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This morning Sergt. Gass Reubin Fields and Thompson passed the Netul opposite to us on a hunting expedition. sent Sergt Pryor with a party of four men to bring Gibson to the fort. also sent Colter and Wiser to the Salt works to carry on the business with Joseph Fields; as Bratton has been sick we desired him to return to the Fort also if he thought proper; however in the event of his not coming Wiser was directed to return.
There is a shrub [1] which grows commonly in this neighbourhood which is precisely the same with that in Virginia some times called the quillwood. also another [2] which grows near the water in somewhat moist grounds & rises to the hight of 5 or 6 feet with a large, peteolate spreading plane, crenate and somewhat woolly leaf like the rose raspberry. it is much branched the bark of a redish brown colour and is covered with a number of short hooked thorns which renders it extreemly disagreeable to pass among; it does not cast it's foliage untill about the 1st of December. this is also the case with the black alder. The[re] is also found in this neighbourhood an evergreen shrub [3] which I take to be another variety of the Shallun and that discribed under that name in mistake on the 26th of January. this shrub rises to the hight of from four to five feet, the stem simple branching, defuse and much branched. the bark is of a redish dark brown, that of the mane stem is somewhat rough while that of the boughs is smooth. the leaves are petiolate the petiole 1/10 of an inch long; oblong, obtuse at the apex and accute angular at the insertion of the petiole; ¾ of an inch in length and ⅜ths in width; convex, somewhat revolute, serrate, smoth and of a paler green than the evergreens usually are; they are also opposite and ascending. the fruit is a small deep perple berry like the common huckleberry of a pleasent flavor. they are s[e]perately scattered & attatched to the small boughs by short peduncles.—. the natives eat this berry when ripe but seldom collect it in such quantities as to dry it for winter uce.—
This Morning Serjt. Gass R. Field and J. Thompson passed the Netul opposit to us on a hunting expedition. Sent Serjeant Natl. Pryor with 4 men in a Canoe to bring gibson to the Fort. also Sent Colter & P. Weser to the Salt works to carry on the business with Jos. Field; as bratten is also Sick we derected that he Should return to the fort if 〈the〉 he continued unwell;
There is Shrub which grows Commonly in this neighbourhood which grows on the Steep Sides of the hills and also in low moist grounds, and rise to the hight of 5 or 6 feet with a large peteolate, Spreading plain crenate and Somewhat woolly leaf like the rose raspberry. it is much branched the bark of a redish brown colour and is covered with a number of Short hooked thorns which renders it extreamly disagreeable to pass among, it does not cast its foliage untill about the 1st of December.
There is a Species of bryor [4] which is common in this neighbourhood of a green colour which grows most abundant in the rich dry lands near the water courses, but is also found in Small quantities in the piney lands at a distance from the water Courses in the former Situations the Stem is frequently the Size of a mans finger and rise perpendicularly to the hight of 4 or 5 feet when it decends in an arch and becoms procumbent or rests on Some neighbouring plant or Srubs; it is Simple unbranched and celindric; in the latter Situation it is much Smaller, and usially procumbent. the Stem is armed with Sharp and hooked bryors. the leaf is peteolate, ternate and resembles in Shape and appearance that of the purple Raspberry common to the atlantic States. The frute is a berry resembling the Blackberry in every respect and is eaten when ripe and much esteemed by the nativs but is not dryed for winters Consumption. in the Countrey about the enterance of the quick Sand river [5] I first discovered this bryor, it grows So abundantly in the furtile Vally of Columbia and on the Islands in that part of the river, that the Countrey near the river is almost impenitrable in maney places. This green Bryor retains its leaf or foliage and virdue untill late in December. The Briory bush with a wide leaf is also one of its ascociates. [6]
Tuesday 11th Feby. 1806. Sergt. Pryor and five men [7] Set out with a canoe to go round to the Salt works after the Sick men. 2 more men [8] were to Stay in their places three men [9] went out to hunt. the after part of the day rainy.
Tuesday 11th. This was a fine morning. A sergeant and six men [10] were sent to bring the sick men to the fort. At the same time myself and two men went out to hunt, and remained out to the 17th during which time there was a great deal of heavy rain, and the weather changeable and disagreeable.— While we were out we killed 8 elk. During one of the most disagreeable nights, myself and another lay out in our shirts and overalls, [11] with only one elk-skin to defend us from a violent night's rain. We had started a gang of elk, and in order to be light in the pursuit left our clothes where the first was killed, and could not get back before dark. Our shirts and overalls being all of leather made it the more disagreeable.
Tuesday Febry 11th We had a fine clear day. Serjeant Pryor & four Men, were sent with a Canoe to go round to the Salt Camp in order to bring the Men that were sick there, [12] to the Fort; and two more of our men were sent to the Salt works to supply the place of the Men that were sick. Three of our hunters left the fort to go a hunting. the latter part of the day was rainey.— The remainder of our party at the fort, were employ'd dressing Skins, making Cloathes &ca.—
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