Clark: January 30, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, the day passed without notable events. The party was pleasantly surprised that their green pine firewood burned well once split. Clark recorded extensive observations on local Native dress, noting that the Clatsops resemble neighboring tribes but go without leggings or moccasins due to the mild, wet climate. He also provided a detailed botanical description of the sacacommis shrub and its scarlet berry, including its habitat, root system, bark, leaves, and fruit, noting that Natives eat the berries raw or dry them for storage.
Fort Clatsop on the Pacific Ocian on the South Side of the Columbia River
Thursday 30th January 1806 Nothing transpired to day worthey of notice. we
are agreeably disapointed in our fuel which is altogether green pine. we
had Supposed that it burned badly, but we have found by Spliting it burns
very well.
The dress of the Clatsops and others of the nativs in the neighbourhood
differ but little from that described of the Skilutes and Wau ki a cums;
they never ware ligins or mockersons which the mildness of the Climate I
presume has rendered in a great measure unnecessary; and their being
obliged to be frequently in the water also renders those articles of dress
inconveniant.
The Sac-a commis is the groth of high dry Situations, and invariably in a
piney Country, or on its borders; it is Generally found in the open piney
woodlands as on the Western Side of the Rocky mountains but in this
neighbourhood we find it in the praries or on the borders in the more open
woodland’s; a very rich Soil is not absolutely necessary, as a meager one
frequently produces it abundantly. the nativs on the West side of the
Rocky mountains who can precure this berry invariably use it; to me it is
a very tasteless and insipid frute. This Shrub is an evergreen, the leaves
retain their virdue most perfectly throughout the winter even in the most
rigid climate as on Lake Winnipic. the root of this shrub puts foth a
great number of Stems, which seperate near the surface of the ground; each
Stem from the size of a Small quill, to that of a mans finger. These are
much branched forming an accute angle with the Stem, and all more properly
procumbent than crossing, for altho it sometimes puts foth radicles from
the Stems and branches which Strike obliquely into the ground, those
radicles are by no means general, equable in their distances from each
other nor do they appear to be calculated to furnish nutriment to the
plant but rather to hold the Stem or branch in its place. the bark is
formed of several thin layers of a Smothe thin brittle substance of a
redish brown colour easily seperated from the woody Stem in flakes. the
leaves with respect to their possition are scatter’d yet closely arranged
near the extremities of the twigs particularly. the leaves are about 3/4
of an inch in length and about half that in width, is oval but obtusely
pointed, absolutely entire, thick, Smoth, firm, a deep green and slightly
grooved. the leaf is Supported by a Small footstalk of preportionable
length. the berry is attached in an irregular and Scattered manner to the
Small boughs among the leaves, tho frequently Closely arranged, but always
Supported by a Seperate Short and Small peduncles, the incersion of which
produces a Small concavity in the berry while its opposit side is Slightly
convex; the form of the berry is a Spheroid, the Shorter diameter being in
a line with the peduncle or Stem-. this berry is a pericarp the outer Coat
of which is a thin firm tough pellicle, the inner part consists of dry
mealy powder of a yellowish white colour invelloping from four to six
propotionably large hard light brown seeds each in the form of section of
a spheroid which figure they form when united, and are distitute of any
membranous covering.the colour of this fruit is a fine scarlet. the
nativs usually eat them without any preparation. the fruit ripens in
September and remains on the bushes all winter. the frost appears to take
no effects on it. these berries are Sometimes gathered and hung in their
houses in bags where they dry without further trouble, for in their
succulent State they appear to be almost as dry as flour.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Fort Clatsop on the Pacific Ocean on the south side of the Columbia River. Thursday, 30th January 1806. Nothing happened today worthy of notice. We are pleasantly surprised by our fuel, which is entirely green pine. We had supposed that it would burn badly, but we have found that by splitting it, it burns very well.
The dress of the Clatsops and others of the natives in the neighborhood differs little from that described of the Skilutes and Wau-ki-a-cums. They never wear leggings or moccasins, which the mildness of the climate, I presume, has rendered largely unnecessary; and their need to be frequently in the water also makes those articles of dress inconvenient.
The sac-a-commis grows in high, dry locations, and invariably in a piney country, or on its borders. It is generally found in the open piney woodlands, as on the western side of the Rocky Mountains, but in this neighborhood we find it in the prairies or on the borders of the more open woodlands. A very rich soil is not absolutely necessary, as a meager one frequently produces it abundantly. The natives on the west side of the Rocky Mountains who can obtain this berry invariably use it; to me it is a very tasteless and insipid fruit. This shrub is an evergreen; the leaves retain their greenness most perfectly throughout the winter, even in the most rigid climate, as on Lake Winnipic (Winnipeg). The root of this shrub sends forth a great number of stems, which separate near the surface of the ground; each stem ranges from the size of a small quill to that of a man's finger. These are much branched, forming an acute angle with the stem, and all are more properly procumbent than crossing, for although it sometimes puts forth rootlets from the stems and branches which strike obliquely into the ground, those rootlets are by no means general, even in their distances from each other, nor do they appear to be designed to furnish nutriment to the plant, but rather to hold the stem or branch in place. The bark is formed of several thin layers of a smooth, thin, brittle substance of a reddish-brown color, easily separated from the woody stem in flakes. The leaves, with respect to their position, are scattered yet closely arranged, particularly near the ends of the twigs. The leaves are about 3/4 of an inch in length and about half that in width; they are oval but obtusely pointed, completely entire, thick, smooth, firm, a deep green, and slightly grooved. The leaf is supported by a small footstalk of proportionate length. The berry is attached in an irregular and scattered manner to the small boughs among the leaves, though frequently closely arranged, but always supported by a separate short and small peduncle, the insertion of which produces a small concavity in the berry, while its opposite side is slightly convex. The form of the berry is a spheroid, the shorter diameter being in line with the peduncle or stem. This berry is a pericarp, the outer coat of which is a thin, firm, tough skin; the inner part consists of a dry, mealy powder of a yellowish-white color, enveloping from four to six proportionately large, hard, light-brown seeds, each in the form of a section of a spheroid, which shape they form when united, and they are without any membranous covering. The color of this fruit is a fine scarlet. The natives usually eat them without any preparation. The fruit ripens in September and remains on the bushes all winter. The frost appears to have no effect on it. These berries are sometimes gathered and hung in their houses in bags, where they dry without further trouble, for in their succulent state they appear to be almost as dry as flour.
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