Joan's Lewis & Clark Geek Page

January 31st Friday, 1806

[Clark] Sent a party of Eight men with the hunters to renew their Serch for the Elk, and also to hunt; they proceeded but a fiew miles before they found the river So obstructed with ice that they were obliged to return. Jo Field arrives this evening, informs us That he had been hunting in Company with gibson and Willard for the last four days in order to obtain some meat for himself and the other Salt-makers, and that he had been unsucksessfull untill yesterday evening when he had fortunately killed two Elk, about six miles distant from this place and about 8 from the Salt works; he left gibson and Willard to dry the meat of those Elk, and had come for assistance to carry the meat to the Salt Camp; for this purpose we ordered four men to accompany him early in the morning.    discovered that McNeal had the pox, gave him medicine. Chabono found a bird dead lying near the Fort this morning and brought it in, I recognized it to be the Same kind of that which I had Seen in the Rocky Mountains at severl different times.    this berd is about the Size as near as may be of the robin.    it's contour is also presisely the Same with that bird.    it measured one foot ¾ inches from tip to tip of the wings when extended. 9¼ inches from the extremity of the beak to that of the tail.    the tail is 3¾ inches in length, and Composed of 11 feathers of the Same length. The beak is Smoth, black, convex and cultrated; 1⅛ inches from the point to the opening of the Chaps and ¾ only uncovered with feathers, the upper Chap exceeds the other a little in length.    a fiew Small black hairs garnish the Side of the upper chap. The Eye is of a uniform deep Sea green or black, moderatley large.    it's legs feet and tallants are white; the legs are of 1¼ in length and Smoth; four toes on each foot, of which that in front is the Same length of the leg including the tallants, which is 4 lines; the 3 remaining toes are ¾ of an inch, each armed with proportionably large tallons.    the toes are Slightly imbricated.    the tallons are curved and Sharply pointed. The Crown of the head from the beak back to the neck imbracing rather more than half the circumphrence of the neck, the Back and tail is of a bluish dark brown; the two outer feathers of the tail have a little dash of white near the tips, not proceivable when the tail is foalded.    a fine black forms the ground of the wings; two Stripes of the same colour passes on either side of the Head from the base of the Back along the Side of the head to it's junction with the neck, and embraces the eye to its upper edge; a third Stripe of the Same Colour ¾ of an inch in width passes from the Side of the neck just above the buts of the wings across the croop in the form of a gorget.    the throat or under part of the neck brest and belly is of a fine Yellowish brick red.    a narrow Stripe of this Colour also Commences just above the center of each eye, and extends backwards to the Neck as far as the black Spots reaches before discribed, to which it appears to answer as a border. the feathers which form the 1st and Second range of the coverts of the two joints of the wings next the body are butifully tiped with this Brick red; as is also each large feather of the wing on the Short Side of its plumage for 1/2 an inch in length Comencing at the extremity of the feather which form the first or main Covert of the wing. This is a butifull little bird. I have never herd its notes it appears to be Silent.    it feeds on berries, and I believe is a rare bird even in this country—.    between the legs of this bird the feathers are white, and those which form the tuft underneath the tail are a mixture of white and Brick red.

Observed equal altitudes today with Sextant.

The party continues the search for the killed elk, but are stopped by an ice jam.  Clark gives a long and detailed description of the varied thrush, Ixoreus naevius and another member comes down with  a venereal desease.  Sort of a typical winter's day at Fort Clatsop.

      

January 30th Thursday, 1806

[Lewis]  Nothing transpired today worthy of notice.    we are agreeable disappointed in our fuel which is altogether green pine.    we had supposed that it burn but illy, but we have found that by spliting it that it burns very well. The dress of the Clatsops and others in this neighbourhood differs but little from the discribed of the skillutes; they never wear leggins or mockersons which the mildness of this climate I presume has rendered in a great measure unnecessary; and their being obliged to be frequently in the water also renders those articles of dress inconvenient.    they wear a hat of a conic figure without a brim confined on the head by means of a stri[n]g which passes under the chin and is attatched to the two opsite sides of a secondary rim within the hat.    the hat at top terminates in a pointed knob of a connic form also, or in this shape.     these hats are made of the bark of cedar and beargrass wrought with the fingers so closely that it casts the rain most effectually in the shape which they give them for their own uce or that just discribed.    on these hats they work various figures of different colours, but most commonly only black and white are employed.    these figures are faint representations of whales the canoes and the harpoonneers striking them.    sometimes squares dimonds triangles &c.

Again, various posts for this day are not that exciting and mostly recycled descriptions of native dress (or lack thereof), and descriptions of various fruit bearing shrubs or trees. As they plan and prepare for the return trip, the diaries will undoubtedly be more exciting.

January 29th Wednesday, 1806

[Clark]  Nothing worthey of notice occured to day.    our fare is the flesh of lean Elk boiled with pure water and a little Salt.    the whale blubber which we have used very Spearingly is now exhosted.    on this food I do not feel Strong, but enjoy tolerable health—.    a keen appetite Supplies in a great degree the want of more luxurious Sauses or dishes, and Still renders my ordanary meals not uninteresting to me, for I find myself Sometimes enquireing of the Cook whether dinner Supper or Brackfast is ready.—. indeed my appetite is bt Seldom gratified, not even after I have eaten what I conceve a Sufficency.—

Maney of the nativs of the Columbia were hats & most commonly of a conic figure without a brim confined on the head by means of a String which passes under the chin and is attached to the two opposit Sides of a Secondary rim within the hat—    the hat at top termonates in a pointed knob of a conic form, or in this Shape.    these hats are made of the bark of Cedar and beargrass wrought with the fingers So closely that it Casts the rain most effectually in the Shape which they give them for their own use or that just discribed, on these hats they work various figures of different colours, but most commonly only black and white are employed. these figures are faint representations of the whale, the Canoes and the harpooners Strikeing them.    Sometimes Square dimonds triangle &c. The form of a knife which Seems to be prefured by those people is a double Edged and double pointed dagger the handle being near the middle, the blades of uneaquel length, the longest from 9 to 10 incs. and the Shorter one from 3 to 5 inches.    those knies they Carry with them habitually and most usially in the hand, Sometimes exposed, when in Company with Strangers under their Robes    with this knife they Cut & Clense their fish make their arrows &c.    this is the form of the Knife   A is a Small loop of a Strong twine throng through which they Sometimes they incert the thumb in order to prevent it being wrested from their hand.—.

Clark seems a bit bored with their diet of lean elk and probably with the everyday occurances of Fort Clatsop. The native hats and knives give him something to write about besides the dreary diet.       

January 28th Tuesday, 1806

[Clark]  Drewyer and Baptiest Lapage Set out this morning on a hunting excurtion.    about noon Howard & Werner returned with a Supply of Salt; the badness of the weather and the dificuelty of the road had detained them.    they informed us that the Salt makers are Still much Stragened for provisions that haveing killed two deer only in the last Six days; and that there are no Elk in their neighbourhood.

The party that was Sent up the Netul river for the Elk returned this evening with three of them only; The Elk had been killed just before the Snow fell which had Covered them and So altered the apparant face of the Countrey that the hunters Could not find them. The River on which Fort Clat Sop Stands we now call Netul, this being the name by which the Clatsops Call it.

The Cranberry of this neighbourhood is precisely the Same Common to the united States, and is the production of boggy or mashey grounds.—.

The light-brown berry, is the fruit of a tree, about the Size Shape and appearance in every respect with that in the united States called the wild Crab apple; the leaf is also presisely the Same as is also the bark in textue and colour.    the berry grows in Clumps at the ends of the Smaller branches; each berry Supported by a Stem, and as maney as from 3 to 18 or 20 in a Clump.    the berry is oval with one of its extremitis attatched to the peduncle, where it is in a Small degree Concave like the insersion of the Stem of the Crab apple. I know not whether this fruit Can properly be denomonated a berry, it is a pulpy pericarp, the outer coat of which is a thin Smothe, capsule with from three to four Cells, each containing a Seperate Single Seed in form and Colour like that of the wild Crap apple    The wood of this tree is excessively hard when Seasoned. The nativs make great use of it to form their wedges of which they Split their boards of Pine for the purpose of building houses.    those wedges they employ in common with those formed of the Elks horn, in Splitting their fire wood and in hollowing out their Canoes. I have Seen the nativs drive the wedges of this wood into a solid dry pine which it cleft without fractureing injuring the wedge in the Smallest degree.    we have also found this wood usefull to us for ax handles, as well as glutt or wedges. The bark of this tree is chewed by our party in place of tobacco.

the fruit is exceedingly ascid and resembles the flavor of the wild Crab

They're unable to find several of the elk from the big killing of two days ago.  Clark describes the wedges needed for splitting pine or fir logs into "boards" and as well the fruit of the tree from which the wedges are made.

January 27th Monday, 1806

[Lewis]  This morning Collins set out for the Salt works.    in the evening Shannon returned and reported that himself and party had killed ten Elk. he left Labuche and R. fields with the Elk.    two of those Elk he informed us were at the distance of nine miles from this place near the top of a mountain, that the rout by which they mus be brought was at least four miles by land through a country almost inaccessible from the fallen timber, brush and sink-holes, which were now disgused by the snow; we therefore concluded to relinquish those two Elk for the present, and ordered every man who could be speared from the fort to go early in the morning in surch of the other eight.

