Clark: January 7, 1806

Jany 7th Tuesday 1806 Set out at Day light, porceded up the Creek about 2
mile and crossed on a tree trunk the Salt makers have fallen across, then
proceeded on to the Ocean 3/4 mile & proceded up 3 miles to the mouth
of Colimex River about 80 or 100 yds wide verry rapid & Cuts its
banks, here we found an old Village of 3 houses, one only inhabited by one
familey, I gave the man a fish hook to put the party across, on the bank
found a Skeet fish which had been lef by the tide proceded on 2 miles on
the bank opposit a kind of bay the river Cross to the Sea Cost to 2 Inds
Indians Lodges at which place I found our Salt makers near the foot of a
mountain which form the Shore. Brackfast and hirired an Indian to pilot me
to the Ca le mix nation where the whale is for which I gave a file, we
proceded on the Stone under a high hill on our right bluff. Soft Stone
Sees verry high, Several parts of this hill recently Sliped in, about 3/4
of a mile abov the Houses Saw a Canoe in which the Dead was buried at 21/2
miles assended a Steep mountain, as Steep at it is possible places for
1500 feet we hauled our Selves up by the assistence of the bushes if one
had Given way we must have fallen a great distant the Steepest worst &
highest mountain I ever assended I think it at least 1500 feet highr than
the Sea imidiately under on the riht. we met 14 Indians loaded with
blubber proceded on thro an unusual bad way falling timber bendig under
logs &c. and encamped on a Creek which runs to my left find Day and
night, the timber Spruc White Cedar & &.

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Tuesday 7th of January 1806 Some frost this morning. It may appear
Somewhat incrediable, but So it is that the Elk which was killed last
evening was eaten except about 8 pounds, which I directed to be taken
along with the Skin, I proceded up the South fork of the Creek about 2
miles and crossed on a pine tree which had been fallen by the Saltmakers
on their first going out, on this tree we crossed the deepest of the water
and waded on the opposit Side for 30 yards, from thence to the ocian 3/4
of a mile through a Continuation of open ridgey Prarie, here the Coast is
Sandy, we proceeded on the Sandy beech nearly South for 3 miles to the
mouth of butifull river with bold and rapid Current of 85 yards wide and 3
feet deep in the Shallowest place, a Short distance up this river on the N
E Side is the remains of an old village of Clatsops. I entered a house
where I found a Man 2 Womn & 3 Children, they appeared retchedly pore
& dirty, I hired the man to Set us across the River which I call after
the Nation Clat Sop river for which I gave 2 fishing hooksat this
place the Creek over which I crossed on a tree passes within 100 yards of
the Clat Sop river over which the nativs have a portage which affords them
an easy Communication with the villages near point adams, and at the mouth
of the Creek, on which we lay last night. in walking on the Sand after
crossing the river I Saw a Singular Species of fish which I had never
before Seen one of the men Call this fish a Skaite, it is properly a
Thornback. I proceeded on about 2 miles to near the base of high Mountain
where I found our Salt makers, and with them Sergt. Gass, Geo. Shannon was
out in the woods assisting Jo Field and gibson to kill Some meat, the Salt
makers had made a neet Close Camp, Convenient to wood Salt water and the
fresh water of the Clat Sop river which at this place was within 100 paces
of the Ocian they wer also Situated near 4 houses of Clatsops &
Killamox, who they informed me had been verry kind and attentive to them.
I hired a young Indian to pilot me to the whale for which Service I gave
him a file in hand and promised Several other Small articles on my return,
left Sergt. Gass and one man of my party Werner to make Salt &
permited Bratten to accompany me, we proceeded on the round Slipery Stones
under a high hill which projected into the ocian about 4 miles further
than the direction of the Coast. after walking for 21/2 miles on the
Stones my guide made a Sudin halt, pointed to the top of the mountain and
uttered the word Pe Shack which means bad, and made Signs that we could
not proceed any further on the rocks, but must pass over that mountain, I
hesitated a moment & view this emence mountain the top of which was
obscured in the clouds, and the assent appeard. to be almost
perpindecular; as the Small Indian parth allong which they had brought
emence loads but a fiew hours before, led up this mountain and appeared to
assend in a Sideling direction, I thought more than probable that the
assent might be torerably easy and therefore proceeded on, I soon found
that the ____ become much worst as I assended, and at one place we were
obliged to Support and draw our Selves up by the bushes & roots for
near 100 feet, and after about 2 hours labour and fatigue we reached the
top of this high mountain, from the top of which I looked down with
estonishment to behold the hight which we had assended, which appeared to
be 10 or 12 hundred feet up a mountain which appeared to be almost
perpindicular, here we met 14 Indians men and women loaded with the oil
& Blubber of the whale. In the face of this tremendeous precipic
imediately below us, there is a Strater of white earth (which my guide
informed me) the neighbouring indians use to paint themselves, and which
appears to me to resemble the earth of which the French Porcelain is made;
I am confident that this earth Contains argill, but whether it also
Contains Silex or magnesia, or either of those earths in a proper
perpotion I am unable to deturmine. we left the top of the precipice and
proceeded on a bad road and encamped on a Small run passin g to the left.
all much fatiagued