The Journals of Lewis & Clark: April 14, 1806

April 13, 1806

April 15, 1806

April 14, 1806

Monday April 14th 1806. This morning at seven oCk. we were joined by Sergt. Pryor and the three hunters they brought with them 4 deer which Drewyer had killed yesterday. we took breakfast and departed. at 9 A.M. the wind arrose and continued hard all day but not so violent as to prevent our proceeding. we kept close along the N. shore all day. the river from the rapids as high as the commencement of the narrows is from 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile in width, and possesses scarcely any current. the bed is principally rock except at the entrance of Labuish's river which heads in Mount hood and like the quicksand river brings down from thence vast bodies of sand. the mountains through which the river passes nearly to the sepulchre rock, are high broken, rocky, partially covered with fir white cedar, and in many places exhibit very romantic seenes. some handsome cascades are seen on either hand tumbling from the stupendious rocks of the mountains into the river. near the border of the river I observed today the long leafed pine. this pine increases in quantity as you ascend the river and about the sepulchre rock where the lower country commences it superceedes the fir altogether. throughout the whole course of this river from the rapids as high as the Chilluckkittequaws, we find the trunks of many large pine trees sanding erect as they grew at present in 30 feet water; they are much doated and none of them vegetating; at the lowest tide of the river many of these trees are in ten feet water. certain it is that those large pine trees never grew in that position, nor can I account for this phenomenon except it be that the passage of the river through the narrow pass at the rapids has been obstructed by the rocks which have fallen from the hills into that channel within the last 20 years; the appearance of the hills at that place justify this opinion, they appear constantly to be falling in, and the apparent state of the decayed trees would seem to fix the era of their decline about the time men-tioned. at 1 P.M. we arrived at a large village situated in a narrow bottom on the N. side a little above the entrance of canoe creek. their houses are reather detatched and extent for several miles. they are about 20 in number. These people call themselves We-ock-sock, Wil-lacum. they differ but litte in appeance dress &c. from those of the rapids. Their men have some leging and mockersons among them. these are in the stile of Chopunnish. they have some good horses of which we saw ten or a douzen. these are the fist horses we have met with since we left this neighbourhood last fall, in short the country below this place will not permit the uce of this valuable animal except in the Columbian vally and there the present inhabitants have no uce for them as they reside immediately on the river and the country is too thickly timbered to admit them to run the game with horses if they had them. we halted at this village and dined. purchased five dogs some roots, shappalell, filberds and dryed burries of the inhabitants. here I observed several habitations entirely under grownd; they were sunk about 8 feet deep and covered with strong timber and several feet of earth in a conic form. these habitations were evacuated at present. they are about 16 feet in diameter, nearly circular, and are entered through a hole at the top which appears to answer the double purpose of a chimney and a door. from this entrance you decend to the floor by a ladder. the present habitations of these people were on the surface of the ground and do not differ from those of the tribes of the rapids. their language is the same with that of the Chilluckkittequaws. these people appeared very friendly. some of them informed us that they had lately returned from a war excurtion against the snake indians who inhabit the upper part of the Multnomah river to the S. E. of them. they call them To-wannah'-hi'-ooks. that they had been fortunate in their expedition and had taken from their enimies most of the horses which we saw in their possession. after dinner we pursued our voyage; Capt. Clark walked on shore with Charbono. I ascended the river about six miles at which place the river washed the base of high clifts on the Lard. side, here we halted a few minutes and were joined by Capt. C. and Charbono and proceeded on to the entrance of a small run on N. side a little below a large village on the same side opposite the sepulchre rock. this village can raise about an hundred fighting men they call themselves. they do not differ in any rispect from the village below. many of them visited our camp this evening and remained with us untill we went to bed. they then left us and retired to their quarters.-

Monday April 14th 1806

This morning at 7 oClock we were joined by Sgt. Pryor and they three hunters they brought with them 4 deer which drewyer had killed yesterday. we took brackfast and departed at 9 A.M. the wind rose and Continued to blow hard all day but not so violent as to prevent our proceeding. we kept Close allong the N. Shore all day. the river from the rapids to the Commencement of the narrows is from 1/2 to 3/4 of a Mile in wedth, and possesses but little Current. the bead is rock except at the enterence of Labiech's river which heads in Mt. Hood and like the quick Sand River brings down from thence Vast bodies of Sand the Mountains through which the river passes nearly to Cataract River are high broken rocky, particularly Covered with fir and white Cedar, and in maney places very romantic scenes. Some handsom Cascades are Seen on either Side tumbling from the Stupendious rocks of the mountains into the river. I observe near the river the long leafed Pine which increas as we assend and Superseeds the fir altogether about the Sepulchre rock. We find the trunks of maney large pine trees Standing erect as they grew, at present in 30 feet water; they are much doated and none of them vegitateing. at the lowest water of the river maney of those trees are in 10 feet water. the Cause I have attempted to account for as I decended. at 1 P M. we arrived at a large village Situated in a narrow bottom on the N. Side a little above the enterance of Canoe Creek. their houses are reather detached, and extend for Several Miles. they are about 20 in number. those people Call themselves Wil-la-cum. they differ but little in appearance dress &c. from those of the rapids. their men have Some legins and mockersons among them. those are in the Stile of Chopunnish. they have Some good horss of which we Saw 10 or 12 these are the first horses we have met with Since we left this neighbourhood last fall in Short the Country below this place will not permit the use of this valuable animal except in the Columbian vally, and there the present inhabitents have no use for them as they reside imediately on the river and the Country is too thickly timbd. We halted at this village Dined and purchased five dogs, Some roots Chappalell, Philberds and dried berries of the inhabitents. here I observed Several habitations under ground; they were Sunk about 8 feet deep and covered with Strong timber and Several feet of earth in a conic form. those habitations are avacuated at present. they are about 16 feet diamieter, nearly Circular, and are entered through a hole at top which appears to answer the double purpose of a Chimney and a dore. from this enterance you decend to the flore by a ladder. the present habitations of those people were on the Surface of the ground and do not differ from those of the tribes about the Rapids. their language is the Same with the Che luck kit to quaws. these people appeared very friendly. Some of them informed us that they had latterly returned from the War excurtion against the Snake Indians who inhabit the upper part of the Multnomah river to the S. E. of them they Call them To wan nah hi ooks. that they had been fortunate in the expidition and had taken from their enimies most of the horses which we Saw in their possession. after dinner we proceeded on our voyage. I walked on Shore with Shabono on the N. Side through a handsom bottom. met Several parties of women and boys in Serch of herbs & roots to Subsist on maney of them had parcels of the Stems of the Sunflower. I joined Capt Lewis and the party at 6 miles, at which place the river washed the bottom of high Clifts on the N. Side. Several Canoes over take us with families moveing up. we passed 3 encampments and came too in the mouth of a Small Creek on the N. Side imediately below a village and opposit the Sepulchar rock. this village Consists of about 100 fighting men of Several tribes from the plains to the North Collected here waiting for the Salmon. they do not differ in any respect from those below. many of them visited our Camp this evening and remaind. with us untill we went to bead. they then left us and returned to their quarters. made ____ miles.