University of Virginia Library

[Clark, first draft:]

November 3rd.. Sunday 1805.

The fog so thick this morning we did not think it prudent
to set out untill 10 oClock we set out and proceeded on
verry well, accompanied by our Indian friends. This morning
Labich killed 3 Geese flying Collins killed a Buck. The water
rose [figure erased] Inches last night the effects of tide. The
Countrey has a handsome appearance in advance no mountains
extensive bottoms. the water shallow for a great distance
from shore. The fog continued thick untill 12 oClock, we
coasted and halted at the mouth of a large river on the Lard.
Side, this river throws out emence quantitys of sand and is
verry shallow, the narrowest part 200 yards wide bold current,
much resembling the river Plat,[3] several Islands about 1 mile
up and has a sand bar of 3 miles in extent imedeately in its
mouth, dischargeing it[s] waters by 2 mouths, and crowding
its corse sands so as to throw the Columbian waters on its

Nothern banks, & confd. it to ½ m1 in width Passed a small
Prarie on the Stard. Side above, a large creek opposit 2k sand
River on the Stard. Side, extensive bottoms low hilley
Countrey on each side (good wintering Place) a high peeked
mountain suppose to be Mt. Hood is on the Lard Side S. 85° E.
40 miles distant from the mouth of quick Sand river.

Course Nov. 3d.

       

West	3	miles to the upper mouth of quick Sand river, countrey low on each side riseing to a hilley countrey passed a large creek opposit Std. Side & 2 sand bars
S. 70°. W.	7	miles to the upper point of a large Island covered with [blank space in MS.] passed the Lower Mouth of Sandy river at 3 Miles opposit the head of a large Island Std Side faced with rocks and the side is pine & cotton a large creek falls in opposit to the head of this Island—Isld of Fowls as I saw some 1000 pass over—on the Stard Side passed some ruged rocks in the middle of the river opposit the Island. river wide The Countrey below quick Sand river on the Lard. Side is low, Piney Countrey. Passed the lower point of the Island at 3 ½ miles long & 1 ½ wide. emence quantity of Geese, Brants, Ducks & sea otters, some of the large & small kind of Swan & Sand hill cranes, also Luns & white gulls
S. 87°. W.	3	miles on the North Side of the Island and Encamped we met 2 canoes of Indians 15 in number who informed us they had seen 3 Vestles 2 days below us, we camped on the Island, and sent out hunters on it and Capt Lewis walked out, after Dark Capt Lewis with 3 men went into a large Pond on this Island & killed a swan & several ducks. The Party killed this day 3 swan 8 Brant, & 5 Ducks. The canoe was borrowed of the Inds. here & taken over by 4 men into the pond. I gave the Indians a Brant to eate.
	13

November 3d. Sunday 1805

The Fog so thick this morning that we could not see a man
50 Steps off, this fog detained us untill 10 oClock at which

time we Set out, accompanied by our Indian friends who are
from a village near the great falls, previous to our Setting out
Collins killed a large Buck, and Labiech killed 3 Geese flying.
I walked on the Sand beech Lard. Side, opposit the canoes as
they passed along. The under groth rushes, vines &c. in the
bottoms too thick to pass through, at 3 miles I arrived at the
enterance of a river which appeared to scatter over a Sand bar,
the bottom of which I could See quit[e] across and did not
appear to be 4 Inches deep in any part; I attempted to wade
this Stream and to my astonishment found the bottom a quick
Sand, and impassable. I called to the Canoes to put to Shore,
I got into the Canoe and landed below the mouth, & Capt. Lewis
and my Self walked up this river about 1-½ mile to examine
this river which we found to be a verry considerable Stream
Dischargeing its waters through 2 chanels which forms an Island
of about 3 miles in length on the river and 1-½ miles wide, composed
of corse sand which is thrown out of this quick sand river
compressing the waters of the Columbia and throwing the
whole current of its waters against its Northern banks, within
a chanel of ½ a mile wide, Several Small Islands 1 mile up
this river, This Stream has much the appearance of the River
Platt. roleing its quick sands into the bottoms with great
velocity after which it is divided into 2 chanels by a large sand
bar before mentioned, the narrowest part of this River is 120
yards on the Opposit Side of the Columbia a large Creek
[small river called Seal river][4] falls in above this creek on the
Same Side is a Small prarie. extensive low country on each
Side, thickly timbered.

The Quick Sand river appears to pass through the low
countrey at the foot of those high range of mountains in a
Southerly direction. The large Creek which falls into the
Columbia on the Stard. Side rise in the Same range of mountains
to the N. N. E. and pass through some ridgey land.
A Mountain which we Suppose to be Mt. Hood, is S. 85° E
about 47 miles distant from the mouth of quick sand river.
This Mtn. is covered with Snow and in the range of mountains
which we have passed through and is of a conical form but

rugid.[5] after takeing dinner at the mouth of this river we proceeded
on passed the head of a Island near the lard. Side back
of which on the Same Side and near the head a large Creek
falls in, and nearly opposit & 3 miles below the upper mouth
of quick Sand river is the lower mouth, This Island is 3-½
miles long, has rocks at the upper point, Some timber on the
borders of this Island, in the middle open and ponney [pondy
—i. e., containing ponds]. Some rugid rocks in the middle of
the Stream opposit this Island. proceeded on to the center
of a large Island in the middle of the river which we call
Dimond Island from its appearance, here we met 15 Indn. men
in 2 canoes from below, they informed us they Saw 3 vestles
below &c. &c. we landed on the North side of this Dimond
Island and Encamped,[6] Capt. L walked out with his gun on the
Island, sent out hunters & fowlers. below quick Sand River
the Countrey is low rich and thickly timbered on each Side of
the river, the Islands open & some ponds river wide and
emence numbers of fowls flying in every direction, Such as
Swan, geese, Brants, Cranes, Stalks [Storks], white guls, comerants
& plevers &c. also great numbers of Sea Otter in the
river, a canoe arrived from the village below the last rapid
with a man his wife and 3 children, and a woman whome had
been taken prisoner from the Snake Inds. on Clarks River [on
a river from the South which we found to be Mulknoma[7] ] I sent
the Interpreters wife who is a So so ne or Snake Indian of the
Missouri, to Speake to this squar, they could not understand
each other Sufficiently to converse. This family and the Inds.
we met from below continued with us. Capt. Lewis borrowed
a Small canoe of those Indians & 4 men took her across to a
Small lake in the Isld. Capt. L. and 3 men set out after night
in this canoe in serch of the Swans, Brants Ducks &c. &c.
which appeared in great numbers in the Lake, he killed a
Swan and Several Ducks, which made our number of fowls
this evening 3 Swan, 8 brant and 5 Ducks, on which we made
a Sumpteous supper. We gave the Indian who lent the Canoe
a brant, and some meat to the others. one of those Indians,
the man from the village near the Lower Rapids has a gun
with a brass barrel & cock of which he prises highly—Note
the mountain we saw from near the forks proves to be Mount
Hood