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The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates November 13, 1805 - November 16,
1805
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: November 13, 1805 - November 16, 1805
November 13,
1805
Wednesday, 13. During the night we had short intervals of
fair weather, but it began to rain in the morning, and continued
through the day. In order to obtain a view of the country
below, captain Clarke followed up the course of the brook,
and with much fatigue, and after walking three miles, ascended
the first spur of the mountains. The whole lower country
was covered with almost impenetrable thickets of small pine,
with which is mixed a species of plant resembling arrowwood,
twelve or fifteen feet high, with a thorny stem, almost
interwoven with each other, and scattered among the fern
and fallen timber: there is also a red berry, somewhat like
the Solomon's seal, which is called by the natives, solme,
and used as an article of diet. This thick growth rendered
traveling almost impossible, and it was rendered more fatiguing
by the steepness of the mountain, which was so great as
to oblige him to draw himself up by means of the bushes.
The timber on the hills is chiefly of a large tall species
of pine, many of them eight or ten feet in diameter at the
stump, and rising sometimes more than one hundred feet in
height. The hail which fell two nights since is still to
be seen on the mountains: there was no game, and no traces
of any, except some old signs of elk: the cloudy weather
prevented his seeing to any distance, and he therefore returned
to camp, and sent three men in the Indian canoe to try if
they could double the point and find some safer harbor for
our canoes. At every flood-tide the seas break in great
swells against the rocks, and drifts the trees among our
establishment, so as to render it very insecure. We were
confined as usual to dried fish, which is our last resource.
November
14, 1805
Thursday, 14.
It rained without intermission during last night and to-day:
the wind too is very high, and one of our canoes much injured
by being dashed against rocks. Five Indians from below came
to us in a canoe, and three of them having landed, informed
us that they had seen the men sent down yesterday. At this
moment one of them arrived, and informed us that these Indians
had stolen his gig and basket: we therefore ordered the
two women who remained in the canoe, to restore them; but
this they refused, till we threatened to shoot, when they
gave back the articles, and we then ordered them to leave
us. They were of the Wahkiacum nation. The man now informed
us that they had gone round the point as far as the high
sea would suffer them in the canoe, and then landed, and
that in the night he had separated from his companions,
who had gone further down: that at no great distance from
where we are is a beautiful sand beach and a good harbor.
Captain Lewis concluded to examine more minutely the lower
part of the bay, and taking one of the large canoes was
landed at the point, whence he proceeded by land with four
men, and the canoe returned nearly filled with water.
November
15, 1805
Friday, 15. It
continued raining all night, but in the morning the weather
became calm and fair: we therefore began to prepare for
setting out, but before we were ready a high wind sprang
up from the southeast, and obliged us to remain. The sun
shone until one o'clock, and we were thus enabled to dry
our bedding and examine our baggage. The rain, which has
continued for the last ten days without an interval of more
than two hours, has completely wet all our merchandise,
and spoiled some of our fish, destroyed the robes, and rotted
nearly one half of our few remaining articles of clothing,
particularly the leather dresses. About three o'clock the
wind fell, and we instantly loaded the canoes, and left
the miserable spot to which we have been confined the last
six days. On turning the point we came to the sand beach,
through which runs a small stream from the hills; at the
mouth of which is an ancient village of thirty-six houses;
which has at present no inhabitants except fleas. Here we
met Shannon, who had been sent back to meet us by Captain
Lewis. The day Shannon left us in the canoe, he and Willard
proceeded on till they met a party of twenty Indians, who
never having heard of us, did not know where they came from:
they however behaved with so much civility, and seemed so
anxious that the men should go with them towards the sea,
that their suspicions were excited, and they declined going
on: the Indians, however, would not leave them, and the
men being confirmed in their suspicions, and fearful if
they went into the woods to sleep they would be cut to pieces
in the night, thought it best to pass the night in the midst
of the Indians: they therefore made a fire, and after talking
with them to a late hour, laid down with their rifles under
their heads. As they awoke this morning they found that
the Indians had stolen and concealed their guns: having
demanded them in vain, Shannon seized a club, and was about
assaulting one of the Indians whom he suspected as a thief,
when another Indian began to load a fowling piece with an
intention of shooting him. He therefore stopped and explained
by signs, that if they did not give up the guns, a large
party would come down the river before the sun rose to such
a height, and put every one of them to death. Fortunately,
Captain Lewis and his party appeared at this time, and the
terrified Indians immediately brought the guns, and five
of them came on with Shannon. To these men we declared,
that if ever any of their nation stole any thing from us
he should be instantly shot. They reside to the north of
this place, and speak a language different from that of
the people higher up the river. It was now apparent that
the sea was at all times too rough for us to proceed further
down the bay by water: we therefore landed, and having chosen
the best spot we could select, made our camp of boards from
the old village. We were now situated comfortably, and being
visited by four Wahkiacums with wappatoo roots, were enabled
to make an agreeable addition to our food.
November
16, 1805
Saturday 16. The
morning was clear and beautiful. We therefore, put out all
our baggage to dry, and sent several of the party to hunt.
Our camp is in full view of the ocean, on the bay laid down
by Vancouver, which we distinguish by the name of Haley's
bay, from a trader who visits the Indians here, and is a
great favorite among them. The meridian altitude of this
day gave 46° 19' 11' 7/10 as the latitude of our camp. The
wind was strong from the southwest, and the waves very high,
yet the Indians were passing up and down the bay in canoes,
and several of them encamped near us. We smoked with them,
but after our recent experience of their thievish disposition,
treated them with caution. Though so much exposed to the
bad weather, none of the party have suffered, except one,
who has a violent cold, in consequence of sleeping for several
nights in wet leather. The hunters brought in two deer,
a crane, some geese and ducks, and several brant, three
of which were white, except a black part of the wing, and
much larger than the gray brant, which is itself a size
beyond the duck.
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