University of Virginia Library

CHAP. XVII.

Wednesday 1st Jan. 1806. The year commenced
with a wet day; but the weather still continues
warm; and the ticks, flies and other insects are in
abundance, which appears to us very extraordinary
at this season of the year, in a latitude so far north.
Two hunters went out this morning. We gave our
Fortification the name of Fort Clatsop. In the evening
our two hunters, that went out this morning, returned
and had killed two large elk about three miles
from the Fort.

Thursday 2nd. This also was a cloudy wet day.
Fourteen men went out in the morning and brought
the meat of the elk into the Fort.

Friday 3rd. The weather is still cloudy and wet.
I set out this morning with one of the men to go to
the salt works, to see what progress those engaged in
that business had made; and why some of them had
not returned, as they had been expected for some time.
We proceeded along a dividing ridge, expecting to
pass the heads of some creeks, which intervened.
We travelled all day and could see no game; and
the rain still continued. In the evening we arrived
at a place where two of the men had killed an elk
some time ago. Here we struck up a fire, supped
upon the marrow bones and remained all night.

Saturday 4th. The morning was wet; but we proceeded
on, and passed the head of a creek which we
supposed was the last in our rout to the salt works.
Immediately after passing the creek, the man with
me killed an elk; when we halted and took breakfast
of it, and then went on. We got into low ground,
passed through a marsh about half a mile in breadth,

where the water was knee deep; then got into a
beautiful prairie about five miles wide, and which
runs along the sea shore about 30 miles from Point
Adams on the south side of Hayley's Bay, in nearly
a south west course and ends at a high point of a
mountain, cailed Clarke's view on the sea shore.
Through this plain or prairie runs another creek, or
small river which we could not pass without some
craft: so we encamped on the creek and supped on
the elk's tongue, which we had brought with us.

Sunday 5th. This was a very wet day. We killed
a squirrel and eat it; made a raft to cross the creek;
but when it was tried we found it would carry only
one person at a time; the man with me was therefore
sent over first, who thought he could shove the
raft across again; but when he attempted, it only
went half way: so that there was one of us on each
side and the raft in the middle. I however, notwithstanding
the cold, stript and swam to the raft, brought
it over and then crossed on it in safety; when we
pursued our journey, and in a short time came to
some Indian camps on the sea shore. The rain and
wind continued so violent that we agreed to stay at
these camps all night.

Monday 6th. We had a fair morning and the weather
cleared up, after two months of rain, except 4
days. We therefore set out from these lodges;
passed the mouth of a considerable river; went about
two miles up the shore, and found our salt makers at
work. Two of their detachment had set out for the
fort on the 4th and the man that had come with me
and two more went to hunt.

Tuesday 7th. Another fine day. About noon captain
Clarke with 14 men came to the salt-makers
camp, in their way to the place where the large fish
had been driven on shore, some distance beyond this
camp. The Indians about our fort had procured a
considerable quantity of the meat, which we found

very good. The 8th was a fine day and I remained
at camp. The 9th was also fair and pleasant; and
about noon Captain Clarke and his party returned
here; the distance being about 17 miles. They
found the skeleton of a whale which measured 105
feet in length and the head 12. The natives had
taken all the meat off its bones, by scalding and other
means, for the purpose of trade. The Indians, who
live up there are of another nation, and call themselves
the Callemex nation. They are a ferocious nation:
one of them was going to kill one of our men, for
his blanket; but was prevented by a squaw of the
Chinook nation, who lives among them, and who
raised an alarm. There is a small river comes into
the sea at that place. Captain Clarke and his party
remained at the camp all night, during which some
rain fell.

Friday 10th. The morning was fine and Captain
Clarke and his party started, and I remained at this
camp to wait the return of the man who had come
with me and who was out hunting. The 11th was
also pleasant, and I proceeded with a party for the
fort; where about 9 o'clock we arrived the next day.
Two hunters had gone out from the fort in the morning,
and killed 7 elk about two miles from it.

