The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, February 7, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, February 7, 1806

Friday February 7th 1806

This evening Serjt Ordway and wiser returned with a part of the meat which R. Field had killed; the balance of the Party with Serjt. Gass remained in order to bring the ballance of the meat to the river at a point agreeed on, where the Canoe is to meet them again tomorrow morning. This evening we had what I call an excellent supper it consisted of a marrowbone, a piece of brisket of boiled Elk that had the appearance of a little fat on it. this for Fort Clatsop is liveing in high Stile, and in fact fiesting-.

In this neighbourhood I observe the honeysuckle common in the U States, I first met with it on the waters of the Kooskooske near the Chopunnish Nation, and again below the grand rapids in the Columbian Vally on tide water. The Elder also common to our Countrey grows in great abundance in the rich wood land on this Side of the rocky mountains, tho it differs here in the Colour of its berry, this being of a pale Sky blue while that of the U, States is a deep purple. The Seven or nine bark as it is called in the U, States is also Common in this quarter. There is a Species of huckkleberry Common to the piney lands from the Commencement of the Columbian Vally to the Sea coast; it rises to the hight of 6 or 8 feet, is a Simple branching, Somewhat defused Stem; the main body or trunk is cilindric branches are green Smothe squar, and put foth a number of alternet branches of the Same Colour and form from the two horizontal Sides only. the frute is a small deep purple berry which the nativs inform us is very good, the leaf is thin of a pale green and Small being 3/4 of an inch in length and 3/8 in width; oval terminateing more accoutely at the apax, than near the insersion of the footstalk which is at the base vened nearly entire; footstalks Short and their position in respect to each other is alternate and too ranked, proceeding from the horizontal Side of the bough only.

The Small Pox had distroyed a great number of the nativs in this quarter. it provailed about 4 or 5 yrs Sinc among the Clatsops, and distroy'd Several hundreds of them, four of their Chiefs fell a victym to it's ravages. these Clatsops are Deposited in their Canoes on the bay a fiew miles below us. I think the late ravages of the Small Pox, may well account for the number of remains of villages which I Saw on my rout to the Kil a mox in Several places-.