they are +now busy in catching the floating buffaloes. Every spring, as the river +is breaking up, the surrounding plains are set on fire, and the +buffaloes tempted to cross the river in search of the fresh grass which +immediately succeeds to the burning. On their way, they are often +insulated on a large cake or mass of ice which floats down the river. +The Indians now select the most favorable points for attack, and, as the +buffalo approaches, run with astonishing agility across the trembling +ice, sometimes pressing lightly a cake of not more than two feet +square. The animal is, of course, unsteady, and his footsteps insecure, +on this new element, so that he can make but little resistance; and the +hunter who has given him his death-wound paddles his icy boat to the +shore, and secures his prey." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE MARCH RESUMED. + + +From the 1st of November, 1804, to the 1st of April, 1805, the +expedition remained stationary at their fort. Some of their number had +been sent back to the States with despatches to the Government, and with +specimens of the natural productions of the country. On resuming their +march on the 4th of April, the party consisted of thirty-two persons. +Besides the commanders, there were three sergeants,--Ordway, Prior, and +Gass; twenty-three privates, besides Capt. Clark's black servant York; +two interpreters,--George Drewyer and Toussaint Chaboneau. The wife of +Chaboneau, an Indian woman, with her young child, accompanied her +husband. All this party, with the luggage, was stored in six small +canoes and two pirogues. They left the fort with fair weather, and, +after making four miles, encamped on the north side of the river, nearly +opposite the first Mandan village. We continue their journal. + + +THE RIVER-SHORE. + +"April 8.--The river-banks exhibit indications of volcanic agency. The +bluffs which we passed to-day are upwards of one hundred feet high, +composed of yellow clay and sand, with horizontal strata of carbonated +wood resembling pit-coal, from one to five feet in thickness, scattered +through the bluff at different elevations. Great quantities of +pumice-stone and lava are seen in many parts of the hills, where they +are broken and washed into gullies by the rain. We passed a bluff which +is on fire, and throws out quantities of smoke, which has a strong, +sulphurous smell. On the sides of the hills is a white substance, which +appears in considerable quantities on the surface, and tastes like a +mixture of common salt with Glauber salts. Many of the springs which +come from the foot of the hills are so impregnated with this substance, +that the water has an unpleasant taste, and a purgative effect." + + +THE PRAIRIE-MICE. + +"April, 1805.--We saw, but could not procure, an animal that burrows in +the ground, similar to the burrowing-squirrel, except that it is only +one-third of its size. This may be the animal whose works we have often +seen in the plains and prairies. They consist of a little hillock of ten +or twelve pounds of loose earth, which would seem to have been reversed +from a flower-pot; and no aperture is seen in the ground from which it +could have been brought. On removing gently the earth, you discover that +the soil has been broken in a circle of about an inch and a half in +diameter, where the ground is looser, though still no opening is +perceptible. When we stopped for dinner, the Indian woman went out, and, +penetrating with a sharp stick the holes of the mice, brought a quantity +of wild artichokes, which the mice collect, and hoard in large +quantities. The root is white, of an ovate form, from one to three +inches long, and generally of the size of a man's finger; and two, four, +and sometimes six roots are attached to a single stalk. Its flavor, as +well as the stalk that issues from it, resemble those of the Jerusalem +artichoke, except that the latter is much larger." + + +THE YELLOW-STONE RIVER. + +"Certain signs, known to the hunters, induced them to believe that we +were at no great distance from the Yellow-stone River. In order to +prevent delay, Capt. Lewis determined to go on by land in search of +that river, and make the necessary observations, so as to enable us to +proceed immediately after the boats should join him. + +"On leaving the party, he pursued his route along the foot of the hills; +ascending which, the wide plains watered by the Missouri and the +Yellow-stone spread themselves before his eye, occasionally varied with +the wood of the banks, enlivened by the windings of the two rivers, and +animated by vast herds of buffaloes, deer, elk, and antelope." + + +NATURAL HISTORY. + +"May, 1805.--We reached the mouth of a river flowing from the north, +which, from the unusual number of porcupines near it, we called +Porcupine River. These animals are so careless and clumsy, that we can +approach very near without disturbing them as they are feeding on the +young willows. The porcupine is common in all parts of the territory, +and for its quills is held in high estimation by the Indians. It is +interesting to see with how much ingenuity, and in how many various +forms, the Indians manufacture these quills into ornamental work, such +as moccasons, belts, and various other articles." + + +WOLVES. + +"The wolves are very numerous, and of two species. First, the small +wolf, or burrowing dog of the prairies, which is found in almost all the +open plains. It is of an intermediate size, between the fox and dog, +very delicately formed, fleet and active. The ears are large, erect, and +pointed; the head long and pointed, like that of a fox; the tail long +and bushy; the hair and fur of a pale reddish-brown, and much coarser +than that of the fox. These animals usually associate in bands of ten or +twelve, and are rarely, if ever, seen alone; not being able singly to +attack a deer or antelope. They live, and rear their young, in burrows, +which they fix near some pass much frequented by game, and sally out in +a body against any animal which they think they can overpower, but, on +the slightest alarm, retreat to their burrows, making a noise exactly +like that of a small dog. + +"The second species is lower, shorter in the legs, and thicker, than the +Atlantic wolf. They do not burrow, nor do they bark, but howl; and they +frequent the woods and plains, and skulk along the herds of buffaloes, +in order to attack the weary or wounded." + + +ELK. + +"Among the animals of the deer kind, the elk is the largest and most +majestic. It combines beauty with magnitude and strength; and its large, +towering horns give it an imposing appearance. Its senses are so keen in +apprehension, that it is difficult to be approached; and its speed in +flight is so great, that it mocks the chase. Its flesh resembles beef, +but is less highly flavored, and is much sought for by the Indians and +hunters. Its skin is esteemed, and much used in articles of clothing and +for moccasons." + + +BEAVERS. + +"We saw many beavers to-day. The beaver seems to contribute very much to +the widening of the river and the formation of islands. They begin by +damming up the channels of about twenty yards width between the islands. +This obliges the river to seek another outlet; and, as soon as this is +effected, the channel stopped by the beaver becomes filled with mud and +sand. The industrious animal is thus driven to another channel, which +soon shares the same fate; till the river spreads on all sides, and cuts +the projecting points of land into islands. + +"The beaver dams differ in shape, according to the nature of the place +in which they are built. If the water in the river or creek have but +little motion, the dam is almost straight; but, when the current is more +rapid, it is always made with a considerable curve, convex toward the +stream. The materials made use of are drift-wood, green willows, birch, +and poplars, if they can be got; also mud and stones, intermixed in such +a manner as must evidently contribute to the strength of the dam. In +places which have been long frequented by beavers undisturbed, their +dams, by frequent repairing, become a solid bank, capable of resisting a +great force both of water and ice; and as the willow, poplar, and birch +generally take root, and shoot up, they, by degrees, form a kind of +regular planted hedge, in some places so tall that birds build their +nests among the branches. The beaver-houses are constructed of the same +materials as their dams, and are always proportioned in size to the +number of inhabitants, which seldom exceeds four old and six or eight +young ones. The houses are of a much ruder construction than their dams: +for, notwithstanding the sagacity of these animals, it has never been +observed that they aim at any other convenience in their house than to +have a dry place to lie on; and there they usually eat their victuals, +such as they take out of the water. Their food consists of roots of +plants, like the pond-lily, which grows at the bottom of the lakes and +rivers. They also eat the bark of trees, particularly those of the +poplar, birch, and willow. + +"The instinct of the beavers leading them to live in associations, they +are in an unnatural position, when, in any locality, their numbers are +so much reduced as to prevent their following this instinct. The beaver +near the settlement is sad and solitary: his works have been swept away, +his association broken up, and he is reduced to the necessity of +burrowing in the river-bank, instead of building a house for himself. +Such beavers are called 'terriers.' One traveller says that these +solitaries are also called 'old bachelors.'" + + +THE WHITE, BROWN, OR GRISLY BEAR. + +"April 29.--All these names are given to the same species, which +probably changes in color with the season, or with the time of life. Of +the strength and ferocity of this animal, the Indians give dreadful +accounts. They never attack him but in parties of six or eight persons, +and, even then, are often defeated with the loss of some of the party. + +"May 18.--One of our men who had been suffered to go ashore came running +to the boats with cries and every symptom of terror. As soon as he could +command his breath, he told us, that, about a mile below, he had shot a +white bear, which immediately turned and ran towards him, but, being +wounded, had not been able to overtake him. Capt. Lewis, with seven men, +went in search of the bear, and, having found his track, followed him by +the blood for a mile, came up with him, and shot him with two balls +through the skull. He was a monstrous animal, and a most formidable +enemy. Our man had shot him through the centre of the lungs: yet the +bear had pursued him furiously for half a mile; then returned more than +twice that distance, and, with his talons, dug himself a bed in the +earth, two feet deep and five feet long, and was perfectly alive when +they found him, which was at least two hours after he received the +wound. The fleece and skin of the bear were a heavy burden for two men; +and the oil amounted to eight gallons. + +"The wonderful power of life of these animals, added to their great +strength, renders them very formidable. Their very track in the mud or +sand, which we have sometimes found eleven inches long and seven and a +quarter wide, exclusive of the talons, is alarming; and we had rather +encounter two Indians than a single brown bear. There is no chance of +killing them by a single shot, unless the ball is sent through the +brain; and this is very difficult to be done, on account of two large +muscles which cover the side of the forehead, and the sharp projection +of the frontal bone, which is very thick." + + + NOTE. + + Their strength is astonishingly great. Lieut. Stein of the + dragoons, a man of undoubted veracity, told me he saw some + buffaloes passing near some bushes where a grisly bear lay + concealed: the bear, with one stroke, tore three ribs from a + buffalo, and left it dead.--_Parker._ + + Although endowed with such strength, and powers of destruction, + the grisly bear is not disposed to begin the attack. Mr. + Drummond, a later traveller, states, that, in his excursions + over the Rocky Mountains, he had frequent opportunity of + observing the manners of these animals; and it often happened, + that in turning the point of a rock, or sharp angle of a + valley, he came suddenly upon one or more of them. On such + occasions they reared on their hind-legs, and made a loud noise + like a person breathing quick, but much harsher. He kept his + ground, without attempting to molest them; and they on their + part, after attentively regarding him for some time, generally + wheeled round, and galloped off: though, from their known + disposition, there is little doubt but he would have been torn + in pieces, had he lost his presence of mind and attempted to + fly. When he discovered them at a distance, he often frightened + them away by beating on a large tin box in which he carried his + specimens of plants. + + +THE BLACK BEAR. + +"The black bear, common in the United States, is scarcely more than half +the size of the grisly bear. Its favorite food is berries of various +kinds; but, when these are not to be procured, it lives upon roots, +insects, fish, eggs, and such birds and quadrupeds as it can surprise. +It passes the winter in a torpid state, selecting a spot for its den +under a fallen tree, and, having scratched away a portion of the soil, +retires to the place at the commencement of a snow storm, when the snow +soon furnishes it with a close, warm covering. Its breath makes a small +opening in the den, and the quantity of hoar-frost which gathers round +the hole serves to betray its retreat to the hunter. In more southern +districts, where the timber is of larger size, bears often shelter +themselves in hollow trees." + + +BUFFALOES. + +"The buffalo is about as large as our domestic cattle; and their long, +shaggy, woolly hair, which covers their head, neck, and shoulders, +gives them a formidable appearance, and, at a distance, something like +that of the lion. In many respects, they resemble our horned cattle; are +cloven-footed, chew the cud, and select the same kind of food. Their +flesh is in appearance and taste much like beef, but of superior flavor. +Their heads are formed like the ox, perhaps a little more round and +broad; and, when they run, they carry them rather low. Their horns, +ears, and eyes, as seen through their shaggy hair, appear small, and, +cleared from their covering, are not large. Their legs and feet are +small and trim; the fore-legs covered with the long hair of the +shoulders, as low down as the knee. Though their figure is clumsy in +appearance, they run swiftly, and for a long time without much +slackening their speed; and, up steep hills or mountains, they more than +equal the best horses. They unite in herds, and, when feeding, scatter +over a large space; but, when fleeing from danger, they collect into +dense columns: and, having once laid their course, they are not easily +diverted from it, whatever may oppose. So far are they from being a +fierce or revengeful animal, that they are very shy and timid; and in no +case did we see them offer to make an attack but in self-defence, and +then they always sought the first opportunity to escape. When they run, +they lean alternately from side to side. They are fond of rolling upon +the ground like horses, which is not practised by our domestic cattle. +This is so much their diversion, that large places are found without +grass, and considerably excavated by them." + + NOTE. Rev. Mr. Parker thus describes a buffalo-hunt:-- + + "To-day we unexpectedly saw before us a large herd of + buffaloes. All halted to make preparation for the chase. The + young men, and all the good hunters, prepared themselves, + selected the swiftest horses, examined the few guns they had, + and also took a supply of arrows with their bows. They advanced + towards the herd of buffaloes with great caution, lest they + should frighten them before they should make a near approach, + and also to reserve the power of their horses for the chase, + when it should be necessary to bring it into full requisition. + When the buffaloes took the alarm, and fled, the rush was made, + each Indian selecting for himself the one to which he happened + to come nearest. All were in swift motion, scouring the valley. + A cloud of dust began to rise; firing of guns, and shooting of + arrows, followed in close succession. Soon, here and there, + buffaloes were seen prostrated; and the women, who followed + close in the rear, began the work of securing the acquisition, + and the men were away again in pursuit of the flying herd. + Those in the chase, when as near as two rods, shoot and wheel, + expecting the wounded animal to turn upon them. The horses + seemed to understand the way to avoid danger. As soon as the + wounded animal flies again, the chase is renewed; and such is + the alternate wheeling and chasing, until the buffalo sinks + beneath his wounds." + + +INDIAN METHOD OF HUNTING THE BUFFALO. + +"May 30, 1805.--We passed a precipice about one hundred and twenty feet +high, under which lay scattered the fragments of at least a hundred +carcasses of buffaloes. These buffaloes had been chased down the +precipice in a way very common on the Missouri, and by which vast herds +are destroyed in a moment. The mode of hunting is to select one of the +most active and fleet young men, who is disguised by a buffalo-skin +round his body; the skin of the head, with the ears and horns, fastened +on his own head in such a way as to deceive the buffaloes. Thus dressed, +he fixes himself at a convenient distance between a herd of buffaloes +and any of the river precipices, which sometimes extend for some miles. +His companions, in the mean time, get in the rear and side of the herd, +and, at a given signal, show themselves, and advance towards the +buffaloes. They 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 to retreat, or even to stop. They are pressed on by the +hindmost rank, who, seeing no danger but from the hunters, goad on those +before them, till the whole are precipitated over the cliff, and the +shore is covered with their dead bodies. Sometimes, in this perilous +adventure, the Indian decoy is either trodden under foot, or, missing +his footing in the cliff, is urged down the precipice by the falling +herd." + + +WHICH IS THE TRUE RIVER? + +"June 3, 1805.--We came to for the night, for the purpose of examining +in the morning a large river which enters opposite to us. It now became +an interesting question, which of those two streams is what the Indians +call Ahmateahza, or the Missouri, which, they tell us, has its head +waters 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 have been +tracing does not come near the Columbia, and be obliged to turn back, +we shall have lost the travelling season, and seriously disheartened +our men. We determined, therefore, to examine well before deciding on +our course, and, for this purpose, despatched two canoes with three men +up each of the streams, with orders to ascertain the width, depth, and +rapidity of the currents, so as to judge of their comparative bodies of +water. Parties were also sent out by land to penetrate the country, and +discover from the rising grounds, if possible, the distant bearings of +the two rivers. While they were gone, the two commanders ascended +together the high grounds in the fork of the two rivers, whence they had +an extensive prospect of the surrounding country. On every side, it was +spread into one vast plain covered with verdure, in which innumerable +herds of buffaloes were roaming, attended by their enemies the wolves. +Some flocks of elk also were seen; and the solitary antelopes were +scattered, with their young, over the plain. The direction of the rivers +could not be long distinguished, as they were soon lost in the extent of +the plain. + +"On our return, we continued our examination. The width of the north +branch is two hundred yards; that of the south is three hundred and +seventy-two. The north, though narrower, is deeper than the south: its +waters also are of the same whitish-brown color, thickness, and +turbidness as the Missouri. They run in the same boiling and roaring +manner which has uniformly characterized the Missouri; and its bed is +composed of some gravel, but principally mud. The south fork is broader, +and its waters are perfectly transparent. The current is rapid, but the +surface smooth and unruffled; and its bed is composed of round and flat +smooth stones, like those of rivers issuing from a mountainous country. + +"In the evening, the exploring parties returned, after ascending the +rivers in canoes for some distance, then continuing on foot, just +leaving themselves time to return by night. Their accounts were far from +deciding the important question of our future route; and we therefore +determined each of us to ascend one of the rivers during a day and a +half's march, or farther, if necessary for our satisfaction. + +"Tuesday, June 4, 1805.--This morning, Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clarke set +out, each with a small party, by land, to explore the two rivers. Capt. +Lewis traced the course of the north fork for fifty-nine miles, and +found, that, for all that distance, its direction was northward; and, as +the latitude we were now in was 47 deg. 24', it was highly improbable, +that, by going farther north, we should find between this and the +Saskatchawan any stream which can, as the Indians assure us the Missouri +does, possess a navigable current for some distance within the Rocky +Mountains. + +"These considerations, with others drawn from the observations of Capt. +Clarke upon the south branch, satisfied the chiefs that the South River +was the true Missouri; but the men generally were of a contrary opinion, +and much of their belief depended upon Crusatte, an experienced waterman +on the Missouri, who gave it as his opinion that the north fork was the +main river. In order that nothing might be omitted which could prevent +our falling into error, it was agreed that one of us should ascend the +southern branch by land until he reached either the falls or the +mountains. In the mean time, in order to lighten our burdens as much as +possible, we determined to deposit here all the heavy baggage which we +could possibly spare, as well as some provisions, salt, powder, and +tools. The weather being fair, we dried all our baggage and merchandise, +and made our deposit, or cache. Our cache is made in this manner: In the +high plain on the side of the river, we choose a dry situation, and, +drawing a small circle of about twenty inches diameter, remove the sod +as carefully as possible. The hole is then sunk perpendicularly a foot +deep, or more if the ground be not firm. It is now worked gradually +wider as it deepens, till at length it becomes six or seven feet deep, +shaped nearly like a kettle, or the lower part of a large still, with +the bottom somewhat sunk at the centre. As the earth is dug, it is +carefully laid on a skin or cloth, in which it is carried away, and +thrown into the river, so as to leave no trace of it. A floor to the +cache is then made of dry sticks, on which is thrown hay, or a hide +perfectly dry. The goods, being well aired and dried, are laid on this +floor, and prevented from touching the sides by other dried sticks, as +the baggage is stowed away. When the hole is nearly full, a skin is laid +over the goods; and, on this, earth is thrown, and beaten down, until, +with the addition of the sod, the whole is on a level with the ground, +and there remains no appearance of an excavation. Careful measurements +are taken to secure the ready recovery of the cache on the return; and +the deposit is left in perfect confidence of finding every thing safe +and sound after the lapse of months, or even years." + + +THE FALLS OF THE MISSOURI. + +"June 12.--This morning, Capt. Lewis set out with four men on an +exploration, to ascend the southern branch, agreeably to our plan. He +left the bank of the river in order to avoid the deep ravines, which +generally extend from the shore to a distance of two or three miles in +the plain. On the second day, having travelled about sixty miles from +the point of departure, on a sudden their ears were saluted with the +agreeable sound of falling water; and, as they advanced, a spray which +seemed driven by the wind rose above the plain like a column of smoke, +and vanished in an instant. Towards this point, Capt. Lewis directed his +steps; and the noise, increasing as he approached, soon became too +powerful to be ascribed to any thing but the Great Falls of the +Missouri. Having travelled seven miles after first hearing the sound, he +reached the falls. The hills, as he approached the river, were difficult +of transit, and two hundred feet high. Down these he hurried, and, +seating himself on a rock, enjoyed the spectacle of this stupendous +object, which, ever since the creation, had been lavishing its +magnificence upon the desert, unseen by civilized man. + +"The river, immediately at its cascade, is three hundred yards wide, and +is pressed in by a perpendicular cliff, which rises to about one hundred +feet, and extends up the stream for a mile. On the other side, the bluff +is also perpendicular for three hundred yards above the falls. For +ninety or a hundred yards from the left cliff, the water falls in one +smooth, even sheet, over a precipice eighty feet in height. The +remaining part of the river rushes with an accelerated current, but, +being received as it falls by irregular rocks below, forms a brilliant +spectacle of perfectly white foam, two hundred yards in length, and +eighty in height. The spray is dissipated into a thousand shapes, on all +of which the sun impresses the brightest colors of the rainbow. The +principal cascade is succeeded by others of less grandeur, but of +exceeding beauty and great variety, for about twenty miles in +extent."[1] + + +A PORTAGE. + +"June 21.--Having reached the falls, we found ourselves obliged to get +past them by transporting our boats overland by what is called a +_portage_. The distance was eighteen miles. It was necessary to +construct a truck or carriage to transport the boats; and the making of +the wheels and the necessary framework took ten days. The axle-trees, +made of an old mast, broke repeatedly, and the cottonwood tongues gave +way; so that the men were forced to carry as much baggage as they could +on their backs. The prickly pear annoyed them much by sticking through +their moccasons. It required several trips to transport all the canoes +and baggage; and, though the men put double soles to their moccasons, +the prickly pear, and the sharp points of earth formed by the trampling +of the buffaloes during the late rains, wounded their feet; and, as the +men were laden as heavily as their strength would permit, the crossing +was very painful. They were obliged to halt and rest frequently; and, at +almost every stopping-place, they would throw themselves down, and fall +asleep in an instant. Yet no one complained, and they went on with +cheerfulness. + +"Having decided to leave here one of the pirogues, we set to work to fit +up a boat of skins, upon a frame of iron which had been prepared at the +armory at Harper's Ferry. It was thirty-six feet long, four feet and a +half wide at top, and twenty-six inches wide at bottom. It was with +difficulty we found the necessary timber to complete it, even tolerably +straight sticks, four and a half feet long. The sides were formed of +willow-bark, and, over this, elk and buffalo skins." + + +A NARROW ESCAPE. + +"June 29.--Capt. Clarke, having lost some notes and remarks which he had +made on first ascending the river, determined to go up along its banks +in order to supply the deficiency. He had reached the falls, accompanied +by his negro-servant York, and by Chaboneau, the half-breed Indian +interpreter, and his wife with her young child. On his arrival there, he +observed a dark cloud in the west, which threatened rain; and looked +around for some shelter. About a quarter of a mile above the falls he +found a deep ravine, where there were some shelving rocks, under which +they took refuge. They were perfectly sheltered from the rain, and +therefore laid down their guns, compass, and other articles which they +carried with them. The shower was at first moderate; it then increased +to a heavy rain, the effects of which they did not feel. Soon after, a +torrent of rain and hail descended. The rain seemed to fall in a solid +mass, and, instantly collecting in the ravine, came rolling down in a +dreadful torrent, carrying the mud and rocks, and every thing that +opposed it. Capt. Clarke fortunately saw it a moment before it reached +them, and springing up, with his gun in his left hand, with his right he +clambered up the steep bluff, pushing on the Indian woman with her child +in her arms. Her husband, too, had seized her hand, and was pulling her +up the hill, but was so terrified at the danger, that, but for Capt. +Clarke, he would have been lost, with his wife and child. So +instantaneous was the rise of the water, that, before Capt. Clarke had +secured his gun and begun to ascend the bank, the water was up to his +waist; and he could scarce get up faster than it rose, till it reached +the height of fifteen feet, with a furious current, which, had they +waited a moment longer, would have swept them into the river, just above +the falls, down which they must inevitably have been carried. As it was, +Capt. Clarke lost his compass, Chaboneau his gun, shot-pouch, and +tomahawk; and the Indian woman had just time to grasp her child before +the net in which it lay was carried down the current." + + +PROGRESS RESUMED. + +"July 4.--The boat was now completed, except what was in fact the most +difficult part,--the making her seams secure. Having been unsuccessful +in all our attempts to procure tar, we have formed a composition of +pounded charcoal with beeswax and buffalo-tallow to supply its place. If +this resource fail us, it will be very unfortunate, as, in every other +respect, the boat answers our purpose completely. Although not quite +dry, she can be carried with ease by five men: she is very strong, and +will carry a load of eight thousand pounds, with her complement of men. + +"July 9.--The boat having now become sufficiently dry, we gave it a coat +of the composition, then a second, and launched it into the water. She +swam perfectly well. The seats were then fixed, and the oars fitted. But +after a few hours' exposure to the wind, which blew with violence, we +discovered that nearly all the composition had separated from the skins, +so that she leaked very much. To repair this misfortune without pitch +was impossible; and, as none of that article was to be procured, we were +obliged to abandon her, after having had so much labor in the +construction. + +"It now becomes necessary to provide other means for transporting the +baggage which we had intended to stow in her. For this purpose, we shall +want two canoes; but for many miles we have not seen a single tree fit +to be used for that purpose. The hunters, however, report that there is +a low ground about eight miles above us by land, and more than twice +that distance by water, in which we may probably find trees large +enough. Capt. Clarke has therefore determined to set out by land for +that place, with ten of the best workmen, who will be occupied in +building the canoes, till the rest of the party, after taking the boat +to pieces and making the necessary deposits, shall transport the +baggage, and join them with the other six canoes. + +"Capt. Clarke accordingly proceeded on eight miles by land; the distance +by water being twenty-three miles. Here he found two cottonwood-trees, +and proceeded to convert them into boats. The rest of the party took the +iron boat to pieces, and deposited it in a _cache_, or hole, with some +other articles of less importance. + +"July 11.--Sergeant Ordway, with four canoes and eight men, set sail in +the morning to the place where Capt. Clarke had fixed his camp. The +canoes were unloaded and sent back, and the remainder of the baggage in +a second trip was despatched to the upper camp. + +"July 15.--We rose early, embarked all our baggage on board the canoes, +which, though eight in number, were heavily laden, and at ten o'clock +set out on our journey. + +"July 16.--We had now arrived at the point where the Missouri emerges +from the Rocky Mountains. The current of the river becomes stronger as +we advance, and the spurs of the mountain approach towards the river, +which is deep, and not more than seventy yards wide. The low grounds are +now but a few yards in width; yet they furnish room for an Indian road, +which winds under the hills on the north side of the river. The general +range of these hills is from south-east to north-west; and the cliffs +themselves are about eight hundred feet above the water, formed almost +entirely of a hard black rock, on which are scattered a few dwarf pine +and cedar trees. + +"As the canoes were heavily laden, all the men not employed in working +them walked on shore. The navigation is now very laborious. The river is +deep, but with little current; the low grounds are very narrow; the +cliffs are steep, and hang over the river so much, that, in places, we +could not pass them, but were obliged to cross and recross from one side +of the river to the other in order to make our way." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] Dimensions of Niagara Falls,--American, 960 feet wide, 162 feet +high; English, 700 feet wide, 150 feet high. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +JOURNEY CONTINUED. + + +July 4.--Since our arrival at the falls, we have repeatedly heard a +strange noise coming from the mountains, in a direction a little to the +north of west. It is heard at different periods of the day and night, +sometimes when the air is perfectly still and without a cloud; and +consists of one stroke only, or of five or six discharges in quick +succession. It is loud, and resembles precisely the sound of a six-pound +piece of ordnance, at the distance of three miles. The Minnetarees +frequently mentioned this noise, like thunder, which they said the +mountains made; but we had paid no attention to them, believing it to be +some superstition, or else a falsehood. The watermen also of the party +say that the Pawnees and Ricaras give the same account of a noise heard +in the Black Mountains, to the westward of them. The solution of the +mystery, given by the philosophy of the watermen, is, that it is +occasioned by the bursting of the rich mines of silver confined within +the bosom of the mountain.[2] + +"An elk and a beaver are all that were killed to-day: the buffaloes seem +to have withdrawn from our neighborhood. We contrived, however, to +spread a comfortable table in honor of the day; and in the evening gave +the men a drink of spirits, which was the last of our stock." + + +VEGETATION. + +"July 15.--We find the prickly-pear--one of the greatest beauties, as +well as one of the greatest inconveniences, of the plains--now in full +bloom. The sunflower too, a plant common to every part of the Missouri, +is here very abundant, and in bloom. The Indians of the Missouri, and +more especially those who do not cultivate maize, make great use of this +plant for bread, and in thickening their soup. They first parch, and +then pound it between two stones until it is reduced to a fine meal. +Sometimes they add a portion of water, and drink it thus diluted; at +other times they add a sufficient proportion of marmow-fat to reduce it +to the consistency of common dough, and eat it in that manner. This last +composition we preferred to the rest, and thought it at that time very +palatable. + +"There are also great quantities of red, purple, yellow, and black +currants. The currants are very pleasant to the taste, and much +preferable to those of our gardens. The fruit is not so acid, and has a +more agreeable flavor." + + +THE BIG-HORNED OR MOUNTAIN RAM. + +"July 18.--This morning we saw a large herd of the big-horned animals, +who were bounding among the rocks in the opposite cliff with great +agility. These inaccessible spots secure them from all their enemies; +and the only danger they encounter is in wandering among these +precipices, where we should suppose it scarcely possible for any animal +to stand. A single false step would precipitate them at least five +hundred feet into the river. + +"The game continues abundant. We killed to-day the largest male elk we +have yet seen. On placing it in its natural, erect position, we found +that it measured five feet three inches from the point of the hoof to +the top of the shoulder. + +"The antelopes are yet lean. This fleet and quick-sighted animal is +generally the victim of its curiosity. When they first see the hunters, +they run with great velocity. If the hunter lies down on the ground, and +lifts up his arm, his hat, or his foot, the antelope returns on a light +trot to look at the object, and sometimes goes and returns two or three +times, till at last he approaches within reach of the rifle. So, too, +they sometimes leave their flock to go and look at the wolves, who +crouch down, and, if the antelope be frightened at first, repeat the +same manoeuvre, and sometimes relieve each other, till they decoy the +antelope from his party near enough to seize it." + + +THE GATES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + +"July 20.--During the day, in the confined valley through which we are +passing, the heat is almost insupportable; yet, whenever we obtain a +glimpse of the lofty tops of the mountains, we are tantalized with a +view of the snow. A mile and a half farther on, the rocks approach the +river on both sides, forming a most sublime and extraordinary spectacle. +For six miles, these rocks rise perpendicularly from the water's edge +to the height of nearly twelve hundred feet. They are composed of a +black granite near the base; but judging from its lighter color above, +and from fragments that have fallen from it, we suppose the upper part +to be flint, of a yellowish-brown and cream color. Nothing can be +imagined more tremendous than the frowning darkness of these rocks, +which project over the river, and menace us with destruction. The river, +one hundred and fifty yards in width, seems to have forced its channel +down this solid mass: but so reluctantly has it given way, that, during +the whole distance, the water is very deep even at the edges; and, for +the first three miles, there is not a spot, except one of a few yards in +extent, on which a man could stand between the water and the towering +perpendicular of the mountain. The convulsion of the passage must have +been terrible; since, at its outlet, there are vast columns of rock torn +from the mountain, which are strewed on both sides of the river, the +trophies, as it were, of victory. We were obliged to go on some time +after dark, not being able to find a spot large enough to encamp on. +This extraordinary range of rocks we called the Gates of the Rocky +Mountains." + + +NATURAL PRODUCTIONS. + +"July 29.--This morning the hunters brought in some fat deer of the +long-tailed red kind, which are the only kind we have found at this +place. There are numbers of the sandhill-cranes feeding in the meadows. +We caught a young one, which, though it had nearly attained its full +growth, could not fly. It is very fierce, and strikes a severe blow with +its beak. The kingfisher has become quite common this side of the falls; +but we have seen none of the summer duck since leaving that place. Small +birds are also abundant in the plains. Here, too, are great quantities +of grasshoppers, or crickets; and, among other animals, large ants, with +a reddish-brown body and legs, and a black head, which build little +cones of gravel ten or twelve inches high, without a mixture of sticks, +and with but little earth. In the river we see a great abundance of +fish, but cannot tempt them to bite by any thing on our hooks." + + +THE FORKS OF THE MISSOURI. + +"July 28, 1805.--From the height of a limestone cliff, Capt. Lewis +observed the three forks of the Missouri, of which this river is one. +The middle and south-west forks unite at half a mile above the entrance +of the south-east fork. The country watered by these rivers, as far as +the eye could command, was a beautiful combination of meadow and +elevated plain, covered with a rich grass, and possessing more timber +than is usual on the Missouri. A range of high mountains, partially +covered with snow, is seen at a considerable distance, running from +south to west. + +"To the south-east fork the name of Gallatin was assigned, in honor of +the Secretary of the Treasury. On examining the other two streams, it +was difficult to decide which was the larger or real Missouri: they are +each ninety yards wide, and similar in character and appearance. We were +therefore induced to discontinue the name of Missouri, and to give to +the south-west branch the name of Jefferson, in honor of the President +of the United States and the projector of the enterprise; and called the +middle branch Madison, after James Madison, Secretary of State. + +"July 30.--We reloaded our canoes, and began to ascend Jefferson River. +The river soon became very crooked; the current, too, is rapid, impeded +with shoals, which consist of coarse gravel. The islands are numerous. +On the 7th of August, we had, with much fatigue, ascended the river +sixty miles, when we reached the junction of a stream from the +north-west, which we named Wisdom River. We continued, however, to +ascend the south-east branch, which we were satisfied was the true +continuation of the Jefferson." + + +THE SHOSHONEES, OR SNAKE INDIANS. + +"July 28.--We are now very anxious to see the Snake Indians. After +advancing for several hundred miles into this wild and mountainous +country, we may soon expect that the game will abandon us. With no +information of the route, we may be unable to find a passage across the +mountains when we reach the head of the river, at least such an one as +will lead us to the Columbia. And, even were we so fortunate as to find +a branch of that river, the timber which we have hitherto seen in these +mountains does not promise us any wood fit to make canoes; so that our +chief dependence is on meeting some tribe from whom we may procure +horses. + +"Sacajawea, our Indian woman, informs us that we are encamped on the +precise spot where her countrymen, the Snake Indians, had their huts +five years ago, when the Minnetarees came upon them, killed most of the +party, and carried her away prisoner. She does not, however, show any +distress at these recollections, nor any joy at the prospect of being +restored to her country; for she seems to possess the folly, or the +philosophy, of not suffering her feelings to extend beyond the anxiety +of having plenty to eat, and trinkets to wear. + +"Aug. 9.--Persuaded of the absolute necessity of procuring horses to +cross the mountains, it was determined that one of us should proceed in +the morning to the head of the river, and penetrate the mountains till +he found the Shoshonees, or some other nation, who could assist us in +transporting our baggage. Immediately after breakfast, Capt. Lewis took +Drewyer, Shields, and McNeal; and, slinging their knapsacks, they set +out, with a resolution to meet some nation of Indians before they +returned, however long it might be. + +"Aug. 11.--It was not till the third day after commencing their search +that they met with any success. Capt. Lewis perceived with the greatest +delight, at the distance of two miles, a man on horseback coming towards +them. On examining him with the glass, Capt. Lewis saw that he was of a +different nation from any we had hitherto met. He was armed with a bow +and a quiver of arrows, and mounted on an elegant horse without a +saddle; while a small string, attached to the under-jaw, answered as a +bridle. Convinced that he was a Shoshonee, and knowing how much our +success depended upon the friendly offices of that nation, Capt. Lewis +was anxious to approach without alarming him. He therefore advanced +towards the Indian at his usual pace. When they were within a mile of +each other, the Indian suddenly stopped. Capt. Lewis immediately +followed his example; took his blanket from his knapsack, and, holding +it with both hands at the two corners, threw it above his head, and +unfolded it as he brought it to the ground, as if in the act of +spreading it. This signal, which originates in the practice of spreading +a robe or a skin as a seat for guests to whom they wish to show +kindness, is the universal sign of friendship among the Indians. As +usual, Capt. Lewis repeated this signal three times. Still the Indian +kept his position, and looked with an air of suspicion on Drewyer and +Shields, who were now advancing on each side. Capt. Lewis was afraid to +make any signal for them to halt, lest he should increase the suspicions +of the Indian, who began to be uneasy; and they were too distant to hear +his voice. He therefore took from his pack some beads, a looking-glass, +and a few trinkets, which he had brought for the purpose; and, leaving +his gun, advanced unarmed towards the Indian, who remained in the same +position till Capt. Lewis came within two hundred yards of him, when he +turned his horse, and began to move off slowly. Capt. Lewis then called +out to him, as loud as he could, 'Tabba bone,'--which, in the Shoshonee +language, means _White man_; but, looking over his shoulder, the Indian +kept his eyes on Drewyer and Shields, who were still advancing, till +Capt. Lewis made a signal to them to halt. This, Drewyer obeyed; but +Shields did not observe it, and still went forward. The Indian, seeing +Drewyer halt, turned his horse about, as if to wait for Capt. Lewis, who +had now reached within one hundred and fifty paces, repeating the words, +'Tabba bone,' and holding up the trinkets in his hand; at the same time +stripping up his sleeve to show that he was white. The Indian suffered +him to advance within one hundred paces, then suddenly turned his horse, +and, giving him the whip, leaped across the creek, and disappeared in an +instant among the willows. They followed his track four miles, but could +not get sight of him again, nor find any encampment to which he +belonged. + +"Meanwhile the party in the canoes advanced slowly up the river till +they came to a large island, to which they gave the name of +Three-thousand-mile Island, on account of its being at that distance +from the mouth of the Missouri." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[2] There are many stories, from other sources, confirmatory of these +noises in mountainous districts. One solution, suggested by +Humboldt,--who does not, however, record the fact as of his own +observation,--is, that "this curious phenomenon announces a +disengagement of hydrogen, produced by a bed of coal in a state of +combustion." This solution is applicable only to mountains which contain +coal, unless chemical changes in other minerals might be supposed +capable of producing a similar effect. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE SOURCES OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA. + + +Aug. 12, 1805.--Capt. Lewis decided to advance along the foot of the +mountains, hoping to find a road leading across them. At the distance of +four miles from his camp, he found a large, plain, Indian road, which +entered the valley from the north-east. Following this road towards the +south-west, the valley, for the first five miles, continued in the same +direction; then the main stream turned abruptly to the west, through a +narrow bottom between the mountains. We traced the stream, which +gradually became smaller, till, two miles farther up, it had so +diminished, that one of the men, in a fit of enthusiasm, with one foot +on each side of the rivulet, thanked God that he had lived to bestride +the Missouri. Four miles from thence, we came to the spot where, from +the foot of a mountain, issues the remotest water of the mighty river. + +"We had now traced the Missouri to its source, which had never before +been seen by civilized man; and as we quenched our thirst at the pure +and icy fountain, and stretched ourselves by the brink of the little +rivulet which yielded its distant and modest tribute to the parent +ocean, we felt rewarded for all our labors. + +"We left reluctantly this interesting spot, and, pursuing the Indian +road, arrived at the top of a ridge, from whence we saw high mountains, +partially covered with snow, still to the west of us. The ridge on which +we stood formed, apparently, the dividing-line between the waters of the +Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. We followed a descent much steeper than +that on the eastern side, and, at the distance of three-quarters of a +mile, reached a handsome, bold creek of cold, clear water, running to +the westward. We stopped for a moment, to taste, for the first time, the +waters of the Columbia; and then followed the road across hills and +valleys, till we found a spring, and a sufficient quantity of dry +willow-brush for fuel; and there halted for the night." + + +THEY MEET WITH INDIANS. + +"Aug. 13.--Very early in the morning, Capt. Lewis resumed the Indian +road, which led him in a western direction, through an open, broken +country. At five miles' distance, he reached a creek about ten yards +wide, and, on rising the hill beyond it, had a view of a handsome little +valley about a mile in width, through which they judged, from the +appearance of the timber, that a stream probably flowed. On a sudden, +they discovered two women, a man, and some dogs, on an eminence about a +mile before them. The strangers viewed them apparently with much +attention; and then two of them sat down, as if to await Capt. Lewis's +arrival. He went on till he had reached within about half a mile; then +ordered his party to stop, put down his knapsack and rifle, and, +unfurling the flag, advanced alone towards the Indians. + +"The women soon retreated behind the hill; but the man remained till +Capt. Lewis came within a hundred yards of him, when he, too, went off, +though Capt. Lewis called out 'Tabba bone' ('White man'), loud enough to +be heard distinctly. The dogs, however, were less shy, and came close to +him. He therefore thought of tying a handkerchief with some beads round +their necks, and then to let them loose, to convince the fugitives of +his friendly intentions; but the dogs would not suffer him to take hold +of them, and soon left him. + +"He now made a signal to the men, who joined him; and then all followed +the track of the Indians, which led along a continuation of the same +road they had been travelling. It was dusty, and seemed to have been +much used lately both by foot-passengers and horsemen. + +"They had not gone along it more than a mile, when, on a sudden, they +saw three female Indians, from whom they had been concealed by the deep +ravines which intersected the road, till they were now within thirty +paces of them. One of them, a young woman, immediately took to flight: +the other two, an old woman and little girl, seeing we were too near for +them to escape, sat on the ground, and, holding down their heads, seemed +as if reconciled to the death which they supposed awaited them. Capt. +Lewis instantly put down his rifle, and, advancing towards them, took +the woman by the hand, raised her up, and repeated the words, 'Tabba +bone,' at the same time stripping up his sleeve to show that he was a +white man; for his hands and face had become by exposure quite as dark +as their own. + +"She appeared immediately relieved from her alarm; and, Drewyer and +Shields now coming up, Capt. Lewis gave her some beads, a few awls, +pewter mirrors, and a little paint, and told Drewyer to request the +woman to recall her companion, who had escaped to some distance, and, by +alarming the Indians, might cause them to attack him, without any time +for explanation. She did as she was desired, and the young woman +returned readily. Capt. Lewis gave her an equal portion of trinkets, and +painted the tawny cheeks of all three of them with vermilion, which, +besides its ornamental effect, has the advantage of being held among the +Indians as emblematic of peace. + +"After they had become composed, he informed them by signs of his wish +to go to their camp in order to see their chiefs and warriors. They +readily complied, and conducted the party along the same road down the +river. In this way they marched two miles, when they met a troop of +nearly sixty warriors, mounted on excellent horses, riding at full speed +towards them. As they advanced, Capt. Lewis put down his gun, and went +with the flag about fifty paces in advance. The chief, who, with two +men, was riding in front of the main body, spoke to the women, who now +explained that the party was composed of white men, and showed +exultingly the presents they had received. The three men immediately +leaped from their horses, came up to Capt. Lewis, and embraced him with +great cordiality,--putting their left arm over his right shoulder, and +clasping his back,--applying at the same time their left cheek to his, +and frequently vociferating, 'Ah-hi-e!'--'_I am glad! I am glad!_' + +"The whole body of warriors now came forward, and our men received the +caresses, and no small share of the grease and paint, of their new +friends. After this fraternal embrace, Capt. Lewis lighted a pipe, and +offered it to the Indians, who had now seated themselves in a circle +around our party. But, before they would receive this mark of +friendship, they pulled off their moccasons; a custom which, we +afterwards learned, indicates their sincerity when they smoke with a +stranger. + +"After smoking a few pipes, some trifling presents were distributed +among them, with which they seemed very much pleased, particularly with +the blue beads and the vermilion. + +"Capt. Lewis then informed the chief that the object of his visit was +friendly, and should be explained as soon as he reached their camp; but +that in the mean time, as the sun was oppressive, and no water near, he +wished to go there as soon as possible. They now put on their moccasons; +and their chief, whose name was Cameahwait, made a short speech to the +warriors. Capt. Lewis then gave him the flag, which he informed him was +the emblem of peace, and that now and for the future it was to be the +pledge of union between us and them. The chief then moved on, our party +followed, and the rest of the warriors brought up the rear. + +"At the distance of four miles from where they had first met the +Indians, they reached the camp, which was in a handsome, level meadow on +the bank of the river. Here they were introduced into a leathern lodge +which was assigned for their reception. After being seated on green +boughs and antelope-skins, one of the warriors pulled up the grass in +the centre of the lodge, so as to form a vacant circle of two feet in +diameter, in which he kindled a fire. The chief then produced his pipe +and tobacco; the warriors all pulled off their moccasons, and our party +were requested to take off their own. This being done, the chief +lighted his pipe at the fire, and then, retreating from it, began a +speech several minutes long; at the end of which he pointed the stem of +his pipe towards the four cardinal points of the heavens, beginning with +the east, and concluding with the north. After this ceremony, he +presented the stem in the same way to Capt. Lewis, who, supposing it an +invitation to smoke, put out his hand to receive the pipe; but the chief +drew it back, and continued to repeat the same offer three times; after +which he pointed the stem to the heavens, then took three whiffs +himself, and presented it again to Capt. Lewis. Finding that this last +offer was in good earnest, he smoked a little, and returned it. The pipe +was then held to each of the white men, and, after they had taken a few +whiffs, was given to the warriors. + +"The bowl of the pipe was made of a dense, transparent, green stone, +very highly polished, about two and a half inches long, and of an oval +figure; the bowl being in the same direction with the stem. The tobacco +is of the same kind with that used by the Minnetarees and Mandans of the +Missouri. The Shoshonees do not cultivate this plant, but obtain it from +the bands who live farther south. + +"The ceremony of smoking being concluded, Capt. Lewis explained to the +chief the purposes of his visit; and, as by this time all the women and +children of the camp had gathered around the lodge to indulge in a view +of the first white men they had ever seen, he distributed among them the +remainder of the small articles he had brought with him. + +"It was now late in the afternoon, and our party had tasted no food +since the night before. On apprising the chief of this fact, he said +that he had nothing but berries to eat, and presented some cakes made of +service-berries and choke-cherries which had been dried in the sun. Of +these, Capt. Lewis and his companions made as good a meal as they were +able. + +"The chief informed him that the stream which flowed by them discharged +itself, at the distance of half a day's march, into another of twice its +size; but added that there was no timber there suitable for building +canoes, and that the river was rocky and rapid. The prospect of going on +by land was more pleasant; for there were great numbers of horses +feeding round the camp, which would serve to transport our stores over +the mountains. + +"An Indian invited Capt. Lewis into his lodge, and gave him a small +morsel of boiled antelope, and a piece of fresh salmon, roasted. This +was the first salmon he had seen, and perfectly satisfied him that he +was now on the waters of the Pacific. + +"On returning to the lodge, he resumed his conversation with the chief; +after which he was entertained with a dance by the Indians. The music +and dancing--which were in no respect different from those of the +Missouri Indians--continued nearly all night; but Capt. Lewis retired to +rest about twelve o'clock, when the fatigues of the day enabled him to +sleep, though he was awaked several times by the yells of the dancers." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE PARTY IN THE BOATS. + + +August, 1805.--While these things were occurring to Capt. Lewis, the +party in the boats were slowly and laboriously ascending the river. It +was very crooked, the bends short and abrupt, and obstructed by so many +shoals, over which the canoes had to be dragged, that the men were in +the water three-fourths of the day. They saw numbers of otters, some +beavers, antelopes, ducks, geese, and cranes; but they killed nothing +except a single deer. They caught, however, some very fine trout. The +weather was cloudy and cool; and at eight o'clock a shower of rain fell. + +Next day, as the morning was cold, and the men stiff and sore from the +fatigues of yesterday, they did not set out till seven o'clock. The +river was shallow, and, as it approached the mountains, formed one +continued rapid, over which they were obliged to drag the boats with +great labor and difficulty. By these means, they succeeded in making +fourteen miles; but this distance did not exceed more than six and a +half in a straight line. + +Several successive days were passed in this manner (the daily progress +seldom exceeding a dozen miles), while the party anxiously expected to +be rejoined by Capt. Lewis and his men, with intelligence of some relief +by the aid of friendly Indians. In the mean time, Capt. Lewis was as +anxiously expecting their arrival, to confirm the good impressions he +had made on the Indians, as well as to remove some lurking doubts they +still felt as to his intentions. + + +CAPT. LEWIS AMONG THE SHOSHONEES. + +Aug. 14.