Extravagant passion of the natives for blue beads, which
constitute amongst them the circulating medium of the
country--the party still in search of a suitable place for
winter quarters--still suffering from the constant deluges
of rain--are visited by the Indians, with whom they traffic
but little, on account of the extravagant prices they ask for
every article--return of captain Lewis, who reports that he
has found a suitable place for winter quarters--the rain still
continues--they prepare to form an encampment on a point of
highland on the banks of the river Nutel--captain Clarke goes
with a party to find a place suitable for the manufacture
of salt--he is hospitably entertained by the Clatsops--this
tribe addicted to the vice of gambling--sickness of some of
the party, occasioned by the incessant rains--they form,
notwithstanding, a permanent encampment for their winter
quarters.
Friday 22. It rained during the whole night, and about daylight a
tremendous gale of wind rose from the S.S.E. and continued during the
whole day with great violence. The sea runs so high that the water
comes into our camp, which the rain prevents us from leaving. We
purchased from the old squaw for armbands and rings, a few wappatoo
roots, on which we subsisted. They are nearly equal in flavour to the
Irish potatoe, and afford a very good substitute for bread. The bad
weather has driven several Indians to our camp, but they are still
under the terrors of the threat which we made on first seeing them, and
now behave with the greatest decency.
Saturday 23. The rain continued through the night, but the morning was
calm and cloudy. The hunters were sent out and killed three deer, four
brant, and three ducks. Towards evening seven Clatsops came over in
a canoe with two skins of the sea-otter. To this article they attach
an extravagant value, and their demands for it were so high that we
were fearful of reducing our small stock of merchandise, on which we
must depend for subsistence as we return, to venture on purchasing. To
ascertain however their ideas as to the value of different objects,
we offered for one of the skins a watch, a handkerchief, an American
dollar, and a bunch of red beads; but neither the curious mechanism
of the watch, nor even the red beads could tempt him; he refused the
offer, but asked for tiacomoshack or chief beads, the most common sort
of coarse blue-coloured beads, the article beyond all price in their
estimation. Of these blue beads we have but few, and therefore reserve
them for more necessitous circumstances.
Sunday 24. The morning being fair, we dried our wet articles and sent
out the hunters, but they returned with only a single brant. In the
evening a chief and several men of the Chinnooks came to see us; we
smoked with them, and bought a sea-otter skin for some blue beads.
Having now examined the coast, it becomes necessary to decide on the
spot for our wintering quarters. The people of the country subsist
chiefly on dried fish and roots, but of these there does not seem
to be a sufficient quantity for our support, even were we able to
purchase, and the extravagant prices as well as our small store of
merchandise forbid us to depend on that resource. We must therefore
rely for subsistence on our arms, and be guided in the choice of our
residence by the abundance of game which any particular spot may offer.
The Indians say that the deer is most numerous at some distance above
on the river, but that the country on the opposite side of the bay is
better supplied with elk, an animal much larger and more easily killed
than deer, with a skin better fitted for clothing, and the meat of
which is more nutritive during the winter, when they are both poor. The
climate too is obviously much milder here than above the first range of
mountains, for the Indians are thinly clad, and say they have little
snow; indeed since our arrival the weather has been very warm, and
sometimes disagreeably so: and dressed as we are altogether in leather,
the cold would be very unpleasant if not injurious. The neighbourhood
of the sea is moreover recommended by the facility of supplying
ourselves with salt; and the hope of meeting some of the trading
vessels, who are expected in about three months, and from whom we may
procure a fresh supply of trinkets for our route homewards. These
considerations induced us to determine on visiting the opposite side
of the bay, and if there was an appearance of much game to establish
ourselves there during the winter. Next day,
Monday 25, however, the wind was too high to suffer us to cross the
river, but as it blew generally from the east southeast, the coast on
the north was in some degree sheltered by the highlands. We therefore
set out, and keeping near the shore, halted for dinner in the shallow
bay, and after dark, reached a spot near a rock, at some distance in
the river, and close to our former camp of the 7th. inst. On leaving
our camp, seven Clatsops accompanied us in a canoe, but after going a
few miles crossed the bay through immense high waves, leaving us in
admiration, at the dexterity with which they threw aside each wave as
it threatened to come over their canoe. The evening was cloudy, and in
the morning,
Tuesday 26, it rained. We set out with the wind from east northeast,
and a short distance above the rock, near our camp, began to cross the
river. We passed between some low, marshy islands, which we called the
Seal islands, and reached the south side of the Columbia at a bottom
three miles below a point, to which we gave the name of point Samuel.
