The nativs of this neighbourhood eate the root of the Cattail or Cooper’s
flag. it is pleasantly tasted and appears to be very nutrecious. the inner
part of the root which is eaten without any previous preperation is
Composed of a number of capellary white flexable Strong fibers among which
is a mealy or Starch like Substance which readily disolves in the mouth
and Seperates from the fibers which are then rejected. it appears to me
that this Substance would make excellent Starch; nothing Can be of a
pureer white than it is

This evening late Drewyer, Crusat & Wiser returned with a most
acceptable Supply of fat Sturgen, fresh anchoves and a bag Containing
about a bushel of Wappato. we feasted on the Anchovies and wappatoe.-.

The Heath Cock or cock of the Plains is found in the Plains of Columbia
and are in great abundance from the enterance of Lewis’s river to the
mountains which pass the Columbia between the Great falls and Rapids of
that river. this fowl is about 3/4ths the Size of a turkey. the beak is
large Short Curved and convex. the upper exceeding the lower chap. the
nostrils are large and the back black. the Colour is a uniform mixture of
dark brown reather bordering on a dove colour, redish and yellowish brown
with Some Small black Specks. in this mixture the dark brown provails and
has a Slight cast of the dove colour at a little distance. the wider side
of the larger feathers of the wings are of a dark brown only. the tail is
composed of 19 feathers of which that in the center is the longest, and
the remaining 9 on each Side deminish by pairs as they receede from the
Center; that is any one feather is equal in length to one of an equal
distance from the Center of the tail on the opposit Side. the tail when
folded Comes to a very Sharp point and appears long in perpotion to the
body in the act of flying the tail resembles that of a wild pigeon. tho
the motion of the wings is much that of the Pheasant and Grouse. they have
four toes on each foot of which the hinder one is Short. the leg is
covered with feathers about half the distance between the knee and foot.
when the wings is expanded there are wide opening between it’s feathers,
the plumage being So narrow that it does not extend from one quill to
another. the wings are also propotionably Short, reather more So than
those of the Pheasant or Grouse. the habits of this bird is much the Same
as those of the Prarie hen or Grouse. only that the food of this fowl is
almost entirely that of the leaf and buds of the pulpy leafed thorn, nor
do I ever recollect Seeing this bird but in the neighbourhood of that
Shrub. The gizzard of it is large and much less compressed and muscular
than in most fowls, in Short it resembles a maw quite as much as a
gizzard. When they fly they make a cackling noise Something like the
dunghill fowl. the flesh of this fowl is dark and only tolerable in point
of flavour. I do not think it as good as wth the Pheasant or Prarie hen,
or Grouse. the feathers above it’s head are pointed and Stiff Some hairs
about the base of the beak. feathers Short fine and Stiff about the ears,
and eye. This is a faint likeness of the Cock of the plains or Heath Cock
the first of those fowls which we met with was on the Missouri below and
in the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains and from to the mountain which
passes the Columbia between the Great falls and Rapids they go in large
gangues or Singularly and hide remarkably close when pursued, make Short
flights, &c.

The large Black & White Pheasant is peculiar to that portion of the
Rocky Mountains watered by the Columbia River. at least we did not See
them untill we reached the waters of that river, nor Since we have left
those mountains. they are about the Size of a well grown hen. the contour
of the bird is much that of the redish brown Pheasant common to our
country. the tail is proportionably as long and is composed of 18 feathers
of equal length, of a uniform dark brown tiped with black. the feathers of
the body are of a dark brown black and white. the black is that which most
prodomonates, and white feathers are irregularly intermixed with those of
the black and dark brown on every part but in greater perpotion about the
neck breast and belly. this mixture gives it very much the appearance of
that kind of dunghill fowl, which the henwives of our Countrey Call
dommanicker. in the brest of Some of those birds the white prodominates
most. they are not furnished with tufts of long feathers on the neck as
other Pheasants are, but have a Space on each Side of the neck about 21/2
inches long and one inch in width on which no feathers grow, tho it is
consealed by the feathers which are inserted on the hinder and front part
of the neck, this Space Seams to Serve them to dilate or contract the
feathers of the neck with more ease. the eye is dark, the beak black,
uncovered Somewhat pointed and the upper exceeds the under chap. they have
a narrow Strip of vermillion colour above each eye which consists of a
fleshey Substance not protuberant but uneaven, with a number of minute
rounded dots. it has four toes on each foot of which three are in front,
it is booted to the toes. it feeds on wild fruits, particularly the berry
of the Sac-a-com-mis, and much also on the Seed of the pine & fir.
this fowl is usially found in Small numbers two and three & 4 together
on the ground. when Supprised flies up & lights on a tree and is
easily Shot their flesh is Superior to most of the Pheasant Species which
we have met with. they have a gizzard as other Pheasants &c. feed also
on the buds of the Small Huckleberry bushes

