Lewis: January 3, 1806
Chief Comowool and six Clatsops visited Fort Clatsop, bringing roots, berries, three dogs, and whale blubber obtained from the Callamuck people to the southeast, where a whale had recently washed ashore. Lewis reflected on the party's growing fondness for dog meat, finding it healthier than other available game. Sergeant Gass and George Shannon were sent to check on the saltmakers and look for the missing Willard and Wiser. Hunters Fields, Collins, and Potts returned with poor results, prompting plans to send out more hunting parties. Lewis gifted Comowool a pair of satin breeches.
Friday January 3d 1806. At 11 A.M. we were visited by our near neighbours,
Chief or Tia, Como-wool; alias Conia and six Clatsops. they brought for
sale some roots buries and three dogs also a small quantity of fresh
blubber. this blubber they informed us they had obtained from their
neighbours the Callamucksz who inhabit the coast to the S. E. near whose
vilage a whale had recently perished. this blubber the Indians eat and
esteeme it excellent food. our party from necessaty having been obliged to
subsist some lenth of time on dogs have now become extreemly fond of their
flesh; it is worthy of remark that while we lived principally on the flesh
of this anamal we were much more healthy strong and more fleshey than we
had been since we left the Buffaloe country. for my own part I have become
so perfectly reconciled to the dog that I think it an agreeable food and
would prefer it vastly to lean Venison or Elk. a small Crow, the blue
crested Corvus and the smaller corvus with a white brest, the little brown
ren, a large brown sparrow, the bald Eagle and the beatifull Buzzard of
the columbia still continue with us.Sent Sergt. Gass and George
Shannon to the saltmakers who are somewhere on the coast to the S. W. of
us, to enquire after Willard and Wiser who have not yet returned. Reubin
Fields Collins and Pots the hunters who set out on the 26th Ulto. returned
this evening after dark. they reported that they had been about 15 Miles
up the river at the head of the bay just below us and had hunted the
country from thence down on the East side of the river, even to a
considerable distance from it and had proved unsuccessful) having killed
one deer and a few fowls, barely as much as subsisted them. this reminded
us of the necessity of taking time by the forelock, and keep out several
parties while we have yet a little meat beforehand.I gave the Chief
Comowooll a pare of sattin breechies with which he appeared much pleased.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday, January 3rd, 1806. At 11 A.M. we were visited by our near neighbors, Chief or Tia, Como-wool, alias Conia, and six Clatsops. They brought for sale some roots, berries, and three dogs, also a small quantity of fresh blubber. They informed us they had obtained this blubber from their neighbors the Callamucks, who inhabit the coast to the southeast, near whose village a whale had recently perished. The Indians eat this blubber and consider it excellent food. Our party, having been obliged by necessity to subsist for some length of time on dogs, have now become extremely fond of their flesh. It is worthy of remark that while we lived principally on the flesh of this animal, we were much more healthy, strong, and fleshier than we had been since we left the Buffalo country. For my own part, I have become so perfectly reconciled to the dog that I think it an agreeable food, and would prefer it vastly to lean venison or elk. A small crow, the blue-crested Corvus and the smaller corvus with a white breast, the little brown wren, a large brown sparrow, the bald eagle, and the beautiful buzzard of the Columbia still remain with us.
Sent Sergt. Gass and George Shannon to the saltmakers, who are somewhere on the coast to the southwest of us, to inquire after Willard and Wiser, who have not yet returned. Reubin Fields, Collins, and Potts, the hunters who set out on the 26th of last month, returned this evening after dark. They reported that they had gone about 15 miles up the river at the head of the bay just below us, and had hunted the country from there downward on the east side of the river, even to a considerable distance from it, and had been unsuccessful, having killed only one deer and a few fowls, barely enough to sustain themselves. This reminded us of the necessity of taking time by the forelock, and keeping out several parties while we still have a little meat in reserve.
I gave the Chief Comowooll a pair of satin breeches, with which he appeared much pleased.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
