Clark: November 15, 1805
After eleven days of nearly constant rain, the morning turned calm and fair, allowing the party to dry sodden bedding, inspect baggage, find some pounded fish spoiled, and put arms and ammunition in order. High winds and waves prevented departure until about 3 p.m., when they loaded hastily and pushed past Blustering Point to a deserted, flea-infested 36-house village. Shannon arrived with five Chinook Indians and reported that Captain Lewis had recovered guns the Indians had stolen from him and Willard. Clark camped in Haley's Bay, warning the Indians against theft.
November 15th Friday 1805 Rained all the last night at intervales of
Sometimes of 2 hours, This morning it became Calm & fair, I prepared
to Set out at which time the wind sprung up from the S. E. and blew down
the River & in a fiew minits raised Such Swells and waves brakeing on
the Rocks at the point as to render it unsafe to proceed. I went to the
point in an empty canoe and found it would be dangerous to proceed even in
an empty Canoe The Sun Shown untill 1 oClock p.m.which gave an oppertunity
for us to dry Some of our bedding, & examine our baggage, the greater
Part of which I found wet Some of our Pounded fish Spoiled I had all the
arms put in order & amunition examined.
The rainey weather Continued without a longer intermition than 2 hours at
a time from the 5th in the morng. untill the 16th is eleven days rain, and
the most disagreeable time I have experienced Confined on a tempiest Coast
wet, where I can neither get out to hunt, return to a better Situation, or
proceed on: in this Situation have we been for Six days past.fortunately
the wind lay about 3 oClock we loaded I in great haste and Set out passed
the blustering Point below which is a Sand beech, with a Small marshey
bottom for 3 miles on the Stard. Side, on which is a large village of 36
houses deserted by the Inds. & in full possession of the flees, a
Small Creek fall in at this village, which waters the Country for a few
miles back; Shannon & 5 Indians met me here, Shannon informed me he
met Capt. Lewis Some distance below & he took willard with him &
Sent him to meet me, the Inds with him wer rogues, they had the night
before Stold both his and Willards guns from under their heads, Capt.
Lewis & party arrived at the Camp of those Indians at So Timely a
period that the Inds. were allarmed & delivered up the guns &c.
The tide meeting of me and the emence Swells from the main Ocean
(imedeately in front of us) raised to Such a hite that I concluded to form
a Camp on the highest Spot I could find in the marshey bottom, and proceed
no further by water as the Coaste becomes verry dangerous for Crafts of
the Size of our Canoes-and as the Ocian is imedeately in front and gives
us an extensive view of it from Cape disapointment to Point addams, my
Situation is in the upper part of Haley Bay S. 86° W. ____ miles Course
five to Cape Disapt. and S. 35° W. Course ____ miles from point Addams
The River here at its mouth from Point addams to the enterance of Haley
Bay above is ____ Miles or thereabouts, a large Isd. the lower point of
which is immediately in the mouth above
4 Indians in a Canoe Came down with papto roots to Sell, for which they
asked, blankets or robes, both of which we could not Spare I informed
those Indians all of which understood Some English that if they Stole our
guns &c the men would Certainly Shute them, I treated them with great
distance, & the Sentinal which was over our Baggage allarmed them
verry much, they all Promised not to take any thing, and if any thing was
taken by the Squars & bad boys to return them &c. the waves became
very high Evening fare & pleasent, our men all Comfortable in the
Camps they have made of the boards they found at the Town above
—
November 15th Friday 1805 Rained all the last night, this morning it
became Calm and fair, I preposed Setting out, and ordered the Canoes
Repared and loaded; before we could load our canoes the wind Sudenly
Sprung up from the S. E and blew with Such violence, that we could not
proceed in Safty with the loading. I proceeded to the point in an empty
Canoe, and found that the waves dashed against the rocks with Such
violence that I thought it unsave to Set out with the loaded CanoesThe
Sun Shown untill 1 oClock P M which afford us time to Dry our bedding and
examine the baggage which I found nearly all wet, Some of our pounded fish
Spoiled in the wet; I examined the amunition and Caused all the arms to be
put in order.
