December 24, 1805
December 24th Tuesday-5
Some hard rain at different times last night, and moderately this
morning without intermition all hands employed in Carrying Punchens &
finishing Covering the huts, and the greater part of the men move into
them a hard rain in the evening.
Cuscalar the young Clot Sop Chief Came with a young brother and 2 young
Squar, they gave or laid before Capt Lewis and my Self a mat and each a
large Parsel of roots, Some time after he demanded 2 files for his
Present we returned the present as we had no files to Speare which
displeased them a little they then offered a woman to each which we
also declined axcpting which also displeased them. Jo Fields finish for
Capt Lewis and my Self each a wide Slab hued to write on, I gave a
handkerchief &c
Tuesday 24th December 1805
hard rain at Different times last night and all this day without
intermition. men all employd in finishing their huts and moveing into
them.
Cuscalah the Indian who had treated me So politely when I was at the
Clatsops village, come up in a Canoe with his young brother & 2 Squars
he laid before Capt Lewis and my Self each a mat and a parcel of roots
Some time in the evening two files was demanded for the presents of
mats and roots, as we had no files to part with, we each returned the
present which we had received, which displeased Cuscalah a little. he
then offered a woman to each of us which we also declined axcepting of,
which displeased the whole party verry much— the female part appeared
to be highly disgusted at our refuseing to axcept of their favours &c.
our Store of Meat entirely Spoiled, we are obliged to make use of it as
we have nothing else except a little pounded fish, the remains of what
we purchased near the great falls of the Columbia, and which we have
ever found to be a convenient resort, and a portable method of curing
fish
