Joan's Lewis & Clark Geek Page

February 28th Friday, 1806

[Clark] Reuben Field and Collins set out this morning early on a hunting excurtion up the Netul. Kus ke-lar a Clatsop man, his wife and a Small boy (a Slave, who he informed me was his Cook, and offerd to Sell him to me for beeds & a gun)  visited us to day    they brought Some anchovies, Sturgeon, a beaver robe, and Some roots for Sale tho' they asked Such high prices for every article that we purchased nothing but a part of a Sturgeon for which we gave a fiew fishing hooks.    we Suffered them to Stay all night. Shields Jos: Field and Shannon returned late this evening haveing killed five Elk tho' two of them are of a mountain at a considerable distance.    we ordered these hunters to return early in the morning and continue the hunt, and Sergt. Gass to take a part and go in quest of the Elk which they had killed.    the hunters informed us that the Elk is tolerable plenty near the mountains about nine or ten miles distant. Kuskalaw brought a dog which Peter Crusat had purchased with his Capo which this fellow had on.

The Hare on this Side of the Rocky Mountains is exclusively the inhabitents of the Great Plains of Columbia, as they are of those of the Missouri East of the mountains.    they weigh from 7 to 12 pounds.    the measure of one which weighed 10 pounds, was as follows.    from the extremity of the hinder, to that of the fore feet when extended 3 Feet.    length from nose to the extremity of the tail 2 feet, 2 inches. Hight when Standing erect 1 foot, 3 inches—. Girth of the body 1 foot, 4 inches—.    length of tail 6½ inches—.    length of ear 5½ inches—.    width of ear 3 inches and ⅛—.    from the hip to the extremity of toe of the hind foot 1 foot 4¼ inches—. The eye is large and prominent.    the pupil is circular, of a deep Sea Green and Occupies one third of the diamiter of the eye, the iris is of a bright yellowish silver colour. The ears are placed far back on the head very near each other, they are flexable and the animal moves them with great ease and quickness and can dilate and throw them foward, or contract and fold them on his back at pleasure.    the fold of the front of the ear is of a redish brown colour, the inner folds are those which lie together when the ears are thrown back, and which occupies ⅔ds of the width of the ears of a pure white except the tips of the ears for about an inch.    the hinder folds or those which lie on the back are of a light grey; the Sides as they approach the belly become gradually more white, the belly brest, and inner part of the legs and thyes are white, with a Slight Shade of a lead Colour. The Head, neck, back Sholders, Sides, outer part of the legs and thyes are of a Lead Coloured Grey.    the tail is bluntly pointed and round, covered with fine Soft white fur not quite as long as on the other parts of the body.    the body is covered with a deep fine Soft close fur.    the colours here discribed are those which the Animale assumes from the middle of April to the middle of November, the ballance of the year they are of a pure white, except the black and redish brown of the ears which never changes.    a fiew redish brown spots are Sometimes Seen intermixed with the white, at this Season on the heads and upper parts of the neck an Sholders. The body of this animal is Smaller and longer in purpotion to it's hight than the Rabbit.    when it runs it carrys its tail Streight behind in the direction of it's body.    they appear to run with more ease and bound with greater agility than any animal I ever saw.    they are extreemly fleet and never burrow or take Shelter in the grounds when pursued.    it's teeth are like those of the rabit, as is also its upper lip which is divided as high as the nose.    it's food is Grass, herbs, and in winter feeds much on the bark of Several arematic Shrubs which grow in the plains and the young willows along the rivers and other water courses.— I have measured the leaps of this animal and find them commonly from 18 to 22 feet.    they are Generally found Seperate, and never Seen to associate in any number or more than two or three.

Field and Shannon find and kill some elk which certainly makes the food situation look better.  The dead elk are at some distance away so we'll see how much luck they have retrieving them.  Clark does a short essay on the local wild rabbits or hares.  These same large rabbits are fairly common in the mountain regions today.  They turn white in winter and back to brown for the summer.  They're considerably larger than the species call "jack rabbits" which frequent the desert areas and stay brown the year round.

February 27th Thursday, 1806

[Lewis]   Reubin Fields returned this evening and had not killed anything.    he reports that there are no Elk towards point Adams. C[o]llins who had hunted up the Netul on this side returned in the evening having killed a buck Elk. Willard still continues very unwell the other sick men have nearly recovered. Gutridge and McNeal who have the pox are recovering fast, the former nearly well.

The rat in the Rocky mountain on it's West side are like those on the upper part of the Missouri in and near those mountains and have the distinguishing trait of possessing a tail covered with hair like other parts of the body; one of those we caught at the White bear Islands in the beginning of July last and was then discribed. I have seen the nests of those in this neighbourhood but not the animal. I think it most probable that they are like those of the Atlantic states or at least the native rat of our country which have no hair on the tail.    this species we found on the Missouri as far up it as the woody country extended.    it is as large as the common European house rat or reather larger, is of a lighter colour bordering more on the lead or drab colour, the hair longer; and the female has only four tits which are placed far back near the hinder legs.    this rat I have observed in the Western parts of the State of Georgia and also in Madison's cave in the state of Virginia.    the mouse and mole of this neighbourhood are the same as those native animals with us. The Panther is found indifferently either in the Great Plains of Columbia, the Western side of the rocky mountains or on this coast in the timbered country.    it is precisely the same animal common to the Atlantic coast, and most commonly met with on our frontiers or unsettled parts of the country.    this animal is scarce in the country where they exist and are so remarkable shye and watchfull that it is extreemly difficult to kill them.—

Elk are getting really scarce and Lewis weighs in on all of the denizens that Clark described yesterday.  I guess they're pretty bored and read each others posts trying to improve their own.

February 26th Wednesday, 1806

[Clark]   This morning we dispatched Drewyer and two men  in our indian canoe up the Columbia River to take Sturgion and Anchovey.    or if they were unsucksessfull in fishing we directed them to purchase fish from the nativs, for which purpose we had furnished them with a fiew articles Such as the nativs are pleased with.    we also Sent Shields Jo. Field and Shannon up the Netul to hunt Elk.    and directed Reubin Field and Some other man to hunt in the point towards the Praries & point Adams.    thus we hope Shortly to replenish our Stock of provisions which is now reduced to a mear minnamum.    we have three days provisions only in Store and that of the most inferior dried Elk a little tainted.    what a prospect for good liveing at Fort Clatsop at present.

Se we lel is the Clatsop and Chinnook name for a Small animal found in the timbered Country on this Coast.    it is more abundant in the neighbourhood of the great falls and rapids of the Columbia than imediately on the Coast.    the nativs make great use of the Skins of this animal in forming their robes, which they dress with the fur on them and attached together with the sinears of the Elk or Deer. I have never Seen the animale and can therefore only discribe it from the Skin and a Slight view which Some of our party have obtained of the liveing animal.    the Skin when dressed is from 14 to 18 inches in length, and from 7 to 9 in width; the tail is always Severed from the body in forming their robes, I cannot therefore Say in what form or length it is.    one of the men informed me that he thought it reather Short and flat.    that he saw one of them run up a tree like a squirel, and that it returned and ran into a hole in the ground.    the ears are Short, thin, pointed and Covered with Short fine hair.    they are of uniform Colour, a redish brown; tho the base of the long hairs, exceed the fur but little in length, as well as the fur itself is of a Dark colour for at least ⅔ds of it's length next to the Skin.    the fur and hair are very fine, Short, thickly Set, and Silky.    the ends of the fur and tips of the hair is of a redish brown, that colour prodominates in the ordinary appearance of the Animale. I took this animal to be about the Size of the barking Squirel of the Missouri.    and believe most probably that it is of the Mustela genus, or perhaps the brown mungo itself    I have in maney instances endeavured to make the nativs Sensiable how anxious I was to obtain one of those animals entire, without being Skined, and offered them rewards to furnish me with one, but have not been able to make them Comprehend me.    we have purchased Several of the roabs made of those Skins to loin [line] a westcoat of the Sea otter, which I have made and Capt Lewis a Tiger Cat Skin Coat loined with them also, they make a very pleasant light lighting.

The Rat in the rocky mountains on its west side are like those on the upper part of the Missouri in and near those Mountains and have the distingushing trait of possessing a tail covered with hair like other parts of the body; one of these we caught at the white bear Islands in the beginning of July last and then partially discribed.

There is rats in this neighbourhood but I have not seen them    it is most probable that they are like those of the Atlantic States, or at least the native rat of our country which have no hair on their tail.    this Specis we found on the Missouri as far up it as the woody country extended.    it is as large as the Common European house rat or reather larger is of a lighter Colour bordering more on the lead or drab colour, the hair longer; and the female has only four tits which are placed far back near the hinder legs.    this rat I have Seen in the Southern parts of the State of Kentucky & west of the Miami.

The Mouse and mole of this neighbourhood are the Same as those native animals with us.

The Panther is found indifferently either in the great Plains of Columbia the Western Side of the Rocky Mountains or on this coast in the timbered country.    it is precisily the Same animal common to the Atlantic States, and most commonly met with on our frontiers or unsettled parts of the Country.    this animal is Scerce in the Country where they exist and are So remarkable Shye and watchfull that it is extreamly dificuelt to kill them.

