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Native canoes prove superior to the Corps' Series on Web site

February 18, 2006 12:50 am

Part 61 of a series

THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY made their own canoes (dugouts) from ponderosa pine or cottonwood trees. With thick walls and bottoms and of green wood, the canoes usually weighed in excess of 5,000 pounds. As a result, the canoes of the Corps steered poorly and took on water readily in rough water.

In contrast, the Chinookan canoes had thinner sides with more pointed bows. Not only was the design of their canoes more sophisticated, but the superior rowing and steering skills of the natives made their craft far more seaworthy.

Fir trees grew fat and tall: With an annual rainfall at the Columbia River estuary ranging from 75 to 90 inches a year, the several species of evergreen trees in the area grew to heights of more than 200 feet, and often measured more than 35 feet in circumference at chest height.

From the Journals, week of Jan. 30, 1806:

JAN. 30: " we are agreeably disappointed in our fuel which is altogether green pine. We had supposed that it burn but illy [poorly], but we have found that by splitting it that it burns very well. The dress of the Clatsops [they] never wear legging[s] or mockersons [as they are] frequently in the water [which] renders those articles inconvient " --Capt. Lewis

JAN. 31: "Sent a party of eight men up the river this morning to renew their surch [search] for the Elk found the river so obstructed with ice [they were] obliged to return. Joseph Fields arrived this morning had been hunting with Gipson and Willard for five days to obtain meat for Salt makers unsuccessful until yesterday killed two Elk " --Capt. Lewis

FEB. 1: " The canoes of the natives [the Chinooks] inhabiting the lower portion of the Columbia River make their canoes remarkably neat[,] light and well adapted for riding high waves. I have seen the natives near the coast riding waves in those canoes with safety and apparently without concern 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 " --Capt. Lewis

FEB. 2: " these people are excessively fond of their games of risk [gambling] and bet freely every species of property of which they are possessed. " --Capt. Lewis

FEB. 3: " About noon two of our hunters came to the fort from hunting. They informed us that they had killed 7 Elk and caught 1 Large beaver. Six of our Men set out with a Canoe to go after the Elk meat, but soon returned the wind [and waves] being too high for them to proceed In the evening they attempted again but the tide was low " --Pvt. Whitehouse

FEB. 4: " There are several species of fir in this neighbourhood a species grows to immence size; very commonly 27 feet in the girth six feet above the surface of the earth several instances we have found them as much as 36 feet in the girth or 12 feet diameter frequently rise to the hight of 230 feet " --Capt. Lewis

FEB. 5: " Reubin Fields reported that he had killed six Elk on the East side of the Netul [River] " --Capt. Lewis

NEXT WEEK: Elk are plentiful. The Corps encounter more Indians, some of whom will pay the Corps for some elk they stole.

NOTE: The Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville has a 55-foot full-scale keelboat on its property in Darden Towe Park off State Route 20 northeast of Charlottesville (Stony Point Road) adjacent to the Rivanna River. It has also embarked on a fundraising campaign to create a hands-on center for children of all ages to participate in Lewis and Clark's adventures. For more information, visit lewisandclarkeast.org.

BILL SPEIDEN of Orange County serves on the board of directors of the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville. Contact him by phone at 540/672-2596, or e-mail
Email: oxpwr@yahoo.com.