[Clark:]
Wednesday [Monday] 27th January 1806
This morning Collins Set out to the Saltmakers Shannon
returned and reported that himself and party had killed 10
Elk. he lef[t] Labiech & R. Field with the Elk, two of those
Elk he informed us was at the distance of 9 miles from this
place near the top of a mountain, that the rout by which they
must be brought was at least 5 miles by land thro' a countrey
almost inexcessable, from the fallen timber brush, and Sink
holes, which were now disguised by the Snow; we therefore
concluded to relinquish those two Elks for the present, and
ordered every man that could be speared from the Fort to go
early in the morning in Serch of the other eight, which is at
no great distance from the Ne tul river, on which we are.
Goudrich has recovered from the louis veneri which he contracted
from a amorous contact with a chinnook damsel. he
was cured as Gibson was with Murcury by [blank space in MS.]
I cannot lern that the Indians have any Simples sovereign
specifics in the cure of this disease; indeed I doubt verry much
whether any of them have any means of effecting a perfect
cure. when once this disorder is contracted by them it continues
with them dureing life; but always ends in dec[r]epitude,
death; or premature old age; tho' from the use of certain
simples together with their diet, they support this disorder
with but little inconveniance for maney years, and even enjoy
a tolerable Share of health; particularly So among the Chippeways
who I beleive to be better Skilled in the use of those
Simples than any nation of Indians in North America. The
Chippaways use a decoction of the root of the
Labelia, and that
of a Species of sumac common to the Atlantic States and to
this countrey near and on the western Side of the Rocky
Mountains. This is the Smallest species of Sumake, readily
distinguished by it's winged rib, or common foot stalks, which
Supports it's oppositly pinnate leaves. these decoctions are
drank freely and without limatation. the same decoctions are
used also in cases of the Gonnarea and are effecatious and
sovereign. Notwithstanding that this disorder does exist
among the indians on the Columbia yet it is witnessed in but
fiew individuals, high up the river, or at least the males who
are always sufficiently exposed to the observation or inspection
of the phisician. in my whole rout down this river I did not
see more than two or three with Gonnarea and about double
that number with the Pox.
The berry which the nativs call Sol me is the production of
a plant about the Size and much the Shape of that common
to the atlantic States which produces the berry commonly
called Sollomons Seal berry this berry is also attached to the
top of the Stem in the Same manner; and is of a globular
form consisting of a thin Soft [Pellicle] rine which encloses a
Soft [Pellicle] pulp inveloping from 3 to 4 Seed, white firm,
Smothe, and in the form of a third or a quarter of a Globe,
and large in perportion to the fruit, or about the size of the
seed of the common small grape. the berry when grown and
unripe is not Specked as the Solomon's seal berry is; this
last haveing only one Globaler smothe, ferm, white seed in
each berry. the Sol me grows in the woodlands amonge the
moss and on the high ridges. and is an annual plant to all
appearance.
