January 25, 1806
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January 25, 1806

 

Commowooll and the Clatsops departed early this morning. At meridian Colter returned and repoted that his comrade hunter Willard had continued his hunt from point Adams towards the salt makers; and that they had killed only those two deer which the Indians brought yesterday. In the evening Collins one of the saltmakers returned and reported that they had mad about one bushel of salt & that himself and two others had hunted from the salt camp for five days without killing any thing and they had been obliged to subsist on some whale which they procured from the natives.

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, [1] a small pale red bury called Sol'-me; [2] the vineing or low Crambury, [3] a light brown bury reather larger and much the shape of the black haw; [4] 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; [5] this plant is so called from the circumstance of the Clerks of those rading 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 [blank]

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 Cathlâhmâhs; but I have not yet obtaind a vocabulary which I shall do the first oportunity which offers. [6]

 

Commowol and the Clatsops departed early this morning. Colter returned and reported that his comrade hunter Willard had Continued his hunt from Point Adams towards the Saltmakers; and that they had killed only those two deer which the indians brought yesterday; in the evening Collins one of the Saltmakers returned and reported that they had made about one bushel of Salt and that himself and two others had hunted from the Salt Camp for five days without killing any thing and they had been obliged to Subsist on Some whale whieh they purchased from the nativs—. [7]

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 [blank]

 

Saturday 25th Jany. 1806.    froze a little last night, and a little more Snow fell intermixet with hail.    continues Squawlly this morning.    2 men [8] came from the Salt Camps.    had been a hunting but killed nothing except the deer which was brought in yesterday.

 

Saturday 25th.    The morning was cloudy and some showers of snow fell in the course of the day; and in the night it fell to the depth of 8 inches. On the 26th there were some light showers during the day; but in the evening the weather cleared up, and it began to freeze hard. This is the first freezing weather of any consequence we have had during the winter.

 

Saturday Janry 25th    We had snow during last night & it continued snowing lightly this morning.    The ground had froze a little.    One of the hunters [9] returned to the Fort, who had killed one of the 2 Deer which was brought in the Canoe Yesterday.—

1. Salal; see Lewis's description, February 8, 1806. (back)
2. See above, November 13, 1805, and below, January 27, 1806. (back)
3. Wild cranberry. (back)
4. Oregon crabapple; see January 28, 1806. (back)
5. Bearberry or kinnikinnick, Arcostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. Lewis's etymology for the term saccacommis is incorrect, see notes above at February 28, 1805. Lewis's detailed discussion of the plant is at January 29, 1806. (back)
6. The Tillamooks belonged to the coastal division of the Salishan-language family. South of them along the coast were some small groups belonging to the Alsean, Siuslawan, and Coosan-language families; the Alseas and the Yaquinas, the Siuslaws, the Coos, and the Umpquas. Thompson (NW). (back)
7. The first few lines of the next paragraph have a red vertical line running through, perhaps set there by Biddle. (back)
8. Collins was one of the two, according to Lewis and Clark. (back)
9. Or two men, one of whom was Collins. (back)