Clark: January 23, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, Clark sent Howard and Werner to the salt makers' camp to fetch a fresh supply of salt. The garrison continued dressing elk skins for clothing but struggled without brains, soap, or ashes for lye, since the pine they burned for fuel left no ash residue. Clark devoted most of the entry to describing a coastal rush root commonly eaten by the Killamox and other coastal natives, detailing its bulb, stem, and leaves, and sketching the antler-handled digging stick used to harvest such roots.
Saturday 23rd of January 1806 This morning dispatched Howard & Werner
to the Camp of the Salt makers for a Supply of Salt. the men of the
garrison are Still busily employed in dressing Elk Skins for cloathing,
they fine great dificuelty for the want of branes; we have not Soap to
Supply the deficiency, nor can we precure ashes to make the lye; none of
the pine which we use for fuel afford any ashes; extrawdinary as it may
seem, the green wood is cosumed without leaveing the risideum of a
particle of ashes.-
The root of the rush used by the nativs is a Solid bulb about one inch in
length and usially as thick as a mans thumb, of an ovel form depressed on
two or more Sides, covered with a thin black rine. the pulp is white
brittle and easily masticated either raw or rosted, the latter is the way
it is most commonly prepared for use. this root is reather insippid in
point of flavour, it grows in the Greatest abundance along the Sea coast
in the wet Sandy grounds and is most used by the Kil a mox and those
inhabiting the Sea coast. each root Sends up its Stalk which is annual,
the root being perennial. the bulb is atached to the bottom of the Stem by
a firm Small and Strong radicle which is mearly the prolongation of the
Stem which is hollow and jointed and is rather larger than the largest
quill. it rises to the hight of 3 or 4 feet, not branching no does it
either bear flower or Seed that I could discover tho I am far from denying
that it does So Sometimes, and perhaps every year, but I have not been
able to discover it, the Stem is rough like the Sand rush, and it’s much
like it when green, at each joint it puts out from 20 to 30 radiate &
horizontal leaves which Surrounds the Stem. above each joint about half an
inch the Stem is Shethed like the Sand rush.
The instruments used by the nativs in digging their roots is a Strong
Stick of three feet and a half long Sharpened at the lower end and its
upper inserted into a part of an Elks or buck’s horn which Serves as a
handle; Standing transvirsely in the Stickor it is in this form as
thus A is the lower part which is a little hooked B is the upper part or
handle of Horn.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday 23rd of January 1806. This morning I dispatched Howard and Werner to the camp of the salt makers for a supply of salt. The men of the garrison are still busily employed in dressing elk skins for clothing. They find great difficulty for the want of brains; we have no soap to supply the deficiency, nor can we procure ashes to make lye. None of the pine which we use for fuel affords any ashes; extraordinary as it may seem, the green wood is consumed without leaving the residue of a particle of ashes.
The root of the rush used by the natives is a solid bulb about one inch in length and usually as thick as a man's thumb, of an oval form depressed on two or more sides, covered with a thin black rind. The pulp is white, brittle, and easily masticated either raw or roasted; the latter is the way it is most commonly prepared for use. This root is rather insipid in point of flavor. It grows in the greatest abundance along the sea coast in the wet sandy grounds and is most used by the Kil a mox and those inhabiting the sea coast. Each root sends up its stalk, which is annual, the root being perennial. The bulb is attached to the bottom of the stem by a firm, small, and strong radicle, which is merely the prolongation of the stem, which is hollow and jointed and is rather larger than the largest quill. It rises to the height of 3 or 4 feet, not branching, nor does it either bear flower or seed that I could discover, though I am far from denying that it does so sometimes, and perhaps every year, but I have not been able to discover it. The stem is rough like the sand rush, and it is much like it when green. At each joint it puts out from 20 to 30 radiate and horizontal leaves which surround the stem. About half an inch above each joint the stem is sheathed like the sand rush.
The instrument used by the natives in digging their roots is a strong stick three feet and a half long, sharpened at the lower end, with its upper end inserted into a part of an elk's or buck's horn which serves as a handle, standing transversely on the stick. It is in this form: A is the lower part, which is a little hooked; B is the upper part, or handle of horn.
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