December 4, 1805

" waves too high for me to proceed in Safty to the bay as I intended… the Smoke is exceedingly disagreeable and painfull to my eyes." Clark

December 5, 1805

 " Capt. Lewis returned with 3 men in the Canoe and informs me that he thinks that a Sufficient number of Elk may be procured convenient to s Situation on a Small river which falls into a small bay a short distance below, this is verry Satisfactory information to all the party. We accordingly deturmined to proceed on to the Situation which Capt. Lewis had viewed as soon as the wind and weather should permit and Comence building huts."  Clark

December 6, 1805

" we had another wet morning, and were not able to set out. "

December 7, 1805 Traveling to Winter Quarters  ~ Fort Clatsop

"Set out to the place Capt Lewis had viewed and thought well situated for winter quarters... I delayed about half an hour before York came up, and then proceeded around this Bay which I have taken the liberty of calling Meriwethers Bay* the Cristian name of Capt. Lewis who no doubt was the 1st white man who ever surveyed this Bay, we assended a river ** which falls in on the South Side of this Bay... this situation is on a rise about 30 feet higher than the high tides leavel and thickly covered with lofty pine.  this is certainly the most eligable situation for our purposes of any in its neighbourhood."

Meriwethers Bay*- Youngs Bay, named by George Vancouver's party in 1792.

river **- Lewis and Clark River ( the party's "Netul River")

December 8, 1805

"We haveing fixed on this situation as the one best Calculated for our Winter quarters I deturmin'd to go as direct a Course as I could to the Sea Coast which we Could here roar and appeared to be at no great distance from us, my principal object is to look out a place to make Salt, blaze the road or rout that they men out hunting might find the direction to the fort if they should get lost in cloudy weather - and see the probibllity of game in that direction, for the Support of the Men, we shall send to make salt, I took with me five men* and Set out on a Course."  Clark

five men*- Clark had Drouillard, Shannon, and three unidentified persons with him.

December 9, 1805  ~ Building Fort Clatsop

 Campsite Fort Clatsop: " The morning was cloudy and wet. Some were employed in making our camp comfortable, and others in clearing a place for huts and a small fort."

Clark & Company traveling to the Coast: "proceed on to the mouth of the Creek which makes a great bend above the mouth of this Creek or to the S. is 3 houses and about 12 families of the Clat sop Nation, we cross to those houese, which were built on the S. exposur of the hill, sunk into the ground about 4 feet the walls roof & gable ends are of split pine boards, the dores small with a ladder to decend to the iner part of the house, the fires are 2 in the middle of the house ther beads ar all around raised about 2 1/2 feet from the bottom flore all coered with mats and under those beads was stored their bags baskets and useless mats, those people treated me with extrodeanary friendship."
  
Clark camped at the mouth of Necanicum River at Seaside, Oregon.

December 10, 1805

" all hands were employed at work notwithstanding the rain. Capt Clark and party returned to camp, they found the ocean to be about 7 miles from our camp… in the evening we laid the foundation of our huts."

 December 11, 1805

"we are all employed putting up our huts or Cabins for our winters quarters.  Sergeant Pryor unwell from a dislocation of his sholder, Gibson with the disentary, Jo Fields with biles on his legs, & Werner with a strained knee."