The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Part 116

Joseph Field & Drewrey left us this morning agreeably to their orders of last evening. at the Same time we Sent Sergt. Ordway and five men to a.s.sist Sergt. Pryor in bringing in the meat of four Elk which he had dried in the woods. at 1 p.m.the party returned with the meat. it was not Sufficiently dryed to keep. we had it cut thiner and redryed over a fire this evening, as we purpose Setting out early in the morning. the dear skins which we had cased for the purpose of holding our dried meat is not Sufficently dry for that purpose, we derected them to be dried by the fire also. the weather being So damp that there was no possibullity of pounding the meat as I wished.--We were visited by Several parties of the nativs to day; they behaved themselves in a very orderly manner.

Saw the Log c.o.c.k, the humming bird, Geese, Ducks &c. to day. the tick has made it's appearance it is the Same with those of the Atlantic States. the Musquetors have also appeared, but are not yet much troublesom.--this morning at 10 A M Sergt. Ga.s.s returned with Collins and Windser they had not Succeeded in killing the female bear, tho they brought the three cub's with them. the Indians who visited us to day fancied those Petts and gave us wappato in exchange for them. Fir and White Cedar is the common growth of the up lands, as is the Cotton wood, ash, large leafed Ash and Sweet Willow that of the bottom lands.

The Huckleberry, shallon, and the Several evergreen Shrubs, of that Speces that bears berries have Seased to appear, except that Species which has the leaf with a p.r.i.c.kley Margin. among the plants of this prarie in which we are encamped I observe the pashequo, Shannetahque, and Compound firn, the root of which the nativs eate; also the water cress, Straw berry flowering pea not yet in blume, narrow dock, and rush which are luxuriant and abundent in the river bottoms. the large leafed thorn has also disappeard. The red flowering Current is found here in considerable quant.i.ties on the upland, and the Common Dog wood is found on either Side of the river in this neighbourhood and above Multnomah river. The Country on either Side is fertile, the bottom on the South Side is wide and inter sperced with Small ponds in which the nativs gather their Wappato. back of this bottom the Country rises to about 200 feet and the Soil is very rich as that also above q Sandy river quite to the Mountains. the Country on the N. Side from a fiew Miles above this place as low down as the enterance of Cah-wah-na-ki-ooks River rises to the hight generally of 150 or 200 feet is tolerably leavel, thickly timbered with Fir and White Cedar.

the Soil of the richest quallity. Some Small Praries on the bank of the river. That portion of Country below as low down as the enterance of Cah-wah na ki ooks River is a broken rich Country. the hills are high, the bottom lands as before mentioned and fertile &c.-The Country a fiew miles up the Multnomah River rises from the river bottoms to the hight of from 2 to 300 feet and is rich & fertile. Some Plains can be Seen to the N. E. of our Camp of 10 or 12 miles in Sec.u.mference The Hunters & Serjt Pryor informed us that they had Measured a tree on the upper Side of quick Sand River 312 feet long and about 4 feet through at the Stump.

[Lewis, April 6, 1806]

Sunday April 6th 1806.

This morning we had the dryed meat secured in skins and the canoes loaded; we took breakfast and departed at 9 A.M. we continued up the N.

side of the river nearly to the place at which we had encamped on the 3rd of Nov. when we pa.s.sed the river to the south side in quest of the hunters we had sent up yesterday and the day before. from the appearance of a rock near which we had encamped on the 3rd of November last I could judge better of the rise of the water than I could at any point below. I think the flood of this spring has been about 12 feet higher than it was at that time; the river is here about 11/2 miles wide; it's general width from the beacon rock which may be esteemed the head of tide water, to the marshey islands is from one to 2 miles tho in many places it is still wider. it is only in the fall of the year when the river is low that the tides are persceptable as high as the beacon rock. this remarkable rock which stands on the North sh.o.r.e of the river is unconnected with the hills and rises to the hight of seven hundred feet; it has some pine or reather fir timber on it's nothern side, the southern is a precipice of it's whole hight. it rises to a very sharp point and is visible for 20 miles below on the river. at the distance of ten miles from our encampment we met with our hunters in the upper end of the bottom to which we had directed them on the South side of the river. they had killed three Elk this morning and wounded two others so badly that they expected to get them. we therefore determined to encamp for the evening at this place in order to dry the meat, in surch of which we sent a party immediately and employed others in preparing scaffoalds and collecting firewood &c against their return. we found some indians with our hunters when we arrived; these people are constantly hanging about us.--As has been before mentioned Capt C set out with a party of seven men on 2ed inst. in surch of the entrance of the Multnomah river. he departed at 1/2 after 11 A. M and directed his course along the Southern side of the river. at the distance of 8 miles he pa.s.sed the village of the Na-cha-co-lee tribe of the E-lute Nation; this village is not large and being situated on the main sh.o.r.e opposite to and S. of the Diamond Island it was concealed by that island from our view both ascending and decending the Columbia as we pa.s.sed near the Northern sh.o.r.e. Capt C. pa.s.sed this village without halting and continued his rout untill 3 P.M. when he arrived at a large double house of the Ne-er-cho-ki-oo tribe of the Shah'ha-la nation; at this place we had seen 24 additional straw and bark huts as we pa.s.sed down last fall, the inhabitants of which as I have before mentioned reside at the great rapids of the Columbia river. about this place in different directions Capt C. saw a great number of small canoes lying scattered on the bank. these small canoes are employed by the women in collecting wappetoe; with one of these a woman enters a pond where the Sagitaria Sagittifolia grows frequently to her breast in water and by means of her toes and feet breakes the bulb of this plant loos from the parent radicle and disinc.u.mbering it from the mud it immediately rises to the surface of the water when she seizes it and throws it into her canoe which she always keeps convenient to her. they will remain in the water for hours together in surch of this bulb in middle of winter.

