Lewis: March 9, 1806
At Fort Clatsop, men set out at daylight to retrieve an elk Collins had killed, returning by 11 A.M. Bratton suffered back pain, likely rheumatism, treated with liniment and flannel, and improved by evening. Drewyer and Joseph Fields returned empty-handed from elk hunting, while Sergeant Pryor's fishing party remained delayed, presumably by wind. Three Clatsop men visited to trade a dog, fish, and a sea otter skin, and stayed overnight. Shields was set to making elk-skin sacks. Lewis recorded detailed observations on local waterfowl, including whistling and large swans, mallards, canvasback ducks, and red-headed fishing ducks.
Sunday March 9th 1806. This morning the men set out at daylight to go in
gust of the Elk which Collins had killed, they returned with it at eleven
A.M. Bratton complains of his back being very painfull to him today; I
conceive this pain to be something of the rheumatism. we still apply the
linniment and flannel; in the evening he was much better. Drewyer and
Joseph Fields returned not having found any Elk. Sergt. Pryor and the
fishing party not yet arrived, suppose they are detained by the winds.
visited by 3 Clatsop men who brought a dog some fish and a Sea Otter skin
for sale. we suffered them to remain all night. we set Shields at work to
make some sacks of Elk skin to contain various articles. The large Swan is
precisely the same common to the Atlantic States. the small swan differs
only from the larger one in size and it’s note. it is about one fourth
less and it’s note entirely different. the latter cannot be justly
immetated by the sound of letters nor do I know any sounds with which a
comparison would be pertinent. it begins with a kind of whistleing sound
and terminates in a round full note which is reather louder than the
whistleing, or former part; this note is as loud as that of the large
swan. from the peculiar whistleing of the note of this bird I have called
it the whistleing swan it’s habits colour and contour appear to be
precisely those of the large Swan. we first saw them below the great
narrows of the Columbia near the Chilluckkittequaw nation. They are very
abundant in this neighbourhood and have remained with us all winter. in
number they are fully five for one of the large speceis. The duckinmallard
or common large duck wich resembles the domestic duck are the same here
with those of the U Sts. they are abundant and are found on every part of
the river below the mountains. they remain here all winter but I beleive
they do not continue during winter far above tidewater. a beautifull duck
and one of the most delicious in the world is found in considerable
quantities in this neighbourhood during the Autumn and winter. this is the
same with that known in the Delliware, Susquehannah, and Potomac by the
name of the Canvisback and in James River by that of shell-Drake; in the
latter river; however I am informed that they have latterly almost
entirely disappeared. to the epicure of those parts of the union where
this duck abounds nothing need be added in praise of the exqusite flavor
of this duck. I have frequently eaten of them in several parts of the
Union and I think those of the Columbia equally as delicious. this duck is
never found above tide-water; we did not meet with them untill after we
reached the marshey Islands; and I beleive that they have already left
this neighbourhood, but whether they have gone northwardly or Southwardly
I am unable to determin; nor do I know in what part of the Continent they
raise their young.The read headed fishing duck is common to every
part of the river and are found as well in the Rocky Mountains as
elsewhere; in short this was the only duck we saw on the waters of the
Columbia within the mountains. they feed principally on crawfish and are
the same in every rispect as those on the rivers in the mountains of the
Atlantic Ocean.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday, March 9th, 1806. This morning the men set out at daylight to go in search of the elk that Collins had killed; they returned with it at eleven A.M. Bratton complains of his back being very painful to him today; I believe this pain to be a form of rheumatism. We still apply the liniment and flannel; in the evening he was much better. Drewyer and Joseph Fields returned, not having found any elk. Sergt. Pryor and the fishing party have not yet arrived; I suppose they are detained by the winds. We were visited by 3 Clatsop men who brought a dog, some fish, and a sea otter skin for sale. We allowed them to remain all night. We set Shields to work making some sacks of elk skin to hold various articles.
The large swan is precisely the same as the one common to the Atlantic States. The small swan differs from the larger one only in size and in its note. It is about one fourth smaller, and its note is entirely different. The latter cannot be justly imitated by the sound of letters, nor do I know any sounds with which a comparison would be pertinent. It begins with a kind of whistling sound and terminates in a round, full note that is rather louder than the whistling, or former part; this note is as loud as that of the large swan. Because of the peculiar whistling note of this bird, I have called it the whistling swan. Its habits, color, and contour appear to be precisely those of the large swan. We first saw them below the great narrows of the Columbia, near the Chilluckkittequaw nation. They are very abundant in this neighborhood and have remained with us all winter. In number, they are fully five to one of the large species.
The duckinmallard, or common large duck, which resembles the domestic duck, is the same here as those of the U.S. They are abundant and are found on every part of the river below the mountains. They remain here all winter, but I believe they do not stay during the winter far above tidewater.
A beautiful duck, and one of the most delicious in the world, is found in considerable quantities in this neighborhood during the autumn and winter. This is the same as the one known on the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Potomac by the name of canvasback, and on the James River by the name of shell-drake; on the latter river, however, I am informed that they have lately almost entirely disappeared. To the epicure of those parts of the Union where this duck abounds, nothing need be added in praise of its exquisite flavor. I have frequently eaten them in several parts of the Union, and I think those of the Columbia are equally delicious. This duck is never found above tidewater; we did not meet with them until after we reached the marshy islands; and I believe that they have already left this neighborhood, but whether they have gone northward or southward I am unable to determine, nor do I know in what part of the continent they raise their young.
The red-headed fishing duck is common to every part of the river and is found in the Rocky Mountains as well as elsewhere; in short, this was the only duck we saw on the waters of the Columbia within the mountains. They feed principally on crawfish and are the same in every respect as those on the rivers in the mountains near the Atlantic Ocean.
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