Clark: October 22, 1805
On a calm, fair morning, the expedition set out at 9 a.m. and traveled 19 miles down the Columbia, passing several rapids, rocky islands, and numerous Indian lodges where natives were drying and pounding salmon into baskets for trade. They observed the mouth of a large river entering from the southeast, which Lewis and Clark explored briefly but left unnamed. Reaching the Great Falls, they scouted a 1200-yard portage on the starboard side and made camp below the rapids, hiring Indians with horses to help carry heavy goods. They purchased a dog for supper and struggled to obtain firewood. The men remained healthy.
October 22nd Tuesday 1805 a fine morning Calm. we Set out at 9 oClock and
on the Course S. 52° W. 10 miles passed lodges & Inds. and rapids as
mentioned in the Cours of yesterday, from the expiration of
Took our Baggage & formed a Camp below the rapids in a cove on the
Stard Side the distance 1200 yards haveing passed at the upper end of the
portage 17 Lodges of Indians, below the rapids & above the Camp 5
large Loges of Indians, great numbers of baskets of Pounded fish on the
rocks Islands & near their Lodges thos are neetly pounded & put in
verry new baskets of about 90 or 100 pounds wight. hire Indians to take
our heavy articles across the portage purchased a Dog for Supper Great
numbers of Indians view us, we with much dificuelty purchd. as much wood
as Cooked our dogs this evening, our men all in helthThe Indians
have their grave yards on an Island in the rapids. The Great Chief of
those Indians is out hunting. no Indians reside on the Lard Side for fear
of the Snake Indians with whome they are at war and who reside on the
large fork on the lard. a little above
—
October 22d Tuesday 1805 A fine morning calm and fare we Set out at 9
oClock passed a verry bad rapid at the head of an Island close under the
Stard. Side, above this rapid on the Stard Side is Six Lodges of nativs
Drying fish, at 9 mls. passed a bad rapid at the head of a large Island of
high, uneaven rocks, jutting over the water, a Small Island in a Stard.
Bend opposit the upper point, on which I counted 20 parcels of dryed and
pounded fish; on the main Stard Shore opposit to this Island five Lodges
of Indians are Situated Several Indians in Canoes killing fish with gigs,
&c. opposit the center of this Island of rocks which is about 4 miles
long we discovered the enterence of a large river on the Lard. Side which
appeared to Come from the S. E.we landed at Some distance above the
mouth of this river and Capt. Lewis and my Self Set out to view this river
above its mouth, as our rout was intersepted by a deep narrow Chanel which
runs out of this river into the Columbia a little below the place we
landed, leaveing a high dry rich Island of about 400 yards wide and 800
yards long here we Seperated, I proceeded on to the river and Struck it at
the foot of a verry Considerable rapid, here I beheld an emence body of
water Compressd in a narrow Chanel of about 200 yds in width, fomeing over
rocks maney of which presented their tops above the water, when at this
place Capt. Lewis joined me haveing delayed on the way to examine a root
of which the nativs had been digging great quantities in the bottoms of
this River. at about two miles above this River appears to be confined
between two high hils below which it divided by numbers of large rocks,
and Small Islands covered with a low groth of timber, and has a rapid as
far as the narrows three Small Islands in the mouth of this River, this
River haveing no Indian name that we could find out, except “the River on
which the Snake Indians live,” we think it best to leave the nameing of it
untill our return.
