Day-by-Day / December 31, 1805

December 31, 1805

New latrine and sentry box

Fort Clatsop, Astoria, OR An Indian musket is repaired, and a red-headed Clatsop is among the many Indians visiting today. A latrine and sentry box is constructed, and Clark notices that the visiting Indians are behaving better.

New Latrine and Sentry Box

we built a box for the centinel to Stand in out of the rain dug 2 Sinques &C—
John Ordway

Improving Indian Behavior

those Indians are much more reserved and better behaved to day than yesterday— the Sight of our Sentinal who walks on his post, has made this reform in those people who but yesterday was verry impertenant and disagreeable to all—
William Clark

Wapato, Mats, and Indian Tobacco

I purchased of those people Some Wap pa to two mats and about 3 pipes of their tobacco in a neet little bag made of rushes— This tobacco was much like what we had Seen before with the So So ne or Snake indians, for those articles I gave a large fishing hook and Several other Small articles, the fishing hooks they were verry fond of.
—William Clark

Musket Repair

a Skil lute brought a gun which he requested me to have repared, it only wanted a Screw flattened So as to Catch, I put a flint into his gun & he presented me in return a peck of Wappato for payment, I gave him piece of a Sheap Skin and a Small piece of blue Cloth to Cover his lock for which he was much pleased and gave me in return Some roots &c.
—William Clark

A Red-headed Clatsop

With the party of Clât Sops [Clatsops] who visited us last was a man of much lighter Coloured than the nativs are generaly, he was freckled with long duskey red hair, about 25 years of age, and must Certainly be half white at least, this man appeared to understand more of the English language than the others of his party, but did not Speak a word of English, he possessed all the habits of the Indians
—William Clark

Weather Diary

Day of the Month Winds State of the Weather
31st S W. rain

rained last night and moderately all day to day.
Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has spelled out some abbreviations.

 

Notes

Notes
1 Moulton, 6:148n3.
2 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has spelled out some abbreviations.

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.