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80 Capalux River Apr 1st Walked two days ago to the mouth of this river crossing two creeks on the way- Near the north bank is a bed of Oysters & other shells several ft. thick enclosed in clay like that all around here. The shore of the Bay is high & steep nearly all the way to the river and the mud flats extend from 1/2 to 1 mile from them. The river is about 1 mile wide at high tide but the channel nearly central & not more than 1/4 mile in width- The Point south of the river is also high & steep, sloping down toward the East, where a creek makes it nearly an Island- The river branches shortly after entering it into three streams- Remained all night at the Point and next morning returned to Capt. R---s The Capt. had arrived the day before-Noticed the "Salmon berry" + a wild current in bloom. Saw the same birds as on the Willapa- The hills to the East are white with snow which has fallen in slight showers with rain + hail almost every day since last date- [[end page]] [[start page]] Shoalwater Bay- 81 Apr 7th The weather since last week was very stormy with almost constant rain & wind from the SW till the 5th Since then it has become pleasant & clear with wind from N.W. & N.E. today- Have obtained no animals since then but several plants &c Saw today a striped squirrel the first this spring- The Trillium grandiflorum & an Asum are beginning to bloom now- The Indians here use the root of a dock powdered & boiled for an application to burns, with apparent benefit Also the root of Equisetum Hyemale as food. It is while raw very hard. They eat also a kind of wild Pea (Vicia) Apr 12th Crossed the bay to the mouth of Cedar Creek & ascended it for about two miles where it branches into 3 or 4 creeks- Along its banks is a great deal of salt meadow as on the others of this bay- Saw on the way several species of ducks, brant & Geese &c On the Northside the shores resemble others but are often steeper & are also in places full of shells of recent species-
Transcription Notes:
He seems to use dashes as periods, perhaps because of the quality of the nib of his pen? I would suggest the editors consider replacing them with periods, but they are transcribed as written.