April 12, 1806
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.