Goodrich has recovered from the Louis veneri which he contracted from an amorous contact with a Chinnook damsel. I cured him as I did Gibson last winter by the uce of murcury.   I cannot learn that the Indians have any simples which are sovereign specifics in the cure of this disease; and indeed I doubt very much wheter any of them have any means of effecting a perfect cure.    when once this disorder is contracted by them it continues with them during life; but always ends in decipitude, death, or premature old age; tho' from the uce of certain simples together with their diet, they support this disorder with but little inconvenience for many years, and even enjoy a tolerable share of health; particularly so among the Chippeways who I believe to be better skilled in the uce of those simples than any nation of Savages in North America. The Chippeways use a decoction of the root of the Lobelia,  and that of a species of sumac  common to the Atlantic states and to this country near and on the Western side of the Rocky Mountains.    this is the smallest species of the sumac, readily distinguished by it's winged rib, or common footstalk, which supports it's oppositely pinnate leaves.    these decoctions are drank freely and without limitation.    the same decoctions are used in cases of the gonnaerea and are effecatious and sovereign.    notwithstanding that this disorder dose exist among the Indians on the Columbia yet it is witnessed in but fiew individuals, at least the males who are always sufficiently exposed to the observations or inspection of the phisician.    in my whole rout down this river I did not see more than two or three with the gonnaerea and about double that number with the pox.—

Hunters finally have some good luck, but getting the meat to the Fort is a real problem.  Lewis writes of known methods of curing venerial deseases.  There's considerable skeptisism today of Lewis's claimed cure.  Three of the men, Goodrich, McNeal and Gibson were all exihibiting symptoms of the secondary stage of the desease, according to later posts.

January 26th Sunday, 1806

[Clark]   We order Collins to return early in the morning and join ahd Salt makers, and gave him Some Small articles of merchendize to purchase Some provisions from the indians in the event of their Still being unfortunate in the chase.

The [NB: Shal-lun]  or deep purple berry is in form much like the huckleberry and termonate bluntly with a kind of Cap or cover at the end like that fruit; they are attached Seperately to the Sides of the boughes of the shrub by a very Short Stem ganging under neath the Same, and are frequently placed verry near each other on the Same bough it is a full bearer; the berry is easily gathered as it Seperates from the bough, readily, while the leaf is Strongly affixed.    the Shrub which produces this fruit rises to the hight of 6 or 8 feet Sometimes grows on high lands but most frequently in Swampy or marshey grounds; it is an ever green.    the Stem or trunk is from 3 to 10 inches in circumferance irrigularly and much branches, Seldom more than one Stem proceeding from the Same root, tho they are frequently associated very thickly.    the bark is Somewhat rough and of a redish brown Colour.    the wood is very firm and hard.    the leaves are alternate declining and attachd by a Short fotstalk to the two horizontal Sides of the bough's; the form is a long oval, reather more accute towards its apex that at the point of insertion; it's Sides partially folding upwards; or Channeled, it is also thick

Smothe and glossy, the upper Surfice of a fine deep green, while the under disk is of a pale or whiteish green.    this Shrub retains its verdure verry perfectly dureing the winter and is a butifull Shrub—.    the nativs either eate those berries ripe imediately from the bushes, or dried in the Sun or by means of the Swetting kiln; verry frequently they pound them and bake them in large loaves 10 or 15 pounds weight; this bread keeps verry well dureing one Season and retains the most jouicies of the frute much better than any other method of preperation. The bread is broken and Stured in Coald water untill it be Sufficiently thik and then eaten, in this way the nativ's most generally use it—.—.

The salt making camp has no better luck hunting than the rest of the Party and Clark continues with the two Captains' discourse on the edible flora of the Pacific Coast.  The plant described here is evergreen huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum Pursh, another species discovered by the expedition.

January 25th, Saturday 1806

[Lewis]   Commowooll and the Clatsops departed early this morning. At meridian Colter returned and repoted that his comrade hunter Willard had continued his hunt from point Adams towards the salt makers; and that they had killed only those two deer which the Indians brought yesterday. In the evening Collins one of the saltmakers returned and reported that they had mad about one bushel of salt & that himself and two others had hunted from the salt camp for five days without killing any thing and they had been obliged to subsist on some whale which they procured from the natives.

The native fruits and buries in uce among the Indians of this neighbourhood are a deep purple burry about the size of a small cherry called by them Shal-lun,   a small pale red bury called Sol'-me;   the vineing or low Crambury,   a light brown bury reather larger and much the shape of the black haw;   and a scarlet bury about the size of a small cherry the plant called by the Canadin Engages of the N. W. sac a commis produces this bury;   this plant is so called from the circumstance of the Clerks of those rading companies carrying the leaves of this plant in a small bag for the purpose of smokeing of which they are excessively fond.    the Indians call this bury [blank]

I have lately learned that the natives whome I have heretofore named as distinct nations, living on the sea coast S. E. of the Killamucks, are only bands of that numerous nation, which continues to extend itself much further on that coast than I have enumerated them, but of the particular appellations of those distant bands I have not yet been enabled to inform myself; their language also is somewhat different from the Clatsops Chinnooks and Cathlâhmâhs; but I have not yet obtaind a vocabulary which I shall do the first oportunity which offers.

The salt makers seem to be doing pretty well. I'm curious about the reaction of the Natives towards their newly made salt, but so far nothing has been mentioned.  Seems like salt might serve as trade goods since their stock is so low.

January 24th, Friday 1806

[Clark]    Drewyer and Bapeist laPage returned this morning in a large Canoe with Commowol and six Clatsops.    they brought two Deer and three Elk and one elk Skin, haveing given the flesh of one other Elk they killed and three Elk skins to the Indians as the price of their assistance in transporting the ballance of the meat to the Fort; these Deer and Elk were killed near pt. Adams and those Indians Carried them on their Backs near 4 miles, before the waves were Sufficiently low to permit their being taken on board their Canoes. The indians remain'd with us all day. The Clapsots witnessed Drewyers Shooting Some of those Elk, which has given them a very exolted opinion of us as marksmen and the Superior excellency of our rifles Compared with their guns;    this may probably be of service to us, as it will deter them from any acts of hostility if they have ever meditated any such.

  our air gun also astonishes them very much, they Cannot Comprehend its Shooting So often and without powder, and think that it is great medison which Comprehends every thing that is to them incomprehensible.

The nativs of this neighbourhood ware no further Covering than a light roabe, their feet legs & every other part exposed to the frost Snow & ice &c.

Big game hunting picks up a bit and the Natives are much impressed by the hunters' marksmanship and rifles while Clark is likewise impressed by the Natives nonchalance about their dress under winter weather conditions.

January 23rd, Thursday 1805

[Lewis]  This morning dispatched Howard and Warner to the Camp of the Saltmakes for a supply of salt. The men of the garison are still busily employed in dressing Elk's skins for cloathing, they find great difficulty for the want of branes;   we have not soap to supply the deficiency, nor can we procure ashes to make the lye; none of the pines which we use for fuel affords any ashes; extrawdinary as it may seem, the greene wood is consoomed without leaving the residium of a particle of ashes.—

The root of the rush used by the natives is a sollid bulb about one inch in length and usually as thick as a man's thumb, of an ovate form depressed on two or more sides, covered with a thin smothe black rind. the pulp is white brittle and easily masticated either raw or roasted    the latter is the way in which it is most usually prepared for uce.    this root is reather insipid in point of flavour, it grows in greatest abundance along the sea coast in the sandy grounds and is most used by the Killamucks and those inhabiting the coast.    each root sends up one stock only which is annual, the root being perenniel.    the bulb is attatched to the bottom of the caulis or stem by a firm small and strong radicle of about one Inch long; his radicle is mearly the prolongation of the caulis and decends perpendicilarly; a little above the junction of this radicle with the caulis, the latter is surrounded in a whorl with a set of small radicles from 6 to 9 inches long which are obliquely descending.    the caulis is celindric erect hollow and jointed, and is about the size or reather larger than the largest quill.    it rises to the hight of 3 or 4 feet, not branching nor dose it either bear flower or seed that I can discover tho' I am far from denying that it dose so sometimes, but I have not been able to discover it.    the stem is rough like the sand rush and is much like it when green or in it's succulent state.    at each joint it puts out from twenty to thirty long lineal stellate or radiate & horizontal leaves which surround the stem.    above each joint about half an inch the stem is sheathed like the sand rush.

Lewis comments on the shortage of "branes" which were commonly used in tanning leather, as well as not being able to make soap, seemingly a suitable substitute,  because of the lack of ashes.  The Party must be in dire need of new clothes, as their poor clothing was mentioned quite often when they first arrived at the mouth of the Columbia.

January 22nd, Wednesday 1806

[Clark]   The party Sent for the meat this morning returned with it in the evening;    it was in verry inferior order, in Short the animals were pore. Rieuben Field Shannon and Labiech remained in the woods to hunt.    our late Supply of Salt is out.    we have not heard a word of the other hunters who are below us towards point adams and the Praries. Some rain this day at intervales—

  there are three Species of fern in this neighbourhood the root one of which the nativs eate; that of which the nativs eate produce no flowers whatever or fruit of a fine green Colour and the top is annual, and in Course dead at present.

