Long-Tailed Weasel

November 9, 1804, at Fort Mandan

Today found a Weasel we saw one in the water swimming so fast we knew that we could not catch it even by the tail that was about as long as the weasel itself.  So we went to find a borrow but we could not find one until a man yelled "I found one!"  It was hard to catch one because we tried to flush them out with water and expected to come on out like the prairie dogs but the Weasels would not come out because they were used to water coming in when it rains.  But finally we found a horizontal burrow on the bank of the Missouri river that we could dig into and find the Weasel.

WILLIAM CLARK   November 12, 1804 

"The Mandans are at war with all who make war only, and wish to be at peace with all nations, Seldom the ogressors."

Antelope

September 17, 1804

"We found the Antelope extremely shy and watchful so much that we had been unable to get a shot at them; when at rest they generally select the most elevated point in the area, and as they are watchful and extremely quick of sight and their sense of smelling so acute it is almost impossible to approach them within the range of a gunshot. They will frequently discover you and flee.  I had this day an opportunity of witnessing the agility and the superior fleetness of this animal which was to me really astonishing.  

Coyote

September 18, 1804

The first time we saw a coyote I was sleeping when i heard them running into camp.  They were very fast and a little bit smaller then seaman the Captains dog , Seaman.  Captain Lewis said that we would be seeing a lot of them on the road.

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

Friday, September 7, 1804

"Discovered a Village of Small animals that burrow in the grown (those animals are Called by the french Petite Chien) Killed one and Caught one a live by poreing a great quantity of Water in his hole we attempted to dig to the beds of one of those animals, after digging 6 feet, found by running a pole down that we were not half way to his Lodge... The Village of those animals Covd. about 4 acres  of Ground on a gradual decent of a hill and Contains great numbers of holes on the top of which those little animals Set erect, make a Whistleing noise and whin allarmed Step into their hole. we por’d into one of those holes 5 barrels of Water without filling it. Those Animals are about the Size of a Small Squ[ir]rel... except the ears which is Shorter, his tail like a ground squirel which they shake & whistle when allarmd. the toe nails long, they have fine fur."

Nine Pounds of Meat!

Hey you guys I saw this picture and this is 9 pounds of meat and a figured that if the men on the Corps of Discovery each ate this amount every day.  That they must have done a lot of hard work on the trail.

White-Tailed Deer

May 19, 1804

              Today we saw a White - Tailed Deer at St. Charles, Missouri..  Its coat was tan and reddish brown. Its Belly, throat, nose band, eye ring, and inside of ears were white.  It was an amazing animal and i just can't wait to see more animals.  Captain Lewis said that it lives in   brushy areas, woods, and suburbs.  It lives in the southern half of the southern tier of Canadian provinces; it also lives in most of U.S. except far southwest.