Clark: October 17, 1805

October 17th Thursday 1805 Forks of Columbia This morning after the Luner
observations, the old chief came down, and Several men with dogs to Sell
& womin with fish &c. the Dogs we purchased the fish not good.

I took 2 men and Set out in a Small Canoe with a view to go as high up the
Columbia river as the 1st forks which the Indians made Signs was but a
Short distance, I set out at 2 oClock firs course was N. 83° W 6 miles to
the lower point of a Island on the Lard. Side, passed an Island in the
middle of the river at 5 miles, at the head of which is a rapid not bad at
this rapid 3 Lodges of mats on the Lard emenc quantites of dried fish,
then West 4 miles to the Lower point of an Island on the Stard. Side, 2
lodges of Indians large and built of mats- passed 3 verry large mat lodges
at 2 mile on the Stard Side large Scaffols of fish drying at every lodge,
and piles of Salmon lying. the Squars engaged prepareing them for the
Scaffola Squar gave me a dried Salmon from those lodes on the
Island an Indian Showed me the mouth of the river which falls in below a
high hill on the Lard. N. 80° W. 8 miles from the Island. The river
bending Lard.This river is remarkably Clear and Crouded with Salmon
in maney places, I observe in assending great numbers of Salmon dead on
the Shores, floating on the water and in the Bottoms which can be seen at
the debth of 20 feet. the Cause of the emence numbers of dead Salmon I
can’t account for So it is I must have seen 3 or 400 dead and maney living
the Indians, I believe make use of the fish which is not long dead as, I
Struck one nearly dead and left him floating, Some Indians in a canoe
behind took the fish on board his canoe

The bottoms on the South Side as high as the Tarcouche tesse is from 1 to
2 miles wide, back of the bottoms rises to hilly countrey, the Plain is
low on the North & Easte for a great distance no wood to be Seen in
any direction.

The Tarcouche tesse bears South of West, the Columbia N W above range of
hills on the West Parrelel a range of mountains to the East which appears
to run nearly North & South distance not more than 50 milesI
returned to the point at Dusk followed by three canoes of Indians 20 in
numberI killed a Fowl of the Pheasent kind as large as a turkey.
The length from his Beeck to the end of its tail 2 feet 63/4
Inches, from the extremity of its wings across 3 feet 6 Inches. the tail
feathers 13 Inches long, feeds on grass hoppers, and the Seed of wild
Isoop 6

Those Indians are orderly, badly dressed in the Same fashions of those
above except the women who wore Short Shirts and a flap over them 22
Fishing houses of Mats robes of Deer, Goat & Beaver.

—

October 17th Thursday 1805 A fair morning made the above observations
during which time the principal Chief came down with Several of his
principal men and Smoked with us. Several men and woman offered Dogs and
fish to Sell, we purchased all the dogs we could, the fish being out of
Season and dieing in great numbers in the river, we did not think proper
to use them, Send out Hunters to Shute the Prarie Cock a large fowl which
I have only Seen on this river; Several of which I have killed, they are
the Size of a Small turkey, of the pheasant kind, one I killed on the
water edge to day measured from the Beek to the end of the toe 2 feet 6
& 3/4 Inches; from the extremities of its wings 3 feet 6 inches; the
tale feathers is 13 inches long; they feed on grasshoppers and the Seed of
the wild plant which is also peculiar to this river and the upper parts of
the Missoury somewhat resembling the whins-. Capt. Lewis took a vocabelary
of the Language of those people who call themselves So hulk, and also one
of the language of a nation resideing on a Westerly fork of the Columbia
which mouthes a fiew miles above this place who Call themselves Chim na
pum Some fiew of this nation reside with the So kulks nation, Their
language differ but little from either the Sokulks or the Cho-pun-nish (or
pierced nose) nation which inhabit the Koskoskia river and Lewis’s R
below.