I observe no difference between the licorice  of this Countrey and that Common to maney parts of the United States where it is sometimes Cultivated in our gardins—.    this plant delights in a deep lose Sandy Soil; here it grows verry abundant and large; the nativs roste it in the embers and pound it Slightly with a Small Stick in order to make it Seperate more readily from the Strong liggaments which forms the center of the root; this they discard and chew and Swallow the ballance of the root; this last is filled with a number of thin membrencies like network, too tough to be masticated and which I find it necessary also to discard. This root when roasted possesses an agreeable flavour not unlike the Sweet potato. The root of the thistle (described yesterday) after undergoing the process of Sweting or bakeing in a kiln is Sometimes eaten with the train oil also, at other times pounded fine and mixed with Cold water, untill reduced to the Consistancy of Gruel; in this way I think it verry agreeable.    but the most valuable of all their roots is foreign to this neighbourhood I mean the Wappetoe.

  The Wappetoe, or bulb of the Sagitifolia or common arrow head, which grows in great abundance in the marshey grounds of that butifull and fertile vally on the Columbia commenceing just above the quick Sand River and extending downwards for about 70 miles.    this bulb forms a principal article of trafic between the inhabitents of the vally and those of their neighbourhood or Sea coast.

Perhaps the quality as well as quanity of the local game animals makes our two captains post a good many thoughts about the edible roots of the Columbia River valley.  Neither of them have actually mentioned sending men out digging roots up, but it may come to that.

January 21st Tuesday 1806

[Lewis]   Two of the hunters Shannon & Labuish returned having killed three Elk. Ordered a party to go in quest of the meat early tomorrow morning and the hunters to return and continue the chase.    the Indians left us about 12 O'Clk. The root of the thistle,  called by the natives shan-ne-táh-que is a perpendicular fusiform and possesses from two to four radicles; is from 9 to 15 Inces in length and about the size a mans thumb; the rhind somewhat rough and of a brown colour; the consistence when first taken from the earth is white and nearly as crisp as a carrot; when prepared for uce by the same process before discribed of the white bulb or pashshequo quawmash, it becomes black, and is more shugary than any fuit or root that I have met with in uce among the natives; the sweet is precisely that of the sugar in flavor; this root is sometimes eaten also when first taken from the ground without any preperation; but in this way is vastly inferior.    it delights most in a deep rich dry lome which has a good mixture of sand.    the stem of this plant is simple ascending celindric and hisped.    the root leaves yet possess their virdure and are about half grown of a plale green.    the cauline leaf as well as the stem of the last season are now dead, but in rispect to it's form &c. it is simple, crenate, & oblong, reather more obtuse at it's apex than at the base or insertion; it's margin armed with prickles while it's disks are hairy, it's insertion decurrent and position declining.    the flower is also dry and mutilad.    the pericarp seems much like that of the common thistle.    it rises to the hight of from 3 to 4 feet.—

Hunters enjoy some success and Lewis gives a great description of a sweet thistle plant. The "pashshequo quawmash" used for comparison is the camas.

January 20th, Monday 1806

[Clark] Visited this morning by three Clapsots who remained with us all day; the object of their visit is mearly to Smoke the pipe. on the morning of the 18 inst. we issued 6 wt. of jurked meat pr. man, this evening the Serjt. reports that is all exhosted; the 6 w. have therefore lasted 2 days and a half only. at this rate our Seven Elk will only last us 3 days longer, yet no one appears much concerned about the State of the Stores; So much for habet. we have latterly so frequently had our Stock of provisions reduced to a minimum and Sometimes taken a Small tuck of fasting that 3 days full allowance exites no concern. In those Cases our Skill as hunters affords us Some Consolation, for if there is any game of any discription in our neighbourhood we can track it up and kill it. most of the party have become very expert with the rifle. The Indians who visit us to day understood us Sufficiently to inform us that the white who visit them did not barter for the pounded fish; that it was purchased and Consumed by the Clatsops, Chin nooks, Cath lâh mâhs and Skil lutes, and Kil a moxs.

They little more than got all of the seven elk made into jerky, rationed out about half, and it's eaten up in a little more than two days. Too bad they didn't have some spuds to go along with it. Clark doesn't sound too alarmed because of their group's good markmanship. The native roots which furnish a considerable proportion of the Subsistance of the indians in our neighbourhoodd are those of a Species of Thistle, fern, and rush; the Licquorice, and a Small celindric root the top of which I have not yet Seen, this last resembles the Sweet potato verry much in its flavour and Consistency. [4]

January 19th, Sunday 1806

[Lewis]  This morning sent out two parties of hunters, consisting of Collins  and Willard whom we sent down the bay towards point Adams, and Labuish and Shannon whom we sent up Fort River;   the fist by land and the latter by water.    we were visited today by two Clatsop men and a woman who brought for sale some Sea Otter skins of which we purchased one, giving in exchange the remainder of our blue beads consisting of 6 fathoms and about the same quantity of small white beads and a knife.    we also purchased a small quantity of train oil for a pair of Brass armbands and a hat for some fishinghooks.    these hats are of their own manufactory and are composed of Cedar bark and bear grass interwoven with the fingers and ornimented with varioius colours and figures, they are nearly waterproof, light, and I am convinced are much more durable than either chip  or straw. These hats form a small article of traffic with the Clatsops and Chinnooks who dispose of them to the whites.    the form of the hat is that which was in vogue in the Ued States and great Britain in the years 1800 & 1801 with a high crown reather larger at the top than where it joins the brim;  the brim narrow or about 2 or 2½ inches.

Several families of these people usually reside together in the same room; they appear to be the father & mother and their sons with their son's wives and children; their provision seems to be in common and the greatest harmoney appears to exist among them. The old man is not always rispected as the head of the family, that duty most commonly devolves on one of the young men. They have seldom more than one wife, yet the plurality of wives is not denyed them by their customs. These families when ascociated form nations or bands of nations each acknowledging the authority of it's own chieftain who does not appear to be heridatiry, nor his power to extend further than a mear repremand for any improper act of an individual; the creation of a chief depends upon the upright deportment of the individual & his ability and disposition to render service to thecommunity; and his authority or the deference paid him is in exact equilibrio with the popularity or voluntary esteem he has acquired among the individuals of his band or nation. Their laws like those of all uncivilized Indians consist of a set of customs which have grown out of their local situations.    not being able to speak their language we have not been able to inform ourselves of the existence of any peculiar customs among them.

Well, there went the last of their blue beads and some white ones as well.  Sea otter fur just really appeals to both captains I guess.  Lewis goes on to explain somewhat about the living arrangements of the native families.

January 18th, Saturday 1806

[Clark]   Two of the Clatsops that were here yesterday returned to day for a Dog they had left; they remained with us a fiew hours and departed.    no further accounts worthey of relation took place.    the men are much engaged dressing Skins in order to Cloath themselves and prepare for the homeward journey.

The Clatsops Chinnooks &c. construct their Houses of timber altogether.    they are from 14 to 20 feet wide, and from 20 to 60 feet in length, and accomodate one or more families    Sometimes three or four families reside in the Same room.    this house is also devided by petitions of Boards, but this happens only in the largest houses, as the rooms are always large Compared with the number of inhabitents.    those houses are Constructed in the following manner; two or more posts of Split timber agreeably to the number of devisions or partitions are first provided, these are Sunk in the ground at one end and raised pirpindicular to the hight of 12 or 14 feet, the top of them are hollowed So as to recive the end of a round beem of timber which reaches from one to the other or the entire length of the house; and forming the ridge pole; two other Sets of posts and poles are then placed at proper distancies on either Side of the first, formed in a Similar manner and parrelal to it; those last rise to the intended hight of the eves, which is usially about 5 feet,—    Smaller Sticks of timber is then previded and are placed by pears in the form of rafters, resting on, and reaching from the lower to the upper horizontial beam, to both of which they are atached at either end with the Cedar bark; two or 3 ranges of Small poles are then placed Horizontially on these rafters on each Side of the roof & are Secured likewise with Cedar bark.    the ends, Sides, and partitions are then formed, with one range of wide boards of aout 2 inches thick, which are Sunk in the ground a Small distance at their lower ends & Stands erect with their upper ends lapping on the out Side of the eve poles and end rafters to which they are Secured by a outer pole lyeing parrelal with the eve pole and rafters being Secured to them by Cords of Cedar bark which pass through wholes made in the bods at Certain distances for that purpose; the rough [roof] is then Covered with a double range of thin boards, and an aperture of 2 by 3 feet left in the Center of the roof to admit the Smoke to pass. These houses are commonly Sunk to the debth of 4 or 5 feet in which Case the eve of the house comes nearly to the Surface of the earth.    in the Center of each room a Space of from 6 by 8 feet is Sunk about 12 inches lower than the floar haveing its Sides Secured by four thick boards or Squar pieces of timber, in this Space they make their fire, their fuel being generally dry pine Split Small which they perform with a peice of an Elks horn Sharpened at one end rove into the wood with a Stone. mats are Spred around the fire on all Sides, on these they Sit in the day and frequently Sleep at night.    on the inner Side of the house on two Sides and Sometimes on three, there is a range of upright pieces about 4 feet removed from the wall; these are also Sunk in the ground a[t] their lower end, and Secured at top to the rafters, from those, other pieces are extended horozontially to the wall and are Secured in the usial manner with bark to the upright pieces which Support the eve pole.    on these Short horizontial peices of which there are Sometimes two ranges one above the other, boards are laid, which either form their beads, or Shelves on which to put their goods and Chattles, of almost every discription.    their uncured fish is hung on Sticks in the Smoke of their fires as is also the flesh of the Elk when they happen to be fortunate enouguh to precure it which is but Seldom—.

