Work continued on the huts: " we expected to have fair pleasant weather, but at noon it became cloudy and began to rain." Patrick Gass

" Men all employd in carrying punchens*or boards & covering the houses, 4 of which were covered to  day, the after part of the day cloudy with several showers of rain - 3 Indians arrive in a canoe.  they brought with them mats, roots & Sacacome berries **

punchens*- A heavy, broad piece of roughly dressed timber with one side flat.

 Sacacome berries ** - Another term for bearberry, which members of the party mixed with tobacco and smoked.

" cloudy and wet." Patrick Gass

"we finish dobbin* 4 huts which is all we have covered, the Punchin floor & Bunks finished .... Sjt. J. Ordway, Gibson & my servant sick Several with Biles on them & bruses of different kinds."

dobbin* - Daubing - To smear clay over the chinking to keep out the wind and cold.

 " Capt. Lewis and my self move into our hut to day unfinished."

 " Cuscalah* the Indian who had treated me so politely when I was at the Clatsops village, come up in a Canoe with his young brother & 2 Squars  he laid before Capt Lewis and my self each a mat and a parcel of roots- Some time in the evening two files was demanded for the presents of mats and roots, as we had no files to part with, we each returned the present which we had received." 

Cuscalah* - On December 9, 1805, while Clark was encamped at the mouth of Necanicum River at Seaside, Oregon,  Cuskalah "producd 2 new mats" for Clark to rest on.

December 25, 1805 - Christmas Day

" at day light this morning we were awoke by the discharge of the fire arms of all our party.  I recved a present of Capt. L. of a fleece hosiery Shirt Draws and Socks, a pr. Mockersons of Whitehouse a small Indian Basket of Goodrich, two dozen white weazils tails of Sacagawea, & some black root of the Indians before their departure.  the day proved Showery wet and disagreeable".

"we would have spent this day the nativity of Christ in feasting, had we anything either to raise our Spirits or even gratify our appetites, our dinner consisted of pore Elk, so much Spoiled that we eate it through necessity, Some spoiled pounded fish and a few roots".