Monday April 7th 1806 This morning Drewyer & the two Fields Set out agreeably to their orders of last evening, the remainder of the party employed in drying the flesh of the five Elk killed by Shannon yesterday. which was completed and we had it Secured in dried Shaved Elk Skins and put on board in readiness for our early departure. we were visited by Several parties of Indians from a Village about 12 miles above us of the Sahhalah nation. one of them was detected in Stealing a piece of Lead. I Sent him off imedeately. I hope now we have a Sufficient Stock of dryed meat to Serve us as far as the Chopunnish provided we can obtain a fiew dogs, horses and roots by the way. in the neighbourhood of the Chopunnish under the Rocky Mountains we can precure a fiew deer, and perhaps a Bear or two for the Mountains.
The day has been fair and weather exceedingly pleasent. we made our men exersise themselves in Shooting and regulateing their guns, found Several of them that had their Sights moved by accident, and others that wanted Some little alterations all which were compleated rectified in the Course of the day except my Small rifle, which I found wanted Cutting out. about 4 oClock P M all the Indians left us, and returned to their Village. they had brought with them Wappato, & pashequa roots Chapellel cakes, and a Species of Raspberry for Sale, none of which they disposed of as they asked Such enormous prices for those articles that we were not able to purchase any. Drewyer returned down the river in the evening & informed us that the nativs had Sceared all the Elk from the river above. Joseph & reuben Fields had proceeded on further up the river in the canoe, he expected to the village.
I provaled on an old indian to mark the Multnomah R down on the Sand which hid and perfectly Corisponded with the Sketch given me by sundary others, with the addition of a circular mountain which passes this river at the falls and connects with the mountains of the Seacoast. he also lais down the Clark a mos passing a high Conical Mountain near it's mouth on the lower Side and heads in Mount Jefferson which he lais down by raiseing the Sand as a very high mountain and Covered with eternal Snow. the high mountain which this Indian lais down near the enterance of Clark a mos river, we have not Seen as the hills in it's diretion from this vally is high and obscures the Sight of it from us. Mt Jefferson we Can plainly See from the enterance of Multnomah from which place it bears S. E. this is a noble Mountain and I think equally as high or Something higher than Mt. St. Heleansa but its distance being much greater than that of the latter, So great a portion of it does not appear above the range of mountains which lie between both those Stupendious Mountains and the Mouth of Multnomah. like Mt. St. Heleans its figure is a regular Cone and is covered with eturnial Snow. that the Clarkamos nation as also those at the falls of the Multnomah live principally on fish of which those Streams abound and also on roots which they precure on it's borders, they also Sometimes Come down to the Columbia in Serch of Wappato. they build their houses in the Same form with those of the Columbian Vally of wide Split boads and Covered with bark of the White Cedar which is the entire length of the one Side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of about 18 inches transvers Spinters of dried pine is inserted through the Ceder bark inorder to keep it Smooth and prevent it's edge from Colapsing by the heat of the Sun; in this manner the nativs make a very Secure light and lasting roof of this bark. which we have observed in every Vilege in this Vally as well as those above. this Indian also informed me the multnomah above the falls was Crouded with rapids and thickly inhabited by indians of the Callah-po-e-wah Nation. he informed he had himself been a long way up that river &c.
Tuesday April 8th 1806. The wind blew so violently this morning that we were obliged to unlode our perogues and canoes, soon after which they filled with water. being compelled to remain during the day at our present station we sent out some hunters in order to add something to our stock of provision; and exposed our dryed meat to the sun and the smoke of small fires. in the evening the hunters returned having killed a duck only; they saw two bear and some of the blacktailed jumping or fallow deer, such as are found about Fort Clatsop; this kind of deer are scarce in this neighbourhood, the common longtailed fallow deer being most abundant. we have seen the black bear only in this quarter. the wind continued without intermission to blow violently all day. I took a walk today of three miles down the river; in the course of which I had an opportunity to correct an errow which I have heretofore made with rispect to the shrub I have hithertoo called the large leafed thorn. the leaf of this thorn is small being only abut 21/2 inches long, is petiolate, conjugate; the leafets are petiolate accutely pointed, having their margins cut with unequal angular insissures. the shrub which I have heretofore confounded with this grows in similar situations, has a stem precisely like it except the thorn and bears a large three loabed leaf. this bryer is of the class Polyandria and order Polygynia. the flowers are single, the peduncle long and celindric. the calix is a perianth, of one leaf, five cleft, & accutely pointed. the perianth is proper, erect, inferior with rispect to both petals and germen, and equal. the corolla consists of five accute pale scarlet petals, insirted in the recepticle with a short and narrow claw. the Corolla is smooth, moderately long, situated at the base of the germen, permanent, and cup shaped. of the stamens the filaments are subulate, inserted into the recepticle, unequal and bent inwards concealing the pistillum; anther two loabed and inflected situated on the top of the fillaments of the pistillum the germ is conical, imbricated, superior, sessile and short. the styles are short with rispect to the stamen, capillary smooth, obtuse, distributed over the serface of the germ and decid-uous. no perseptable stigma.—late at night the centinel detected an old indian man in attempting to creep into camp in order to pilfer; he allarmed the indian very much by presenting his gun at him; he gave the fellow a few stripes with a switch and sent him off. this fellow is one of a party of six who layed incamped a few hundred yards below us, they departed soon after this occurrence.
