March 4, 1806
Tuesday March 4th 1806.
Not any occurrence today worthy of notice. we live sumptuously on our
wappetoe and Sturgeon. the Anchovey is so delicate that they soon
become tainted unless pickled or smoked. the natives run a small stick
through their gills and hang them in the smoke of their lodges, or
kindle a small fire under them for the purpose of drying them. they
need no previous preperation of guting &c and will cure in 24 hours.
the natives do not appear to be very scrupelous about eating them when
a little feated.— the fresh sturgeon they keep for many days by
immersing it in water. they coock their sturgeon by means of vapor or
steam. the process is as follows. a brisk fire is kindled on which a
parcel of stones are lad. when the fire birns down and the stones are
sufficiently heated, the stones are so arranged as to form a tolerable
level surface, the sturgeon which had been previously cut into large
fletches is now laid on the hot stones; a parsel of small boughs of
bushes is next laid on and a second course of the sturgeon thus
repating alternate layers of sturgeon and boughs untill the whole is
put on which they design to cook. it is next covered closely with matts
and water is poared in such manner as to run in among the hot stones
and the vapor arrising being confined by the mats, cooks the fish. the
whole process is performed in an hour, and the sturgeon thus cooked is
much better than either boiled or roasted.
The turtle dove and robbin are the same of our country and are found as
well in the plain as open country. the Columbian robbin heretofore
discribed seems to be the inhabitant of the woody country exclusively.
the Magpy is most commonly found in the open country and are the same
with those formerly discribed on the Missouri. the large woodpecker or
log cock, the lark woodpeckers and the small white woodpecker with a
read head are the same with those of the Atlantic states and are found
exclusively in the timbered country. The blue crested Corvus and the
small white breasted do have been previously discribed and are the
natives of a piney country invariably, being found as well on the rocky
mountains as on this coast.— the lark is found in the plains only and
are the same with those before mentioned on the Missouri, and not very
unlike what is called in Virginia the old field lark.— The large
bluefish brown or sandhill Crain are found in the valley of the Rocky
mountains in Summer and Autumn where they raise their young, and in the
winter and begining of spring on this river below tidewater and on this
coast. they are the same as those common to the Southern and Western
States where they are most generally known by the name of the Sandhill
crain. The vulture has also been discribed. there are two species of
the flycatch, a small redish brown species with a short tail, round
body, short neck and short pointed beak. they have some fine black
specks intermixed with the uniform redish brown. this the same with
that which remains all winter in Virginia where it is sometimes called
the wren. the second species has lately returned and dose not remain
here all winter. it's colours are a yellowish brown on the back head
neck wings and tail the breast and belley of a yellowish white; the
tail is in proportion as the wren but it is a size smaller than that
bird. it's beak is streight pointed convex reather lage at the base and
the chaps of equal length. the first species is the smallest, in short
it is the smalest bird that I have ever seen in America except the
humming bird. both these species are found in the woody country only or
at least I have never seen them elsewhere.
Tuesday March 4th 1806
Not any accurrance to day worthy of notice. we live Sumptiously on our
wappatoe and Sturgeon. the Anchovey is so delicate that they Soon
become tainted unless pickled or Smoked. the nativs run a Small Stick
through their gills and hang them in the Smoke of their Lodges, or
Kindle Small fires under them for the purpose of drying them. they need
no previous preperation of gutting &c. and will Cure in 24 hours. the
nativs do not appear to be very Scrupilous about eating them a little
feated.
the fresh sturgeon they Keep maney days by immersing it in water. they
Cook their Sturgeon by means of vapor or Steam. the process is as
follows. a brisk fire is kindled on which a parcel of Stones are
Sufficiently heated, the Stones are So arranged as to form a tolerable
leavel Surface, the Sturgeon which had been previously cut into large
flaetches is now laid on the hot Stones; a parcel of Small boughs of
bushes is next laid on, and a Second course of the Sturgeon thus
repeating alternate layers of Sturgeon & boughs untill the whole is put
on which they design to Cook. it is next covered closely with mats and
water is poared in Such manner as to run in among the hot Stones, and
the vapor arriseing being confind by the mats, cooks the fish. the
whole process is performd in an hour and the Sturgeon thus Cooked is
much better than either boiled or roasted. in their usial way of
bolting of other fish in baskets with hot Stones is not so good.
The turtle doves and robin are the Same of those of our countrey and
are found as well as the plains as open countrey. the Columbia robin
heretofore discribed Seams to be the inhabitent of the woody Country
exclusively. the magpye is most commonly found in the open Country and
are the Same with those formerly discribed on the Missouri.
The large wood pecker or log cock the lark woodpecker and the common
wood pecker with a red head are the Same with those of the Atlantic
States, and are found exclusively in the timbered Country. The Blue
crested Corvus and the Small white brested corvus are the nativs of a
piney country invariably, being found as well on the Rocky Mountains as
on this coast-. The lark is found in the plains only and are the Same
with those on the Missouri and the Illinois and not unlike what is
Called in Virginia the old field Lark.
The large bluish brown or Sandhill Crain are found in the Vally's of
the Rocky Mountain in Summer and autumn when they raise their young and
in the winter and beginning of Spring on this river below tide water
and on this coast. they are the Same as those Common to the Southern
and Western States where they are most generally known by the name of
the Sand hill Crain. The Vulture has already been discribed.
There are two Species of fly Catch, a Small redish brown with a Short
tail, round body, Short neck, and Short pointed beak, and the Same as
that with us sometimes called the Wren. the 2d Species does not remain
all winter they have just returned and are of a Yellowish brown Colour.
