The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 29, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 29, 1806

Thursday 29th of May 1806

No movement of the party to day worthy of notice. we have once more a good Stock of Meat and roots. Bratten is recovering his Strength very fast. the Child, and the Indian Cheaf are also on the recovery. the Chief has much more use of his hands and arms. he washed his face himself today. Which he has not been able to do previously for more than twelve months past. I would have repeeted the Sweat to day had it not been Cloudy and frequently raining.-. Sence my arrival here I have killed Several birds of the Corvus genus of a kind found only in the rocky mountains and their neighbourhood. I first met with bird on Jeffersons River. and Saw them on the hights of the rocky mountains. but never before had an oppertunity of examineing them Closely. the Small Corvus discribed at Fort Clatsop is a different Species, tho untill now I had taken it to be the Same, this is much larger and has a loud squaling note something like the newing of a Cat. the beak of this bird is 11/2 inches long, is proportionably large, black and of the form which characterize this genus. the upper exeeds the under Chap a little. the head and neck are also propotionably large, the eyes full and reather prominant, the iris dark brown and purple black. it is about the Size and Some what the form of the jay bird, tho reather rounder and more full in the body. the tail is four and a half inches in length, composed of 12 feathers nearly of the Same length. the head, neck and body of this bird is of a dove Colour. the wings are black except the extremities of Six large feathers occupying the middle joint of the wings which are White. the under disk of the wings are not of the shineing or glossy black which mark it's upper Surface. the two feathers in the Center of the tail are black as are the two adjacent feathers for half their wedth, the ballance are of a pure White. the feet and legs are black, and imbricated with wide Scales, the nails are black and remarkably long and Sharp, also much Curved, it has four toes on each foot of which one is in the rear and 3 in front. the toes are long particular that in the rear. this bird feeds on the Seeds of the pine and also on insects. it resides in the rocky Mountains at all Seasons of the year, and in many parts is the only bird to be found. a Species of Lizzard Called by the French engages, Prarie buffaloe are nativs of these plains as well as those of the Missouri. I have Called them the horned Lizzard. they are about the Size and a good deel the figure of the Common black lizzard. but their bellies are broader, the tail Shorter and their action much Slower; they Crawl much like the toad. they are of a brown Colour with yellowish and yellowish brown Spots. it is covered with minute scales intermixed with little horney like blunt prickkles on the upper Surface of the body. the belly and throat is more like the frog and are of a light yellowish brown Colour. around the edge of the belly is regularly Set with little horney prejections which give to those edges a Serrate figure, the eye is Small and of a dark colour. above and behind the eyes there are Several Projections of the bone which being armed at their extremities with a firm black Substance has the appearance of horns Sprouting out from the head. this part has induced me to distinguish it by the appellation of the Horned Lizard. I cannot conceive how the engagees ever assimilated this animal withe Buffalow for there is not grater anology than between the Horse and the frog. this Animal is found in greatest numbers in the Sandy open parts of the Plains, and appear in great abundance after a rain; they are Sometimes found basking in the Sunshine but conceal themselves in little holes under the tufts of grass or herbs much the greater proportion of their time. they are noumerous about the Falls of Missouri, and in the plains through which we passed lately above the Falls of Columbia

The Choke Cherry has been in blume Since the 20th inst. it is a Simple branching ascending Stem. the Cortex Smooth and of a dark brown with a redish Cast. the leaf is scattered petiolate oval accute at it's apex finely Serated Smooth and of an ordinary green, from 21/2 to 3 inches in length and from 11/4 to 2 in width. the Peduncles cilindric and Common from 4 to 5 inches in length and are inserted promiscuisly on the twigs of the proceeding years growth. on the lower portion of the Common peduncle are frequently from 3 to 4 Small leaves, being the same in form as those last discribed. other peduncles 1/4 of an inch in length are Scattered and thickly inserted on all sides of the Common peduncle at right-angles with it, each elivateing a Single flower, which has five obtuse Short patent white petals with Short claws incerted on the upper edge of the calyx. the Calyx is a perianth including both Stemes & germ, one leafed five cleft entire, Semi globular. the Stamons are upwards of twenty and are Seated on the Margin of the flower Cup or what I have Called the perianth. the filaments are unequal in length Subulate inflected and Superior membranous. the anthers are equal in number with the filaments, they are very Short oblong and flat, naked and Situated at the extremity of the filaments. is of a yellowish colour asis also the pollen. one pistillum. the germin is ovate, Smooth, Superior, sessile, very Small; the Style is very Short, Simple, erect, on the top of the germen deciduous. the Stigma is Simple, flat very Short. This Shrub rises to the hight of from 6 to 8 feet generally but Sometimes rich Situations much higher. it is not confined to any particular Situation Capt. L-s met with a singular plant in blume of which we preserved a Specimene. it grows on the Steep fertile hill Sides near this place the radix is fibrous, not much branched, annual, woody, white and nearly Smooth. the Stem is Simple branching ascending 21/2 feet high. Celindric, villose and of a pale red Colour. the branches are but fiew and those near it's upper extremity. the extremities of the branches are flexable and are bent down near their extremities with the weight of the flowers. the leaf is sessile, scattered thinly, nearly lineor tho Somewhat widest in the middle, two inches in length, absolutely entire, villose, obtusely pointed and of an Ordinary green. above each leaf a Small Short branch protrudes, Supporting a tissue of four or five Small leaves of the Same appearance of those discribed. a leaf is placed under neath each branch and each flower. the Calyx is one flowered Spatha. the corolla Superior, consists of four pale perple petals which are tripartite, the Centeral lobe largest and all terminate obtusely; they are inserted with a long and narrow claw on the top of the germ, are long, Smooth and deciduous. there are two distinct Sets of Stamens the first or principal Consists of four, the filaments which are capillary, erect, inserted on the top of the germ alternately with the petals, equal short, membranus; the anthers are also four each being elivated with it's fillaments; they are reather flat, erect sessile, cohering to the base, membranous, longitudinally furrowed, twise as long as the fillament naked, and of a pale purple colour, the Second Set of Stamens are very minute, are also four and placed within and opposit to the petals, those are Scercely precptable while the first are large & Conspicious, the fillaments are capillary equal, very Short white and Smooth. the anthers are four, oblong, beaked, erect Cohering at the base, membanous, Shorter than the fillaments, White naked and appear not to form pollen, there is one pistillum; the germ of which is also one, celindric, villous, inferior, Sessile, as long as the first Stamuns, and grooved. the Single Style and Stigma form a perfect mono petallous corolla only with this difference that the Style which elivates the Stigma or limb is not a tube but solid tho it's outer appearance is that of a tube of a Monopetallous corolla swelling as it ascends and gliding in such manner into the limb that it Cannot be Said where the Style ends or the Stigma begins, jointly they are as long as the Gorilla, while the limb is four cleft, Sauser Shaped, and the margin of the lobes entire and rounded. this has the appearance of a monopetallous flower growing from the Center of the four petalled corollar which is rendered more conspicuous in consequence of the first being white and the latter of a pale purple. I regret very much that the Seed of this plant are not ripe as yet and it is probable will not be so dureing our residence in this neighbourhood-. our Horses maney of them have become So wild that we Cannot take them without the assistance of the indians who are extreemly dextrous in throwing a Rope and takeing them with a noose about the neck; as we frequently want the use of our horses when we cannot get the use of the indians to take them, we had a Strong pound formed to day in order to take them at pleasure-