Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
a cool morning Set out early passed the rapid with all the Canoes except Sgt. Pryors which run on a rock near the lower part of the rapid and Stuck fast, by the assistance of the 3 other Canoes She was unloaded and got off the rock without any further injorey than, the wetting the greater part of her loading— loaded and proceeded on I walked around his rapid
| S. 12° E | 3 | miles to the Lard. bend passed a bad rapid all the way, here one Canoe Stuck. bad rapid |
| S. 60° W. | 3 | miles to a Stard. bend to a Scaffel of Split timber on an Is- land opsd. 2 other Isds. on Lard. |
| S 10° W. | 3〈½〉 | miles to a Point of rocks at a rapid opsd. the upper point of Small Island on th Lard. Side, passd. a rapid at the lower point of the 3 first Isds. one at the Lard. pt. 1½ mi. below Swift water |
| S. 50° W. | 6 | miles to Lard pt. opsd. a rapid and a pt. of an Island the Countrey low on both Sides Passed a rapid at 3 miles, passed a verry Bad rapid or falls, obliged to unload at 5 miles at the lower point of a Small Island Stard dined Lard. 5 Inds come to us |
| S. 28 W. | 6 ½ | miles to the Junction of Columbia R. in the Point Stard Passed the rapid opposit the upper Point of the Said Island and Passed a Small Isd. on Lard Side opposit, passed the lower point of the Island on Stard Side at 2 ½ miles a gravelley bare in the river at 3 miles, river wide Countrey on each side low, a rainge of hills on the west imedeately in front of the opposit side of Columbia [1] |
We halted a Short time above the Point and Smoked with the Indians, & examined the Point and best place for our Camp, we Camped on the Columbia River a little above the point I Saw about 200 men Comeing down from their villages & were turned back by the Chief, after we built our fires of what wood we Could Collect, & get from the Indians, the Chief brought down all his men Singing and dancing as they Came, formed a ring and danced for Some time around us we gave them a Smoke, and they returned the village a little above, the Chief & Several delay untill I went to bead. bought 7 dogs & they gave us Several fresh Salmon & Som horse dried
A cool morning deturmined to run the rapids, put our Indian guide in front our Small Canoe next and the other four following each other, the canoes all passed over Safe except the rear Canoe which run fast on a rock at the lower part of the Rapids, with the early assistance of the other Canoes & the Indians, who was extreamly ellert every thing was taken out and the Canoe got off without any enjorie further than the articles which it was loaded all wet. at 14 miles passed a bad rapid [3] at which place we unloaded and made a portage of ¾ of a mile, haveing passd. 4 Smaller rapids, three Islands and the parts of a house above, I Saw Indians & Horses on the South Side below. five Indians [4] came up the river in great haste, we Smoked with them and gave them a piece of tobacco to Smoke with their people and Sent them back, they Set out in a run & continued to go as fast as They Could run as far as we Could See them. after getting Safely over the rapid and haveing taken Diner Set out and proceeded on Seven miles to the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the N. W. [5] passd. a rapid two Islands and a graveley bare, and imediately in the mouth a rapid above an Island. In every direction from the junction of those rivers the Countrey is one Continued plain low and rises from the water gradually, except a range of high Countrey [6] which runs from S. W & N E and is on the opposit Side about 2 miles distant from the Collumbia and keeping its derection S W untill it joins a S W. range of mountains.
