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Peek Inside...Entries For November 21:
1804:
1805:
Captain Clark (current)
Captain Clark:
November 21, 1805
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An old woman and wife to a chief of the Chinooks came and made a camp near ours. She brought with her 6 young squaws - her daughters and nieces - I believe for the purpose of gratifying the passions of the men of our party and receiving for those indulgences such small presents as she (the old woman) thought proper to accept of.
Those people appear to view sensuality as a necessary evil, and do not appear to abhor it as a crime in the unmarried state. The young females are fond of the attention of our men and appear to meet the sincere approbation of their friends and connections for thus obtaining their favors. The women of the Chinook nation have handsome faces, low and badly made with large legs and thighs, which are generally swelled from a stoppage of the circulation in the feet (which are small) by many strands of beads or curious strings which are drawn tight around the leg above the ankle. Their legs are also picked [tattooed] with different figures. I saw on the left arm of a squaw the following letters: J. Bowman. All those are considered by the natives of this quarter as handsome decorations.
Reprinted by permission of the American Studies Programs at the University of Virginia.
The complete text can also be downloaded for printing from their website.
