Side, and landed on an Island close under the Stard. Side at the head of the great Shute, and a little below a village of 8 large houses on a Deep bend on the Stard. Side, and opposit 2 Small Islands imediately in the head of the Shute, which Islands are covered with Pine, maney large rocks also, in the head of the Shute. Ponds back of the houses, and Countrey low for a Short distance. The day proved Cloudy dark and disagreeable with Some rain all day which kept us wet. The Countary a high mountain on each Side thickly Covered with timber, Such as Spruc, Pine, Cedar, Oake Cotton &c. &c. I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, pa.s.sd. an old village at 1 mile on an ellevated Situation of this village contained verry large houses built in a different form from any I had Seen, and laterly abandoned, and the most of the boads put into a pond of water near the village, as I conceived to drown the flees, which was emencely noumerous about the houses-. I found by examonation that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 21/2 miles, and the Canoes we Could haul over the rocks, I returned at Dark Capt Lewis and 5 men had just returned from the village, Cap L. informed me that he found the nativs kind, they gave him berries, nuts & fish to eate; but he could get nothing from them in the way of information. The greater part of the inhabitants of this village being absent down the river Some distance Colecting roots Capt.
L. Saw one gun and Several articles which must have been precured from the white people. a wet disagreeable evening, the only wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we have encamped is the newly discovered Ash, which makes a tolerable fire. we made fifteen miles to daye.
[Clark, October 31, 1805]
October 31st Thursday 1805 a cloudey raney morning I proceed down the river to view it more at leasure, I took Jos. Fields & Peter Crusat and proceeded on down, Send Crusat back at 2 ms. to examine the rapid near the sh.o.r.e & I proceeded on down about 10 miles to a very high rock in a bottom on the Stard.
opsd. 2 Islands covered with timber on which I saw Inds. at a distance; found the river rocky for 6 miles, after which the Current became uniform--at 1 mile I pa.s.sed an old deserted village on a Pond on a high Situation of 8 Houses--at 31/2 miles one house the only remt. of an antient Village 1/2 a mile lower I saw 8 Vaults for the Dead which was nearly Square 8 feet Closely Covered with broad boads Curiously engraved, the bones in Some of those vaults wer 4 feet thick, in others the Dead was yet layed Side of each other nearly East & west, raped up & bound Securley in robes, great numbers of trinkets Bra.s.s Kittle, Sea Sh.e.l.ls, Iron, Pan Hare &c. &c. was hung about the vaults and great many wooden G.o.ds, or Images of men Cut in wood, Set up round the vaults, Some of those So old and worn by time that they were nearly worn out of Shape, and Some of those vaults So old that they were roted entirely to the ground--notwithstanding they wood is of Pine & _____ or Seder as also the wooden G.o.ds
I can not learn certainly if those people worship those woden emiges, they have them in conspicuous parts of their houses at 5 miles I pa.s.sed 4 large houses on the Stard Side a little above the last rapid and opposit a large Island which is Situated near the Lard. Side--The enhabitents of those houses had left them closely Shut up, they appeared to Contn. a great deel of property and Provisions Such as those people use, I did not disturb any thing about those houses, but proceed on down below the rapid which I found to be the last, a large village has at Some period been on the Stard. Side below this rapid The bottom is high Stoney and about 2 miles wide covered with gra.s.s, here C is the head of a large Island in high water, at this time no water pa.s.ses on the Stard. Side I walked thro this Island which I found to be verry rich, open & covered with Strawberry vines, and has greatly the appearance of having at Some period been Cultivated, The natives has dug roots in Some parts of this Isld. which is about 3 miles long & 1 Wide, a Small Island covered with timber opposit the lower point no water runs on the Stard. Side. of it. below and in the middle of the river is a large Island Covered with tall trees opposit the Strawberry Island on its Stard. Side a creek falls in which has no running water at present, it has the appearanc of throwing out emense torents--I saw 5 Indians in a canoe below--Jo. killed a Sand hill Crane & we returned by the same rout to camp at the grand Shute where I found Several Indians, I Smoked. Two canoes loaded with fish for the Trade below Came down & unloaded the after noon fare
Those Indians Cut off the hands of those they kill & proserve the fingers.
