Lewis: March 30, 1806

Sunday March 30th 1806. We got under way very early in the morning, and had not reached the head of the island before we were met by three men of the Clan-nah-minna-mun nation. We recognized one of them as the same man who had accompanied us yesterday, and who was very pressing in his entreaties that we should visit his nation on the inlet southwest of Wappetoe Island. At the distance of about 2 miles, or at the head of the Quathlahpahtle Island, we met a party of the Claxtars and Cathlahcumups in two canoes. Soon after, we were met by several canoes of the different nations who reside on each side of the river near this place.

Wappetoe Island is about 20 miles long and from 5 to 10 miles in width. The land is high and extremely fertile, and intersected in many parts with ponds which produce great quantities of the Sagittaria sagittifolia, the bulb of which the natives call wappetoe. There is a heavy growth of cottonwood, ash, the large-leafed ash, and sweet willow on most parts of this island. The black alder common on the coast has now disappeared. We passed several fishing camps on Wappetoe Island, and at the distance of 5 miles above Quathlahpotle Island, on the northeast side, we halted for breakfast near the place we had camped on the evening of the 4th of November last.

Here we were visited by several canoes which came off from two towns situated a little distance above us on Wappetoe Island. The first of these tribes, about 2 miles above us, call themselves Clan-nah-quah; the other, about a mile above them, call themselves Mult-no-mah. From these visitors we purchased a sturgeon and some wappetoe and pashequa, for which we gave some small fishhooks. These, like the natives below, are great hagglers in dealing.

At 10 a.m. we set out, and had not proceeded far before we came to a landing place of the natives where there were several large canoes drawn out on shore and several natives sitting in a canoe, apparently waiting our arrival. They joined the fleet and continued with us some miles. We halted a few minutes at this landing, and the Indians pointed to a village which was situated about 2 miles from the river behind a pond lying parallel with it on the northeast side, nearly opposite the Clan-nah-quah town. Here they informed us that the Sho-toes resided. Here we were joined by several other canoes of natives from the island. Most of these people accompanied us until 4 in the evening, when they all returned. Their principal object, I believe, was merely to indulge their curiosity in looking at us. They appeared very friendly, though most had taken the precaution to bring with them their warlike implements.

We continued our route along the northeast shore of the river to the place we had halted to dine on the 4th of November, opposite the center of Image Canoe Island, where the Indians stole Capt. Clark's (Captain Clark's) tomahawk. Here we camped a little before sunset in a beautiful prairie above a large pond, having traveled 23 miles. I took a walk of a few miles through the prairie and an open grove of oak timber which borders the prairie on the back part. I saw 4 deer in the course of my walk and much sign of both elk and deer. Joseph Fields, who was also out a little above me, saw several elk and deer but killed none of them. They are very shy, and the annual fern, which is now dry and abundant in the bottoms, makes so much noise in passing through it that it is extremely difficult to get within reach of the game. Fields killed and brought with him a duck. About 10 p.m. an Indian alone in a small canoe arrived at our camp; he had some conversation with the sentinel and soon departed.

The natives who inhabit this valley are larger and rather better made than those of the coast. Like those people, they are fond of cold, hot, and vapor baths, which they make frequent use of both in sickness and in health and at all seasons of the year. They have also a very singular custom among them of bathing themselves all over with urine every morning.

The timber and appearance of the country is much as before described. The uplands are covered almost entirely with a heavy growth of fir of several species like those described in the neighborhood of Fort Clatsop. The white cedar is also found here, of large size; no white pine, nor pine of any other kind. We had a view of Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. The first is the most noble-looking object of its kind in nature. Its figure is a regular cone. Both these mountains are perfectly covered with snow, at least the parts of them which are visible.

The highlands in this valley are rolling, though by no means too steep for cultivation. They are generally fertile, of a dark rich loam, and tolerably free of stones. This valley is terminated on its lower side by the mountainous country which borders the coast, and above by the range of mountains which the Columbia passes between the great falls and rapids of the Columbia River. It is about 70 miles wide on a direct line, and its length I believe to be very extensive, though how far I cannot determine. This valley would be competent to the maintenance of 40 or 50 thousand souls if properly cultivated, and is indeed the only desirable situation for a settlement which I have seen on the west side of the Rocky Mountains.