We halted above the point on the river Kimooenim [7] to Smoke with the Indians who had collected there in great numbers to view us, [8] here we met our 2 Chiefs who left us two days ago and proceeded on to this place to inform those bands of our approach and friendly intentions towards all nations &c. we also met the 2 men who had passed us Several days ago on hors back, one of them we observed was a man of great influence with those Indians, harranged them; after Smokeing with the Indians who had collected to view us we formed a camp at the point [9] near which place I Saw a fiew pieces of Drift wood after we had our camp fixed and fires made, a Chief came from their Camp which was about ¼ of a mile up the Columbia river at the head of about 200 men Singing and beeting on their drums Stick and keeping time to the musik, they formed a half circle around us and Sung for Some time, we gave them all Smoke, and Spoke to their Chiefs as well as we could by Signs informing them of our friendly disposition to all nations, and our joy in Seeing those of our Children around us, Gave the principal chief [10] a large Medal Shirt and Handkf. a 2nd Chief a Meadel of Small Size, and to the Cheif who came down from the upper villages a Small Medal & Handkerchief.
The Chiefs then returned with the men to their camp; Soon after we purchased for our Provisions Seven Dogs, Some fiew of those people made us presents of fish and Several returned and delayed with us untill bedtime— The 2 old Chiefs who accompanied us from the head of the river precured us Some fuil 〈wood〉 Such as 〈woods〉 the Stalks of weed or plant and willow bushes— one man made me a present of a about 20 lb. of verry fat Dried horse meat.
Great quantities of a kind of prickley pares, much worst than any I have before Seen of a tapering form and attach themselves by bunches.
| October 10 1805 | ||
| West | 1 | mile to a bluff of high land in a bend to the Starboard Side, passed an old Encampment of Indians S. S. |
| October 11th | ||
| S 40° W. | 1 ½ | miles to a point of rocks in a Lard. bend opposit to a bottom an old lodge on the Larboard Side. |
| West | 2 | miles to a Starboard bend passed a rapid at ½ a mils, 2 houses on the Std. Side, 〈passed two large Is- land〉 rockey hill Sides. |
| S. 40° W. | 3 | miles to the mouth of a Brook on the Lard. Side, passed a large Camp of Alpowa Cr. Indians on the Lard Side above, a large vacant house opposit St. Side |
| N. 75° W. | 1 ½ | miles in the Lard Bend passed a rapid and Some Swift water |
| N. 40° E. | 1 | mile to a Stard. Bend at a rapid a large vacant house on the Std. Side |
| N. 60° W. | 2 | miles to a Lard Bend at a bad rapid no timber ex- cept a fiew lose Hackberries. |
| N. 10° W. | 2 | miles to a Stard. Bend at a rapid Some Huts on the Stard. Side. |
| N 40° W. | 4 | miles to a Stard. Bend, passed a Std. point to three
Lodges of Indians on the Stard. Side. |
| 18 | ||
| S. 60° W. | 2 | miles to a Stard. Bend, passed a Stard. point; two large houses vacant on the Stard. Side, Killed gees & Duck |
| S. 30° W. | 1 | miles to a lard Bend opposit an old Indian fishing encampment. |
| N. 60° W. | 2 | To a Clift in a Stard. Bend passed a rapid at ½ a mile; an Indian house on the Stard. Side. |
| West | ½ | a mile to a Lard. Bend. |
| N. 10° W. | 1 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend passed a house St. S |
| West | 2 ½ | miles to a lard Bend passed a rapid opposit a Stoney Island from the Std. opposit to which & on the Stard Side is an Indian House, a rapid at the lower point of the Island. |
| N 45° W. | 3 ½ | miles to the mouth of a Brook in the Stard. Bend. below is two Indian houses inhabited, a great fishing place. we encamped |
| October 12th | ||
| S. 45° W. | 3 | miles passed 4 Islands first at ½ a mile and the 3 others nearly opposit each other, and above a bad rapid, on the Lard Side, and Swift water, passed a Stard point. |
| West | 3 | miles to a Lard Bend passing a Small rapid and Is- land on the Lard. Side, a vacant House on the Lard. Side |
