Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — Patrick Gass: November 3, 1805

I went out and killed a fine buck. At 9 we set off again, but could not see the country we were passing through because of the fog, which was very thick until noon, when it cleared away, and we had a beautiful day. At that time we came to the mouth of a river on the south side, a quarter of a mile wide, but not more than 6 or 8 inches deep, running over a bar of quicksand. At this place we dined on venison and goose; and from here we can see the high point of a mountain covered with snow, in about a southeast direction from us. Our Commanding Officers are of the opinion that it is Mount Hood, discovered by a lieutenant of Vancoover (Vancouver), who came up this river 75 miles. The river that empties in here has two mouths, through which it pushes a considerable quantity of sand into the Columbia. Opposite the lower mouth there is a handsome island. At 2 o'clock we proceeded on and passed another island. The country on both sides appears level and densely timbered: along the river the timber is cottonwood, maple, and some ash; and farther back it is mostly spruce pine. We made 13 miles and camped on a large island, on which there is a large pond full of swans, geese, and ducks. On our way and here we killed some of each kind. At night Captain Lewis had a small canoe carried over to the pond in order to hunt by moonlight, but the party did not have good luck, killing only a swan and three ducks.

LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 169

CHAP. XV.

MONDAY 4th. A fine morning. We embarked early; passed two large islands, and a beautiful stretch of the river. The tide raised the water last night two feet. We went about 7 miles and came to a large Indian village, where the people told us that in two days we would come to two ships with white people in them. The Indians here have a great deal of new cloth among them, and other articles which they got from these ships. We got some dogs and roots from the natives. The roots are of better quality than any I had seen before: they are called whapto; they resemble a potato when cooked, and are about the size of a hen's egg. Game is more plentiful here than up the river, and one of the men killed a deer this morning. At this camp of the natives they have 52 canoes, well suited for riding waves. We proceeded on, and passed some handsome islands and a beautiful stretch of the river. We also passed a number of Indian lodges, and saw a great many swans, geese, ducks, cranes, and gulls. We went 28 miles and camped on the north side. In the evening we saw Mount Rainy (Mount Rainier) on the same side. It is a handsome point of a mountain with little or no timber on it, very high, and a considerable distance from this place.