The blubber, which is esteemed by the Indians an excellent food, has
been obtained, they tell us, from their neighbors, the Killamucks, a
nation who live on the seacoast to the southeast, near one of whose
villages a whale had recently been thrown and foundered."
Five men had been sent out to form a camp on the seashore and go into
the manufacture of salt as expeditiously as possible. On the fifth of
January, two of them came into the fort bringing a gallon of salt, which
was decided to be "white, fine and very good," and a very agreeable
addition to their food, which had been eaten perfectly fresh for some
weeks past. Captain Clark, however, said it was a "mere matter of
indifference" to him whether he had salt or not, but he hankered for
bread. Captain Lewis, on the other hand, said the lack of salt was a
great inconvenience; "the want of bread I consider trivial," was his
dictum. It was estimated that the salt-makers could turn out three or
four quarts a day, and there was good prospect of an abundant supply
for present needs and for the homeward journey. An expedition to the
seashore was now planned, and the journal goes on to tell how they set
out:--
"The appearance of the whale seemed to be a matter of importance to all
the neighboring Indians, and as we might be able to procure some of it
for ourselves, or at least purchase blubber from the Indians, a small
parcel of merchandise was prepared, and a party of the men held in
readiness to set out in the morning.
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