those canoes are from 10 to 14 feet in length, from 18 to 23 inches in width near the middle tapering or becoming narrower towards either extremity and 9 inches deep their form is thus. they are so light that a woman can draw them over land or take them with ease through the swamps in any direction, and are sufficient to carry a single person and several bush.e.l.ls of roots. Capt. Clarks pilot informed him that the small canoes which he saw in the vicinity of this lodge were the property of the Shah-ha-las who used them occasionally when they visit this neighbourhood for the purpose of collecting roots. while at this place Capt C. entered one of the appartments of the house and offered several articles to the natives in exchange for wappetoe, they appeared to be in an ill humour and positively refused to let him have any.

Capt. C. sat himself down near the fire and having a part of a portfire match in his pocket cut of a small peice of it and threw it in the fire; at the same time he took out his pocket compa.s.s and by means of a magnet which he had in the top of his inkstand he turned the nedle of the compa.s.s about very briskly; the match took fire and birned vehemently; the indians astonished and allarmed at these exhibitions, ran and brought several parcels of wappetoe and laid at his feet and begged that he would put out the bad fire; to this he consented; at this moment the match being exhausted was of course extenguished and he put up his compa.s.s & magnet. they were now much more complisant, tho the women and children were yet so much allarmed that they took refuge in their beads and behing the men who were seting opposite to Capt. C.

during the whole of this farcical seen an old man who was seting by continued to speak with great vehemence apparently imploring his G.o.d for protection. Capt. C. gave them an adiquate compensation for their roots and having lighted his pipe smoaked with the men. they appeared in a great measure to get the better of their allarm and he left them and continued his rout along the south side of Image canoe Island which he found to be three islands, the one in the center concealing the apperture between the two others in such manner that from the north side of the river where we have previously pa.s.sed they all appeared to form one island only. at the distance of 13 miles below the village just mentioned, and at the lower point of what we have heretofore deemed the image canoe Island, Capt C. entered the Multnomah river so called by the natives from a nation of that name who reside on wappetoe island a little below the entrance of this river? Multnomah river discharges itself on the S. side of the Columbia 140 miles above the entrance of the latter into the Pacific Ocean, and may be justly esteemed one fourth of that n.o.ble river. Capt. C. found that this river had attained it's greatest annual hight and had now fallen about 18 inches. it has three small islands in it's mouth which conceal the river from the view of those who pa.s.s with the stream of the Columbia.

from the Columbia at the entrance of the Multonomah river Mount Jefferson bears S. E. this is a n.o.ble mountain. I think equally as high as Mount St. Helines but it's distance being much greater than that of the latter, so great a portion of it dose not appear above the range of mountains which lie betwen boath those stupendious mountains and this point of view. like mount St. Heleans it's figure is a regular cone and is covered with eternal snow. M. St. Heleans from the same point boar N ____, Mount Hood due East, and Mount Raniei nearly North. there is also a very high humped mountain a little to the East of Mount St. Heleans which appears to lie in the same chain with those conic pointed mountains before mentioned. soon after Capt Clark entered the Multnomah river he was met by an old Indian man alone in a canoe decending the river, the pilot had some conversation with him and informed Capt. C.

that this was a man of the Clark-a'-mas nation who are numerous and inhabit eleven vilages on either side of a river of the same name which has it's source in Mount Jefferson and after tranversing a woody and fertile country discharges itself into the Multnomah river on it's E.

