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Some rain last night despatchd. 3 men to hunt Jo. Fields & Colter to hunt Elk & Labich to kill some Brant for our brakfast The Morning Cleared up fare and we proceeded on by the Same rout we went out, at the River we found no Indians. made a raft & Ruben Fields Crossed and took over a Small Canoe which lay at the Indian Cabin— This Creek is at this time of high tide 300 yards wide & the marshes for Some distance up the Creek Covered with water. not an Indian to be Seen near the Creek. I proceeded on to Camp & on my way was over taken by 3 Indians one gave 〈me〉 us Sturgeon & Wapto roots to eate I met Several parties on way all of them appeared to know me & was distant, found all well at Camp, [1] maney Indians about one of which had on a robe made of 2 Sea Orter Skins. Capt Lewis offered him many things for his Skins with others a blanket, a coat all of which he refused we at length purchased it for a belt of Blue Beeds which the Squar had— The tide being out we walked home on the beech—
Some rain last night dispatched Labiech to kill Some fowl for our brackfast he returned in about 2 hours with 8 large Ducks on which we brackfast I proceeded on to the enterance of a Creek near a cabin no person being at this cabin and 2 Canoes laying on the opposit Shore from us, I deturmined to have a raft made and Send a man over for a canoe, a Small raft was Soon made, and Reuben Fields Crossed and brought over a Canoe— This Creek which is the outlet of a number of ponds, is at this time (high tide) 300 yds wide— I proceeded on up the Beech and was overtaken by three Indians one of them gave me Some dried Sturgeon and a fiew wappato roots, I employd Those Indians to take up one of our Canoes which had been left by the first party that Came down, for which Service I gave them each a fishing hook of a large Size— on my way up I met Several parties of Chinnooks which I had not before Seen they were on their return from our Camp. all those people appeard to know my deturmonation of keeping every individual of their nation at a proper distance, as they were guarded and resurved in my presence &c. found maney of the Chin nooks with Capt. Lewis of whome there was 2 Cheifs Com com mo ly & Chil-lar-la-wil [2] to whome we gave Medals and to one a flag. one of the Indians had on a roab made of 2 Sea Otter Skins the fur of them were more butifull than any fur I had ever Seen both Capt. Lewis & my Self endeavored to purchase the roab with differant articles at length we precured it for a belt of blue beeds which the Squar—wife of our interpreter Shabono wore around her waste. in my absence the hunters had killed Several Deer and fowl of different kinds—
Wednesday 20th Nov. 1805. a fair morning. one of our hunters [3] went out a Short distance to Some ponds & killed several brants & ducks. we eat them and went on up the other River and village the Indians had all left the village, So we made a raft and one man went across and got a canoe. we then returned to Camp. [4] a great number of Indians at Camp. our men at Camp had killed Several Deer, geese and brants &C.—
Wednesday 20th. We had a fine clear morning; the Indians remained at our camp; and Capt. Lewis gave one of them a medal, as he ranked as a chief in the nation. One of the men went out to hunt in the morning, and in a short time killed 2 deer. This day continued clear and pleasant throughout. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Capt. Clarke and his party returned to camp, [5] and had killed a deer and some brants. They had been about 10 miles north of the cape, and found the country along the seashore level, with spruce-pine timber, and some prairies and ponds of water. They killed a remarkably large buzzard, [6] of a species different from any I had seen. It was 9 feet across the wings, and 3 feet 10 inches from the bill to the tail. They found some pumice stones, which had been thrown out by the waves, of a quality superior to those on the Missouri; also a number of shells of different kinds.
Wednesday Novemr 20th A clear pleasant morning. Captain Lewis gave one of the Indians who had encamped near us a Medal. One of our hunters [7] went out & killed two deer & several Brants. About 4 o'Clock P. M Captain Clark & party returned to our encampment.— they mentioned of having been about 10 Miles North of Cape disappointment, along the Sea Coast; & that they found the Country 〈after〉 six miles travel from our Camp mountaineous; and than a flatt low country, mostly covered with Spruce pine timber, some ponds, & low Priaries, as far as they could see. they had killed One Deer, & 40 fowl of different kinds, such as ducks, Brants, &ca. They had seen the Natives on the Sea shore, who they mention'd were a dirty lazy sett of people. They also had seen among them a Sturgeon [8] which was about 8 feet long & had killed a very large uncommon Sized bird.— [9] This bird had the resemblance of a Buzzard, it measured 9 feet from the point of one of its wings to the point of the other wing, the body was 3 feet 10 Inches in length, & the head & neck 67 Inches long & was white under its wings.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.