Thursday, January 2nd. 1806
Sent out a party of men and brought in the two Elk which
were killed yesterday. Willard and Wiser have not yet returned
nor have a party of hunters returned who set out on the
26th. Ulto. the Indians who visited yesterday left us at 1. P.M.
today after having disposed of their roots and berries for a few
fishinghooks and some other small articles. we are infested
with swarms of flees already in our new habitations; the presumption
is therefore strong that we shall not devest ourselves
of this intolerably troublesome vermin during our residence
here. The large, and small or whistling swan, sand hill Crane,
large and small gees, brown and white brant, Cormorant,
duckan mallard, Canvisback duck, and several other species of
ducks, still remain with us; tho' I do not think that they are
as plenty as on our first arrival in the neighbourhood. Drewyer
visited his traps and took an otter. the fur of both the beaver
and otter in this country are extreemly good; those annamals
are tolerably plenty near the sea coast, and on the small Creeks
and rivers as high as the grand rappids, but are by no means as
much so as on the upper part of the Missouri.
