Lewis: January 16, 1806
The party finished curing meat on this quiet day at Fort Clatsop, with ample elk meat, some salt, and dry, comfortable quarters. Lewis explained the decision to remain until April 1st: traveling sooner would be impossible due to deep snows on the Columbia plains and impassable Rocky Mountain passes that Indians said would not clear until June. He also described Clatsop and Chinook fishing methods, including straight nets, scooping nets, gigs, and hook-and-line, noting their lines were made from silk-grass or cedar bark and detailing traditional bone fishhook construction.
Friday January 16th 1806. This evening we finished curing the meat. no
occurrence worthy of relation took place today. we have plenty of Elk beef
for the present and a little salt, our houses dry and comfortable, and
having made up our minds to remain until the 1st of April, every one
appears content with his situation and his fare. it is true that we could
even travel now on our return as far as the timbered country reaches, or
to the falls of the river; but further it would be madness for us to
attempt to proceede untill April, as the indians inform us that the snows
lye knee deep in the plains of Columbia during the winter, and in these
plains we could scarcely get as much fuel of any kind as would cook our
provision as we descended the river; and even were we happyly over these
plains and again in the woody country at the foot of the Rocky Mountains
we could not possibly pass that immence barrier of mountains on which the
snows ly in winter to the debth in many places of 20 feet; in short the
Indians inform us that they are impracticable untill about the 1st of
June, at which time even there is an abundance of snow but a scanty
subsistence may be obtained for the horses.we should not therefore
forward ourselves on our homeward journey by reaching the rocky mountains
early than the 1st of June, which we can easily effect by seting out from
hence on the 1st of April.
The Clatsops Chinnooks &c. in fishing employ the common streight net,
the scooping or diping net with a long handle, the gig, and the hook and
line. the common net is of different lengths and debths usually employed
in taking the sammon, Carr and trout in the inlets among the marshey
grounds and the mouths of deep creeks. the skiming or scooping net to take
small fish in the spring and summer season; the gig and hook are employed
indiscriminately at all seasons in taking such fish as they can procure by
their means. their nets and fishing lines are made of the silk-grass or
white cedar bark; and their hooks are generally of European manufactary,
tho before the whites visited them they made hooks of bone and other
substances formed in the following manner A C, and C. B. are two small
pieces of bone about the size of a strong twine, these are flattened and
leveled off of their extremities near C. where they are firmly attatched
together with sinues and covered with rosin. C A. is reduced to a sharp
point at A where it is also bent in a little; C B. is attatched to the
line, for about half it’s length at the upper extremity B. the whole
forming two sides of an accute angled triangle.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday, January 16th, 1806. This evening we finished curing the meat. No occurrence worthy of mention took place today. We have plenty of elk beef for the present and a little salt, our houses are dry and comfortable, and having made up our minds to remain until the 1st of April, everyone appears content with his situation and his fare. It is true that we could even travel now on our return as far as the timbered country reaches, or to the falls of the river; but further than that it would be madness for us to attempt to proceed until April, as the Indians inform us that the snows lie knee-deep in the plains of Columbia during the winter, and in these plains we could scarcely get as much fuel of any kind as would cook our provisions as we descended the river. And even were we happily over these plains and again in the wooded country at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, we could not possibly pass that immense barrier of mountains, on which the snows lie in winter to the depth in many places of 20 feet. In short, the Indians inform us that they are impassable until about the 1st of June, at which time there is even still an abundance of snow, but a scanty subsistence may be obtained for the horses. We should not therefore advance ourselves on our homeward journey by reaching the Rocky Mountains earlier than the 1st of June, which we can easily accomplish by setting out from here on the 1st of April.
The Clatsops, Chinnooks (Chinooks), etc., in fishing employ the common straight net, the scooping or dipping net with a long handle, the gig, and the hook and line. The common net is of different lengths and depths, usually employed in taking the salmon, carp, and trout in the inlets among the marshy grounds and the mouths of deep creeks. The skimming or scooping net is used to take small fish in the spring and summer season; the gig and hook are employed indiscriminately at all seasons in taking such fish as they can procure by their means. Their nets and fishing lines are made of silk-grass or white cedar bark; and their hooks are generally of European manufacture, though before the whites visited them they made hooks of bone and other substances formed in the following manner: A C and C B are two small pieces of bone about the size of a strong twine; these are flattened and leveled off at their extremities near C, where they are firmly attached together with sinews and covered with rosin. C A is reduced to a sharp point at A, where it is also bent in a little; C B is attached to the line for about half its length at the upper extremity B, the whole forming two sides of an acute-angled triangle.
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