Clark: January 2, 1806

January 2nd Thursday 1806. A Cloudy rainey morning after a wet night.
dispatched 12 Men for the two Elk Killed yesterday which they brought in
at 11 oClock. the day proved Cloudy and wet, the Indians left us at 1
oClock P. M, Drewyer visited his traps which had one otter in one of them.
The flees are verry troublesom, our huts have alreadey Sworms of those
disagreeable insects in them, and I fear we Shall not get rid of them
dureing our delay at this place.

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Thursday 2nd of January 1806. Sent out a party of men and brought in the
two Elk which was killed yesterday. Willard & Wiser have not yet
returned nor have a party of hunters who Set out on the 26th ulto the
Indians who visited us yesterday left us at 1 P. M to day after haveing
disposed of their roots and berries for a fiew fishing hooks and Some
other Small articles. we are infestd. with Sworms of flees already in our
new habatations; the presumption is therefore Strong that we Shall not
devest our Selves of this intolerably troublesom vermin dureing our
residence here. The large, & Small or whistling Swan, Sand hill crane,
large & Small Gees, brown and white brant, Comorant, Duckanmallard,
canvis back duck, and Several other Species of Ducks Still remain with us;
tho I doe not think they are as plenty as on our first arrival in the
neighbourhood. Drewyer visit his traps at took out an otter. the fur of
both the beaver and otter as also the rackoon in this countrey are
extreemly good; those animals are tolerably plenty near the Sea coast, on
the Small creeks and rivers as high as the grand Rapids.