Building and occupying Fort Clatsop — Patrick Gass: December 14, 1805
Two men returned to guard meat killed earlier while the rest of the party continued work at the encampment. Rain fell throughout much of the day, though temperatures remained mild with only a light white frost and no freezing. The visiting Native Americans departed in the afternoon. The crew finished constructing all seven huts except for the roofing, which proved easier than anticipated thanks to a locally abundant timber that split cleanly into fine puncheons up to ten feet long, two feet wide, and an inch and a half thick.
186 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
went back with two other men to take care of the meat. In
the course of the day a good deal of rain fell; the weather
here still continues warm, and there has been no freezing
except a little white frost. In the afternoon the savages all
went away. We completed the building of our huts, 7 in
number, all but the covering, which I now find will not be so
difficult as I expected; as we have found a kind of timber in
plenty, which splits freely and makes the finest puncheons I
have ever seen. They can be split 10 feet long and 2 broad,
not more than an inch and an half thick.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
[I] went back with two other men to take care of the meat. During the course of the day a good deal of rain fell; the weather here still continues warm, and there has been no freezing except a little white frost. In the afternoon the savages all went away. We completed the building of our huts, 7 in number, all but the covering, which I now find will not be as difficult as I expected; for we have found a kind of timber in plenty, which splits freely and makes the finest puncheons I have ever seen. They can be split 10 feet long and 2 feet broad, not more than an inch and a half thick.
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