After going along the shore for five miles, we entered a channel two
hundred yards in width, which separates from the main land a large,
but low island. On this channel, and at the foot of some highlands, is
a village, where we landed. It consists of nine large wooden houses,
inhabited by a tribe called Cathlamahs, who seem to differ neither in
dress, language, nor manners, from the Chinnooks and Wahkiacums: like
whom they live chiefly on fish and wappatoo roots. We found, however,
as we hoped, some elk meat: after dining on some fresh fish and roots,
which we purchased from them at an immoderate price, we coasted along a
deep bend of the river towards the south, and at night encamped under
a high hill; all the way from the village the land is high, and has
a thick growth of pine balsam, and other timber; but as it was still
raining very hard, it was with difficulty we procured wood enough to
make fires. Soon after we landed, three Indians from the Cathlawah
village came down with wappatoo roots, some of which we purchased with
fish-hooks. At daylight the next morning,
Wednesday 27, eleven more came down with provisions, skins and mats
for sale, but the prices were too high for our reduced finances, and
we bought nothing. As we were preparing to set out we missed an axe,
which was found under the robe of one of the Indians, and they were all
prohibited in consequence from following us. We went on in the rain,
which had continued through the night, and passing between a number
of islands came to a small river, called by the Indians Kekemahke. We
afterwards came to a very remarkable knob of land, projecting about a
mile and a half towards Shallow bay, and about four miles round, while
the neck of land which connects it to the main shore is not more than
fifty yards wide. We went round this projection, which we named point
William; but the waves then became so high that we could not venture
any farther, and we therefore landed on a beautiful shore of pebbles of
various colours, and encamped near an old Indian hut on the isthmus.
In drawing our canoes in shore, we had the misfortune to make a split
two feet long in one of them. This isthmus opposed a formidable barrier
to the sea, for we now found that the water below is salt, while that
above is fresh and well tasted. It rained hard during the whole day; it
continued all night, and in the morning,
Thursday 28, began more violently, attended with a high wind from the
southwest. It was now impossible to proceed on so rough a sea. We
therefore sent several men to hunt, and the rest of us remained during
the day, in a situation the most cheerless and uncomfortable. On this
little neck of land we are exposed with a miserable covering, which
does not deserve the name of a shelter to the violence of the winds;
all our bedding and stores, as well as our bodies are completely wet,
our clothes rotting with constant exposure, and no food except the
dried fish brought from the falls, to which we are again reduced.
The hunters all returned hungry, and drenched with rain, having seen
neither deer nor elk, and the swan and brant too shy to be approached.
At noon the wind shifted to the northwest, and blew with such
tremendous fury that many trees were blown down near us. This gale
lasted with short intervals during the whole night; but towards morning,
Friday, 29th, the wind lulled, though the rain continued, and the waves
were still high. Captain Lewis took the Indian canoe, which is better
calculated for rough weather, and with five men went down to a small
bay below us, where we expect to find elk. Three other men set out at
the same time to hunt in different directions, and the rest remained
round the smoke of our fires drying leather, in order to make some new
clothes. The night brought only a continuation of rain and hail, with
short intervals of fair weather, till in the morning,
Saturday, 30th, it cleared up about nine o’clock, and the sun shone
for several hours. Other hunters were now sent out, and we passed the
remainder of the day in drying our merchandise so long exposed. Several
of the men complain of disorders in their bowels, which can be ascribed
only to their diet of pounded fish mixed with salt-water: and they
are therefore directed to use for that purpose, the fresh water above
the point. The hunters had seen three elk, but could not obtain any
of them: they however brought in three hawks and a few black ducks,
of a species common in the United States, living in large flocks, and
feeding on grass: they are distinguished by a sharp white beak, toes
separated, and by having no craw. Besides these wild fowls, there are
in this neighbourhood a large kind of buzzard with white wings, the
gray and the bald eagle, the large red-tailed hawk, the blue magpye,
and great numbers of ravens and crows. We observe, however, few small
birds, the one which has most attracted our attention being a small
brown bird, which seems to frequent logs and the roots of trees. Of
other animals there is a great abundance. We see great quantities of
snakes, lizards, worms, and spiders, as well as small bugs, flies
and insects of different kinds. The vegetable productions are also
numerous. The hills along the coast are high and steep, and the general
covering is a growth of lofty pines of different species, some of which
rise more than two hundred feet, and are ten or twelve feet in diameter
near the root. Besides these trees we observe on the point a species of
ash, the alder, the laurel, one species of the wild crab, and several
kinds of underbrush, among which the rosebushes are conspicuous.
Sunday, December 1, 1805. Again we had a cloudy day, and the wind so
high from the east, that having ventured in a boat with a view to hunt
at some distance, we were obliged to return. We resumed our occupation
of dressing leather and mending our old clothes, in which we passed the
day. The hunters came in with a report of their having seen two herds
of elk, but they could kill nothing, and we therefore again fed upon
dried fish. At sunset it began to rain violently, and continued all
night, and
Monday, 2d, the next day. This disagreeable food, pounded fish, has
occasioned so much sickness among the men that it is now absolutely
necessary to vary it. Three hunters therefore set out, and three more
were sent up the Kekemahke creek in search of fish or birds. Towards
evening one of them returned: he had observed great appearances of elk,
and even seen two herds of them; but it rained so hard that he could
with difficulty get a shot: he had, however, at last killed one, at
the distance of six miles from the camp, and a canoe was now sent to
bring it. The party from Kekemahke creek were less successful: they had
seen no fish, and all the birds, in consequence probably of being much
hunted by the Indians, were too shy to be approached.
