October 20, 1805
William Clark
a very cold morning wind S. W. about 100 Indians Came over this
morning to See us, after a Smoke, a brackfast on Dogs flesh we Set out. about 350
men
| West |
5 |
miles to a Std. bend head of a rapd passed the Island at 1
mile 3 Indns. Lodges on Lard |
| S 20o W. |
10 |
miles passed rockey bad rapid on the Stard. a Chain of rocks from
the Std. Several small Isd.-- on the Lard. good water. passed an Indian
fishing Camp of 4 Lodges deserted, fish hanging on Scaffels (Saw great numbers of Pelicans
& Comerants, black) To a Lard. Bend opsd. a large Isd. on the Stard. Side |
| S. 60o W. |
8 |
miles to the Commencement of a high Cuntrey on the Stard. Side.
passed 3 Islands nearly opposit, 2 furst on the Stard. Side Indians encd. [encamped]
on each Island. we Came to at Some Camps on the lower point of the 1st &
dined. purchased a fiew indifferent fish & Some berries-- examined a vault
&c. &c. passed 4 Lodges on a Island near the Stard. Side opsd. a bad rapid
at the lower point of th Island |
| S. W |
18 |
miles to a Point of high land in the Std. bend Passed a large Island
in the middle of the R at 8 miles one on the Lard. & one on the Stard. below
both Small, one other imedeately below in the middle, passed a Lard. point at 10 miles
high eneavin lands on the Stard. low and leavil on the Lard. Side Passed 5
Islands Small on the Stard. Side and 5 on the Lard. Side a Small one in the middle
of the river at 16 miles The land is higher on the Lard. Side passed a Small
riffle at the head of the 12 Islands in this <Course> Day. |
|
42 |
|
Killed 2 large speckle guls [Probably immature specimens that
cannot be identified.] 4 Duck in Malade [duckinmallard] Small ducks the
flavour of which much resembes the Canvis back [Canvasback, Aythya valisineria.]
no timber of any kind on the river, we Saw in the last Lodges acorns of the white
oake [Oregon white, or Garry, oak, Quercus garryana, is the only white
oak species in Washington. It occurs mainly west of the Cascades but extends up the
Columbia Gorge approximately 25 miles above the Dalles. It was a plant new to science.]
which the Inds. inform they precure above the falls The men are badly dressed, Some
have scarlet & blue coth robes. one has a Salors jacket, [Evidence of at
least indirect contact with white men.] The women have a Short indiferent Shirt,
a Short robe of Deer or Goat Skins, & a Small Skin which they fastend. tite around
their bodies & fastend. between the legs to hide the [Clark placed a symbol
somewhat in the form of his sun symbol which possibly represents the women's covered
parts.] <passed on the Stard. and on the Lard. one Small in the Middle
of the river at 16 miles>
October 20, 1805
William Clark
A cool morning wind S. W. we concluded to delay untill after brackfast which we
were obliged to make on the flesh of dog. after brackfast we gave all the Indian men
Smoke, and we Set out leaveing about 200 of the nativs at our Encampment; passd. three
Indian Lodges on the lard Side a little below our Camp which lodges <we> I did not
discover last evening, passed a rapid at Seven miles one at a Short distance below we
passed a verry bad rapid, a chane of rocks makeing from the Stard. Side and nearly
Chokeing the river up entirely with hugh black rocks, ["Pelecan rapid"
on Clark's map. This is possibly in the area of Crow Butte State Park, Washington.]
an Island below close under the Stard. Side on which was four Lodges of Indians
drying fish,-- here I Saw a great number of pelicons on the wing, and black
Comerants. [The American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, and
the Doublecrested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus. See February 6, 1806, for a
description of the Cormorant.] at one oClaock we landed on the lower oint
of <Some> an Island at Some Indian Lodges, a large Island on the Stard Side nearly
opposit and a Small one a little below on the Lard Side one those three Island I
counted Seventeen Indian Lodges, those people are in every respect like those
above, prepareing fish for theire winter consumption here we purchased a fiew
indifferent Dried fish & a fiew berries on which we dined-- (On the upper part of this
Island we discovered an Indian vault[)] our curiosity induced us to
examine the methot those nativs practicd in diposeing the dead, the Vaut was made by broad
poads [boards] and pieces of Canoes leaning on a ridge pole which was
Suported by 2 forks Set in the ground Six feet in hight in an easterly and westerly
direction and about 60 feet in length, and 12 feet wide, in it I observed great numbers of
humane bones of every description perticularly in a pile near the Center of the vault, on
the East End 21 Scul bomes forming a circle on Mats--; in the Westerley part of the Vault
appeared to be appropriated for those of more resent death, as many of the bodies of the
deceased raped up in leather robes lay [in rows] on board
covered with mats, &c we observed, indiependant of the canoes which Served as a
Covering, fishing nets of various kinds, Baskets of different Sizes, wooden boles, robes
Skins, treachers, and various Kind of trinkets, in and Suspended on the ends of the pieces
forming the vault; we also Saw the Skeletons of Several Horses at the vault & great
number of bones about it, which Convinced me that those animals were Sacrefised as well as
the above articles to the Deceased.) after diner we proceeded on to a bad rapid at
the lower point of a Small Island on which four Lodges of Indians were Situated drying
fish; here the high countrey Commences again on the Stard. Side leaveing a vallie of 40
miles in width, from the mustle Shel rapid. examined and passed this rapid close to
the Island at 8 miles lower passed a large Island near the middle of the river a
brook on the Stard. Side and 11 Islds. all in view of each other below, a riverlet [rivulet:
possibly later Willow Creek, Oregon.] falls in on the Lard. Side behind a Small
Island a Small rapid below. The Star Side is high rugid hills, the Lard. Side a low
plain and not a tree to be Seen in any Direction exept a fiew Small willow bushes which
are Scattered partially on the Sides of the bank
The river to day is about 1/4 of a mile in width; this evening the Countrey on the
lard. Side rises to the hight of that on the Starboard Side, and is wavering-- we
made 42 <days> miles to day; [Their camp of this day was probably in the
area of Roosevelt, Washington.] the current much more uniform than
yesterday or the day before. Killed 2 Spevckle guls Severl. ducks of a delicious
flavour.
