Fort Clatsop

March 22, 1806

" We had a cloudy wet morning. Three hunters were sent on ahead to remain at some good hunting ground until we should come up; and six others to hunt near the fort.  the air is temperate, but it continues to rain in such a manner that there be is no possibility of getting our canoes completed-  at 12 OCk. we were visited by Comowooll and 3 of the Clatsops.  to this Chief we left our houses and furniture.  he has been more kind an hospitable to us than any other indian in this neighbourhood.  the indians departed in the evening.  In the evening all these came in, except one, without success.  we determeined to set out tomorrow at all events."

March 23, 1806   DEPARTING FORT CLATSOP

" at 1 P.M. left Fort Clatsop on our homeward bound journey*. At this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of Decr. 1805 to this day and have lived as well as we had any right to expect, and we can say that we were never one day without 3 meals of some kind a day either ore Elk meat or roots, notwithstanding the repeated fall of rain which has fallen almost constantly since we passed the narrows... we had not proceeded more than a mile before we met Delashelwilt and a party of 20 Chinnooks men and women.  This Chief leaning that we were in want of a canoe some days past, had brought us one for sale, but being already supplyed we did not purchase it**."

homeward bound journey*- The party departs for home on this date.  Since they were traveling over country already traversed on the westward journey, they did not record the detailed courses and distances characteristic of earlier writing.

purchase it**- They were already supplied because they had stolen a canoe on March 18, 1806 and further reference to this canoe on March 24, 1806.
 

March 24, 1806

"the tide being out this morning we found some difficulty in passing through the bay below the Cathlahmah village*.  at 1PM we arrived at the Cathlahmah village where we halted and purchased some wappetoe, a dog and a hat for one of the men.  at 3 PM we set out and continued our rout among the seal Islands; not paying much attention we mistook our rout which an Indian perceiving pursued overtook us and put us in the wright channel.  this Cathlahmah claimed the small canoe which we had taken from the Clatsop.  however he consented very willingly to take an Elk's skin for it which I directed should be given him." 

Cathlahmah village* - Cathlamet Bay, in the vicinity of present Knappa, Clatsop County, Oregon.  The village is noted on November 26, 1805.

March 25, 1806

"The morning being disagreeably cold we remained and took breakfast.  at 7 AM we set out along our rout along the South Coast of the river against the wind an a strong current, our progress was of course but slow.  at noon we halted and dined.  here some clatsops came to us in a canoe loaded with dryed anchovies, which they call Olthen', Wappetow and Sturgeon* .... the wind in the eveing was very hard; at length late in the eveing encamped opposit to the place we had encamped on the  6th of November last." 

Olthen', and Sturgeon* - "Ol-then"," is Chinookan "dried eulachon."  The "anchovies" are actually eulachon or candle fish.  The sturgeon may be the white sturgeon.

March 26, 1806

"The wind blew so hard this morning that we delayed untill 8 AM.  we gave a medal of small size to a man by the name of Wal-lal'-le*, a principal man among the Cathlahmahs, he appeared very thankfull for the honour conferred on him and presented us a large sturgeon.  we continued our rout up the river to an old village on the Stard. Side where we halted for dinner.**  soon after we halted for dinner the two Wackiacums who have been pursuing us since yesterday morning with two dogs for sale, arrived.  they wish tobacco in exchange for their dogs which we are not disposed to give us our stock is now reduced to a very few carrots***."

Wal-lal'-le*- A Jefferson Medal, probably of 55MM, Wal-lal'-le, a Cathlamet personal name, is Walali.

dinner** - Present Crims Island, Columbia County, Oregon

carrots***- Tobacco was stored and transported in long twists called "carrots" for their shape. 

March 27, 1806

"a rainey disagreeable night  rained the greater part of the night we set out this morning verry early and proceeded on to two houses of the Skil-lute Indians , here we found our hunters who had seperated from us last evening.  here we were friendly receved by the natives who gave all our party as much fish as they could eate, they also gave us Wappato and pashaquaw roots* to eate prepared in their own way.  resumed our voyage at 12 oClock.  late in the eveing we passed the place we camped the 5th of Novr. and Encamped about 4 miles above at the Commencement of the Columbia Vally, below Deer Island." 

pashaquaw roots* - Camas

March 28, 1806

"This morning we set out very early and at 9 AM arrrived at the old Indian village on Lard Side of Deer Island where we found our hunters had halted and left one man with the two canoes at their camp; they had arrived last evening at this place and six of them turned out to hunt very early this morning; by 10 AM they all returned to camp having killed seven deer.  the hunters informed us that they had seen upwards of a hundred deer this morning on the island.  we have seen more waterfowl on this island than we have previously seen since we left Fort Clatsop.  the men who had been sent after the deer returned and brought in the remnent which the Vultures * and Eagles had left us; these birds had devoured 4 deer in the course of a few hours.  Joseph Fields informed me that the Vultures had draged a large buck which he had killed about 30 yards, had skined it and broken the back bone.  we came 5 miles today.-"

Vultures * - Probably the California condor