The Lewis and Clark expedition were traveling near the mouth of the Deschutes River on this day in 1805. Meriwether Lewis temporarily dropped back from the rest of the party to observe the natives digging great quantities of a root from the bottom of the Deschutes River. It looks familiar, but is also different, perphaps a different species or variety then what he has seen. The arrow head leaves spring up from the base of the plant and the starchy tubers grow from the roots, much like a potato. The natives dried and pounded the roots into a compressed meal made into cakes that they traded to the Corps of Discovery. This helped to sustain the Corps through the long winter months.
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