On this day in Lewis & Clark history...
The day is spent hauling the men and baggage across the Columbia in two canoes owned by Chief Yellepit. By the time the horses swim across, it is too late to reach another campsite with water. They camp at the mouth of the Walla Walla.
From the journals...
Tuesday April 29th 1806.
this is a handsome stream about 4 ½ feet deep and 50 yds. wide; it's bed is composed of gravel principally with some sand and mud; the banks are abrupt but not high, tho' it dose not appear to overflow; the water is clear. The indians inform us that it has it's surces in the range of mountains in view of us to the E and S. E.
Walla Walla River
Tuesday April 29th 1806.
it rained a little the wind blew hard and the weather was cold
Tuesday April 29th 1806
Several applyed to me to day for medical aides
left Some Simple Medesene to be taken.
Medicines
Tuesday April 29th 1806.
they take their fish which at present are a mullet only of from one to five lbs., with small seines of 15 or 18 feet long drawn by two persons;
these they drag down to the wear and raise the bottom of the seine against the willow curtain.
Seining for fish at a weir
Tuesday April 29th 1806.
we gave small medals to two inferior cheifs of this nation and they each presented us a fine horse
in return we gave them sundry articles and among others one of my case pistols and several hundred rounds of amunition.
Dueling pistol
Tuesday April 29th 1806.
these people as well as the Chymnahpos are very well dressed, much more so particularly their women than they were as we decended the river last fall most of them have long shirts and leggings, good robes and mockersons.
their women wear the truss when they cannot procure the shirt, but very few are seen with the former at this moment.
I presume the success of their winters hunt has produced this change in their attire.
their ornaments are such as discribed of the nations below and are woarn in a similar manner.
Nez Perce woman
Tuesday 29th.
We encamped on the creek, and got three horses, some dogs, shap-a-leel, some roots called com-mas and other small roots, which were good to eat and nourishing.
Fresh camas bulb, Camassia quamash
Deep purple Haw. Columbia R. Aprl. 29th 1806.
Black hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii
An umbelliferous plant of the root of which the Wallowallows make a kind of bread. The natives calld it Shappalell. Aprl 29th 1806.
Cous biscuit-root, Lomatium cous
