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The men who were sent in quest of the Elk and deer that were killed yesterday returned at 8 A.M. this morning. we now enformed the party of our intention of laying in a store of meat at this place, and immediately dispatched two parteis consisting of nine men to the opposite side of the river. five of those we sent below the Quicksand river and 4 above. we also sent out three others on this side, and those who remained in camp were employed in collecting wood making a scaffoald and cuting up the meat in order to dry it. about this time several canoes of the natives arrived at our camp and among others one from below which had on board eight men of the Shah-ha-la nation these men informed us that 2 young men whom they pointed out were Cash-hooks and resided at the falls of a large river which discharges itself into the Columbia on it's South side some miles below us. we readily prevailed on them to give us a sketch of this river which they drew on a mat with a coal. it appeared that this river which they called Mult-no-mah discharged itself behind the Island which we called the image canoe Island and as we had left this island to the S. both in ascending and decending the river we had never seen it. they informed us that it was a large river and run a considerable distance to the South between the mountains.
The men who went in quest of the Elk and Deer which were killed yesterday returned at 8 A.M. this morning. we now informed the party of our intention of laying in a Store of meat at this place, and imediately dispatched two parties Consisting of nine men to the opposit Side of the river. 5 of them below and 4 above quick Sand River. we also Sent out 3 others on this Side, and those who remained in Camp were employd in Collecting wood makeing a Scaffold and Cutting up the meat in order to dry it. about this time Several Canoes of the nativs arived at our Camp among others two from below with Eight men of the Shah-ha-la Nation those men informed us that they reside on the opposit Side of the Columbia near Some pine trees which they pointed to in the bottom South of the Dimond Island, they Singled out two young men whome they informed us lived at the Falls of a large river which discharges itself into the Columbia on it's South Side Some Miles below us. we readily provailed on them to give us a Sketch of this river which they drew on a Mat with a coal, it appeared that this river which they Call Mult-no'-mah discharged itself behind the Island we call the image Canoe island, and as we had left this Island to the South both in decending & assending the river we had never Seen it. they informed us that it was a large river and runs a Considerable distance to the South between the Mountains.
I proceeded on along the South Side met five canoes of the Shah-ha-la Nation from the Great rapids with their wives and Children decending the Columbia into this fertile Vally in pursute of provi-sions. my Pilot informed me in a low voice that those people were not good, and I did not Suffer them to come along Side of my Canoe which they appeared anxious to do. their numbers in those canoes who appeard anxious to come along Side was 21 men and 3 boys. at 3 P M. we arived at the residence of our Pilot which consists of one long house with Seven appartments or rooms in Square form about 30 feet each room opening into a passage which is quit through the house those passages are about 4 feet in width and formed of Wide boads Set on end in the ground and reaching to the Ruff which Serves also as divisions to the rooms.
I proceeded on without landing at this village. at 3 P.M. I landed at a large double house of the Ne-er-choki-oo tribe of the Shah-ha-la Nation. at this place we had Seen 24 aditional Straw Huts as we passed down last fall and whome as I have before mentioned reside at the Great rapids of the Columbia. on the bank at different places I observed Small Canoes which the women make use of to gather Wappato & roots in the Slashes. those Canoes are from 10 to 14 feet long and from 18 to 23 inches wide in the widest part tapering from the center to both ends in this form and about 9 inches deep and So light that a woman may with one hand haul them with ease, and they are Sufficient to Carry a woman an Some loading.
C. arrived at the Ne-er-cho-ki-oo house where he had allarmed the inhabtants yesterday. he halted here a few minutes to smoke with these people who consisted of eight families. he found that his presents excited fresh allarm particularly among the women and children who hid themselves and took refuge behind the men as yesterday; the men held down their heads and seemed much conserned; he therefore remained in the house but a few minutes, returned to his canoe and pursued his rout. his pilot now informed him that these people as well as their relations at the falls of the Columbia were illy disposed bad men. soon after he set out he met five canoes on board of which there were as many families of the Shah-ha-la nation decending the river in surch of subsistence. they were extreemly anxious to come along side, but he forbid their doing so as their number was too considerable there being 21 men on board these canoes. his pilot told him that they were mischevous bad men. at 3 P.M. he arrived at the present residence of his pilot on the South side of the river opposite the Diamond Island. here he halted about an hour he found this house very large; it consisted of seven appartments in one range above ground each about 30 feet square. the entrances to these appartments were from passages which extended quite across the house, about 4 feet wide and formed like the walls of the hose of broad boards set on end extending from beneath the floor to the roof of the house. the apperture or hole through which they enter all those wooden houses are remarkably small not generally more than 3 feet high and about 22 inches wide. the ground plot of the Nechecolee house is thus 1 1 1 1 the passages of 4 feet and 2 2 &c. the appartments of 30 feet square. this house is covered with the bark of the white cedar, laid on in a double course, supported by rafters and longitudinal round poles attatched to the rafters with cores of this bark. the peices of the cedar bark extend the whole length of the side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of 18 inches transverse splinters of dry fir is inserted through the cedar bark in order to keep it smooth and prevent it's edges from colapsing by the heat of the sun; in this manner the natives make a very secure light and lasting roof of this bark. in the vicinity of this house Capt.
Those people attempted to excuse themselves from odium of Stealing it, by makeing Signs that they had purchased the Tomahawk, but their nighbours informed me otherwise and made Signs that they had taken it. This Village appears to be the wintering Station of two bands of the Shah-ha-la Nation. One band has already moved the Falls of the Multnomah which is the place they take their Salmon.
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