--In order to give time for the boats to reach the forks of +Jefferson River, Capt. Lewis determined to remain where he was, and +obtain all the information he could with regard to the country. Having +nothing to eat but a little flour and parched meal, with the berries of +the Indians, he sent out Drewyer and Shields, who borrowed horses of the +natives, to hunt. At the same time, the young warriors set out for the +same purpose. + +There are but few elk or black-tailed deer in this region; and, as the +common red deer secrete themselves in the bushes when alarmed, they are +soon safe from the arrows of the Indian hunters, which are but feeble +weapons against any animal which the huntsmen cannot previously run +down. The chief game of the Shoshonees, therefore, is the antelope, +which, when pursued, runs to the open plains, where the horses have full +room for the chase. But such is this animal's extraordinary fleetness +and wind, that a single horse has no chance of outrunning it, or tiring +it down; and the hunters are therefore obliged to resort to stratagem. +About twenty Indians, mounted on fine horses, and armed with bows and +arrows, left the camp. In a short time, they descried a herd of ten +antelopes. They immediately separated into little squads of two or +three, and formed a scattered circle round the herd for five or six +miles, keeping at a wary distance, so as not to alarm them till they +were perfectly enclosed. Having gained their positions, a small party +rode towards the herd; the huntsman preserving his seat with wonderful +tenacity, and the horse his footing, as he ran at full speed over the +hills, and down the ravines, and along the edges of precipices. They +were soon outstripped by the antelopes, which, on gaining the other +limit of the circle, were driven back, and pursued by fresh hunters. +They turned, and flew, rather than ran, in another direction; but there, +too, they found new enemies. In this way they were alternately driven +backwards and forwards, till at length, notwithstanding the skill of the +hunters, they all escaped; and the party, after running two hours, +returned without having caught any thing, and their horses foaming with +sweat. This chase, the greater part of which was seen from the camp, +formed a beautiful scene; but to the hunters it is exceedingly +laborious, and so unproductive, even when they are able to worry the +animal down and shoot him, that forty or fifty hunters will sometimes be +engaged for half a day without obtaining more than two or three +antelopes. Soon after they returned, our two huntsmen came in with no +better success. Capt. Lewis therefore made a little paste with the +flour, and the addition of some berries formed a tolerable repast. + +Having now secured the good-will of Cameahwait, Capt. Lewis informed him +of his wish,--that he would speak to the warriors, and endeavor to +engage them to accompany him to the forks of Jefferson River, where, by +this time, another chief, with a large party of white men, were waiting +his return. He added, that it would be necessary to take about thirty +horses to transport the merchandise; that they should be well rewarded +for their trouble; and that, when all the party should have reached the +Shoshonee camp, they would remain some time among them, and trade for +horses, as well as concert plans for furnishing them in future with +regular supplies of merchandise. Cameahwait readily consented to do as +requested; and, after collecting the tribe together, he made a long +harangue, and in about an hour and a half returned, and told Capt. Lewis +that they would be ready to accompany him next morning. + +Capt. Lewis rose early, and, having eaten nothing yesterday except his +scanty meal of flour and berries, felt the pain of extreme hunger. On +inquiry, he found that his whole stock of provisions consisted of two +pounds of flour. This he ordered to be divided into two equal parts, and +one-half of it boiled with the berries into a sort of pudding; and, +after presenting a large share to the chief, he and his three men +breakfasted on the remainder. Cameahwait was delighted with this new +dish. He took a little of the flour in his hand, tasted it, and examined +it very carefully, asking if it was made of roots. Capt. Lewis +explained how it was produced, and the chief said it was the best thing +he had eaten for a long time. + +Breakfast being finished, Capt. Lewis endeavored to hasten the departure +of the Indians, who seemed reluctant to move, although the chief +addressed them twice for the purpose of urging them. On inquiring the +reason, Capt. Lewis learned that the Indians were suspicious that they +were to be led into an ambuscade, and betrayed to their enemies. He +exerted himself to dispel this suspicion, and succeeded so far as to +induce eight of the warriors, with Cameahwait, to accompany him. It was +about twelve o'clock when his small party left the camp, attended by +Cameahwait and the eight warriors. At sunset they reached the river, and +encamped about four miles above the narrow pass between the hills, which +they had noticed in their progress some days before. Drewyer had been +sent forward to hunt; but he returned in the evening unsuccessful; and +their only supply, therefore, was the remaining pound of flour, stirred +in a little boiling water, and divided between the four white men and +two of the Indians. + +Next morning, as neither our party nor the Indians had any thing to eat, +Capt. Lewis sent two of his hunters out to procure some provision. At +the same time, he requested Cameahwait to prevent his young men from +going out, lest, by their noise, they might alarm the game. This measure +immediately revived their suspicions, and some of them followed our two +men to watch them. After the hunters had been gone about an hour, Capt. +Lewis mounted, with one of the Indians behind him, and the whole party +set out. Just then, they saw one of the spies coming back at full speed +across the plain. The chief stopped, and seemed uneasy: the whole band +were moved with fresh suspicions; and Capt. Lewis himself was anxious, +lest, by some unfortunate accident, some hostile tribe might have +wandered that way. The young Indian had hardly breath to say a few words +as he came up, when the whole troop dashed forward as fast as their +horses could carry them; and Capt. Lewis, astonished at this movement, +was borne along for nearly a mile, before he learned, with great +satisfaction, that it was all caused by the spy's having come to +announce that one of the white men had killed a deer. + +When they reached the place where Drewyer, in cutting up the deer, had +thrown out the intestines, the Indians dismounted in confusion, and ran, +tumbling over each other, like famished dogs: each tore away whatever +part he could, and instantly began to devour it. Some had the liver, +some the kidneys: in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look +with disgust escaped them. It was, indeed, impossible to see these +wretches ravenously feeding on the refuse of animals, and the blood +streaming from their mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition +of savages approaches that of the brute creation. Yet, though suffering +with hunger, they did not attempt to take (as they might have done) by +force the whole deer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown +away by the hunter. Capt. Lewis had the deer skinned, and, after +reserving a quarter of it, gave the rest of the animal to the chief, to +be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured the whole without +cooking. + + +THEY MEET THE BOAT PARTY. + +As they were now approaching the place where they had been told they +should see the white men, Capt. Lewis, to guard against any +disappointment, explained the possibility of our men not having reached +the forks, in consequence of the difficulty of the navigation; so that, +if they should not find us at that spot, they might be assured of our +being not far below. After stopping two hours to let the horses graze, +they remounted, and rode on rapidly, making one of the Indians carry the +flag, so that the party in the boats might recognize them as they +approached. To their great mortification, on coming within sight of the +forks, no canoes were to be seen. + +Uneasy, lest at this moment he should be abandoned, and all his hopes of +obtaining aid from the Indians be destroyed, Capt. Lewis gave the chief +his gun, telling him, if the enemies of his nation were in the bushes, +he might defend himself with it; and that the chief might shoot him as +soon as they discovered themselves betrayed. The other three men at the +same time gave their guns to the Indians, who now seemed more easy, but +still suspicious. Luckily, he had a hold on them by other ties than +their generosity. He had promised liberal exchanges for their horses; +but, what was still more attractive, he had told them that one of their +country-women, who had been taken by the Minnetarees, accompanied the +party below: and one of the men had spread the report of our having with +us a man perfectly black, whose hair was short and curled. This last +account had excited a great degree of curiosity; and they seemed more +desirous of seeing this monster than of obtaining the most favorable +barter for their horses. + +In the mean time, the boat party under Capt. Clarke, struggling against +rapids and shallows, had made their way to a point only four miles by +land, though ten by water, from where Capt. Lewis and the Indians were. +Capt. Clarke had seen from an eminence the forks of the river, and sent +the hunters up. They must have left it only a short time before Capt. +Lewis's arrival. + +Aug. 17.--Capt. Lewis rose early, and despatched Drewyer and the Indian +down the river in quest of the boats. They had been gone about two +hours, and the Indians were all anxiously waiting for some news, when an +Indian who had straggled a short distance down the river returned, with +a report that he had seen the white men, who were not far below, and +were coming on. The Indians were all delighted; and the chief, in the +warmth of his affection, renewed his embrace to Capt. Lewis, who, though +quite as much gratified, would willingly have spared that manifestation +of it. The report proved true. On commencing the day's progress, Capt. +Clarke, with Chaboneau and his wife, walked by the river-side; but they +had not gone more than a mile, when Capt. Clarke saw Sacajawea, the +Indian woman, who was some distance in advance, begin to dance, and show +every mark of extravagant joy, pointing to several Indians, whom he now +saw advancing on horseback. As they approached, Capt. Clarke discovered +Drewyer among them, from whom he learned the situation of Capt. Lewis +and his party. While the boats were performing the circuit, Capt. Clarke +went towards the forks with the Indians, who, as they went along, sang +aloud with the greatest appearance of delight. + +They soon drew near the camp; and, as they approached it, a woman made +her way through the crowd towards Sacajawea, when, recognizing each +other, they embraced with the most tender affection. The meeting of +these two young women had in it something peculiarly touching. They had +been companions in childhood, and, in the war with the Minnetarees, had +both been taken prisoners in the same battle. They had shared the same +captivity, till one had escaped, leaving her friend with scarce a hope +of ever seeing her again. + +While Sacajawea was renewing among the women the friendships of former +days, Capt. Clarke went on, and was received by Capt. Lewis and the +chief, who, after the first embraces and salutations, conducted him to a +sort of circular tent constructed of willow-branches. Here he was seated +on a white robe; and the chief tied in his hair six small shells +resembling pearls,--an ornament highly valued by these people. After +smoking, a conference was held, Sacajawea acting as interpreter. Capt. +Lewis told them he had been sent to discover the best route by which +merchandise could be conveyed to them, and, since no trade would be +begun before our return, it was naturally desirable that we should +proceed with as little delay as possible; that we were under the +necessity of requesting them to furnish us with horses to transport our +baggage across the mountains, and a guide to show us the route; but that +they should be amply remunerated for their horses, as well as for any +other service they should render us. In the mean time, our first wish +was that they should immediately collect as many horses as were +necessary to transport our baggage to their village, where, at our +leisure, we would trade with them for as many horses as they could +spare. + +The speech made a favorable impression. The chief thanked us for our +friendly intentions, and declared their willingness to render us every +service. He promised to return to the village next day, and to bring all +his own horses, and to encourage his people to bring theirs. We then +distributed our presents. To Cameahwait we gave a medal of the small +size, with the likeness of President Jefferson, and on the reverse a +figure of hands clasped, with a pipe and tomahawk. To this were added a +uniform-coat, a shirt, a pair of scarlet leggings, a lump of tobacco, +and some small articles. Each of the other chiefs received similar +presents, excepting the dress-coat. These honorary gifts were followed +by presents of paint, moccasons, awls, knives, beads, and +looking-glasses. They had abundant sources of surprise in all they saw. +The appearance of the men, their arms, their clothing, the canoes, the +strange looks of the negro, and the sagacity of our dog, all in turn +shared their admiration, which was raised to astonishment by a shot from +the air-gun. This was immediately pronounced a _Great Medicine_, by +which they mean something produced by the Great Spirit himself in some +incomprehensible way. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA. + + +August, 1805.--Our Indian information as to the navigation of the +Columbia was of a very discouraging character. It was therefore agreed +that Capt. Clarke should set off in the morning with eleven men, +furnished, besides their arms, with tools for making canoes; that he +should take Chaboneau and his wife to the camp of the Shoshonees, where +he was to leave them to hasten the collection of horses; that he was +then to lead his men down to the Columbia; and if he found it navigable, +and the timber in sufficient quantity, should begin to build canoes. As +soon as he should have decided on the question of proceeding, whether +down the river or across the mountains, he was to send back one of the +men, with information of his decision, to Capt. Lewis, who would tarry +meanwhile at the Shoshonee village. + +Aug. 20.--Capt. Clarke set out at six o'clock. Passing through a +continuation of hilly, broken country, he met several parties of +Indians. An old man among them was pointed out, who was said to know +more of the nature of the country north than any other person; and Capt. +Clarke engaged him as a guide. + +The first point to ascertain was the truth of the Indian information as +to the difficulty of descending the river. For this purpose, Capt. +Clarke and his men set out at three o'clock in the afternoon, +accompanied by his Indian guide. At the distance of four miles he +crossed the river, and, eight miles from the camp, halted for the night. +As Capt. Lewis was the first white man who had visited its waters, Capt. +Clarke gave the stream the name of Lewis's River. + +Aug. 23.--Capt. Clarke set out very early; but as his route lay along +the steep side of a mountain, over irregular and broken masses of rocks, +which wounded the horses' feet, he was obliged to proceed slowly. At the +distance of four miles, he reached the river; but the rocks here became +so steep, and projected so far into the stream, that there was no mode +of passing except through the water. This he did for some distance, +though the current was very rapid, and so deep, that they were forced to +swim their horses. After following the edge of the stream for about a +mile, he reached a small meadow, below which the whole current of the +river beat against the shore on which he was, and which was formed of a +solid rock, perfectly inaccessible to horses. He therefore resolved to +leave the horses and the greater part of the men at this place, and +continue his examination of the river on foot, in order to determine if +there were any possibility of descending it in canoes. + +With his guide and three men he proceeded, clambering over immense +rocks, and along the sides of precipices which bordered the stream. The +river presented a succession of shoals, neither of which could be passed +with loaded canoes; and the baggage must therefore be transported for +considerable distances over the steep mountains, where it would be +impossible to employ horses. Even the empty boats must be let down the +rapids by means of cords, and not even in this way without great risk +both to the canoes and the men. + +Disappointed in finding a route by way of the river, Capt. Clarke now +questioned his guide more particularly respecting an Indian road which +came in from the north. The guide, who seemed intelligent, drew a map on +the sand, and represented this road as leading to a great river where +resided a nation called Tushepaws, who, having no salmon on their river, +came by this road to the fish-wears on Lewis's River. After a great deal +of conversation, or rather signs, Capt. Clarke felt persuaded that his +guide knew of a road from the Shoshonee village they had left, to the +great river toward the north, without coming so low down as this, on a +road impracticable for horses. He therefore hastened to return thither, +sending forward a man on horseback with a note to Capt. Lewis, apprising +him of the result of his inquiries. + +From the 25th to the 29th of August, Capt. Clarke and his men were +occupied in their return to the Shoshonee village, where Capt. Lewis and +party were awaiting them. During their march, the want of provisions was +such, that if it had not been for the liberality of the Indians, who +gave them a share of their own scanty supplies, they must have perished. +The main dependence for food was upon salmon and berries. It was seldom +they could get enough of these for a full meal; and abstinence and the +strange diet caused some sickness. Capt. Lewis, on the contrary, had +found the game sufficiently abundant to supply their own party, and to +spare some to the Indians; so that, when their friends rejoined them, +they had it in their power to immediately relieve their wants. + + +THE SHOSHONEES. + +The Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake Indians,--a +vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of the +southern parts of the Rocky Mountains, and of the plains on each side. +The Shoshonees, with whom we now are, amount to about a hundred +warriors, and three times that number of women and children. Within +their own recollection, they formerly lived in the plains; but they have +been driven into the mountains by the roving Indians of the Saskatchawan +country, and are now obliged to visit only occasionally and by stealth +the country of their ancestors. From the middle of May to the beginning +of September, they reside on the waters of the Columbia. During this +time, they subsist chiefly on salmon; and, as that fish disappears on +the approach of autumn, they are obliged to seek subsistence elsewhere. +They then cross the ridge to the waters of the Missouri, down which they +proceed cautiously till they are joined by other bands of their own +nation, or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate against the common +enemy. Being now strong in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloes in +the plains eastward of the mountains, near which they spend the winter, +till the return of the salmon invites them to the Columbia. + +In this loose and wandering existence, they suffer the extremes of want: +for two-thirds of the year they are forced to live in the mountains, +passing whole weeks without meat, and with nothing to eat but a few fish +and roots. + +Yet the Shoshonees are not only cheerful, but gay; and their character +is more interesting than that of any other Indians we have seen. They +are frank and communicative; fair in their dealings; and we have had no +reason to suspect that the display of our new and valuable wealth has +tempted them into a single act of theft. While they have shared with us +the little they possess, they have always abstained from begging any +thing of us. + +Their wealth is in horses. Of these they have at least seven hundred, +among which are about forty colts, and half that number of mules. The +original stock was procured from the Spaniards; but now they raise their +own, which are generally of good size, vigorous, and patient of fatigue +as well as of hunger. Every warrior has one or two tied to a stake near +his hut day and night, so as to be always prepared for action. The mules +are obtained in the course of trade from the Spaniards of California. +They are highly valued. The worst are considered as worth the price of +two horses. + +The Shoshonee warrior always fights on horseback. He possesses a few bad +guns, which are reserved for war; but his common arms are the bow and +arrow, a shield, a lance, and a weapon called _pogamogon_, which +consists of a handle of wood, with a stone weighing about two pounds, +and held in a cover of leather, attached to the handle by a leather +thong. At the other end is a loop, which is passed round the wrist, so +as to secure the hold of the instrument, with which they strike a very +severe blow. + +The bow is made of cedar or pine, covered on the outer side with sinews +and glue. Sometimes it is made of the horn of an elk, covered on the +back like those of wood. The arrows are more slender than those of other +Indians we have seen. They are kept, with the implements for striking +fire, in a narrow quiver formed of different kinds of skin. It is just +long enough to protect the arrows from the weather, and is fastened upon +the back of the wearer by means of a strap passing over the right +shoulder, and under the left arm. The shield is a circular piece of +buffalo-skin, about two feet four inches in diameter, ornamented with +feathers, with a fringe round it of dressed leather, and adorned with +paintings of strange figures. + +Besides these, they have a kind of armor, something like a coat of mail, +which is formed by a great many folds of antelope-skins, united by a +mixture of glue and sand. With this they cover their own bodies and +those of their horses, and find it impervious to the arrow. + +The caparison of their horses is a halter and saddle. The halter is made +of strands of buffalo-hair platted together; or is merely a thong of raw +hide, made pliant by pounding and rubbing. The halter is very long, and +is never taken from the neck of the horse when in constant use. One end +of it is first tied round the neck in a knot, and then brought down to +the under-jaw, round which it is formed into a simple noose, passing +through the mouth. It is then drawn up on the right side, and held by +the rider in his left hand, while the rest trails after him to some +distance. With these cords dangling alongside of them, the horse is put +to his full speed, without fear of falling; and, when he is turned to +graze, the noose is merely taken from his mouth. + +The saddle is formed, like the pack-saddles used by the French and +Spaniards, of two flat, thin boards, which fit the sides of the horse, +and are kept together by two cross-pieces, one before and the other +behind, which rise to a considerable height, making the saddle deep and +narrow. Under this, a piece of buffalo-skin, with the hair on, is +placed, so as to prevent the rubbing of the board; and, when the rider +mounts, he throws a piece of skin or robe over the saddle, which has no +permanent cover. When stirrups are used, they consist of wood covered +with leather; but stirrups and saddles are conveniences reserved for +women and old men. The young warriors rarely use any thing except a +small, leather pad stuffed with hair, and secured by a girth made of a +leathern thong. In this way, they ride with great expertness; and they +have particular dexterity in catching the horse when he is running at +large. They make a noose in the rope, and although the horse may be at +some distance, or even running, rarely fail to fix it on his neck; and +such is the docility of the animal, that, however unruly he may seem, he +surrenders as soon as he feels the rope on him. + +The horse becomes an object of attachment. A favorite is frequently +painted, and his ears cut into various shapes. The mane and tail, which +are never drawn nor trimmed, are decorated with feathers of birds; and +sometimes a warrior suspends at the breast of his horse the finest +ornaments he possesses. + +Thus armed and mounted, the Shoshonee is a formidable enemy, even with +the feeble weapons which he is still obliged to use. When they attack at +full speed, they bend forward, and cover their bodies with the shield, +while with the right hand they shoot under the horse's neck. + + +INDIAN HORSES AND RIDERS. + +They are so well supplied with horses, that every man, woman, and child +is mounted; and all they have is packed upon horses. Small children, not +more than three years old, are mounted alone, and generally upon colts. +They are tied upon the saddle to keep them from falling, especially when +they go to sleep, which they often do when they become fatigued. Then +they lie down upon the horse's shoulders; and, when they awake, they lay +hold of their whip, which is fastened to the wrist of their right hand, +and apply it smartly to their horses: and it is astonishing to see how +these little creatures will guide and run them. Children that are still +younger are put into an incasement made with a board at the back, and a +wicker-work around the other parts, covered with cloth inside and +without, or, more generally, with dressed skins; and they are carried +upon the mother's back, or suspended from a high knob upon the fore part +of their saddles. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CLARKE'S RIVER. + + +AUG. 31.--Capt. Lewis, during the absence of his brother-officer, had +succeeded in procuring from the Indians, by barter, twenty-nine +horses,--not quite one for each man. Capt. Clarke having now rejoined +us, and the weather being fine, we loaded our horses, and prepared to +start. We took our leave of the Shoshonees, and accompanied by the old +guide, his four sons, and another Indian, began the descent of the +river, which Capt. Clarke had named Lewis's River. After riding twelve +miles, we encamped on the bank; and, as the hunters had brought in three +deer early in the morning, we did not feel in want of provisions. + +On the 31st of August, we made eighteen miles. Here we left the track of +Capt. Clarke, and began to explore the new route recommended by the +Indian guide, and which was our last hope of getting out of the +mountains. + +During all day, we rode over hills, from which are many drains and small +streams, and, at the distance of eighteen miles, came to a large creek, +called Fish Creek, emptying into the main river, which is about six +miles from us. + +Sept. 2.--This morning, all the Indians left us, except the old guide, +who now conducted us up Fish Creek. We arrived shortly after at the +forks of the creek. The road we were following now turned in a contrary +direction to our course, and we were left without any track; but, as no +time was to be lost, we began to cut our road up the west branch of the +creek. This we effected with much difficulty. The thickets of trees and +brush through which we were obliged to cut our way required great labor. +Our course was over the steep and rocky sides of the hills, where the +horses could not move without danger of slipping down, while their feet +were bruised by the rocks, and stumps of trees. Accustomed as these +animals were to this kind of life, they suffered severely. Several of +them fell to some distance down the sides of the hills, some turned over +with the baggage, one was crippled, and two gave out exhausted with +fatigue. After crossing the creek several times, we had made five miles +with great labor, and encamped in a small, stony, low ground. It was +not, however, till after dark that the whole party was collected; and +then, as it rained, and we killed nothing, we passed an uncomfortable +night. We had been too busily occupied with the horses to make any +hunting excursion; and, though we saw many beaver-dams in the creek, we +saw none of the animals. + +Next day, our experiences were much the same, with the addition of a +fall of snow at evening. The day following, we reached the head of a +stream which directed its course more to the westward, and followed it +till we discovered a large encampment of Indians. When we reached them, +and alighted from our horses, we were received with great cordiality. A +council was immediately assembled, white robes were thrown over our +shoulders, and the pipe of peace introduced. After this ceremony, as it +was too late to go any farther, we encamped, and continued smoking and +conversing with the chiefs till a late hour. + +Next morning, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and informed them +who we were, and the purpose for which we visited their country. All +this was, however, conveyed to them in so many different languages, +that it was not comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded +to the more intelligible language of presents, and made four chiefs by +giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to each. We received in +turn, from the principal chiefs, a present, consisting of the skins of +an otter and two antelopes; and were treated by the women to some dried +roots and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and succeeded in +exchanging seven, and purchasing eleven. + +These Indians are a band of the Tushepaws, a numerous people of four +hundred and fifty tents, residing on the head waters of the Missouri and +Columbia Rivers, and some of them lower down the latter river. They +seemed kind and friendly, and willingly shared with us berries and +roots, which formed their only stock of provisions. Their only wealth is +their horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this band had +with them at least five hundred. + +We proceeded next day, and, taking a north-west direction, crossed, +within a distance of a mile and a half, a small river from the right. +This river is the main stream; and, when it reaches the end of the +valley, it is joined by two other streams. To the river thus formed we +gave the name of Clarke's River; he being the first white man who ever +visited its waters. + +We followed the course of the river, which is from twenty-five to thirty +yards wide, shallow, and stony, with the low grounds on its borders +narrow; and encamped on its right bank, after making ten miles. Our +stock of flour was now exhausted, and we had but little corn; and, as +our hunters had killed nothing except two pheasants, our supper +consisted chiefly of berries. + +The next day, and the next, we followed the river, which widened to +fifty yards, with a valley four or five miles broad. At ten miles from +our camp was a creek, which emptied itself on the west side of the +river. It was a fine bold creek of clear water, about twenty yards wide; +and we called it Traveller's Rest: for, as our guide told us we should +here leave the river, we determined to make some stay for the purpose of +collecting food, as the country through which we were to pass has no +game for a great distance. + +Toward evening, one of the hunters returned with three Indians whom he +had met. We found that they were Tushepaw Flatheads in pursuit of +strayed horses. We gave them some boiled venison and a few presents, +such as a fish hook, a steel to strike fire, and a little powder; but +they seemed better pleased with a piece of ribbon which we tied in the +hair of each of them. Their people, they said, were numerous, and +resided on the great river in the plain below the mountains. From that +place, they added, the river was navigable to the ocean. The distance +from this place is five "sleeps," or days' journeys. + +On resuming our route, we proceeded up the right side of the creek (thus +leaving Clarke's River), over a country, which, at first plain and good, +became afterwards as difficult as any we had yet traversed. + +We had now reached the sources of Traveller's-rest Creek, and followed +the road, which became less rugged. At our encampment this night, the +game having entirely failed us, we killed a colt, on which we made a +hearty supper. We reached the river, which is here eighty yards wide, +with a swift current and a rocky channel. Its Indian name is +Kooskooskee. + + +KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER. + +Sept. 16.--This morning, snow fell, and continued all day; so that by +evening it was six or eight inches deep. It covered the track so +completely, that we were obliged constantly to halt and examine, lest we +should lose the route. The road is, like that of yesterday, along steep +hillsides, obstructed with fallen timber, and a growth of eight +different species of pine, so thickly strewed, that the snow falls from +them upon us as we pass, keeping us continually wet to the skin. We +encamped in a piece of low ground, thickly timbered, but scarcely large +enough to permit us to lie level. We had made thirteen miles. We were +wet, cold, and hungry; yet we could not procure any game, and were +obliged to kill another horse for our supper. This want of provisions, +the extreme fatigue to which we were subjected, and the dreary prospect +before us, began to dispirit the men. They are growing weak, and losing +their flesh very fast. + +After three days more of the same kind of experience, on Friday, 20th +September, an agreeable change occurred. Capt. Clarke, who had gone +forward in hopes of finding game, came suddenly upon a beautiful open +plain partially stocked with pine. Shortly after, he discovered three +Indian boys, who, observing the party, ran off, and hid themselves in +the grass. Capt. Clarke immediately alighted, and, giving his horse and +gun to one of the men, went after the boys. He soon relieved their +apprehensions, and sent them forward to the village, about a mile off, +with presents of small pieces of ribbon. Soon after the boys had +reached home, a man came out to meet the party, with great caution; but +he conducted them to a large tent in the village, and all the +inhabitants gathered round to view with a mixture of fear and pleasure +the wonderful strangers. The conductor now informed Capt. Clarke, by +signs, that the spacious tent was the residence of the great chief, who +had set out three days ago, with all the warriors, to attack some of +their enemies towards the south-west; that, in the mean time, there were +only a few men left to guard the women and children. They now set before +them a small piece of buffalo-meat, some dried salmon, berries, and +several kinds of roots. Among these last was one which is round, much +like an onion in appearance, and sweet to the taste. It is called +_quamash_, and is eaten either in its natural state, or boiled into a +kind of soup, or made into a cake, which is called _pasheco_. After our +long abstinence, this was a sumptuous repast. We returned the kindness +of the people with a few small presents, and then went on, in company +with one of the chiefs, to a second village in the same plain, at a +distance of two miles. Here the party was treated with great kindness, +and passed the night. + +The two villages consist of about thirty double tents; and the people +call themselves Chopunnish, or Pierced-nose. The chief drew a chart of +the river on the sand, and explained that a greater chief than himself, +who governed this village, and was called the Twisted-hair, was now +fishing at the distance of half a day's ride down the river. His chart +made the Kooskooskee to fork a little below his camp, below which the +river passed the mountains. Here was a great fall of water, near which +lived white people, from whom they procured the white beads and brass +ornaments worn by the women. + +Capt. Clarke engaged an Indian to guide him to the Twisted-hair's camp. +For twelve miles, they proceeded through the plain before they reached +the river-hills, which are very high and steep. The whole valley from +these hills to the Rocky Mountains is a beautiful level country, with a +rich soil covered with grass. There is, however, but little timber, and +the ground is badly watered. The plain is so much sheltered by the +surrounding hills, that the weather is quite warm (Sept. 21), while the +cold of the mountains was extreme. + +From the top of the river-hills we descended for three miles till we +reached the water-side, between eleven and twelve o'clock at night. +Here we found a small camp of five women and three children; the chief +himself being encamped, with two others, on a small island in the river. +The guide called to him, and he came over. Capt. Clarke gave him a +medal, and they smoked together till one o'clock. + +Next day, Capt. Clarke passed over to the island with the Twisted-hair, +who seemed to be cheerful and sincere. The hunters brought in three +deer; after which Capt. Clarke left his party, and, accompanied by the +Twisted-hair and his son, rode back to the village, where he found Capt. +Lewis and his party just arrived. + +The plains were now crowded with Indians, who came to see the white men +and the strange things they brought with them; but, as our guide was a +perfect stranger to their language, we could converse by signs only. Our +inquiries were chiefly directed to the situation of the country. The +Twisted-hair drew a chart of the river on a white elk-skin. According to +this, the Kooskooskee forks a few miles from this place: two days' +journey towards the south is another and larger fork, on which the +Shoshonee Indians fish; five days' journey farther is a large river from +the north-west, into which Clarke's River empties itself. From the +junction with that river to the falls is five days' journey farther. On +all the forks, as well as on the main river, great numbers of Indians +reside; and at the falls are establishments of whites. This was the +story of the Twisted-hair. + +Provision here was abundant. We purchased a quantity of fish, berries, +and roots; and in the afternoon went on to the second village. We +continued our purchases, and obtained as much provision as our horses +could carry in their present weak condition. Great crowds of the natives +are round us all night; but we have not yet missed any thing, except a +knife and a few other small articles. + +Sept. 24.--The weather is fair. All round the village the women are +busily employed in gathering and dressing the pasheco-root, large +quantities of which are heaped up in piles all over the plain. + +We feel severely the consequence of eating heartily after our late +privations. Capt. Lewis and two of his men were taken very ill last +evening, and to-day he can hardly sit on his horse. Others could not +mount without help; and some were forced to lie down by the side of the +road for some time. + +Our situation rendered it necessary to husband our remaining strength; +and it was determined to proceed down the river in canoes. Capt. Clarke +therefore set out with Twisted-hair and two young men in quest of timber +for canoes. + +Sept. 27, 28, and 29.--Sickness continued. Few of the men were able to +work; yet preparations were made for making five canoes. A number of +Indians collect about us in the course of the day to gaze at the strange +appearance of every thing belonging to us. + +Oct. 4.--The men were now much better, and Capt. Lewis so far recovered +as to walk about a little. The canoes being nearly finished, it became +necessary to dispose of the horses. They were therefore collected to the +number of thirty-eight, and, being branded and marked, were delivered to +three Indians,--the two brothers and the son of a chief; the chief +having promised to accompany us down the river. To each of these men we +gave a knife and some small articles; and they agreed to take good care +of the horses till our return. + +We had all our saddles buried in a _cache_ near the river, about half a +mile below, and deposited at the same time a canister of powder and a +bag of balls. + + +THE VOYAGE DOWN THE KOOSKOOSKEE RIVER. + +Oct. 7.--This morning, all the canoes were put in the water, and loaded, +the oars fitted, and every preparation made for setting out. When we +were all ready, the chief who had promised to accompany us was not to be +found: we therefore proceeded without him. The Kooskooskee is a clear, +rapid stream, with a number of shoals and difficult places. This day and +the next, we made a distance of fifty miles. We passed several +encampments of Indians on the islands and near the rapids, which +situations are chosen as the most convenient for taking salmon. At one +of these camps we found the chief, who, after promising to descend the +river with us, had left us. He, however, willingly came on board, after +we had gone through the ceremony of smoking. + +Oct. 10.--A fine morning. We loaded the canoes, and set off at seven +o'clock. After passing twenty miles, we landed below the junction of a +large fork of the river, from the south. Our arrival soon attracted the +attention of the Indians, who flocked from all directions to see us. +Being again reduced to fish and roots, we made an experiment to vary our +food by purchasing a few dogs; and, after having been accustomed to +horse-flesh, felt no disrelish to this new dish. The Chopunnish have +great numbers of dogs, but never use them for food; and our feeding on +the flesh of that animal brought us into ridicule as dog-eaters. + +This southern branch is, in fact, the main stream of Lewis's River, on +whose upper waters we encamped when among the Shoshonees. At its mouth, +Lewis's River is about two hundred and fifty yards wide, and its water +is of a greenish-blue color. The Kooskooskee, whose waters are clear as +crystal, is one hundred and fifty yards in width; and, after the union, +the joint-stream extends to the width of three hundred yards. + +The Chopunnish, or Pierced-nose Indians, who reside on the Kooskooskee +and Lewis's Rivers, are in person stout, portly, well-looking men. The +women are small, with good features, and generally handsome, though the +complexion of both sexes is darker than that of the Tushepaws. In dress, +they resemble that nation, being fond of displaying their ornaments. The +buffalo or elk-skin robe, decorated with beads, sea-shells (chiefly +mother-of-pearl), attached to an otter-skin collar, is the dress of the +men. The same ornaments are hung in the hair, which falls in front in +two cues: they add feathers, paints of different colors (principally +white, green, and blue), which they find in their own country. In +winter, they wear a shirt of dressed skins; long, painted leggings, and +moccasons; and a plait of twisted grass round the neck. + +The dress of the women is more simple, consisting of a long shirt of the +mountain-sheep skin, reaching down to the ankles, without a girdle. To +this are tied little pieces of brass and shells, and other small +articles; but the head is not at all ornamented. + +The Chopunnish have few amusements; for their life is painful and +laborious, and all their exertions are necessary to earn a precarious +subsistence. During the summer and autumn, they are busily occupied in +fishing for salmon, and collecting their winter store of roots. In +winter, they hunt the deer on snow-shoes over the plains; and, towards +spring, cross the mountains to the Missouri in pursuit of the buffalo. + +The soil of these prairies is a light-yellow clay. It is barren, and +produces little more than a bearded grass about three inches high, and +the prickly-pear, of which we found three species. The first is the +broad-leaved kind, common to this river with the Missouri; the second +has a leaf of a globular form, and is also frequent on the upper part +of the Missouri; the third is peculiar to this country. It consists of +small, thick leaves of a circular form, which grow from the margin of +each other. These leaves are armed with a great number of thorns, which +are strong, and appear to be barbed. As the leaf itself is very slightly +attached to the stem, as soon as one thorn touches the moccason, it +adheres, and brings with it the leaf, which is accompanied with a +re-enforcement of thorns. This species was a greater annoyance on our +march than either of the others. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE KOOSKOOSKEE WITH LEWIS'S RIVER TO THE COLUMBIA. + + +From the mouth of the Kooskooskee to that of the Lewis is about a +hundred miles; which distance they descended in seven days. The +navigation was greatly impeded by rapids, which they passed with more or +less danger and difficulty; being greatly indebted to the assistance of +the Indians, as they thankfully acknowledge. Sometimes they were obliged +to unload their boats, and to carry them round by land. All these rapids +are fishing-places, greatly resorted to in the season. + +On the 17th of October (1805), having reached the junction of Lewis's +River with the Columbia, they found by observation that they were in +latitude 46 deg. 15', and longitude 119 deg. They measured the two rivers by +angles, and found, that, at the junction, the Columbia is 960 yards +wide; and Lewis's River, 575: but, below their junction, the joint +river is from one to three miles in width, including the islands. From +the point of junction, the country is a continued plain, rising +gradually from the water. There is through this plain no tree, and +scarcely any shrub, except a few willow-bushes; and, even of smaller +plants, there is not much besides the prickly-pear, which is abundant. + +In the course of the day, Capt. Clarke, in a small canoe, with two men, +ascended the Columbia. At the distance of five miles, he came to a small +but not dangerous rapid. On the bank of the river opposite to this is a +fishing-place, consisting of three neat houses. Here were great +quantities of salmon drying on scaffolds; and, from the mouth of the +river upwards, he saw immense numbers of dead salmon strewed along the +shore, or floating on the water. + +The Indians, who had collected on the banks to view him, now joined him +in eighteen canoes, and accompanied him up the river. A mile above the +rapids, he observed three houses of mats, and landed to visit them. On +entering one of the houses, he found it crowded with men, women, and +children, who immediately provided a mat for him to sit on; and one of +the party undertook to prepare something to eat. He began by bringing +in a piece of pine-wood that had drifted down the river, which he split +into small pieces with a wedge made of the elk's horn, by means of a +mallet of stone curiously carved. The pieces were then laid on the fire, +and several round stones placed upon them. One of the squaws now brought +a bucket of water, in which was a large salmon about half dried; and, as +the stones became heated, they were put into the bucket till the salmon +was sufficiently boiled. It was then taken out, put on a platter of +rushes neatly made, and laid before Capt. Clarke. Another was boiled for +each of his men. Capt. Clarke found the fish excellent. + +At another island, four miles distant, the inhabitants were occupied in +splitting and drying salmon. The multitudes of this fish are almost +inconceivable. The water is so clear, that they can readily be seen at +the depth of fifteen or twenty feet; but at this season they float in +such quantities down the stream, and are drifted ashore, that the +Indians have nothing to do but collect, split, and dry them. The Indians +assured him by signs that they often used dry fish as fuel for the +common occasions of cooking. The evening coming on, he returned to camp. + +Capt. Clarke, in the course of his excursion, shot several grouse and +ducks; also a prairie-cock,--a bird of the pheasant kind, about the size +of a small turkey. It measured, from the beak to the end of the toe, two +feet six inches; from the extremity of the wings, three feet six inches; +and the feathers of the tail were thirteen inches long. This bird we +have seen nowhere except upon this river. Its chief food is the +grasshopper, and the seeds of wild plants peculiar to this river and the +Upper Missouri. + + +ADVENTURE OF CAPT. CLARKE. + +Oct. 19.--Having resumed their descent of the Columbia, they came to a +very dangerous rapid. In order to lighten the boats, Capt. Clarke +landed, and walked to the foot of the rapid. Arriving there before +either of the boats, except a canoe, he sat down on a rock to wait for +them; and, seeing a crane fly across the river, shot it, and it fell +near him. Several Indians had been, before this, passing on the opposite +side; and some of them, alarmed at his appearance or the report of the +gun, fled to their houses. Capt. Clarke was afraid that these people +might not have heard that white men were coming: therefore, in order to +allay their uneasiness before the whole party should arrive, he got into +the canoe with three men, and rowed over towards the houses, and, while +crossing, shot a duck, which fell into the water. As he approached, no +person was to be seen, except three men; and they also fled as he came +near the shore. He landed before five houses close to each other; but no +person appeared: and the doors, which were of mat, were closed. He went +towards one of them with a pipe in his hand, and, pushing aside the mat, +entered the lodge, where he found thirty-two persons, men and women, +with a few children, all in the greatest consternation; some hanging +down their heads; others crying, and wringing their hands. He went up to +them all, and shook hands with them in the most friendly manner. Their +apprehensions gradually subsided, but revived on his taking out a +burning-glass (there being no roof to the lodge), and lighting his pipe. +Having at length restored some confidence by the gift of some small +presents, he visited some other houses, where he found the inhabitants +similarly affected. Confidence was not completely attained until the +boats arrived, and then the two chiefs who accompanied the party +explained the friendly intentions of the expedition. The sight of +Chaboneau's wife also dissipated any remaining doubts, as it is not the +practice among the Indians to allow women to accompany a war-party. + +To account for their fears, they told the two chiefs that they had seen +the white men fall from the sky. Having heard the report of Capt. +Clarke's rifle, and seen the birds fall, and not having seen him till +after the shot, they fancied that he had himself dropped from the +clouds. + +This belief was strengthened, when, on entering the lodge, he brought +down fire from heaven by means of his burning-glass. We soon convinced +them that we were only mortals; and, after one of our chiefs had +explained our history and objects, we all smoked together in great +harmony. + +Our encampment that night was on the river-bank opposite an island, on +which were twenty-four houses of Indians, all of whom were engaged in +drying fish. We had scarcely landed when about a hundred of them came +over to visit us, bringing with them a present of some wood, which was +very acceptable. We received them in as kind a manner as we could, +smoked with them, and gave the principal chief a string of wampum; but +the highest satisfaction they enjoyed was in the music of our two +violins, with which they seemed much delighted. They remained all night +at our fires. + + +AN INDIAN BURYING-PLACE. + +We walked to the head of the island for the purpose of examining a +vault, or burying-place, which we had remarked in coming along. The +place in which the dead are deposited is a building about sixty feet +long and twelve feet wide, formed by placing in the ground poles, or +forks, six feet high, across which a long pole is extended the whole +length of the structure. Against this ridge-pole are placed broad +boards, and pieces of wood, in a slanting direction, so as to form a +shed. The structure stands east and west, open at both ends. On entering +the western end, we observed a number of bodies wrapped carefully in +leather robes, and arranged in rows on boards, which were then covered +with a mat. This part of the building was destined for those who had +recently died. A little farther on, limbs, half decayed, were scattered +about; and in the centre of the building was a large pile of them heaped +promiscuously. At the eastern extremity was a mat, on which twenty-one +skulls were arranged in a circular form: the mode of interment being +first to wrap the body in robes; and, as it decays, the bones are thrown +into the heap, and the skulls placed together in order. From the +different boards and pieces of wood which form the vault were suspended +on the inside fishing-nets, baskets, wooden bowls, robes, skins, +trenchers, and trinkets of various kinds, intended as offerings of +affection to deceased relatives. On the outside of the vault were the +skeletons of several horses, and great quantities of bones in the +neighborhood, which induced us to believe that these animals were +sacrificed at the funeral-rites of their masters. + +In other parts of the route, the travellers found a different species of +cemetery. The dead were placed in canoes, and these canoes were raised +above the ground by a scaffolding of poles. The motive was supposed to +be to protect them from wild beasts. + + +FALLS OF THE COLUMBIA. + +About a hundred and fifty miles below the junction of Lewis's River, we +reached the Great Falls. At the commencement of the pitch, which +includes the falls, we landed, and walked down to examine them, and +ascertain on which side we could make a portage most easily. From the +lower end of the island, where the rapids begin, to the perpendicular +fall, is about two miles. Here the river contracts, when the water is +low, to a very narrow space; and, with only a short distance of swift +water, it makes its plunge twenty feet perpendicularly; after which it +rushes on, among volcanic rocks, through a channel four miles in length, +and then spreads out into a gentle, broad current. + +We will interrupt the narrative here to introduce from later travellers +some pictures of the remarkable region to which our explorers had now +arrived. It was not to be expected that Capts. Lewis and Clarke should +have taxed themselves, in their anxious and troubled march, to describe +natural wonders, however striking. + +Lieut. Fremont thus describes this remarkable spot:-- + + THE DALLES.--"In a few miles we descended to the river, which + we reached at one of its highly interesting features, known as + the Dalles of the Columbia. The whole volume of the river at + this place passes between the walls of a chasm, which has the + appearance of having been rent through the basaltic strata + which form the valley-rock of the region. At the narrowest + place, we found the breadth, by measurement, fifty-eight yards, + and the average height of the walls above the water twenty-five + feet, forming a trough between the rocks; whence the name, + probably applied by a Canadian voyageur." + +The same scene is described by Theodore Winthrop in his "Canoe and +Saddle:"-- + + "The Dalles of the Columbia, upon which I was now looking, + must be studied by the American Dante, whenever he comes, for + imagery to construct his Purgatory, if not his Inferno. At + Walla-walla, two great rivers, Clarke's and Lewis's, drainers + of the continent north and south, unite to form the Columbia. + It flows furiously for a hundred and twenty miles westward. + When it reaches the dreary region where the outlying ridges of + the Cascade chain commence, it finds a great, low surface, + paved with enormous polished sheets of basaltic rock. These + plates, in French, _dalles_, give the spot its name. The great + river, a mile wide not far above, finds but a narrow rift in + this pavement for its passage. The rift gradually draws its + sides closer, and, at the spot now called the Dalles, + subdivides into three mere slits in the sharp-edged rock. At + the highest water, there are other minor channels; but + generally this continental flood is cribbed and compressed + within its three chasms suddenly opening in the level floor, + each chasm hardly wider than a leap a hunted fiend might take." + +It is not easy to picture to one's self, from these descriptions, the +peculiar scenery of the Dalles. Fremont understands the name as +signifying a _trough_; while Winthrop interprets it as _plates_, or +_slabs_, of rock. The following description by Lieut. (now Gen.) Henry +L. Abbot, in his "Report of Explorations for a Railroad Route," &c., +will show that the term, in each of its meanings, is applicable to +different parts of the channel:-- + + "At the Dalles of the Columbia, the river rushes through a + chasm only about two hundred feet wide, with vertical, + basaltic sides, rising from twenty to thirty feet above the + water. Steep hills closely border the chasm, leaving in some + places scarcely room on the terrace to pass on horseback. The + water rushes through this basaltic trough with such violence, + that it is always dangerous, and in some stages of the water + impossible, for a boat to pass down. The contraction of the + river-bed extends for about three miles. Near the lower end of + it, the channel divides into several sluices, and then + gradually becomes broader, until, where it makes a great bend + to the south, it is over a quarter of a mile in width." + +After this interruption, the journal is resumed:-- + +"We soon discovered that the nearest route was on the right side, and +therefore dropped down to the head of the rapid, unloaded the canoes, +and took all the baggage over by land to the foot of the rapid. The +distance is twelve hundred yards, part of it over loose sands, +disagreeable to pass. The labor of crossing was lightened by the +Indians, who carried some of the heavy articles for us on their horses. +Having ascertained the best mode of bringing down the canoes, the +operation was conducted by Capt. Clarke, by hauling the canoes over a +point of land four hundred and fifty-seven yards to the water. One mile +farther down, we reached a pitch of the river, which, being divided by +two large rocks, descends with great rapidity over a fall eight feet in +height. As the boats could not be navigated down this steep descent, we +were obliged to land, and let them down as gently as possible by strong +ropes of elk-skin, which we had prepared for the purpose. They all +passed in safety, except one, which, being loosed by the breaking of the +ropes, was driven down, but was recovered by the Indians below." + +Our travellers had now reached what have since been called the Cascade +Mountains; and we must interrupt their narrative to give some notices of +this remarkable scenery from later explorers. We quote from Abbot's +Report:-- + + "There is great similarity in the general topographical + features of the whole Pacific slope. The Sierra Nevada in + California, and the Cascade range in Oregon, form a continuous + wall of mountains nearly parallel to the coast, and from one + hundred to two hundred miles distant from it. The main crest of + this range is rarely elevated less than six thousand feet above + the level of the sea, and many of its peaks tower into the + region of eternal snow." + +Lieut. Abbot thus describes a view of these peaks and of the Columbia +River:-- + + "At an elevation of five thousand feet above the sea, we stood + upon the summit of the pass. For days we had been struggling + blindly through dense forests; but now the surrounding country + lay spread out before us for more than a hundred miles. The + five grand snow-peaks, Mount St. Helens, Mount Ranier, Mount + Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, rose majestically above + a rolling sea of dark fir-covered ridges, some of which the + approaching winter had already begun to mark with white. On + every side, as far as the eye could reach, terrific convulsions + of Nature had recorded their fury; and not even a thread of + blue smoke from the camp-fire of a wandering savage disturbed + the solitude of the scene." + + THE COLUMBIA RIVER.