February 1, 1806
Saturday February 1st 1806.
This morning a party of four men set out with Joseph Fields; Sergt.
Gass with a party of five men again set out up the Netul river in surch
of the Elk which had been killed some days since, and which could not
be found in consequence of the snow. The Canoes of the natives
inhabiting the lower portion of the Columbia River make their canoes
remarkably neat light and well addapted for riding high waves. I have
seen the natives near the coast riding waves in these canoes with
safety and apparently without concern where I should have thought it
impossible for any vessel of the same size to lived a minute. they are
built of whitecedar or Arborvita generally, but sometimes of the firr.
they are cut out of a solid stick of timber, the gunwals at the upper
edge foald over outwards and are about 5/8 of an inch thick and 4 or
five broad, and stand horrizontally forming a kind of rim to the canoe
to prevent the water beating into it. they are all furnished with more
or less crossbars in proportion to the size of the canoe. these bars
are round sticks about half the size of a man's arm, which are incerted
through holes (just) made in either side of the canoe just below the
rim of the gunwall and are further secured with strings of waytape;
these crossbars serve to lift and manage the canoe on land. when the
natives land they invariably take their canoes on shore, unless they
are heavily laden, and then even, if they remain all night, they
discharge their loads and take the canoes on shore. some of the large
canoes are upwards of 50 feet long and will carry from 8 to 10 thousand
lbs. or from 20 to thirty persons and some of them particularly on the
sea coast are waxed painted and ornimented with curious images at bough
and Stern; those images sometimes rise to the hight of five feet; the
pedestals on which these immages are fixed are sometimes cut out of the
solid stick with the canoe, and the imagary is formed of seperate small
peices of timber firmly united with tenants and motices without the
assistance of a single spike of any kind. when the natives are engaged
in navigating their canoes one sets in the stern and steers with a
paddle the others set by pears and paddle over the gunwall next them,
they all kneel in the bottom of the canoe and set on their feet. their
paddles are of a uniform shape of which this is an imitation these
paddles are made very thin and the middle of the blade is thick and
hollowed out siddonly and made thin at the sides while the center forms
a kind of rib. the blade occupys about one third of the length of the
paddle which is usually from 41/2 to 5 feet. I have observed four forms
of canoe only in uce among the nations below the grand chatarac of this
river they are as follow. this is the smallest size about 15 feet long
and calculated for one or two persons, and are most common among the
Cathlahmahs and Wack ki a cums among the marshey Islands. A the bow; B,
the stern; these are from twenty to thirty five feet and from two 1/2
to 3 feet in the beam and about 2 feet in the hole; this canoe is
common to all the nations below the grand rappids. it is here made
deeper and shorter in proportion than they really are.— the bowsprit
from C, to D is brought to a sharp edge tapering gradually from the
sides.
This is the most common forms of the canoe in uce among the Indians
from; the Chil-luck-kit-te-quaw inclusive to the Ocean and is usually
about 30 or 35 feet long, and will carry from ten to twelve persons. 4
men are competent to carry them a considerable distance say a mile
without resting. A is the end which they use as the bow, but which on
first sight I took to be the stern C. D. is a comb cut of the sollid
stick with the canoe and projects from the center of the end of the
canoe being about 1 inch thirck it's sides parallel and edge at C D.
sharp. it is from 9 to 11 Inches in length and extends from the
underpart of the bowsprit at A to the bottom of the canoe at D.— the
stern B. is mearly rounding and graduly ascending. 1 2 3 represents the
rim of the gunwalls about 4 Inches wide, reather ascending as they
recede from the canoe. 4 5 6 7 8 are the round holes through which the
cross bars are inserted.
This form of canoe we did not meet with untill we reached tidewater or
below the grand rappids. from thence down it is common to all the
nations but more particularly the Killamucks and others of the coast.
these are the largest canoes. B. is the bow and comb. C. the stern and
comb. their immages are representations of a great variety of grotesque
figures, any of which might be safely worshiped without committing a
breach of the commandments.
