[Clark:]
Saturday February 22nd.. 1806.
We were visited today by two Clatsops women and two boys
who brought a parcel of excellent hats made of Cedar bark,
and ornemented with bear grass. two of those hats had been
made by measure which Capt Lewis and my self had given a
woman some time since, with a request to make each of us a
hat; they fit us very well, and are in the form we desired them.
we purchased the hats and distribeted them among the party.
the woodwork and sculpture of these people as well as those
hats and the water proof baskits evince an ingenuity by no
means common among the Aborigenes of America. in the
evining they returned to their village and Drewyer accompanied
them in order to get some dogs &
c.. These women
informed us that the small fish began to run which we suppose
to be herring from their discription. they also informed us
that their Chief Conia Comawool, had gorn up the Columbia
to the Vally in order to purchase wappatoo, a part of which
he entended tradeing with us on his return. our sick consisting
of Gibson, Bratten, Willard M
c. Neal and Baptiest La Page
is something better Serj
t. Ordway is complaining of a coold
& headake. we have not had as many sick at one time since
we left the settlements of the Illinois. the general complaint
appears to be bad colds and fevers, with a violent pain in the
head, and back, something I believe of the influenza.
The Antelope is found in the great plains of Columbia and
are the same with those of the Missouri found in every part
of that untimbered country. they are by no means as plenty
on this side of the Rocky Mountains as on the other. the
nativs here make robes of their skins dressed withe the hair on
them. when the salmon begin to decline in the latter end of
summer and autumn, the nativs leave the river, at least a
majority and move out into the plains at some distance for the
purpose of hunting the Antelope. they pursue them on hors
back and shute them with their arrows.
The Sheep is found in various parts of the Rocky Mountains,
but most commonly on those parts which are timbered
and steep. they are also found in greater abundance on the
chain of Mountains which forms the commencement of the
woody country on this coast and which pass the Columbia
between the great falls and rapids. we have never met with
this animal ourselves but have seen many of their skins in the
possession of the nativs dressed with the wool on them and
also seen and have the blankets which they manufacture of the
wool of this sheep. from the skin the animal appears to be
about the size of the common sheep; of a white colour. the
wool is fine on most parts of the body, but not so long as that
of the domestic sheep; the wool is also curled and thick. on
the back and more particularly on the top of the neck the
wool is intermixed with a considerable proportion of long
streight hair. there is no wool on a small part ot the body
behind the sholders on each side of the brisquit which is
covered with a short fine hairs as in the domestic sheep. from
the signs which the Indians make in discribing this animale
they have herect pointed horns, tho' one of our Engages
Lapage, assures us that he saw them in the Black hills where the
Little Missouri river passes them, and that they were in every
respect like our domestic Sheep, and like them the Mail had
lunated horns bent backwards and twisted. I should be much
pleased at meeting with this animal. but have had too maney
proofs to admit a doubt of it's existing and in considerable
numbers in the Mountains on this coast. The Beaver and
common otter have before been mentioned in treating of the
Occupations of the nativs in hunting, fishing, &
c. these do not
differ from those of other parts of the Continent.
