Captain Clark had now left the water-shed of the Missouri behind him, and was pressing on, over a broken, hilly country, to the lands from which issue the tributaries of the Columbia.

The Indian village which Captain Lewis had previously visited had been removed two miles up the stream on which it was situated, and was reached by Clark on August 20.
The party was very ceremoniously received by Chief Cameahwait, and all hands began to explain to the white men the difficulties of the situation.

How to transport the canoes and baggage over the mountains to some navigable stream leading into the Columbia was now the serious problem.

The Indian chief and his old men dwelt on the obstacles in the way and argued that it was too late in the season to make the attempt.
They even urged the white men to stay with them until another spring, when Indian guides would be furnished them to proceed on their journey westward.
On the twenty-first, Clark passed the junction of two streams, the Salmon and the Lemhi, which is now the site of Salmon City, Idaho.

As Captain Lewis was the first white man who had seen these waters, Clark gave to the combined water-course the name of Lewis' River.