Clark: January 29, 1806
A quiet day at Fort Clatsop with nothing notable to report. The party's diet has been reduced to lean elk boiled with water and salt, as their sparingly-used whale blubber is now gone. Clark notes feeling weak but in tolerable health, sustained by a sharp appetite that is rarely fully satisfied. He devotes most of the entry to describing items used by Columbia River natives: conical brimless hats woven from cedar bark and beargrass, decorated with figures of whales and harpooners, and distinctive double-edged, double-pointed daggers with handles near the middle.
Friday 29th January 1806 Nothing worthey of notice occured to day. our
fare is the flesh of lean Elk boiled with pure water and a little Salt.
the whale blubber which we have used very Spearingly is now exhosted. on
this food I do not feel Strong, but enjoy tolerable health-. a keen
appetite Supplies in a great degree the want of more luxurious Sauses or
dishes, and Still renders my ordanary meals not uninteresting to me, for I
find myself Sometimes enquireing of the Cook whether dinner Supper or
Brackfast is readyindeed my appetite is but Seldom gratified, not even
after I have eaten what I conceve a Sufficency.-
Maney of the nativs of the Columbia were hats & most commonly of a
conic figure without a brim confined on the head by means of a String
which passes under the chin and is attached to the two opposit Sides of a
Secondary rim within the hatthe hat at top termonates in a pointed
knob of a conic form, or in this Shape. these hats are made of the bark of
Cedar and beargrass wrought with the fingers So closely that it Casts the
rain most effectually in the Shape which they give them for their own use
or that just discribed, on these hats they work various figures of
different colours, but most commonly only black and white are employed.
these figures are faint representations of the whales, the Canoes, and the
harpooners Strikeing them. Sometimes Square dimonds triangle &c. The
form of a knife which Seems to be prefured by those people is a double
Edged and double pointed dagger the handle being near the middle, the
blades of uneaquel length, the longest from 9 to 10 incs. and the Shorter
one from 3 to 5 inches. those knives they Carry with them habitually and
most usially in the hand, Sometimes exposed, when in Company with
Strangers under their Robes with this knife they Cut & Clense their
fish make their arrows &c. this is the form of the Knife A is a Small
loop of a Strong twine throng through which they Sometimes they incert the
thumb in order to prevent it being wrested from their hand.-.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday 29th January 1806. Nothing worthy of notice occurred today. Our fare is the flesh of lean elk boiled with pure water and a little salt. The whale blubber, which we have used very sparingly, is now exhausted. On this food I do not feel strong, but enjoy tolerable health. A keen appetite supplies in great measure the want of more luxurious sauces or dishes, and still renders my ordinary meals not uninteresting to me, for I find myself sometimes inquiring of the cook whether dinner, supper, or breakfast is ready. Indeed, my appetite is but seldom gratified, not even after I have eaten what I consider a sufficiency.
Many of the natives of the Columbia wear hats, most commonly of a conic figure without a brim, fastened on the head by means of a string which passes under the chin and is attached to the two opposite sides of a secondary rim within the hat. The hat at top terminates in a pointed knob of a conic form, or in this shape. These hats are made of the bark of cedar and beargrass, woven with the fingers so closely that they shed the rain most effectually in the shape which they give them for their own use, or that just described. On these hats they work various figures of different colors, but most commonly only black and white are employed. These figures are faint representations of the whales, the canoes, and the harpooners striking them. Sometimes squares, diamonds, triangles, etc.
The form of knife which seems to be preferred by these people is a double-edged and double-pointed dagger, the handle being near the middle, the blades of unequal length, the longest from 9 to 10 inches and the shorter one from 3 to 5 inches. These knives they carry with them habitually and most usually in the hand, sometimes exposed, and when in company with strangers, under their robes. With this knife they cut and clean their fish, make their arrows, etc. This is the form of the knife. A is a small loop of strong twine through which they sometimes insert the thumb in order to prevent it being wrested from their hand.
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