Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage — Patrick Gass: October 23, 1805

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.