[Clark, October 31, 1805]
October 31st Thursday 1805 A Cloudy rainey disagreeable morning I proceeded down the river to view with more attention we had to pa.s.s on the river below, the two men with me Jo. Fields & Peter Crusat proceeded down to examine the rapids the Great Shute which commenced at the Island on which we encamped Continud with great rapidity and force thro a narrow chanel much compressd. and interspersed with large rocks for 1/2 a mile, at a mile lower is a verry Considerable rapid at which place the waves are remarkably high, and proceeded on in a old Indian parth 21/2 miles by land thro a thick wood & hill Side, to the river where the Indians make a portage, from this place I dispatched Peter Crusat (our princ.i.p.al waterman) back to follow the river and examine the practibility of the Canoes pa.s.sing, as the rapids appeared to continue down below as far as I could See, I with Jo. Fields proceeded on, at 1/2 a mile below the end of the portage pa.s.sed a house where there had been an old town for ages past as this house was old Decayed and a plat of flees I did not enter it, about 1/2 a mile below this house in a verry thick part of the woods is 8 vaults which appeared Closely Covered and highly deckerated with orniments. Those vaults are all nearly the Same Sise and form 8 feet Square, 5 feet high, Sloped a little So as to convey off the rain made of Pine or Cedar boards Closely Connected & Scurely Covered with wide boards, with a Dore left in The East Side which is partially Stoped with wide boards curiously engraved. In Several of those vaults the dead bodies wre raped up verry Securely in Skins tied around with cords of gra.s.s & bark, laid on a mat, all east & west and Some of those vaults had as maney as 4 bodies laying on the Side of each other. the other Vaults Containing bones only, Some contained bones for the debth of 4 feet. on the tops and on poles attached to those vaults hung Bra.s.s kitties & frying pans pearced thro their bottoms, baskets, bowls of wood, Sea Shels, Skins, bits of Cloth, Hair, bags of Trinkets & Small peices of bone &c and independant of the curious ingraveing and Paintings on the boards which formed the vaults I observed Several wooden Images, cut in the figure of men and Set up on the Sides of the vaults all round. Some of those So old and worn by time, that they were nearly out of Shape, I also observed the remains of Vaults rotted entirely into the ground and covered with moss. This must bee the burrying place for maney ages for the inhabitants of those rapids, the vaults are of the most lasting timber Pine & Cedar--I cannot Say certainly that those nativs worship those wooden idols as I have every reason to believe they do not; as they are Set up in the most conspicious parts of their houses, and treated more like orniments than objects of aderation. at 2 miles lower & 5 below our Camp I pa.s.sed a village of 4 large houses abandend by the nativs, with their Bores bared up, I looked into those houses and observed as much property as is usial in the houses of those people which induced me to conclude that they wre at no great distance, either hunting or Colecting roots, to add to their winter Subsistance. from a Short distance below the vaults the mountain which is but low on the Stard. Side leave the river, and a leavel Stoney open bottom Suckceeds on the Said Std. Side for a great Distance down, the mountains high and rugid on the Lard Side this open bottom is about 2 miles a Short distance below this village is a bad Stoney rapid and appears to be the last in view I observed at this lower rapid the remains of a large and antient Village which I could plainly trace by the Sinks in which they had formed their houses, as also those in which they had buried their fish--from this rapid to the lower end of the portage the river is Crouded with rocks of various Sizes between which the water pa.s.ses with great velociety createing in maney places large Waves, an Island which is Situated near the Lard. Side occupies about half the distance the lower point of which is at this rapid. immediately below this rapid the high water pa.s.ses through a narrow Chanel through the Stard. Bottom forming an Island of 3 miles Long & one wide, I walked through this Island which I found to be verry rich land, and had every appearance of haveing been at Some distant period Cultivated. at this time it is Covered with gra.s.s intersperced with Strawberry vines. I observed Several places on this Island where the nativs had dug for roots and from its lower point I observed 5 Indians