Clark: January 10, 1806
Jany 10 Friday 1806 I left Sergt. Gass here and Set out at Sun rise,
Crossed the little river which I waded 85 yards wide & 3 feet Deep
Swift, at which place I Saw Several Indians one of which had 2 butifull
Sea orter Skins on as a roabe, here the Creek which I crossed at a tree
and on which I camped the 6th inst. came within 200 yds of the river &
they Inds. make a portage here, Continued on a place 3 miles Crossed this
Creek in a Small Canoe. here I expected to find Shannon and gibson with
meet to furnish the Salt makers, but did not, divided the party Sent 2 men
to my right to try and kill Elk, Soon after met Gibson & Shannon with
meat, they had killed 2 Elk 2 miles to my right, I divided the meat
between the party, and the load of 3 men whome I Send with gibson &
Shannon to help Carrey the 2 Elk to the Salt makers, and I my Self and the
party returned by the Same rout we went out to the Canoes Rd. Frasure
behaved very badly, and mutonoushe also lost his large Knife. I
Sent him back to look for his knife, with Directions to return with the
party of Serjt Gass, I proceded on, here is a portage of 1/4 of a mile
from this Creck to a branch which falls into the Bay, we proceeded on a
much bette road than we went out across a Deep Slash and found our Canoes
Safe, and Set out at Sunset, and arived at the foart, wet and Cold at 9
oClock P.M. found a Cheif & number of Indians both Encamped on the
Shore, and at the fort of the Cath la-hur Tribe which lives at no great
distance above this back of an Island Close under the South Side of the
Columbia River
Those people Speake the Same Language of the Clotsops dress nearly alike
the men of both Cut their hair in the neck. use blankets of the
manifactory of the nativs near the falls of the Sheep Wool-fond of brass
arm bands and Check, They bring Wap-pa-to root (which is Sagittifolia or
the Common arrow head which is Cultivated by the Chinees) to Sell.
—
Friday the 10th of January 1806 I derected Serjt. Gass to Continue with
the Salt makers untill Shannon return from hunting, and then himself and
Shannon to return to the Fort, I Set out at Sunrise with the party waded
the Clat Sop river which I found to be 85 Steps across and 3 feet deep, on
the opposite Side a Kil a mox Indian Came to and offered to Sell Some
roots of which I did not want, he had a robe made of 2 large Sea otter
Skins which I offered to purchase, but he would not part with them, we
returned by nearly the Same rout which I had Come out, at four miles, I
met Gibson & Shannon each with a load of meat, they informed me that
they had killed Elk about 2 miles off, I directed 3 men to go with the
hunters and help them pack the meat to the place they were makeing Salt,
and return to the fort with Serjt. Gass, the balance of the party took the
load of the 3 men, after crossing the 2d Creek frasure informed me that he
had lost his big knife, here we Dined, I put frasurs load on my guide who
is yet with me, and Sent him back in Serch of his knife with directions to
join the other men who were out packing meat & return to the fort all
together. I arrived at the Canoes about Sunset, the tides was Comeing in I
thought it a favourable time to go on to the fort at which place we
arrived at 10 oClock P M, found Several inidians of the Cath’-lah-mah
nation the great Chief Shahhar-wah cop who reside not far above us on the
South Side of the Columbia River, this is the first time I have Seen the
Chief, he was hunting when we passed his village on our way to this place,
we gave him a medal of the Smallest Size, he presented me with a basquet
of Wappato, in return for which I gave him a fish hook of a large Size and
Some wire, those people Speak the Same language with the Chinnooks and
Clatsops, whome they all resemble in Dress, Custom, manners &c. they
brought Some Dried Salmon, Wappato, Dogs, and mats made of rushes &
flags to barter; their Dogs and part of their wappato they disposed of,
and remained in their Camp near the fort all night.
