Clark: March 8, 1806
Bratten's back is improving. Collins returned after killing three elk five miles away in Point Adams, though one was lost in a pond; hunters were dispatched to retrieve the meat and pursue more elk herds he spotted. Another party brought back elk previously killed up the Netul. Shields, R. Field, and Frazer came back empty-handed from the Kilhawanackkle. McNeal and Goodrich, recovered from venereal disease, were ordered off mercury treatment. Willard remains ill and low-spirited. Clark also recorded detailed descriptions of the white brant, brown or pied brant, and the small goose of the region.
Saturday March 8th 1806 Bratten is much better this morning, his back givs
him but little pain. Collins returned early in the morning, and informed
us that he had killed three Elk about five miles distance on the edge of
the prarie in point Adams. one of them fell in a deep pond of water and he
could not git to it. the other two he butchered and Saved. he saw two
large herds of Elk in that quarter. we Sent Drewyer & Jos. Field to
hunt these Elk, a party was also Sent with Labiesh for the flesh of the
Elk which Drewyer and himself had killd up the Netul, they returned with
it in the evening. Shields, R. Field and Frasure returned this evening
from the Kilhawanackkle unsuccessfull haveing Seen no Elk. McNeal and
Goodrich haveing recovered from the Louis veneri I detected them to desist
from takeing the murcury or useing in future. willard is yet complaining
and is low Spirited.
The White Brant is very common in this country particularly below tide
water where they remain in vast quantities dureing the winter. they feed
like the Swan Goose &c. on the grass and roots & Seeds which they
find in the marshes this bird is a little larger than the brown brant and
a fourth less than the common wild or Canadian goose. the head is
proportionably with the goose reather large; the beak thicker Shorter and
of the Same form, being of a yellowish white colour except the edges of
the Chaps, which are frequently of a dark brown. the legs and feet are of
the Same form of the goose and are of a redish white or pail flesh colour.
the tail is composed of Sixteen feathers of equal length as those of the
geese and brown brant are, and bears about the Same perpotion in point of
length. the Eye is of a dark colour and nothing remarkable as to Size. the
wings are reather longer compared with those of the goose, but not as much
So as is the brown or pieded brant. the colour of the plumage of this bird
is uniformly a pure white except the large feathers of the extremities of
the wings which are black. The large feathers of the 1st joint of the wing
next to the body are white. the note of this bird differs essentially from
that of the goose; it more resembles that of the brown brant but is
Somewhat different. it is like the note of a young domestic goose which
has not perfectly attained its full note. the flesh of this bird is
exceedingly fine, prefferable to either the goose or pieded brant. the
neck is Shorter in prpotion than that of the goose.
The Brown or pieded brant are nearly the Size and much the Same form of
the white brante only that their wings are considerably longer and more
pointed. the plumage of the upper part of the body, neck, head and tail is
much the Colour of the Common or Canadian Goose but rather darker in
consequence of Some dark brown feathers which are distributed and
irregularly scattered throughout. they have not the white on the neck and
Sides of the head as the goose has nor is the neck darker than the body.
like the goose there are Some white feathers on the rump at the junction
of the tail. the beak, legs and feet are dark, with a greenish cast; the
breast and belly are of a lighter colour than the back and is also
intermixed, irregularly, with dark brown and black feathers which gives it
a pieded appearance. the flesh of this bird is dark, and in my estimation
reather better than that of the goose. the habits of this bird is nearly
the same with the goose and white brant, with this difference that they do
not remain in this Climate in Such numbers dureing the winter as the
others. I See no difference between this bird and that Called Simpilly the
Brant Common to the Lakes and frequently Seen on the Ohio and Mississippi
in large flocks &c.
The Small Goose of this country is reather less than the Brant; it’s head
and neck like the brant are reather larger than that of the goose in
purpotion; their beak is also thicker and Shorter. their notes are more
like those of our taim geese, in all other respect they are the Same with
the large Goose with which, they So frequently ascoiete, that it was Some
time after I first observed this goose before I could whether it was a
distinct Speces or not. I have no hesitation now in declareing them a
distinct Species. the large Goose is the Same as that common to the Ohio,
and atlantic coast, and known by the appellation of the wild, or Canadian
Goose.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday, March 8th, 1806. Bratten is much better this morning; his back gives him only a little pain. Collins returned early in the morning and informed us that he had killed three elk about five miles away on the edge of the prairie at Point Adams. One of them fell into a deep pond of water and he could not get to it. The other two he butchered and saved. He saw two large herds of elk in that area. We sent Drewyer (Drouillard) and Joseph Field to hunt these elk, and a party was also sent with Labiesh (Labiche) for the meat of the elk that Drewyer and he had killed up the Netul. They returned with it in the evening. Shields, R. Field, and Frasure (Frazer) returned this evening from the Kilhawanackkle, unsuccessful, having seen no elk. McNeal and Goodrich, having recovered from the lues venerea (syphilis), I directed them to stop taking the mercury and to stop using it in the future. Willard is still complaining and is low-spirited.
The white brant is very common in this country, particularly below tidewater, where they remain in vast quantities during the winter. They feed like the swan, goose, etc., on the grass, roots, and seeds that they find in the marshes. This bird is a little larger than the brown brant and a fourth smaller than the common wild or Canadian goose. The head is proportionally rather large compared to the goose; the beak is thicker and shorter and of the same form, being of a yellowish white color except the edges of the chaps, which are frequently a dark brown. The legs and feet are of the same form as the goose's and are of a reddish white or pale flesh color. The tail is composed of sixteen feathers of equal length, as those of the geese and brown brant are, and bears about the same proportion in length. The eye is of a dark color and nothing remarkable as to size. The wings are rather longer compared with those of the goose, but not as much so as those of the brown or pied brant. The color of the plumage of this bird is uniformly a pure white except the large feathers at the tips of the wings, which are black. The large feathers of the first joint of the wing next to the body are white. The call of this bird differs essentially from that of the goose; it more resembles that of the brown brant but is somewhat different. It is like the call of a young domestic goose that has not yet perfectly attained its full voice. The flesh of this bird is exceedingly fine, preferable to either the goose or pied brant. The neck is shorter in proportion than that of the goose.
The brown or pied brant are nearly the size and much the same form as the white brant, only that their wings are considerably longer and more pointed. The plumage of the upper part of the body, neck, head, and tail is much the color of the common or Canadian goose, but rather darker because of some dark brown feathers that are distributed and irregularly scattered throughout. They do not have the white on the neck and sides of the head as the goose has, nor is the neck darker than the body. Like the goose, there are some white feathers on the rump at the junction of the tail. The beak, legs, and feet are dark, with a greenish cast; the breast and belly are of a lighter color than the back and are also intermixed, irregularly, with dark brown and black feathers, which gives it a pied appearance. The flesh of this bird is dark, and in my estimation rather better than that of the goose. The habits of this bird are nearly the same as those of the goose and white brant, with this difference: that they do not remain in this climate in such numbers during the winter as the others. I see no difference between this bird and that called simply the brant, common to the Lakes and frequently seen on the Ohio and Mississippi in large flocks, etc.
The small goose of this country is rather smaller than the brant; its head and neck, like the brant's, are rather larger than the goose's in proportion; their beak is also thicker and shorter. Their calls are more like those of our tame geese. In all other respects they are the same as the large goose, with which they so frequently associate that it was some time after I first observed this goose before I could tell whether it was a distinct species or not. I now have no hesitation in declaring them a distinct species. The large goose is the same as that common to the Ohio and the Atlantic coast, known by the name of the wild, or Canadian, goose.
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