Tuesday [Sunday] 26th. of January 1806
We order Collins to return early in the morning and join
the Salt makers, and gave him Some Small articles of Merchendize
to purchase Some provisions from the indians in the event
of their Still being unfortunate in the chase.
The (Shal-lun) or deep purple berry is in form much like
the huckleberry and termonate bluntly with a kind of cap or
cover at the end like that fruit; they are attached Seperately
to the Sides of the boughs of the shrub by a very short Stem
hanging under neath the same, and are frequently placed verry
near each other on the Same bough it is a full bearer; the
berry is easily gathered as it Seperates from the bough, readily,
while the leaf is Strongly affixed. the Shrub which produces
this fruit rises to the hight of 6 or 8 feet sometimes grows on
high land but most frequently in Swampey or marshey grounds;
it is an ever green. the Stem or trunk is from 3 to 10 inches
in circumferance irrigularly and much branched, seldom more
than one Stem proceeding from the Same root, tho they are
frequently associated very thickly. the bark is Somewhat
rough and of a redish brown colour. the wood is very firm
and hard. the leaves are alternate declining and attach
d. by a
Short f[o]otstalk to the two horozontal Sides of the bough's;
the form is a long oval, reather more accute towards its apex
that [than] at the point of insertion; it's sides partially folding
upwards; or channeled, it is also thick Smothe and glossy,
the upper surfice of a fine deep green, while the under disk is
of a pale or whitish green. this shrub retains its verdure verry
perfectly dureing the winter and is a butifull Shrub. the nativs
either eate those berries ripe imediately from the bushes, or
dried in the Sun or by means of the Swetting Kiln; verry
frequently they pound them and bake them in large loaves of
10 or 15 pounds weight; this bread keeps verry well dureing
one Season and retains the moist jouicies of the frute Much
better than any other method of preperation. The bread is
broken and Stured [stirred] in coald water untill it be Sufficiently
thick and then eaten, in this way the nativ's most
generally use it
