Clark: April 9, 1806
Overnight, an elderly Native man caught stealing the previous day crawled toward the expedition's baggage but fled when a sentinel raised his gun. Setting out at 7 A.M., the party stopped at the Wahclellah Village, where Colter recovered a tomahawk stolen the previous November. Clark observed the Shahhala bands relocating for salmon season. Trading was difficult, though they obtained five dogs. They met friendly Chiluckittequaw traders and shared tobacco. Passing Beacon Rock, they reached the first rapid by Strawberry Island and camped in a sheltered channel after a wet, windy evening, covering 16 miles.
Wednesday April 9th 1806 last night at a late hour the old amsiated Indian
who was detected in Stealing a Spoon yesterday, Crept upon his belley with
his hands and feet, with a view as I Suppose to take Some of our baggage
which was in Several defferent parcels on the bank. the Sentinal observed
the motions of this old amcinated retch untill he got with a fiew feet of
the baggage at he hailed him and approached with his gun in a possion as
if going to Shoote which allarmed the old retch in Such a manner that he
ran with all his power tumbleing over brush and every thing in his way. at
7 A.M. we Set out and proceeded on to the Camp of Joseph & Reubin
Fields. they had killed nothing. here we did not delay but proceeded on to
Wah-clel-lah Village on the North Side and brackfast here one the men
Colter observed the Tomahawk which was Stolen from on the 4th of Novr.
last as we decended the Columbia, he took the tomahawk the natives
attempted to wrest it from him, he held fast the Tomahawk. Those people
attempted to excuse themselves from odium of Stealing it, by makeing Signs
that they had purchased the Tomahawk, but their nighbours informed me
otherwise and made Signs that they had taken it. This Village appears to
be the wintering Station of two bands of the Shah-ha-la Nation. One band
has already moved the Falls of the Multnomah which is the place they take
their Salmon. The other band is now moveing a fiew miles above to the foot
of the first rapid on this river, at which place they take their Salmon.
14 houses only appear occupied and the inhabitants of those moveing off
hourly, they take with them in their Canoes independent of all their
houshold effects the bark of their houses, and boards. 9 houses has been
latterly abandened and 14 others is yet is thinly inhabited at present,
and the remains of 10 or 12 others are to be Seen and appears to have been
enhabited last fall. those people were not hospital and with Some
dificuelty we precured 5 dogs and a fiew Wappato of them. Soon after we
arived at this Village the Grand Cheif and two others of the
Chee-luck-kit-le-quaw Nation arived from below. they had with them 11 men
and 7 womin and had been trading in the Columbia Vally for Wappato, beeds
and dried Anchovies &c in exchange for which they had given pounded
fish Shappalell, bear grass, acorns boiled berries &c. &c. and are
now on their return to their village. as those people had been very Kind
to us as we decended the river we gave them Smoke. at 2 oClock P. M we Set
out and passed under the Beacon rock on the North Side of two Small Islds.
Situated nearest the N. side. at 4 P.M. we arived at the first rapid at
the head of Straw berry island at which place on the N W. Side of the
Columbia here we found the nativs from the last village rebuilding their
habitations of the bark of their old Village 16 Huts are already
Compleated and appear only temporrary it is most probable that they only
reside here dureing the Season of the Salmon. as we Could not pass with
the large Canoes up the N. W. Side for the rocks, the wind high and a
rainey disagreeable evining. our Smallest Canoe being too low to cross
through the high waves, we Sent her up on the N W. Side with Drewyer and
the two Fields and after purchaseing 2 dogs Crossed and into the Sluce of
a large high Island seperated from the S. E Side by a narrow chanel, in
this chanel we found a good harbor and encamped on the lower Side. We Saw
Some deer Sign and Collins to hunt in the mornig untill the Canoes were
toed above the rapids. made 16 Miles to day. evening wet &
disagreeable.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday April 9th 1806. Last night at a late hour the old emaciated Indian who was caught stealing a spoon yesterday crept on his belly with his hands and feet, with a view, as I suppose, to take some of our baggage, which was in several different parcels on the bank. The sentinel observed the motions of this old emaciated wretch until he got within a few feet of the baggage, when he hailed him and approached with his gun in a position as if going to shoot, which alarmed the old wretch so much that he ran with all his power, tumbling over brush and everything in his way.
At 7 A.M. we set out and proceeded on to the camp of Joseph and Reubin Fields. They had killed nothing. Here we did not delay but proceeded on to Wah-clel-lah Village on the north side, and breakfasted there. One of the men, Colter, noticed the tomahawk that was stolen from him on the 4th of November last as we descended the Columbia. He took the tomahawk, and the natives attempted to wrest it from him, but he held fast to it. Those people tried to excuse themselves from the odium of stealing it by making signs that they had purchased the tomahawk, but their neighbors told me otherwise and made signs that they had taken it.
This village appears to be the wintering station of two bands of the Shah-ha-la Nation. One band has already moved to the falls of the Multnomah, which is the place where they take their salmon. The other band is now moving a few miles above, to the foot of the first rapid on this river, at which place they take their salmon. Only 14 houses appear occupied, and the inhabitants of those are moving off hourly. They take with them in their canoes, in addition to all their household effects, the bark of their houses and the boards. 9 houses have been lately abandoned, and 14 others are still thinly inhabited at present, and the remains of 10 or 12 others can be seen and appear to have been inhabited last fall. These people were not hospitable, and with some difficulty we procured 5 dogs and a few wappato from them.
Soon after we arrived at this village, the grand chief and two others of the Chee-luck-kit-le-quaw Nation arrived from below. They had with them 11 men and 7 women, and had been trading in the Columbia Valley for wappato, beads, and dried anchovies, etc., in exchange for which they had given pounded fish, shappalell, bear grass, acorns, boiled berries, etc., etc., and are now on their return to their village. As these people had been very kind to us as we descended the river, we gave them a smoke.
At 2 o'clock P.M. we set out and passed under the Beacon Rock on the north side of two small islands situated nearest the north side. At 4 P.M. we arrived at the first rapid at the head of Strawberry Island. At this place, on the northwest side of the Columbia, we found the natives from the last village rebuilding their dwellings with the bark of their old village. 16 huts are already completed and appear only temporary; it is most probable that they only reside here during the season of the salmon.
As we could not pass with the large canoes up the northwest side because of the rocks, the wind being high and a rainy, disagreeable evening, and our smallest canoe being too low to cross through the high waves, we sent her up on the northwest side with Drewyer and the two Fields. After purchasing 2 dogs, we crossed into the slough of a large, high island separated from the southeast side by a narrow channel. In this channel we found a good harbor and camped on the lower side. We saw some deer sign, and Collins is to hunt in the morning until the canoes are towed above the rapids. Made 16 miles today. Evening wet and disagreeable.
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