Clark: January 14, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, the sergeant of the guard reported a canoe missing after the tide carried it off, but a search party recovered it within three hours. Clark ordered three canoes drawn up beyond tidewater and the fourth secured with an elk-skin cord. Six men continued jerking elk meat. Clark devoted most of the entry to observations on regional trade, estimating that natives between the Great Falls and the rapids prepare about 30,000 pounds of pounded salmon yearly, and speculating about the English or American maritime traders who supply coastal tribes with goods exchanged for furs and fish.
Tuesday 14th January 1806 This morning the Serjt. of the guard reported
the absence of one of our Canoes it had broken the Cord by which it was
attached and the tide had taken her off; we Sent a party imediately in
Serch of her, they returned in about 3 hours haveing fortunately found
her. we now derect that 3 of the canoes be drawed up out of reach of the
tide and the 4th to be tied with a long Strong Cord of Elk Skins, ready
for use. had we lost this large Canoe we Should have been obliged to make
3 other Small ones, which with the fiew tools we have now left would be a
Serious undertakeing. a fatiege of Six men employd in jurking the Elk
beef. From the best estermate we were enabled to make as we decended the
Columbia we Conceived that the nativs inhabiting that noble Stream (from
the enterance of Lewis’s river to the neighbourhood of the falls the
nativs Consume all the fish they Catch either for food or fuel) From Tow
ar ne hi ooks River or a fiew mils above the Great falls to the grand
rapids inclusive anually prepare about 30,000 lbs of pounded fish (Chiefly
Salmon) for market, but whether this fish is an article of Commerce with
their neighbours or is exclusively Sold to, and Consumed by the nativs of
the Sea coast, we are at a loss to determine the latter of those positions
I am dispose to credit most, as I cannot imagine what the white merchents
objet Could be in purchaseing fish, or where they Could dispose of it. on
the other hand the Indians in this neighbourhood as well as the Skillutes
and those above have an abundance of Dryed Salmon which they take in the
Creeks and inlets. they are excessively fond of the pounded fish haveing
frequently asked us for Some of it-. the Indians who prepared this pounded
fish made Signs that they traded it with people below them for Beeds and
trinkets &c and Showed us maney articles of European manufacture which
they obtained for it; The Skillutes and Indians about the great rapids are
the intermediate merchants and Carryers, and no doubt Consume a part of
this fish themselves and dispose of the ballance of it to the nativs of
the Sea coast, and from this obtain Such articles as they again trade with
the whites.
The persons who usially visit the enterence of this river for the purpose
of traffic or hunting, I believe is either English or Americans; the
Indians inform us that they Speak the Same language with our Selves, and
gave us proofs of their varacity by repeating maney words of English, Sun
of a pitch &c. whether those traders are from Nootka Sound, from Some
other late establishment on this Coast, or imediately from the U States or
Great Brittain, I am at a loss to determine, nor Can the Indians inform
us. the Indians whome I have asked in what direction the traders go when
they depart from hence, allways point to the S. W. from which it is
prosumeable that Nootka cannot be their distination, and from Indian
information a majority of those traders annually visit them about the
beginning of April and remain Some time and either remain or revisit them
in the fall of which I cannot properly understand, from this Circumstance
they Cannot Come directly from the U States or Great Brittain, the
distance being to great for them to go and return in the ballance of a
year. I am Sometimes induced to believe that there is Some other
Establishment on the Coast of America South of this place of which little
is but yet known to the world, or it may be perhaps on Some Island in the
Pacific Ocian between the Continant of America & Asia to the S. W. of
us. This traffic on the part of the whites Consist in vending, guns,
principally old British or American Musquets, powder, balls and Shote,
brass tea kettles, Blankets from two to three points, Scarlet and blue
Cloth (Coarse), plates and Strips of Sheet Copper and brass, large brass
wire Knives Beeds &Tobacco with fishing hooks, buttons and Some other
Small articles; also a considerable quantity of Salors Clothes, as hats,
Coats, Trouses and Shirts. for those they receive in return from the
nativs Dressed and undressed Elk Skins, Skins of the Sea otter, Common
Otter, beaver, common fox, Speck, and tiger Cat, also Some Salmon dried or
pounded and a kind of buisket, which the nativs make of roots called by
them Shappelell. The nativs are extravigantly fond of the most Common
Cheap Blue and white beeds, of moderate Size, or Such that from 50 to 70
will way one pennyweight, the blue is usially prefured to the white; those
beeds Constitute the principal Circulating medium with all the Indian
tribes on this river; for those beeds they will dispose of any article
they possess-. the beeds are Strung on Straps of a fathom in length &
in that manner Sold by the breth or yard-.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, 14th January 1806. This morning the Sergeant of the guard reported the absence of one of our canoes; it had broken the cord by which it was attached and the tide had taken her off. We sent a party immediately in search of her, and they returned in about 3 hours, having fortunately found her. We now direct that 3 of the canoes be drawn up out of reach of the tide, and the 4th to be tied with a long strong cord of elk skins, ready for use. Had we lost this large canoe, we should have been obliged to make 3 other small ones, which with the few tools we have now left would be a serious undertaking. A fatigue party of six men was employed in jerking the elk beef.
