The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, March 27, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, March 27, 1806

Thursday March 27th 1806. a rainey disagreeable night rained the greater part of the night we Set out this morning verry early and proceeded on to two houses of the Skil-lute Indians on the South Side here we found our hunters who had Seperated from us last evening. the wind rose and the rain became very hard Soon after we landed here we were very friendly receved by the natives who gave all our party as much fish as they Could eate, they also gave us Wappato and pashaquaw roots to eate prepared in their own way. also a Species of Small white tuberous roots about 2 inches in length and as thick as a mans finger, these are eaten raw, or crips, milkey and agreeably flavoured; the nativs insisted on our remaining all day with them and hunt the Elk and deer which they informed us was very abundant in this neighbourhood. but as the weather would not permit our drying our Canoes in order to pitch them, we declined their friendly invertation, and resumed our voyage at 12 oClock. The principal village of the Skil-lutes is Situated on the lower Side of the Cow-e-lis kee river a fiew miles from it's enterance into the Columbia. those people are Said to be noumerous, in their dress, habits, manners and Language they differ but little from the Clatsops, Chinnooks &c. they have latterly been at war with the Chinnooks, but peace is Said to be now restored between them, but their inter Course is not yet restored. no Chinnook Come above the Warkiacums, nor do the Skillutes visit the Mouth of the Columbia. The Clatsops, Cath lahmahs & War kia coms are the Carriers between those nations being in alliance with both-. The Cow e lis kee river is 150 yards wide, is deep and from Indian information navigable a very considerable distance for canoes. it discharges itself into the Columbia about 3 miles above a remarkable knob which is high and rocky and Situated on the North Side of the Columbia, and Seperated from the Northern hills of the river by a Wide bottom of Several Miles, to which it united. I Suspect that this river Waters the Country lying west of a range of Mountains which passes the Columbia between the Great falls and rapids, and North of the Same nearly to the low country which Commences on the N W. Coast about Latitude 4° ____ North. above the Skil lutes on this river another nation by the name of the Hul-loo-et-tell reside who are Said also to be numerous. at the distance of 2 miles above the village at which we brackfast we passed the enterance of this river; we Saw Several fishing camps of the Skillutes on both Sides of the Columbia, and also on both Sides of this river. we were attended all the evening by parties of the nativs in their Canoes who visited us for the purpose of tradeing their fish and roots; we purchased as maney as we wished on very moderate terms; they Seamed perfectly Satisfied with the exchange and behaved themselves in a very orderly manner. late in the evening we passed the place we Camped the 5th of Novr. and Encamped about 4 miles above at the Commencement of the Columbian Vally on the Stard. Side below Deer Island. we had Scercily landed before we were visited by a large Canoe with 8 men; from them we obtained a dried fruit which resembled the raspberry and which I beleave is the fruit of the large leafed thorn frequently mentioned. it is reather ascide tho pleasently flavored. Saw Cotton wood, Sweet Willow, white oake, ash and the broad leafed ash the Growth which resembles the bark &c. these form the groth of the bottom lands, whilst the Hills are almost exclusively Covered with the various Species of fir heretofore discribed. the black alder appears on Maney parts of the hills Sides as on the bottoms. before we Set out from the 2 houses where we brackfast we Sent on two Canoes with the best hunters, with orders to pro ceed as fast as they Could to Deer island and there to hunt and wait our arrival. we wish to halt at that place and repare 2 of our Canoes if possible. the Indians that visited us this evining remained but a Short time, they passed over to an Island and encamped. the night as well as the day proved Cold wet and excessively disagreeable. we Came 20 miles in the Course of this day.