Lewis: January 13, 1806

Tuesday January 13th 1806. This morning I took all the men who could be
spared from the Fort and set out in quest of the flesh of the seven Elk
that were killed yesterday, we found it in good order being untouched by
the wolves, of which indeed there are but few in this country; at 1 P.M.
we returned having gotten all the meat to the fort. this evening we
exhausted the last of our candles, but fortunately had taken the
precaution to bring with us moulds and wick, by means of which and some
Elk’s tallow in our possession we do not yet consider ourselves destitute
of this necessary article; the Elk we have killed have a very small
portion of tallow.

The traders usually arrive in this quarter, as has been before observed,
in the month of April, and remain untill October; when here they lay at
anchor in a bay within Cape Disappointment on the N. side of the river;
here they are visited by the natives in their canoes who run along side
and barter their comodities with them, their being no houses or
fortification on shore for that purpose. the nations who repare thither
are fist, those of the sea coast S. E. of the entrance of the river, who
reside in the order in which their names are mentioned, begining at the
entrance of the river (viz) The Clatsop, Killamuck, Ne-cost, Nat-ti,
Nat-chies, Tarl-che, E-slitch, You-cone and So-see. secondly those
inhabiting the N. W. coast begining at the entrance of the river and
mentioned in the same order; the Chinnook and Chiltch the latter very
numerous; and thirdly the Cath-lah-mah, and Skil-lutes, the latter
numerous and inhabiting the river from a few miles above the marshey
Islands, where the Cuth-lahmahs cease, to the grand rappids. These last
may be esteemed the principal carryers or intermediate traders betwen the
whites and the Indians of the Sea Coast, and the E-ne-shurs, the
E-chee-lutes, and the Chil-luckkit-te quaws, who inhabit the river above,
to the grand falls inclusive, and who prepare most of the pounded fish
which is brought to market. The bay in which this trade is carryed on is
spacious and commodious, and perfectly secure from all except the S. and
S. E. winds, these however are the most prevalent and strong winds in the
Winter season. fresh water and wood are very convenient and excellent
timber for refiting and reparing vessels.