| November, 1805 | Overview | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | |||
| 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23rd | 24th | 25th |
The Corps spent the next nine days at Station Camp, exploring downriver, hunting, and drying themselves and their equipment. They were visited by Chinook and Clatsop Indians during this time. William Clark describes, in particular, the different tribes which came to visit in this way “4 Indians of the War-ki a cum nation Came down with (pap-pa-too) to Sell &c. The Indians who accompanied Shannon from the village below Speake a Different language from those above, and reside to the north of this place They Call themselves Chin nooks.”
Journal entries for the 16th indicate that the day was clear and beautiful, although the winds continued to be strong and the waves were very high. Gass said, “We could see the waves, like small mountains, rolling out in the ocean, and pretty bad in the bay.” Clearly, the party was contemplating its next course of action; they needed to decide on their winter encampment.
“We are now of opinion that we cannot go any further with our Canoes, & think that we are at an end of our Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and as soon as discoveries necessary are made, that we shall return a short distance up the River & provide our Selves with Winter Quarters.” (Joseph Whitehouse)
As Expedition members walked the Pacific shoreline on the edge of the Long Beach Peninsula, they would have seen a number of native seabirds, including Sandpipers – the world’s smallest shorebirds; Seagulls; Marbled Godwits; short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlins. Peregrine Falcons, and Snowy Owls would have been among the species arriving for the winter season. Along the Columbia River, they would most likely have encountered Great Blue Herons, still a common sight in the area. Bald Eagles maintain a healthy population even now in the area. Click for more birding information locally.
