March 3, 1806
Monday March 3rd 1806.
Two of our perogues have been lately injured very much in consequence
of the tide leaving them partially on shore. they split by this means
with their own weight. we had them drawn out on shore. our
convalessents are slowly on the recovery. Lapage is taken sick, gave
him a doze of Scots pills which did not operate. no movement of the
party today worthy of notice. every thing moves on in the old way and
we are counting the days which seperate us from the 1st of April and
which bind us to fort Clatsop.— The large black and white pheasant is
peculiar to that portion of the Rocky Mountain watered by the Columbia
river. at least we did not see them in these mountains until I we
reached the waters of that river nor since we have left those
mountains. they are about the size of a well grown hen. the contour of
the bird is much that of the redish brown pheasant common to our
country. the tail is proportionably as long and is composed of eighteen
feathers of equal length, of an uniform dark brown tiped with black.
the feathers of the body are of a dark brown black and white. the black
is that which most predominates, and white feathers are irregularly
intermixed with those of the black and dark brown on every part, but in
greater proportion about the neck breast and belley. this mixture gives
it very much the appearance of that kind of dunghill fowl which the
hen-wives of our country call dom-manicker. in the brest of some of
these birds the white predominates most. they are not furnished with
tufts of long feathers on the neck as our pheasants are, but have a
space on each side of the neck about 21/2 inches long and 1 In. in
width on which no feathers grow, tho tis concealed by the feathers
which are inserted on the hinder and front part of the neck; this space
seems to surve them to dilate or contract the feathers of the neck with
more ease. the eye is dark, the beak black, curved somewhat pointed and
the upper exceeds the under chap. they have a narrow stripe of
vermillion colour above each eye which consists of a fleshey substance
not protuberant but uneven with a number of minute rounded dots. it has
four toes on each foot of which three are in front. it is booted to the
toes. it feeds on wild fruits, particularly the berry of the
sac-a-commis, and much also on the seed of the pine and fir.
The small speckled pheasant found in the same country with that above
discribed, differs from it only in point of size and somewhat in
colour. it is scarcely half the size of the other; ascociates in much
larger flocks and is very gentle. the black is more predominant and the
dark bron feathers less frequent in this than the larger species. the
mixture of white is also more general on every part of this bird. it is
considerably smaller than our pheasant and the body reather more round.
in other particulars they differ not at all from the large black and
white pheasant. this by way of distinction I have called the speckled
pheasant. the flesh of both these species of party coloured phesants is
of a dark colour and with the means we had of cooking them not very
well flavored.
The small brown pheasant is an inhabitant of the same country and is of
the size and shape of the specled pheasant which it also resembles in
it's economy and habits. the stripe above the eye in this species is
scarcely perceptable, and is when closely examined of a yellow or
orrange colour instead of the vermillion of the outhers. it's colour is
an uniform mixture of dark and yellowish brown with a slight mixture of
brownish white on the breast belley and the feathers underneath the
tail. the whol compound is not unlike that of the common quail only
darker. this is also booted to the toes. the flesh of this is
preferable to either of the others and that of the breast is as white
as the pheasant of the Atlantic coast.the redish brown pheasant has
been previously discribed.— The Crow raven and Large Blackbird are the
same as those of our country only that the crow is here much smaller
yet it's note is the same. I observe no difference either between the
hawks of this coast and those of the Atlantic. I have observed the
large brown hawk, the small or sparrow hawk, and the hawk of an
intermediate size with a long tail and blewish coloured wings
remarkably swift in flight and very firce. sometimes called in the U
States the hen hawk. these birds seem to be common to every part of
this country, and the hawks crows & ravens build their nests in great
numbers along the high and inaccessable clifts of the Columbia river
and it's S. E. branch where we passed along them.— we also met with the
large hooting Owl under the Rocky mountain on the Kooskoskee river. it
did not appear to differ materially from those of our country. I think
it's colours reather deeper and brighter than with us, particularly the
redish brown. it is the same size and form.
Monday March 3rd 1806
Two of our Canoes have been lately injured very much in consequence of
the tide leaveing them partially on Shore. they Split by this means
with their own weight. we had them drawn out on Shore. our
convalessents are Slowly on the recovery. La page is taken Sick. gave
him Some of Scotts Pills which did not opperate. no movement of the
party to day worthey of notice. every thing moves on in the old way and
we are Counting the days which Seperate us from the 1st of April, &
which bind us to Fort Clatsop.-.-.
The Small Speckled Pheasant found in the Rocky Mountains, and differ
from the large black and white pheasant only in point of Size, and
Somewhat in colour. it is scercely half the Size of the other;
assosiates in much larger flocks and is also very gentle. the black is
more predominate and the dark brown feathers less frequent in this than
the larger Species. the mixture of white is also more general on every
part of this bird. it is considerably Smaller than our Pheasant and the
body reather more round. in other particulars they differ not at all,
from the large black and white Pheasant. this by way of distinction I
have called the Speckled Pheasant. the flesh of both these Species of
party coloured Pheasant is of a dark colour, and with the means we had
of cooking them were only tolerably flavoured tho these birds would be
fine well cooked.
The small Brown Pheasant is an inhabitant of the Same Country and is of
the Size and Shape of the Speckled Pheasant, which it also resembles in
it's economy and habits, the Stripe above the eye in this Species is
scercely preceptable and is when closely examined of a yellow or
orrange colour in Sted of the vermillion of the others. it's colour is
of a uniform mixture of dark and yellowish brown with a Slight mixture
of brownish white on the breast belley and the feathers under the tail.
the whole Compound is not unlike that of the Common quaile only darker.
this is also booted to the toes. the flesh is tolerable and that of the
breast is as white as the Pheasant of the atlantic coast. the redish
brown Pheasant has been previously discribed.-.
The Crow Ravin and large Blackbird are the Same as those of our
Country, only that the Crow here is much Smaller, yet its note is the
Same. I observe no difference between the Hawk of this Coast and those
of the Atlantic. I have observed the large brown Hawk, the Small or
Sparrow hawk, and a hawk of an intermediate Size with a long tail and
blewish coloured wings, remarkably Swift in flight and very ferce.
Sometimes called in the Un. States the hen Hawk. those birds Seam to be
common to every part of this Country in greater or smaller numbers, and
the Hawks, Crows, and ravins build their nests in great numbers along
the high & inaxcessable clifts of the Columbia, and Lewis's rivers when
we passd along them. we also met with the large hooting Owl under the
Rocky mountains on the Kooskooske R. it's Colour reather deeper than
with us, but differ in no other respect from those of the U States.