With current explorative activities being at a very low ebb, Clark uses his time to produce a short essay on Native home construction techniques.  Since the timber supply along the coast was super-abundant it makes sense that the local tribes would use it for home building.  The long winter rains would have made some kind of a more weather proof structure absolutely necessary.  Splitting boards from large fir and cedar would surely have required something more that elk horns, but Clark doesn't comment on how this was done, probably because winter was hardly the season for building houses.

January 17th, Friday 1806

[Lewis]   This morning we were visited by Comowool and 7 of the Clatsops our nearest neighbours, who left us again in the evening. They brought with them Some roots and beries for Sale, of which however they disposed of very fiew as they asked for them Such prices as our Stock in trade wouuld not licence us in giveing. The Chief Comowool gave us Some roots and berries, for which we gave him in return a mockerson awl and Some thread; the latter he wished for the purpose of makeing a Skiming Net. one of the party was dressed in three verry elegant Sea otter Skins which we much wanted; for these we offered him maney articles but he would not dispose of them for aney other Consideration but Blue beeds, of those we had only Six fathoms left, which being 4 less than his price for each Skin he would not exchange nor would a Knife or any other equivolent in beeds of aney other Colour answer his purpose; these Coarse blue beeds are their favourite merchandize and are Called by them Tia com ma shuck or Chief beeds, the best Wampom is not as much esteemed by them as the most indifferent beeds. Sent Colter out to hunt he Shortly after returned with a Deer, Venison is a rarity with us we have had none for Some weeks. Drewyer Set out on a hunting expedition one man went with him.    he intends to hunt the Elk and trap the beaver.

The Culianary articles of the Indians in our neighbourhood Consists of wooden bowls or troughs, Baskets, Shell and wooden Spoons and wooden Scures or Spits, their wooden Bowles and troughs are of different forms and Sizes, and most generally dug out of Solid piecies; they are either round, Square or in the form of a canoe; those are extreemly well executed and maney of them neetly covered, the larger vessels with handholes to them; in these vessels they boil their fish or flesh by means of hot Stones which they immerce in the water with the articles to be boiled. They also render the oil of the fish, or other animals in the Same manner. Their baskets are formed of Cedar bark and bargrass So closely interwoven withe hands or fingers that they are watertight without the aid of gum or rozin; Some of those are highly ornimented with the Strans of bargrass which they dye of Several Colours and interweave in a great variety of figures; this Serves a double purpose of holding the Water or wareing on their heads; and are of different Capacities, from that of a Smallest Cup to five or Six gallons, they are generally of a Conic form or reather the Segment of a Cone of which the Smaller end forms the base or bottom of the basket.    these they make verry expediciously and dispose of for a mear trifle.    it is for the Construction of those baskets that Bargrass becoms an article of traffic among the nativs of the Columbia.    this grass grows only on their mountains near the Snowey region; the blade is aout ⅜ of an inch wide and 2 feet long Smothe plient & Strong; the young blades which are white from not being exposed to the Sun or air, are those which are most Commonly employ'd, particularly in their neatest work. Their wooden Spoons are not remarkable nor abundant, they are large & the bowls broad.    their meat is roasted with a Sharp Scure, one end of which is incerted in the meat while the other is Set erect in the ground. The Spit for roasting fish is incerted with its head downwards, and the tale and the extremities of the Scure Secured with a String, the Side of the fish, which was in the first instance Split in the back, are expanded by means of Small Splinters of wood which extend Crosswise the fish. a Small mat of rushes or flags is the usual  plate, or Dish on which their fish, flesh, roots & berries are Served. they make a number of Bags and Baskets not water tight of Cedar bark Silk Grass, rushes, flags, and common Corse Sedge—.    in those they Secure their dried fish, root berries &c.—

Lewis has enough free time from his usual duties to post interesting facts about the natives culinary utensils.  The grasses used for waterproof bowls and baskets is probably Silk grass which is a taller species of dogbane or Indian hemp. Again, their shortage of trade goods and the long homeward trip occupying their thoughts, keep them from trading for the prized otter skins.

January 16th, Thursday 1806

[Clark]   This evening we finished cureing the meat.    no occurrence worthey of relation took place to day.    we have a plenty of Elk beef for the present and a little Salt, our houses dry and Comfortable, haveing made up our minds to Stay untill the 1st of April every one appears contented with his Situation, and his fair.    it is true we Could travel even now on our return as far as the timbered Country reaches, or to the falls of the river, but further it would be madness for us to attempt to proceed untill april, as the indians inform us that the Snows lyes knee deep in the Columbian Plains dureing the winter, and in those planes we could not git as much wood as would Cook our provisions untill the drift wood comes down in the Spring and lodges on the Shore &c.    and even were we happily over those plains and in the woodey countrey at the foot of the rockey mountains, we could not possibly pass the emence bearier of mountains on which the Snow lyes in winter to the debth in maney placs of 20 feet; in Short the Indians tell us they impassable untill about the 1s of June, at which time even then is an abundance of snow but a Scanty Subsistance may be had for the horses—    we Should [not] foward our homeward journey any by reaching the Rocky mountains earlier than the 1st of June which we can effect by Setting out from hence by the 1st of April—

Despite the seemingly endless rain, the Party's leaders feel snug and secure in their newly build Fort Clatsop.  There thinking on the difficulties of the return trip, and especially the snow in the Rocky Mts., idicates they enjoy their newly constructed quarters for some time yet.  I'll bet their also thinking a trading ship might arrive about the first of April and they could replenish their trade goods.

January 15th Wednesday 1806

[Lewis]   Had a large coat completed out of the skins of the Tiger Cat and those also of a small animal   about the size of a squirrel not known to me; these skins I procured from the Indians who had previously dressed them and formed them into robes; it took seven of these robes to complete the coat.    we had determined to send out two hunting parties today but it rained so incessantly that we posponed it.    no occurrence worthy of relation took place today.—

   The implyments used by the Chinnooks Clatsops Cuth-lah-mahs &c in hunting are the gun the bow & arrow, deadfalls,  pitts, snares, and spears or gigs; their guns are usually of an inferior quality being oald refuse American & brittish Musquits which have been repared for this trade. there are some very good peices among them, but they are invariably in bad order; they apear not to have been long enouh accustomed to fire arms to understand the management of them.    they have no rifles. Their guns and amunition they reserve for the Elk, deer and bear, of the two last however there are but few in their neighbourhood. they keep their powder in small japaned   tin flasks which they obtain with their amunition from the traders; when they happen to have no ball or shot, they substitute gravel or peices of potmettal, and are insensible of the damage done thereby to their guns. The bow and arrow is the most common instrument among them, every man being furnished with them whether he has a gun or not; this instrument is imployed indiscriminately in hunting every species of anamal on which they subsist. Their bows are extreamly neat and very elastic, they are about two and a half feet in length, and two inches in width in the center, thence tapering graduly to the extremities where they are half an inch wide    they are very flat and thin, formed of the heart of the arbor vita or white cedar, the back of the bow being thickly covered with sinews of the Elk laid on with a gleue which they make from the sturgeon; the string is made of sinues of the Elk also.    the arrow is formed of two parts usually tho' sometime entire; those formed of two parts are unequally divided that part on which the feathers are placed occupyes four fifths of it's length and is formed of light white pine reather larger than a swan's quill, in the lower extremity of this is a circular mortice secured by sinues roled arround it; this mortice receives the one end of the 2nd part which is of a smaller size than the first and about five inches long, in the end of this the barb is fixed and confined with sinue, this barb is either stone, iron or copper, if metal in this form   forming at it's point a greater angle than those of any other Indians I have observed.    the shorter part of the arrow is of hearder woods as are also the whole of the arrow when it is of one piece only.    as these people live in a country abounding in ponds lakes &c and frequently hunt in their canoes and shoot at fowl and other anamals where the arrow missing its object would be lost in the water they are constructed in the manner just discribed in order to make them float should they fall in the water, and consequently can again be recovered by the hunter; the quiver is usually the skin of a young bear or that of a wolf invariably open at the side in stead of the end as the quivers of other Indians generally are; this construction appears to answer better for the canoe than if they were open at the end only.    maney of the Elk we have killed since we have been here, hae been wounded with these arrows, the short piece with the barb remaining in the animal and grown up in the flesh.—    the deadfalls and snares are employed in taking the wolf, the raccoon   and fox of which there are a few only.    the spear or gig is used to take the sea otter, the common otter, spuck, and beaver.    their gig consists of two points or barbs and are the same in their construction as those discribed before as being common among the Indians on the upper part of this river.    their pits are employed in taking the Elk, and of course are large and deep, some of them a cube of 12 or 14 feet. these are usually placed by the side of a large fallen tree which as well as the pit lye across the roads frequented by the Elk.    these pitts are disguised with the slender boughs of trees and moss; the unwary Elk in passing the tree precipitates himself into the pitt which is sufficiently deep to prevent his escape, and is thus taken.—

So little of noteworthiness occuring that Lewis writes a nice short essay on the natives methods of killing game.  Lewis has his bobcat skins made into a coat although he doesn't say who did the cutting and sewing.

