The aborigines
of Alaska and other regions of the North Pacific, to-day. The
figures are made of small pieces of wood neatly fitted together
by inlaying and mortising, without any spike of any kind.
When one reflects that the Indians seen by Lewis and Clark
constructed their large canoes with very poor tools, it is impossible
to withhold one's admiration of their industry and patience.
The journal says: -
"Our admiration of their skill in these curious constructions was
increased by observing the very inadequate implements which they use.
These Indians possess very few axes, and the only tool they employ,
from felling the tree to the delicate workmanship of the images, is a chisel
made of an old file, about an inch or an inch and a half in width.
Even of this, too, they have not learned the proper management;
for the chisel is sometimes fixed in a large block of wood, and, being held
in the right hand, the block is pushed with the left, without the aid
of a mallet. But under all these disadvantages, their canoes,
which one would suppose to be the work of years, are made in a few weeks.
A canoe, however, is very highly prized, being in traffic an article
of the greatest value except a wife, and of equal value with her;
so that a lover generally gives a canoe to the father in exchange
for his daughter. . . .
"The harmony of their private life is secured by their ignorance
of spirituous liquors, the earliest and most dreadful present
which civilization has given to the other natives of the continent.
Although they have had so much intercourse with whites, they do
not appear to possess any knowledge of those dangerous luxuries;
at least they have never inquired after them, which they probably
would have done if once liquors bad been introduced among them.
Indeed, we have not observed any liquor of intoxicating quality among
these or any Indians west of the Rocky Mountains, the universal
beverage being pure water. They, however, sometimes almost intoxicate
themselves by smoking tobacco, of which they are excessively fond,
and the pleasures of which they prolong as much as possible, by retaining
vast quantities at a time, till after circulating through the lungs
and stomach it issues in volumes from the mouth and nostrils."
A long period of quiet prevailed in camp after the first of February,
before the final preparations for departure were made.
Parties were sent out every day to hunt, and the campers were
able to command a few days' supply of provision in advance.
The flesh of the deer was now very lean and poor,
but that of the elk was growing better and better.
It was estimated by one of the party that they killed,
between December 1, 1805, and March 20, 1806, elk to
the number of one hundred and thirty-one, and twenty deer.
Some of this meat they smoked for its better preservation,
but most of it was eaten fresh. No record was kept of the amount
of fish consumed by the party; but they were obliged at times
to make fish their sole article of diet. Late in February
they were visited by Comowool, the principal Clatsop chief,
who brought them a sturgeon and quantities of a small fish which
had just begun to make its appearance in the Columbia. 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:
