[Lewis:]
Monday March 24th. 1806.
This morning we sent out a party of 15 at light, for the
meat, and concluded to take breakfast before we set out. they
soon returned. we breakfasted and Set out at 1/2 after 9 A.M.
Saw a white woodpecker with a red head of the small kind
common to the United States; this bird has but lately returned
they do not remain during the winter. the country
thick and heavily timbered. we saw very few waterfowl today,
not a single swan, white brant nor a small goose is to be seen.
a few Cormorant, duckinmallard, butterbox, and common
large geese were only to be found. the tide being out this
morning we found some difficulty in passing through the bay
below the Cathlahmah village; this side of the river is very
shallow to the distance of 4 miles from the shore tho' there is
a channel sufficient for canoes near S. side. at 1 P.M. we
arrived at the Cathlahmah village[11]
where we halted and purchased
some wappetoe, a dog for the sick, and a hat for one of
the men. on one of the Seal Islands opposite to the village
of these people they have scaffolded their dead in canoes
elivating them above tidewater mark. these people are very
fond of sculpture in wood of which they exhibit a variety of
specemines about their houses. the broad peices supporting
the center of the roof and those through which the doors are
cut, seem to be the peices on which they most display their
taist. I saw some of these which represented human figures
setting and supporting the burthen on their sholders.
[12]
at
half after 3 P.M. we set out and continued our rout among
the seal Islands; not paying much attention we mistook our
rout which an Indian perceiving pursued overtook us and put
us in the wright channel this Cathlahmah claimed the small
canoe which we had taken from the Clatsops. however he
consented very willingly to take an Elk's skin for it which I
directed should be given him and he immediately returned.
we continued our rout along the South side of the river and
encamped at an old village of 9 houses opposite to the lower
Wackkiacum village. the night was cold tho' wood was
abundant after dark two Chinnook men came to us in a
small canoe; they remained with us all night, came 15 miles
to day.
