Wednesday , April 2, 1806

  

 

 [Lewis]
This morning we came to a resolution to remain at our present encampment or some where in this neighbourhood untill we had obtained as much dryed meat as would be necessary for our voyage as far as the Chopunnish.    to exchange our perogues for canoes with the natives on our way to the great falls of the columbia or purchase such canoes from them for Elkskins and Merchandize as would answer our purposes.[Ordway]

......the natives informed our officers that their is a large River {Willamette} comes in on the South Side Some distance below quick Sand River which we had not Seen
....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-mâh {Willamette} 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. Capt. Clark determined to return and examine this river    accordingly he took a party of seven men and one of the perogues and set out ½ after 11 A. M., he hired one of the Cashhooks, for a birning glass, to pilot him to the entrance of the Multnomah {Willamette}  river
Note: The Corp of Discovery remained at this location from March 31 thru April 6, 1806 hunting and drying meat in preparation for the journey up the Columbia to the Nez Perce and their horses. From this camp Clark, with the help of a native guide returned down stream to explore the "Multnomah" {Willamette} River which they had missed in November.
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