Clark: October 25, 1805

October 25th, Friday 1805. A cold morning. We determined to attempt the channel after breakfast. I took down all the party below the bad places with a load and one canoe passed well, a second passed well. I had men on the shore with ropes to throw in in case any accident happened at the whirl, etc. The Indians on the rocks were viewing us. The third canoe nearly filled with water; we got her safe to shore. The last canoe came over well, which to me was truly gratifying. We set out and had not passed 2 miles before 3 canoes ran against a rock in the river with great force, no damage. We met with a 2nd chief of the nation returning from hunting; we smoked with him and his party and gave him a medal of the small size, and set out. We passed great numbers of rocks, good water, and came to at a high point of rocks below the mouth of a creek which falls in on the larboard side and heads up toward the high snow mountain to the S.W. This creek is 20 yards wide and has some beaver signs at its mouth. The river is about 1/2 a mile wide and crowded with sea otters, and a drum fish was seen this evening. We took possession of a high point of rocks to defend ourselves in case the threats of those Indians below should be put in execution against us. Sent out some hunters to look for any signs of game; one man killed a small deer and several others were seen. I killed a goose, and we supped heartily on venison and goose. Camped on the rock with a guard under the hill.

October 25th, Friday 1805. A cool morning. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and myself walked down to see the place the Indians pointed out as the worst place in passing through the gut, which we found difficult to pass without great danger. But as the portage was impracticable with our large canoes, we concluded to make a portage of our most valuable articles and run the canoes through accordingly. On our return we divided the party, some to take over the canoes, and others to take our stores across a portage of a mile to a place on the channel below this bad whirl and suck. With some others I had stationed on the channel with ropes to throw out to any who should unfortunately meet with difficulty in passing through. A great number of Indians were viewing us from the high rocks under which we had to pass. The first 3 canoes passed through very well; the 4th nearly filled with water; the last passed through by taking in a little water. Thus, safely below what I conceived to be the worst part of this channel, I felt myself extremely gratified and pleased.

We loaded the canoes and set out, and had not proceeded more than two miles before the unfortunate canoe which filled crossing the bad place above ran against a rock and was in great danger of being lost. This channel is through a hard, rough, black rock, from 50 to 100 yards wide, swelling and boiling in a most tremendous manner in several places, on which the Indians inform me they take the salmon as fast as they wish. We passed through a deep basin to the starboard side of 1 mile below which the river narrows and is divided by a rock. The current we found quite gentle. Here we met with our two old chiefs who had been to a village below to smoke a friendly pipe, and at this place they met the chief and party from the village above on his return from hunting, all of whom were then crossing over their horses. We landed to smoke a pipe with this chief, whom we found to be a bold, pleasing-looking man of about 50 years of age, dressed in a war jacket, a cap, leggings, and moccasins. He gave us some meat, of which he had but little, and informed us that on his route he had met with a war party of Snake Indians from the great river of the S.E. which falls in a few miles above, and had a fight. We gave this chief a medal, etc., and a parting smoke with our two faithful friends the chiefs who accompanied us from the head of the river (who had purchased a horse each with 2 robes and intended to return on horseback).

We proceeded on. The water was fine, with rocks in every direction for a few miles, when the river widens and becomes a beautiful gentle stream of about half a mile wide. Great numbers of the sea otter were about those narrows and both below and above. We came to under a high point of rocks on the larboard side below a creek of 20 yards wide and much water. As it was necessary to make some celestial observations, we formed our camp on the top of a high point of rocks, which forms a kind of fortification in the point between the river and creek, with a boat guard. This situation we conceive well calculated for defense, and convenient to hunt under the foot of the mountain to the West and S.W., where timber of different kinds grows and appears to be handsome coverts for the deer, in oak woods. Sent out hunters to examine for game. G. D. killed a small deer, and others saw much sign. I killed a goose in the creek which was very fat. One of the guard saw a drum fish today. As we conceived our situation well calculated to defend ourselves from any designs of the natives, should they be inclined to attack us.

This little creek heads in the range of mountains which run S.S.W. and N.W. for a long distance, on which is scattering pine, white oak, etc. The pinnacle of the round-topped mountain which we saw a short distance below the forks of this river is S. 43° W. of us and about 37 miles. It is at this time topped with snow. We called this the Falls Mountain or Timm Mountain. The face of the country, on both sides of the river above and about the falls, is steep, rugged, and rocky, open, and contains but a small proportion of herbage, no timber, a few bushes excepted. The natives at the upper falls raft their timber down Towarnehooks River, and those at the narrows take theirs up the river to the lower part of the narrows from this creek, and carry it over land 3 miles to their houses, etc. At the mouth of this creek I saw some beaver sign, and a small wolf in a snare set in the willows. The snares, of which I saw several made to catch wolves, are made as follows, viz: a long pole which will spring is made fast with bark to a willow; on the top of this pole a string