Fort Clatsop on the Pacific Ocian on the South Side of the Columbia River Thursday 30th January 1806 Nothing transpired to day worthey of notice. we are agreeably disapointed in our fuel which is altogether green pine. we had Supposed that it burned badly, but we have found by Spliting it burns very well.
The dress of the Clatsops and others of the nativs in the neighbourhood differ but little from that described of the Skilutes and Wau ki a cums; they never ware ligins or mockersons which the mildness of the Climate I presume has rendered in a great measure unnecessary; and their being obliged to be frequently in the water also renders those articles of dress inconveniant.
The Sac-a commis is the groth of high dry Situations, and invariably in a piney Country, or on its borders; it is Generally found in the open piney woodlands as on the Western Side of the Rocky mountains but in this neighbourhood we find it in the praries or on the borders in the more open woodland's; a very rich Soil is not absolutely necessary, as a meager one frequently produces it abundantly. the nativs on the West side of the Rocky mountains who can precure this berry invariably use it; to me it is a very tasteless and insipid frute. This Shrub is an evergreen, the leaves retain their virdue most perfectly throughout the winter even in the most rigid climate as on Lake Winnipic. the root of this shrub puts foth a great number of Stems, which seperate near the surface of the ground; each Stem from the size of a Small quill, to that of a mans finger. These are much branched forming an accute angle with the Stem, and all more properly procumbent than crossing, for altho it sometimes puts foth radicles from the Stems and branches which Strike obliquely into the ground, those radicles are by no means general, equable in their distances from each other nor do they appear to be calculated to furnish nutriment to the plant but rather to hold the Stem or branch in its place. the bark is formed of several thin layers of a Smothe thin brittle substance of a redish brown colour easily seperated from the woody Stem in flakes. the leaves with respect to their possition are scatter'd yet closely arranged near the extremities of the twigs particularly. the leaves are about 3/4 of an inch in length and about half that in width, is oval but obtusely pointed, absolutely entire, thick, Smoth, firm, a deep green and slightly grooved. the leaf is Supported by a Small footstalk of preportionable length. the berry is attached in an irregular and Scattered manner to the Small boughs among the leaves, tho frequently Closely arranged, but always Supported by a Seperate Short and Small peduncles, the incersion of which produces a Small concavity in the berry while its opposit side is Slightly convex; the form of the berry is a Spheroid, the Shorter diameter being in a line with the peduncle or Stem-. this berry is a pericarp the outer Coat of which is a thin firm tough pellicle, the inner part consists of dry mealy powder of a yellowish white colour invelloping from four to six propotionably large hard light brown seeds each in the form of section of a spheroid which figure they form when united, and are distitute of any membranous covering.—the colour of this fruit is a fine scarlet. the nativs usually eat them without any preparation. the fruit ripens in September and remains on the bushes all winter. the frost appears to take no effects on it. these berries are Sometimes gathered and hung in their houses in bags where they dry without further trouble, for in their succulent State they appear to be almost as dry as flour.
[Lewis, January 31, 1806]
Saturday January 31st 1806. Sent a party of eight men up the river this morning to renew their surch for the Elk and also to hunt; they proceded but a few miles before they found the river so obstructed with ice that they were obliged to return. Joseph Fields arrived this evening, informed us that he had been hunting in company with Gibson and Willard for the last five days in order to obtain some meat for himself and the other Salt makers, and that he had been unsuccessfull untill yesday evening when he had fortunately killed two Elk, about six miles distant from this place and about 8 from the salt works; he left Gibson and Willard to dry the meat of these Elk and had come for the assistance of some men to carry the meat to the salt camp; for this purpose we ordered four men to accompany him early in the morning. discovered that McNeal had the pox, gave him medecine. Charbono found a bird dead lying near the fort this morning and brought it to me I immediately recognized it to be of the same kind of that which I had seen in the Rocky mountains on the morning of the 20th of September last. this bird is about the size as near as may be of the robbin. it's contour also is precisely the same with that bird. it measures one foot 31/4 Inches from tip to tip of the wings when extended. 