This was
known as the anchovy, but oftener as the candle-fish;
it is so fat that it may be burned like a torch, or candle.
The journal speaks of Comowool as "by far the most friendly
and decent savage we have seen in this neighborhood."
Chapter XIX
With Faces turned Homeward
The officers of the expedition had decided to begin their homeward
march on the first of April; but a natural impatience induced them
to start a little earlier, and, as a matter of record, it may be
said that they evacuated Fort Clatsop on the 23d of March, 1806.
An examination of their stock of ammunition showed that they
had on hand a supply of powder amply sufficient for their needs
when travelling the three thousand miles of wilderness in which
their sole reliance for food must be the game to be killed.
The powder was kept in leaden canisters, and these, when empty,
were used for making balls for muskets and rifles. Three bushels
of salt were collected for their use on the homeward journey.
What they needed now most of all was an assortment of small wares
and trinkets with which to trade with the Indians among whom they
must spend so many months before reaching civilization again.
They had ample letters of credit from the Government at Washington,
and if they had met with white traders on the seacoast,
they could have bought anything that money would buy.
They had spent nearly all their stock in coming across the continent.
This is Captain Lewis's summary of the goods on hand just before
leaving Fort Clatsop: -
"All the small merchandise we possess might be tied up
in a couple of handkerchiefs. The rest of our stock in trade
consists of six blue robes, one scarlet ditto, five robes
which we made out of our large United States flag, a few old
clothes trimmed with ribbons, and one artillerist's uniform coat
and hat, which probably Captain Clark will never wear again.
We have to depend entirely upon this meagre outfit for the purchase
of such horses and provisions as it will be in our power to obtain -
a scant dependence, indeed, for such a journey as is before us."
One of their last acts was to draw up a full list of the members
of the party, and, making several copies of it, to leave these
among the friendly Indians with instructions to give a paper
to the first white men who should arrive in the country.
On the back of the paper was traced the track by which the
explorers had come and that by which they expected to return.
This is a copy of one of these important documents:
