Clark: April 12, 1806

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.