Lewis: March 15, 1806
Hunters returned at 11 a.m. with only four elk, as Labiche's broken gun sight caused him to miss many shots; retrieval parties brought back the meat, though one carcass had spoiled. Chinook chief Delashelwilt arrived with his wife and six women offering sex for trade—the same group that had spread venereal disease to the men in November—prompting Lewis to warn the party. A Clatsop man named Catel visited with a canoe and sea otter skin, but no purchases were made. Bratton remained ill. Lewis described a third species of brant in detail.
Saturday March 15th 1806. This morning at 11 OCk. the hunters arrived,
having killed four Elk only. Labuish it seems was the only hunter who fell
in with the Elk and having by some accedent lost the fore sight of his gun
shot a great number of times but killed only the number mentioned. as the
elk were scattered we sent two parties for them, they returned in the
evening with four skins and the flesh of three Elk, that of one of them
having become putrid from the liver and pluck having been carelessly left
in the animal all night. we were visited this afternoon by Delashshelwilt
a Chinnook Chief his wife and six women of his nation which the old baud
his wife had brought for market. this was the same party that had
communicated the venerial to so many of our party in November last, and of
which they have finally recovered. I therefore gave the men a particular
charge with rispect to them which they promised me to observe. late this
evening we were also visited by Catel a Clatsop man and his family. he
brought a canoe and a Sea Otter Skin for sale neither of which we
purchased this evening. The Clatsops who had brought a canoe for sale last
evening left us early this morning.- Bratton still sick.
There is a third speceis of brant in the neighbourhood of this place which
is about the size and much the form of the pided brant. they weigh about
81/2 lbs. the wings are not as long nor so pointed as those of the common
pided brant. the following is a likeness of it’s head and beak. a little
distance around the base of the beak is white and is suddonly succeeded by
a narrow line of dark brown. the ballance of the neck, head, back, wings,
and tail all except the tips of the feathers are of the bluish brown of
the common wild goose. the breast and belly are white with an irregular
mixture of black feathers which give that part a pided appearance. from
the legs back underneath the tail, and arond the junction of the same with
the body above, the feathers are white. the tail is composed of 18
feathers; the longest of which are in the center and measure 6 Inches with
the barrel of the quill; those sides of the tail are something shorter and
bend with their extremeties inwards towards the center of the tail. the
extremities of these feathers are white. the beak is of a light flesh
colour. the legs and feet which do not differ in structure from those of
the goose or brant of the other speceis, are of an orrange yellow colour.
the eye is small; the iris is a dark yellowish brown, and pupil black. the
note of this brant is much that of the common pided brant from which in
fact they are not to be distinguished at a distance, but they certainly
are a distinct speis of brant. the flesh of this fowl is as good as that
of the common pided brant. they not remain here during the winter in such
numbers as the white brant do, tho they have now returned in considerable
quantities. first saw them below tide-water.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday March 15th 1806. This morning at 11 o'clock the hunters arrived, having killed only four elk. Labuish, it seems, was the only hunter who came across the elk, and having by some accident lost the front sight of his gun, he shot a great number of times but killed only the number mentioned. As the elk were scattered, we sent two parties for them. They returned in the evening with four skins and the flesh of three elk, the meat of one having become rotten because the liver and pluck had been carelessly left in the animal all night. We were visited this afternoon by Delashshelwilt, a Chinnook (Chinook) chief, his wife, and six women of his nation whom the old bawd, his wife, had brought to sell. This was the same party that had passed venereal disease to so many of our party in November last, from which they have finally recovered. I therefore gave the men a particular warning regarding them, which they promised me to observe. Late this evening we were also visited by Catel, a Clatsop man, and his family. He brought a canoe and a sea otter skin for sale, neither of which we purchased this evening. The Clatsops who had brought a canoe for sale last evening left us early this morning. Bratton is still sick.
There is a third species of brant in the neighborhood of this place which is about the size and much the form of the pied brant. They weigh about 8 1/2 pounds. The wings are not as long nor so pointed as those of the common pied brant. The following is a likeness of its head and beak. A small area around the base of the beak is white and is suddenly followed by a narrow line of dark brown. The rest of the neck, head, back, wings, and tail, all except the tips of the feathers, are the bluish brown of the common wild goose. The breast and belly are white with an irregular mixture of black feathers which give that part a pied appearance. From the legs back underneath the tail, and around the junction of the tail with the body above, the feathers are white. The tail is composed of 18 feathers; the longest of which are in the center and measure 6 inches including the barrel of the quill; the feathers on the sides of the tail are somewhat shorter and bend with their tips inward toward the center of the tail. The tips of these feathers are white. The beak is a light flesh color. The legs and feet, which do not differ in structure from those of the goose or brant of the other species, are an orange yellow color. The eye is small; the iris is a dark yellowish brown, and the pupil is black. The call of this brant is much like that of the common pied brant, from which in fact they cannot be distinguished at a distance, but they certainly are a distinct species of brant. The flesh of this bird is as good as that of the common pied brant. They do not remain here during the winter in such numbers as the white brant do, though they have now returned in considerable quantities. We first saw them below tidewater.
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