Departed Fort Clatsop, ascending Columbia River — John Ordway: March 29, 1806

Saw blossom and wild onions along the South Side in the after-
noon we passd the m° of [blank in Ms.] River6 which came in
on N. Side which is high and puts in with a Swift current, little
above we arived at the village of the [blank in Ms.[ nation7
which is a large village and the most of their huts join, this
village is more decent than any I have Seen below, we delayed
1 Fisher’s Island. Coues.
2 Two miles below the mouth of Cowlitz River.
3 The Kalama River, Cowlitz County, Wash. The camp was on the Oregon
side, several miles above the mouth of Kalama River.
4 The name Deer Island, the English equivalent of the name bestowed on
the place by the Indians, still persists.
5 J. Fields even reported to Lewis “that the Vultures had draged a large
buck which he had killed about 30 yards, had skined it and broken the back
bone.”
8 Lewis River, in its lower course the boundary between Cowlitz and Clarke
counties, Wash.
7 “The Cathlahpohtle nation.” Lewis. Lewis River was formerly named
for the tribe, and on some maps the name still persists.
334 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Mar. 30
at this village about 3 hours. Cap’ Clark bought a Robe which
was made of 2 Sea otter Skins from the princepal man who he
made a chief Gave him a meddle, he put it on his wife. Cap1
Clark Gave the chief a blue blanket edged with red & Small
also an old flag, which he was Satisfied with, we bought Several
fat dogs and Some wapatoes from the natives, towards evening
we proceed on a Short distance further and Camped on a handsom
Green where had once been a village.1 Some of the natives
visited us. thier women instead of wearing the Straw & bark
Short peticoats wear a Soft leather breach cloth all above
this Side of the Mountains are dressed in this way & nothing
more to cover the most part of them, but those below on the
coast wear the Short pticoats. Some among them all have a
kind of a fur garment beaver &C. dressed and cut in narrow
stripes & Sewed together &C.