About 3 oClock the wind luled, and the river became calm, I had the canoes
loaded in great haste and Set Out, from this dismal nitich where we have
been confined for 6 days passed, without the possibility of proceeding on,
returning to a better Situation, or get out to hunt, Scerce of Provisions,
and torents of rain poreing on us all the time- proceeded on passed the
blustering point below which I found a butifull Sand beech thro which runs
a Small below the mouth of this Stream is a village of 36 houses
uninhabited by anything except flees, here I met G. Shannon and 5 Indians.
Shannon informed me that he met Capn. Lewis at an Indian Hut about 10
miles below who had Sent him back to meet me, he also told me the Indians
were thievish, as the night before they had Stolen both his and Willards
rifles from under their heads, that they Set out on their return and had
not proceeded far up the beech before they met Capt Lewis, whose arival
was at a timely moment and alarmed the Indians So that they instantly
produced the GunsI told those Indians who accompanied Shannon that
they Should not Come near us, and if any one of their nation Stold
anything from us, I would have him Shot, which they understoot verry well.
as the tide was Comeing in and the Seas became verry high imediately from
the Ocian (imediately faceing us) I landed and formed a camp on the
highest Spot I could find between the hight of the tides, and the Slashers
in a Small bottom this I could plainly See would be the extent of our
journey by water, as the waves were too high at any Stage for our Canoes
to proceed any further down. in full view of the Ocian from Point Adams to
Cape Disapointment, I could not See any Island in the mouth of this river
as laid down by Vancouver. The Bay which he laies down in the mouth is
imediately below me. This Bay we call Haleys bay from a favourate Trader
with the Indians which they Say comes into this Bay and trades with them
Course to Point adams is S. 35°W. about 8 miles To Cape Disapointment is
S. 86°W. about 14 miles 4 Indians of the War-ki a cum nation Came down
with pap-pa-too to Sell &c. The Indians who accompanied Shannon from
the village below Speake a Different language from those above, and reside
to the north of this place The Call themselves Chin nooks, I told those
people that they had attempted to Steal 2 guns &c. that if any one of
their nation stole any thing that the Sentinl. whome they Saw near our
baggage with his gun would most certainly Shute them, they all promised
not to tuch a thing, and if any of their womin or bad boys took any thing
to return it imediately and Chastise them for it. I treated those people
with great distance. our men all Comfortable in their Camps which they
have made of boards from the old Village above. we made 3 miles to day.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
November 15th Friday 1805. Rained all last night at intervals, sometimes of two hours. This morning it became calm and fair. I prepared to set out, at which time the wind sprang up from the S.E. and blew down the river, and in a few minutes raised such swells and waves breaking on the rocks at the point as to render it unsafe to proceed. I went to the point in an empty canoe and found it would be dangerous to proceed even in an empty canoe. The sun shone until 1 o'clock p.m., which gave an opportunity for us to dry some of our bedding and examine our baggage, the greater part of which I found wet. Some of our pounded fish was spoiled. I had all the arms put in order and ammunition examined.
The rainy weather continued without a longer intermission than two hours at a time, from the 5th in the morning until the 16th — eleven days of rain, and the most disagreeable time I have experienced. Confined on a tempestuous coast, wet, where I can neither get out to hunt, return to a better situation, nor proceed on: in this situation we have been for six days past. Fortunately the wind died down about 3 o'clock. We loaded in great haste and set out, passed the blustering point, below which is a sand beach with a small marshy bottom for three miles on the starboard side, on which is a large village of 36 houses, deserted by the Indians and in full possession of the fleas. A small creek falls in at this village, which waters the country for a few miles back. Shannon and 5 Indians met me here. Shannon informed me he met Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) some distance below, and he took Willard with him and sent him to meet me. The Indians with him were rogues; they had the night before stolen both his and Willard's guns from under their heads. Capt. Lewis and party arrived at the camp of those Indians at so timely a period that the Indians were alarmed and delivered up the guns, etc.