January 14th Tuesday 1806

[Clark]    This morning the Serjt. of the guard reported the absence of one of our Canoes    it had broken the Cord by which it was attached and the tide had taken her off; we Sent a party imediately in Serch of her, they returned in about 3 hours haveing fortunately found her.    we now derect that 3 of the [canoes] be drawed up out of reach of the tide and the 4th to be tied with a long Strong Cord of Elk Skins, ready for use.    had we lost this large Canoe we Should have been obliged to make 3 other Small ones, which with the fiew tools we have now left would be a Serious undertakeing.    a fatiege of Six men employd in jurking the Elk beef. From the best estermate we were enabled to make as we decended the Columbia we Conceived that the natives inhabiting that noble Stream (from the enterance of Lewis's river to the neighbourhood of the falls the nativs Consume all the fish they Catch either for food or fuel)    From Tow ar ne hi ooks   River or a fiew mils above the Great falls to the grand rapids inclusive anually prepare about 30,000 lbs of pounded fish (Chiefly Salmon) for market, but whether this fish is an article of Commerce with their neighbours or is exclusively Sold to, and Consumed by the nativs of the Sea coast, we are at a loss to determine    the latter of those positions I am dispose to credit most, as I cannot imagine what the white merchents objet Could be in purchaseing fish, or where they Could dispose of it. on the other hand the Indians in this neighbourhood as well as the Skillutes and those above have an abundance of Dryed Salmon which they take in the Creeks and inlets.    they are excessively fond of the pounded fish haveing frequently asked us for Some of it—.    the Indians who prepared this pounded fish made Signs that they traded it with people below them for Beeds and trinkets &c and Showed us maney articles of European manufacture which they obtained for it; The Skillutes and Indians about the great rapids are the intermediate merchants and Carryers, and no doubt Consume a part of this fish themselves and dispose of the ballance of it to the natives of the Sea coast, and from this obtain Such articles as they again trade with the whites.

The persons who usially visit the enterence of this river for the purpose of traffic or hunting, I believe is either English or Americans; the Indians inform us that they Speak the Same language with our Selves, and gave us proofs of their varacity by repeating maney words of English, Sun of a pitch &c. [NB: heave the lead   & maney blackguard phrases] whether those traders are from Nootka Sound, from Some other late establishment on this Coast, or imediately from the U States or Great Brittain, I am at a loss to determine, nor Can the Indians inform us.    the Indians whome I have asked in what direction the traders go when they depart from hence, allways point to the S. W. from which it is prosumeable that Nootka cannot be their distination, and from Indian information a majority of those traders annually visit them about the beginning of April and remain Some time and either remain or revisit them in the fall of which I cannot properly understand, from this Circumstance they Cannot Come directly from the U States or Great Brittain, the distance being to great for them to go and return in the ballance of a year. I am Sometimes induced to believe that there is Some other Establishment on the Coast of America South of this place of which little is but yet known to the world, or it may be perhaps on Some Island in the Pacific Ocian between the Continant of America & Asia to the S. W. of us. This traffic on the part of the whites Consist in vending, guns, principally old British or American Musquets, powder, balls and Shote, [Copper and brass Kettles,] brass tea kettles, Blankets from two to three points, Scarlet and blue Cloth (Coarse), plates and Strips of Sheet Copper and brass, large brass wire Knives Beeds & Tobacco with fishing hooks, buttons and Some other Small articles; also a considerable quantity of Salors Clothes, as hats, Coats, Trouses and Shirts.    for those they receive in return from the nativs Dressed and undresed Elk Skins, Skins of the Sea otter, Common Otter, beaver, common fox, [Speck, and] [NB: Spotted or] tiger Cat, also Some Salmon dried or pounded and a kind of buisket, [NB: the native dispose of some of these biscuits    not a great article of trade] which the nativs make of roots called by them Shappelell. The nativs are extra-vigantly fond of the most Common Cheap Blue and white beeds, of moderate Size, or Such that from 50 to 70 will way one pennyweight, the blue is usially prefured to the white; those beeds Constitute the principal Circulating medium with all the Indian tribes on this river; for those beeds they will dispose of any article they possess—.    the beeds are Strung on Strans of a fathom in length & in that manner Sold by the breth [NB: arms length or double arms length] or yard—.

The Party almost lose another canoe and Clark opines on pounded salmon and the ship traders who've made a real business out of hauling trade goods to the mouth of the Columbia.

January 13, Monday 1806

[Lewis] This morning I took all the men who could be spared from the Fort and set out in quest of the flesh of the seven Elk that were killed yesterday, we found it in good order being untouched by the wolves, of which indeed there are but few in this country; at 1 P. M. we returned having gotten all the meat to the fort.    this evening we exhausted the last four candles, but fortunately had taken the precaution to bring with us moulds and wick, by means of which and some Elk's tallow in our possession we do not yet consider ourselves destitute of this necessary article; the Elk we have killed have a very small portion of tallow.

The traders usually arrive in this quarter, as has been before observed, in the month of April, and remain untill October; when here they lay at anchor in a bay within Cape Disappointment  on the N. side of the river; here they are visited by the natives in their canoes who run along side and barter their comodities with them, their being no houses or fortification on shore for that purpose.    the nations who repare thither are fist, those of the sea coast S. E. of the entrance of the river, who reside in the order in which their names are mentioned, begining at the entrance of the river (viz) The Clatsop, Killamuck, Ne-cost, Nat-ti, Nat-chies, Tarl-che, E-slitch, You-cone and So-see.    secondly those inhabiting the N. W. coast begining at the entrance of the river and mentioned in the same order; the Chinnook and Chiltch the latter very numerous; and thirdly the Cath-lâh-mah, and Skil-lutes, the latter numerous and inhabiting the river from a few miles above the marshey Islands, where the Cuth-lâh-mâhs cease, to the grand rappids. These last may be esteemed the principal carryers to intermediate traders between the whites and the Indians of the Sea Coast, and the E-ne-shurs, the E-chee-lutes, and the Chil-luck-kit-te quaws, who inhabit the river above, to the grand falls inclusive, and who prepare most of the pounded fish which is brought to market. The bay in which this trade is carryed on is spacious and commodious, and perfectly secure from all except the S. and S. E. winds, these however are the most prevalent and strong winds in the Winter season.    fresh water and wood are very convenient and excellent timber for refiting and reparing vessels.—

Drewyer's elk are carried to Ft Clatsop. No small task with the total weight probably approaching one and a half tons.  Lewis writes up the various tribes geography and history of their commerce with trading ships.  Too bad that the Party couldn't have met with a ship to replenish their trade goods and stores.  Making candles from the tallow of lean elk sounds like a major task.

January 12th, Sunday 1806

[Clark]   This morning Sent our Drewyer and one man to hunt, they returned in the evening Drewyer haveing killed 7 Elk; I scercely know how we Should Subsist, I beleive but badly if it was not for the exertions of this excellent hunter; maney others also exert themselves, but not being accquainted with the best method of finding and killing the elk and no other wild animals is to be found in this quarter, they are unsucksessfull in their exertions.    at 2 P. M Serjt. Gass and the men I left to assist the Salt makers in Carrying in their meat arrived also the hunters which I directed to hunt in the point, they killed nothing—.    We have heretofore devided the meat when first killed among the four messes, into which we have divided our party, leaveing to each the Care of preserving and distribution of useing it; but we find that they make such prodigal use of it when they happen to have a tolerable Stock on hand, that we are determined to adapt a Different System with our present stock of Seven Elk; this is to jurk it and issue it to them in Small quantities—.

Drewyer delivers seven elk from one trip, and equiped only with a blackpowder muzzle loader.  Hard to tell what he could do with one of the rifles today's elk hunters use.  Clark decides that there should be more oversight on how the various messes consume the scarce elk.  Evidently Clark is so used to the constant rain by now he doesn't mention it, or more unlikely, it was a clear day.

January 11, Saturday 1806

[Clark]  Sent a party early this morning for the Elk which was killed on the 9th    they returned with it in the evining; This morning the Serjt. of the guard reported that our Indian Canoe had gone a Drift, on enquiry we found that those who Came in it last evening had been negligent in Secureing her, and the tide in Corse of the night had taken her off; we Sent a party down to the bay in Serch of her, they returned unsecksessfull, the party who went up the river and Creek after meat were derected to look out for her but were equally unsecksessfull; this will be a verry considerable loss to us if we do not recover her, She is so light that 4 men Can Carry her on their Sholders a mile or more without resting, and will Carry four men and from 10 to 12 hundred pounds. The Cath lâ mâhs left us this evening on their way to the Clatsops, to whome they perpose bartering their wappato for the blubber & Oil of the whale, which the latter purchased for Beeds &c. from the Kil á mox; in this manner there is a trade Continually Carried on by the nativs of the river each tradeing Some articles or other with their neighbours above and below them, and those articles which are Vended by the whites at their enterance of this river, find their way to the most distant nations inhabiting its waters.

