firstm2.html

The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 28, 1904, page 3

FIRST MENION OF HOOD RIVER

The Glacier of December 17, 1903, contained an extract from "Ten Years in Oregon, " published in 1844 by Daniel Lee and J.H. Frost, the first Oregon missionaries. The article was thought to be the first mention of Hood River, but Dr. C.F. Newcomb, a former resident of Hood River but now of Victoria, sends the following communication, which shows Lewis and Clark to have made mention of our country as early as 1805, or 99 years ago. Dr. Newcomb's letter is as follows:
Victoria, B.C. January 1, 1904. -- Editor Glacier: A short time ago I saw in the Glacier a reference to an early notice of Hood River, which, I think, was claimed was the first on record.
Some years ago the late Dr. Elliot Couse, a well known scientific author, edited an addition of Lewis and Clark's travels, a book which is especially interesting just now, in view of the approaching exposition at Portland. In a footnote below is the following description, in which Dr. Coues identifies the place spoken of with Hood River, and your readers can judge for themselves if he is right.
After passing Memaloose island, called Sepulcher island by the explorers, from the circumstance of it having several square vaults on it, Captain Lewis goes on to say: "The river now widens, and in three miles we came to two more houses on the right, one mile beyond which is a rocky island in the bend of the river toward the left. Within the next six miles we passed 14 huts of Indians scattered on the right bank, and then reached the entrance of a river on the left, which we called Labiches river, after one of our party. Just above this river is a low ground more thickly timbered than usual, and in front are four huts of Indians on the bank, which are the first we have seen on that side of the river.
Next follows a short notice of White Salmon river, which was called Canoe river on account of the large number of canoes seen in it; the Indians being hard at work fishing at this time. A mile lower down (below, Hood River that is) a river on the right or north bank was noticed, and, opposite to it was a large sand bar, which continued four miles along the left side of the Columbia river, below which was a beautiful cascade on the left, falling over a precipice of rock one hundred feet in height.
The date of the entry was October 29, 1805.

Waucomite.