Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — John Ordway: November 3, 1805

John Ordway · Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary · Thwaites Vol. Quaife 1916

That night's camp, per the NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino): right shore, 4 mi E Portland airport area, WA

on a marshey green below the Camp one of our hunters Shot
Several flying. Several Savages Stayed with us last night they
have 2 canoes with them, we perceive the tide rise and fall a little
at this place, one of the hunters went out a Short distance to
hunt, and killed a large Deer, about 9 oClock we set out and pro-
ceeded on the fog So thick that we could not See across the
River. passd Several Sand Islands about noon we halted to
dine at the mouth of a River which is filled with quick Sand and is
wide and Shallow our officers name this River Quick Sand
River2 on the Lard Side, here we perceive the tide water, we Saw
the round mountain some distance a head which we expect is the
same we saw Some time past, our officers think that it is the
Same which was discovred by Lieu* Hood and is called Hood
Mountain.3 the after part of the day pleasant the River is
better than a mile wide in general, towards evening we met sev-
eral Indians in canoes they Signed to us that their was Some white
people and vessells &C passed Several bottoms covred with
cotten and oak pine &C. the Country not so Mountaineous as
above, we came 13 miles this day and Camped on a verry large
Island4 which is mostly prarie and large ponds. which is full
of Swan Geese brants and ducks &C. Several Indians camped
with us. at Sunset we got a small canoe and carried in the pond
Several Swan geese and brants killed by the party to day and this
evening.