Tuesday April 8th 1806 This morning about day light I heard a Considerable roreing like wind at a distance and in the Course of a Short time ways rose very high which appeared to come across the river and in the Course of an hour became So high that we were obliged to unload the canoes, at 7 oClock A.M. the winds Suelded and blew So hard and raised the Waves So emensely high from the N. E and tossed our Canoes against the Shore in Such a manner as to render it necessary to haul them up on the bank. finding from the appearance of the winds that it is probable that we may be detained all day, we Sent out Drewyer, Shannon Colter & Collins to hunt with derections to return if the Wind Should lul, if not to Continue the hunt all day except they killed Elk or bear Sooner &c. we had the dried meat which was cured at our last encampment below exposed to the Sun. John Shields Cut out my Small rifle & brought hir to Shoot very well. the party ows much to the injenuity of this man, by whome their guns are repared when they get out of order which is very often.
I observed an Indian Woman who visited us yesterday blind of an eye, and a man who was nearly blind of both eyes. the loss of Sight I have observed to be more Common among all the nations inhabiting this river than among any people I ever observed. they have almost invariably Sore eyes at all Stages of life. the loss of an eye is very Common among them; blindness in persons of middle age is by no means uncommon, and it is almost invariably a concammitant of old age. I Know not to what cause to attribute this prevalent deficientcy of the eye except it be their exposure to the reflection of the Sun on the water to which they are constantly exposed in the Occupation of fishing. about 1 P M Collins Shannon and Colter returned. Collins Saw 2 bear but could not get a Shot at them. neither Shannon nor Colter Saw any thing worth Shooting. Soon after Drewyer returned haveing only a Summer Duck. the Elk is gorn to the mountains as the hunters Suppose. in the evening late an old man his Son & Grand Son and their Wives &c. Came down dureing the time the waves raged with great fury. the wife of the Grand Son is a woman of differant appearance from any we have Seen on this river, she has a very round head and pierceing black eyes. Soon after those people arived the Old man was detected in Stealing a Spoon and he was ordered away, at about 200 yards below our Camp they built themselves a fire and did not return to our fires after-. The Wind Continued violently hard all day, and threw our Canoes with Such force against the Shore that one of them Split before we Could get it out.
Wednesday April 9th 1806. This morning early we commenced the operation of reloading our canoes; at 7 A.M. we departed and proceeded on to the Camp of Reubin and Joseph Fields they had not killed any game; we made no halt at this place but continued our rout to the Wah-clel-lah Village which is situated on the North side of the river about a mile below the beacon rock; here we halted and took breakfast. John Colter one of our party observed the tomehawk in one of the lodges which had been stolen from us on the 4th of November last as we decended this river; the natives attempted to wrest the tomahawk from him but he retained it. they indeavoured afterwards to exculpate themselves from the odium of having stolen it, they alledged that they had bought it from the natives below; but their neighbours had several days previously, informed us that these people had stolen the Tommehawk and then had it at their village. this village appears to be the winter station of the Wah-clel-lahs and Clahclellars, the greater part of the former have lately removed to the falls of the Multnomah, and the latter have established themselves a few miles above on the North side of the river opposite the lower point of brant island, being the commencement of the rapids, here they also take their salmon; they are now in the act of removing, and not only take with them their furniture and effects but also the bark and most of the boards which formed their houses. 14 houses remain entire but are at this time but thinly inhabited, nine others appear to have been lately removed, and the traces of ten or twelve others of ancient date were to be seen in the rear of their present village. they sometimes sink their houses in the earth, and at other times have their floors level with the surface of the earth; they are generally built with boards and covered with Cedar bark. most of them have a devision in their houses near the entrance wich is at the end or in the event of it's bing a double house is from the center of a narrow passage. several families inhabit one appartment. the women of these people pierce the cartelage of the nose in which they wear various ornaments in other rispects they do not differ from those in the neighbourhood of the Diamond island; tho most of the women brad their hair which hanges in two tresses one hanging over each ear. these people were very unfriendly, and seemed illy disposed had our numbers not detered them any acts of violence. with some difficuly we obtained five dogs from them and a few wappetoe. on our way to this village we passed several beautifull cascades which fell from a great hight over the stupendious rocks which cloles the river on both sides nearly, except a small bottom on the South side in which our hunters were encamped. the most remarkable of these casscades falls about 300 feet perpendicularly over a solid rock into a narrow bottom of the river on the south side. it is a large creek, situated about 5 miles above our encampment of the last evening. several small streams fall from a much greater hight, and in their decent become a perfect mist which collecting on the rocks below again become visible and decend a second time in the same manner before they reach the base of the rocks. the hills have now become mountains high on each side are rocky steep and covered generally with fir and white