The Party's best canoe goes AWOL and will be sorely missed. With their the low inventory of trade goods, the canoe is probably not replacable, either.  The elk hunting seems to get more difficult by the day and with the winter not half over, it will be interesting to see how they make out.

January 10th, Friday 1806

[Lewis]   About 10 A. M. I was visited by Tia Shâh-hâr-wâr-cap and eleven of his nation in one large canoe; these are the Cuth'-lah-mah' nation who reside first above us on the South Side of the Columbia river; this is the first time that I have seen the Chief, he was hunting when we past his vilage on our way to this place. I gave him a medal of the smallest size;  he presented me with some indian tobacco and a bacquit of wappetoe, in return for which I gave him some thread for making a skiming net and a small piece of tobacco.    these people speak the same language with the Chinnooks and Catsops whom they also resemble in their dress customs manners &c.    they brought some dryed salmon, wappetoe, dogs, and mats made of rushes and flags, to barter; their dogs and a part of their wappetoe they disposed off, an remained all night near the fort. This morning Drewyer and Collins returned having killed two Elk only, and one of those had died in their view over a small lake which they had not the means of passing it being late in the evening and has of course spoiled, as it laid with the [guts] entrals in it all night; as the tide was going out we could not send for the elk today, therefore ordered a party to go for it early in the morning and George and Collins to continue their hunt; meat has now become scarce with us.—

  Capt Clark returned at 10 P. M. this evening with the majority of the party who accompanyed him; having left some men to assist the saltmakers to bring in the meat of two Elk which they had killed, and sent 2 others through by land to hunt. Capt. Clark found the whale on the Coast about 45 Miles S. E. of Point [Adams] [X: Round], and about 35 Miles from Fort Clatsop by the rout he took; The whale was already pillaged of every valuable part by the Killamucks, in the vicinity of one of whose villages it lay on the strand where the waves and tide had driven up and left it.    this skelleton measured one hundred and five feet. Capt. C. found the naives busily engaged in boiling the blubber, which they performed in a large wooden trought by means of hot stones; the oil when extracted was secured in bladders and the guts of the whale; the blubber, from which the oil was only partially extracted by this process, was laid by in their lodges in large fliches for uce; this they usually expose to the fire on a wooden spit untill it is pretty well warmed through and then eat it either alone or with the roots of the rush, squawmash, fern wappetoe &c. The natives although they possessed large quantities of this blubber and oil were so penurious that they disposed of it with great reluctance and in small quantities only; insomuch that the utmost exertions of Capt. C. and the whole party aided by the little stock of merchandize he had taken with him and some small articles which the men had, were not able to procure more blubber than about 300 lb. and a few gallons of the oil; this they have brought with them, and small as the store is, we prize it highly, and thank the hand of providence which had for directing the whale to us, and think him much more kind to us than he was jonah, having sent this monster to be swallowed by us in stead of swallowing of us as jona's did. Capt. C. found the road along the coast extreemly difficult of axcess, lying over some high rough and stoney hills, one of which he discribes as being much higher than the others, having it's base washed by the Ocea[n] over which it rares it's towering summit perpendicularly to the hight of 1500 feet; from this summit Capt. C. informed me that there was a delightfull and most extensive view of the Ocean, the coast and adjacent country; this Mout. I have taken the liberty of naming Clark's Mountain and point of view; it is situated about 30 M. S. E. of Point adams [NB?: Disapointment] and projects about 2½ miles into the Ocean; Killamucks [NB: Qu. Clatsop] river falls in a little to the N. W. of this mountain; in the face of this tremendious precepice there is a stra of white earth (see specimen No. [blank]) which the neighbouring Indians use to paint themselves, and which appears to me to resemble the earth of which the French Porcelain is made; I am confident this earth contains Argill, but wether it also contains Silex or magnesia, or either of those earths in a proper proportion I am unable to determine.—    Shannon and Gass were found with the Salt makers and ordered to return McNeal was near being assassinated by a Killamuck Indian, but fortunately escaped in consequence of a Chinnook woman giving information to Capt. C., the party and Indians with them before the villain had prepaired himself to execute his purposes. The party returned excessively fortiegued and tired of their jaunt. >Killamucks [NB: Clatsop] river is 85 yards wide, rappid and 3 feet deep in the shallowest part. The Killamucks in their habits customs manners dress and language differ but little from the Clatsops & Chinnooks.    they place their dead in canoes resting on the ground uncovered, having previously secured the dead bodies in an oblong box of plank.

The coast in the neighbourhood of Clarks Mountain is sliping off & falling into the Ocean in immence masses; fifty or a hundred Acres at a time give way and a great proportion in an instant precipitated into the Ocean.    these hills and mountains are principally composed of a yellow clay; there sliping off or spliting assunder at this time is no doubt caused by the incessant rains which have fallen within the last two months.    the country in general as about Fort Clatsop is covered with a very heavy growth of severalspecies of pine & furr, also the arbor vita or white cedar and a small proportion of the black Alder which last sometimes grows to the hight of sixty or seventy feet, and from two to four feet in diameter.    some species of the pine rise to the immence hight of 210 feet and are from 7 to 12 feet in diameter, and are perfectly sound and solid.—

Clark returns to Fort Clatsop with some whale products, most of which were purchased from the various tribes who got to the whale first.  Still problems with finding deer and elk.  Lewis describes the timber their winter's quarters stands in.

January 9th, Thursday, 1806

[Clark]   a fine morning wind N E    Set out at day lighte every man Some meat of the whale and a little oile    proceded on the track    we Came out to a house at a branch where we halted ½ an hour to rest this house is at at place an old village has formerly been, on the Coast at the Comencment [blank] 27 foot wide 35 feet long Sunk in the ground 5 feet 2 Dores & 2 fire places dores 29 Ins. high & 14¼ wide handsom Steps to decend down a post in the middle Coverede with boards Split thin an 2 feet wide, old grave in Canoes of 3 feet 8 Inches wide & 5 feet long neetly made high at bow    proceded on to the top of the hill Passing 3 bad points rockey &.    from the Point Clarks Point of view Cape Disapt. bears S. 12° E passing a Great point at 15 miles one at 40 miles rocks out to the 1st large point from the Creek 4 points, between the 1st large Point and 2d a point of many large rocks, Day Clouded up, I can See a point Bearing N 5° East a long way just in Sight.    from Clarks [lookout] View Point to Cape Disapointment is N 20° W.    To point adams & the open Slope point is North and a Sharp point, met a party of Chinnooks going to get whale blubber to eate & oile each of which they eate together, we also over took Several parties of the Clot Sops loaded with imence laods of the blubber and oile    maney of those loads I with difficuelty raised, Estonishing what custom will [do?]    at 2 oClock we arrived at the Camp of our Salt makers verry much fatigued, more So than I ever was before, the Indians all proceeded on, I concluded to Stay all night,  as the party was much fatigued, and Send out 2 men which I had left here to hunt Ducks up the little river, Jo. Fields had killed an Elk and brought in a quarter on which we Dined    he also had killed & brought in a Deer. The Indians with the oile & bluber tole me they had to purchase of the Ca-le nixx  and would Come to the fort & Sell to us in 3 Days time, this I incouraged, as I expect to purchase at the fort as cheep as at the village at which I was, day proved fine.    rained the greater part of the night    I went into an Indian Lodge they were pore Durty and the house full of flees.    he offered me roots which they geather on the Sea Cost a kind of rush, of which they offered me to eate

The whaling detail makes it back to the salt makers and are totally wiped out.  Having fresh elk and venison probably raised their morale.  The hunting appears to be difficult compared to what it was during most of their journey.  Clark is astounded by the loads of blubber and oil that the women carry.

January 8th, Wednesday, 1806

[Clark]    Set out at Day    a fine morning wind hard from S. E at 1½ miles arived at a Open where I had a view of the Seas Coast for along Distance rocks in every direction. Struck a branch and come down to the Sea at which place an old village between 2 Creeks of the Colemix Nation   which inhabits this Coast, grave yard deposed of in Canoes in which the bodies are laid in boxes in the Canoe, Paddles &c    thos poople must use thos Canoes in the higher Seas of which then ever I Saw on a cost ruding Countrey    Crossed [great] 3 points rocks great Distanc in the Sea, hill Sides Sliping from emins ravins which appears to [illegible] the [blank] proceeded on to the mouth of a Creek  about 80 yards wide at which Place I saw 5 Lodges of Indian of the Ca la mix nation,   boiling whale in a trough of aout 20 gallons with hot Stones, and the oyle they put into a Canoe    I proceded on a Short distance to the whale   which was noting more than the Sceleton, of 105 feet long, we tok out a few bones and returned to the Cabins at the mouth of the Creek, and attempted to trade with thos people who I found Close and Capricious, would not trade the Smallest piece except they thought they got an advantage of the bargain, their disposition is averitious, & independant in trade, they offered to trade for Elk of which we had not    I purchased some oile and about 120 w of

Blubber after rendered, finding they would not trade I Deturmined to return home with what we have    The Houses of these people appear temporary    a ridge pole on 2 forks Supported a Certain number of Split boards of the red Cedar & pine, Set on the end the gable ends of the Same materials and Calculated for 2 families first, The Dress and appearenc of the nativs as also the language is procisely that of the Clopsots & Chinnooks, those people Save their oile in bladder Guts &c.

