University of Virginia Library

Thursday November 21st. 1805.

A cloudy morning most of the Chinnooks leave our camp
and return home, great numbers of the dark brant passing to
the South, the white Brant have not yet commenced their
flight. the Wind blew hard from the S. E. which with the
addition of the flood tide raised verry high waves which broke

with great violence against the shore throwing water into our
camp the forepart of this day Cloudy at 12 oClock it began
to rain and continud all day moderately, Several Indians
Visit us to day of differant nations or Bands Some of the
Chiltz Nation who reside on the Sea Coast near Point Lewis,
Several of the Clatsops[54] who reside on the Opposit Side of the
Columbia imediately opposit to us, and a Cheif from the Grand
rapid to whome we gave a Medal.

An old woman & Wife to a Cheif of the Chunnooks came
and made a Camp near ours. She brought with her 6 young
Squars (her daughters & nieces) I believe for the purpose of
Gratifying the passions of the men of our party and receving
for those indulgiences Such Small [presents] as She (the old
woman) thought proper to accept of.

Those people appear to View Sensuality as a Necessary evel,
and do not appear to abhor it as a Crime in the unmarried
State. The young females are fond of the attention of our
men and appear to meet the sincere approbation of their friends
and connections, for thus obtaining their favours, the Womin
of the Chinnook Nation have handsom faces low and badly
made with large legs & thighs which are generally Swelled
from a Stopage of the circulation in the feet (which are Small)
by maney Strands of Beeds or curious Strings which are drawn
tight around the leg above the ankle, their legs are also
picked [i.e., tattooed] with defferent figures, I saw on the
left arm of a Squar the following letters J. Bowman, all those
are considered by the natives of this quarter as handsom deckerations,
and a woman without those deckorations is Considered
as among the lower Class they ware their hair lose hanging
over their back and Sholders maney have blue beeds threaded
& hung from different parts of their ears and about ther neck
and around their wrists, their dress otherwise is prosisely like
that of the Nation of War ci a cum as already discribed. a
Short roab, and tissue or kind of peticoat of the bark of Cedar
which fall down in strings as low as the knee behind and not

so low before. Maney of the men have blankets of red blue
or Spotted Cloth or the common three & 2 ½ point blankets,
and Salors old Clothes which they appear to prise highly,
they also have robes of SeaOtter, Beaver, Elk, Deer, fox and
cat common to this Countrey, which I have never Seen in the
U States. they also precure a roabe from the nativs above,
which is made of the Skins of a Small animal about the Size
of a cat, which is light and dureable and highly prized by those
people. the greater numbers of the men of the Chinnooks have
Guns and powder and Ball. The Men are low homely and
badly made, Small crooked legs large feet, and all of both Sects
have flattened heads. The food of this nation is principally
fish & roots the fish they precure from the river by the means
of nets and gigs, and the Salmon which run up the Small
branches together with what they collect drifted up on the
Shores of the Sea coast near to where they live. The roots
which they use are Several different kinds, the Wap pa to
which they precure from the nativs above, a black root which
they call Shaw-na-tâh-que[55] & the Wild licquorish is the most
Common, they also kill a fiew Elk Deer & fowl. maney
of the Chinnooks appear to have Venerious and pustelus disorders.
one woman whome I saw at the Creek appeared all
over in Scabs and ulsers &c.

We gave to the men each a pece of ribin. We purchased
cramberies Mats verry netely made of flags and rushes, Some
roots, Salmon and I purchased a hat made of Splits & Strong
grass, which is made in the fashion which was common in the
U States two years ago also small baskets to hold Water made
of Split and Straw, for those articles we gave high prices.