PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. a5 
COLUMBIA RIVER. 
The Columbia, which is the largest river of the Pacific coast, rises 
in British Columbia, 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, ue. Snake, John Day, Deschutes, 
and Willamette Rivers, 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 tp 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. 
Capt. Wilkes, U. S. N., 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 manner 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 the 
fish in attempting to jump the falls strike and are thrown back into the basket. 
This basket during the fishing season is raised three times in the day (24 hours), and 
at each haul not unfrequently contains 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 dis- 
tribution.@ 
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- 
atched a vessel via Cape Horn to the Columbia with trading goods, 
ut she was never heard from after sailing. In the meantime Wyeth 
a Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 
1842. By Charles Wilkes, U.S. Navy, commander ofthe expedition. In 5 volumes. Vol. IV, pp. 444, 
445. Philadelphia, Lee & Blanchard, 1845. 