| N. 45° W. | 2 | miles to a Stard. Bend the bottoms are narrow in the Points, the bends now have Clifts of rugid rocks to the river, also to the bottoms. |
| S 70° W. | 2 | miles to a bend on the Stard. Side at a rapid opposit an Island and on the lard. Side, passed a rapid on the Stard. Side of a Stoney Island below which and on the Stard. Sid a Brook falls in, Saw Indians at a dis- tance on the high lands. |
| South | 2 | miles to a point in a lard Bend, here the plains or high Countrey become much lower on both Sides, and river about 400 yeards wide. |
| S. 30° W. | 2 ½ | miles to the mouth of a Small Creek in a Lard Bend opposit to a Small island on the Lard Side. |
| S. 85° W. | 2 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend at a Swift part of the river, at 1½ miles Took Median altitude 72° 30' 0" |
| S 10° W. | 1 ½ | miles to a Lard Bend, low open countrey on each Side. |
| S. 88° W. | 3 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend (wind hard from the S. W,) passed a rapid and Island. a large House of Indians opposit on the Stard. Side Countrey rise gradually on each Sides |
| S. 60° W. | 6 | miles to a Stard. Bend, passed an Island at 4 miles, one at 5 miles water Swift and Shallow. |
| S. 30° W. | 1 | mile to a Lard Bend passed a rapid at the upper point of a Small Stoney Isld. |
| 60 | ||
| West | 1 | mile to a Stard Bend opposit to a Small Island close under the Lard Side, passed a Brook on the Std. Side. Came too to View a rapid |
| 13th October 1805 | ||
| S. 20° W. | 2 | miles to a Lard. Bend passed in the greater part of this distance through a verry bad rapid, rocks in every direction; Chanel on the Lard. Side abt. the Center of the rapid. |
| S. 70° W. | 3 | miles to a large Creek in a Lard. Bend Ki moo o nymm C passed a bad rocky rapid at 2 miles |
| N. 50° W. | 5 | miles to a large Creek in a Stard. Bend Drewyers R
at a great fishing establishment below the Creek at which place Several Scaffols of the parts of Indian Houses remained passing for 4 miles over a bad rapid, and through a narrow Channel, river Com- pressed and passes for 1½ miles thro' a Chanel not more than 25 yards wide, the other part of the river being crouded with black rough rocks, Saw Several Indians at Those narrows. |
| N. 75° W. | 2 | miles to the Starboard bend. |
| S. 45° W. | 2 ½ | miles to a Lardboard Bend. |
| N. 80° W. | 3 | miles to a Stard. Bend |
| S. 60° W | 2 | on the Stard. Side. passed a rapid |
| S 40° W. | 3 ½ | miles to a high Clifts in a Lard bend passed the parts of a House put up on forks on the Lard. Side, a Grave yard on the Stard. Side, near which we En- camped, 2 Indians overtook us here and informed they intinded to proceed on by land to the great river. &c.— |
| 14th October | ||
| West | 2 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend opposit to a rock on the Lard- side resembling a Ship at a Distance, passed Some Swift water |
| S. 10° W. | 2 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend. passed a rapid 〈and Small island on the Std. Side〈 |
| S. 45° W. | 3 | miles to a Stard. Bend passed a rapid & Small Isld. on the Stard. Side |
| S. 10° E. | 2 ½ | miles to a Lard. Bend, passed a Small Island Stard. Side. |
| S. 70° W. | 1 ½ | miles to a Stard. Bend (wind hard from S. W. Cool) |
| South 18° West | 3 | miles to a Lard. Bend passed a long bad rapid on which 3 canoes Stuck fast, with 2 Small rockey Is- lands in the rapid, at 3 miles is a Cave in a 〈lard point〉 the Std. Side in which the Indians have laterly lived, a grave yard near it above the Caves is a rapid on both Sides one Canoe Struck a rock and in pass- ing this rapid & Sunk. |
| 〈99〉 | ||
| 114 | ||
| 15th October 1805 | ||
| South | 4 ½ | miles to the lower point of an Island Close under the Stard Side passed one on the Lard Side and one in the middle of the river; four smal rapids, three of them at the lower points of the Said 3 Islands. |
| S. 45° E | 1 | mile to the lower point of an Islannd Close under the Lard Bend opsd the upper point of an Island on the Stard. Side at which place there is a Small rapid |
