The nativs of this neighbourhood have a Small Dog which they make usefull only in hunting the Elk.
[Lewis, February 3, 1806]
Monday February 3rd 1806. About three o'clock Drewyer and La Page, returned; Drewyer had killed seven Elk in the point below us, several miles distant but can be approached with in 3/4 of a mile with canoes by means of a small creek which discharges itself into the bay on this side of the Clatsop village direct Sergt. pryor to go in quest of the meat, the wind was so high that they were unable to set out untill a little before sunset, when they departed; at 10 P.M. they return excessively could and informed us that they could not make land on this side of the bay nor get into the creek in consequence of the tide being out and much lower than usual. we are apprehensive that the Clatsops who know where the meat is will rob us of a part if not the whole of it. at half after 4 P.M. Sergt Gass returned with his party, they brought with them the flesh of four other Elk which the hunters had found, being a part of the ten which were killed up the Netul river the other day. he left R. Fields, Shannon and Labuish to continue the hunt and made an appointment to return to them on Friday. late in the evening the four men who had been sent to assist the saltmakers in transporting meat which they had killed to their camp, also returned, and brought with them all the salt which had been made, consisting of about one busshel only. with the means we have of boiling the salt water we find it a very tedious opperation, that of making salt, notwithstanding we keep the kettles boiling day and night. we calculate on three bushels lasting us from hence to our deposits of that article on the Missouri.
[Clark, February 3, 1806]
Monday February 3rd 1806 About 3 oClock Drewyer & Lapage returned, Drewyer had killed Seven Elk in the point below us, Several miles distant, but Can be approached within 3/4 of a mile with Canoes by means of a Small Creak which discharges itself into the Bay, on this Sid of the Clatsop Village. Directed Serjt. Pryor to go in quest of the meat, the winds was So high that they were unable to Set out until) a little before Sunset, when they departed; at 10 P.M. they returned excessively Cold and informed us that they could not make land on this Side of the bay or get into the Creek in consequence of the tides being out and much lower than usial. we are apprehensive that the Clatsops knowing where the meat is, will rob us of a part if not the whole of it. at half after 4 P. M Sergt. Gass returned with his party they brought with them the flesh of 4 other Elk which the hunters had found, being part of the 10 which were killed up the Netul river the other day. He left Ro. Field, Shannon & Labiesh to Continue the hunt, and made an appointment to return to them on friday. late in the evening the four men who had been Sent to assist the Saltmakers in transporting meat which they had killed to their Camp also returned, and brought with them all the Salt which had been made, consisting of about one Sushel only. with the means we have of boiling the Salt water we find it a very tegious opperation that of makeing Salt, notwithstanding the Kitties are kept boiling day and night. we Calculate on three bushels lasting us from hiere to our deposit of that article on the Missouri.
[Lewis, February 4, 1806]
Tuesday February 4th 1806. Sergt. Pryor with a party of five men set out again in quest of the Elk which Drewyer had killed. Drewyer and La Page also returned to continue the chase in the same quarter. the Elk are in much better order in the point near the praries than they are in the woody country arround us or up the Netul. in the praries they feed on grass and rushes, considerable quantities of which are yet green and succulet. in the woody country their food is huckle berry bushes, fern, and an evergreen shrub which resembles the lore) in some measure; the last constitutes the greater part of their food and grows abundantly through all the timbered country, particularly the hillsides and more broken parts of it. There are sveral species of fir in this neighbourhood which I shall discribe as well as my slender botanicall skit will enable me and for the convenience of comparison with each other shal number them. (No 1.) a species which grows to immence size; very commonly 27 feet in the girth six feet above the surface of the earth, and in several instances we have found them as much as 36 feet in the girth or 12 feet diameter perfectly solid and entire. they frequently rise to the hight of 230 feet, and one hundred and twenty or 30 of that hight without a limb. this timber is white and soft throughout and rives better than any other species which we have tryed. the bark skales off in irregula rounded flakes and is of a redish brown colour particularly of the younger growth. the stem of this tree is simple branching, ascending, not very defuse, and proliferous. the leaf of this tree is acerose, 1/10th of an Inch in width, and 3/4 of an Inch in length; is firm, stif and accuminate; they are triangular, a little declining, thickly scattered on all sides of the bough, but rispect the three uppersides only and are also sessile growing from little triangular pedestals of soft spungy elastic bark. at the junction of the boughs, the bud-scales continue to incircle their rispective twigs for several yeas; at least three years is common and I have counted as many as the growth of four years beyond these scales. this tree affords but little rosin. it's cone I have not yet had an opportunity to discover altho I have sought it frequently; the trees of this kind which we have felled have had no cones on them.