University of Virginia Library

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 [s] edge to day measured from the Beak to the end of the
toe 2 feet 6 & ¾ 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
Sokulk, 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-nâ-pum Some fiew
of this nation reside with the Sokulks nation. Their language
differ but little from either the Sokulks or the Chô-pun-nish (or
pierced nose) nation which inhabit the Koskoskea river and
Lewis's R below.[18]

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 [it] 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 direction. from this Island
the natives showed me the enterance of a large Westerly fork
which they Call Tâpetêtt at about 8 miles distant, the evening
being late I deturmined to return to the forks, at which place
I reached at Dark.[19] 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 numbers 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 point. The 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 [in] splitting and drying
Salmon. I was furnished with a mat to set 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 sufficently 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 preparations,
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 come
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 derection, on 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 numbs. of the nativs with Capt. Lewis,
men all employ[e]d in dressing ther skins mending their clothes
and putting their 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 [are] highly
ornimented with beeds 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 bar[e]ly to hide those parts which are so
sacredly hid & s[e]cured by our women. Those women are
more inclined to Co[r]pulency than any we have yet Seen, with
low Stature broad faces, heads flatened and the foward [forehead]
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 incircling their
necks, 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 great[er]
share [in the] labor of the woman, than is common among Savage
tribes, and as I am informed [are] 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 many
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[ly] those of the upper jaw, and the tribes generally
have bad teeth the cause of it I cannot account [for],
sand attachd. to the roots & the method they have of useing the
dried 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 in[n]er 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 disposed.
They have in their huts independant of their nets gigs
& fishing tackling each bows & large quivers of arrows on
which they use flint Spikes. Their ammusements are similar
to those of the Missouri. they are not beggerley, and receive
what is given them with much joy.

I saw but fiew horses they appeared [to] make but little use
of those animals principally useing Canoes for their uses of
procuring food &c.