The Dalles

“ At the Dalles our party made another portage, paying our Indians as at Celilo Falls.
The Indians’ curiosity to look at the white women caused us a little delay at the falls, and also at the Dalles; in fact, numbers of them followed our boats in their canoes to the Dalles, to look at these two strange beings who had nothing to carry but their own persons, and were dressed so differently from the men.
We proceeded down the river for a few miles and met the Hudson’s Bay Company’s express canoe, in charge of Mr. Hovey, on its way to Lachine, going across the continent ”

“ Now, since the mining excitement is done away with, and only so much interest in it remains as a legitimate outfitting trade creates; and since the people here begin to understand the agricultural resources of the country immediately about them, Dalles has come to be quite a cheerful and handsome town. Real homes occupy the places of hastily erected board-houses; gardens blossom with exquisite flowers ”

“ In brilliant sunshine we pulled down a broad stretch of deep and rapidly slackening water to the gleaming white lime-stone barrier at the head of the Little Dalles.
All of Northport had been a unit in warning us not to attempt to run the Little Dalles. Nearly every one, as far as I could judge, had lost some relative there, and one man gave a very circumstantial description of how he had seen a big batteau, with six Swede lumbermen, sucked out of sight there, never to reappear. ”

“ Of all the men ever on the River probably no one ever had more experience with canoe travel than David Thompson and his description of these Dalles is therefore interesting: "I have already mentioned the Dalles of the Saleesh and Spokane Rivers; these Dalles (of the Co- lumbia) were of the same formation, steep high walls of Basalt Rock, with sudden sharp breaks in them, which were at right angles to the direction of the wall of the River, these breaks formed rude bays, under each point was a violent eddy, and each bay a powerful, dangerous whirlpool ”

“ The men at The Dalles who had the interest of the place at heart would point the swellerino buck out to young strangers who looked as if they might be likely victims of the Indian short-card fleecer, and tell the young goslings just where and how the buck stood. ”

“ I know of no place on the upper half of the Bend where the river is less than a hundred feet wide. The Little Dalles, just below the American line, are about a hundred and forty feet across in their narrowest part, and the Great Dalles below Celilo Falls are slightly wider. Kettle Falls, Hell-Gate and Rock Island Rapids have side channels of less than a hundred feet, but the main channels are much broader. Save only the Dalles des Morts (which are really its continuation) the Rock Slide has no near rival anywhere on the river. ”

“ From The Dalles, from Portland, from Astoria by the Sea, from city and farm in every section drained by the mighty Columbia River, this throng has gathered, moved by a common impulse to commemorate an event of the utmost consequence to the Northwest—the opening of The Dalles-Celilo Canal. While the, completion of this great engineering work—great even in this day of great things—is in itself well worthy of being celebrated, the reasons which have brought us together lie far deeper. ”

“ From the upper cascades to the Dalles, by boat again; a splendid forty miles' run, through the mountain-pass, its walls now gradually lowering, and, on the Washington Territory side of the river, terraces and slopes of cleared lands and occasional settlements. Great numbers of drift-logs passed us here, coming down apace, from the rush of the Dalles above. Every now and then one would get tangled in the bushes and roots on the shore, swing in, and lodge tight to await the next freshet.
The "log" of one of these driftwood voyages would be interesting ”

“ Certainly it can be correctly said that the stream is turned up on its edge.
The Dalles lie five or six miles above Dalles City; and you pass these rapids in the train which bears you to Celilo early the next morning after you arrive at Dalles City. Celilo is not a town; it is simply a geographical point; it is the spot where, if you were bound to the interior of the continent by water, you would take steamboat. There is here a very long shed to shelter the goods which are sent up into this far-away and, to us Eastern people, unknown interior ”