The Polecat  is found in every part of the Country.    they are very abundant on Some parts of the Columbia, particularly in the neighbourhood of the Great falls & Narrows of that river, where they live in the Clifts along the river & feed on the offal of the Indian fishing Shores. they are the Same as those of other parts of North America.

Well, the party is running low on jerkied elk meat. I guess when meat makes up almost one hundred per cent of the menu, this happens pretty regularly.  Clark comments on quite a list of western wild   animals.  The first, uknown by name is beleived to be the mountain beaver which isn't eally a beaver at all. His Rat is fairly clearly the wood or pack rat.  The mouse undoubtedly is the common field mouse or vole.  The pole cat is just a plain old skunk. We'll hope the fishing party has some luck up the river.

February 25th Tuesday, 1806

[Lewis]    It continued to rain and blow so violently that there was no movement of the party today.    the Indians left us in the morning on their return to their village. Willard somewhat worse the other Invalledes on the ricovery. I am mortifyed at not having it in my power to make more celestial observations since we have been at Fort Clatsop, but such has been the state of the weather that I have found it utterly impracticable.—

The Rackoon is found in the woody country on this coast in considerable quantities.    the natives take a few of them in snars and deadfalls; tho' appear not to vallue their skins much, and but seldom prepare them for robes. The large grey squirrel appears to be a native of a narrow tract of country on the upper side of the mountains just below the grand falls of Columbia which is pretty well covered in many parts with a species of white oak.    in short I beleive this squirrel to be coextensive with timber only, as we have not seen them in any part of the country where pine forms the majority of the timber, or in which the oak dose not appear. this animal is much larger than the grey squirrel of our country it resembles it much in form and colours.    it is as large as the fox squirrel of the Southern Atlantic states.    the tail is reather longer than the whole length of the body and head.    the hair of which is long and tho' inserted on all sides reispect the horizontal ones only.    the eyes are black.    whiskers black and long.    the back, sides, head, tail and outer part of the legs are of a blue lead coloured grey.    the breast belley and inner part of the legs are of a pure white.    the hair is short as that of the fox-squirrel but is much finer and intermixed with a proportion of fur.    the natives make great use of these skins in forming their robes.    this squirrel subsists principally on the acorn and filbird which last also grows abundantly in the oak countrey.— The small brown squirrel is a beautifull little animal about the size and form of the red squirrel of the Eastern Atlantic states and western lakes.    the tail is as long as the body and neck, formed like that of the red squirrel or somewhat flat.    the eyes black.    whiskers long and black but not abundant.    the back, sides, head, neck and outer part of the legs are of a redish dark brown.    the throat, breast, belley and inner part of the legs are of a pale brick red.    the tail is a mixture of black and fox coloured red in which the black predominates in the midle and the other on the edges and extremity.    the hair of the body is about ½ an inch long and so fine and soft that it has the appearance of fur.    the hair of the tail is coarser and doubly as long.    this animal subsists principally on the seeds of various species of pine, and are always found in the piny country they are common to the tract of wooddy country on this coast.    they lodge in clifts of rocks, holes in the ground old stumps of trees and the hollow trunks of fallen timber; in this rispect resembling the rat, always having their habitatin in or near the earth. the small grey squirrel common to every part of the rocky mountain which is timbered, difirs from the dark brown squirrel just discribed only in it's colour.    it's back, sides, neck, head tail and outer side of the legs are of a brown lead coloured grey; the tail has a slight touch of the fox colour near the extremity of some of the hairs.    the throat, breast, belley, and inner parts of the legs are of the colour of tanner's ooze and have a narrow stripe of black, commencing just behide each sholder and exten[d]ing longitudinaly for about 3 inches betwen the colours of the sides and belley.    their habids are also the same of the dark brown squirrel of this neighbourhood and like them are extreemly nimble and active.    the ground squirrel is found in every part of the country, as well the praries as woodlands, and is one of the few animals which we have seen in every part of our voyage.    it differs not at all from those of the U' States.    the barking squirrel and handsome ground squirrel of the plains on the East side of the rocky mountains are not found in the plains of Columbia.

The coastal weather remains a problem for the Captains and ruins any celestial observations they might wish to make.  Lewis spends a good bit of time on describing the variety of squirrels he has observed on their great trip.

February 24th Monday, 1806

[Lewis]    Our sick are still on the recovery. Shannon & Labuishe returned in the forenoon; they had killed no Elk and reported that they beleived the Elk have retired from their former haunts and gone further back in the country to a considerable distance from this place.    this is very unwelcome information for poor and inferior as the flesh of this animal is it is our principal dependance for subsistence.

This evening we were visited by Comowooll the Clatsop Chief and 12 men women & children of his nation. Drewyer came a passenger in their canoe, and brought with him two dogs. The chief and his party had brought for sail a Sea Otter skin some hats, stergeon  and a [s]pecies of small fish   which now begin to run, and are taken in great quantities in the Columbia R. about 40 miles above us by means of skiming or scooping nets.    on this page I have drawn the likeness of them as large as life;  it as perfect as I can make it with my pen and will serve to give a general idea of the fish.    the rays of the fins are boney but not sharp tho' somewhat pointed. the small fin on the back next to the tail has no rays of bone being a thin membranous pellicle.    the fins next to the gills have eleven rays each.    those of the abdomen have eight each, those of the pinna-ani are 20 and 2 half formed in front.    that of the back has eleven rays.    all the fins are of a white colour.    the back is of a bluish duskey colour and that of the lower part of the sides and belley is of a silvery white.    no spots on any part.    the first bone of the gills next behid the eye is of a bluis cast, and the second of a light goald colour nearly white.    the puple of the eye is blak and the iris of a silver white.    the underjaw exceeds the uper; and the mouth opens to great extent, folding like that of the herring.    it has no teeth.    the abdomen is obtuse and smooth; in this differing from the herring, shad anchovey &c of the Malacopterygious Order & Class Clupea,  to which however I think it more nearly allyed than to any other altho' it has not their accute and serrate abdomen and the under jaw exceeding the upper.    the scales of this little fish are so small and thin that without minute inspection you would suppose they had none.    they are filled with roes of a pure white colour and have scarcely any perceptable alimentary duct. I find them best when cooked in Indian stile, which is by roasting a number of them together on a wooden spit without any previous preperation whatever.    they are so fat they require no additional sauce, and I think them superior to any fish I ever tasted, even more delicate and lussious than the white fish of the lakes  which have heretofore formed my standart of excellence among the fishes. I have heard the fresh anchovey   much extolled but I hope I shall be pardoned for beleiving this quite as good.    the bones are so soft and fine that they form no obstruction in eating this fish.    we purchased all the articles which these people brought us; we suffered these people to remain all night as it rained, the wind blew most violently and they had their women and children with them; the latter being a sure pledge of their pacific dispositions.    the Sturgeon which they brough us was also good of it's kind.    we determine to send a party up the river to procure some of those fish, and another in some direction to hunt Elk as soon as the weather will permit.

The sick are fast improving and the scarcity of elk somewhat alleviated by a small fish, apparently easily available in huge quanities.  We northwesterners have appreciated these same fish for years as they usually appear in groceries in the very early spring.  We've always called them smelt and I would have to agree with Lewis concerning their tastiness.

February 23rd Sunday, 1806

[Clark]  Not any thing transpired desering particular notice.    our Sick are all on the recovery.    the men have provided themselves verry amply with mockersons & leather clothing, much more So indeed than they have ever been Since they have been on the voyage.

The Sea Otter is found only on the Sea Coast and in the Salt water. Those animals which I took to be the Sea Otter from the Great Falls of the Columbia to the mouth, proves to be the Phosia or Seal which at a little distance has every appearance of the Sea Otters. The Sea otter when fully grown is as large as the common mastif dog, the ears and Eyes are remarkably Small, particularly the former which is not an inch in length thick fleshey and pointed, Covered with short hair.    the tail is about 10 inches in length thick where it joins the body and tapering to a very Sharp point; in common with the body it is covered with a deep fur particularly on the upper Side, on the under part the fur is not So long.    the legs are remarkably Short and the feat which have five toes each are broad large and webbed.    the legs are covered with fur and the feet with Short hair.    the body of the Animal is long and nearly of the Same thickness throughout.    from the extremity of the tail to that of the nose they will measure 5 feet or upwards.    the colour is of a uniform dark brown, and when in good order and Season perfectly Black and Glossey.    it is the richest and I think the most delightful fur in the world at least I cannot form an idea of any more so. it is deep thick silky in the extream and Strong.    the inner part of the fur when open is lighter than the surface in its natural position.    there are Some fine black Shineing hairs intermixed with the fur which are reather longer and add much to its beauty. the nose, about the eyes, ears and forehead in Some of those otter is of a light Colour, Sometimes a light brown.    those parts in the young Suckling otters of this Species is Sometimes of a creem colour'd white, but always much lighter than the other parts.    the fur of the infant otter is much inferior in point of colour, and texture, to that of the full grown otter, or even after it has been weened—.    there is so great a difference that I have for Some time Supposed it a different animal; the Indians Call the infant otter Spuck, and the full grown or such as had obtained a Coat of good fur, E luck'ko.    this Still further confirmed the opinion of their being distinct Species; but I have Since lerned that the Spuck is the young otter.    the Colour of the neck, body, legs and tail is a dark lead brown. The Mink is found in the woody Country on this Coast and does not differ in any particular from those of the Atlantic Coasts.