cedar. we saw some turkey buzzards this morning of the speceis common to the United states which are the first we have seen on this side the rocky mountains. during our halt at this village the grand Cheif and two inferior Cheifs of the Chil-luck-kit-to-quaw nation arrived with several men and women of their nation in two large canoes. these people were on their return up the river, having been on a trading voyage to the Columbean vally, and were loaded with wappetoe dryed anchovies, with some beads &c which they had received in exchange for dryed and pounded salmon shappelell beargrass &c. These people had been very kind to us as we decended the river we therefore smoked with them and treated them with every attention. at 2 P.M. we renewed our voyage; passed under the beacon rock on the north side, to the left of two small islands situated near the shore. at four P.M. we arrived at the Clah-clel-lah village; here we found the natives busily engaged in erecting their new habitations, which appear to be reather of a temperary kind; it is most probable that they only reside here during the salmon season. we purchased two dogs of these people who like those of the village blow were but sulky and illy disposed; they are great rogues and we are obliged to keep them at a proper distance from our bag-gage. as we could not ascend the rapid by the North side of the river with our large canoes, we passed to the oposite side and entered the narrow channel which seperates brant Island from the South shore; the evening being far spent and the wind high raining and very cold we thought best not to attempt the rapids this evening, we therefore sought a safe harbour in this narrow channel and encamped on the main shore. our small canoe with Drewer and the two feildses was unable to pass the river with us in consequence of the waves they therefore toed her up along the N. side of the river and encamped opposite the upper point of brant Island. after halting this evening I took a turn with my gun in order to kill a deer, but was unsuccessfull. I saw much fresh sign. the fir has been lately injured by a fire near this place and many of them have discharged considerable quantities of rozin. we directed that Collins should hunt a few hours tomorrow morning and that Gibson and his crew should remain at his place untill we returned and employ themselves in collectng rozin which our canoes are now in want of.
Wednesday April 9th 1806 last night at a late hour the old amsiated Indian who was detected in Stealing a Spoon yesterday, Crept upon his belley with his hands and feet, with a view as I Suppose to take Some of our baggage which was in Several defferent parcels on the bank. the Sentinal observed the motions of this old amcinated retch untill he got with a fiew feet of the baggage at he hailed him and approached with his gun in a possion as if going to Shoote which allarmed the old retch in Such a manner that he ran with all his power tumbleing over brush and every thing in his way. at 7 A.M. we Set out and proceeded on to the Camp of Joseph & Reubin Fields. they had killed nothing. here we did not delay but proceeded on to Wah-clel-lah Village on the North Side and brackfast here one the men Colter observed the Tomahawk which was Stolen from on the 4th of Novr. last as we decended the Columbia, he took the tomahawk the natives attempted to wrest it from him, he held fast the Tomahawk. Those people attempted to excuse themselves from odium of Stealing it, by makeing Signs that they had purchased the Tomahawk, but their nighbours informed me otherwise and made Signs that they had taken it. This Village appears to be the wintering Station of two bands of the Shah-ha-la Nation. One band has already moved the Falls of the Multnomah which is the place they take their Salmon. The other band is now moveing a fiew miles above to the foot of the first rapid on this river, at which place they take their Salmon. 14 houses only appear occupied and the inhabitants of those moveing off hourly, they take with them in their Canoes independent of all their houshold effects the bark of their houses, and boards. 9 houses has been latterly abandened and 14 others is yet is thinly inhabited at present, and the remains of 10 or 12 others are to be Seen and appears to have been enhabited last fall. those people were not hospital and with Some dificuelty we precured 5 dogs and a fiew Wappato of them. Soon after we arived at this Village the Grand Cheif and two others of the Chee-luck-kit-le-quaw Nation arived from below. they had with them 11 men and 7 womin and had been trading in the Columbia Vally for Wappato, beeds and dried Anchovies &c in exchange for which they had given pounded fish Shappalell, bear grass, acorns boiled berries &c. &c. and are now on their return to their village. as those people had been very Kind to us as we decended the river we gave them Smoke. at 2 oClock P. M we Set out and passed under the Beacon rock on the North Side of two Small Islds. Situated nearest the N. side. at 4 P.M. we arived at the first rapid at the head of Straw berry island at which place on the N W. Side of the Columbia here we found the nativs from the last village rebuilding their habitations of the bark of their old Village 16 Huts are already Compleated and appear only temporrary it is most probable that they only reside here dureing the Season of the Salmon. as we Could not pass with the large Canoes up the N. W. Side for the rocks, the wind high and a rainey disagreeable evining. our Smallest Canoe being too low to cross through the high waves, we Sent her up on the N W. Side with Drewyer and the two Fields and after purchaseing 2 dogs Crossed and into the Sluce of a large high Island seperated from the S. E Side by a narrow chanel, in this chanel we found a good harbor and encamped on the lower Side. We Saw Some deer Sign and Collins to hunt in the mornig untill the Canoes were toed above the rapids. made 16 Miles to day. evening wet & disagreeable.
