Clark: January 27, 1806

Wednesday 27th January 1806 This morning Collins Set out to the Saltmakers
Shannon returned and reported that himself and party had killed 10 Elk. he
lef Labiech & R Field with the Elk, two of those Elk he informed us
was at the distance of 9 miles from this place near the top of a mountain,
that the rout by which they must be brought was at least 5 miles by land
thro a Countrey almost inexcessable, from the fallen timber brush, and
Sink holes, which were now disguised by the Snow; we therefore Concluded
to relinquish those two Elks for the present, and ordered every man that
Could be Speared from the Fort to go early in the morning in Serch of the
other Eight, which is at no great distance from the Netul river, on which
we are. Goudrich has recoverd from the louis veneri which he contracted
from a amorous Contact with a Chinnook damsel. he was Cured as Gibson was
with murcury by ____ I cannot lern that the Indians have any Simples
Sovereign Specifics in the cure of this disease; indeed I doubt verry much
whether any of them have any means of effecting a perfect cure. when once
this disorder is contracted by them it Continues with them dureing life;
but always ends in decepitude, death; or premature old age; tho from the
use of certain Simples together with their diet, they Support this
disorder with but little inconveniance for maney years, and even enjoy a
tolerable Share of health; particularly So among the Chippeways who I
beleive to be better Skilled in the use of those Simples than any nation
of Indians in North America. The Chippaways use a decoction of the root of
the Labelia, and that of a Species of Sumac Common to the Atlantic States
and to this countrey near and on the western Side of the Rocky mountains.
This is the Smallest Specis of Sumake, readily distinguished by it’s
winged rib, or common footstalk, which Supports it’s oppositly pinnate
leaves. these decoctions are drank freely and without limatation. the Same
decoctions are used also in cases of the gonnarea and are effecatious and
sovereign. notwithstanding that this disorder does exist among the indians
on the Columbia yet it is witnessed in but fiew individuals high up the
river, or at least the males who are always Sufficiently exposed to the
observation or inspection of the phisician. in my whole rout down this
river I did not See more than two or three with Gonnarea and about double
that number with the Pox.

The berry which the nativs Call Sol me is the production of a plant about
the Size and much the Shape of that Common to the atlantic States which
produces the berry Commonly Called Sollomons Seal berry this berry is also
attached to the top of the Stem in the Same manner; and is of a globular
form Consisting of a thin Soft Pellicle rine which encloses a Soft
Pellicle pulp inveloping from 3 to 4 Seed, white firm, Smothe, and in the
form of a third or a quarter of a Globe, and large in perportion to the
fruit, or about the Size of the Seed of the Common Small grape. the berry
when grown and unripe is not Specked as the Solomon’s seal Berry is; this
last haveing only one Globaler Smothe, ferm, white Seed in each berry-.
the Sol me grows in the wood lands amonge the moss and on the high ridges.
and is an annual plant to all appearance