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Photo courtesy Philip Greensun. |
The Dalles were the expedition's introduction to the Columbia River.
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October 24, 1805. Clark: at this place the water of this great river is compressed into a chanel between two rocks not exceeding forty five yards wide and continues for 1/4 of a mile when it again widens to 200 yards and continues this width for about 2 miles when it is again intersepted by rocks.
as the portage of our canoes over this high rock would be impossible with our Strength and the only danger in passing thro those narrows was the whorls and swills [swells] arriseing from the Compression of the water, and which I thought ... by good Stearing we could pass down Safe, accordingly I deturmined to pass through this place notwithstanding the horrid appearance of this agitated gut swelling, boiling & whorling in every direction, which from the top of the rock did not appear as bad as when I was in it; however we passed Safe to the astonishment of all the Inds. of the last Lodges who viewed us from the top of the rock.
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More about the people: October 10, 1805. Clark: The Cho-pun-nish or Pierced nose Indians are Stout likely men, handsom women, and verry dressey in their way, the dress of the men are a White Buffalow robe of Elk Skin dressed with Beeds which are generally white, Sea Shells & the Mother of Pirl hung to the[i]r hair & on a piece of otter skin about their necks hair Ceewed in two parsels hanging forward over their Shoulders, feathers, and different Coloured Paints which they find in their Countrey Generally White, Green & light Blue. Some fiew were a Shirt of Dressed Skins and long legins & Mockersons Painted, which appear to be their winters dress, with a plat of twisted grass about their Necks. The women dress in a Shirt of Ibex or Goat [bighorn] Skins which reach quite down to their anckles with a girdle, their heads are not ornemented. their shirts are ornemented with quilled Brass, Small peces of Brass Cut into different forms, Beeds, Shells & curious bones &c. October 17, 1805. Clark: Capt. Lewis took a Vocabelary of the Language of those people who call themselves Sokulk [probably Yakimas], 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 |
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