Chapter XVII
FROM THE RAPIDS TO CAPE HORN
XVII. November 2–6, 1805
Saturday 2nd.. Nov. 1805.
a CLEAR morning. we carried a part of the baggage
below the other last rapids one mile further, and ran
over one canoe down the rapid at a time. about 10
oClock A. M. we got all below the last rapids we have any
acct. of from the Savages, then loaded the canoes agn. and about
12 oC. Set out and proceeded on over Several more rapids at
the foot of large Islands. Saw 2 old ancient villages below the
big rapids which was evacuated, the bark taken off of one of
them and put in a pond to Soak. the frames verry large. the
mountains verry high on the Lard. Side and on the S. Side a
little back from the River. proceed. on abt. 4 miles then the
Rir. got Smooth the current verry gentle &c the River wide
and Strait the remdr.. of the day we passed a creek on L. Side
&c. great nomber of Spring runs, and Springs flowing from
the high clifts and mountains, and fell off down 100 feet or
more. high clifts on each Side. the Indians over took us
with their canoes, which they carryed past the big rapids Saw
2 Indians dressed in red Scarlet and one in blue cloth which
appeared new. they had a Musket which was made all of
brass and copper, a powder flask &c. towards evening the
River got more wide could Scarsely perceive any current at all.
the mont.. and clifts cont. all day. went 21 miles and Camped
under a Shelving clift & a green on the Lard. Side. Saw this
day abundance of geese and killed 16 of them. Saw Some
Swan and brants ducks &c. passd. one village this after noon
on the S. Side. passd. Some narrow bottoms high towers of
rocks &c. the country is timbred but mostly Spruce and pine.
Some oak &c.
Sunday 3rd.. Nov. 1805.
a foggy morning. we delayd. untill abt. 9 oClock. Several
men went out a Short distance to hunt. we Shot Several
geese flying over our Camp this morning. one canoe belonging
to the Savages and Several Indians camped with us last
night. a handsom Spring run came in near our Camp. the
fog So thick this morning that we cannot See more than one
hundred yards distance. agreeable to all calculations it cannot
be more than two hundred miles from this to the ocean. one
of the men killd. a large buck Deer. we then Set out abt. 9 oC.
and proceeded on the fog continued So thick that we could
Scarsely See the Shores or Islands passed Several Isld. abt.
noon we halted to dine at the mo. of a River which came in on
the Lard. Side, the mouth of which was filled with quick Sand So
that we could run a pole 6 or 8 feet in it and it emptyd. in at
Several places thro a verry large Sand bar which lay at the mo
we then proceeded on passd the mo. of a Small River on Stard.
the after part of the day clear and pleas [ant]. we Saw a high
round mountain on the Lard. Side which we expect is the Same
we Saw abo. the great falls and the Same that Lieut. Hood gave
an account off (it is nearly covd. with Snow). we proceeded on
the River verry wide better than a mile in general. a nomber
of large Islands &c. towards evening we met Several Indians
in a canoe who were going up the River. they Signed to us
that in two Sleeps we Should See the Ocean vessels and white
people &c. &c. the Country lower and not So mountanous
the River more handsome the current verry gentle. Some
bottoms covred with cotton and pine &c. passd. a nomber of
large Islands. went about 13 miles and Camped on a verry
large & long Island which was mostly prarie and handsome.
a large lake on it. we have Seen a great many Sea otter in
the River ever Since we came to the Big falls. the geese and
Swan ducks and brants &c. we killed Several Swan geese and
brants &c. this day. a nomber of the Savages Camped with
us. at Sunset we got a Small canoe from them and carried it
out to the pond or lake and killed a nomber of large Swan and
geese.
Monday 4th.. Nov. 1805.
Some cloudy. the tide swell[ed] about two feet perpinticular
last night and on the rise this morning. one of the men
went out on the Island and killed a Deer and [a] goose. about
7 oClock we Set out and proceed. on abt. 8 mils.. passd. Several
large Islands covd. with cotton timber & praries the River
wider. we Came to a verry large village on L. Side the
Savages verry nomerous in it, about 35 cabbens. it is but a
niew village. they have a vast quantity of pounded Sammon
in their cabbins. they have 50 canoes at their handsome
village or landing they have cloths of different kinds among
them. the timber Such as cotton and pine is thick in these
bottoms the River is now handsome. we bought 2 dogs
and Some excelent roots which we found nearly as good as
potatoes. we then proceed. on a Short distance and halted to
dine on the Stard. Side. 2 canoe loads of Savages followed us
from the village. they Stole Capt. Clarks pipe Tomahawk
which we could not find. [MS. torn] all the way on [MS.
torn] timbered bottoms on each Side covd. with cotton and oak
timber. a little back from the River the hills is covred with
pine and Spruce from which the Savages git the bark to cover
their villages. passd. Several more verry large villages on each
Side. the Savages are verry numerous. the country appears
to be good, the Soil rich and game tolbr. pleanty. we Saw the
Indians bring in Several deer to day which they had killed
with their bows and arrows. towards evening we met a large
canoe loaded with Indians one of them could curse Some
words in Inglish. they had a Sturgeon on board. they [their]
canoe had images worked on the bow & Stern. they had five
muskets on board. we discovered a high round mountain
some dis[tance] back from the River on Stard. Side which is
called mount Rainy. we are not yet out of Site of Mount
Hood which is covd. with Snow. Saw a great many Sea otter
in the River we went 28 miles to day and Camped after
dark on the Starbord Side. the Swan and geese are verry
pleanty on the River brants also.
Tuesday 5th.. Nov. 1805.
began to rain abt. one oClock last night and rained untill
morn. the morning cloudy. we Set out eairly and proceeded
on verry well the River verry Strait passd. Islands as usal
abor.. 10 miles [MS. torn] the largest village we have [MS. torn]
the S. Side. the cabbens [MS. torn] they had a great no[mber]
[MS. torn] Some of them got in their [canoes and] came out
in the River to See us. they wanted to trade us Elk Skins
for muskets. we proceeded on 20 miles Since we Started this
morng. and halted about 1 oC. to dine on an Isl. Several men
went out a Short time to hunt, and killed one Swan and Several
brants. we then proceeded on. passed one or 2 more villages
had Several Small Showers of rain the Isld. continues all the
way covd. with cotton timber. the bottoms cont. as usal. we
went 31 miles to day and Camped on the Lard. Side where the
pine hills make close to the River. and Some clifts of rocks
on L. Shore. the River about a mile wide. this evening
rainy.
Wednesday 6th.. Nov. 1805.
Several Showers of rain in the course of last night. the
guard had to attend to the canoes to keep them loose as the
tide Ebbs & flows abt. 3 feet pert.ular. a cloudy wet morning.
we Set out eairly and proceeded on. Shortly passed a Small
village on Lard. Side. Some Indians came out in the River to
us with their canoes. we bought Some fresh fish from them,
and bought Some fine roots from a canoe which was going
down the R. with a load trading. at noon we halted to dine
at a large bottom which was covd. with cotton timber on the
S. Side. Several hunters went out abt. one hour and the under
brush So thick that they could not go any distance back. we
proceeded on. passed high clifts on L. S. abt. 100 feet from
the S[urface of ] the water. the hills on each Side are [covered
with] different kinds of pine.