They have but few axes among them, and the only too usually imployed in
felling the trees or forming the canoe, carving &c is a chissel formed
of an old file about an Inch or an Inch and a half broad. this chissel
has sometimes a large block of wood for a handle; they grasp the
chissel just below the block with the right hand holding the edge down
while with the left they take hold of the top of the block and strike
backhanded against the wood with the edge of the chissel. a person
would suppose that the forming of a large canoe with an instrument like
this was the work of several years; but these people make them in a few
weeks. they prize their canoes very highly; we have been anxious to
obtain some of them, for our journey up the river but have not been
able to obtain one as yet from the natives in this neighbourhood.-
today we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured
in leaden canesters. we found twenty seven of the best rifle powder, 4
of common rifle, three of glaized and one of the musqut powder in good
order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the canesters, altho the
whole of it from various accedents has been for hours under the water.
these cannesters contain four lbs. of powder each and 8 of lead. had it
not have been for that happy expedient which I devised of securing the
powder by means of the lead, we should not have had a single charge of
powder at this time. three of the canesters which had been accedentally
bruized and cracked, one which was carelessly stoped, and a fifth that
had been penetrated with a nail, were a little dammaged; these we gave
to the men to make dry; however exclusive of those five we have an
abundant stock to last us back; and we always take care to put a
proportion of it in each canoe, to the end that should one canoe or
more be lost we should still not be entirely bereft of ammunition,
which is now our only hope for subsistence and defence in a rout of
4000 miles through a country exclusively inhabited by savages.
Saturday February 1st 1806
This morning a party of four men Set out with Jo. Field; and Sergt.
Gass with a party of five men again Set out up the Netul river in Serch
of the Elk which had been killed Some days since, and which Could not
be found in Consequence of the Snow.
The Canoes of the nativs inhabitting the lower part of the Columbia
River from the Long narrows down make their canoes remarkably neat
light and well addapted for rideing high waves. I have Seen the nativs
near the Coast rideing waves in these Canoes in Safty and appearantly
without Concern when I Should it impossible for any vessel of the Same
Size to have lived or kept above water a minute. they are built of
Arborvitia or white Cedar generally, but Sometimes of fir. they are cut
out of a solid Stick of timber, the gunnals at the upper edge fold over
outwards and are about 5/8 of an inch thick and 4 or 5 broad, and Stand
out nearly Horizontially forming a kind of rim to the Canoe to prevent
the water beating into it. they are all furnished with more or less
Cross bars agreeably to thier sizes of the Canoe, those bars are round
Sticks about 1 inch and 1/2 diameter which are atached to the iner Side
of the canoes a little below the rim on either Side with throngs of
Cedar bark which is incerted through holes and made fast to the ends of
the Stick, which is made Smaller than the other part of the Stick to
prevent the cord Slipping off these cross bears Serve to Strengthen the
canoe, and by which they lift and manage her on land. when the nativs
land they invariably take their Canoes on Shore unless they are heavily
ladined, and then even, if they remain all night, they discharge their
loads and take the Canoe on Shore.
Some of the large Canoes are upwards of 50 feet long and will Carry
from 8 to 12 thousand lbs. or from 20 to 30 persons, and Some of them
particularly on the Sea Coast are waxed painted and ornimented with
curious images on bow and Stern; those images sometimes rise to the
hight of five feet; the pedestile on which these images are fixed, are
Sometimes cut out of the Solid Stick with the Canoe, and the image is
formed of Seperate pieces of timber firmly united with tenants and
mortices without the appearance of a Single Spike or nail of any kind.