Thursday April 10th 1806. We set out early and droped down the channel to the lower end of brant Island from whence we drew them up the rapid by a cord about a quarter of a mile which we soon performed; Collins and Gibson not having yet come over we directed Sergt. Pryor to remain with the cord on the Island untill Gibson arrived and assist him with his crew in geting his canoe up the rapid, when they were to join us on the oposite side at a small village of six houses of the Clah-clah'lahs where we halted for breakfast. in passing the river which is here about 400 yds. wide the rapidity of the currant was such that it boar us down a considerable distance notwithstanding we employed five oars. on entering one of these lodges, the natives offered us a sheepskin for sail, than which nothing could have been more acceptable except the animal itself. the skin of the head of the sheep with the horns remaining was cased in such manner as to fit the head of a man by whom it was woarn and highly prized as an ornament. we obtained this cap in exchange for a knife, and were compelled to give two Elkskins in exchange for the skin. this appeared to be the skin of a sheep not fully grown; the horns were about four inches long, celindric, smooth, black, erect and pointed; they rise from the middle of the forehead a little above the eyes. they offered us a second skin of a full grown sheep which was quite as large as that of a common deer. they discovered our anxity to purchase and in order to extort a great plrice declared that they prized it too much to dispose of it. in expectation of finding some others of a similar kind for sale among the natives of this neighbourhood I would not offer him a greater price than had been given for the other which he refused. these people informed us that these sheep were found in great abundance on the hights and among the clifts of the adjacent mountains. and that they had lately killed these two from a herd of 36, at no great distance from their village. we could obtain no provision from those people except four white salmon trout. at ten oclock Sergt. Pryor and Gibson joined us with Collins who had killed 3 deer. these were all of the blacktailed fallow kind. we set out and continued our rout up the N. side of the river with great difficulty in consequence of the rapidity of the current and the large rocks which form this shore; the South side of the river is impassable. as we had but one sufficient toerope and were obliged to employ the cord in geting on our canoes the greater part of the way we could only take them one at a time which retarded our progress very much. by evening we arrived at the portage on the North side where we landed and conveyed our bagage to the top of the hill about 200 paces distant where we formed a camp. we had the canoes drawn on shore and secured. the small canoe got loose from the hunters and went a drift with a tin vessel and tommahawk in her; the Indians caught her at the last village and brought her up to us this evening for which service we gave them a couple of knives; the canoe overset and lost the articles which were in her.—Saw the white pine at this place.
