Clark: January 14, 1806

Tuesday 14th January 1806 This morning the Serjt. of the guard reported
the absence of one of our Canoes it had broken the Cord by which it was
attached and the tide had taken her off; we Sent a party imediately in
Serch of her, they returned in about 3 hours haveing fortunately found
her. we now derect that 3 of the canoes be drawed up out of reach of the
tide and the 4th to be tied with a long Strong Cord of Elk Skins, ready
for use. had we lost this large Canoe we Should have been obliged to make
3 other Small ones, which with the fiew tools we have now left would be a
Serious undertakeing. a fatiege of Six men employd in jurking the Elk
beef. From the best estermate we were enabled to make as we decended the
Columbia we Conceived that the nativs inhabiting that noble Stream (from
the enterance of Lewis’s river to the neighbourhood of the falls the
nativs Consume all the fish they Catch either for food or fuel) From Tow
ar ne hi ooks River or a fiew mils above the Great falls to the grand
rapids inclusive anually prepare about 30,000 lbs of pounded fish (Chiefly
Salmon) for market, but whether this fish is an article of Commerce with
their neighbours or is exclusively Sold to, and Consumed by the nativs of
the Sea coast, we are at a loss to determine the latter of those positions
I am dispose to credit most, as I cannot imagine what the white merchents
objet Could be in purchaseing fish, or where they Could dispose of it. on
the other hand the Indians in this neighbourhood as well as the Skillutes
and those above have an abundance of Dryed Salmon which they take in the
Creeks and inlets. they are excessively fond of the pounded fish haveing
frequently asked us for Some of it-. the Indians who prepared this pounded
fish made Signs that they traded it with people below them for Beeds and
trinkets &c and Showed us maney articles of European manufacture which
they obtained for it; The Skillutes and Indians about the great rapids are
the intermediate merchants and Carryers, and no doubt Consume a part of
this fish themselves and dispose of the ballance of it to the nativs of
the Sea coast, and from this obtain Such articles as they again trade with
the whites.

The persons who usially visit the enterence of this river for the purpose
of traffic or hunting, I believe is either English or Americans; the
Indians inform us that they Speak the Same language with our Selves, and
gave us proofs of their varacity by repeating maney words of English, Sun
of a pitch &c. whether those traders are from Nootka Sound, from Some
other late establishment on this Coast, or imediately from the U States or
Great Brittain, I am at a loss to determine, nor Can the Indians inform
us. the Indians whome I have asked in what direction the traders go when
they depart from hence, allways point to the S. W. from which it is
prosumeable that Nootka cannot be their distination, and from Indian
information a majority of those traders annually visit them about the
beginning of April and remain Some time and either remain or revisit them
in the fall of which I cannot properly understand, from this Circumstance
they Cannot Come directly from the U States or Great Brittain, the
distance being to great for them to go and return in the ballance of a
year. I am Sometimes induced to believe that there is Some other
Establishment on the Coast of America South of this place of which little
is but yet known to the world, or it may be perhaps on Some Island in the
Pacific Ocian between the Continant of America & Asia to the S. W. of
us. This traffic on the part of the whites Consist in vending, guns,
principally old British or American Musquets, powder, balls and Shote,
brass tea kettles, Blankets from two to three points, Scarlet and blue
Cloth (Coarse), plates and Strips of Sheet Copper and brass, large brass
wire Knives Beeds &Tobacco with fishing hooks, buttons and Some other
Small articles; also a considerable quantity of Salors Clothes, as hats,
Coats, Trouses and Shirts. for those they receive in return from the
nativs Dressed and undressed Elk Skins, Skins of the Sea otter, Common
Otter, beaver, common fox, Speck, and tiger Cat, also Some Salmon dried or
pounded and a kind of buisket, which the nativs make of roots called by
them Shappelell. The nativs are extravigantly fond of the most Common
Cheap Blue and white beeds, of moderate Size, or Such that from 50 to 70
will way one pennyweight, the blue is usially prefured to the white; those
beeds Constitute the principal Circulating medium with all the Indian
tribes on this river; for those beeds they will dispose of any article
they possess-. the beeds are Strung on Straps of a fathom in length &
in that manner Sold by the breth or yard-.