On Christmas Day, 1805, the soldiers got up without making any noise.
They fired their guns all at one time to waken the captains.
Then they sang an old Christmas song.
Then they wished the captains "Merry Christmas."
They gave each other presents.
Captain Clark wrote that he had twelve weasel tails, some underwear,
some moccasins, and an Indian blanket for his Christmas presents.
He gave a handkerchief or some little present to each man.
There was no snow and no ice, but there was much rain.
The soldiers had to stay in their log fort all day.
They had only poor elk, poor roots, and some bad dried salmon for
dinner.
But they were cheerful.
They danced and sang into the night.
On New Year's Day, they fired their guns to welcome in the New Year.
They had more to eat than on Christmas Day.
The captains wrote, "Our greatest pleasure to-day is thinking about
New Year's, 1807. Then we shall be home."




game or der let ters stol en


THE START HOME.

In March, the elk left the woods near Fort Clatsop.
The soldiers could not get enough to eat.
The captains said, "It is time to start home."