in a Canoe below the upper point of an Island near the middle of the river Covered with tall timber, which indued me to believe that a village was at no great distanc below, I could not See any rapids below in the extent of my view which was for a long distance down the river, which from the last rapids widened and had everry appearance of being effected by the tide,--I deturmind to return to Camp 10 miles distant, a remarkable high detached rock Stands in a bottom on the Stard Side near the lower point of this Island on the Stard. Side about 800 feet high and 400 paces around, we call the Beaten rock. a Brook falls into the narrow Chanel which forms the Strawberry Island, which at this time has no running water, but has every appearance of dischargeing emence torrents &c. &c. Jo. Fields Shot a Sand hill Crane. I returned by the Same rout on an Indian parth pa.s.sing up on the N W. Side of the river to our Camp at the Great Shute. found Several Indians from the village, I Smoked with them; Soon after my return two Canoes loaded with fish & Bear gra.s.s for the trade below, came down,from the village at the mouth of the Catterack River, they unloaded and turned their Canoes up Side down on the beech, & camped under a Shelveing rock below our Camp
one of the men Shot a goose above this Great Shute, which was floating into the Shute when an Indian observed it, plunged into the water & Swam to the Goose and brought in on Sh.o.r.e, at the head of the Suck, as this Indian richly earned the goose I Suffered him to keep it which he about half picked and Spited it up with the guts in it to roste.
This Great Shute or falls is about 1/2 a mile with the water of this great river Compressed within the s.p.a.ce of 150 paces in which there is great numbers of both large and Small rocks, water pa.s.sing with great velocity forming & boiling in a most horriable manner, with a fall of about 20 feet, below it widens to about 200 paces and current gentle for a Short distance. a Short distance above is three Small rockey Islands, and at the head of those falls, three Small rockey Islands are Situated Crosswise the river, Several rocks above in the river & 4 large rocks in the head of the Shute; those obstructions together with the high Stones which are continually brakeing loose from the mountain on the Stard Side and roleing down into the Shute aded to those which brake loose from those Islands above and lodge in the Shute, must be the Cause of the rivers darning up to Such a distance above, where it Shows Such evidant marks of the Common current of the river being much lower than at the present day
[Clark, November 1, 1805]
November 1st Friday 1805 a verry cold morning wind from N. E and hard Set all hands packing the loading over th portage which is below the Grand Shutes and is 940 yards of bad way over rocks & on Slipery hill Sides The Indians who came down in 2 Canoes last night packed their fish over a portage of 21/2 miles to avoid a 2d Shute. four of them took their canoes over the 1st portage and run the 2d Shute, Great numbers of Sea otters, they are So Cautious that I with deficuelty got a Shute at one to day, which I must have killed but Could not get him as he Sunk
We got all our Canoes and baggage below the Great Shute 3 of the canoes being Leakey from injures recved in hauling them over the rocks, obliged us to delay to have them repaired a bad rapid just below us three Indian canoes loaded with pounded fish for the &c. trade down the river arrived at the upper end of the portage this evening. I Can"t lern whether those Indians trade with white people or Inds. below for the Beeds & copper, which they are So fond of--They are nearly necked, prefuring beeds to anything--Those Beeds they trafick with Indians Still higher up this river for Skins robes &c. &c. The Indians on those waters do not appear to be Sickly, Sore eyes are Common and maney have lost their eyes, Some one and, maney both, they have bad teeth, and the greater perpotion of them have worn their teeth down, maney into the gums, They are rather Small high Cheeks, women Small and homely, maney of them had Sweled legs, large about the knees,-owing to the position in which they Set on their hams, They are nearly necked only a piece of leather tied about their breech and a Small robe which generally comes to a little below their wastes and Scercely Sufficely large to cover arround them when confined--they are all fond of Clothes but more So of Beeds perticularly blue & white beeds. They are durty in the extreme both in their Coockery and in their houses.
