Lewis: January 13, 1806
Lewis sent available men from Fort Clatsop to retrieve the meat from seven elk killed the previous day, finding it intact since wolves are scarce in the area, and returning by 1 P.M. The party used their last candles that evening but planned to make more using molds, wick, and elk tallow they had on hand. Lewis also recorded detailed notes on the regional fur trade, listing the coastal and river tribes who trade with vessels anchored in a bay near Cape Disappointment from April through October.
Tuesday January 13th 1806. This morning I took all the men who could be
spared from the Fort and set out in quest of the flesh of the seven Elk
that were killed yesterday, we found it in good order being untouched by
the wolves, of which indeed there are but few in this country; at 1 P.M.
we returned having gotten all the meat to the fort. this evening we
exhausted the last of our candles, but fortunately had taken the
precaution to bring with us moulds and wick, by means of which and some
Elk’s tallow in our possession we do not yet consider ourselves destitute
of this necessary article; the Elk we have killed have a very small
portion of tallow.
The traders usually arrive in this quarter, as has been before observed,
in the month of April, and remain untill October; when here they lay at
anchor in a bay within Cape Disappointment on the N. side of the river;
here they are visited by the natives in their canoes who run along side
and barter their comodities with them, their being no houses or
fortification on shore for that purpose. the nations who repare thither
are fist, those of the sea coast S. E. of the entrance of the river, who
reside in the order in which their names are mentioned, begining at the
entrance of the river (viz) The Clatsop, Killamuck, Ne-cost, Nat-ti,
Nat-chies, Tarl-che, E-slitch, You-cone and So-see. secondly those
inhabiting the N. W. coast begining at the entrance of the river and
mentioned in the same order; the Chinnook and Chiltch the latter very
numerous; and thirdly the Cath-lah-mah, and Skil-lutes, the latter
numerous and inhabiting the river from a few miles above the marshey
Islands, where the Cuth-lahmahs cease, to the grand rappids. These last
may be esteemed the principal carryers or intermediate traders betwen the
whites and the Indians of the Sea Coast, and the E-ne-shurs, the
E-chee-lutes, and the Chil-luckkit-te quaws, who inhabit the river above,
to the grand falls inclusive, and who prepare most of the pounded fish
which is brought to market. The bay in which this trade is carryed on is
spacious and commodious, and perfectly secure from all except the S. and
S. E. winds, these however are the most prevalent and strong winds in the
Winter season. fresh water and wood are very convenient and excellent
timber for refiting and reparing vessels.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, January 13th, 1806. This morning I took all the men who could be spared from the Fort and set out in search of the flesh of the seven elk that were killed yesterday. We found it in good condition, being untouched by the wolves, of which indeed there are but few in this country. At 1 P.M. we returned, having gotten all the meat to the fort. This evening we used the last of our candles, but fortunately we had taken the precaution to bring with us molds and wicks, by means of which, along with some elk tallow in our possession, we do not yet consider ourselves destitute of this necessary article. The elk we have killed have only a very small portion of tallow.
The traders usually arrive in this quarter, as has been observed before, in the month of April, and remain until October. When here, they lay at anchor in a bay within Cape Disappointment on the north side of the river. Here they are visited by the natives in their canoes, who run alongside and barter their commodities with them, there being no houses or fortifications on shore for that purpose. The nations who go there are, first, those of the sea coast southeast of the entrance of the river, who reside in the order in which their names are mentioned, beginning at the entrance of the river, namely: the Clatsop, Killamuck, Ne-cost, Nat-ti, Nat-chies, Tarl-che, E-slitch, You-cone, and So-see. Secondly, those inhabiting the northwest coast, beginning at the entrance of the river and mentioned in the same order: the Chinnook and Chiltch, the latter very numerous. And thirdly, the Cath-lah-mah and Skil-lutes, the latter numerous and inhabiting the river from a few miles above the marshy islands, where the Cath-lah-mahs cease, to the grand rapids. These last may be considered the principal carriers, or intermediate traders, between the whites and the Indians of the sea coast, and the E-ne-shurs, the E-chee-lutes, and the Chil-luck-kit-te-quaws, who inhabit the river above, up to and including the grand falls, and who prepare most of the pounded fish that is brought to market. The bay in which this trade is carried on is spacious and convenient, and perfectly secure from all winds except the south and southeast; these, however, are the most prevalent and strongest winds in the winter season. Fresh water and wood are very convenient, along with excellent timber for refitting and repairing vessels.
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