The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-09-27
Lewis and Clark
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1906
Copyright 1915 BY
Walter Meacham
CHAPTER II
A EoRA Gla4noo

petition with the names OF the
party was posted ON q wall In the
fort in the hope that II would fan
into the hands Of some sea captain
or trader and be delivered 70 the
proper authorities in the United
States. Strangely enough, this let
ter was secured by Captain Hill,
q rowing sea trader and, q few
months later was delivered In the
United States. As q reward for
his friendly services, Chief COM
owool was given the fort and its
furniture. Certificates Of good
character were given to Como
wool and the Chinook chief, Del
ashedwilt.
With a hearty 'klahowa TILL
Gums" the indians waved fare
well to their white friends as the
latter pushed out into the Co
lumbia and turned upstream.
They passed the site Of future
Vancouver and camped at the
mouth Of the Seal OWashougaD
river. There they were told about
a large river flowing into the Co
lumbia, which they had not seen
on account Of the islands which
hid its mouth. On April 2 Cap
tain Clark, with an Indian guide
and six Of his men, set out to ex-
plore the river. They assembled It
to the site Of the present Port
land and named It Multnomah,
for a tribe Of Indians living along
its banks. Clark rewarded his
guide with the present Of q sun
glass. The river which Clark
named Multnomah Is the VILLA
mette Of today.
While ascending the river, Cap
tain Clark sighted q snow-c cap
ped peak and named It Mt. JET
ferson, in honor Of the President
BY April IS the party was again
at Rock Fort on Quenett MiD
Greek. In order to avoid the long
hard portage past the rapids OF the
Columbia, Lewis and Clark decid-
ed to cross to the north side Of the
river and proceed by land.
Considerable time was con-
sumed In securing enough horses,
but at last they were mounted and
on their way. They did not Dis
pose Of the last Of their canoes
until past the mouth Of the Tow.
ahnahiools Oeschute6) river.
Thievish Indians made constant
vigilance and stern measures nee
essary to protect the company's
property. The mouth Of the You
malalom Umatilla) river was
viewed from across the Columbia
on April "a.
The following day the Sokullka
Walla WallaJ and tChimnapuns
CYakimaO visited the party and q
pow-wow was held. Around the
campfires that night q vaudeville
show was staged, both Indians and
whites exhibiting their best thea
trical talent. There was no lack
Of encores, and no curfew was In
force to cllrtail the festivities.
Crossing Of the Columbia was
made on April 20 to the mouth Of
the Walla Walla river. The Ind
ian chiefs told the captains that
they could save many miles Of
travel by taking q shortcut across
country to the Snake. So Lewis
and Clark turned their backs on
the mighty Columbia.
The Indian trail led up the
Walla Walla to the Touchet, thence
up that stream past the present
Touchet, Prescott, Waitsburg and
Dayton. Riding northwest, they
reached the Tucannon, thence up
It two miles to present Marengo,
across the divide into Pataha val
ley and on to Pataha creek. Up
that stream they rode past the
present Pomeroy, camping on Pat
aha creek the night Of May 3. The
trail led across Alpowa ridge and
on to Alpowa creek, which was
followed to its junction with the
Snake river.
They followed up the Snake,
along the south side, for three
miles, then crossed to the north
side on May 4. The route con-
tinued past the forks of the Clear
water and Snake and along the
north bank of the former, reach
ing Golfers creek Potlatch river)
on May S, when they camped.
Lewis and Clark were now back
in the present state Of Idaho,
where their Indian friends visited
them in large numbers. They had
many ailments and Captain Clark
treated them as best he could. The
chief ailment was sore eyes. Food
of various kinds was accepted as
a "fee." Captain Doctor) Clark
jocularly observed that most Of
his patients recovered owing to, or
in spite of his treatments. His
medicines were simple and could
do no harm, even if they did no
good. But faith is a great thing,
and the Indians had great faith
in the white mans medicine"
The party crossed Golfers creek
and continued along the north side
of the Clearwater, crossing it on
May z, in the vicinity Of the pres
ent Ahsahka. The following day
they met Chief Twisted Hair, with
whom they had entrusted their
horses on the westward journey.
He reported that Chiefs Neesh-
or "Cut Nose" and
Tumna- -moot-oolt, or Broken
Arm" had quarreled with him
about the horses and were jeal-
Gus of the honor and trust inn
posed in him by the white men.