Christmas Day at Fort Clatsop

Christmas at Fort Clatsop was a somber affair. The rain was relentless, game was scarce, and trade goods were nearly exhausted. The festive optimism that had marked the previous Christmas at Fort Mandan was gone.

“We would have Spent this day the nativity of Christ in feasting, had we any thing either to raise our Sperits or even gratify our appetites. Our Diner consisted of pore Elk, so much Spoiled that we eate it thro’ mear necessity.”

The men exchanged modest gifts: Sacagawea gave Clark two dozen white weasel tails, Clark gave a small Indian basket to Lewis, and the men fired their guns at dawn. Clark wrote, “all the party Snugly fixed in their huts.” Despite the hardship, the Corps had reached the Pacific and built a serviceable winter fort in just 15 days.