-
"Three Indians Came In A Canoe With Mats, Roots, And The Berries
Of The Sacacommis.
These people proceed with a dexterity
and finesse in their bargains which, if they have not learned
it from
Their foreign visitors, may show how nearly allied
is the cunning of savages to the little arts of traffic.
They begin by asking double or treble the value of what they
have to sell, and lower their demand in proportion to the greater
or less degree of ardor or knowledge of the purchaser, who, with all
his management, is not able to procure the article for less
than its real value, which the Indians perfectly understand.
Our chief medium of trade consists of blue and white beads, files, -
with which they sharpen their tools, - fish-hooks, and tobacco;
but of all these articles blue beads and tobacco are
the most esteemed."
But, although their surroundings were not of a sort to make one very jolly,
when Christmas came they observed the day as well as they could.
Here is what the journal says of the holiday: -
"We were awaked at daylight by a discharge of firearms,
which was followed by a song from the men, as a compliment
to us on the return of Christmas, which we have always
been accustomed to observe as a day of rejoicing.
After breakfast we divided our remaining stock of tobacco,
which amounted to twelve carrots [hands], into two parts;
one of which we distributed among such of the party as make
use of it, making a present of a handkerchief to the others.
The remainder of the day was passed in good spirits,
though there was nothing in our situation to excite much gayety.
The rain confined us to the house, and our only luxuries
in honor of the season were some poor elk, so much spoiled
that we ate it through sheer necessity, a few roots, and some
spoiled pounded fish.
"The next day brought a continuation of rain, accompanied with thunder,
and a high wind from the southeast. We were therefore obliged to still
remain in our huts, and endeavored to dry our wet articles before the fire.
The fleas, which annoyed us near the portage of the Great Falls,
have taken such possession of our clothes that we are obliged to
have a regular search every day through our blankets as a necessary
preliminary to sleeping at night. These animals, indeed, are so numerous
that they are almost a calamity to the Indians of this country.
When they have once obtained the mastery of any house it is impossible
to expel them, and the Indians have frequently different houses,
to which they resort occasionally when the fleas have rendered their
permanent residence intolerable; yet, in spite of these precautions,
every Indian is constantly attended by multitudes of them,
and no one comes into our house without leaving behind him swarms
of these tormenting insects."
Although the condition of the exploring party was low,
the men did not require very much to put them in good spirits.
The important and happy event of finishing their fort and
the noting of good weather are thus set forth in the journal
under date of December 30: -
"Toward evening the hunters brought in four elk [which Drewyer had
killed], and after a long course of abstinence and miserable diet,
we had a most sumptuous supper of elk's tongues and marrow.
Besides this agreeable repast, the state of the weather was
quite exhilarating. It had rained during the night, but in the morning,
though the high wind continued, we enjoyed the fairest and most
pleasant weather since our arrival; the sun having shone at intervals,
and there being only three showers in the course of the day.
By sunset we had completed the fortification, and now announced
to the Indians that every day at that hour the gates would be closed,
and they must leave the fort and not enter it till sunrise.
The Wahkiacums who remained with us, and who were very forward
in their deportment, complied very reluctantly with this order;
but, being excluded from our houses, formed a camp near us.
. . . . . . . . .
"January 1, 1806. We were awaked at an early hour by the
discharge of a volley of small arms, to salute the new year.
This was the only mode of commemorating the day which our
situation permitted; for, though we had reason to be gayer than we
were at Christmas, our only dainties were boiled elk and wappatoo,
enlivened by draughts of pure water. We were visited by a few Clatsops,
who came by water, bringing roots and berries for sale.
Among this nation we observed a man about twenty-five years old,
of a much lighter complexion than the Indians generally: his face was
even freckled, and his hair long, and of a colour inclining to red.
He was in habits and manners perfectly Indian; but, though he did
not speak a word of English, he seemed to understand more than
the others of his party; and, as we could obtain no account
of his origin, we concluded that one of his parents, at least,
must have been white."
A novel addition to their bill of fare was fresh blubber, or fat,
from a stranded whale. Under date of January 3 the journal says: -
"At eleven o'clock we were visited by our neighbor, the Tia or chief,
Comowool, who is also called Coone, and six Clatsops. Besides roots
and berries, they brought for sale three dogs, and some fresh blubber.
Having been so long accustomed to live on the flesh of dogs, the greater
part of us have acquired a fondness for it, and our original aversion
for it is overcome, by reflecting that while we subsisted on that food
we were fatter, stronger, and in general enjoyed better health than at
any period since leaving the buffalo country, eastward of the mountains.
The blubber, which is esteemed by the Indians an excellent food,
has been obtained, they tell us, from their neighbors, the Killamucks,
a nation who live on the seacoast to the southeast, near one of whose
villages a whale had recently been thrown and foundered."
Five men had been sent out to form a camp on the seashore and go
into the manufacture of salt as expeditiously as possible.
On the fifth of January, two of them came into the fort
bringing a gallon of salt, which was decided to be "white, fine
and very good," and a very agreeable addition to their food,
which had been eaten perfectly fresh for some weeks past.
Captain Clark, however, said it was a "mere matter of indifference"
to him whether he had salt or not, but he hankered for bread.
Captain Lewis, on the other hand, said the lack of salt was
a great inconvenience; "the want of bread I consider trivial,"
was his dictum.
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