Day-by-Day / February 12, 1806

February 12, 1806

Two Oregon grapes

Fort Clatsop, Astoria, OR Lewis describes two species of Oregon grape, and three Clatsop dogs are brought as payment for elk meat. In Washington City and Madrid, suspicions grow.

Oregon Grape

Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium

green and red leaves with serrated edges and green berries

© 2008 by Joe Mabel. Permission granted under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or later license.

Dull Oregon Grape

Mahonia nervosa

three vine-like branches have serrated leaves along the ground

© 2008 by Walter Siegmund. Permission granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Well Pleased

This day was rainey & wet, An Indian came to our fort & staid during last night; this Indian sold one of our Men a Sea otter skin. He left us this morning well pleased with the Sale he had made.—
—Joseph Whitehouse

Two Oregon Grapes

There are two species of ever green shrubs which I first met with at the grand rappids of the Columbia and which I have since found in this neighbourhood also; they grow in rich dry ground not far usually from some watercourse.
—Meriwether Lewis

Related: Oregon Grapes | Lewis as Botanist

Three Nervous Dogs

This morning we were visited by a Clatsop man who brought with him three dogs as a remuneration for the Elk which him self and nation had stolen from us some little time since, how ever the dogs took the alarm and ran off
—Meriwether Lewis

Despite this payment, the captains had a Clatsop canoe stolen as a reimbursement on 18 March 1806. See also Clatsop Give and Take.

General Wilkinson Suspected

Wednesday Feby. 12th. 1806

Dear Sir [Thomas Jefferson]

Of the General [James Wilkinson] I have no very exalted opinion, he is extravagant and heady, & would not I think feel much delicacy in speculating on public money or public land. In both those respects he must be closely watched; and he has now united himself with every man in Louisiana who had received or claims large grants under the Spanish Govt. (Gratiot, the Chouteaus, Soulard &c) But, tho’ not perhaps very scrupulous in that respect, and although I fear that he may sacrifice to a certain degree the interests of the U. States to his desire of being popular in his Government, he is honorable in his private dealings; and of betraying his to a foreign country, I believe him altogether incapable. Yet Ellicots [Andrew Ellicott] information, together with this hint may induce caution; and if any thing can be done which may lead to discoveries either in respect to him or others, it would seem proper; but how to proceed I do not know.

With great respect Your obedt. Sevt.

Albert Gallatin[1]Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-3223. [An Early Access document from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson.]

The Chouteaus are Auguste Chouteau and Pierre Chouteau.

Salcedo Chastised

Also on this day, the King of Spain expresses his displeasure regarding the attempts to stop the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

His Majesty orders me to tell you that he is surprised that you have not kept him informed of progress of the said expedition; likewise His Majesty desires to know how the said expedition has been permitted in territory of his domains, being well known that its designs ought to cause suspicion although disguised with the appearance of being purely scientific.[2]“Habiendo llegado a noticia del rey . . .,” [Minister of state] to the commandant general of the interior provinces, El Pardo, 12 February 1806, Archivo Histórico Nacional, Madrid … Continue reading

Related: Spanish Opposition

Weather Diary

aspect of the weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise aspect of the weather at 4 OC1 P.M. Wind at 4 O’Clock P.M.
rain after rain & clouds S W rain after clouds & rain S. W

it rained the greater part of last night.
—Meriwether Lewis[3]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of ye Month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.

Related: Weather Observations

logo: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail logo: National Park Service

Fort Clatsop is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site is managed by the Lewis and Clark National and State Historic Parks.

 

Notes

Notes
↑1 Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-3223. [An Early Access document from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson.]
↑2 “Habiendo llegado a noticia del rey . . .,” [Minister of state] to the commandant general of the interior provinces, El Pardo, 12 February 1806, Archivo Histórico Nacional, Madrid (Estado 5542), cited in Warren L. Cook, Flood Tide of Empire: Spain and the Pacific Northwest, 1543–1819 (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1973), 475.
↑3 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of ye Month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.

This site is provided as a public service by the
Logo: Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:

Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).