--"The Columbia River forces its way through + the Cascade range by a pass, which, for wild and sublime + natural scenery, equals the celebrated passage of the Hudson + through the Highlands. For a distance of about fifty miles, + mountains covered with clinging spruces, firs, and pines, where + not too precipitous to afford even these a foothold, rise + abruptly from the water's edge to heights varying from one + thousand to three thousand feet. Vertical precipices of + columnar basalt are occasionally seen, rising from fifty to a + hundred feet above the river level. In other places, the long + mountain-walls of the river are divided by lateral canyons + (pronounced _canyons_), containing small tributaries, and + occasionally little open spots of good land, liable to be + overflowed at high water." + +CANYONS.--The plains east of the Cascade Mountains, through the +whole extent of Oregon and California, are covered with a volcanic +deposit composed of trap, basalt, and other rocks of the same class. +This deposit is cleft by chasms often more than a thousand feet deep, +at the bottom of which there usually flows a stream of clear, cold +water. This is sometimes the only water to be procured for the distance +of many miles; and the traveller may be perishing with thirst while he +sees far below him a sparkling stream, from which he is separated by +precipices of enormous height and perpendicular descent. To chasms of +this nature the name of _canyons_ has been applied, borrowed from the +Spaniards of Mexico. We quote Lieut. Abbot's description of the canyon of +Des Chutes River, a tributary of the Columbia:-- + + "Sept. 30.--As it was highly desirable to determine accurately + the position and character of the canyon of Des Chutes River, I + started this morning with one man to follow down the creek to + its mouth, leaving the rest of the party in camp. Having + yesterday experienced the inconveniences of travelling in the + bottom of a canyon, I concluded to try to-day the northern + bluff. It was a dry, barren plain, gravelly, and sometimes + sandy, with a few bunches of grass scattered here and there. + Tracks of antelopes or deer were numerous. After crossing one + small ravine, and riding about five miles from camp, we found + ourselves on the edge of the vast canyon of the river, which, + far below us, was rushing through a narrow trough of basalt, + resembling the Dalles of the Columbia. We estimated the depth + of the canyon at a thousand feet. On each side, the precipices + were very steep, and marked in many places by horizontal lines + of vertical, basaltic columns, fifty or sixty feet in height. + The man who was with me rolled a large rock, shaped like a + grindstone, and weighing about two hundred pounds, from the + summit. It thundered down for at least a quarter of a + mile,--now over a vertical precipice, now over a steep mass of + detritus, until at length it plunged into the river with a + hollow roar, which echoed and re-echoed through the gorge for + miles. By ascending a slight hill, I obtained a fine view of + the surrounding country. The generally level character of the + great basaltic table-land around us was very manifest from this + point. Bounded on the west by the Cascade Mountains, the plain + extends far towards the south,--a sterile, treeless waste." + + THE CASCADES.--"About forty miles below the Dalles, all + navigation is suspended by a series of rapids called the + Cascades. The wild grandeur of this place surpasses + description. The river rushes furiously over a narrow bed + filled with bowlders, and bordered by mountains which echo back + the roar of the waters. The descent at the principal rapids is + thirty-four feet; and the total fall at the Cascades, sixty-one + feet. Salmon pass up the river in great numbers; and the + Cascades, at certain seasons of the year, are a favorite + fishing resort with the Indians, who build slight stagings over + the water's edge, and spear the fish, or catch them in rude + dip-nets, as they slowly force their way up against the + current." + +We now return to our travellers. + + +INDIAN MODE OF PACKING SALMON. + +Near our camp are five large huts of Indians engaged in drying fish, and +preparing it for market. The manner of doing this is by first opening +the fish, and exposing it to the sun on scaffolds. When it is +sufficiently dried, it is pounded between two stones till it is +pulverized, and is then placed in a basket, about two feet long and one +in diameter, neatly made of grass and rushes, and lined with the skin of +the salmon, stretched and dried for the purpose. Here they are pressed +down as hard as possible, and the top covered with skins of fish, which +are secured by cords through the holes of the basket. These baskets are +then placed in some dry situation, the corded part upwards; seven being +usually placed as close as they can be together, and five on the top of +them. The whole is then wrapped up in mats, and made fast by cords. +Twelve of these baskets, each of which contains from ninety to a hundred +pounds, form a stack, which is now left exposed till it is sent to +market. The fish thus preserved are kept sound and sweet for several +years; and great quantities of it, they inform us, are sent to the +Indians who live lower down the river, whence it finds its way to the +whites who visit the mouth of the Columbia. We observe, both near the +lodges and on the rocks in the river, great numbers of stacks of these +pounded fish. + +Beside the salmon, there are great quantities of salmon-trout, and +another smaller species of trout, which they save in another way. A hole +of any size being dug, the sides and bottom are lined with straw, over +which skins are laid. On these the fish, after being well dried, is +laid, covered with other skins, and the hole closed with a layer of +earth, twelve or fifteen inches deep. These supplies are for their +winter food. + +The stock of fish, dried and pounded, was so abundant, that Capt. Clarke +counted one hundred and seven stacks of them, making more than ten +thousand pounds. + + +THE INDIAN BOATMEN. + +The canoes used by these people are built of white cedar or pine, very +light, wide in the middle, and tapering towards the ends; the bow being +raised, and ornamented with carvings of the heads of animals. As the +canoe is the vehicle of transportation, the Indians have acquired great +dexterity in the management of it, and guide it safely over the roughest +waves. + +We had an opportunity to-day of seeing the boldness of the Indians. One +of our men shot a goose, which fell into the river, and was floating +rapidly towards the great shoot, when an Indian, observing it, plunged +in after it. The whole mass of the waters of the Columbia, just +preparing to descend its narrow channel, carried the bird down with +great rapidity. The Indian followed it fearlessly to within a hundred +and fifty feet of the rocks, where, had he arrived, he would inevitably +have been dashed to pieces; but, seizing his prey, he turned round, and +swam ashore with great composure. We very willingly relinquished our +right to the bird in favor of the Indian, who had thus secured it at the +hazard of his life. He immediately set to work, and picked off about +half the feathers, and then, without opening it, ran a stick through it, +and carried it off to roast. + + +INDIAN HOUSES. + +While the canoes were coming on, impeded by the difficulties of the +navigation, Capt. Clarke, with two men, walked down the river-shore, and +came to a village belonging to a tribe called Echeloots. The village +consisted of twenty-one houses, scattered promiscuously over an elevated +position. The houses were nearly equal in size, and of similar +construction. A large hole, twenty feet wide and thirty in length, is +dug to the depth of six feet. The sides are lined with split pieces of +timber in an erect position, rising a short distance above the surface +of the ground. These timbers are secured in their position by a pole, +stretched along the side of the building, near the eaves, supported by a +post at each corner. The timbers at the gable-ends rise higher, the +middle pieces being the tallest. Supported by these, there is a +ridge-pole running the whole length of the house, forming the top of the +roof. From this ridge-pole to the eaves of the house are placed a number +of small poles, or rafters, secured at each end by fibres of the cedar. +On these poles is laid a covering of white cedar or arbor-vitae, kept on +by strands of cedar-fibres. A small distance along the whole length of +the ridge-pole is left uncovered for the admission of light, and to +permit the smoke to escape. The entrance is by a small door at the +gable-end, thirty inches high, and fourteen broad. Before this hole is +hung a mat; and on pushing it aside, and crawling through, the descent +is by a wooden ladder, made in the form of those used among us. + +One-half of the inside is used as a place of deposit for their dried +fish, and baskets of berries: the other half, nearest the door, remains +for the accommodation of the family. On each side are arranged, near the +walls, beds of mats, placed on platforms or bedsteads, raised about two +feet from the ground. In the middle of the vacant space is the fire, or +sometimes two or three fires, when, as is usually the case, the house +contains several families. + +The inhabitants received us with great kindness, and invited us to their +houses. On entering one of them, we saw figures of men, birds, and +different animals, cut and painted on the boards which form the sides of +the room, the figures uncouth, and the workmanship rough; but doubtless +they were as much esteemed by the Indians as our finest domestic +adornments are by us. The chief had several articles, such as scarlet +and blue cloth, a sword, a jacket, and hat, which must have been +procured from the whites. On one side of the room were two wide split +boards, placed together so as to make space for a rude figure of a man, +cut and painted on them. On pointing to this, and asking what it meant, +he said something, of which all we understood was "good," and then +stepped to the image, and brought out his bow and quiver, which, with +some other warlike implements, were kept behind it. The chief then +directed his wife to hand him his _Medicine-bag_, from which he brought +out fourteen fore-fingers, which he told us had once belonged to the +same number of his enemies. They were shown with great exultation; and +after an harangue, which we were left to presume was in praise of his +exploits, the fingers were carefully replaced among the valuable +contents of the red Medicine-bag. This bag is an object of religious +regard, and it is a species of sacrilege for any one but its owner to +touch it. + +In all the houses are images of men, of different shapes, and placed as +ornaments in the parts of the house where they are most likely to be +seen. + + +A SUBMERGED FOREST. + +Oct. 30.--The river is now about three-quarters of a mile wide, with a +current so gentle, that it does not exceed a mile and a half an hour; +but its course is obstructed by large rocks, which seem to have fallen +from the mountains. What is, however, most singular, is, that there are +stumps of pine-trees scattered to some distance in the river, which has +the appearance of having been dammed below, and forced to encroach on +the shore. + + NOTE. Rev. S. Parker says, "We noticed a remarkable + phenomenon,--trees standing in their natural position in the + river, where the water is twenty feet deep. In many places, + they were so numerous, that we had to pick our way with our + canoe as through a forest. The water is so clear, that I had an + opportunity of examining their position down to their spreading + roots, and found them in the same condition as when standing in + their native forest. It is evident that there has been an + uncommon subsidence of a tract of land, more than twenty miles + in length, and more than a mile in width. That the trees are + not wholly decayed down to low-water mark, proves that the + subsidence is comparatively of recent date; and their + undisturbed natural position proves that it took place in a + tranquil manner, not by any tremendous convulsion of Nature." + + +THE RIVER WIDENS.--THEY MEET THE TIDE. + +Nov. 2, 1805.--Longitude about 122 deg. At this point the first tidewater +commences, and the river widens to nearly a mile in extent. The low +grounds, too, become wider; and they, as well as the mountains on each +side, are covered with pine, spruce, cotton-wood, a species of ash, and +some alder. After being so long accustomed to the dreary nakedness of +the country above, the change is as grateful to the eye as it is useful +in supplying us with fuel. + +The ponds in the low grounds on each side of the river are resorted to +by vast quantities of fowls, such as swans, geese, brants, cranes, +storks, white gulls, cormorants, and plover. The river is wide, and +contains a great number of sea-otters. In the evening, the hunters +brought in game for a sumptuous supper, which we shared with the +Indians, great numbers of whom spent the night with us. During the +night, the tide rose eighteen inches near our camp. + + +A LARGE VILLAGE.--COLUMBIA VALLEY. + +Nov. 4.--Next day, we landed on the left bank of the river, at a village +of twenty-five houses. All of these were thatched with straw, and built +of bark, except one, which was about fifty feet long, built of boards, +in the form of those higher up the river; from which it differed, +however, in being completely above ground, and covered with broad split +boards. This village contains about two hundred men of the Skilloot +nation, who seem well provided with canoes, of which there were +fifty-two (some of them very large) drawn up in front of the village. + +On landing, we found an Indian from up the river, who had been with us +some days ago, and now invited us into a house, of which he appeared to +own a part. Here he treated us with a root, round in shape, about the +size of a small Irish potato, which they call _wappatoo_. It is the +common arrowhead, or sagittifolia, so much esteemed by the Chinese, +and, when roasted in the embers till it becomes soft, has an agreeable +taste, and is a very good substitute for bread. + +Here the ridge of low mountains running north-west and south-east +crosses the river, and forms the western boundary of the plain through +which we have just passed.[3] This great plain, or valley, is about +sixty miles wide in a straight line; while on the right and left it +extends to a great distance. It is a fertile and delightful country, +shaded by thick groves of tall timber, watered by small ponds, and lying +on both sides of the river. The soil is rich, and capable of any species +of culture; but, in the present condition of the Indians, its chief +production is the wappatoo-root, which grows spontaneously and +exclusively in this region. Sheltered as it is on both sides, the +temperature is much milder than that of the surrounding country. Through +its whole extent, it is inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians, who +either reside in it permanently, or visit its waters in quest of fish +and wappatoo-roots. We gave it the name of the Columbia Valley. + + +COFFIN ROCK. + +Among some interesting islands of basalt, there is one called Coffin +Rock, situated in the middle of the river, rising ten or fifteen feet +above high-freshet water. It is almost entirely covered with canoes, in +which the dead are deposited, which gives it its name. In the section of +country from Wappatoo Island to the Pacific Ocean, the Indians, instead +of committing their dead to the earth, deposit them in canoes; and these +are placed in such situations as are most secure from beasts of prey, +upon such precipices as this island, upon branches of trees, or upon +scaffolds made for the purpose. The bodies of the dead are covered with +mats, and split planks are placed over them. The head of the canoe is a +little raised, and at the foot there is a hole made for water to escape. + + +THEY REACH THE OCEAN. + +Next day we passed the mouth of a large river, a hundred and fifty yards +wide, called by the Indians Cowalitz. A beautiful, extensive plain now +presented itself; but, at the distance of a few miles, the hills again +closed in upon the river, so that we could not for several miles find a +place sufficiently level to fix our camp upon for the night. + +Thursday, Nov. 7.--The morning was rainy, and the fog so thick, that we +could not see across the river. We proceeded down the river, with an +Indian for our pilot, till, after making about twenty miles, the fog +cleared off, and we enjoyed the delightful prospect of the +OCEAN, the object of all our labors, the reward of all our +endurance. This cheering view exhilarated the spirits of all the party, +who listened with delight to the distant roar of the breakers. + +For ten days after our arrival at the coast, we were harassed by almost +incessant rain. On the 12th, a violent gale of wind arose, accompanied +with thunder, lightning, and hail. The waves were driven with fury +against the rocks and trees, which had till then afforded us a partial +defence. Cold and wet; our clothes and bedding rotten as well as wet; +the canoes, our only means of escape from the place, at the mercy of the +waves,--we were, however, fortunate enough to enjoy good health. + +Saturday, Nov. 16.--The morning was clear and beautiful. We put out our +baggage to dry, and sent several of the party to hunt. The camp was in +full view of the ocean. The wind was strong from the south-west, and +the waves very high; yet the Indians were passing up and down the bay in +canoes, and several of them encamped near us. The hunters brought in two +deer, a crane, some geese and ducks, and several brant. The tide rises +at this place eight feet six inches, and rolls over the beach in great +waves. + + +AN EXCURSION DOWN THE BAY. + +Capt. Clarke started on Monday, 18th November, on an excursion by land +down the bay, accompanied by eleven men. The country is low, open, and +marshy, partially covered with high pine and a thick undergrowth. At the +distance of about fifteen miles they reached the cape, which forms the +northern boundary of the river's mouth, called Cape Disappointment, so +named by Capt. Meares, after a fruitless search for the river. It is an +elevated circular knob, rising with a steep ascent a hundred and fifty +feet or more above the water, covered with thick timber on the inner +side, but open and grassy in the exposure next the sea. The opposite +point of the bay is a very low ground, about ten miles distant, called, +by Capt. Gray, Point Adams. + +The water for a great distance off the mouth of the river appears very +shallow; and within the mouth, nearest to Point Adams, there is a large +sand-bar, almost covered at high tide. We could not ascertain the +direction of the deepest channel; for the waves break with tremendous +force across the bay. + +Mr. Parker speaks more fully of this peculiarity of the river:-- + + "A difficulty of such a nature as is not easily overcome exists + in regard to the navigation of this river; which is, the + sand-bar at its entrance. It is about five miles, across the + bar, from Cape Disappointment out to sea. In no part of that + distance is the water upon the bar over eight fathoms deep, and + in one place only five, and the channel only about half a mile + in width. So wide and open is the ocean, that there is always a + heavy swell: and, when the wind is above a gentle breeze, there + are breakers quite across the bar; so that there is no passing + it, except when the wind and tide are both favorable. Outside + the bar, there is no anchorage; and there have been instances, + in the winter season, of ships lying off and on thirty days, + waiting for an opportunity to pass: and a good pilot is always + needed. High, and in most parts perpendicular, basaltic rocks + line the shores." + +The following is Theodore Winthrop's description of the Columbia, taken +from his "Canoe and Saddle:"-- + + "A wall of terrible breakers marks the mouth of the + Columbia,--Achilles of rivers. + + "Other mighty streams may swim feebly away seaward, may sink + into foul marshes, may trickle through the ditches of an oozy + delta, may scatter among sand-bars the currents that once moved + majestic and united; but to this heroic flood was destined a + short life and a glorious one,--a life all one strong, + victorious struggle, from the mountains to the sea. It has no + infancy: two great branches collect its waters up and down the + continent. They join, and the Columbia is born--to full + manhood. It rushes forward jubilant through its magnificent + chasm, and leaps to its death in the Pacific." + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Since called the Coast range. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WINTER-QUARTERS. + + +November, 1805.--Having now examined the coast, it becomes necessary to +decide on the spot for our winter-quarters. We must rely chiefly for +subsistence upon our arms, and be guided in the choice of our residence +by the supply of game which any particular spot may offer. The Indians +say that the country on the opposite side of the river is better +supplied with elk,--an animal much larger, and more easily killed, than +the deer, with flesh more nutritive, and a skin better fitted for +clothing. The neighborhood of the sea is, moreover, recommended by the +facility of supplying ourselves with salt, and the hope of meeting some +of the trading-vessels, which are expected about three months hence, +from which we may procure a fresh supply of trinkets for our journey +homewards. These considerations induced us to determine on visiting the +opposite side of the bay; and, if there was an appearance of plenty of +game, to establish ourselves there for the winter. + +Monday, 25th November, we set out; but, as the wind was too high to +suffer us to cross the river, we kept near the shore, watching for a +favorable change. On leaving our camp, seven Clatsops in a canoe +accompanied us, but, after going a few miles, left us, and steered +straight across through immense, high waves, leaving us in admiration at +the dexterity with which they threw aside each wave as it threatened to +come over their canoe. + +Next day, with a more favorable wind, we began to cross the river. We +passed between some low, marshy islands, and reached the south side of +the Columbia, and landed at a village of nine large houses. Soon after +we landed, three Indians came down from the village with wappatoo-roots, +which we purchased with fish-hooks. + +We proceeded along the shore till we came to a remarkable knob of land +projecting about a mile and a half into the bay, about four miles round, +while the neck of land which unites it to the main is not more than +fifty yards across. We went round this projection, which we named Point +William; but the waves then became so high, that we could not venture +any farther, and therefore landed on a beautiful shore of pebbles of +various colors, and encamped near an old Indian hut on the isthmus. + + +DISCOMFORTS. + +Nov. 27.--It rained hard all next day, and the next, attended with a +high wind from the south-west. It was impossible to proceed on so rough +a sea. We therefore sent several men to hunt, and the rest of us +remained during the day in a situation the most cheerless and +uncomfortable. On this little neck of land, we are exposed, with a +miserable covering which does not deserve the name of a shelter, to the +violence of the winds. All our bedding and stores are completely wet, +our clothes rotting with constant exposure, and no food except the dried +fish brought from the falls, to which we are again reduced. The hunters +all returned hungry, and drenched with rain; having seen neither deer +nor elk, and the swans and brants too shy to be approached. At noon, the +wind shifted to the north-west, and blew with such fury, that many trees +were blown down near us. The gale lasted with short intervals during the +whole night; but towards morning the wind lulled, though the rain +continued, and the waves were still high. + +30th.--The hunters met with no better success this day and the next, and +the weather continued rainy. But on Monday, 2d December, one of the +hunters killed an elk at the distance of six miles from the camp, and a +canoe was sent to bring it. This was the first elk we had killed on the +west side of the Rocky Mountains; and, condemned as we have been to the +dried fish, it forms a most acceptable food. + +The rain continued, with brief interruptions, during the whole month of +December. There were occasional falls of snow, but no frost or ice. + + +WINTER-QUARTERS. + +Capt. Lewis returned from an excursion down the bay, having left two of +his men to guard six elks and five deer which the party had shot. He had +examined the coast, and found a river a short distance below, on which +we might encamp for the winter, with a sufficiency of elk for our +subsistence within reach. This information was very satisfactory, and we +decided on going thither as soon as we could move from the point; but it +rained all night and the following day. + +Saturday, 7th December, 1805, was fair. We therefore loaded our canoes, +and proceeded: but the tide was against us, and the waves very high; so +that we were obliged to proceed slowly and cautiously. We at length +turned a point, and found ourselves in a deep bay. Here we landed for +breakfast, and were joined by a party sent out three days ago to look +for the six elk. After breakfast, we coasted round the bay, which is +about four miles across, and receives two rivers. We called it +Meriwether's Bay, from the Christian name of Capt. Lewis, who was, no +doubt, the first white man who surveyed it. On reaching the south side +of the bay, we ascended one of the rivers for three miles to the first +point of highland, on its western bank, and formed our camp in a thick +grove of lofty pines about two hundred yards from the water, and thirty +feet above the level of the high tides. + + +THE CLATSOPS AT HOME. + +Capt. Clarke started on an expedition to the seashore, to fix upon a +place for the salt-works. He took six men with him; but three of them +left in pursuit of a herd of elk. He met three Indians loaded with fresh +salmon, which they had taken, and were returning to their village, +whither they invited him to accompany them. He agreed; and they brought +out a canoe hid along the bank of a creek. Capt. Clarke and his party +got on board, and in a short time were landed at the village, consisting +of twelve houses, inhabited by twelve families of Clatsops. These houses +were on the south exposure of a hill, and sunk about four feet deep into +the ground; the walls, roof, and gable-ends being formed of split-pine +boards; the descent through a small door down a ladder. There were two +fires in the middle of the room, and the beds disposed round the walls, +two or three feet from the floor, so as to leave room under them for +their bags, baskets, and household articles. The floor was covered with +mats. + +Capt. Clarke was received with much attention. As soon as he entered, +clean mats were spread, and fish, berries, and roots set before him on +small, neat platters of rushes. After he had eaten, the men of the other +houses came and smoked with him. They appeared much neater in their +persons than Indians generally are. + +Towards evening, it began to rain and blow violently; and Capt. Clarke +therefore determined to remain during the night. When they thought his +appetite had returned, an old woman presented him, in a bowl made of +light-colored horn, a kind of sirup, pleasant to the taste, made from a +species of berry common in this country, about the size of a cherry, +called by the Indians _shelwel_. Of these berries a bread is also +prepared, which, being boiled with roots, forms a soup, which was served +in neat wooden trenchers. This, with some cockles, was his repast. + +The men of the village now collected, and began to gamble. The most +common game was one in which one of the company was banker, and played +against all the rest. He had a piece of bone about the size of a large +bean; and, having agreed with any one as to the value of the stake, he +would pass the bone with great dexterity from one hand to the other, +singing at the same time to divert the attention of his adversary. Then, +holding up his closed hands, his antagonist was challenged to say in +which of them the bone was, and lost or won as he pointed to the right +or wrong hand. + +To this game of hazard they abandon themselves with great ardor. +Sometimes every thing they possess is sacrificed to it; and this evening +several of the Indians lost all the beads which they had with them. + +This lasted for three hours; when, Capt. Clarke appearing disposed to +sleep, the man who had been most attentive, and whose name was Cuskalah, +spread two new mats by the fire; and, ordering his wife to retire to her +own bed, the rest of the company dispersed at the same time. Capt. +Clarke then lay down, and slept as well as the fleas would permit him. + +Next morning was cloudy, with some rain. He walked on the seashore, and +observed the Indians walking up and down, and examining the shore. He +was at a loss to understand their object till one of them explained that +they were in search of fish, which are thrown on shore by the tide; +adding, in English, "Sturgeon is good." There is every reason to suppose +that these Clatsops depend for their subsistence during the winter +chiefly on the fish thus casually thrown on the coast. + +After amusing himself for some time on the beach, Capt. Clarke returned +toward the village. One of the Indians asked him to shoot a duck which +he pointed out. He did so; and, having accidentally shot off its head, +the bird was brought to the village, and all the Indians came round in +astonishment. They examined the duck, the musket, and the very small +bullet (a hundred to the pound); and then exclaimed in their language, +"Good musket: don't understand this kind of musket." + +They now placed before him their best roots, fish, and sirup; after +which he bought some berry-bread and a few roots in exchange for +fish-hooks, and then set out to return by the same route by which he +came. He was accompanied by Cuskalah and his brother part of the way, +and proceeded to the camp through a heavy rain. The party had been +occupied during his absence in cutting down trees and in hunting. + +Next day, two of our hunters returned with the pleasing intelligence of +their having killed eighteen elk about six miles off. Our huts begin to +rise; for, though it rains all day, we continue our labors, and are glad +to find that the beautiful balsam-pine splits into excellent boards more +than two feet in width. + +Dec. 15.--Capt. Clarke, with sixteen men, set out in three canoes to get +the elk which were killed. After landing as near the spot as possible, +the men were despatched in small parties to bring in the game; each man +returning with a quarter of an animal. It was accomplished with much +labor and suffering; for the rain fell incessantly. + + +THE FORT COMPLETED. + +We now had the meat-house covered, and all our game carefully hung up in +small pieces. Two days after, we covered in four huts. Five men were +sent out to hunt, and five others despatched to the seaside, each with a +large kettle, in order to begin the manufacture of salt. The rest of the +men were employed in making pickets and gates for our fort. + +Dec. 31.--As if it were impossible to have twenty-four hours of pleasant +weather, the sky last evening clouded up, and the rain began, and +continued through the day. In the morning, there came down two +canoes,--one from the Wahkiacum village; the other contained three men +and a squaw of the Skilloot nation. They brought wappatoo and shanatac +roots, dried fish, mats made of flags and rushes, dressed elk-skins, and +tobacco, for which, particularly the skins, they asked an extravagant +price. We purchased some wappatoo and a little tobacco, very much like +that we had seen among the Shoshonees, put up in small, neat bags made +of rushes. These we obtained in exchange for a few articles, among which +fish-hooks are the most esteemed. One of the Skilloots brought a gun +which wanted some repair; and, when we had put it in order, we received +from him a present of about a peck of wappatoo. We then gave him a piece +of sheepskin and blue cloth to cover the lock, and he very thankfully +offered a further present of roots. There is an obvious superiority of +these Skilloots over the Wahkiacums, who are intrusive, thievish, and +impertinent. Our new regulations, however, and the appearance of the +sentinel, have improved the behavior of all our Indian visitors. They +left the fort before sunset, even without being ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A NEW YEAR. + + +We were awaked at an early hour by the discharge of a volley of +small-arms to salute the new year. This is the only way of doing honor +to the day which our situation admits; for our only dainties are boiled +elk and wappatoo, enlivened by draughts of water. + +Next day, we were visited by the chief, Comowool, and six Clatsops. +Besides roots and berries, they brought for sale three dogs. Having been +so long accustomed to live on the flesh of dogs, the most of us have +acquired a fondness for it; and any objection to it is overcome by +reflecting, that, while we subsisted on that food, we were fatter, +stronger, and in better health, than at any period since leaving the +buffalo country, east of the mountains. + +The Indians also brought with them some whale's blubber, which they +obtained, they told us, from their neighbors who live on the sea-coast, +near one of whose villages a whale has recently been thrown and +stranded. It was white, and not unlike the fat of pork, though of a more +porous and spongy texture; and, on being cooked, was found to be tender +and palatable, in flavor resembling the flesh of the beaver. + +Two of the five men who were despatched to make salt returned. They had +formed an establishment about fifteen miles south-west of our fort, near +some scattered houses of the Clatsops, where they erected a comfortable +camp, and had killed a stock of provisions. They brought with them a +gallon of the salt of their manufacture, which was white, fine, and very +good. It proves to be a most agreeable addition to our food; and, as +they can make three or four quarts a day, we have a prospect of a +plentiful supply. + + +THE WHALE. + +The appearance of the whale seemed to be a matter of importance to all +the neighboring Indians; and in hopes that we might be able to procure +some of it for ourselves, or at least purchase some from the Indians, a +small parcel of merchandise was prepared, and a party of men got in +readiness to set out in the morning. As soon as this resolution was +known, Chaboneau and his wife requested that they might be permitted to +accompany us. The poor woman urged very earnestly that she had travelled +a great way with us to see the great water, yet she had never been down +to the coast; and, now that this monstrous fish also was to be seen, it +seemed hard that she should not be permitted to see either the ocean or +the whale. So reasonable a request could not be denied: they were +therefore suffered to accompany Capt. Clarke, who next day, after an +early breakfast, set out with twelve men in two canoes. + +He proceeded down the river on which we are encamped into Meriwether +Bay; from whence he passed up a creek three miles to some high, open +land, where he found a road. He there left the canoes, and followed the +path over deep marshes to a pond about a mile long. Here they saw a herd +of elk; and the men were divided into small parties, and hunted them +till after dark. Three of the elk were wounded; but night prevented our +taking more than one, which was brought to the camp, and cooked with +some sticks of pine which had drifted down the creeks. The weather was +beautiful, the sky clear, and the moon shone brightly,--a circumstance +the more agreeable, as this is the first fair evening we have enjoyed +for two months. + +Thursday, Jan. 2.--There was a frost this morning. We rose early, and +taking eight pounds of flesh, which was all that remained of the elk, +proceeded up the south fork of the creek. At the distance of two miles +we found a pine-tree, which had been felled by one of our salt-makers, +on which we crossed the deepest part of the creek, and waded through the +rest. We then went over an open, ridgy prairie, three-quarters of a mile +to the sea-beach; after following which for three miles, we came to the +mouth of a beautiful river, with a bold, rapid current, eighty-five +yards wide, and three feet deep in its shallowest crossings. On its +north-east side are the remains of an old village of Clatsops, inhabited +by only a single family, who appeared miserably poor and dirty. We gave +the man two fish-hooks to ferry the party over the river, which, from +the tribe on its banks, we called Clatsop River. The creek which we had +passed on a tree approaches this river within about a hundred yards, +and, by means of a portage, supplies a communication with the villages +near Point Adams. + +After going on for two miles, we found the salt-makers encamped near +four houses of Clatsops and Killimucks, who, though poor and dirty, +seemed kind and well-disposed. We persuaded a young Indian, by the +present of a file and a promise of some other articles, to guide us to +the spot where the whale lay. He led us for two and a half miles over +the round, slippery stones at the foot of a high hill projecting into +the sea, and then, suddenly stopping, and uttering the word "peshack," +or bad, explained by signs that we could no longer follow the coast, but +must cross the mountain. This threatened to be a most laborious +undertaking; for the side was nearly perpendicular, and the top lost in +clouds. He, however, followed an Indian path, which wound along, and +favored the ascent as much as possible; but it was so steep, that, at +one place, we were forced to draw ourselves up for about a hundred feet +by means of bushes and roots. + + +CLARKE'S POINT OF VIEW. + +At length, after two hours' labor, we reached the top of the mountain, +where we looked down with astonishment on the height of ten or twelve +hundred feet which we had ascended. We were here met by fourteen Indians +loaded with oil and blubber, the spoils of the whale, which they were +carrying in very heavy burdens over this rough mountain. On leaving +them, we proceeded over a bad road till night, when we encamped on a +small run. We were all much fatigued: but the weather was pleasant; +and, for the first time since our arrival here, an entire day has passed +without rain. + +In the morning we set out early, and proceeded to the top of the +mountain, the highest point of which is an open spot facing the ocean. +It is situated about thirty miles south-east of Cape Disappointment, and +projects nearly two and a half miles into the sea. Here one of the most +delightful views imaginable presents itself. Immediately in front is the +ocean, which breaks with fury on the coast, from the rocks of Cape +Disappointment as far as the eye can discern to the north-west, and +against the highlands and irregular piles of rock which diversify the +shore to the south-east. To this boisterous scene, the Columbia, with +its tributary waters, widening into bays as it approaches the ocean, and +studded on both sides with the Chinook and Clatsop villages, forms a +charming contrast; while immediately beneath our feet are stretched rich +prairies, enlivened by three beautiful streams, which conduct the eye to +small lakes at the foot of the hills. We stopped to enjoy the romantic +view from this place, which we distinguished by the name of Clarke's +Point of View, and then followed our guide down the mountain. + + +THE WHALE. + +The descent was steep and dangerous. In many places, the hillsides, +which are formed principally of yellow clay, have been loosened by the +late rains, and are slipping into the sea in large masses of fifty and a +hundred acres. In other parts, the path crosses the rugged, +perpendicular, basaltic rocks which overhang the sea, into which a false +step would have precipitated us. + +The mountains are covered with a very thick growth of timber, chiefly +pine and fir; some trees of which, perfectly sound and solid, rise to +the height of two hundred and ten feet, and are from eight to twelve in +diameter. Intermixed is the white cedar, or arbor-vitae, and some trees +of black alder, two or three feet thick, and sixty or seventy in height. +At length we reached the sea-level, and continued for two miles along +the sand-beach, and soon after reached the place where the waves had +thrown the whale on shore. The animal had been placed between two +villages of Killimucks; and such had been their industry, that there now +remained nothing but the skeleton, which we found to be a hundred and +five feet in length. Capt. Clarke named the place Ecola, or Whale +Creek. + +The natives were busied in boiling the blubber in a large square trough +of wood by means of heated stones, preserving the oil thus extracted in +bladders and the entrails of the whale. The refuse pieces of the +blubber, which still contained a portion of oil, were hung up in large +flitches, and, when wanted for use, were warmed on a wooden spit before +the fire, and eaten, either alone, or with roots of the rush and +shanatac. The Indians, though they had great quantities, parted with it +very reluctantly, at such high prices, that our whole stock of +merchandise was exhausted in the purchase of about three hundred pounds +of blubber and a few gallons of oil. + +Next morning was fine, the wind from the north-east; and, having divided +our stock of the blubber, we began at sunrise to retrace our steps in +order to reach our encampment, which we called Fort Clatsop, thirty-five +miles distant, with as little delay as possible. We met several parties +of Indians on their way to trade for blubber and oil with the +Killimucks: we also overtook a party returning from the village, and +could not but regard with astonishment the heavy loads which the women +carry over these fatiguing and dangerous paths. As one of the women was +descending a steep part of the mountain, her load slipped from her back; +and she stood holding it by a strap with one hand, and with the other +supporting herself by a bush. Capt. Clarke, being near her, undertook to +replace the load, and found it almost as much as he could lift, and +above one hundred pounds in weight. Loaded as they were, they kept pace +with us till we reached the salt-makers' camp, where we passed the +night, while they continued their route. + +Next day, we proceeded across Clatsop River to the place where we had +left our canoes, and, as the tide was coming in, immediately embarked +for the fort, at which place we arrived about ten o'clock at night. + + +DREWYER, THE HUNTER. + +Jan. 12, 1806.--Two hunters had been despatched in the morning; and one +of them, Drewyer, had, before evening, killed seven elks. We should +scarcely be able to subsist, were it not for the exertions of this +excellent hunter. The game is scarce; and none is now to be seen except +elk, which, to almost all the men, are very difficult to be procured. +But Drewyer, who is the offspring of a Canadian Frenchman and an Indian +woman, has passed his life in the woods, and unites in a wonderful +degree the dexterous aim of the frontier huntsman with the sagacity of +the Indian in pursuing the faintest tracks through the forest. All our +men have indeed become so expert with the rifle, that, when there is +game of any kind, we are almost certain of procuring it. + +Monday, Jan. 13.--Capt. Lewis took all the men who could be spared, and +brought in the seven elk, which they found untouched by the wolves. The +last of the candles which we brought with us being exhausted, we now +began to make others of elk-tallow. We also employed ourselves in +jerking the meat of the elk. We have three of the canoes drawn up out of +the reach of the water, and the other secured by a strong cord, so as to +be ready for use if wanted. + +Jan. 16.--To-day we finished curing our meat; and having now a plentiful +supply of elk and salt, and our houses dry and comfortable, we wait +patiently for the moment of resuming our journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WINTER LIFE. + + +Jan. 18, 1806.--We are all occupied in dressing skins, and preparing +clothes for our journey homewards. This morning, we sent out two parties +of hunters in different directions. We were visited by three Clatsops, +who came merely for the purpose of smoking and conversing with us. + +Jan. 21.--Two of the hunters came back with three elks, which form a +timely addition to our stock of provision. The Indian visitors left us +at twelve o'clock. + +The Clatsops and other nations have visited us with great freedom. +Having acquired much of their language, we are enabled, with the +assistance of gestures, to hold conversations with great ease. We find +them inquisitive and loquacious; by no means deficient in acuteness. +They are generally cheerful, but seldom gay. Every thing they see +excites their attention and inquiries. + +Their treatment of women and old men depends very much on the usefulness +of these classes. Thus, among the Clatsops and Chinooks, who live upon +fish and roots, which the women are equally expert with the men in +procuring, the women have a rank and influence far greater than they +have among the hunting tribes. On many subjects their judgments and +opinions are respected; and, in matters of trade, their advice is +generally asked and followed. So with the old men: when one is unable to +pursue the chase, his counsels may compensate for his want of activity; +but in the next state of infirmity, when he can no longer travel from +camp to camp as the tribe roams about for subsistence, he is found to be +a burden. In this condition they are abandoned among the Sioux and other +hunting-tribes of the Missouri. As the tribe are setting out for some +new excursion where the old man is unable to follow, his children or +nearest relations place before him a piece of meat and some water; and +telling him that he has lived long enough, that it is now time for him +to go home to his relations, who can take better care of him than his +friends on earth, they leave him without remorse to perish, when his +little supply is exhausted. + +Though this is doubtless true as a general rule, yet, in the villages of +the Minnetarees and Ricaras, we saw no want of kindness to old men: on +the contrary, probably because in villages the more abundant means of +subsistence renders such cruelty unnecessary, the old people appeared to +be treated with attention; and some of their feasts, particularly the +buffalo-dances, were intended chiefly as an occasion of contribution for +the old and infirm. + + +FLATHEAD INDIANS. + +The custom of flattening the head by artificial pressure during infancy +prevails among all the nations we have seen west of the Rocky Mountains. +To the east of that barrier the fashion is so perfectly unused, that +they designate the western Indians, of whatever tribe, by the common +name of Flatheads. The practice is universal among the Killimucks, +Clatsops, Chinooks, and Cathlamahs,--the four nations with whom we have +had most intercourse. Soon after the birth of her child, the mother +places it in the compressing-frame, where it is kept for ten or twelve +months. The operation is so gradual, that it is not attended with pain. +The heads of the children, when they are released from the bandage, are +not more than two inches thick about the upper edge of the forehead: +nor, with all its efforts, can nature ever restore their shape; the +heads of grown persons being often in a straight line from the tip of +the nose to the top of the forehead. + + +TEMPERANCE.--GAMBLING. + +Their houses usually contain several families, consisting of parents, +sons and daughters, daughters-in-law and grand-children, among whom the +provisions are in common, and harmony seldom interrupted. As these +families gradually expand into tribes, or nations, the paternal +authority is represented by the chief of each association. The +chieftainship is not hereditary: the chief's ability to render service +to his neighbors, and the popularity which follows it, is the foundation +of his authority, which does not extend beyond the measure of his +personal influence. + +The harmony of their private life is protected by their ignorance of +spirituous liquors. Although the tribes near the coast have had so much +intercourse with the whites, they do not appear to possess any +knowledge of those dangerous luxuries; at least, they have never +inquired of us for them. Indeed, we have not observed any liquor of an +intoxicating quality used among any Indians west of the Rocky Mountains; +the universal beverage being pure water. They, however, almost +intoxicate themselves by smoking tobacco, of which they are excessively +fond. But the common vice of all these people is an attachment to games +of chance, which they pursue with a ruinous avidity. The game of the +pebble has already been described. Another game is something like the +play of ninepins. Two pins are placed on the floor, about the distance +of a foot from each other, and a small hole made in the earth behind +them. The players then go about ten feet from the hole, into which they +try to roll a small piece resembling the men used at checkers. If they +succeed in putting it into the hole, they win the stake. If the piece +rolls between the pins, but does not go into the hole, nothing is won or +lost; but the wager is lost if the checker rolls outside the pins. +Entire days are wasted at these games, which are often continued through +the night round the blaze of their fires, till the last article of +clothing or the last blue bead is lost and won. + + +TREES. + +The whole neighborhood of the coast is supplied with great quantities of +excellent timber. The predominant growth is the fir, of which we have +seen several species. The first species grows to an immense size, and is +very commonly twenty-seven feet in circumference, six feet above the +earth's surface. They rise to the height of two hundred and thirty feet, +and one hundred and twenty of that height without a limb. We have often +found them thirty-six feet in circumference. One of our party measured +one, and found it to be forty-two feet in circumference at a point +beyond the reach of an ordinary man. This tree was perfectly sound; and, +at a moderate calculation, its height may be estimated at three hundred +feet. + +The second is a much more common species, and constitutes at least +one-half of the timber in this neighborhood. It resembles the spruce, +rising from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty feet; and is +from four to six feet in diameter, straight, round, and regularly +tapering. + +The stem of the black alder arrives at a great size. It is sometimes +found growing to the height of sixty or seventy feet, and is from two to +four in diameter. + +There is a tree, common on the Columbia River, much resembling the ash, +and another resembling the white maple, though much smaller. + +The undergrowth consists of honeysuckle, alder, whortleberry, a plant +like the mountain-holly, green brier, and fern. + + +ANIMALS. + +The beaver of this country is large and fat: the flesh is very +palatable, and, at our table, was a real luxury. On the 7th of January, +our hunter found a beaver in his trap, of which he made a bait for +taking others. This bait will entice the beaver to the trap as far as he +can smell it; and this may be fairly stated to be at the distance of a +mile, as their sense of smelling is very acute. + +The sea-otter resides only on the sea-coast or in the neighborhood of +the salt water. When fully grown, he attains to the size of a large +mastiff dog. The ears, which are not an inch in length, are thick, +pointed, fleshy, and covered with short hair; the tail is ten inches +long, thick at the point of insertion, and partially covered with a deep +fur on the upper side; the legs are very short, covered with fur, and +the feet with short hair. The body of this animal is long, and of the +same thickness throughout. From the extremity of the tail to the nose, +they measure five feet. The color is a uniform dark brown, and when in +good condition, and in season, perfectly black. This animal is +unrivalled for the beauty, richness, and softness of his fur. The inner +part of the fur, when opened, is lighter than the surface in its natural +position. There are some black and shining hairs intermixed with the +fur, which are rather longer, and add much to its beauty. + + +HORSES AND DOGS. + +The horse is confined chiefly to the nations inhabiting the great plains +of the Columbia, extending from latitude forty to fifty north, and +occupying the tract of country lying between the Rocky Mountains and a +range of mountains which crosses the Columbia River about the great +falls. In this region they are very numerous. + +They appear to be of an excellent race, lofty, well formed, active, and +enduring. Many of them appear like fine English coursers. Some of them +are pied, with large spots of white irregularly scattered, and +intermixed with a dark-brown bay. The greater part, however, are of a +uniform color, marked with stars, and white feet. The natives suffer +them to run at large in the plains, the grass of which affords them +their only winter subsistence; their masters taking no trouble to lay in +a winter's store for them. They will, nevertheless, unless much +exercised, fatten on the dry grass afforded by the plains during the +winter. The plains are rarely moistened by rain, and the grass is +consequently short and thin. + +Whether the horse was originally a native of this country or not, the +soil and climate appear to be perfectly well adapted to his nature. +Horses are said to be found wild in many parts of this country. + +The dog is small, about the size of an ordinary cur. He is usually +party-colored; black, white, brown, and brindle being the colors most +predominant. The head is long, the nose pointed, the eyes small, the +ears erect and pointed like those of the wolf. The hair is short and +smooth, excepting on the tail, where it is long and straight, like that +of the ordinary cur-dog. The natives never eat the flesh of this animal, +and he appears to be in no other way serviceable to them but in hunting +the elk. To us, on the contrary, it has now become a favorite food; for +it is found to be a strong, healthy diet, preferable to lean deer or +elk, and much superior to horse-flesh in any state. + + +BURROWING SQUIRREL. + +There are several species of squirrels not different from those found in +the Atlantic States. There is also a species of squirrel, evidently +distinct, which we denominate the burrowing squirrel. He measures one +foot five inches in length, of which the tail comprises two and a half +inches only. The neck and legs are short; the ears are likewise short, +obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head. The eyes are of a moderate +size, the pupil black, and the iris of a dark, sooty brown. The teeth, +and indeed the whole contour, resemble those of the squirrel. + +These animals associate in large companies, occupying with their burrows +sometimes two hundred acres of land. The burrows are separate, and each +contains ten or twelve of these inhabitants. There is a little mound in +front of the hole, formed of the earth thrown out of the burrow; and +frequently there are three or four distinct holes, forming one burrow, +with their entrances around the base of a mound. These mounds, about two +feet in height and four in diameter, are occupied as watch-towers by the +inhabitants of these little communities. The squirrels are irregularly +distributed about the tract they thus occupy,--ten, twenty, or thirty +yards apart. When any person approaches, they make a shrill whistling +sound, somewhat resembling "tweet, tweet, tweet;" the signal for their +party to take the alarm, and to retire into their intrenchments. They +feed on the grass of their village, the limits of which they never +venture to exceed. As soon as the frost commences, they shut themselves +up in their caverns, and continue until the spring opens. + + +BIRDS. + +THE GROUSE, OR PRAIRIE-HEN.--This is peculiarly the inhabitant +of the great plains of the Columbia, but does not differ from those of +the upper portion of the Missouri. In the winter season, this bird is +booted to the first joint of the toes. The toes are curiously bordered +on their lower edges with narrow, hard scales, which are placed very +close to each other, and extend horizontally about one-eighth of an inch +on each side of the toes, adding much to the broadness of the feet,--a +security which Nature has furnished them for passing over the snow with +more ease,--and, what is very remarkable, in the summer season these +scales drop from the feet. The color of this bird is a mixture of dark +brown, reddish, and yellowish brown, with white confusedly mixed. The +reddish-brown prevails most on the upper parts of the body, wings, and +tail; and the white, under the belly and the lower parts of the breast +and tail. They associate in large flocks in autumn and winter; and, even +in summer, are seen in companies of five or six. They feed on grass, +insects, leaves of various shrubs in the plains, and the seeds of +several species of plants which grow in richer soils. In winter, their +food consists of the buds of the willow and cottonwood, and native +berries. + +The cock of the plains is found on the plains of the Columbia in great +abundance. The beak is large, short, covered, and convex; the upper +exceeding the lower chap. The nostrils are large, and the back black. +The color is a uniform mixture of a dark-brown, resembling the dove, and +a reddish or yellowish brown, with some small black specks. The habits +of this bird resemble those of the grouse, excepting that his food is +the leaf and buds of the pulpy-leaved thorn. The flesh is dark, and only +tolerable in point of flavor. + + +HORNED FROG. + +The horned lizard, or horned frog, called, for what reason we never +could learn, the prairie buffalo, is a native of these plains as well +as of those of the Missouri. The color is generally brown, intermixed +with yellowish spots. The animal is covered with minute scales, +interspersed with small horny points, or prickles, on the upper surface +of the body. The belly and throat resemble those of the frog, and are of +a light yellowish-brown. The edge of the belly is likewise beset with +small horny projections. The eye is small and dark. Above and behind the +eyes there are several bony projections, which resemble horns sprouting +from the head. + +These animals are found in greatest numbers in the sandy, open plains, +and appear most abundant after a shower of rain. They are sometimes +found basking in the sunshine, but generally conceal themselves in +little holes of the earth. This may account for their appearance in such +numbers after rain, as their holes may thus be rendered untenantable. