William Clark: October 16, 1805

This morning after the Luner observations, the old chief came down, and several men with dogs to sell & womin with fish &c. the Dogs we purchased the fish not good. I took 2 men and set out in a small canoe with a view to go as high up the Columbia river as the 1st fork which the Indians made signs was but a short distance, I set out at 2 oClock first course was N. 83° W 6 miles to the lower point of a Island on the Lar. Side, passed an Island in the middle of the river at 5 miles, at the head of which is a rapid not bad at this rapid 3 Lodges of mats on the Lar. emence quantites of dried fish. Then West 4 miles to the Lower point of an Island on the Star. Side 2 lodges of Indians large and built of mats, passed 3 verry large mat lodges at 2 mile on the Star. Side large scaffols of fish drying at every lodge, and piles of salmon lying, the squars engaged prepareing them for the scaffol. a squar gave me a dried salmon, from those lodges on the Island an Indian showed me the mouth of the river which falls in below a high hill on the Lar.

This river is remarkably clear and crouded with salmon in maney places, I observe in assending great numbers of salmon dead on the shores, floating on the water and in the Bottom which can be seen at the debth of 20 feet, the cause of the emence numbers of dead salmon I can’t account for so it is I must have seen 3 or 400 dead and maney living.

Source: Thwaites, Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1904–05). Public domain.