“ The Cascades have always been of importance on account of the break in navigation, making a portage absolutely necessary. The rocks and falls in the river extend for a distance of five miles.
The obstruction at The Dalles, 220 miles from the mouth of the Columbia, generally called The Dalles rapids, and consisting of The Dalles rapids. Three Mile rapids. Ten Mile rapids and Celllo Falls, twelve miles in all, extending from the foot of Three Mile rapid, which is located about two miles below the foot of The Dalles rapids, to what is known as the head of Celilo Falls. ”

“ It is no wonder that with such hopeless material to work upon the Dalles missionaries withdrew from them a portion of their zeal, and bestowed it, where it was quite as much needed, upon any "stray mountain-man" who chanced to be entertained "within their gates." Newell's party, among others, received the well-meant, but not always well-received or appreciated attentions of these gentlemen. The American mountaineer was not likely to be suddenly surprised into praying in earnest ”

“ In 1837 a strong reinforcement arrived, among whom were Dr. Elijah White, destined to become a man of note as Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
In 1838, Rev. Daniel Lee and Rev. H. K. W. Perkins established a new station at Wascopum, now the location of The Dalles. ”

“ I can only hope to direct attention of the tourist to this almost unknown wonder of America and to assure him that he will never regret a trip between Bend and The Dalles, which may be made by either motor or rail. In fact, the railroad follows the bottom of the canyon and in many ways affords better opportunities to view the scenery than does the wagon road. ”

“ An unfortunate affray between the immigrants and the Indians at the Dalles, had frightened away from that station the Rev. Father Waller; and Dr. Whitman of the Waiilatpu mission had purchased the station for the Presbyterian mission, and placed a nephew of his in charge. Although, true to their original bad character, the Dalles Indians had frequently committed theft upon the passing emigration, this was the first difficulty resulting in loss of life, which had taken place. This quarrel arose out of some thefts committed by the Indians, and the unwise advice of Mr. ”

“ MILL CREEK , Wasco County . The neighborhood of Mill Creek , which flows into the Columbia River at The Dalles , was called Quenett by the local Indians , which was a name for salmon trout . When the government decided to establish Fort Dalles , an officer was sent to build a sawmill to be operated by mule power . Upon his arrival he found a small waterpower site and built a mill on this stream , now known as Mill Creek , just north of the present site of the bridge on Ninth street . ”

“ She was 110 feet long, 18 foot beam and drew 20 inches.
"Our family moved from Portland to The Dalles in the fall of 1862. We lived in The Dalles that winter. Father launched his steamboat, the Cascadilla, in December, 1862. Next spring we took the Cascadilla up to Lewiston, plying on the Clear- water and the Snake rivers. We carried wood from Lapwai and lumber from Asotin to Lewiston.
"That spring father had trouble with A. Kimmell, his purser. He found the purser was not turning in all the money. Father put him off the boat and told him what he thought of men who were crooked. ”

“ Being aware of the hardships which the immigrants of the previous years had undergone on the Snake River plains, at the crossing of Snake River, the John Day, and Des Chutes Rivers, and the passage of the Columbia, the travelers gladly accepted the tidings of a safer route to the Wallamet. A portion of the immigration had already gone on by the road to the Dalles ”

“ FINDLEY CREEK, Wallowa County. Findley Creek flows west into Imnaha River near Imnaha. It was named for the Findley family. See under FINDLEY BUTTES.
FIVEMILE RAPIDS, Wasco County. These great rapids of the Columbia River were named by U. S . engineers because of their distance east from the boat landing at The Dalles. They form a part of The Dalles of the Columbia, and were formerly known as the Long Nar rows, The Dalles and The Great Dalles. ”

“ Finally, however, he reached the Dalles where boats belonging to the Hudson Bay Company were at anchor. Those who had money to pay their passage were packing their goods on board and going themselves, but the chances for a passage for a penniless and ragged traveler were small. ”

“ The cape, Tongue point, both sides of the Wil- hammette falls, a site at the Cascades, and one at the Dalles, are points on the rivers prominently presenting themselves for reservation by the government, should it design to reserve anything.
Nisqually, and perhaps other places on the sound and coast, are not less distinctly marked by nature as eligible sites for forts or future towns. ”

