Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — Patrick Gass: November 4, 1805

passed two large islands, and a beautiful part 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
they informed 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 a superior quality to any I had
before seen: they are called whapto; resemble a potatoe when
cooked, and are about as big as a hen egg. Game is more
plenty 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 calculated for riding waves. We proceeded on,
and passed some handsome islands, and down a beautiful part
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 encamped on the north side. In the
evening we saw Mount Rainy on the same side. It is a hand-
some point of a mountain with little or no timber on it, very
high, and a considerable distance off this place.