John Ordway: March 23, 1806
After heavy overnight rain, the captains hesitated to depart due to rising winds, but the weather cleared by midday. John Colter returned from killing an elk near Point Adams. At 1 P.M., the party loaded the canoes and left Fort Clatsop, ending a winter stay that began December 7, 1805, during which they always had three daily meals despite near-constant rain. They met a Chinook group and bought a sea otter skin, then paddled through Meriwether's Bay against a stiff southwest wind, camping near Point William after 16 miles.
rained hard the greater part of last night, this morning proved so
rainy and uncertain that our officers were undetermined for some
time whether they had best Set out & risque the [wind] which
appeared to be riseing or not. John Colter returned having killed
an Elk about 3 miles towards point adams.1 the rain Seased and it
became fair, about meridian at which time we loaded our canoes &
at 1 P.M. left Fort Clatsop on our homeward bound journey, at
this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of Decr 1805
to this day, and have lived as well as we had any right to expect,
and we can say that we were never one day without 3 meals of Some
kind a day, either poor Elk meat or roots, notwithstanding the
reputed fall of rain which has fallen almost continualy since we
passed the long narrows on the [blank in Ms.] of Novr last, indeed
we have had only [blank in Ms.] days fair weather Since that
time. Soon after we had set out from fort Clatsop we were met
by a party of the chinooks, the old baud and hir Six Girls,2 they
had a canoe, a Sea otter Skin dryed fish & hats for Sale, we pur-
chased a Sea otter and proceeded on thro Meriwethers Bay.
their was a stiff breeze from the S. W. which raised considerable
swells around Merewethers Point, which was as much as our canoes
could ride above point william we came too at the Camp of G.
Drewyer & the 2 Fields they had killed 2 Elk which was about
1± mile distant, here we Encamped3 for the night, having made
16 miles.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
It rained hard for the greater part of last night. This morning proved so rainy and uncertain that our officers were undetermined for some time whether they had best set out and risk the wind, which appeared to be rising, or not. John Colter returned, having killed an elk about 3 miles toward Point Adams. The rain ceased and it became fair about midday, at which time we loaded our canoes, and at 1 P.M. left Fort Clatsop on our homeward bound journey.
At this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of December 1805 to this day, and have lived as well as we had any right to expect. We can say that we were never one day without 3 meals of some kind a day, either poor elk meat or roots, notwithstanding the reputed fall of rain which has fallen almost continually since we passed the Long Narrows on the [blank in Ms.] of November last. Indeed, we have had only [blank in Ms.] days of fair weather since that time.
Soon after we had set out from Fort Clatsop, we were met by a party of the Chinooks, the old bawd and her six girls. They had a canoe, a sea otter skin, dried fish, and hats for sale. We purchased a sea otter and proceeded on through Meriwethers Bay. There was a stiff breeze from the S.W. which raised considerable swells around Meriwethers Point, which was as much as our canoes could ride. Above Point William we came to at the camp of G. Drouillard (Drewyer) and the two Fields. They had killed 2 elk, which were about 1½ miles distant. Here we camped for the night, having made 16 miles.
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