Clark: December 31, 1805
Cloudy with showers throughout the day at the expedition's coastal camp. Local Indians remained nearby, and two more canoes arrived—one carrying three Wahkiakum men, the other bringing three Skilloot men and a woman from upriver. They offered wapato roots, woven mats, dried fish, and dressed elk skins at high prices; Clark traded fishhooks for some roots, mats, and tobacco. The visitors behaved better than the day before, owing to the posted sentinel, and left before sunset unprompted. Clark had sinks and a sentinel box built, and repaired an Indian's musket. He noted insects, snails, and abundant waterfowl, and described a freckled, red-haired Clatsop man who seemed half-white.
December 31st Tuesday 1805 A Cloudy night & Some rain, this day proved
Cloudy and Some Showers of rain to day all the Indians Continued at their
Camp near us, 2 others Canoes Came one from the War-ci-a-cum Village, with
three Indians, and the other from higher up the river of the Skil-lute
nation with three men and a Squar; Those people brought with them Some
Wapto roots, mats made of flags, & rushes, dried fish and Some fiew
Shene-tock-we (or black) roots & Dressed Elk Skins, all of which they
asked enormous prices for, particularly the Dressed Elk Skins; I purchased
of those people Some Wapto roots, two mats and a Small pouch of Tobacco of
their own manufactoryfor which I gave large fish hooks, which they
were verry fond, those Indians are much more reserved and better behaved
to day than yesterdaythe Sight of our Sentinal who walks on his
post, has made this reform in those people who but yesterday was verry
impertenant and disagreeable to allThis evening they all Cleared
out before the time to Shut the gates, without being derected to doe SoI
derected Sinks to be dug and a Sentinal Box which was accomplished one of
those Indeans brought a Musquet to be repared, which only wanted a Screw
flattened, for which he gave me a Peck of Wapto roots, I gave him a flint
and a pice of Sheep Skin of which he was pleased
—
Tuesday 31st December 1805 last night was Cloudy and Some rain, this day
prove Cloudy and Showerry all day, all the Indians Continue at their Camp
near us, two other Canoes arrived, one from the War ci a cum Village with
3 indians and the other of 3 men & a Squar from higher up the river
and are of the Skil-lute nation, those people brought with them Some
Wappato roots, mats made of flags and rushes dried fish, and a fiew
Shaw-na tah-que and Dressed Elk Skins, all of which they asked enormous
prices for, perticularly the dressed Elk Skins, I purchased of those
people Some Wap pa to two mats and about 3 pipes of their tobacco in a
neet little bag made of rushesThis tobacco was much like what we
had Seen before with the So So ne or Snake indians, for those articles I
gave a large fishing hook and Several other Small articles, the
fishinghooks they were verry fond of. Those Skit lutes are much better
behaved than the War ci a cum indeed we found a great alteration in the
Conduct of them all this morning, the Sight of our Sentinal on his post at
the gate, together with our deturmined proseedure of putting all out at
Sun Set has made this reform in those War ci a corns who is foward
impertinant an thieveish.
The nativs all leave us the fort this evening before Sun Set without being
told or desired to do Sowe had Sinks dug & a Sentinal box made-
a Skit lute brought a gun which he requested me to have repared, it only
wanted a Screw flattened So as to Catch, I put a flint into his gun &
he presented me in return a peck of Wappato for payment, I gave him piece
of a Sheap Skin and a Small piece of blue Cloth to Cover his lock for
which he was much pleased and gave me in return Some roots &c.
I Saw flies and different kinds of insects in motion to daySnakes
are yet to be Seen and Snales without Covers is Common and verry large
water fowls of various kinds are in great numbers in the rivers and Creeks
and the sides of Meriwethers Bay near us but excessively wild- the fore
part of this night fair and Clear
With the party of Clat Sops who visited us last was a man of much lighter
Coloured than the nativs are generaly, he was freckled with long duskey
red hair, about 25 years of age, and must Certainly be half white at
least, this man appeared to understand more of the English language than
the others of his party, but did not Speak a word of English, he possessed
all the habits of the indians
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
December 31st, Tuesday 1805. A cloudy night with some rain. This day proved cloudy with some showers of rain. Today all the Indians continued at their camp near us. Two other canoes came—one from the War-ci-a-cum Village, with three Indians, and the other from higher up the river of the Skil-lute nation with three men and a squaw. These people brought with them some wapato roots, mats made of flags and rushes, dried fish, and a few Shene-tock-we (or black) roots, and dressed elk skins, all of which they asked enormous prices for, particularly the dressed elk skins. I purchased from these people some wapato roots, two mats, and a small pouch of tobacco of their own manufacture, for which I gave large fish hooks, which they were very fond of. These Indians are much more reserved and better behaved today than yesterday. The sight of our sentinel, who walks on his post, has made this reform in these people, who but yesterday were very impertinent and disagreeable to all. This evening they all cleared out before the time to shut the gates, without being directed to do so. I directed sinks to be dug and a sentinel box, which was accomplished. One of these Indians brought a musket to be repaired, which only wanted a screw flattened, for which he gave me a peck of wapato roots. I gave him a flint and a piece of sheep skin, with which he was pleased.
Tuesday, 31st December 1805. Last night was cloudy with some rain. This day proved cloudy and showery all day. All the Indians continue at their camp near us. Two other canoes arrived, one from the War-ci-a-cum Village with 3 Indians, and the other of 3 men and a squaw from higher up the river, of the Skil-lute nation. These people brought with them some wappato roots, mats made of flags and rushes, dried fish, and a few Shaw-na-tah-que and dressed elk skins, all of which they asked enormous prices for, particularly the dressed elk skins. I purchased from these people some wappato, two mats, and about 3 pipes of their tobacco in a neat little bag made of rushes. This tobacco was much like what we had seen before with the So-So-ne or Snake Indians. For these articles I gave a large fishing hook and several other small articles; the fishing hooks they were very fond of. These Skil-lutes are much better behaved than the War-ci-a-cum. Indeed, we found a great alteration in the conduct of them all this morning. The sight of our sentinel on his post at the gate, together with our determined procedure of putting all out at sunset, has made this reform in those War-ci-a-cums who were forward, impertinent, and thievish.
The natives all left us at the fort this evening before sunset without being told or desired to do so. We had sinks dug and a sentinel box made. A Skil-lute brought a gun which he requested me to have repaired; it only wanted a screw flattened so as to catch. I put a flint into his gun, and he presented me in return a peck of wappato as payment. I gave him a piece of a sheep skin and a small piece of blue cloth to cover his lock, with which he was much pleased, and he gave me in return some roots, etc.
I saw flies and different kinds of insects in motion today. Snakes are yet to be seen, and snails without covers are common and very large. Waterfowl of various kinds are in great numbers in the rivers and creeks and the sides of Meriwethers Bay near us, but they are excessively wild. The fore part of this night was fair and clear.
With the party of Clatsops who visited us last was a man of much lighter color than the natives generally are. He was freckled, with long dusky red hair, about 25 years of age, and must certainly be half white at least. This man appeared to understand more of the English language than the others of his party, but did not speak a word of English. He possessed all the habits of the Indians.
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