University of Virginia Library

November 5th. Tuesday 1805

Rained all the after part of last night, rain continues this
morning, I [s]lept but verry little last night for the noise
Kept [up] dureing the whole of the night by the Swans, Geese,
white & Grey Brant Ducks &c. on a Small Sand Island close
under the Lard. Side; they were emensely noumerous, and
their noise horid. we Set out early here the river is not
more than ¾ of a mile in width, passed a Small Prarie on
the Stard. Side, passed 2 houses about ½ a mile from each other
on the Lard. Side a canoe came from the upper house, with
3 men in it mearly to view us, passed an Isld. covered with
tall trees & green briers Seperated from the Stard. Shore by a
narrow chanel at 9 miles, I observed on the Chanel which
passes on the Stard. Side of this Island a short distance above
its lower point is Situated a large village, the front of which
occupies nearly ¼ of a mile fronting the Chanel, and closely
connected, I counted 14 houses (Quathlapotle[15] nation) in front
here the river widens to about 1-½ miles. Seven canoes of
Indians came out from this large village to view and trade with
us, they appeared orderly and well disposed, they accompanied
us a fiew miles and returned back. about 1-½ miles below
this village on the Lard. Side behind a rockey Sharp point, we
passed a chanel ¼ of a mile wide [Willamette slough], which
1 take to be the one the Indian canoe entered yesterday from
the lower point of Immaged Canoe Island so named Some low
clifts of rocks below this chanel, a large Island close under the
Stard. Side opposit, and 2 Small Islands, below, here we met
2 canoes from below, below those Islands a range of high
hills form the Stard. Bank of the river, the shore bold and
rockey, covered with a groth of Pine, an extensive low Island,
Seperated from the Lard. side by a narrow chanel, on
this Island we Stoped to Dine I walked out, found it open
& covered with grass interspersed with small ponds, in which
was great numbrs. of foul, the remains of an old village on
the lower part of this Island, I saw Several deer, our hunters
killed on this Island a Swan, 4 white 6 grey brant & 2 Ducks

all of them were divided, below the lower point of this Island
a range of high hills which runs S. E. forms the Lard. bank of
the river the Shores bold and rockey & hills covered with
pine. The high hills leave the river on the Stard. Side, a high
bottom between the hill & river. We met 4 Canoes of Indians
from below, in which there is 26 Indians, one of those
canoes is large, and ornimented with Images on the bow &
Stern. That in the Bow [is] the likeness of a Bear, and in
Stern the picture of a man. we landed on the Lard. Side &
camped a little below the mouth of a creek[16] on the Stard. Side
a little below the mouth of which is an Old village which is
now abandaned; here the river is about one and a half miles
wide, and deep, The high Hills which run in a N. W. &
S. E. derection form both banks of the river the Shore boald
and rockey, the hills rise gradually & are Covered with a
thick groth of pine &c. The valley which is from above the
mouth of Quick Sand River to this place may be computed
at 60 miles wide on a Derect line, & extends a great Distance
to the right & left, rich thickly covered with tall timber, with
a fiew Small Praries bordering on the river and on the Islands;
Some iiew standing Ponds & Several Small Streams of running
water on either Side of the river; This is certainly a fertill and
a handsom valley, at this time crouded with Indians. The day
proved cloudy with rain the greater part of it, we are all wet
cold and disagreeable—I saw but little appearance of frost
in this valley which we call Columbia [or] Wap-pa-too Valley
(Columbian valley) from that root or plants growing Spontaniously
in this valley only In my walk of to Day I saw 17
Striped Snakes I killed a grouse which was verry fat, and
larger than common. This is the first night which we have
been entirely clear of Indians since our arrival on the
waters of the Columbia River, we made 32 miles to day by
estimation.