One hundred and ninety five years ago today, Lewis and Clark camped on a nearby shore, which the Sea Birdpassed this afternoon at approximately 3:00 PM.
"A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after eating a partial brackfast of venison we Set out, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side, Some rain, we landed above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side and Dined, J. Shields Killed a Buck & Lebeash got three ducks, here the river widens to about one mile large Sand bar in the middle, a great (rock) both in and out of the water, river, The day proved cloudy dark and disagreeable with some rain all day which kept us wet. The countary a high mountain on oake Cotton &c &c. I took two men and walked down three miles to examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old Indian path, passd. An old village at one mile on an ellevated Situation, Capt. Lewis Saw one gun and Several articles which much have been precured from the white people. A wet disagreeable evening, the only wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we have encamped is the newly discovered Ash, which makes a tolerable fire." From the Lewis and Clark Journals, October 30, 1805
Our evening was warm, filled with long late fall shadows and sundogs in the thin clouds around the setting sun. We saw the same sculpted cliffs and dramatic waterfalls that Lewis and Clark saw and standing on the bow of the Sea Bird, we all reflected upon the Corps of Discovery who first visited the scenic Columbia River Gorge 195 years ago to the day.