Thursday April 10th 1806 Collins went out in the bottom to hunt agreeable to the order of last evening, and gibsons Crew was derected to delay for Collins dureing which time they were derected to Collect rozin from the pines in the bottom near our Camp at 6 A M. we Set out and proceeded to the lower point of the Island from whence we were Compelled to draw our Canoes up a rapid for about 1/4 mile which we Soon performed. Collins & gibson haveing not yet Come over we derected Serjt. Pryor to delay on the Island untill Gibson Came over & assist him with the large toe roap which we also left and to join us at a village of four houses of the Clah-lah-lar Tribe which is opposit to this Island on North Side at which place we intened to brackfast. in crossing the River which at this place is not more than 400 yards wide we fell down a great distance owing to the rapidity of the Current. I entered one of the houses of those people and was Scercely Seated before they offered me a Sheep Skin for Sale nothing could be more acceptable except the Animal itself in examoning this Skin I found it was a young one, the Skin of the head was Cased So as to fit the head of a man and was esteemed as a great orniment and highly prised by them. we precured this Cased head for a knife and, the Skin we were obliged to give two Raw Elk Skins for. Soon after they offered a large one for Sall. after finding us anxious to purchase they declined silling this Skin. those people informed us that they killed those Animals among the rocks in the mountains under which they live; and that great numbers of those animals inhabit those mountains & that the lamb was killed out of a gange of 36 at a Short distance from their village. The wool of the full grown Sheep, or that on the Skin which we Saw was much Corser than that of the one which we purchased, the Skin was about the Size of that of a Common deer. The Skin we obtained appeared to be the Skin of a Sheep not fully grown, the wool fine, the Horns were abought 4 inches long, Celindric, Smooth, black, a little bending backwards and pointed; they rise from the Middle of the foeheard, and a little above the eyes, and appeared to possess all the marks of the Common Sheep as already discribed. We could precure no provisions from those people except four white Salmon trout. at 10 oClock Sergt. Pryor and Gibson joined us with Collins who had killed 3 deer. these were all of the blacktailed fallow kind. We Set out and Continued up on the N. Side of the river with great dificuelty in Consequence of the Rapidity of the Current and the large rocks which forms this Shore; the South Side of the river is impassable.
As we had but one Sufficent toe roap and were obliged to employ the Cord in getting on our Canoes the greater part of the way we could only take them one at a time which retarded our progress very much. by evening we arived at the portage on the N. Side where we landed and Conveyed our baggage to the top of the hill about 200 paces distant where we found a Camp. we had the Canoes drawn on Shore and Secured. the Small Canoe got loose from the hunters and went adrift with a tin cup & a tomahawk in her; the Indians Caught her at the last Village and brought her up to us this evening for which we gave them two knives; the Canoe overset and lost the articles which were in her.-.
Friday April 11th 1806. As the tents and skins which covered both our men and baggage were wet with the rain which fell last evening, and as it continued still raining this morning we concluded to take our canoes first to the head of the rapids, hoping that by evening the rain would cease and afford us a fair afternoon to take our baggage over the portage. this portage is two thousand eight hundred yards along a narrow rough and slipery road. the duty of getting the canoes above the rapid was by mutual consent confided to my friend Capt. C. who took with him for that purpose all the party except Bratton who is yet so weak he is unable to work, three others who were lamed by various accedents and one other to cook for the party. a few men were absolutely necessary at any rate to guard our baggage from the War-clel-lars who crouded about our camp in considerable numbers. these are the greates theives and scoundrels we have met with. by the evening Capt. C. took 4 of our canoes above the rapids tho with much difficulty and labour. the canoes were much damaged by being driven against the rocks in dispite of every precaution which could be taken to prevent it. the men complained of being so much fatiegued in the evening that we posponed taking up our 5th canoe untill tomorrow. these rapids are much worse than they were fall when we passed them, at that time there were only three difficult points within seven miles, at present the whole distance is extreemly difficult of ascent, and it would be impracticable to decend except by leting down the empty vessels by a cord and then even the wrisk would be greater than in taking them up by the same means. the water appears to be upwards of 20 feet higher than when we decended the river. the distance by way of the river between the points of the portage is 3 Msmany of the natives crouded about the bank of the river where the men were engaged in taking up the canoes; one of them had the insolence to cast stones down the bank at two of the men who happened to be a little detatched from the party at the time. on the return of the party in the evening from the head of the rapids they met with many of the natives on the road, who seemed but illy disposed; two of these fellows met with John Sheilds who had delayed some time in purchasing a dog and was a considerable distance behind the party on their return with Capt. C. they attempted to take the dog from him and pushed him out of the road. he had nothing to defend himself with except a large knife which he drew with an intention of puting one or both of them to death before they could get themselves in readiness to use their arrows, but discovering his design they declined the combat and instantly fled through the woods. three of this same tribe of villains the Wah-clel-lars, stole my dog this evening, and took him towards their village; I was shortly afterwards informed of this transaction by an indian who spoke the Clatsop language, and sent three men in pursuit of the theives with orders if they made the least resistence or difficulty in surrendering the dog to fire on them; they overtook these fellows or reather came within sight of them at the distance of about 2 miles; the indians discovering the party in pursuit of them left the dog and fled. they