按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
late before all the canoes joined us； we were obliged to remain this evening； the difficulties of the navigation having permitted us to make only six miles。〃
They were then among the Echeloots； a tribe of the Upper Chinooks； now nearly extinct。 The white men were much interested in the houses of these people； which； their journal set forth； were 〃the first wooden buildings seen since leaving the Illinois country。〃 This is the manner of their construction：
〃A large hole； twenty feet wide and thirty in length； was dug to the depth of six feet； the sides of which were lined with split pieces of timber rising just above the surface of the ground； and smoothed to the same width by burning； or by being shaved with small iron axes。 These timbers were secured in their erect position by a pole stretched along the side of the building near the eaves； and supported on a strong post fixed at each corner。 The timbers at the gable ends rose gradually higher； the middle pieces being the broadest。 At the top of these was a sort of semicircle； made to receive a ridge…pole the whole length of the house； propped by an additional post in the middle； and forming the top of the roof。 From this ridge…pole to the eaves of the house were placed a number of small poles or rafters； secured at each end by fibres of the cedar。 On these poles； which were connected by small transverse bars of wood； was laid a covering of white cedar； or arbor vitae； kept on by strands of cedar fibres； but a small space along the whole length of the ridge…pole was left uncovered； for the purpose of light； and of permitting the smoke to pass out。 The roof； thus formed； had a descent about equal to that common among us； and near the eaves it was perforated with a number of small holes； made； most probably； for the discharge of arrows in case of an attack。 The only entrance was by a small door at the gable end； cut out of the middle piece of timber； twenty…nine and a half inches high； fourteen inches broad； and reaching only eighteen inches above the earth。 Before this hole is hung a mat； on pushing it aside and crawling through； the descent is by a small wooden ladder； made in the form of those used among us。 One…half of the inside is used as a place of deposit for dried fish； of which large quantities are stored away； and with a few baskets of berries form the only family provisions； the other half； adjoining the door； remains for the accommodation of the family。 On each side are arranged near the walls small beds of mats placed on little scaffolds or bedsteads； raised from eighteen inches to three feet from the ground； and 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 three families。〃
Houses very like these are built by the Ahts or Nootkas； a tribe of Indians inhabiting parts of Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland。 A Nootka calls his house an ourt。
The good offices of Lewis and Clark； who were always ready to make peace between hostile tribes； were again successful here。 The Echeloots received the white men with much kindness； invited them to their houses； and returned their visits after the explorers had camped。 Lewis and Clark told the Echeloot chiefs that the war was destroying them and their industries； bringing want and privation upon them。 The Indians listened with attention to what was said； and after some talk they agreed to make peace with their ancient enemies。 Impressed with the sincerity of this agreement； the captains of the expedition invested the principal chief with a medal and some small articles of clothing。 The two faithful chiefs who had accompanied the white men from the headwaters of the streams now bade farewell to their friends and allies； the explorers。 They bought horses of the Echeloots and returned to their distant homes by land。
Game here became more abundant； and on the twenty…sixth of October the journal records the fact that they received from the Indians a present of deer…meat； and on that day their hunters found plenty of tracks of elk and deer in the mountains； and they brought in five deer； four very large gray squirrels； and a grouse。 Besides these delicacies； one of the men killed in the river a salmon…trout which was fried in bear's oil and； according to the journal； 〃furnished a dish of a very delightful flavor；〃 doubtless a pleasing change from the diet of dog's flesh with which they had so recently been regaled。
Two of the Echeloot chiefs remained with the white men to guide them on their way down the river。 These were joined by seven others of their tribe； to whom the explorers were kind and attentive。 But the visitors could not resist the temptation to pilfer from the goods exposed to dry in the sun。 Being checked in this sly business； they became ill…humored and returned； angry； down the river。
The explorers noticed here that the Indians flattened the heads of males as well as females。 Higher up the river； only the women and female children had flat heads。 The custom of artificially flattening the heads of both men and women； in infancy； was formerly practised by nearly all the tribes of the Chinook family along the Columbia River。 Various means are used to accomplish this purpose； the most common and most cruel being to bind a flat board on the forehead of an infant in such a way that it presses on the skull and forces the forehead up on to the top of the head。 As a man whose head has been flattened in infancy grows older； the deformity partly disappears； but the flatness of the head is always regarded as a tribal badge of great merit。
〃On the morning of the twenty…eighth；〃 says the journal； having dried our goods； we were about setting out； when three canoes came from above to visit us； and at the same time two others from below arrived for the same purpose。 Among these last was an Indian who wore his hair in a que； and had on a round hat and a sailor's jacket； which he said he had obtained from the people below the great rapids； who bought them from the whites。 This interview detained us till nine o'clock； when we proceeded down the river； which is now bordered with cliffs of loose dark colored rocks about ninety feet high； with a thin covering of pines and other small trees。 At the distance of four miles we reached a small village of eight houses under some high rocks on the right with a small creek on the opposite side of the river。
〃We landed and found the houses similar to those we had seen at the great narrows； on entering one of them we saw a British musket； a cutlass； and several brass tea…kettles； of which they seemed to be very fond。 There were figures of men； birds； and different animals； which were cut and painted on the boards which form the sides of the room； though the workmanship of these uncouth figures was very rough； they were highly esteemed by the Indians as the finest frescos of more civilized people。 This tribe is called the Chilluckittequaw； their language； though somewhat different from that of the Echeloots； has many of the same words； and is sufficiently intelligible to the neighboring Indians。 We procured from them a vocabulary； and then； after buying five small dogs； some dried berries； and a white bread or cake made of roots； we left them。 The wind； however； rose so high that we were obliged； after going one mile； to land on the left side； opposite a rocky island； and pass the day。〃
On the same day the white chiefs visited one of the most prominent of the native houses built along the river。
〃This；〃 says the journal； 〃was the residence of the principal chief of the Chilluckittequaw nation； who we found was the same between whom and our two chiefs we had made a peace at the Echeloot village。 He received us； very kindly； and set before us pounded fish； filberts； nuts； the berries of the sacacommis； and white bread made of roots。 We gave； in return； a bracelet of ribbon to each of the women of the house； with which they were very much pleased。 The chief had several articles； such as scarlet and blue cloth； a sword； a jacket； and a hat； which must have been procured from the whites； and on one side of the room were two wide； split boards； placed together so as to make space