Cascades of the Columbia, portage — Patrick Gass: October 29, 1805

passed high hills on both sides of the river, on which there
was pine timber; and some birch on the banks of the river.
At breakfast time we stopt at a small village of the natives
and purchased some more dogs; then proceeded on; passed a
number more Indian camps, and a high mountainous country
on both sides. In the evening we discovered a high mountain
to the south, not more than five miles off, covered with snow.
We have here still water; and the breadth of the river is from
three quarters to a mile. We went 23 miles and encamped at
a small village on the north side.
VF ednesday 30th. ‘The morning was cloudy; the river and
country we found much the same as yesterday. At noon we
stopped to dine and one of the men went out and killed a
large buck. A number of fine springs come down the hills
on the South side; and we passed a small river on the north.
In the evening we came to the head of falls, where there is a
large Indian village. On our way down we saw a great many
swans, geese and ducks; and a number of sea otter. There
are some small bottoms along the river, with cotton wood on
them, and on the banks of the river, some white oak, ash and
hazlenut. At a distance there are ponds which abound with
geese and ducks. It rained hard all day, and we came only
15 miles.