The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Part 94

[Clark, December 21, 1805]

Sat.u.r.day 21st December 1805 rained as useal all the last night, and contd. moderately all day to day without any intermition, men employd at the houses. one of the indians was detected Stealing a horn Spoon, and leave the Camp.

dispatched two men to the open lands near the Ocian for Sackacome, which we make use of to mix with our tobacco to Smoke which has an agreeable flavour.

[Clark, December 22, 1805]

December 22nd Sunday 1805 rained all the last night & to day without much intermition we finish dobbig 4 huts which is all we have Covered, the Punchin floor & Bunks finished Drewyer go out to trap--Sjt. J. Ordway, Gibson & my Servent Sick Several with Biles on them & bruses of different kinds, much of our meat Spoiled.

[Clark, December 22, 1805]

Sunday 22nd December 1805 rained Continued all the last night and to day without much intermition, men employd doeing what they can at the houses. Drewyer Set out up the Creek to Set his traps for beaver, Sergt. ordway, Gibson & my Servent Sick, Several men Complain of biles and bruses of differant kinds.

We discover that part of our last Supply of meat is Spoiling from the womph of the weather not withstanding a constant Smoke kept under it day and night.

[Clark, December 23, 1805]

December 23rd Monday 1805 rained without intermition all last night, and this day much Thunder in the morning and evening with rain and Some hail to day, we are all employd about our huts have ours Covered and Dobed & we move into it, 2 Canoes of Indians Came up to day. I purchased 3 mats verry neetly made, 2 bags made with Flags verry neetly made, those the Clotsops Carry ther fish in. also a Panthor Skin and Some Lickorish roots, for which I gave a worn out file, 6 fish hooks & Some Pounded fish which to us was Spoiled, but those people were fond of--in the evining those people left us I also gave a String of wompom to a Chief, and Sent a Small pice of Simimon to a Sick Indian in the Town who had attached himself to me

[Clark, December 23, 1805]

Monday 23rd December 1805 Rained without intermition all the last night and to day with Thunder and Hail the fore and after part of this day Capt Lewis and my Self move into our hut to day unfinished--two Canoes with Indians of the Clat Sop nation Came up to day. I purchased 3 mats and bags all neetly made of flags and rushes, those bags are nearly Square of different size's open on one Side, I also purchased a panthor Skin 71/2 feet long including the tail, all of which I gave 6 Small fish hooks, a Small worn out file & Some pounded fish which we Could not use as it was So long wet that it was Soft and molded, the Indians of this neighbourhood prize the pound'd fish verry highly, I have not observed this method of Secureing fish on any other part of the Columbian waters then that about the Great falls. I gave a 2d Chief a String of wampom, and Sent a little pounded fish to Cus-ca-lah who was Sick in the village & could not come to See us.

[Clark, December 24, 1805]

December 24th Tuesday-5 Some hard rain at different times last night, and moderately this morning without intermition all hands employed in Carrying Punchens & finis.h.i.+ng Covering the huts, and the greater part of the men move into them a hard rain in the evening.

Cuscalar the young Clot Sop Chief Came with a young brother and 2 young Squar, they gave or laid before Capt Lewis and my Self a mat and each a large Pa.r.s.el of roots, Some time after he demanded 2 files for his Present we returned the present as we had no files to Speare which displeased them a little they then offered a woman to each which we also declined axcpting which also displeased them. Jo Fields finish for Capt Lewis and my Self each a wide Slab hued to write on, I gave a handkerchief &c

[Clark, December 24, 1805]

Tuesday 24th December 1805 hard rain at Different times last night and all this day without intermition. men all employd in finis.h.i.+ng their huts and moveing into them.

Cuscalah the Indian who had treated me So politely when I was at the Clatsops village, come up in a Canoe with his young brother & 2 Squars he laid before Capt Lewis and my Self each a mat and a parcel of roots Some time in the evening two files was demanded for the presents of mats and roots, as we had no files to part with, we each returned the present which we had received, which displeased Cuscalah a little. he then offered a woman to each of us which we also declined axcepting of, which displeased the whole party verry much--the female part appeared to be highly disgusted at our refuseing to axcept of their favours &c.

our Store of Meat entirely Spoiled, we are obliged to make use of it as we have nothing else except a little pounded fish, the remains of what we purchased near the great falls of the Columbia, and which we have ever found to be a convenient resort, and a portable method of curing fish

[Clark, December 25, 1805]

December 25th Christmas 1805 Wednesday Some rain at different times last night and Showers of hail with intervales of fair Starr light, This morning at day we were Saluted by all our party under our winders, a Shout and a Song--after brackfast we divided our tobacco which amounted to 2 Carrots, one half we gave to the party who used Tobacco those who did not we gave a Handkerchief as a present, The day proved Showery all day, the Inds. left us this eveningall our party moved into their huts. we dried Some of our wet goods. I rcved a present of a Fleeshe Hoserey vest draws & Socks of Capt Lewis, pr. Mockerson of Whitehouse, a Small Indian basket of Guterich, & 2 Doz weasels tales of the Squar of Shabono, & Some black roots of the Indians G. D. Saw a Snake pa.s.sing across the parth

