January 21, 1806
Wednesday January 21st 1806.
Two of the hunters Shannon & Labuish returned having killed three Elk.
Ordered a party to go in quest of the meat early tomorrow morning and
the hunters to return and continue the chase. the Indians left us about
12 O'Clk. The root of the thistle, called by the natives shan-ne-tahque
is a perpendicular fusiform and possesses from two to four radicles; is
from 9 to 15 Inces in length and about the size a mans thumb; the rhind
somewhat rough and of a brown colour; the consistence when first taken
from the earth is white and nearly as crisp as a carrot; when prepared
for uce by the same process before discribed of the white bulb or
pashshequo quawmash, it becomes black, and is more shugary than any
fuit or root that I have met with in uce among the natives; the sweet
is precisely that of the sugar in flavor; this root is sometimes eaten
also when first taken from the ground without any preperation; but in
this way is vastly in-ferior. it delights most in a deep rich dry lome
which has a good mixture of sand. the stem of this plant is simple
ascending celindric and hisped. the root leaves yet possess their
virdure and are about half grown of a plale green. the cauline leaf as
well as the stem of the last season are now dead, but in rispect to
it's form &c. it is simple, crenate, & oblong, reather more obtuse at
it's apex than at the base or insertion; it's margin armed with
prickles while it's disks are hairy, it's insertion decurrent and
position declining. the flower is also dry and mutilad. the pericarp
seems much like that of the common thistle. it rises to the hight of
from 3 to 4 feet.-
Thursday 21st of January 1806
Two of the hunters Shannon & Labieche returned haveing killed three
Elk, ordered a party to go in quest of the meat early tomorrow morning
and the hunters to return and continue the chase-. the Indians left us
about 12 oClock.
The root of the thistle called by the nativs Chan-ne-tak-que is
pirpendicular and possesses from two to 4 radicles; is from 9 to 15
inches in length and is Commonly about the Size of a mans thum the
rhine Somewhat rough and of a brown Colour; the Consistence when first
taken from the earth is white and nearly as Crisp as a Carrot, when
prepared for use by the Same process before discribed of the white bulb
or gash she quo, qua-mosh, it becomes black and is more Sugary than any
root I have met with among the nativs; the Sweet is prosisely that of
the Sugar in flavor, this root is Sometimes eaten when first taken from
the ground without any preperation, in this way it is well tasted but
soon weathers and becoms hard and insipped. it delights most in a deep
rich moist lome which has a good mixture of Sand— The Stems of this
plant is Simple ascending celindric and hisped. the root leaves, posses
their virdue and are about half grown of a deep Green. the Cauline leaf
as well as the Stem of the last Season are now dead, but in respect to
it's form &c. it is Simple Crenated and oblong, rather more obtuce at
it's apex than the base or insertion, it's margin armed with prickles
while it's disks are hairy, its insertion decurrent and position
declineing. the flower is also dry and mutilated the pericarp seems
much like that of the Common thistle it rises to the hight of from 3 to
4 feet.
