[Clark:]
Friday [Wednesday] 22nd. January 1806.
The party Sent for the Meat this morning returned with it
in the evening; it was in verry inferior order, in Short the
animals were pore. Rieuben Field Shannon and Labiech
remained in the woods to hunt. our late Supply of Salt is
out. we have not heard a word of the other hunters who are
below us towards point adams and the Praries. Some rain this
day at intervales.
There are three Species of fern in this neighbourhood the
root one of which the nativs eate; that of which the nativs
eate produce no flowers whatever or fruit of a fine green Colour
and the top is annual, and in course dead at present.
I observe no difference between the lickrice [licorice] of this
countrey and that Common to maney parts of the United
States where it is sometimes cultivated in our gardins. this
plant delights in a deep lose sandy Soil; here it grows verry
abundant and large; the nativs roste it in the embers and
pound it Slightly with a Small Stick in order to make it
Seperate more readily from the Strong liggaments which forms
the Center of the root; this they discard and chew and Swallow
the ballance of the root; this last is filled with a number of
thin membrencies like network, too tough to be masticated and
which I find it necessary also to discard. This root when
roasted possesses an agreeable flavour not unlike the Sweet
potato. The root of the thistle (described yesterday) after
undergoing the process of Sweting or bakeing in a
kiln is sometimes
eaten with the train Oil also, at other times pounded fine
and mixed with cold water, untill reduced to the consistancy of
Gruel; in this way I think it verry agreeable. but the most
Valuable of all their roots is foreign to this neighbourhood I
mean the
Wappetoe.
The Wappetoe, or bulb of the Sagitifolia or common arrow
head, which grows in great abundance in the marshey grounds
of that butifull and fertile Vally on the Columbia commenceing
just above the Quick sand River and extending downwards for
about 70 Miles. this bulb forms a principal article of trafic
between the inhabitents of the Vally and those of their neighbourhood
or sea coast.