Tuesday, 3. The wind was from the east, and the morning fair; but, as
if a whole day of fine weather was not permitted, towards night it
began to rain. Even this transient glimpse of sunshine revived the
spirits of the party, who were still more pleased, when the elk killed
yesterday was brought into camp. This was the first elk we had killed
on the west side of the Rocky mountains, and condemned as we have
been to the dried fish, forms a most nourishing food. After eating
the marrow of the shank-bones, the squaw chopped them fine, and by
boiling, extracted a pint of grease, superior to the tallow itself of
the animal. A canoe of eight Indians, who were carrying down wappatoo
roots to trade with the Clatsops, stopped at our camp: we bought a few
roots for small fish-hooks, and they then left us: but accustomed as we
are to the sight, we could not but view with admiration the wonderful
dexterity with which they guide their canoes over the most boisterous
seas; for though the waves were so high, that before they had gone half
a mile the canoe was several times out of sight, they proceeded with
the greatest calmness and serenity. Two of the hunters who set out
yesterday had lost their way, and did not return till this evening:
they had seen in their ramble great signs of elk, and had killed six
elk, which they had butchered and left at a great distance. A party was
sent in the morning,
Wednesday, December 4, to carry the elk to a bay, some distance below,
to which place, if the weather permitted, we would all remove our camp
this evening; but the rain which had continued during the night lasted
all next day, and was accompanied by so high a wind from the southeast
and south, that we dared not risk our canoes on the water. It was high
water at eleven o’clock, when the spring-tide rose two feet higher than
the common flood-tides. We passed the day around our fires, and as we
are so situated that the smoke will not immediately leave the camp, we
are very much incommoded, and our eyes injured by it. No news has yet
been received from captain Lewis, and we begin to have much uneasiness
for his safety.
Thursday, December 5. It rained during the whole night, and this
morning the rain and high wind compelled us to remain at our camp.
Besides the inconvenience of being thus stopped on our route, we now
found that all our stores and bedding are again wet with rain. The
high water was at twelve o’clock, and rose two inches beyond that of
yesterday. In the afternoon we were rejoiced at the return of captain
Lewis, who came in a canoe with three of his men, the other two being
left to guard six elk and five deer which they had killed: he had
examined the coast, and found a river a short distance below, on which
we might encamp during the winter, with a sufficiency of elk for our
subsistence within reach. This information was very satisfactory, and
we decided on going thither as soon as we could move from the point;
but all night and the following day,
Friday 6, it rained, and the wind blew hard from the southwest, so that
the sea was still too rough for us to proceed. The high-tide of to-day
rose thirteen inches higher than it did yesterday, and obliged us to
move our camp to a high situation. Here we remained waiting for better
weather, till about dark the wind shifted to the north, and the sky was
clear. We had now some prospect of being able to leave our situation,
and indeed although some rain fell in the course of the night, the next
morning,
Saturday 7, was fair; we therefore loaded our canoes, and proceeded.
But the tide was against us, and the waves very high, so that we were
obliged to proceed slowly and cautiously. We at length turned a point,
and found ourselves in a deep bay; here we landed for breakfast, and
were joined by the party sent out three days ago to look for the six
elk. In seeking for the elk they had missed their way for a day and a
half, and when they reached the place, found the elk so much spoiled
that they brought the skins only of four of them. After breakfast we
coasted round the bay, which is about four miles across, and receives,
besides several small creeks, two rivers called by the Indians, the one
Kilhowanakel, the other Netul. We called it Meriwether’s bay, from the
christian name of captain Lewis, who was no doubt the first white man
who surveyed it. As we went along the wind was high from the northeast,
and in the middle of the day it rained for two hours, and then cleared
off. On reaching the south side of the bay, we ascended the Netul for
three miles to the first point of highland on its western bank, and
formed our camp in a thick grove of lofty pines, about two hundred
yards from the water, and thirty feet above the level of the high tides.
