The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Lewis, February 16, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Lewis, February 16, 1806

Sunday February 16th 1806. By several trials made today in order to adjust my Octant and ascertain her error in the direct observation, I found that it was 2° 1' 45" + or additive beyond the fracture; this error was ascertained by a comparison with my sextant the error of which had been previously ascertained. the error of Octant in the direct observation on the broken limb next to 0 or below 55° 20 inclusive is 2° additive only.- Sent Shannon Labuish and Frazier this morning on a hunting excurtion up the Kil-haw'-a-nak-kle river which discharges itself into the head of the bay. no tidings yet of Sergt. Gass and party. Bratton is still very weak and complains of a pain in the lower part of the back when he moves which I suppose procedes from dability. I gave him barks. Gibson's fever still continues obstenate tho not very high; I gave him a doze of Dr. Rush's which in many instances I have found extreemly efficatious in fevers which are in any measure caused by the presence of boil. the nitre has produced a profuse perspiration this evening and the pills operated late at night his fever after which abated almost entirely and he had a good night's rest.

The Indian dog is usually small or much more so than the common cur. they are party coloured; black white brown and brindle are the most usual colours. the head is long and nose pointed eyes small, ears erect and pointed like those of the wolf, hair short and smooth except on the tail where it is as long as that of the curdog and streight. the natives do not eat them nor appear to make any other use of them but in hunting the Elk as has been before observed.- The brown white or grizly bear are found in the rocky mountains in the timbered parts of it or Westerly side but rarely; they are more common below the rocky Mountain on the borders of the plains where there are copses of brush and underwood near the watercouses. they are by no means as plenty on this side of the rocky mountains as on the other, nor do I beleive that they are found atall in the woody country, which borders this coast as far in the interior as the range of mountains which, pass the Columbia between the Great Falls and rapids of that river. the black bear differs not any from those common to the United states and are found under the rocky Mountains in the woody country on the borders of the great plains of columbia and also in this tract of woody country which lie between these plains and the Pacific Ocean. their oconimy and habits are also the same with those of the United States.