Those at the last Village raise the beads about five feet from the earth-under which they Store their Provisions--Their houses is about 33 feet to 50 feet Square, the Bore of which is about 30 Inc. high and 16 Inches wide in this form cut in a wide pine board they have maney imeges Cut in wood, generally, in the figure of a man--Those people are high with what they have to Sell, and Say the white people below Give them great Prices for what they Sell to them. Their nose are all Pierced, and the wear a white Sh.e.l.l maney of which are 2 Inch long pushed thro the nose--all the women have flat heads pressed to almost a point at top The press the female childrens heads between 2 bords when young-untill they form the Skul as they wish it which is generally verry flat. This amongst those people is considered as a great mark of butyand is practised in all the tribes we have pa.s.sed on this river more or less. men take more of the drugery off the women than is common with Indians
[Clark, November 1, 1805]
November 1st Friday 1805 A verry Cool morning wind hard from the N. E. The Indians who arrived last evining took their Canoes on ther Sholders and Carried them below the Great Shute, we Set about takeing our Small Canoe and all the baggage by land 940 yards of bad Slippery and rockey way The Indians we discoverd took ther loading the whole length of the portage 21/2 miles, to avoid a Second Shute which appears verry bad to pa.s.s, and thro which they pa.s.sed with their empty canoes. Great numbers of Sea Otters, they are So cautious that I with dificuelty got a Shot at one to day, which I must have killed, but could not get him as he Sunk
we got all our baggage over the Portage of 940 yards, after which we got the 4 large Canoes over by Slipping them over the rocks on poles placed across from one rock to another, and at Some places along partial Streams of the river. in pa.s.sing those canoes over the rocks &c. three of them recived injuries which obliged us to delay to have them repared.
Several Indian Canoes arrived at the head of the portage, Some of the men accompanied by those from the village came down to Smoke with us, they appear to Speak the Same language with a little different axcent
I visited the Indian Village found that the Construction of the houses Similar to those abov described, with this difference only that they are larger Say from 35 to 50 feet by 30 feet, raised about 5 feet above the earth, and nearly as much below The Dores in the Same form and Size cut in the wide post which Supports one end of the ridge pole and which is carved and painted with different figures & Hieroglyphics Those people gave me to eate nuts berries & a little dried fish, and Sold me a hat of ther own taste without a brim, and baskets in which they hold their water--Their beads are raised about 41/2 feet, under which they Store away their dried fish, between the part on which they lie and the back wall they Store away their roots burries nuts and valuable articles on mats, which are Spread also around the fire place which is Sunk about one foot lower than the bottom fore of the house, this fire place is about 8 feet long and Six feet wide Secured with a fraim those houses are calculated for 4, 5 & 6 families, each familey haveing a nice painted ladder to a.s.send up to their beads. I Saw in those houses Several wooden Images all cut in imitation of men, but differently fasioned and placed in the most conspicious parts of the houses, probably as an orniment I cannot lern certainly as to the traffick those Inds. carry on below, if white people or the indians who trade with the Whites who are either Settled or visit the mouth of this river. I believe mostly with the latter as their knowledge of the white people appears to be verry imperfect, and the articles which they appear to trade mostly i e Pounded fish, Beargra.s.s, and roots; cannot be an object of comerce with furin merchants--however they git in return for those articles Blue and white beeds copper Tea Kitties, bra.s.s arm bands, some Scarlet and blue robes and a fiew articles of old clothes, they prefer beeds to any thing and will part with the last mouthfull or articles of clothing they have for a fiew of those beeds, those beeds the trafick with Indians Still higher up this river for roabs, Skins, cha-pel-el bread, beargra.s.s &c. who in their turn trafick with those under the rockey mountains for Beargra.s.s, Pashico roots & robes &c.
