THROUGH THE GREAT DIVIDE.
THE month of August was well advanced when our friends reached the
junction of two streams where to-day stands Salmon City, Idaho. They
were well received at an Indian village, whose people showed a wish to
do all they could to help the travelers on their way to the headwaters
of the Columbia. When Mul-tal-la made known their destination several of
the red men, including the chief, shook their heads and said it was too
late in the season to make the journey; but the party were resolute, for
it was not only their intention to traverse the long distance, but they
meant, if possible, to return to the Blackfoot country in time to spend
the remainder of the winter there.
The Indians were right in declaring the way difficult, for the road led
over a path so strewn with broken and sharp bits of rocks that in the
course of time had fallen down the mountains, that all feared the unshod
horses would be too injured to travel. But, to the pleased surprise of
everyone, no trouble of the kind appeared. Men and boys walked most of
the time, and the animals kept pace with them.
Had the little company failed to provide themselves with fishing tackle
they would have suffered for food, for day after day passed without
gaining a shot at any kind of game. The streams, however, abounded with
salmon, which were easily caught and much relished. It was oppressively
warm during the middle of the day, but as the sun went down a rapid
lowering of temperature followed, and in the morning frost whitened the
vegetation and needles of ice put out from the shores of the streams.
You have heard something of the Shoshone or Snake Indians with whom our
friends had had an interesting experience. This tribe a hundred years
ago embraced the Indians of the southern ranges of the Rocky Mountains
and of the plains on both sides. A village of Shoshones, where the
explorers halted, contained hardly a hundred warriors and two or three
times as many women and children. Regarding these people some noteworthy
facts were learned. They formerly lived on the prairies, but were driven
to take refuge in the mountains from a band of roving Pahkees, who came
down from the Saskatchewan country and attacked them with great
ferocity. From the middle of spring until the beginning of autumn these
Shoshones lived around the headwaters of the Columbia, where they were
not molested by the Pahkees. Through these months the Indians depended
mainly upon salmon, but the fish disappeared with the approach of cold
weather, and other means of subsistence had to be found.
This little fraternity of Shoshones then made their way over the ridge
to the waters of the Missouri, down which they cautiously moved until
they were joined by other bands, either of their own people or of
Flatheads. Thus strengthened, they had little fear of the Pahkees, and
were not afraid to hunt the bison to the eastward of the mountains. They
remained till the salmon returned to the Columbia, when they migrated to
that section. Nevertheless, the dread of their enemies was so great that
the Shoshones never left the mountains till impending starvation drove
them out.
These people displayed some excellent qualities. Lewis and Clark
reported them frank, fair and honest, and he and his men received
generous hospitality at their hands. As with most of their race, war was
the most exalted occupation, and no warrior could look for preferment
until he earned it by some daring exploit. The triumph of killing an
adversary was not complete if the victor failed to wrench the scalp from
his head. If he neglected to do this and some other warrior secured the
scalp, all the honor went to him, since he had brought away the trophy
of victory.
After parting with the Shoshones, who showed regret at losing the
company of the explorers, the latter began their final journey across
the mountains. The first camp was on the southern bank of Lemhi River.
Here Zigzag showed signs of slight lameness. He could be ill-spared, and
it was deemed best to run no risk with him. His load was therefore
distributed among Jack, Bug and Prince. It was not thought well to make
Whirlwind a beast of burden. His proud spirit was likely to rebel and
there was no necessity for offending him.
Early the next day Zigzag was better, but the other three horses
retained his load, while he plodded to the rear of them. Men and boys
remained afoot. The Blackfoot took the lead, for though he had never
been through this country, he had met some of its inhabitants, and their
accounts gave him a more extended knowledge than any other member of the
company could possess.
Victor declared that Zigzag was shamming, for though he limped slightly
most of the time, now and then he seemed to forget it, but then Victor
never had much respect for that particular horse. It was deemed best to
humor him, however, and perhaps because he was ashamed to keep up the
deception he was soon so far recovered that he walked without trouble
after the burden had been replaced upon his back.
Beaver dams were often passed, but, singular as it may seem, nothing was
seen of the animals themselves. Their rounded, cone-like dwellings
extended long distances, and many proofs of their skill in cutting down
and preparing wood were observed. These sagacious creatures will cut up
the limbs and trunk of a large tree as smoothly and evenly as a
professional woodchopper could do the work, and in constructing their
dams, some of which are of great extent, they display astonishing skill.
No freshet is strong enough to break down these dams, and the architects
provide for the overflow as men provide sluiceways and gates to set free
the surplus of ponds and lakes. The doors of their houses are generally
under water, and the structures themselves are often two or three
stories high. They generally have sentinels on duty, and the slaps of
their tails on the surface of the water never fail to warn their
comrades in time to seek shelter.
These tails, it may be said, are quite a delicacy. When boiled or
prepared by cooking they suggest buffalo or beef tongue, and are
nourishing and palatable. A meal on beaver tails is always welcome to
the traveler through any region where the animals make their home.
There is one accomplishment possessed by beavers not generally known,
and of which I have never heard the explanation. Sometimes after cutting
a large limb into the right length to be used in the construction of a
dam, the animal, finding he does not need it immediately, floats it out
into the middle of a stream and sinks it to the bottom. If the water is
clear you may see a number of such sticks lying here and there ten or
fifteen feet below the surface. When the material is needed the sticks
are released, rise to the top, and are transported whither they may be
wanted.
