Tillamook in the Lewis and Clark journals | Lewis & Clark Research Database

The Tillamook (Killamuck): Coastal Neighbors of Fort Clatsop

Thu, 07 May 2026 17:48:13 +0000

Introduction

The Tillamook — rendered “Killamucks” or “Kil-a-mox” by the captains — were the Salish-speaking coastal people whose territory lay along the Pacific shore south of Point Adams, in present-day northwestern Oregon. During the four months the Corps of Discovery wintered at Fort Clatsop (December 1805 – March 1806), the Tillamook were among their most important trading neighbors, second only to the closer Clatsops and Chinooks. The journal record portrays them principally through Lewis’s ethnographic notebook entries and through the logistical drama of the salt camp and the beached whale.

First Contact and the Salt Camp

The expedition’s sustained contact with the Tillamook began with the establishment of the salt-making camp on the coast roughly fifteen miles southwest of Fort Clatsop. Lewis recorded on January 5, 1806 the return of Willard and Wiser, who had located the saltmakers near a Tillamook village:

they had at length established themselves on the coast about 15 Miles S. W. from this, near the lodge of some Killamuck families; that the Indians were very friendly and had given them a considerable quantity of the blubber of a whale which perished on the coast some distance S. E. of them.

This first impression — of friendliness and generosity with whale blubber — set the tone for much of the subsequent relationship. The blubber, Lewis reported, was “white & not unlike the fat of Poark, tho the texture was more spongey,” and “very pallitable and tender.”

The Beached Whale at Ecola Creek

The Tillamook’s most famous appearance in the expedition record concerns the whale that washed ashore in their territory. The summary entry of January 6, 1806 describes Clark’s organized party crossing Tillamook Head to Ecola Creek, where the whale’s skeleton — about 105 feet long — lay on the beach. It was here that Sacagawea made her well-known protest:

She observed that She had traveled a long way with us to See the great waters, and that now that monstrous fish was also to be Seen, She thought it very hard that She Should not be permitted to See either.

From the Tillamook the party purchased about 300 pounds of blubber and several gallons of oil — a meaningful supplement to the monotonous fort diet of elk and fish. Lewis later noted (January 25, 1806) that when other hunting failed, the saltmakers themselves “had been obliged to subsist on some whale which they procured from the natives.”

Place in the Coastal Trade Network

Lewis recognized the Tillamook as a node in a regional barter economy. On January 11, 1806, after the Cathlamet chief Shahharwarcap and his party departed Fort Clatsop, Lewis observed:

the Cuthlahmahs left us this evening on their way to the Catsops, to whom they purpose bartering their wappetoe for the blubber and oil of the whale, which the latter purchased for beads &c. from the Killamucks; in this manner there is a trade contin[ued]

Wapato roots from the Columbia Valley moved downriver; whale products moved up the coast and inland. The Tillamook stood at the seaward end of this exchange. In Lewis’s general trade summary of January 13, 1806, he listed the Tillamook (“those of the sea coast S. E. of the entrance of the river”) among the first of the nations who repaired to the trading anchorage inside Cape Disappointment when European vessels arrived between April and October.

Slavery and Captives

One of the more sober journal entries concerning the Tillamook touches on captive-taking. On March 1, 1806, Lewis described a boy in the household of a visitor named Kuskelar:

he had a good looking boy of about 10 years of age with him who he informed us was his slave. this boy had been taken prisoner by the Killamucks from some nation on the Coast to the S. East of them at a great distance. like other Indian nations they adopt their slaves in their families and treat them very much as their own children.

This is one of the few specific glimpses the journals offer into the Tillamook’s reach southward along the Oregon coast and their participation in the broader Northwest Coast practice of captive-taking.

Material Culture and Subsistence

Lewis’s ethnographic notebook entries treat the Tillamook as essentially of a piece with their immediate neighbors. On March 19, 1806 he wrote:

The Killamucks, Clatsops, Chinnooks, Cathlahmahs and Wac-ki-a-cums resemble each other as well in their persons and dress as in their habits and manners.

He described shared physical features — “thick broad flat feet, thick ankles, crooked legs wide mouths thick lips” — and a copper-brown complexion typical of the region. The canoes Lewis admired in his entry of February 1, 1806, capable of “riding high waves” with apparent ease, were the common property of these coastal nations.

Specific to Tillamook subsistence, Lewis noted on January 23, 1806 a particular bulb root:

this root is reather insipid in point of flavour, it grows in greatest abundance along the sea coast in the sandy grounds and is most used by the Killamucks and those inhabiting the coast.

Visitors at the Fort

Tillamook individuals occasionally appeared at Fort Clatsop itself, usually in mixed parties with Clatsops. On March 22, 1806, on the eve of departure, Lewis recorded:

about 10 A.M. we were visited by 4 Clatsops and a killamucks; they brought some dried Anchoveis and a dog for sale which we purchased.

This pattern — Tillamook traders arriving in small numbers, often as members of larger Clatsop or Chinook groups — suggests that the heart of expedition–Tillamook contact remained at the salt camp on the coast rather than at the fort.

Geographic Notes

As the Corps moved back up the Columbia in the spring, the Tillamook continued to figure as a geographical reference point. On March 29, 1806, Lewis described an inlet that “receives the waters of a small creek which heads with killamucks river” — placing the Tillamook drainage in his evolving mental map of the Columbia–coast watershed. The earlier entry of January 10, 1806, recording the visit of the Cathlamet chief, had similarly used the Tillamook as a fixed point in describing the linguistic and cultural geography of the lower river.

Limits of the Record

Although the journals mention the Tillamook in fifteen entries, the depth of personal contact recorded is shallower than with the Clatsops or Chinooks. No Tillamook leader is named in the way Comowooll (Clatsop) or Delashelwilt (Chinook) is named. Most observations come filtered through the saltmakers’ reports or generalized into Lewis’s pan-coastal ethnography of March 19. The Corps stayed near, traded with, and ate the food of the Tillamook for an entire winter — but the journal record preserves their presence largely as friendly suppliers of whale blubber, sandy-shore root foods, and a steady backdrop to the salt camp’s labors.

