December 9th Monday 1805.
rained all the last night we are all wet, send 2 men in
pursute of the Elk & with the other 3 I set out with a view
to find the Ocian in our first direction, which can be at no
great Distance, I crossed 3 Slashes by wadeing to my knees
& was prevented proceeding by the 4th. which was a pond of
200 yds. we. I went around, and was stoped by a 5th. which
apd. to be a rung stream to the right. I then returned to the
raft and recrossd. & proceeded down the stream I first struck
about 2 miles & met 3 Indians, who informed me they
lived on the see cost at a short distance, I determd. to accompany
them to their vilg. & we set out crossed the stream, and
2 of the Indians took the canoe over the wavering open rich
plains for ½ a mile and we crossed the same stream which run
to the left, we then left the canoe and proceeded to the same
stream which runs to the right and empties its self into the see
here I found their vilg. 4 Lodges on the west bank of this little
river which is here 70 yards wide, crossed in a canoe & was
invited to a lodge by a young Chief was treated [with] great
Politeness, we had new mats to set on, and himself and wife
produced for us to eate, fish, Lickorish, & black roots, on neet
small mats, and cramberries & Sackacomey berries, in bowls
made of horn, supe made of a kind of bread made of berries
common to this countrey which they gave me in a neet
wooden trencher, with a Cockle shell to eate it with It began
to rain and with a tremendous storm from the S.W. which
lasted untill 10 oClock P M. when I was dispos
d. to go to
sleep 2 neet mats was produced & I lay on them but the flees
were so troublesom that I slept but little Those people has
2 plays which they are fond of one is with a Been which they
pass from one hand into the other, and the oponent guess on
this game the resquiset numb
r of the white Beeds which is the
principal property. they other game is with round Pices of
wood much the shape of the [blank space in MS.] Backgammon
which they role thro between 2 pins.
