John Ordway: November 24, 1805
At their camp near the mouth of the Columbia River, which measured about three miles and 660 yards wide at this point, several men went hunting while others aired out the baggage. Members of the Clatsop and Chinook nations visited and behaved well. The officers polled the entire party, including York and Sacagawea, and decided to cross the river to search for a winter encampment as close to the ocean as possible, primarily so they could make salt and find better game.
Several men went out a hunting we put out our baggage to air.
The Columbian River at this place is three miles 660 yards wide.
Some of two nations of Indians came to our Encampment the
Clatsop and Chinuck nations they behave very well as yet. our
officers conclude with the oppinion of the party1 to cross the River
1 Thwaites publishes (III, 246-48) the record of the individual votes given
on this occasion. An overwhelming majority were in favor of crossing the
river and searching there for a suitable location. It is interesting to note that
the opinions of York and “Janey,” who was, of course, Sacajawea, were duly
taken along with the rest. The latter was “in favour of a place where there
is plenty of Pota8.” The determining factors in the decision reached were
twofold: a desire to be as near the seacoast as possible, in order to be able to
make salt and to intercept any trader’s vessel that might come into the mouth
of the river; and to locate in the region where the most game for subsistence
might be had. According to the information of the Indians the region south
of the Columbia most abounded in elk.
313
314 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Nov. 25
and look out a place for winters quarter Some where as near the
ocean as possable on the account of makeing Salt.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Several men went out hunting. We put out our baggage to air. The Columbian River at this place is three miles and 660 yards wide.
Some members of two Indian nations came to our encampment, the Clatsop and Chinuck (Chinook) nations. They behave very well so far. Our officers, agreeing with the opinion of the party, conclude that we should cross the river and look for a place for winter quarters somewhere as near the ocean as possible, so that we can make salt.
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