I took two men in a Small Canoe and assended the Columbia river 10 miles
to an Island near the Stard. Shore on which two large Mat Lodges of
Indians were drying Salmon, (as they informed me by Signs for the purpose
of food and fuel, & I do not think at all improbable that those people
make use of Dried fish as fuel,) The number of dead Salmon on the Shores
& floating in the river is incrediable to Say and at this Season they
have only to collect the fish Split them open and dry them on their
Scaffolds on which they have great numbers, how far they have to raft
their timber they make their Scaffolds of I could not lern; but there is
no timber of any Sort except Small willow bushes in Sight in any
directionfrom this Island the natives showed me the enterance of a large
Westerly fork which they Call Tapetett at about 8 miles distant, the
evening being late I deturmined to return to the forks, at which place I
reached at Dark. from the point up the Columbia River is N. 83° W. 6 miles
to the lower point of an Island near the Lard. Side passed a Island in the
middle of the river at 5 miles at the head of which is a rapid, not
dangerous on the Lard Side opposit to this rapid is a fishing place 3 Mat
Lodges, and great quants. of Salmon on Scaffolds drying. Saw great numhers
of Dead Salmon on the Shores and floating in the water, great numbers of
Indians on the banks viewing me and 18 canoes accompanied me from the
pointThe Waters of this river is Clear, and a Salmon may be Seen at
the deabth of 15 or 20 feet. West 4 miles to the lower point of a large
Island near the Stard. Side at 2 Lodges, passed three large lodges on the
Stard Side near which great number of Salmon was drying on Scaffolds one
of those Mat lodges I entered found it crouded with men women and children
and near the enterance of those houses I saw maney Squars engaged
Splitting and drying Salmon. I was furnished with a mat to Sit on, and one
man Set about prepareing me Something to eate, first he brought in a piece
of a Drift log of pine and with a wedge of the elks horn, and a malet of
Stone curioesly Carved he Split the log into Small pieces and lay’d it
open on the fire on which he put round Stones, a woman handed him a basket
of water and a large Salmon about half Dried, when the Stones were hot he
put them into the basket of water with the fish which was Soon Suflicently
boiled for use. it was then taken out put on a platter of rushes neetly
made, and Set before me they boiled a Salmon for each of the men with me,
dureing those preperations, I Smoked with those about me who Chose to
Smoke which was but fiew, this being a custom those people are but little
accustomed to and only Smok thro form. after eateing the boiled fish which
was delicious, I Set out & halted or came too on the Island at the two
Lodges. Several fish was given to me, in return for Which I gave Small
pieces of ribbond from those Lodges the natives Showed me the mouth of Tap
teel River about 8 miles above on the west Side this western fork appears
to beare nearly West, The main Columbia river N W.a range of high
land to the S W and parralal to the river and at the distance of 2 miles
on the Lard. Side, the countrey low on the Stard. Side, and all Coverd.
with a weed or plant about 2 & three feet high and resembles the
whins. I can proceive a range of mountains to the East which appears to
bare N. & South distant about 50 or 60 miles. no wood to be Seen in
any derectionOn my return I was followd. by 3 canoes in which there
was 20 Indians I shot a large Prairie Cock Several Grouse, Ducks and fish.
on my return found Great Numbr. of the nativs with Capt Lewis, men all
employd in dressing ther Skins mending their clothes and putting ther arms
in the best order the latter being always a matter of attention with us.
The Dress of those natives differ but little from those on the Koskoskia
and Lewis’s rivers, except the women who dress verry different in as much
as those above ware long leather Shirts which highly ornimented with heeds
Shells &c. &c. and those on the main Columbia river only ware a
truss or pece of leather tied around them at their hips and drawn tite
between ther legs and fastened before So as barly to hide those parts
which are So Sacredly hid & Scured by our women. Those women are more
inclined to Copulency than any we have yet Seen, with low Stature broad
faces, heads flatened and the foward compressed so as to form a Streight
line from the nose to the Crown of the head, their eyes are of a Duskey
black, their hair of a corse black without orniments of any kind braded as
above, The orniments of each Sects are Similar, Such as large blue &
white beeds, either pendant from their ears or encircling their necks, or
wrists & arms. they also ware bracelets of Brass, Copper & horn,
and trinkets of Shells, fish bones and curious feathers. Their garments
Consists of a short Shirt of leather and a roabe of the Skins of Deer or
the Antilope but fiew of them ware Shirts all have Short robes. Those
people appears to live in a State of comparitive happiness; they take a
greater Share labor of the woman, than is common among Savage tribes, and
as I am informd. Content with one wife (as also those on the Ki moo e nim
river) Those people respect the aged with veneration, I observed an old
woman in one of the Lodges which I entered She was entirely blind as I was
informed by Signs, had lived more than 100 winters, She occupied the best
position in the house, and when She Spoke great attention was paid to what
She Said-. Those people as also those of the flat heads which we had
passed on the Koskoske and Lewis’s rivers are Subject to Sore eyes, and
maney are blind of one and Some of both eyes. this misfortune must be
owing to the reflections of the Sun &c. on the waters in which they
are continually fishing during the Spring Summer & fall, & the
Snows dureing the, winter Seasons, in this open countrey where the eye has
no rest. I have observed amongst those, as well in all other tribes which
I have passed on these waters who live on fish maney of different Sectes
who have lost their teeth about middle age, Some have their teeth worn to
the gums, perticelar those of the upper jaws, and the tribes generally
have bad teeth the cause of it I cannot account sand attachd. to the roots
&c the method they have of useing the dri’d Salmon, which is mearly
worming it and eating the rine & Scales with the flesh of the fish, no
doubt contributes to it

The Houses or Lodges of the tribes of the main Columbia river is of large
mats made of rushes, Those houses are from 15 to 60 feet in length
generally of an Oblong Squar form, Suported by poles on forks in the iner
Side, Six feet high, the top is covered also with mats leaveing a
Seperation in the whole length of about 12 or 15 inches wide, left for the
purpose of admitting light and for the Smok of the fire to pass which is
made in the middle of the house.The roughfs are nearly flat, which
proves to me that rains are not common in this open Countrey

Those people appeare of a mild disposition and friendly disposedThey have
in their huts independant of their nets gigs & fishing tackling each
bows & large quivers of arrows on which they use flint Spikes. Theire
ammusements are Similar to those of the Missouri. they are not beggerley
and receive what is given them with much joy.

I saw but flew horses they appeared make but little use of those animals
principally useing Canoes for their uses of procureing food &c.