Clark: December 8, 1805
On a cloudy Sunday at Fort Clatsop, Clark set out with five men to find the nearest route to the Pacific coast, scout a location for making salt, mark a trail so hunters would not get lost, and assess game in the area. Heading southwest through ridges of pine and falling timber, the party crossed brooks, marshes, and prairies covered in sacacommis. They rafted a creek, pursued a herd of elk through deep bogs and small ponds, killed one elk, and camped on a cramped knob in the rain under elk skins.
December 8th Sunday 1805 a Cloudy morning, I took 5 men and Set out to the
Sea to find the nearest place & make a way, to prevent our men getting
lost and find a place to make Salt, Steered S 62° W at 2 miles passed the
head of a Brook running to the right, the lands good roleing much falling
timber, lofty Pine of the Spruce kind, & Some fur, passed over a high
hill & to a Creek which we kept down 11/2 miles and left it to our
right, Saw fish in this Creek & Elk & Bear tracks on it, passed
over a ridge to a low marshey bottom which we Crossed thro water &
thick brush for 1/2 a mile to the Comencement of a Prarie which wavers,
Covered with grass & Sackay Commis, at 1/2 Crossed a marsh 200 yds
wide, boggey and arrived at a Creek which runs to the right. Saw a gange
of Elk on the opposit Side below, rafted the Creek, with much dificulty
& followed the Elk thro, emence bogs, & over 4 Small Knobs in the
bogs about 4 miles to the South & Killed an Elk, and formed a Camp,
Covered our Selves with the Elk Skins. the left of us Bogs & a lake or
pond those bogs Shake, much Cramberry growing amongst the moss. Some rain
this evening we made a harty Supper of the Elk & hung up the balsa
—
Sunday December 8th 1805 Fort Clatsop We haveing fixed on this Situation
as the one best Calculated for our Winter quarters I deturmin’d to go as
direct a Course as I could to the Sea Coast which we Could here roar and
appeared to be at no great distance from us, my principal object is to
look out a place to make Salt, blaze the road or rout that they men out
hunting might find the direction to the fort if they Should get lost in
cloudy weather-and See the probibillity of game in that direction, for the
Support of the Men, we Shall Send to make Salt, I took with me five men
and Set out on a Course S 60 W proceeded on a dividing ridge through lofty
piney land much falling timber. passed the heads of 2 brooks one of them
had wide bottoms which was over flown & we waded to our knees crossed
2 Slashes and arrived at a Creek in a open ridgey prarie covered with
Sackacomma this Creek we were obliged to raft, which is about 60 yards
over and runs in a direction to Point adams, we discovered a large gange
of Elk in the open lands, and we prosued them through verry bad Slashes
and Small ponds about 3 miles, Killed one and camped on a Spot Scercely
large enough to lie Clear of the Water. it is almost incredeable to assurt
the bogs which those animals Can pass through, I prosue’d this gang of Elk
through bogs which the wate of a man would Shake for 1/2 an Acre, and
maney places I Sunk into the mud and water up to my hips without finding
any bottom on the trale of those Elk. Those bogs are Covered with a kind
of moss among which I observe an ebundance of Cramberries. in those
Slashes Small Knobs are promisquisly Scattered about which are Steep and
thickly Covered with pine Common to the Countrey & Lorel. we made a
Camp of the Elk Skin to keep off the rain which Continued to fall, the
Small Knob on which we Camped did not afford a Sufficiency of dry wood for
our fire, we collected what dry wood we Could and what Sticks we Could Cut
down with the Tomahawks, which made us a tolerable fire.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
December 8th, Sunday, 1805. A cloudy morning. I took 5 men and set out for the sea to find the nearest place and make a way to prevent our men from getting lost, and to find a place to make salt. Steered S 62° W. At 2 miles, passed the head of a brook running to the right. The lands good, rolling, with much fallen timber, lofty pine of the spruce kind, and some fir. Passed over a high hill and to a creek which we kept down 1 1/2 miles and left it to our right. Saw fish in this creek, and elk and bear tracks on it. Passed over a ridge to a low marshy bottom which we crossed through water and thick brush for 1/2 a mile to the commencement of a prairie which wavers, covered with grass and sacacommis. At 1/2 mile, crossed a marsh 200 yards wide, boggy, and arrived at a creek which runs to the right. Saw a gang of elk on the opposite side below, rafted the creek with much difficulty, and followed the elk through immense bogs and over 4 small knobs in the bogs about 4 miles to the south, and killed an elk, and formed a camp. Covered ourselves with the elk skins. To the left of us were bogs and a lake or pond. Those bogs shake. Much cranberry growing amongst the moss. Some rain this evening. We made a hearty supper of the elk and hung up the balance.
Sunday, December 8th, 1805, Fort Clatsop. Having fixed on this situation as the one best calculated for our winter quarters, I determined to go as direct a course as I could to the sea coast, which we could hear roar and which appeared to be at no great distance from us. My principal object is to look out a place to make salt, blaze the road or route that the men out hunting might find the direction to the fort if they should get lost in cloudy weather, and see the probability of game in that direction for the support of the men we shall send to make salt. I took with me five men and set out on a course S 60 W. Proceeded on a dividing ridge through lofty piney land with much fallen timber. Passed the heads of 2 brooks; one of them had wide bottoms which were overflown, and we waded to our knees. Crossed 2 slashes and arrived at a creek in an open ridgy prairie covered with sacacommis. This creek we were obliged to raft. It is about 60 yards over and runs in a direction toward Point Adams. We discovered a large gang of elk in the open lands, and we pursued them through very bad slashes and small ponds about 3 miles, killed one, and camped on a spot scarcely large enough to lie clear of the water. It is almost incredible to assert the bogs which those animals can pass through. I pursued this gang of elk through bogs which the weight of a man would shake for 1/2 an acre, and in many places I sank into the mud and water up to my hips without finding any bottom on the trail of those elk. Those bogs are covered with a kind of moss among which I observe an abundance of cranberries. In those slashes, small knobs are promiscuously scattered about, which are steep and thickly covered with pine common to the country and laurel. We made a camp of the elk skin to keep off the rain, which continued to fall. The small knob on which we camped did not afford a sufficiency of dry wood for our fire. We collected what dry wood we could and what sticks we could cut down with the tomahawks, which made us a tolerable fire.
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