October 20, 1805
Patrick Gass
A fine clear frosty morning. We set out early; passed along a handsome part of the
river, saw some pelicans and gulls. And as the shores are lined with dead salmon, there
are abundance of crows and ravens. Vast quantities of these fish die at this time of the
year. At noon we came to an Indian camp on the point of a large island, where we stopped
and got some fish and other provisions. We here saw some articles which shewed that white
people had been here or not far distant during the summer. They have a hempen seine and
some ash paddles which they did not make themselves. At 1 o'clock we proceeded on again,
went 42 miles, and encamped without any of the natives being along, which is unusual on
this river. We could not get one single stick of wood to cook with; and had only a few
small green willows.
October 20, 1805
John Ordway
a clear frosty morning. we Set out eairly. proceeded on
passed a pleasant part of the County level Smooth plains but no timber. the
River Smooth. we Saw Some pilicans and abundance of ravens and crows, [Common
raven, Corvus corax, western common crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis]
as the Shores are lined with dead Sammon. about 12 oClock we halted at a
village to dine where we bought a fiew roots &C. and Saw among them a number of
articles which came from white people. Such as copper kittles Scarlet &C. passed
many rapid places of water. the country continues as yesterday our
hunters who went in the small canoe killed nine ducks and a goose to day. we came 46
miles this day. and Camped [Near Roosevelt, Washington] on the
Starbord Side no wood except a fiew Small willows.--
October 20, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
a clear frosty morning. we Set out eairly. passed a handsom peace of the
River the country low Smooth plains on each Side. Saw Some pillicans, and
abundance of crows & ravens, as the Shores is lined with dead Sammon. about 12
oClock we came to a large Indian Camp on the point of a large Island. we halted to
dine. we bought Several Small articles from the natives and Saw Some articles which
came from Some white people Such as copper kittles, red cloth Some arsh paddles &c.
we proceeded on passed a great nomber of Indian Camps, where they had
abundance of fish hung on Scaffels to dry. passed over Several rapids to day but no
exident hapened. the country continues as usal the hunters killed 9 ducks and
a goose this day. we Come 46 miles and Camped [Near Roosevelt, Washington]
on the Stard. Side. no wood only a fiew Small Sticks, & green willow &c.
we Saw Some akehorns among the natives which is a Sign of oak being in the country
for they boil and eat them. we Saw red cloth whicvh appeared to have come from
[white?] people this last Sommer.--
October 20, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
A clear frosty morning, We set out early on our Voyage, & passed a handsome piece
of the River, where the Country lay low & smooth plains lying on both sides of the
River, We saw some Pelicans & a number of Crows & Ravens, which we supposed to be
occasiond from the very great quantity of dead Salmon, which the River Shores were lined
with.-- About 12 o'Clock A.M. we came to where, there was a very large Camp of
Indians, laying on the point of an Island. We halted to dine at that place. We
purchased from those Indians, several small articles & saw among them some articles
which <they> must have been originally purchased from white people. They were
Copper kettles, red Cloth, Ash paddles neatly made; knives &ca. We proceeded on,
and passed a great number of Indian Camps, which were inhabited in all of which the
Natives had abundance of Salmon hung up on scaffolds to dry. We also passed over a
number of Rapids but without any accident, happening to us.--
The appearance of the Country is the same as Yesterday. Our hunters killed 9
Ducks, & a goose this day in the River. In the evening we encamped on the North
side of the River, where we found no other article to make fire with, but small sticks
& green Willows. We say this day among the Natives, some Acorns, which they
roasted & Eat, and some red Cloth, which appeared not to be long Imported from
Europe.--
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