Goodrich has recovered from the Louis veneri which he contracted from an amorous contact with a Chinnook damsel. I cured him as I did Gibson last winter by the uce of murcury. I cannot learn that the Indians have any simples which are sovereign specifics in the cure of this disease; and indeed I doubt very much wheter any of them have any means of effecting a perfect cure. when once this disorder is contracted by them it continues with them during life; but always ends in decipitude, death, or premature old age; tho from the uce of certain simples together with their diet, they support this disorder with but little inconvenience for many years, and even enjoy a tolerable share of health; particularly so among the Chippeways who I believe to be better skilled in the uce of those simples than any nation of Savages in North America. The Chippeways use a decoction of the root of the Lobelia, and that of a species of sumac common to the Atlantic states and to this country near and on the Western side of the Rocky Mountains. this is the smallest species of the sumac, readily distinguished by it's winged rib, or common footstalk, which supports it's oppositely pinnate leaves. these decoctions are drank freely and without limitation. the same decoctions are used in cases of the gonnaerea and are effecatious and sovereign. notwithstanding that this disorder dose exist among the Indians on the Columbia yet it is witnessed in but few individuals, at least the males who are always sufficiently exposed to the observations or inspection of the phisician. in my whole rout down this river I did not see more than two or three with the gonnaerea and about double that number with the pox.
The beary which the natives call solme is the production of a plant about the size and much the shape of that common to the atlantic states which produces the berry commonly called Solloman's seal berry. this berry also is attatched to the top of the stem in the same manner; and is of a globelar form, consisting of a thin soft pellecle which encloses a soft pulp inveloping from three to four seeds, white, firm, smothe, and in the form of a third or quarter of a globe, and large in proportion to the fruit or about the size of the seed of the common small grape. this berry when grown and unripe is not speckled as that of the Solomon's seal berry is; this last has only one globular smoth white firm seed in each berry.the Solme grows in the woodlands among the moss and is an annual plant to all appearance.
[Clark, January 27, 1806]
Wednesday 27th January 1806 This morning Collins Set out to the Saltmakers Shannon returned and reported that himself and party had killed 10 Elk. he lef Labiech & R Field with the Elk, two of those Elk he informed us was at the distance of 9 miles from this place near the top of a mountain, that the rout by which they must be brought was at least 5 miles by land thro a Countrey almost inexcessable, from the fallen timber brush, and Sink holes, which were now disguised by the Snow; we therefore Concluded to relinquish those two Elks for the present, and ordered every man that Could be Speared from the Fort to go early in the morning in Serch of the other Eight, which is at no great distance from the Netul river, on which we are. Goudrich has recoverd from the louis veneri which he contracted from a amorous Contact with a Chinnook damsel. he was Cured as Gibson was with murcury by ____ I cannot lern that the Indians have any Simples Sovereign Specifics in the cure of this disease; indeed I doubt verry much whether any of them have any means of effecting a perfect cure. when once this disorder is contracted by them it Continues with them dureing life; but always ends in decepitude, death; or premature old age; tho from the use of certain Simples together with their diet, they Support this disorder with but little inconveniance for maney years, and even enjoy a tolerable Share of health; particularly So among the Chippeways who I beleive to be better Skilled in the use of those Simples than any nation of Indians in North America. The Chippaways use a decoction of the root of the Labelia, and that of a Species of Sumac Common to the Atlantic States and to this countrey near and on the western Side of the Rocky mountains. This is the Smallest Specis of Sumake, readily distinguished by it's winged rib, or common footstalk, which Supports it's oppositly pinnate leaves. these decoctions are drank freely and without limatation. the Same decoctions are used also in cases of the gonnarea and are effecatious and sovereign. notwithstanding that this disorder does exist among the indians on the Columbia yet it is witnessed in but fiew individuals high up the river, or at least the males who are always Sufficiently exposed to the observation or inspection of the phisician. in my whole rout down this river I did not See more than two or three with Gonnarea and about double that number with the Pox.
The berry which the nativs Call Sol me is the production of a plant about the Size and much the Shape of that Common to the atlantic States which produces the berry Commonly Called Sollomons Seal berry this berry is also attached to the top of the Stem in the Same manner; and is of a globular form Consisting of a thin Soft Pellicle rine which encloses a Soft Pellicle pulp inveloping from 3 to 4 Seed, white firm, Smothe, and in the form of a third or a quarter of a Globe, and large in perportion to the fruit, or about the Size of the Seed of the Common Small grape. the berry when grown and unripe is not Specked as the Solomon's seal Berry is; this last haveing only one Globaler Smothe, ferm, white Seed in each berry-. the Sol me grows in the wood lands amonge the moss and on the high ridges. and is an annual plant to all appearance
[Lewis, January 28, 1806]
Wednesday January 28th 1806. Drewyer and Baptiest La Page set out this morning on a hunting excurtion. about noon Howard and Werner returned with a supply of salt; the badness of the weather and the difficulty of the road had caused their delay. they inform us that the salt makers are still much straitened for provision, having killed two deer only in the last six days; and that there are no Elk in their neighbourhood. The party that were sent this morning up Netul river for the Elk returned in the even ing with three of them only; the Elk had been killed just before the snow fell which had covered them and so altered the apparent face of the country that the hunters could not find the Elk which they had killed. the river on which Fort Clatsop stands we now call Ne-tul, this being the name by which the Clatsops call it.
The Cranbury of this neighbourhood is precisely the same common to the U States, and is the production of marshey or boggy grounds. The light brown berry, is the fruit of a tree about the size shape and appearance in every rispect with that in the U. States called the wild crab apple; the leaf is also precisely the same as is also the bark in texture and colour. the berrys grow in clumps at the end of the small branches; each berry supported by a seperate stem, and as many as from 3 to 18 or 20 in a clump. the berry is ovate with one of it's extremities attatched to the peduncle, where it is in a small degre concave like the insertion of the stem of the crab apple. I know not whether this fruit can properly be denominated a berry, it is a pulpy pericarp, the outer coat of which is in a thin smoth, tho firm tough pillecle; the pericarp containing a membranous capsule with from three to four cells, each containing a seperate single seed in form and colour like that of the wild crab. The wood of this tree is excessively hard when seasoned. the natives make great uce of it to form their wedges with which they split their boards of pine for the purpose of building houses. these wedges they also employ in spliting their fire-wood and in hollowing out their canoes. I have seen the natives drive the wedges of this wood into solid dry pine which it cleft without fracturing or injuring the wedg in the smallest degree. we have also found this wood usefull to us for ax handles as well as glutts or wedges. the native also have wedges made of the beams of the Elk's horns which appear to answer extremely well. this fruit is exceedingly assid, and resembles the flavor of the wild crab.