Saturday [Thursday] 23rd. of January 1806
This morning dispatched Howard & Werner to the Camp
of the Salt makers for a Supply of Salt. the men of the garrison
are still busily employed in dressing Elk Skins for Cloathing,
they fine[d] great dificuelty for the want of branes; we
have not Soap to Supply the deficiency, nor can we precure
ashes to make the lye; none of the pine which we use for fuel
afford any ashes; extrawdinary as it may Seem, the green wood
is co[n]sumed without leaveing the risideum of a particle of
ashes.
The root of the rush used by the nativs is a solid bulb about
one inch in length and usially as thick as a mans thumb, of an
ovel form depressed on two or more Sides, covered with a thin
black rine. the pulp is white brittle and easily masticated either
raw or rosted, the latter is the way it is most commonly prepared
for use. this root is reather insippid in point of flavour,
it grows in the Greatest abundance along the Sea coast in the
wet sandy grounds and is most used by the Kil á mox and those
inhabiting the Sea coast. each root Sends up its Stalk which is
annual, the root being perennial. the bulb is atached to the
bottom of the Stem by a firm Small and strong radicle which is
mearly the prolongation of the Stem which is hollow and
jointed and is rather larger than the largest quill. it rises to
the hight of 3 or 4 feet, not branching no[r] does it either bear
flower or Seed that I could discover tho I am far from denying
that it does so sometimes, and perhaps every year, but I have
not been able to discover it, the Stem is rough like the Sand
rush, and it's much like it when green, at each joint it puts
out from 20 to 30 radiate [&
horizontal] leaves which Surrounds
the Stem. above each joint about half an inch the Stem is
Shethed like the Sand rush.
The instruments used by the nativs in digging their roots is
a Strong Stick of three feet and a half long Sharpened at the
lower end and its upper inserted into a part of an Elks or
buck's horn which Serves as a handle; standing transvirsely in
the Stick. or it is in this form as thus ☞ [ILLUSTRATION]
A is the lower part which is a little hooked
B is the upper part or handle of Horn.
