Lewis: April 29, 1806
With Chief Yellept's loaned canoes, the expedition ferried their baggage across the Columbia River and gathered horses, while purchasing dogs and shappellell, bringing their dog supply to twelve for the plains crossing. Told by their guide that no water lay within reach by nightfall, they camped on the Walla Walla River near an Indian fishing weir. Lewis described the weir, fishing methods, and the river's geography, and speculated about the Multnomah's headwaters. They gave medals to two minor chiefs, who reciprocated with horses. Cold, windy, rainy weather caused them to decline the natives' request to dance.
Tuesday April 29th 1806. This morning Yellept furnished us with two canoes
and we began to transport our baggage over the river; we also sent a party
of the men over to collect the horses. we purchased some dogs and
shappellell this morning. we had now a store of 12 dogs for our voyage
through the plains. by 11 A.M. we had passed the river with our party and
baggage but were detained several hours in consequence of not being able
to collect our horses. our guide now informed us that it was too late in
the evening to reach an eligible place to encamp; that we could not reach
any water before night. we therefore thought it best to remain on the
Wallahwollah river about a mile from the Columbia untill the morning, and
accordingly encamped on that river near a fish wear. this wear consists of
two curtains of small willow switches matted together with four lines of
withs of the same materials extening quite across the river, parrallel
with eah other and about 6 feet assunder. those are supported by several
parsels of poles placed in the manner before discribed of the fishing
wears. these curtains of willow are either roled at one end for a few feet
to permit the fish to pass or are let down at pleasure. they take their
fish which at present are a mullet only of from one to five lbs., with
small seines of 15 or 18 feet long drawn by two persons; these they drag
down to the wear and raise the bottom of the seine against the willow
curtain. they have also a small seine maniaged by one person it bags in
the manner of the scooping net; the one side of the net is confined to a
simicircular bow of half the size of a man’s arm and about 5 feet long;
the other side is confined to a strong string which being attatched to the
extremities of the bow forms the cord line to the simicircle. The
Wallahwollah river discharges itself into the Columbia on it’s S. side 15
miles below the entrance of Lewis’s river or the S. E. branch. a high
range of hills pass the Columbia just below the entrance of this river.
this is a handsome stream about 41/2 feet deep and 50 yds. wide; it’s bed
is composed of gravel principally with some sand and mud; the banks are
abrupt but not high, tho it dose not appear to overflow; the water is
clear. the indians inform us that it has it’s surces in the range of
mountains in view of us to the E and S. E. these mountains commence a
little to the south of Mt. Hood and extending themselves in a N.
Eastwardly direction terminate near a Southen branch of Lewis’s river
short of the Rocky mountains. The Towannahiooks river, river LaPage and
the Wollah-wollah rivers all take their rise on the N side of these
mountains; two principal branches of the first of these take their rise in
Mountains Jefferson and hood. these mountains are covered with snow at
present tho do not appear high; they seperate the waters of the Multnomah
from those of the Columbia river. they appear to be about 65 or 70 miles
distant from hence. The Snake indian prisoner informed us that at some
distance in the large plains to the South of those mountains there was a
large river runing to the N. W. which was as wide as the Columbia at this
place which is nearly one mile. this account is no doubt some what
exagerated but it serves to evince the certainty of the Multnomah being a
very large river and that it’s waters are seperated from the Columbia by
those mountains and that with the aid of a southwardly branch of Lewis’s
river which passes arrond the eastern extremity of those mountains, it
must water that vast tract of country extending from those mountains to
the waters of the gulph of California. and no doubt it heads with the
Yellowstone river and the del Nord. we gave small medals to two inferior
cheifs of this nation and they each presented us a fine horse in return we
gave them sundry articles and among others one of my case pistols and
several hundred rounds of amunition. there are 12 other lodges of the
Wollahwollah nation on this river a little distance below our camp. 12
these as well as those beyond the Columbia appear to depend on this
fishing wear for their subsistence. these people as well as the Chymnahpos
are very well dressed, much more so particularly their women than they
were as we decended the river last fall most of them have long shirts and
leggings, good robes and mockersons. their women wear the truss when they
cannot procure the shirt, but very few are seen with the former at this
moment. I presume the success of their winters hunt has produced this
change in their attire. they all cut their hair in their forehead and most
of the men wear the two cews over each sholder in front of the body; some
have the addition of a few small plats formed of the earlocks and others
tigh a small bundle of the docked foretop in front of the forehead. their
ornaments are such as discribed of the nations below and are woarn in a
similar manner. they insisted on our dancinq this evening but it rained a
little the wind blew hard and the weather was cold, we therefore did not
indulge them.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, April 29th, 1806. This morning Yellept furnished us with two canoes, and we began to transport our baggage over the river. We also sent a party of the men over to collect the horses. We purchased some dogs and shappellell (cous root bread) this morning. We now had a store of 12 dogs for our voyage through the plains. By 11 A.M. we had crossed the river with our party and baggage, but were detained several hours because we were unable to collect our horses. Our guide now informed us that it was too late in the evening to reach a good place to camp, and that we could not reach any water before night. We therefore thought it best to remain on the Wallahwollah River about a mile from the Columbia until morning, and accordingly camped on that river near a fish weir.