The Seal or Phoca are found here in great numbers, and as far up the Columbia as the great Falls, above which there are none.    I have reasons to believe from the information of the men that there are Several Species of the Phoca on this Coast and in the river, but what the difference is I am unable to State not haveing Seen them myself Sufficiently near for manute inspection nor obtain the different kinds to make a comparison.    the Skins of Such as I have Seen are covered with a Short thick Coarse Glossy hair of a redish bey brown Colour.    tho' the animal while in the water, or as we saw them frequently in the river appear to be black and Spoted with white sometimes. I am not much acquainted with the Seal, but Suppose that they are the Same common also to the atlantic Ocian in the Same parrelal of Latitude.    the Skins, or those which I have Seen are presisely Such as trunks are frequently Covered with.    the flesh of this animal is highly prised by the nativs who Swinge the hair off and then roste the flesh on Sticks before the fire.

Both Captains post the description of the harbor seal today, the first ever of this animal.  Clark further gives a good description of the sea otter's fur.

February 22nd Saturday, 1806

[Lewis]   We were visited today by two Clatsop women and two boys who brought a parsel of excellent hats made of Cedar bark and ornamented with beargrass.    two of these hats had been made by measures which Capt Clark and myself had given one of the women some time since with a request to make each of us a hat; they fit us very well, and are in the form we desired them.    we purchased all their hats and distributed them among the party.    the woodwork and sculpture of these people as well as these hats and their waterproof baskets evince an ingenuity by no means common among the Aborigenes of America.    in the evening they returned to their village and Drewyer accompanied them in their canoe in order to get the dogs which the Clatsops have agreed to give us in payment for the Elk they stole from us some weeks since.    these women informed us that the small fish began to run which we suppose to be herring from their discription.    they also informed us that their Chief, Conia or Comowooll, had gone up the Columbia to the valley in order to purchase wappetoe, a part of which he in tended trading with us on his return.    one of our canoes brake the cord by which it was attatched and was going off with the tide this evening; we sent Sergt. Pryor and a party after her who recovered and brought her back.    our sick consisting of Gibson, Bratton, Sergt. Ordway, Willard and McNeal are all on the recovery.    we have not had as may sick at any one time since we left Wood River.    the general complaint seams to be bad colds and fevers, something I beleive of the influenza.

The Antelope is found in the great plains of Columbia and are the same of those on the Missouri found in every part of that untimbered country.    they are by no means as plenty on this side of the Rocky Mountains as on the other.    the natives here make robes of their skins dressed with the hair on them.    when the salmon begin to decline in the latter end of the sunme and Autumn the natves leave the river, at least a majority and remove to the plains at some distance for the purpose of hunting the Antelope.    they pursue them on horse back and shoot them with their arrows. The sheep  is found in various parts of the Rocky mountains, but most commonly in those parts which are timbered and steep. they are also found in greater abundance on the Chain of mountains wich form the commencement of the woody country on this coast and which pass the Columbia between the great falls and rapids    we have never met with this anamal ourselves but have seen many of their skins in possession of the natives dressed with the wooll on them and aso seen the blankets which they manufacture of the wooll of this sheep.    from the skin the animal appears to be about the size of the common sheep; of a white colour.    the wooll is fine on most parts of the body but not so long as that of our domestic sheep.    the wooll is also curled and thick.    on the back and more particularly on the top of the neck the wooll is intermixed with a considerable proportion of long streight hairs.    there is no wooll on a small part of the body behind the sholders on each side of the brisquit which is covered with a short fine hairs as in the domestic sheep. form the signs which the Indians make in discribing this animal they have herect pointed horns, tho' one of our Engages La Page, assures us that he saw them in the black hills where the little Missouri passes them, and that they were in every rispect like the domestic sheep, and like them the males had lunated horns bent backwards and twisted. I should be much pleased at meeting with this animal, but have had too many proofs to admit a doubt of it's existing and in considerable numbers in the mountains near this coast.    the Beaver and common Otter have before been mentioned in treating of the occupations of the natives in hunting fishing &c.    these do not differ from those of other parts of the Continent.—

The Party's sick are still showing improvement, largely from what Lewis believes to be the flu.  The animal referred to sheep is actually the Mountain Goat.  In the early days of northwesteren ranching, the goat hide was preferred over all other for making the woolly chaps cowboys wore in bad weather.

February 21st Friday, 1806

[Clark]   Visited this morning by three Clatsops, who remained with us all day; they are great begers; Capt Lewis gave one of them a fiew nedles with which he appeared much gratified, in the evening late they departed.

Drewyer and Collins went in pursute of Some Elk the tracks of which Collins had discovered yesterday; but it rained So hard they Could not pursue them by the tracks, and returned unsucksessfull. Drewyer Saw a fisher but it escaped from him among the fallen timber. Sergt. Ordway returned with the party from the Salt Camp which we have now avacuated.    they brought with them the Salt and utensels.    our Stock of Salt is now about 20 Gallons; 12 Gallons we had Secured in 2 Small iron bound Kegs and laid by for our voyage. Gave Willard a dose of Scots pills; they opperated very well. Gibson Still Continus the bark 3 times a day and is on the recovery fast.

The large brown Wolf is like that of the atlantic States, and are found only in the woody Country on the Pacific Ocean embraceing the mountains which pass the Columbia between the Great Falls an Rapids of the same. The large and Small Wolves of the inhabitents principally of the open Country and the wood land on their borders, and resemble in their habits those of the plains of Missouri presisely    they are not abundant in the Plains of Columbia because there is but little game on which for them to subsist—.—.

The Salt Camp is now history and the product stored up for the coming trip east.  The sick call list seems to be improving as well.  Clark figures the scarcity of game accounts for the lack of both wolves and coyotes and the hard rains continue.

February 20th Thursday, 1806

[Lewis]    Permited Collins to hunt this morning    he returned in the evening unsuccessfull as to the chase but brought with him some cranberries for the sick. Gibson is on the recovery fast; Bratton has an obstenate cough and pain in his back and still appears to be geting weaker. McNeal from his inattention to his disorder has become worse.

   

This forenoon we were visited by Tâh-cum  a principal Chief of the Chinnooks and 25 men of his nation.    we had never seen this cheif before he is a good looking man of about 50 years of age reather larger in statue than most of his nation; as he came on a friendly visit we gave himself and party some thing to eat and plyed them plentifully with smoke. we gave this cheif a small medal with which he semed much gratifyed.    in the evening at sunset we desired them to depart as is our custom and closed our gates.    we never suffer parties of such number to remain within the fort all night; for notwithstanding their apparent friendly disposition, their great averice and hope of plunder might induce them to be treacherous.    at all events we determined allways to be on our guard as much as the nature of our situation will permit us, and never place our selves at the mercy of any savages.    we well know, that the treachery of the aborigenes of America and the too great confidence of our countrymen in their sincerity and friendship, has caused the distruction of many hundreds of us.    so long have our men been accustomed to a friendly intercourse with the natives, that we find it difficult to impress on their minds the necessity of always being on their guard with rispect to them.    this confidence on our part, we know to be the effect of a series of uninterupted friendly intercouse, but the well known treachery of the natives by no means entitle them to such confidence, and we must check it's growth in our own minds, as well as those of our men, by recollecting ourselves, and repeating to our men, that our preservation depends on never loosing sight of this trait in their character, and being always prepared to meet it in whatever shape it may present itself.—

Lewis updates his sick listed men, some better, some not.   He plainly feels McNeal has not be using his mercury salve for the syphilis treatment, or has re-infected himself.  He then writes a stiff discourse on not trusting the natives, and how difficult it is to keep the men on alert.

February 19th Wednesday, 1806

[Lewis]   Segt. Ordway set out again this morning with a party for the salt works by land.    in the evening Sergt. Gass returned with the flesh of eight Elk, and seven skins; having left one skin with Shannon and Labuishe who remained over the netul to continue the chase.    we had the Elk skins divided among the messes in order that they might be prepared for covering our baggage when we set out in the spring.    our sick are recovering but they appear to strengthen but slowly. The common red deer   we found under the rocky mts. in the neighbourhood of the Chopunnish, and about the great falls of the Columbia river and as low down the same as the commencement of tide water.    these do not appear to differ essencially from those of our country being about the same size shape and appearance in every rispect except their great length of tail which is more than half as long again as our deer    I measured one of them which was 17 inches long. The Black tailed fallow deer   are peculiar to this coast and are a distinct species of deer partaking equally of peculiarities of the mule deer and the common deer.    their ears are reather larger and their winter coat darker than the common deer; the recepticle of the eye or drane is mor conspicuous; their legs shorter and body thicker and larger than the common deer; their tail is about the length of our deer or from 8 to 10 inches the hair on the underside of which is white, and that of it's sides and top quite black    the horns resemble in form and colour those of the mule deer which it also resembles in it's gate; that is bounding with all four feet off the ground at the same time when runing at full speed and not loping as the common deer or antelope do.    they are sometimes found in the woodlands but most frequently in the praries and open grounds.    they may be said generally to be a size larger than the common deer and that less than the mule deer. they are very seldom found in good order, or fat, even in the season which the common deer are so, and their flesh is inferior to any species of deer which I have evern seen.—

Again, the Party has success getting elk meat to the fort and enough hides to distribute so everyone should have new elkskin clothes for the trip east.  Lewis gives an excellent discourse of the region's deer.