The tide meeting me, and the immense swells from the main ocean (immediately in front of us) raised to such a height that I concluded to form a camp on the highest spot I could find in the marshy bottom, and proceed no further by water, as the coast becomes very dangerous for craft of the size of our canoes. As the ocean is immediately in front and gives us an extensive view of it from Cape Disappointment to Point Adams, my situation is in the upper part of Haley Bay, S. 86° W. ____ miles course five to Cape Disappointment, and S. 35° W. course ____ miles from Point Adams.
The river here at its mouth, from Point Adams to the entrance of Haley Bay above, is ____ miles or thereabouts. A large island, the lower point of which is immediately in the mouth above.
4 Indians in a canoe came down with wapato roots to sell, for which they asked blankets or robes, both of which we could not spare. I informed those Indians, all of whom understood some English, that if they stole our guns, etc., the men would certainly shoot them. I treated them with great distance, and the sentinel which was over our baggage alarmed them very much. They all promised not to take anything, and if anything was taken by the squaws and bad boys, to return them, etc. The waves became very high. Evening fair and pleasant. Our men all comfortable in the camps they have made of the boards they found at the town above.
---
November 15th Friday 1805. Rained all last night. This morning it became calm and fair. I proposed setting out, and ordered the canoes repaired and loaded. Before we could load our canoes, the wind suddenly sprang up from the S.E. and blew with such violence that we could not proceed in safety with the loading. I proceeded to the point in an empty canoe, and found that the waves dashed against the rocks with such violence that I thought it unsafe to set out with the loaded canoes. The sun shone until 1 o'clock P.M., which afforded us time to dry our bedding and examine the baggage, which I found nearly all wet. Some of our pounded fish spoiled in the wet. I examined the ammunition and caused all the arms to be put in order.
About 3 o'clock the wind lulled and the river became calm. I had the canoes loaded in great haste and set out from this dismal niche where we have been confined for six days past, without the possibility of proceeding on, returning to a better situation, or getting out to hunt, scarce of provisions, and torrents of rain pouring on us all the time. Proceeded on, passed the blustering point, below which I found a beautiful sand beach through which runs a small [creek]. Below the mouth of this stream is a village of 36 houses, uninhabited by anything except fleas. Here I met G. Shannon and 5 Indians. Shannon informed me that he met Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) at an Indian hut about 10 miles below, who had sent him back to meet me. He also told me the Indians were thievish, as the night before they had stolen both his and Willard's rifles from under their heads, that they set out on their return and had not proceeded far up the beach before they met Capt. Lewis, whose arrival was at a timely moment and alarmed the Indians so that they instantly produced the guns. I told those Indians who accompanied Shannon that they should not come near us, and if any one of their nation stole anything from us, I would have him shot, which they understood very well.
As the tide was coming in and the seas became very high immediately from the ocean (immediately facing us), I landed and formed a camp on the highest spot I could find between the height of the tides and the slashers in a small bottom. This I could plainly see would be the extent of our journey by water, as the waves were too high at any stage for our canoes to proceed any further down. In full view of the ocean from Point Adams to Cape Disappointment, I could not see any island in the mouth of this river as laid down by Vancouver. The bay which he lays down in the mouth is immediately below me. This bay we call Haley's Bay, from a favorite trader with the Indians, which they say comes into this bay and trades with them. Course to Point Adams is S. 35° W., about 8 miles. To Cape Disappointment is S. 86° W., about 14 miles.
4 Indians of the Wahkiakum (War-ki a cum) nation came down with wapato (pap-pa-too) to sell, etc. The Indians who accompanied Shannon from the village below speak a different language from those above, and reside to the north of this place. They call themselves Chinooks (Chin nooks). I told those people that they had attempted to steal 2 guns, etc., that if any one of their nation stole anything, the sentinel whom they saw near our baggage with his gun would most certainly shoot them. They all promised not to touch a thing, and if any of their women or bad boys took anything, to return it immediately and chastise them for it. I treated those people with great distance. Our men all comfortable in their camps, which they have made of boards from the old village above. We made 3 miles today.
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