Conclusion

The Tillamook emerge from the journals as essential, if somewhat anonymous, partners of the Fort Clatsop winter. They fed the saltmakers when game failed, supplied the blubber and oil that broke the monotony of expedition fare, anchored the southern end of a coastal trade in whale products, and provided Lewis with much of the comparative material for his ethnography of the lower Columbia peoples. That the Corps survived the winter in tolerable health owes something to the friendliness Lewis remarked upon at the very first mention of them on January 5, 1806.

The post The Tillamook (Killamuck): Coastal Neighbors of Fort Clatsop appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Fort Clatsop, winter quarters — John Ordway: January 11, 1806

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:48 +0000

landing last night, & went away. Some time last night 7 men
went with a canoe after the Elk meat several more went to
look for the Small canoe, towards evening we returned with
the meat &C.
it very hard she could not be permitted to see either (she had never yet been to
the Ocean).”
1 The party had traveled along the coast to a point in the vicinity of Nehalem
Bay, in Tillamook County.
2 Modern Nehalem River.
3 Tillamook Head. It had been first seen by Clark from Cape Disappoint-
ment on Nov. 18, 1805, on his first excursion to the shore of the Pacific.
322 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Jan. 12

The post Fort Clatsop, winter quarters — John Ordway: January 11, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Treaty with the Coast tribes of Oregon, 1855

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:47:24 +0000

Land cession by the Coast tribes of Oregon. Region: Oregon 1. Counties: Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook.

Present-Day Tribes

Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon
Coquille Indian Tribe, Oregon
Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Oregon

Citations

Suttles 182; Suttles 182,186-88; Suttles 186-87; Suttles 187-87

Tiller 664, 671; Tiller 664, 667; Tiller 664, 668; Tiller 664, 670; Tiller 664, 676

The post Treaty with the Coast tribes of Oregon, 1855 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Lewis: April 6, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:05 +0000

