Departed Fort Clatsop, ascending Columbia River — John Ordway: March 29, 1806
Traveling upriver, the party noticed blossoms and wild onions along the south bank before passing the mouth of Lewis River entering swiftly from the north. They reached the large Cathlahpohtle village, where they stopped for about three hours. Captain Clark bought a robe made of two sea otter skins from the principal man, designating him a chief and presenting him with a medal, a blue blanket edged with red, and an old flag. They also acquired fat dogs and wapatoes, then continued on and camped on a green that had formerly held a village. Ordway noted that women in this region wore leather breechcloths rather than the bark or straw skirts seen on the coast.
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.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saw blossoms and wild onions along the south side. In the afternoon we passed the mouth of [blank in Ms.] River, which came in on the north side, which is high and enters with a swift current. A little above, we arrived at the village of the [blank in Ms.] nation, which is a large village, and most of their huts join together. This village is more decent than any I have seen below. We stopped at this village about three hours.
Capt. Clark (Capt. Clark) bought a robe, which was made of two sea otter skins, from the principal man, whom he made a chief. He gave him a medal, which he put on his wife. Capt. Clark gave the chief a blue blanket edged with red, and a small one also, along with an old flag, with which he was satisfied. We bought several fat dogs and some wapatoes from the natives.
Toward evening we proceeded on a short distance further and camped on a handsome green where there had once been a village. Some of the natives visited us. Their women, instead of wearing the short straw and bark petticoats, wear a soft leather breechcloth. All the women on this side of the mountains are dressed in this way and have nothing more to cover the most part of them, but those below on the coast wear the short petticoats. Some among them all have a kind of fur garment of beaver, etc., dressed and cut in narrow strips and sewn together, etc.
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