Clark: January 11, 1806
A party retrieved an elk killed two days earlier, returning with the meat by evening. The sergeant of the guard reported that an Indian canoe had drifted away overnight after being poorly secured; search parties sent both downriver to the bay and upriver failed to recover it, a significant loss given the canoe's light weight and large carrying capacity. The Cathlamah visitors departed for the Clatsops to trade wappato roots for whale blubber and oil, illustrating the extensive trading network among native peoples along the river.
Saturday 11th of January 1806 Sent a party early this morning for the Elk
which was killed on the 9th they returned with it in the evining; This
morning the Serjt. of the guard reported that our Indian Canoe had gone a
Drift, on enquiry we found that those who Came in it last evening had been
negligent in Secureing her, and the tide in Corse of the night had taken
her off; we Sent a party down to the bay in Serch of her, they returned
unsecksessfull, the party who went up the river and Creek after meat were
derected to look out for her but were equally unsecksessfull; this will be
a verry considerable loss to us if we do not recover her, She is so light
that 4 men Can Carry her on their Sholders a mile or more without resting,
and will Carry four men and from 10 to 12 hundred pounds. The Cath IA mahs
left us this evening on their way to the Clatsops, to whome they perpose
bartering their wappato for the blubber & Oil of the whale, which the
latter purchased for Beeds &c. from the Kil a mox; in this manner
there is a trade Continually Carried on by the nativs of the river each
tradeing Some articles or other with their neighbours above and below
them, and those articles which are Vended by the whites at their enterance
of this river, find their way to the most distant nations inhabiting its
waters.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday, 11th of January 1806. Sent a party early this morning for the elk which was killed on the 9th; they returned with it in the evening. This morning the Sergeant of the guard reported that our Indian canoe had gone adrift. On inquiry we found that those who came in it last evening had been negligent in securing her, and the tide in the course of the night had taken her off. We sent a party down to the bay in search of her; they returned unsuccessful. The party who went up the river and creek after meat were directed to look out for her but were equally unsuccessful. This will be a very considerable loss to us if we do not recover her. She is so light that 4 men can carry her on their shoulders a mile or more without resting, and will carry four men and from 10 to 12 hundred pounds.
The Cath-la-mahs left us this evening on their way to the Clatsops, to whom they propose bartering their wappato for the blubber and oil of the whale, which the latter purchased for beads, etc., from the Kil-a-mox. In this manner there is a trade continually carried on by the natives of the river, each trading some articles or other with their neighbors above and below them, and those articles which are vended by the whites at the entrance of this river find their way to the most distant nations inhabiting its waters.
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