Sunday April 6th 1806. This morning we had the dryed meat secured in skins
and the canoes loaded; we took breakfast and departed at 9 A.M. we
continued up the N. side of the river nearly to the place at which we had
encamped on the 3rd of Nov. when we passed the river to the south side in
quest of the hunters we had sent up yesterday and the day before. from the
appearance of a rock near which we had encamped on the 3rd of November
last I could judge better of the rise of the water than I could at any
point below. I think the flood of this spring has been about 12 feet
higher than it was at that time; the river is here about 11/2 miles wide;
it’s general width from the beacon rock which may be esteemed the head of
tide water, to the marshey islands is from one to 2 miles tho in many
places it is still wider. it is only in the fall of the year when the
river is low that the tides are persceptable as high as the beacon rock.
this remarkable rock which stands on the North shore of the river is
unconnected with the hills and rises to the hight of seven hundred feet;
it has some pine or reather fir timber on it’s nothern side, the southern
is a precipice of it’s whole hight. it rises to a very sharp point and is
visible for 20 miles below on the river. at the distance of ten miles from
our encampment we met with our hunters in the upper end of the bottom to
which we had directed them on the South side of the river. they had killed
three Elk this morning and wounded two others so badly that they expected
to get them. we therefore determined to encamp for the evening at this
place in order to dry the meat, in surch of which we sent a party
immediately and employed others in preparing scaffoalds and collecting
firewood &c against their return. we found some indians with our
hunters when we arrived; these people are constantly hanging about us.As
has been before mentioned Capt C set out with a party of seven men on 2ed
inst. in surch of the entrance of the Multnomah river. he departed at 1/2
after 11 A. M and directed his course along the Southern side of the
river. at the distance of 8 miles he passed the village of the
Na-cha-co-lee tribe of the E-lute Nation; this village is not large and
being situated on the main shore opposite to and S. of the Diamond Island
it was concealed by that island from our view both ascending and decending
the Columbia as we passed near the Northern shore. Capt C. passed this
village without halting and continued his rout untill 3 P.M. when he
arrived at a large double house of the Ne-er-cho-ki-oo tribe of the
Shah’ha-la nation; at this place we had seen 24 additional straw and bark
huts as we passed down last fall, the inhabitants of which as I have
before mentioned reside at the great rapids of the Columbia river. about
this place in different directions Capt C. saw a great number of small
canoes lying scattered on the bank. these small canoes are employed by the
women in collecting wappetoe; with one of these a woman enters a pond
where the Sagitaria Sagittifolia grows frequently to her breast in water
and by means of her toes and feet breakes the bulb of this plant loos from
the parent radicle and disincumbering it from the mud it immediately rises
to the surface of the water when she seizes it and throws it into her
canoe which she always keeps convenient to her. they will remain in the
water for hours together in surch of this bulb in middle of winter. those
canoes are from 10 to 14 feet in length, from 18 to 23 inches in width
near the middle tapering or becoming narrower towards either extremity and
9 inches deep their form is thus. they are so light that a woman can draw
them over land or take them with ease through the swamps in any direction,
and are sufficient to carry a single person and several bushells of roots.
Capt. Clarks pilot informed him that the small canoes which he saw in the
vicinity of this lodge were the property of the Shah-ha-las who used them
occasionally when they visit this neighbourhood for the purpose of
collecting roots. while at this place Capt C. entered one of the
appartments of the house and offered several articles to the natives in
exchange for wappetoe, they appeared to be in an ill humour and positively
refused to let him have any. Capt. C. sat himself down near the fire and
having a part of a portfire match in his pocket cut of a small peice of it
and threw it in the fire; at the same time he took out his pocket compass
and by means of a magnet which he had in the top of his inkstand he turned
the nedle of the compass about very briskly; the match took fire and
birned vehemently; the indians astonished and allarmed at these
exhibitions, ran and brought several parcels of wappetoe and laid at his
feet and begged that he would put out the bad fire; to this he consented;
at this moment the match being exhausted was of course extenguished and he
put up his compass & magnet. they were now much more complisant, tho
the women and children were yet so much allarmed that they took refuge in
their beads and behing the men who were seting opposite to Capt. C. during
the whole of this farcical seen an old man who was seting by continued to
speak with great vehemence apparently imploring his god for protection.
Capt. C. gave them an adiquate compensation for their roots and having
lighted his pipe smoaked with the men. they appeared in a great measure to
get the better of their allarm and he left them and continued his rout
along the south side of Image canoe Island which he found to be three
islands, the one in the center concealing the apperture between the two
others in such manner that from the north side of the river where we have
previously passed they all appeared to form one island only. at the
distance of 13 miles below the village just mentioned, and at the lower
point of what we have heretofore deemed the image canoe Island, Capt C.
entered the Multnomah river so called by the natives from a nation of that
name who reside on wappetoe island a little below the entrance of this
river? Multnomah river discharges itself on the S. side of the Columbia
140 miles above the entrance of the latter into the Pacific Ocean, and may
be justly esteemed one fourth of that noble river. Capt. C. found that
this river had attained it’s greatest annual hight and had now fallen
about 18 inches. it has three small islands in it’s mouth which conceal
the river from the view of those who pass with the stream of the Columbia.
from the Columbia at the entrance of the Multonomah river Mount Jefferson
bears S. E. this is a noble mountain. I think equally as high as Mount St.
Helines but it’s distance being much greater than that of the latter, so
great a portion of it dose not appear above the range of mountains which
lie betwen boath those stupendious mountains and this point of view. like
mount St. Heleans it’s figure is a regular cone and is covered with
eternal snow. M. St. Heleans from the same point boar N ____, Mount Hood
due East, and Mount Raniei nearly North. there is also a very high humped
mountain a little to the East of Mount St. Heleans which appears to lie in
the same chain with those conic pointed mountains before mentioned. soon
after Capt Clark entered the Multnomah river he was met by an old Indian
man alone in a canoe decending the river, the pilot had some conversation
with him and informed Capt. C. that this was a man of the Clark-a’-mas
nation who are numerous and inhabit eleven vilages on either side of a
river of the same name which has it’s source in Mount Jefferson and after
tranversing a woody and fertile country discharges itself into the
Multnomah river on it’s E. side at the distance of about 40 miles from
it’s junction with the Columbia. the Clarkamas river is navigable for
canoes a great distance, from the Indian account almost to the foot of
mount, Jefferson. the nation who inhabit it’s borders live principally on
fish with which this stream abounds and also on roots which they procure
on it’s borders. they sometimes also come down to the Multnomah and
Columbia in surch of Wappatoe. they do not differ essentially in their
language dress &c from the Quathlahpohtles and others in the vicinity
of wappetoe island. The current of the Multnomah river is as gentle as
that of the Columbia, glides smoothly with an even surface, and appears to
possess sufficient debth for the largest ship. Capt. C. attempted to sound
it with a cord of 5 fathoms which was the longest in his possession but
could not find bottom at this debth for at least one third of the width of
the river. Capt. C. ascended this river ten miles to a large wood house on
the East side of the river, near which he encamped for the evening; the
house being infested with such swarms of flees that they could not remain
in it. this his guide informed him was the house of the Cush-hooks nation
who reside just below the falls of the Multnomah river and who
occasionally reside at this place for the purpose of collecting wappetoe.
at present this house appeared to have been lately abandoned by the
natives who had left therein exposed to every visiter various articles
such as small canoes, mats, bladders of train oil, baskets, bowls and
