Wisham, mentioned in Irving's Astoria. This is situated on the left bank of the river and its proper name is Niculuita; Wisham being the name of the old chief, long since dead. There are now in the village about forty good lodges, built of split boards, with a roof of cedar bark, as before described. The Indians that live here seem much superior to those of the other villages; they number four hundred regular inhabitants....."
The map shows Niculuita or Wisham on the right, or Washington, side of the river, just above the word DALLES, and plainly at the head of the Long Narrows, as is evident from a comparison with the modern map shown opposite page 115. It is also evident that the word DALLES refers to the rapids. The subsequent city of The Dalles was located where the words Methodist Mission are placed. The placing of Wisham, in the text, on the left bank was probably due to the fact that the description was written while the party ascended the river, and they meant their left. It is also interesting to note that an Indian village is shown on the map just above the word DALLES, and on the Oregon side of the river. To this reference will be made later. An Indian village is also shown on each side of the river, about where the Falls would be.
In 1843 the emigrants brought their wagons down the river to the Dalles on the Oregon side.[1] The road thus formed became a portage route circumventing the Falls and all the rapids. It is therefore not to be supposed that later travelers would be apt to mention the Indians at the Narrows.
Paul Kane, "Wanderings of an Artist:"
(July 8, 1847.) "The Indians who reside and congregate about the Chutes for the purpose of fishing, are called the Skeen tribe;....."
Before summing up the evidence thus far obtained,
- ↑ T. C. Elliott, The Dalles-Celilo Portage, Ore. Hist. Quar., 1915.
