Day-by-Day / March 12, 1806

March 12, 1806

Making new clothes

Fort Clatsop, Astoria, OR The captains tally the numerous pieces of clothing made in preparation for the trip home. Lewis describes golden eagles and how their feathers are used by the Chinookan Peoples.

Golden Eagles

I beleive the Callamet Eagle is sometimes found on this side of the rocky mountains from the information of the Indians in whose possession I have seen their plumage. these are the same with those of the Missouri, and are the most beautiful of all the family of the Eagles of America.
Meriwether Lewis

Calumet Eagle

two tails of this bird is esteemed by the Mandans Minetares [Hidatsas] Ricares [Arikaras], &c as the full value of a good horse, or gun and accoutrements. with the Great and little Osages and those nations inhabiting countries where this bird is more rare the price is even double of that mentioned. with these feathers the natives decorate the stems of their sacred pipes or callamets; whence the name, of Callamet Eagle, which has generally obtained among the Engages [engagés].
—Meriwether Lewis

 

Making New Clothes

Our party are now furnished with 358 par of Mockersons exclusive of a good portion of Dressed leather, they are also previded with Shirts Overalls Capoes of dressed Elk Skins for the homeward journey.
William Clark

Readying the Canoes

a white frost. clear and cold. one man went out a hunting. I went and made Search for the lost canoe but could not find it. the other canoes corked & pitched.
John Ordway

Weather Diary

Aspect of the weather at sun symbol Rise Wind at sun symbol rise Aspect of weather at 4 O’Ck P. M. Wind at 4 OCk. P. M.
fair after clouds N E. cloudy after fair N E

white frost this morning and ice on the pools of standing water.— it being fair in the morning I again attempted Equal Altitudes but it be came cloudy at 3 P. M. and continued so during the day.
—Meriwether Lewis[1]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of the Month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.

 

Notes

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

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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.