trenchers. this is a strong evidence of the honesty of the natives with
rispect to the property of each other, but they have given us several
evidences that they do not pay the same rispect to the property of white
men. his guide further informed him that there were a number of small
houses belonging to the last mentioned nation situated on two bayous which
make out of the river a little above this large hose on the East side;
that the inhabitants of these as well as those of the large house had gone
up to the falls of the Multnomah river for the purpose of taking fish.
these falls are situated at the distance of 2 days travel from the
junction of the Multnomah and Columbia rivers agreeably to the Indian
account which we have estimated at 60 miles or 20 m. above the entrance of
Clarkamus river. Capt C. took the dementions of the hose of the
Ne-mal-quin-ner tribe of the Cushhooks nation near which he encamped on
the 2ed inst. and found it presisely thirty feet by 40 squar constructed
with broad boards and covered with the bark of the white cedar or
arborvita; the floor is on a level with the surface of the earth and the
internal arrangement is similar to those of the natives of the Sea coast.these
people carry on a trafic with the Killamucks of the coast across the
mountains and by way of the Killamucks river from the Killamucks they
obtain their train oil. The courses and distances taken by Capt. Clark in
ascending the Multnomah river from it’s junction with the Columbia river,
commencing at the lower extremity of the Image canoe Islands are as
follows. (viz) S. 30° W. 4 m. to the upper point of a small island in the
center of Multnomah river. thence S 10° W. 3 m. to a sluce 80 yds. wide on
Stard. which dividing wappetoe Island from the main land discharges itself
into wappetoe inlet passed a willow point on Lard. S. 60° W. 3 ms. to a
large indian house on the Lard. side, just below some high fir land the
shore is bold and high on Stard. side. S 30° E. 2 ms. to the center of a
bend under The highlands on Stard. side, passing a Lard. point; from hence
the river directed it’s course to the E. of S. E. as far as Capt. C. could
perceive it.at this place the Multnomah river is 500 yds. wide and
sufficiently deep to admit the largest ship. the river appears to be
washing away it’s banks in some places, and has more sandbars and willow
points than the Columbia.On the morning of the 3rd inst. Capt. Clark
observed that the water had fallen in the course of the night about 5
inches. he set out early and proceeded up the river a short distance few
miles and attempted a second time to fathom it but with the same success
as before he could nt find bottom with his cord of 5 fathoms for the
distance of half the width of the stream. Capt C. having fully satisfyed
himself of the magnitude of this great river he set out on his return at 7
A.M. I have but little doubt but that this river waters a vast tract of
country lying between the Western mountains and the mountainous country of
the sea coast extending as far south as the waters of the gulph of
Callifornia or about Latitude 37° North. at 11 A.M. Capt. C. arrived at
the Ne-er-cho-ki-oo house where he had allarmed the inhabtants yesterday.
he halted here a few minutes to smoke with these people who consisted of
eight families. he found that his presents excited fresh allarm
particularly among the women and children who hid themselves and took
refuge behind the men as yesterday; the men held down their heads and
seemed much conserned; he therefore remained in the house but a few
minutes, returned to his canoe and pursued his rout. his pilot now
informed him that these people as well as their relations at the falls of
the Columbia were illy disposed bad men. soon after he set out he met five
canoes on board of which there were as many families of the Shah-ha-la
nation decending the river in surch of subsistence. they were extreemly
anxious to come along side, but he forbid their doing so as their number
was too considerable there being 21 men on board these canoes. his pilot
told him that they were mischevous bad men. at 3 P.M. he arrived at the
present residence of his pilot on the South side of the river opposite the
Diamond Island. here he halted about an hour he found this house very
large; it consisted of seven appartments in one range above ground each
about 30 feet square. the entrances to these appartments were from
passages which extended quite across the house, about 4 feet wide and
formed like the walls of the hose of broad boards set on end extending
from beneath the floor to the roof of the house. the apperture or hole
through which they enter all those wooden houses are remarkably small not
generally more than 3 feet high and about 22 inches wide. the ground plot
of the Nechecolee house is thus 1 1 1 1 the passages of 4 feet and 2 2
&c. the appartments of 30 feet square. this house is covered with the
bark of the white cedar, laid on in a double course, supported by rafters
and longitudinal round poles attatched to the rafters with cores of this
bark. the peices of the cedar bark extend the whole length of the side of
the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the distance of 18
inches transverse splinters of dry fir is inserted through the cedar bark
in order to keep it smooth and prevent it’s edges from colapsing by the
heat of the sun; in this manner the natives make a very secure light and
lasting roof of this bark. in the vicinity of this house Capt. Clark
observed the remains of five other large houses which appeared to have
been sunk in the ground several feet and built after the method of those
of the Elutes nation at the great narrows of the columbia with whom these
people claim affinity. their language is the same with the Elutes, tho in
their habits, dress manners &c they differ but little from the
Quathlahpohtles and others in this neighborhood. they make use of some
words common to their neighbours but the air of their language is entirely
different. they are much better formed and their men larger than the
nations below. their women wear larger and longer robes which are made
principally of deerskins dressed in the hair. they pay great rispect to
their aged persons. Capt. C. observed several persons of both sexes who
appeared to have arrived to great age yet they appeared perfectly healthy
tho most of them perfectly blind. the loss of sight I have observed to be
more common among all the nations inhabiting this river than among any
people I ever observed. they have almost invariably soar eyes at all
stages of life. the loss of an eye is very common among them; blindness in
perdsons of middle age is by no means uncommon, and it is almost
invariably a concommitant of old age. I know not to what cause to
attribute this prevalent deficientcy of the eyes except it be their
exposure to the reflection of the sun on the water to which they are
constantly exposed in the occupation of fishing. Capt. C. enquired of the
Nechecole the cause of the decline of their village. an old man who
appeared to be of some note among them and the father of his guide brought
forward a woman who was much marked with the small pox, and made signs
that the inhabitants of those houses which he saw in ruins had all died
with the disorder which marked the face of the woman and with which this
woman was very near dying when a girl. from the apparent age of the woman
Capt. C. supposed that it was about 28 or 30 years since this disorder had
prevailed among these people. this is about the time which we have
supposed that it prevailed among the Clatsops and others of the coast.
Capt C. now prevailed on this old man to give him a sketch of the
Multnomah river it’s branches and the position and names of the Indian
nations residing thereon this the old man son executed with his finger in
the dust. (see scetch inserted on the 3rd inst.). he informed that the
Cush-hooks and Char-cow-ah nations who reside at the falls of that river
were not numerous; but that the Cal-lah-po-e-wah nation who inhabited both
sides of this river above the falls as far as it was known to himself or
his nation were very numerous. that the country they inhabited was level
and wholy destitute of timber. that a high range of mountains passed the
Multnomah river at the falls, on the upperside of which the country was
one vast plain. the nations who inhabit this country reside on the rivers
and subsist like those of the Columbia on fish and roots principally. Capt
C. bought five dogs of these people and set out for my camp at 5 P.M.
where he arrived a little before dark, on the evening of the third.the
party whom we sent for the flesh of the Elk which Shannon had killed
returned in the evening with that of four, one had by some mistake been
omitted. Drewyer and shannon found the two wounded Elk and had killed
them. we set all hands at work to prepare the meat for the saffoald they
continued their operations untill late at night. we directed Shannon to go
out early in the morning with a party to bring in the Elk which had been
left last evening in mistake. we also directed Drewyer and the two
Feildses to ascend the river early in the morning to a small bottom a few
miles above and hunt untill our arrival.-

