November 23, 1805
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November 23, 1805

 

The Cloudy and Calm, a moderate rain the greater part of the last night, Sent out men to hunt this morning and they Killed 3 Bucks, rained at intervales all day. I marked my name the Day of the month & year on a [2?] Beech trees & (By Land)    Capt Lewis Branded his and the men all marked their nams on trees about the Camp. [2]    one Indian Came up from their village on some lakes near Haleys bay. In the Evening 7 Indians of the Clatt Sopp nation, [3] opposit Came over, they brought with them 2 Sea orter Skins, for which the asked Such high prices we were uneabled to purchase, with[out] reduceing our Small Stock of merchindize on which we have to depend in part for a Subsistance on our return home, Kiled 4 brant & 3 Ducks to day

 

A calm Cloudy morning, a moderate rain the greater part of the last night, Capt Lewis Branded a tree with his name Date &c. I marked my name the Day & year on a Alder tree, the party all Cut the first letters of their names on different trees in the bottom.    our hunters killed 3 Bucks, 4 Brant & 3 Ducks to day.

in the evening Seven indians of the Clot Sop Nation Came over in a Canoe, they brought with them 2 Sea otter Skins for which they asked blue beads &c. and Such high pricies that we were unable to purchase them without reducing our Small Stock of merchendize, on which we depended for Subcistance on our return up this river—    mearly to try the Indian who had one of those Skins, I offered him my Watch, handerchief a bunch of red beads and a dollar of the American Coin, all of which he refused and demanded "ti-â, co-mo-shack["] [5] which is Chief beads and the most common blue beads, but fiew of which we 〈happen to〉 have at this time

This nation is the remains of a large nation destroyed by the Small pox or Some other which those people were not aquainted with, they Speak the Same language of the Chinnooks and resemble them in every respect except that of Stealing, which we have not Cought them at as yet.

 

Saturday 23rd Nov. 1805. Still continues rainy and high wind    Several men went out a Short time a hunting and killed 3 Deer and 21 fowls.    a number of Savages visited us &C—

 

Saturday 23d.    The weather was somewhat cloudy but more calm. Some of the men went out to hunt and some to mend the canoe which had been split in the storm yesterday. The natives still stay with us, and have a few roots and berries to subsist on at present; but I cannot conjecture how they live during the winter. They have no mockasons or leggins of any kind; and scarce any other covering than the small robes, which were mentioned before.

In the afternoon, 10 of the Clat-sop nation [6] that live on the south side of the river, came over to our camp. These are also naked, except the small robes which hardly cover their shoulders. One of these men had the reddest hair I ever saw, and a fair skin, much freckled. [7] In the evening our hunters came in, and had killed 3 deer, 8 brants, and 12 ducks.— In the evening the weather cleared and we had a fine night.

 

Saturday Novemr 23d    We had a hard wind blowing the greater part of last night, & it rained powerfully.    This morning it moderated, both with regard to Wind & Rain.    Several of our party went out to hunt, & remained but a short time; when they returned bringing 3 deer in with them, which they had killed.    The evening was pleasant, & one of our Hunters went out & killed 21 fowls of different kinds.    We had during this day a number of Indians at our Camp, they came across the bay to our Camp on a Visit.—

1. The purpose of an asterisk above the dateline in the Elkskin-bound Journal is unknown. (back)
2. Lewis is using his branding iron again. See above, October 5, 1805, and accompanying note. (back)
3. The word "Clatt Sopp" appears to have been added later to a blank space. (back)
4. A mistake on the date which was not carried forward. (back)
5. The word is Chinookan tiaq̓mušakš, "chief beads." (back)
6. The Clatsops were a Chinookan-language people living in villages in Clatsop County, Oregon. (back)
7. Probably the man known as Jack Ramsay; see Clark's entry of December 31, 1805. (back)