The Journals of Lewis & Clark: February 8, 1806

February 7, 1806

February 9, 1806

February 8, 1806

Saturday February 8th 1806. Sent Sergt. Ordway and two men this morning to join the party with Sergt. Gass and bring the ballance of R. Fields's Elk. in the evening they returned with the balance of the flesh of five Elk, that of one of them having become tainted and unfit for uce. late in the evening Sergt. Pryor returned with Shannon Labuish and his party down the Netul. they brought with them the flesh of 4 Elk which those two hunters had killed. we have both dined and suped on Elk's tongues and marrow bones.

I have discovered that the shrub and fruit discribed on the 26th of January is not that which the Indians call the Shal-lon, but that is such as is there discribed, and the berry is estemed and used by the natives as there mentioned except that it is not like the shallon, baked in large loaves, but is simply dryed in the sun for winter uce, when they either eat them in thir dryed state or boil them in water. The Shallon is the production of a shrub which I have heretofore taken to be a speceis of loral and mentioned as abounding in this neighbourhood and that the Elk fed much on it's leaves. it generally rises to the hight of 3 feet but not unusually attains to that of 5 feet. it grows very thick and is from the size of a goos quill to that of a man's thumb, celindric, the bark of the older or larger part of the stock is of a redish brown colour while that of the younger branches and succulent shoots are red where most exposed to the sun and green elsewhere. the stem is simple branching reclining, and partially fluxouse, or at least the smaler stocks or such parts of them and the boughs as produce the leaves, take a different direction at the insertion of every petiole. the leaf is oval four & 3/4 inches in length and 21/2 in width. petiolate, the petiole short only 3/8th of an inch in length, celindric with a slight channel on it's upper side where it is generally red; undivided or entire, slightly serrate, the apex termineating in an accute point; the upper disk of a glossey deep green, the under disk of a pale green; veined. the leaves are also alternate and two ranked. the root is horizontal puting forth perpendicular radicles. this shrub is an evergreen. the fruit is a deep perple berry about the size of a buck short or common black cherry, of an ovate form tho reather more bluntly pointed, than at the insertion of the peduncle; at the extremity, the thin coloured membranous pellicle, which forms the surface of the pericarp, is divided into five accute angular points, which meet in the center, and contains a soft pulp of the same colour invelloping a great number of small brown kidney formed seeds. each berry is supported by a seperate celindric peduncle of half an inch in length; these to the number of ten or twelve issue from a common peduncle or footstalk which is fuxouse and forms the termination of the twig of the present years growth; each peduncle supporting a berry is furnished with one oblong bracte placed at it's insertion on the common footstalk which when the fruit is ripe withers with the peduncle.

Saturday February 8th 1806

Sent Serjt. Ordway and two men this morning to joint the party with Serjt. Gass, and bring the ballance of R. Field's Elk. in the evening they returned with the ballance of the flesh of five Elk, that of one of them having become tainted and unfit for use. late in the evening Serjt. Pryor returned with Shannon Labieshe and his party down the Netul. they brought with them the flesh of 4 Elk which those two hunters had killed.

we have both Dined and Suped on Elks tongues and marrowbones. a great Luxury for Fort Clatsop.

The Shat lon is a production of Shrub which I have taken heretofore to be a Species of Loral and mentioned as abounding in this neighbourhood, and that the Elk feed much on its leaves. it generally rises to the hight of 3 feet, and not unusially attain to that of 5 feet. it grows very thick and is from the size of that of a goose quil to that of a mans thumb, Celendric. the bark of the older or larger part of the Stalk is of a redish brown Colour, whilst that of the younger branches & succulent Shoots are red where most exposed to the Sun and green elsewhere. the Stem is Simple branching, reclineing and partially fuxouse, or at least the Smaller Stalks or Such parts of them and their boughs which produce the leaves, take a different direction at the insertion of every petiole. A, A, the leaves as they grow from the Stalk B. B. B the Stalk between each leaf.

The leaf is oval 4 and 3/4 inches in length, and 2 and a half in width. petiolate, the potiale Short only 3/8 of an inch in length cilindric with a Slight Channel on its upper Side where it is generally red; undevided, or entire, Slightly serrate, the apex termonateing in an accute point; the upper disk of a glossy deep Green, the under disk of a pail Green, veined. the leaves are also alternate and two ranked. the root is horozontal, putting foth pirpendicular radicles. This Shrub is an evergreen. the frute is a deep purple berry about the Size of a buck Shot or common black cherry, of an ovale form, tho reather more bluntly pointed than at the insertion of the peduncle, at the extremity, the thin coloured membranus pellicle, which forms the Surfice of the paricarp, is divided into 4 anguar points, which meet at the Center, and Contains a Soft pulp of the Same Colour invelloping a great number of Small brown kidney formed Seedeach berry is Supported by a Seperate celindric peduncle of half an inch in length, these to the number of 10 or 12 issue from a common peduncle of footstalk which forms the termination of the twig of the present years groth; each peduncle Supporting a berry is furnished with one oblong bracte placed at it's insertion on the common footstalk, which when the frute is ripe withers with the peduncle-.