University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

Monday March 17th. 1806.

Catel and his family left us this morning. Old Delashelwilt
and his women still remain they have formed a ca[m]p
near the fort and seem to be determined to lay close s[i]ege to
us but I beleive notwithstanding every effort of their wining
graces, the men have preserved their constancy to the vow of
celibacy which they made on this occasion to Capt. C. and myself.
we have had our perogues prepared for our departure,
and shal set out as soon as the weather will permit. the
weather is so precarious that we fear by waiting untill the first
of April that we might be detained several days longer before
we could get from this to the Cathlahmahs as it must be
calm or we cannot accomplish that part of our rout. Drewyer
returned late this evening from the Cathlahmahs with our
canoe which Sergt. Pryor had left some days since, and also
a canoe which he had purchased from those people. for this
canoe he gave my uniform laced coat and nearly half a carrot
of tobacco. it seems that nothing excep[t] this coat would
induce them to dispose of a canoe which in their mode of
traffic is an article of the greatest val[u]e except a wife, with
whom it is equal, and is generally given in exchange to the
father for his daughter. I think the U'States are indebted to

A White Salmon Trout, by Clark.

me another Uniform coat for that of which I have disposed on
this occasion was but little woarn. we yet want another canoe,
and as the Clatsops will not sell us one at a price which we
can afford to give we will take one from them in lue of the
six Elk which they stole from us in the winter.

The pellucid jellylike substance, called the sea-nettle is
found in great abundance along the stra[n]d where it has been
thrown up by the waves and tide.

There are two speceis of the Fuci or seawreck [wrack] which
we also find thrown up by the waves. the 1st. speceis at one
extremity consists of a large vesicle or hollow vessell which
would contain from one to two gallons, of a conic form,
the base of which forms the extreem end and is convex and
globelar bearing on it's center some short broad and irregular
fibers, the substance is about the consistence of the rind of
a citron mellon and 3/4 of an inch thick. the rihind is smooth.
from the small extremity of the cone a long hollow, celindrick,
and regularly tapering tube extends to 20 or thirty feet and is
then terminated with a number of branches which are flat
1/2 an inch in width rough particular[ly] on the edges where
they are furnished with a number of little ovate vesicles or
bags of the size of a pigeon's egg. this plant seems to be
calculated to float at each extremity while the little end of the
tube from whence the branches proceed, lies deepest in the
water.

The other speceis I have never seen but Capt. Clark who
saw it on the coast towards the Killamucks informed me that
it resembles a large pumpkin, it is solid and it's specific
gravity reather greater than the water, tho it is sometimes
thrown out by the waves. it is of a yellowis[h] brown colour.
the rhind smooth and consistence harder than that of a pumpkin
tho' easily cut with a knife. there are some dark brown
fibers reather harder than any other part which pass longitudinally
through the pulp or fleshey substance w[h]ich
forms the interior of this marine production.[100]

The following is a list of the names of the commanders of vessels
who visit the entrance of the Columbia river in the spring and autumn
fror the purpose of trading with the natives or hunting Elk. these names
are spelt as the Indians pronounce them.[101]

Mr. Haley their favorite trader vis[i]ts them in a vessel with three
masts, and continues some time

                       

Youens, visits in a 3 masted vessel				Trader
Tallamon	d°.	3	d°.	no trader
Callallamet	d°.	3	d°.	Trader, has a wooden leg.
Swipton	d°.	3	d°.	Trader.
Moore	d°.	4	d°.	D°.
Mackey	d°.	3	d°.	d°.
Washington	d°.	3	d°.	d°.
Mesship	d°.	3	d°.	d°.
Davidson	d°.	2		no trader hunts Elk
Jackson	d°.	3		masted vessel Trader
Bolch	d°.	3	d°.	d°
Skelley	d°.	3	d°.	d°. tho' he has been gone some years. he has one eye.