The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Lewis, March 23, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Lewis, March 23, 1806

Sunday March 23rd 1806. Half after 9 A.M. Colter arrived, having killed one Elk but so distant that we could not send for the meat and get arround Point William today, we therefore prefered seting out and depending on Drewyer and the hunters we have sent forward for meat. the wind is pretty high but it seems to be the common opinion that we can pass point William. we accordingly distributed the baggage and directed the canoes to be launched and loaded for our departure.- at 1 P.M. we bid a final adieu to Fort Clatsop. we had not proceeded more than a mile before we met Delashelwilt and a party of 20 Chinnooks men and women. this Cheif leaning that we were in want of a canoe some days past, had brought us one for sale, but being already supplyed we did not purchase it. I obtained one Sea Otter skin from this party. at a 1/4 before three we had passed Meriwethers bay and commenced coasting the difficult shore; at 1/2 after five we doubled point William, and at 7 arrived in the mouth of a small creek where we found our hunters. they had killed 2 Elk, at the distance of a mile & 1/2. it was too late to send after it this evening. we therefore encamped on the Stard side of the Creek. the wind was not very hard.