They Would
Have Been Saved A World Of Care, Worry, And Discomfort.
But At That Time The European Nations Who Held Possessions
On The Pacific Coast Were Very Suspicious Of The Americans,
And Possibly President Jefferson Did Not Like To Risk
Rousing Their Animosity.
The rain that now deluged the unhappy campers was so incessant that they
might well have thought that people should be web-footed to live in
such a watery region.
In these later days, Oregon is sometimes known
as "The Web-foot State." Captain Clark, in his diary, November 28,
makes this entry: "O! how disagreeable is our situation dureing this
dreadfull weather!" The gallant captain's spelling was sometimes queer.
Under that date he adds: -
"We remained during the day in a situation the most cheerless
and uncomfortable. On this little neck of land we are exposed,
with a miserable covering which does not deserve the name
of a shelter, to the violence of the winds; all our bedding
and stores, as well as our bodies, are completely wet;
our clothes are rotting with constant exposure, and we
have no food except the dried fish brought from the falls,
to which we are again reduced. The hunters all returned hungry
and drenched with rain, having seen neither deer nor elk,
and the swan and brant were too shy to be approached.
At noon the wind shifted to the northwest, and blew with such
tremendous fury that many trees were blown down near us.
This gale lasted with short intervals during the whole night."
Of course, in the midst of such violent storms, it was impossible
to get game, and the men were obliged to resort once more to a diet
of dried fish, This food caused much sickness in the camp, and it became
imperatively necessary that efforts should again be made to find game.
On the second of December, to their great joy an elk was killed,
and next day they had a feast.
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