Sunday 8. This seemed the most eligible spot for our winter
establishment. In order therefore to find a place for making salt,
and to examine the country further, captain Clarke set out with five
men, and pursuing a course south, 60° west, over a dividing ridge,
through thick pine timber, much of which had fallen, passed the heads
of two small brooks. In the neighbourhood of these the land was swampy
and overflowed, and we waded knee-deep till we came to an open ridgy
prairie, covered with the plant known on our frontier by the name
of sacacommis. Here is a creek about sixty yards wide, and running
towards point Adams; they passed it on a small raft. At this place
they discovered a large herd of elk, and after pursuing them for three
miles over bad swamps and small ponds, we killed one of them. The
agility with which the elk crossed the swamps and bogs, seems almost
incredible; as we followed their track, the ground for a whole acre
would shake at our tread, and sometimes we sunk to our hips without
finding any bottom. Over the surface of these bogs is a species of
moss, among which are great numbers of cranberries, and occasionally
there rise from the swamp steep and small knobs of earth, thickly
covered with pine and laurel. On one of these we halted at night, but
it was scarcely large enough to suffer us to lie clear of the water,
and had very little dry wood. We succeeded however in collecting enough
to make a fire, and having stretched the elk skin to keep off the rain,
which still continued, slept till morning,
Monday 9, when we rose, perfectly wet with rain during the night. Three
men were then sent in pursuit of the elk, while with the other three,
captain Clarke proceeded westward towards the sea. He passed over three
swamps, and then arrived at a creek, which was too deep to ford, and
there was no wood to make a raft. He therefore proceeded down it for a
short distance, till he found that he was between the forks of a creek.
One branch of which he had passed yesterday, turns round towards the
southwest to meet another of equal size from the south, and together
they form a small river, about seventy yards wide. He returned to the
place where he had left the raft, and having crossed proceeded down
about a mile, when he met three Indians. They were loaded with fresh
salmon which they had taken with a gig, and were now returning to their
village on the seacoast, where they invited him to accompany them.
He agreed, and they brought out a canoe hid along the banks of the
creek. In this they passed over the branch which he had just crossed
on a raft, and then carried the canoe a quarter of a mile to the
other fork, which they crossed and continued down to the mouth of the
river. At this place it makes a great bend, where the river is seventy
yards wide; just above, or to the south of which is the village. We
crossed over, and found that it consisted of three houses, inhabited
by twelve families of Clatsops. They were on the south exposure of a
hill, and sunk about four feet deep into the ground; the walls, roof,
and gable-ends being formed of split pine boards; the descent through
a small door down a ladder. There are two fires in the middle of the
room, and the beds disposed round the walls two or three feet from
the fall, so as to leave room under them for their bags, baskets and
household articles. The floor itself is covered with mats. Captain
Clarke was received with much attention. As soon as he entered, clean
mats were spread, and fish, berries and roots set before him on small
neat platters of rushes. After he had eaten, the men of the other
houses came and smoked with him. They all appeared much neater in their
persons and diet than Indians generally are, and frequently wash their
hands and faces, a ceremony by no means frequent elsewhere. While
he was conversing with them, a flock of brant lighted on the water,
and he with a small rifle shot one of them at a great distance. They
immediately jumped in, and brought it on shore, very much astonished
at the shot, which contributed to make them increase their attention.
Towards evening it began to rain and blow very violently from the
southwest: and captain Clarke therefore, determined to remain during
the night. When they thought his appetite had returned, an old woman
presented him in a bowl, made of light colored horn, a kind of sirrup,
pleasant to the taste, and made from a species of berry common in
this country, about the size of a cherry, and called by the Indians
shelwel: of these berries a bread is also prepared, which being boiled
with roots forms a soup, which was served in neat wooden trenchers:
this, with some cockles, was his repast. The men of the village now
collected, and began to gamble. The most common game, was one in which
one of the company was banker, and played against all the rest. He has
a piece of bone, about the size of a large bean, and having agreed
with any individual as to the value of the stake, would pass the bone
from one hand to the other, with great dexterity, singing at the same
time, to divert the attention of his adversary; and then holding it
in his hands, his antagonist was challenged to guess in which of them
the bone was, and lost or won as he pointed to the right or wrong
hand. To this game of hazard they abandoned themselves with great
ardor; sometimes every thing they possess is sacrificed to it, and
this evening several of the Indians lost all the beads which they had
with them. This lasted for three hours, when captain Clarke appearing
disposed to sleep, the man who had been most attentive, and whose name
was Cuskalah, spread two new mats near the fire, and ordering his wife
to retire to her own bed, the rest of the company dispersed at the same
time. Captain Clarke then lay down, but the violence with which the
fleas attacked him, did not leave his rest unbroken, and he rose,
Tuesday 10, early. The morning was cloudy, with some rain: he walked
out on the seashore, and observed the Indians walking up and down the
creek and examining the shore: he was at a loss to understand their
object, till one of them came to him and explained that they were in
search of fish which had been thrown on shore and left by the tide,
adding in English, “sturgeon is very good.” There is indeed, every
reason to suppose, that these Clatsops depend for their subsistence
during the winter, chiefly on the fish thus casually thrown on the
coast. After amusing himself for some time on the beach, he returned
towards the village, and shot on his way two brant. As he came near
the village, one of the Indians asked him to shoot a duck about
thirty steps distant: he did so, and having accidentally shot off its
head, the bird was brought to the village by the Indians, all of whom
came round in astonishment: they examined the duck, the musket, and
the very small bullet, which were a hundred to the pound, and then
exclaimed, Clouch musquet, wake, commatax musquet: a good musket, do
not understand this kind of musket. They now placed before him their
best roots, fish, and sirrup, after which he attempted to purchase a
sea-otter skin with some red beads which he happened to have about
him; but they declined trading, as they valued none except blue or
white beads: he therefore bought nothing but a little berry bread and
a few roots in exchange for fish-hooks, and then set out to return by
the same route on which he came. He was accompanied by Cuskalah and
his brother as far as the third creek, and then proceeded to the camp
through a heavy rain. The whole party had been occupied during his
absence in cutting down trees to make huts, and in hunting.
Wednesday, 11. The rain continued last night and the whole of this day.
We were, however, all employed in putting up our winter cabins, which
we are anxious to finish, as several of the men are beginning to suffer
from the excessive dampness: four of them have very violent colds, one
has a dysentery, a third has tumours on his legs, and two have been
injured by dislocation and straining of their limbs.
Thursday, 12. We continued to work in the rain at our houses. In
the evening there arrived two canoes of Clatsops, among whom was a
principal chief, called Comowol. We gave him a medal, and treated
his companions with great attention; after which we began to bargain
for a small sea-otter skin, some wappatoo roots, and another species
of root called shanataque. We readily perceived that they were close
dealers, stickled much for trifles, and never closed the bargain until
they thought they had the advantage. The wappatoo is dear, as they
themselves are obliged to give a high price for it to the Indians
above. Blue beads are the articles most in request, the white occupy
the next place in their estimation; but they do not value much those of
any other colour. We succeeded at last in purchasing their whole cargo
for a few fish-hooks and a small sack of Indian tobacco, which we had
received from the Shoshonees. The next morning,
Friday, 13th, we treated them to a breakfast on elk meat, of which
they seemed very fond; and having purchased from them two skins of
the lucervia, and two robes made of the skin of an animal about the
size of a cat, they left us. Two hunters returned with the pleasing
intelligence of their having killed eighteen elk about six miles off.
Our huts begin to rise, for though it rains all day we continue our
labours, and are rejoiced to find that the beautiful balsam pine splits
into excellent boards, more than two feet in width. In the evening
three Indians came in a canoe with provisions and skins for sale, and
spent the night with us.
Saturday, 14. Again it rained all day, but by working constantly we
finished the walls of our huts, and nearly completed a house for our
provisions. The constant rains have completely spoiled our last supply
of elk; but notwithstanding that scarcely a man has been dry for a
great number of days, the sick are recovering. Four men were despatched
to guard the elk which were killed yesterday, till a larger party
joined them. Accordingly,
Sunday 15, captain Clarke with sixteen men set out in three canoes,
and having rowed for three miles up the river turned up a large creek
from the right, and after going three miles further landed about the
height of the tide water. The men were then despatched in small parties
to bring in the elk, each man returning with a quarter of the animal.
In bringing the third and last load, nearly half the men missed their
way, and did not return till after night; five of them indeed were
not able to find their way at all. It had been cloudy all day, and
in the night began to rain, and as we had no cover were obliged to
sit up the greater part of the night, for as soon as we lay down the
rain would come under us, and compel us to rise. It was indeed a most
uncomfortable situation, but the five men who joined us in the morning,
Monday 16, had been more unlucky, for in addition to the rain which had
poured down upon them all night, they had no fire, and drenched and
cold as they were when they reached us, exhibited a most distressing
sight. They had left their loads where they slept, and some men were
sent after them, while others were despatched after two more elk in
another bend of the creek, who after taking these last on board,
proceeded to our camp. It rained and hailed during the day, and a high
wind from the southeast not only threw down trees as we passed along,
but made the river so rough that we proceeded with great risk. We now
had the meat house covered, and all our game carefully hung up in small
pieces.
Tuesday 17. It rained all night, and this morning there was a high
wind, and hail as well as rain fell; and on the top of a mountain about
ten miles to the southeast of us we observed some snow. The greater
part of our stores is wet, and our leathern tent is so rotten that the
slightest touch makes a rent in it, and it will now scarcely shelter
a spot large enough for our beds. We were all busy in finishing the
inside of the huts. The after part of the day was cool and fair. But
this respite was of very short duration, for all night it continued
raining and snowing alternately, and in the morning,
Wednesday 18, we had snow and hail till twelve o’clock, after which it
changed to rain. The air now became cool and disagreeable, the wind
high and unsettled, so that being thinly dressed in leather, we were
able to do very little on the houses.
Thursday 19. The rain continued all night with short intervals, but
the morning was fair and the wind from the southwest. Situated as we
are, our only occupation is to work as diligently as we can on our
houses, and to watch the changes of the weather, on which so much of
our comfort depends. We availed ourselves of this glimpse of sunshine,
to send across Meriwether’s bay for the boards of an old Indian house;
but before the party returned with them, the weather clouded, and we
again had hail and rain during the rest of the day. Our only visitors
were two Indians who spent a short time with us.
