Bellevue Point on the right-hand side of the river, although but low, presents a scene of great beauty, compared to what we had yet seen during the voyage: here the eye is occasionally relieved from the monotonous gloomy aspect of dense woods, by the sight of green spots, clumps of trees, small lakes, and meadows alternately.
On the 25th, early this morning, we arrived at and passed Point Vancouver, so named after the celebrated navigator, and the extreme point of Broughton's survey of the Columbia.[25] From the lower branch of the Wallamitte to Point Vancouver, the banks of the river on both sides are low; but, as we proceeded further on, a chain of huge black rocks rose perpendicularly from the water's edge: over their tops fell many bold rills of clear water. Hemmed in by these rocky heights, the current assumed double force, so that our paddles proved almost ineffectual; and, to get on, we were obliged to drag ourselves along from point to point, by laying {107} hold of bushes and the branches of overhanging trees, which, although they impeded our progress in one way, aided us in another. After a day of severe toil, we halted for the night. We saw but five Indians all this day; and, for the first time, now came to our camp at night. The ebb and flow of the tide is not felt here. The country, generally, has a wild and savage appearance: course, E.N.E.
On the 26th, it was late this morning before we could
- [Footnote: Point, see Franchère, note 55. Johnson's Island was named by Broughton
(1792) for the lieutenant of his vessel, the "Chatham;" Lewis and Clark called it Diamond Island; it is now known as Government Island, in Multnomah County, Oregon. Wasougal (Wasough-ally) is a small stream entering the Columbia from the north, in Clark County, Washington. Quicksand River, so named by Lewis and Clark, is the present Sandy, a considerable stream draining the western slope of Mount Hood, and flowing into the Columbia through Multnomah County, Oregon.—Ed.]