The post Drouillard Returns with Fat Sturgeon and Anchovies appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

The small speckled pheasant found in the same country with that above
discribed, differs from it only in point of size and somewhat in colour.
it is scarcely half the size of the other; ascociates in much larger
flocks and is very gentle. the black is more predominant and the dark bron
feathers less frequent in this than the larger species. the mixture of
white is also more general on every part of this bird. it is considerably
smaller than our pheasant and the body reather more round. in other
particulars they differ not at all from the large black and white
pheasant. this by way of distinction I have called the speckled pheasant.
the flesh of both these species of party coloured phesants is of a dark
colour and with the means we had of cooking them not very well flavored.

The small brown pheasant is an inhabitant of the same country and is of
the size and shape of the specled pheasant which it also resembles in it’s
economy and habits. the stripe above the eye in this species is scarcely
perceptable, and is when closely examined of a yellow or orrange colour
instead of the vermillion of the outhers. it’s colour is an uniform
mixture of dark and yellowish brown with a slight mixture of brownish
white on the breast belley and the feathers underneath the tail. the whol
compound is not unlike that of the common quail only darker. this is also
booted to the toes. the flesh of this is preferable to either of the
others and that of the breast is as white as the pheasant of the Atlantic
coast.the redish brown pheasant has been previously discribed.The
Crow raven and Large Blackbird are the same as those of our country only
that the crow is here much smaller yet it’s note is the same. I observe no
difference either between the hawks of this coast and those of the
Atlantic. I have observed the large brown hawk, the small or sparrow hawk,
and the hawk of an intermediate size with a long tail and blewish coloured
wings remarkably swift in flight and very firce. sometimes called in the U
States the hen hawk. these birds seem to be common to every part of this
country, and the hawks crows & ravens build their nests in great
numbers along the high and inaccessable clifts of the Columbia river and
it’s S. E. branch where we passed along them.we also met with the
large hooting Owl under the Rocky mountain on the Kooskoskee river. it did
not appear to differ materially from those of our country. I think it’s
colours reather deeper and brighter than with us, particularly the redish
brown. it is the same size and form.

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The dress of the Clatsops and others of the nativs in the neighbourhood
differ but little from that described of the Skilutes and Wau ki a cums;
they never ware ligins or mockersons which the mildness of the Climate I
presume has rendered in a great measure unnecessary; and their being
obliged to be frequently in the water also renders those articles of dress
inconveniant.

The Sac-a commis is the groth of high dry Situations, and invariably in a
piney Country, or on its borders; it is Generally found in the open piney
woodlands as on the Western Side of the Rocky mountains but in this
neighbourhood we find it in the praries or on the borders in the more open
woodland’s; a very rich Soil is not absolutely necessary, as a meager one
frequently produces it abundantly. the nativs on the West side of the
Rocky mountains who can precure this berry invariably use it; to me it is
a very tasteless and insipid frute. This Shrub is an evergreen, the leaves
retain their virdue most perfectly throughout the winter even in the most
rigid climate as on Lake Winnipic. the root of this shrub puts foth a
great number of Stems, which seperate near the surface of the ground; each
Stem from the size of a Small quill, to that of a mans finger. These are
much branched forming an accute angle with the Stem, and all more properly
procumbent than crossing, for altho it sometimes puts foth radicles from
the Stems and branches which Strike obliquely into the ground, those
radicles are by no means general, equable in their distances from each
other nor do they appear to be calculated to furnish nutriment to the
plant but rather to hold the Stem or branch in its place. the bark is
formed of several thin layers of a Smothe thin brittle substance of a
redish brown colour easily seperated from the woody Stem in flakes. the
leaves with respect to their possition are scatter’d yet closely arranged
near the extremities of the twigs particularly. the leaves are about 3/4
of an inch in length and about half that in width, is oval but obtusely
pointed, absolutely entire, thick, Smoth, firm, a deep green and slightly
grooved. the leaf is Supported by a Small footstalk of preportionable
length. the berry is attached in an irregular and Scattered manner to the
Small boughs among the leaves, tho frequently Closely arranged, but always
Supported by a Seperate Short and Small peduncles, the incersion of which
produces a Small concavity in the berry while its opposit side is Slightly
convex; the form of the berry is a Spheroid, the Shorter diameter being in
a line with the peduncle or Stem-. this berry is a pericarp the outer Coat
of which is a thin firm tough pellicle, the inner part consists of dry
mealy powder of a yellowish white colour invelloping from four to six
propotionably large hard light brown seeds each in the form of section of
a spheroid which figure they form when united, and are distitute of any
membranous covering.the colour of this fruit is a fine scarlet. the
nativs usually eat them without any preparation. the fruit ripens in
September and remains on the bushes all winter. the frost appears to take
no effects on it. these berries are Sometimes gathered and hung in their
houses in bags where they dry without further trouble, for in their
succulent State they appear to be almost as dry as flour.

