While wintering at Fort Clatsop, the captains estimate that the Native Columbia River fishery produces 30,000 pounds of salmon for market each year. Another canoe goes adrift and must be found.
Preparing Salmon—Wishram
Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952)
Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/94507927.
Photogravure print from The North American Indian, (1907-1930) Vol. 8, Plate facing page 146.
Drifting Dugout Canoe
This morning the Sergt. of the Guard reported the absence of one of the large perogues, it had broken the chord by which it was attatched and the tide had taken it off; we sent a party immediately in surch of her, they returned in about 3 hours having fortunately found her . . . . had we lost this perogue also we should have been obliged to make three small ones, which with the few tools we have now left would be a serious undertaking.
—Meriwether Lewis
Enlisted Men’s Duties
two men were sent to the salt works to assist in making salt. The rest of our people were employed in drying and taking care of the meat; and in dressing elk skins for mokasins, which is a laborious business, but we have no alternative in this part of the country.
—Patrick Gass
The Columbia River Fishery
From the best estimate we were enabled to make as we dscended the Columbia was conceived that the natives inhabiting that noble stream, for some miles above the great falls to the grand rappids inclusive annually prepare about 30,000 lbs. of pounded sammon for market.
—Meriwether Lewis
Salmon Trade Middlemen
The Skillutes [Skilloots] and Indians about the great rapids are the intermediate merchants and Carryers, and no doubt Consume a part of this fish themselves and dispose of the ballance of it to the natives of the Sea coast, and from this obtain Such articles as they again trade with the whites.
—William Clark
Weather Diary
aspect of the weather at rise Wind at rise Weather at 4 OC. P.M. Wind at 4 OC. P.M. fair after rain N. E cloudy after fair S. weather perfectly temperate I never experienced a winter so warm as the present has been.
—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.
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Plan a trip related to January 14, 1806:
Fort Clatsop is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site is managed by the Lewis and Clark National and State Historic Parks.
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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