The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, April 29, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

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.