Lewis: January 2, 1806

Thursday, January 2nd 1806 Sent out a party of men and brought in the two
Elk which were killed yesterday. Willard and Wiser have not yet returned
nor have a party of hunters returned who set out on the 26th Ulto. the
Indians who visited yesterday left us at 1 P M today after having disposed
of their roots and berries for a few fishinghooks and some other small
articles. we are infested with swarms of flees already in our new
habitations; the presumption is therefore strong that we shall not devest
ourselves of this intolerably troublesome vermin during our residence
here. The large, and small or whistling swan, sand hill Crane, large and
small gees, brown and white brant, Cormorant, duckan mallard, Canvisback
duck, and several other species of ducks, still remain with us; tho I do
not think that they are as plenty as on our first arrival in the
neighbourhood. Drewyer visited his traps and took an otter. the fur of
both the beaver and otter in this country are extreemly good; those
annamals are tolerably plenty near the sea coast, and on the small Creeks
and rivers as high as the grand rappids, but are by no means as much so as
on the upper part of the Missouri.