also stole an ax from us, but scarcely had it in their possession before Thompson detected them and wrest it from them. we ordered the centinel to keep them out of camp, and informed them by signs that if they made any further attempts to steal our property or insulted our men we should put them to instant death. a cheif of the Clah-clel-lah tribe informed us that there were two very bad men among the Wah-clel-lahs who had been the principal actors in these seenes of outradge of which we complained, and that it was not the wish of the nation by any means to displease us. we told him that we hoped it might be the case, but we should certainly be as good as our words if they presisted in their insolence. I am convinced that no other consideration but our number at this moment protects us. The Cheif appeared mortified at the conduct of his people, and seemed friendly disposed towards us. as he appeared to be a man of consideration and we had reason to beleive much rispected by the neighbouring tribes we thought it well to bestoe a medal of small size upon him. he appeared much gratifyed with this mark of distinction, and some little attention which we shewed him. he had in his possession a very good pipe tomahawk which he informed us he had received as a present from a trader who visited him last winter over land pointing to the N. W., whome he called Swippeton; he was pleased with the tommahawk of Capt. C. in consequence of it's having a brass bowl and Capt. C. gratified him by an exchange. as a further proof of his being esteemed by this white trader, he gave us a well baked saylor's bisquit which he also informed us he had received from Swippeton. from these evidences I have no doubt but the traders who winter in some of the inlets to the N. of us visit this part of the Columbia by land at certain seasons, most probably when they are confined to their winter harbour. and if so some of those inlets are probably at no great distance from this place, as there seems to be but little inducement to intice the trader hither from any considerable distance particularly as the difficulty in traveling on the borders of this mountainous country must be great at that season as the natives informed me their snows were frequently breast deep. I observe snowshoes in all the lodges of the natives above the Columbean vally. I hope that the friendly interposition of this chief may prevent our being compelled to use some violence with these people; our men seem well disposed to kill a few of them. we keep ourselves perefectly on our guard. This evening we send Drewyer and the two Feildses on a few miles up the river to the entrance of Cruzatt's river to hunt untill our arrival. The inhabitants of the Y-eh-huh Village on the North side immediately above the rapids have lately removed to the opposite side of the river, where it appears they usually take their salmon. like their relations the Wah-Clel-lars they have taken their houses with them. I observe that all the houses lately established have their floors on the surface of the earth, are smaller and of more temperary structure than those which are sunk in the ground. I presume the former are their spring and Summer dwellings and the latter those of the fall and winter. these houses are most generally built with boards and covered with bark. some of an inferior ore more temperary cast are built entirely of cedar bark, which is kept smooth and extended by inserting small splinters of wood through the bark crosswise at the distance of 12 or 14 inches assunder. several families inhabit the same appartment. their women as well as those of the 3 villages next below us pierce the cartelage of the nose and insert various ornaments. they very seldom imprint any figures on their skins; a few I observed had one or two longitudinal lines of dots on the front of the leg, reaching from the ankle upwards about midleg. most of their women braid their hair in two tresses as before mentioned. the men usually cew their hair in two parsels which like the braded tresses of the female hang over each ear in front of the sholder, and gives an additional width to the head and face so much admired by them. these cews are usually formed with throngs of dressed Otterskin crossing each other and not roled in our manner arrond the hair. in all other rispects I observe no difference in their dress habits manners &c. from those in the Neighbourhood of the diamond Island. today we recognized a man of the Elute nation who reside at the long narrows of the Columbia, he was on his return from a trading voyage to the Columbean valley with 10 or 12 others of his nation. many other natives from the villages above were employed in taking their roots &c over the portage on their return. I observed that the men equally with the women engage in the labour of carrying. they all left their canoes below the rapids and took others above which they had left as they decended. those which were left below were taken down the river by the persons from whom they had been hired or borrowed. the natives from above behaved themselves in a very orderly manner. The salmon have not yet made their appearance, tho the natives are not so much distressed for food as I was induced to believe. I walked down today about 3/4 of a mile below our encampment to observe the manner in which these people inter their dead. I found eight sepulchers near the north bank of the river built in the following manner. four strong forks are first sunk several feet in the ground and rise about six feet high, froming a parrallelogram of 8 by 10 feet. the intervals between these upright forks, on which four poles are laid, are filled up with broad erect boards with their lower ends sunk in the ground and their upper ends confined to the horizontal poles. a flat roof is formed of several layers of boards; the floors of these sepulchres are on a level with the surface of the earth. the human bodies are well rolled in dressed skins and lashed securely with chords and laid horizontaly on the back with the head to the west. in some of these sepulchres they are laid on each other to the debth of three or four bodies. in one of those sepulchres which was nearly decayed I observed that the human bones filled it perfectly to the hight of about three feet. many articles appear to be sacreficed to the dead both within and without the sepulcres. among other articles, I observed a brass teakettle, some scollep shells, parts of several robes of cloth and skins, with sticks for diging roots &c.—this appears to be the burying ground of the Wahclellahs, Clahclellahs and Yehhuhs.
