October 30, 1805
William Clark
A Cloudy morning. Some little rain all night, after eating a Slight brackfast of
venison we Set out
The rocks project into the river in maney places and have the appearance of haveing
fallen from the highe hills Those projected rocks is common & Small Bays below
& nitches in the rocks passed 4 Cascades or Small Streams falling from the
mountains on Lard. [There are numerous creeks near Viento, Oregon including
Viento, Starvation, Cabin, Warren, Lindsey, and Summit Creeks.]
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miles to a point of rocks on the Stard. Side, passed a number of Stumps at
Some distance in the Water, |
This part of the river resembles a pond partly dreaned leaving many Stumps bare both in
& out of the water, current about 1 mil pr. Hour
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miles to a point of a timbered bottom on Stard. Side halted to Dine,
killed a Deer & 3 ducks & a Squirel of the Mountains [Likely the Western
Gray Squirrel. See Lewis's entry of February 25, 1806.] we can plainly hear
the roreing of the grand Shutes below, saw the large Buzard white had and part of the
wings white |
| West |
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miles to the mouth of a river on th Stard. Side of about 60 yards wide
passed Std. point & many large rocks promiscuissly in the river both
above and below this river a large Sand bar on the Lard Side |
The abottom above the river is about 3/4 of a mile wide and rich, Some
deer & bear Sign-- rained moderately all day we are wet and cold.
Saw Several Specis of wood which I never Saw before, Some resembling Beech &
others Poplar.-- Day dark and disagreeable
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2 |
miles to a large rock in the river, passed Several rocks and a large Sand
bar on the Lard. Sid verry large rock near the Stard. Side High mounts.
on each Side, ruged and covd. with a variety of timber Such as Pine Sruce Seder Cotton
wood Oake |
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4 |
miles to a Island, at the Commencement of the grand Shute and the Stard.
Side where we Campd. passed maney large rocks in the river in th, a large Creek on
the Std. Side at 2 miles, with an Island in the mouth. passed 3 Islands on the
Stard. one on the Lard above 2 Small Islands opsd. to us on which there growes 6 large
Pine, 4 rock Islands which almost Chokes up the river-- a deep bay to th Stard. on
which the Indians live in 8 large worm Houses 2 ponds back of this on the Stard 1
above the Island, one on the Lard. side. Several Small rocks--in dift. pts. |
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15 |
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I with 2 men proceeded down the river 2 miles on an old Indian parth to view the
rapids, which I found impassable for our canoes without a portage, the roade bad
at 1 mile I saw a Town of Houses laterly abandoned [It is believed to
be very near the Bridge of the Gods.] on an elevated Situation opsd. a 2d Shute,
returned at dark. Capt. Lewis and 5 men went to the Town found them kind [It
has be identified by some as Y-eh-huh village.] they gave Beries &
nuts, but he cd. get nothin from them in the way of Information, the greater part of those
people out collecting roots below, rained all the evining Those people have
one gun & maney articles which they have purchased of the white people their food is
principally fish
October 30, 1805
William Clark
A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after eating a partial brackfast of
venison we Set out passed Several places where the rocks projected into the
river & have the appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen
promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the banks below those projecting
rocks whih is comon in this part of the river, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams
falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side, a remarkable circumstance in this part of
the river is, the Stumps of pine trees are in maney places are at Some distance in the
river, and gives every appearance of the rivers being damed up below from Some cause which
I am not at this time acquainted with, the Current of the river is also verry jentle not
exceeing 1 1/2 mile pr. hour and about 3/4 of a mile in width. Some rain, we landed
above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side ["New Timbered
River" in this entry but "Crusats River" after Pierre Cruzatte of the party
on Clark's map and in the combined course table at November 1, 1805. An earlier name
was scratched out on the map. It is the present Wind River.] and Dined
J. Shields Killed a Buck & Labiech 3 Ducks, here the river widens to
about one mile large Sand bar in the middle, a Great [rock] both in and
out of the water, large river, this day we Saw Some fiew of the large Buzzard [The
California Condor, Cymnogyps californianus, now nearly extinct. The last known
wild condor was captured in southern California in April 1987. Correctly described
by Lewis and Clark as the largest North American bird, it was already known to science,
but they were the first to note its presence on the Columbia. See February 16, 1806.]