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE RETURN. + + +March, 1806.--Many reasons had inclined us to remain at Fort Clatsop +till the 1st of April. Besides the want of fuel in the Columbian plains, +and the impracticability of crossing the mountains before the beginning +of June, we were anxious to see some of the foreign traders, from whom, +by our ample letters of credit, we might recruit our exhausted stores of +merchandise. About the middle of March, however, we became seriously +alarmed for the want of food. The elk, our chief dependence, had at +length deserted its usual haunts in our neighborhood, and retreated to +the mountains. We were too poor to purchase food from the Indians; so +that we were sometimes reduced, notwithstanding all the exertions of our +hunters, to a single day's provision in advance. The men too, whom the +constant rains and confinement had rendered unhealthy, might, we hoped, +be benefited by leaving the coast, and resuming the exercise of +travelling. We therefore determined to leave Fort Clatsop, ascend the +river slowly, consume the month of March in the woody country, where we +hoped to find subsistence, and in this way reach the plains about the +1st of April, before which time it will be impossible to cross them. + +During the winter, we have been very industrious in dressing skins; so +that we now have a sufficient quantity of clothing, besides between +three and four hundred pairs of moccasons. But the whole stock of goods +on which we are to depend for the purchase of horses or of food, during +the long journey of four thousand miles, is so much diminished, that it +might all be tied in two handkerchiefs. We therefore feel that our chief +dependence must be on our guns, which, fortunately, are all in good +order, as we took the precaution of bringing a number of extra locks, +and one of our men proved to be an excellent gunsmith. The powder had +been secured in leaden canisters; and, though on many occasions they had +been under water, it remained perfectly dry: and we now found ourselves +in possession of one hundred and forty pounds of powder, and twice that +weight of lead,--a stock quite sufficient for the route homewards. + +We were now ready to leave Fort Clatsop; but the rain prevented us for +several days from calking the canoes, and we were forced to wait for +calm weather before we could attempt to pass Point William, which +projects about a mile and a half into the sea, forming, as it were, the +dividing-line between the river and the ocean; for the water below is +salt, while that above is fresh. + +On March 23, at one o'clock in the afternoon, we took a final leave of +Fort Clatsop. We doubled Point William without any injury, and at six +o'clock reached the mouth of a small creek, where we found our hunters. +They had been fortunate enough to kill two elks, which were brought in, +and served for breakfast next morning. + +Next day, we were overtaken by two Wahkiacums, who brought two dogs, for +which they wanted us to give them some tobacco; but, as we had very +little of that article left, they were obliged to go away disappointed. +We received at the same time an agreeable supply of three eagles and a +large goose, brought in by the hunters. + +We passed the entrance of Cowalitz River, seventy miles from our winter +camp. This stream enters the Columbia from the north; is one hundred and +fifty yards wide; deep and navigable, as the Indians assert, for a +considerable distance; and probably waters the country west and north of +the Cascade Mountains, which cross the Columbia between the great falls +and rapids. During the day, we passed a number of fishing-camps on both +sides of the river, and were constantly attended by small parties of +Skilloots, who behaved in the most orderly manner, and from whom we +purchased as much fish and roots as we wanted, on moderate terms. The +night continued as the day had been,--cold, wet, and disagreeable; which +is the general character of the weather in this region at this season. + +March 29.--At an early hour, we resumed our route, and halted for +breakfast at the upper end of an island where is properly the +commencement of the great Columbian Valley. We landed at a village of +fourteen large wooden houses. The people received us kindly, and spread +before us wappatoo and anchovies; but, as soon as we had finished +enjoying this hospitality (if it deserves that name), they began to ask +us for presents. They were, however, perfectly satisfied with the small +articles which we distributed according to custom, and equally pleased +with our purchasing some wappatoo, twelve dogs, and two sea-otter +skins. We also gave the chief a small medal, which he soon transferred +to his wife. + +April 1.--We met a number of canoes filled with families descending the +river. These people told us that they lived at the Great Rapids, but +that a scarcity of provisions there had induced them to come down in +hopes of finding subsistence in this fertile valley. All those who lived +at the rapids, as well as the nations above them, they said, were in +much distress for want of food, having consumed their winter store of +dried fish, and not expecting the return of the salmon before the next +full moon, which will be on the 2d of May. + +This intelligence was disagreeable and embarrassing. From the falls to +the Chopunnish nation, the plains afford no deer, elk, or antelope, on +which we can rely for subsistence. The horses are very poor at this +season; and the dogs must be in the same condition, if their food, the +fish, have failed. On the other hand, it is obviously inexpedient to +wait for the return of the salmon, since, in that case, we may not reach +the Missouri before the ice will prevent our navigating it. We therefore +decided to remain here only till we collect meat enough to last us till +we reach the Chopunnish nation, with whom we left our horses on our +downward journey, trusting that we shall find the animals safe, and have +them faithfully returned to us; for, without them, the passage of the +mountains will be almost impracticable. + +April 2, 1806.--Several canoes arrived to visit us; and among the party +were two young men who belonged to a nation, which, they said, resides +at the falls of a large river which empties itself into the south side +of the Columbia, a few miles below us; and they drew a map of the +country with a coal on a mat. In order to verify this information, Capt. +Clarke persuaded one of the young men, by the present of a +burning-glass, to accompany him to the river, in search of which he +immediately set out with a canoe and seven of our men. + +In the evening, Capt. Clarke returned from his excursion. After +descending about twenty miles, he entered the mouth of a large river, +which was concealed, by three small islands opposite its entrance, from +those who pass up or down the Columbia. This river, which the Indians +call Multnomah, from a nation of the same name residing near it on +Wappatoo Island, enters the Columbia one hundred and forty miles above +the mouth of the latter river. The current of the Multnomah, which is +also called Willamett, is as gentle as that of the Columbia; and it +appears to possess water enough for the largest ship, since, on sounding +with a line of five fathoms, they could find no bottom. + +Capt. Clarke ascended the river to the village of his guide. He found +here a building two hundred and twenty-six feet in front, entirely above +ground, and all under one roof; otherwise it would seem more like a +range of buildings, as it is divided into seven distinct apartments, +each thirty feet square. The roof is formed of rafters, with round poles +laid on them longitudinally. The whole is covered with a double row of +the bark of the white cedar, secured by splinters of dried fir, inserted +through it at regular distances. In this manner, the roof is made light, +strong, and durable. + +In the house were several old people of both sexes, who were treated +with much respect, and still seemed healthy, though most of them were +perfectly blind. + +On inquiring the cause of the decline of their village, which was shown +pretty clearly by the remains of several deserted buildings, an old man, +father of the guide, and a person of some distinction, brought forward a +woman very much marked with the small-pox, and said, that, when a girl, +she was near dying with the disorder which had left those marks, and +that the inhabitants of the houses now in ruins had fallen victims to +the same disease. + + +WAPPATOO ISLAND AND ROOT. + +Wappatoo Island is a large extent of country lying between the Multnomah +River and an arm of the Columbia. The island is about twenty miles long, +and varies in breadth from five to ten miles. The land is high, and +extremely fertile, and on most parts is supplied with a heavy growth of +cottonwood, ash, and willow. But the chief wealth of this island +consists of the numerous ponds in the interior, abounding with the +common arrowhead (_Sagittaria sagittifolia_), to the root of which is +attached a bulb growing beneath it, in the mud. This bulb, to which the +Indians give the name of _wappatoo_, is the great article of food, and +almost the staple article of commerce, on the Columbia. It is never out +of season; so that, at all times of the year, the valley is frequented +by the neighboring Indians who come to gather it. It is collected +chiefly by the women, who employ for the purpose canoes from ten to +fourteen feet in length, about two feet wide, and nine inches deep, +tapering from the middle, where they are about twenty inches wide. They +are sufficient to contain a single person and several bushels of roots; +yet so light, that a woman can carry one with ease. She takes one of +these canoes into a pond where the water is as high as the breast, and, +by means of her toes, separates from the root this bulb, which, on being +freed from the mud, rises immediately to the surface of the water, and +is thrown into the canoe. In this manner, these patient females remain +in the water for several hours, even in the depth of winter. This plant +is found through the whole extent of the valley in which we now are, but +does not grow on the Columbia farther eastward. + + +SCENERY OF THE RIVER AND SHORES. + +Above the junction of the Multnomah River, we passed along under high, +steep, and rocky sides of the mountains, which here close in on each +side of the river, forming stupendous precipices, covered with the fir +and white cedar. Down these heights frequently descend the most +beautiful cascades,--one of which, a large stream, throws itself over a +perpendicular rock, three hundred feet above the water; while other +smaller streams precipitate themselves from a still greater elevation, +and, separating into a mist, again collect, and form a second cascade +before they reach the bottom of the rocks. + +The hills on both sides of the river are about two hundred and fifty +feet high, generally abrupt and craggy, and in many places presenting a +perpendicular face of black, hard, basaltic rock. From the top of these +hills, the country extends itself, in level plains, to a very great +distance. + +To one remarkable elevation we gave the name of Beacon Rock. It stands +on the north side of the river, insulated from the hills. The northern +side has a partial growth of fir or pine. To the south, it rises in an +unbroken precipice to the height of seven hundred feet, where it +terminates in a sharp point, and may be seen at the distance of twenty +miles. This rock may be considered as the point where tidewater +commences. + +April 19.--We formed our camp at the foot of the Long Narrows, a little +above a settlement of Skilloots. Their dwellings were formed by sticks +set in the ground, and covered with mats and straw, and so large, that +each was the residence of several families. + +The whole village was filled with rejoicing at having caught a salmon, +which was considered as the harbinger of vast quantities that would +arrive in a few days. In the belief that it would hasten their coming, +the Indians, according to their custom, dressed the fish, and cut it +into small pieces, one of which was given to every child in the village; +and, in the good humor excited by this occurrence, they parted, though +reluctantly, with four horses, for which we gave them two kettles, +reserving to ourselves only one. + +We resumed our route, and soon after halted on a hill, from the top of +which we had a commanding view of the range of mountains in which Mount +Hood stands, and which continued south as far as the eye could reach; +their summits being covered with snow. Mount Hood bore south thirty +degrees west; and another snowy summit, which we have called Mount +Jefferson, south ten degrees west. + +Capt. Clarke crossed the river, with nine men and a large part of the +merchandise, to purchase, if possible, twelve horses to transport our +baggage, and some pounded fish, as a reserve, on the passage across the +mountains. He succeeded in purchasing only four horses, and those at +double the price that had been paid to the Shoshonees. + +April 20.--As it was much for our interest to preserve the good will of +these people, we passed over several small thefts which they had +committed; but this morning we learned that six tomahawks and a knife +had been stolen during the night. We addressed ourselves to the chief, +who seemed angry with his people; but we did not recover the articles: +and soon afterwards two of our spoons were missing. We therefore ordered +them all from the camp. They left us in ill-humor, and we therefore kept +on our guard against any insult. + +April 22.--We began our march at seven o'clock. We had just reached the +top of a hill near the village, when the load of one of the horses +turned; and the animal, taking fright at a robe which still adhered to +him, ran furiously toward the village. Just as he came there, the robe +fell, and an Indian made way with it. The horse was soon caught; but the +robe was missing, and the Indians denied having seen it. These repeated +acts of knavery had quite exhausted our patience; and Capt. Lewis set +out for the village, determined to make them deliver up the robe, or to +burn their houses to the ground. This retaliation was happily rendered +unnecessary; for on his way he met two of our men, who had found the +robe in one of the huts, hid behind some baggage. + +April 24.--The Indians had promised to take our canoes in exchange for +horses; but, when they found that we were resolved on travelling by +land, they refused giving us any thing for them, in hopes that we would +be forced to leave them. Disgusted at this conduct, we determined rather +to cut them in pieces than suffer these people to possess them; and +actually began to do so, when they consented to give us several strands +of beads for each canoe. + +We had now a sufficient number of horses to carry our baggage, and +therefore proceeded wholly by land. Passing between the hills and the +northern shore of the river, we had a difficult and fatiguing march over +a road alternately sandy and rocky. + +The country through which we have passed for several days is of uniform +character. The hills on both sides of the river are about two hundred +and fifty feet high, in many places presenting a perpendicular face of +black, solid rock. From the top of these hills, the country extends, in +level plains, to a very great distance, and, though not as fertile as +land near the falls, produces an abundant supply of low grass, which is +an excellent food for horses. The grass must indeed be unusually +nutritious: for even at this season of the year, after wintering on the +dry grass of the plains, and being used with greater severity than is +usual among the whites, many of the horses were perfectly fat; nor had +we seen a single one that was really poor. + +Having proceeded thirty-one miles, we halted for the night not far from +some houses of the Walla-wallas. Soon after stopping, we were joined by +seven of that tribe, among whom we recognized a chief by the name of +Yellept, who had visited us in October last, when we gave him a medal. + +He appeared very much pleased at seeing us again, and invited us to +remain at his village three or four days, during which he would supply +us with such food as they had, and furnish us with horses for our +journey. After the cold, inhospitable treatment we had lately received, +this kind offer was peculiarly acceptable. After having made a hasty +meal, we accompanied him to his village. Immediately on our arrival, +Yellept, who proved to be a man of much influence, collected the +inhabitants, and after having made an harangue to them, the object of +which was to induce them to treat us hospitably, set them an example by +bringing himself an armful of wood, and a platter containing three +roasted mullets. They immediately followed the example by furnishing us +with an abundance of the only sort of fuel they use,--the stems of +shrubs growing in the plains. We then purchased four dogs, on which we +supped heartily, having been on short allowance for two days previously. + +We learned from these people, that, opposite to their village, there was +a route which led to the mouth of the Kooskooskee; that the road was +good, and passed over a level country well supplied with water and +grass; and that we should meet with plenty of deer and antelope. We knew +that a road in that direction would shorten our route eighty miles; and +we concluded to adopt this route. + +Fortunately there was among these Walla-wallas a prisoner belonging to a +tribe of the Shoshonee Indians. Our Shoshonee woman, Sacajawea, though +she belonged to another tribe, spoke the same language as this prisoner; +and by their means we were enabled to explain ourselves to the Indians, +and to answer all their inquiries with respect to ourselves and the +object of our journey. Our conversation inspired them with such +confidence, that they soon brought several sick persons for whom they +requested our assistance. We splintered the broken arm of one, gave some +relief to another whose knee was contracted by rheumatism, and +administered what we thought would be useful for ulcers and eruptions +of the skin on various parts of the body, which are very common +disorders among them. But our most valuable medicine was eye-water, +which we distributed, and which, indeed, they very much required; for +complaints of the eyes, occasioned by living so much on the water, and +aggravated by the fine sand of the plains, were universal among them. + +We were by no means dissatisfied at this new resource for obtaining +subsistence, as the Indians would give us no provisions without +merchandise, and our stock was very much reduced. We carefully abstained +from giving them any thing but harmless medicines; and our prescriptions +might be useful, and were therefore entitled to some remuneration. + +May 5.--Almost the only instance of rudeness we encountered in our whole +trip occurred here. We made our dinner on two dogs and a small quantity +of roots. While we were eating, an Indian standing by, and looking with +great derision at our eating dog's-flesh, threw a half-starved puppy +almost into Capt. Lewis's plate, laughing heartily at the humor of it. +Capt. Lewis took up the animal, and flung it back with great force into +the fellow's face, and, seizing his tomahawk, threatened to cut him down +if he dared to repeat such insolence. He went off, apparently much +mortified; and we continued our dog-repast very quietly. + +Here we met our old Chopunnish guide and his family; and soon afterward +one of our horses, which had been separated from the others in the +charge of Twisted-hair, was caught, and restored to us. + + +THE WALLA-WALLA. + +We reached (May 1) a branch of the Walla-walla River. The hills of this +creek are generally abrupt and rocky; but the narrow bottom bordering +the stream is very fertile, and both possess twenty times as much timber +as the Columbia itself. Indeed, we now find, for the first time since +leaving Fort Clatsop, an abundance of firewood. The growth consists of +cotton-wood, birch, the crimson haw, willow, choke-cherry, yellow +currants, gooseberry, honeysuckle, rose-bushes, sumac, together with +some corn-grass and rushes. + +The advantage of a comfortable fire induced us, as the night was come, +to halt at this place. We were soon supplied by Drewyer with a beaver +and an otter; of which we took only a part of the beaver, and gave the +rest to the Indians. The otter is a favorite food, though much +inferior, in our estimation, to the dog, which they will not eat. The +horse, too, is seldom eaten, and never except when absolute necessity +compels. This fastidiousness does not, however, seem to proceed so much +from any dislike to the food as from attachment to the animal; for many +of them eat very freely of the horse-beef we give them. + +There is very little difference in the general face of the country here +from that of the plains on the Missouri, except that the latter are +enlivened by vast herds of buffaloes, elks, and other animals, which are +wanting here. Over these wide bottoms we continued, till, at the +distance of twenty-six miles from our last encampment, we halted for the +night. + +We had scarcely encamped, when three young men from the Walla-walla +village came in with a steel-trap, which we had inadvertently left +behind, and which they had come a whole day's journey on purpose to +restore. This act of integrity was the more pleasing because it +corresponds perfectly with the general behavior of the Walla-wallas, +among whom we had lost carelessly several knives, which were always +returned as soon as found. We may, indeed, justly affirm, that, of all +the Indians whom we have met, the Walla-wallas were the most +hospitable, honest, and sincere. + + +TWISTED-HAIR. + +On Wednesday, the 7th of May, we reached the Kooskooskee, and found it +much more navigable than when we descended it last year. The water was +risen, and covered the rocks and shoals. Here we found the chief, named +Twisted-hair, in whose charge we had left our horses in our outward +journey. We had suspicions that our horses, and especially our saddles, +might not be easily recoverable after our long absence. The Twisted-hair +was invited to come, and smoke with us. He accepted the invitation, and, +as we smoked our pipes over the fire, informed us, that, according to +his promise, he had collected the horses, and taken charge of them; but +another chief, the Broken-arm, becoming jealous of him because the +horses were confided to his care, was constantly quarrelling with him. +At length, being an old man, and unwilling to live in perpetual +disputes, he had given up the care of the horses, which had consequently +become scattered. The greater part of them were, however, still in this +neighborhood. He added, that on the rise of the river, in the spring, +the earth had fallen from the door of the _cache_, and exposed the +saddles, some of which had probably been lost; but, as soon as he was +acquainted with the situation of them, he had had them buried in another +place, where they were now. He promised that he would, on the morrow, +send his young men, and collect such of the horses as were in the +neighborhood. He kept his word. Next day, the Indians brought in +twenty-one of the horses, the greater part of which were in excellent +order; and the Twisted-hair restored about half the saddles we had left +in the _cache_, and some powder and lead which were buried at the same +place. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + + +May 17.--The country along the Rocky Mountains, for several hundred +miles in length and fifty in width, is a high level plain; in all its +parts extremely fertile, and in many places covered with a growth of +tall, long-leaved pine. Nearly the whole of this wide tract is covered +with a profusion of grass and plants, which are at this time as high as +the knee. Among these are a variety of esculent plants and roots, +yielding a nutritious and agreeable food. The air is pure and dry; the +climate as mild as that of the same latitudes in the Atlantic States, +and must be equally healthy, since all the disorders which we have +witnessed may fairly be imputed to other causes than the climate. Of +course, the degrees of heat and cold obey the influence of situation. +Thus the rains of the low grounds are snows in the high plains; and, +while the sun shines with intense heat in the confined river-bottoms, +the plains enjoy a much cooler air; and, at the foot of the mountains, +the snows are even now many feet in depth. + + +CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS. + +An attempt to cross the mountains in the early part of June failed on +account of the snow, which still covered the track. It was plain we +should have no chance of finding either grass or underwood for our +horses. To proceed, therefore, would be to hazard the loss of our +horses; in which case, if we should be so fortunate as to escape with +our lives, we should be obliged to abandon our papers and collections. +It was accordingly decided not to venture farther; to deposit here all +the baggage and provisions for which we had no immediate use, and to +return to some spot where we might live by hunting till the snow should +have melted, or a guide be procured to conduct us. We submitted, June +17, to the mortification of retracing our steps three days' march. + +On the 24th June, having been so fortunate as to engage three Indians to +go with us to the falls of the Missouri for the compensation of two +guns, we set out on our second attempt to cross the mountains. On +reaching the place where we had left our baggage, we found our deposit +perfectly safe. It required two hours to arrange our baggage, and +prepare a hasty meal; after which the guides urged us to set off, as we +had a long ride to make before we could reach a spot where there was +grass for our horses. We mounted, and followed their steps; sometimes +crossed abruptly steep hills, and then wound along their sides, near +tremendous precipices, where, had our horses slipped, we should have +been irrecoverably lost. Our route lay along the ridges which separate +the waters of the Kooskooskee and Chopunnish, and above the heads of all +the streams; so that we met no running water. Late in the evening, we +reached a spot where we encamped near a good spring of water. It was on +the steep side of a mountain, with no wood, and a fair southern aspect, +from which the snow seemed to have disappeared for about ten days, and +an abundant growth of young grass, like greensward, had sprung up. There +was also a species of grass not unlike flag, with a broad succulent +leaf, which is confined to the upper parts of the mountains. It is a +favorite food with the horses; but it was then either covered with snow, +or just making its appearance. + +June 27.--We continued our route over the high and steep hills of the +same great ridge. At eight miles' distance, we reached an eminence where +the Indians have raised a conical mound of stone six or eight feet high. +From this spot we have a commanding view of the surrounding mountains, +which so completely enclose us, that, although we have once passed them, +we should despair of ever escaping from them without the assistance of +the Indians; but our guides traverse this trackless region with a kind +of instinctive sagacity. They never hesitate; they are never +embarrassed; yet so undeviating is their step, that, wherever the snow +has disappeared for even a hundred paces, we find the summer road. With +their aid, the snow is scarcely a disadvantage; for although we are +often obliged to slide down, yet the fallen timber and the rocks, which +are now covered up, were much more troublesome when we passed in the +autumn. + + NOTE. A later traveller through this region writes, "The + mountains are indeed _rocky_. They are rocks heaped upon rocks, + with no vegetation, excepting a few cedars growing out of the + crevices near their base. Their tops are covered with perpetual + snow. The main ridge of the mountains is of _gneiss_ rock; yet, + to-day, parallel ridges of a rock, nearly allied to _basalt_, + have abounded. These ridges appear to be volcanic, forced up in + _dikes_ at different distances from each other, running from + east-north-east to west-south-west. The strata are mostly + vertical; but some are a little dipped to the south. + + "Our encampment was near a small stream which runs through a + volcanic chasm, which is more than a hundred feet deep, with + perpendicular sides. Here was a passage made for the _water_ by + _fire_." + + +THE PARTY AGREE TO SEPARATE. + +July 3, 1806.--It was agreed here that the expedition should be divided, +to unite again at the confluence of the Missouri and the Yellowstone. +The separation took place near the point where Clarke's River is crossed +by the forty-seventh parallel of latitude. Capt. Lewis, with nine men, +was to cross the mountains in a direction as nearly due east as +possible, expecting to find some tributary of the Missouri, by following +which he might reach that river, and by it retrace his way homeward. +Capt. Clarke, with the remainder of the party, was to seek the head +waters of the Yellowstone, and follow that stream to the proposed place +of re-union. + +In conformity with this arrangement, Capt. Lewis, under the guidance of +friendly Indians, crossed the mountains by a route which led him, after +travelling one hundred and four miles, to Medicine River, and by that +river to the Missouri. He reached the falls of the Missouri on the 17th +of July, and leaving there a portion of his party, under Sergt. Gass, to +make preparations for transporting their baggage and canoes round the +falls, set out, accompanied by Drewyer and the two brothers Fields, with +six horses, to explore Maria's River, to ascertain its extent toward the +north. From the 18th to the 26th, they were engaged in this exploration. +On the eve of their return, an event occurred, which, being the only +instance in which the expedition was engaged in any conflict with the +Indians with loss of life, requires to be particularly related. + + +CONFLICT WITH THE INDIANS. + +We were passing through a region frequented by the Minnetarees, a band +of Indians noted for their thievish propensities and unfriendly +dispositions. Capt. Lewis was therefore desirous to avoid meeting with +them. Drewyer had been sent out for game, and Capt. Lewis ascended a +hill to look over the country. Scarcely had he reached the top, when he +saw, about a mile on his left, a collection of about thirty horses. By +the aid of his spy-glass, he discovered that one-half of the horses +were saddled, and that, on the eminence above the horses, several +Indians were looking down towards the river, probably at Drewyer. This +was a most unwelcome sight. Their probable numbers rendered any contest +with them of doubtful issue. To attempt to escape would only invite +pursuit; and our horses were so bad, that we must certainly be +overtaken: besides which, Drewyer could not yet be aware that Indians +were near; and, if we ran, he would most probably be sacrificed. We +therefore determined to make the best of our situation, and advance +towards them in a friendly manner. The flag which we had brought in case +of such an emergency was therefore displayed, and we continued slowly +our march towards them. Their whole attention was so engaged by Drewyer, +that they did not immediately discover us. As soon as they did so, they +appeared to be much alarmed, and ran about in confusion. When we came +within a quarter of a mile, one of the Indians mounted, and rode towards +us. When within a hundred paces of us, he halted; and Capt. Lewis, who +had alighted to receive him, held out his hand, and beckoned him to +approach: but he only looked at us, and then, without saying a word, +returned to his companions. + +The whole party now descended the hill, and rode towards us. As yet we +saw only eight, but presumed that there must be more behind, as there +were several more horses saddled. Capt. Lewis had with him but two men; +and he told them his fears that these were Indians of the Minnetaree +tribe, and that they would attempt to rob us, and advised them to be on +the alert, should there appear any disposition to attack us. + +When the two parties came within a hundred yards of each other, all the +Indians, except one, halted. Capt. Lewis therefore ordered his two men +to halt, while he 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 our two men. They all now came up; and, after +alighting, the Indians asked to smoke with us. Capt. 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, who +returned with them. + +As it was growing late, Capt. Lewis proposed that they should encamp +with us; for he was glad to see them, and had a great deal to say to +them. They assented; and, being soon joined by Drewyer, the evening was +spent in conversation with the Indians, in which Capt. Lewis endeavored +to persuade them to cultivate peace with their neighbors. Finding them +very fond of the pipe, Capt. Lewis, who was desirous of keeping a +constant watch during the night, smoked with them to a late hour; and, +as soon as they were all asleep, he woke R. Fields, and ordering him to +rouse us all in case any Indian left the camp, as he feared they would +attempt to steal our horses, he lay down by the side of Drewyer in the +tent with the Indians, while the brothers Fields were stretched near the +fire at the mouth of the tent. + +At sunrise, the Indians got up, and crowded round the fire, near which +J. Fields, who was then on watch, had carelessly left his rifle, near +the head of his brother, who was 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 Capt. +Lewis. As soon as Fields turned round, he saw the Indian running off +with the rifles; and, instantly calling his brother, they pursued him +for fifty or sixty yards; and just as they overtook him, in the scuffle +for the rifles, R. Fields stabbed him through the heart with his knife. +The Indian ran a few steps, and fell dead. They recovered their rifles, +and ran back to the camp. + +The moment the fellow touched his gun, Drewyer, who was awake, jumped +up, and wrested it from him. The noise awoke Capt. Lewis, who instantly +started from the ground, and reached to seize his gun, but found it +gone, and, turning about, saw the Indian running off with it. He +followed, and called to him to lay down the gun; which he did. By this +time, the rest of the Indians were endeavoring to drive off our horses; +and Capt. Lewis ordered his men to follow them, and fire upon the +thieves if they did not release our horses. The result was, that we +recovered four of our horses, and as many of theirs which they had left +behind; so that we were rather gainers by the contest. Besides the +Indian killed by Fields, one other was badly wounded. + +We had no doubt but that we should be immediately pursued by a much +larger party. Our only chance of safety was in rejoining our friends, +who were many miles distant. We therefore pushed our horses as fast as +we could; and, fortunately for us, the Indian horses proved very good. +The plains were level, free from stones and prickly-pears, and in fine +order for travelling over from the late rains. We commenced our ride in +the early morning. At three o'clock, we had ridden, by estimate, +sixty-three miles. We halted for an hour and a half to refresh our +horses; then pursued our journey seventeen miles farther, when, as night +came on, we killed a buffalo, and again stopped for two hours. The sky +was now overclouded; but, as the moon gave light enough to show us the +route, we continued for twenty miles farther, and then, exhausted with +fatigue, halted at two in the morning. Next day, we rejoined the main +body of our party in safety. + +Capt. Lewis with his companions pursued their way down the Missouri, +passing those points already noticed in their ascent. Our narrative, +therefore, will leave them here, and attend the course of Capt. Clarke +and his party down the Yellowstone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +CAPT. CLARKE'S ROUTE DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE. + + +July 3, 1806.--The party under Capt. Clarke, consisting of fifteen men, +with fifty horses, set out through the valley of Clarke's River, along +the western side of which they rode in a southern direction. The valley +is from ten to fifteen miles in width, and is diversified by a number of +small open plains, abounding with grass and a variety of sweet-scented +plants, and watered by numerous streams rushing from the western +mountains. These mountains were covered with snow about one-fifth of the +way from the top; and some snow was still to be seen in the hollows of +the mountains to the eastward. + +July 7.--They reached Wisdom River, and stopped for dinner at a hot +spring situated in the open plain. The bed of the spring is about +fifteen yards in circumference, and composed of loose, hard, gritty +stones, through which the water boils in large quantities. It is +slightly impregnated with sulphur, and so hot, that a piece of meat, +about the size of three fingers, was completely cooked in twenty-five +minutes. + +July 8.--They arrived at Jefferson's River, where they had deposited +their goods in the month of August the year before. They found every +thing safe, though some of the goods were a little damp, and one of the +canoes had a hole in it. They had now crossed from Traveller's-Rest +Creek to the head of Jefferson's River, which seems to form the best and +shortest route over the mountains during almost the whole distance of +one hundred and sixty-four miles. It is, in fact, an excellent road; +and, by cutting down a few trees, it might be rendered a good route for +wagons, with the exception of about four miles over one of the +mountains, which would require a little levelling. + +July 10.--The boats were now loaded, and Capt. Clarke divided his men +into two bands. Sergt. Ordway, with nine men, in six canoes, was to +descend the river; while Capt. Clarke, with the remaining ten, the wife +and child of Chaboneau, and fifty horses, were to proceed by land to the +Yellowstone. The latter party set out at five in the afternoon from the +forks of the Missouri, in a direction nearly east. The plain was +intersected by several great roads leading to a gap in the mountain +about twenty miles distant, in a direction east-north-east; but the +Indian woman, who was acquainted with the country, recommended another +gap more to the south, through which Capt. Clarke determined to proceed. + +They started early the next morning, and, pursuing the route recommended +by the squaw, encamped in the evening at the entrance of the gap +mentioned by her. Through this gap they passed next day, and, at the +distance of six miles, reached the top of the dividing ridge which +separates the waters of the Missouri from those of the Yellowstone. Nine +miles from the summit, they reached the Yellowstone itself, about a mile +and a half below where it issues from the Rocky Mountains. The distance +from the head of the Missouri to this place is forty-eight miles, the +greater part of which is through a level plain. They halted for three +hours to rest their horses, and then pursued the Buffalo Road along the +banks of the river. + +Although but just emerging from a high, snowy mountain, the Yellowstone +is here a bold, rapid, and deep stream, one hundred and twenty yards in +width. They continued their course along the river till the 23d, when +the party embarked on board of two canoes, each of which was +twenty-eight feet long, sixteen or eighteen inches deep, and from +sixteen to twenty-four inches wide. Sergt. Prior, with two men, was +directed to take the horses to the Mandans for safe keeping until the +re-union of the expedition. + +July 24.--At eight o'clock, Capt. Clarke and the remainder of his party +embarked, and proceeded very steadily down the river. They passed the +mouths of several large rivers emptying into the Yellowstone; one of +which was called the Big-horn, from the numbers of that remarkable +species of sheep seen in its neighborhood. Next day, Capt. Clarke landed +to examine a curious rock, situated in an extensive bottom on the right, +about two hundred and fifty paces from the shore. It is nearly two +hundred paces in circumference, two hundred feet high, and accessible +only from the north-east; the other sides consisting of perpendicular +cliffs, of a light-colored, gritty stone. The soil on the summit is five +or six feet deep, of a good quality, and covered with short grass. From +this height, the eye ranges over a wide extent of variegated country. On +the south-west are the Rocky Mountains, covered with snow; on the north, +a lower range, called the Little Wolf Mountains. The low grounds of the +river extend nearly six miles to the southward, when they rise into +plains, reaching to the mountains. The north side of the river is +bounded by jutting, romantic cliffs, beyond which the plains are open +and extensive, and the whole country enlivened by herds of buffaloes, +elks, and wolves. After enjoying the prospect from this rock, to which +Capt. Clarke gave the name of Pompey's Pillar, he descended, and +continued his route. At the distance of six or seven miles, he stopped +to secure two bighorns, which had been shot from the boat, and, while on +shore, saw in the face of the cliff, about twenty feet above the water, +a fragment of the rib of a fish, three feet long, and nearly three +inches round, embedded in the rock itself. + + +BEAVERS, BUFFALOES, MOSQUITOES. + +The beavers were in great numbers along the banks of the river, and +through the night were flapping their tails in the water round the +boats. + +Aug. 1.--The buffaloes appeared in vast numbers. A herd happened to be +on their way across the river. Such was the multitude of these animals, +that although the river, including an island over which they passed, was +a mile in width, the herd stretched, as thick as they could swim, +completely from one side to the other. Our party, descending the river, +was obliged to stop for an hour to let the procession pass. We consoled +ourselves for the delay by killing four of the herd, and then proceeded, +till, at the distance of forty-five miles, two other herds of buffaloes, +as numerous as the first, crossed the river in like manner. + +Aug. 4.--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 low grounds: in short, 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 inflict is scarcely to be endured. + +On one occasion, Capt. Clarke 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. + +This annoyance continued, till, on the 11th of September, they write, +"We are no longer troubled with mosquitoes, which do not seem to +frequent this part of the river; and, after having been persecuted with +them during the whole route from the falls, it is a most happy +exemption. Their noise was very agreeably exchanged for that of the +wolves, which were howling in various directions all round us." + +Aug. 12, 1806.--The party continued to descend the river. One of their +canoes had, by accident, a small hole made in it; and they halted for +the purpose of covering it with a piece of elk-skin. While there, about +noon, they were overjoyed at seeing the boats of Capt. Lewis's party +heave in sight. The whole expedition being now happily re-united, at +about three o'clock all embarked on board the boats; but as the wind was +high, accompanied with rain, we did not proceed far before we halted for +the night. + + +THEY PART WITH SOME OF THEIR COMPANIONS. + +On the 14th August, having now reached a part of the river where we +occasionally met the boats of adventurous traders ascending the river, +Capt. Lewis was applied to by one of the men, Colter, who was desirous +of joining two trappers, who proposed to him to accompany them, and +share their profits. The offer was an advantageous one; and as he had +always performed his duty, and his services might be dispensed with, +Capt. Lewis consented to his going, provided none of the rest would ask +or expect a similar indulgence. To this they cheerfully answered, that +they wished Colter every success, and would not apply for a discharge +before we reached St. Louis. We therefore supplied him, as did his +comrades also, with powder and lead, and a variety of articles which +might be useful to him; and he left us the next day. + +The example of this man shows how easily men may be weaned from the +habits of civilized life, and brought to relish the manners of the +woods. This hunter had now been absent many years from his country, and +might naturally be presumed to have some desire to return to his native +seats; yet, just at the moment when he is approaching the frontiers, he +is tempted by a hunting-scheme to go back to the solitude of the woods. + +A few days after this, Chaboneau, with his wife and child, concluded to +follow us no longer, as he could be no longer useful to us. We offered +to take him with us to the United States; but he said that he had there +no acquaintance, and preferred remaining among the Indians. This man has +been very serviceable to us, and his wife particularly so, among the +Shoshonees. She has borne with a patience truly admirable the fatigues +of our long journey, encumbered with the charge of an infant, which is +now only nineteen months old. We paid him his wages, amounting to five +hundred dollars and thirty-three cents, including the price of a horse +and a lodge purchased of him, and pursued our journey without him. + + +THEY REACH HOME. + +Sept. 8, 1806.--We reached Council Bluffs, and stopped for a short time +to examine the situation of the place, and were confirmed in our belief +that it would be a very eligible spot for a trading establishment.[4] +Being anxious to reach the junction of the Platte River, we plied our +oars so well, that by night we had made seventy-eight miles, and landed +at our old encampment, on the ascent, twelve miles above that river. We +had here occasion to remark the wonderful evaporation from the Missouri. +The river does not appear to contain more water, nor is its channel +wider, than at the distance of one thousand miles nearer its source, +although within that space it receives about twenty rivers (some of them +of considerable width), and a great number of smaller streams. + +A few days more brought us to the mouth of the Kansas River. About a +mile below it, we landed to view the country. The low grounds are +delightful, the whole country exhibiting a rich appearance; but the +weather was oppressively warm. Descending as we had done from a high, +open country, between the latitudes of forty-six and forty-nine degrees, +to the wooded plains in thirty-eight and thirty-nine degrees, the heat +would have been intolerable, had it not been for the constant winds from +the south and the south-west. + +On the 20th September, we reached the mouth of Osage River. A few miles +lower down, we saw on the banks some cows feeding; and the whole party +involuntarily raised a shout of joy at the sight of this evidence of +civilization and domestic life. + +We soon after reached the little French village of La Charette, which we +saluted with a discharge of four guns and three hearty cheers. We +landed, and were received with kindness by the inhabitants, as well as +by some traders who were on their way to traffic with the Osages. They +were all surprised and pleased at our arrival; for they had long since +abandoned all hopes of ever seeing us return. + +The third day after this,--viz., on Tuesday, the 23d of September, +1806,--we arrived at St. Louis, and, having fired a salute, went on +shore, and received the heartiest and most hospitable welcome from the +whole village. + + +CONCLUSION. + +The successful termination of the expedition was a source of surprise +and delight to the whole country. The humblest of its citizens had taken +a lively interest in the issue of this journey, and looked forward with +impatience for the information it would furnish. Their anxieties, too, +for the safety of the party, had been kept in a state of excitement by +lugubrious rumors, circulated from time to time on uncertain +authorities, and uncontradicted by letters or other direct information, +from the time when the party left the Mandan towns, on their ascent up +the river, in 1804, until their actual return to St. Louis. + +The courage, perseverance, and discretion displayed by the commanders, +and the fidelity and obedience of the men, were the theme of general +approbation, and received the favorable notice of Government. A donation +of lands was made to each member of the party; Capt. Lewis was appointed +Governor of Louisiana, which, at that time, embraced the whole country +west of the Mississippi, within the boundaries of the United States; and +Capt. Clarke was made Superintendent of Indian Affairs. + +It was not until some years after, however, that the world was put in +possession of the detailed history of the expedition. Capt. Lewis, in +the midst of other cares, devoted what time he could to the preparation +of his journals for publication, and, in 1809, was on his way to +Philadelphia for that purpose, but, at a village in Tennessee, was taken +ill, and prevented from proceeding. Here the energetic mind, which had +encountered so unfalteringly the perils and sufferings of the desert, +gave way. Constitutional despondency overcame him: it is probable he +lost his reason; for, in a rash moment, he applied a pistol to his head, +and destroyed his life. His journals were published under the charge of +Paul Allen of Philadelphia. