October 17th, 1805:
This was to be a very remarkable day. The Corps would discover the Yakima River, sagebrush (which was so well known to the Oregon Trail pioneers), a strange and different Indian lifestyle, dead salmon floating in the river by the hundreds and the amazing flat heads of the Indians.

"A fair morning...I took two men and set out in a Small Canoe with a view to go as high up the Columbia River as the 1st forks...I set out at 2 oClock." Ten miles up the Yakima River on the right shoreline, were two large mat lodges of the Yakama Indians who were drying salmon. These were the first mat lodges that the Corps had ever seen and they were strewn all along the banks of the river. Hundreds of dead floating fish were to be seen as it was the end of the annual salmon migration all along the Columbia River. Gary Moulton refers to these salmon as either Coho or Sockeye. "the Cause of the emence of dead Salmon I can't account for" writes Clark.

It was of course not known at this time about the migration pattern of the salmon who died after laying and fertilizing their eggs. Here it was on an island  ten miles upstream on the Columbia and eight miles distance from the mouth of the Yakima River, that an Indian shows Captain Clark "the mouth of a river which falls in below a high hill on the Lard (left)..." This fork, or the entrance to the Yakima River was called Ta'pete'tt by the Yakamas. An interesting point is brought up here when Clark notes that no timber is to be seen anywhere. The point being that the Indians gathered up all the dead fish, not to be eaten but to be dried and used as fuel for fires! While Clark is taking in the grand scenery (the Horse Heaven Hills are to the west and the Blue Mountains are to the east) he makes what I believe to be a very remarkable statement. "The Waters of this river is Clear, and a Salmon may be seen at the depth of 15 to 20 feet." Not only are the salmon endangered but the rivers are so polluted and muddy that if there were salmon to be had by the hundreds, they would die before spawning!

Clark returns to the Kosith campsite where a great number of Indians have gathered again with Captain Lewis. The Corps is busy in dressing skins, mending their clothing and making sure that their arms are in good working condition.

Great attention and detail was given to the Indian customs, mat lodges and their living conditions and so it was here observed for the first time the process they used for flattening their heads. Clark also noted very few horses as the canoe was their chief means of transportation, being mostly river people.

Sagebrush, the bane of the Oregon Trail pioneer, was another first for the Corps. This was the "wild isoop" or big sagebrush. Mat lodges, as mentioned before, replaced the skin tipis of the Plains Indians. The culture of these River Indians is mostly like that of the Northwest Coast tribes that Lewis and Clark were soon to encounter.

It is also interesting to note that the Yakima River was named by the Corps as the Flathead River but later renamed for Clark. Since Lewis had his river (the Snake) so must Clark, therefore the Flathead became Clark's River.

Clark makes mention that the Indians had sore eyes and that many were partially or totally blind. The teeth were not missing but rather worn away by the fine sand borne by the winds coming out of the Gorge and through Wallula Gap, which settled everywhere and when eaten with their food acted as an abrasive. In 1848 the Canadian artist Paul Kane wrote "the drifting sand is a frightful feature of this barren waste...the salmon also becomes filled with sand to such an extent as to wear away the teeth of the Indians, and an Indian seldom met with over 40 years of age whose teeth are not worn quite to the gums."

"The Great Columbia River"

October 18, 1805:
Clark writes in his journal

"...every thing being arranged we took in our Two Chiefs, and Set out on the great Columbia river..." That's it? Is that the best Clark can write? Where oh where is Lewis when we need his prose? Gass expresses his excitement by saying "we proceeded down the Great Columbia, which is a very beautiful river." Whitehouse is as equally dry when he says "the water running very smooth."

There are a couple theories floating around that could explain the lack of verbiage on the part of the captains and the men. Keep in mind that Lewis was always the one who came up with the flowery sentences and his descriptions of the White Cliffs, the Great Falls of the Missouri, the Gates of the Mountains and on and on, defy mortal man (yes I know Lewis was mortal after all) to come up with any better words than he used. One theory is the "Nicandri Theory" and the other the "Wessilus Theory" one of which states the depression of not only Merriwether Lewis, but of the Corps as a whole. This depression stems from the Corps continual set backs and the distance they still needed to travel to find winter quarters. Remember, the expedition was to spend the winter back at the Mandan villages. The other theory reveals the thoughts that once the Corps had found the source of the Columbia, no more could be said that would make the adventure any more exciting. I think a combination of these thoughts works well, but still human nature demands that we express our feelings no matter what our circumstances.

Once the Corps of Discovery was under way, the men marveled at how many Indian villages and fish scaffolds there were scattered along the banks of the Columbia and on the several islands that they passed. A few miles along they come to a series of three islands and they passed through another testy rapid. As you drive along Highway 12 it is very difficult to visualize what was seen and sensed by the Corps, but at least we can read about their experience's and join them vicariously through their wonderful words. I wish Lewis had written in the journals during this part of the adventure! (As you read this article check out map #75 of Moulten's Atlas, Vol. 1)
Clark writes

Here Clark is describing Wallula Gap, Mt. Hood and the Walla Walla River (Wana Wana means little river). This river was to be of great importance to them on their mad journey back to St Louis. Across the river near today's Yellepit, the expedition, in April 1806, was told of a short cut to the Clearwater River over land rather then the water route that they had taken on their westward trip. As they passed the Walla Walla River and noted it's features, the corps rounded a smooth and gentle bend in the Columbia and the stunning view of Wallula Gap opened up to them. This was the beginning of another strange but magnificent landscape, strewn with desolation, erie beauty and thousands of thriving natives. The "rugid rocks" that Clark talks about are of the Columbia River Basalt Group and forms a fault along the Horse Heaven Hills in a northwest to southwest direction, cutting across the Columbia River. I have traveled this road many times, both in good weather and bad, and I never fail to marvel at the sight of Wallula Gap.

