42S U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



COLUMBIA RIVER 



The Columbia, which is the hirgest river of the Pacific coast, rises 

 in British Cokimbia, flows through Washington, reaching the north- 

 ern border of Oregon about 75 miles west of the State's eastern 

 boundary; from this point the river forms the dividing line between 

 Oregon and Washington, its general course being westerly. It 

 empties into the Pacific at Cape Disappointment. Its principal 

 tributaries are the Spokane, Yakima, Snake, John Day, Deschutes, 

 and Willamette Kivers, and through these the main river drains an 

 enormous extent of territory. 



This river, which has produced more salmon than any other river 

 in the world, has had a most interesting history. Many years before 

 the white man saw its waters the Indians visited its banks during 

 the annual salmon runs and caught and cured their winter's supply 

 of food. Along the shores of the river at The Dalles for 15 miles 

 were notable fisheries where various bands, who lived south and 

 north, had their respective fishing locations, and to which all others 

 were forbidden access. They used spears and dip nets in catching 

 the salmon, the majority of which were dried and smoked for winter 

 use. This dip, or basket, net was fastened to a pole about 30 feet 

 long and slid on a hoop. The Indian filled it by slinging it as far as 

 possible up the stream and then hauling it up, the weight of the 

 fish closing the net by drawing it on the hoop. 



A favorite preparation of the Indians who resorted to the river 

 was pemmican. This was the meat of the salmon cleaned of the 

 bones, pounded up fine, and then packed in hempen sacks of home 

 manufacture. A sack of pemmican weighed from 80 to 90 pounds 

 and was worth in barter as much as an ordinary horse. 



Captain Wilkes, United States Navy, has the following to say 

 with respect to salmon fishing by natives at Kettle Falls on the 

 Columbia River near the present city of Colville, Wash., at the time 

 of his visit there in 1841 : 



There is an Indian village on the banks of the great falls, inhabited by a few 

 families, who are called "Quiarlpi" (basket people), from the circumstance of 

 their using baskets to catch their fish (salmon). The season for the salmon 

 fishery had not yet (in June ?) arrived, so that our gentlemen did not see the man- 

 ner of taking the fish; but, as described to them, the fishing apparatus consists 

 of a large wicker basket supported by long poles inserted into it and fixed in the 

 rocks. The lower part, which is of the basket form, is joined to a broad frame 

 spreading above, against which tlie fish in attempting to jump tlie falls strike 

 and are thrown back into the basket. This basket during tlie fishing season is 

 raised three times in the day (24 hours), and at each haul not unfrequently con- 

 tains 300 fine fish. A division of these takes place at sunset each day under the 

 direction of one of the chief men of the village, and to each family is allotted the 

 number it may be entitled to; not only the resident Indians, but all who may be 

 there fishing, or by accident, are equally included in the distribution. ••' 



The first American to engage in fishing on the Columbia River was 

 Capt. Nathaniel J. Wyeth, of Massachusetts, who in 1832 crossed 

 overland to Oregon with the purpose of establishing salmon fisheries 

 in connection with prosecuting the Indian and fur trade. He dis- 

 patched a vessel via Cape Horn to the Columbia with trading goods, 

 but she was never heard from after sailing. In the meantime 

 Wyeth had established a station at Fort Hall, on the Lewis River, a 

 branch of the Columbia. 



" Narrative of the T'nited States Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842. 

 By Charles Wilkes, V. S. Navy, commander of the expedition. In 5 volumes. Vol. IV, pp. 444, 445. 

 Philadelphia, Lee & Blanchard, 1845. 



