Click image to enlarge
|
Browns Island with Mount Hood in the distance.
View from upstream on Washington State Highway 14. The location of the "Short Narrows" or "Tenmile Rapids" was on the Oregon side (left in image) of Browns Island.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
|
Browns Island ...
Lewis and Clark and Browns Island ...
Lewis and Clark passed this "black rock", today's Browns Island, on October 24, 1805. Captain Clark climbed to the top to view the head of the trecherous rapids later known as the "Short Narrows" below.
-
"... here a tremendious <heigh> black rock Presented itself high and Steep appearing to choke up the river nor could I See where the water passed further than the Current was drawn with great velocity to the Lard Side of this rock at which place I heard a great roreing. I landed at the Lodges and the natives went with me to the top of this rock which makes from the Stard. Side; from the top of which I could See the dificuelties we had to pass for Several miles below;
[Clark, October 24, 1805]
The location of the Short Narrows, later called "Tenmile Rapids", was on the Oregon side of Browns Island. The Short Narrows and the Long Narrows below it ("Fivemile Rapids") became known as a stretch of rapids called "The Dalles".
|
Views of Browns Island ...
Click image to enlarge
|
Browns Island, as seen from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
|
Click image to enlarge
|
Browns Island, as seen from upstream on Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
|
|
From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
|
Clark, October 24, 1805 ...
|
At 9 oClock a. m. I Set out with the party and proceeded on down a rapid Stream of about 400 yards wide at 2½ miles the river widened ito a large bason to the Stard. Side on which there is five Lodges of Indians. here a tremendious <heigh> black rock Presented itself high and Steep appearing to choke up the river [today's Browns Island] nor could I See where the water passed further than the Current was drawn with great velocity to the Lard Side of this rock at which place I heard a great roreing. I landed at the Lodges and the natives went with me to the top of this rock which makes from the Stard. Side; from the top of which I could See the dificuelties we had to pass for Several miles below; at this place the water of this great river is compressed into a Chanel between two rocks not exceeding forty five yards wide and continues for a ¼ of a mile when it again widens to 200 yards and continues this width for about 2 miles when it is again intersepted by rocks. This obstruction in the river accounts for the water in high floods riseing to Such a hite at the last falls. The whole of the Current of this great river must at all Stages pass thro' this narrow chanel of 45 yards wide. as the portage of our canoes over this high rock would be impossible with our Strength, and the only danger in passing thro those narrows was the whorls and Swills arriseing from the Compression of the water, and which I thought (as also our principal watermen Peter Crusat) by good Stearing we could pass down Safe, accordingly I deturmined to pass through this place notwithstanding the horrid appearance of this agitated gut Swelling, boiling & whorling in every direction (which from the top of the rock did not appear as bad as when I was in it;[)] however we passed Safe to the astonishment of all the Inds: of the last Lodges who viewed us from the top of the rock. ...
|
Clark, undated, winter of 1805-6 ...
"Estimated Distances in Miles Ascending the Missouri, Crossing the Rockey Mountains & decending the Kooskooskee [Clearwater River], Louises River [Snake River] and the Columbia River of the remarkable places and Latitud partially anexed. ...
[reformatted here from original entry, for information only]
- Towahnahiooks River from the Lard Side 180 yd" [Deschutes River]
- 4 miles to the Falls of the Columbia of 37 feet 8 ins near which is 40 Mat Lodges of the E-Nee-sher Nation [Celilo Falls]
- 2 miles to the Short Narrows of 45 yds. wide ["Short Narrows", or Tenmile Rapids]
- 4 miles to the E che lute Town of 21 large wood houses at the long narrows [head of the "Long Narrows", or Fivemile Rapids, Horsethief Lake area] of from 50 to 100 yds wide
|
|
|
Return to