The post Lewis: April 6, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Lewis: March 29, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:59 +0000

Saturday March 29th 1806. We set out early this morning and proceeded
along the side of Deer Island; halted at 10 A.M. near its upper point and
breakfasted. here we were joined by three men of the Clan-nah-min-na-mun
nation. the upper point of this Island may be esteemed the lower side or
commencement of the Columbian valley. after breakfast we proceeded on and
at the distance of 14 miles from our encampment of the last evening we
passed a large inlet 300 yds in width. this inlet or arm of the river
extends itself to the South 10 or 12 M. to the hills on that side of the
river and receives the waters of a small creek which heads with killamucks
river, and that of a bayau which passes out of the Columbia about 20 miles
above, the large Island thus formed we call wappetoe island. on this inlet
and Island the following nations reside, (viz) Clan-nah-min-namun,
Clacks-star, Cath-lah-cum-up, Clah-in-na-ta, Cath-lah-nah-qui-ah, and
Cath-lah-cam-mah-tup. the two first reside on the inlet and the others on
the bayau and island.observed a speceies of small wild onion
growing among the moss on the rocks, they resemble the shives of our
gardens and grow remarkably close together forming a perfect turf; they
are quite as agreeably flavoured as the shives. on the North side of the
columbia a little above the entrance of this inlet a considerable river
discharges itself. this stream the natives call the Cah-wah-na-hi-ooks. it
is 150 yards wide and at present discharges a large body of water, tho
from the information of the same people it is not navigable but a short
distance in consequence of falls and rappids a tribe called the
Hul-lu-ettell reside on this river above it’s entr.at the distance
of three miles above the entrance of the inlet on the N. side behind the
lower point of an island we arrived at the village of the Cath-lah-poh-tle
with consists of 14 large wooden houses. here we arrived at 3 P.M. the
language of these people as well as those on the inlet and wappetoe Island
differs in some measure from the nations on the lower part of the river.
tho many of their words are the same, and a great many others with the
difference only of accent. the form of their houses and dress of the men,
manner of living habits customs &c as far as we could discover are the
same. their women wear their ornaments robes and hair as those do below
tho here their hair is more frequently braded in two tresses and hang over
each ear in front of the body. in stead of the tissue of bark woarn by the
women below, they wear a kind of leather breech clout about the width of a
common pocket handkerchief and reather longer. the two corners of this at
one of the narrow ends are confined in front just above the hips; the
other end is then brought between the legs, compressed into a narrow
foalding bundel is drawn tight and the corners a little spread in front
and tucked at the groin over and arround the part first confind about the
waist. the small robe which dose not reach the waist is their usual and
only garment commonly woarn be side that just mentioned. when the weather
is a litte warm this robe is thrown aside and the leather truss or
breech-clout constitutes the whole of their apparel. this is a much more
indecent article than the tissue of bark, and bearly covers the mons
venes, to which it is drawn so close that the whole shape is plainly
perceived. the floors of most of their houses are on a level with the
surface of the earth tho some of them are sunk two or 3 feet beneath. the
internal arrangement of their houses is the same with those of the nations
below. they are also fond of sculpture. various figures are carved and
painted on the peices which support the center of the roof, about their
doors and beads. they had large quantities of dryed Anchovies strung on
small sticks by the gills and others which had been first dryed in this
manner, were now arranged in large sheets with strings of bark and hung
suspended by poles in the roofs of their houses; they had also an
abundance of sturgeon and wappetoe; the latter they take in great
quantities from the neighbouring bonds, which are numerous and extensive
in the river bottoms and islands. the wappetoe furnishes the principal
article of traffic with these people which they dispose of to the nations
below in exchange for beads cloth and various articles. the natives of the
Sea coast and lower part of the river will dispose of their most valuable
articles to obtain this root. they have a number of large symeters of Iron
from 3 to 4 feet long which hang by the heads of their beads; the blade of
this weapon is thickest in the center tho thin even there. all it’s edges
are sharp and it’s greatest width which is about 9 inches from the point
is about 4 inches. the form is thus. this is a formidable weapon. they
have heavy bludgeons of wood made in the same form nearly which I presume
they used for the same purpose before they obtained metal. we purchased a
considerable quantity of wappetoe, 12 dogs, and 2 Sea otter skins of these
people. they were very hospitable and gave us anchovies and wappetoe to
eat. notwithstanding their hospitality if it deserves that appellation,
they are great begers, for we had scarcely finished our repast on the
wappetoe and Anchovies which they voluntarily set before us before they
began to beg. we gave them some small articles as is our custom on those
occasions with which they seemed perfectly satisfyed. we gave the 1st
Cheif a small medal, which he soon transfered to his wife. after remaining
at this place 2 hours we set out & continued our rout between this
island, which we now call Cath-lah-poh-tle after the nation, and the Lard
shore. at the distance of 2 miles we encamped in a small prarie on the
main shore, having traveled 19 miles by estimate. the river rising fast.
great numbers of both the large and small swans, gees and ducks seen
today. the former are very abundant in the ponds where the wappetoe is
found, they feed much on this bulb. the female of the duck which was
described yesterday is of a uniform dark brown with some yellowish brown
intermixed in small specks on the back neck and breast. the garter snakes
are innumerable, & are seen entwined arround each other in large
bundles of forty or fifty lying about in different directions through the
praries. the frogs are croaking in the swams and marhes; their notes do
not differ from those of the Atlantic States; they are not found in the
salt marshes near the entrance of the river. heared a large hooting owl
hollowing this evening. saw several of the crested fishers and some of the
large and small black-birds.

The post Lewis: March 29, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Clark: March 30, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:59 +0000

