Clark: January 21, 1806
Hunters Shannon and Labiche returned to camp after killing three elk, prompting Clark to order a party out the next morning to retrieve the meat while the hunters resumed their pursuit. Visiting Indians departed around noon. Clark devoted most of the entry to a detailed description of the native thistle root called Chan-ne-tak-que, noting its size, appearance, preparation, and unusually sweet sugar-like flavor when cooked. He also described the plant itself, including its stem, leaves, prickles, dead flower, and preferred moist, sandy loam soil.
Thursday 21st of January 1806 Two of the hunters Shannon & Labieche
returned haveing killed three Elk, ordered a party to go in quest of the
meat early tomorrow morning and the hunters to return and continue the
chase-. the Indians left us about 12 oClock.
The root of the thistle called by the nativs Chan-ne-tak-que is
pirpendicular and possesses from two to 4 radicles; is from 9 to 15 inches
in length and is Commonly about the Size of a mans thum the rhine Somewhat
rough and of a brown Colour; the Consistence when first taken from the
earth is white and nearly as Crisp as a Carrot, when prepared for use by
the Same process before discribed of the white bulb or gash she quo,
qua-mosh, it becomes black and is more Sugary than any root I have met
with among the nativs; the Sweet is prosisely that of the Sugar in flavor,
this root is Sometimes eaten when first taken from the ground without any
preperation, in this way it is well tasted but soon weathers and becoms
hard and insipped. it delights most in a deep rich moist lome which has a
good mixture of SandThe Stems of this plant is Simple ascending
celindric and hisped. the root leaves, posses their virdue and are about
half grown of a deep Green. the Cauline leaf as well as the Stem of the
last Season are now dead, but in respect to it’s form &c. it is Simple
Crenated and oblong, rather more obtuce at it’s apex than the base or
insertion, it’s margin armed with prickles while it’s disks are hairy, its
insertion decurrent and position declineing. the flower is also dry and
mutilated the pericarp seems much like that of the Common thistle it rises
to the hight of from 3 to 4 feet.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Thursday, 21st of January 1806. Two of the hunters, Shannon and Labieche, returned, having killed three elk. I ordered a party to go in search of the meat early tomorrow morning, and the hunters to return and continue the chase. The Indians left us about 12 o'clock.
The root of the thistle, called by the natives Chan-ne-tak-que, is perpendicular and has from two to four radicles. It is from 9 to 15 inches in length and is commonly about the size of a man's thumb. The rind is somewhat rough and of a brown color. The consistency when first taken from the earth is white and nearly as crisp as a carrot. When prepared for use by the same process described before for the white bulb or gash she quo, qua-mosh, it becomes black and is more sugary than any root I have met with among the natives. Its sweetness is precisely that of sugar in flavor. This root is sometimes eaten when first taken from the ground without any preparation; in this way it is well tasted, but it soon weathers and becomes hard and insipid. It thrives best in a deep, rich, moist loam that has a good mixture of sand.
The stems of this plant are simple, ascending, cylindric, and hispid. The root leaves possess their virtue and are about half grown, of a deep green. The cauline leaf, as well as the stem of the last season, are now dead, but in respect to its form, etc., it is simple, crenated, and oblong, rather more obtuse at its apex than at the base or insertion. Its margin is armed with prickles, while its disks are hairy. Its insertion is decurrent and its position declining. The flower is also dry and mutilated. The pericarp seems much like that of the common thistle. It rises to the height of from 3 to 4 feet.
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