Sunday March 23, 1806

[Lewis]
the wind is pretty high but it seems to be the common opinion that we can pass point William {Tongue Point}. we accordingly distributed the baggage and directed the canoes to be launched and loaded for our departure.— at 1 P.M. we bid a final adieu to Fort Clatsop.......at a ¼ before three we had passed Meriwethers bay {Youngs Bay} and commenced coasting the difficult shore; at ½ after five we doubled point William, and at 7 arrived in the mouth of a small creek {John Day River} where we found our hunters. they had killed 2 Elk, at the distance of a mile & ½. it was too late to send after it this evening. we therefore encamped on the Stard side of the Creek. the wind was not very hard.—

[Clark]
This morning proved So raney and uncertain that we were undeturmined for Some time whether we had best Set out & risque the [river?].....at this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of Decr. 1805 to this day and have lived as well as we had any right to expect, and we can Say that we were never one day without 3 meals of Some kind a day either pore Elk meat or roots, not withstanding the repeeted fall of rain which has fallen almost Constantlysss

Columbia River at Astoria

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