February 18th Tuesday, 1806

[Clark]    This morning we dispatched a party to the Salt works with Sergt. Ordway.    and a Second party with Sergt. Gass after the Eight Elk killed over the Netul.    in the evening Sergt. Ordway returned and reported that the waves ran So high in the Bay that he could not pass to the enterance of a Creek which we had directed him to assend with the Canoe. Collins & Windsir returned this evening with one Deer which they had Killed.    the deer are pore and their flesh by no means a[s] good as that of the Elk which is also poore but appears to be getting better than Some weeks past.    in the forenoon we were visited by a Clatsop & Seven Chinnooks from whome I purchased a Sea otter's Skin and two hats made of way tape and Silk grass and white cedar bark.    they remained untill late in the evening and departed for their village.    those people are not readily obstructed by waves in their Canoes.    Since their departure we have discovered that they have Stole an ax.— Whitehouse brought me a roab which he purchased of the Indians formed of three Skins of the Tiger Cat,  this Cat differs from any which I have ever Seen.    it is found on the borders of the plains and the woody Country lying along the Pacific Ocian.    this animale is about the Size or reather larger than the wild Cat of our Countrey and is much the Same in form, agility and ferosity.    the colour of the back, neck and Sides, is a redish brown irrigular varigated with Small Spots of dark brown    the tail is about two inches long nearly white except the extremity which is black; it termonates abruptly as if it has been cut off.    the belly is white with Small black spots.    butifully varigated.    the legs are of the Same Colour with the Sides and back marked with transvers stripes of black    the ears are black on the outer Side Covered with fine black hair, Short except at the upper point which is furnished with a pencil of verry fine Streight black hair, ¾ of an inch in length, the fur of this animale is long and fine.    much more So than the wild Cat of the U States but less so than the Louserva of the N West.    the nativs of this Country make great use of the skins of this Cat, to form the robes which they wear; three whole Skins is the complement usually employed, and Sometimes four in each roab. Those Cats are not marked alike maney of them have but fiew Spots of a darker Colour, particularly on the Back.

More troubles transporting killed elk to their fort.  The "tiger cat" is probably the bobcat, who's hide appears to be preferred by the natives for their robes and other garments.

February 17th Monday, 1806

[Clark]    Collins and Windser were permited to hunt to day towards the praries in point Adams with a view to obtain Some fresh meat for the Sick.    a little before noon Shannon and Labiesh & frazier Came with the flesh and hide of an Elk which had been wounded by Serjt. Gasses party and took the water where they pursued it and cought it.    they did not See Sergt. Gass or any of his party or learn what further Sucksess they have had. Continu the barks with Bratten, and Commenced them with gibson his feaver being Sufficiently low this morning to permit the use of them. I think therefore that there is no further danger of his recovery.—.    at 2 P. M. Joseph Field arrived from the Salt works and informd us that they had about 2 Kegs of Salt on hand (say 3 bushels) which with what we have at this place we suppose will be Sufficient to last us to our deposit of that article on the Missouri.    we directed a party of Six men to go in the morning in order to bring the salt and Kittles to the Fort.    at 4 P. M. Serjt. Gass and party arrive; they had killed 8 Elk. Drewyer and Whitehouse also return late in the evening, they had killed one Elk, part of the meat of which they brought in with them.

>p>The Brown, White, or Grizly Bear are found in the rocky mountains in the timbered part of it or Westerly Side but rarely; they are more Common below or on the East Side of the Rocky Mountains on the borders of the plains where there are Copses of bushes and underwood near the water cources.    they are by no means as plenty on this Side of the Rocky Mountains as on the other, nor do I believe they are found at all in the woody country which borders this coast as far in the interior as the range of mountains which pass the Columbia between the enterance of Clarks and the Quick sand Rivers  or below the Great falls of Columbia.

The Black Bear differs not any from those Common to the U. States, and are found under the Rocky Mountains in the woody country on the borders of the Great Plain's of Columbia and also in this tract of woody country which lie between these plains and the Pacific Ocian.    their econimy and habits are also the Same with those of the United States.—.

The salt makers have worked themselves out of a job and are returning to the fort. One can assume that a bushel of salt would weigh upwards of 75 lbs. and from that, would mean they have over 300 lbs. for the return trip to cache on the Missouri river.  The Party must really like their meat salty.

February 16th Sunday, 1806

[Clark]   Sent Shannon Labiesh and frazier on a hunting excurtion up the Kil-haw-a-nak-kle river which discharges itself into the head of Meriwethers Bay.    no word yet of Sergt. Gass and party. Bratten is verry weak and complains of a pain in the lower part of the back when he moves which I suppose proceeds from debility. I gave him barks and Salt peter. Gibsons fever Still Continues obstinate tho' not verry high; we gave him a dose of Dr. Rushes pills which in maney instancis I have found extreamly efficacious in fevers which are in any measure Caused by the presence of boil.    the niter has produced a perfuse perspiration this evening and the pils opperated late at night his feaver after which abated almost intirely and he had a good nights rest.

The Indian Dogs are usually small or much more so than the common cur.    they are party coloured; black white brown and brindle are the more usual colours.    the head is long and nose pointed eyes Small, ears erect and pointed like those of the wolf, hair Short and Smooth except on the tail where it is as long as that of the Cur dog and streight.    the nativs do not eate them, or make any further use of them than in hunting the Elk as has been before observed. Shannon an Labiesh brought in to us to day a Buzzard or Vulture of the Columbia which they had wounded and taken alive. I believe this to be the largest Bird of North America.    it was not in good order and yet it wayed 25 lbs    had it have been so it might very well have weighed 10 lbs. more or 35 lbs. between the extremities of the wings it measured 9 feet 2 Inches; from the extremity of the beak to that of the toe 3 feet 9 inches and a half.    from hip to toe 2 feet, girth of the head 9 inches ¾. Girth of the neck 7½ inches; Girth of the body exclusive of the wings 2 feet 3 inches; girth of the leg 3 inches.    the diameter of the eye 4½/10ths of an inch, the iris of a pale scarlet red, the puple of a deep Sea green or black and occupies about one third of the diameter of the eye the head and part of the neck as low as the figures 1 2 is uncovered with feathers except that portion of it represented by dots foward and under the eye. (See likeness on the other Side of this leaf)   the tail is Composed of twelve feathers of equal length, each 14 inches. the legs are 4¾ inches in length and of a whiteish colour uncovered with feathers, they are not entirely Smooth but not imbricated; the toes are four in number three of which are foward and that in the center much the longest; the fourth is Short and is inserted near the inner of the three other toes and reather projecting foward.    the thye is covered with feathers as low as the Knee.    the top or upper part of the toes are imbricated with broad scales lying transversly; the nails are black and in proportion to the Size of the bird comparitively with those of the Hawk or Eagle, Short and bluntly pointed—.    the under Side of the wing is Covered with white down and feathers.    a white Stripe of about 2 inches in width, also marks the outer part of the wing, imbraceing the lower points of the feathers, which [c]over the joints of the wing through their whole length or width of that part of the wing.    all the other feathers of whatever part are of a Glossy Shineing black except the down, which is not glossy, but equally black.    the Skin of the beak and head to the joining of the neck is of a pale orrange Yellow, the other part uncovered with feathers is of a light flesh Colour.    the Skin is thin and wrinkled except on the beak where it is Smooth. This bird fly's very clumsily.    nor do I know whether it ever Seizes it's prey alive, but am induced to believe it does not.    we have Seen it feeding on the remains of the whale and other fish which have been thrown up by the waves on the Sea Coast.    these I believe constitute their principal food, but I have no doubt but that they also feed on flesh.    we did not meet with this bird un[t]ille we had decended the Columbia below the great falls; and have found them more abundant below tide water than above.    this is the Same Species of Bird which R. Field killed on the 18th of Novr. last and which is noticed on that day tho' not fully discribed then I thought this of the Buzzard Specis. I now believe that this bird is reather of the Vulture genus than any other, tho' it wants Some of their characteristics particularly the hair on the neck, and the feathers on the legs.    this is a handsom bird at a little distance.    it's neck is proportionably longer than those of the Hawks or Eagle. Shannon also brought a Grey Eagle which appeared to be of the Same kind common to the U, States.    it weighed 15 pds. and measured 7 feet 7 inches between the extremities of the wings—.

Shannon and Labiesh informed us that when he approached this Vulture after wounding it, that it made a loud noise very much like the barking of a Dog.    the tongue is long firm and broad, filling the under Chap and partakeing of its transvirs curvature, or its Sides forming a longitudinal Groove; obtuse at the point, the margin armed with firm cartelagenous prickkles pointed and bending inwards.

Gibson gets another favored medication, Dr. Rushes pills, made up of approximately ten grains of calomel and ten grains of jalap, a powerful physic. Dr. Rush was Lewis's medical advisor for the expedition.  Clark gives a brief description of the natives' dogs. I've always been curious of what happened to this breed of dogs and of whence they came.  A few of Charlie Russel's Indian paintings include these dogs which are mostly dun colored and larger than Clarks description but have the same erect ears and pointed noses.