  Their food is principally fish that is thrown on the Shores by the Seas & left by the tide, This Cost is rockey, the mountains high & rugged, They inform me that their nation lives in 5 villages to the S E of this place at the mouths of Creek in which they catch Samn. in the Season, I got of those people a few roots Some Sturgeon whale—[blank] &. They Call a whale E cu-la a Creek Shu man,   they have Some fiew Sea ortter for which they ask Such prices I could not purchase any of them

Th party much fatigued in crossing 1 mountain & 4 high Points Steep & Slipery, also Stony Beach Slippery and tiresom

  The high tide obliged me to delay untill late before the tide put out, I Shot a raven & a gul with my Small riffle which Suppised these people a little    They are fond of blue & white large beed only, files & fish Hooks which are large—    after Diner we Set out Crossed the Creek in a Small Canoe    The tide out and Encamped on the opposit Side,  I was asked for ferrage and paid a pin, one hut on the Side in which I Camped & Village a Short distance above which I did not See last night, all the men came over & Smoked with me, about bed time I herd a hollowing on the opposit Side of the river which allarmed all the Indian men about me, they run across the Creek, I Suspected perhaps Some of my party was over after the Squars, by exemening found that McNeal was not in Camp, [I was] my guide who Staid with me told me Some body throat was Cut. I emediately Sent Serjt Pryor &  2 men across for McNeal, they Soon returned haveing met the person    I was anxious to find out the Cause of the allarm, McNeal Said that a man envited him to go across and get Some fish, locked arms of which he Contd to hold    he took him into a lodge and the woman gave him a Small piec    the man then invited him to another, the woman of the lodge puled his blanket, & Sent out a Squar to hollow across, to inform of Something which ald. [alarmed?] McNeal I Sent over Sergt. Pryor to Know the Cause of the allarm which he was informed that a Plot was laid to kill McNeal for his Blanket & Clothes by this Indian who was from another Villg at Some distance, and that She had attempted to Stop McNeal & findeing She Could not that She then allarmed the men, Several of the mans Band was with me who imedeately Cleared out, 2 men Came over & Slept at my feet. I kept a guard & Sentinel all night    a fair night wind blew from S. E.    during the evening I acquired all the information possiable respecting the Coast to the S. E. got the name of many nations & the Nos. of their houses, a map of the Coast in their way. I am very pore & weak for want of Sufficient food and fear much that I shall require more assistance to get back than I had to get to this place.    a deturmined [purcistance?] will as it has done carry me through

All together, our Party has had a very unsucessful trip.  The whale meat and blubber gone,  very little game and some unfriendly Natives.  This has all taken place around the Cannon Beach area in present day Oregon. I imagine Sacagawea was pretty disappointed with just the whale's bones.

January 7th. Tuesday 1806

Capt. Lewis has seen fit to make journal entries since the new year arrived.  For that reason, I've been alternating his posts with Clarks.  Yesterday, Clark had taken a crew and two canoes and set out to find the beached whale and bring back some blubber.  His post today starts with him and his detail on the trail.

[Clark] Some frost this morning.    I[t] may appear Somewhat incrediable, but So it is that the Elk which was killed last evening was eaten except about 8 pounds, which I directed to be taken along with the Skin, I proceded up the South fork of the Creek about 2 miles and crossed on a pine tree which had been fallen by the Saltmakers on their first going out, on this tree we crossed the deepest of the water and waded on the opposit Side for 30 yards, from thence to the ocian ¾ of a mile through a Continuation of open ridgey Prarie, here the Coast is Sandy, we proceeded on the Sandy beech nearly South for 3 miles to the mouth of butifull river with bold and rapid Current of 85 yards wide and 3 feet deep in the Shallowest place, a Short distance up this river on the N E Side is the remains of an old village of Clatsops. I entered a house where I found a Man 2 Womn & 3 Children, they appeared retchedly pore & dirty, I hired the man to Set us across the River which I call after the Nation Clat Sop river for which I gave 2 fishing hooks—    at this place the Creek over which I crossed on a tree passes within 100 yards of the Clat Sop; river over which the natives have a portage which affords them an easy Communication with the villages near point adams, and at the mouth of the Creek, on which we lay last night.    in walking on the Sand after crossing the river I Saw a Singular Species of fish which I had never before Seen    one of the men Call this fish a Skaite, it is properly a Thornback. I proceeded on about 2 miles to near the base of high Mountain where I found our Salt makers, and with them Sergt. Gass, Geo. Shannon was out in the woods assisting Jo Field and gibson to kill Some meat, the Salt makers had made a neet Close Camp, Convenient to wood Salt water and the fresh water of the Clât Slop river which at this place was within 100 paces of the Ocian they wer also Situated near 4 houses of Clatsops & Killamox, who they informed me had been verry kind and attentive to them. I hired a young Indian to pilot me to the whale for which Service I gave him a file in hand and promised Several other Small articles on my return, left Sergt. Gass and one man of my party Werner to make Salt & permited Bratten to accompany me, we proceeded on the round Slipery Stones under a high hill which projected into the ocian about 4 miles further than the direction of the Coast.    after walking for 2½ miles on the Stones my guide made a Sudin halt, pointed to the top of the mountain and uttered the word Pe Shack which means bad and made Signs that we could not proceed any further on the rocks, but must pass over that mountain, I hesitated a moment & view this emence mountain the top of which  was obscured in the clouds, and the assent appeard, to be almost perpindecular; as the Small Indian parth allong which they had brought emence loads but a fiew hours before, led up this mountain and appeared to assend in a Sideling direction, I thought more than probable that the assent might be torerably easy and therefore proceeded on, I soon found that the trail become much worst as I assended, and at one place we were obliged to Support and draw our Selves up by the bushes & roots for near 100 feet, and after about 2 hours labour and fatigue we reached the top of this high mountain, from the top of which I looked down with estonishment to behold the hight which we had assended, which appeared to be 10 or 12 hundred feet up a mountain which appeared to be almost perpindicular, here we met 14 Indians men and women loaded with the oil & Blubber of the whale. In the face of this tremendeous precipic imediately below us, there is a Strater of white earth (which my guide informed me) the neighbouring indians use to paint themselves, and which appears to me to resemble the earth of which the French Porcelain is made; I am confident that this earth Contains argill, but whether it also Contains Silex or magnesia, or either of those earths in a proper perpotion I am unable to deturmine.    we left the top of the precipice and proceeded on a bad road and encamped on a Small run passing to the left.    all much fatiagued

Clark and his detail find reaching the whale requires no small effort.  Good thing they had been able to eat an entire elk the evening before and sort of stoke up on energy.  Clarks  is probably either quartz or basalt silica.

January 6th Monday 1806

[Lewis]    Capt Clark set out after an early breakfast with the party in two canoes as had been concerted the last evening; Charbono and his Indian woman were also of the party; the Indian woman was very impotunate to be permited to go, and was therefore indulged; she observed that she had traveled a long way with us to see the great waters, and that now that monstrous fish was also to be seen, she thought it very hard she could not be permitted to see either (she had never yet been to the Ocean).

  The Clatsops, Chinnooks, Killamucks &c. are very loquacious and inquisitive; they possess good memories and have repeated to us the names capasities of the vessels &c of many traders and others who have visited the mouth of this river; they are generally low in stature, proportionably small, reather lighter complected and much more illy formed than the Indians of the Missouri and those of our frontier; they are generally cheerfull but never gay.    with us their conversation generally turns upon the subjects of trade, smoking, eating or their women; about the latter they speak without reserve in their presents, of their every part, and of the most formiliar connection.    they do not hold the virtue of their women in high estimation, and will even prostitute their wives and daughters for a fishinghook or a stran of beads.    in common with other savage nations they make their women perform every species of domestic drudgery.    but in almost every species of this drudgery the men also participate.    their women are also compelled to geather roots, and assist them in taking fish, which articles form much the greatest part of their subsistance; notwithstanding the survile manner in which they treat their women they pay much more rispect to their judgment and oppinions in many rispects than most indian nations; their women are permitted to speak freely before them, and sometimes appear to command with a tone of authority; they generally consult them in their traffic and act in conformity to their opinions. I think it may be established as a general maxim that those nations treat their old people and women with most diference [deference] and rispect where they subsist principally on such articles that these can participate with the men in obtaining them; and that, that part of the community are treated with least attention, when the act of procuring subsistence devolves intirely on the men in the vigor of life. It appears to me that nature has been much more deficient in her filial tie than in any other of the strong affections of the human heart, and therefore think, our old men equally with our women indebted to civilization for their ease and comfort. Among the Siouxs, Assinniboins and others on the Missouri who subsist by hunting it is a custom when a person of either sex becomes so old and infurm that they are unable to travel on foot from camp to camp as they rome in surch of subsistance, for the children or near relations of such person to leave them without compunction or remose; on those occasions they usually place within their reach a small peace of meat and a platter of water, telling the poor old superannuated wretch for his consolation, that he or she had lived long enough, that it was time they should dye and go to their relations who can afford to take care of them much better than they could. I am informed that this custom prevails even among the Minetares Arwerharmays and Recares when attended by their old people on their hunting excurtions; but in justice to these people I must observe that it appeared to me at their villages, that they provided tolerably well for their ages persons, and several of their feasts appear to have principally for their object a contribution for their aged and infirm persons.

