Building and occupying Fort Clatsop — Patrick Gass: December 10, 1805

LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION _ 185
all hands were employed at work notwithstanding the rain.
About 2 o’clock Capt. Clarke and 3 of his party returned to
camp ; the other two remained out to hunt. They found the
ocean to be about 7 miles from our camp; for 4 miles the
land high and closely timbered: the remainder prairie cut
with some streams of water. They killed an elk and saw
about 50 in one gang. They also saw three lodges of Indians
on the seashore. The natives which were at our camp, went
away this morning after receiving some presents. In the
evening we Jaid the foundation of our huts.