The nativs of the waters of the Columbia appear helthy, Some have turners on different parts of their bodies, and Sore and weak Eyes are common, maney have lost their Sight entirely great numbers with one eye out and frequently the other verry weak; This misfortune I must again a.s.scribe to the water &c. They have bad teeth, which is not common with indians, maney have worn their teeth down and Some quite into their gums, this I cannot Satisfactorily account for it, do ascribe it in some measure to their method of eateing, their food, roots pertiularly, which they make use of as they are taken out of the earth frequently nearly covered with Sand, I have not Seen any of their long roots offered for Sale clear of Sand. They are rether below the Common Size high cheeks womin Small and homely, and have Swelled legs and thighs, and their knees remarkably large which I ascribe to the method in which they Sit on their hams-go nearly necked wareing only a piece of leather tied about their breast which falls down nearly as low as the waste, a Small roabe about 3 feet Square, and a piece of leather tied about their breach, They have all flat heads in this quarter They are tirty in the extream, both in their person and cooking, ware their hare loose hanging in every direction. They asc high prices for what they Sell and Say that the white people below give great prices for every thing &c.
The noses are all pierced and when they are dressed they have a long tapered piece of white sh.e.l.l or wampum put through the nose, Those Sh.e.l.ls are about 2 inches in length. I observed in maney of the villeages which I have pa.s.sed, the heads of the female children in the press for the purpose of compressing their heads in their infancy into a certain form, between two boards
[Clark, November 2, 1805]
Novr. 2d Sat.u.r.day 1805 Meridian alt.i.tude 59 45" 45" made a portage of about 11/2 miles with half of the Baggage, and run the rapid with the Canoes without much damage, one Struck a rock & Split a little, and 3 others took in Some water 7 Squars Came over the portage loaded with Dried fish & Beargra.s.s, Soon after 4 men Came down in a Canoe after takeing brackfast, & after taking a meridian alt.i.tude we Set out Pa.s.sed 2 bad rapids one at 2 & the other at 4 mile below the Isd on Lard. and upper end of Strawberry Island on the Stard. Side from the Creek end of last Course
We Labiech killed 14 Geese & a Brant, Collins one Jos. Fields & R 3 those gees are much Smaller than Common, and have white under their rumps & around the tale, The tide rises here a fiew 9 Inches, I cannot a.s.sertain the prosise hite it rises at the last rapid or at this placeof Camp.
The Indians we left at the portage pa.s.sed us this evening one other Canoe Come up
[Clark, November 2, 1805]
November 2nd Sat.u.r.day 1805 Examined the rapid below us more pertcelarly the danger appearing too great to Hazzard our Canoes loaded, dispatched all the men who could not Swim with loads to the end of the portage below, I also walked to the end of the portage with the carriers where I delayed untill everry articles was brought over and canoes arrived Safe. here we brackfast and took a Meridn. alt.i.tude 5945"45" about the time we were Setting out 7 Squars came over loaded with Dried fish, and bear gra.s.s neetly bundled up, Soon after 4 Indian men came down over the rapid in a large canoe. pa.s.sed a rapid at 2 miles & 1 at 4 miles opposit the lower point of a high Island on the Lard Side, and a little below 4 Houses on the Stard. Bank, a Small Creek on the Lard Side opposit Straw berry Island, which heads below the last rapid, opposit the lower point of this Island pa.s.sed three Islands covered with tall timber opposit the Beatin rock Those Islands are nearest the Starboard Side, imediately below on the Stard. Side pa.s.sed a village of nine houses, which is Situated between 2 Small Creeks, and are of the Same construction of those above; here the river widens to near a mile, and the bottoms are more extensive and thickly timbered, as also the high mountains on each Side, with Pine, Spruce pine, Cotton wood, a Species of ash, and alder.
