Clark: February 25, 1806
Heavy rain and wind kept the party confined to Fort Clatsop, and the visiting Indians departed for their village in the morning. Willard's condition worsened slightly while the other sick men continued to recover. Persistent bad weather has prevented celestial observations throughout the stay. Clark purchased about half a bushel of small fish from the Clatsops, caught roughly 40 miles up the Columbia with scooping nets. Unfamiliar with the species, he sketched it life-size and recorded a detailed anatomical description, judging the roasted fish more delicious than any he had previously eaten.
Tuesday February 25th 1806 It continued to rain and blow So violently that
there was no movement of the party to day. the Indians left us in the
morning on their return to their village. Willard Somewhat worse the
others are on the recovery. we are mortified at not haveing it in our
power to make more Celestial observations since we have been at Fort
Clatsop, but Such has been the State of the weather that we have found it
utterly impractiable-. I purchased of the Clatsops this morning about half
a bushel of Small fish which they had cought about 40 miles up the
Columbia in their scooping nets. as this is an uncommon fish to me and one
which no one of the party has ever Seen. on the next page I have drawn the
likeness of them as large as life; it’s 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 blueish duskey colour and that of the lower part
of the Sides and belly is of a Silvery White. no Spots on any part. the
first of the gills next behind the eye is of a blueish cast, and the
second of a light gold colour nearly white. the puple of the eye is black
and the iris of a silver white. the under jaw exceeds the upper; 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 Malacapterygious Order and 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 manute inspection you would Suppose they had none. they are
filled with roes of a pure white Colour and have Scercely any perceptable
alimentary duct. I found them best when cooked in Indian Stile, which is
by rosting a number of them together on a wooden spit without any previous
preperation whatever. they are so fat that they require no aditional
sauce, and I think them Superior to any fish I ever tasted, even more
dilicate and lussious than the white fish of the Lakes which have
heretofore formed my Standard of excellence among the fishes. I have herd
the fresh anchovey much extoll’d but I hope I shall be pardened for
believeing this quit as good. the bones are So Soft and fine that they
form no obstruction in eating this fish.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday February 25th 1806. 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 is somewhat worse; the others are recovering. We are disappointed at not having it in our power to make more celestial observations since we have been at Fort Clatsop, but the state of the weather has been such that we have found it utterly impracticable.
I purchased from the Clatsops this morning about half a bushel of small fish which they had caught about 40 miles up the Columbia in their scooping nets. As this is an uncommon fish to me, and one which no one of the party has ever seen, on the next page I have drawn the likeness of them as large as life. It is 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 bony but not sharp, though 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 have 20, and 2 half-formed in front. That of the back has eleven rays. All the fins are of a white color. The back is of a bluish dusky color, and the lower part of the sides and belly is of a silvery white. There are no spots on any part. The first of the gills next behind the eye is of a bluish cast, and the second is of a light gold color, nearly white. The pupil of the eye is black and the iris is a silver white. The under jaw exceeds the upper, 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, anchovy, etc. of the Malacopterygious Order and Class Clupea, to which however I think it is more nearly allied than to any other, although it does not have their acute and serrate abdomen, and the under jaw exceeds 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 color and have scarcely any perceptible alimentary duct.
I found them best when cooked in Indian style, which is by roasting a number of them together on a wooden spit without any previous preparation whatever. They are so fat that they require no additional sauce, and I think them superior to any fish I ever tasted, even more delicate and luscious than the white fish of the Lakes, which have heretofore formed my standard of excellence among the fishes. I have heard the fresh anchovy much extolled, but I hope I shall be pardoned for believing this quite as good. The bones are so soft and fine that they form no obstruction in eating this fish.
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