Clark: January 24, 1806
Drouillard and Baptiste LaPage returned to the fort by canoe with the Clatsop chief Comowol and six other Clatsops, bringing two deer and three elk killed near Point Adams. The Indians had helped carry the meat nearly four miles to the canoes and were paid in elk meat and skins. They stayed the day. The Clatsops were impressed by Drouillard's marksmanship and the rifles, and were astonished by the air gun, regarding it as powerful medicine. Clark notes the locals wear only light robes despite the snow and ice.
Sunday 24th of January 1806 Drewyer and Bapteist laPage returned this
morning in a large Canoe with Commowol and six Clatsops. they brought two
Deer and three Elk and one elk Skin, haveing given the flesh of one other
Elk they killed and three Elk skins to the Indians as the price of their
assistance in transporting the ballance of the meat to the Fort; these
Deer and Elk were killed near pt. Adams and those Indians Carried them on
their Backs near 4 miles, before the waves were Sufficiently low to permit
their being taken on board their Canoes. The indians remain’d with us all
day. The Clapsots witnessed Drewyers Shooting Some of those Elk, which has
given them a very exolted opinion of us as marksmen and the Superior
excellency of our rifles Compared with their guns; this may probably be of
service to us, as it will deter them from any acts of hostility if they
have ever meditated any such.
our air gun also astonishes them very much, they Cannot Comprehend its
Shooting So often and without powder, and think that it is great medison
which Comprehends every thing that is to them incomprehensible.
The nativs of this neighbourhood ware no further Covering than a light
roabe, their feet legs & every other part exposed to the frost Snow
& ice &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday, 24th of January 1806. Drewyer and Bapteist laPage (Baptiste LaPage) returned this morning in a large canoe with Commowol and six Clatsops. They brought two deer and three elk and one elk skin, having given the flesh of one other elk they killed and three elk skins to the Indians as the price of their assistance in transporting the balance of the meat to the fort. These deer and elk were killed near Pt. Adams (Point Adams), and those Indians carried them on their backs nearly 4 miles before the waves were sufficiently low to permit their being taken on board their canoes. The Indians remained with us all day. The Clatsops witnessed Drewyer's shooting some of those elk, which has given them a very exalted opinion of us as marksmen and of the superior excellency of our rifles compared with their guns. This may probably be of service to us, as it will deter them from any acts of hostility if they have ever meditated any such.
Our air gun also astonishes them very much. They cannot comprehend its shooting so often and without powder, and think that it is great medicine, which comprehends everything that is to them incomprehensible.
The natives of this neighborhood wear no further covering than a light robe, their feet, legs, and every other part exposed to the frost, snow, and ice, etc.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
