[Lewis:]
Wednesday March 12th. 1806.
We sent a party again in surch of the perogue but they returned
unsuccessfull as yesterday. Sent one hunter out on
this side of the Netul, he did not return this evening. I beleive
the Callamet Eagle is sometimes found on this side of the
rocky mountains from the information of the Indians in whose
possession I have seen their plumage. these are the same
with those of the Missouri, and are the most beautifull
of all the family of the Eagles of America. it's colours are
black and white with which it is beautifully variagated. the
feathers of the tail which are so highly prized by the Indians
is composed of twelve broad feathers of equal length. these
are white except about 2 inches at the extremity which is of
a jut black. there wings have each a large circular white spot
in the middle when extended. the body is variously marked
with white and black. the form is much that of the common
bald Eagle, but they are reather smaller and much more fleet.
this eagle is feared by all carnivorous birds, and on his approach
all leave the carcase instantly on which they were feeding, it
breads in the inaccessable parts of the mountains where it
spends the summer, and decends to the plains and low country
in the fall and winter when it is usually sought and taken by
the natives. two tails of this bird is esteemed by the Mandans
Minnetares Ricares, &c as the full value of a good horse, or
gun and accoutrements. with the Great and little Osages and
those nations inhabiting countries where this bird is more rare
the price is even double of that mentioned. with these feathers
the natives decorate the stems of their sacred pipes or callamets
[calumets]; whence the name, of Callamet Eagle, which has
generally obtained among the Engages. the Ricares have
domesticated this bird in many instancies for the purpose of
obtaining it's plumage. the natives in every part of the continent
who can procure these feathers attatch them to their own
hair and the mains and tails of their favorite horses by way of
ornament. they also decorate their war caps or bonnets with
those feathers. The leather winged bat common to the
United states is also found on this side of the Rocky mountains.
Besides the fish of this coast and river already mentioned
we have met with the following speceis viz. the Whale,
Porpus, Skaite, flounder, Salmon, red charr, two speceis of Salmon
trout, mountain or speckled trout, and a speceis similar
to one of those noticed on the Missouri within the mountains,
called in the Eastern states, bottle-nose. I have no doubt but
there are many other speceis of fish, which also exist in this
quarter at different seasons of the year, which we have not had
an oportunity of seeing. the shell fish are the Clam, perrewinkle,
common mussle, cockle, and a speceis with a circular
flat shell. The Whale is sometimes pursued harpooned and
taken by the Indians of this coast; tho' I beleive it is much
more frequently killed by runing fowl [foul] on the rocks of
the coast in violent storms and thrown on shore by the wind
and tide. in either case the Indians prese[r]ve and eat the
blubber and oil as has been before mentioned, the whale bone
they also carefully preserve for sale. Our party are now furnished
with 358 pair of mockersons exclusive of a good portion
of dressed leather.
