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October 16, 1805 (Camped at present day Sacajawea State Park, Pasco, Washington)

 " deturmined to run the rapids, put our Indian guide in front our small Canoe next and the other four following each other, the canoes all passed over Safe except the rear Canoe which run fast on a rock at the lower part of the Rapids, with the early assistance of the other Canoes & the Indians, who was extreamly ellert every thing was taken out and the Canoe got off without any enjorie further than the articles which it was loaded all wet.  at 14 miles passed a bad rapid at which place we unloaded and made a portage of 3/4 mile ... proceeded on to the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the NW...  after we had our camp fixed and fires made, a Chief came from their Camp which was about 1/4 mile up the Columbia river at the head of about 200 men Singing and beeting on their drums Stick and keeping time to the musik, they formed a half circle around us and Sung for some time, we gave them all Smoke, and Spoke to their Chiefs as well as we could by Signs informing them of our friendly disposition to all nations, and our joy in Seeing those of our Children around us, gave the principal chief* a large medal"  Clark

principal chief* - Chief Cutssamnem was given a large Jefferson Peace medal.

October 17, 1805 (Camped at present day Sacajawea State Park, Pasco, Washington)

  "The waters of this river is Clear, and a Salmon may be Seen at the deabth of 15 or 20 feet… Capt. Lewis took a vocabelary of the Language (customs*) of those people  who call themselvees So kulk**… I saw but fiew horses they appeared make but little use of those animals principally using Canoes for their uses of procureing food."  Clark

(customs*) - Here was their first encounter with a custom and its results which for whites were among the most striking cultural traits of the Columbia and Northwest Coast Peoples.  These lower Columbia tribes placed infants in a special cradleboard with an angled board compressing the forehead; in some cases a tight headband was apparently used instead.  The eventually effect on the soft skull of the child was the shape noted by Clark, the head becoming decidedly pointed.  Many whites applied the term "flathead" to those who practiced head deformation, although the Indians themselves apparently reserved the term for tribes in the interior who left their heads naturally "flat" on top.  The deformed head shape was considered a mark of distinction, beauty, and superior status.  Slaves were not allowed to deform the heads of their children. 

So kulk** - Wanapam Indians

October 18, 1805 (Camped south of the mouth of the Walla Walla River, Walla Walla County, Washington)

 "Several canoes of Indians came down and joined those with us, we had a council with those in which we informed of our friendly intentions towards them and all other of our red children;  of our wish to make a piece between all of our red children in this quarter.  this was conveyed by Signs thro our 2 Chiefs who accompanied us.   The Great Chief Cuts-Sah nim* and one of the Chim-na-pum nation** drew me a Sketch of the Columbia above and the tribes of his nation living on the bank and its waters... every thing arranged we took in our Two Chiefs and  we set out down the Great Columbia, haveing left our guide and the two young men two of them not enclined not to proceed on any further, and the 3rd could be of no service to us as he did not know the river below."  Clark

Chief Cuts-Sah nim*  -  Chief Cutssamnem

Chim-na-pum nation - Yakima

October 19, 1805 (Camped apparently between Irrigon and Boardman, Morrow County, Oregon, in the vicinity of Blalock Island)

" Early this morning great Chief Yel-lep-pit* two other chiefs and a chief of the band below presented themselves to us… we smoked with them, enformed them as we had all others above as well as we could by Signs** of our friendly intentions towards our red children.   we gave a medal, a handkercheif & a string of Wompom to Yelleppit and a string of wompom to each of the others.  Yel-lep-pit requested us to delay untill the Middle of the day, that his people might come down and See us, we excused our selves and promised to Stay with him one or 2  days on our return which appeared to satisfy him;    great numbers of Indians Came down in Canoes to view us before we set out... at 14 miles to a rock resembling a hat " Clark

Chief Yel-lep-pit* - Evidently Yelleppit was chief of the Walula (or Walla Walla) tribe, although it has been suggested that he was a Cayuse leader named Ollicutt known to fur traders in the area a few years later.  Sometime if the 1890's a Jefferson peace medal, perhaps form the expedition, was discovered on an island (possibly Goat Island) at the mouth of the Walla Walla River; it may be the one given to Yelleppit at this time or on the party's return trip in 1806.  It is today part of the Lewis & Clark items of the Oregon Historical Society. 

Signs**  - An indication, perhaps, that the sign language had penetrated this far from the Great Plains.  Many Columbia Plateau tribes made buffalo -hunting trips to the plains, where they could have picked up the signs. 

October 20, 1805 ( Camped in the Vicinity of Roosevelt, Klickitat County, Washington)

 " we concluded to delay untill after brackfast which we were obliged to make on the flesh of dog.  after brackfast we gave all the Indian men Smoke, and we set out leaving about 200 of the nativs at our Encampment ... at seven miles passed a bad rapid.  at one o Clock we landed on the lower point of some island at some Indian Lodges, those people are in every respect like those above, prepareing fish for theire winter consumptionon.  On the upper part of this Island we discovered an Indian Vault our curiosity induced us to examine." Clark