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Updated: May 20, 2025
I know not whether this fruit can properly be denominated a berry, it is a pulpy pericarp, the outer coat of which is in a thin smoth, tho firm tough pillecle; the pericarp containing a membranous capsule with from three to four cells, each containing a seperate single seed in form and colour like that of the wild crab.
Fields brought with him a Pheasant which differs but little from those Common to the United States- Fur No. 2 is next in dignity in point of Size. it is much the most common Species, it may be Said to Constitute one half of the timber of this neigh-bourhood. it appears to be of the Spruce kind. it rises to the higth of 160 or 180 feet very Commonly and is from 4 to 6 feet in diameter, very Streight round and regularly tapering. the bark is thin of a dark colour, and much divided with Small longitudinal interstices; that of the boughs and young trees are Somewhat Smoth but not So much so as the balsom fir, nor that of the white pine of our Countrey. the wood is white throughout and rather Soft but rather tough and dificuelt to rive.
Clark and myself walked to the white earth river which approaches the Missouri very near at this place, being about 4 miles above it's entrance. we found that it contained more water than streams of it's size generally do at this season. the water is much clearer than that of the Missouri. the banks of the river are steep and not more than ten or twelve feet high; the bed seems to be composed of mud altogether. the salts which have been before mentioned as common on the Missouri, appears in great quantities along the banks of this river, which are in many places so thickly covered with it that they appear perfectly white. perhaps it has been from this white appearance of it's banks that the river has derived it's name. this river is said to be navigable nearly to it's source, which is at no great distance from the Saskashawan, and I think from it's size the direction which it seems to take, and the latitude of it's mouth, that there is very good ground to believe that it extends as far North as latitude 50°. this stream passes through an open country generally. the broken hills of the Missouri about this place exhibit large irregular and broken masses of rocks and stones; some of which tho 200 feet above the level of the water seem at some former period to have felt it's influence, fo they appear smoth as if woarn by the agetation of the water. this collection consists of white & grey gannite, a brittle black rock, flint, limestone, freestone, some small specimens of an excellent pebble and occasionally broken stratas of a stone which appears to be petrefyed wood, it is of a black colour, and makes excellent whetstones.
The Missouri at the mouth of Shell River is 222 yards wide with a Smoth Current the Missouri water is not So muddey as below, but retains nearly its usial Cholour, and the Sands principally Confined to the points I killed two Deer & an Elk, the hunters killed an Elk & Several deer mearly for their Skins to make Leagins, Sent men out in every derection, the Countrey generally verry broken Some leavel plains up the Shell river The bottoms of the Shell river is well timbered as also a Small river which falls into that river on the upper Side 5 miles above its mouth.
Hogarth comes from "hoggart," a hog-herd; Calvert from "calf-herd;" and Seward from "sow-herd." Lambert sometimes came from "lamb-herd." But we cannot always be sure of the origin of even the commonest surnames. For instance, every person named Smith is not descended from a smith, for the name also comes from the old word smoth, or "smooth," and this is the origin of Smith in Smithfield.
There is also found in this neighbourhood an evergreen shrub which I take to be another variety of the Shallun and that discribed under that name in mistake on the 26th of January. this shrub rises to the hight of from four to five feet, the stem simple branching, defuse and much branched. the bark is of a redish dark brown, that of the mane stein is somewhat rough while that of the boughs is smooth. the leaves are petiolate the petiole 1/40 of an inch long; oblong, obtuse at the apex and accute angular at the insertion of the petiole; 3/4 of an inch in length and Ysths in width; convex, somewhat revolute, serrate, smoth and of a paler green than the evergreens usually are; they are also opposite and ascending. the fruit is a small deep perple berry like the common huckleberry of a pleasent flavor. they are seperately scattered & attatched to the small boughs by short peduncles.. the natives eat this berry when ripe but seldom collect it in such quantities as to dry it for winter uce.
Filds brought with him a phesant which differed but little from those common to the Atlantic states; it's brown is reather brighter and more of a redish tint. it has eighteen feathers in the tale of about six inches in length. this bird is also booted as low as the toes. the two tufts of long black feathers on each side of the neck most conspicuous in the male of those of the Atlantic states is also observable in every particular with this. Fir No. 2 is next in dignity in point of size. it is much the most common species, it may be sad to constitute at least one half of the timber in this neighbourhood. it appears to be of the spruse kind. it rises to the hight of 160 to 180 feet very commonly and is from 4 to 6 feet in diameter, very streight round and regularly tapering. the bark is thin of a dark colour, and much divided with small longitudinal intersticies; that of the boughs and young trees is somewhat smoth but not so much so as the balsom fir nor that of the white pine of our country. the wood is white throughout and reather soft but very tough, and difficult to rive.
The Stem of the Black Alder of this countrey before mentioned as ariveing at great Size, is Simple branching and defuse. the bark is Smoth of a light Colour with white Coloured Spredding Spots or blotches, resembling much that of beech. the leaf is procisely that of the Common alder of the United States or Virginia. those trees grow Seperately from different roots and not in Clusters or Clumps, as those of the atlantic States, casts its folage about the 1st of December.
I saw a small bird today which I do not recollect ever having seen before. it is about the size of the blue thrush or catbird, and it's contour not unlike that bird. the beak is convex, moderately curved, black, smoth, and large in proportion to its size. the legs were black, it had four toes of the same colour on eah foot, and the nails appeared long and somewhat in form like the tallons of the haulk, the eye black and proportionably large. a bluish brown colour occupyed the head, neck, and back, the belly was white; the tail was reather long in proportion and appeared to be composed of feathers of equal length of which a part of those in the center were white the others black. the wings were long and were also varigated with white and black. on each side of the head from the beak back to the neck a small black stripe extended imbrasing the eye. it appeared to be very busy in catching insects which I presume is it's usual food; I found the nest of this little bird, the female which differed but little in size or plumage from the male was seting on four eggs of a pale blue colour with small black freckles or dots. the bee martin or Kingbird is common to this country tho there are no bees in this country, nor have we met with a honey bee since we passed the entrance of the Osage river.
Side passed a village of nine houses, which is Situated between 2 Small Creeks, and are of the Same construction of those above; here the river widens to near a mile, and the bottoms are more extensive and thickly timbered, as also the high mountains on each Side, with Pine, Spruce pine, Cotton wood, a Species of ash, and alder. at 17 miles passed a rock near the middle of the river, about 100 feet high and 80 feet Diamuter, proceed on down a Smoth gentle Stream of about 2 miles wide, in which the tide has its effect as high as the Beaten rock or the Last rapids at Strawberry Island, Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver.
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