Sunday March 30th 1806 we got under way verry early and had not proceeded
to the head of the island before we met with the three men of the
Clan-nar-min-a-mon’s who met us yesterday brackfast at the upper point of
the Island we met Several of the Clackstar and Cath-lah-cum-up in two
canoes. Soon after we were overtaken by Several Canoes of different tribes
who reside on each Side of the river the three above Tribes and the
Cldh-in-na-ta cath-lahnah-qui-up & Cath-lah-com-mah-tup reside on each
Side of Wappato inlet and back of Wappato Island which Island is formed by
a Small Chanel which passes from the Lower part of Image Canoe Island into
an inlet which makes in from the S W. Side, and receves the water of a
Creek which heads with the Kil a mox River. this wappato Island is about
18 or 20 Miles long and in places from 6 to 10 miles wide high &
furtile with ponds on different parts of it in which the nativs geather
Wappato. nearly opposit the upper point of the Isld. behing which we
encamped last night, or on the Wappato Isld. is Several Camps of the
nativs catching Sturgion. about 5 miles Still higher up and on the N E.
Side we halted for brackfast at the place which We had encamped the 4th of
November last. here we were visited by several canoes of Indians from two
Towns a Short distance above on the Wappato Island. the 1st of those
Tribes Call themselves Clan-nah-quah and Situated about 2 miles above us,
the other about a mile above Call themselves Mult-no-mah we purchased of
those visitors a Sturgion and Some Wappato & quarmarsh roots for which
we gave Small fishing hooks. at 10 a.m. we Set out and had not proceeded
far before we came to a landing place where there was Several large canoes
hauled up, and Sitting in a canoe, appearantly waiting our arival with a
view to join the fleet indian who was then along Side of us. this man
informed he was a Shoto and that his nation resided a little distance from
the river. we landed and one of the indians pointed to the Shoto village
which is Situated back of Pond which lies parrelal with the river on the N
E. Side nearly opposit the Clan-nah quah village. here we were also joined
by Several Canoes loaded with the natives from the Island who Continued to
accompany us untill about 4 oClock when they all returned and we proceeded
on to the place the Indians Stole my Tomahawk 4th Novr. last and Encamped
in a Small Prarie above a large Pond on N. E and opposit the Center of
image Canoe Island. capt Lewis walked out and Saw Several deer. Jo. Field
Shot at Elk he killed and brought in a fine duck. Soon after I had got
into bead an Indian came up alone in a Small Canoe. Those tribes of
Indians who inhabit this vally differ but little in either their dress,
manners, habuts and language from the Clat Sops Chinnooks, and others on
the Sea coast. they differ in a fiew words and a little in the accent. The
men are Stouter and much better formed than those of the Sea Coast. more
of their womin ware their hair braded in two tresses and hang over each
ear. in Stead of the tissue of bark worn by the women below, they ware a
kind of leather breech clout as before described as worn by the Womin at
the enterance of Lewis’s river-the width of a Common pocket Handkerchief
or Something Smaller and longer. the two Corners of this at one of the
narrow ends are confined in front just above the hips; the other Side is
then brought between their legs, Compressed into a narrow folding bundle
is drawn tight, and the Corners a little Spred in front tucked at the ends
over and around the part first confined about the Waiste. a Small roab
which does not reach the Waiste is their usial and only garment commonly
worn besides this just mentioned. when the weather is a little worm the
roab is thrown aside, and the latter truss or breach clout constitutes the
whole of their apparreal. this is a much more indesant article than the
tissue of bark, and bearly covers the Mons versus, to which it is drawn So
close that the whole Shape is plainly perseived. The Houses are Similar to
those already descrbed. they are fond of Sculpture. various figures are
carved and painted on the pieces which Support the Center of the roof
about their dotes and beads. They are well Supplied with anchoves Sturgion
and Wappato. The latter furnishes the principal article of traffic with
those Tribes which they despose of to the nativs below in exchange for
beeds, Cloath and Various articles. the nativs of the Sea coast and lower
part of this river will dispose of their most valueable articles to obtain
this root. I saw in Several houses of the Cath lah poh tie Village large
Symeters of Iron from 3 to 4 feet long which hangs by the heads of their
beads; the blade of this weapon is thickest in the Center tho thin even
there, all it’s edges are Sharp and its greatest width which is about 9
inches from the point, is about 4 inches. the form is this this is a
formable weapon. they have heavy bludgeons of wood made in the Same form
nearly which I prosume they use for the Same purpose before they obtained
metal. we made 22 Miles only to day the wind and a Strong current being
against us all day, with rain. discovered a high mountain S E. Covered
with Snow which we call Mt. Jefferson.

The post Clark: March 30, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Lewis: March 22, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:57 +0000

Saturday March 22cd 1806. Drewyer and the Feildses departed this morning
agreably to the order of the last evening. we sent out seven hunters this
morning in different directions on this side the Netul. about 10 A.M. we
were visited by 4 Clatsops and a killamucks; they brought some dried
Anchoveis and a dog for sale which we purchased. the air is perefectly
temperate, but it continues to rain in such a manner that there be is no
possibility of geting our canoes completed.at 12 OCk. we were
visited by Comowooll and 3 of the Clatsops. to this Cheif we left our
houses and funiture. he has been much more kind an hospitable to us than
any other indian in this neighbourhood. the Indians departed in the
evening. the hunters all returned except Colter, unsuccessfull. we
determined to set out tomorrow at all events, and to stop the canoes
temperarily with Mud and halt the first fair day and pay them. the leafing
of the hucklebury riminds us of spring.

The post Lewis: March 22, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Lewis: March 19, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:56 +0000