Monday 13th. The weather changed and we had
a cloudy wet day; and all the hands, who could be
spared were engaged in bringing the meat of the elk,
killed yesterday to camp.

Tuesday 14th. The morning was pleasant; and
two men were sent to the salt works to assist in making
salt. The rest of our people were employed in
drying and taking care of the meat; and in dressing
elk skins for mokasins, which is a laborious business,
but we have no alternative in this part of the country.

The 15th and 16th were both wet throughout, and
men employed as on the 14th. In the morning
of the 17th there were some clouds; but about 10

o'clock they disappeared and we had a fine day.—
About the same time 8 of the natives of the Clatsop
nation came to our fort, and staid till the evening.
A hunter went out in the morning and killed a deer.

Saturday 18th. Last night was very dark; and
early in it rain came on and continued all night.
This day is also wet. Some of the natives visited us
and went away in the evening.

Sunday 19th. Four hunters went out this morning,
which was fair with flying clouds; but in the evening
it began to rain again. We had another visit from
some of the natives.

Monday 20th. It rained hard all day. Some of
the natives again came to see us, whom we suffered,
contrary to our usual practice, to remain in the fort
all night; the evening was so wet and stormy. It
also rained on the 21st and 22nd. Our hunters killed
three elk. On my way with a party to bring in
the meat of these, I saw some amazingly large trees
of the fir kind: they are from 12 to 15 feet in diameter.

Thursday 23rd. We had a fine clear cool morning,
and two men were sent on to the salt works. The
day continued pleasant until about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, when the weather became cloudy, and it
began to rain.

Friday 24th. At daylight some snow fell, and there
were several snow showers during the day. In the
afternoon two of our hunters and some of the natives
came to the fort in an Indian canoe with the meat of
two deer and an elk they had killed. The Indians
were barefooted notwithstanding the snow on the
ground; and the evening was so bad we permitted
them to stay in the fort all night.

Saturday 25th. The morning was cloudy and some
showers of snow fell in the course of the day; and
in the might it fell to the depth of 8 inches. On the
26th there were some light showers during the day;

but in the evening the weather cleared up, and it began
to freeze hard. This is the first freezing weather
of any consequence we have had during the winter.

Monday 27th. This was a clear cold frosty morning;
and the snow about 9 inches deep. Where the
sun shone on it during the day, a considerable quantity
of it melted; but these places were few, as the
whole face of the country near this is closely covered
with fir timber. In the afternoon a hunter came in
and informed us that the party he had been with had
killed 10 elk.

Tuesday 28th. A clear cold morning, and the
weather continued cold all day. About half of
our men were employed bringing home meat; and
it was found a very cold uncomfortable business.
The two men who lately went to the salt works returned
with a small supply.

Wednesday 29th. We had a cold clear morning;
and the day continued clear throughout. On the 30th
the weather was cloudy; and not so cold as the day
before; and some snow fell.

Friday 31st. This was a clear cold morning.—
Seven of us went up the small river in a canoe to
hunt; but after we had gone a mile, we were stopped
by the ice and had to return to the fort. One of the
men at the salt works had been out hunting, and killed
an elk; and called at the fort for men to assist him in
taking the meat to their camp.

Saturday 1st Feb. 1806. We had a fine clear cold
morning. A number of the men went out to bring
meat to the fort, and to take some to the salt works.

Sunday 2nd. The morning was pleasant and the
weather more moderate. About the middle of the
day it began to thaw and in the evening to rain.
Some of our men were engaged to day bringing in
more meat.

Monday 3rd. Some light showers of rain fell in the
course of last night; and this day is still somewhat

wet and cloudy. One of our hunters came in, who
had killed seven elk, and returned with a party and a
canoe to bring in the meat. We are fortunate in
getting as much meat as we can eat; but we have
no other kind of provisions.

Tuesday 4th. This was a fine clear morning. Last
night the men, who had gone to carry the meat to
the salt works, returned and brought us a bushel of
salt. This day continued throughout clear and
pleasant; and the 5th was a clear cool day. One of
our hunters came in, who had killed 6 elk.