we proceeded on pass the mouth of this river at which place it appears to
discharge 1/4 as much water as runs down the Columbia. at two miles below
this River passed Eight Lodges on the Lower point of the Rock Island
aforesaid at those Lodges we saw large logs of wood which must have been
rafted down the To war-ne hi ooks River, below this Island on the main
Stard Shore is 16 Lodges of nativs; here we landed a fiew minits to Smoke,
the lower point of one Island opposit which heads in the mouth of
Towarnehiooks River which I did not observe untill after passing these
lodges about 1/2 a mile lower passed 6 more Lodges on the Same Side and 6
miles below the upper mouth of Towarnehiooks River the comencement of the
pitch of the Great falls, opposit on the Stard. Side is 17 Lodges of the
nativs we landed and walked down accompanied by an old man to view the
falls, and the best rout for to make a portage which we Soon discovered
was much nearest on the Stard. Side, and the distance 1200 yards one third
of the way on a rock, about 200 yards over a loose Sand collected in a
hollar blown by the winds from the bottoms below which was disagreeable to
pass, as it was Steep and loose. at the lower part of those rapids we
arrived at 5 Large Lodges of nativs drying and prepareing fish for market,
they gave us Philburts, and berries to eate, we returned droped down to
the head of the rapids and took every article except the Canoes across the
portag where I had formed a camp on ellegable Situation for the protection
of our Stores from Thieft, which we were more fearfull of, than their
arrows. we despatched two men to examine the river on the opposit Side,
and reported that the Canoes could be taken down a narrow Chanel on the
opposit Side after a Short portage at the head of the falls, at which
place the Indians take over their Canoes. Indians assisted us over the
portage with our heavy articles on their horses, the waters is divided
into Several narrow chanels which pass through a hard black rock forming
Islands of rocks at this Stage of the water, on those Islands of rocks as
well as at and about their Lodges I observe great numbers of Stacks of
pounded Salmon neetly preserved in the following manner, i e after
Suffiently Dried it is pounded between two Stones fine, and put into a
speces of basket neetly made of grass and rushes of better than two feet
long and one foot Diamiter, which basket is lined with the Skin of Salmon
Stretched and dried for the purpose, in theis it is pressed down as hard
as is possible, when full they Secure the open part with the fish Skins
across which they fasten tho the loops of the basket that part very
Securely, and then on a Dry Situation they Set those baskets the Corded
part up, their common Custom is to Set 7 as close as they can Stand and 5
on the top of them, and secure them with mats which is raped around them
and made fast with cords and Covered also with mats, those 12 baskets of
from 90 to 100 w. each form a Stack. thus preserved those fish may be kept
Sound and Sweet Several years, as those people inform me, Great quantities
as they inform us are Sold to the whites people who visit the mouth of
this river as well as to the nativs below.
on one of those Island I saw Several tooms but did not visit them The
principal Chiefs of the bands resideing about this Place is out hunting in
the mountains to the S. W.no Indians reside on the S. W.side of
this river for fear (as we were informed) of the Snake Indians, who are at
war with the tribes on this river-they represent the Snake Indians
as being verry noumerous, and resideing in a great number of villages on
Towarnehiooks River which falls in 6 miles above on the Lard. Side and is
reaches a great ways and is large a little abov its mouth at which part it
is not intersepted with rapids, they inform that one considerable rapid
& maney Small ones in that river, and that the Snake live on Salmon,
and they go to war to their first villages in 12 days, the Couse they
pointed is S. E. or to the S of S. E. we are visited by great numbers of
Indians to Day to view us, we purchased a Dog for Supper, Some fish and
with dificuelty precured as much wood as Cooked Supper, which we also
purchased we made 19 miles to day
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
October 22nd, Tuesday, 1805. A fine, calm morning. We set out at 9 o'clock and on a course of S. 52° W. for 10 miles passed lodges, Indians, and rapids as mentioned in yesterday's course. From the end of the rapids, we took our baggage and formed a camp below the rapids in a cove on the starboard side, the distance being 1200 yards. We had passed 17 lodges of Indians at the upper end of the portage, and below the rapids and above the camp were 5 large lodges of Indians. There were great numbers of baskets of pounded fish on the rocks, islands, and near their lodges. These are neatly pounded and put in very new baskets of about 90 or 100 pounds weight. We hired Indians to take our heavy articles across the portage and purchased a dog for supper. Great numbers of Indians came to view us. We had much difficulty purchasing as much wood as would cook our dogs this evening. Our men are all in health. The Indians have their graveyards on an island in the rapids. The great chief of these Indians is out hunting. No Indians reside on the larboard side for fear of the Snake Indians, with whom they are at war and who reside on the large fork on the larboard side a little above.
October 22nd, Tuesday, 1805. A fine morning, calm and fair. We set out at 9 o'clock and passed a very bad rapid at the head of an island close under the starboard side. Above this rapid on the starboard side are six lodges of natives drying fish. At 9 miles we passed a bad rapid at the head of a large island of high, uneven rocks jutting over the water. There is a small island in a starboard bend opposite the upper point, on which I counted 20 parcels of dried and pounded fish. On the main starboard shore opposite this island, five lodges of Indians are situated, and several Indians in canoes were killing fish with gigs, etc. Opposite the center of this island of rocks, which is about 4 miles long, we discovered the entrance of a large river on the larboard side which appeared to come from the S.E.
