Portaging Cascades of the Columbia upstream — John Ordway: April 9, 1806
After bailing leaky canoes, the party loaded up and departed around 9 a.m., proceeding along the south shore of the Columbia. They caught up with the Field brothers, who had killed nothing, and someone shot an eagle. At a Wahclellah village on the north side, they bought fat dogs and recovered Captain Clark's pipe tomahawk, stolen the previous fall; the villagers were offended but compliant. They passed Strawberry Island, bought more dogs at a newly built village, and camped on the south shore. Heavy rain and strong northwest winds set in.
bailed our canoes found Some of them to leak loaded up &
about 9 oClock we departed and proceed on along the South Shore
overtook the 2 Fields who had killed nothing about noon Some
of the men killed an eagle, we crossed over to the North Side &
halted at a village2 of the wa-cla-lah nation where we bought 5
or 6 fat dogs, found Cap* Clarks pipe tommahawk which was
stole from him last fall, below Quick Sand River, we took it
from them, they signd that they bought it below and appeared
to be highly afronted at our taking it but were afraid to Show it.
a number of these natives are moveing up to the big Shoote to
fish &C. a number of an other nation overtook us who belong
up near the big falls &C. a large creek puts in close above the
1 In Multnomah County, Ore. nine miles, according to t ho explorers’ reckon-
ing, above the mouth of Washougal River.
« “about a mile above the beacon rock.” Lewis. This, now known :is
Castle Rock, is one of the best-known landmarks on the Columbia. It stands
in a meadow, separated from the adjoining lulls, and rises steeply to a height
of several hundred feet. It is visible from below for a distance of some twenty
miles.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 339
village which we did not discover last fall, when we pass’1 down
we dined and proceed on passd Strabury Island where the Swift
water begins, we halted at a village at the foot of the 1st rapid,
on N. Side which was lately erected, we purchased 2 fat dogs
and crossed over to the South Shore and Camped behind [blank
in Ms.] Island1 commenced raining hard & high winds from
N. W. the River much higher at this time than it was last fall
when we passd down. Some Spots of Snow is now on the tops of
these Mountains Near the River.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We bailed out our canoes, found some of them to leak, loaded up, and about 9 o'clock we departed and proceeded on along the south shore. We overtook the two Fields, who had killed nothing. About noon some of the men killed an eagle. We crossed over to the north side and halted at a village of the Wa-cla-lah nation, where we bought 5 or 6 fat dogs. We found Capt Clark's (Capt. Clark's) pipe tomahawk, which had been stolen from him last fall below Quick Sand River. We took it from them. They signed that they had bought it below, and appeared to be highly affronted at our taking it, but were afraid to show it. A number of these natives are moving up to the Big Shoot to fish, etc. A number of another nation overtook us who belong up near the Big Falls, etc. A large creek comes in close above the village, which we did not discover last fall when we passed down.
We dined and proceeded on, passed Strawberry Island where the swift water begins. We halted at a village at the foot of the first rapid, on the north side, which had been lately erected. We purchased 2 fat dogs and crossed over to the south shore and camped behind [blank in Ms.] Island. It commenced raining hard, with high winds from the northwest. The river is much higher at this time than it was last fall when we passed down. Some spots of snow are now on the tops of these mountains near the river.
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