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[4] Now the site of Omaha City. + + + + +ELDORADO. + + + + +ELDORADO + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE DISCOVERY. + + +What is meant by Eldorado? Is there such a country? and, if there be, +where is it? The name literally means "The Golden Country," and was +given to an unknown region in South America by the Spaniards, who had +heard from the Indians marvellous tales of such a land lying in the +interior of the continent, where gold and precious stones were as common +as rocks and pebbles in other countries, and to be had for the trouble +of picking them up. It was also a land of spices and aromatic gums. The +first notion of this favored region was communicated by an Indian chief +to Gonzalo Pizarro, brother of the conqueror of Peru, whose imagination +was captivated by the account, and his ambition fired with a desire to +add this, which promised to be the most brilliant of all, to the +discoveries and conquests of his countrymen. He found no difficulty in +awakening a kindred enthusiasm in the bosoms of his followers. In a +short time, he mustered three hundred and fifty Spaniards, and four +thousand Indians. One hundred and fifty of his company were mounted. The +Indians were to carry the baggage and provisions, and perform the labors +of the expedition. + +A glance at the map of South America will give us a clear idea of the +scene of the expedition. The River Amazon, the largest river of the +globe, rises in the highest ranges of the Andes, and flows from west to +east through nearly the whole breadth of the continent. Pizarro's +expedition started in the year 1540 from Quito, near the sources of the +great river, and, marching east, soon became entangled in the deep and +intricate passes of the mountains. As they rose into the more elevated +regions, the icy winds that swept down the sides of the Cordilleras +benumbed their limbs, and many of the natives found a wintry grave in +the wilderness. On descending the eastern slope, the climate changed; +and, as they came to a lower level, the fierce cold was succeeded by a +suffocating heat, while tempests of thunder and lightning poured on them +with scarcely any intermission day or night. For more than six weeks, +the deluge continued unabated; and the forlorn wanderers, wet, and weary +with incessant toil, were scarcely able to drag their limbs along the +soil, broken up as it was, and saturated with the moisture. After months +of toilsome travel, they reached the region where grew the spice-trees. +Their produce resembled the cinnamon of the East in taste, but was of +inferior quality. They saw the trees bearing the precious bark spreading +out into broad forests; yet, however valuable it might be for future +commerce, it was of but little worth to them. But, from the savages whom +they occasionally met, they learned, that at ten days' distance was a +rich and fruitful land, abounding with gold, and inhabited by populous +nations. The Spaniards were so convinced of the existence of such a +country, that if the natives, on being questioned, professed their +ignorance of it, they were supposed to be desirous of concealing the +fact, and were put to the most horrible tortures, and even burnt alive, +to compel them to confess. It is no wonder, therefore, if they told, in +many instances, such stories as the Spaniards wished to hear, which +would also have the effect of ridding their own territories of their +troublesome guests by inducing them to advance farther. Pizarro had +already reached the limit originally proposed for the expedition; but +these accounts induced him to continue on. + +As they advanced, the country spread out into broad plains, terminated +by forests, which seemed to stretch on every side as far as the eye +could reach. The wood was thickly matted with creepers and climbing +plants, and at every step of the way they had to hew open a passage with +their axes; while their garments, rotting from the effects of the +drenching rains, caught in every bush, and hung about them in shreds. +Their provisions failed, and they had only for sustenance such herbs and +roots as they could gather in the forest, and such wild animals as, with +their inadequate means, they could capture. + +At length they came to a broad expanse of water, from whence flowed a +stream,--one of those which discharge their waters into the great River +Amazon. The sight gladdened their hearts, as they hoped to find a safer +and more practicable route by keeping along its banks. After following +the stream a considerable distance, the party came within hearing of a +rushing noise, that seemed like thunder issuing from the bowels of the +earth. The river tumbled along over rapids with frightful velocity, and +then discharged itself in a magnificent cataract, which they describe +as twelve hundred feet high. Doubtless this estimate must be taken with +some allowance for the excited feelings of the Spaniards, keenly alive +to impressions of the sublime and the terrible. + +For some distance above and below the falls, the bed of the river +contracted; so that its width did not exceed twenty feet. They +determined to cross, in hopes of finding a country that might afford +them better sustenance. A frail bridge was constructed by throwing +trunks of trees across the chasm, where the cliffs, as if split asunder +by some convulsion of Nature, descended sheer down a perpendicular depth +of several hundred feet. Over this airy causeway, the men and horses +succeeded in effecting their passage; though one Spaniard, made giddy by +heedlessly looking down, lost his footing, and fell into the boiling +surges below. They gained little by the exchange. The country wore the +same unpromising aspect: the Indians whom they occasionally met in the +pathless wilderness were fierce and unfriendly, and the Spaniards were +engaged in perpetual conflict with them. From these they learned that a +fruitful country was to be found down the river, at the distance of only +a few days' journey; and the Spaniards held on their weary way, still +hoping, and still deceived, as the promised land flitted before them, +like the rainbow, receding as they advanced. + +At length, spent with toil and suffering, Pizarro resolved to construct +a bark large enough to transport the weaker part of his company and his +baggage. The forests furnished him with timber; the shoes of the horses, +which had died on the road, or been slaughtered for food, were converted +into nails; gum, distilled from the trees, took the place of pitch; and +the tattered garments of the soldiers served for oakum. At the end of +two months, the vessel was ready, and the command given to Francisco +Orellana. The troops now moved forward through the wilderness, following +the course of the river; the vessel carrying the feebler soldiers. Every +scrap of provisions had long since been consumed. The last of their +horses had been devoured; and they greedily fed upon toads, serpents, +and even insects, which that country, teeming with the lower forms of +animal life, abundantly supplied. + +The natives still told of a rich district, inhabited by a populous +nation. It was, as usual, at the distance of several days' journey; and +Pizarro resolved to halt where he was, and send Orellana down in his +brigantine to procure a stock of provisions, with which he might +return, and put the main body in condition to resume their march. +Orellana, with fifty of the adventurers, pushed off into the middle of +the river, where the stream ran swiftly; and his bark, taken by the +current, shot forward as with the speed of an arrow, and was soon out of +sight. + +Days and weeks passed away, yet the vessel did not return; and no speck +was to be seen on the waters as the Spaniards strained their eyes to the +farthest point, till the banks closed in, and shut the view. Detachments +were sent out, and, though absent several days, came back without +intelligence of their comrades. Weary of suspense, Pizarro determined to +continue their march down the river, which they did, with incredible +suffering, for two months longer, till their doubts were dispelled by +the appearance of a white man, wandering, half naked, in the woods, in +whose famine-stricken countenance they recognized the features of one of +their countrymen. Orellana had passed swiftly down the river to the +point of its confluence with the Amazon, where he had been led to expect +that he should find supplies for the wants of himself and his +companions, but found none. Nor was it possible to return as he had +come, and make head against the current of the river. In this dilemma, a +thought flashed across his mind: it was, to leave the party under +Pizarro to their fate, and to pursue his course down the great river on +which he had entered; to explore Eldorado for himself, and make the best +of his way home to Spain to claim the glory and reward of discovery. His +reckless companions readily consented to this course, with the exception +of the individual whom Pizarro found; and him, when he remonstrated, +they put ashore, and left to shift for himself. + +Pizarro and his party, deserted in the wilderness, unable to advance +farther, had no alternative but to remain, or retrace their miserable +way to Quito, the place they had started from more than a year before. +They chose the latter, and commenced their return march with heavy +hearts. They took a more northerly route than that by which they had +approached the Amazon; and, though it was attended with fewer +difficulties, they experienced yet greater distresses, from their +greater inability to overcome them. Their only food was such scanty fare +as they could pick up in the forest, or happily meet with in some +forsaken Indian settlement, or wring by violence from the natives. Some +sickened and sank down by the way, and perished where they fell; for +there was none to help them. Intense misery had made them selfish; and +many a poor wretch was abandoned to his fate, to die alone in the +wilderness, or, more probably, to be devoured, while living, by the wild +animals which roamed over it. + +It took them a year to measure back their way to Quito; and the miseries +they had endured were testified to by their appearance when they +arrived, in sadly reduced numbers, at the place of their starting. Their +horses gone, their arms broken and rusted, the skins of wild animals +their only clothes, their long and matted locks streaming wildly down +their shoulders, their faces blackened by the tropical sun, their bodies +wasted by famine and disfigured by scars, it seemed as if the +charnel-house had given up its dead, as, with unsteady step, they crept +slowly onwards. More than half of the four thousand Indians who had +accompanied the expedition had perished; and of the Spaniards, only +eighty, and many of these irretrievably broken in constitution, found +their way back to Quito. + +Meanwhile, Orellana glided down the stream, which then was nameless and +unknown, but which has since been called by his name, though it is more +generally known by a name derived from a story which Orellana told, in +his account of his voyage, of a nation of Amazons inhabiting its banks. +But an account of Orellana's adventures must be reserved for our next +chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ORELLANA DESCENDS THE RIVER. + + +When Orellana, in his ill-appointed bark, and with his crew enfeebled by +famine, had reached the junction of the River Napo with the Amazon, and +found no sources of supply which he had been led to expect, he had no +difficulty in satisfying his companions that their only chance of +preservation was in continuing their descent of the river, and leaving +the party under Pizarro to their fate. He then formally renounced the +commission which Pizarro had given him, and received the command anew +from the election of his men, that so he might make discoveries for +himself, and not, holding a deputed authority, in the name of another. +It was upon the last day of December, 1541, that this voyage was +begun,--one of the most adventurous that has ever been undertaken. The +little stock of provisions with which they had parted from the army was +already exhausted, and they boiled their leathern girdles and the +leather of their shoes with such herbs as seemed most likely to be +nourishing and harmless; for it was only by experiment that they were +able to distinguish the wholesome from the poisonous. On the 8th of +January, being reduced almost to the last extremity with hunger, they +heard before daylight an Indian drum,--a joyful sound; for be the +natives what they would, friendly or hostile, this they knew, that it +must be their own fault now if they should die of hunger. At daybreak, +being eagerly upon the lookout, they perceived four canoes, which put +back upon seeing the brigantine; and presently they saw a village where +a great body of the natives were assembled, and appeared ready to defend +it. The Spaniards were too hungry to negotiate. Orellana bade them land +in good order, and stand by each other. They attacked the Indians like +men who were famishing, and fought for food, put them speedily to the +rout, and found an immediate supply. While they were enjoying the fruits +of their victory, the Indians came near them, more to gratify curiosity +than resentment. Orellana spoke to them in some Indian language which +they partly understood. Some of them took courage, and approached him. +He gave them a few European trifles, and asked for their chief, who +came without hesitation, was well pleased with the presents which were +given him, and offered them any thing which it was in his power to +supply. Provisions were requested; and presently peacocks, partridges, +fish, and other things, were brought in great abundance. The next day, +thirteen chiefs came to see the strangers. They were gayly adorned with +feathers and gold, and had plates of gold upon the breast. Orellana +received them courteously, required them to acknowledge obedience to the +crown of Castile, took advantage as usual of their ignorance to affirm +that they consented, and took possession of their country in the +emperor's name. + +Such is Orellana's own account of this first interview. It was his +object to create a high idea of the riches of the provinces which he had +discovered. It is not probable that these tribes had any gold; for later +discoveries showed that none of the tribes on the Amazon were so far +advanced as to use it. It was here that they heard the first accounts of +the rich and powerful nation composed wholly of women, whom, in +recollection of the female warriors of classic antiquity, they called +the Amazons. Here the Spaniards built a better brigantine than the frail +one in which they were embarked. All fell to work, Orellana being the +first at any exertion that was required. They calked it with cotton; the +natives supplied pitch; and in thirty-five days the vessel was launched. +On the 24th of April, they once more embarked. For eighty leagues, the +banks were peopled with friendly tribes; then the course of the river +lay between desert mountains, and they were fain to feed upon herbs and +parched corn, not even finding a place where they could fish. + +Thus far they seem to have found the natives friendly, or not actively +hostile; but, as they descended, they came to a populous province, +belonging to a chief called Omagua, if, as is conjectured, that is not +rather the name of the tribe itself than of their chief. One morning, a +fleet of canoes was seen advancing with hostile demonstrations. The +Indians carried shields made of the skins of the alligator. They came on +with beat of tambour and with war-cries, threatening to devour the +strangers. The Spaniards brought their two vessels close together, that +they might aid one another in the defence. But, when they came to use +their powder, it was damp, and they had nothing but their cross-bows to +trust to; and, plying these as well as they could, they continued to +fall down the stream, fighting as they went. Presently they came to an +Indian town. Half the Spaniards landed to attack it, leaving their +companions to maintain the fight upon the water. + +They won the town, and loaded themselves with provisions; but eighteen +of the party were wounded, and one killed. They had neither surgeon nor +any remedy for the wounded. Nothing could be done for them except +"psalming;" that is, repeating some verses of the psalms over the wound. +This mode of treatment was not unusual; and, as it was less absurd than +the methods which were ordinarily in use at that day, it is no wonder if +it proved more successful. + +For two days and two nights after this, they were constantly annoyed by +the canoes of the natives following, and endeavoring to board them. But +the Spaniards had now dried some powder; and one of them, getting a +steady mark at the chief of the Indians, shot him in the breast. His +people gathered round him; and, while they were thus occupied, the +brigantines shot ahead. + +Thus they proceeded with alternate good and evil fortune, now finding +the Indians friendly, and supplies of provisions abundant; and then +encountering hostile tribes which assailed them with all their power, or +long regions of unpeopled country, where they were reduced to the +utmost straits for want of food. Six months had now been consumed on +their voyage, and as yet no appearance of Eldorado; though, if their +accounts may be trusted, they several times came upon populous places, +which had many streets, all opening upon the river, and apparently +leading to some greater city in the interior. On the 22d of June, on +turning an angle of the river, they saw the country far before them, and +great numbers of people collected, seemingly with hostile intentions. +Orellana offered them trinkets, at which they scoffed; but he persisted +in making towards the shore to get food, either by persuasion or force. +A shower of arrows was discharged from the shore, which wounded five of +the crew. They nevertheless landed, and, after a hot contest, repulsed +the natives, killing some seven or eight of them. The historian of the +voyage, who was one of the adventurers, affirms that ten or twelve +Amazons fought at the head of these people, who were their subjects, and +fought desperately; because any one who fled in battle would be beaten +to death by these female tyrants. He describes the women as very tall +and large-limbed, white of complexion, the hair long, platted, and +banded round the head. It is amusing to observe how this story was +magnified by later narrators, who learned it only by tradition. It is +stated in these late accounts that Orellana fought on this occasion with +a great army of women. + +Of a prisoner whom they took, Orellana asked questions about Eldorado +and the Amazons, and got, as usual, such answers as he expected. This +may partly be set down to the score of self-deception, and partly to the +fact that they conversed with these people by signs, and by means of the +few words of their language which the Spaniards knew, or supposed they +knew, the meaning of. He learned from the prisoner that the country was +subject to women, who lived after the manner of the Amazons of the +ancients, and who possessed gold and silver in abundance. There were in +their dominions fine temples of the sun, all covered with plates of +gold. Their houses were of stone, and their cities walled. We can hardly +doubt that the desire to tempt adventurers to join him in his subsequent +expedition to conquer and colonize those countries had its effect in +magnifying these marvels. + +Shortly after this, the Spaniards thought they perceived the _tide_. +After another day's voyage, they came to some inhabited islands, and, to +their infinite joy, saw that they had not been mistaken; for the marks +of the tide here were certain. Here they lost another of their party in +a skirmish with the natives. From this place the country was low; and +they could never venture to land, except upon the islands, among which +they sailed, as they supposed, about two hundred leagues; the tide +coming up with great force. One day the smaller vessel struck upon a +snag, which stove in one of her planks, and she filled. They, however, +landed to seek for provisions; but the inhabitants attacked them with +such force, that they were forced to retire; and, when they came to +their vessels, they found that the tide had left the only serviceable +one dry. Orellana ordered half his men to fight, and the other half to +thrust the vessel into the water: that done, they righted the old +brigantine, and fastened in a new plank, all which was completed in +three hours, by which time the Indians were weary of fighting, and left +them in peace. The next day they found a desert place, where Orellana +halted to repair both vessels. This took them eighteen days, during +which they suffered much from hunger. + +As they drew near the sea, they halted again for fourteen days, to +prepare for their sea-voyage; made cordage of herbs; and sewed the +cloaks, on which they slept, into sails. On the 8th of August, they +proceeded again, anchoring with stones when the tide turned, though it +sometimes came in such strength as to drag these miserable anchors. Here +the natives were happily of a milder mood than those whom they had +lately dealt with. From them they procured roots and Indian corn; and, +having laid in what store they could, they made ready to enter upon the +sea in these frail vessels, with their miserable tackling, and with +insufficient food, without pilot, compass, or any knowledge of the +coast. + +It was on the 26th of August that they sailed out of the river, passing +between two islands, which were about four leagues asunder. The whole +length of the voyage from the place where they had embarked to the sea +they computed at eighteen hundred leagues. Thus far their weather had +been always favorable, and it did not fail them now. They kept along the +coast to the northward, just at safe distance. The two brigantines +parted company in the night. They in the larger one got into the Gulf of +Paria, from whence all their labor at the oar for seven days could not +extricate them. During this time, they lived upon a sort of plum called +"nogos," being the only food they could find. At length they were +whirled through those tremendous channels which Columbus called the +"Dragon's mouths," and, September the 11th, not knowing where they were, +reached the Island of Cubagua, where they found a colony of their +countrymen. The old brigantine had arrived at the same place two days +before them. Here they were received with the welcome which their +wonderful adventure deserved; and from hence Orellana proceeded to +Spain, to give the king an account of his discoveries in person. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ORELLANA'S ADVENTURE CONTINUED. + + +Orellana arrived safe in Spain, and was favorably received. His act of +insubordination in leaving his commander was forgotten in the success of +his achievement; for it had been successful, even if the naked facts +only had been told, inasmuch as it was the first event which led to any +certain knowledge of the immense regions that stretch eastward from the +Andes to the ocean, besides being in itself one of the most brilliant +adventures of that remarkable age. But Orellana's accounts went far +beyond these limits, and confirming all previous tales of the wonderful +Eldorado, with its temples roofed with gold, and its mountains composed +of precious stones, drew to his standard numerous followers. Every thing +promised fairly. The king granted him a commission to conquer the +countries which he had explored. He raised funds for the expedition, and +even found a wife who was willing to accompany him in May, 1544, he set +sail with four ships and four hundred men. + +But the tide of Orellana's fortune had turned. He stopped three months +at Teneriffe, and two at the Cape de Verde, where ninety-eight of his +people died, and fifty were invalided. The expedition proceeded with +three ships, and met with contrary winds, which detained them till their +water was exhausted; and, had it not been for heavy rains, all must have +perished. One ship put back in this distress, with seventy men and +eleven horses on board, and was never heard of after. The remaining two +reached the river. Having ascended about a hundred leagues, they stopped +to build a brigantine. Provisions were scarce here, and fifty-seven more +of his party died. These men were not, like his former comrades, +seasoned to the climate, and habituated to the difficulties of the new +world. One ship was broken up here for the materials: the other met with +an accident, and became unserviceable; and they cut her up, and made a +bark of the timbers. + +Orellana meanwhile, in the brigantine, was endeavoring to discover the +main branch of the river, which it had been easy to keep when carried +down by the stream, but which he now sought in vain for thirty days +among a labyrinth of channels. When he returned from this fruitless +search, he was ill, and told his people that he would go back to Point +St. Juan; and there he ordered them to seek him when they had got the +bark ready. But he found his sickness increase upon him, and determined +to abandon the expedition, and return to Europe. While he was seeking +provisions for the voyage, the Indians killed seventeen of his men. What +with vexation and disorder, he died in the river. This sealed the fate +of the expedition. The survivors made no further exertions to reach +Eldorado, but returned to their own country as they could. Such was the +fate of Orellana, who, as a discoverer, surpassed all his countrymen; +and though, as a conqueror, he was unfortunate, yet neither is he +chargeable with any of those atrocities toward the unhappy natives which +have left such a stain on the glories of Cortes and Pizarro. + +The next attempt we read of to discover Eldorado was made a few years +after, under Hernando de Ribera, by ascending the La Plata, or River of +Paraguay. He sailed in a brigantine with eighty men, and encountered no +hostility from the natives. They confirmed the stories of the Amazons +with their golden city. "How could they get at them?" was the next +question: "by land, or by water?"--"Only by land," was the reply. "But +it was a two-months' journey; and to reach them now would be impossible, +because the country was inundated." The Spaniards made light of this +obstacle, but asked for Indians to carry their baggage. The chief gave +Ribera twenty for himself, and five for each of his men; and these +desperate adventurers set off on their march over a flooded country. + +Eight days they travelled through water up to their knees, and sometimes +up to their middle. By slinging their hammocks to trees, and by this +means only, could they find dry positions for the night. Before they +could make a fire to dress their food, they were obliged to raise a rude +scaffolding; and this was unavoidably so insecure, that frequently the +fire burned through, and food and all fell into the water. They reached +another tribe, and were told that the Amazons' country was still nine +days farther on; and then still another tribe, who told them it would +take a month to reach them. Perhaps they would still have advanced; but +here an insuperable obstacle met them. The locusts for two successive +years had devoured every thing before them, and no food was to be had. +The Spaniards had no alternative but to march back. On their way, they +were reduced to great distress for want of food; and from this cause, +and travelling so long half under water, the greater number fell sick, +and many died. Of eighty men who accompanied Ribera upon this dreadful +march, only thirty recovered from its effects. + +This expedition added a few items to the story of Eldorado. Ribera +declares under oath that the natives told him of a nation of women, +governed by a woman, and so warlike as to be dreaded by all their +neighbors. They possessed plenty of white and yellow metal: their seats, +and all the utensils in their houses, were made of them. They lived on a +large island, which was in a huge lake, which they called the "Mansion +of the Sun," because the sun sank into it. The only way of accounting +for these stories is, that the Spaniards furnished, in the shape of +questions, the information which they fancied they received in reply; +the Indians assenting to what they understood but imperfectly, or not at +all. + + +MARTINEZ. + +Another expedition, not long after Orellana's, was that conducted by Don +Diego Ordaz, of which Sir Walter Raleigh, in his "History of Guiana," +gives an account. The expedition failed; Ordaz being slain in a mutiny +of his men, and those who went with him being scattered. The only +noticeable result was in the adventures of one Martinez, an officer of +Ordaz, who had charge of the ammunition. We tell the story in the +language of Sir Walter, slightly modernized:-- + + "It chanced, that while Ordaz, with his army, rested at the + port of Morequito, by some negligence the whole store of powder + provided for the service was set on fire; and Martinez, having + the chief charge thereof, was condemned by the general to be + executed forthwith. Martinez, being much favored by the + soldiers, had all means possible employed to save his life; but + it could not be obtained in other way but this,--that he should + be set into a canoe alone, without any food, and so turned + loose into the great river. But it pleased God that the canoe + was carried down the stream, and that certain of the Guianians + met it the same evening: and, not having at any time seen any + European, they carried Martinez into the land to be wondered + at; and so from town to town until he came to the great city of + Manoa, the seat and residence of Inga, the emperor. The + emperor, when he beheld him, knew him to be a Christian of + those who had conquered the neighboring country of Peru, and + caused him to be lodged in his palace, and well entertained. He + lived seven months in Manoa, but was not suffered to wander + into the country anywhere. He was also brought thither all the + way blindfolded by the Indians, until he came to the entrance + of Manoa itself. He avowed at his death that he entered the + city at noon, and then they uncovered his face; and that he + travelled all that day till night through the city, ere he came + to the palace of Inga. + + "After Martinez had lived seven months in Manoa, and began to + understand the language of the country, Inga asked him whether + he desired to return to his own country, or would willingly + abide with him. Martinez, not desirous to stay, obtained + permission of Inga to depart, who sent with him some Guianians + to conduct him to the river of Orinoco, with as much gold as + they could carry, which he gave to Martinez at his departure. + But, when he arrived at the river's side, the natives, being at + that time at war with Inga, robbed him and his Guianians of all + his treasure, save only two bottles made of gourds, which were + filled with beads of gold, which those people thought to + contain his drink or food, with which he was at liberty to + depart. So, in a canoe, he passed down by the river to + Trinidad, and from thence to Porto Rico, where he died. In the + time of his extreme sickness, and when he was without hope of + life, receiving the sacrament at the hands of his confessor, he + delivered this relation of his travels, and also called for his + calabazas, or gourds of gold beads, which he gave to the church + and the friars, to be prayed for. + + "This Martinez was the one who christened the city of Manoa by + the name 'Eldorado,' and upon this occasion. At the times of + their solemn feasts, when the emperor carouses with his + captains, tributaries, and governors, the manner is thus: All + those that pledge him are first stripped naked, and their + bodies anointed all over with a kind of white balsam very + precious. When they are anointed all over, certain servants of + the emperor, having prepared gold made into fine powder, blow + it through hollow canes upon their naked bodies until they be + all shining from the head to the foot. Upon this sight, and for + the abundance of gold which he saw in the city, the images of + gold in their temples, the plates, armors, and shields of gold + which they use in the wars, he called it Eldorado." + +Such is Sir Walter's narrative of one of the traditions which fired his +enthusiasm to undertake the conquest of Eldorado. He asserts that he +read it in "The Chancery of Saint Juan de Porto Rico," of which Berrio +had a copy. It is pretty plainly tinctured with fable, but probably had +an historical foundation. + +After this, a good many years elapsed before any other expedition of +note was fitted out in search of Eldorado. But the story grew, +notwithstanding. An imaginary kingdom was shaped out. It was governed by +a potentate who was called the Great Paytiti, sometimes the Great Moxu, +sometimes the Enim, or Great Para. An impostor at Lima affirmed that he +had been in his capital, the city of Manoa, where not fewer than three +thousand workmen were employed in the silversmiths' street. He even +produced a map of the country, in which he had marked a hill of gold, +another of silver, and a third of salt. The columns of the palace were +described as of porphyry and alabaster, the galleries of ebony and +cedar: the throne was of ivory, and the ascent to it by steps of gold. +The palace was built of white stone. At the entrance were two towers, +and between them a column twenty-five feet in height. On its top was a +large silver moon; and two living lions were fastened to its base with +chains of gold. Having passed by these keepers, you came into a +quadrangle planted with trees, and watered by a silver fountain, which +spouted through four golden pipes. The gate of the palace was of copper, +and its bolt was received in the solid rock. Within, a golden sun was +placed upon an altar of silver; and four lamps were kept burning before +it day and night. + +It may surprise us that tales so palpably false as these should have +deceived any, to such an extent as to lead them to get up costly and +hazardous expeditions to go in search of the wonder; but we must +remember, that what the Spaniards had already realized and demonstrated +to the world in their conquests of Mexico and Peru was hardly less +astonishing than these accounts. It is therefore no wonder that +multitudes should be found willing to admit so much of the marvels of +Eldorado as to see in them a sufficient inducement to justify the +search; and others less credulous were perhaps willing to avail +themselves of the credulity of the multitude to accomplish plans of +conquest and ambition for themselves. Of the latter class, we may +imagine the celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh to be one, who, at this time, +undertook an expedition for the discovery and conquest of Eldorado. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH. + + +Walter Raleigh was born in the year 1552 in Devonshire, England, and +received a good education, completed by a residence of two years at the +University of Oxford. At the age of seventeen, he joined a volunteer +corps of English to serve in France in aid of the Protestant cause. +Afterwards he served five years in the Netherlands. In 1576, he +accompanied his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, on an expedition to +colonize some part of North America; which expedition was unsuccessful. +We next find him commanding a company of the royal troops in Ireland +during the rebellion raised by the Earl of Desmond. In consequence of +some serious differences which arose between him and his superior +officer, he found it necessary to repair to court to justify himself. It +was at this time that an incident occurred which recommended him to the +notice of Queen Elizabeth, and was the foundation of his fortunes. +Raleigh stood in the crowd one day where the queen passed on foot; and +when she came to a spot of muddy ground, and hesitated for a moment +where to step, he sprang forward, and, throwing from his shoulders his +handsome cloak ("his clothes being then," says a quaint old writer, "a +considerable part of his estate"), he spread it over the mud, so that +the queen passed over dry-shod, doubtless giving an approving look to +the handsome and quick-witted young officer. There is another story +which is not less probable, because it is not less in character with +both the parties. Finding some hopes of the queen's favor glancing on +him, he wrote, on a window where it was likely to meet her eye,-- + +"Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall." + +And her majesty, espying it, wrote underneath,-- + +"If thy heart fail thee, wherefore climb at all?" + +His progress in the queen's favor was enhanced by his demeanor when the +matter in dispute between him and his superior officer was brought +before the privy council, and each party was called upon to plead his +own cause. "What advantage he had in the case in controversy," says a +contemporary writer, "I know not; but he had much the better in the +manner of telling his tale." The result was, that he became a man of "no +slight mark;" "he had gotten the queen's ear in a trice;" "she took him +for a kind of oracle," and "loved to hear his reasons to her demands," +or, in more modern phrase, "his replies to her questions." + +The reign of Queen Elizabeth has been called the heroic age of England. +And, let us remember, the England of that day is ours as much as theirs +who still bear the name of Englishmen. The men whose gallant deeds we +now record were our ancestors, and their glory is our inheritance. + +The Reformation in religion had awakened all the energies of the human +mind. It had roused against England formidable enemies, among which +Spain was the most powerful and the most intensely hostile. She fitted +out the famous Armada to invade England; and England, on her part, sent +various expeditions to annoy the Spaniards in their lately acquired +possessions in South America. These expeditions were generally got up by +private adventurers; the queen and her great nobles often taking a share +in them. When there was nominal peace with Spain, such enterprises were +professedly for discovery and colonization, though the adventurers could +not always keep their hands off a rich prize of Spanish property that +fell in their way; but, for the last fifteen years of Elizabeth's reign, +there was open war between the two powers: and then these expeditions +had for their first object the annoyance of Spain, and discovery and +colonization for their second. + +We find Raleigh, after fortune began to smile upon him, engaged in a +second expedition, with Sir Humphrey Gilbert, for discovery and +colonization in America. He furnished, from his own means, a ship called +"The Raleigh," on board of which he embarked; but when a few days out, a +contagious disease breaking out among the crew, he put back into port, +and relinquished the expedition. Sir Humphrey, with the rest of the +squadron, consisting of five vessels, reached Newfoundland without +accident, took possession of the island, and left a colony there. He +then set out exploring along the American coast to the south, he himself +doing all the work in his little ten-ton cutter; the service being too +dangerous for the larger vessels to venture on. He spent the summer in +this labor till toward the end of August, when, in a violent storm, one +of the larger vessels, "The Delight," was lost with all her crew. "The +Golden Hind" and "Squirrel" were now left alone of the five ships. Their +provisions were running short, and the season far advanced; and Sir +Humphrey reluctantly concluded to lay his course for home. He still +continued in the small vessel, though vehemently urged by his friends to +remove to the larger one. "I will not forsake my little company, going +homeward," said he, "with whom I have passed so many storms and perils." +On the 9th of September, the weather was rough, and the cutter was with +difficulty kept afloat, struggling with the violence of the waves. When +the vessels came within hearing distance, Sir Humphrey cried out to his +companions in "The Hind," "Be of good courage: we are as near to heaven +by sea as by land." "That night, at about twelve o'clock," writes the +historian of the voyage, who was himself one of the adventurers, "the +cutter being ahead of us in 'The Golden Hind,' suddenly her lights were +out, and the watch cried, 'The general is cast away!' which was too +true." So perished a Christian hero. It was a fine end for a mortal man. +Let us not call it sad or tragic, but heroic and sublime. + +Raleigh, not discouraged by the ill success of this expedition, shortly +after obtained letters-patent for another enterprise of the same kind, +on the same terms as had been granted to Sir Humphrey. Two barks were +sent to explore some undiscovered part of America north of Florida, and +look out for a favorable situation for the proposed colony. This +expedition landed on Roanoke Island, near the mouth of Albemarle Sound. +Having taken formal possession of the country for the Queen of England +and her servant Sir Walter Raleigh, they returned, and gave so favorable +an account of the country, that her Majesty allowed it to be called +Virginia, after herself, a virgin queen. The next year, Raleigh sent out +a second expedition, and left a colony of a hundred men, which was the +first colony planted by Englishmen on the continent of America. Soon +after, Raleigh sent a third expedition with a hundred and fifty +colonists; but having now expended forty thousand pounds upon these +attempts, and being unable to persist further, or weary of waiting so +long for profitable returns, he assigned over his patent to a company of +merchants, and withdrew from further prosecution of the enterprise. + +The years which followed were the busiest of Raleigh's adventurous life. +He bore a distinguished part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and, +in the triumphant procession to return thanks at St. Paul's for that +great deliverance, he was conspicuous as commander of the queen's guard. +He was a member of Parliament, yet engaged personally in two naval +expeditions against the Spaniards, from which he reaped honor, but no +profit; and was at the height of favor with the queen. But, during his +absence at sea, the queen discovered that an intrigue existed between +Raleigh and one of the maids of honor, which was an offence particularly +displeasing to Elizabeth, who loved to fancy that all her handsome young +courtiers were too much attached to herself to be capable of loving any +other object. Raleigh, on his return, was committed a prisoner to the +Tower, and, on being released after a short confinement, retired to his +estate in Dorsetshire. It was during this retirement that he formed his +scheme for the discovery and conquest of Eldorado. It had long been a +subject of meditation to Raleigh, who declares in the dedication of his +"History of Guiana," published after his return, that "many years since, +he had knowledge, by relation, of that mighty, rich, and beautiful +empire of Guiana, and of that great and golden city which the Spaniards +call Eldorado, and the naturals Manoa."--"It is not possible," says one +of the historians of these events, "that Raleigh could have believed +the existence of such a kingdom. Credulity was not the vice of his +nature; but, having formed the project of colonizing Guiana, he employed +these fables as baits for vulgar cupidity." Other writers judge him more +favorably. It is probably true that he believed in the existence of such +a country as Eldorado; but we can hardly suppose that he put faith in +all the marvellous details which accompanied the main fact in popular +narration. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +RALEIGH'S FIRST EXPEDITION. + + +As the attempts of Pizarro and Orellana were made by the route of the +river of the Amazons, and that of Ribera by the river of Paraguay, +Raleigh's approach was by the Orinoco, a river second in size only to +the Amazons, and which flows in a course somewhat parallel to that, and +some five or ten degrees farther to the north. The region of country +where this river discharges itself into the Atlantic was nominally in +possession of the Spaniards, though they had but one settlement in what +was called the province of Guiana,--the town of St. Joseph, then +recently founded; and another on the island of Trinidad, which lies +nearly opposite the mouth of the river. Raleigh, arriving at Trinidad, +stopped some days to procure such intelligence as the Spaniards resident +there could afford him respecting Guiana. He then proceeded to the main +land, destroyed the town which the Spaniards had lately built there, +and took the governor, Berrio, on board his own ship. He used his +prisoner well, and "gathered from him," he says, "as much of Guiana as +he knew." Berrio seems to have conversed willingly upon his own +adventures in exploring the country, having no suspicion of Raleigh's +views. He discouraged Raleigh's attempts to penetrate into the country, +telling him that he would find the river unnavigable for his ships, and +the nations hostile. These representations had little weight with +Raleigh, as he attributed them to a very natural wish on Berrio's part +to keep off foreigners from his province; but, on trying to find the +entrance to the river, he discovered Berrio's account to be true, so far +as related to the difficulties of the navigation. After a thorough +search for a practicable entrance, he gave up all hopes of passing in +any large vessel, and resolved to go with the boats. He took in his +largest boat, with himself, sixty men, including his cousin, his nephew, +and principal officers. Another boat carried twenty, and two others ten +each. "We had no other means," he says in his account afterward +published, "but to carry victual for a month in the same, and also to +lodge therein as we could, and to boil and dress our meat." + +The Orinoco, at nearly forty leagues from the sea, forms, like the Nile, +a kind of fan, strewed over with a multitude of little islands, that +divide it into numerous branches and channels, and force it to discharge +itself through this labyrinth into the sea by an infinity of mouths, +occupying an extent of more than sixty leagues. "The Indians who inhabit +those islands," says Raleigh, "in the summer, have houses upon the +ground, as in other places; in the winter they dwell upon the trees, +where they build very artificial towns and villages: for, between May +and September, the river rises to thirty feet upright, and then are +those islands overflowed twenty feet high above the level of the ground; +and for this cause they are enforced to live in this manner. They use +the tops of palmitos for bread; and kill deer, fish, and porks for the +rest of their sustenance." Raleigh's account is confirmed by later +travellers. Humboldt says, "The navigator, in proceeding along the +channels of the delta of the Orinoco at night, sees with surprise the +summits of the palm-trees illuminated by large fires. These are the +habitations of the Guaraons, which are suspended from the trees. These +tribes hang up mats in the air, which they fill with earth, and kindle, +on a layer of moist clay, the fire necessary for their household +wants." + +Passing up with the flood, and anchoring during the ebb, Raleigh and his +companions went on, till on the third day their galley grounded, and +stuck so fast, that they feared their discovery must end there, and they +be left to inhabit, like rooks upon trees, with these nations; but on +the morrow, after casting out all her ballast, with tugging and hauling +to and fro, they got her afloat. After four days more, they got beyond +the influence of the tide, and were forced to row against a violent +current, till they began to despair; the weather being excessively hot, +and the river bordered with high trees, that kept away the air. Their +provisions began to fail them; but some relief they found by shooting +birds of all colors,--carnation, crimson, orange, purple, and of all +other sorts, both simple and mixed. An old Indian whom they had pressed +into their service was a faithful guide to them, and brought them to an +Indian village, where they got a supply of bread, fish, and fowl. They +were thus encouraged to persevere, and next day captured two canoes +laden with bread, "and divers baskets of roots, which were excellent +meat." Probably these roots were no other than potatoes; for the +mountains of Quito, to which Sir Walter was now approaching, were the +native country of the potato, and the region from whence it was first +introduced into Europe. The Spaniards and Portuguese introduced it +earlier than the English; but to Raleigh belongs the credit of making it +known to his countrymen. The story is, that Sir Walter, on his return +home, had some of the roots planted in his garden at Youghal, in +Ireland, and that his gardener was sadly disappointed in autumn on +tasting the apples of the "fine American fruit," and proceeded to root +up the "useless weeds," when he discovered the tubers. + +Raleigh treated the natives with humanity, and, in turn, received +friendly treatment from them. The chiefs told him fine stories about the +gold-mines; but, unfortunately, the gold was not to be had without +labor, and the adventurers were in no condition to undertake mining +operations. What they wanted was to find a region like Mexico or Peru, +only richer, where gold might be found, not in the rocks or the bowels +of the earth, but in possession of the natives, in the form of barbaric +ornaments that they would freely barter for European articles, or images +of their gods, such as Christians might seize and carry away with an +approving conscience. + +Thus far, their search for such a region had been unsuccessful, and +their only hope was of reaching it by farther explorations. But the +river was rising daily, and the current flowed with such rapidity, that +they saw clearly, if it went on to increase as it had done for some time +past, it must soon debar all farther progress. + +Raleigh found by talking with the chiefs that they were all hostile to +the Spaniards, and willing enough to promise him their aid in driving +them out of the country. He accordingly told them that he was sent by a +great and virtuous queen to deliver them from the tyranny of the +Spaniards. He also learned that the Indians with whom he was conversing +were an oppressed race, having been conquered by a nation who dwelt +beyond the mountains,--a nation who wore large coats, and hats of +crimson color, and whose houses had many rooms, one over the other. They +were called the Eperumei; and against them all the other tribes would +gladly combine, for they were the general oppressors. Moreover, the +country of these Eperumei abounded in gold and all other good things. + +He continued to make daily efforts to ascend the river, and to explore +the tributary streams, but found his progress debarred in some quarters +by the rapid current of the swollen streams, and in others by falls in +the rivers. The falls of one of the tributaries of the Orinoco, the +Caroli, he describes as "a wonderful breach of waters, running in three +parts; and there appeared some ten or twelve over-falls in sight, every +one as high over the other as a church-tower." He was informed that the +lake from which the river issued was above a day's journey for one of +their canoes to cross, which he computed at about forty miles; that many +rivers fall into it, and great store of grains of gold was found in +those rivers. On one of these rivers, he was told, a nation of people +dwell "whose heads appear not above their shoulders;" which, he says, +"though it may be thought a mere fable, yet, for my own part, I am +resolved it is true, because every child in those provinces affirm the +same. They are reported to have their eyes in their shoulders, and their +mouths in the middle of their breasts, and that a long train of hair +growth backward between their shoulders." Raleigh adds, "It was not my +chance to hear of them till I was come away. If I had but spoken one +word of it while I was there, I might have brought one of them with me +to put the matter out of doubt." It might have been more satisfactory +for the philosophers if he had done so; but his word was quite enough +for the poets. One of that class, and the greatest of all, William +Shakspeare, was, at that very time, writing plays for the gratification +of Raleigh's gracious mistress and her subjects, and eagerly availed +himself of this new-discovered tribe to introduce one of them in his +play of "The Tempest," under the name of Caliban. He also makes Othello +tell the gentle Desdemona "of most disastrous chances, and of the +cannibals that each other eat; the Anthropophagi, and men whose heads do +grow beneath their shoulders." Nor are these the only instances in which +we think we trace the influence of the romantic adventurer on the +susceptible poet. The name of the divinity whom Caliban calls "my dam's +God Setebos" occurs in Raleigh's narrative as the name of an Indian +tribe; and Trinculo's plan of taking Caliban to England to make a show +of him seems borrowed from this hint of Raleigh's. In his days of +prosperity, Raleigh instituted a meeting of intellectual men at "The +Mermaid," a celebrated tavern. To this club, Shakspeare, Beaumont, +Fletcher, Jonson, Selden, Donne, and other distinguished literary men, +were accustomed to repair; and here doubtless the adventures and +discoveries of Sir Walter, set forth with that talent of which his +writings furnish abundant proof, often engaged the listening group. +Raleigh was then forty-eight, and Shakspeare thirty-six, years old. But, +in justice to Raleigh, it should be added, that he did not invent these +stories, and that later travellers and missionaries testify that such +tales were current among the Indians, though as yet no specimen of the +tribe has been seen by trustworthy narrators. + +Raleigh now found that he must bring his westward progress to a +conclusion: "for no half-day passed but the river began to rage and +overflow very fearfully; and the rains came down in terrible showers, +and gusts in great abundance, and men began to cry out for want of +shift; for no man had place to bestow any other apparel than that which +he wore on his back, and that was thoroughly washed on his body for the +most part ten times a day; and we had now been near a month, every day +passing to the westward, farther from our ships." They turned back, +therefore, and, passing down the stream, went, without labor and against +the wind, little less than one hundred miles a day. They stopped +occasionally, both for provisions, and for conference with the natives. +In particular, one old chief, with whom he had conferred formerly on his +ascent, gave him the confidential communication, that the attempt to +attack the city of Manoa, at that time, was desperate; for neither the +time of the year was favorable, nor had he nearly a sufficient force. He +advised, that, forbearing any further attempts at that time, Raleigh +should rest satisfied with the information he had gained, and return to +his own country for a larger force, with which to come again the next +year, and unite all the tribes which were hostile to the Eperumei, or +people of Manoa, and by their aid make an easy conquest of them. The old +chief added, that, for his part and his people's, they wanted no share +of the spoils of gold or precious stones: they only wanted to be avenged +on their enemies, and to rescue from them their women whom the Eperumei +had carried away in their frequent incursions; "so that, whereas they +were wont to have ten or twelve wives apiece, they were now enforced to +content themselves with three or four." + +Raleigh met with no material misadventure in his way down the river; +and, though a storm attacked them the same night, they anchored in the +mouth of the river; so that, in spite of every shelter they could derive +from the shores, the galley "had as much to do to live as could be, and +there wanted little of her sinking, and all those in her:" yet next day +they arrived safe at the Island of Trinidad, and found the ships at +anchor, "than which," says Raleigh, "there was never to us a more joyful +sight." + +Raleigh was not favorably received by the queen on his return, nor was +he welcomed with any popular applause; for he had brought home no booty, +and his account of the riches of the land into which he had led the way +was received with suspicion. He published it under this boastful title: +"The Discovery of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Guiana; with +a relation of the great and Golden City of Manoa, which the Spaniards +call Eldorado. Performed by Sir Walter Raleigh." In spite of all the +great promises which he held out, the acknowledgment that he had made a +losing voyage tended to abate that spirit of cupidity and enterprise +which he wished to excite. + +Sir Walter's history of his expedition contains, besides the marvels +already cited, numerous others, some of which have a basis of fact, +others not. Of the former kind is his account of oysters growing on +trees. He says, "We arrived at Trinidado the 22d of March, casting +anchor at Port Curiapan. I left the ships, and kept by the shore in my +barge, the better to understand the rivers, watering-places, and ports +of the island. In the way, I passed divers little brooks of fresh +water, and one salt river, that had store of oysters upon the branches +of the trees. All their oysters grow upon those boughs and sprays, and +not on the ground. The like is commonly seen in the West Indies and +elsewhere." + +Upon this narrative, Sir Robert Schomburgh, a late explorer, has the +following remark: "The first accounts brought to Europe, of oysters +growing on trees, raised as great astonishment as the relation of +Eldorado itself; and to those who were unacquainted with the fact that +these mollusks select the branches of the tree, on which they fix +themselves during high water, when the branches are immersed, it may +certainly sound strange, that shells, which we know live in Europe on +banks in the depths of the sea, should be found in the West Indies on +the branches of trees. They attach themselves chiefly to the +mangrove-tree, which grows along the shore of the sea, and rivers of +brackish water, and covers immense tracts of coast; rooting and +vegetating in a manner peculiar to itself, even as far as low-water +mark. The water flowing off during ebb leaves the branches, with the +oysters attached to them, high and dry." + +Respecting the Republic of Amazons, Sir Walter says, "I made inquiry +among the most ancient and best travelled of the Orenoqueponi; and I +was very desirous to understand the truth of those warlike women, +because of some it is believed, of others not. I will set down what hath +been delivered me for truth of those women; and I spake with a cacique, +or lord of people, who said that he had been in the river, and beyond it +also. The nations of those women are on the south side of the river, in +the province of Topago; and their chiefest strengths and retreats are in +the islands of said river. They accompany with men but once in a year, +and for the time of one month, which, I gather from their relation, to +be in April. At that time, all the kings of the borders assemble, and +the queens of the Amazons; and, after the queens have chosen, the rest +cast lots for their valentines. This one month they feast, dance, and +drink of their wines in abundance; and, the moon being done, they all +depart to their own provinces. If a son be born, they return him to the +father; if a daughter, they nourish it and retain it, all being desirous +to increase their own sex and kind. They carry on wars, and are very +blood-thirsty and cruel." + +Sir Robert Schomburgh, who explored these regions extensively between +the years 1835 and 1844, says, in reference to this subject, "The +result of this fatiguing and perilous journey has only strengthened our +conviction that this republic of women was one of those inventions, +designed merely to enhance the wonders, of which the new world was +regarded as the seat." It would, however, be unjust to condemn Raleigh's +proneness to a belief in their existence, when we find that Condamine +believed in them; that Humboldt hesitated to decide against them; and +that even Southey, the learned historian of Brazil, makes this remark, +"Had we never heard of the Amazons of antiquity, I should, without +hesitation, believe in those of America. Their existence is not the less +likely for that reason; and yet it must be admitted, that the probable +truth is made to appear suspicious by its resemblance to a known +fable." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RALEIGH'S ADVENTURES CONTINUED. + + +When Raleigh, on his first arrival, broke up the Spanish settlement in +Trinidad, he took Berrio, the governor, prisoner, and carried him with +him in his voyage up the river. Berrio seems to have borne his fate with +good temper, and conciliated the good will of Raleigh; so that, when the +expedition returned to the mouth of the river, he was set at liberty, +and collected his little colony again. Berrio probably shared the same +belief as Raleigh in the existence of the kingdom of Eldorado within the +limits of his province, and was naturally desirous to avail himself of +the respite which he gained by the termination of Raleigh's expedition, +until it should return in greater force to penetrate to Eldorado, and +take possession for himself and his countrymen. With these views, he +sent an officer of his, Domingo de Vera, to Spain, to levy men; sending, +according to Raleigh's account, "divers images, as well of men as of +beasts, birds, and fishes, cunningly wrought in gold," in hopes to +persuade the king to yield him some further help. This agent was more +successful than Raleigh in obtaining belief. He is described as a man of +great ability, and little scrupulous as to truth. Having been favorably +received by the government, he attracted notice by appearing in a +singular dress, which, as he was of great stature, and rode always a +great horse, drew all eyes, and made him generally known as the Indian +chief of Eldorado and the rich lands. Some trinkets in gold he +displayed, of Indian workmanship, and some emeralds, which he had +brought from America, and promised stores of both; and, by the aid of +influential persons, he obtained seventy thousand dollars at Madrid, and +five thousand afterwards at Seville, authority to raise any number of +adventurers (though Berrio had asked only for three hundred men), and +five good ships to carry them out. Adventurers flocked to him in Toledo, +La Mancha, and Estremadura. The expedition was beyond example popular. +Twenty captains of infantry, who had served in Italy and Flanders, +joined it. Not only those who had their fortunes to seek were deluded: +men of good birth and expectations left all to engage in the conquest of +Eldorado; and fathers of families gave up their employments, and sold +their goods, and embarked with their wives and children. Solicitations +and bribes were made use of by eager volunteers. The whole expedition +consisted of more than two thousand persons. + +They reached Trinidad after a prosperous voyage, and took possession of +the town. The little mischief which Raleigh had done had been easily +repaired; for indeed there was little that he could do. The place did +not contain thirty families, and the strangers were to find shelter as +they could. Rations of biscuit and salt meat, pulse, or rice, were +served out to them; but, to diminish the consumption as much as +possible, detachments were sent off in canoes to the main land, where +Berrio had founded the town of St. Thomas. Some flotillas effected their +progress safely; but one, which consisted of six canoes, met with bad +weather, and only three succeeded in entering the river, after throwing +their cargoes overboard. The others made the nearest shore, where they +were descried by the Caribs, a fierce tribe of natives, who slew them +all, except a few women whom they carried away, and one soldier, who +escaped to relate the fate of his companions. + +The city of St. Thomas contained at that time four hundred men, besides +women and children. Berrio, to prepare the way for the discovery and +conquest of Eldorado, sent out small parties of the new-comers under +experienced persons, that they might be seasoned to the difficulties +which they would have to undergo, and learn how to conduct themselves in +their intercourse with the Indians. They were to spread the news that +the king had sent out many Spaniards, and a large supply of axes, caps, +hawk-bells, looking-glasses, combs, and such other articles of traffic +as were in most request. They saw no appearance of those riches which +Raleigh had heard of, nor of that plenty which he had found. The people +with whom they met had but a scanty subsistence for themselves, and so +little of gold or silver or any thing else to barter for the hatchets +and trinkets of the Spaniards, that they were glad of the chance to +labor as boatmen, or give their children, in exchange for them. + +Berrio was not discouraged by the result of these journeys. Like +Raleigh, he was persuaded that the great and golden city stood on the +banks of a great lake, from which the River Caroli issued, about twelve +leagues east of the mouth whereof his town was placed. A force of eight +hundred men was now ordered on the discovery. The command was given to +Correa, an officer accustomed to Indian warfare. Three Franciscan monks, +and a lay brother of the same order, accompanied the expedition. Having +reached a spot where the country was somewhat elevated, and the +temperature cooler than in the region they had passed, they hutted +themselves on a sort of prairie, and halted there in the hope that rest +might restore those who began to feel the effect of an unwholesome +climate. The natives not only abstained from any acts of hostility, but +supplied them with fruits, and a sort of cassava (tapioca). This they +did in sure knowledge that disease would soon subdue these new-come +Spaniards to their hands. It was not long before a malignant fever broke +out among the adventurers, which carried off a third part of their +number. One comfort only was left them: the friars continued every day +to perform mass in a place where all the sufferers could hear it; and no +person died without performing and receiving all the offices which the +Romish Church has enjoined. Correa himself sank under the disease. He +might possibly have escaped it, acclimated as he was, if he had not +overtasked himself when food was to be sought from a distance, and +carried heavy loads to spare those who were less equal to the labor: for +now the crafty Indians no longer brought supplies, but left the +weakened Spaniards to provide for themselves as they could; and when +Correa was dead, of whom, as a man accustomed to Indian war, they stood +in fear, they collected their forces, and fell upon the Spaniards, who +apprehended no danger, and were most of them incapable of making any +defence. The plan appears to have been concerted with a young Indian +chief who accompanied the Spaniards under pretence of friendship; and +the women whom the Indians brought with them to carry home the spoils of +their enemies bore their part with stones and stakes in the easy +slaughter. The Spaniards who escaped the first attack fled with all +speed, some without weapons, and some without strength to use them. The +friars were the last to fly. With the soldiers to protect them, they +brought off their portable altar, two crosses, and a crucifix. No +attempt at resistance was made, except when a fugitive fell by the way. +The word then passed for one of the fathers: some soldiers stood with +their muskets to protect him while he hastily confessed and absolved the +poor wretch, whom his countrymen then commended to God, and left to the +mercy of the Indians. + +In some places, the enemy set fire to the grass and shrubbery, which in +that climate grow with extreme luxuriance; by which means many of this +miserable expedition perished. Not quite thirty out of the whole number +got safe back to the town of St. Thomas. That place was in a deplorable +state, suffering at once from a contagious disease and from a scarcity +of provisions. To add to the distress, about a hundred persons more had +just arrived from Trinidad. They came of necessity; for there were no +longer supplies of food at Trinidad to sustain them. But they came with +high-raised hopes, only repining at their ill luck in not having been in +the first expedition, by which they supposed the first spoils of +Eldorado had already been shared. They arrived like skeletons at a city +of death. Not only were provisions scarce, but the supply of salt had +altogether failed; and, without it, health in that climate cannot be +preserved. To add to their misery, the shoes had all been consumed, and +the country was infested by that insect (the chigua) which burrows in +the feet, and attacks the flesh wherever the slightest wound gives it +access. The torment occasioned by these insects was such, that the men +willingly submitted to the only remedy they knew of, and had the sores +cauterized with hot iron. + +Among those who had come from Spain to enter upon this land of promise, +there was a "beata," or pious woman, who had been attached to a convent +in Madrid, and accompanied a married daughter and her husband on this +unhappy adventure, and devoted herself to the service of the sick. Some +of the women, and she among them, looking upon the governor, Berrio, as +the cause of their miseries, and thinking, that, as long as he lived, +there was no hope of their escaping from this fatal place, resolved to +murder him, and provided themselves with knives for the purpose. The +indignation against him was so general, that they hesitated not to +impart their design to one of the friars; and, luckily for Berrio, he +interposed his influence to prevent it. One of the women who had sold +her possessions in Spain to join the expedition made her way to the +governor when the officers and friars were with him, and, emptying upon +the ground before him a bag which contained one hundred and fifty +doubloons, said, "Tyrant, take what is left, since you have brought us +here to die." Berrio replied, with less of anger than of distress in his +countenance, "I gave no orders to Domingo de Vera that he should bring +more than three hundred men." He offered no opposition to the departure +of such as would. Many who had strength or resolution enough trusted +themselves to the river in such canoes as they could find, without +boatmen or pilot, and endeavored to make their way back to Trinidad; +some perishing by the hands of the natives, others by drowning, others +by hunger, on the marshy shores which they reached. Vera soon died of a +painful disease in Trinidad; and Berrio did not long survive him. Such +was the issue of this great attempt for the conquest of the golden +empire; "of which," says an old Spanish historian, "it may be said, that +it was like Nebuchadnezzar's image, beginning in gold, but continuing +through baser metal, till it ended in rude iron and base clay." