To continue up the Columbia without enough horses, the travelers must walk over large sand dunes. They meet a Nez Perce family with several horses who offer to help pack some of their cargo. At present Rock Creek, they reach a friendly Tenino village of Wah-how-pum. The day ends with smoking and dancing.
The Columbia River and Columbia Hills, ca. 1913
Albert Henry Barnes (1876–1920)
Gelatin glass plate negative #1938.01.356 courtesy Maryhill Museum of Art.
Charbonneau’s Lost Horses
At day light this morning we were informed that the two horses of our Interpreter Charbono [Charbonneau] were absent; on enquiry it appeared that he had neglected to confine them to picquts as had been directed last evening. we immediately dispatched Reubin Feilds [Reubin Field] and Labuish [Labiche] to assist Charbono in recovering his horses. one of them was found at no great distance and the other was given over as lost.
—Meriwether Lewis
Nez Perce Packer
here we met with a Chopunnish man on his return up the river with his family and about 13 head of horses most of them young and unbroken. he offered to hire us some of them to pack as far a his nation, but we prefer bying as by hireing his horses we shal have the whole of his family most probably to mentain.
—Meriwether Lewis
Rock Creek near Wah-how-pum
© 18 April 2009 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Above: This location is between the original mouth of Rock Creek, now inundated, and the present-day Rock Creek Longhouse.
Friendly Tenino Village
Set out proced on through high plains and banks of Sand along the river. the day warm. towards evening we arived at a large [Tenino] village at the mouth of a creek where we Camped our canoes came up. we purchased 4 dogs and a considerable quantity of Chappalell &C. the day warm.
—John Ordway
Smoking and Dancing
after we had arranged our camp we caused all the old and brave men to set arround and smoke with us. we had the violin played and some of the men danced; after which the natives entertained us with a dance after their method. this dance differed from any I have yet seen.
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
State of weather at rise
Wind at State of the weather at 4 P.M. Wind at 4 P.M. River fair after cloudy E fair N. E. fallen 4 in. night cold the day warm.
—Meriwether Lewis and William Clark[1]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented, the “State of the Columbia River” columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
Notes
| ↑1 | To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented, the “State of the Columbia River” columns have been merged, and some abbreviations have been spelled out. |
|---|
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Discover More
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.
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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).