Lewis: March 14, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, a party retrieved two elk Collins had killed the previous evening, while Collins, Joseph Field, and Shannon went after the rest of the herd; numerous shots were heard, suggesting success. Reuben Field and Thompson returned with only a single brant. Drouillard arrived with Clatsop visitors who sold hats and roots, but Lewis declined to trade his laced uniform coat for their canoe. Lewis devoted much of the entry to detailed observations on salmon trout, mountain speckled trout, and the bottlenose fish, noting their seasons, ranges, and appearance.
Friday March 14th 1806. This morning we sent a party after the two Elk
which Collins killed last evening, they returned with them about noon.
Collins, Jos. Fends and Shannon went in quest of the flock of Elk of which
Collins had killed those two. this evening we heared upwards of twenty
shot, and expect that they have fallen in with and killed a number of
them. Reubin Fields and Thompson returned this evening unsuccessfull
having killed one brant only. late in the evening Drewyer arrived with a
party of the Clatsops who brought an indifferent canoe some hats and roots
for sale. the hats and roots we purchased, but could not obtain the canoe
without giving more than our stock of merchandize would lisence us. I
offered him my laced uniform coat but he would not exchange. The Salmon
Trout are seldom more than two feet in length they are narrow in
proportion to their length, at least much more so than the Salmon or red
charr. the jaws are nearly of the same length, and are furnished with a
single series of small subulate streight teeth, not so long or as large as
those of the Salmon. the mouth is wide, and the tongue is also furnished
with some teeth. the fins are placed much like those of the salmon. at the
great falls we met with this fish of a silvery white colour on the belley
and sides, and a bluish light brown on the back and head. in this
neighbourhood we have met with another speceis which dose not differ from
the other in any particular except in point of colour. this last is of a
dark colour on the back, and it’s sides and belley are yellow with
transverse stripes of dark brown. sometimes a little red is intermixed
with these colours on the belley and sides towards the head. the eye,
flesh, and roes are like those discribed of the Salmon. the white speceis
which we found below the falls was in excellent order when the salmon were
entirely out of season and not fit for uce. the speceis which we found
here on our arrival early in November had declined considerably, reather
more so inded than the red Charr with which we found them ascociated in
the little rivulets and creeks. I think it may be safely asserted that the
red Charr and both speceis of the salmon trout remain in season longer in
the fall of the year than the common Salmon; but I have my doubts whether
either of them ever pass the great falls of the Columbia. The Indians tell
us that the Salmon begin to run early in the next month; it will be
unfortunate for us if they do not, for they must form our principal
dependence for food in ascending the Columbia, above the falls and it’s S.
E. branch to the mountains. The mountain or speckled trout are found in
the waters of the Columbia within the mountains. they are the same of
those found in the upper part of the Missouri, but are not so abundant in
the Columbia as on that river. we never saw this fish below the mountains
but from the transparency and coldness of the Kooskooske I should not
doubt it’s existing in that stream as low as it’s junction with the S E.
branch of the Columbia.The bottle nose is the same with that before
mentioned on the Missouri and is found exclusively within the mountains.
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Friday March 14th 1806. This morning we sent a party after the two Elk which Collins killed last evening; they returned with them about noon. Collins, Jos. Fields (Joseph Fields), and Shannon went in search of the flock of Elk from which Collins had killed those two. This evening we heard upwards of twenty shots, and expect that they have come upon and killed a number of them. Reubin Fields and Thompson returned this evening unsuccessful, having killed only one brant. Late in the evening Drewyer (Drouillard) arrived with a party of the Clatsops, who brought a poor-quality canoe, some hats, and roots for sale. We purchased the hats and roots, but could not obtain the canoe without giving more than our stock of merchandise would allow. I offered him my laced uniform coat, but he would not exchange.
The Salmon Trout are seldom more than two feet in length. They are narrow in proportion to their length, at least much more so than the Salmon or red charr. The jaws are nearly of the same length, and are furnished with a single row of small, awl-shaped, straight teeth, not as long or as large as those of the Salmon. The mouth is wide, and the tongue is also furnished with some teeth. The fins are placed much like those of the salmon. At the great falls we met with this fish of a silvery white color on the belly and sides, and a bluish light brown on the back and head. In this neighborhood we have met with another species which does not differ from the other in any particular except in color. This last is of a dark color on the back, and its sides and belly are yellow with transverse stripes of dark brown. Sometimes a little red is intermixed with these colors on the belly and sides toward the head. The eye, flesh, and roe are like those described of the Salmon. The white species which we found below the falls was in excellent condition when the salmon were entirely out of season and not fit for use. The species which we found here on our arrival early in November had declined considerably, rather more so indeed than the red Charr, with which we found them associated in the little rivulets and creeks. I think it may be safely asserted that the red Charr and both species of the salmon trout remain in season longer in the fall of the year than the common Salmon; but I have my doubts whether either of them ever pass the great falls of the Columbia.
The Indians tell us that the Salmon begin to run early in the next month; it will be unfortunate for us if they do not, for they must form our principal dependence for food in ascending the Columbia, above the falls and its S. E. branch to the mountains.
The mountain or speckled trout are found in the waters of the Columbia within the mountains. They are the same as those found in the upper part of the Missouri, but are not so abundant in the Columbia as in that river. We never saw this fish below the mountains, but from the transparency and coldness of the Kooskooske I should not doubt its existing in that stream as low as its junction with the S. E. branch of the Columbia.
The bottle nose is the same as that mentioned before on the Missouri, and is found exclusively within the mountains.
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