Friday April 11th 1806 rained the greater part of the last night and continued to rain this morning, as the Skins and the Covering of both the mend and loading were wet we determined to take the Canoes over first in hopes that by the evening the rain would Sease and afford us a fair afternoon to Carry our baggage over the portage which is 2 miles by land and a Slipery road. I therefore took all the men except three who had Sore feet and two to cook, and who were with the baggage; and with great dificuelty and much fatigue we drew up 4 of our canoes above the Rapids 3 miles in extent. the men became So fatigued that we deturmined to puspone takeing the 5th Canoe untill tomorrow. Those rapids are much worse than they were at the time we passed last fall at that time there was only three bad places in the distance of 7 miles. at this time the whole distance is a rapid and dificuelt of assent; and would be very dangerous at this Stage of the water (which is ____ feet higher than when we passed down) to decent in any kind of Craft. Great numbers of the nativs visited us and viewed us from the banks as we passed on with the Canoes, maney of those people were also about our baggage and on the portage road. two of those fellows insulted John Shields who had delayed in purchaseing a dog at the upper part of the rapids and was Some distance behind myself and the party on our return to camp. they attempted to take his dog and push him out of the road. he had nothing to defend himself except a large knife which he drew with a full deturmination to put one of them to death before he had an oppertunity of dischargeing his arrow. the nativs obseveing his motion ran off. one other Indn. Stold an ax and was not in possession before he was detected by Thompson and the ax taken from him. one other fellow attempted to Steal Capt. Lewis's dog, and had decoyed him nearly half a mile we were informed of it by a man who Spoke the Clatsop language and imediately Sent three men with their guns who over took the Indians, who on their approach ran off and lift the dog—we informed the nativ's by Signs that if the indians insulted our men or Stold our property we Should Certainly put them to death a Chief of the Clah-clal-lahs Tribe informed us that there was two very bad men who had been guilty of those mischevious acts. that it was not the wish of their tribe that any thing should be done which might displese the white people. this Chief had a large fine pipe tomahawk which he informed me he got from a Trader he called Swippeton. I exchanged tomahawks with this Chief, and as he appeared to be a man of consideration among the tribes of this neighbourhood and much conserned for the ingiries offered us, we gave him a Medal of the Small Size which appeard. to please him verry much; and will I hope have a favourable tendincy, in as much as it will attach him to our interest, and he probably will harang his people in our favour, which may prevent any acts of violence being Commited, on either Side. nothing but the Strength of our party has prevented our being robed before this time. Sent Drewyer & 2 Fields on a head to hunt. The inhabitents of the Wyach-hich Tribe Village imediately above those rapids on the N W. Side have latterly moved their village to the opposit Side of the river, where they take their Salmon; they are now in the act of removeing and not only take their furniture and effects but also the bark and most of the boards which formed their houses. Those like the tribes below Sometimes Sink their houses in the earth, and at other times have their flowrs leavil with the Surface of the earth; they are Generally built of boards and Covered with bark. those which appear intended for temporary use are most generally built of the White Cedar bark. Most of those have a division in the houses near the enterance which is at the end, or in the event of it's being a double house is from the center of a narrow passage. Several families enhabit one appartment. the women of those people as well as those in the 3 villages below pierce the cartilage of the nose in which they ware Various orniments. in other respects they do not deffer from those of the Dimond Island. tho most of the women brad their hair which hangs in two tresses, one hanging over each ear. The yound men of all those tribes ware their hair plated, in two plats anging over each Sholder, maney of them also Cew their hair with otter Skin divided on the crown of the head and hanging over each ear. to day I recognised a man of the Elute nation who reside at the Long narrows, he was on his return from a tradeing voyage to the Columbian Vally with 10 or 12 of his tribe. maney others from the villages above this were takeing their roots &c. over the portage to day on their return home.