| S 35° W. | 9 | miles to a point of rocks on the lard. Side, passed a place of Swift water at the lower point of the 1st Is- land, a Small rapid a little below, a Lard point at 2 miles, a stard point at 4 miles, a Lard point at 5 miles, a Stard point and 3 Small Islands opposit 〈near〉 the Stard. Side and 2 Islands opds. on the lard Side at 6½ miles, a Small rapid below the Islands, Severals Scaffolds of the parts of Houses on the Stard Side, at 8½ miles passed an Island and Swift water, opposit on the Stard Side is the parts of a house raised on forks. a Small willow bottom on Lard. The Coun- trey becoms low on each Side Say from 90' to 100 feet above the water |
| South | 5 | miles to an Island at the head of a rapid, passed for 3 miles thro' Still gentle water Confined between purpendicular Clifts of rocks, & then widens into a kind of basin. come to and Encamped at an old fishing place near a Saffle of the parts of a house. |
| 16th October | ||
| S. 12° E | 3 | miles to a Lard. Bend passed a bad rapid in this whole. course, one Conoe Stuck & filed. |
| S. 60° W. | 3 | miles to a Stard Bend passed an Island on which the parts of a house was raised on forks &c. 2 Small Isds. on the Lard. Side. |
| S. 10° W | 3 | miles to a point of rocks at a rapid opposit to the upper point of a Small Island & on the lard. side, passed a rapid at the lower point of 3 islands; and one 1½ miles below them. |
| S. 60° W. | 6 | miles to a Lard. point opposit to a rapid at the upper point of an Island, passed a rapid at 3 miles, passed a (falls) or verry bad rapid at 5 miles at which place we were obliged to unlode and make a portage of ¾ of a mile. an Isd. on Std Side in the rapid. |
| 148 ½ | ||
| S. 28° W. | 6 ½ | miles to the junction of the
Ki moo-e nim
with the Co- lumbia River, passed a rapid opposit to the upper point of a Sandy Isld., passed a Small Island on the Lard. Side, opposit, passed the lower point of the Is- land on the Std. Side at 2 miles, a graveley bare in the river at 3 miles. |
| 154 |
Wednesday 16th Oct. 1805. we Set out as usal and proceedd on over the rockey rapids one of the canoes run fast on a rock in a bad rapid and Stayed untill we went with a canoe to their assistance. got all Safe to land loaded and Set out again and proceeded on. in the afternoon we Came to the last bad rapid as the Indians Sign to us. we halted little above and carried Some of the baggage past by land abt. one mile then took the canoes Safe down and loaded them again and procd. on passed over Several rapid places in the River. towards evening we arived at the big forks. [12] the large River which is wider than the Columbia River comes in from a northerly direction. the Country around these forks is level Smooth plain. no timber. not a tree to be Seen as far as our Eyes could extend. a fiew willows Scattering along the Shores. about 200 Savages [13] are Camped on the point between the 2 rivers. we Camped near them. they Sold us eight fat dogs and Some fresh sammon. in the evening the whole band came Singing in their way to our Camp around our fires and Smoaked with us, and appeared verry friendly. they have pleanty of beeds Copper & brass trinkets, about them which they Sign to us that they got them from Some tradors on a River to the North of this place—
Wednesday 16th. We had a fine morning and embarked early; proceeded on about 3 miles, when one of our canoes run upon some rocks in a rapid, but by unloading another canoe and sending it to her assistance, we got all safe to land, and then continued our voyage. About 1 o'clock we came to another rapid, where all hands carried a load of the baggage by land about a mile, and then took the canoes over the rapids, two at a time, and in that way we got them all down safe and proceeded on. Having gone 21 miles we arrived at the great Columbia river, which comes in from the northwest. [14] We found here a number of natives, of whose nations we have not yet found out the names. [15] We encamped [16] on the point between the two rivers. The country all round is level, rich and beautiful, but without timber.