side at the distance of about 40 miles from it's junction with the Columbia. the Clarkamas river is navigable for canoes a great distance, from the Indian account almost to the foot of mount, Jefferson. the nation who inhabit it's borders live princ.i.p.ally on fish with which this stream abounds and also on roots which they procure on it's borders. they sometimes also come down to the Multnomah and Columbia in surch of Wappatoe. they do not differ essentially in their language dress &c from the Quathlahpohtles and others in the vicinity of wappetoe island. The current of the Multnomah river is as gentle as that of the Columbia, glides smoothly with an even surface, and appears to possess sufficient debth for the largest s.h.i.+p. Capt. C. attempted to sound it with a cord of 5 fathoms which was the longest in his possession but could not find bottom at this debth for at least one third of the width of the river. Capt. C. ascended this river ten miles to a large wood house on the East side of the river, near which he encamped for the evening; the house being infested with such swarms of flees that they could not remain in it. this his guide informed him was the house of the Cush-hooks nation who reside just below the falls of the Multnomah river and who occasionally reside at this place for the purpose of collecting wappetoe. at present this house appeared to have been lately abandoned by the natives who had left therein exposed to every visiter various articles such as small canoes, mats, bladders of train oil, baskets, bowls and trenchers. this is a strong evidence of the honesty of the natives with rispect to the property of each other, but they have given us several evidences that they do not pay the same rispect to the property of white men. his guide further informed him that there were a number of small houses belonging to the last mentioned nation situated on two bayous which make out of the river a little above this large hose on the East side; that the inhabitants of these as well as those of the large house had gone up to the falls of the Multnomah river for the purpose of taking fish. these falls are situated at the distance of 2 days travel from the junction of the Multnomah and Columbia rivers agreeably to the Indian account which we have estimated at 60 miles or 20 m. above the entrance of Clarkamus river. Capt C. took the dementions of the hose of the Ne-mal-quin-ner tribe of the Cushhooks nation near which he encamped on the 2ed inst.

and found it presisely thirty feet by 40 squar constructed with broad boards and covered with the bark of the white cedar or arborvita; the floor is on a level with the surface of the earth and the internal arrangement is similar to those of the natives of the Sea coast.--these people carry on a trafic with the Killamucks of the coast across the mountains and by way of the Killamucks river from the Killamucks they obtain their train oil. The courses and distances taken by Capt. Clark in ascending the Multnomah river from it's junction with the Columbia river, commencing at the lower extremity of the Image canoe Islands are as follows. (viz) S. 30 W. 4 m. to the upper point of a small island in the center of Multnomah river. thence S 10 W. 3 m. to a sluce 80 yds.

wide on Stard. which dividing wappetoe Island from the main land discharges itself into wappetoe inlet pa.s.sed a willow point on Lard. S.

60 W. 3 ms. to a large indian house on the Lard. side, just below some high fir land the sh.o.r.e is bold and high on Stard. side. S 30 E. 2 ms.

to the center of a bend under The highlands on Stard. side, pa.s.sing a Lard. point; from hence the river directed it's course to the E. of S.

E. as far as Capt. C. could perceive it.--at this place the Multnomah river is 500 yds. wide and sufficiently deep to admit the largest s.h.i.+p.

the river appears to be was.h.i.+ng away it's banks in some places, and has more sandbars and willow points than the Columbia.On the morning of the 3rd inst. Capt. Clark observed that the water had fallen in the course of the night about 5 inches. he set out early and proceeded up the river a short distance few miles and attempted a second time to fathom it but with the same success as before he could nt find bottom with his cord of 5 fathoms for the distance of half the width of the stream.

Capt C. having fully satisfyed himself of the magnitude of this great river he set out on his return at 7 A.M. I have but little doubt but that this river waters a vast tract of country lying between the Western mountains and the mountainous country of the sea coast extending as far south as the waters of the gulph of Callifornia or about Lat.i.tude 37 North. at 11 A.M. Capt. C. arrived at the Ne-er-cho-ki-oo house where he had allarmed the inhabtants yesterday.

he halted here a few minutes to smoke with these people who consisted of eight families. he found that his presents excited fresh allarm particularly among the women and children who hid themselves and took refuge behind the men as yesterday; the men held down their heads and seemed much conserned; he therefore remained in the house but a few minutes, returned to his canoe and pursued his rout. his pilot now informed him that these people as well as their relations at the falls of the Columbia were illy disposed bad men. soon after he set out he met five canoes on board of which there were as many families of the Shah-ha-la nation decending the river in surch of subsistence. they were extreemly anxious to come along side, but he forbid their doing so as their number was too considerable there being 21 men on board these canoes. his pilot told him that they were mischevous bad men. at 3 P.M.

he arrived at the present residence of his pilot on the South side of the river opposite the Diamond Island. here he halted about an hour he found this house very large; it consisted of seven appartments in one range above ground each about 30 feet square. the entrances to these appartments were from pa.s.sages which extended quite across the house, about 4 feet wide and formed like the walls of the hose of broad boards set on end extending from beneath the floor to the roof of the house.

