The Volcanoes of Lewis and ClarkApril 4 - 5, 1806 |
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-- The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark Map of the Journey -- Volcanoes, Basalt Plateaus, Major Rivers, etc. CALENDAR of the Journey -- October 1805 to June 1806 Along the Journey -- Pacific Northwest Maps - Columbia River, Volcanoes, Flood Basalts, Missoula Floods, Geology, etc. The Corps of Discovery -- The Journey of Lewis and Clark About the Reference Materials -- The Journals, Biddle/Allen, DeVoto, Gass, Moulton, Topo Maps, and others USGS Lewis and Clark Links -- Links to USGS Websites highlighting the Lewis and Clark Journey Resources Publications Referenced and Websites Visited |
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April 3 On the Banks of the Columbia, Five Volcanoes and a Side-Trip Up the Willamette |
April 4-5
Back on the Columbia, The Willamette Valley Cottonwood Beach Camp, Multnomah Channel, Willamette River, Sauvie Island, Puget Trough and Willamette Valley, Boring Lava Field |
CONTINUE
April 6-8 Columbia River Gorge, Cottonwood Beach Camp to Shepperd's Dell |
On October 7, 1805, Lewis and Clark and the "Corps of Discovery" began their journey down the Clearwater River and into the volcanics of the Pacific Northwest. The Corps travelled from the Clearwater to the Snake and down the "Great Columbia", finally reaching the Pacific Ocean on November 15, 1805. Along the journey they encountered the lava flows of the Columbia Plateau, river channels carved by the great "Missoula Floods", and the awesome beauty of five Cascade Range volcanoes. |
The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark |
Heading Home - April 1806 |
Back on the Columbia The Willamette Valley |
Between March 31 and April 6, 1806 the Corps of Discovery camped near present day Cottonwood Beach in Washougal. From this campsite, William Clark also led a group of men back down the Columbia to discover the Willamette River, which they had missed on both their outward and return voyages. |
The hunters were still out in every direction.
Those from the opposite side of the river returned
with the flesh of a bear and some venison,
but the flesh of six deer and an elk which they had killed was so meagre
and unfit for use, that they had left it in the woods.
Two other deer were brought in, but as the game seemed poor, we
despatched a large party to some low grounds on the south,
six miles above us, to hunt there until our arrival. As
usual many of the Indians came to our camp, some descending
the rivers with their families, and others from below
with no object except to gratify their curiosity.
The visit of captain Clarke to the Multnomahs, now enabled us to combine all that we had seen or learnt of the neighbouring countries and nations. Of these the most important spot is Wappatoo island [Sauvie Island - see below], a large extent of country lying between the Multnomah [Willamette River], |
and an arm of the Columbia, which we have called Wappatoo inlet [Multnomah Channel], and separated from the main land by a sluice eighty yards wide which at the distance of seven miles up the Multnomah [Willamette River] connects that river with the inlet. |
The island [Sauvie Island] thus formed is about twenty miles long, and varies in breadth from five to ten miles: the land is high and extremely fertile, and on most parts is supplied with a heavy growth of cottonwood, ash, the large-leafed ash, and sweet willow, the black alder, common to the coast, having now disappeared. But the chief wealth of this island consists of the numerous ponds in the interior, abounding with the common arrowhead (sagittaria sagittifolia) to the root of which is attached a bulb growing beneath it in the mud. This bulb, to which the Indians give the name of wappatoo, is the great article of food, and almost the staple article of commerce on the Columbia. ...... |
This valley [Willamette Valley and Puget Trough] is bounded westward by the mountainous country bordering the coast [Coast Range], from which it extends eastward thirty miles in a direct line, till it is closed by the range of mountains [Cascade Mountain Range] crossing the Columbia above the great falls [Celilo Falls]. Its length from north to south we are unable to determine, but we believe that the valley must extend to a great distance: it is in fact the only desirable situation for a settlement on the western side of the Rocky mountains, and being naturally fertile, would, if properly cultivated, afford subsistence for forty or fifty thousand souls. The highlands are generally of a dark rich loam, not much injured by stones, and though waving, by no means too steep for cultivation, and a few miles from the river they widen at least on the north side, into rich extensive prairies. ...... |
The nations who inhabit this fertile neighbourhood are very numerous. The Wappatoo inlet extends three hundred yards wide, for ten or twelve miles to the south, as far as the hills near which it receives the waters of a small creek whose sources are not far from those of the Killamuck river [Wilson River ??]. On that creek resides the Clackstar nation, ...... Forty miles above its junction with the Columbia, it receives the waters of the Clackamos [Clackamas River], a river which may be traced through a woody and fertile country to its sources in mount Jefferson, almost to the foot of which it is navigable for canoes. ...... Two days' journey from the Columbia, or about twenty miles beyond the entrance of the Clackamos [Clackamas River], are the falls of the Multnomah [Willamette Falls, Oregon City]. At this place are the permanent residences of the Cushooks and Chahcowahs, two tribes who are attracted to that place by the fish, and by the convenience of trading across the mountains and down Killamuck river [Wilson River ??], with the nation of Killamucks, from whom they procure train oil. These falls were occasioned by the passage of a high range of mountains; beyond which the country stretches into a vast level plain, wholly destitute of timber. |
As far as the Indians, with whom we conversed, had ever penetrated that country, it was inhabited by a nation called Calahpoewah, a very numerous people whose villages, nearly forty in number, are scattered along each side of the Multnomah [Willamette River], which furnish them with their chief subsistence, fish, and the roots along its banks. ...... |
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The Camp - March 31 through April 5, 1806:
Between March 31 and April 6, 1806 the Corps of Discovery camped near present day Cottonwood Beach in Washougal. [See March 31, 1806 entry] |
We dried our meat as well as the cloudy weather would permit [April 5, 1806] ...... Having made our preparations of dried meat, we set out the next morning [April 6, 1806] |
"... Sergt. Gass & 2 other of the hunters returnd. with 3 Small black cubs which was sold to the Savages I and 5 more men went over to the S. Side and climbed a high River hill on which is excelent rich land ... the River hills are high above Quick Sand River Some of the clifts is 200 feet high. on the tops of those hills the land is excessively rich and thickly timbred with different Species of Fir intermixed with white cedder. I Saw one of the Fir trees which is 100 and 4 feet in length ..." [Ordway, April 5, 1806] |
"... The weather was pleasant. There is a beautiful prairie and a number of ponds below the mouth of Sandy river; and about two miles from the Columbia the soil is rich with white cedar timber, which is very much stripped of its bark, the natives making use of it both for food and clothing ..." [Gass, April 5, 1806] |
"... The Hunters & Serjt. Pryor informe us that they had measured a tree on the upper side of quick sand River 312 feet long and about 4 feet through at the stump. ..." [Clark, April 5, 1806] |
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The Camp - March 31 through April 5, 1806:
Between March 31 and April 6, 1806 the Corps of Discovery camped near present day Cottonwood Beach in Washougal. [See March 31, 1806 entry] |
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