February 11, 1806
Tuesday February 11th 1806.
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
had 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 which grows commonly in this neighbourhood which is
precisely the same with that in Virginia some times called the
quillwood. also another 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 dose not cast it's foliage untill about
the 1st of December. this is also the case with the black alder. There
is also found in this neighbourhood an evergreen shrub 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 stein is somewhat
rough while that of the boughs is smooth. the leaves are petiolate the
petiole 1/40 of an inch long; oblong, obtuse at the apex and accute
angular at the insertion of the petiole; 3/4 of an inch in length and
Ysths 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 seperately 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.
Tuesday February 11th 1806.
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 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 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 rivers 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.