the apperture or hole through which they enter all those wooden houses are remarkably small not generally more than 3 feet high and about 22 inches wide. the ground plot of the Nechecolee house is thus 1 1 1 1 the pa.s.sages of 4 feet and 2 2 &c. the appartments of 30 feet square.

this house is covered with the bark of the white cedar, laid on in a double course, supported by rafters and longitudinal round poles attatched to the rafters with cores of this bark. the peices of the cedar bark extend the whole length of the side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of 18 inches transverse splinters of dry fir is inserted through the cedar bark in order to keep it smooth and prevent it's edges from colapsing by the heat of the sun; in this manner the natives make a very secure light and lasting roof of this bark. in the vicinity of this house Capt. Clark observed the remains of five other large houses which appeared to have been sunk in the ground several feet and built after the method of those of the Elutes nation at the great narrows of the columbia with whom these people claim affinity. their language is the same with the Elutes, tho in their habits, dress manners &c they differ but little from the Quathlahpohtles and others in this neighborhood. they make use of some words common to their neighbours but the air of their language is entirely different. they are much better formed and their men larger than the nations below. their women wear larger and longer robes which are made princ.i.p.ally of deerskins dressed in the hair. they pay great rispect to their aged persons. Capt. C. observed several persons of both s.e.xes who appeared to have arrived to great age yet they appeared perfectly healthy tho most of them perfectly blind. the loss of sight I have observed to be more common among all the nations inhabiting this river than among any people I ever observed. they have almost invariably soar eyes at all stages of life. the loss of an eye is very common among them; blindness in perdsons of middle age is by no means uncommon, and it is almost invariably a concommitant of old age. I know not to what cause to attribute this prevalent deficientcy of the eyes except it be their exposure to the reflection of the sun on the water to which they are constantly exposed in the occupation of fis.h.i.+ng.

Capt. C. enquired of the Nechecole the cause of the decline of their village. an old man who appeared to be of some note among them and the father of his guide brought forward a woman who was much marked with the small pox, and made signs that the inhabitants of those houses which he saw in ruins had all died with the disorder which marked the face of the woman and with which this woman was very near dying when a girl. from the apparent age of the woman Capt. C. supposed that it was about 28 or 30 years since this disorder had prevailed among these people. this is about the time which we have supposed that it prevailed among the Clatsops and others of the coast. Capt C. now prevailed on this old man to give him a sketch of the Multnomah river it's branches and the position and names of the Indian nations residing thereon this the old man son executed with his finger in the dust. (see scetch inserted on the 3rd inst.). he informed that the Cush-hooks and Char-cow-ah nations who reside at the falls of that river were not numerous; but that the Cal-lah-po-e-wah nation who inhabited both sides of this river above the falls as far as it was known to himself or his nation were very numerous. that the country they inhabited was level and wholy dest.i.tute of timber. that a high range of mountains pa.s.sed the Multnomah river at the falls, on the upperside of which the country was one vast plain. the nations who inhabit this country reside on the rivers and subsist like those of the Columbia on fish and roots princ.i.p.ally. Capt C. bought five dogs of these people and set out for my camp at 5 P.M. where he arrived a little before dark, on the evening of the third.--the party whom we sent for the flesh of the Elk which Shannon had killed returned in the evening with that of four, one had by some mistake been omitted. Drewyer and shannon found the two wounded Elk and had killed them. we set all hands at work to prepare the meat for the saffoald they continued their operations untill late at night.

we directed Shannon to go out early in the morning with a party to bring in the Elk which had been left last evening in mistake. we also directed Drewyer and the two Feildses to ascend the river early in the morning to a small bottom a few miles above and hunt untill our arrival.-

[Clark, April 6, 1806]

Sunday April 6th 1806.

Two Indians Came last night very late to our Camp and continued all night. early we had all the meat packed up and our Canoes loaded ready for to Set out and after an early brackfast at which time all things were ready and we Set out and proceeded to the Camp of Gibson & party about 9 miles, they had killed 3 Elk at no great distance and Wounded two others so badly that we expect to precure them. Sent a party of Six men with Shannon who had killed the Elk to bring in the Elk, and formed a Camp, near which we had a Scaffold made ready to dry the meat as Soon as it Should arive. Reubin Field killed a bird of the Quail kind or Cla.s.s which was whistleing near our Camp it is larger than the quail or partridge as they are Called Kentucky and Virginia. it's form is presisely that of our partridge tho its plumage differs in every part.