“ About this time Colonel Gilliam was enabled to make a start for The Dalles, with a single company, several others being on the way to the rendezvous in Portland. As Abernethy had written to Lee, it was a task to get several hundred men together, prepared to be absent from homes where they were needed, for a period of six months.
The colonel of the first regiment of Oregon riflemen
was a man in the prime of life, of impulsive temper, brave, headstrong, but conscientious. ”

“ It appeared that they had been provided sufficiently by the Indians to sustain their lives through the winter. In the spring they had left the Canadians among the Indians, and had set forth in the hope of reaching the Great River. But having reached The Dalles, they had been robbed of rifles and ammunition, stripped of their clothing, and driven forth into the wilderness. They were almost at the point of a final surrender to ill-fortune when they beheld the rescuing boat. So, with joyful hearts, they turned their boat's prow to Astoria, which they reached in safety. ”

“ At The Dalles two guards, Jackson and Packwood, were decoyed from camp by Indians a nd killed.
a part of the contents taken out, and headed up again. This is all wrong. The crew should be selected, the name taken in the office, and none others should be allowed to come up unless by special contract, and then to supply themselves with provisions, blankets, etc. Very many are going up to attend to their own property, relying upon the provisions sent up to the troops for subsistence. ”

“ If they will bring the murderers down to The Dalles, and agree to make restitution for the property stolen and destroyed, let them know that our operations will cease, provided they, the chiefs, enter into a treaty to protect American citizens passing through their country. This, in substance, you might say to the chiefs every opportunity. I hope you may succeed in bringing this serious affair to a speedy, and to yourself, a praiseworthy end. I have full confidence that you will do all you can to protect friendly Indians. ”

“ He mortgaged his horses, his Astoria property and his boat and with the assist- ance of personal friends who advanced him money, he bought a stock of goods for the mines.
"The goods were shipped to the Cascades, hauled around the Cascades by the portage tramway on the Oregon side, reshipped to The Dalles and from The Dalles hauled to Des- chutes by wagon. We were loaded and ready to leave Des- chutes in the latter part of August. We arrived at Wallula on September 15. When we got to Wallula our entire crew deserted. They declared it was too dangerous to attempt to navigate the Snake river. ”

“ The colonel then appeared in person and requested me to do it; and so it was, on all occasions. He reserved to himself the right of saying when a man s name should or should not be erased. Several of the horses sold at The Dalles were given up to friendly Indians who claimed them, and also at this place. After Colonel Gilliam left there was a new leaf turned over in the horse account. They were all appraised, and those who stood most in
need got first choice. ”

“ There are many cogent reasons for such a road aside from those of economy.
In 1849 and 1850 the troops east of the Cascades were supplied by means of bateaus manned by Indians. It was necessary to send provisions, forage, hospital and ordnance supplies up the river 50 miles, then to make a difficult, laborious and expensive portage of four or five miles at the Cascades, and then to reship and forward by boats to The Dalles. ”

“ The road also crossed Fivemile Creek and Eightmile Creek before it reached Fifteenmile Creek . The Dalles - California Highway travels along a l l o f these streams between The Dalles and Dufur . The three streams combine before they flow into the Columbia , and the proper naming o f the resulting creek has been somewhat perplexing . Fifteenmile Creek i s the largest o f the three , and i t has seemed proper t o have its name follow through t o the Columbia , even though a t its mouth i t i s only about four miles from The Dalles . ”

“ Some of the crew came ashore, tied him up and turned him over to the authorities at The Dalles.
"Father was always a peaceful man when it came to the law. He said he was able to settle his own troubles. When the trial came, father refused to appear against him, so he was turned loose.
"Kimmell bought a sailboat. It got loose from the bank at Celilo and went over the falls. Kimmell could have gotten ashore, but he had money in the cabin and while trying to re- cover the money the boat went over the falls and Kimmell was drowned.
"Father sold the Cascadilla in the summer of 1864. ”