Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 23, 1805
The expedition portaged and lowered their canoes down a major falls totaling 37 feet 8 inches in height over 1200 yards, with most of the crew dragging the canoes 450 yards around an initial 20-foot drop on the south side before letting them down by cords. By evening all canoes reached the encampment safely on the north side. Captain Lewis recorded the latitude as 45°42'57.3" North. The party noted numerous Indians at this important fishing site, traded for several dogs to eat, and observed the dramatic rocky gorge below the pitch.
forenoon all hands, but three left to keep camp, went up and
took the canoes over to the south side; as the natives said
that was the best side of the river to take them down. Here
we had to drag them 450 yards round the first pitch which
is 20 feet perpendicular. We then put them into the water
and let them down the rest of the way by cords. The whole
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION _ 163
height of the falls is 37 feet 8 inches, in a distance of 1200
yards. In the evening we got all our canoes safe down to the
encampment on the north side. The natives are very numer-
ous about these falls, as it is a great fishing place in the
spring of the year. The country on both sides of the river
here is high, and the bluffs rocky. Captain Lewis had an ob-
servation which made the latitude of this place 45° 42 57. 3.
North. We got several dogs from these Indians, which we
find strong wholesome diet. The high water mark below the
falls is 48 feet, and above only 10 feet four inches from the
surface of the water: so that in high water there is nothing
but a ripid, and the salmon can pass up without difficulty.
The reason of this rise in the water below the falls is, that for
three miles down, the river is so confined by rocks (being not
more than 70 yards wide) that it cannot discharge the water,
as fast as it comes over the falls, until what is deficient in
breadth is made up in depth. About the great pitch the
appearance of the place is terrifying, with vast rocks, and the
river below the pitch, foaming through different channels.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
In the forenoon all hands, except three left to keep camp, went up and took the canoes over to the south side, as the natives said that was the best side of the river to take them down. Here we had to drag them 450 yards around the first pitch, which is 20 feet perpendicular. We then put them into the water and let them down the rest of the way by cords. The whole height of the falls is 37 feet 8 inches, over a distance of 1200 yards. In the evening we got all our canoes safely down to the camp on the north side.
The natives are very numerous around these falls, as it is a great fishing place in the spring of the year. The country on both sides of the river here is high, and the bluffs are rocky. Captain Lewis took an observation which made the latitude of this place 45° 42' 57.3" North. We got several dogs from these Indians, which we find to be a strong, wholesome diet.
The high water mark below the falls is 48 feet, and above only 10 feet 4 inches from the surface of the water; so that in high water there is nothing but a rapid, and the salmon can pass up without difficulty. The reason for this rise in the water below the falls is that for three miles downstream the river is so confined by rocks (being not more than 70 yards wide) that it cannot discharge the water as fast as it comes over the falls, until what is lacking in breadth is made up in depth. Around the great pitch the appearance of the place is terrifying, with vast rocks, and the river below the pitch foaming through different channels.
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