the upper part of the head, Sides and back of the neck, including the Croop and about of the under part of the body is of a bright dove coloured blue, under neath the under beak, as high as the lower edge of the eye, and back as far as the hinder part of the eyes and thence comeing down to a point in the front of the neck about 2/3rd of it's length downwards, is of a fine dark brick red. between this brick red and the dove colour there runs a narrow Stripe of pure white. the ears are covered with some coa.r.s.e dark brown feathers. just at the base of the under chap there is a narrow transvirce Stripe of white. from the crown of the head two long round feathers extend backwards nearly in the direction of the beak and are of a black Colour. the length of these feathers is 21/2 inches. one overlais and Conseals the other which is Somewhat Shorter and Seems to be raped in the plumage of that in front which folding backwards colapses behing and has a round appearance. the tail is composed of 12 dark brown feathers of nearly equal length. the large feathers of the wings are of a dark brown & are reather Short in purpotion to the body of the bird. in this respect very Similar to the partridge. the covert of the wings and back are of a dove Colour with a Slight admixture of redish brown. a wide Stripe which extends from Side to Side of the body and occupies the lower region of the breast is beautifully varigated with the brick red white & black which perdominates in the order they are mentioned and the Colours mark the feathers transversely. the legs are covered with feathers as low as the Knee; these feathers are of dark brown tiped with a dark brick red as are also those between and about the joining of the legs with the body. the foot is presisely that of the Common partridge except that they are as also the legs white. the upper beak is Short, wide at it's base, black, convex, curved downwards and reather obtusely pointed. it exceeds the under chap considerably which is of a white colour, also convex under neath and obtusely pointed. the nostrils are remarkably Small, placed far back and low down on the Sides of the beak. they are covered by a thin proterant elastic, black leather like Substance. the eyes are of a uniform pierceing black colour. this is a most butifull bird I preserved the Skin of this bird retaining the wings feet & head which I hope will give a just Idea of the bird. it's loud note is Single and Consists of a loud Squall, intirely different from the whistling of our partridge or quailes. it has a chiping note when allarmed like our partridge.--to day there was a Second of those birds killed which presisely resembles that just discribed. I believe those to be the mail bird the female, if so, I have not yet Seen.-.

at 6 P.M. Shannon and party returned with the flesh of five Elk. the two he had wounded in the morning he found dead near the place he had Shot them. we had the meat cut into thin pices and Scaffored with a fire under it to dry out, which we expect in the course of the night Can be effected. four Indians from the great rapids visited us to day and Continued all day. they give the Same account of the Scercity of provisions above the falls as has already been given by others. This Supply of Elk I think by useing economey and in addition of roots and dogs which we may probably precure from he Nativs on Lewis's river will be Sufficient to last us to the Chopunnish where we Shall Meet with our horses-. and near which place there is Some deer to be precured.

Frazer killed a pheasent of the Common kind. Jos. Field killed a vulture of that Speces already discribed. in the evening late the Indians left us and returned to their village. we detected that fires be kept under the meat all night. and tha Drewyer and the two Fields proceed on to the next bottom and hunt untill we Should arive. 9 miles

[Lewis, April 7, 1806]

Monday April 7th 1806.

This morning early the flesh of the remaining Elk was brought in and Drewyer with the Feildses departed agreeably to the order of the last evening. we employed the party in drying the meat today which we completed by the evening, and we had it secured in dryed Elkskins and put on board in readiness for an early departure. we were visited today by several parties of indians from a village about 8 miles above us of the Sahhalah nation. I detected one of them in steeling a peice of lead and sent him from camp. I hope we have now a sufficient stock of dryed meat to serve us as far the Chopunnish provided we can obtain a few dogs horses and roots by the way. in the neighbourhood of the Chopunnish we can procure a few deer and perhaps a bear or two for the mountains. last evening Reubin Fields killed a bird of the quail kind it is reather larger than the quail, or partridge as they are called in Virginia. it's form is precisely that of our patridge tho it's plumage differs in every part. the upper part of the head, sides and back of the neck, including the croop and about 1/3 of the under part of the body is of a bright dove coloured blue, underneath the under beak, as high as the lower edge of the eyes, and back as far as the hinder part of the eyes and thence coming down to a point in front of the neck about two thirds of it's length downwards, is of a fine dark brick red.

