Clark: February 19, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, Sergeant Ordway departed overland with a party for the salt works, while Sergeant Gass returned with eight elk carcasses and seven skins, leaving Shannon and Labiche across the Netul River to continue hunting. The skins were divided among the messes to prepare baggage covers for the spring journey. The sick are recovering slowly; Bratten remains weak with back pain, and a dose of Scott's pills had no effect. Clark also recorded detailed observations on regional foxes, including the black fox (fisher), the rare silver fox, the red and kit foxes, and the common grey fox.
Wednesday February 19th 1806. Sergt. Ordway Set out again with a party to
the Salt works by land. in the evening Sergt. Gass returned with the flesh
of Eight Elk, and Seven Skins haveing left one Skin with Shannon and
Labiche who remained over the Netul to Continue the chase. we devided the
Skins between the messes in order that they might be prepared for Covering
the baggage when we Set out in the Spring. our Sick appear to Strengthen
but Slowly I gave Bratten 6 of Scotts pills which did not work him. he is
very weak and Complains of his back.
The black Fox or as they are more frequently Called by the N West Trader
Fisher is found in the woody country on this Coast. how this Animal
obtained the name of fisher I know not, but certain it is, that the name
is not appropriate, as it does not prey on or Seek it as a prey-. they are
extreeinly active Strong and made for climbing which they do with great
agility, and bound from tree to tree in pursute of the squirel or Rackoon,
their natural and most usual food. their Colour is a jut Black except a
Small Spot of white on the breast. the body is long, legs Short and formed
Something like the turnspit Dog, with a remarkable long tail. it does not
differ here from those of the United States.
The Silver Fox this animale is very rare even in the Countrey where it
exists, I have never Seen more than the Skins of this Animal and those
were in the possession of the nativs of the woody Country below the Great
falls of the Columbia, from which I think it is most probably they are the
inhabitants of the woody country exclusively. from the Skins, it appeard
to be about the Size of the large red Fox of the plains and much of its
form with a large tail. the legs I think somewhat longer it has a fine
long deep fur poil. the poil is of a dark lead colour and the long hairs
intermixed with it, are either white or black at the lower part, and white
at top, the whole mixture forming a butifull Silver Grey. I think this the
handsomest of all the Fox Species, except a Species of which I Saw one
running, and Capt Lewis had a good view of another of the Same Species on
the Missouri near the natural walls. The large red fox of the plains, and
the Kit fox are the Same which we met with on the Missouri and are the
inhabitants almost exclusively of the open plains, or of the copse of
bushes within the plain country. the Common red or grey fox of the United
States is also found in the woody country on this coast, nor does it
appear to be altered in respect to it’s fur colour or any other
particular. we have Seen none of the large red fox.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday, February 19th, 1806. Sergeant Ordway set out again with a party to the salt works by land. In the evening Sergeant Gass returned with the flesh of eight elk and seven skins, having left one skin with Shannon and Labiche, who remained across the Netul to continue the hunt. We divided the skins between the messes so that they might be prepared for covering the baggage when we set out in the spring. Our sick appear to be gaining strength, but only slowly. I gave Bratten six of Scott's pills, which did not work on him. He is very weak and complains of his back.
The black fox, or as it is more frequently called by the Northwest traders, the fisher, is found in the wooded country on this coast. How this animal obtained the name of fisher I do not know, but it is certain that the name is not appropriate, since it does not prey on fish or seek them as prey. They are extremely active and strong and well made for climbing, which they do with great agility, bounding from tree to tree in pursuit of the squirrel or raccoon, their natural and most usual food. Their color is a jet black except for a small spot of white on the breast. The body is long, the legs short and formed something like the turnspit dog, with a remarkably long tail. It does not differ here from those of the United States.
The silver fox: this animal is very rare even in the country where it exists. I have never seen more than the skins of this animal, and those were in the possession of the natives of the wooded country below the Great Falls of the Columbia, from which I think it most probable that they are the inhabitants of the wooded country exclusively. From the skins, it appeared to be about the size of the large red fox of the plains and much of its form, with a large tail. The legs, I think, are somewhat longer. It has a fine, long, deep fur coat. The fur is of a dark lead color, and the long hairs intermixed with it are either white or black at the lower part and white at the top, the whole mixture forming a beautiful silver gray. I think this is the handsomest of all the fox species, except for a species of which I saw one running, and Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) had a good view of another of the same species on the Missouri near the natural walls. The large red fox of the plains and the kit fox are the same as those we met with on the Missouri and are the inhabitants almost exclusively of the open plains, or of the patches of bushes within the plains country. The common red or gray fox of the United States is also found in the wooded country on this coast, and it does not appear to be altered with respect to its fur, color, or any other particular. We have seen none of the large red fox.
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