Clark: February 4, 1806
Sergeant Pryor and five men set out again to retrieve the elk Drewyer had killed, while Drewyer himself returned to continue hunting in the same area. Clark notes that elk near the prairies are in better condition than those in the wooded country, since prairie elk feed on green grass and rushes while wooded-area elk subsist mainly on huckleberry, fern, and an evergreen shrub called shallon. Clark then begins a detailed botanical description of local fir species, starting with an enormous variety reaching up to 230 feet tall and 36 feet in girth.
Tuesday February 4th 1806 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. i,) 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 as 36 feet in
the Girth, or 12 feet Diameter perfectly Solid & entire. they
frequently rise to the hight of 230 feet, and 120 or 30 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 accerose 1/2 a line
in width, and 3/4 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 is common and I have counted as maney as
the groth 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.
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Tuesday February 4th 1806. Sergeant Pryor (Sgt. 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 condition in the point near the prairies than they are in the wooded country around us or up the Netul. In the prairies they feed on grass and rushes, which are still green. In the wooded country their food is huckleberry bushes, fern, and the shallon, an evergreen shrub which resembles the laurel in some measure; the last constitutes the greater part of their food and grows abundantly throughout all the timbered country, particularly the hillsides and the more broken parts of it.
There are several species of fir in this neighborhood which I shall describe as well as my botanical skill will enable me, and for the convenience of comparison with each other I shall number them.
(No. 1) A species which grows to an immense size; very commonly 27 feet in circumference at 6 feet above the surface of the earth, and in several instances we have found them as much as 36 feet in girth, or 12 feet in diameter, perfectly solid and entire. They frequently rise to the height of 230 feet, with 120 or 130 of that height without a limb. This timber is white and soft throughout and splits better than any other species we have tried. The bark scales off in irregular rounded flakes and is of a reddish brown color, particularly on the younger growth. The stem of this tree is simple branching, ascending, not very diffuse, and proliferous. The leaf of this tree is acerose, 1/2 a line in width and 3/4 of an inch in length; it is firm, stiff, and acuminate; the leaves are triangular, slightly declining, thickly scattered on all sides of the bough, but respect the three upper sides only, growing from little triangular pedestals of soft, spongy, elastic bark. At the junction of these boughs, the bud-scales continue to encircle the respective twigs for several years; at least 3 years is common, and I have counted as many as the growth of 4 years beyond these scales. This tree affords but little resin. Its cone I have not yet had an opportunity to discover, although I have sought it frequently; the trees of this kind which we have felled have had no cones on them.
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