Now, how is it the beaver sinks the buoyant wood? How he makes it stay
on the bottom is, so far as I have ever been able to learn, beyond
explanation. The most experienced trapper will tell you he doesn’t
understand it. More than once one of these men has pushed the pieces of
wood loose. The moment he did so they would come to the surface and stay
there. By no trick or device could he make them sink again, unless by
attaching a heavy weight. That, however, does not solve the difficulty,
for any substance can be sunk by such means, which is not the one the
beaver employs.
As the party advanced deer began to show themselves again. It was no
trouble to bring them down, and when the chance did not offer the fish
always remained, so it will be seen that the food question gave the
explorers no concern. The grass at times was not as plentiful as they
wished, but take it altogether the horses had no reason to be
dissatisfied and the journey went promisingly forward.
The next important stopping place of the explorers was in the country of
the Chopunnish Indians, who lived along the Clearwater and Lewis or
Snake Rivers, which you will remember were both tributaries of the
Columbia. The Chopunnish Indians were known as _Pierced Noses_, though
it is difficult to understand why this name was given, since, so far as
known, they never pierced their noses. The name was changed to Nez
Perces by the French _voyageurs_, and has so remained ever since. You
may have heard of Chief Joseph, who some years ago made his remarkable
retreat northward to Canada, and repeatedly outwitted the United States
regulars sent against him. Joseph was one of the most remarkable Indians
that ever lived. He was the friend of the white people, and was held in
great respect as the head of the Nez Perce tribe.
Our friends were impressed by these red men, who were large,
fine-looking and of dark complexion, and whose women had attractive
features. All were fond of ornaments. They wore buffalo or elk-skin
robes, decorated with beads, and the hair, which was plaited in two
queues, hung in front. Seashells fastened to an otter-skin collar were
displayed as belonging to the coarse black hair, and feathers, green,
blue and white, were plentifully seen. In cold weather each man wore a
short skirt of dressed skins, long painted leggings and moccasins, and a
braid of twisted grass around the neck. The women used a long shirt of
bighorn skin, without a girdle, and reaching to the ankles. Bits of
brass, shells and small ornaments were tied to this shirt, but the head
showed nothing except what nature had furnished.
The Nez Perces had a hard time of it. They were forced to toil during
the summer and autumn to gather salmon and their winter supply of roots.
In winter they hunted deer on snowshoes, and at the approach of spring
crossed the mountains to the headwaters of the Missouri to traffic in
buffalo robes. Added to this unceasing labor they had many fights with
enemies from the west, who often killed members of the tribe, stole
horses and drove the owners over the mountains.
The Nez Perces showed a very friendly disposition to our friends, who
visited their village and were invited to partake of their hospitality
for a long time. Although the Indians had a scant supply of food, they
offered the visitors all they wished. Deerfoot and Mul-tal-la, out of
courtesy, partook of salmon, but would not consent to deprive them of
anything further when the travelers felt fully able to provide for
themselves.
The visit to the Nez Perces solved a problem that had given the
Blackfoot and Shawanoe no little concern. The party had progressed so
far that the remainder of the journey could be made much more readily by
water than by land. All they had to do was to descend the river in
canoes to its mouth, or tidewater, or at least far enough to gain the
coveted view of the Pacific Ocean. They would have to make a few
portages and exercise skill and care in shooting some of the rapids, but
the road was open and they could not go astray.
The question was as to what should be done with their horses. These
could continue toiling forward as before, but the way was rough and
tortuous, and would occupy a much longer time than the water route. It
would wear upon the animals, all of which, with the exception of
Whirlwind, showed signs of the draught already made on their strength
and endurance. If they could be left behind, the rest would do them a
world of good, and they ought to be in prime condition when their
masters returned to them.
Deerfoot and Mul-tal-la discussed the plan of leaving their animals with
the Nez Perces. These Indians, like all their race, are exceedingly fond
of horses, and the fear of our friends was that when they came back
their property would be gone beyond recovery. While the warriors might
not openly steal them, they could frame ingenious excuses for their
absence. The loss of the four ordinary horses might not be so serious,
for Mul-tal-la was sure he could replace them from among his own people,
but the real problem was the black stallion. He was such a superb steed,
so superior in beauty, strength and speed to any of his kind in that
region, that wherever he appeared he attracted admiration and envy. But
for the watchfulness of his owner he would have been stolen long before
crossing the Divide. To part company with Whirlwind in what may be
called a hostile country looked like voluntarily giving him over to the
spoiler. No sum conceivable would have induced the Shawanoe to sell
Whirlwind. He was ready at any moment to risk his life for the animal
who was equally ready to die for his master.
This was the situation when, as the party were about to resume their
journey, they were approached by a tall, handsome warrior, whose dress,
more gaudily ornamented than the others, showed that he was one with
authority. He was absent while the visitors were receiving the
hospitality of the Nez Perces, and now hastened forward to pay his
respects while the opportunity remained.
The moment he drew near, Deerfoot and the boys saw from the expression
of his face and on that of Mul-tal-la that the two were old
acquaintances.
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