Friday 20. A succession of rain and hail during the night. At ten
o’clock it cleared off for a short time, but the rain soon recommenced;
we now covered in four of our huts; three Indians came in a canoe with
mats, roots, and the berries of the sacacommis. These people proceed
with a dexterity and finesse in their bargains, which, if they have
not learnt from their foreign visitors, it may show how nearly allied
is the cunning of savages to the little arts of traffic. They begin by
asking double or treble the value of what they have to sell, and lower
their demand in proportion to the greater or less degree of ardor or
knowledge of the purchaser, who with all his management is not able to
procure the article for less than its real value, which the Indians
perfectly understand. Our chief medium of trade consists of blue and
white beads, files with which they sharpen their tools, fish-hooks, and
tobacco: but of all these articles blue beads and tobacco are the most
esteemed.
Saturday 21. As usual it rained all night and continued without
intermission during the day. One of our Indian visitors was detected
in stealing a horn spoon, and turned out of the camp. We find that the
plant called sacacommis forms an agreeable mixture with tobacco, and we
therefore despatched two men to the open lands near the ocean, in order
to collect some of it, while the rest continued their work.
Sunday 22. There was no interval in the rain last night and to-day; so
that we cannot go on rapidly with our buildings. Some of the men are
indeed quite sick, others have received bruises, and several complain
of biles. We discover too, that part of our elk meat is spoiling
in consequence of the warmth of the weather, though we have kept a
constant smoke under it.
Monday 23. It continued raining the whole day, with no variation
except occasional thunder and hail. Two canoes of Clatsops came to us
with various articles for sale; we bought three mats and bags neatly
made of flags and rushes, and also the skin of a panther seven feet
long, including the tail. For all these we gave six small fish-hooks,
a worn-out file, and some pounded fish which had become so soft and
mouldy by exposure, that we could not use it: it is, however, highly
prized by the Indians of this neighbourhood. Although a very portable
and convenient food, the mode of curing seems known, or at least
practised only by the Indians near the great falls, and coming from
such a distance, has an additional value in the eyes of these people,
who are anxious to possess some food less precarious than their
ordinary subsistence. Among these Clatsops was a second chief to whom
we gave a medal, and sent some pounded fish to Cusealah, who could not
come to see us, on account of sickness. The next day,
Tuesday 24, however, he came in a canoe with his young brother and two
squaws. Having treated captain Clarke so kindly at his village we were
pleased to see him, and he gave us two mats and a parcel of roots.
These we accepted, as it would have been offensive to decline the offer
but afterwards two files were demanded in return for the presents, and
not being able to spare those articles, we restored the mats and roots.
Cusealah was a little displeased: in the evening however he offered
each of us one of the squaws, and even this being declined, Cusealah as
well as the whole party of Indians were highly offended: the females
particularly seemed to be much incensed at our indifference about
their favours. The whole stock of meat being now completely spoiled,
our pounded fish became again our chief dependence. It had rained
constantly all day, but we still continued working and at last moved
into our huts.
Wednesday 25. We were awaked at daylight by a discharge of firearms,
which was followed by a song from the men, as a compliment to us on the
return of Christmas, which we have always been accustomed to observe
as a day of rejoicing. After breakfast we divided our remaining stock
of tobacco, which amounted to twelve carrots, into two parts; one of
which we distributed among such of the party as made use of it, making
a present of a handkerchief to the others. The reminder of the day was
passed in good spirits, though there was nothing in our situation to
excite much gayety. The rain confined us to the house, and our only
luxuries in honour of the season, were some poor elk, so much spoiled
that we eat it through mere necessity, a few roots, and some spoiled
pounded fish. The next day,
Thursday 26, brought a continuation of rain, accompanied with thunder,
and a high wind from the southeast. We were therefore still obliged
to remain in our huts, and endeavoured to dry our wet articles before
the fire. The fleas which annoyed us near the portage of the great
falls, have taken such possession of our clothes, that we are obliged
to have a regular search every day through our blankets as a necessary
preliminary to sleeping at night. These animals indeed are so numerous,
that they are almost a calamity to the Indians of this country. When
they have once obtained the mastery of any house it is impossible to
expel them, and the Indians have frequently different houses, to which
they resort occasionally when the fleas have rendered their permanent
residence intolerable; yet in spite of these precautions, every Indian
is constantly attended by multitudes of them, and no one comes into our
houses without leaving behind him swarms of these tormenting insects.
Friday 27. The rain did not cease last night, nor the greater part
of the day. In the evening we were visited by Comowool, the chief,
and four men of the Clatsop nation, who brought a very timely supply
of roots and berries. Among these was one called culhomo, resembling
liquorice in size and taste, and which they roast like a potatoe; there
was also the shanataque, a root of which they are very fond. It is of
a black colour, sweet to the taste, and is prepared for eating in a
kiln, as the Indians up the Columbia dry the pasheco. These as well as
the shellwell berries, they value highly, but were perfectly satisfied
with the return we made them, consisting of a small piece of sheepskin,
to wear round the chief’s head, a pair of earbobs for his son, a small
piece of brass, and a little riband. In addition to our old enemies the
fleas, we observed two musquitoes, or insects so completely resembling
them, that we can perceive no difference in their shape and appearance.
