The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, October 28, 1805

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, October 28, 1805

October 28th Monday 1805

A cool windey morning we loaded our Canoes and Set out at 9 oClock, a.m. as we were about to Set out 3 canoes from above and 2 from below came to view us in one of those Canoes I observed an Indian with round hat jacket & wore his hair cued we proceeded on river inclosed on each Side in high Clifts of about 90 feet of loose dark coloured rocks at four miles we landed at a village of 8 houses on the Stard. Side under Some rugid rocks, Those people call themselves Chil-luckit-tequaw, live in houses Similar to those described, Speake Somewhat different language with maney words the Same & understand those in their neighbourhood Cap Lewis took a vocabilary of this Language I entered one of the houses in which I Saw a British musket, a cutlass and Several brass Tea kittles of which they appeared verry fond Saw them boiling fish in baskets with Stones, I also Saw figures of animals & men Cut & painted on boards in one Side of the house which they appeared to prize, but for what purpose I will not venter to Say,-. here we purchased five Small Dogs, Some dried buries, & white bread made of roots, the wind rose and we were obliged to lie by all day at 1 mile below on the Lard. Side. we had not been long on Shore before a Canoe came up with a man woman & 2 children, who had a fiew roots to Sell, Soon after maney others joined them from above, The wind which is the cause of our delay, does not retard the motions of those people at all, as their canoes are calculated to ride the highest waves, they are built of white cedar or Pine verry light wide in the middle and tapers at each end, with aperns, and heads of animals carved on the bow, which is generally raised. Those people make great use of Canoes, both for transpotation and fishing, they also use of bowls & baskets made of Grass & Splits to hold water and boil their fish & meat. Maney of the nativs of the last Village Came down Set and Smoke with us, wind blew hard accompanied with rain all the evening, our Situation not a verry good one for an encampment, but Such as it is we are obliged to put up with, the harbor is a Safe one, we encamped on the Sand wet and disagreeable one Deer killed this evening, and another wounded near our Camp.