Day-by-Day / November 23, 1805

November 23, 1805

Marking the territory

Station Camp near Chinook, WA Captain Lewis brands a tree and then, Clark and several of the party make marks of their own. Clatsop visitors want to trade for blue beads, and Gass sees a red-headed Clatsop.

High Prices for Skins[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading

Branding Trees

Capt Lewis Branded a tree with his name Date &c. I marked my name the Day & year on a Alder tree, the party all Cut the first letters of their names on different trees in the bottom.
William Clark

A Red-headed Clatsop

In the afternoon, 10 of the Clat-sop [Clatsop] nation that live on the south side of the river, came over to our camp. These are also naked, except the small robes which hardly cover their shoulders. One of these men had the reddest hair I ever saw, and a fair skin, much freckled.
Patrick Gass

Hard Bargains

mearly to try the Indian who had one of those [sea otter] Skins, I offered him my Watch, handerchief a bunch of red beads and a dollar of the American Coin, all of which he refused and demanded “ti-â, co-mo-shack[“] which is Chief beads and the most common blue beads, but fiew of which we ave at this time
—William Clark

Fine Evening

In the evening our hunters came in, and had killed 3 deer, 8 brants, and 12 ducks.— In the evening the weather cleared and we had a fine night.
—Patrick Gass

Weather Diary

Day of the month Wind State of the Weather
23rd S W. cloudy after rain

rained all last night to day Cloudy
Meriwether Lewis[2]Some abbreviations have been spelled out.

 

Notes

Notes
1 Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio.
2 Some abbreviations have been spelled out.

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.