The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-09-06
Lewis and Clark
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1906
Copyright 1915 by
Walter Meacham
CHAPTER IL

The captains decided to quit the
horses and take to the water
again. They built five canoes out
Of the trunks Of pine trees for the
Journey to the coast. This spot
they called Canoe camp, which
was located at Ahsahka, near the
present Orofino, Idaho. They
cached" their saddles and equip
ment and some of their goods
branded their horses and left them
in the care of Twisted Hair.
They embarked in their frail
canoes on October to navigate
the treacherous waters of the
Kooskooskie Clearwater, Lewis
(Snake) and Columbia rivers.
They camped one night at the
junction of the Clearwater and
the Snake rivers, near the pres
ent Lewiston, Idaho, and Clarke
ton, Washington, named for the
two captains. Their main subsis-
tence was salmon and dog meat,
supplemented with various kinds
Of herbs, roots and bulbs which
they secured from the Indians.
They found dog meat to be pala-
table and nutritious, preferring
It to horse meat or lean deer
The Great River Of the West
(the Columbia was reached Oc-
tober Is. They hailed it with
shouts Of delight, for the hardest
part of the journey was over, and
they were within three hundred
miles Of their goal. Councils were
held with the various tribes they
encountered and the usual medals
and presents were given to the
chiefs. Cruzatte brought out his
trusty fiddle and he and the men
entertained their savage visitors
with good old American airs and
dances. In turn, the Indians put
on their tribal dances and songs.
Captain Clark ascended the Co
lumbia as far as the Tapteal
Nakima river. The Sokulks
(Walla Wallas) and the Chimna-
puns Nakimas) visited them and
friendly relations were estab-
lished.
Lewis and Clark had a faculty
of making friends with all the In
dams they encountered, and
earned the title of Indian Dip
lomats. The Musselsheu Uma-
tilla) rapids were passed and
named October 10. They passed
the Umatilla river in descending
the Columbia without seeing it,
but discovered it on the return
journey, naming it the Youma-
lolam. The Indians encountered
below the Umatillas were called
the Pish-quit-paws. On the 21st
they discovered and named the
John Day river, calling it Le-
pages river, for one of the men.
They next viewed the mouth of
the ToWahnahiooks Deschutes)
river, a swift flowing stream
flowing through deep, winding
canyons from its source in the
Cascade range.
Soon the dull roar of falling
water greeted them and they came
upon what they called the Great
Falls (Celilo). They called the In
dams living here the Eneeshurs.
Those below were called the Eche-
loots (Wascos). The Great Falls
was the ancient fishing mart of
the Indians. Here, from time i'm
memorial they had gathered to
spear the game Chinook salmon
as they leaped the falls on their |
way to the Spawning-grounds
The Columbia river from the |
falls to Big Eddy presents q scene
of rugged majestic grandeur. Bare,
lofty hills rise on either side. Pail
sades and striking formations of |
volcanic rock close in on the river !
which flows through basaltic |
dotted with rocky islands
and enlivened by falls and rapids
which would daunt any but the
most skilled and adventurous
boatmen. At Big Eddy the hills
retreat, the river quiets down and
the horizon broadens.
Between Big Eddy, deep and
and Cello. the ex-
petition saw more "white water"
than on any other stretch Of its
journey, with the possible excep-
ton of the Great Falls section
of the Missouri in Montana.
Lewis and Clark purchased
some salmon, dog and some ber-
ries, but had trouble in finding
wood enough to cool1 with. With
he aid of the Indians, portage
was made around the falls and the