Clark: April 9, 1806

Wednesday April 9th 1806 last night at a late hour the old amsiated Indian
who was detected in Stealing a Spoon yesterday, Crept upon his belley with
his hands and feet, with a view as I Suppose to take Some of our baggage
which was in Several defferent parcels on the bank. the Sentinal observed
the motions of this old amcinated retch untill he got with a fiew feet of
the baggage at he hailed him and approached with his gun in a possion as
if going to Shoote which allarmed the old retch in Such a manner that he
ran with all his power tumbleing over brush and every thing in his way. at
7 A.M. we Set out and proceeded on to the Camp of Joseph & Reubin
Fields. they had killed nothing. here we did not delay but proceeded on to
Wah-clel-lah Village on the North Side and brackfast here one the men
Colter observed the Tomahawk which was Stolen from on the 4th of Novr.
last as we decended the Columbia, he took the tomahawk the natives
attempted to wrest it from him, he held fast the Tomahawk. Those people
attempted to excuse themselves from odium of Stealing it, by makeing Signs
that they had purchased the Tomahawk, but their nighbours informed me
otherwise and made Signs that they had taken it. This Village appears to
be the wintering Station of two bands of the Shah-ha-la Nation. One band
has already moved the Falls of the Multnomah which is the place they take
their Salmon. The other band is now moveing a fiew miles above to the foot
of the first rapid on this river, at which place they take their Salmon.
14 houses only appear occupied and the inhabitants of those moveing off
hourly, they take with them in their Canoes independent of all their
houshold effects the bark of their houses, and boards. 9 houses has been
latterly abandened and 14 others is yet is thinly inhabited at present,
and the remains of 10 or 12 others are to be Seen and appears to have been
enhabited last fall. those people were not hospital and with Some
dificuelty we precured 5 dogs and a fiew Wappato of them. Soon after we
arived at this Village the Grand Cheif and two others of the
Chee-luck-kit-le-quaw Nation arived from below. they had with them 11 men
and 7 womin and had been trading in the Columbia Vally for Wappato, beeds
and dried Anchovies &c in exchange for which they had given pounded
fish Shappalell, bear grass, acorns boiled berries &c. &c. and are
now on their return to their village. as those people had been very Kind
to us as we decended the river we gave them Smoke. at 2 oClock P. M we Set
out and passed under the Beacon rock on the North Side of two Small Islds.
Situated nearest the N. side. at 4 P.M. we arived at the first rapid at
the head of Straw berry island at which place on the N W. Side of the
Columbia here we found the nativs from the last village rebuilding their
habitations of the bark of their old Village 16 Huts are already
Compleated and appear only temporrary it is most probable that they only
reside here dureing the Season of the Salmon. as we Could not pass with
the large Canoes up the N. W. Side for the rocks, the wind high and a
rainey disagreeable evining. our Smallest Canoe being too low to cross
through the high waves, we Sent her up on the N W. Side with Drewyer and
the two Fields and after purchaseing 2 dogs Crossed and into the Sluce of
a large high Island seperated from the S. E Side by a narrow chanel, in
this chanel we found a good harbor and encamped on the lower Side. We Saw
Some deer Sign and Collins to hunt in the mornig untill the Canoes were
toed above the rapids. made 16 Miles to day. evening wet &
disagreeable.