Clark: March 31, 1806

Monday March 31st 1806 we Set out this morning and proceeded untill 8
oClock when we landed on the N. Side opposit one large House of the
Shah-ha-la Nation near this house at the time we passed on the 4th of
November last was Situated 25 houses, 24 of them were built of Straw &
Covered with bark as before mentioned. those of that description are all
distroyed, the one built of wood only remains and is inhabited. we
overtook the man whome came to our Camp last night and Soon after we
landed two canoes Came over from the opposit Side with 5 men & a woman
those people informed us that their relations who was with them last fall
reside at the Great rapids, and were down with them last fall gathering
Wappato which did not grow above, and also killing deer, that they Secured
the bark of the houses which they then lived in against their return next
fall. they also inform us that their relations also visit them frequently
in the Spring to collect this root which is in great quantities on either
Side of the Columbia. at 10 A. M we proceeded on accompanied by one Canoe
and three men, one of them appeared to be a man of Some note, dressed in a
Salors jacket which had 5 rows of large & Small buttons on it. Those
people Speak a differant language from those below, with Some fiew Words
the Same, the accent entirely different. their dress and Manners appear
very Similar. the women ware the truss or breach clout and Short robes,
and men roabs only passed up on the N. Side of White brant Island near the
upper point of Which a Small river falls in about 80 yards wide and at
this time discharges a great quantity of water. the nativs inform us that
this river is very Short and heads in the range of mountains to the N E of
its enterance into the Columbia the nativs haveing no name which we could
learn for this little river we Call it Seal river from the great number of
those Animals which frequents its mouth. this river forks into two nearly
equal branches about 1 mile up and each branch is crouded with rapids
& falls. we proceed on about 2 miles above the enterance of this
Seacalf river and imedeately opposit the upper mouth of the quick Sand
river we formed a Camp in a Small Prarie on the North Side of the Columbia
where we intend to delay one or two days to make Some Selestial
observations, to examine quick sand river, and kill Some meat to last us
through the Western Mountains which Commences a fiew miles above us and
runs in a N. N. W. & S. S. E. derection. The three Indians encamped
near us and visited our fire we entered into a kind of a Conversation by
signs, of the Country and Situation of the rivers. they informed us that
Seal river headed in the mountains at no great distance. quick Sand river
was Short only headed in Mt. Hood which is in view and to which he
pointed. this is a circumstance we did not expect as we had heretofore
deemed a considerable river. Mount Hood bears East from this place and is
distant from this place about 40 miles. this information if true will
render it necessary to examine the river below on the South Side behind
the image canoe and Wappato islands for some river which must water the
Country weste of the western mountains to the Waters of California. The
Columbia is at present on a Stand and we with dificuelty made 25 miles to
day-.