Day-by-Day / February 18, 1806

February 18, 1806

Woven hats and bobcat robes

At Fort Clatsop near present Astoria, Oregon, Chinookan traders arrive with woven hats and furs to sell. Pvt. Whitehouse shows Clark his new bobcat robe, and Sgt. Ordway‘s attempt to reach the salt makers’ camp fails due to high waves.

Bobcat Robe

Whitehouse brought me a roab which he purchased of the Indians formed of three Skins of the Tiger Cat, this Cat differs from any which I have ever Seen.
—William Clark

Detachments

This morning we dispatched a party to the Saltworks with Sergt. Ordway and a second with Sergt. Gass after the Elk killed over the Netul. in the evening Sergt. Ordway returned and reported that the waves ran so high in the bay that he could not pass to the entrance of the creek which we had directed him to assend with the canoe.
Meriwether Lewis

Chinookan Traders

in the forenoon we were visited by a Clatsop & Seven Chinnooks [Chinooks] from whome I purchased a Sea otter‘s Skin and two hats made of way tape and Silk grass and white cedar bark. they remained untill late in the evening and departed for their village. those people are not readily obstructed by waves in their Canoes. Since their departure we have discovered that they have Stole an ax.—
William Clark

Small Sitka Spruce

Sergt. Ordway brought me a specemine of a species of pine peculiar to the swamps and marshes frequently overflown by the tide as this is a distinct species I shall call it No. 7. this tree seldom rises to a greater hight than 35 feet
—Meriwether Lewis

Weather Diary

aspect of the weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise aspect of the weather at 4 OC1 P.M. Wind at 4 O’Clock P.M.
cloudy after rain & hail S W rain after rain & hail S. W

wind violent greater part of the day and all night
—Meriwether Lewis[1]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of ye Month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.

 

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Notes

Notes
1 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of ye Month” column and 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.