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +RALEIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION. + + +Raleigh's first voyage disappointed every one but himself. He pretended +to have obtained satisfactory evidence of the existence of Eldorado, and +information of the place where it was; also proof of the existence of +mines of gold; and to have conciliated the good will of the natives, and +secured their co-operation with him in any future attempt. But he had +brought home no gold; the shining stones which his followers had +abundantly supplied themselves with were found to be worthless: and +there was no evidence of the existence of a native sovereignty as far +advanced in civilization and refinement as the Mexicans and Peruvians, +the conquest of which would reflect as much glory upon the English name +as the achievements of Cortez and Pizarro had reflected upon that of +Spain. Raleigh's boastful representations, therefore, failed of effect. +None of his countrymen were inclined to join with him in a further +prosecution of the enterprise; and the subject was dropped for the time. + +Raleigh was soon restored to favor, and employed in the naval +expeditions against Spain which took place at this time. He greatly +distinguished himself on several occasions, and was in high favor with +Queen Elizabeth till her death; but, with the accession of James, his +fortunes fell. He was accused (whether justly or not is still doubtful) +of being concerned in treasonable plots against the king, and was +brought to trial, found guilty, condemned to death, and committed +prisoner to the Tower to await the execution of his sentence. + +Raleigh, withdrawn from active labors by his imprisonment, was not idle. +He turned to intellectual pursuits, and, with many minor pieces in prose +and verse, executed his greatest work, "The History of the World,"--a +project of such vast extent, that the bare idea of his undertaking it +excites our admiration. As an author, he stands on an eminence as high +as that which he obtained in other paths. Hume says, "He is the best +model of our ancient style;" and Hallam confirms the judgment. His +imprisonment lasted thirteen years. At the expiration of that time, he +had influence to have his sentence so far remitted as to allow him to +go on a second expedition in search of Eldorado. Twenty years had +elapsed since the former expedition; and the present was of a magnitude +more like a national enterprise than a private one. Sir Walter's own +ship, "The Destiny," carried thirty-six guns and two hundred men. There +were six other vessels, carrying from twenty-five guns to three each. +Raleigh embarked all his means in this expedition. His eldest son +commanded one of the ships; and eighty of his companions were gentlemen +volunteers and adventurers, many of them his relations. + +Those who have thoughtfully considered Raleigh's career have seen reason +to doubt whether he really believed the stories which he was so anxious +to impress upon others. They have thought it more likely that his real +object was to emulate the fame of Cortez and Pizarro; to dispossess +Spain of some portion of her conquests in South America, and transfer +them to his own country. This latter object was admissible at the time +of his first expedition, because Spain and England were then at war; but +was not so on the second, as the two nations were then at peace. But +Raleigh had reason to think, that, if he could succeed in his object, +there was no danger of his being called to very strict account +respecting his measures. + +He arrived off the coast of Guiana on the 12th of November, 1617; having +had a long and disastrous voyage. One ship had left him, and returned +home; another had foundered; forty-two of his men had died; many were +suffering from sickness, and himself among the number. But he found the +Indians friendly, and not forgetful of his former visit. He writes to +his wife, "To tell you that I might be here king of the country were a +vanity; but my name hath still lived among them here. They feed me with +fresh meat, and all that the country yields. All offer to obey me." + +Being too feeble from sickness to go himself, he sent forward an +expedition, under Capt. Keymis, to enter the Orinoco, and take +possession of the mines. Five companies of fifty men each, in five +shallops, composed the expedition; Raleigh, with the remainder of his +vessels, repairing to Trinidad to await the result. + +Since Raleigh's former expedition, the Spaniards had made a settlement +upon the main land, and founded a town to which they gave the name of +St. Thomas. The governor resided there, and there were in all about +five hundred inhabitants. On the 12th of January, the English flotilla +reached a part of the river twelve leagues from St. Thomas; and an +Indian fisherman carried the alarm to that place. The governor, +Palameque, mustered immediately the little force which he had at hand. +This consisted of fifty-seven men only. Messengers were sent to summon +those men who were at their farms, and two horsemen were sent out to +watch the invaders' movements. + +At eleven in the forenoon, the vessels anchored about a league from the +town. The men landed, and the scouts hastened back with the +intelligence. A Spanish officer, with ten men, was placed in ambush near +the city. As soon as he was informed of the direction which the English +were taking, he cut a match-cord in pieces, which he lighted at dark, +and placed at intervals, where they might deceive the invaders by +presenting the appearance of a greater force. The first discharge was +from two pieces of cannon against the boats. The Spaniard, with his +little band, then opened his fire upon the troops, and kept it up from +the bushes as he retired before them. This skirmishing continued about +an hour and a half, till he had fallen back to the place where the +governor and his people were drawn up, at the entrance of the city, to +make a stand. It was now nine at night. Raleigh says, in his account of +the action, that some of the English, at the first charge, began to +pause and recoil shamefully; whereupon his son, not tarrying for any +musketeers, ran up at the head of a company of pikemen, and received a +shot wound. Pressing then upon a Spanish captain with his sword, the +Spaniard, taking the small end of his musket in his hand, struck him on +the head with the stock, and felled him. His last words were, "Lord, +have mercy upon me, and prosper the enterprise!" and his death was +instantly avenged by his sergeant, who thrust the Spaniard through with +his halberd. In the heat of the fight, and in the confusion which the +darkness occasioned, the Spanish commander was separated from his +people, and slain. The Spaniards, however, had the advantage of knowing +the ground; and, betaking themselves to the houses, they fired from them +on the English, and killed many, till the assailants set fire to the +houses; thus depriving themselves of that booty which was their main +object. The English were now masters of the place; the remainder of the +defendants, with the women and children, under the command of Grados, +the officer who had deported himself so well in the first ambush, +effecting their escape across the river. Grados stationed them at a +place about ten miles distant from the town, where a few slight huts +were erected for the women and children. + +The captors searched in vain for gold in the city; but they had an idea +that there was a rich gold-mine a short distance up the river. +Accordingly, two launches, with twenty or thirty men in each, were +despatched up the Orinoco. They came to the mouth of the creek, which +led to the place where Grados had hutted the women and children; and the +largest of the launches was about to enter, when Grados, who had posted +nine of the invalids in ambush there, with about as many Indian bowmen, +fired upon them so unexpectedly, and with such good aim, that only one +of the crew is said to have escaped unhurt. The other launch also +suffered some loss. Three days after, three launches were sent to take +vengeance for this defeat; but Grados had removed his charge some two +leagues into the country, and these vessels went up the river about a +hundred leagues, treating with the Indians, to whom they made presents +and larger promises, and after eighteen or twenty days returned, having +effected nothing of importance. + +The English had now been four weeks in the city, annoyed by the +Spaniards and Indians, and losing many of their men, cut off in their +foraging excursions by ambushes. After the unsuccessful attempt to +discover the mine, no further effort was made for that purpose; Keymis +alleging in his excuse, that "the Spaniards, being gone off in a whole +body, lay in the woods between the mine and us, and it was impossible, +except they had been beaten out of the country, to pass up the woods and +craggy hills without the loss of the commanders, without whom the rest +would easily be cut to pieces." The English, accordingly, retreated from +the city, setting fire to the few houses that remained, and promising +the Indians, as they went, that they would return next year, and +complete the destruction of the Spaniards. + +Raleigh was by no means satisfied with Keymis's excuses for his failure +to discover the mine, and reproached him with so much severity, that +Keymis, after the interview, retired to his cabin, and shot himself +through the heart. + +When Raleigh arrived in England, he found that the tidings of his attack +on the Spaniards, and the utter failure of his expedition, had reached +there before him. The Spanish ambassador was clamorous for punishment +on what he called a piratical proceeding; and the king and the nation, +who might have pardoned a successful adventurer, had no indulgence to +extend to one so much the reverse. Finding a proclamation had been +issued for his arrest, Raleigh endeavored to escape to France, but was +taken in the attempt, and committed close prisoner to the Tower. He was +made a victim to court intrigue. The weak king, James, was then +negotiating a Spanish match for his son, and, to gratify the King of +Spain and his court, sacrificed one of the noblest of his subjects. +Without being put on trial for his late transactions, Raleigh's old +sentence, which had been suspended sixteen years, was revived against +him; and on the 29th of October, 1618, four months after his arrival, he +was beheaded on the scaffold. + +The fate of Raleigh caused a great sensation at the time, and has not +yet ceased to excite emotion. The poet Thomson, in his "Summer," finely +alludes to the various circumstances of his history, which we have +briefly recorded:-- + + "But who can speak +The numerous worthies of the 'Maiden reign'? +In Raleigh mark their every glory mixed,-- +Raleigh, the scourge of Spain, whose breast with all +The sage, the patriot, and the hero, burned. +Nor sunk his vigor when a coward reign +The warrior fettered, and at last resigned +To glut the vengeance of a vanquished foe: +Then, active still and unrestrained, his mind +Explored the vast extent of ages past, +And with his prison-hours enriched the world; +Yet found no times in all the long research +So glorious or so base as those he proved +In which he conquered and in which he bled." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS. + + +After so many abortive attempts to reach the Golden Empire, the ardor of +research greatly abated. No expeditions, composed of considerable +numbers, have since embarked in the enterprise; but from time to time, +for the century succeeding Raleigh's last attempt, private expeditions +were undertaken and encouraged by provincial governors; and several +hundred persons perished miserably in those fruitless endeavors. + +The adventure we are now about to record was of an entirely different +character in respect to its objects and the means employed; but it +occupied the same field of action, and called into exercise the same +qualities of courage and endurance. + +In 1735, the French Academy of Science made arrangements for sending out +two commissions of learned men to different and distant parts of the +world to make measurements, with a view to determining the dimensions +and figure of the earth. The great astronomer, Sir Isaac Newton, had +deduced from theory, and ventured to maintain, that the earth was not a +perfect globe, but a spheroid; that is, a globe flattened at the poles. +For a long time after Newton's splendid discoveries in astronomy, a +degree of national jealousy prevented the French philosophers from +accepting his conclusions; and they were not displeased to find, when +they could, facts opposed to them. Now, there were some supposed facts +which were incompatible with this idea of Newton's, that the earth was +flattened at the poles. The point was capable of being demonstrated by +measurements, with instruments, on the surface; for, if his theory was +true, a degree of latitude would be longer in the northern parts of the +globe than in the regions about the equator. + +We must not allow our story to become a scientific essay; and yet we +should like to give our readers, if we could, some idea of the principle +on which this process, which is called the measurement of an arc of the +meridian, was expected to show the magnitude and form of the earth. We +all know that geographical latitude means the position of places north +or south of the equator, and is determined by reference to the north or +pole star. A person south of the equator would not see the pole-star at +all. One at the equator, looking at the pole-star, would see it, if no +intervening object prevented, in the horizon. Advancing northward, he +would see it apparently rise, and advance toward him. As he proceeded, +it would continue to rise. When he had traversed half the distance to +the pole, he would see the pole-star about as we see it in Boston; that +is, nearly midway between the horizon and the zenith: and, when he had +reached the pole, he would see the pole-star directly over his head. +Dividing the quarter circle which the star has moved through into ninety +parts, we say, when the star has ascended one-ninetieth part, that the +observer has travelled over one degree of latitude. When the observer +has reached Boston, he has passed over somewhat more than forty-two +degrees, and, when he has reached the north-pole, ninety degrees, of +latitude. Thus we measure our latitude over the earth's surface by +reference to a circle in the heavens; and, because the portions into +which we divide that circle are equal, we infer that the portions of the +earth's surface which correspond to them are equal. This would be true +if the earth were a perfect globe: but if the earth be a spheroid, as +Newton's theory requires it to be, it would _not_ be true; for that +portion of the earth's surface which is flattened will have less +curvature than that which is not so, and less still than that portion +which is protuberant. The degrees of least curvature will be longest, +and those of greatest curvature shortest; that is, one would have to +travel farther on the flattened part of the earth to see any difference +in the position of the north-star than in those parts where the +curvature is greater. So a degree of latitude near the pole, if +determined by the position of the north-star, would be found, by actual +measurement, to be longer than one similarly determined at the equator. +It was to ascertain whether the fact was so that the two scientific +expeditions were sent out. + +The party which was sent to the northern regions travelled over snow and +ice, swamps and morasses, to the arctic circle, and fixed their station +at Tornea, in Lapland. The frozen surface of the river afforded them a +convenient level for fixing what is called by surveyors the base line. +The cold was so intense, that the glass froze to the mouth when they +drank, and the metallic measuring rod to the hand. In spite, however, of +perils and discomforts, they persevered in their task, and brought back +careful measurements of a degree in latitude 66 deg. north, to be compared +with those made by the other party at the equator, whose movements we +propose more particularly to follow. + +Before we take leave of the northern commissioners, however, we will +mention another method they took of demonstrating the same fact. If the +earth be depressed at the poles, it must follow that bodies will weigh +heavier there, because they are nearer the centre of the earth. But how +could they test this fact, when all weights would be increased +alike,--the pound of feathers and the pound of lead? The question was +settled by observing the oscillation of a pendulum. The observers near +the pole found that the pendulum vibrated faster than usual, because, +being nearer the centre of the earth, the attracting power was +increased. To balance this, they had to lengthen the pendulum; and the +extent to which they had to do this measured the difference between the +earth's diameter at the poles, and that in the latitude from which they +came. + +The commissioners who were sent to the equatorial regions were Messrs. +Bouguer, La Condamine, and Godin, the last of whom was accompanied by +his wife. Two Spanish officers, Messrs. Juan and De Ulloa, joined the +commission. The party arrived at Quito in June, 1736, about two hundred +years after Gonzalo Pizarro started from the same place in his search +for Eldorado. In the interval, the country had become nominally +Christian. The city was the seat of a bishopric, an audience royal, and +other courts of justice; contained many churches and convents, and two +colleges. But the population was almost entirely composed of Indians, +who lived in a manner but very little different from that of their +ancestors at the time of the conquest. Cuenca was the place next in +importance to the capital; and there, or in its neighborhood, the chief +labors of the commission were transacted. They were conducted under +difficulties as great as those of their colleagues in the frozen regions +of the north, but of a different sort. The inhabitants of the country +were jealous of the French commissioners, and supposed them to be either +heretics or sorcerers, and to have come in search of gold-mines. Even +persons connected with the administration employed themselves in +stirring up the minds of the people, till at last, in a riotous +assemblage at a bullfight, the surgeon of the French commissioners was +killed. After tedious and troublesome legal proceedings, the +perpetrators were let off with a nominal punishment. Notwithstanding +every difficulty, the commissioners completed their work in a +satisfactory manner, spending in all eight years in the task, including +the voyages out and home. + +The commissioners who had made the northern measurements reported the +length of the degree at 66 deg. north latitude to be 57.422 toises; Messrs. +Bouguer and La Condamine, the equatorial degree, 56.753 toises; showing +a difference of 669 toises, or 4,389-3/4 feet. The difference, as +corrected by later measurements, is stated by recent authorities at +3,662 English feet; by which amount the polar degree exceeds the +equatorial. Thus Newton's theory was confirmed. + +His scientific labors having been finished, La Condamine conceived the +idea of returning home by way of the Amazon River; though difficulties +attended the project, which we who live in a land of mighty rivers, +traversed by steamboats, can hardly imagine. The only means of +navigating the upper waters of the river was by rafts or canoes; the +latter capable of containing but one or two persons, besides a crew of +seven or eight boatmen. The only persons who were in the habit of +passing up and down the river were the Jesuit missionaries, who made +their periodical visits to their stations along its banks. A young +Spanish gentleman, Don Pedro Maldonado, who at first eagerly caught at +the idea of accompanying the French philosopher on his homeward route by +way of the river, was almost discouraged by the dissuasives urged by his +family and friends, and seemed inclined to withdraw from the enterprise; +so dangerous was the untried route esteemed. It was, however, at length +resolved that they should hazard the adventure; and a place of +rendezvous was appointed at a village on the river. On the 4th of July, +1743, La Condamine commenced his descent of one of the streams which +flow into the great river of the Amazons. The stream was too precipitous +in its descent to be navigated by boats of any kind, and the only method +used was by rafts. These are made of a light kind of wood, or rather +cane, similar to the bamboo, the single pieces of which are fastened +together by rushes, in such a manner, that they yield to every shock of +moderate violence, and consequently are not subject to be separated even +by the strongest. On such a conveyance, the French philosopher glided +down the stream of the Chuchunga, occasionally stopping on its banks for +a day or two at a time to allow the waters to abate, and admit of +passing a dangerous rapid more safely; and sometimes getting fast on the +shallows, and requiring to be drawn off by ropes by the Indian boatmen. +It was not till the 19th of July that he entered the main river at +Laguna, where he found his friend Maldonado, who had been waiting for +him some weeks. + +On the 23d of July, 1743, they embarked in two canoes of forty-two and +forty-four feet long, each formed out of one single trunk of a tree, and +each provided with a crew of eight rowers. They continued their course +night and day, in hopes to reach, before their departure, the +brigantines of the missionaries, in which they used to send once a year, +to Para, the cacao which they collected in their missions, and for which +they got, in return, supplies of European articles of necessity. + +On the 25th of July, La Condamine and his companion passed the village +of a tribe of Indians lately brought under subjection, and in all the +wildness of savage life: on the 27th, they reached another more advanced +in civilization, yet not so far as to have abandoned their savage +practices of artificially flattening their heads, and elongating their +ears. The 1st of August, they landed at a missionary station, where they +found numerous Indians assembled, and some tribes so entirely barbarous +as to be destitute of clothing for either sex. "There are in the +interior," the narration goes on to say, "some tribes which devour the +prisoners taken in war; but there are none such on the banks of the +river." + +After leaving this station, they sailed day and night, equal to seven or +eight days' journey, without seeing any habitation. On the 5th of +August, they arrived at the first of the Portuguese missionary stations, +where they procured larger and more commodious boats than those in which +they had advanced hitherto. Here they began to see the first signs of +the benefits of access to European sources of supply, by means of the +vessel which went every year from Para to Lisbon. They tarried six days +at the last of the missionary stations, and again made a change of boats +and of Indian crews. On the 28th August, being yet six hundred miles +from the sea, they perceived the ebb and flow of the tide. + +On the 19th September, they arrived at Para, which La Condamine +describes as a great and beautiful city, built of stone, and enjoying a +commerce with Lisbon, which made it flourishing and increasing. He +observes, "It is, perhaps, the only European settlement where silver +does not pass for money; the whole currency being cocoa." He adds in a +note, "Specie currency has been since introduced." + +The Portuguese authorities received the philosophers with all the +civilities and hospitalities due to persons honored with the special +protection and countenance of two great nations,--France and Spain. The +cannon were fired; and the soldiers of the garrison, with the governor +of the province at their head, turned out to receive them. The governor +had received orders from the home government to pay all their expenses, +and to furnish them every thing requisite for their comfort and +assistance in their researches. La Condamine remained three months at +Para; and then, declining the urgent request of the governor to embark +in a Portuguese vessel for home by way of Lisbon, he embarked in a boat +rowed by twenty-two Indians, under the command of a Portuguese officer, +to coast along the shores of the continent to the French colony of +Cayenne. + +The city of Para from whence he embarked is not situated upon the Amazon +River, but upon what is called the River of Para, which branches off +from the Amazon near its mouth, and discharges itself into the sea at a +distance of more than a hundred miles east of the Amazon. The +intervening land is an island called Marajo, along the coast of which +La Condamine and his party steered till they came to the place where the +Amazon River discharges into the sea that vast bulk of waters which has +been swelled by the contributions of numerous tributaries throughout a +course of more than three thousand miles in length. It here meets the +current which runs along the north-eastern coast of Brazil, and gives +rise to that phenomenon which is called by the Indians Pororoca. The +river and the current, having both great rapidity, and meeting nearly at +right angles, come into contact with great violence, and raise a +mountain of water to the height of one hundred and eighty feet. The +shock is so dreadful, that it makes all the neighboring islands tremble; +and fishermen and navigators fly from it in the utmost terror. The river +and the ocean appear to contend for the empire of the waves: but they +seem to come to a compromise; for the sea-current continues its way +along the coast of Guiana to the Island of Trinidad, while the current +of the river is still observable in the ocean at a distance of five +hundred miles from the shore. + +La Condamine passed this place of meeting in safety by waiting for a +favorable course of tides, crossing the Amazon at its mouth, steering +north; and after many delays, caused by the timidity and bad seamanship +of his Indian crew, arrived at last safe at Cayenne on the 26th +February, 1744, having been eight months on his voyage, two of which +were spent in his passage from Para, a passage which he avers a French +officer and crew, two years after him, accomplished in six days. La +Condamine was received with all possible distinction at Cayenne, and in +due time found passage home to France, where he arrived 25th February, +1745. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE DOWN THE AMAZON. + + +One of the French commissioners, M. Godin, had taken with him on his +scientific errand to Peru his wife; a lady for whom we bespeak the kind +interest of our readers, for her name deserves honorable mention among +the early navigators of the Amazon. The labors of the commission +occupied several years; and when, in the year 1742, those labors were +happily brought to a conclusion, M. Godin was prevented, by +circumstances relating to himself individually, from accompanying his +colleagues in their return to France. His detention was protracted from +year to year, till at last, in 1749, he repaired alone to the Island of +Cayenne to prepare every thing necessary for the homeward voyage of +himself and his wife. + +From Cayenne he wrote to Paris to the minister of marine, and requested +that his government would procure for him the favorable interposition of +the court of Portugal to supply him with the means of ascending the +River Amazon to bring away his wife from Peru, and descend the stream +with her to the Island of Cayenne. Thirteen years had rolled by since +their arrival in the country, when at last Madame Godin saw her earnest +wish to return home likely to be gratified. All that time, she had lived +apart from her husband; she in Peru, he in the French colony of Cayenne. +At last, M. Godin had the pleasure to see the arrival of a galoot (a +small vessel having from sixteen to twenty oars on a side, and well +adapted for rapid progress), which had been fitted out by the order of +the King of Portugal, and despatched to Cayenne for the purpose of +taking him on his long-wished-for journey. He immediately embarked; but, +before he could reach the mouth of the Amazon River, he was attacked by +so severe an illness, that he saw himself compelled to stop at Oyapoc, a +station between Cayenne and the mouth of the river, and there to remain, +and to send one Tristan, whom he thought his friend, in lieu of himself, +up the river to seek Madame Godin, and escort her to him. He intrusted +to him also, besides the needful money, various articles of merchandise +to dispose of to the best advantage. The instructions which he gave him +were as follows:-- + +The galiot had orders to convey him to Loreto about half-way up the +Amazon River, the first Spanish settlement. From there he was to go to +Laguna, another Spanish town about twelve miles farther up, and to give +Mr. Godin's letter, addressed to his wife, in charge to a certain +ecclesiastic of that place, to be forwarded to the place of her +residence. He himself was to wait at Laguna the arrival of Madame Godin. + +The galiot sailed, and arrived safe at Loreto. But the faithless +Tristan, instead of going himself to Laguna, or sending the letter +there, contented himself with delivering the packet to a Spanish Jesuit, +who was going to quite another region on some occasional purpose. +Tristan himself, in the mean while, went round among the Portuguese +settlements to sell his commodities. The result was, that M. Godin's +letter, passing from hand to hand, failed to reach the place of its +destination. + +Meanwhile, by what means we know not, a blind rumor of the purpose and +object of the Portuguese vessel lying at Loreto reached Peru, and came +at last, but without any distinctness, to the ears of Madame Godin. She +learned through this rumor that a letter from her husband was on the way +to her; but all her efforts to get possession of it were fruitless. At +last, she resolved to send a faithful negro servant, in company with an +Indian, to the Amazon, to procure, if possible, more certain tidings. +This faithful servant made his way boldly through all hinderances and +difficulties which beset his journey, reached Loreto, talked with +Tristan, and brought back intelligence that he, with the Portuguese +vessel and all its equipments, were for her accommodation, and waited +her orders. + +Now, then, Madame Godin determined to undertake this most perilous and +difficult journey. She was staying at the time at Riobamba, about one +hundred and twenty miles south of Quito, where she had a house of her +own with garden and grounds. These, with all other things that she could +not take with her, she sold on the best terms she could. Her father, M. +Grandmaison, and her two brothers, who had been living with her in Peru, +were ready to accompany her. The former set out beforehand to a place +the other side of the Cordilleras to make arrangements for his +daughter's journey on her way to the ship. + +Madame Godin received about this time a visit from a certain Mr. R., who +gave himself out for a French physician, and asked permission to +accompany her. He promised, moreover, to watch over her health, and to +do all in his power to lighten the fatigues and discomforts of the +arduous journey. She replied, that she had no authority over the vessel +which was to carry her, and therefore could not answer for it that he +could have a place in it. Mr. R., thereupon, applied to the brothers of +Madame Godin; and they, thinking it very desirable that she should have +a physician with her, persuaded their sister to consent to take him in +her company. + +So, then, she started from Riobamba, which had been her home till this +time, the 1st of October, 1749, in company of the above-named persons, +her black man, and three Indian women. Thirty Indians, to carry her +baggage, completed her company. Had the luckless lady known what +calamities, sufferings, and disappointments awaited her, she would have +trembled at the prospect, and doubted of the possibility of living +through it all, and reaching the wished-for goal of her journey. + +The party went first across the mountains to Canelos, an Indian village, +where they thought to embark on a little stream which discharges itself +into the Amazon. The way thither was so wild and unbroken, that it was +not even passable for mules, and must be travelled entirely on foot. + +M. Grandmaison, who had set out a whole month earlier, had stopped at +Canelos no longer than was necessary to make needful preparations for +his daughter and her attendants. Then he had immediately pushed on +toward the vessel, to still keep in advance, and arrange matters for her +convenience at the next station to which she would arrive. Hardly had he +left Canelos, when the small-pox, a disease which in those regions is +particularly fatal, broke out, and in one week swept off one-half of the +inhabitants, and so alarmed the rest, that they deserted the place, and +plunged into the wilderness. Consequently, when Madame Godin reached the +place with her party, she found, to her dismay, only two Indians +remaining, whom the fury of the plague had spared; and, moreover, not +the slightest preparation either for her reception, or her furtherance +on her journey. This was the first considerable mishap which befell her, +and which might have served to forewarn her of the greater sufferings +which she was to encounter. + +A second followed shortly after. The thirty Indians who thus far had +carried the baggage, and had received their pay in advance, suddenly +absconded, whether from fear of the epidemic, or that they fancied, +having never seen a vessel except at a distance, that they were to be +compelled to go on board one, and be carried away. There stood, then, +the deserted and disappointed company, overwhelmed, and knowing not what +course to take, or how to help themselves. The safest course would have +been to leave all their baggage to its fate, and return back the way +they came; but the longing of Madame Godin for her beloved husband, from +whom she had now been separated so many years, gave her courage to bid +defiance to all the hinderances which lay in her way, and even to +attempt impossibilities. + +She set herself, therefore, to persuade the two Indians above mentioned +to construct a boat, and, by means of it, to take her and her company to +Andoas, another place about twelve days' journey distant. They willingly +complied, receiving their pay in advance. The boat was got ready; and +all the party embarked in it under the management of the two Indians. + +After they had run safely two days' journey down the stream, they drew +up to the bank to pass the night on shore. Here the treacherous Indians +took the opportunity, while the weary company slept, to run away; and, +when the travellers awoke next morning, they were nowhere to be found. +This was a new and unforeseen calamity, by which their future progress +was rendered greatly more hazardous. + +Without a knowledge of the stream or the country, and without a guide, +they again got on board their boat, and pushed on. The first day went by +without any misadventure. The second, they came up with a boat which lay +near the shore, alongside of an Indian hut built of branches of trees. +They found there an Indian, just recovered from the sickness, and +prevailed on him, by presents, to embark with them to take the helm. But +fate envied them this relief: for, the next day, Mr. R.'s hat fell into +the water; and the Indian, in endeavoring to recover it, fell overboard, +and was drowned, not having strength to swim to the shore. + +Now was the vessel again without a pilot, and steered by persons, not +one of whom had the least knowledge of the course. Ere long, the vessel +sprung a leak; and the unhappy company found themselves compelled to +land, and build a hut to shelter them. + +They were yet five or six days' journey from Andoas, the nearest place +of destination. Mr. R. offered, for himself and another Frenchman his +companion, to go thither, and make arrangements, that, within fourteen +days, a boat from there should arrive and bring them off. His proposal +was approved of. Madame Godin gave him her faithful black man to +accompany him. He himself took good care that nothing of his property +should be left behind. + +Fourteen days were now elapsed; but in vain they strained their eyes to +catch sight of the bark which Mr. R. had promised to send to their +relief. They waited twelve days longer, but in vain. Their situation +grew more painful every day. + +At last, when all hope in this quarter was lost, they hewed trees, and +fastened them together as well as they could, and made in this way a +raft. When they had finished it, they put on their baggage, and seated +themselves upon it, and suffered it to float down the stream. But even +this frail bark required a steersman acquainted with navigation; but +they had none such. In no long time, it struck against a sunken log, and +broke to pieces. The people and their baggage were cast into the river. +Great, however, as was the danger, no one was lost. Madame Godin sunk +twice to the bottom, but was at last rescued by her brothers. + +Wet through and through, exhausted, and half dead with fright, they at +last all gained the shore. But only imagine their lamentable, almost +desperate, condition! All their supplies lost; to make another raft +impossible; even their stock of provisions gone! And where were they +when all these difficulties overwhelmed them? In a horrid wilderness, +so thick grown up with trees and bushes, that one could make a passage +through it no other way than by axe and knife; inhabited only by +fiercest tigers, and by the most formidable of serpents,--the +rattlesnake. Moreover, they were without tools, without weapons! Could +their situation be more deplorable? + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +MADAME GODIN'S VOYAGE CONTINUED. + + +The unfortunate travellers had now but the choice of two desperate +expedients,--either to wait where they were the termination of their +wretched existence, or try the almost impossible task of penetrating +along the banks of the river, through the unbroken forest, till they +might reach Andoas. They chose the latter, but first made their way back +to their lately forsaken hut to take what little provisions they had +there left. Having accomplished this, they set out on their most painful +and dangerous journey. They observed, when they followed the shore of +the river, that its windings lengthened their way. To avoid this, they +endeavored, without leaving the course of the river, to keep a straight +course. By this means, they lost themselves in the entangled forest; and +every exertion to find their way was ineffectual. Their clothes were +torn to shreds, and hung dangling from their limbs; their bodies were +sadly wounded by thorns and briers; and, as their scanty provision of +food was almost gone, nothing seemed left to them but to sustain their +wretched existence with wild fruit, seeds and buds of the palm-trees. + +At last, they sank under their unremitted labor. Wearied with the +hardships of such travel, torn and bleeding in every part of their +bodies, and distracted with hunger, terror, and apprehensions, they lost +the small remnant of their energy, and could do no more. They sat down, +and had no power to rise again. In three or four days, one after another +died at this stage of their journey. Madame Godin lay for the space of +twenty-four hours by the side of her exhausted and helpless brothers and +companions: she felt herself benumbed, stupefied, senseless, yet at the +same time tormented by burning thirst. At last, Providence, on whom she +relied, gave her courage and strength to rouse herself and seek for a +rescue, which was in store for her, though she knew not where to look +for it. + +Around lay the dead bodies of her brothers and her other companions,--a +sight which at another time would have broken her heart. She was almost +naked. The scanty remnants of her clothing were so torn by the thorns as +to be almost useless. She cut the shoes from her dead brothers' feet, +bound the soles under her own, and plunged again into the thicket in +search of something to allay her raging hunger and thirst. Terror at +seeing herself so left alone in such a fearful wilderness, deserted by +all the world, and apprehension of a dreadful death constantly hovering +before her eyes, made such an impression upon her, that her hair turned +gray. + +It was not till the second day after she had resumed her wandering that +she found water, and, a little while after, some wild fruit, and a few +eggs of birds. But her throat was so contracted by long fasting, that +she could hardly swallow. These served to keep life in her frame. + +Eight long days she wandered in this manner hopelessly, and strove to +sustain her wretched existence. If one should read in a work of fiction +any thing equal to it, he would charge the author with exaggeration, and +violation of probability. But it is history; and, however incredible her +story may sound, it is rigidly conformed to the truth in all its +circumstances, as it was afterwards taken down from the mouth of Madame +Godin herself. + +On the eighth day of her hopeless wandering, the hapless lady reached +the banks of the Bobonosa, a stream which flows into the Amazon. At the +break of day, she heard at a little distance a noise, and was alarmed at +it. She would have fled, but at once reflected that nothing worse than +her present circumstances could happen to her. She took courage, and +went towards the place whence the sound proceeded; and here she found +two Indians, who were occupied in shoving their boat into the water. + +Madame Godin approached, and was kindly received by them. She told to +them her desire to be conveyed to Andoas; and the good savages consented +to carry her thither in their boat. They did so; and now behold her +arrived at that place which the mean and infamous treachery of Mr. R. +was the only cause of her not having reached long ago. This base fellow +had, with unfeeling cruelty, thrown to the winds his promise to procure +them a boat, and had gone on business of his own to Omaguas, a Spanish +mission station, without in the least troubling himself about his +pledged word, and the rescue of the unfortunates left behind. The honest +negro was more true to duty, though he was born and bred a heathen, and +the other a Christian. + +While the civilized and polished Frenchman unfeelingly went away, and +left his benefactress and her companions to languish in the depths of +misery, the sable heathen ceased not his exertions till he had procured +two Indians to go up the river with him, and bring away his deserted +mistress and her companions. But, most unfortunately, he did not reach +the hut where he had left them before they had carried into execution +the unlucky determination to leave the hut, and seek their way through +the wilderness. So he had the pain of failing to find her on his +arrival. + +Even then, the faithful creature did not feel as if all was done. He, +with his Indian companions, followed the traces of the party till he +came to the place where the bodies of the perished adventurers lay, +which were already so decayed, that he could not distinguish one from +the other. This pitiable sight led him to conclude that none of the +company could have escaped death. He returned to the hut to take away +some things of Madame Godin's which were left there, and carried them +not only back with him to Andoas, but from thence (another touching +proof of his fidelity) to Omaguas, that he might deposit the articles, +some of which were of considerable value, in the hands of the unworthy +Mr. R., to be by him delivered to the father of his lamented mistress. + +And how did this unworthy Mr. R. behave when he was apprised by the +negro of the lamentable death of those whom he had so unscrupulously +given over to destitution? Did he shudder at the magnitude and baseness +of his crime? Oh, no! Like a heartless knave, he added dishonesty to +cruelty, took the things into his keeping, and, to secure himself in the +possession of them, sent the generous negro back to Quito. Joachim--for +that was the name of this honest and noble black man--had unluckily set +out on his journey back before Madame Godin arrived at Andoas. Thus he +was lost to her; and her affliction at the loss of such a tried friend +showed that the greatness of her past misfortunes had not made her +incapable of feeling new distresses. + +In Andoas she found a Christian priest, a Spanish missionary; and the +behavior of this unchristian Christian contrasts with the conduct of her +two Indian preservers, as that of the treacherous R. with that of the +generous negro. For instance, when Madame Godin was in embarrassment how +to show her gratitude to the good Indians who had saved her life, she +remembered, that, according to the custom of the country, she wore +around her neck a pair of gold chains, weighing about four ounces. These +were her whole remaining property; but she hesitated not a moment, but +took them off, and gave one to each of her benefactors. They were +delighted beyond measure at such a gift; but the avaricious and +dishonest priest took them away from them before the face of the +generous giver, and gave them instead some yards of coarse cotton cloth, +which they call, in that country, Tukujo. And this man was one of those +who were sent to spread Christianity among the heathen, and one from +whom those same Indians whom he had treated so dishonestly would hear +the lesson, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods"! + +Madame Godin felt, at seeing such unchristian and unmanly behavior, such +deep disgust, that, as soon as she was somewhat recruited from the +effects of so many sufferings, she longed for a sight of some boat to +enable her to escape from the companionship of this unjust priest, and +get to Laguna, one of the aforementioned Spanish mission stations. A +kind Indian woman made her a petticoat of cotton cloth, though Madame +Godin had nothing to give her in payment for it. But this petticoat was +to her, afterwards, a sacred thing, that she would not have parted with +for any price. She laid it carefully away with the slippers which she +made of her brothers' shoes, and never could, in after-times, look at +the two without experiencing a rush of sad and tender recollections. + +At Laguna she had the good fortune to find a missionary of better +disposition. This one received her with kindness and sympathy, and +exerted himself every way he could to restore her health, shattered by +so much suffering. He wrote also on her behalf to the Governor of +Omaguas, to beg him to aid in expediting her journey. By this means, the +elegant Mr. R. learned that she was still alive; and as she was not +likely in future to be burdensome to him, while he might, through her +means, get a passage in the Portuguese vessel, he failed not to call +upon her at Laguna. He delivered to her there some few of the things +which Joachim had left in his charge; but to the question, "What had +become of the rest?" he had no other answer to make but "They were +spoilt." The knave forgot, when he said this, that gold bracelets, +snuff-boxes, ear-rings, and pearls, of which this property consisted, +are not apt to spoil. + +Madame Godin could not forbear making to him the well-merited reproach +that he was the cause of her late sufferings, and guilty of the mournful +death of her brothers and her other companions. She desired to know, +moreover, why he had sent away her faithful servant, the good Joachim; +and his unworthy reply was, he had apprehensions that he would murder +him. To the question, how he could have such a suspicion against a man +whose tried fidelity and honest disposition were known to him, he knew +not what to answer. + +The good missionary explained to Madame Godin, after she was somewhat +recruited from her late sufferings, the frightful length of the way, and +the labors and dangers of her journey yet to come, and tried hard to +induce her to alter her intention, and return to Rio Bambas, her former +residence, instead of setting forth to encounter a new series of +disappointments and perils. He promised, in that case, to convey her +safely and with comfort. But the heroic woman rejected the proposal with +immovable firmness. "God, who had so wonderfully protected her so far," +she said, "would have her in his keeping for the remainder of her way. +She had but one wish remaining, and that was to be re-united to her +husband; and she knew no danger terrible enough to induce her to give up +this one ruling desire of her heart." + +The missionary, therefore, had a boat got ready to carry her to the +Portuguese vessel. The Governor of Omaguas furnished the boat, and +supplied it well with provisions: and, that the commander of the +Portuguese galiot might be informed of her approach, he sent a smaller +boat with provisions, and two soldiers by land, along the banks of the +river, and betook himself to Loreto, where the galiot had been so long +lying; and there he waited till Madame Godin arrived. + +She still suffered severely from the consequences of the injuries which +she had sustained during her wanderings in the wilderness. Particularly, +the thumb of one hand, in which she had thrust a thorn, which they had +not been able to get out, was in a bad condition. The bone itself was +become carious, and she found it necessary to have the flesh cut open to +allow fragments of the bone to come out. As for the rest, she +experienced from the commander of the Portuguese vessel all possible +kindness, and reached the mouth of the Amazon River without any further +misadventure. + +Mr. Godin, who still continued at Oyapoc (the same place where on +account of sickness he had been obliged to stop), was no sooner informed +of the approach of his wife than he went on board a vessel, and coasted +along the shore till he met the galiot. The joy of again meeting, after +a separation of so many years, and after such calamities undergone, was, +as may well be supposed, on both sides, indescribably great. Their +re-union seemed like a resurrection from the dead, since both of them +had more than once given up all hope of ever seeing the other in this +life. + +The happy husband now conveyed his wife to Oyapoc, and thence to +Cayenne; whence they departed on their return to France, in company with +the venerable Mr. De Grandmaison. Madame Godin remained, however, +constantly sad, notwithstanding her present ample cause for joy; and +every endeavor to raise her spirits was fruitless, so deep and +inextinguishable an impression had the terrible sufferings she had +undergone made upon her mind. She spoke unwillingly of all that she had +suffered; and even her husband found out with difficulty, and by little +and little, the circumstances which we have narrated, taken from +accounts under his own hand. He thought he could thereby infer that she +had kept to herself, to spare his feelings, many circumstances of a +distressing nature, which she herself preferred to forget. Her heart, +too, was, by reason of her sufferings, so attuned to pity and +forbearance, that her compassion even extended to the base and wicked +men who had treated her with such injustice. She would therefore add +nothing to induce her husband to invoke the vengeance of the law +against the faithless Tristan, the first cause of all her misfortunes, +who had converted to his own use many thousand dollars' worth of +property which had been intrusted to him. She had even allowed herself +to be persuaded to take on board the boat from Omaguas down, for a +second time, the mean-souled Mr. R. + +So true is it that adversity and suffering do fulfil the useful purpose +of rendering the human heart tender, placable, and indulgent. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION. + + +In the month of August, 1850, Lieut. Herndon, of the United-States navy, +being on board the frigate "Vandalia," then lying at anchor in the +harbor of Valparaiso, received information that he was designated by the +Secretary of the Navy to explore the Valley of the Amazon. On the 4th of +April, being then at Lima, he received his orders, and, on the 21st of +May, commenced his land journey to the highest point on the Amazon +navigable for boats, which is about three hundred miles from its source; +in which distance there are twenty-seven rapids, the last of which is +called the Pongo (or falls) de Manseriche. Over these the water rushes +with frightful rapidity; but they are passed, with great peril and +difficulty, by means of rafts. From the Pongo de Manseriche, Lieut. +Herndon states that an unbroken channel of eighteen feet in depth may be +found to the Atlantic Ocean,--a distance of three thousand miles. + +The party consisted of Lieut. Herndon, commander; Passed-midshipman +Gibbon; a young master's mate named Richards; a young Peruvian, who had +made the voyage down the Amazon a few years before, who was employed as +interpreter to the Indians; and Mauricio, an Indian servant. They were +mounted on mules; and their baggage of all kinds, including +looking-glasses, beads, and other trinkets for the Indians, and some +supplies of provisions, were carried also on muleback, under the charge +of an _arriero_, or muleteer, who was an Indian. The party were +furnished with a tent, which often came in use for nightly shelter, as +the roadside inns furnished none, and the haciendas, or farm-houses, +which they sometimes availed themselves of, afforded but poor +accommodation. The following picture of the lieutenant's first night's +lodgings, not more than ten miles from Lima, is a specimen: "The house +was built of _adobe_, or sun-dried bricks, and roofed with tiles. It had +but one room, which was the general receptacle for all comers. A mud +projection, of two feet high and three wide, stood out from the walls of +the room all around, and served as a permanent bedplace for numbers. +Others laid their blankets and cloaks, and stretched themselves, on the +floor; so that, with whites, Indians, negroes, trunks, packages, +horse-furniture, game-cocks, and guinea-pigs, we had quite a caravansera +appearance." + +The lieutenant found the general answer to his inquiry for provisions +for his party, and of fodder for their animals, was, "No hay" (there is +none). The refusal of the people to sell supplies of these indispensable +articles was a source of continued inconvenience. It arose probably from +their fear to have it known that they had possessions, lest the hand of +authority should be laid upon them, and their property be taken without +payment. The cultivators, it must be remembered, are native Indians, +under the absolute control of their Spanish masters, and have no +recognized rights protected by law. While this state of things +continues, civilization is effectually debarred progress. + +The usual day's travel was twelve to fifteen miles. The route ascended +rapidly; and the River Rimac, along whose banks their road lay, was soon +reduced to a mountain torrent, raging in foam over the fragments of the +rocky cliffs which overhung its bed. The road occasionally widened out, +and gave room for a little cultivation. + +May 27.