Lewis: January 21, 1806
Hunters Shannon and Labiche returned to camp having killed three elk; a party was ordered out the next morning to retrieve the meat while the hunters resumed the chase. The visiting Indians departed around noon. Lewis devoted most of the entry to describing the thistle root the natives call shan-ne-tahque, detailing its shape, size, color, and texture. When prepared like camas bulbs, it turns black and becomes remarkably sugary, though it can also be eaten raw. He also described the plant's stem, leaves, and flower.
Wednesday January 21st 1806. Two of the hunters Shannon & Labuish
returned having 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 O’Clk. The root of the thistle, called
by the natives shan-ne-tahque is a perpendicular fusiform and possesses
from two to four radicles; is from 9 to 15 Inces in length and about the
size a mans thumb; the rhind 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 uce by the same process before discribed of
the white bulb or pashshequo quawmash, it becomes black, and is more
shugary than any fuit or root that I have met with in uce among the
natives; the sweet is precisely that of the sugar in flavor; this root is
sometimes eaten also when first taken from the ground without any
preperation; but in this way is vastly in-ferior. it delights most in a
deep rich dry lome which has a good mixture of sand. the stem of this
plant is simple ascending celindric and hisped. the root leaves yet
possess their virdure and are about half grown of a plale green. the
cauline leaf as well as the stem of the last season are now dead, but in
rispect to it’s form &c. it is simple, crenate, & oblong, reather
more obtuse at it’s apex than at the base or insertion; it’s margin armed
with prickles while it’s disks are hairy, it’s insertion decurrent and
position declining. the flower is also dry and mutilad. 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
Wednesday January 21st 1806. Two of the hunters, Shannon and Labuish (Labiche), 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 shan-ne-tahque, is perpendicular and spindle-shaped, and has from two to four small roots branching off it. It is from 9 to 15 inches in length and about the size of a man's thumb. The rind is somewhat rough and of a brown color. Its 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 pashshequo quawmash, it becomes black, and is more sugary than any fruit or root that I have met with in use among the natives. The sweetness is precisely that of sugar in flavor. This root is sometimes also eaten when first taken from the ground without any preparation, but in this way it is vastly inferior. It thrives best in a deep, rich, dry loam that has a good mixture of sand.
The stem of this plant is simple, ascending, cylindrical, and bristly. The root leaves still retain their greenness and are about half grown, of a pale green. The stem leaf, as well as the stem of last season, is now dead, but with respect to its form, etc., it is simple, scalloped, and oblong, rather more blunt at its tip than at the base or insertion. Its margin is armed with prickles, while its surfaces are hairy; its insertion runs down the stem, and its position is drooping. The flower is also dry and damaged. The seed vessel seems much like that of the common thistle. It rises to a height of from 3 to 4 feet.
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