Capt. Lewis Shot at one, those Buzzards are much larger than any other of ther
Spece or the largest Eagle white under part of their wings &c. The bottoms above
the mouth of this little river <which we Call> is rich covered with grass & firn
& is about 3/4 of a mile wide rich and rises gradually, below the river (which is 60
yards wide above its mouth) ther Contery rises with Steep assent. we call this
little river <fr Ash> New Tombered river from a Species of Ash [Oregon
Ash, Fraxinus latifolia. The only native species of ash in the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Ash and the Red, or Oregon, Alder, Alnus rubra are reported together
by the explorers for the first time. The Red Alder and Oregon Ash reach their eastern-most
limits in southern Skamania and western Klickitat counties. Other species such as Sitka
Spruce, Oregon White Oak, Hazelnut, and Western Redcedar are all part of this lowland
flora which extends eastward up the Columbia gorge.] <that wood> which
grows on its banks of a verry large and differnt from any we had befoe Seen, and a timber
resembling the Beech [The Red Alder, then new to science. The comparison of this
tree with the American Beech, Fagus grandifolia, which is commonly found in the
eastern U.S., is appropriate. The bark of the Red Alder is thin, gray, and smooth,
just like the beech and the growth form is somewhat similar. The leaves of the Red
Alder are similar in terms of the toothed margin and shape, but smaller than the beech,
which confirms the Red Alder identification.] in bark <& groth> but
different in its leaf which is Smaller and the tree smaller. passed maney large
rocks in the river and a large creek on the Stard. Side in the mouth of which is an
Island, [Rock Creek below Stevenson, Washington.] passed on the right of
3 Islands <on> near the Stard. Side, and landed on an Island close under the Stard.
Side at the head of the great Shute, [Nearly opposite present Cascade Locks where
they camped until November 1, 1805 on an Island in Skamania County. They were just
above the Cascades of the Columbia, now inundated by Bonneville Dam.] 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 ine,
maney large rocks also, in the head of the Shute. onds 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 Country a high mountain on each Side
thickly covered with timber, Such as Spruc, Pine, Cedar, oake Cotton &c. &c.
[The spruce is Sitka Spruce, Picea sitchensis, at its eastern distribution limit
along the Columbia River. The cottonwood is black cottonwood, the pine is ponderosa pine,
and the oak is Oregon white oak.] I took two men and walked down three
miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, passd. an
old village at 1 mile on an ellevated Situtation of this village contained
verry large houses built in 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 fles, which was emencly noumerous about the houses--. I found by examonation
that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 2 1/2 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 informtion. 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 make a tolerable fire. we
made fifteen miles to daye.
October 30, 1805
Patrick Gass
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 [The
Yehuh, a Chinookan-speaking people]. 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 about with geese and ducks. It rained hard all day,
and we came only 15 miles.
October 30, 1805
John Ordway
a cloudy morning. we bought 3 dogs of the Indians and Set out and proceeded on.
the River wide and Strait the current gentle. the timber thick on each
Side. Saw a number of beautiful Springs which came in on each Side. the narrow
bottoms along the Shores are covred with cotten timber and under brush. the after
part of the day rainy and foggy. one of the hunters killed a Deer we Saw a
great number of Swan [Likely Lewis and Clark's whistling swan, now the Tundra
Swan, Cygnus columbianus] and geese along the Shores. Some turkey
bazzards [California condor, Gymnogyps californianus] which had
white under their wings. Capt. Clark killed a black loon. towards evening we heared
a great roaring a Short distance a head which we expect is another falls. we passed
the mouth of a River [Crusat River to the Corp., for Pierre Cruzatte, now Wind
River] which came in on the Stard. side a Short distance above the big Shoote.