between this brick red and the dove colour there runs a narrow stripe of pure white. the ears are covered with some coa.r.s.e stiff dark brown feathers. just at the base of the under chap there is narrow transverse stripe of white. from the crown of the head two long round feathers extend backwards nearly in the direction of the beak and are of a black colour. the longest of these feathers is two inches and an half, it overlays and conceals the other which is somewhat shorter and seems to be raped in the plumage of that in front which folding backwards colapses behind and has a round appearance. the tail is composed of twelve dark brown feathers of nearly equal length. the large feathers of the wings are of a dark brown and are reather short in proportion to the body of the bird in that rispect very similar to our common partridge. the covert of the wings and back are of a dove colour with a slight admixture of redish brown. a wide stripe which extends from side to side of the body and occupyes the lower region of the breast is beautifully variagated with the brick red white and black which pedominate in the order they are mentioned and the colours mark the feathers transversely. the legs are covered with feathers as low as the knee; these feathers are of a dark brown tiped with the dark brick red as are also those between and about the joining of the legs with the body. they have four toes on each foot of which three are in front and that in the center the longest, those one each side nearly of a length; that behing is also of good length and are all armed with long and strong nails. the legs and feet are white and imbrecated with proportionably large broad scales. the upper beak is short, wide at it's base, black, convex, curved downwards and reather obtusely pointed. it exceeds the under chap considerably which is of a white colour, also convex underneath and obtusely pointed. the nostrils are remarkably small placed far back and low down on the sides of the beak.

they are covered by a thin protuberant elastic, black leatherlike substance. the eyes are of a uniform piercing black colour. this is a most beautifull bird. I preserved the skin of this bird retaining the wings feet and head which I hope will give a just idea of the bird.

it's loud note is single and consists of a loud squall, intirely different from the whistling of our quales or partridge. it has a cherping note when allarmed something like ours.--today there was a second of these birds killed by Capt C. which precisely resembled that just discribed. I believe these to be the male bird the female, if so, I have not yet seen.--the day has been fair and weather extreemly pleasant. we made our men exercise themselves in shooting today and regulate their guns found several of them that had their sights moved by accedent, and others that wanted some little alterations all which were compleatly rectifyed in the course of the day. in the evening all the Indians departed for their village.

[Clark, April 7, 1806]

Monday April 7th 1806 This morning Drewyer & the two Fields Set out agreeably to their orders of last evening, the remainder of the party employed in drying the flesh of the five Elk killed by Shannon yesterday. which was completed and we had it Secured in dried Shaved Elk Skins and put on board in readiness for our early departure. we were visited by Several parties of Indians from a Village about 12 miles above us of the Sahhalah nation. one of them was detected in Stealing a piece of Lead. I Sent him off imedeately. I hope now we have a Sufficient Stock of dryed meat to Serve us as far as the Chopunnish provided we can obtain a fiew dogs, horses and roots by the way. in the neighbourhood of the Chopunnish under the Rocky Mountains we can precure a fiew deer, and perhaps a Bear or two for the Mountains.

The day has been fair and weather exceedingly pleasent. we made our men exersise themselves in Shooting and regulateing their guns, found Several of them that had their Sights moved by accident, and others that wanted Some little alterations all which were compleated rectified in the Course of the day except my Small rifle, which I found wanted Cutting out. about 4 oClock P M all the Indians left us, and returned to their Village. they had brought with them Wappato, & pashequa roots Chapellel cakes, and a Species of Raspberry for Sale, none of which they disposed of as they asked Such enormous prices for those articles that we were not able to purchase any. Drewyer returned down the river in the evening & informed us that the nativs had Sceared all the Elk from the river above. Joseph & reuben Fields had proceeded on further up the river in the canoe, he expected to the village.

I provaled on an old indian to mark the Multnomah R down on the Sand which hid and perfectly Corisponded with the Sketch given me by sundary others, with the addition of a circular mountain which pa.s.ses this river at the falls and connects with the mountains of the Seacoast. he also lais down the Clark a mos pa.s.sing a high Conical Mountain near it's mouth on the lower Side and heads in Mount Jefferson which he lais down by raiseing the Sand as a very high mountain and Covered with eternal Snow. the high mountain which this Indian lais down near the enterance of Clark a mos river, we have not Seen as the hills in it's diretion from this vally is high and obscures the Sight of it from us.

Mt Jefferson we Can plainly See from the enterance of Multnomah from which place it bears S. E. this is a n.o.ble Mountain and I think equally as high or Something higher than Mt. St. Heleansa but its distance being much greater than that of the latter, So great a portion of it does not appear above the range of mountains which lie between both those Stupendious Mountains and the Mouth of Multnomah. like Mt. St.

Heleans its figure is a regular Cone and is covered with eturnial Snow.

that the Clarkamos nation as also those at the falls of the Multnomah live princ.i.p.ally on fish of which those Streams abound and also on roots which they precure on it's borders, they also Sometimes Come down to the Columbia in Serch of Wappato. they build their houses in the Same form with those of the Columbian Vally of wide Split boads and Covered with bark of the White Cedar which is the entire length of the one Side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of about 18 inches transvers Spinters of dried pine is inserted through the Ceder bark inorder to keep it Smooth and prevent it's edge from Colapsing by the heat of the Sun; in this manner the nativs make a very Secure light and lasting roof of this bark. which we have observed in every Vilege in this Vally as well as those above.

this Indian also informed me the multnomah above the falls was Crouded with rapids and thickly inhabited by indians of the Callah-po-e-wah Nation. he informed he had himself been a long way up that river &c.