February 15th Saturday, 1806

[Lewis]    Drewyer and Whitehouse set out this morning on a hunting excurtion towards the praries of Point Adams.    we have heard our hunters over the Netul fire several shot today, but have had no account from them as yet.    about 3 P. M. Bratton arrived from the salt works and informed us that Sergt. Pryor and party were on their way with Gibson who is so much reduced that he cannot stand alone and that they are obliged to carry him in a litter. Bratton himself appears much reduced with his late indisposition but is now recovering fast. Bratton informed that the cause of Sergt. Pryor's delay was attributeable to the winds which had been so violent for several days as to render it impossible to get a canoe up the creek  to the point where it was necessary to pass with Gibson.    the S. W. winds are frequently very violent on the coast when we are but little sensible of them at Fort Clatsop.    in consequence of the lofty and thickly timbered fir country which surrounds us on that quarter from the South to the North East.—

after dark Sergt. Pryor arrived with Gibson.    we are much pleased in finding him by no means as ill as we had expected.    we do no conceive him in danger by any means, tho' he has yet a fever and is much reduced.    we beleive his disorder to have orriginated in a violent cold which he contracted in hunting and pursuing Elk and other game through the swams and marshes about the salt works.    he is nearly free from pain tho' a gooddeel reduced and very languid.    we gave him broken dozes of diluted nitre and made him drink plentifully of sage tea, had his feet bathed in warm water and at 9 P. M. gave him 35 drops of laudanum.

The quadrupeds of this country from the Rocky Mountains to the pacific Ocean are 1st the domestic animals, consisting of the horse and the dog only; 2cdly the native wild animals,   consisting of the Brown white or grizly bear, (which I beleive to be the same family with a mearly accedental difference in point of colour) the black bear, the common red deer, the black tailed fallow deer, the Mule deer, Elk, the large brown wolf, the small woolf of the plains, the large wolf of the plains, the tiger cat, the common red fox, black fox or fisher, silver fox, large red fox of the plains, small fox of the plains or kit fox, Antelope, sheep, beaver, common otter, sea Otter, mink, spuck, seal, racoon, large grey squirrel, small brown squirrel, small grey squirrel, ground squirrel, sewelel, Braro, rat, mouse, mole, Panther, hare, rabbit, and polecat or skunk.    all of which shall be severally noticed in the order in which they occur as well as shuch others as I learn do exist and which not been here recapitulated. The horse is confined principally to the nations inhabiting the great plains of Columbia extending from Latitude 40° to 50° N. and occuping the tract of country lying between the rocky mountains and a range of Mountains which pass the columbia river about the great falls or from Longitude 116 to 121 West.    in this extesive tract of principally untimbered country so far as we have leant the following nations reside (viz) the Sosone or snake Indians, the Chopunnish, sokulks, Cutssahnims, Chymnapums, Ehelutes, Eneshuh & Chilluckkittequaws.    all of whom enjoy the bennefit of that docile, generous and valuable anamal the horse, and all of them except the three last have immence numbers of them. Their horses appear to be of an excellent race; they are lofty eligantly formed active and durable; in short many of them look like the fine English coarsers and would make a figure in any country.    some of those horses are pided [pied] with large spots of white irregularly scattered and intermixed with the black brown bey or some other dark colour,   but much the larger portion are of an uniform colour with stars snips and white feet, or in this rispect marked much like our best blooded horses in virginia, which they resemble as well in fleetness and bottom as in form and colours.    the natives suffer them to run at large in the plains, the grass of which furnishes them with their only subsistence their masters taking no trouble to lay in a winters store for them, but they even keep fat if not much used on the dry grass of the plains during the winter.    no rain scarcely ever falls in these plains and the grass is short and but thin. The natives [WC?: except those near the R. monts] appear to take no pains in scelecting their male horses from which they breed, in short those of that discription which I have noticed appeared much the most indifferent.    whether the horse was orrigeonally a native of this country or not it is out of my power to determine as we can not understand the language of the natives sufficiently to ask the question.    at all events the country and climate appears well adapted to this anamal.    horses are said to be found wild in many parts of this extensive plain country.    the several tribes of Sosones who reside towards Mexico on the waters of Clark's [NB: Multnomah]  river or particularly one of them called Shâ-bo-bO with acute lowercase symbol-ah  have also a great number of mules, which among the Indians I find are much more highly prized than horses.    an eligant horse may be purchased of the natives in this country for a lew peads [few beads] or other paltry trinkets which in the U' States would not cost more than one or two dollars. This abundance and cheapness of horses will be extremely advantageous to those who may hereafter attemt the fir trade to the East Indies by way of the Columbia river and the Pacific Ocean.—    the mules in the possession of the Indians are principally stolen from the Spaniards of Mexeco;  they appear to be large and fine such as we have seen. Among the Sosones of the upper part of the S. E. fork of the Columbia we saw several horses with spanish brands on them which we supposed had been stolen from the inhabitants of Mexeco.—

Gibson receives the standard of that times treatment--saltpeter to make him sweat and opium to reduce the pain.  Lewis seems very able to deal with illness, probably as good as most of the doctors of that era.  He also writes an interesting short essay on most of the West's great assortment of four footed animals.  He makes special notice to the appaloosas but didn't give any credit to the Nez Perce nation for the selective breeding of them.

February 14th Friday, 1806

[Lewis] We are very uneasy with rispect to our sick men at the salt works. Sergt. Pryor and party have not yet returned nor can we conceive what causes their delay. Drewyer visited his traps today and caught a very fine fat beaver on which we feasted this evening.    on the 11th inst. Capt Clark completed a map of the country through which we have been passing from Fort Mandan to this place.      in this map the Missouri Jefferson's river the S. E. branch of the Columbia, Kooskooske   and Columbia from the entrance of the S. E. fork to the pacific Ocean as well as a part of Flathead [WC?: Clarks] river  and our tract across the Rocky Mountains are laid down by celestial observation and survey.    the rivers are also connected at their sources with other rivers agreeably to the information of the natives and the most probable conjecture arrising from their capacities and the relative positions of their rispective entrances which last have with but few exceptions been established by celestial observation. we now discover that we have found the most practicable and navigable passage across the Continent of North America; it is that which we traveled with the exception of that part of our rout from the neighbourhood of the entrance of Dearborn's River untill we arrived on the Flat head [WC?: Clarks] Clarks river at the entrance of Traveler's rest creek;  the distance between those two points would be traveled more advantageously by land as the navigation of the Missouri above the river Dearborn is laborious and 420 miles distant by which no advantage is gained as the rout which we are compelled to travel by land from the source of Jefferson's river to the entrance of Travelers rest Creek is 220 miles being further by 500 miles than that from the entrance of Dearborn's river to the last mentioned point and a much worse rout if Indian information is to be relyed on; from the same information the Flathead river like that of the S. E. fork of the Columbia which heads with Jefferson's and Maddison's Rivers can not be navigated through the Rocky Mountains in consequence of falls & rappids and as a confermation of this fact, we discovered that there were no salmon in the Flathead river, which is the case in the S. E. branch of the Columbia although it is not navigable.    added to this, the Indians further inform us, that the Flathead river runs in the direction of the Rocky Mountains for a great distance to the North before it discharges itself into the Columbia river, which last from the same information from the entrance of the S. E. fork to that of Flathead [WC?: Clarks] river is obstructed with a great number of difficult and dangerous rappids.    considering therefore the danger and difficulties attending the navigation of the Columbia in this part, as well as the circuitous and distant rout formed by itself and the [Flathead] [WC?: Clarks] river we conceive that even admitting the Flathead [WC?: Clarks] river contrary to information to be as navigable as the Columbia river below it's entrance, that the tract by land over the Rocky Mountains usually traveled by the natives from the Entrance of Traveller's-rest Creek to the forks of the Kooskooske is preferable; the same being a distance of 184 Miles. The inferrence therefore deduced from those premices are that the best and most Practicable rout across the Continent is by way of the Missouri [NB: falls of Missouri] to the entrance of Dearborn's river or near that place; from thence to flathead [NB: Clarks] river [NB: by land to] at the entrance of Traveller's rest Creek, from thence up Traveller's rest creek to the forks, from whence you pursue a range of mounttains which divides the waters of the two forks of the Kooskooske river to their junction; from thence to decend this river by water to the S. E. branch of the Columbia, thence down that river to the Columbia and with the latter to the Pacific Ocean.—L

Gibson and Bratton were the two salt works men reported sick three days ago.  Clark finishes a more or less map of the northwest and presents arguments about the route to take for home.  The Flathead river was the currently named Clarks Fork and of course the Kooskooske is the Clearwater.  The Lewis river is Idaho's Salmon and Snake.

February 13th Thursday, 1806

[Clark] The Clatsop left us this morning at 11 A. M.    not anything transpired dureing the day worthy of notice.    yesterday we completed the opperation of drying the meat, and think we have a Sufficient Stock to last us this month.    the Indians inform us that we shall have great abundance of Small fish in March.    which from the discription must be the Herring. Those people have also informed us that one Moore who sometimes touches at this place and traded with the nativs of this Coast, had on board his Ship 3 Cows, and that when he left them he continued his course along the N W. Coast. I think this (if those Cows were not Coats [goats]) Strong circumstantial proof that their is a Settlement of white persons at Nootka Sound or Some place to the N W. of us on the coast.