--They had now reached a height of ten thousand feet above the +level of the sea. Here the traveller feels that he is lifted above the +impurities of the lower regions of the atmosphere, and is breathing air +free from taint. The stars sparkled with intense brilliancy. The +temperature at night was getting cool, and the travellers found they +required all their blankets. But by day the heat was oppressive until +tempered by the sea-breeze, which set in about eleven o'clock in the +morning. + +The productions of the country are Indian corn, alfalfa (a species of +lucern), and potatoes. The potato, in this its native country, is small, +but very fine. They saw here a vegetable of the potato kind called +_oca_. Boiled or roasted, it is very agreeable to the taste, in flavor +resembling green corn. + +Here they entered upon the mining region. "The Earth here shows her +giant skeleton bare: mountains, rather than rocks, rear their gray heads +to the skies; and proximity made the scene more striking and sublime." +Lieut. Herndon had brought letters to the superintendent of the mines, +who received the travellers kindly and hospitably. This establishment is +managed by a superintendent and three assistants, and about forty +working hands. The laborers are Indians,--strong, hardy-looking +fellows, though low in stature, and stupid in expression. The manner of +getting the silver from the ore is this: The ore is broken into pieces +of the size of an English walnut, and then ground to a fine powder. The +ground ore is then mixed with salt, at the rate of fifty pounds of salt +to every six hundred of ore, and taken to the ovens to be toasted. After +being toasted, the ore is laid in piles of about six hundred pounds upon +the stone floor. The piles are then moistened with water, and +quicksilver is sprinkled on them through a woollen cloth. The mass is +well mixed by treading with the feet, and working with hoes. A little +calcined iron pyrites, called _magistral_, is also added. The pile is +often examined to see if the amalgamation is going on well. It is left +to stand for eight or nine days until the amalgamation is complete; then +carried to an elevated platform, and thrown into a well, or cavity: a +stream of water is turned on, and four or five men trample and wash it +with their feet. The amalgam sinks to the bottom, and the mud and water +are let off by an aperture in the lower part of the well. The amalgam is +then put into conical bags of coarse linen, which are hung up; and the +weight of the mass presses out a quantity of quicksilver, which oozes +through the linen, and is caught in vessels below. The mass, now dry, +and somewhat harder than putty, is carried to the ovens, where the +remainder of the quicksilver is driven off by heat, and the residue is +_plata pina_, or pure silver. The proportion of pure silver in the +amalgam is about twenty-two per cent. This is an unusually rich mine. + +Returning from the mine, the party met a drove of llamas on their way +from the hacienda. This is quite an imposing sight, especially when the +drove is encountered suddenly at a turn of the road. The leader, who is +always selected on account of his superior height, has his head +decorated with tufts of woollen fringe, hung with little bells; and his +great height (often six feet), gallant and graceful carriage, pointed +ear, restless eye, and quivering lip, as he faces you for a moment, make +him as striking an object as one can well conceive. Upon pressing on +him, he bounds aside either up or down the cliff, and is followed by the +herd, scrambling over places that would be impassable for the mule or +the ass. The llama travels not more than nine or ten miles a day, his +load being about one hundred and thirty pounds. He will not carry more, +and will be beaten to death rather than move when he is overloaded or +tired. The males only are worked: they appear gentle and docile, but, +when irritated, have a very savage look, and spit at the object of their +resentment. The guanaco, or alpaca, is another species of this animal, +and the vicunia a third. The guanaco is as large as the llama, and bears +a fleece of long and coarse wool. The vicunia is much smaller, and its +wool is short and fine: so valuable is it, that it brings at the port of +shipment a dollar a pound. Our travellers saw no guanacos, but now and +then, in crossing the mountains, caught a glimpse of the wild and shy +vicunia. They go in herds of ten or fifteen females, accompanied by one +male, who is ever on the alert. On the approach of danger, he gives +warning by a shrill whistle; and his charge make off with the speed of +the wind. + +On the 31st of May, the thermometer stood at thirty-six degrees at five, +A.M. This, it must be remembered, was in the torrid zone, in +the same latitude as Congo in Africa, and Sumatra in Asia; yet how +different the climate! This is owing to the elevation, which at this +water-shed of the continent, which separates the rivers of the Atlantic +from those of the Pacific, was about sixteen thousand feet above the +level of the sea. The peaks of the Cordillera presented the appearance +of a hilly country at home on a winter's day; while the lower ranges +were dressed in bright green, with placid little lakes interspersed, +giving an air of quiet beauty to the scene. + +The travellers next arrived at Morococha, where they found copper-mining +to be the prevailing occupation. The copper ore is calcined in the open +air, in piles consisting of ore and coal, which burn for a month. The +ore thus calcined is taken to the ovens; and sufficient heat is employed +to melt the copper, which runs off into moulds below. The copper, in +this state, is impure, containing fifty per cent of foreign matter; and +is worth fifteen cents the pound in England, where it is refined. There +is a mine of fine coal near the hacienda, which yields an abundant +supply. + +The travellers passed other mining districts, rich in silver and copper. +A large portion of the silver which forms the circulation of the world +is dug from the range of mountains which they were now crossing, and +chiefly from that slope of them which is drained off into the Amazon. + +Their descent, after leaving the mining country, was rapid. On June 6, +we find them at the head of a ravine leading down to the Valley of +Tarma. The height of this spot above the level of the sea was 11,270 +feet. As they rode down the steep descent, the plants and flowers that +they had left on the other side began to re-appear. First the short +grass and small clover, then barley, lucern, Indian corn, beans, +turnips, shrubs, bushes, trees, flowers, growing larger and gayer in +their colors, till the pretty little city of Tarma, imbosomed among the +hills, and enveloped in its covering of willows and fruit-trees, with +its long lawns of _alfalfa_ (the greenest of grasses) stretching out in +front, broke upon their view. It is a place of seven thousand +inhabitants, beautifully situated in an amphitheatre of mountains, which +are clothed nearly to the top with waving fields of barley. The +lieutenant gives an attractive description of this mountain city, whose +natural productions extend from the apples and peaches of the temperate +zone to the oranges and pine-apples of the tropics; and whose air is so +temperate and pure, that there was but one physician to a district of +twenty thousand people, and he was obliged to depend upon government for +a part of his support. + +The party left Tarma on the 16th of June, and resumed their descent of +the mountains. The ride was the wildest they had yet had. The ascents +and descents were nearly precipitous; and the scene was rugged, wild, +and grand beyond description. At certain parts of the road, it is +utterly impossible for two beasts to pass abreast, or for one to turn +and retreat; and the only remedy, when they meet, is to tumble one off +the precipice, or to drag him back by the tail until he reaches a place +where the other can pass. They met with a considerable fright in this +way one day. They were riding in single file along one of those narrow +ascents where the road is cut out of the mountain-side, and the +traveller has a perpendicular wall on one hand, and a sheer precipice of +many hundreds of feet upon the other. Mr. Gibbon was riding ahead. Just +as he was about to turn a sharp bend of the road, the head of a bull +peered round it, on the descent. When the bull came in full view, he +stopped; and the travellers could see the heads of other cattle +clustering over his quarters, and hear the shouts of the cattle-drivers +far behind, urging on their herd. The bull, with lowered crest, and +savage, sullen look, came slowly on, and actually got his head between +the perpendicular rock and the neck of Gibbon's mule. But the sagacious +beast on which he was mounted, pressing her haunches hard against the +wall, gathered her feet close under her, and turned as upon a pivot. +This placed the bull on the outside (there was room to pass, though no +one would have thought it); and he rushed by at the gallop, followed in +single file by the rest of the herd. The lieutenant owns that he and his +friend "felt frightened." + +On the 18th of June, they arrived at the first hacienda, where they saw +sugar-cane, yucca, pine-apples, and plantains. Besides these, cotton and +coffee were soon after found in cultivation. The laborers are native +Indians, nominally free, but, by the customs of the country, pretty +closely held in subjection to their employers. Their nominal wages are +half a dollar a day; but this is paid in articles necessary for their +support, which are charged to them at such prices as to keep them always +in debt. As debtors, the law will enforce the master's claim on them; +and it is almost hopeless for them to desert; for, unless they get some +distance off before they are recognized, they will be returned as +debtors to their employers. Freedom, under such circumstances, is little +better than slavery; but it _is_ better, for this reason,--that it only +requires some improvement in the intelligence and habits of the laborers +to convert it into a system of free labor worthy of the name. + +The _yucca_ (cassava-root) is a plant of fifteen or twenty feet in +height. It is difficult to distinguish this plant from the _mandioc_, +which is called "wild yucca;" and this, "sweet yucca." This may be eaten +raw; but the other is poisonous until subjected to heat in cooking, and +then is perfectly wholesome. The yucca answers the same purpose in Peru +that the mandioc does in Brazil. It is the general substitute for bread, +and, roasted or boiled, is very pleasant to the taste. The Indians also +make from it an intoxicating drink. Each plant will give from twenty to +twenty-five pounds of the eatable root, which grows in clusters like the +potato, and some tubers of which are as long and thick as a man's arm. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED. + + +On the 4th of July, the travellers arrived at the great mining station +of Cerro Pasco. The weather was so cold, that the lieutenant, not being +quite well, sat by the fire all day, trying to keep himself warm. The +town is a most curious-looking place, entirely honey-combed, and having +the mouths of mines, some of them two or three yards in diameter, gaping +everywhere. From the top of a hill, the best view is obtained of the +whole. Vast pits, called Tajos, surround this hill, from which many +millions of silver have been taken; and the miners are still burrowing, +like so many rabbits, in their bottoms and sides. The hill is penetrated +in every direction; and it would not be surprising if it should cave in, +any day, and bury many in its ruins. The falling-in of mines is of +frequent occurrence: one caved in, some years ago, and buried three +hundred persons. An English company undertook mining here in 1825, and +failed. Vast sums have been spent in constructing tunnels, and employing +steam machinery to drain the mines; and the parties still persevere, +encouraged by discovering, that, the lower they penetrate, the richer +are the ores. The yield of these mines is about two million dollars' +worth a year, which is equal to the yield of all the other mines of Peru +together. + +The lieutenant found the leading people here, as well as at Tarma, +enthusiastic on the subject of opening the Amazon to foreign commerce. +It will be a great day for them, they say, when the Americans get near +them with a steamer. + +On the 14th of July, they arrived at a spot of marshy ground, from which +trickled in tiny streams the waters, which, uniting with others, swell +till they form the broad River Huallaga, one of the head tributaries of +the Amazon. Their descent was now rapid; and the next day they found +themselves on a sudden among fruit-trees, with a patch of sugar-cane, on +the banks of the stream. The sudden transition from rugged +mountain-peaks, where there was no cultivation, to a tropical +vegetation, was marvellous. Two miles farther on, they came in sight of +a pretty village, almost hidden in the luxuriant vegetation. The whole +valley here becomes very beautiful. The land, which is a rich +river-bottom, is laid off into alternate fields of sugar-cane and +alfalfa. The blended green and yellow of this growth, divided by +willows, interspersed with fruit-trees, and broken into wavy lines by +the serpentine course of the river, presented a scene which filled them +with pleasurable emotions, and indicated that they had exchanged a +semi-barbarous for a civilized society. + +The party had had no occasion to complain of want of hospitality in any +part of their route; but here they seemed to have entered upon a country +where that virtue flourished most vigorously, having at its command the +means of gratifying it. The owner of the hacienda of Quicacan, an +English gentleman named Dyer, received the lieutenant and his large +party exactly as if it were a matter of course, and as if they had quite +as much right to occupy his house as they had to enter an inn. The next +day they had an opportunity to compare with the Englishman a fine +specimen of the Peruvian country gentleman. Col. Lucar is thus +described: "He is probably the richest and most influential man in the +province. He seems to have been the father of husbandry in these parts, +and is the very type of the old landed proprietor of Virginia, who has +always lived upon his estates, and attended personally to their +cultivation. Seated at the head of his table, with his hat on to keep +the draught from his head, and which he would insist upon removing +unless I would wear mine; his chair surrounded by two or three little +negro children, whom he fed with bits from his plate; and attending with +patience and kindness to the clamorous wants of a pair of splendid +peacocks, a couple of small parrots of brilliant and variegated plumage, +and a beautiful and delicate monkey,--I thought I had never seen a more +perfect pattern of the patriarch. His kindly and affectionate manner to +his domestics, and to his little grand-children, a pair of sprightly +boys, who came in the evening from the college, was also very pleasing." +The mention of a college in a region in some respects so barbarous may +surprise our readers; but such there is. It has a hundred pupils, an +income of seventy-five thousand dollars yearly, chemical and +philosophical apparatus, and one thousand specimens of European +minerals. + +Ijurra, our lieutenant's Peruvian companion, had written to the governor +of the village of Tingo Maria, the head of canoe navigation on the +Huallaga, to send Indians to meet the travellers here, and take their +luggage on to the place of embarkation. + +July 30.--The Indians came shouting into the farm-yard, thirteen in +number. They were young, slight, but muscular-looking fellows, and +wanted to shoulder the trunks, and be off at once. The lieutenant, +however, gave them some breakfast; and then the party set forward, and, +after a walk of six miles, reached the river, and embarked in the canoe. +Two Indian laborers, called _peons_, paddled the canoe, and managed it +very well. The peons cooked their dinner of cheese and rice, and made +them a good cup of coffee. They are lively, good-tempered fellows, and, +properly treated, make good and serviceable travelling companions. The +canoe was available only in parts of the river where the stream was free +from rapids. Where these occur, the cargo must be landed, and carried +round. Lieut. Herndon and his party were compelled to walk a good part +of the distance to Tingo Maria, which was thirty-six miles from where +they first took the canoe. + +"I saw here," says our traveller, "the _lucernago_, or fire-fly of this +country. It is a species of beetle, carrying two white lights in its +eyes, or rather in the places where the eyes of insects generally are, +and a red light between the scales of the belly; so that it reminded me +somewhat of the ocean steamers. They are sometimes carried to Lima +(enclosed in an apartment cut into a sugar-cane), where the ladies at +balls or theatres put them in their hair for ornament." + +At Tingo Maria, their arrival was celebrated with much festivity. The +governor got up a ball for them, where there was more hilarity than +ceremony. The next morning, the governor and his wife accompanied our +friends to the port. The governor made a short address to the canoe-men, +telling them that their passengers were "no common persons; that they +were to have a special care of them; to be very obedient," &c. They then +embarked, and stood off; the boatmen blowing their horns, and the party +on shore waving their hats, and shouting their adieus. + +The party had two canoes, about forty feet long by two and a half broad, +each hollowed out of a single log. The rowers stand up to paddle, having +one foot in the bottom of the boat, and the other on the gunwale. There +is a man at the bow of the boat to look out for rocks or sunken trees +ahead; and a steersman, who stands on a little platform at the stern of +the boat, and guides her motions. When the river was smooth, and free +from obstruction, they drifted with the current, the men sitting on the +trunks and boxes, chatting and laughing with each other; but, when they +approached a "bad place," their serious looks, and the firm position in +which each one planted himself at his post, showed that work was to be +done. When the bark had fairly entered the pass, the rapid gestures of +the bow-man, indicating the channel; the graceful position of the +steersman, holding his long paddle; and the desperate exertions of the +rowers, the railroad rush of the canoes, and the wild screaming laugh of +the Indians as the boat shot past the danger,--made a scene so exciting +as to banish the sense of danger. + +After this specimen of their travel, let us take a glimpse of their +lodging. "At half-past five, we camped on the beach. The first business +of the boatmen, when the canoe is secured, is to go off to the woods, +and cut stakes and palm-branches to make a house for the 'commander.' By +sticking long poles in the sand, chopping them half-way in two about +five feet above the ground, and bending the upper parts together, they +make in a few minutes the frame of a little shanty, which, thickly +thatched with palm-leaves, will keep off the dew or an ordinary rain. +Some bring the drift-wood that is lying about the beach, and make a +fire. The provisions are cooked and eaten, the bedding laid down upon +the leaves that cover the floor of the shanty, the mosquito nettings +spread; and after a cup of coffee, a glass of grog, and a cigar (if they +are to be had), everybody retires for the night by eight o'clock. The +Indians sleep round the hut, each under his narrow mosquito curtain, +which glisten in the moonlight like so many tombstones." + +The Indians have very keen senses, and see and hear things that would +escape more civilized travellers. One morning, they commenced paddling +with great vigor; for they said they heard monkeys ahead. It was not +till after paddling a mile that they reached the place. "When we came up +to them," says the lieutenant, "we found a gang of large red monkeys in +some tall trees by the river-side, making a noise like the grunting of a +herd of hogs. We landed; and, in a few moments, I found myself beating +my way through the thick undergrowth, and hunting monkeys with as much +excitement as I had ever felt in hunting squirrels when a boy." They +found the game hard to kill, and only got three,--the lieutenant, with +his rifle, one; and the Indians, with their blow-guns, two. The Indians +roasted and ate theirs, and Lieut. Herndon tried to eat a piece; but it +was so tough, that his teeth would make no impression upon it. + +Aug. 19.--The party arrived at Tarapoto. It is a town of three thousand +five hundred inhabitants, and the district of which it is the capital +numbers six thousand. The principal productions are rice, cotton, and +tobacco; and cotton-cloth, spun and woven by the women, with about as +little aid from machinery as the women in Solomon's time, of whom we are +told, "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the +distaff." The little balls of cotton thread which the women spin in this +way are used as currency (and this in a land of silver-mines), and pass +for twenty-five cents apiece in exchange for other goods, or twelve and +a half cents in money. Most of the trade is done by barter. A cow is +sold for one hundred yards of cotton cloth; a fat hog, for sixty; a +large sheep, twelve; twenty-five pounds of salt fish, for twelve; +twenty-five pounds of coffee, six; a head of plantains, which will weigh +from forty to fifty pounds, for three needles; and so forth. All +transportation of merchandise by land is made upon the backs of Indians, +for want of roads suitable for beasts of burden. The customary weight of +a load is seventy-five pounds: the cost of transportation to Moyobamba, +seventy miles, is six yards of cloth. It is easy to obtain, in the term +of six or eight days, fifty or sixty peons, or Indian laborers, for the +transportation of cargoes, getting the order of the governor, and paying +the above price, and supporting the peons on the way. The town is the +most important in the province of Mainas. The inhabitants are called +civilized, but have no idea of what we call comfort in their domestic +arrangements. The houses are of mud, thatched with palm, and have uneven +earth floors. The furniture consists of a grass hammock, a standing +bedplace, a coarse table, and a stool or two. The governor of this +populous district wore no shoes, and appeared to live pretty much like +the rest of them. + +Vessels of five feet draught of water may ascend the river, at the +lowest stage of the water, to within eighteen miles of Tarapoto. + +Our travellers accompanied a large fishing-party. They had four or five +canoes, and a large quantity of barbasco; a root which has the property +of stupefying, or intoxicating, the fish. The manner of fishing is to +close up the mouth of an inlet of the river with a network made of +reeds; and then, mashing the barbasco-root to a pulp, throw it into the +water. This turns the water white, and poisons it; so that the fish +soon begin rising to the surface, dead, and are taken into the canoes +with small tridents, or pronged sticks. Almost at the moment of throwing +the barbasco into the water, the smaller fish rise to the surface, and +die in one or two minutes; the larger fish survive longer. + +The salt fish, which constitutes an important article of food and also +of barter trade, is brought from down the river in large pieces of about +eight pounds each, cut from the _vaca marina_, or sea-cow, also found in +our Florida streams, and there called _manatee_. It is found in great +numbers in the Amazon and its principal tributaries. It is not, strictly +speaking, a fish, but an animal of the whale kind, which nourishes its +young at the breast. It is not able to leave the water; but, in feeding, +it gets near the shore, and raises its head out. It is most often taken +when feeding. + +Our travellers met a canoe of Indians, one man and two women, going up +the river for salt. They bought, with beads, some turtle-eggs, and +proposed to buy a monkey they had; but one of the women clasped the +little beast in her arms, and set up a great outcry, lest the man should +sell it. The man wore a long cotton gown, with a hole in the neck for +the head to come through, and short, wide sleeves. He had on his arm a +bracelet of monkeys' teeth, and the women had nose-rings of white beads. +Their dress was a cotton petticoat, tied round the waist; and all were +filthy. + +Sept. 1.--They arrived at Laguna. Here they found two travelling +merchants, a Portuguese and a Brazilian. They had four large boats, of +about eight tons each, and two or three canoes. Their cargo consisted of +iron and iron implements, crockery-ware, wine, brandy, copper kettles, +coarse short swords (a very common implement of the Indians), guns, +ammunition, salt, fish, &c., which they expected to exchange for straw +hats, cotton cloth, sugar, coffee, and money. They were also buying up +all the sarsaparilla they could find, and despatching it back in canoes. +They invited our travellers to breakfast; and the lieutenant says, "I +thought that I never tasted any thing better than the _farinha_, which I +saw now for the first time." + +Farinha is a general substitute for bread in all the course of the +Amazon below the Brazilian frontier. It is used by all classes; and the +boatmen seemed always contented with plenty of salt fish and farinha. +The women make it in this way: They soak the root of the _mandioc_ in +water till it is softened a little, when they scrape off the skin, and +grate the root upon a board, which is made into a rude grater by being +smeared with some of the adhesive gums of the forest, and then sprinkled +with pebbles. The white grated pulp is put into a conical-shaped bag +made of the coarse fibres of the palm. The bag is hung up to a peg +driven into a post of the hut; a lever is put through a loop at the +bottom of the bag; the short end of the lever is placed under a chock +nailed to the post below; and the woman hangs her weight on the long +end. This elongates the bag, and brings a heavy pressure upon the mass +within, causing the juice to ooze out through the wicker-work of the +bag. When sufficiently pressed, the mass is put on the floor of a mud +oven; heat is applied, and it is stirred with a stick till it granulates +into very irregular grains, and is sufficiently toasted to drive off all +the poisonous qualities which it has in a crude state. It is then packed +in baskets (lined and covered with palm-leaves) of about sixty-four +pounds' weight, which are generally sold all along the river at from +seventy-five cents to one dollar. The sediment of the juice is tapioca, +and is used to make custards, puddings, starch, &c. It will surprise +some of our readers to be told that the juice extracted in the +preparation of these wholesome and nutritive substances is a powerful +poison, and used by the Indians for poisoning the points of their +arrows. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONTINUED. + + +The Huallaga is navigable, for vessels drawing five feet depth of water, +285 miles; and forty miles farther for canoes. Our travellers had now +arrived at its junction with the Amazon; and their first sight of its +waters is thus described: "The march of the great river in its silent +grandeur was sublime; but in the untamed might of its turbid waters, as +they cut away its banks, tore down the gigantic denizens of the forest, +and built up islands, it was awful. I was reminded of our Mississippi at +its topmost flood; but this stream lacked the charm which the plantation +upon the bank, the city upon the bluff, and the steamboat upon the +waters, lend to its fellow of the North. But its capacities for trade +and commerce are inconceivably great; and to the touch of steam, +settlement, and cultivation, this majestic stream and its magnificent +water-shed would start up in a display of industrial results that would +make the Valley of the Amazon one of the most enchanting regions on the +face of the earth." + +Lieut. Herndon speaks of the Valley of the Amazon in language almost as +enthusiastic as that of Sir Walter Raleigh: "From its mountains you may +dig silver, iron, coal, copper, zinc, quicksilver, and tin; from the +sands of its tributaries you may wash gold, diamonds, and precious +stones; from its forests you may gather drugs of virtues the most rare, +spices of aroma the most exquisite, gums and resins of the most varied +and useful properties, dyes of hue the most brilliant, with cabinet and +building woods of the finest polish and the most enduring texture. Its +climate is an everlasting summer, and its harvest perennial." + +Sept. 8.--The party encamped at night on an island near the middle of +the river. "The Indians, cooking their big monkeys over a large fire on +the beach, presented a savage and most picturesque scene. They looked +more like devils roasting human beings, than any thing mortal." We ask +ourselves, on reading this, whether some such scene may not have given +rise to the stories of cannibalism which Raleigh and others record. + +They arrived at Nauta, a village of a thousand inhabitants, mostly +Indians. The governor of the district received them hospitably. Each +district has its governor, and each town its lieutenant-governor. These +are of European descent. The other authorities of a town are _curacas_, +captains, alcades, and constables. All these are Indians. The office of +curaca is hereditary, and is not generally interfered with by the white +governor. The Indians treat their curaca with great respect, and submit +to corporal punishment at his mandate. + +Sarsaparilla is one of the chief articles of produce collected here. It +is a vine of sufficient size to shoot up fifteen or twenty feet from the +root without support. It thus embraces the surrounding trees, and +spreads to a great distance. The main root sends out many tendrils, +generally about the thickness of a straw, and five feet long. These are +gathered, and tied up in bundles of about an _arroba_, or thirty-two +pounds' weight. It is found on the banks of almost every river of the +region; but many of these are not worked, on account of the savages +living on them, who attack the parties that come to gather it. The price +in Nauta is two dollars the arroba, and in Europe from forty to sixty +dollars. + +From Nauta, Lieut. Herndon ascended the Ucayali, a branch of the +Amazon, stretching to the north-west in a direction somewhat parallel to +the Huallaga. There is the essential difference between the two rivers, +as avenues for commerce, that the Ucayali is still in the occupation of +savage tribes, unchristianized except where under the immediate +influence of the mission stations planted among them; while the +population of the Huallaga is tolerably advanced in civilization. The +following sentences will give a picture of the Indians of the Ucayali: +"These people cannot count, and I can never get from them any accurate +idea of numbers. They are very little removed above 'the beasts that +perish.' They are filthy, and covered with sores. The houses are very +large, between thirty and forty feet in length, and ten or fifteen in +breadth. They consist of immense roofs of small poles and canes, +thatched with palm, and supported by short stakes, four feet high, +planted in the ground three or four feet apart, and having the spaces, +except between two in front, filled in with cane. They have no idea of a +future state, and worship nothing. But they can make bows and canoes; +and their women weave a coarse cloth from cotton, and dye it. Their +dress is a long cotton gown. They paint the face, and wear ornaments +suspended from the nose and lower lip." + +Next let us take a view of the means in operation to elevate these +people to civilization and Christianity. Sarayacu is a missionary +station, governed by four Franciscan friars, who are thus described: +"Father Calvo, meek and humble in personal concerns, yet full of zeal +and spirit for his office, clad in his long serge gown, belted with a +cord, with bare feet and accurate tonsure, habitual stoop, and generally +bearing upon his shoulder a beautiful and saucy bird of the parrot kind, +was my beau-ideal of a missionary monk. Bregati is a young and handsome +Italian, whom Father Calvo sometimes calls St. John. Lorente is a tall, +grave, and cold-looking Catalan. A lay-brother named Maguin, who did the +cooking, and who was unwearied in his attentions to us, made up the +establishment. I was sick here, and think that I shall ever remember +with gratitude the affectionate kindness of these pious and devoted +friars of St. Francis." + +The government is paternal. The Indians recognize in the "padre" the +power to appoint and remove curacas, captains, and other officers; to +inflict stripes, and to confine in the stocks. They obey the priests' +orders readily, and seem tractable and docile. The Indian men are +drunken and lazy: the women do most of the work; and their reward is to +be maltreated by their husbands, and, in their drunken frolics, to be +cruelly beaten, and sometimes badly wounded. + +Our party returned to the Amazon; and we find occurring in their +narrative names which are familiar to us in the history of our previous +adventurers. They touched at Omaguas, the port where Madame Godin found +kind friends in the good missionary and the governor, and where she +embarked on her way to the galiot at Loreto; and they passed the mouth +of the Napo, which enters the Amazon from the north,--the river down +which Orellana passed in the first adventure. The lieutenant says, "We +spoke two canoes that had come from near Quito by the Napo. There are +few Christianized towns on the Napo; and the rowers of the boats were a +more savage-looking set than I had seen,"--so slow has been the progress +of civilization in three hundred years. + +The Amazon seems to be the land of monkeys. Our traveller says, "I +bought a young monkey of an Indian woman to-day. It had coarse gray and +white hair; and that on the top of its head was stiff, like the quills +of the porcupine, and smoothed down in front as if it had been combed. I +offered the little fellow some plantain; but, finding he would not eat, +the woman took him, and put him to her breast, when he sucked away +manfully and with great gusto. She weaned him in a week, so that he +would eat plantain mashed up, and put into his mouth in small bits; but +the little beast died of mortification because I would not let him sleep +with his arms around my neck." + +They got from the Indians some of the milk from the cow-tree. This the +Indians drink, when fresh; and, brought in a calabash, it had a foamy +appearance, as if just drawn from the cow. It, however, coagulates very +soon, and becomes as hard and tenacious as glue. It does not appear to +be as important an article of subsistence as one would expect from the +name. + +Dec. 2.--They arrived at Loreto, the frontier town of the Peruvian +territory, and which reminds us again of Madame Godin, who there joined +the Portuguese galiot. Loreto is situated on an eminence on the left +bank of the river, which is here three-fourths of a mile wide, and one +hundred feet deep. There are three mercantile houses in Loreto, which do +a business of about ten thousand dollars a year. The houses at Loreto +are better built and better furnished than those of the towns on the +river above. The population of the place is two hundred and fifty, made +up of Brazilians, mulattoes, negroes, and a few Indians. + +At the next town, Tabatinga, the lieutenant entered the territory of +Brazil. When his boat, bearing the American flag, was descried at that +place, the Brazilian flag was hoisted; and when the lieutenant landed, +dressed in uniform, he was received by the commandant, also in uniform, +to whom he presented his passport from the Brazilian minister at +Washington. As soon as this document was perused, and the lieutenant's +rank ascertained, a salute of seven guns was fired from the fort; and +the commandant treated him with great civility, and entertained him at +his table, giving him roast beef, which was a great treat. + +It was quite pleasant, after coming from the Peruvian villages, which +are all nearly hidden in the woods, to see that Tabatinga had the forest +cleared away from about it; so that a space of forty or fifty acres was +covered with green grass, and had a grove of orange-trees in its midst. +The commandant told him that the trade of the river was increasing very +fast; that, in 1849, scarce one thousand dollars' worth of goods passed +up; in 1850, two thousand five hundred dollars; and this year, six +thousand dollars. + +The sarsaparilla seems thus far to have been the principal article of +commerce; but here they find another becoming of importance,--_manteca_, +or oil made of turtle-eggs. The season for making manteca generally +ends by the 1st of November. A commandant is appointed every year to +take care of the beaches, prevent disorder, and administer justice. +Sentinels are placed at the beginning of August, when the turtles +commence depositing their eggs. They see that no one wantonly interferes +with the turtles, or destroys the eggs. The process of making the oil is +very disgusting. The eggs are collected, thrown into a canoe, and +trodden into a mass with the feet. Water is poured on, and the mass is +left to stand in the sun for several days. The oil rises to the top, is +skimmed off, and boiled in large copper boilers. It is then put in +earthen pots of about forty-five pounds' weight. Each pot is worth, on +the beach, one dollar and thirty cents; and at Para, from two and a half +to three dollars. The beaches of the Amazon and its tributaries yield +from five to six thousand pots annually. It is used for the same +purposes as lard with us. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HERNDON'S EXPEDITION CONCLUDED. + + +On Jan. 4, at about the point of the junction of the Purus River with +the Amazon, Lieut. Herndon remarks, "The banks of the river are now +losing the character of savage and desolate solitude that characterizes +them above, and begin to show signs of habitation and cultivation. We +passed to-day several farms, with neatly framed and plastered houses, +and a schooner-rigged vessel lying off several of them." + +They arrived at the junction of the River Negro. This is one of the +largest of the tributaries of the Amazon, and derives its name from the +blackness of its waters. When taken up in a tumbler, the water is a +light-red color, like a pale juniper-water, and is probably colored by +some such berry. This river, opposite the town of Barra, is about a mile +and a half wide, and very beautiful. It is navigable for almost any +draughts to the Masaya, a distance of about four hundred miles: there +the rapids commence, and the farther ascent must be made in boats. By +this river, a communication exists with the Orinoco, by means of a +remarkable stream, the Cassaquiare, which seems to have been formed for +the sole purpose of connecting these two majestic rivers, and the future +dwellers upon them, in the bonds of perpetual union. Humboldt, the great +traveller and philosopher, thus speaks of it, "The Cassaquiare, as broad +as the Rhine, and whose course is one hundred and eighty miles in +length, will not much longer form in vain a navigable canal between two +basins of rivers which have a surface of one hundred and ninety thousand +square leagues. The grain of New Grenada will be carried to the banks of +the Rio Negro; boats will descend from the sources of the Napo and the +Ucayali, from the Andes of Quito and Upper Peru, to the mouths of the +Orinoco. A country nine or ten times larger than Spain, and enriched +with the most varied productions, is accessible in every direction by +the medium of the natural canal of the Cassaquiare and the bifurcation +of the rivers." + +The greatest of all the tributaries of the Amazon is the Madeira, whose +junction our travellers next reached. For four hundred and fifty miles +from its mouth, there is good navigation: then occur cascades, which are +navigable only for boats, and occupy three hundred and fifty miles, +above which the river is navigable for large vessels, by its great +tributaries, into Bolivia and Brazil. + +They next entered the country where the cocoa is regularly cultivated; +and the banks of the river present a much less desolate and savage +appearance than they do above. The cocoa-trees have a yellow-colored +leaf; and this, together with their regularity of size, distinguishes +them from the surrounding forest. Lieut. Herndon says, "I do not know a +prettier place than one of these plantations. The trees interlock their +branches, and, with their large leaves, make a shade impenetrable to any +ray of the sun; and the large, golden-colored fruits, hanging from +branch and trunk, shine through the green with a most beautiful effect. +This is the time of the harvest; and we found the people of every +plantation engaged in the open space before the house in breaking open +the shells of the fruit, and spreading the seed to dry in the sun. They +make a pleasant drink for a hot day by pressing out the juice of the +gelatinous pulp that envelops the seeds. It is called cocoa-wine: it is +a white, viscid liquor, has an agreeable, acid taste, and is very +refreshing." + +We must hasten on, and pass without notice many spots of interest on the +river; but, as we have now reached a comparatively civilized and known +region, it is less necessary to be particular. The Tapajos River +stretches its branches to the town of Diamantino, situated at the foot +of the mountains, where diamonds are found. Lieut. Herndon saw some of +the diamonds and gold-sand in the possession of a resident of Santarem, +who had traded much on the river. The gold-dust appeared to him equal in +quality to that he had seen from California. Gold and diamonds, which +are always united in this region as in many others, are found especially +in the numerous water-courses, and also throughout the whole country. +After the rains, the children of Diamantino hunt for the gold contained +in the earth even of the streets, and in the bed of the River Ouro, +which passes through the city; and they often collect considerable +quantities. It is stated that diamonds are sometimes found in the +stomachs of the fowls. The quantity of diamonds found in a year varies +from two hundred and fifty to five hundred _oitavas_; the oitava being +about seventeen carats. The value depends upon the quality and size of +the specimen, and can hardly be reduced to an estimate. It is seldom +that a stone of over half an oitava is found; and such a one is worth +from two to three hundred dollars. + +As an offset to the gold and diamonds, we have this picture of the +climate: "From the rising to the setting of the sun, clouds of stinging +insects blind the traveller, and render him frantic by the torments they +cause. Take a handful of the finest sand, and throw it above your head, +and you would then have but a faint idea of the number of these demons +who tear the skin to pieces. It is true, these insects disappear at +night, but only to give place to others yet more formidable. Large bats +(true, thirsty vampires) literally throng the forests, cling to the +hammocks, and, finding a part of the body exposed, rest lightly there, +and drain it of blood. The alligators are so numerous, and the noise +they make so frightful, that it is impossible to sleep." + +At Santarem they were told the tide was perceptible, but did not +perceive it. At Gurupa it was very apparent. This point is about five +hundred miles from the sea. About thirty-five miles below Gurupa +commences the great estuary of the Amazon. The river suddenly flows out +into an immense bay, which might appropriately be called the "bay of a +thousand islands;" for it is cut up into innumerable channels. The +travellers ran for days through channels varying from fifty to five +hundred yards in width, between numberless islands. This is the +India-rubber country. The shores are low: indeed, one seldom sees the +land at all; the trees on the banks generally standing in the water. The +party stopped at one of the establishments for making India-rubber. The +house was built of light poles, and on piles, to keep it out of the +water, which flowed under and around it. This was the store, and, rude +as it was, was a palace compared to the hut of the laborer who gathers +the India-rubber. The process is as follows: A longitudinal gash is made +in the bark of the tree with a hatchet. A wedge of wood is inserted to +keep the gash open; and a small clay cup is stuck to the tree, beneath +the gash. The cups may be stuck as close together as possible around the +tree. In four or five hours, the milk has ceased to run, and each wound +has given from three to five table-spoonfuls. The gatherer then collects +it from the cups, pours it into an earthen vessel, and commences the +operation of forming it into shapes, and smoking it. This must be done +at once, as the juice soon coagulates. A fire is made on the ground, +and a rude funnel placed over it to collect the smoke. The maker of the +rubber now takes his last, if he is making shoes, or his mould, which is +fastened to the end of a stick, pours the milk over it with a cup, and +passes it slowly several times through the smoke until it is dry. He +then pours on the other coats until he has the required thickness, +smoking each coating till it is dry. From twenty to forty coats make a +shoe. The soles and heels are, of course, given more coats than the body +of the shoe. The figures on the shoes are made by tracing them on the +rubber, while soft, with a coarse needle, or bit of wire. This is done +two days after the coating. In a week, the shoes are taken from the +last. The coating occupies about twenty-five minutes. + +The tree is tall, straight, and has a smooth bark. It sometimes reaches +a diameter of thirteen inches or more. Each incision makes a rough wound +on the tree, which, although it does not kill it, renders it useless, +because a smooth place is wanted to which to attach the cups. The milk +is white and tasteless, and may be taken into the stomach with impunity. + +Our travellers arrived at Para on the 12th of April, 1852, and were most +hospitably and kindly received by Mr. Norris, the American consul. + +The journey of our travellers ends here. Lieut. Herndon's book is full +of instruction, conveyed in a pleasant style. He seems to have +manifested throughout good judgment, good temper, energy, and industry. +He had no collisions with the authorities or with individuals, and, on +his part, seems to have met friendly feelings and good offices +throughout his whole route. + + William Lewis Herndon was born in Fredericksburg, Va., on the + 25th of October, 1813. He entered the navy at the age of + fifteen; served in the Mexican war; and was afterwards engaged + for three years, with his brother-in-law, Lieut. Maury, in the + National Observatory at Washington. In 1851-2, he explored the + Amazon River, under commission of the United-States Government. + In 1857, he was commander of the steamer "Central America," + which left Havana for New York on Sept. 8, having on board four + hundred and seventy-four passengers and a crew of one hundred + and five men, and about two million dollars of gold. On Sept. + 11, during a violent gale from the north-east and a heavy sea, + she sprung a leak, and sunk, on the evening of Sept. 12, near + the outer edge of the Gulf Stream, in lat. 31 deg. 44' N. Only one + hundred and fifty of the persons on board were saved, including + the women and children. The gallant commander of the steamer + was seen standing upon the wheel-house at the time of her + sinking. + + In a former chapter, we have told the fate of Sir Humphrey + Gilbert. How fair a counterpart of that heroic death is this of + the gallant Herndon! + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LATEST EXPLORATIONS. + + +In the year 1845, an English gentleman, Henry Walter Bates, visited the +region of the Amazon for the purpose of scientific exploration. He went +prepared to spend years in the country, in order to study diligently its +natural productions. His stay was protracted until 1859, during which +time he resided successively at Para, Santarem, Ega, Barra, and other +places; making his abode for months, or even years, in each. His account +of his observations and discoveries was published after his return, and +affords us the best information we possess respecting the country, its +inhabitants, and its productions, brought down almost to the present +time. Our extracts relate to the cities, the river and its shores, the +inhabitants civilized and savage, the great tributary rivers, the +vegetation, and the animals of various kinds. + +Before proceeding with our extracts, we will remark the various names of +the river. + +It is sometimes called, from the name of its discoverer, "Orellana." +This name is appropriate and well-sounding, but is not in general use. + +The name of "Maranon," pronounced Maranyon, is still often used. It is +probably derived from the natives. + +It is called "The River of the Amazons," from the fable of its former +inhabitants. + +This name is shortened into "The Amazons," and, without the plural sign, +"The Amazon," in common use. + +Above the junction of the River Negro, the river is designated as "The +Upper Amazon," or "Solimoens." + + +PARA. + +"On the morning of the 28th of May, 1848, we arrived at our destination. +The appearance of the city at sunrise was pleasing in the highest +degree. It is built on a low tract of land, having only one small rocky +elevation at its southern extremity: it therefore affords no +amphitheatral view from the river; but the white buildings roofed with +red tiles, the numerous towers and cupolas of churches and convents, +the crowns of palm-trees reared above the buildings, all sharply defined +against the clear blue sky, give an appearance of lightness and +cheerfulness which is most exhilarating. The perpetual forest hems the +city in on all sides landwards; and, towards the suburbs, picturesque +country-houses are seen scattered about, half buried in luxuriant +foliage. + +"The impressions received during our first walk can never wholly fade +from my mind. After traversing the few streets of tall, gloomy, +convent-looking buildings near the port, inhabited chiefly by merchants +and shopkeepers; along which idle soldiers, dressed in shabby uniforms, +carrying their muskets carelessly over their arms; priests; negresses +with red water-jars on their heads; sad-looking Indian women, carrying +their naked children astride on their hips; and other samples of the +motley life of the place,--were seen; we passed down a long, narrow +street leading to the suburbs. Beyond this, our road lay across a grassy +common, into a picturesque lane leading to the virgin forest. The long +street was inhabited by the poorer class of the population. The houses +were mostly in a dilapidated condition; and signs of indolence and +neglect were everywhere visible. But amidst all, and compensating every +defect, rose the overpowering beauty of the vegetation. The massive +dark crowns of shady mangoes were seen everywhere among the dwellings, +amidst fragrant, blossoming orange, lemon, and other tropical +fruit-trees,--some in flower, others in fruit at various stages of +ripeness. Here and there, shooting above the more dome-like and sombre +trees, were the smooth columnar stems of palms, bearing aloft their +magnificent crowns of finely-cut fronds. On the boughs of the taller and +more ordinary-looking trees sat tufts of curiously leaved parasites. +Slender woody lianas hung in festoons from the branches, or were +suspended in the form of cords and ribbons; while luxuriant creeping +plants overran alike tree-trunks, roofs, and walls, or toppled over +palings in copious profusion of foliage. + +"As we continued our walk, the brief twilight commenced; and the sounds +of multifarious life came from the vegetation around,--the whirring of +cicadas; the shrill stridulation of a vast number of crickets and +grasshoppers, each species sounding its peculiar note; the plaintive +hooting of tree-frogs, all blended together in one continuous ringing +sound,--the audible expression of the teeming profusion of Nature. This +uproar of life, I afterwards found, never wholly ceased, night or day: +in course of time, I became, like other residents, accustomed to it. +After my return to England, the death-like stillness of summer days in +the country appeared to me as strange as the ringing uproar did on my +first arrival at Para." + + +CAMETA. + +"I staid at Cameta five weeks, and made a considerable collection of the +natural productions of the neighborhood. The town, in 1849, was +estimated to contain about five thousand inhabitants. The productions of +the district are cacao, India-rubber, and Brazil nuts. The most +remarkable feature in the social aspect of the place is the mixed nature +of the population,--the amalgamation of the white and Indian races being +here complete. The aborigines were originally very numerous on the +western bank of the Tocantins; the principal tribe being the Cametas, +from which the city takes its name. They were a superior nation, +settled, and attached to agriculture, and received with open arms the +white immigrants who were attracted to the district by its fertility, +natural beauty, and the healthfulness of the climate. The Portuguese +settlers were nearly all males. The Indian women were good-looking, and +made excellent wives; so the natural result has been, in the course of +two centuries, a complete blending of the two races. + +"The town consists of three long streets running parallel to the river, +with a few shorter ones crossing them at right angles. The houses are +very plain; being built, as usual in this country, simply of a strong +framework, filled up with mud, and coated with white plaster. A few of +them are of two or three stories. There are three churches, and also a +small theatre, where a company of native actors, at the time of my +visit, were representing light Portuguese plays with considerable taste +and ability. The people have a reputation all over the province for +energy and perseverance; and it is often said that they are as keen in +trade as the Portuguese. The lower classes are as indolent and sensual +here as in other parts of the province,--a moral condition not to be +wondered at, where perpetual summer reigns, and where the necessaries of +life are so easily obtained. But they are light-hearted, quick-witted, +communicative, and hospitable. I found here a native poet, who had +written some pretty verses, showing an appreciation of the natural +beauties of the country; and was told that the Archbishop of Bahia, the +primate of Brazil, was a native of Cameta. It is interesting to find +the mamelucos (half-breeds) displaying talent and enterprise; for it +shows that degeneracy does not necessarily result from the mixture of +white and Indian blood. + +"The forest behind Cameta is traversed by several broad roads, which +lead over undulating ground many miles into the interior. They pass +generally under shade, and part of the way through groves of coffee and +orange trees, fragrant plantations of cacao, and tracts of second-growth +woods. The narrow, broad-watered valleys, with which the land is +intersected, alone have remained clothed with primeval forest, at least +near the town. The houses along these beautiful roads belong chiefly to +mameluco, mulatto, and Indian families, each of which has its own small +plantation. There are only a few planters with large establishments; and +these have seldom more than a dozen slaves. Besides the main roads, +there are endless by-paths, which thread the forest, and communicate +with isolated houses. Along these the traveller may wander day after +day, without leaving the shade, and everywhere meet with cheerful, +simple, and hospitable people." + + +RIVERS AND CREEKS. + +"We made many excursions down the Irritiri, and saw much of these +creeks. The Magoary is a magnificent channel: the different branches +form quite a labyrinth, and the land is everywhere of little elevation. +All these smaller rivers throughout the Para estuary are of the nature +of creeks. The land is so level, that the short local rivers have no +sources and downward currents, like rivers, as we understand them. They +serve the purpose of draining the land; but, instead of having a +constant current one way, they have a regular ebb and flow with the +tide. The natives call them _igarapes_, or canoe-paths. They are +characteristic of the country. The land is everywhere covered with +impenetrable forests: the houses and villages are all on the water-side, +and nearly all communication is by water. This semi-aquatic life of the +people is one of the most interesting features of the country. For short +excursions, and for fishing in still waters, a small boat, called +_montaria_, is universally used. It is made of five planks,--a broad one +for the bottom, bent into the proper shape by the action of heat, two +narrow ones for the sides, and two triangular pieces for stem and stern. +It has no rudder: the paddle serves for both steering and propelling. +The montaria takes here the place of the horse, mule, or camel of other +regions. Besides one or more montarias, almost every family has a larger +canoe, called _igarite_. This is fitted with two masts, a rudder, and +keel, and has an arched awning or cabin near the stern, made of a +framework of tough _lianas_, thatched with palm-leaves. In the igarite, +they will cross stormy rivers fifteen or twenty miles broad. The natives +are all boat-builders. It is often remarked by white residents, that the +Indian is a carpenter and shipwright by intuition. It is astonishing to +see in what crazy vessels these people will risk themselves. I have seen +Indians cross rivers in a leaky montaria when it required the nicest +equilibrium to keep the leak just above water: a movement of a +hair's-breadth would send all to the bottom; but they manage to cross in +safety. If a squall overtakes them as they are crossing in a +heavily-laden canoe, they all jump overboard, and swim about until the +heavy sea subsides, when they re-embark." + + +JUNCTION OF THE MADEIRA. + +"Our course lay through narrow channels between islands. We passed the +last of these, and then beheld to the south a sea-like expanse of +water, where the Madeira, the greatest tributary of the Amazons, after +two thousand miles of course, blends its waters with those of the king +of rivers. I was hardly prepared for a junction of waters on so vast a +scale as this, now nearly nine hundred miles from the sea. While +travelling week after week along the somewhat monotonous stream, often +hemmed in between islands, and becoming thoroughly familiar with it, my +sense of the magnitude of this vast water-system had become gradually +deadened; but this noble sight renewed the first feelings of wonder. One +is inclined, in such places as these, to think the Paraenses do not +exaggerate much when they call the Amazons the Mediterranean of South +America. Beyond the mouth of the Madeira, the Amazons sweeps down in a +majestic reach, to all appearance not a whit less in breadth before than +after this enormous addition to its waters. The Madeira does not ebb and +flow simultaneously with the Amazons; it rises and sinks about two +months earlier: so that it was now fuller than the main river. Its +current, therefore, poured forth freely from its mouth, carrying with it +a long line of floating trees, and patches of grass, which had been torn +from its crumbly banks in the lower part of its course. The current, +however, did not reach the middle of the main stream, but swept along +nearer to the southern shore. + +"The Madeira is navigable 480 miles from its mouth: a series of +cataracts and rapids then commences, which extends, with some intervals +of quiet water, about 160 miles, beyond which is another long stretch of +navigable stream." + + +JUNCTION OF THE RIO NEGRO. + +"A brisk wind from the east sprung up