[Lewis, April 8, 1806]

Tuesday April 8th 1806.

The wind blew so violently this morning that we were obliged to unlode our perogues and canoes, soon after which they filled with water. being compelled to remain during the day at our present station we sent out some hunters in order to add something to our stock of provision; and exposed our dryed meat to the sun and the smoke of small fires. in the evening the hunters returned having killed a duck only; they saw two bear and some of the blacktailed jumping or fallow deer, such as are found about Fort Clatsop; this kind of deer are scarce in this neighbourhood, the common longtailed fallow deer being most abundant.

we have seen the black bear only in this quarter. the wind continued without intermission to blow violently all day. I took a walk today of three miles down the river; in the course of which I had an opportunity to correct an errow which I have heretofore made with rispect to the shrub I have hithertoo called the large leafed thorn. the leaf of this thorn is small being only abut 21/2 inches long, is petiolate, conjugate; the leafets are petiolate accutely pointed, having their margins cut with unequal angular insissures. the shrub which I have heretofore confounded with this grows in similar situations, has a stem precisely like it except the thorn and bears a large three loabed leaf.

this bryer is of the cla.s.s Polyandria and order Polygynia. the flowers are single, the peduncle long and celindric. the calix is a perianth, of one leaf, five cleft, & accutely pointed. the perianth is proper, erect, inferior with rispect to both petals and germen, and equal. the corolla consists of five accute pale scarlet petals, insirted in the recepticle with a short and narrow claw. the Corolla is smooth, moderately long, situated at the base of the germen, permanent, and cup shaped. of the stamens the filaments are subulate, inserted into the recepticle, unequal and bent inwards concealing the pistillum; anther two loabed and inflected situated on the top of the fillaments of the pistillum the germ is conical, imbricated, superior, sessile and short.

the styles are short with rispect to the stamen, capillary smooth, obtuse, distributed over the serface of the germ and decid-uous. no perseptable stigma.--late at night the centinel detected an old indian man in attempting to creep into camp in order to pilfer; he allarmed the indian very much by presenting his gun at him; he gave the fellow a few stripes with a switch and sent him off. this fellow is one of a party of six who layed incamped a few hundred yards below us, they departed soon after this occurrence.

[Clark, April 8, 1806]

Tuesday April 8th 1806 This morning about day light I heard a Considerable roreing like wind at a distance and in the Course of a Short time ways rose very high which appeared to come across the river and in the Course of an hour became So high that we were obliged to unload the canoes, at 7 oClock A.M. the winds Suelded and blew So hard and raised the Waves So emensely high from the N. E and tossed our Canoes against the Sh.o.r.e in Such a manner as to render it necessary to haul them up on the bank.

finding from the appearance of the winds that it is probable that we may be detained all day, we Sent out Drewyer, Shannon Colter & Collins to hunt with derections to return if the Wind Should lul, if not to Continue the hunt all day except they killed Elk or bear Sooner &c. we had the dried meat which was cured at our last encampment below exposed to the Sun. John s.h.i.+elds Cut out my Small rifle & brought hir to Shoot very well. the party ows much to the injenuity of this man, by whome their guns are repared when they get out of order which is very often.

I observed an Indian Woman who visited us yesterday blind of an eye, and a man who was nearly blind of both eyes. the loss of Sight I have observed to be more Common among all the nations inhabiting this river than among any people I ever observed. they have almost invariably Sore eyes at all Stages of life. the loss of an eye is very Common among them; blindness in persons of middle age is by no means uncommon, and it is almost invariably a concammitant of old age. I Know not to what cause to attribute this prevalent deficientcy of the eye except it be their exposure to the reflection of the Sun on the water to which they are constantly exposed in the Occupation of fis.h.i.+ng. about 1 P M Collins Shannon and Colter returned. Collins Saw 2 bear but could not get a Shot at them. neither Shannon nor Colter Saw any thing worth Shooting. Soon after Drewyer returned haveing only a Summer Duck. the Elk is gorn to the mountains as the hunters Suppose. in the evening late an old man his Son & Grand Son and their Wives &c. Came down dureing the time the waves raged with great fury. the wife of the Grand Son is a woman of differant appearance from any we have Seen on this river, she has a very round head and pierceing black eyes. Soon after those people arived the Old man was detected in Stealing a Spoon and he was ordered away, at about 200 yards below our Camp they built themselves a fire and did not return to our fires after-. The Wind Continued violently hard all day, and threw our Canoes with Such force against the Sh.o.r.e that one of them Split before we Could get it out.

