Lewis: May 28, 1806

Wednesday, May 28th, 1806. We sent Goodrich to the village of the Broken Arm this morning. He returned in the evening with some roots, bread, and a parcel of goat's hair for making our saddle pads. Reubin and Joseph Fields set out this morning to hunt high up on a creek that flows into this river about 8 miles above us. At noon, Charbono (Charbonneau), York, and Lapage returned; they had obtained four bags of the dried roots of cows and some bread. In the evening, Collins, Shannon, and Colter returned with eight deer. They had fortunately discovered a ford on Collins's Creek where they were able to cross it with their horses, and they had hunted at the quamash ground where we first met with the Chopunnish last fall. They informed us that deer were very abundant, but there were not many bears.

The sick chief was much better this morning. He can use his hands and arms and seems much pleased with the prospect of recovering. He says he feels much better than he has for a great number of months. I sincerely wish these sweats may restore him. We have consented that he should still remain with us and repeat these sweats. He sat up a great portion of the day. The child is also better; he is free of fever, and the abscess is not as large but seems to be advancing to maturity.

Since my arrival here, I have killed several birds of the corvus genus, of a kind found only in the Rocky Mountains and their neighborhood. I first met with this bird above the Three Forks of the Missouri and saw them on the heights of the Rocky Mountains, but never before had an opportunity of examining them closely. The small corvus described at Fort Clatsop is a different species, though until now I had taken it to be the same. This one is much larger and has a loud squawling note something like the mewing of a cat. The beak of this bird is 1 1/2 inches long, is proportionably large, black, and of the form that characterizes this genus. The upper jaw exceeds the lower jaw a little. The head and neck are also proportionably large. The eye is full and rather prominent, the iris dark brown and purple-black. It is about the size and somewhat the form of the jaybird, though rather rounder or more full in the body. The tail is four and a half inches in length, composed of 12 feathers nearly of the same length. The head, neck, and body of this bird are of a dove color. The wings are black except for the extremities of six large feathers occupying the middle joint of the wing, which are white. The underside of the wing is not of the shining or glossy black that marks its upper surface. The two feathers in the center of the tail are black, as are the two adjacent feathers for half their width; the rest are of a pure white. The feet and legs are black and covered with wide overlapping scales. The nails are black and remarkably long and sharp, also much curved. It has four toes on each foot, of which one is in the rear and three in front. The toes are long, particularly that in the rear. This bird feeds on the seed of the pine and also on insects. It resides in the Rocky Mountains at all seasons of the year, and in many parts it is the only bird to be found.

Our hunters brought us a large hooting owl that differs considerably from those of the Atlantic states, which are also common here. The plumage of this owl is a uniform mixture of dark yellowish brown and white, in which the dark brown predominates. Its color may be properly termed a dark iron gray. The plumage is very long and remarkably silky and soft. These do not have the long feathers on the head that give it the appearance of ears or horns. The feathers of the head are long, narrow, and closely set; they rise upright nearly to the extremity and then are bent back suddenly as if curled. A kind of ruff of these feathers encircles the throat. The head has a flat appearance, being broadest before and behind, and is 1 foot 10 inches in circumference. Encircling the eyes and extending from them like rays from the center, a tissue of open, hairy, long feathers is placed, of a light gray color. These conceal the ears, which are very large and are placed close to the eyes behind and extending below them. These feathers meet over the beak, which they nearly conceal, and form the face of the owl. The eyes are remarkably large and prominent, the iris of a pale gold color, circular, and of a deep sea green. The beak is short and wide at its base. The upper jaw is much curved at the extremity and comes down over and in front of the lower jaw. This bird is about the size of the largest hooting owl. The tail is composed of eleven feathers, of which those in the center are rather the longest. It is feathered to the extremity of the toes, of which it has four on each foot: one in the rear, one on the outer side, and two in front. The toes are short, particularly that in the rear, but are all armed with long, keen, curved nails of a dark brown color. The beak is white, and the nostrils are circular, large, and unconnected. The habits and the note of this owl are much like those of the common large hooting owl.