University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

November 29th. 1805[11]

the wind being so high the party were unable to proceed
with the perogues. I determined therefore to proceed down
the river on it's E. side in surch of an eligible place for our
winters residence and accordingly set out early this morning
in the small canoe accompanyed by 5 men. Drewyer R. Fields,
Shannon, Colter & labiesh, proceeded along the coast.

     
S. 40. W. 5  M. to a point of land[12] passing two points one at 3 M.
bearing S 10. W. and the 2nd at 1 ½ further a little
retreating from the 1st. land high and woods thick. 
S. 35. W. 2.  Ml. along the point, land still high and thickly timbered
here a deep bay commences. runing 
S. 40. E. 2.  Ms. along the bay. the land more open, pass a small
prarie at 1 M. 

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send out the hunters they killed 4. deer 2 brant a goat and
seven ducks,

it rained up on us by showers all day. left three of these
deer and took with us one encamped at an old Indian hunting
lodge which afforded us a tolerable shelter from the rain.
which continued by intervales throughout the night.

 
[11]

Here we insert (alternating with Clark's record) the entries made by Lewis during
Nov. 29–Dec. 1, while on a reconnaissance on the Netul River for a site for their
winter-quarters. They are found in a fragment called by Coues Codex la.—Ed.

[12]

This was Point George, later the site of Astoria (founded in 1811). When
Fort Astoria was surrendered to the British (Dec., 1813), it was rechristened Fort
George. In 1818 the United States took formal repossession of the place; but it
remained a British fur-trade post, until abandoned, 1824, in favor of a site higher up
the river. The point is now called Smith Point, and on it is the modern town of
Astoria.—Ed.