Salmon Signs, A Cultural Lesson

On October 17th, 1805, Captain William Clark wrote:

I took two men in a Small Canoe and assended the Columbia river 10 miles to an Island near the Stard. Shore on which two large Mat Lodges of Indians were drying Salmon, (as they informed me by Signs for the purpose of food and fuel, & I do not think at all improbable that those people make use of Dried fish as fuel,) The number of dead Salmon on the Shores & floating in the river is incrediable to Say and at this Season they have only to collect the fish Split them open and dry them on their Scaffolds on which they have great numbers, how far they have to raft their timber they make their Scaffolds of I could not lern; but there is no timber of any Sort except Small willow bushes in Sight in any direction… (Clark, from Moulton V.5, 287)

National Park Service

Conveying Good Will | An Encouraging Message | Danger Signs
Salmon Signs, A Cultural Lesson | Ghost Town