Clark: March 16, 1806
A quiet Sunday at camp with no notable events. Drouillard and his party failed to return from the Cathlamah village, likely delayed by strong winds. Visiting Indians stayed all day but refused to sell their canoe at an affordable price, prompting Clark to inventory the expedition's dwindling trade goods—a meager supply on which they must rely for horses and food on the journey ahead. Clark also described local natural history, including sea nettles, two species of seaweed washed ashore, and a white salmon trout brought in by an Indian fisherman.
Sunday March 16th 1806 Not any occurrence worthy of relation took place
today. Drewyer and party did not return from the Cath lah mah’s this
evening as we expected. we Suppose he was detained by the hard winds
today. the Indians remain with us all day, but would not dispose of their
Canoe at a price which it was in our power to give consistently with the
State of our Stock of Merchandize. One handkerchief would contain all the
Small articles of merchandize which we possess, the ballance of the Stock
Consists of 6 Small blue robes or Blankets one of Scarlet. one uniform
Artillerist’s Coat and hat, 5 robes made of our larg flag, and a fiew our
old Clothes trimed with ribon. on this Stock we have wholy to depend for
the purchase of horses and Such portion of our Subsistence from the
Indians as it will be in our power to obtain. a scant dependence indeed
for the tour of the distance of that before us.
The pellucid jelly like Substance, called the Sea nettle I found in great
abundance along the Strand where it has been thrown up by the waves and
tide, and adheres to the Sand.
There are two Species of the Fuci, or (Seawead) Seawreck which we also
found thrown up by the waves. the 1st Specie at one extremity consists of
a large sesicle or hollow vessale which would contain from one to 2
gallons, of a conic form, the base of which forms the extreem End and is
convex and Globelar bearing on its center Some Short broad and irregular
fibers. the Substance is about the consistancy of the rind of a citron
Mellon and 3/4 of an inch thick, yellow celindrick, and regularly tapering
the tube extends to 20 or 30 feet and is then termonated with a number of
branches which are flat 1/2 inch in width, rough particularly on the
edges, where they are furnished with a number of little oval vesicles or
bags of the Size of a Pigions egg. this plant Seams to be calculated to
float at each extremity, while the little end of the tube from whence the
branches proceed, lies deepest in the water.
The white Salmon Trout which we had previously seen only at the Great
Falls of the Columbia, or a little below the Great Falls, has now made its
appearance in the creeks near this place. one of them was brought us to
day by an indian who had just taken it with his gig. This is a likeness of
it; it was 2 feet 8 inches long, and weighed ten pounds. the eye is
moderately large, the puple black with a Small admixture of yellow and the
iris of a Silvery white with a Small admixture of yellow and a little
tirbed near its border with a yellowish brown. the position of the fins
may be seen from the drawing, they are small in perpotion to the fish. the
fins are honey but not pointed except the tail and back fins which are a
little So, the prime back fin and venteral ones, contain each ten rays;
those of the gills twelve, and the Small Finn placed near the tail above
has no long rays, but is a tough flexable Substance covered with Smooth
Skin. it is thicker in perpotion to it’s width than the Salmons. the
tongue is thick and firm beset on each border with small subulate teeth in
a Single Series. the Teeth of the mouth are as before discribed. neither
this fish nor the Salmon are cought with the hook, nor do I know on what
they feed.-now begin to run &c. &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday March 16th 1806. No occurrence worthy of mention took place today. Drewyer and his party did not return from the Cathlahmah's this evening as we expected. We suppose he was detained by the hard winds today. The Indians remained with us all day, but would not part with their canoe at a price we could afford given the state of our stock of merchandise. One handkerchief would hold all the small articles of merchandise we possess; the rest of the stock consists of 6 small blue robes or blankets, one of scarlet, one uniform artillerist's coat and hat, 5 robes made from our large flag, and a few of our old clothes trimmed with ribbon. On this stock we have to depend entirely for the purchase of horses and whatever portion of our subsistence from the Indians we may be able to obtain. A scant dependence indeed for a journey of the distance that lies before us.
The transparent, jelly-like substance called the sea nettle I found in great abundance along the strand, where it has been thrown up by the waves and tide and adheres to the sand.
There are two species of the Fuci, or seaweed (sea wrack), which we also found thrown up by the waves. The first species consists at one extremity of a large vesicle or hollow vessel that would contain from one to two gallons, of a conical form, the base of which forms the outer end and is convex and globular, bearing at its center some short, broad, and irregular fibers. The substance is about the consistency of the rind of a citron melon and 3/4 of an inch thick, yellow, cylindrical, and regularly tapering. The tube extends 20 to 30 feet and is then terminated by a number of branches, which are flat, 1/2 inch wide, rough especially on the edges, where they are furnished with a number of small oval vesicles or bags the size of a pigeon's egg. This plant seems designed to float at each extremity, while the small end of the tube from which the branches proceed lies deepest in the water.
The white salmon trout, which we had previously seen only at the Great Falls of the Columbia, or a little below the Great Falls, has now appeared in the creeks near this place. One of them was brought to us today by an Indian who had just taken it with his gig. This is a likeness of it: it was 2 feet 8 inches long and weighed ten pounds. The eye is moderately large, the pupil black with a small admixture of yellow, and the iris of a silvery white with a small admixture of yellow and a little tinged near its border with a yellowish brown. The position of the fins may be seen from the drawing; they are small in proportion to the fish. The fins are bony but not pointed, except the tail and back fins, which are a little so. The forward back fin and ventral fins contain ten rays each; those of the gills twelve; and the small fin placed near the tail above has no long rays, but is a tough flexible substance covered with smooth skin. It is thicker in proportion to its width than the salmon. The tongue is thick and firm, set on each border with small awl-shaped teeth in a single row. The teeth of the mouth are as previously described. Neither this fish nor the salmon are caught with the hook, nor do I know what they feed on. Now begin to run, etc., etc.
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