[Clark, February 4, 1806]
Tuesday February 4th 1806 Serjt. Pryor with a party of 5 men Set out again in quest of the Elk which Drewyer had Killed. Drewyer 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 woodey Country around us or up the Netul. in the praries they feed on grass and rushes, which are yet green. in the woddey Countrey their food is huckleberry bushes, fern, and the Shal-lon an evergreen Shrub, which resembles the Lorel in Some measure; the last constitutes the greater part of their food and grows abundant through all the timbered Country, particularly the hill Sides and more broken parts of it. There are Several Species of Fir in this neighbourhood which I shall discribe as well as my botanicale Skill will enable me, and for the Convenience of Comparrison with each other Shall number them. (No. i,) a Species which grows to an emence size; verry commonly 27 feet in Surcumferonce at 6 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 & entire. they frequently rise to the hight of 230 feet, and 120 or 30 of that hight without a limb. this timber is white and Soft throughout and rives better than any other Species we have tried the bark Shales off in arregular rounded flakes and is of a redish brown Colour, particularly of the younger growth, the Stem of this tree is simple branching, assending, not very defuse, and proliferous, the leaf of this tree is accerose 1/2 a line in width, and 3/4 of an inch in length; is firm Stiff and accuminate; they are triangular, little declineing, thickly scattered on all Sides of the Bough, but respect the three upper Sides only Growing from little triangular pedistals of Soft Spungy Elastic bark. at the junction of these bough's, the bud-scales continue to incircle the respective twigs for several years; at least 3 years is common and I have counted as maney as the groth of 4 years beyond these Scales. this tree affords but little rozin. it's cone I have not yet had an oppertunity to discover altho I have Sought it frequently; the trees of this kind which we have fell'd have had no cones on them.
[Lewis, February 5, 1806]
Wednesday February 5th 1806. Late this evening one of the hunters fired his gun over the swamp of the Netul opposite to the fort and hooped. I sent sergt. Gass and a party of men over; the tide being in, they took advantage of a little creek which makes up in that direction nearly to the highlands, and in their way fortunately recovered our Indian Canoe, so long lost and much lamented. The Hunter proved to be Reubin Fields, who reported that he had killed six Elk on the East side of the Netul a little above us; and that yesterday he had heard Shannon and Labuishe fire six or seven shots after he had seperated from them and supposed that they had also killed several other Elk. Filds brought with him a phesant which differed but little from those common to the Atlantic states; it's brown is reather brighter and more of a redish tint. it has eighteen feathers in the tale of about six inches in length. this bird is also booted as low as the toes. the two tufts of long black feathers on each side of the neck most conspicuous in the male of those of the Atlantic states is also observable in every particular with this.—Fir No. 2 is next in dignity in point of size. it is much the most common species, it may be sad to constitute at least one half of the timber in this neighbourhood. it appears to be of the spruse kind. it rises to the hight of 160 to 180 feet very commonly and is from 4 to 6 feet in diameter, very streight round and regularly tapering. the bark is thin of a dark colour, and much divided with small longitudinal intersticies; that of the boughs and young trees is somewhat smoth but not so much so as the balsom fir nor that of the white pine of our country. the wood is white throughout and reather soft but very tough, and difficult to rive. The trunk of this tree is a simple branching diffused stem and not proliferous as the pines & firs usially are but like most other trees it puts forth buds from the sides of the small boughs as well as their extremities. the stem usually terminates in a very slender pointed top like the cedar. The leaves are petiolate, the footstalk small short and oppressed; acerose reather more than half a line in width and very unequal in length, the greatest length being little more than half an inch, while others intermixed on every part of the bough are not more than a 1/4 in length. flat with a small longitudinal channel in the upper disk which is of a deep green and glossey, while the uder disk is of a whiteish green only; two ranked, obtusely pointed, soft and flexable. this tree affords but little rosin. the cone is remarkably small not larger than the end of a man's thumb soft, flexable and of an ovate form, produced at the ends of the small twigs.
[Clark, February 5, 1806]
Wednesday February 5th 1806 Late this evening one of the hunters fired off his gun over the marsh of the Netul opposit to the fort & hhoped. we Sent Sergt. Gass and a party of men over; the tide being in they took advantage of a little Creek which makes up in that direction nearly to the high lands, and in their way fortunately recovered our Indian Canoe So long lost and much lamented. The hunter provd. to be Reubin Field, who reported that he had killed Six Elk on the East Side of the Netul a little above us; and that he had parted with Shannon and Labiesh yesterday after he had herd them fire Six or Seven Shot after he had Seperated from them, and Supposed that they had also killed Several other Elk. Fields brought with him a Pheasant which differs but little from those Common to the United States—Fur No. 2 is next in dignity in point of Size. it is much the most common Species, it may be Said to Constitute one half of the timber of this neigh-bourhood. it appears to be of the Spruce kind. it rises to the higth of 160 or 180 feet very Commonly and is from 4 to 6 feet in diameter, very Streight round and regularly tapering. the bark is thin of a dark colour, and much divided with Small longitudinal interstices; that of the boughs and young trees are Somewhat Smoth but not So much so as the balsom fir, nor that of the white pine of our Countrey. the wood is white throughout and rather Soft but rather tough and dificuelt to rive. The trunk of this tree is Simple branching, deffused Stem and not proliferous as the pine and fir usially are, but like most other trees it puts foth buds from the Sides of the Small boughes as well as from their extremities. the Stem usially termonate in a very slender pointed top like the Cedar. The leaves are petiolate, the footstalk Small Short and oppressed; acerose reather more than 1/2 a line in wedth and very uneaqual in length, the greatest length being a little more than half an inch, while others intermixed on every part of the bough are not more than a 1/4 of an inch in length. flat with a Small longitudinal channel in the upper disk which is of a Deep green and glossy, while the under disk is of a whitish green only; two ranked, obtusely pointed, Soft and flexable. this tree affords but little rosin. the Cone is remarkably Small, not larger than the end of a mans thumb Soft, flexable and of an oval form, produced at the end of a Small twig.