This weir consists of two curtains of small willow switches matted together with four lines of withes of the same materials, extending quite across the river, parallel to each other and about 6 feet apart. These are supported by several bundles of poles placed in the manner described before for the fishing weirs. These curtains of willow are either rolled up at one end for a few feet to permit the fish to pass, or are let down at pleasure. They take their fish—which at present are mullet only, from one to five pounds—with small seines 15 or 18 feet long drawn by two persons. These they drag down to the weir and raise the bottom of the seine against the willow curtain. They also have a small seine managed by one person; it bags in the manner of a scooping net. One side of the net is fastened to a semicircular bow about half the size of a man's arm and about 5 feet long; the other side is attached to a strong string which, being fastened to the ends of the bow, forms the chord line of the semicircle.
The Wallahwollah River empties into the Columbia on its south side, 15 miles below the entrance of Lewis's River, or the southeast branch. A high range of hills crosses the Columbia just below the entrance of this river. This is a handsome stream, about 4 1/2 feet deep and 50 yards wide. Its bed is composed mostly of gravel with some sand and mud. The banks are abrupt but not high, though it does not appear to overflow; the water is clear. The Indians inform us that it has its sources in the range of mountains in view of us to the east and southeast. These mountains begin a little to the south of Mt. Hood and, extending in a northeasterly direction, end near a southern branch of Lewis's River, short of the Rocky Mountains. The Towannahiooks River, River LaPage, and the Wallahwollah Rivers all rise on the north side of these mountains; two principal branches of the first of these rise in Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood. These mountains are covered with snow at present, though they do not appear high. They separate the waters of the Multnomah from those of the Columbia River. They appear to be about 65 or 70 miles distant from here.
The Snake Indian prisoner informed us that at some distance in the large plains to the south of those mountains there is a large river running to the northwest, as wide as the Columbia at this place, which is nearly one mile. This account is no doubt somewhat exaggerated, but it serves to demonstrate the certainty of the Multnomah being a very large river, and that its waters are separated from the Columbia by those mountains; and that, with the aid of a southwardly branch of Lewis's River which passes around the eastern end of those mountains, it must water that vast tract of country extending from those mountains to the waters of the Gulf of California. And no doubt it heads with the Yellowstone River and the Rio del Norte.
We gave small medals to two lesser chiefs of this nation, and they each presented us a fine horse in return. We gave them sundry articles, and among others one of my case pistols and several hundred rounds of ammunition. There are 12 other lodges of the Wallahwollah nation on this river a little distance below our camp. These, as well as those beyond the Columbia, appear to depend on this fishing weir for their subsistence. These people, as well as the Chymnahpos, are very well dressed—much more so, particularly their women, than they were when we descended the river last fall. Most of them have long shirts and leggings, good robes, and moccasins. Their women wear the truss when they cannot procure the shirt, but very few are seen with the former at this moment. I presume the success of their winter's hunt has produced this change in their attire. They all cut their hair across the forehead, and most of the men wear two queues over each shoulder in front of the body; some have the addition of a few small plaits formed from the ear locks, and others tie a small bundle of the docked foretop in front of the forehead. Their ornaments are such as described for the nations below and are worn in a similar manner. They insisted on our dancing this evening, but it rained a little, the wind blew hard, and the weather was cold, so we did not indulge them.
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