Day-by-Day / January 14, 1806

January 14, 1806

The Columbia River fishery

Fort Clatsop, Astoria, OR The captains estimate that the Columbia River fishery produces 30,000 pounds of salmon for market each year. Another canoe goes adrift and must be found.

Drifting Dugout Canoe

This morning the Sergt. of the Guard reported the absence of one of the large perogues, it had broken the chord by which it was attatched and the tide had taken it off; we sent a party immediately in surch of her, they returned in about 3 hours having fortunately found her . . . . had we lost this perogue also we should have been obliged to make three small ones, which with the few tools we have now left would be a serious undertaking.
Meriwether Lewis

Enlisted Men’s Duties

two men were sent to the salt works to assist in making salt. The rest of our people were employed in drying and taking care of the meat; and in dressing elk skins for mokasins, which is a laborious business, but we have no alternative in this part of the country.
Patrick Gass

The Columbia River Fishery

From the best estimate we were enabled to make as we dscended the Columbia was conceived that the natives inhabiting that noble stream, for some miles above the great falls to the grand rappids inclusive annually prepare about 30,000 lbs. of pounded sammon for market.
—Meriwether Lewis

Salmon Trade Middlemen

The Skillutes [Skilloots] and Indians about the great rapids are the intermediate merchants and Carryers, and no doubt Consume a part of this fish themselves and dispose of the ballance of it to the natives of the Sea coast, and from this obtain Such articles as they again trade with the whites.
William Clark

Weather Diary

aspect of the weather at sun symbol rise Wind at sun symbol rise Weather at 4 OC. P.M. Wind at 4 OC. P.M.
fair after rain N. E cloudy after fair S.

weather perfectly temperate I never experienced a winter so warm as the present has been.
—Meriwether Lewis[1]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of the month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.

 

Notes

Notes
1 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of the 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.