Wednesday March 19th 1806. It continued to rain and hail today in such
manner that nothing further could be done to the canoes. a pratry were
sent out early after the Elk which was killed yesterday with which they
returned in the course of a few hours. we gave Comowooll alias Connia, a
cirtificate of his good conduct and the friendly intercourse which he has
maintained with us during our residence at this place; we also gave him a
list of our names.do not. The Killamucks, Clatsops, Chinnooks, Cathlahmahs
and Wac-ki-a-cums resemble each other as well in their persons and dress
as in their habits and manners.their complexion is not remarkable,
being the usual copper brown of most of the tribes of North America. they
are low in statue reather diminutive, and illy shapen; possessing thick
broad flat feet, thick ankles, crooked legs wide mouths thick lips, nose
moderately large, fleshey, wide at the extremity with large nostrils,
black eyes and black coarse hair. their eyes are sometimes of a dark
yellowish brown the puple black. I have observed some high acqualine noses
among them but they are extreemty rare. the nose is generally low between
the eyes.the most remarkable trait in their physiognomy is the
peculiar flatness and width of forehead which they artificially obtain by
compressing the head between two boards while in a state of infancy and
from which it never afterwards perfectly recovers. this is a custom among
all the nations we have met with West of the Rocky mountains. I have
observed the heads of many infants, after this singular bandage had been
dismissed, or about the age of 10 or eleven months, that were not more
than two inches thick about the upper edge of the forehead and reather
thiner still higher. from the top of the head to the extremity of the nose
is one streight line. this is done in order to give a greater width to the
forehead, which they much admire. this process seems to be continued
longer with their female than their mail children, and neither appear to
suffer any pain from the operation. it is from this peculiar form of the
head that the nations East of the Rocky mountains, call all the nations on
this side, except the Aliahtans or snake Indians, by the generic name of
Flat heads. I think myself that the prevalence of this custom is a strong
proof that those nations having originally proceeded from the same stock.
The nations of this neighbourhood or those recapitulated above, wear their
hair loosly flowing on the back and sholders; both men and women divide it
on the center of the crown in front and throw it back behind the ear on
each side. they are fond of combs and use them when they can obtain them;
and even without the aid of the comb keep their hair in better order than
many nations who are in other rispects much more civilized than
themselves.the large or apparently swolen legs particularly
observable in the women are obtained in a great measure by tying a cord
tight around the ankle. their method of squating or resting themselves on
their hams which they seem from habit to prefer to siting, no doubt
contributes much to this deformity of the legs by preventing free
circulation of the blood. the dress of the man consists of a smal robe,
which reaches about as low as the middle of the thye and is attatched with
a string across the breast and is at pleasure turned from side to side as
they may have occasion to disencumber the right or left arm from the robe
entirely, or when they have occasion for both hands, the fixture of the
robe is in front with it’s corners loosly hanging over their arms. they
sometimes wear a hat which has already been discribed. this robe is made
most commonly of the skins of a small animal which I have supposed was the
brown mungo, tho they have also a number, of the skins of the tiger cat,
some of those of the Elk which are used principally on their war
excursions, others of the skins of the deer panther and bear and a blanket
wove with the fingers of the wool of the native sheep. a mat is sometimes
temperarily thrown over the sholders to protect them from rain. they have
no other article of cloathing whatever neither winter nor summer. and
every part except the sholders and back is exposed to view. they are very
fond of the dress of the whites, which they wear in a similar manner when
they can obtain them, except the shoe which I have never seen woarn by any
of them. they call us pah-shish’e-ooks, or cloth men. The dress of the
women consists of a robe, tissue, and sometimes when the weather is
uncommonly cold, a vest. their robe is much smaller than that of the men,
never reaching lower than the waist nor extending in front sufficiently
far to cover the body. it is like that of the men confined across the
breast with a string and hangs loosly over the sholders and back. the most
esteemed and valuable of these robes are made of strips of the skins of
the Sea Otter net together with the bark of the white cedar or silk-grass.
these strips are first twisted and laid parallel with each other a little
distance assunder, and then net or wove together in such manner that the
fur appears equally on both sides, and unites between the strands. it make
a warm and soft covering. other robes are formed in a similar manner of
the skin of the Rackoon, beaver &c. at other times the skin is dressed
in the hair and woarn without any further preperation. in this way one
beaver skin, or two of those of the Raccoon or tiger catt forms the
pattern of the robe. the vest is always formed in the manner first
discribed of their robes and covers the body from the armpits to the
waist, and is confined behind, and destitute of straps over the sholder to
keep it up. when this vest is woarn the breast of the woman is concealed,
but without it which is almost always the case, they are exposed, and from
the habit of remaining loose and unsuspended grow to great length
particularly in aged women in many of whom I have seen the hubby reach as
low as the waist. The garment which occupys the waist, and from thence as
low as nearly to the knee before and the ham, behind, cannot properly be
denominated a petticoat, in the common acceptation of that term; it is a
tissue of white cedar bark, bruised or broken into small shreds, which are
interwoven in the middle by means of several cords of the same materials,
which serve as well for a girdle as to hold in place the shreds of bark
which form the tissue, and which shreds confined in the middle hang with
their ends pendulous from the waist, the whole being of sufficient
thickness when the female stands erect to conceal those parts usually
covered from formiliar view, but when she stoops or places herself in many
other attitudes, this battery of Venus is not altogether impervious to the
inquisitive and penetrating eye of the amorite. This tissue is sometimes
formed of little twisted cords of the silk grass knoted at their ends and
interwoven as discribed of the bark. this kind is more esteemed and last
much longer than those of bark. they also form them of flags and rushes
which are woarn in a similar manner. the women as well as the men
sometimes cover themselves from the rain by a mat woarn over the sholders.
they also cover their heads from the rain sometimes with a common water
cup or basket made of the cedar bark and beargrass. these people seldom
mark their skins by puncturing and introducing a colouring matter. such of
them as do mark themselves in this manner prefer their legs and arms on
which they imprint parallel lines of dots either longitudinally or
circularly. the women more frequently than the men mark themselves in this
manner.

The favorite ornament of both sexes are the common coarse blue and white
beads which the men wear tightly wound arond their wrists and ankles many
times untill they obtain the width of three or more inches. they also wear
them in large rolls loosly arond the neck, or pendulous from the cartelage
of the nose or rims of the ears which are purforated for the purpose. the
women wear them in a similar manner except in the nose which they never
purforate. they are also fond of a species of wampum which is furnished
them by a trader whom they call Swipton. it seems to be the native form of
the shell without any preperation. this shell is of a conic form somewhat
curved, about the size of a raven’s quill at the base, and tapering to a
point which is sufficiently large to permit to hollow through which a
small thred passes; it is from one to 11/2 Inches in length, white,
smooth, hard and thin. these are woarn in the same manner in which the
beads are; and furnish the men with their favorite ornament for the nose.
one of these shells is passed horizontally through the cartilage of the
nose and serves frequently as a kind of ring to prevent the string which
suspends other ornaments at the same part from chafing and freting the
flesh. the men sometimes wear collars of bears claws, and the women and
children the tusks of the Elk variously arranged on their necks arms &c.
both males and females wear braslets on their wrists of copper brass or
Iron in various forms. I think the most disgusting sight I have ever
beheld is these dirty naked wenches. The men of these nations partake of
much more of the domestic drudgery than I had at first supposed. they
collect and prepare all the fuel, make the fires, assist in cleansing and
preparing the fish, and always cook for the strangers who visit them. they
also build their houses, construct their canoes, and make all their wooden
utensils. the peculiar provence of the woman seems to be to collect roots
and manufacture various articles which are prepared of rushes, flags,
cedar bark, bear grass or waytape. the management of the canoe for various
purposes seems to be a duty common to both sexes, as also many other
occupations which with most Indian nations devolves exclusively on the
woman. their feasts which they are very fond are always prepared and
served by the men.

Comowool and the two Cathlahmahs left us this evening. it continued to
rain so constantly today that Sergt. Pryor could not pitch his canoes.

The post Lewis: March 19, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Lewis: March 17, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:55 +0000

Monday March 17th 1806. Catel and his family left us this morning. Old
Delashelwilt and his women still remain they have formed a camp near the
fort and seem to be determined to lay close sege to us but I beleive
notwithstanding every effort of their wining graces, the men have
preserved their constancy to the vow of celibacy which they made on this
occasion to Capt C. and myself. we have had our perogues prepared for our
departer, and shal set out as soon as the weather will permit. the weather
is so precarious that we fear by waiting untill the first of April that we
might be detained several days longer before we could get from this to the
Cathlahmahs as it must be calm or we cannot accomplish that part of our
rout. Drewyer returned late this evening from the Cathlahmahs with our
canoe which Sergt. Pryor had left some days since, and also a canoe which
he had purchased from those people. for this canoe he gave my uniform
laced coat and nearly half a carrot of tobacco. it seems that nothing
excep this coat would induce them to dispose of a canoe which in their
mode of traffic is an article of the greatest value except a wife, with
whom it is equal, and is generally given in exchange to the father for his
daughter. I think the U States are indebted to me another Uniform coat,
for that of which I have disposed on this occasion was but little woarn.we
yet want another canoe, and as the Clatsops will not sell us one at a
price which we can afford to give we will take one from them in lue of the
six Elk which they stole from us in the winter.-

The pellucid jellylike substance, called the sea-nettle is found in great
abundance along the strad where it has been thrown up by the waves and
tide.

There are two speceis of the Fuci or seawreckwhich we also find thrown up
by the waves. the 1st speceis at one extremity consists of a large vesicle
or hollow vessell which would contain from one to two gallons, of a conic
form, the base of which forms the extreem end and is convex and globelar
bearing on it’s center some short broad and irregular fibers. the
substance is about the consistence of the rind of a citron mellon and 3/4
of an inch thick. the rihind is smooth. from the small extremity of the
cone a long, hollow, celindrick, and regularly tapering tube extends to 20
or thirty feet and is then terminated with a number of branches which are
flat 1/2 an inch in width rough particular on the edges where they are
furnished with a number of little ovate vesicles or bags of the size of a
pigeon’s egg. this plant seems to be calculated to float at each extremity
while the little end of the tube from whence the branches proceed, lies
deepest in the water.

The other speceis I have never seen but Capt. Clark who saw it on the
coast towards the Killamucks informed me that it resembled a large
pumpkin, it is solid and it’s specific gravity reather greater than the
water, tho it is sometimes thrown out by the waves. it is of a yellowis
brown colour. the rhind smooth and consistence harder than that of a
pumpkin tho easily cut with a knife. there are some dark brown fibers
reather harder than any other part which pass longitudinally through the
pulp or fleshey substance wich forms the interior of this marine
production.The following is a list of the names of the commanders of
vessels who visit the entrance of the Columbia river in the spring and
autumn fror the purpose of trading with the natives or hunting Elk. these
names are spelt as the Indians pronounce them.

Mr. Haley, their favorite trader visits them in a vessel with three masts,
and continues some time

Youens, visits in a 3 masted vessel- Trader Tallamon do. 3 do. no trader
Callallamet do. 3 do. Trader. has a wooden leg. Swipton do. 3 do. Trader.
Moore do. 4 do. do. Mackey do. 3 do. do. Washington do. 3 do. do. Mesship
do. 3 do. do. Davidson do. 2

no trader hunts Elk Jackson do. 3 masted vessel Trader Bolch do. 3 do. do.
Skelley do. 3 do. do. tho he has been gone some years. he has one eye.

The post Lewis: March 17, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Clark: March 18, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:36:55 +0000

Tuesday March 17th 1806 Drewyer was taken last night with a violent pain
in his Side. I bled him. Several of the men are complaining of being
unwell. it is truly unfortunate that they Should be Sick at the moment of
our departure. Derected Sergt. Pryor to prepare the two Indian Canoes
which we had purchased for his mess. they wanted Some knees to Strengthen
them, and Several cracks corked and payed. he compleated them except
paying. the frequent Showers of rain prevented the Canoes drying
Sufficient to pay them even with the assistance of fire.

Commorwool and two Cathlahmahs visited us to day; we Suffered them to
remain all night. this morning we gave Delashelwilt a certificate of his
good deportment &c. and also a list of our names, after which we
dispatched him to his village with his female band. Those list’s of our
Names we have given to Several of the nativs, and also pasted up a Copy in
our room. the Object of these lists we Stated in the preamble of the Same
as follows Viz: “The Object of this list is, that through the medium of
Some civilized person who may See the Same, it may be made known to the
informed world, that the party consisting of the persons whoes names are
hereunto annexed, and who were Sent out by the Government of the United
States in May 1804, to explore the interior of the Continent of North
America, did penetrate the Same by way of the Missouri and Columbia
rivers, to the discharge of the latter into the Pacific Ocian, where they
arrived on the 14th of November 1805, and from whence they departed the
____ day of March 1806 on their return to the United States by the Same
rout they had come out.”

On the back of lists we added a Sketch of the continent of the upper
branches of the Missouri with those of the Columbia, particularly of its
upper N. E. branch or Lewis’s River, on which we also delienated the track
we had Came and that we ment to pursue on our return, when the Same
happened to vary. There Seemes So many chances against our governments
ever obtaining a regular report, through the medium of the Savages, and
the traders of this Coast that we decline makeing any. Our party are too
small to think of leaveing any of them to return to the Unt. States by
Sea, particularly as we Shall be necessarily devided into two or three
parties on our return in order to accomplish the Object we have in View;
and at any rate we Shall reach the U, States in all humain probabillity
much earlier than a man Could who must in the event of his being left here
depend for his passage to the U, State on the traders of the Coast, who
may not return imediately to the U, States. or if they should, might
probably Spend the next Summer in tradeing with the nativs before they
would Set out on their return. This evening Drewyer went in quest of his
traps, and took an otter. Joseph Field killd and Elk.The Indians
repeated to us Eighteen distinct Nations resideing on the S S. E Coast who
Speak the Kil a mox language or understand it. and beyend those Six other
Nations which Speak a different language which they did not comprehend.

The 2d Species of Seawreck which I saw on the coast to the S. S. E. near
the Kil a mox nation. it resembles a large pumpkin, it is Solid and it’s
Specific Gravity reather greater than the water, tho it is Sometimes
thrown out by the waves. it is of a pale yellowish brown colour. the rhind
Smooth and consistency harder than that of the pumpkin, tho easily cut
with a knife. there are Some fibers of a lighter colour and much harder
than any other part which pass Longitudinally through the pulp or fleshey
Substance which forms the interior of this marine production

The post Clark: March 18, 1806 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.