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 Shore-. 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 Passed 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.-
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 passed allong. The under groth rushes, vines
&c. in the bottoms too thick to pass 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 impassable— I called to
the Canoes to put to Shore, 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 pass 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 pass 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 passed
through and is of a Conical form but rugid— after takeing dinner at the
mouth of this river we proceeded on passed 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 brass barrel & Cock of which he
prises highly— note the mountain we Saw from near the forks proves to
be Mount Hood