We landed at some distance above the mouth of this river, and Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and myself set out to view this river above its mouth. As our route was intercepted by a deep, narrow channel which runs out of this river into the Columbia a little below the place where we landed, leaving a high, dry, rich island of about 400 yards wide and 800 yards long, we separated here. I proceeded on to the river and struck it at the foot of a very considerable rapid. Here I beheld an immense body of water compressed in a narrow channel of about 200 yards in width, foaming over rocks, many of which presented their tops above the water. While at this place, Capt. Lewis joined me, having delayed on the way to examine a root of which the natives had been digging great quantities in the bottoms of this river. About two miles above, this river appears to be confined between two high hills, below which it is divided by numbers of large rocks and small islands covered with a low growth of timber, and has a rapid as far as the narrows. There are three small islands in the mouth of this river. This river having no Indian name that we could find out, except "the River on which the Snake Indians live," we think it best to leave the naming of it until our return.
We proceeded on past the mouth of this river, at which place it appears to discharge 1/4 as much water as runs down the Columbia. Two miles below this river, we passed eight lodges on the lower point of the rock island mentioned above. At these lodges we saw large logs of wood which must have been rafted down the Towarnehiooks River. Below this island on the main starboard shore are 16 lodges of natives. Here we landed a few minutes to smoke. The lower point of one island, which heads in the mouth of Towarnehiooks River, I did not observe until after passing these lodges. About 1/2 mile lower we passed 6 more lodges on the same side, and 6 miles below the upper mouth of Towarnehiooks River was the commencement of the pitch of the Great Falls. Opposite, on the starboard side, are 17 lodges of the natives. We landed and walked down, accompanied by an old man, to view the falls and the best route for making a portage, which we soon discovered was much closer on the starboard side, the distance being 1200 yards. One third of the way is on rock, and about 200 yards is over loose sand collected in a hollow blown by the winds from the bottoms below, which was disagreeable to pass as it was steep and loose. At the lower part of these rapids we arrived at 5 large lodges of natives drying and preparing fish for market. They gave us filberts and berries to eat. We returned, dropped down to the head of the rapids, and took every article except the canoes across the portage, where I had formed a camp in an eligible situation for the protection of our stores from theft, which we were more fearful of than their arrows. We dispatched two men to examine the river on the opposite side, and they reported that the canoes could be taken down a narrow channel on the opposite side after a short portage at the head of the falls, at which place the Indians take over their canoes. Indians assisted us over the portage with our heavy articles on their horses. The waters are divided into several narrow channels which pass through a hard black rock, forming islands of rock at this stage of the water. On these islands of rocks, as well as at and about their lodges, I observed great numbers of stacks of pounded salmon neatly preserved in the following manner: that is, after being sufficiently dried, it is pounded fine between two stones and put into a species of basket neatly made of grass and rushes, better than two feet long and one foot in diameter. This basket is lined with the skin of salmon, stretched and dried for the purpose. In this it is pressed down as hard as is possible. When full, they secure the open part with the fish skins across, which they fasten through the loops of the basket very securely. Then, in a dry situation, they set these baskets with the corded part up. Their common custom is to set 7 as close as they can stand and 5 on top of them, and to secure them with mats which are wrapped around them and made fast with cords and also covered with mats. These 12 baskets of from 90 to 100 lbs. each form a stack. Thus preserved, these fish may be kept sound and sweet several years, as these people inform me. Great quantities, as they inform us, are sold to the white people who visit the mouth of this river as well as to the natives below.
On one of these islands I saw several tombs but did not visit them. The principal chiefs of the bands residing about this place are out hunting in the mountains to the S.W. No Indians reside on the S.W. side of this river for fear (as we were informed) of the Snake Indians, who are at war with the tribes on this river. They represent the Snake Indians as being very numerous and residing in a great number of villages on Towarnehiooks River, which falls in 6 miles above on the larboard side and reaches a great way and is large a little above its mouth, at which part it is not intercepted with rapids. They inform us that there is one considerable rapid and many small ones in that river, and that the Snakes live on salmon, and that they go to war to their first villages in 12 days. The course they pointed was S.E. or to the south of S.E. We were visited by great numbers of Indians today come to view us. We purchased a dog for supper and some fish, and with difficulty procured as much wood as would cook supper, which we also purchased. We made 19 miles today.
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