 

This day I overhalled our merchandize and dryed it by the fire, found it all damp; we have not been able to keep anything dry for many days together since we arrived in this neighbourhood, the humidity of the air has been so excessively great.    our merchandize is reduced to a mear handfull, and our comfort during our return the next year much depends on it, it is therefore almost unnecessary to add that we much regret the reduced state of this fund.—

Sacajawea demands to see the whale and her wishes are honored.  Good for her and Capt. Clark. Lewis writes an interesting and thoughtful essay on the Native's treatment of their weaker members.  He also works at salvaging their trading merchandize and laments its diminished state.

January 5th Sunday, 1806

[Clark]   At 5 p. m. Willard and Wiser returned, they had not been lost as we expected.    they informd us that it was not untill the 5th day after leaveing the fort, that they Could find a Convenient place for makeing Salt; that they had at length established themselves on the Sea Coast about 15 miles S. W. from this, near the houses of Some Clat Sop & Kil a mox families; that the Indians were very friendly and had given them a considerable quantity of the blubber of the whale which perished on the Coast Some distance S. E. of them, it was white and not unlike the fat of Pork, tho' the texture was more Spungey and Somewhat Coarser.    we had part of it Cooked and found it very pallitable and tender, it resembles the beaver in flavour.    those men also informed us that the Salt makers with their assistance had erected a Comfortable Camp, had killed an Elk and Several Deer and Secured a good Stock of Meat; they Commenced the makeing of Salt and found that they Could make from 3 quarts to a gallon a day; they brought with them a Specimen of the Salt, of about a gallon, we found it excellent white & fine, but not So Strong as the rock Salt or that made in Kentucky or the Western parts of the U, States—    this Salt was a great treat to most of the party, haveing not had any Since the 20th ulto.    as to my Self I care but little whether I have any with my meat or not; provided the meat fat, haveing from habit become entirely cearless about my diat, and I have learned to think that if the Cord be Sufficiently Strong which binds the Soul and boddy together, it does not So much matter about the materials which Compose it.

  Colter returned this evening unsecksessfull from the Chase, haveing been absence since the 1st inst.

I determine to Set out early tomorrow with two canoes & 12 men in quest of the whale or at all events to purchase from the indians a parcel of the blubber, for this purpose I made up a Small assortment of merchindize, and directed the men to hold themselves in readiness &c.

Willard and Weiser were the two men who'd been out since the 28th of December on the salt making deatail.  Clark seems very impressed with their product, fresh from the sea.  Their effort towards obtaining some whale fat is a good idea since they're having hard luck hunting for elk and deer.

January 4th Saturday 1806

[Lewis]  Comowooll and the Clatsops who visited us yesterday left us in the evening. These people the Chinnooks and others residing in this neighbourhood and speaking the same language have been very friendly to us; they appear to be a mild inoffensive people but will pilfer if they have an opportuny to do so where they conceive themselves not liable to detection.    they are great higlers in trade and if they conceive you anxious to purchase will be a whole day bargaining for a handfull of roots; this I should have thought proceeded from their want of knowledge of the comparitive value of articles of merchandize and the fear of being cheated, did I not find that they invariably refuse the price first offered them and afterwards very frequently accept a smaller quantity of the same article; in order to satisfy myself on this subject I once offered a Chinnook my watch two knives and a considerable quantity of beads for a small inferior sea Otter's  skin which I did not much want, he immediately conceived it of great value, and refused to barter except I would double the quantity of beads; the next day with a great deal of importunity on his part I received the skin in exchange for a few strans of the same beads he had refused the day before. I therefore believe this trait in their character proceeds from an avaricious all grasping disposition.    in this rispect they differ from all Indians I ever became acquainted with, for their dispositions invariably lead them to give whatever they are possessed off no matter how usefull or valuable, for a bauble which pleases their fancy, without consulting it's usefullness or value.    nothing interesting occurred today, or more so, than our wappetoe being all exhausted.

Lewis sounds a bit discouraged with the wappetoe running out and no news of the hunters finding elk.  Evidently, the exposure to traders from ships has made keen traders of the sea coast natives.  Since the Party has a long trip ahead, it's little wonder they're being very careful of the trinkets they have left.  Let's hope the hunters have some luck.

January 3rd Friday 1806

[Clark]     At 11 A. m. we were visited by our near neighbour Chief (or Tiá)  [8] Co mo wool alis Conia [NB: Coôné‚] and Six Clat sops.    they brought for Sale Some roots berries and 3 Dogs also a Small quantity of fresh blubber.    this blubber they informed us they had obtained from their neighbours the Cal lá mox who inhabit the coast to the S. E near one of their Villages a Whale had recently perished.    this blubber the Indians eat and esteem it excellent food.    our party from necescity have been obliged to Subsist Some length of time on dogs have now become extreamly fond of their flesh; it is worthey of remark that while we lived principally on the flesh of this animal we wer much more helthy Strong and more fleshey then we have been Sence we left the Buffalow Country.    as for my own part I have not become reconsiled to the taste of this animal as yet.    a Small Crow, the blue Crested Corvus and the Smaller Corvus with a white breast, the little brown ren, and a large brown Sparrow, the bald Eagle, and the butifull Buzzard of the Columbia Still Continue with us,   Send Sarjt. Gass and G. Shannon to the Salt makers who are on the Sea Coast to the S, W of us, to enquire after Willard & Wiser who have not yet returned. R. Field, potts & Collins the hunters who Set out on the 28th ulto. returned this evening after dark.    they reported that they had been about 15 miles up the river which falls into Meriwethers Bay to the East of us,  and had hunted the Country a considerable distance to East, and had proved unsucksesfull haveing killed one Deer and a fiew fowls, bearly as much as Subsisted them.    this reminded us of the necessity of takeing time by the forelock, and keep out several parties while we have yet a little meat before hand. Capt Lewis gave the Cheif Cania a par of Sattin breechies with which he appeared much pleased.—

The hunting group out for about a week find the game very scarce.  They had probably gone up what is now called Youngs River in Clatsop County, Oregon and killed only one deer and some water fowl.  Meanwhile looks like it's back to the dogs although Clark doesn't care much for the flavor.

January 2nd Thursday 1806

[Lewis]   Sent out a party of men and brought in the two Elk which were killed yesterday. Willard and Wiser have not yet returned nor have a party of hunters returned who set out on the 26th Ulto.    the Indians who visited yesterday left us at 1 P M today after having disposed of their roots and berries for a few fishinghooks and some other small articles.    we are infested with swarms of flees already in our new habitations; the presumption is therefore strong that we shall not devest ourselves of this intolerably troublesome vermin during our residence here. The large, and small or whistling swan, sand hill Crane, large and small gees, brown and white brant, Cormorant, duckan mallard, Canvisback duck, and several other species of ducks, still remain with us; tho' I do not think that they are as plenty oas on our first arrival in the neighbourhood. Drewyer visited his traps and took an otter.    the fur of both the beaver and otter in this country are extreemly good; those annamals are tolerably plenty near the sea coast, and on the small Creeks and rivers as high as the grand rappids, but are by no means as much so as on the upper part of the Missouri.

A rather rare post, lately, by Lewis. Evidently, the Captains thought brand new quarters might provide an haven from the "flees" but this is already proven false and the pests will likely be with them until they are able to travel east.

January 1st Wednesday 1806

[Clark]  This morning I was awoke at an early our by the discharge of a Volley of Small arms, which were fired by our party in front of our quarters to usher in the new year, this was the only mark of respect which we had it in our power to pay this Selibrated day.    our repast of this day tho' better than that of Christmas Consisted principally in the anticipation of the 1st day of January 1807, when in the bosom of our friends we hope to participate in the mirth and hilarity of the day, and when with the relish given by the recollection of the present, we Shall Completely, both mentally and Corparally, the repast which the hand of Civilization has produced for us.    at present we were Content with eating our boiled Elk and Wap-pato, and Solacing our thirst with our only beverage pure water.    two of our hunters who Set out this morning returned in the evening haveing killed two Bucks Elks; they presented Capt. Lewis and my Self each a marrow bone and tongue on which we Suped—    we are visited to day by a fiew of the Clatsops by water    they brought some roots and berries for the purpose of tradeing with us.    our fortification being now Complete we issue an order for the more exact and uniform dicipline and government of the garrison. 

  The new year is properly saluted and thoughts directed towards the completion of their great trek.  They are finally releived of eating the spoiled elk meat which must be the most welcome effect of their new year.