Lewis: March 24, 1806

Monday March 24th 1806. This morning we sent out a party of 15, at light,
for the meat, and concluded to take breakfast before we set out. they soon
returned. we breakfasted and set out at 1/2 after 9 A.M. Saw a white
woodpecker with a red head of the small kind common to the United States;
this bird has but lately returned. they do not remain during the winter.
the country thick and heavily timbered. we saw very few waterfowl today,
not a single swan, white brant nor a small goose is to be seen. a few
Cormorant, duckinmallard, butterbox, and common large geese were only to
be found the tide being out this morning we found some difficulty in
passing through the bay below the Cathlahmah village; this side of the
river is very shallow to the distance of 4 miles from the shore tho there
is a channel sufficient for canoes near S. side. at 1 P.M. we arrived at
the Cathlahmah village where we halted and purchased some wappetoe, a dog
for the sick, and a hat for one of the men. on one of the seal Islands
opposite to the village of these people thy have scaffolded their dead in
canoes elivating them above tidewater mark. these people are very fond of
sculpture in wood of which they exhibit a variety of specemines about
their houses. the broad peices supporting the center of the roof and those
through which the doors are cut, seem to be the peices on which they most
display their taist. I saw some of these which represented human figures
setting and supporting the burthen on their sholders. at half after 3 P.M.
we set out and continued our rout among the seal Islands; not paying much
attention we mistook our rout which an Indian perceiving pursued overtook
us and put us in the wright channel. this Cathlahmah claimed the small
canoe which we had taken from the Clatsops. however he consented very
willingly to take an Elk’s skin for it which I directed should be given
him and he immediately returned. we continued our rout along the South
side of the river and encamped at an old village of 9 houses opposite to
the lower Wackkiacum village. the night was cold tho wood was abundant
after dark two Chinnook men came to us in a small canoe. they remained
with us all night. came 15 miles today.