early in the morning of the 22d: +we then hoisted all sail, and made for the mouth of the Rio Negro. This +noble stream, at its junction with the Amazons, seems, from its +position, to be a direct continuation of the main river; while the +Solimoens, which joins it at an angle, and is somewhat narrower than its +tributary, appears to be a branch, instead of the main trunk, of the +vast water-system. + +"The Rio Negro broadens considerably from its mouth upward, and presents +the appearance of a great lake; its black-dyed waters having no current, +and seeming to be dammed up by the impetuous flow of the yellow, turbid +Solimoens, which here belches forth a continuous line of uprooted trees, +and patches of grass, and forms a striking contrast with its tributary. +In crossing, we passed the line a little more than half-way over, where +the waters of the two rivers meet, and are sharply demarcated from each +other. On reaching the opposite shore, we found a remarkable change. All +our insect pests had disappeared, as if by magic, even from the hold of +the canoe: the turmoil of an agitated, swiftly-flowing river, and its +torn, perpendicular, earthy banks, had given place to tranquil water, +and a coast indented with snug little bays, fringed with sloping, sandy +beaches. The low shore, and vivid, light-green, endlessly varied +foliage, which prevailed on the south side of the Amazons, were +exchanged for a hilly country, clothed with a sombre, rounded, and +monotonous forest. A light wind carried us gently along the coast to the +city of Barra, which lies about seven or eight miles within the mouth of +the river. + +"The town of Barra is built on a tract of elevated but very uneven land, +on the left bank of the Rio Negro, and contained, in 1850, about three +thousand inhabitants. It is now the principal station for the lines of +steamers which were established in 1853; and passengers and goods are +trans-shipped here for the Solimoens and Peru. A steamer runs once a +fortnight between Para and Barra; and another as often between this +place and Nauta, in the Peruvian territory." + + +MAMELUCOS, OR HALF-BREEDS. + +"We landed at one of the cacao-plantations. The house was substantially +built; the walls formed of strong, upright posts, lathed across, +plastered with mud, and whitewashed; and the roof tiled. The family were +Mamelucos, or offspring of the European and the Indian. They seemed to +be an average sample of the poorer class of cacao-growers. All were +loosely dressed, and barefooted. A broad veranda extended along one side +of the house, the floor of which was simply the well-trodden earth; and +here hammocks were slung between the bare upright supports, a large +rush-mat being spread on the ground, upon which the stout, matron-like +mistress, with a tame parrot perched upon her shoulder, sat sewing with +two pretty-looking mulatto-girls. The master, coolly clad in shirt and +drawers, the former loose about his neck, lay in his hammock, smoking a +long gaudily painted wooden pipe. The household utensils--earthenware +jars, water-pots, and sauce-pans--lay at one end, near which was a +wood-fire, with the ever-ready coffee-pot simmering on the top of a +clay tripod. A large shed stood a short distance off, embowered in a +grove of banana, papaw, and mango trees; and under it were the troughs, +ovens, sieves, and other apparatus, for the preparation of mandioc. The +cleared space around the house was only a few yards in extent: beyond it +lay the cacao-plantations, which stretched on each side parallel to the +banks of the river. There was a path through the forest, which led to +the mandioc-fields, and, several miles beyond, to other houses on the +banks of an interior channel. We were kindly received, as is always the +case when a stranger visits these out-of-the-way habitations; the people +being invariably civil and hospitable. We had a long chat, took coffee; +and, on departing, one of the daughters sent a basketful of oranges, for +our use, down to the canoe." + + +MURA INDIANS. + +"On the 9th of January, we arrived at Matari, a miserable little +settlement of Mura Indians. Here we again anchored, and went ashore. The +place consisted of about twenty slightly built mud-hovels, and had a +most forlorn appearance, notwithstanding the luxuriant forest in its +rear. The absence of the usual cultivated trees and plants gave the +place a naked and poverty-stricken aspect. I entered one of the hovels, +where several women were employed cooking a meal. Portions of a large +fish were roasting over a fire made in the middle of the low chamber; +and the entrails were scattered about the floor, on which the women, +with their children, were squatted. These had a timid, distrustful +expression of countenance; and their bodies were begrimed with black +mud, which is smeared over the skin as a protection against musquitoes. +The children were naked: the women wore petticoats of coarse cloth, +stained in blotches with _murixi_, a dye made from the bark of a tree. +One of them wore a necklace of monkey's teeth. There were scarcely any +household utensils: the place was bare, with the exception of two dirty +grass hammocks hung in the corners. I missed the usual mandioc-sheds +behind the house, with their surrounding cotton, cacao, coffee, and +lemon trees. Two or three young men of the tribe were lounging about the +low, open doorway. They were stoutly-built fellows, but less +well-proportioned than the semi-civilized Indians of the Lower Amazons +generally are. The gloomy savagery, filth, and poverty of the people in +this place made me feel quite melancholy; and I was glad to return to +the canoe." + + +MARAUA TRIBE. + +A pleasanter picture is presented by the Indians of the Maraua tribe. +Our traveller thus describes a visit to them:-- + +"Our longest trip was to some Indian houses, a distance of fifteen or +eighteen miles up the Sapo; a journey made with one Indian paddler, and +occupying a whole day. The stream is not more than forty or fifty yards +broad: its waters are dark in color, and flow, as in all these small +rivers, partly under shade, between two lofty walls of forest. We +passed, in ascending, seven habitations, most of them hidden in the +luxuriant foliage of the banks; their sites being known only by small +openings in the compact wall of forest, and the presence of a canoe or +two tied up in little shady ports. The inhabitants are chiefly Indians +of the Maraua tribe, whose original territory comprises all the +by-streams lying between the Jutahi and the Jurua, near the mouths of +both these great tributaries. They live in separate families, or small +hordes; have no common chief; and are considered as a tribe little +disposed to adopt civilized customs, or be friendly with the whites. +One of the houses belonged to a Juri family; and we saw the owner, an +erect, noble-looking old fellow, tattooed, as customary with his tribe, +in a large patch over the middle of his face, fishing, under the shade +of a colossal tree, with hook and line. He saluted us in the usual grave +and courteous manner of the better sort of Indians as we passed by. + +"We reached the last house, or rather two houses, about ten o'clock, and +spent there several hours during the heat of the day. The houses, which +stood on a high, clayey bank, were of quadrangular shape, partly open, +like sheds, and partly enclosed with rude, mud walls, forming one or two +chambers. The inhabitants, a few families of Marauas, received us in a +frank, smiling manner. None of them were tattooed: but the men had great +holes pierced in their ear-lobes, in which they insert plugs of wood; +and their lips were drilled with smaller holes. One of the younger men, +a fine, strapping fellow, nearly six feet high, with a large aquiline +nose, who seemed to wish to be particularly friendly to me, showed me +the use of these lip-holes, by fixing a number of little sticks in them, +and then twisting his mouth about, and going through a pantomime to +represent defiance in the presence of an enemy. + +"We left these friendly people about four o'clock in the afternoon, and, +in descending the umbrageous river, stopped, about half-way down, at +another house, built in one of the most charming situations I had yet +seen in this country. A clean, narrow, sandy pathway led from the shady +port to the house, through a tract of forest of indescribable +luxuriance. The buildings stood on an eminence in the middle of a level, +cleared space; the firm, sandy soil, smooth as a floor, forming a broad +terrace round them. The owner was a semi-civilized Indian, named Manoel; +a dull, taciturn fellow, who, together with his wife and children, +seemed by no means pleased at being intruded on in their solitude. The +family must have been very industrious; for the plantations were very +extensive, and included a little of almost all kinds of cultivated +tropical productions,--fruit-trees, vegetables, and even flowers for +ornament. The silent old man had surely a fine appreciation of the +beauties of Nature; for the site he had chosen commanded a view of +surprising magnificence over the summits of the forest; and, to give a +finish to the prospect, he had planted a large number of banana-trees in +the foreground, thus concealing the charred and dead stumps which would +otherwise have marred the effect of the rolling sea of greenery. The +sun set over the tree-tops before we left this little Eden; and the +remainder of our journey was made slowly and pleasantly, under the +checkered shade of the river banks, by the light of the moon." + + +THE FOREST. + +The following passage describes the scenery of one of the peculiar +channels by which the waters of the Amazon communicate with those of the +Para River:-- + +"The forest wall under which we are now moving consists, besides palms, +of a great variety of ordinary forest-trees. From the highest branches +of these, down to the water, sweep ribbons of climbing-plants of the +most diverse and ornamental foliage possible. Creeping convolvuli and +others have made use of the slender lianas and hanging air-roots as +ladders to climb by. Now and then appears a mimosa or other tree, having +similar fine pinnate foliage; and thick masses of inga border the water, +from whose branches hang long bean-pods, of different shape and size +according to the species, some of them a yard in length. Flowers there +are very few. I see now and then a gorgeous crimson blossom on long +spikes, ornamenting the sombre foliage towards the summits of the +forest. I suppose it to belong to a climber of the Combretaceous order. +There are also a few yellow and violet trumpet-flowers. The blossoms of +the ingas, although not conspicuous, are delicately beautiful. The +forest all along offers so dense a front, that one never obtains a +glimpse into the interior of the wilderness." + + +THE LIANA. + +"The plant which seems to the traveller most curious and singular is the +liana, a kind of osier, which serves for cordage, and which is very +abundant in all the hot parts of America. All the species of this genus +have this in common, that they twine around the trees and shrubs in +their way, and after progressively extending to the branches, sometimes +to a prodigious height, throw out shoots, which, declining +perpendicularly, strike root in the ground beneath, and rise again to +repeat the same course of uncommon growth. Other filaments, again, +driven obliquely by the winds, frequently attach themselves to +contiguous trees, and form a confused spectacle of cord, some in +suspension, and others stretched in every direction, not unfrequently +resembling the rigging of a ship. Some of these lianas are as thick as +the arm of a man; and some strangle and destroy the tree round which +they twine, as the boa-constrictor does its victims. At times it happens +that the tree dies at the root, and the trunk rots, and falls in powder, +leaving nothing but the spirals of liana, in form of a tortuous column, +insulated and open to the day. Thus Nature laughs to scorn and defies +the imitations of Art." + + +CACAO. + +"The Amazons region is the original home of the principal species of +chocolate-tree,--the theobroma cacao; and it grows in abundance in the +forests of the upper river. The forest here is cleared before planting, +and the trees are grown in rows. The smaller cultivators are all very +poor. Labor is scarce: one family generally manages its own small +plantation of ten to fifteen thousand trees; but, at harvest-time, +neighbors assist each other. It appeared to me to be an easy, pleasant +life: the work is all done under shade, and occupies only a few weeks in +the year. + +"The cultivated crop appears to be a precarious one. Little or no care, +however, is bestowed on the trees; and weeding is done very +inefficiently. The plantations are generally old, and have been made on +the low ground near the river, which renders them liable to inundation +when this rises a few inches more than the average. There is plenty of +higher land quite suitable to the tree; but it is uncleared: and the +want of labor and enterprise prevents the establishment of new +plantations." + + +THE COW-TREE. + +"We had heard a good deal about this tree, and about its producing from +its bark a copious supply of milk as pleasant to drink as that of the +cow. We had also eaten of its fruit at Para, where it is sold in the +streets by negro market-women: we were glad, therefore, to see this +wonderful tree growing in its native wilds. It is one of the largest of +the forest-monarchs, and is peculiar in appearance, on account of its +deeply-scored, reddish, and ragged bark. A decoction of the bark, I was +told, is used as a red dye for cloth. A few days afterward, we tasted +its milk, which was drawn from dry logs that had been standing many days +in the hot sun at the saw-mills. It was pleasant with coffee, but had a +slight rankness when drunk pure. It soon thickens to a glue, which is +very tenacious, and is often used to cement broken crockery. I was told +that it was not safe to drink much of it; for a slave had recently lost +his life through taking it too freely. + +"To our great disappointment, we saw no flowers, or only such as were +insignificant in appearance. I believe it is now tolerably well +ascertained that the majority of forest-trees in equatorial Brazil have +small and inconspicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting insects are also +rare in the forest. Of course, they would not be found where their +favorite food was wanting. In the open country, on the Lower Amazons, +flowering trees and bushes are more abundant; and there a large number +of floral insects are attracted. The forest-bees in South America are +more frequently seen feeding on the sweet sap which exudes from the +trees than on flowers." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE NATURALIST ON THE AMAZON. + + +On the 16th of January, the dry season came abruptly to an end. The +sea-breezes, which had been increasing in force for some days, suddenly +ceased, and the atmosphere became misty: at length, heavy clouds +collected where a uniform blue sky had for many weeks prevailed, and +down came a succession of heavy showers, the first of which lasted a +whole day and night. This seemed to give a new stimulus to animal life. +On the first night, there was a tremendous uproar,--tree-frogs, +crickets, goat-suckers, and owls, all joining to perform a deafening +concert. One kind of goat-sucker kept repeating at intervals, throughout +the night, a phrase similar to the Portuguese words, 'Joao corta +pao,'--'John, cut wood;' a phrase which forms the Brazilian name of the +bird. An owl in one of the trees muttered now and then a succession of +syllables resembling the word 'murucututu.' Sometimes the croaking and +hooting of frogs and toads were so loud, that we could not hear one +another's voices within doors. Swarms of dragon-flies appeared in the +day-time about the pools of water created by the rain; and ants and +termites came forth in great numbers." + + +ANTS. + +This region is the very headquarters and metropolis of ants. There are +numerous species, differing in character and habits, but all of them at +war with man, and the different species with one another. Our author +thus relates his observations of the saueba-ant:-- + +"In our first walks, we were puzzled to account for large mounds of +earth, of a different color from the surrounding soil, which were thrown +up in the plantations and woods. Some of them were very extensive, being +forty yards in circumference, but not more than two feet in height. We +soon ascertained that these were the work of the sauebas, being the +outworks, or domes, which overlie and protect the entrances to their +vast subterranean galleries. On close examination, I found the earth of +which they are composed to consist of very minute granules, +agglomerated without cement, and forming many rows of little ridges and +turrets. The difference of color from the superficial soil is owing to +their being formed of the undersoil brought up from a considerable +depth. It is very rarely that the ants are seen at work on these mounds. +The entrances seem to be generally closed: only now and then, when some +particular work is going on, are the galleries opened. In the larger +hillocks, it would require a great amount of excavation to get at the +main galleries; but I succeeded in removing portions of the dome in +smaller hillocks, and then I found that the minor entrances converged, +at the depth of about two feet, to one broad, elaborately worked +gallery, or mine, which was four or five inches in diameter. + +"The habit of the saueba-ant, of clipping and carrying away immense +quantities of leaves, has long been recorded in books of natural +history; but it has not hitherto been shown satisfactorily to what use +it applies the leaves. I discovered this only after much time spent in +investigation. The leaves are used to thatch the domes which cover the +entrances to their subterranean dwellings, thereby protecting from the +deluging rains the young broods in the nests beneath. Small hillocks, +covering entrances to the underground chambers, may be found in +sheltered places; and these are always thatched with leaves, mingled +with granules of earth. The heavily-laden workers, each carrying its +segment of leaf vertically, the lower end secured by its mandibles, +troop up, and cast their burthens on the hillock; another relay of +laborers place the leaves in position, covering them with a layer of +earthy granules, which are brought one by one from the soil beneath. + +"It is a most interesting sight to see the vast host of busy, diminutive +workers occupied on this work. Unfortunately, they choose cultivated +trees for their purpose, such as the coffee and orange trees." + + +THE FIRE-ANT. + +"Aveyros may be called the headquarters of the fire-ant, which might be +fittingly termed the scourge of this fine river. It is found only on +sandy soils, in open places, and seems to thrive most in the +neighborhood of houses and weedy villages, such as Aveyros: it does not +occur at all in the shades of the forest. Aveyros was deserted a few +years before my visit, on account of this little tormentor; and the +inhabitants had only recently returned to their houses, thinking its +numbers had decreased. It is a small species, of a shining reddish +color. The soil of the whole village is undermined by it. The houses are +overrun with them: they dispute every fragment of food with the +inhabitants, and destroy clothing for the sake of the starch. All +eatables are obliged to be suspended in baskets from the rafters, and +the cords well soaked with copaiba-balsam, which is the only thing known +to prevent them from climbing. They seem to attack persons from sheer +malice. If we stood for a few moments in the street, even at a distance +from their nests, we were sure to be overrun, and severely punished; +for, the moment an ant touched the flesh, he secured himself with his +jaws, doubled in his tail, and stung with all his might. The sting is +likened, by the Brazilians, to the puncture of a red-hot needle. When we +were seated on chairs in the evenings, in front of the house, to enjoy a +chat with our neighbors, we had stools to support our feet, the legs of +which, as well as those of the chairs, were well anointed with the +balsam. The cords of hammocks are obliged to be smeared in the same way, +to prevent the ants from paying sleepers a visit." + + +BUTTERFLIES. + +"At Villa Nova, I found a few species of butterflies which occurred +nowhere else on the Amazons. In the broad alleys of the forest, several +species of Morpho were common. One of these is a sister-form to the +Morpho Hecuba, and has been described under the name of Morpho Cisseis. +It is a grand sight to see these colossal butterflies by twos and threes +floating at a great height in the still air of a tropical morning. They +flap their wings only at long intervals; for I have noticed them to sail +a very considerable distance without a stroke. Their wing-muscles, and +the thorax to which they are attached, are very feeble in comparison +with the wide extent and weight of the wings; but the large expanse of +these members doubtless assists the insects in maintaining their aerial +course. The largest specimens of Morpho Cisseis measure seven inches and +a half in expanse. Another smaller kind, which I could not capture, was +of a pale, silvery-blue color; and the polished surface of its wings +flashed like a silver speculum, as the insect flapped its wings at a +great elevation in the sunlight." + + +THE BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER. + +"At Cameta, I chanced to verify a fact relating to the habits of a +large, hairy spider of the genus Mygale, in a manner worth recording. +The individual was nearly two inches in length of body; but the legs +expanded seven inches, and the entire body and legs were covered with +coarse gray and reddish hairs. I was attracted by a movement of the +monster on a tree-trunk: it was close beneath a deep crevice in the +tree, across which was stretched a dense white web. The lower part of +the web was broken; and two small birds, finches, were entangled in the +pieces. They were about the size of the English siskin; and I judged the +two to be male and female. One of them was quite dead; the other lay +under the body of the spider, not quite dead, and was smeared with the +filthy liquor, or saliva, exuded by the monster. I drove away the +spider, and took the birds; but the second one soon died. The fact of a +species of mygale sallying forth at night, mounting trees, and sucking +the eggs and young of hummingbirds, has been recorded long ago by Madame +Merian and Palisot de Beauvois; but, in the absence of any +confirmation, it has come to be discredited. From the way the fact has +been related, it would appear that it had been derived from the report +of natives, and had not been witnessed by the narrators. I found the +circumstance to be quite a novelty to the residents hereabouts. + +"The mygales are quite common insects. Some species make their cells +under stones; others form artificial tunnels in the earth; and some +build their dens in the thatch of houses. The natives call them +crab-spiders. The hairs with which they are clothed come off when +touched, and cause a peculiar and almost maddening irritation. The first +specimen that I killed and prepared was handled incautiously; and I +suffered terribly for three days afterward. I think this is not owing to +any poisonous quality residing in the hairs, but to their being short +and hard, and thus getting into the fine creases of the skin. Some +mygales are of immense size. One day, I saw the children belonging to an +Indian family who collected for me with one of these monsters, secured +by a cord round its waist, by which they were leading it about the house +as they would a dog." + + +BATS. + +"At Caripi, near Para, I was much troubled by bats. The room where I +slept had not been used for many months, and the roof was open to the +tiles and rafters. I was aroused about midnight by the rushing noise +made by vast hosts of bats sweeping about the room. The air was alive +with them. They had put out the lamp; and, when I relighted it, the +place appeared blackened with the impish multitudes that were whirling +round and round. After I had laid about well with a stick for a few +minutes, they disappeared among the tiles; but, when all was still +again, they returned, and once more extinguished the light. I took no +further notice of them, and went to sleep. The next night, several of +them got into my hammock. I seized them as they were crawling over me, +and dashed them against the wall. The next morning, I found a wound, +evidently caused by a bat, on my hip. This was rather unpleasant: so I +set to work with the negroes, and tried to exterminate them. I shot a +great many as they hung from the rafters; and the negroes, having +mounted with ladders to the roof outside, routed out from beneath the +eaves many hundreds of them, including young broods. There were +altogether four species. By far the greater number belonged to the +Dysopes perotis, a species having very large ears, and measuring two +feet from tip to tip of the wings. I was never attacked by bats, except +on this occasion. The fact of their sucking the blood of persons +sleeping, from wounds which they make in the toes, is now well +established; but it is only a few persons who are subject to this +blood-letting." + + +PARROTS. + +"On recrossing the river in the evening, a pretty little parrot fell +from a great height headlong into the water near the boat, having +dropped from a flock which seemed to be fighting in the air. One of the +Indians secured it for me; and I was surprised to find the bird +uninjured. There had probably been a quarrel about mates, resulting in +our little stranger being temporarily stunned by a blow on the head from +the beak of a jealous comrade. It was of the species called by the +natives Maracana; the plumage green, with a patch of scarlet under the +wings. I wished to keep the bird alive, and tame it; but all our efforts +to reconcile it to captivity were vain: it refused food, bit every one +who went near it, and damaged its plumage in its exertions to free +itself. My friends in Aveyros said that this kind of parrot never became +domesticated. After trying nearly a week, I was recommended to lend the +intractable creature to an old Indian woman living in the village, who +was said to be a skilful bird-tamer. In two days, she brought it back +almost as tame as the familiar love-birds of our aviaries. I kept my +little pet for upward of two years. It learned to talk pretty well, and +was considered quite a wonder, as being a bird usually so difficult of +domestication. I do not know what arts the old woman used. Capt. Antonio +said she fed it with her saliva. + +"Our maracana used to accompany us sometimes in our rambles, one of the +lads carrying it on his head. One day, in the middle of a long +forest-road, it was missed, having clung probably to an overhanging +bough, and escaped into the thicket without the boy perceiving it. Three +hours afterwards, on our return by the same path, a voice greeted us in +a colloquial tone as we passed, 'Maracana!' We looked about for some +time, but could not see any thing, until the word was repeated with +emphasis, 'Maracana!' when we espied the little truant half concealed in +the foliage of a tree. He came down, and delivered himself up, +evidently as much rejoiced at the meeting as we were." + + +TURTLE-EGGS AND OIL. + +"I accompanied Cardozo in many wanderings on the Solimoens, or Upper +Amazons, during which we visited the _praias_ (sand-islands), the +turtle-pools in the forests, and the by-streams and lakes in the great +desert river. His object was mainly to superintend the business of +digging up turtle-eggs on the sand-banks; having been elected +_commandante_ for the year of the _praia-real_ (royal sand-island) of +Shimuni, the one lying nearest to Ega. There are four of these royal +praias within the district, all of which are visited annually by the Ega +people, for the purpose of collecting eggs, and extracting oil from +their yolks. Each has its commander, whose business is to make +arrangements for securing to every inhabitant an equal chance in the +egg-harvest, by placing sentinels to protect the turtles while laying. +The turtles descend from the interior pools to the main river in July +and August, before the outlets dry up, and then seek, in countless +swarms, their favorite sand-islands; for it is only a few praias that +are selected by them out of the great number existing. + +"We left Ega, on our first trip to visit the sentinels while the turtles +were yet laying, on the 26th of September. We found the two sentinels +lodged in a corner of the praia, or sand-bank, where it commences, at +the foot of the towering forest-wall of the island; having built for +themselves a little rancho with poles and palm-leaves. Great +preparations are obliged to be taken to avoid disturbing the sensitive +turtles, who, previous to crawling ashore to lay, assemble in great +shoals off the sand-bank. The men, during this time, take care not to +show themselves, and warn off any fisherman who wishes to pass near the +place. Their fires are made in a deep hollow near the borders of the +forest, so that the smoke may not be visible. The passage of a boat +through the shallow waters where the animals are congregated, or the +sight of a man, or a fire on the sand-bank, would prevent the turtles +from leaving the water that night to lay their eggs; and, if the causes +of alarm were repeated once or twice, they would forsake the praia for +some quieter place. Soon after we arrived, our men were sent with the +net to catch a supply of fish for supper. In half an hour, four or five +large basketsful were brought in. The sun set soon after our meal was +cooked: we were then obliged to extinguish the fire, and remove our +supper-materials to the sleeping-ground, a spit of land about a mile +off; this course being necessary on account of the musquitoes, which +swarm at night on the borders of the forest. + +"I rose from my hammock at daylight, and found Cardozo and the men +already up, watching the turtles. The sentinels had erected for this +purpose a stage about fifty feet high, on a tall tree near their +station, the ascent to which was by a roughly-made ladder of woody +lianas. The turtles lay their eggs by night, leaving the water in vast +crowds, and crawling to the central and highest part of the praia. These +places are, of course, the last to go under water, when, in unusually +wet seasons, the river rises before the eggs are hatched by the heat of +the sand. One would almost believe from this that the animals used +forethought in choosing a place; but it is simply one of those many +instances in animals where unconscious habit has the same result as +conscious prevision. The hours between midnight and dawn are the +busiest. The turtles excavate, with their broad-webbed paws, deep holes +in the fine sand; the first-comer, in each case, making a pit about +three feet deep, laying, its eggs (about a hundred and twenty in +number), and covering them with sand; the next making its deposit at +the top of that of its predecessor; and so on, until every pit is full. +The whole body of turtles frequenting a praia does not finish laying in +less than fourteen or fifteen days, even when there is no interruption. +When all have done, the area over which they have excavated is +distinguishable from the rest of the praia only by signs of the sand +having been a little disturbed. + +"On arriving at the edge of the forest, I mounted the sentinels' stage +just in time to see the turtles retreating to the water on the opposite +side of the sand-bank after having laid their eggs. The sight was well +worth the trouble of ascending the shaky ladder. They were about a mile +off; but the surface of the sand was blackened with the multitudes which +were waddling towards the river. The margin of the praia was rather +steep; and they all seemed to tumble, head-first, down the declivity, +into the water." + + * * * * * + +When the turtles have finished depositing their eggs, the process of +collecting them takes place, of which our author gives an account as +follows:-- + + +THE EGG-HARVEST. + +"My next excursion was made in company of Senior Cardozo, in the season +when all the population of the villages turns out to dig up turtle-eggs, +and to revel on the praias. Placards were posted on the church-doors at +Ega, announcing that the excavation on Shimuni would commence on the +17th October. We set out on the 16th, and passed on the way, in our +well-manned igarite (or two-masted boat), a large number of people, men, +women, and children, in canoes of all sizes, wending their way as if to +a great holiday gathering. By the morning of the 17th, some four hundred +persons were assembled on the borders of the sand-bank; each family +having erected a rude temporary shed of poles and palm-leaves to protect +themselves from the sun and rain. Large copper kettles to prepare the +oil, and hundreds of red earthenware jars, were scattered about on the +sand. + +"The excavation of the _taboleiro_, collecting the eggs, and preparing +the oil, occupied four days. The commandante first took down the names +of all the masters of households, with the number of persons each +intended to employ in digging. He then exacted a payment of about +fourpence a head towards defraying the expense of sentinels. The whole +were then allowed to go to the taboleiro. They ranged themselves round +the circle, each person armed with a paddle, to be used as a spade; and +then all began simultaneously to dig, on a signal being given--the roll +of drums--by order of the commandante. It was an animating sight to +behold the wide circle of rival diggers throwing up clouds of sand in +their energetic labors, and working gradually toward the centre of the +ring. A little rest was taken during the great heat of mid-day; and, in +the evening, the eggs were carried to the huts in baskets. By the end of +the second day, the taboleiro was exhausted: large mounds of eggs, some +of them four or five feet in height, were then seen by the side of each +hut, the produce of the labors of the family. + +"When no more eggs are to be found, the mashing process begins. The egg, +it may be mentioned, has a flexible or leathery shell: it is quite +round, and somewhat larger than a hen's egg. The whole heap is thrown +into an empty canoe, and mashed with wooden prongs; but sometimes naked +Indians and children jump into the mass, and tread it down, besmearing +themselves with the yolk, and making about as filthy a scene as can well +be imagined. This being finished, water is poured into the canoe, and +the fatty mass then left for a few hours to be heated by the sun, on +which the oil separates, and rises to the surface. The floating oil is +afterwards skimmed off with long spoons, made by tying large +mussel-shells to the end of rods, and purified over the fire in +copper-kettles. At least six thousand jars, holding each three gallons +of the oil, are exported annually from the Upper Amazons and the Madeira +to Para, where it is used for lighting, frying fish, and other +purposes." + + +ELECTRIC EELS. + +"We walked over moderately elevated and dry ground for about a mile, and +then descended three or four feet to the dry bed of another creek. This +was pierced in the same way as the former water-course, with round holes +full of muddy water. They occurred at intervals of a few yards, and had +the appearance of having been made by the hands of man. As we +approached, I was startled at seeing a number of large serpent-like +heads bobbing above the surface. They proved to be those of electric +eels; and it now occurred to me that the round holes were made by these +animals working constantly round and round in the moist, muddy soil. +Their depth (some of them were at least eight feet deep) was doubtless +due also to the movements of the eels in the soft soil, and accounted +for their not drying up, in the fine season, with the rest of the creek. +Thus, while alligators and turtles in this great inundated forest region +retire to the larger pools during the dry season, the electric eels make +for themselves little ponds in which to pass the season of drought. + +"My companions now cut each a stout pole, and proceeded to eject the +eels in order to get at the other fishes, with which they had discovered +the ponds to abound. I amused them all very much by showing how the +electric shock from the eels could pass from one person to another. We +joined hands in a line, while I touched the biggest and freshest of the +animals on the head with my hunting-knife. We found that this experiment +did not succeed more than three times with the same eel, when out of the +water; for, the fourth time, the shock was hardly perceptible." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ANIMATED NATURE. + + +"The number and variety of climbing trees in the Amazons forests are +interesting, taken in connection with the fact of the very general +tendency of the animals also to become climbers. All the Amazonian, and +in fact all South-American monkeys, are climbers. There is no group +answering to the baboons of the Old World, which live on the ground. The +gallinaceous birds of the country, the representatives of the fowls and +pheasants of Asia and Africa, are all adapted, by the position of the +toes, to perch on trees; and it is only on trees, at a great height, +that they are to be seen. Many other similar instances could be +enumerated." + + +MONKEYS. + +"On the Upper Amazons, I once saw a tame individual of the Midas +leoninus, a species first described by Humboldt, which was still more +playful and intelligent than the more common M. ursulus. This rare and +beautiful monkey is only seven inches in length, exclusive of the tail. +It is named leoninus on account of the long, brown mane which hangs from +the neck, and which gives it very much the appearance of a diminutive +lion. In the house where it was kept, it was familiar with every one: +its greatest pleasure seemed to be to climb about the bodies of +different persons who entered. The first time I went in, it ran across +the room straightway to the chair on which I had sat down, and climbed +up to my shoulder: arrived there, it turned round, and looked into my +face, showing its little teeth, and chattering, as though it would say, +"Well, and how do _you_ do?" M. de St. Hilaire relates of a species of +this genus, that it distinguished between different objects depicted on +an engraving. M. Ardouin showed it the portraits of a cat and a wasp: at +these it became much terrified; whereas, at the sight of a figure of a +grasshopper or beetle, it precipitated itself on the picture, as if to +seize the objects there represented." + + +THE CAIARARA. + +"The light-brown caiarara is pretty generally distributed over the +forests of the level country. I saw it frequently on the banks of the +Upper Amazons, where it was always a treat to watch a flock leaping +amongst the trees; for it is the most wonderful performer in this line +of the whole tribe. The troops consist of thirty or more individuals, +which travel in single file. When the foremost of the flock reaches the +outermost branch of an unusually lofty tree, he springs forth into the +air without a moment's hesitation, and alights on the dome of yielding +foliage belonging to the neighboring tree, maybe fifty feet beneath; all +the rest following his example. They grasp, on falling, with hands and +tail, right themselves in a moment, and then away they go, along branch +and bough, to the next tree. + +"The caiarara is very frequently kept as a pet in the houses of natives. +I kept one myself for about a year, which accompanied me in my voyages, +and became very familiar, coming to me always on wet nights to share my +blanket. It keeps the house where it is kept in a perpetual uproar. When +alarmed or hungry, or excited by envy, it screams piteously. It is +always making some noise or other, often screwing up its mouth, and +uttering a succession of loud notes resembling a whistle. Mine lost my +favor at last by killing, in one of his jealous fits, another and much +choicer pet,--the nocturnal, owl-faced monkey. Some one had given this a +fruit which the other coveted: so the two got to quarrelling. The +owl-faced fought only with his paws, clawing out, and hissing, like a +cat: the other soon obtained the mastery, and, before I could interfere, +finished his rival by cracking its skull with its teeth. Upon this I got +rid of him." + + +THE COAITA. + +"The coaita is a large, black monkey, covered with coarse hair, and +having the prominent parts of the face of a tawny, flesh-colored hue. +The coaitas are called by some French zoologists spider-monkeys, on +account of the length and slenderness of their body and limbs. In these +apes, the tail, as a prehensile organ, reaches its highest degree of +perfection; and, on this account, it would perhaps be correct to +consider the coaita as the extreme development of the American type of +apes. + +"The tail of the coaita is endowed with a wonderful degree of +flexibility. It is always in motion, coiling and uncoiling like the +trunk of an elephant, and grasping whatever comes within reach. + +"The flesh of this monkey is much esteemed by the natives in this part +of the country; and the military commandant every week sends a negro +hunter to shoot one for his table. One day I went on a coaita-hunt, with +a negro-slave to show me the way. When in the deepest part of the +ravine, we heard a rustling sound in the trees overhead; and Manoel soon +pointed out a coaita to me. There was something human-like in its +appearance, as the lean, shaggy creature moved deliberately among the +branches at a great height. I fired, but, unfortunately, only wounded +it. It fell, with a crash, headlong, about twenty or thirty feet, and +then caught a bough with its tail, which grasped it instantaneously; and +there the animal remained suspended in mid-air. Before I could reload, +it recovered itself, and mounted nimbly to the topmost branches, out of +the reach of a fowling-piece, where we could perceive the poor thing +apparently probing the wound with its fingers." + + +THE TAME COAITA. + +"I once saw a most ridiculously tame coaita. It was an old female, which +accompanied its owner, a trader on the river, in all his voyages. By way +of giving me a specimen of its intelligence and feeling, its master set +to, and rated it soundly, calling it scamp, heathen, thief, and so +forth, all through the copious Portuguese vocabulary of vituperation. +The poor monkey, quietly seated on the ground, seemed to be in sore +trouble at this display of anger. It began by looking earnestly at him; +then it whined, and lastly rocked its body to and fro with emotion, +crying piteously, and passing its long, gaunt arms continually over its +forehead; for this was its habit when excited, and the front of the head +was worn quite bald in consequence. At length, its master altered his +tone. 'It's all a lie,' my old woman. 'You're an angel, a flower, a +good, affectionate old creature,' and so forth. Immediately the poor +monkey ceased its wailing, and soon after came over to where the man +sat." + + +SCARLET-FACED MONKEY. + +The most singular of the Simian family in Brazil are the scarlet-faced +monkeys, called by the Indians Uakari, of which there are two +varieties, the white and red-haired. Mr. Bates first met with the +white-haired variety under the following circumstances:-- + +"Early one sunny morning, in the year 1855, I saw in the streets of Ega +a number of Indians carrying on their shoulders down to the port, to be +embarked on the Upper Amazons steamer, a large cage made of strong +lianas, some twelve feet in length, and five in height, containing a +dozen monkeys of the most grotesque appearance. Their bodies (about +eighteen inches in height, exclusive of limbs) were clothed from neck to +tail with very long, straight, and shining whitish hair; their heads +were nearly bald, owing to the very short crop of thin gray hairs; and +their faces glowed with the most vivid scarlet hue. As a finish to their +striking physiognomy, they had bushy whiskers of a sandy color, meeting +under the chin, and reddish yellow eyes. They sat gravely and silently +in a group, and altogether presented a strange spectacle." + +Another interesting creature is the owl-faced night ape. These monkeys +are not only owl-faced, but their habits are those of the moping bird. + +"They sleep all day long in hollow trees, and come forth to prey on +insects, and eat fruits, only in the night. They are of small size, the +body being about a foot long, and the tail fourteen inches; and are +clothed with soft gray and brown fur, similar in substance to that of +the rabbit. Their physiognomy reminds one of an owl or tiger-cat. The +face is round, and encircled by a ruff of whitish fur; the muzzle is not +at all prominent; the mouth and chin are small; the ears are very short, +scarcely appearing above the hair of the head; and the eyes are large, +and yellowish in color, imparting the staring expression of nocturnal +animals of prey. The forehead is whitish, and decorated with three black +stripes, which, in one of the species, continue to the crown, and in the +other meet on the top of the forehead. + +"These monkeys, although sleeping by day, are aroused by the least +noise; so that, when a person passes by a tree in which a number of them +are concealed, he is startled by the sudden apparition of a group of +little striped faces crowding a hole in a trunk." + +Mr. Bates had one of the Nyctipithaeci for a pet, which was kept in a box +containing a broad-mouthed glass jar, into which it would dive, head +foremost, when any one entered the room, turning round inside, and +thrusting forth its inquisitive face an instant afterward to stare at +the intruder. The Nyctipithecus, when tamed, renders one very essential +service to its owner: it clears the house of bats as well as of insect +vermin. + +The most diminutive of the Brazilian monkeys is the "Hapale pygmaeus," +only seven inches long in the body, with its little face adorned with +long, brown whiskers, which are naturally brushed back over the ears. +The general color of the animal is brownish-tawny; but the tail is +elegantly barred with black. + +Mr. Bates closes his account by stating that the total number of species +of monkeys which he found inhabiting the margins of the Upper and Lower +Amazons was thirty-eight, belonging to twelve different genera, forming +two distinct families. + + +THE SLOTH. + +"I once had an opportunity, in one of my excursions, of watching the +movements of a sloth. Some travellers in South America have described +the sloth as very nimble in its native woods, and have disputed the +justness of the name which has been bestowed upon it. The inhabitants of +the Amazons region, however, both Indians and descendants of the +Portuguese, hold to the common opinion, and consider the sloth as the +type of laziness. It is very common for one native to call to another, +in reproaching him for idleness, 'Bicho do Embaueba' (beast of the +cecropia-tree); the leaves of the cecropia being the food of the sloth. +It is a strange sight to see the uncouth creature, fit production of +these silent woods, lazily moving from branch to branch. Every movement +betrays, not indolence exactly, but extreme caution. He never looses his +hold from one branch without first securing himself to the next; and, +when he does not immediately find a bough to grasp with the rigid hooks +into which his paws are so curiously transformed, he raises his body, +supported on his hind legs, and claws around in search of a fresh +foothold. After watching the animal for about half an hour, I gave him a +charge of shot: he fell with a terrific crash, but caught a bough in his +descent with his powerful claws, and remained suspended. Two days +afterward, I found the body of the sloth on the ground; the animal +having dropped, on the relaxation of the muscles, a few hours after +death. In one of our voyages, I saw a sloth swimming across a river at a +place where it was probably three hundred yards broad. Our men caught +the beast, and cooked and ate him." + + +THE ANACONDA. + +"We had an unwelcome visitor while at anchor in the port. I was awakened +a little after midnight, as I lay in my little cabin, by a heavy blow +struck at the sides of the canoe close to my head, succeeded by the +sound of a weighty body plunging in the water. I got up; but all was +quiet again, except the cackle of fowls in our hen-coop, which hung over +the side of the vessel, about three feet from the cabin-door. Next +morning I found my poultry loose about the canoe, and a large rent in +the bottom of the hen-coop, which was about two feet from the surface of +the water. A couple of fowls were missing. + +"Antonio said the depredator was the sucumju, the Indian name for the +anaconda, or great water-serpent, which had for months past been +haunting this part of the river, and had carried off many ducks and +fowls from the ports of various houses. I was inclined to doubt the fact +of a serpent striking at its prey from the water, and thought an +alligator more likely to be the culprit, although we had not yet met +with alligators in the river. Some days afterward, the young men +belonging to the different settlements agreed together to go in search +of the serpents. They began in a systematic manner, forming two +parties, each embarked in three or four canoes, and starting from points +several miles apart, whence they gradually approximated, searching all +the little inlets on both sides of the river. The reptile was found at +last, sunning itself on a log at the mouth of a muddy rivulet, and +despatched with harpoons. I saw it the day after it was killed. It was +not a very large specimen, measuring only eighteen feet nine inches in +length, and sixteen inches in circumference at the widest part of the +body." + + +ALLIGATORS. + +"Our rancho was a large one, and was erected in a line with the others, +near the edge of the sand-bank, which sloped rather abruptly to the +water. During the first week, the people were all more or less troubled +by alligators. Some half-dozen full-grown ones were in attendance off +the praia, floating about on the lazily flowing, muddy water. The +dryness of the weather had increased since we left Shimuni, the currents +had slackened, and the heat in the middle of the day was almost +insupportable. But no one could descend to bathe without being advanced +upon by one or other of these hungry monsters. There was much offal +cast into the river; and this, of course, attracted them to the place. +Every day, these visitors became bolder: at length, they reached a pitch +of impudence that was quite intolerable. Cardozo had a poodle-dog named +Carlito, which some grateful traveller whom he had befriended had sent +him from Rio Janeiro. He took great pride in this dog, keeping it well +sheared, and preserving his coat as white as soap and water could make +it. We slept in our rancho, in hammocks slung between the outer posts; a +large wood fire (fed with a kind of wood abundant on the banks of the +river, which keeps alight all night) being made in the middle, by the +side of which slept Carlito on a little mat. One night, I was awoke by a +great uproar. It was caused by Cardozo hurling burning firewood with +loud curses at a huge cayman, which had crawled up the bank, and passed +beneath my hammock (being nearest the water) towards the place where +Carlito lay. The dog raised the alarm in time. The reptile backed out, +and tumbled down the bank into the river; the sparks from the brands +hurled at him flying from his bony hide. Cardozo threw a harpoon at him, +but without doing him any harm." + + +THE PUMA. + +"One day, I was searching for insects in the bark of a fallen tree, when +I saw a large, cat-like animal advancing towards the spot. It came +within a dozen yards before perceiving me. I had no weapon with me but +an old chisel, and was getting ready to defend myself if it should make +a spring; when it turned round hastily, and trotted off. I did not +obtain a very distinct view of it; but I could see its color was that of +the puma, or American lion, although it was rather too small for that +species. + +"The puma is not a common animal in the Amazons forests. I did not see +altogether more than a dozen skins in the possession of the natives. The +fur is of a fawn-color. The hunters are not at all afraid of it, and +speak in disparaging terms of its courage. Of the jaguar they give a +very different account." + + +THE GREAT ANT-EATER. + +"The great ant-eater, _tamandua_ of the natives, was not uncommon here. +After the first few weeks of residence, I was short of fresh provisions. +The people of the neighborhood had sold me all the fowls they could +spare. I had not yet learned to eat the stale and stringy salt fish +which is the staple food of these places; and for several days I had +lived on rice-porridge, roasted bananas, and farinha. Florinda asked me +whether I could eat tamandua. I told her almost any thing in the shape +of flesh would be acceptable: so she went the next day with an old negro +named Antonio, and the dogs, and, in the evening, brought one of the +animals. The meat was stewed, and turned out very good, something like +goose in flavor. The people of Caripi would not touch a morsel, saying +it was not considered fit to eat in those parts. I had read, however, +that it was an article of food in other countries of South America. +During the next two or three weeks, whenever we were short of fresh +meat, Antonio was always ready, for a small reward, to get me a +tamandua. + +"The habits of the animal are now pretty well known. It has an +excessively long, slender muzzle, and a worm-like, extensile tongue. Its +jaws are destitute of teeth. The claws are much elongated, and its gait +is very awkward. It lives on the ground, and feeds on termites, or white +ants; the long claws being employed to pull in pieces the solid hillocks +made by the insects, and the long flexible tongue to lick them up from +the crevices." + + +THE JAGUAR. + +Our traveller, though he resided long and in various parts of the Amazon +country, never saw there a jaguar. How near he came to seeing one +appears in the following extract. This animal is the nearest approach +which America presents to the leopards and tigers of the Old World. + +"After walking about half a mile, we came upon a dry water-course, where +we observed on the margin of a pond the fresh tracks of a jaguar. This +discovery was hardly made, when a rush was heard amidst the bushes on +the top of a sloping bank, on the opposite side of the dried creek. We +bounded forward: it was, however, too late; for the animal had sped in a +few minutes far out of our reach. It was clear we had disturbed on our +approach the jaguar while quenching his thirst at the water-hole. A few +steps farther on, we saw the mangled remains of an alligator. The head, +fore-quarters, and bony shell, were all that remained: but the meat was +quite fresh, and there were many footmarks of the jaguar around the +carcass; so that there was no doubt this had formed the solid part of +the animal's breakfast." + + +PARA. + +"I arrived at Para on the 17th of March, 1859, after an absence in the +interior of seven years and a half. My old friends, English, American, +and Brazilian, scarcely knew me again, but all gave me a very warm +welcome. I found Para greatly changed and improved. It was no longer the +weedy, ruinous, village-looking place that it had appeared when I first +knew it in 1848. The population had been increased to twenty thousand by +an influx of Portuguese, Madeiran, and German immigrants; and, for many +years past, the provincial government had spent their considerable +surplus revenue in beautifying the city. The streets, formerly unpaved, +or strewed with stones and sand, were now laid with concrete in a most +complete manner: all the projecting masonry of the irregularly-built +houses had been cleared away, and the buildings made more uniform. Most +of the dilapidated houses were replaced by handsome new edifices, having +long and elegant balconies fronting the first floors, at an elevation of +several feet above the roadway. The large swampy squares had been +drained, weeded, and planted with rows of almond and other trees; so +that they were now a great ornament to the city, instead of an eye-sore +as they formerly were. Sixty public vehicles, light cabriolets, some of +them built in Para, now plied in the streets, increasing much the +animation of the beautified squares, streets, and avenues. I was glad to +see several new book-sellers' shops; also a fine edifice devoted to a +reading-room, supplied with periodicals, globes, and maps; and a +circulating library. There were now many printing-offices, and four +daily newspapers. The health of the place had greatly improved since +1850,--the year of the yellow-fever; and Para was now considered no +longer dangerous to new-comers. + +"So much for the improvements visible in the place; and now for the dark +side of the picture. The expenses of living had increased about +fourfold; a natural consequence of the demand for labor and for native +products of all kinds having augmented in greater ratio than the supply, +in consequence of large arrivals of non-productive residents, and +considerable importations of money, on account of the steamboat-company +and foreign merchants. + +"At length, on the 2d of June, I left Para,--probably forever. I took a +last view of the glorious forest for which I had so much love, and to +explore which I had devoted so many years. The saddest hours I +recollect ever to have spent were those of the succeeding night, when, +the pilot having left us out of sight of land, though within the mouth +of the river, waiting for a wind, I felt that the last link which +connected me with the land of so many pleasing recollections was +broken." + + +THE END. + +PRESS OF GEO. C. RAND & AVERY, NO. 3, CORNHILL, BOSTON. + + + + +------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the | + | original document have been preserved. | + | | + | Typographical errors corrected in the text: | + | | + | Page 74 Sascatchawan changed to Saskatchawan | + | Page 103 Cameawait changed to Cameahwait | + | Page 192 Chinnook changed to Chinook | + | Page 198 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks | + | Page 199 Chinnooks changed to Chinooks | + | Page 199 Killamucks changed to Killimucks | + | Page 212 Wakiacums changed to Wahkiacums | + | Page 224 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee | + | Page 224 Sacajaweah chanaged to Sacajawea | + | Page 232 Kooskooskie changed to Kooskooskee | + | Page 295 palmitoes changed to palmitos | + | Page 299 groweth changed to growth | + | Page 360 pursuaded changed to persuaded | + +------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Oregon and Eldorado, by Thomas Bulfinch + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OREGON AND ELDORADO *** + +***** This file should be named 38774.txt or 38774.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/7/38774/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist, Barbara Kosker and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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