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Those Magnificent Waterfalls

By: Phil Scriver, LC200 Historian

“We bid final adieu to Fort Clatsop.” At 1 pm on March 23, 1806 the Expedition set out up the Lewis and Clark River to the Columbia, then up that river on their return journey home. Although they knew difficult times lay ahead, Clark had corrected his geography and that would be a big help. Everyone knew each step took them closer to their loved ones back in the U.S.

The Expedition had impatiently waited at the mercy of the weather for the last five days while yet another windy, rainy storm passed through. As soon as the wind subsided enough to allow travel, the tiny canoes were temporarily repaired, baggage loaded, and the journey began. But the impatience soon showed. The next day as the Expedition negotiated the channels through the Seal Islands they took a wrong turn. Luckily some Indians came to their rescue and guided them back to the proper channel. The Captains realized they needed to be much more cautious if they were ever going to see St. Louis again.

In the first five days the Expedition traveled 82 miles then camped below Deer Island. Lewis planned to lay over on that island and make more permanent repairs to the canoes if the weather was agreeable. Hunters were sent out and the island lived up to it name. Over a hundred deer were sighted but only seven killed. The sun finally came out and provided a warm day for repairing the canoes, drying clothes and baggage, etc. It had been “cold, wet and excessively disagreeable” every day since leaving Clatsop.

During the layover on Deer Island Lewis recorded descriptions of the gooseberry bush, ring neck duck and Pacific red-sided garter snake which were all new to science. Joseph Fields had watched a California Condor drag a large buck deer he had shot about thirty yards before dismantling it with a few swift strikes of its beak.

With the canoes repaired, the Expedition was off again. They stopped the night of March 31, 1806 at current day Portland, Oregon, near the mouth of Sandy River. Several groups of Indians that passed the Expedition all said the food supply upriver was almost gone until the salmon run began in about a month. When given this news the Captains had to make some decisions. They could not wait where they were another month until the salmon run brought more food supplies because they would miss their meeting with the Nez Perce who had their horses. Both Captains agreed they probably could not get over the mountains without their horses. Even if they could get across the Rockies they would be so late crossing that the Missouri River would be freezing over before they reached St. Louis. They decided to stay camped where they were for several days and build their food supply with elk meat that was abundant in the area. They could get enough to last them until they reached the Nez Perce at the Weippe. They would also purchase some more Indian canoes so they would not need to use their dugouts. Not only would this speed up the trip (since the Indian canoes rode higher in the water windy weather would not cause as many delays) the Expedition could trade the canoes for more horses when they reached the Nez Perce. More horses would speed the trip over the Rockies. They stayed camped at the Sandy River until April 6th.
All during the Expedition’s trip up the Columbia they were met by groups of Indians every day. Except for a very few instances, all of them were friendly and eager to help. Lewis comments in his journal that for many of the Indians “their principle object was merely to indulge their curiosity in looking at us.”

On the first of April Sergt Pryor was sent exploring up the Sandy River to verify the Expedition’s understanding of the Indians who said the river was small and short. He went six miles to where the river divided becoming two smaller rivers; he also heard a waterfalls close by. Since these were exactly what the Indians said, he returned.

The Indians also told the Captains about a large river that came from the south and emptied into the Columbia. Clark was trying to figure out the geography of the whole region, not just the small part of it they passed through. He took an Indian guide and went to see the river. The Expedition had missed the river the Indians described because they passed on the north side of a large island that hid the mouth of the river since it lay on the south side of the island. Clark went ten miles up the river then returned. He drew maps of the area based upon maps the Indians sketched out for him in the sands along the river banks. With this information Clark perpetuated the myth of the Great Oregon River that drained land almost as far away as the Colorado River in the southwest United States. Today we know no such river exists and Clark was on the Willamette River.

The Corps of Discovery continued their trip upriver on April 6th having dried enough meat to last until they reached the Weippe Prairie. Lewis noted the early spring snow melt had raised the water level of the river 12 feet from the level it was when the Expedition passed through the fall before. Even with their supply of meat, the Captains were still very cautious. The near starvation conditions were still very fresh in everyone’s mind so when they stopped for the night and found good hunting, they stayed three days in that camp adding to their food supply.

They continued upriver on April 9th and soon entered the Columbia River Gorge where the river banks are rocky mountain walls several hundred feet high. Lewis noted some cascades of water that fell over 300 feet from the top of the walls down to the river below creating a mist that spread over the whole river. That night camp was below the first of the rapids near Bonneville, the Cascades of the Columbia. The next two days were spent repairing canoes and portaging the rapids. Lewis noted the rapids were much worse than when they passed them the year before. They were totally impassable by water now because the river level was 20 feet higher. These rapids are all now covered by the waters behind the Bonneville Dam.

While the Expedition was portaging the Cascades, Lewis was able to trade for a mountain goat head and horns that had been fashioned to be worn as a hat. He also received the skin of the animal. This turned out to be the only specimen of the mountain goat the Expedition was able to get to take back to St. Louis.

The area of the Cascades had long been an important commercial area for Indians throughout the region. Many of the river tribes came here during the spring salmon run to get their primary food supply for the year. Many other groups came here to trade. Consequently the Indians encountered here by the Expedition were a mixed lot of good and bad. While the Corps of Discovery was making its portage open hostilities almost broke out. What turned out to be a few malcontents of one tribe were harassing the men as they toiled on the portage. One Indian was throwing rocks down a steep hill at some of the men. Two others accosted John Shields who drew his long knife and drove them away. The final act that almost caused bloodshed was when some of the troublemakers stole Seaman. Lewis immediately sent three men to recover his dog with orders to shoot to kill at the least resistance or difficulty. When the Indians saw the men approaching, they turned Seaman loose and fled. Lewis was certain the Corps of Discovery’s strength in numbers was the only thing that prevented bloodshed. Although there were numerous acts of attempted bullying and theft, no direct confrontations occurred. The situation was finally brought under control when a Chief came to council with the Captains.

When the Expedition reached the White Salmon River area, they noticed some Indians had horses. Lewis decided he would try to purchase some horses to help with the anticipated portage of the Falls of the Columbia. Once around those falls the horses would be used for packing the Expedition’s baggage overland while the men would travel in the canoes. During the trip from the Cascades to the Falls all efforts at purchasing horses were in vain. Finally at the Falls they were able to get several but at double the price they had paid the Shoshones and Flatheads the year before.

April 19, 1806 the Corps of Discovery established their camp above the falls, in current day Horsetheif Lake State Park. The last few days had been trying times for Lewis and it had started to show on him. A brief rest above the Falls and away from the troublesome Indians would refresh him for the trip to Weippe.

The Dalles History
The Columbia River Gorge