Sacagawea and the Whale

From their winter camp at Fort Clastop, Clark determined to travel to the site of a beached whale reported to him by the Clatsops. They told him of its southwestern location on the coast, in the vicinity of the Killamox nation. Never having seen this mammal herself, Sacagawea insisted that she accompany the group. They reached the site, at present-day Ecola Creek, near Cannon Beach, Oregon on January 9th, 1806 (Moulton V.6, 185).

On January 6th, 1806, Meriwether Lewis wrote:

Capt Clark set out after an early breakfast with the party in two canoes as had been concerted the last evening; Charbono and his Indian woman were also of the party; the Indian woman was very impotunate to be permited to go, and was therefore indulged; she observed that she had traveled a long way with us to see the great waters, and that now that monstrous fish was also to be seen, she thought it very hard she could not be permitted to see either (she had never yet been to the Ocean). (Lewis, from Moulton V.6, 168)

On January 7th, 1806, William Clark wrote:

...I hired a young Indian to pilot me to the whale for which Service I gave him a file in hand and promised Several other Small articles on my return, left Sergt. Gass and one man of my party Werner to make Salt & permited Bratten to accompany me, we proceeded on the round Slipery Stones under a high hill which projected into the ocian about 4 miles further than the direction of the Coast. after walking for 2½ miles on the Stones my guide made a Sudin halt, pointed to the top of the mountain and uttered the word Pe Shack which means bad [NB: bad], and made Signs that we could not proceed any further on the rocks, but must pass over that mountain, I hesitated a moment & view this emence mountain the top of which (apd) was obscured in the clouds, and the assent appeard. to be almost perpindecular; as the Small Indian parth allong which they had brought emence loads but a flew hours before, led up this mountain and appeared to assend in a Sideling direction, I thought more than probable that the assent might be torerably easy and therefore proceeded on, I soon found that the [blank] become much worst as I assended, and at one place we were obliged to Support and draw our Selves up by the bushes & roots for near 100 feet, and after about 2 hours labour and fatigue we reached the top of this high mountain, from the top of which I looked down with estonishment to behold the hight which we had assended, which appeared to be 10 or 12 hundred feet up a mountain which appeared to be almost perpindicular, here we met 14 Indians men and & women loaded with the oil & Blubber of the whale... (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 177-8)

On January 8th, 1806, William Clark wrote:

Set out at Day a fine morning wind hard from S. E at 1½ miles arived at a Open where I had a view of the Seas Coast for a long Distance rocks in every direction... I saw 5 Lodges of Indian of the Ca Ia mix nation, boiling whale in a trough of about 20 gallons with hot Stones, and the oyle they put into a Canoe I proceded on a Short distance to the whale which was nothing more than the Sceleton, of 105 feet long, we took out a few bones and returned to the Cabins at the mouth of the Creek, and attempted to trade with thos people who I found Close and Capricious, would not trade the Smallest piece except they thought they got an advantage of the bargain, their disposition is averitious, & independant in trade, they offered to trade for Elk of which we had not I purchased some oile and about 120 w of (fish) Blubber after rendered, finding they would not trade I Deturmined to return home with what we have The Houses of these people appear temporary a ridge pole on 2 forks Supported a Certain number of Split boards of the red Cedar & pine, Set on the end the gable ends of the Same materials and Calculated for 2 families first, The Dress and appearenc of the nativs as also the language is procisely that of the Clopsots & Chinnooks, those people Save their oile in bladder Guts. Their food is principally fish that is thrown on the Shores by the Seas & left by the tide, This Cost is rockey, the mountains high & rugged, They inform me that their nation lives in 5 villages to the S E of this place at the mouths of Creek in which they catch Samn. in the Season, I got of those people a few roots Some Sturgeon whale. They Call a whale E cu-la a Creek Shu man, they have Some flew Sea ortter for which they ask Such prices I could not purchase any of them... Th party much fatigued in crossing’ mountain & 4 high Points Steep & Slipery, also Stony Beach Slippery and tiresome. (Clark, from Moulton V.6, 180)

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