From the best estimate we were able to make as we descended the Columbia, we conceived that the natives inhabiting that noble stream (from the entrance of Lewis's river to the neighborhood of the falls, the natives consume all the fish they catch either for food or fuel) from Towarnehiooks River, or a few miles above the Great Falls, to the Grand Rapids inclusive, annually prepare about 30,000 lbs of pounded fish (chiefly salmon) for market. But whether this fish is an article of commerce with their neighbors, or is exclusively sold to and consumed by the natives of the sea coast, we are at a loss to determine. The latter of those positions I am disposed to credit most, as I cannot imagine what the white merchants' object could be in purchasing fish, or where they could dispose of it. On the other hand, the Indians in this neighborhood, as well as the Skillutes and those above, have an abundance of dried salmon which they take in the creeks and inlets. They are excessively fond of the pounded fish, having frequently asked us for some of it. The Indians who prepared this pounded fish made signs that they traded it with people below them for beads and trinkets, etc., and showed us many articles of European manufacture which they obtained for it. The Skillutes and Indians about the Great Rapids are the intermediate merchants and carriers, and no doubt consume a part of this fish themselves and dispose of the balance of it to the natives of the sea coast, and from this obtain such articles as they again trade with the whites.
The persons who usually visit the entrance of this river for the purpose of traffic or hunting, I believe, are either English or Americans. The Indians inform us that they speak the same language as ourselves, and gave us proofs of their veracity by repeating many words of English, such as "son of a bitch," etc. Whether those traders are from Nootka Sound, from some other late establishment on this coast, or immediately from the United States or Great Britain, I am at a loss to determine, nor can the Indians inform us. The Indians whom I have asked in what direction the traders go when they depart from here always point to the southwest, from which it is presumable that Nootka cannot be their destination. From Indian information, a majority of those traders annually visit them about the beginning of April and remain some time, and either remain or revisit them in the fall, of which I cannot properly understand. From this circumstance they cannot come directly from the United States or Great Britain, the distance being too great for them to go and return in the balance of a year. I am sometimes induced to believe that there is some other establishment on the coast of America south of this place, of which little is yet known to the world, or it may be perhaps on some island in the Pacific Ocean between the continent of America and Asia, to the southwest of us.
This traffic on the part of the whites consists in vending guns (principally old British or American muskets), powder, balls and shot, brass tea kettles, blankets from two to three points, scarlet and blue cloth (coarse), plates and strips of sheet copper and brass, large brass wire, knives, beads, and tobacco, with fishing hooks, buttons, and some other small articles; also a considerable quantity of sailors' clothes, such as hats, coats, trousers, and shirts. For these they receive in return from the natives dressed and undressed elk skins, skins of the sea otter, common otter, beaver, common fox, speck, and tiger cat, also some salmon dried or pounded, and a kind of biscuit which the natives make of roots, called by them shappelell. The natives are extravagantly fond of the most common cheap blue and white beads of moderate size, or such that from 50 to 70 will weigh one pennyweight; the blue is usually preferred to the white. Those beads constitute the principal circulating medium with all the Indian tribes on this river; for those beads they will dispose of any article they possess. The beads are strung on straps of a fathom in length, and in that manner sold by the breadth or yard.
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