[Lewis, April 9, 1806]

Wednesday April 9th 1806.

This morning early we commenced the operation of reloading our canoes; at 7 A.M. we departed and proceeded on to the Camp of Reubin and Joseph Fields they had not killed any game; we made no halt at this place but continued our rout to the Wah-clel-lah Village which is situated on the North side of the river about a mile below the beacon rock; here we halted and took breakfast. John Colter one of our party observed the tomehawk in one of the lodges which had been stolen from us on the 4th of November last as we decended this river; the natives attempted to wrest the tomahawk from him but he retained it. they indeavoured afterwards to exculpate themselves from the odium of having stolen it, they alledged that they had bought it from the natives below; but their neighbours had several days previously, informed us that these people had stolen the Tommehawk and then had it at their village. this village appears to be the winter station of the Wah-clel-lahs and Clahclellars, the greater part of the former have lately removed to the falls of the Multnomah, and the latter have established themselves a few miles above on the North side of the river opposite the lower point of brant island, being the commencement of the rapids, here they also take their salmon; they are now in the act of removing, and not only take with them their furniture and effects but also the bark and most of the boards which formed their houses. 14 houses remain entire but are at this time but thinly inhabited, nine others appear to have been lately removed, and the traces of ten or twelve others of ancient date were to be seen in the rear of their present village. they sometimes sink their houses in the earth, and at other times have their floors level with the surface of the earth; they are generally built with boards and covered with Cedar bark. most of them have a devision in their houses near the entrance wich is at the end or in the event of it's bing a double house is from the center of a narrow pa.s.sage. several families inhabit one appartment. the women of these people pierce the cartelage of the nose in which they wear various ornaments in other rispects they do not differ from those in the neighbourhood of the Diamond island; tho most of the women brad their hair which hanges in two tresses one hanging over each ear. these people were very unfriendly, and seemed illy disposed had our numbers not detered them any acts of violence.

with some difficuly we obtained five dogs from them and a few wappetoe.

on our way to this village we pa.s.sed several beautifull cascades which fell from a great hight over the stupendious rocks which cloles the river on both sides nearly, except a small bottom on the South side in which our hunters were encamped. the most remarkable of these ca.s.scades falls about 300 feet perpendicularly over a solid rock into a narrow bottom of the river on the south side. it is a large creek, situated about 5 miles above our encampment of the last evening. several small streams fall from a much greater hight, and in their decent become a perfect mist which collecting on the rocks below again become visible and decend a second time in the same manner before they reach the base of the rocks. the hills have now become mountains high on each side are rocky steep and covered generally with fir and white cedar. we saw some turkey buzzards this morning of the speceis common to the United states which are the first we have seen on this side the rocky mountains.

during our halt at this village the grand Cheif and two inferior Cheifs of the Chil-luck-kit-to-quaw nation arrived with several men and women of their nation in two large canoes. these people were on their return up the river, having been on a trading voyage to the Columbean vally, and were loaded with wappetoe dryed anchovies, with some beads &c which they had received in exchange for dryed and pounded salmon shappelell beargra.s.s &c. These people had been very kind to us as we decended the river we therefore smoked with them and treated them with every attention. at 2 P.M. we renewed our voyage; pa.s.sed under the beacon rock on the north side, to the left of two small islands situated near the sh.o.r.e. at four P.M. we arrived at the Clah-clel-lah village; here we found the natives busily engaged in erecting their new habitations, which appear to be reather of a temperary kind; it is most probable that they only reside here during the salmon season. we purchased two dogs of these people who like those of the village blow were but sulky and illy disposed; they are great rogues and we are obliged to keep them at a proper distance from our bag-gage. as we could not ascend the rapid by the North side of the river with our large canoes, we pa.s.sed to the oposite side and entered the narrow channel which seperates brant Island from the South sh.o.r.e; the evening being far spent and the wind high raining and very cold we thought best not to attempt the rapids this evening, we therefore sought a safe harbour in this narrow channel and encamped on the main sh.o.r.e. our small canoe with Drewer and the two feildses was unable to pa.s.s the river with us in consequence of the waves they therefore toed her up along the N. side of the river and encamped opposite the upper point of brant Island. after halting this evening I took a turn with my gun in order to kill a deer, but was unsuccessfull. I saw much fresh sign. the fir has been lately injured by a fire near this place and many of them have discharged considerable quant.i.ties of rozin. we directed that Collins should hunt a few hours tomorrow morning and that Gibson and his crew should remain at his place untill we returned and employ themselves in collectng rozin which our canoes are now in want of.