So after that when Indians appeared outside they always shouted: “No Chinook. Clatsop.” Or “Skilloot,” or whatever they chanced to be or pretended to be. Another order was issued that no Indians should remain in the fort over night.
The Indians brought many fleas, too—“the wan thing for which we’ve nothin’ to trade,” as said Pat.
The greatest excitement of the winter was the arrival of a whale. Chief Co-bo-way of the Clatsops came with the news, and also with three dogs and some blubber. He said that the whale had been stranded ashore near the Tillamooks’ village down the coast. He was given a pair of old satin breeches, and went away much pleased.
Joe Fields and George Gibson appeared at the fort with the gallon of salt from the salt camp, and with some more of the whale blubber. They said that the Indians all were flocking to the whale and cutting it up. The blubber, when cooked, looked and tasted like beaver tail—it was very good; and Captain Clark immediately organized a party to go to the spot and get what blubber they might.
Naturally, everybody was anxious to see the whale.
“You’d better take Peter, hadn’t you, Captain?” suggested Captain Lewis. “He’s a boy—he ought to see what there is to be seen.”
“By all means,” agreed Captain Clark. “Do you know what a whale is, Peter?”
“A big fish,” answered Peter, eagerly.
“Yes; a big warm-blooded fish; a fish bigger than a buffalo.”
Now, Sa-ca-ja-we-a had heard; she had helped Chaboneau cook the blubber for the captains. But she had not been invited to go. In fact, all this time the Bird-woman had not been even so far as the big water. She had worked in the fort.