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Sheilds killed a duck of an uncommon kind. the head beak and wing of which I preserved. the beak is remarkably wide and obtusely pointed, on it's edges it is furnished with a sceries of teeth very long and fine not unlike the teeth of a comb. the belley is of a brick red, the lower part of the neck white, the upper part or but of the wing is a sky blue, underneath which a narrow stripe of white succeeds marking the wing transversly, the large feathers are of a dark colour. tail short and pointed and consists of 12 dark brown feathers. the back is black and sides white; legs yellow and feet formed like the Duckinmallard which it also resembles in size and form. the eye is moderately large, puple black and iris of an orrange colour. the colours and appearance of the female is precisely that of the duckinmallard only, reather smaller. we are informed that the natives in this quarter were much distressed for food in the course of the last winter; they were compelled to collect the moss which grows on the pine which they boiled and eat; near this camp I observed many pine trees which appear to have been cut down about that season which they inform us was done in order to collect the seed of the longleafed pine which in those moments of distress also furnishes an article of food; the seed of this speceis of pine is about the size and much the shape of the seed of the large sunflower; they are nutricious and not unpleasent when roasted or boiled, during this month the natives also peal this pine and eat the succulent or inner bark. in the creek near our encampment I observed a falling trap constructed on the same plan with those frequent seen in the atlantic states for catching the fish decending the stream Capt.
The Duckinmallard are the Same here with those of the U, States. they are abundant and are found on every part of the river below the mountains. they remain here all winter, but I believe they do not remain all winter above tide water. a butifull Duck and one of the most delicious in the world is found in Considerable quantities in this neighbourhood dureing the Autumn and winter. this is the Same as that known in the Dilliwar, Susquehannah and Potomac by the name of the Canvisback and James River by that of Shell-Drake; in the latter river I am informed that they have latterly almost entirely disapeared. the epicures of those parts of the Union where those Ducks abound nothing need be added in prais of the exquisit flavor of this duck.
This morning we sent out a party of 15, at light, for the meat, and concluded to take breakfast before we set out. they soon returned. we breakfasted and set out at 1/2 after 9 A.M. Saw a white woodpecker with a red head of the small kind common to the United States; this bird has but lately returned. they do not remain during the winter. the country thick and heavily timbered. we saw very few waterfowl today, not a single swan, white brant nor a small goose is to be seen. a few Cormorant, duckinmallard, butterbox, and common large geese were only to be found the tide being out this morning we found some difficulty in passing through the bay below the Cathlahmah village; this side of the river is very shallow to the distance of 4 miles from the shore tho there is a channel sufficient for canoes near S. side. at 1 P.M. we arrived at the Cathlahmah village where we halted and purchased some wappetoe, a dog for the sick, and a hat for one of the men. on one of the seal Islands opposite to the village of these people thy have scaffolded their dead in canoes elivating them above tidewater mark. these people are very fond of sculpture in wood of which they exhibit a variety of specemines about their houses. the broad peices supporting the center of the roof and those through which the doors are cut, seem to be the peices on which they most display their taist.
I take this to be the Same Species of duck common to the ohio, as also the atlantic Coast, and Sometimes called the butter box. the back is wide and Short, and as well as the legs of a dark Colour. the flesh of this duck is verry well flavored I think Superior to the Duckinmallard.
The duckinmallard or common large duck wich resembles the domestic duck are the same here with those of the U Sts. they are abundant and are found on every part of the river below the mountains. they remain here all winter but I beleive they do not continue during winter far above tidewater. a beautifull duck and one of the most delicious in the world is found in considerable quantities in this neighbourhood during the Autumn and winter. this is the same with that known in the Delliware, Susquehannah, and Potomac by the name of the Canvisback and in James River by that of shell-Drake; in the latter river; however I am informed that they have latterly almost entirely disappeared. to the epicure of those parts of the union where this duck abounds nothing need be added in praise of the exqusite flavor of this duck.
The journal has this to say about the game of an island on which the explorers tarried for a day or two, in order to dry their goods and mend their canoes: These afford refuge to great numbers of geese, ducks, large swan, sandhill cranes, a few canvas-backed ducks, and particularly the duckinmallard, the most abundant of all.
The brown Duck is much in form like the Duckinmallard, tho not much more than half it's Size. the colour is one uniform mixture of yellowish and dark brown. there is nothing remarkable in the colour of this duck; it resorts the Same kind of grassy marshes with the Duckinmallard, and feeds in a Similar manner, on grass, Seeds & roots. both these ducks are common to the river for Some distance above tide water as well as below.
I saw a few of the Canvisback duck. the duckinmallard are the most abundant. one of the hunters killed a duck which appeared to be the male, it was a size less than the duckinmallard. the head neck as low as the croop, the back tail and covert of the wings were of a fine black with a small addmixture of perple about the head and neck, the belley & breast were white; some long feathers which lie underneath the wings and cover the thye were of a pale dove colour with fine black specks; the large feathers of the wings are of a dove colour. the legs are dark, the feet are composed of 4 toes each of which there are three in front connected by a web, the 4th is short Hat and placed high on the heel behind the leg. the tail is composed of 14 short pointed feathers. the beak of this duck is remarkably wide, and is 2 inches in length, the upper chap exceeds the under one in both length and width, insomuch that when the beak is closed the under is entirly concealed by the upper chap. the tongue, indenture of the margin of the chaps &c. are like those of the mallard. the nostrils are large longitudinal and connected. a narrow strip of white garnishes the upper part or base of the upper chap; this is succeeded by a pale skye blue colour which occupys about one inch of the chap, is again succeeded by a transverse stripe of white and the extremity is of a pure black. the eye is moderately large the puple black and iris of a fine orrange yellow. the feathers on the crown of the head are longer than those on the upper part of neck and other parts of the head; these feathers give it the appearance of being crested. at 1/2 after ten A.M. it became fair, and we had the canoes which wanted repairing hailed out and with the assistance of fires which we had kindled for the purpose dryed them sufficiently to receive the pitch which was immediately put on them; at 3 in the evening we had them compleat and again launched and reloaded. we should have set out, but as some of the party whom we had permitted to hunt since we arrived have not yet returned we determined to remain this evening and dry our beding baggage &c. the weather being fair.
I take this to be the same speceis of duck common to the Atlantic coast, and frequently called the butterbox. the beak is wide and short, and as well as the legs, of a dark colour. the flesh of this duck is very well flavored. the brown duck is much in form like the duckinmallard, tho not much more than half it's size. the colour is an uniform mixture of yellowish and dark brown. there is nothing remarkable in the appearance of this duck it generally resorts the same kind of grassey marshes with the duckinmallard and feeds in a similar manner, on grass seed, and roots. both these ducks are common to the river for some distance above tide water as well as below.
The Aquatic birds of this country, or such as obtain their subsistence from the water, are the large blue and brown heron, fishing hawk, blue crested fisher, gulls of several species of the Coast, the large grey gull of the Columbia, Cormorant, loons of two species, white, and the brown brant, small and large geese, small and large Swan, the Duckinmallard, canvis back duck, red headed fishing duck, black and white duck, little brown duck, black duck, two speceis of divers, blue winged teal, and some other speceis of ducks.
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