Clark: February 11, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, Sergeant Gass with R. Field and J. Thompson crossed the Netul River to hunt. Sergeant Pryor was sent with four men by canoe to retrieve the ailing Gibson, while Colter and Weiser were dispatched to the salt works to assist Joseph Field; Bratton, also sick, was directed to return to the fort if he did not improve. Clark devoted the rest of the entry to describing local plants, including a thorny shrub, a green briar bearing blackberry-like fruit prized by natives, and a wide-leaved briar bush.
Tuesday February 11th 1806. 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 rivers I 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.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, February 11th, 1806. This morning Sergeant Gass, R. Field, and J. Thompson crossed the Netul opposite us on a hunting expedition. I sent Sergeant Nathaniel Pryor (Nathaniel Pryor) with 4 men in a canoe to bring Gibson to the fort. I also sent Colter and P. Weser to the salt works to carry on the business with Joseph Field (Joseph Field); since Bratton is also sick, we directed that he should return to the fort if he continued unwell. There is a shrub which grows commonly in this neighborhood, on the steep sides of the hills and also in low, moist ground, rising to a height of 5 or 6 feet, with a large petiolate, spreading, flat, crenate, and somewhat woolly leaf like the rose raspberry. It is much branched, the bark is of a reddish-brown color and is covered with a number of short, hooked thorns which make it extremely disagreeable to pass among. It does not shed its foliage until about the 1st of December.
There is a species of brier which is common in this neighborhood, of a green color, which grows most abundantly in the rich, dry lands near the watercourses, but is also found in small quantities in the piney lands at a distance from the watercourses. In the former situations the stem is frequently the size of a man's finger and rises perpendicularly to the height of 4 or 5 feet, when it descends in an arch and becomes procumbent, or rests on some neighboring plant or shrub; it is simple, unbranched, and cylindrical. In the latter situation it is much smaller, and usually procumbent. The stem is armed with sharp and hooked briers. The leaf is petiolate, ternate, and resembles in shape and appearance that of the purple raspberry common to the Atlantic states. The fruit is a berry resembling the blackberry in every respect, and is eaten when ripe and much esteemed by the natives, but is not dried for winter's consumption. In the country about the entrance of the Quicksand River I first discovered this brier; it grows so abundantly in the fertile valley of the Columbia and on the islands in that part of the river that the country near the river is almost impenetrable in many places. This green brier retains its leaf or foliage and verdure until late in December. The briery bush with a wide leaf is also one of its associates.
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