Portaging Cascades of the Columbia upstream — Patrick Gass: April 4, 1806
Hunters brought in a deer, geese, and four elk, with men working to dry the meat. While Gass was hunting, Captain Clark learned of a large river entering the Columbia from the south about 40 miles downstream, hidden by a large island. Clark took six men to investigate and found it 500 yards wide, with several Indian nations living along it, possibly heading toward rivers flowing to the Gulf of California. They bought dogs at a village and returned. Gass and two men watched a bear den overnight but only retrieved the cubs.
killed a deer and some geese, and then went to the camp. A
party that went out on the upper side of Sandy river, killed 4
elk, and some of the men were out drying the meat.
While I was out hunting, Capt. Clarke got information
that a large river came in on the south side of the Columbia,
about 40 miles below this place, opposite a large island, which
had concealed it from our view: and went down with six men
to view it. He found it to bea very large river, 500 yards
wide, with several nations of Indians living on it; and its
source supposed to be near the head waters of some of the
rivers, which fall into the gulph of California. On their
return they bought some dogs at an Indian village; and last
14
210 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
night arrived at camp. Four men were sent on ahead this
forenoon in a canoe to hunt; and I went out with two more
to the den where we saw the cubs, to watch for the old bear:
we staid there until dark and then encamped about a quarter
of a mile off, and went back early in the morning; but the
old one was not returned: so we took the cubs and returned
to camp.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Killed a deer and some geese, and then went to the camp. A party that went out on the upper side of Sandy river killed 4 elk, and some of the men were out drying the meat.
While I was out hunting, Capt. Clarke (Capt. Clark) got information that a large river came in on the south side of the Columbia, about 40 miles below this place, opposite a large island, which had concealed it from our view; and he went down with six men to view it. He found it to be a very large river, 500 yards wide, with several nations of Indians living on it; and its source was supposed to be near the headwaters of some of the rivers which fall into the Gulf of California. On their return they bought some dogs at an Indian village, and last night arrived at camp.
Four men were sent on ahead this forenoon in a canoe to hunt; and I went out with two more to the den where we saw the cubs, to watch for the old bear. We stayed there until dark and then camped about a quarter of a mile off, and went back early in the morning; but the old one had not returned, so we took the cubs and returned to camp.
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