Clark: April 29, 1806

Tuesday April 29th 1806 This Morning Yelleppit furnished us with 2 Canoes,
and We began to transport our baggage over the river; we also Sent a party
of the men over to collect our horses. we purchased Some deer and
chappellell this morning. we had now a Store of 12 dogs for our voyage
through the plains. by 11 A.M. we had passed the river with our party and
baggage but were detained Several hours in consequence of not being able
to Collect our horses. our guide now informed us that it was too late in
the evening to reach an eligible place to encamp; that we Could not reach
any water before night. we therefore thought it best to remain on the
Wallah wallah river about a mile from the Columbia untill the morning,
accordingly encampd on the river near a fish Wear. this weare Consists of
two Curtains of Small willows wattled together with four lines of withes
of the Same Materials extending quite across the river, parralal with each
other and about 6 feet asunder. those are Supported by Several parrelals
of poles placed in this manner those Curtains of willows is either roled
at one end for a fiew feet to permit the fish to pass or are let down at
pleasure. they take their fish which at present are a Mullet only of from
one to 5 pounds Wt. with Small Seines of 15 or 18 feet long drawn by two
persons; these they drag down to the Wear and rase the bottom of the seine
against the willow Curtain. they have also a Small Seine managed by one
person, it bags in the manner of the Scooping Nets; the one Side of the
Net is Confined to a Simicircular bow of half the Size of a mans arm and
about 5 feet long, the other Side is confined to a Strong String which
being attatched to the extremities of the bow forms the Cord line to the
Simicurcle. The Wallah wallah River discharges it’s Self into the Columbia
on it’s South Side 15 miles below the enterance of Lewis’s River, or the
S. E. branch. a range of hills pass the Columbia just below the enterance
of this river. this is a handsom Stream about 41/2 feet deep and 50 yards
wide; it’s bead is composed of gravel principally with Some Sand and Mud;
the banks are abrupt but not high, tho it does not appear to overflow; the
water is Clear. the Indians inform us that it has it’s Source in the range
of Mountains in view of us to the E. and S. E. these Mountains commence a
little to the South of Mt. Hood and extend themselves in a S Eastwardly
direction terminateing near the Southern banks of Lewis’s river Short of
the rockey Mountains. Ta wan nahiooks river, river Lapage and ____ River
all take their rise on those Mountains. the two principal branches of the
first of those take their rise in the Mountain’s, Jefferson and Hood.
those Mountains are Covered at present with Snow. those S W. Mountains are
Covered with Snow at present tho do not appear high. they Seperate the
Waters of the Multnomah from those of the Columbia river. they appear to
be 65 or 70 miles distant from hence. The Snake indian prisoner informed
us that at Some distance in the large plains to the South of those
Mountains there was a large river running to the N. W. which was as wide
as the Columbia at this place, which is nearly 1 mile. this account is no
doubt Somewhat exagurated but it Serves to evince the Certainty of the
Multnomah being a very large River and that it’s waters are Seperated from
the Columbia by those Mountains, and that with the aid of a Southwardly
branch of Lewis’s river which pass around the Eastern extremity of those
mountains, it must water that vast tract of Country extending from those
Mountains to the Waters of the Gulf of Callifornia. and no doubt it heads
with the Rochejhone and Del Nord.

We gave Small Medals to two inferior Chiefs of this nation, and they each
furnished us with a fine horse, in return we gave them Sundery articles
among which was one of Capt Lewis’s Pistols & Several hundred rounds
of Amunition. there are 12 other Lodges of the Wallahwallah Nation on this
river a Short distance below our Camp. those as well as those beyond the
Columbia appear to depend on their fishing weres for their Subsistance.
those people as well as the Chym na poms are very well disposed, much more
So particular their women than they were when we decended the river last
fall. Most of them have long Shirts and leggins, good robes and
Mockersons. their women were the truss when they Cannot precure the Shirt,
but very fiew are Seen with the former at the present. I prosume the
Suckcess of their Winters hunt has produced this change in their attere.
they all Cut their hair in the fore head, and most of the men ware the two
Cews over each Sholder in front of the body; Some have the addition of a
fiew Small plats formed of the eare locks, and others tigh a Small bundle
of the docked foretop in front of the fore head. their orniments are Such
as discribed of the nativs below, and are worn in a Similar manner. they
insisted on our danceing this evening but it rained a little the wind blew
hard and the weather was Cold, we therefore did not indulge them.Several
applyed to me to day for medical aides, one a broken arm another inward
fever and Several with pains across their loins, and Sore eyes. I
administered as well as I could to all. in the evining a man brought his
wife and a horse both up to me. the horse he gave me as a present. and his
wife who was verry unwell the effects of violent Coalds was placed before
me. I did not think her Case a bad one and gave Such medesine as would
keep her body open and raped her in flannel. left Some Simple Medesene to
be taken. we also gave Some Eye water 1 G. of Ela v V. & 2 grs. of
Sacchm Stry. to an ounce of water and in that perpotion. Great No. of the
nativs about us all night.