There are also two Species of firn which are common to this Countrey besides that before mentioned of which the nativs eate the roots.    these two from their disparity in point of Size I shall distinguish the large and Small firn.    both species continue green all winter—.

The large fern, rise to the hight of 3 or 4 feet, the Stem is a Common footstalk or rib which proceeds imediately from the radix which is Somewhat flat on two Sides about the Size of a man's arm and covered with innumerable black coarse capillary radicles which issue from every part of its surface; one of those roots or a collected bead of them will Send forth from 20 to 40 of those Common footstalks all of which decline or bend outwards from the Common center.    those ribs are cylindric and marked longitudinally their whole length with a groove or channel on their upper Side.    on either Side of this groove a little below it's edge, the leafets are inserted, being partly petiolate for about ⅔ds of the length of the middle rib, commenceing at the bottom and from thence to the extremity Sessile.    the rib is termonated by a Single undevided lanceolate gagged leafet.    the leafets are lanceolate, from 2 to 4 inches in length gagged and have a Small accute angular projection and obliquely cut at the base on either Side of the rib of the leafet.    on upper Surface is Smooth and of a deep Green, the under disk of a pale Green and covered with a brown Substance of a woolly appearance particalarly near the center fiber or rib    these leafets are alternately pointed      they are in number from 110 to 140; shortest at the two extremities of the common footstalk and longest in the center, gradually lengthing and diminishing as they Suckceed each other.—.

The Small firn also rises with a Common footstalk from the radix and are from 4 to 8 in number, about 8 inches long; the Central rib marked with a Slight longitudinal Groove through out it's whole length.    the leafets are oppositly pinnate about ⅓ of the length of the Common footstalk from the bottom and thence alternately pinnate; the footstalk termonating in a Simple undevided nearly entire lanceolate leafet.    the leafets are oblong, obtuse, convex absolutely entire, marked on the upper disk with a Slight longitudinal grove in place of the central rib, smooth and of a deep green; near the upper extremity those lefets are decurscivily pinnate as are also those of the larg firn.

The Grass's of this neighbourhood are generally coarse harsh and Sedge like, and grow in large tufts.    there is none except in the open grounds.    near the Coast on the top of Some of the untimbered hills there is a finer and Softer Species which resembles much the Greensword.    the Salt marshes also produce a Corse grass, Bullrushes and the Cattail flaggs.    of the two last the nativs make great use in prepareing their mats bags &c.    in those bags they Carry their fish Berries roots &c.

The Captains seem confident their dried elk meat will last out the month which takes the pressure off a bit.  After the jerky fresh fish would probably taste really well. An interesting foot note appears with this post mulling whether or not there was a permanent European settlement between California and Alaska at this time, but trading ships did winter at Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Moore's cows, or goats, may have been intended to enhance the comfort of such a stay.

February 12th Wednesday, 1806

[Lewis]  This morning we were visited by a Clatsop man who brought with him three dogs as a remuneration for the Elk which him self and nation had stolen from us some little time since, how ever the dogs took the alarm and ran off; we suffered him to remain in the fort all night.

There are two species of ever green shrubs which I first met with at the grand rappids of the Columbia and which I have since found in this neighbourhood also; they grow in rich dry ground not far usually from some watercourse.    the roots of both species are creeping and celindric. the stem of the 1st is from a foot to 18 inches high and as large as a goosqull; it is simple unbranced and erect.    it's leaves are cauline, compound and spreading.    the leafets are jointed and oppositely pinnate, 3 pare & terminating in one, sessile, widest at the base and tapering to an accuminated point, an inch and a quarter the greatest width, and 3 inches & a ¼ in length.    each point of their crenate margins armed with a subulate thorn or spine and are from 13 to 17 in number.    they are also veined, glossy, carinated and wrinkled; their points obliquely pointing towards the extremity of the common footstalk.—    The stem of the 2nd  is procumbent abot the size of the former, jointed and unbranched.    it's leaves are cauline, compound and oppositely pinnate; the rib from 14 to 16 inches long celindric and smooth.    the leafets 2½ inches long and 1 inch wide.    greatest width ½ inch from their base, to which they are regularly rounded, and from the same point tapering to an accute apex, wich is mostly, but not invariably tirminated with a small subulate thorn.    they are jointed and oppositely pinnate, consisting of 6 pare and terminating in one, sessile serrate, or like the teeth of a whipsaw, each point terminating in a small subulate spine, being from 25 to 27 in number; veined, smooth, plane and of a deep green, their points tending obliquely towards the extremity of the rib or common footstalk. I do not know the fruit or flower of either.    the 1st resembles the plant common to many parts of the U' States called the mountain holley.

Appears like the dogs figured things out.  It'll be interesting to see what the next step in "dogs for elk" will be.  The green shrubs Lewis mentions can be found over most of the northwestern states, the Oregon grape. It was used for food, dye, and medicine by regional tribes.

February 11th Tuesday, 1806

[Clark]  This Morning Serjt. Gass R. Field and J. Thompson passed the Netul opposit to us on a hunting expedition. Sent Serjeant Natl. Pryor with 4 men in a Canoe to bring gibson to the Fort.    also Sent Colter & P. Weser to the Salt works to carry on the business with Jos. Field; as bratten is also Sick we derected that he Should return to the fort if he continued unwell;

There is Shrub which grows Commonly in this neighbourhood which grows on the Steep Sides of the hills and also in low moist grounds, and rise to the hight of 5 or 6 feet with a large peteolate, Spreading plain crenate and Somewhat woolly leaf like the rose raspberry.    it is much branched the bark of a redish brown colour and is covered with a number of Short hooked thorns which renders it extreamly disagreeable to pass among, it does not cast its foliage untill about the 1st of December.

There is a Species of bryor  which is common in this neighbourhood of a green colour which grows most abundant in the rich dry lands near the water courses, but is also found in Small quantities in the piney lands at a distance from the water Courses in the former Situations the Stem is frequently the Size of a mans finger and rise perpendicularly to the hight of 4 or 5 feet when it decends in an arch and becoms procumbent or rests on Some neighbouring plant or Srubs; it is Simple unbranched and celindric; in the latter Situation it is much Smaller, and usially procumbent.    the Stem is armed with Sharp and hooked bryors.    the leaf is peteolate, ternate and resembles in Shape and appearance that of the purple Raspberry common to the atlantic States. The frute is a berry resembling the Blackberry in every respect and is eaten when ripe and much esteemed by the nativs but is not dryed for winters Consumption.    in the Countrey about the enterance of the quick Sand river  first discovered this bryor, it grows So abundantly in the furtile Vally of Columbia and on the Islands in that part of the river, that the Countrey near the river is almost impenitrable in maney places. This green Bryor retains its leaf or foliage and virdue untill late in December. The Briory bush with a wide leaf is also one of its ascociates.

Clark reshuffles his salt making crew because of their health and describes first, the Pacific Blackberry and then the Salmonberry as a "bryor".  Both captains have more or less given up listing the weather in each post.  Guess it's still raining.

February 10th Monday, 1806

[Lewis]   Drewyer visited his traps today but caught no beaver. Collins and Wiser returned had killed no Elk. Willard arrived late in the evening from the Saltworks, had cut his knee very badly with his tommahawk. he had killed four Elk not far from the Salt works the day before yesterday, which he had butched and took a part of the meat to camp, but having cut his knee was unable to be longer ucefull at the works and had returned.    he informed us that Bratton was very unwell, and that Gibson was so sick that he could not set up or walk alone and had desired him to ask us to have him brought to the Fort. Coalter also returned this evening.    continue the operation of drying our meat.

There is a tree  common to the Columbia river below the entrance of cataract river  which in it's appearance when divested of it's foliage, much resembles the white ash; the appearance of the wood and bark is also that of the ash.    it's stem is simple branching and diffuse.    the leaf is petiolate, plane, scattered, palmate lobate, divided by four deep sinuses; the lobes are repand, or terminate in from 3 to 5 accute angular points, while their margins are indented with irregular and somewhat circular incissures.    the petiole is celendric smooth and 7 inches long.    the leaf 8 inches in length and 12 in bredth.    this tree is frequently 3 feet in diameter and rises to 40 or 50 feet high.    the fruit is a winged seed somewhate like the maple.    in the same part of the country there is also another growth  which resembles the white maple in it's appearance, only that it is by no means so large; seldom being more than from 6 to 9 inches in diamater, and from 15 to 20 feet high; they frequently grow in clusters as if from the same bed of roots spreading and leaning outwards.    the twigs are long and slender.    the stems simple branching.    the bark smooth and in colour resembling that of the white maple.    the leaf is petiolate, plane, scattered nearly circular, with it's margin cut with accute angular incissures of an inch in length and from six to 8 in number the accute angular points formed by which incissures are crenate, or cut with small accute angular incissures.    or in this form.   it is 3 inches in length, and 4 in width.    the petiole celindric smooth and one and a ¼ inches long. the fruit or flower not known.

Suprisingly,  the salt works man, Willard, has some luck with elk hunting, despite a bad knee.  The meat "jerkers" will undoubtedly stay busy for some time.  The two trees Lewis describes are the Bigleaf  and Vine Maple.

February 9th Sunday, 1806

[Clark]   This morning Collins & Wiser Set out on a hunting excurtion; in the evening Drewyer returned; had Killed nothing but one Beaver.    he Saw one black Bear, which is the only one which has been seen in the neighbourhood Since our arrival.    the Indians inform us that they are abundant but are now in their holes.