we Camped close above the Shoote. a number of the Savages came to our Camp and
Signed to us that they they were Surprized to See us they thought we had
rained down out of the clouds. Several of the party went to the village and was treated
verry friendly. we had come about 15 miles this day.--
October 30, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
cloudy. we bought 3 dogs of he Indians, and Set out about 7 oClock and proceeded
on. the river verry Strait and wide. the Timber thick on each Side. Saw
a nomber of beautiful Springs running out of the clifts on the Lard. Side high hills
covred with pine and Sprice. Some bottoms along the Shores covred with cotton
timber, and under brush &c. the after part of the day rainy and foggey.
one of the hunters killed a Deer. we Saw a great nomber of Swan [Probably
Lewis and Clark's Whistling Swan, now the Tundra Swan.] and geese, turkey
buzzards [California condor, Gymnogyps californianus.] which had
white on their wings &c. Capt. Clark killed a black loon. [Noted this
day by Ordway but not Clark. Most likely possibilities are the Common Loon, Gavia
immer; the Pacific Loon, G. arctica pacifica; or the Red-Throated Loon, G.
stellata.] in the evening we arived at another verry bad rapid or
falls, above which the River is gentle and wide a nomber of Islands and high rocks &c
one half mile above the falls is a village [Yehuhs, a Chinookan-language
people of whom little is known.] of about 10 well looking cabbins covred with
bark, Sunk in the ground like those at the narrows above, only these are much larger and
verry comfortable, and warm. these Savages were Surprized to See us they Signed to
us that they thought that we had rained down out of the clouds. a nomber of the
party went in the village, and was treated in a friendly manner gave fish and the
best they had to eat &c. we went 15 miles and Camped [Above the Cascades
of the Columbia River, on an island, nearly opposite Cascade Locks.] between the
village and falls. continued raining. high mountains on each Side of the falls
&c. we passed the mouth of a River [The captains named it Cruzatte's
River, after Pierre Cruzatte of the party; it is now Wind River.] came in on the
S. Side 50 yds wide. [Beginning with "high mountains," these last
several sentences are crowded in between entries.]
October 30, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
We had a cool Cloudy morning. The Natives came early to our Camp and our officers
purchases from them 3 more fat dogs. We set out on our voyage again, down the
Columbia River. We found the River at a short distance from where we started this
morning to be very strait & wide and Trees of different kinds very thick on the
Shores, on both sides of the River, and beautiful Springs running from under Clifts of
Rocks, along the Shores. We also saw on the South side of the River, a small
distance back from it, pine & Sprice Timber; which grew on high hills, and in the
bottoms on both shores were Covered with Cotton Wood trees & under brush.-- The
latter part of this day we had some Rain & it became foggy. One of our hunters
that had went out this morning, met us with a deer, which he had killed. We saw a
great quantity of Geese & Ducks in the River, & Turkey buzzards which differed in
Colour to those we had before seen, having white feathers on their wings. Captain
Clark killed along the Shores a black Raccoon. In the Evening we arrived at a very
bad Rapid or falls, above which, the River run very gentle & was wide, having a numbe
of Islands & high Rocks in it.-- We saw about half a Mile above the falls, an
Indian Village.--
This Village contained about 10 well looking Cabbins, (which were covered with bark)
sunk in the ground, as those we had seen at the falls, which I have already described
& were much more comfortable & large sized. The Indians belonging to this
Village made signs to us as we passed along by their village, that they thought &
supposed that we had rained down from the Clouds, and seemed very much surprized at seeing
us, they not beleiving that we could possibly descended the River at that season of the
Year. A number of our party went to this Indian Village, & the Indians treated
them in a very friendly manner, & gave them the best they had to eat. On each
side of these falls, lays very high mountains, and about 2 Miles above them, we passed the
mouth of a River which lay on the South side of this River, which was about 30 Yards wide
& by us called the River La Bache. [They had passed Hood (Labiche) River the
previous day.] We came about 15 Miles this day, & encamped between the
Indian Village & the falls. The Rain continued the greater part of this night.--
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