91/4 inches from the extremity of the beak to that of the tail. the tail is 33/4 inches in length, and composed of eleven feathers of the same length. The beak is smoth, black, convex and cultrated; one and 1/8 inches from the point to the opening of the chaps and 3/4 only uncovered with feathers; the upper chap exceeds the other a little in length. a few small black hairs garnish the sides of the base of the upper chap. the eye is of a uniform deep sea green or black, moderately large. it's legs feet and tallons are white; the legs are an inch and a 1/4 in length and smoth; four toes on each foot, of which that in front is the same length with the leg including the length of the tallon, which is 4 lines; the three remaining toes are 3/4 of an inch, each armed with proportionably long tallons. the toes are slightly imbricated. the tallons are curved and sharply pointed. The crown of the head from the beak back to the neck, the back of the neck imbracing reather more than half the circumpherence of the neck, the back and tale, are of bluish dark brown; the two outer feathers of the tale have a little dash of white near their tips not percemtible when the tail is foalded. a fine black forms the ground of the wings; two stripes of the same colour pass on either side of the head from the base of the beak along the side of the head to it's junction with the neck, and imbraces the eye to it's upper edge; a third stripe of the same colour 3/4 of an inch in width passes from the sides of the neck just above the butts of the wings across the croop in the form of a gorget. the throat or under part of the neck brest and belly is of a fine yellowish brick red. a narrow stripe of this colour also commences just above the center of each eye, and extends backwards to the neck as far as the black stripe reaches before discribed, to which, it appears to answer as a border. the feathers which form the 1st and second ranges of the coverts of the two joints of the wing next the body, are beautifully tiped with this brick red; as is also each large feather of the wing on the short side of it's plumage for 1/2 an inch in length commening at the extremity of the feathers which form the first or main covert of the wing. this is a beatifull little bird. I have never heard it's note it appears to be silent. it feeds on berries, and I beleive is a rare bird even in this country, or at least this is the second time only that I have seen it.—between the legs of this bird the feathers are white, and those which form the tuft underneath the tail are a mixture of white and a brick red.
[Clark, January 31, 1806]
Friday January 31st 1806 Sent a party of Eight men with the hunters to renew their Serch for the Elk, and also to hunt; they proceeded but a fiew miles before they found the river So obstructed with ice that they were obliged to return. Jo. Field arrives this evening, informs us That he had been hunting in Company with gibson and willard for the last four days in order to obtain some meat for himself and the other Salt-makers, and that he had been unsucksessfull untill yesterday evening when he had fortunately killed two Elk, about six miles distant from this place and about 8 from the Salt works; he left gibson and willard to dry the meat of those Elk, and had come for assistance to carry the meat to the Salt Camp; for this purpose we ordered four men to accompany him early in the morning. discovered that McNeal had the pox, gave him medicine. Chabono found a bird dead lying near the Fort this morning and brought it in, I reconized it to be the Same kind of that which I had Seen in the Rocky Mountains at severl different times. this berd is about the Size as near as may be of the robin. it's contour is also presisely the Same with that bird. it measured one foot 3/4 inches from tip to tip of the wings when extended. 91/4 inches from the extremity of the beak to that of the tail. the tail is 33/4 inches in length, and Composed of 11 feathers of the Same length. The beak is Smoth, black, convex and cultrated; 1 1/8 inchs from the point to the opening of the Chaps and 3/4 only uncovered with feathers, the upper Chap exceeds the other a little in length. a fiew Small black hairs garnish the Side of the upper chap. The Eye is of a uniform deep Sea green or black, moderately large. it's legs feet and tallants are white; the legs are of 11/4 in length and Smoth; four toes on each foot, of which that in front is the Same length of the leg including the tallants, which is 4 lines; the 3 remaining toes are 3/4 of an inch, each armed with proportianably large tallons. the toes are Slightly imbricated. the tallons are curved and Sharply pointed. The Crown of the head from the beak back to the neck imbracing rather more than half the circumphrence of the neck, the Back and tail is of a bluish dark brown; the two outer feathers of the tail have a little dash of white near the tips, not proceivable when the tail is foalded. a fine black forms the ground of the wings; two Stripes of the same colour passes on either side of the Head from the base of the Back along the Side of the head to it's junction with the neck, and embraces the eye to its upper edge; a third Stripe of the Same Colour 3/4 of an inch in width passes from the Side of the neck just above the buts of the wings across the troop in the form of a gorget. the throat or under part of the neck brest and belly is of a fine Yellowish brick red. a narrow Stripe of this Colour also Commences just above the center of each eye, and extends backwards to the Neck as far as the black Spots reaches before discribed, to which it appears to answer as a border. the feathers which form the 1st and Second range of the coverts of the two joints of the wings next the body are butifully aped with this Brick red; as is also each large feather of the wing on the Short Side of its plumage for 1/2 an inch in length Comencing at the extremity of the feather which form the first or main Covert of the wing. This is a butifull little bird. I have never herd its notes it appears to be Silent. it feeds on berries, and I believe is a rare bird even in this country-. between the legs of this bird the feathers are white, and those which form the tuft underneath the tail are a mixture of white and Brick red.