t duration; for all night it continued raining and snowing
alternately, and in the morning, December 18th, we had snow and hail
till twelve o'clock, after which it changed to rain. The air now became
cool and disagreeable, the wind high and unsettled; so that, being
thinly dressed in leather, we were able to do very little on the
houses."

"December 20th. A succession of rain and hail during the night. At 10
o'clock it cleared off for a short time, but the rain soon recommenced.
We now covered in four of our huts. Three Indians came in a canoe with
mats, roots, and the berries of the sacacommis. These people proceed
with a dexterity and finesse in their bargains which, if they have not
learned it from their foreign visitors, may show how nearly allied is
the cunning of savages to the little arts of traffic. They begin by
asking double or treble the value of what they have to sell, and lower
their demand in proportion to the greater or less degree of ardor or
knowledge of the purchaser, who, with all his management, is not able
to procure an article for less than its real value, which the Indians
perfectly understand."

"December 24th. The whole stock of meat being now spoiled, our pounded
fish became again our chief dependence. It rained constantly all day,
but we still continued working, and at last moved into our huts."

"December 25th. We were awaked at daylight by a discharge of firearms,
which was followed by a song from the men, as a compliment to us on the
return of Christmas, which we have always been accustomed to observe as
a day of rejoicing. After breakfast we divided our remaining stock of
tobacco, which amounted to twelve carrots, into two parts; one of which
we distributed among such of the men as make use of it, making a
present of a handkerchief to the others. The remainder of the day was
passed in good spirits, though there was nothing in our situation to
excite much gaiety. The rain confined us to the house, and our only
luxuries in honor of the season were some poor elk, a few roots, and
some spoiled pounded fish."

The first of January witnessed the completion of the rude
fortification, which was named Fort Clatsop, in honor of one of the
better of the tribes near by,--a tribe whose members, according to
Captain Clark, "sometimes washed their hands and faces." Then, the
labor of building at an end, life settled into mere routine. The
hunters were constantly engaged. No matter what fortune they h