Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/51



JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON 43

Wednesday 1. After arranging several small affairs we, in number eight men, with two Simpoil Indians, set off on a voyage down the Columbia River to explore this river in order to open out a passage for the interior trade with the Pacific Ocean. My men are Michael Beaurdeau, Pierre Pareil, Joe Cote, Michel Boulard, Francois Gregoire, with Charles and Ignace, 2 Iroquois, with a small assortment of goods to buy in provisions, etc. Our course down the river from the Ilthkoyape 2 Falls at 6^ A. M. Co. S. 15 W. 2/3 m, S. 8 E. l l / 2 m, S. 10 W. y* mile, gone the brook 3 of our late portage on the left about 30 yards wide. Course + 1 m -f- T / 2 m do., last y> m very strong dangerous Rapid 4, run it close on the right. Co. S. 30 W. y 2 m, S. 40 W. 1 m, S. 5 E. 13/4 m, S. 25 W. iy 2 m, S. 5 E. y 2 m, S. 30 E. 2/3 m, S. 5 E. iy 4 m, S. 30 E. 1/4 m, S. 22 E. \y 2 m, S. 12 E. 1 m, + y 2 m, S. 35 E. y 2 m, S. 40 E. y 2 m, R., S. 10 E. 1 m, H- T A. R-, ( ?) S. 25 E. 3/ 4 m, S. 7 E. y 2 m, S. 5 W. 2/3 m, S. 25 W. 1/3 m, S. W. iy 2 m, + y 2 m, S. 1 m. End of Co. S. R. good on the left. Co. S. 1 m, S. 10 E. 1% m, S. 25 W. y 2 m, S. 40 W. l / 4 m, S. 68 W. 2 m, S. 30 W. y 2 m, S. 1/3 m, S. 15 E. 1 m, S. 8 E. iy 4 m, S. 20 W. 1 m, S. 30 W. 1 m, S. W. iy 2 m, S. 68 W. 2/3 m, S. 80 W. 1 m, N. 70 W. iy 2 m, S. 56 W. l*/ 2 m, S. y 2 m, S. 35 E. y 2 m, S. 65 E. 1 m, S. 35 E. 2/3 m, S. 70 E. 1 m, S. 10 W. iy 4 m, + y 2 m, S. 25 E. 1/3 m, S. 30 E. 1 m, S. 25 E. y 2 m, S. R. S iy 2 m, S. R. 1/3 of gone the Spokane

1 Mr. Thompson's canoe was probably launched from what is now known as Bushnell Flat T /2 mile below Kettle Falls; he descends the Columbia today as far as the Sans Foil river, a distance of about 90 miles. But at this extreme high water he would cut across the flats and low points. Lieut. Symons followed the channel in making measurements in September, 1881.

2 Mr. Thompson applied this name to these falls even before he arrived there and evidently had it from some one, but he is the only person whose journal, letter or narrative makes mention of it. However, the Indians occupying the Colville Reservation (Washington) now (1914) make use of the name in speaking of the Kettle River and Falls. It is of Salish derivation, from the word Ilth-Kape, meaning kettle, and the word Hoy-Ape, meaning net (see Salish vocabulary in Henry-Thompson Journals, pp. 715-16), these being the rapids or falls where many tribes of the Salishan family gathered to fish with their net-kettles, i. e., baskets made of closely woven osiers or grasses; and the number of fish reported as taken in this manner is almost fabulous.

3 Mouth of the Colville River.

4 These rapids, designated as Thompson Rapids on the Arrowsmith (London) maps as late as 1846, but known to the fur traders usually as Grand Rapids; now locally known and mapped as Rickey Rapids, after Mr. John Rickey, who settled there.