Lewis: March 20, 1806

Thursday March 20th 1806. It continued to rain and blow so violently today
that nothing could be done towards forwarding our departure. we intended
to have Dispatched Drewyer and the two Fieldses to hunt near the bay on
this side of the Cathlahmahs untill we jounded them from hence, but the
rain rendered our departure so uncertain that we declined this measure for
the present. nothing remarkable happened during the day. we have yet
several days provision on hand, which we hope will be sufficient to
subsist us during the time we are compelled by the weather to remain at
this place.

Altho we have not fared sumptuously this winter and spring at Fort
Clatsop, we have lived quite as comfortably as we had any reason to expect
we should; and have accomplished every object which induced our remaining
at this place except that of meeting with the traders who visit the
entrance of this river. our salt will be very sufficient to last us to the
Missouri where we have a stock in store.it would have been very
fortunate for us had some of those traders arrived previous to our
departure from hence, as we should then have had it our power to obtain an
addition to our stock of merchandize which would have made our homeward
bound journey much more comfortable. many of our men are still complaining
of being unwell; Willard and Bratton remain weak, principally I beleive
for the want of proper food. I expect when we get under way we shall be
much more healthy. it has always had that effect on us heretofore. The
guns of Drewyer and Sergt. Pryor were both out of order. the first was
repared with a new lock, the old one having become unfit for uce; the
second had the cock screw broken which was replaced by a duplicate which
had been prepared for the lock at Harpers ferry where she was
manufactured. but for the precaution taken in bringing on those extra
locks, and parts of locks, in addition to the ingenuity of John Shields,
most of our guns would at this moment been untirely unfit for use; but
fortunately for us I have it in my power here to record that they are all
in good order.