Fort Clatsop

February 22, 1806

"visited today by two Clatsop women and two boys who brought a parsel of excellent hats made of Cedar bark and ornamented with beargrass. Two of these hats had been made by measures which Capt. Clark and myself had give one of the women some time since with a request to make each of us a hat; they fit us very well and are in the form we desired them. We purchased all their hats and distributed them among the party."

February 23, 1806

"Not anything transpired during this day worthy of particular notice.  our sick are all on the recovery, except Sergt. Ordway who is but little wose and not very ill tho' more so than any of the others.  the men have provided themselves very amply with mockersons and leather cloathing, much more so indeed than they ever have since they have been on this voige." 

February 24, 1806

" Shannon & Labuishe returned in the foremoon ; they had killed no Elk and reported that they beleived the Elk have retired from their former haunts and gone further back in the country to a considerable distance from this place.  this is very unwelcome information for poor and inferior as the flesh of this animal is it is our principal dependance for subsistence.  This evening we were visited by Comowooll the Clatsop Chief and 12 men women & children of this nation."

February 25, 1806

" It continued to rain and blow so violently that there was no movement of the party today.  the Indians left us in the moring on their return to their village.  Willard somewhat worse the other Invalledes on the ricovery.  I am mortifyed at not having it in my power to make more celestial observations since we have been at Fort Clatsop, but such has been the state of the weather that I have found it utterly impracticable - " Lewis 

February 26, 1806

"This morning we dispatched Drewyer and two men in our Indian canoe up the Columbia River to take sturgeon and Anchovey.  or if they were unsuccessfull in fishing we directed them to purchase fish from the natives for which purpose we had furnished them with a few articles such as the natives are pleased with.   we also Sent Shields, Joseph Fielsd and Shanon up the Netul to hunt elk.  and directed Reubin Fields and some others to hunt in the point towards the praries of Point Adams.  thus we hope shortly to replenish out stock of provision which is now reduced to a mere minnamum.  we have three days provision only in store and that of the most inferior dryed Elk a little tainted." "

February 27, 1806

"Reubin Fields returned this evening and had not killed anything.  he reports that there are no Elk towards point Adams.  Collins who had hunted up the Netul on this side returned in the evening having killed a buck Elk.  "

February 28, 1806

"Kuskelar* a Clatsop man and his wife visited us today.  they brought some Anchovies**, Sturgeon, a beaver robe, and some roots for sail tho' they asked so high a price for every article that we purchased nothing but a part of a Sturgeon for which we gave a few fishing hooks.  we suffered them to remain."

Kuskelar* - The name is Chinookan Cuskala, meaning unknown.