The "Conocal form Covered with Snow" is of course Mt. Hood. This is in the Cascade Range and is named after Sir Samuel Hood by Lieutenant Broughton of George Vancouver's exploring expedition in 1792. Lewis and Clark had no doubt heard of this majestic mountain; and now seeing it for the first time and from such a distance, the cool image of the snow and ice must have warmed their hearts, knowing that the Pacific Ocean lay not that far away! From Wallula Gap to the Pacific is 325 miles.

Because of such a late start, the captains call a halt to camp just a few miles below the Walla Walla River where there is a small fresh water stream and very little firewood. "...we proceeded on about 2 miles lower to Some willows, at which place we observed a drift log formed a Camp on the Lard Side under a high hill nearly opposit to five Lodges of Indians." John Ordway notes, as did everyone, "we Saw a great nomber of horses near Some Indian villages..." This October 18th campsite is at Spring Gulch Creek near the Washington/Oregon border. As you stand in this dry creek bed you can almost see the large Indian camp up against the high hills behind you. As the camp is set up and night falls, here comes the first high chief (Yellipit ?) bringing with him some 20 Indians with mashed berries and wood for a large fire. Yellipit, also spelled Yellept, was a "handsome, well-proportioned man, about 5 feet eight inches high, and thirty-five years of age, with a bold and dignified countenance."

October 19th, 1805:
   Today was to be no different then any of the others for the Corps since they first discovered the Snake River. Chief Yellepit would be given a Jefferson Peace Medal, the marvelous Columbia River would begin to astound and amaze the Expedition, another geological feature would be named, the fierce rapids of the Chemna would now challenge them, and the sound of a gun firing and a bird dropping from the sky would frighten the Indians into thinking that these strange men, the likes of whom they had never seen before, were truly the Gods who had come for them.
   Leaving around 9 AM according to Captain Clark (John Ordway says they left at 7 AM and Patrick Gass writes that it was 8 o'clock) it was a clear and pleasant morning "with some white frost."
   But before they could get underway, bright and early "The Great Chief 2nd Chief and a chief of a band below Came and Smoked with us we gave a Meadel a String of Wampom & handkerchief to the Great Chief by name Yel-lep-pit." There seems to be many different ways to spell Yellepit, but the word yelept means friend or blood bother in the Nez Perce translation. The other two chiefs of course got lesser gifts and Chief Yellepit wanted one of the larger Peace Medals, but the Captains said when they returned this way they would give him one of the larger ones. Chief Yellepit (chief of the Walula band) was greatly pleased that the Corps would visit with him on their return journey, as this meant much to the Chief in way of pride and prestige among the various tribes along the river. When the Expedition returned to Chief Yellepit's village on April 27th, 1806, they make no mention of giving him a bigger peace medal. But Clark mentions that he gave the chief his personal sword and some ammunition.
    Early on in the day, the Corps came to another geological wonder that Captain Lewis would name Hat Rock, "resembling a hat..." This rock is now a state park which is several miles upstream, behind McNary Dam. Here Lewis and Clark climbed the 70 foot tall basalt rock formation and using it as a crow's nest (a term for a lookout) determined for the first time where they were on the Columbia River. Lewis, as was his custom, named it Hat Rock and it is located 7 miles east of Umatilla on US 730. When they climbed to its summit they could see a snow covered mountain to the northwest which they thought was Mount Saint Helens. They were wrong! This mountain was in fact Mount Adams which stretches its way heavenward some 12,000 feet.
    It wasn't long before they came to "the head of a verry bad rapid, we came too on the Lard Side to view the rapid before we would venter to run it..." These are what Clark called the Muscle Shell Rapids, because he found mounds of freshwater mussel shells all along the shoreline. Today we known these rapids as the Umatilla Rapids, now laying peacefully beneath the water behind McNary Dam, which is nearby. Clark had decided to walk the area to determine the temper of the rapids, then sitting on a rock, waited for Lewis and the rest of the men to arrive. While waiting he "Shot a Crain which was flying over of the common kind. I observed a great number of Lodges on the opposit Side at Some distance below and Several Indians on the opposit bank...others I saw on a knob..." The "knob'' is Sillusi Butte and commands a great view in all directions. Of course when the gun fired and made the sound of thunder and lightning struck the crane, causing it the fall from the sky, the Indians ran like the very Devil was after them. When the Captains finally persuaded the frightened Indians to come and smoke with them, Captain Clark writes that "They said we came from the clouds &tc and were not men &tc."
    After dining with these Indians, the corps set off again following the magic waters of the Columbia River. They found a campsite (possibly on Blalock Island in between Irrigon and Boardman, Oregon) where there were a few willow trees. Once again the Indians came out to visit with these strange looking men, bringing wood with them. They smoked with the Umatilla's well into the night with the Indians enjoying immensely the fiddle playing and dancing of One-Eyed Pierre Cruzatte and George Gibson. Patrick Gass says of these Indians "we could not have much conversation with them as we did not understand their language."
    Now deep into the great Columbia Basin, the Corps had traveled 36 miles.