The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, March 4, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, March 4, 1806

Tuesday March 4th 1806

Not any accurrance to day worthy of notice. we live Sumptiously on our wappatoe and Sturgeon. the Anchovey is so delicate that they Soon become tainted unless pickled or Smoked. the nativs run a Small Stick through their gills and hang them in the Smoke of their Lodges, or Kindle Small fires under them for the purpose of drying them. they need no previous preperation of gutting &c. and will Cure in 24 hours. the nativs do not appear to be very Scrupilous about eating them a little feated.

the fresh sturgeon they Keep maney days by immersing it in water. they Cook their Sturgeon by means of vapor or Steam. the process is as follows. a brisk fire is kindled on which a parcel of Stones are Sufficiently heated, the Stones are So arranged as to form a tolerable leavel Surface, the Sturgeon which had been previously cut into large flaetches is now laid on the hot Stones; a parcel of Small boughs of bushes is next laid on, and a Second course of the Sturgeon thus repeating alternate layers of Sturgeon & boughs untill the whole is put on which they design to Cook. it is next covered closely with mats and water is poared in Such manner as to run in among the hot Stones, and the vapor arriseing being confind by the mats, cooks the fish. the whole process is performd in an hour and the Sturgeon thus Cooked is much better than either boiled or roasted. in their usial way of bolting of other fish in baskets with hot Stones is not so good.

The turtle doves and robin are the Same of those of our countrey and are found as well as the plains as open countrey. the Columbia robin heretofore discribed Seams to be the inhabitent of the woody Country exclusively. the magpye is most commonly found in the open Country and are the Same with those formerly discribed on the Missouri.

The large wood pecker or log cock the lark woodpecker and the common wood pecker with a red head are the Same with those of the Atlantic States, and are found exclusively in the timbered Country. The Blue crested Corvus and the Small white brested corvus are the nativs of a piney country invariably, being found as well on the Rocky Mountains as on this coast-. The lark is found in the plains only and are the Same with those on the Missouri and the Illinois and not unlike what is Called in Virginia the old field Lark.

The large bluish brown or Sandhill Crain are found in the Vally's of the Rocky Mountain in Summer and autumn when they raise their young and in the winter and beginning of Spring on this river below tide water and on this coast. they are the Same as those Common to the Southern and Western States where they are most generally known by the name of the Sand hill Crain. The Vulture has already been discribed.

There are two Species of fly Catch, a Small redish brown with a Short tail, round body, Short neck, and Short pointed beak, and the Same as that with us sometimes called the Wren. the 2d Species does not remain all winter they have just returned and are of a Yellowish brown Colour.