Clark: November 11, 1805
Heavy rain fell overnight and continued through the day, with high southwest winds whipping up tremendous waves. The party remained stranded for a fourth day, their canoes battered, baggage scattered, and members perched on floating logs and rocky crevices as loosened stones tumbled down the hillside. Joseph Fields and Collins were sent to hunt, but Fields found the terrain impassable. Around noon, five poorly clad Callahmah Indians arrived by canoe and sold the party 13 red char in exchange for fish hooks and trinkets before skillfully crossing the five-mile-wide river through massive waves.
November 11th Monday 1805 a hard rain all the last night we again get wet
the rain continue at intervals all day. Wind verry high from S W and blew
a Storm all day Sent out Jo. Fields & Collins to hunt. at 12 oClock at
a time the wind was verry high and waves tremendeous five Indians Came
down in a Canoe loaded with fish of Salmon Spes. Called Red Charr, we
purchased of those Indians 13 of these fish, for which we gave, fishing
hooks & some trifling things, we had Seen those Indians at a village
behind Some marshey Islands a few days ago. they are on their way to trade
those fish with white people which they make Signs live below round a
point, those people are badly Clad, one is dressd. in an old Salors Jacket
& Trouses, the others Elk Skin robes. we are truly unfortunate to be
Compelled to lie 4 days nearly in the Same place at a time that our day
are precious to us, The Wind Shifted to ____ the Indians left us and
Crossed the river which is about 5 miles wide through the highest Sees I
ever Saw a Small vestle ride, their Canoe is Small, maney times they were
out of Sight before the were 2 miles off Certain it is they are the best
canoe navigators I ever Saw The tide was 3 hours later to day than
yesterday and rose much higher, the trees we camped on was all on flote
for about 2 hours from 3 untill 5 oClock P M, the great quantities of rain
which has fallen losenes the Stones on the Side of the hill & the
Small ones fall on us, our Situation is truly a disagreeable one our
Canoes in one place at the mercy of the waves our baggage in another and
our Selves & party Scattered on drift trees of emense Sizes, & are
on what dry land they can find in the Crevices of the rocks & hill
Sides
—
November 11th Monday 1805 A hard rain all the last night, dureing the last
tide the logs on which we lay was all on float Sent out Jo Fields to hunt,
he Soon returned and informed us that the hills was So high & Steep,
& thick with undergroth and fallen Timber that he could not get out
any distance; about 12 oClock 5 Indians came down in a canoe, the wind
verry high from the S. W. with most tremendious waves brakeing with great
violence against the Shores, rain falling in torrents, we are all wet as
usial and our Situation is truly a disagreeable one; the great quantites
of rain which has loosened the Stones on the hill Sides, and the Small
Stones fall down upon us, our canoes at one place at the mercy of the
waves, our baggage in another and our Selves and party Scattered on
floating logs and Such dry Spots as can be found on the hill Sides, and
Crivices of the rocks. we purchased of the Indians 13 red chary which we
found to be an excellent fish we have Seen those Indians above and are of
a nation who reside above and on the opposit Side who call themselves
Call-har-ma they are badly clad & illy made, Small and Speak a
language much resembling the last nation, one of those men had on a Salors
Jacket and Pantiloons and made Signs that he got those Clothes from the
white people who lived below the point &c. those people left us and
Crossed the river (which is about 5 miles wide at this place) through the
highest waves I ever Saw a Small vestles ride. Those Indians are Certainly
the best Canoe navigaters I ever Saw. rained all (lay
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
November 11th Monday 1805. A hard rain all last night; we again got wet. The rain continued at intervals all day. The wind was very high from the SW and blew a storm all day. Sent out Jo. Fields and Collins to hunt. At 12 o'clock, at a time when the wind was very high and the waves tremendous, five Indians came down in a canoe loaded with fish of the salmon species called red char. We purchased 13 of these fish from those Indians, for which we gave fishing hooks and some trifling things. We had seen those Indians at a village behind some marshy islands a few days ago. They are on their way to trade those fish with white people, who they make signs live below around a point. Those people are badly clad; one is dressed in an old sailor's jacket and trousers, the others in elk skin robes. We are truly unfortunate to be compelled to lie 4 days nearly in the same place at a time when our days are precious to us. The wind shifted to ____, the Indians left us and crossed the river, which is about 5 miles wide, through the highest seas I ever saw a small vessel ride. Their canoe is small; many times they were out of sight before they were 2 miles off. Certain it is they are the best canoe navigators I ever saw. The tide was 3 hours later today than yesterday and rose much higher. The trees we camped on were all afloat for about 2 hours, from 3 until 5 o'clock PM. The great quantities of rain which have fallen loosen the stones on the side of the hill, and the small ones fall on us. Our situation is truly a disagreeable one: our canoes in one place at the mercy of the waves, our baggage in another, and ourselves and party scattered on drift trees of immense sizes, and on what dry land we can find in the crevices of the rocks and hillsides.
---
November 11th Monday 1805. A hard rain all last night; during the last tide the logs on which we lay were all afloat. Sent out Jo Fields to hunt; he soon returned and informed us that the hills were so high and steep, and so thick with undergrowth and fallen timber, that he could not get out any distance. About 12 o'clock 5 Indians came down in a canoe. The wind was very high from the SW, with most tremendous waves breaking with great violence against the shores, and rain falling in torrents. We are all wet as usual, and our situation is truly a disagreeable one. The great quantities of rain have loosened the stones on the hillsides, and the small stones fall down upon us. Our canoes at one place are at the mercy of the waves, our baggage at another, and ourselves and party are scattered on floating logs and such dry spots as can be found on the hillsides and crevices of the rocks. We purchased from the Indians 13 red char, which we found to be an excellent fish. We have seen those Indians above, and they are of a nation who reside above and on the opposite side, who call themselves Call-har-ma. They are badly clad and ill-made, small, and speak a language much resembling that of the last nation. One of those men had on a sailor's jacket and pantaloons, and made signs that he got those clothes from the white people who lived below the point, etc. Those people left us and crossed the river (which is about 5 miles wide at this place) through the highest waves I ever saw a small vessel ride. Those Indians are certainly the best canoe navigators I ever saw. Rained all day.
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.