vegitation is rapidly progressing. Sarvis berry, Sackacommis and the large leafed ash is in blume. also fir N. ____ in bloom
Saturday April 12th 1806. It rained the greater part of last night and still continued to rain this morning. I therefore determined to take up the remaining perogue this morning for which purpose I took with me every man that could be of any service. a small distance above our camp there is one of the most difficult parts of the rapid. at this place the current sets with great violence against a projecting rock. in hawling the perogue arround this point the bow unfortunately took the current at too great a distance from the rock, she turned her side to the stream and the utmost exertions of all the party were unable to resist the forse with which she was driven by the current, they were compelled to let loose the cord and of course both perogue and cord went a drift with the stream. the loss of this perogue will I fear compell us to purchase one or more canoes of the indians at an extravegant price. after breakfast all hands were employed in taking our baggage over the portage. we caused all the men who had short rifles to carry them, in order to be prepared for the natives should they make any attempts to rob or injure them. I went up to the head of the rapids and left Capt. C. below. during the day I obtained a vocabulary of the language of the War-clel-lars &c. I found that their numbers were precisely those of the Chinnooks but the other parts of their language essentially different. by 5 P.M. we had brought up all our baggage and Capt. C. joined me from the lower camp with the Clahclellah cheif. there is an old village situated about halfway on the portage road the fraim of the houses, which are remarkably large one 160 by 45 feet, remain almost entire. the covering of the houses appears to have been sunk in a pond back of the village. this the chief informed us was the residence occasionally of his tribe. these houses are fraimed in the usual manner but consist of a double set as if oune house had been built within the other. the floors are on a level with the ground. the natives did not croud about us in such numbers today as yesterday, and behaved themselves much better; no doubt the precautions which they observed us take had a good effect. I employed sergt. Pryor the greater part of the day in reparing and corking the perogue and canoes. it continued to rain by showers all day. about 20 of the Y-eh-huhs remained with me the greater part of the day and departed in the evening. they conducted themselves with much propryety and contemned the conduct of their relations towards us. We purchased one sheepskin for which we gave the skin of an Elk and one of a deer. this animal was killed by the man who sold us the skin near this place; he informed us that they were abundant among the mountains and usually resorted the rocky parts. the big horned animal is also an inhabitant of these mountains. I saw several robes of their skins among the natives.as the evening was rainy cold and far advanced and ourselves wet we determined to remain all night. the mountains are high steep and rocky. the rock is principally black. they are covered with fir of several speceis and the white cedar. near the river we find the Cottonwood, sweet willow, broad leafed ash, a species of maple, the purple haw, a small speceis of cherry; purple currant, goosberry, red willow, vining and white burry honeysuckle, huckkle burry, sacacommis, two speceis of mountain holley, &common ash. for the three last days this inclusive we have made only 7 miles.
Saturday April 12th 1806. rained the greater part of the last night and this morning untile 10 A.M. we employed all hands in attempting to take up the lost Canoe. in attempting to pass by a rock against which the Current run with emence force, the bow unfortunately took the Current at too great a distance from the rock, She turned broad Side to the Stream, and the exertions of every man was not Sufficient to hold her. the men were Compelled to let go the rope and both the Canoe and rope went with the Stream. the loss of this Canoe will I fear Compell us to purchase another at an extravigent price. after brackfast all hands who were employed in Carrying the baggage over the portage 11/2 miles which they performed by 4 P.M. the nativs did not visit us in Such Crouds to day as yesterday. we Caused all the men of the party who ha Short guns to carry them on the portage for fear of Some attempt on the part of the nativs to rob the party. The rain Continued at intervales all day. in the evening after everry thing was taken from the lower Camp I Set out myself accompanied by the Cheif of the Clah-clal lars to the head of the portage. as we passed the remains of an old Village about half way the portage, this Cheif informed me that this old Village had been the residence of his Tribe dureing the last Salmon Season. this village I mentiond in decending this river, but did not know the Tribes that had inhabited it that time. Capt. Lewis took a vocabulary of the languge of those people whilst I had all the baggage taken across the portage & we formed a Camp at the place we had encamped on our way down.
at my arival at the head of the portage found about 20 of the natives of the Wy ach hich tribe who reside above the rapids, with Capt Lewis. those people appeared much better disposed towards us than either the Clahclallah or Wahclellah and Condemn their Conduct much. Those tribes I believe to be all the Same Nation their Language habits manners dress &c. are presisely alike and differ but little from those below the Great Narrows of this river. I observed a woman with a Sheep Skin robe on which I purchased for one Elk and one deer Skin. the father of this woman informed me that he had killed the animal off of which he had taken this Skin on the mountains imediately above his village, and that on those mountains great numbers of those animals were to be found in large flocks among the Steep rocks. I also purchased 2 pieces of Chapellell and Some roots of those people. as the evening was rainey and ourselves and party wet we Concluded to delay untill the morning and dry our selves. The Indians left us about 6 P M and returned to their Village on the opposit Side. mountains are high on each Side and Covered with Snow for about 1/3 of the way down. the growth is principally fir and White Cedar. the bottoms and low Situations is Covered with a variety Such as Cotton, large leafed ash, Sweet willow a Species of beech, alder, white thorn, cherry of a Small Speces, Servis berry bushes, Huckleberries bushes, a Speces of Lorel &c. &c. I saw a turkey buzzard which is the 3rd which I have Seen west of the rocky mountains. the 1st was on the 7 inst. above quick Sand river. for the three last days this inclusive we have made 7 miles only.