〈Monday〉 Wednesday 16th Oct. 1805. we Set out as usal and proceeded on over Several bad rapids which was full of rocks. one of the canoes Struck a rock in a rapid and Swung on it they Stayed their untill we unloaded and took a canoe I was on board the canoe which Struck. the Small canoes came to our assistance also. we got the load and canoe Safe to Shore, loaded again and proceeded on over Several more rapids then came to a verry bad rapid, the worst or had the highest waves of any we have yet passd. we halted above the rapid and carried considerable of the baggage by land about a mile. then took the canoes Safe over, and loaded up and proceeded on down Several more rapids towards evening we arived at the forks of the river [17] which came from a northly direction and is larger than this Columa. R. the country around these forks is level Smooth barron plains not even a tree to be Seen as far as our eyes could extend a fiew willows along the Shores. we found about 2 hundred or upwards Camped on the point between the two Rivers. a verry pleasant place. we Camped near them on the point. the natives Sold us eight dogs and Some fresh Sammon. the whole band came in a body Singing in their form to our fires and Smoaked with us and appeared friendly. they have beeds and brass and coper in Small peaces hanging about them, which they Sign to us that they got them from white people on a River to the north, and Some down about the mouth of this River. we went [blank] miles this day. passed Several Islands &c.
Wednesday October 16th A pleasant morning & we set out early; and proceeded on; we passed over several bad Rapids, which lay quite across the River, which were 〈was〉 full of rocks. One of our Canoes struck on a rock, which was in a rapid, & swung round and remained fast, where she staid, till the Canoe that I was in came to their assistance & a small Canoe belonging to our party. The Men from the two Canoes got the load out of the Canoe, & got her off the rock & to the shore. We got the Canoes loaded again & continued on our Voyage. we passed over several more bad Rapids; and came to a place in the River, where we found a very bad Rapid by far the worst that we had yet seen on this River; & we halted our Canoes above the Rapid. We carried a considerable quantity of our baggage about a Mile by land below this rapid.— We got all our canoes safe over this 〈rapid〉 difficult place & loaded them and proceeded on down the River; & passed several more Rapids.— Towards evening we arrived at a large fork that came into this River from a Northerly direction & was much large than the fork which we descended which we supposed to be the Columbia River.— The country round where the forks of these two Rivers lay 〈is〉 was level & 〈is〉 smooth barren plains, with not a Tree to be seen as far as our Eyes could extend. Along the Shores 〈are〉 grew a few Willows. We found upwards of 200 Indians, that were encamped on a point of land, that lay between these two Rivers, in a very pleasant situated place. We Encamped near those Indians on the same point of land. These natives came to our encampment & sold us 8 dogs & some fresh Salmon. This whole Band of Indians came in a body, Singing in their manner to our fires, Smoaked with us, & appeared friendly.— These Indians had beads, and small pieces of brass & Copper hanging about them, which they made signs to us, that they got them from White people, who live on a River; lying to the North of this place, & that they also got some of them at the Mouth of this River. We passed several Islands this day & came 26 Miles, the Course with us is the same as Yesterday.—
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| 30 |
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| 23 |
| 15 |
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| 140 |
| 60 |
| 200 |
The notion of a Great River of the West as a necessary part of a water route across the continent developed well before the actual discovery of the Columbia in 1792. Before Lewis and Clark only the stretch from the mouth to around Portland, Oregon, was known to Europeans. McKeehan is attempting to connect the information provided by Gass with Mackenzie's explorations in the Canadian Rockies. Within the next few years the explorations of David Thompson and Simon Fraser would greatly clarify the geography of the upper Columbia River.
(back)Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.