In the marshey grounds frequently overflown by the tides there grows a Species of fir which I took to be the Same of No. 5.    from examonation I find it a distinct species of fir.    it is more perfusely branched. This tree Seldom rises to a greater hight than 35 or 40 feet and is from 2 to 4 feet in Diamieter; the Bark the Same with that of No. 1. only reather more rugid.    the leaf is acerose, 2/10 of an inch in width and ¾ in length, they are firm Stiff and Somewhat accuminated, ending in a Short pointed hard tendril, gibbous thickly scattered on all Sides of the bough as respects the 3 upper Sides only; those which have their insertion on the underside incline side- wise with their points upwards giveing the leaf the Shape of a Sythe.    the others are perpindicular or pointing upwards,

growing as in No. 1 from Small triangular pedestals of a Soft Spungy elastic bark.    the under disk of these leaves or that which grows nearest to the Base of the bough is of a dark glossy green, while the upper or opposit side is of a whiteish pale green; in this respect differing from almost all leaves. The boughs retain their leaves as far back as almost to the Sixth year's groth.    the peculiarity of the budscales observed in No. 1 is obsd. in this Species. The Cone is 3½ Inches in length, and 3 in circumfranse, of an ovale figure being thickest in the middle and tapering and terminateing in two obtuce points.    it composes several flexable, thin, obtusely jointed Smoth and redish brown imbricated scales.    each scale Covering two small winged Seed and being itself Covered in the center by a small thin inferior scale accutely pointed. The Cone is Some what of this figure.    they proceed from the sides as well as the extremities of the bough, but in the former case allways at or near the Commencement of Some one years groth which in Some instances are as far back as the third year.—.

The Stem of the Black Alder of this countrey before mentioned as ariveing at great Size, is Simple branching and defuse.    the bark is Smoth of a light Colour with white Coloured Spredding Spots or blothces, resembling much that of beech.    the leaf is procisely that of the Common alder of the United States or Virginia.    those trees grow Seperately from different roots and not in Clusters or Clumps, as those of the atlantic States, casts its folage about the 1st of December.

Fearing that our meat would Spoil we Set Six men to jurking it to day, which they are obliged to perform in a house under shelter from the repeated rains.

Again, a day with no hunting success with only a beaver to show.  This doesn't seem too disappointing what with all the elk meat on hand which several of the Party are jerking.  One forgets how complicated it was keeping meat from spoiling without refrigeration or freezers.  Elk meat still seems the easiest to spoil but beef and pork had to be handled with great care.  Late fall was the preferred butchering time and beef would keep through the winter.  Pork was salted down or cured, and then smoked in early spring.  Leftover beef in the spring was often canned after pressure cooking was invented and available.

February 8th Saturday, 1806

[Lewis]  Sent Sergt. Ordway and two men this morning to join the party with Sergt. Gass and bring the ballance of R. Fields's Elk.    in the evening they returned with the balance of the flesh of five Elk, that of one of them having become tainted and unfit for uce.    late in the evening Sergt. Pryor returned with Shannon Labuish and his party down the Netul. they brought with them the flesh of 4 Elk which those two hunters had killed.    we have both dined and suped on Elk's tongues and marrow bones.

I have discovered that the shrub and fruit discribed on the 26th of January is not that which the Indians call the Shal-lon, but that is such as is there discribed, and the berry is estemed and used by the natives as there mentioned except that it is not like the shallon, baked in large loaves, but is simply dryed in the sun for winter uce, when they either eat them in thir dryed state or boil them in water. The Shallon is the production of a shrub which I have heretofore taken to be a speceis of loral and mentioned as abounding in this neighbourhood and that the Elk fed much on it's leaves.    it generally rises to the hight of 3 feet but not unusually attains to that of 5 feet.    it grows very thick and is from the size of a goos quill to that of a man's thumb, celindric, the bark of the older or larger part of the stock is of a redish brown colour while that of the younger branches and succulent shoots are red where most exposed to the sun and green elsewhere.    the stem is simple branching reclining, and partially fluxouse, or at least the smaler stocks or such parts of them and the boughs

as produce the leaves, take a different direction at the insertion of every petiole.    the leaf is oval four & ¾ inches in length and 2½ in width.    petiolate, the petiole short only ⅜th of an inch in length, celindric with a slight channel on it's upper side where it is generally red; undivided or entire, slightly serrate, the apex termineating in an accute point; the upper disk of a glossey deep green, the under disk of a pale green; veined.    the leaves are also alternate and two ranked.    the root is horizontal puting forth perpendicular radicles.    this shrub is an evergreen.    the fruit is a deep perple berry about the size of a buck short or common black cherry, of an ovate form tho reather more bluntly pointed, than at the insertion of the peduncle; at the extremity, the thin coloured membranous pellicle, which forms the surface of the pericarp, is divided into five accute angular points, which meet in the center, and contains a soft pulp of the same colour invelloping a great number of small brown kidney formed seeds.    each berry is supported by a seperate celindric peduncle of half an inch in length; these to the number of ten or twelve issue from a common peduncle or footstalk which is fuxouse and forms the termination of the twig of the present years growth; each peduncle supporting a berry is furnished with one oblong bracte places at it's insertion on the common foots[talk] which when the fruit is ripe withers with the peduncle.—

Suddenly the Party is practically swimming in elk meat, coming in from all points.  Lewis gives another of his long essays on the edible fruit of local shrubs and trees.

February 7th Friday, 1806

[Lewis]   This evening Sergt. Ordway and Wiser returned with a part of the meat which R. Fields had killed; the ballance of the party with Sergt. Gass remained in order to bring the ballance of the meat to the river at a point agreed on where the canoe is to meet them again tomorrow morning. This evening we had what I call an excellent supper it consisted of a marrowbone a piece and a brisket of boiled Elk that had the appearance of a little fat on it.    this for Fort Clatsop is living in high stile. In this neighbourhood I observe the honeysuckle  common in our country    I first met with it on the waters of the Kooskooske near the Chopunnish nation, and again below the grand rappids In the Columbian Valley on tidewater. The Elder also common to our country grows in great abundance in the rich woodlands on this side of the rocky Mountains; tho' it differs Here in the colour of it's berry, this being of a pale sky blue while that of the U' States is a deep perple. The seven bark or nine-bark as it is called in the U' States is also common in this quarter. There is a species of huckleberry  common to the piny lands from the commencement of the Columbian valley to the seacoast; it rises to the hight of 6 or 8 feet.    is a simple branching some what defuse stem; the main body or trunk is cilindric and of a dark brown, while the colateral branches are green smoth, squar, and put forth anumber of alternate branches of the same colour and form from the two horizontal sides only.    the fruit is a small deep perple berry which the natives inform us is very good.    the leaf is thin of a pale green and small being ¾ of an inch in length and ⅜ in width; oval terminateing more accutely at the apex than near the insertion of the footstalk which is at the base; veined, nearly entire, serrate but so slightly so that it is scarcely perceptile; footstalk short and there position with rispect to each other is alternate and two ranked, proceeding from the horizontal sides of the bough only. The small pox has distroyed a great number of the natives in this quarter.    it prevailed about 4 years since among the Clatsops and distroy several hundred of them, four of their chiefs fell victyms to it's ravages.    those Clatsops are deposited in their canoes on the bay a few miles below us. I think the late ravages of the small pox may well account for the number of remains of vilages which we find deserted on the river and Sea coast in this quarter.—

Lewis savors the better quality of the elk meat killed to the east of Fort Clatsop.  This area has more open prairies where the feed is still a bit green.  He also writes description of fruit bearing shrubs and trees, including the Western Huckleberry, seemingly a real favorite of the natives.  He is also clearly has knowledge of the small pox epidemics that killed so many natives in this area as well as the entire western hemisphere.

February 6th Thursday, 1806

[Clark]  Sent Serjt. Gass and party this morning with Ru Field to bring in the Elk which Field had killed.    late in the evening Serjt. Pryor returned with the flsh of about 2 Elk and four skins the Indians haveing taken the ballance of Seven Elk which Drewyer killed the other day. I find that those people will all Steal.

No. 3 a Species of fir, which one of my men inform me is presisely the Same with that called the balsam fir of Canada.    it grows here to considerable Size, being from 2½ to 4 feet in diameeter and rises to the hight of 100 or 120 feet.    it's Stem is Simple branching assending and proliferous—.    it's leaves are cessile, acerose, ⅛ of an inch in length and 1/16 of an inch in width, thickly scattered on all Sides of the twigs as far as the groth of four proceeding years, and respects the three undersides only, the upper Side being neglected and the under Side but thinly furnished; gibbous a little declineing, obtusely pointed, Soft flexable, and the upper disk longitudinally marked wth a Slight Channel; this disk is of a glossy deep green, the under one green tho paler and not glossy. This tree affords a considerable quantity of a fine Clear arromatic Balsom in appearance and taste like the Canadian balsom. Small pustuls filled with the balsom rise with a blister like appearance on the body of the tree and it's branches; the bark which covers these pustules is Soft thin Smothe and easily punctured.    the bark of the [tree] is generally thin of a dark brown colour and reather Smooth tho' not as much so as the white pine of the U. States the wood is white and Soft.