In my absence the hunters from the fort killed only two Elk which is yet
out in the woods. Capt. Lewis examined our Small Stock of merchendize
found Some of it wet and Dried it by the fire. Our merchindize is reduced
to a mear handfull, and our Comfort, dureing our return next year, much
depends on it, it is therefore almost unnecessary to add that it is much
reduced The nativs in this neighbourhood are excessively fond of Smokeing
tobacco. in the act of Smokeing they appear to Swallow it as they draw it
from the pipe, and for maney draughts together you will not perceive the
Smoke they take from the pipe, in the Same manner they inhale it in their
longs untill they become Surcharged with the vapour when they puff it out
to a great distance through their norstils and mouth; I have no doubt that
tobacco Smoked in this manner becomes much more intoxicating, and that
they do possess themselves of all its virtues to the fullest extent; they
frequently give us Sounding proofs of its createing a dismorallity of
order in the abdomen, nor are those light matters thought indelicate in
either Sex, but all take the liberty of obeying the dicktates of nature
without reserve. Those people do not appear to know the use of Speritious
licquors, they never haveing once asked us for it; I prosume therefore
that the traders who visit them have never indulged them with the use of
it; of whatever Cause this may proceed, it is a verry fortunate
occurrence, as well for the nativs themselves, as for the quiet and Safty
of those whites who visit them. George Drewyer visited this traps in my
absence and caught a Beaver & a otter; the beaver was large and fat,
and Capt. L. has feested Sumptiously on it yesterday; this we Consider as
a great prize, it being a full grown beaver was well Supplyed with the
materials for makeing bate with which to Catch others. this bate when
properly prepared will entice the beaver to visit it as far as he can
Smell it, and this I think may be Safely Stated at 1/2 a mile, their Sence
of Smelling being verry accute. To prepare beaver bate, the Caster or bark
Stone is taken as the base, this is generally pressed out of the bladder
like bag which Contains it, into a phiol of 4 ounces with a wide mouth; if
you have them you will put from 4 to 6 Stone in a phial of that Capacity,
to this you will add half a nutmeg, a Dozen or 15 grains of Cloves and 30
grains of Sinimon finely pulverised, Stur them well together, and then add
as much ardent Sperits to the Composition as will reduce it to the
Consistancey of mustard prepared for the table, when thus prepared it
resembles mustard precisely to all appearance. When you cannot precure a
phial a bottle made of horn or a light earthern vessel will answer, in all
Cases it must be excluded from the air or it will Soon lose its Virtue; it
is fit for use imediately it is prepared but becoms much Stronger and
better in 4 or 5 days and will keep for months provided it be purfectly
Secluded from the air. when Cloves are not to be had use double the
quantity of allspice, and when no Spices can be obtained use the bark of
the root of the Sausafras; when Sperits cannot be had use oil Stone of the
beaver adding mearly a Sufficent quantity to moisten the other materials,
or reduce it to a Stiff paste. it appears to me that the principal use of
the Spices is only to give a variety to the Scent of the bark Stone and if
So the mace vineller, and other Sweet Smelling Spices might be employd
with equal advantage. The Male Beaver has Six stones, two which Contanes a
Substance much like finely pulverised bark of a pale yellow Colour and not
unlike tanner’s ooz in Smell, these are Called the bark Stones or castors;
two others, which like the bark stone resemble Small blatters, contain a
pure oil of a Strong rank disagreable Smell, and not unlike train Oil,
these are Called the Oil Stones, and two others of Generation. The bark
stones are about 2 inches in length, the others Somewhat Smaller, all are
of a long Oval form, and lye in a bunch together between the skin and the
root of the tail beneath or behind the fundiment with which they are
Closely Connected and Seam to Communicate, the pride of the female lye on
the inner Side much like those of the hog they have no further parts of
Generation that I can proceive, and therefore believe that like the birds
they Coperate with the extremity of the gut. The female have from 2 to 4
young ones at a birth and bring forth once a year only which usially
happins about the Latter end of May and beginning of June. at this Stage
She is Said to drive the Mail from the lodge, who would otherwise distroy
the young
