Lewis: February 18, 1806

Tuesday February 18th 1806. This morning we dispatched a party to the
Saltworks with Sergt. Ordway and a second with Sergt. Gass after the Elk
killed over the Netul. in the evening Sergt. Ordway returned and reported
that the waves ran so high in the bay that he could not pass to the
entrance of the creek which we had directed him to assend with the canoe.
Collins and Winsor returned this evening with one deer which they had
killed. the deer are poor and their flesh by no means as good as that of
the Elk which is also poor but appears to be geting better than some weeks
past.in the forenoon we were visited by eight Clasops and Chinnooks
from whom we purchased a Sea Otter’s skin and two hats made of waytape and
white ceder bark. they remained untill late in the evening and departed
for their village. these people are not readily obstructed by waves in
their canoes.Sergt. Ordway brought me a specemine of a species of
pine peculiar to the swamps and marshes frequently overflown by the tide
as this is a distinct species I shall call it No. 7. this tree seldom
rises to a greater hight than 35 feet and is from 21/2 to 4 feet in
diameter; the stem is simple branching diffuse and proliferous. the bark
the same with that of No. 1 only reather more rugged. the leaf is acerose,
2/10ths of an inch in width and 3/4 in length. they are firm stif and
somewhat accuminated, ending in a short pointed hard tendril, gibbous,
thickly scattered on all sides of the bough but rispect the three upper
sides only. those which have there insersion on the underside incline
sidewise with their points upwards giving the leaf the figure of a sythe.
the others are perpendicular or pointing upwards. is sessile growing as in
No. 1 from small triangular pedestals of a soft spungy elastic bark. the
under disk of these leaves or that which grows nearest towards the base of
the bough is a deep glossey green while the upper or opposite side is of a
mealy whiteish pale green; in this rispect differing from almost all
leaves. the boughs retain their leaves as far back as to the sixth years
growth. the peculiarity of the bud scales observed in No 1 is observed in
this species. The cone is 31/2 inches in length and 3 in circumpherence,
of an ovate figure being thickest in the middle and tapering and
terminating in two obtuse points. it is composes of small, flexible, thin,
obtusely pointed smooth and redish brown imbricated scales. each scale
covering two small winged seeds and being itself covered in the center by
a small thin inferior scale accutely pointed. the cone is somewhat of this
figure. they proceede from the side as well as the extremities of the
bough but in the former case always at or near the commencement of some
one years growth which is some instances are as far back as the third
year.