The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates December 24, 1805 - December 31,
1805
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: December 24, 1805 - December 31, 1805
December 24,
1805
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. Cuscalah was a little displeased:
in the evening however he offered each of us one of the
squaws, and even this being declined, Cuscalah 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.
December
25, 1805
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 remainder 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 honor 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,
December
26, 1805
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 endeavored 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.
December
27, 1805
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 color,
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 mosquitoes, or insects so completely
resembling them, that we can perceive no difference in their
shape and appearance.
December
28, 1805
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 dispatched 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 moul?. 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.
December
29, 1805
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,
December
30, 1805
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 expect
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 exhilirating. 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.
December
31, 1805
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 Shoshones, 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 visiters. They left the fort before sun-set, 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.
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