History of the Expedition Under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 2.: To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.Lewis, Meriwether
History
History of the Expedition Under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 2.: To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.
Lewis, Meriwether
Clark, William, 1770-1838 -- Travel -- West (U.S.); Columbia River -- Description and travel; Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806); Lewis, Meriwether, 1774-1809 -- Travel -- West (U.S.); Missouri River -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- History -- To 1
Sunday 13. The morning was windy and dark, and the rain which began
before daylight, continued till near twelve o’clock. Having viewed
very accurately the whole of this rapid we set out, the Indians going
on before us to pilot the canoes. We found it, as had been reported, a
very dangerous rapid, about two miles in length, and strewed with rocks
in every direction, so as to require great dexterity to avoid running
against them. We however passed through the channel, which is towards
the left, and about the centre of the rapid, without meeting with any
accident. Two miles below it we had another bad rapid, a mile beyond
which is a large creek in a bend to the left. This we called Kimooenim
creek.
On leaving it the river soon became crowded with rough black rocks,
till at the distance of a mile it forms a rapid which continues for
four miles, and during the latter part of it for a mile and a half,
the whole river is compressed into a narrow channel, not more than
twenty-five yards wide. The water happened to be low as we passed,
but during the high waters, the navigation must be very difficult.
Immediately at the end of this rapid, is a large stream in a bend to
the right, which we called Drewyer’s river, after George Drewyer one of
the party. A little below the mouth of this river is a large fishing
establishment, where there are the scaffolds and timbers of several
houses piled up against each other, and the meadow adjoining contains
a number of holes, which seem to have been used as places of deposits
for fish for a great length of time. There were no entire houses
standing, and we saw only two Indians who had visited the narrows,
but we were overtaken by two others, who accompanied us on horseback
down the river, informing us that they meant to proceed by land down
to the great river. Nine and a half miles below Drewyer’s river, we
passed another rapid, and three and a half miles farther reached some
high cliffs in a bend to the left. Here after passing the timbers of a
house, which were preserved on forks, we encamped on the right side,
near a collection of graves, such as we had seen above. The country
was still an open plain without timber, and our day’s journey had
no variety, except the fishing houses which are scattered near the
situations convenient for fishing, but are now empty. Our two Indian
companions spent the night with us.
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