Lewis: March 12, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, a search party again failed to recover the missing pirogue, and a hunter sent out across the Netul River did not return by evening. Lewis devoted most of the entry to natural history notes, describing the Calumet Eagle prized by Plains tribes for its tail feathers, which are traded for horses or guns and used to decorate pipes, hair, horses, and war bonnets. He also catalogued local fish and shellfish species and noted whale hunting practices. The party had now prepared 358 pairs of moccasins plus extra dressed leather.
Wednesday March 12th 1806 We sent a party again in surch of the perogue
but they returned unsuccessful) as yesterday. Sent one hunter out on this
side of the Netul, he did not return this evening. I beleive the Callamet
Eagle is sometimes found on this side of the rocky mountains from the
information of the Indians in whose possession I have seen their plumage.
these are the same with those of the Missouri, and are the most beautiful)
of all the family of the Eagles of America. it’s colours are black and
white with which it is beautifully variagated. the feathers of the tail
which are so highly prized by the Indians is composed of twelve broad
feathers of equal length. these are white except about 2 inches at the
extremity which is of a jut black. there wings have each a large circular
white spot in the middle when extended. the body is variously marked with
white and black. the form is much that of the common bald Eagle, but they
are reather smaller and much more fleet. this eagle is feared by all
carnivorous birds, and on his approach all leave the carcase instantly on
which they were feeding. it breads in the inaccessable parts of the
mountains where it spends the summer, and decends to the plains and low
country in the fall and winter when it is usually sought and taken by the
natives. two tails of this bird is esteemed by the Mandans Minetares
Ricares, &c as the full value of a good horse, or gun and
accoutrements. with the Great and little Osages and those nations
inhabiting countries where this bird is more rare the price is even double
of that mentioned. with these feathers the natives decorate the stems of
their sacred pipes or callamets; whence the name, of Callamet Eagle, which
has generally obtained among the Engages. the Ricares have domesticated
this bird in many instancies for the purpose of obtaining it’s plumage.
the natives in every part of the con tinent who can procure these feathers
attatch them to their own hair and the mains and tails of their favorite
horses by way of ornament. they also decorate their war caps or bonnets
with those feathers.The leather winged batt common to the United
States is also found on this side of the Rocky mountains.Beside the
fish of this coast and river already mentioned we have met with the
following speceis viz. the Whale, Porpus, Skaite, flounder, Salmon, red
charr, two speceis of Salmon trout, mountain or speckled trout, and a
speceis similar to one of those noticed on the Missouri within the
mountains, called in the Eastern states, bottle-nose. I have no doubt but
there are many other speceis of fish, which also exist in this quarter at
different seasons of the year, which we have not had an oportunity of
seeing. the shell fish are the Clam, perrewinkle, common mussle, cockle,
and a speceis with a circular flat shell. The Whale is sometimes pursued
harpooned and taken by the Indians of this coast; tho I beleive it is much
more frequently killed by runing fowl on the rocks of the coast in violent
storms and thrown on shore by the wind and tide. in either case the
Indians preseve and eat the blubber and oil as has been before mentioned.
the whalebone they also carefully preserve for sale.Our party are
now furnished with 358 pair of Mockersons exclusive of a good portion of
dressed leather.-
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday, March 12th, 1806. We sent a party again in search of the pirogue, but they returned unsuccessful as yesterday. Sent one hunter out on this side of the Netul; he did not return this evening. I believe the Calumet Eagle is sometimes found on this side of the Rocky Mountains, based on the information of the Indians in whose possession I have seen their plumage. These are the same as those of the Missouri, and are the most beautiful of all the family of eagles in America. Its colors are black and white, with which it is beautifully variegated. The feathers of the tail, which are so highly prized by the Indians, are composed of twelve broad feathers of equal length. These are white except for about 2 inches at the extremity, which is of a jet black. Their wings each have a large circular white spot in the middle when extended. The body is variously marked with white and black. The form is much like that of the common bald eagle, but they are rather smaller and much more swift. This eagle is feared by all carnivorous birds, and at his approach all leave the carcass instantly on which they were feeding. It breeds in the inaccessible parts of the mountains where it spends the summer, and descends to the plains and low country in the fall and winter, when it is usually sought and taken by the natives. Two tails of this bird are esteemed by the Mandans, Minetares, Ricaras, etc., as the full value of a good horse, or gun and accoutrements. With the Great and Little Osages and those nations inhabiting countries where this bird is more rare, the price is even double of that mentioned. With these feathers the natives decorate the stems of their sacred pipes or calumets, from which comes the name Calumet Eagle, which has generally been used among the engagés. The Ricaras have domesticated this bird in many instances for the purpose of obtaining its plumage. The natives in every part of the continent who can procure these feathers attach them to their own hair and to the manes and tails of their favorite horses as ornament. They also decorate their war caps or bonnets with these feathers.
The leather-winged bat common to the United States is also found on this side of the Rocky Mountains.
Besides the fish of this coast and river already mentioned, we have met with the following species, namely: the whale, porpoise, skate, flounder, salmon, red char, two species of salmon trout, mountain or speckled trout, and a species similar to one of those noticed on the Missouri within the mountains, called in the Eastern states bottle-nose. I have no doubt but there are many other species of fish that also exist in this quarter at different seasons of the year, which we have not had an opportunity of seeing. The shellfish are the clam, periwinkle, common mussel, cockle, and a species with a circular flat shell.
The whale is sometimes pursued, harpooned, and taken by the Indians of this coast; though I believe it is much more frequently killed by running afoul on the rocks of the coast in violent storms and thrown on shore by the wind and tide. In either case the Indians preserve and eat the blubber and oil, as has been mentioned before. The whalebone they also carefully preserve for sale.
Our party are now furnished with 358 pairs of moccasins, exclusive of a good portion of dressed leather.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