at 17 miles pa.s.sed a rock near the middle of the river, about 100 feet high and 80 feet Diamuter, proceed on down a Smoth gentle Stream of about 2 miles wide, in which the tide has its effect as high as the Beaten rock or the Last rapids at Strawberry Island,--Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver. Labeach killed 14 brantjoseph Fields 3 & Collins one. we encamped under a high projecting rock on the Lard. Side, here the mountains leave the river on each Side, which from the great Shute to this place is high and rugid; thickly Covered with timber princ.i.p.alley of the Pine Species. The bottoms below appear extensive and thickly Covered with wood. river here about 21/2 miles wide. Seven Indians in a Canoe on their way down to trade with the nativs below, encamp with us, those we left at the portage pa.s.sed us this evening and proceeded on down The ebb tide rose here about 9 Inches, the flood tide must rise here much higher--we made 29 miles to day from the Great Shute-
[Clark, November 3, 1805]
November 3rd Sunday 1805 The fog So thick this morning we did not think it prudent to Set out untill 10 oClock we Set out and proceeded on verry well, accompanied by our Indian friends--This morning Labich killed 3 Geese flying Collins killed a Duck--The water rose Inches last night the effects of tide.
The Countrey has a handsom appearance in advance no mountains extensive bottoms--the water Shallow for a great distance from Sh.o.r.e-. The fog continued thick untill 12 oClock, we Coasted, and halted at the mouth of a large river on the Lard Side, This river throws out emence quanty of Sand and is verry Shallow, th narrowest part 200 yards wide bold Current, much resembling the river Plat, Several Islands about 1 mile up and has a Sand bar of 3 miles in extent imedeately in its mouth, discharging it waters by 2 mouths, and Crowding its Corse Sands So as to throw the Columbian waters on its Nothern banks, & confdg it to 1/2 ms. in width Pa.s.sed a Small Prarie on the Stard. Side above, a large Creek opposit qk Sand River on the Stard. Side, extensive bottoms and low hilley Countrey on each Side (good wintering Place) a high peaked mountain Suppose to be Mt. Hood is on the Lard Side S. 85 E. 40 miles distant from the mouth of quick Sand river.-
[Clark, November 3, 1805]
November 3rd Sunday 1805 The Fog So thick this morning that we could not See a man 50 Steps off, this fog detained us untill 10 oClock at which time we Set out, accompanied by our Indian friends who are from a village near the great falls, previous to our Setting out Collins killed a large Buck, and Labiech killed 3 Geese flying. I walked on the Sand beech Lard. Side, opposit the canoes as they pa.s.sed allong. The under groth rushes, vines &c. in the bottoms too thick to pa.s.s through, at 3 miles I arrived at the enterance of a river which appeared to Scatter over a Sand bar, the bottom of which I could See quite across and did not appear to be 4 Inches deep in any part; I attempted to wade this Stream and to my astonishment found the bottom a quick Sand, and impa.s.sable--I called to the Canoes to put to Sh.o.r.e, I got into the Canoe and landed below the mouth, & Capt Lewis and my Self walked up this river about 11/2 miles to examine this river which we found to be a verry Considerable Stream Dischargeing its waters through 2 Chanels which forms an Island of about 3 miles in length on the river and 11/2 miles wide, composed of Corse Sand which is thrown out of this quick Sand river Compressing the waters of the Columbia and throwing the whole Current of its waters against its Northern banks, within a Chanel of 1/2 a mile wide, Several Small Islands 1 mile up this river, This Stream has much the appearance of the River Plait; roleing its quick Sands into the bottoms with great velocity after which it is divided into 2 Chanels by a large Sand bar before mentioned, the narrowest part of this River is 120 yards-on the Opposit Side of the Columbia a falls in above this Creek on the Same Side is a Small prarie. extensive low country on each Side thickly timbered.
