University of Virginia Library

[Clark, first draft:]

November 24th Sunday 1805.

a fare morning. sent out 6 hunters and Detained to make
the following observations i. e.

Took time dis. & azomith of the Sun A M.

         

Time	Diste.	azmth.
h. m. s.
8 33 20	22° 16′ 30″	S 64°. E.
8 37 48	23 19 45	S 63°. E.
8 41 35	24 13 0	S 62° E

Equal altitudes with Sextant

       

H. m s	h m s
A.M. 8 53 5.5	P.M.
" 55 33	(lost)
" 58 3

Altitude produced [blank space in MS.]

observed Time & Distance of Sun & Moons nearest Limbs Sun
West P M

                       

Time	distance
h. m. s.
2 42 11	40° 32′ 45″
" 43 38	40 33 15
" 44 53	" 33 30
" 46 9	" 34 15
" 47 29	" 34 30
" 48 53	" 34 45
" 51 29	" 35 15
" 52 50	" 35 30
" 54 00	" 36 00
" 55 38	" 36 15

Several of the Chennook N. came, one of them brought an
Sea otter skin for which we gave some blue Beeds. This day
proved to be fair and we dried our wet articles bedding &c. The
hunters killed only 1 brant no Deer or any thing else

Observed time and Distance of Moons [blank space in MS.] Limb
an a pegasi Star East *P. M.

             

Time	distance
h m s
6 16 46	67° 56′ 30″
" 19 29	" 54 15
" 25 39	" 50 45
" 28 20	" 50 15
" 31 53	" 48 30

The old chief of Chinn-nook nation and several men &
women came to our camp this evening & smoked the pipe

[A vote of the men, as to location of winter quarters.—Ed.][2]

           

Sergt J. Ordway	cross & examine	S
Serjt. N. Pryor	d° d°	S
Sgt. P. Gass	d° d°	S
Jo. Shields	proceed to Sandy R
G. Shannon	examn. cross	falls
T. P. Howard	d° d°	falls

                                                 

P. Wiser	d° d°	S.R.
J. Collins	d° d°	S. R
Jo. Fields	d° d°	up
Al. Willard	d° d°	up
R. Willard	d° d°	up
J. Potts	d° d°	falls
R. Frasure	d° d°	up
Wm. Bratten	d° d°	up
R. Fields	d° d°	falls
J: B: Thompson	d° d°	up
J. Colter	d° d°	up
H. Hall	d° d°	S. R.
Labeech	d° d°	S. R.
Peter Crusatte	d° d°	S R
J. P. Depage	d° d°	up
Shabono	—	—
S. Guterich	d° d°	falls
W. Werner	d° d°	up
Go: Gibson	d° d°	up
Jos. Whitehouse	d° d°	up
Geo Drewyer	Exam other side	falls
Mc. Neal	d° d°	up
York	"  "	lookout
falls	Sandy River	lookout up
5	10	12

Janey [Sacajawea?—Ed.] in favour of a place where there is plenty
of Potas.

Cp. L & F Proceed on to morrow & examine The other side if
good hunting to winter there, as salt is an objt. if not to proceed on to
Sandy it is probable that a vestle will come in this winter, & that by
proceeding on at any distance would not inhance our journey in passing
the Rockey Mountains, &c.

W C. In favour of proceding on without delay to the opposit shore
& there examine, and find out both the disposition of the Indians, &
probibilaty of precureing subsistance, and also enquire if the Tradeing
vestles will arrive before the time we should depart in the spring, and if
the Traders, comonly arive in a seasonable time, and we can subsist
without a depends. on our stores of goods, to continue as the climent
would be more favourable on the Sea Coast for our naked men than

higher up the countrey where the climate must be more severe. The
advantage of the arival of a vestle from whome we can precure goods
will be more than an over ballance, for the bad liveing we shall have in
liveing on Pore deer & Elk we may get in this neighbourhood.[3] If we
cannot subsist on the above terms to proceed on, and make station
camps, to neighbourhood of the Frendly village near the long narrows &
delay untill we can proceed up the river. Salt water I view as an evil
in as much as it is not helthy. I am also of opinion that one two or
three weeks Exemination on the oppo[site] side if the propects are any
wise favourable, would not be too long

Variation of the Compass is 16′ East

Sunday November 24th. 1805.

A fair morning Sent out 6 hunters, and we proceeded to
make the following observations[4] a Chief and Several men of
the Chinnook nation came to Smoke with us this evening one
of the men brought a Small Sea otter Skin for Which we gave
Some blue beads. this day proved fair Which gave us an
oppertunity of drying our wet articles, bedding &c. &c. nothing
killed to day except one Brant, the variation of the Compass
is 16°. East.

being now determined to go into Winter quarters as soon as
possible, as a convenient Situation to precure the Wild animals
of the forest which must be our dependance for Subsisting this
Winter, we have every reason to believe that the Nativs have
not provisions Suffi[ci]ent for our consumption, and if they had,
their prices are So high that it would take ten times as much to
purchase their roots & Dried fish as we have in our possesion,
encluding our Small remains of Merchindize and Clothes &c.
This certinly enduces every individual of the party to make
diligient enquiries of the nativs [for] the part of the Countrey
in which the Wild animals are most plenty. They generaly
agree that the Most Elk is on the Opposit Shore, and that the

greatest Numbers of Deer is up the river at Some distance
above. The Elk being an animal much larger than Deer,
easier to Kill, & better meat (in the Winter when pore) and
Skins better for the Clothes of our party: added to [this]
a convenient Situation to the Sea coast where We Could make-Salt,
and a probibility of Vessels comeing into the Mouth of
Columbia ("which the Indians inform us would return to trade
with them in 3 months") from whome we might precure a fresh
Supply of Indian trinkets to purchase provisions on our return
home: together with the Solicitations of every individual, except
one of our party induced us [to] Conclude to Cross the
river and examine the opposit Side, and if a Sufficent quantity
of Elk could probebly be precured to fix on a Situation as convenient
to the Elk & Sea Coast as we could find. added to
the above advantagies in being near the Sea Coast one most
Strikeing one occurs to me i. e, the Climate which must be from
every appearance much milder than that above the 1st. range of
Mountains, The Indians are Slightly Clothed and give an
account of but little Snow, and the weather which we have
experienced since we arrived in the neighbourhood of the Sea
coast has been verry warm, and maney of the fiew days past
disagreeably so. if this Should be the case it will most Certainly
be the best Situation of our Naked party dressed as they
are altogether in leather.