Thursday 6th. We had a cool fair morning.
Ten of us started with a canoe to bring in the meat of
the elk, killed yesterday; and had to encamp out all
night but with the assistance of the elk skins and
our blankets, we lodged pretty comfortable, though
the snow was 4 or 5 inches deep.

Friday 7th. The morning was fair, and all hands
engaged bringing in the meat; we got some to the
fort; but myself and part of the men had again to
encamp out. It rained hard and we had a disagreeable
night.

Saturday 8th. About noon there were showers of
rain and hail. Some of the hunters killed 4 more
elk and we got all the meat safe to camp in the
evening.

Sunday 9th. We had a fine morning; but in the
course of the day we had sometimes sunshine, and
sometimes showers of rain. One of our hunters
caught a beaver.

Monday 10th. A light snow fell last night, and the
morning was pleasant. In the afternoon two men
came from the salt works, with information that two
others were sick and a third had cut his knee so badly
he could scarcely walk.

Tuesday 11th. This was a fine morning. A serjeant
and six men were sent to bring the sick men to
the fort. At the same time myself and two men

went out to hunt, and remained out to the 17th during
which time there was a great deal of heavy rain,
and the weather changeable and disagreeable—
While we were out we killed 8 elk. During one of
the most disagreeable nights, myself and another lay
out in our shirts and overalls, with only one elk skin
to defend us from a violent night's rain. We had
started a gang of elk, and in order to be light in the
pursuit left our clothes where the first was killed, and
could not get back before dark. Our shirts and
overalls being all of leather made it the more disagreeable.

Monday 17th. The day was stormy; we set out
for the fort and arrived there in the afternoon. We
found the sick men at the fort, and still very bad.
One of the men brought word from the salt works,
that they had made about 4 bushels of salt; and the
Commanding Officers thought that would be sufficient
to serve the party, until we should arrive at the
Missouri where there is some deposited.

Tuesday 18th. The morning of this day was
cloudy. A sergeant and six men set out to go to the
salt works, to bring the salt and kettles to the fort.
At the same time I started with 10 more to bring in
meat; but the weather was so stormy we could not
get round the bay, and we all returned to the fort.

Wednesday 19th. We were employed in bringing
in meat, and the sergeant and 7 men again set out for
the salt works by land, to bring the salt and kettles to
the fort. The day was very wet and stormy.

Thursday 20th. This was a cloudy morning. A
number of the Chinook Indians came to the fort
with hats to trade. They are made of the cedar bark
and silk grass, look handsome and keep out the rain.
But little rain fell to-day, and in the evening we turned
out the natives as usual, and they all went home.

Friday 21st. About 1 o'clock, our salt makers
came home, with the salt and baggage. They had a

very unpleasant day, as it rained hard during the
whole of it.

Saturday 22nd. This was a fine clear day; and
some of the natives again visited us, and brought
some hats which we purchased at a moderate price.
The 23rd was also clear and pleasant; but the morning
of the 24th was cloudy, and at 10 o'clock it began
to rain hard. About noon a number of the natives
came to the fort to trade. The rain continued with
high stormy wind; and we suffered the Indians to
remain in the fort all night.

Tuesday 25th. The rain continued and the weather
was stormy About 10 o'clock the natives went
away, though it continued to rain very fast. They
brought us yesterday a number of small fish, of a
very excellent kind, resembling a herring, and about
half the size.

Wednesday 26th. We had a fair morning; some
of the hunters went out, as our store of provisions
was getting small, and three men went in search of
these small fish, which we had found very good
eating. The 27th was a cloudy wet day. Three of
our hunters came in, and had killed an elk.

Friday 28th. This was a foggy morning, and the
forenoon cloudy. A sergeant and six men went out
to bring in the meat, and returned about noon. The
greater part of this day was fair and pleasant; and
in the evening three hunters came in, and had killed
five elk.