University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

Fort Clatsop. 1806.
January 1st. Tuesday. [Wednesday][35]

This morning I was awoke at an early hour by the discharge
of a volley of small arms, which were fired by our party in
front of our quarters to usher in the new year; this was the
only mark of rispect which we had it in our power to pay this

celebrated day. our repast of this day tho' better than that of
Christmass, consisted principally in the anticipation of the
1st. day of January 1807, when in the bosom of our friends we
hope to participate in the mirth and hilarity of the day, and
when with the zest given by the recollection of the present, we
shall completely, both mentally and corporally, enjoy the
repast which the hand of civilization has prepared for us. at
present we were content with eating our boiled Elk and wappetoe,
and solacing our thirst with our only beverage pure water.
two of our hunters who set out this morning reterned in the
evening having killed two bucks elk; they presented Capt.
Clark and myself each a marrow-bone and tonge, on which we
suped. visited today by a few of the Clatsops who brought
some roots and burries for the purpose of trading with us. we
were uneasy with rispect to two of our men, Willard and
Wiser, who were dispatched on the 28th. ult0. with the salt-makers,
and were directed to return immediately; their not
having returned induces us to believe it probable that they
have missed their way. our fourtification being now completed
we issued an order for the more exact and uniform
discipline and government of the garrison.