Our Diner to day Consisted of pore Elk boiled, Spilt fish & Some roots, a bad Christma.s.s diner worm Day

[Clark, December 25, 1805]

Christmas Wednesday 25th December 1805 at day light this morning we were awoke by the discharge of the fire arm of all our party & a Selute, Shoute and a Song which the whole party joined in under our windows, after which they retired to their rooms were Chearfull all the morning--after brackfast we divided our Tobacco which amounted to 12 carrots one half of which we gave to the men of the party who used tobacco, and to those who doe not use it we make a present of a handkerchief, The Indians leave us in the evening all the party Snugly fixed in their huts--I recved a presnt of Capt L.

of a fleece hosrie s.h.i.+rt Draws and Socks-, a pr. mockersons of Whitehouse a Small Indian basket of Gutherich, two Dozen white weazils tails of the Indian woman, & Some black root of the Indians before their departure--Drewyer informs me that he Saw a Snake pa.s.s across the parth to day. The day proved Showerey wet and disagreeable.

we would have Spent this day the nativity of Christ in feasting, had we any thing either to raise our Sperits or even gratify our appet.i.tes, our Diner concisted of pore Elk, So much Spoiled that we eate it thro mear necessity, Some Spoiled pounded fish and a fiew roots.

[Clark, December 26, 1805]

December 26th Thursday 1805 rained and blew hard last night Some hard Thunder, The rain continued as usial all day and wind blew hard from the S. E, Joseph Fields finish a Table & 2 Seats for us. we dry our wet articles and have the blankets fleed, The flees are So troublesom that I have Slept but little for 2 nights past and we have regularly to kill them out of our blankets every day for Several past--maney of the men have ther Powder wet by the horns being repeetdly wet, hut Smoke verry bad.

[Clark, December 26, 1805]

Thursday 26th December 1805 rained and blew with great Violence S E all the last night, Some hard Claps of Thunder, the rain as usial Continued all day--we dry our wet articles before the fire, and have our blankets fleed, great numbers were Caught out of the blankets, those trouble insects are So abundant that we have to have them killd. out of our blankets every day or get no Sleep at night--The powder in maney of the mens horns are wet from their being so long exposed to the rain &c.

[Clark, December 27, 1805]

December 27th Friday 1805.

rained last night as usial and the greater part of this day, the men Complete Chimneys & Bunks to day, in the evening a Chief and 4 men Come of the Clotsop nation, Chief Co-ma wool we Sent out R. Fields & Collins to hunt and order Drewyer, Shannon & l.a.b.i.ach to Set out early to morrow to hunt,--Jo Fields, Bratten, & Gibson to make Salt at Point Addams,- Willard & Wiser, to a.s.sist them in carrying the Kitties &c to the Ocian, and all the others to finish the Pickets and gates. worm weather I Saw a Musquetor which I Showed Capt. Lewis--Those Indians gave is, a black root they Call Shan-na-tah que a kind of Licquerish which they rost in embers and Call Cul ho-mo, a black berry the Size of a Cherry & Dried which they call Shel-well,--all of which they prise highly and make use of as food to live on, for which Capt Lewis gave the chief a Cap of Sheep Skin and I his Son, ear bobs, Piece of riben, a pice of bra.s.s, and 2 Small fis.h.i.+ng hooks, of which they were much pleased Those roots & berres, are greatfull to our Stomcks as we have nothing to eate but Pore Elk meet, nearly Spoiled; & this accident of Spoiled meet, is owing to wormth & the repeeted rains, which cause the meet to tante before we Can get it from the woods Musquetors troublesorn

[Clark, December 27, 1805]

Friday 27th December 1805 rained last night as usial and the greater part of this day. In the evening Co-mo wool the Chief and 4 men of the Clat Sop nation they presented us a root which resembles the licquirish in Size and taste, which they roste like a potato which they Call Cul ho-mo, also a black root which is cured in a kill like the pash-a-co above; this root has a Sweet taste and the natives are verry fond of it--they Call this root Shaw-na-tah-que. also a dried berry about the size of a Chery which they Call Shele well all those roots those Indians value highly and give them verry Spearingly. in return for the above roots Capt Lewis gave the Chief a Small piece of Sheap Skin to Ware on his head, I gave his Son a par of ear bobs and a pece of ribon, and a Small piece of bra.s.s for which they were much pleased.

Those roots and berries are timely and extreamly greatfull to our Stomachs, as we have nothing to eate but Spoiled Elk meat, I Showed Capt L. 2 Musquetors to day, or an insect So much the Size Shape and appearance of a Musquetor that we Could observe no kind of differance.

[Clark, December 28, 1805]

December 28th Sat.u.r.day 1805 rained as usial, a great part of the last night, and this morning rained and the wind blew hard from the S. E. Sent out the hunters and Salt makers, & employd the baleanc of the men Carrying the Pickets &c.