“[Clark, October 26, 1805] October 26th Saturday 1805 A fine morning Sent Six men out to hunt Deer, and Collect rozin to pitch the Canoes which has become verry leakey, by frequently hauling them over rocks &c as well Striking rocks frequently in passing down. all our articles we have exposed to the Sun to Dry; and the Canoes drawn out and turned up--maney of our Stores entirely Spoiled by being repeetedly wet; A number of Indians came to the Oposit Side of the river in the fore part of the day and Shew that they were anxious to Cross to us, we did not think proper to cross them in our Canoes and did not Send for them. in the evening two Chiefs and 15 men came over in a Small Canoe, those two Chiefs proved to be the two Principal Chiefs of the tribes above at the falls, and above, who was out hunting at the time we passed their bands; one of those Chiefs made Capt Lewis and my Self each a Small present of Deer meat, and Small Cakes of white bread made of roots. we gave to each Chief a Meadel of the Small Size a red Silk handkerchief, arm band, Knife & a piece of Paint, and acknowledged them as chiefs; as we thought it necessary at this time to treat those people verry friendly & ingratiate our Selves with them, to insure us a kind & friendly reception on our return, we gave Small presents to Several, and half a Deer to them to eate. we had also a fire made for those people to Sit around in the middle of our Camp, and Peter Crusat Played on the violin, which pleased those nativs exceedingly. the two Chiefs and Several men deturmined to delay all night (yorked Danced for the Inds) with us all the others returned, leaving the horses for those who Staied on the opposit Side. our hunters returned in the evening Killed five Deer, four verry large grey Squirels and a grouse. one of the guard at the river guiged a Salmon Trout, which we had fried in a little Bears Oil which the Chief we passed below the narrows gave us; this I thought one of the most delicious fish I have ever tasted Great numbers of white Crain flying in different Directions verry high--The river rose 8 Inches today from what cause I cannot Say certainly, as the tides cannot effect the river here as there is a falls below, I conjecture that the rise is owing to the winds which has Set up the river for 24 hours past. our hunters inform that the countrey back is broken, Stoney and thinly timbered with pine and White Oake. They Saw Elk & Bear Sign in the mountains. Dried all our wet articles and repared our Canoes to day, and the Party amused themselves at night danceing. The Flees which the party got on them at the upper & great falls, are very troublesom and dificuelt to get rid of, perticularly as the men have not a Change of Clothes to put on, they Strip off their Clothes and kill the flees, dureing which time they remain neckid.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
(_To Serve Cold._) Turn into a _small_ deep frying-pan, which should be kept for the purpose, a flask of fresh olive oil, place it over a clear fire, and as soon as it ceases to bubble lay in a pound and a half of delicate salmon properly cleansed and well dried in a cloth, and fry it gently until it is cooked quite through. The surface should be only lightly browned, and when the proper colour is attained the pan must be lifted so high from the fire as to prevent it being deepened, as we have directed in Chapter IX. in the general instructions for frying. Drain the fish well when it is done, and when it is perfectly cold, dish, and garnish it with light foliage. The Jews have cold fried fish much served at their repasts. Fillets of soles, plaice, brill, small turbots, or other flat fish, may be fried as above, and arranged in a symmetrical form round a portion of a larger fish, or by themselves.
Sources: The passage is from Meriwether Lewis, The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806, free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from Acton, Modern cookery for private families of 1845, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — burgundy cloth, sheaf stamp.