"... and as the Ocian is imedeately in front and gives us an extensive view of it from Cape disapointment to Point addams, <except 3 small Islands off the mouth and West of us.> ... The River here at its mouth from Point addams to the enterance of Haley Bay above is [blank] Miles or thereabouts, a large Isd. the lower point of which is immediately in the mouth above ..." [Clark, November 15, 1805, first draft]

"... I could not See any Island in the mouth of this river as laid down by Vancouver. The Bay which he laies down in the mouth is imediately below me. This Bay we call Haleys bay from a favourate Trader with the Indians which they Say comes into this Bay and trades with them ..." [Clark, November 15, 1805]

Moulton (Vol.6) states that Sand Island does not appear on Atlas maps 82, 91, or fig. 1 in volume 6, and that lines have been drawn vertically through the paragraph in the rough draft.

In October 1792 Lieutenant Broughton of the Captain George Vancouver Expedition, mentions "Spit Bank" in the Sand Island area.

"... The situation the Chatham had gained in the entrance of Columbia river was by no means comfortable at low water, when the depth did not exceed four fathoms, and the sea broke very heavily about a cable's length within the vessel, on a bank of two and a half fathoms, which obtained the name of Spit Bank ..." [Broughton, October 21, 1792]

In 1805 Captain Clark writes:

"... I could not See any Island in the mouth of this river as laid down by Vancouver. The Bay which he laies down in the mouth is imediately below me. This Bay we call Haleys bay from a favourate Trader with the Indians which they Say comes into this Bay and trades with them ..." [Clark, November 15, 1805]

From the 1853 U.S. "Coast Pilot":

"... Sand Island is nearly a mile to the westward of its position in 1841; ... On Sand Island, a beacon was constructed in June, 1850, having on it a while flag, 80 feet above the island, and 85 feet above high water mark. Around the base of the flagstaff is a blcok-house, 35 feet high, and 15 feet square, which can be plainly seen 12 miles off in clear weaterh. These are excellent objects when making the river. ..."

From the 1858 U.S. "Coast Pilot":

"... Sandy Island, (1851.) It is about one-third of a mile long, E.NE. and W.SW., by 250 yards in width, and consists of loose sand raised a few feet above the river, and covered with drift logs, trees, &c. To the westward of it extend two sand bars nearly a mile in length, and bare at low water. The surveys of 1839, '41, '50, and '52 show that this part of the Middle Bank has occupied one position, and will doubtless retain it. In 1792 the main channel of the river passed over this position, and a line of soundings in 5 fathoms ran across it. Considering the immense amount of huge trees coming yearly down the river, we can readily imagine a theory for its formation. A large beacon erected upon it, distinguishable outside the bar, and ranging with another on Scarborough Hill, would serve to denote the position of the north channel. From Cape Disappointment light-house it bears E. by S. 1/2 S., distant 3 1/6 miles. It received its present name from Belcher in 1839. On the Coast Survey charts it is called Sand Island. ..."

"Sand Island -- This island, the first met with after passing the bar, is about one and a quarter miles long, and is separated at high water into two parts. These two parts lie east-northeast and west-southwest of each other, and are about four hundred and thirty yards apart. They consist of loose sand raised a few feet above the river, and covered with trees, drift-logs, &c. From the western end of Sand Island a sand-bar, three-quarters of a mile long and bare at low water, extends in a west-southwest direction; and from this bare spit the great Middle Sands make out, separating the north and south channels."

In 1889, from the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey's Pacific Coast, "Coast Pilot of California, Oregon, and Washington", Fourth Edition, entirely re-written:

"... Sand Island. --- this low, sandy island is the visible danger in the middle of the entrance to the river. It lies inside the line joining Point Adams and Cape Disappointment. In 1841 it was almost abreast of Point Adams and less than one-third the width of the river from the point. In 1850 it had moved a little seaward, and was farther from Point Adams. In 1868 it was more than half-way across to Cape Disappointment but inside the line. In 1886 it had taken a shape like a boomerang with one point a mile and a quarter east of the Cape and on the same parallel, and the other point bent up the river and three miles northwest from Fort Stevens.

It is about two miles long and has an average width of nearly four hundred yards. It consists of loose sand raised a few feet above the river and covered with stranded trees, drift logs, etc., brought down by the freshets. Formerly the North Channel ran around the northeast side of this island, but the shoal from its northeast side has spread towards the Chinook Shoal, which also has developed towards Sand Island, and now there is passage-way for only nine or ten feet of water in place of four fathoms. The main channel of the river passes close under the south side of Sand Island and, striking the great Middle Sands, is divided, one part moving to the south and the other to the northewest.

There is a beacon built upon this island to afford ranges for vessels. During the fishing season there are sometimes net-racks and other temporary buildings on Sand Island for the accommodation of fishermen. ..."