The narrative says:--
"He was at a loss to understand their object till one of them came to
him, and explained that they were in search of any fish which might have
been thrown on shore and left by the tide, adding in English, 'sturgeon
is very good.' There is, indeed, every reason to believe that these
Clatsops depend for their subsistence, during the winter, chiefly on the
fish thus casually thrown on the coast. After amusing himself for some
time on the beach, he returned towards the village, and shot on his way
two brant. As he came near the village, one of the Indians asked him
to shoot a duck about thirty steps distant: he did so, and, having
accidentally shot off its head, the bird was brought to the village,
when all the Indians came round in astonishment. They examined the duck,
the musket, and the very small bullets, which were a hundred to the
pound, and then exclaimed, Clouch musque, waket, commatax musquet: Good
musket; do not understand this kind of musket. They now placed before
him their best roots, fish, and syrup, after which he attempted to
purchase a sea-otter skin with some red beads which he happened to have
about him; but they declined trading, as they valued none except blue or
white beads. He therefore bought nothing but a little berry-bread and a
few roots, in exchange for fish-hooks, and then set out to return by the
same route he had come. He was accompanied by Cuskalah and his brother
as far as the third creek, and then proceeded to the camp through a
heavy rain.
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