Clark: February 26, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, the captains sent out multiple hunting and fishing parties to address dwindling food supplies, which had been reduced to three days of tainted dried elk. Drouillard and two men took the Indian canoe up the Columbia for sturgeon and anchovies or to trade for fish, while Shields, Joseph Field, and Shannon hunted elk up the Netul, and Reubin Field hunted toward Point Adams. Clark also recorded detailed descriptions of local animals, including the sewellel (whose skins natives use for robes), rats, mice, moles, panthers, and polecats.
Wednesday February 26th 1806 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 ammale 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 2/3ds 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 Animate. 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 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.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday February 26th 1806. This morning we dispatched Drewyer and two men in our Indian canoe up the Columbia River to catch sturgeon and anchovy. If they were unsuccessful in fishing, we directed them to purchase fish from the natives, for which purpose we had furnished them with a few articles such as the natives 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 toward the prairies and Point Adams. Thus we hope shortly to replenish our stock of provisions, which is now reduced to a mere minimum. We have only three days' provisions in store, and that of the most inferior dried elk, a little tainted. What a prospect for good living at Fort Clatsop at present.
Se-we-lel is the Clatsop and Chinook name for a small animal found in the timbered country on this coast. It is more abundant in the neighborhood of the great falls and rapids of the Columbia than immediately on the coast. The natives make great use of the skins of this animal in forming their robes, which they dress with the fur on them and attach together with the sinews of the elk or deer. I have never seen the animal and can therefore only describe it from the skin and a slight view which some of our party have obtained of the living 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 rather short and flat, that he saw one of them run up a tree like a squirrel, 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 color, a reddish brown; though the base of the long hairs exceeds the fur but little in length, as well as the fur itself is of a dark color for at least two-thirds of its 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 are of a reddish brown, that color predominates in the ordinary appearance of the animal. I took this animal to be about the size of the barking squirrel of the Missouri, and believe most probably that it is of the Mustela genus, or perhaps the brown mongoose itself. I have in many instances endeavored to make the natives sensible how anxious I was to obtain one of those animals entire, without being skinned, 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 robes made of those skins to line a waistcoat of the sea otter, which I have made, and Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) a tiger cat skin coat lined with them also. They make a very pleasant light lining.
The rat in the Rocky Mountains on its west side is like those on the upper part of the Missouri in and near those mountains, and has the distinguishing 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 described.
There are rats in this neighborhood, 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 has no hair on its 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 rather larger; is of a lighter color, bordering more on the lead or drab color; the hair longer; and the female has only four teats, which are placed far back near the hinder legs. This rat I have seen in the southern parts of the State of Kentucky and west of the Miami.
The mouse and mole of this neighborhood 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 States, 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 remarkably shy and watchful that it is extremely difficult 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 neighborhood of the Great Falls and Narrows of that river, where they live in the cliffs along the river and feed on the offal of the Indian fishing shores. They are the same as those of other parts of North America.
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