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Heleans its figure is a regular Cone and is covered with eturnial Snow. that the Clarkamos nation as also those at the falls of the Multnomah live principally on fish of which those Streams abound and also on roots which they precure on it's borders, they also Sometimes Come down to the Columbia in Serch of Wappato. they build their houses in the Same form with those of the Columbian Vally of wide Split boads and Covered with bark of the White Cedar which is the entire length of the one Side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of about 18 inches transvers Spinters of dried pine is inserted through the Ceder bark inorder to keep it Smooth and prevent it's edge from Colapsing by the heat of the Sun; in this manner the nativs make a very Secure light and lasting roof of this bark. which we have observed in every Vilege in this Vally as well as those above. this Indian also informed me the multnomah above the falls was Crouded with rapids and thickly inhabited by indians of the Callah-po-e-wah Nation. he informed he had himself been a long way up that river &c.
The ground plot is in this form 1 1 1 1 is the passages. 2 2 &c. is the apartments about 30 feet square. this house is built of bark of the White Cedar Supported on long Stiff poles resting on the ends of broad boads which form the rooms &c. back of this house I observe the wreck of 5 houses remaining of a very large Village, the houses of which had been built in the form of those we first Saw at the long narrows of the E-lute Nation with whome those people are connected.
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.
Pryer with 8 men in 2 Canoes across the bay for the boads of an Indian house which is abandoned, the other part of the men continue to doe a little at the huts, the after part of the day Cloudy with hail & rain, Sgt. Pryer and party returned with 2 Canoe loads of Boards, two Indians Came & Stayed but a Short time
I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, passd. an old village at 1 mile on an ellevated Situation of this village contained verry large houses built in a different form from any I had Seen, and laterly abandoned, and the most of the boads put into a pond of water near the village, as I conceived to drown the flees, which was emencely noumerous about the houses-. I found by examonation that we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our Stores 21/2 miles, and the Canoes we Could haul over the rocks, I returned at Dark Capt Lewis and 5 men had just returned from the village, Cap L. informed me that he found the nativs kind, they gave him berries, nuts & fish to eate; but he could get nothing from them in the way of information.
I proceeded up this river 10 miles from it's enterance into the Columbia to a large house on the N E. Side and Encamped near the house, the flees being So noumerous in the house that we could not Sleep in it. this is the house of the Cush-hooks Nation who reside at the falls of this river which the pilot informs me they make use of when they Come down to the Vally to gather Wappato. he also informs me that a number of other Smaller houses are Situated on two Bayous which make out on the S. E. Side a little below the house. this house appears to have been laterly abandoned by its inhabitants in which they had left Sundery articles Such as Small Canoes mats, bladdles of Oil and baskits bowls & trenchers. and as my pilot informed me was gorn up this to the falls to fish which is 2 days or 60 miles up. this house is 30 feet wide & presisely 40 feet long. built in the usial form of broad boads Covered with bark.
Fields & Peter Crusat and proceeded on down, Send Crusat back at 2 ms. to examine the rapid near the shore & I proceeded on down about 10 miles to a very high rock in a bottom on the Stard. opsd. 2 Islands covered with timber on which I saw Inds. at a distance; found the river rocky for 6 miles, after which the Current became uniform- at 1 mile I passed an old deserted village on a Pond on a high Situation of 8 Houses- at 31/2 miles one house the only remt. of an antient Village 1/2 a mile lower I saw 8 Vaults for the Dead which was nearly Square 8 feet Closely Covered with broad boads Curiously engraved, the bones in Some of those vaults wer 4 feet thick, in others the Dead was yet layed Side of each other nearly East & west, raped up & bound Securley in robes, great numbers of trinkets Brass Kittle, Sea Shells, Iron, Pan Hare &c. &c. was hung about the vaults and great many wooden gods, or Images of men Cut in wood, Set up round the vaults, Some of those So old and worn by time that they were nearly worn out of Shape, and Some of those vaults So old that they were roted entirely to the ground- notwithstanding they wood is of Pine & or Seder as also the wooden gods
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