Tuesday (Monday) January 13th. 1806.
This morning I took all the men who could be spared from
the Fort and set out in quest of the flesh of the seven Elk that
were killed yesterday, we found it in good order being untouched
by the wolves, of which indeed there are but few in
this country; at 1.P.M. we returned having gotten all the
meat to the fort, this evening we exhausted the last of our
candles, but fortunately had taken the precaution to bring with
us moulds and wick, by means of which and some Elk's tallow
in our possession we do not yet consider oursleves destitute of
this necessary article; the Elk we have killed have a very small
portion of tallow.
The traders usually arrive in this quarter, as has been before
observed, in the month of April, and remain untill October;
when here they lay at anchor in a bay within Cape Disappointment
on the N. side of the river; here they are visited by
the natives in their canoes who run along side and barter their
comodities with them, their being no houses or fortification on
shore for that purpose. the nations who repare thither are
fi[r]st, those of the sea coast S. E. of the entrance of the river,
who reside in the order in which their names are mentioned,
begining at the entrance of the river (viz) The Clatsop, Killamuck,
Ne-cost, Nat-ti, Nat-chies, Tarl-che, E-slitch, You-cone
and So-see. secondly those inhabiting the N.W. coast begining
at the entrance of the river and mentioned in the same
order; the Chinnook and Chiltch the latter very numerous;
and thirdly the Cath-lâh-mah, and Skil-lutes, the latter numerous
and inhabiting the river from a few miles above the
marshey Islands, where the Cuth-lâh-mâhs cease, to the grand
rappids. These last may be esteemed the principal carryers or
intermediate traders betwen the whites and the Indians of the
sea Coast, and the E-ne-shurs, the E-chee-lutes, and the Chil-luck-kit-te
quaws, who inhabit the river above, to the grand falls
inclusive, and who prepare most of the pounded fish which is
brought to market.
[14]
The bay in which this trade is carryed
on is spacious and commodious, and perfectly secure from all
except the S. and S.E. winds, these however are the most
prevalent and strong winds in the Winter season. fresh water
and wood are very convenient and excellent timber for refiting
and reparing vessels.—