No. 4 a Species of fir which in point of Size is much that of No 2,—. the Stem Simple branching assending and proliferous; the bark of a redish dark brown and thicker than that of No. 3.    it is devided with Small longitudinal interstices, but these are not So much ramefied as in the Specis No. 2.    the leaves with respect to their possition in reguard to each other is the Same with the balsam fir, as is the leaf in every other respect than that, it is not more than ⅔ds the width and little more than half the length of the other, nor is it's upper disk of so deep a green nor glossy.    it affords no balsam, and but little rosin.    the wood also white Soft and reather porus tho' tough—.—    No. 5 is a species of fir which arives to the Size of No. 2, and No. 4.    the Stem Simple branching, diffuse and proliferous.    the bark thin dark brown, much divided with Small longitudinal interstices scaleing off in thin rolling flakes.    it affords but little rosin and the wood is redish white 2/3ds of the diamieter in the Center the ballance white Somewhat porus and tough.    the twigs are much longer and more slender than in either of the other speceies.    the leaves are acerose 1/20 of an inch in width, and an inch in length, sessile, inserted on all Sides of the bough, Streight, their extremities pointing obliquely towards the extremities of the bough and more thickly placed than in either of the other Species; gibbous and flexable but more stiff than any except No. 1 and more blontly pointed than either of the other Species; the upper disk has a Small longitudinal Channel and is of a deep green tho' not so Glossy as the balsam fir, the under disk is of a pail green. No. 6 the White pine; or what is usially So Called in Virginia. I see no difference between this and that of the mountains in Virginia; unless it be the uncommon length of the cone of this found here, which are Sometimes 16 or 18 inches in length and about 4 inches in Surcumfrance. I do not recollect tose of Virginia, but it Strikes me that they are not So long.    this Species is not common I have Seen it only in three instances since I have been in this neighbourhood, I saw a few on Haleys bay on the North Side of the Columbia River, a fiew scattering on the Sea coast to the North on one of which I engraved by name—and Some on the S S E Side of E co la Creek near the Kil â mox nation, at which place I Saw the white & red Cedar—

Well now, seems that the natives have relieved our party of several head of dead elk.  They'll have to compensate by killing more I guess.  Clark continues both the captains discourse on Fir trees working up to a #6 which Clark calls a white pine which is much the same as the white pines of Virginia and is rather rare at their present site of Fort Clatsop.

February 5th Wednesday, 1806

[Lewis]   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 ¼ 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.

Every party member will certainly be pleased with the recovery of the Indian canoe lost earlier by not having it high enough out of the water to avoid the incoming tide.  Also, the last few days have been excellent for elk hunting and it appears that if they get them all brought in and jerked, there should be enough food for the rest of the month at least.  The "fir" Lewis describes is not fir but Western Hemlock.

February 4th Tuesday, 1806

[Clark]  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. 1,) 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 a[s] 36 feet in the Girth, or 12 feet Diameter perfectly Solid & entire.    they frequently rise to the hight of 230 feet, and 120 or 130 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 acerose ½ a line in width, and ¾ 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 in common and I have counted as maney as the growth 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.—

They're still searching for the lost elk meat and have discovered that the elk from the open country behind them are in better shape.  Clark gives good descriptions of the great fir trees near Fort Clatsop.

February 3rd Monday, 1806

[Lewis]  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 ¾ 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.

Finally, meat of four of the ten elk killed previously has been brought to the camp and  Drewyer  kills seven more.  They should feel comfortable about their meat supply for a few days at least.  The salt making is a slow business with only about a third of their target of three bushels refined.

February 2nd Sunday, 1806

[Clark]   Not any accurrence to day worthy of notice; but all are pleased, that one month of the time which binds us to fort Clatsop, and which Seperates us from our friends, has now alapsed.

The games of amusements of the natives of this neighbourhood are Several, one of which is verry similar to one which the Sosone's & Minatare's are verry fond of and frequently play.    they devide themselves into two parties and play for a common wager to which each individual Contributes to form the Stock of his party, one of them holdes the piece which is usually about the Size of a Bean, and Some one of the oposit party gesses which hand Contains, if he hits on the hand which Contains it, the piece is transfired to the opposit party and the victor Counts one, if he misses the party Still retains the piece and scores one, but the individual transfirs the piece to Some one of his own party; the game is Set to any number they think proper.    they always accompany their opperations with a particular Song. The amusements of the boys of all nations which I am acquainted with are generally the Bows and arrows.

All nations of Indians with which I am acquainted are excessive fond of their games of risk, and bet away Species of property of which they are possessed.

The nativs of this neighbourhood have a Small Dog which they make usefull only in hunting Elk.

No word from the lost elk meat locaters and not much of anything else to report, so Clark does a short essay on the natives' love of different gambling games. He also notes the welcome passage of another month.  Home must seem an awfully long distance away.

February 1st Saturday 1806

[Lewis]   This morning a party of four men set out with Joseph Fields; Sergt. Gass with a party of five men again set out up the Netul river in surch of the Elk which had been killed some days since, and which could not be found in consequence of the snow. The Canoes of the naives inhabiting the lower portion of the Columbia River make their canoes remarkably neat light and well addapted for riding high waves. I have seen the natives near the coast riding waves in these canoes with safety and apparently without concern where I should have thought it impossible for any vessel of the same size to lived a minute.    they are built of whitecedar or Arborvita generally, but sometimes of the firr.    they are cut out of a solid stick of timber, the gunwals at the upper edge foald over outwards and are about ⅝ of an inch thick and 4 or five broad, and stand horrizontally forming a kind of rim to the canoe to prevent the water beating into it.    they are all furnished with more or less crossbars in proportion to the size of the canoe.    these bars are round sticks about half the size of a man's arm, which are incerted through holes

made in either side of the canoe just below the rim of the gunwall and are further secured with strings of waytape;   these crossbars serve to lift and manage the canoe on land.    when the natives land they invariably take their canoes on shore, unless they are heavily laden, and then even, if they remain all night, they discharge their loads and take the canoes on shore.    some of the large canoes are upwards of 50 feet long and will carry from 8 to 10 thousand lbs. or from 20 to thirty persons and some of them particularly on the sea coast are waxed painted and ornimented with curious images at bough and Stern; those images sometimes rise to the hight of five feet; the pedestals on which these immages are fixed are sometimes cut out of the solid stick with the canoe, and the imagary is formed of seperate small peices of timber firmly united with tenants and motices without assistance of a single spike of any kind.    when the natives are engaged in navigating their canoes one sets in the stern and steers with a paddle the others set by pears and paddle over the gunwall next them, they all kneel in the bottom of the canoe and set on their feet.    their paddles are of a uniform shape of which this is an imitation    these paddles are made very thin and the middle of the blade is thick and hollowed out siddonly and made thin at the sides while the center forms a kind of rib.    the blade occupys about one third of the length of the paddle which is usually from 4½ to 5 feet. I have observed four forms of canoe only in uce among the nations below the grand chatarac of this river    they are as follows.    this is the smallest size  about 15 feet long and calculated for one or two persons, and are most common among the Cathlahmahs and Wâck ki a cums among the marshey Islands. A the bow; B, the stern; these  are from twenty to thirty five feet and from two ½ to 3 feet in the beam and about 2 feet in the hole; this canoe is common to all the nations below the grand rappids.    it is here made deeper and shorter in proportion than they really are.—    the bowsprit from C, to D is brought to a sharp edge tapering gradually from the sides.

This is the most common form  of the canoe in uce among the Indians from; the chil-luck-kit-te-quaw inclusive to the Ocean and is usually about 30 or 35 feet long, and will carry from ten to twelve persons.    4 men are competent to carry them a considerable distance say a mile without resting. A is the end which they use as the bow, but which on first sight I took to be the stern    C. D. is a comb cut of the sollid stick with the canoe and projects from the center of the end of the canoe being about 1 inch thirck it's sides parallel and edge at C D. sharp.    it is from 9 to 11 Inches in length and extends from the underpart of the bowsprit at A to the bottom of the canoe at D.—    the stern B. is mearly rounding and graduly ascending.    1 2 3 represents the rim of the gunwalls about 4 Inches wide, reather ascending as they recede from the canoe.    4 5 6 7 8 are the round holes through which the cross bars are inserted.—

This form of canoe  we did not meet with untill we reached tidewater or below the grand rappids.    from thence down it is common to all the nations but more particularly the Killamucks and others of the coast. these are the largest canoes. B. is the bow and comb. C. the stern and comb.    their immages are representations of a great variety of grotesque figures, any of which might be safely worshiped without committing a breach of the commandments.

They have but few axes among them, and the only too usually imployed in felling the trees or forming the canoe, carving &c is a chiseel formed of an old file about an Inch or an Inch and a half broad.    this chissel has sometimes a large block of wood for a handle; they grasp the chissel just below the block with the right hand holding the edge down while with the left they take hold of the top of the block and strick backhanded against the wood with the edge of the chissel.   a person would suppose that the forming of a large canoe with an instrument like this was the work of several years; but these people make them in a few weeks. they prize their canoes very highly; we have been anxious to obtain some of them, for our journey up the river but have not been able to obtain one as yet from the natives in this neighbourhood.—

   

Today we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured in leaden canesters.    we found twenty seven of the best rifle powder, 4 of common rifle, thre