when the nativs are engaged in navigateing their Canoes, one Sets in
the Stern and Stears with a paddle the others Set by pars and paddle
over their gunnals next them, they all kneel in the bottom of the Canoe
and Set on their feet. their paddles are of an uniform shape which this
is an imitation those paddles are made verry thin and the middle of the
blade is thick and hollowed out Suddenly, and made thin on the Sides,
the center forming a kind of ridge. the handle occupies about 1/8 of
the length of the paddle which is usually 4 to 41/2 feet in length. I
have observed five forms of Canoes only in use among the nativs below
the Grand Cataract of this river. they areas follows. this is the
Smallest Size about 15 feet long, 12 and Calculated for one two men
mearly to cross creeks, take over Short portages to navagate the ponds
and Still water, and is mostly in use amongst the Clatsops and
Chinnooks. this is the next Smallest and from 16 to 20 feet long and
calculated for two or 3 persons and are most common among the
Wau-ki-a-cums and Cath-lah-mahs among the marshey Islands, near their
villages. A the bow; B the Stern; those are from 20 to 40 feet in
length and from 21/2 to 31/2 feet in the beam and about 2 feet deep;
this Canoe is common to all the nations below the grand Rapids it here
made deeper and Shorter in pertotion than the Canoe realy is, the bow
sprit from C. to D. is brought to a Sharp edge tapering gradually from
the Sides. This is the most common form of the Canoes in use among the
indians from the Chil-luck-kit-te quaw inclusive to the ocian and is
commonly from about 30 to 35 feet long, and will carry from 10 to 12
persons. 4 men are competent to carry them a considerable distance Say
a mile without resting. A is the end the nativs use as the bow, but
which on first Sight I took to be the Stern c. d. is a comb cut of the
solid wood with the Canoe, and projects from the Center of the end of
the Canoe being about 1 inch thick, it's Sides parallel and edge at c,
d, Sharp it is from 9 to 11 inches in debth and extends from the under
part of the bow sprit at A to the bottom at, d,. the Stern B is nearly
rounding and gradually assending. 1, 2, 3, represents the rim of the
gunnals about 4 inches wide, reather ascending as they recede from the
Canoe. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, are the holes through which the String pass to
fasten the round pieces which pass Crosswise the Canoe to Strengthen &
lift her. This form of a canoe we did not meet with untill we reached
tide water or below the Great Rapids. from thence down it is common to
all the nations but more particularly the Kil a mox and others of the
Coast. these are the largest Canoes, I measured one at the Kilamox
villag S S W of us which was ____ feet long ____ feet wide and ____
feet deep, and they are most Commonly about that Size. B is the how,
and Comb. C, the stern and Comb. Their images are representations of a
great variety of grotesque figures, any of which might be Safely
worshiped without commiting a breach of the Commandments.
They have but fiew axes among them, and the only tool usially employd
in forming the Canoe, carveing &c is a chissel formed of an old file
about an inch or 11/2 inchs broad, this chissel has Sometimes a large
block of wood for a handle; they grasp the chissel just below the block
with the right hand holding the top of the block, and Strikes backwards
against the wood with the edge of the Chissel. a person would Suppose
that forming a large Canoe with an enstriment like this was the work of
Several years; but those people make them in a fiew weeks. They prize
their Canoes very highly; we have been anxious to obtain Some of them,
for our journy up the river but have not been able to obtain one as yet
from the nativs in this neighbourhood.
To day we opened and examined all our Ammunition, which has been
Secured in leaden Canistirs. we found twenty Sevin of the best Rifle
powder, 4 of Common rifle, 3 of Glaize and one of Musquet powder in
good order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the Canisters, altho
the whole of it from various accidince have been for hours under the
water. these Cannisters Contain 4 pounds of powder each and 8 of Lead.
had it not been for that happy expedient which Capt Lewis devised of
Securing the powder by means of the Lead, we Should have found great
dificuelty in keeping dry powder untill this time-; those Cannisters
which had been accidently brused and cracked, one which was carelessly
Stoped, and a fifth which had been penetrated with a nail; were wet and
damaged; those we gave to the men to Dry; however exclusive of those 5
we have an abundant Stock to last us back; and we always take Care to
put a purpotion of it in each canoe, to the end that Should one Canoe
or more be lost we Should Still not be entirely bereft of ammunition,
which is now our only hope for Subsistance and defences in the rout of
4,000 miles through a Country exclusively inhabited by Indians-many
bands of which are Savage in every Sense of the word-.
