Fort Clatsop, winter quarters — Patrick Gass: March 21, 1806
Hunters set out in the morning, and around 10 o'clock the party was visited by some Clatsop Indians. Gass uses the day to record observations about the coastal nations—the Clatsop, Chinook, Cathlamas, Calamex, and Chiltz—noting their similar dress, shared language, and burial customs of leaving property, including many canoes, at gravesites. He remarks that these groups own few possessions beyond canoes, comments on widespread prostitution, and singles out the Flatheads as the only nation along the route who value chastity. The two hunters returned in the evening empty-handed.
204 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
hunters went out this morning; and about ro o’clock we were
visited by some of the Clat-sop Indians. These and the
Chin-ook, Cath-la-mas, Cal-a-mex and Chiltz nations, who in-
habit the seacoast, all dress in the same manner. The men are
wholly naked except a small robe; the women have only the
addition of the short petticoat. Their language also is nearly
the same; and they all observe the same ceremony of deposit-
ing with the remains of the dead all their property, or plac-
ing it at their graves. I believe I saw as many as an hundred
canoes at one burying-place of the Chin-ooks, on the north
side of the Columbia, at its entrance into Hailey’s Bay; and
there are a great many at the burying-place of every village.
These Indians on the coast have no horses, and very little
property of any kind, except their canoes. The women are
much inclined to venery, and like those on the Missouri are
sold to prostitution at an easy rate. An old Chin-ook squaw
frequently visited our quarters with nine girls which she kept
as prostitutes. To the honour of the Flatheads, who live on
the west side of the Rocky Mountains, and extend some
distance down the Columbia, we must mention them as an
exception; as they do not exhibit those loose feelings of car-
nal desire, nor appear addicted to the common customs of
prostitution: and they are the only nation on the whole route
where any thing like chastity is regarded. In the evening our
two hunters returned, but had killed nothing.
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204 GASS'S JOURNAL OF THE
The hunters went out this morning; and about 10 o'clock we were visited by some of the Clat-sop Indians. These and the Chin-ook, Cath-la-mas, Cal-a-mex and Chiltz nations, who inhabit the seacoast, all dress in the same manner. The men are entirely naked except for a small robe; the women only add a short petticoat. Their language is also nearly the same; and they all observe the same ceremony of depositing all their property with the remains of the dead, or placing it at their graves. I believe I saw as many as a hundred canoes at one burying-place of the Chin-ooks, on the north side of the Columbia, at its entrance into Hailey's Bay; and there are a great many at the burying-place of every village.
These Indians on the coast have no horses, and very little property of any kind, except their canoes. The women are much inclined to sexual activity, and like those on the Missouri are sold for prostitution at a low price. An old Chin-ook woman frequently visited our quarters with nine girls whom she kept as prostitutes. To the honor of the Flatheads, who live on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, and extend some distance down the Columbia, we must mention them as an exception; as they do not display those loose feelings of carnal desire, nor appear addicted to the common customs of prostitution: and they are the only nation on the whole route where anything like chastity is respected. In the evening our two hunters returned, but had killed nothing.
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