Clark: February 7, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, Sergeant Ordway and Wiser returned in the evening with part of the elk meat killed by Reubin Field, while Sergeant Gass and the rest of the party stayed behind to haul the remainder to a meeting point for the canoe the next morning. The captains enjoyed an unusually rich supper of marrowbone and boiled elk brisket. Clark recorded observations on local plants, including honeysuckle, elder, ninebark, and a purple-berried huckleberry. He also noted that a smallpox outbreak four or five years earlier had killed several hundred Clatsops, including four chiefs.
Friday February 7th 1806 This evening Serjt Ordway and wiser returned with
a part of the meat which R. Field had killed; the balance of the Party
with Serjt. Gass remained in order to bring the ballance of the meat to
the river at a point agreeed on, where the Canoe is to meet them again
tomorrow morning. This evening we had what I call an excellent supper it
consisted of a marrowbone, a piece of brisket of boiled Elk that had the
appearance of a little fat on it. this for Fort Clatsop is liveing in high
Stile, and in fact fiesting-.
In this neighbourhood I observe the honeysuckle common in the U States, I
first met with it on the waters of the Kooskooske near the Chopunnish
Nation, and again below the grand rapids in the Columbian Vally on tide
water. The Elder also common to our Countrey grows in great abundance in
the rich wood land on this Side of the rocky mountains, tho it differs
here in the Colour of its berry, this being of a pale Sky blue while that
of the U, States is a deep purple. The Seven or nine bark as it is called
in the U, States is also Common in this quarter. There is a Species of
huckkleberry Common to the piney lands from the Commencement of the
Columbian Vally to the Sea coast; it rises to the hight of 6 or 8 feet, is
a Simple branching, Somewhat defused Stem; the main body or trunk is
cilindric branches are green Smothe squar, and put foth a number of
alternet branches of the Same Colour and form from the two horizontal
Sides only. the frute is a small deep purple berry which the nativs inform
us is very good, the leaf is thin of a pale green and Small being 3/4 of
an inch in length and 3/8 in width; oval terminateing more accoutely at
the apax, than near the insersion of the footstalk which is at the base
vened nearly entire; footstalks Short and their position in respect to
each other is alternate and too ranked, proceeding from the horizontal
Side of the bough only.
The Small Pox had distroyed a great number of the nativs in this quarter.
it provailed about 4 or 5 yrs Sinc among the Clatsops, and distroy’d
Several hundreds of them, four of their Chiefs fell a victym to it’s
ravages. these Clatsops are Deposited in their Canoes on the bay a fiew
miles below us. I think the late ravages of the Small Pox, may well
account for the number of remains of villages which I Saw on my rout to
the Kil a mox in Several places-.
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Friday February 7th 1806. This evening Sergeant Ordway and Wiser returned with part of the meat which R. Field had killed; the balance of the party with Sergeant Gass remained in order to bring the rest of the meat to the river at a point agreed on, where the canoe is to meet them again tomorrow morning. This evening we had what I call an excellent supper. It consisted of a marrowbone and a piece of brisket of boiled elk that had the appearance of a little fat on it. This, for Fort Clatsop, is living in high style, and in fact feasting.
In this neighborhood I observe the honeysuckle common in the United States. I first met with it on the waters of the Kooskooske near the Chopunnish Nation, and again below the grand rapids in the Columbian Valley on tidewater. The elder, also common to our country, grows in great abundance in the rich woodland on this side of the Rocky Mountains, though it differs here in the color of its berry, this being a pale sky blue while that of the United States is a deep purple. The seven or nine bark, as it is called in the United States, is also common in this quarter. There is a species of huckleberry common to the piney lands from the commencement of the Columbian Valley to the seacoast; it rises to the height of 6 or 8 feet, has a simple branching, somewhat diffuse stem; the main body or trunk is cylindrical, branches are green, smooth, and square, and put forth a number of alternate branches of the same color and form from the two horizontal sides only. The fruit is a small deep purple berry which the natives inform us is very good. The leaf is thin, of a pale green, and small, being 3/4 of an inch in length and 3/8 in width; oval, terminating more acutely at the apex than near the insertion of the footstalk, which is at the base, veined, nearly entire; footstalks short, and their position in respect to each other is alternate and two-ranked, proceeding from the horizontal side of the bough only.
The smallpox has destroyed a great number of the natives in this quarter. It prevailed about 4 or 5 years since among the Clatsops, and destroyed several hundreds of them; four of their chiefs fell victim to its ravages. These Clatsops are deposited in their canoes on the bay a few miles below us. I think the late ravages of the smallpox may well account for the number of remains of villages which I saw on my route to the Kilamox in several places.
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