The Quick Sand river appears to pa.s.s through the low countrey at the foot of those high range of mountains in a Southerly direction,--The large Creeks which fall into the Columbia on the Stard. Side rise in the Same range of mountains to the N. N. E. and pa.s.s through Some ridgey land--A Mountain which we Suppose to be Mt. Hood is S. 85 E about 47 miles distant from the mouth of quick sand river This mtn. is Covered with Snow and in the range of mountains which we have pa.s.sed through and is of a Conical form but rugid--after takeing dinner at the mouth of this river we proceeded on pa.s.sed the head of a Island near the lard Side back of which on the Same Side and near the head a large Creek falls in, and nearly opposit & 3 miles below the upper mouth of quick Sand river is the lower mouth, This Island is 31/2 miles long, has rocks at the upper point, Some timber on the borders of this Island in the middle open and ponney. Some rugid rocks in the middle of the Stream opposit this Island. proceeded in to Center of a large Island in the middle of the river which we call Dimond Isld. from its appearance, here we met 15 Indn men in 2 canoes from below, they informed us they Saw 3 vestles below &c. &c. we landed on the North Side of this Dimond Island and Encamped, Capt. L walked out with his gun on the Island, Sent out hunters & fowlers--below quick Sand River the Countrey is low rich and thickly timbered on each Side of the river, the Islands open & Some ponds river wide and emence numbers of fowls flying in every direction Such as Swan, geese, Brants, Cranes, Stalks, white guls, comerants & plevers &c. also great numbers of Sea Otter in the river--a Canoe arrived from the village below the last rapid with a man his wife and 3 children, and a woman whome had been taken prisoner from the Snake Inds. on Clarks River I Sent the Interpreters wife who is a So So ne or Snake Indian of the Missouri, to Speake to this Squar, they Could not understand each other Sufficiently to Converse. This familey and the Inds. we met from below continued with us Capt Lewis borrowed a Small Canoe of those Indians & 4 men took her across to a Small lake in the Isld. Cap L. and 3 men Set out after night in this Canoe in Serch of the Swans, Brants Ducks &c. &c. which appeared in great numbers in the Lake, he Killed a Swan and Several Ducks which made our number of fowls this evening 3 Swan, 8 brant and 5 Ducks, on which we made a Sumptious Supper. We gave the Indian-who lent the Canoe a brant, and Some meat to the others. one of those Indians, the man from the village near the lower Rapids has a gun with a bra.s.s barrel & c.o.c.k of which he prises highly--note the mountain we Saw from near the forks proves to be Mount Hood
[Clark, November 4, 1805]
Novr. 4th Monday 1805 A Cloudy Cool morning, wind West, we Set out at 1/2 past 8 oClock having dispatched 4 men in the Small canoe to hunt
(Those people men & women heads are flat)
We landed at a village 200 men of Flatheads of 25 houses 50 canoes built of Straw, we were treated verry kindly by them, they gave us round root near the Size of a hens egg roasted which they call Wap-to to eate
I walked out on the Stard. Side found the country fine, an open Prarie for 1 mile back of which the wood land comence riseing back, the timber on the edge of the Prarie is white oke, back is Spruce pine & other Species of Pine mixed Some under groth of a wild crab & a Specis of wood I"m not acquainted, a Specis of maple & Cotton wood grow near this river, Some low bushes
Indians continue to be with us, Several Canoes Continue with us, The Indians at the last village have more Cloth and uriopian trinkets than above I Saw Some Guns, a Sword, maney Powder flasks, Salers jackets, overalls, hats & Shirts, Copper and Bra.s.s trinkets with few Beeds only.
dureing the time I was at Dinner the Indians Stold my tomahawk which I made use of to Smoke I Serched but Could not find it, a Pond on the Stard Side, off from the river. Raspberries and ____ are also in the bottoms--met a large and Small canoe with 12 men from below the men were dressed with a variety of articles of European manufactory the large Canoe had emeges on the bow & Stern handsomly Carved in wood & painted with the figur of a Bear in front & man in a Stern. Saw white geese with black wings--Saw a Small Crab-apple with all the taste & flavor of the Common--Those Indians were all armed with Pistols or bows and arrows ready Sprung war axes &c.
Mount h.e.l.len bears N. 25 E about 80 miles, this is the mountain we Saw near the foks of this river. it is emensely high and covered with Snow, riseing in a kind of Cone perhaps the highest pinecal from the common leavel in america pa.s.sed a village of 4 hs. on the Stard Side at 2 mils, one at 3 mls.
One deer 2 Ducks & Brant killed