Lewis: January 19, 1806
Two hunting parties were dispatched: Collins and Willard down the bay toward Point Adams, and Labiche and Shannon up the Netul River by water. Two Clatsop men and a woman visited the fort, trading a sea otter skin for the last blue beads, white beads, and a knife, plus train oil for brass armbands and a woven cedar-bark hat for fishhooks. Lewis admired the durability of these native hats and recorded observations about Clatsop family life, communal living, marriage customs, and the limited, merit-based authority of their chiefs.
Monday January 19th 1806. This morning sent out two parties of hunters,
consisting of Collins and Willard whom we sent down the bay towards point
Adams, and Labuish and Shannon whom we sent up Fort River; the fist by
land and the latter by water. we were visited today by two Clatsop men and
a woman who brought for sale some Sea Otter skins of which we purchased
one, giving in exchange the remainder of our blue beads consisting of 6
fathoms and about the same quantity of small white beads and a knife. we
also purchased a small quantity of train oil for a pair of Brass armbands
and a hat for some fishinghooks. these hats are of their own manufactory
and are composed of Cedar bark and bear grass interwoven with the fingers
and ornimented with various colours and figures, they are nearly
waterproof, light, and I am convinced are much more durable than either
chip or straw. These hats form a small article of traffic with the
Clatsops and Chinnooks who dispose of them to the whites. the form of the
hat is that which was in vogue in the Ued States and great Britain in the
years 1800 & 1801 with a high crown reather larger at the top than
where it joins the brim; the brim narrow or about 2 or 21/2 inches.
Several families of these people usually reside together in the same room;
they appear to be the father & mother and their sons with their son’s
wives and children; their provision seems to be in common and the greatest
harmoney appears to exist among them. The old man is not always rispected
as the head of the family, that duty most commonly devolves on one of the
young men. They have seldom more than one wife, yet the plurality of wives
is not denyed them by their customs. These families when ascociated form
nations or bands of nations each acknoledging the authority of it’s own
chieftain who dose not appear to be heriditary, nor his power to extend
further than a mear repremand for any improper act of an individual; the
creation of a chief depends upon the upright deportment of the individual
& his ability and disposition to render service to the community; and
his authority or the deference paid him is in exact equilibrio with the
popularity or voluntary esteem he has acquired among the individuals of
his band or nation. Their laws like those of all uncivilized Indians
consist of a set of customs which have grown out of their local
situations. not being able to speak their language we have not been able
to inform ourselves of the existence of any peculiar customs among them.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday, January 19th, 1806. This morning we sent out two parties of hunters: Collins and Willard, whom we sent down the bay toward Point Adams, and Labuish and Shannon, whom we sent up Fort River; the first by land and the latter by water. We were visited today by two Clatsop men and a woman, who brought for sale some sea otter skins, of which we purchased one, giving in exchange the remainder of our blue beads (consisting of 6 fathoms) and about the same quantity of small white beads, plus a knife. We also purchased a small quantity of train oil for a pair of brass armbands, and a hat for some fishhooks. These hats are of their own manufacture and are composed of cedar bark and bear grass interwoven with the fingers and ornamented with various colors and figures. They are nearly waterproof, light, and I am convinced are much more durable than either chip or straw. These hats form a small article of trade with the Clatsops and Chinooks, who sell them to the whites. The form of the hat is that which was in vogue in the United States and Great Britain in the years 1800 and 1801, with a high crown rather larger at the top than where it joins the brim; the brim narrow, or about 2 or 2½ inches.
Several families of these people usually reside together in the same room. They appear to be the father and mother and their sons, along with their sons' wives and children. Their provisions seem to be held in common, and the greatest harmony appears to exist among them. The old man is not always respected as the head of the family; that duty most commonly devolves on one of the young men. They seldom have more than one wife, yet a plurality of wives is not denied them by their customs. These families, when associated, form nations or bands of nations, each acknowledging the authority of its own chieftain, who does not appear to be hereditary, nor does his power extend further than a mere reprimand for any improper act of an individual. The making of a chief depends upon the upright conduct of the individual and his ability and willingness to render service to the community; and his authority, or the deference paid him, is in exact balance with the popularity or voluntary esteem he has acquired among the individuals of his band or nation. Their laws, like those of all uncivilized Indians, consist of a set of customs which have grown out of their local circumstances. Not being able to speak their language, we have not been able to inform ourselves of the existence of any peculiar customs among them.
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