Phase 3: Winter at Fort Clatsop (1805-1806) Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/expedition-phase/phase-3-winter-at-fort-clatsop-1805-1806/ A digital archive of treaties, documents, artwork, and 360° trail panoramas from the Corps of Discovery Tue, 12 May 2026 13:49:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Observations on Coastal Nations Near Fort Clatsop https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-21-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:17 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-21-1806/ 204 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE hunters went out this morning; and about ro o’clock we were visited by some of the Clat-sop Indians. These and the Chin-ook, Cath-la-mas, Cal-a-mex and…

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]]> 204 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
hunters went out this morning; and about ro o’clock we were
visited by some of the Clat-sop Indians. These and the
Chin-ook, Cath-la-mas, Cal-a-mex and Chiltz nations, who in-
habit the seacoast, all dress in the same manner. The men are
wholly naked except a small robe; the women have only the
addition of the short petticoat. Their language also is nearly
the same; and they all observe the same ceremony of deposit-
ing with the remains of the dead all their property, or plac-
ing it at their graves. I believe I saw as many as an hundred
canoes at one burying-place of the Chin-ooks, on the north
side of the Columbia, at its entrance into Hailey’s Bay; and
there are a great many at the burying-place of every village.
These Indians on the coast have no horses, and very little
property of any kind, except their canoes. The women are
much inclined to venery, and like those on the Missouri are
sold to prostitution at an easy rate. An old Chin-ook squaw
frequently visited our quarters with nine girls which she kept
as prostitutes. To the honour of the Flatheads, who live on
the west side of the Rocky Mountains, and extend some
distance down the Columbia, we must mention them as an
exception; as they do not exhibit those loose feelings of car-
nal desire, nor appear addicted to the common customs of
prostitution: and they are the only nation on the whole route
where any thing like chastity is regarded. In the evening our
two hunters returned, but had killed nothing.

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]]> Hunting Parties Dispatched Before Departure https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-22-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:17 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-22-1806/ hunters were sent on ahead to remain at some good hunting ground until we should all come up; and six others to hunt LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 205 near…

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]]> hunters were sent on ahead to remain at some good hunting
ground until we should all come up; and six others to hunt
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 205
near the fort. In the evening all these came in, except one,
without any success.

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]]> Enormous Columbia Vultures Described by Hunter https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-16-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-16-1806/ rain; and the rain has continued all day. The Indians staid about the fort the whole of this day. Yesterday while I was absent, getting our meat home, one of…

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]]> rain; and the rain has continued all day. The Indians staid
about the fort the whole of this day. Yesterday while I was
absent, getting our meat home, one of the hunters killed two
vultures, the largest fowls I had ever seen. I never saw any
such as these except on the Columbia river and the seacoast.
On the 17th it rained occasionally during the whole of the
day. We got a canoe from the natives, for which we gave an
officer’s uniform coat.

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]]> Hail and Repairs Delay Return from Fort Clatsop https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-18-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-18-1806/ day, and some hail fell in the course of the day. Some of the men are repairing the small canoes, and making preparations to return up the river, as soon…

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]]> day, and some hail fell in the course of the day. Some of the
men are repairing the small canoes, and making preparations
to return up the river, as soon as the weather will permit.
One of the hunters killed an elk.
The morning of the 19th was stormy, some hard showers
of hail fell and it continued cloudy through the day.

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]]> Gass Tallies 131 Elk Killed Over Winter https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-20-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-20-1806/ agreeable. We intended to have set out to day on our re- turn, but the weather was too bad. I made a calculation of the number of elk and deer…

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]]> agreeable. We intended to have set out to day on our re-
turn, but the weather was too bad. I made a calculation of
the number of elk and deer killed by the party from the Ist
of Dec. 1805 to the 20th March 1806, which gave 131 elk and
20 deer. There were a few smaller quadrupeds killed such as
otter and beaver; and one racoon. The meat of some of the
elk was not brought to the fort.

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]]> Inventory Reveals 338 Pairs of Moccasins https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-13-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-13-1806/ hunters went out early. About 10 the hunters who had gone across the bay returned, and had killed 2 elk and 2 deer. I this day took an account of…

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]]> hunters went out early. About 10 the hunters who had gone
across the bay returned, and had killed 2 elk and 2 deer.
I this day took an account of the number of pairs of
mockasons each man in the party had; and found the whole
to be 338 pair. This stock was not provided without great
labor, as the most of them are made of the skins of elk.
Each man has also a sufficient quantity of patch-leather.
Some of the men went out to look for the lost canoe, and
killed 2 elk.

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]]> Exhausted Hunters Return with Only a Goose and Raven https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-14-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-14-1806/ set out early. I went with a party and brought in the meat of the 2 elk which were killed last evening. Two hunters who had gone out yesterday morning…

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]]> set out early. I went with a party and brought in the meat
of the 2 elk which were killed last evening. Two hunters who
had gone out yesterday morning returned very much fatigued,
and had killed nothing but a goose and a raven which they eat
last night. While out to-day I saw a number of musquitoes
flying about. I also saw a great quantity of sheep-sorrel
growing in the woods of a very large size.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 203

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]]> Hunters Bring Four Elk to Fort at Midday https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-15-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:16 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-15-1806/ noon our hunters came in and had killed fourelk. A number of the natives came to the fort to-day.

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]]> noon our hunters came in and had killed fourelk. A number
of the natives came to the fort to-day.

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]]> Fort Clatsop, winter quarters — Patrick Gass: March 5, 1806 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-5-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:15 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-5-1806/ Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for March 5, 1806 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The Corps was active in the Fort Clatsop phase during this…

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]]> Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for March 5, 1806 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The Corps was active in the Fort Clatsop phase during this period.

The original curated content for this date duplicated text from a representative entry. To preserve historical accuracy, that template text has been replaced with this note. See Fort Clatsop, winter quarters — Patrick Gass: March 12, 1806 for the representative narrative covering this period.

This entry is preserved as a timeline placeholder. Editorial review is welcome at ryan@terrain360.com with any primary-source citation for this specific date.

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]]> Canoes Repaired While Hunters and Fishermen Dispatched https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-6-1806/ Tue, 05 May 2026 14:23:15 +0000 https://lewisandclarkresearch.org/journal/patrick-gass-march-6-1806/ LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION © 201 hausted, 6 men were sent out in different directions to hunt; and 3 more were sent to endeavor to procure some fish, as the…

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]]> LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION © 201
hausted, 6 men were sent out in different directions to hunt;
and 3 more were sent to endeavor to procure some fish, as the
natives take a great number of the small fish about 20 miles
distant from the fort by water. Some men were also employed
in repairing the canoes that we may be able to set out on our
return immediately, should our hunters be unsuccessful. The
elk, almost the only game in this part of the country, are
chiefly gone to the mountains. This day continued fair
throughout.

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