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The Sac a commis is the growth of high dry situations, and invariably in a
piney country or on it’s borders. it is generally found in the open piney
woodland as on the Western side of the Rocky mountain but in this
neighbourhood we find it only in the praries or on their borders in the
more open wood lands; a very rich soil is not absolutely necessary, as a
meager one frequently produces it abundantly. the natives on this side of
the Rockey mountains who can procure this berry invariably use it; to me
it is a very tasteless and insippid fruit. this shrub is an evergreen, the
leaves retain their virdure most perfectly through the winter even in the
most rigid climate as on lake Winnipic. the root of this shrub puts forth
a great number of stems which seperate near the surface of the ground;
each stem from the size of a small quill to that of a man’s finger; these
are much branched the branches forming an accute angle with the stem, and
all more poperly pocumbent than creeping, for altho it sometimes puts
forth radicles from the stem and branches which strike obliquely into the
ground, these radicles are by no means general, equable in their distances
from each other nor do they appear to be calculated to furnish nutriment
to the plant but reather to hold the stem or branch in it’s place. the
bark is formed of several thin layers of a smoth thin brittle substance of
a dark or redish brown colour easily seperated from the woody stem in
flakes. the leaves with rispect to their position are scatered yet closely
arranged near the extremities of the twigs particularly. the leaf is about
3/4 of an inch in length and about half that in width, is oval but
obtusely pointed, absolutely entire, thick, smoth, firm, a deep green and
slightly grooved. the leaf is supported by a small footstalk of
proportionable length. the berry is attatched in an irregular and
scattered manner to the small boughs among the leaves, tho frequently
closely arranged, but always supported by seperate short and small
peduncles, the insertion of which poduces a slight concavity in the bury
while it’s opposite side is slightly convex; the form of the berry is a
spheroid; the shorter diameter being in a line with the peduncle.this
berry is a pericarp the outer coat of which is a thin firm tough pellicle,
the inner part consists of a dry mealy powder of a yellowish white colour
invelloping from four to six proportionably large hard light brown seeds
each in the form of a section of a spheroid which figure they form when
united, and are destitute of any membranous covering.the colour of
this fruit is a fine scarlet. the natives usually eat them without any
preperation. the fruit ripens in september and remains on the bushes all
winter. the frost appears to take no effect on it. these berries are
sometimes geathered and hung in their lodges in bags where they dry
without further trouble, for in their most succulent state they appear to
be almost as dry as flour.

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The native fruits and berries in use among the Indians of this
neighbourhood are a Deep purple about the Size of a Small cherry called by
them Shal lun, a Small pale red berry called Sol me; the vineing or low
brown berry, a light brown berry rather larger and much the Shape of a
black haw; and a Scarlet berry about the Size of a Small Chirry the plant
Called by the Canadian Engages of the N. W. Sac a commis produces this
berry; this plant is So Called from the circumstances of the Clerks of
these tradeing Companies Carrying the leaves of this plant in a Small bag
for the purpose of Smokeing of which they are excessively fond the Indians
Call this berry ____

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The native fruits and buries in uce among the Indians of this
neighbourhood are a deep purple burry about the size of a small cherry
called by them Shal-lun, a small pale red bury called Sol’-me; the vineing
or low Crambury, a light brown bury reather larger and much the shape of
the black haw; and a scarlet bury about the size of a small cherry the
plant called by the Canadin Engages of the N. W. sac a commis produces
this bury; this plant is so called from the circumstance of the Clerks of
those trading companies carrying the leaves of this plant in a small bag
for the purpose of smokeing of which they are excessively fond. the
Indians call this bury ____

I have lately learned that the natives whome I have heretofore named as
distinct nations, living on the sea coast S. E. of the Killamucks, are
only bands of that numerous nation, which continues to extend itself much
further on that coast than I have enumerated them, but of the particular
appellations of those distant bands I have not yet been enabled to inform
myself; their language also is somewhat different from the Clatsops
Chinnooks and Cathlahmahs; but I have not yet obtaind a vocabulary which I
shall do the first oportunity which offers.

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