Laurel outlook., 1945-08-22
Observation-Disclosures
LEWIS AND
CLARK
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1S04-6.
Copyright 1915, Walter Meacham)
CHAPTER 13

Indians visited them on November
II that they called the Cathlamas
and from whom some fish were
bought. The party was held storm
bound at this place for four days.
when it moved to Haley's (Baker's)
bay and camped just inside Chinook
point. The sun came out at briet
intervals, when they dried their
clothing and bedding. They traded
for fish and wappato with the In
dians, who visited them from time
to time.
Deciding that the south side of
the river was best for their pur-
poses, they left Chinook camp on
November 25 and rowed back up
the river to Shallow (Gray's) bay.
The river was crossed to the south
side to Cathlamet point the follow
ing day. They skirted the south
bank of the river, passing John Day
river, which flows into Cathlamet
bay. They rounded a peculiar for
nation which they named Point
William Tongue Point) and went
into camp, exposed to a heavy
storm which held them there for
ten days.
During that time Captain Lewis
went on a scouting trip in search
of a winter camp and found one to
his liking. On December 8 they
padded their canoes into Meri-
wether (Young's) bay and up the
Netul (Lewis and Clark river a
short distance to where a perman-
ent winter camp was made, about
two hundred yards from the river,
and named it Fort Clatsop. This
was about six miles from the pres
ent Astoria, Oregon.
The log houses and stockade were
finished by December "a, though
the rain fell continuously, rotting
their buckskin suits and spelling
much of their meat. Christmas dag
was ushered in by a parade of the
men, firing a round of small arms
and wishing the commanding Off
GERS a Merry Christmas. Their
Yuletide dinner consisted of elk
meat and wappato and some dried
berries. Once again Cruzatte tuned
up his fiddle and provided the mu-
sic for singing and dancing, a
dance without m Lewis and
Clark presented the men with hand
kerchiefs and tobacco and extended
the seasons greeting to them. Tt
was at best a poor substitute for
the Christmas they had known, but
it was better than none at all, and
keep up morale. A Christ
mas tree was provided for Little
Pomp, though he didn't know what
t was all about.
Much of their meat spoiled for
ack of salt to preserve it and salt
ess meat was not very palatable
so Lewis and Clark sent
'ut Joseph Fields, William Bratton,
Gibson, Alexander Willard
md Peter Wiser to go to the sea-
ihore and distill salt from ocean
water. They built a cairn at the
present Seaside, Oregon, and dis
illed about a gallon of salt a day.
his was slow, laborious work, but
t provided a necessity they had
ong been without. Thus, Lewis ant
lark, in addition to other honors,
we're the first industrialists in the
West. The site of the old cairn
5 Exhibit No. 1 of Seaside.
Various tribes of Indians visited
hem, including the Clatsops, Chi
ooks, Kathlamets, Killamooks (Tii-
amooks) and Wahkiakums, whose
were presented with medals
nd presents according to their rank
nd influence. Sacajawea busted
erself in making moccasins and
while the men hunted,
ished and repaired their clothes,
uns or other gear. Lewis and
lark spent the time in exploring
he surrounding country, making
laps, studying plant and animal
fe and customs and languages of
lie Indians. Clark wrote of the
Great Western Ocean," saying that
e could not call it Pacific, owing
the storms which beset them
most all winter.
In January, 1906, a large whale
cast ashore below Tillamook
cad and Captain Clark took SAGA
and several of the men to
it. That was a great treat
r the Indian woman and provided
.r with a good fish story to relate
her friends when she returned
me. The Indians had picked the
.rcass clean, but Clark was able
purchase some of the blubber to