Saturday, 28. Again it rained during the greater part of last night,
and continued all day. Five men were sent out to hunt, and five others
despatched to the seaside, each with a large kettle, in order to begin
the manufacture of salt. The route to the seacoast is about seven miles
in length, in a direction nearly west. Five miles of the distance is
through thick wood varied with hills, ravines and swamps, though the
land in general possesses a rich black mould. The remaining two miles
is formed of open waving prairies of sand, with ridges running parallel
to the river, and covered with green grass. The rest of the men were
employed in making pickets and gates for our new fort. Although we had
no sun, the weather was very warm.
Sunday, 29. It rained the whole night, but ceased this morning, and
but little rain fell in the course of the day; still the weather was
cloudy and the wind high from the southeast. The Clatsop chief and his
party left us, after begging for a great number of articles, which, as
we could not spare them, we refused except a razor. We were employed
all day in picketting the fort: in the evening a young Wahkiacum chief,
with four men and two women, arrived with some dressed elk skin and
wappatoo for sale. We purchased about a bushel and a half of those
roots for some red beads, and small pieces of brass wire and old check.
The chief too made us a present of half a bushel more, for which we
gave him a medal, and a piece of riband, to tie round his hat. These
roots are extremely grateful, since our meat has become spoiled, and
we were desirous of purchasing the remainder; but the chief would not
dispose of any more, as he was on his way to trade with the Clatsops.
They remained with us however till the next day,
Monday, 30, when they were joined by four more of their countrymen,
from the Wahkiacum village. These last began by offering us some roots;
but as we had now learned that they always expert three or four times
as much in return, as the real value of the articles, and are even
dissatisfied with that, we declined such dangerous presents. Towards
evening the hunters brought in four elk, and after a long course of
abstinence and miserable diet, we had a most sumptuous supper of elk’s
tongues and marrow. Besides this agreeable repast, the state of the
weather had been quite exhilarating. It had rained during the night,
but in the morning, though the high wind continued, we enjoyed the
fairest and most pleasant weather since our arrival; the sun having
shone at intervals, and there being only three showers in the course
of the day. By sunset we had completed the fortification, and now
announced to the Indians that every day at that hour the gates would
be closed, and they must leave the fort and not enter it till sunrise.
The Wahkiacums, who had remained with us, and who are very forward in
their deportment, complied very reluctantly with this order; but being
excluded from our houses, formed a camp near us.
Tuesday, 31. As if it were impossible to have twenty-four hours of
pleasant weather, the sky last evening clouded, and the rain began and
continued through the day. In the morning there came down two canoes,
one from the Wahkiacum village, the other contained three men and a
squaw of the Skilloot nation. They brought wappatoo, and shanataque
roots, dried fish, mats made of flags and rushes, dressed elk skins
and tobacco; for which, particularly the skins, they asked a very
extravagant price. We purchased some wappatoo, and a little tobacco,
very much like that we had seen among the Shoshonees, put up in small
neat bags made of rushes. These we obtained in exchange for a few
articles, among which fish-hooks are the most esteemed. One of the
Skilloots brought a gun which wanted some repair, and having put it in
order, we received from him a present of about a peck of wappatoo; we
then gave him a piece of sheep skin and blue cloth, to cover the lock,
and he very thankfully offered a further present of roots. There is, in
fact, an obvious superiority in these Skilloots over the Wahkiacums,
who are intrusive, thievish, and impertinent. Our new regulations,
however, and the appearance of the sentinel, have improved the
behaviour of all our Indian visitors. They left the fort before sunset,
even without being ordered.
Besides the fleas, we observe a number of insects in motion to-day.
Snakes are yet to be seen; snails too, without covers, are common. On
the rivers, and along the shores of Meriwether’s bay, are many kinds of
large water fowls, but at this period they are excessively wild. The
early part of the night was fair.
Wednesday, January 1, 1806. We were awaked at an early hour, by a
discharge of a volley of small arms, to salute the new year. This is
the only mode of doing honour to the day which our situation permits,
for though we have reason to be gayer than we were at Christmas, our
only dainties are the boiled elk and wappatoo, enlivened by draughts
of pure water. We were visited by a few Clatsops, who came by water,
bringing roots and berries for sale. Among this nation we have observed
a man about twenty-five years old, of a much lighter complexion than
the Indians generally: his face was even freckled, and his hair
long; and of a colour inclining to red. He was in habits and manners
perfectly Indian; but, though he did not speak a word of English, he
seemed to understand more than the others of his party; and, as we
could obtain no account of his origin, we concluded that one of his
parents, at least, must have been completely white.
These Indians staid with us during the night, and left the fort next
morning,
Thursday 2, having disposed of their cargo for fishing-hooks and other
trifling articles. The hunters brought in two elk, and we obtained from
the traps another. This animal, as well as the beaver and the rackoon,
are in plenty near the seacoast, and along the small creeks and rivers
as high as the grand rapids, and in this country possess an extremely
good fur.
The birds which most strike our attention are the large as well as
the small or whistling swan, the sandhill crane, the large and small
geese, cormorants, brown and white brant, duckinmallard, the canvass
and several other species of ducks. There is also a small crow, the
blue crested corvus, and the smaller corvus with a white breast, the
little brown wren, a large brown sparrow, the bald eagle, and the
beautiful buzzard of the Columbia. All these wild fowl continue with
us, though they are not in such numbers as on our first arrival in this
neighbourhood.
Friday 4. At eleven o’clock we were visited by our neighbour the
Fia, or chief Comowool, who is also called Coone, and six Clatsops.
Besides roots, and berries, they brought for sale three dogs and some
fresh blubber. Having been so long accustomed to live on the flesh
of dogs, the greater part of us have acquired a fondness for it, and
our original aversion for it is overcome, by reflecting that while
we subsisted on that food we were fatter, stronger, and in general
enjoyed better health than at any period since leaving the buffaloe
country eastward of the mountains. The blubber, which is esteemed by
the Indians an excellent food, has been obtained, they tell us, from
their neighbours the Killamucks, a nation who live on the seacoast to
the southeast, and near one of whose villages a whale had recently been
thrown and foundered. Three of the hunters who had been despatched on
the 28th, returned about dark; they had been fifteen miles up the river
to the east of us, which falls into Meriwether’s bay, and had hunted a
considerable distance to the east; but they had not been able to kill
more than a single deer, and a few fowls, scarcely sufficient for their
subsistence; an incident which teaches us the necessity of keeping out
several parties of hunters, in order to procure a supply against any
exigency.
Saturday 4. Comowool left us this morning with his party, highly
pleased with a present of an old pair of satin breeches. The hunters
were all sent in different directions, and we are now becoming more
anxious for their success since our store of wappatoo is all exhausted.
Sunday 5. Two of the five men who had been despatched to make salt
returned. They had carefully examined the coast, but it was not till
the fifth day after their departure that they discovered a convenient
situation for their manufacture. At length they formed an establishment
about fifteen miles southwest of the fort, near some scattered houses
of the Clatsop and Killamuck nation, where they erected a comfortable
camp, and had killed a stock of provisions. The Indians had treated
them very kindly, and made them a present of the blubber of the whale,
some of which the men brought home. It was white and not unlike the
fat of pork, though of a coarser and more spongy texture, and on being
cooked was found to be tender and palatable, and in flavour resembling
the beaver. The men also brought with them a gallon of the salt,
which was white, fine, and very good, but not so strong as the rock
salt common to the western parts of the United States. It proves to
be a most agreeable addition to our food, and as the saltmakers can
manufacture three or four quarts a day, we have a prospect of a very
plentiful supply. The appearance of the whale seemed to be a matter of
importance to all the neighbouring Indians, and as we might be able to
procure some of it for ourselves, or at least purchase blubber from
the Indians, a small parcel of merchandise was prepared, and a party
of the men held in readiness to set out in the morning. As soon as this
resolution was known, Chaboneau and his wife requested that they might
be permitted to accompany us. The poor woman stated very earnestly that
she had travelled a great way with us to see the great water, yet she
had never been down to the coast, and now that this monstrous fish was
also to be seen, it seemed hard that she should not be permitted to see
neither the ocean nor the whale. So reasonable a request could not be
denied; they were therefore suffered to accompany captain Clarke, who,
Monday 6, after an early breakfast set out with twelve men in two
canoes. He proceeded down the Netul into Meriwether bay, intending to
go to the Clatsop town, and there procure a guide through the creeks,
which there was reason to believe communicated not only with the
bay, but with a small river running towards the sea, near where our
saltmakers were encamped. Before however he could reach the Clatsop
village, the high wind from the northwest compelled him to put into
a small creek. He therefore resolved to attempt the passage without
a guide, and proceeded up the creek three miles, to some high open
land where he found a road. He therefore left the canoes, and followed
the path over three deep marshes to a pond about a mile long, and two
hundred yards wide. He kept on the left of this pond, and at length
came to the creek which he had crossed on a raft, when he had visited
Cuscalah’s village on the ninth of December. He proceeded down it, till
he found a small canoe, fit to hold three persons, in which the whole
party crossed the creek. Here they saw a herd of elk, and the men were
divided into small parties, and hunted them till after dark, when they
met again at the forks of the river. Three of the elk were wounded, but
night prevented their taking more than one, which was brought to the
camp, and cooked with sticks of pine which had drifted down the creeks.
The weather was beautiful, the sky clear, the moon shone brightly, a
circumstance the more agreeable as this is the first fair evening we
have enjoyed for two months.