OCR Text |
Show 288 J.~ewis and Clarke's Exptdil io1t in the United States with the large goat ucker which \H' observe her(>; this last pt·epares no nest but lays its eggs· in the open pla.ins; they gencr·ally begin to sit on two eggs. and we believe raise only one ba·ood in a season: at the pre sent moment they are just hatching thei1· young. Monday, July 1. Aft er a severe day's work captaill Clarke reached our camp in lhc evening, accompanird b~ his pa r ty a nd all the baggage except tbat left at the sixmile stake, for whith they were too much fa.tigue£1 to r r turn. The r oute f1·om the lowet• camp on Portage et•erl.. to that nPar Whitcbeat· island, having been now measu1·c~ and examined by captain Clarke was as follow s: From om· camp opposite the last considct·aLle rapid to the entrance of Portage creek south 9° east fot• three quarters of a mile: thence on a cout·se south 10° east for tw& miles, though for the canoes the best t•outc is to the left of this course, and stt·ikcs Portage one mile and tlu·ec quarters from its entrance, avoiding in this way a ' 'cry steep hilt which lies above Portage cre~k : from this south 18° west for fouL· miles, passing the head of a drain or ravine which falls into the Missou1·i below the g•·eat falls, and to the 'Viilow •·un which has always a plentiful supply of good water and some timber: here the course turns to south 4 5° west for fout• miles further; then south 66° west three miles, crossing at the beginning of the course the head of a drain which falls into the Missouri at the C1·ookcd Falls, and reaching an elevated point of the plain from which south ~2° west. On appt·oaching the t•iver· on this course there is a long and gentle descent from the high plain, after which the road tut·ns a little to the right of the course up the river to our camp. rrhe whole portage is seventeen and three quat•ter miles. At the 'Vhltebear· camp we were occupied with the hoat and digging a pit for the purpose of making some tar. 1'he day has been warm, and the musquitoes troublesome. 'Vc were fortunate enough to observe equal altitudes of th~ Up tTte Missouri. i89 sun with sextant, which since om· arrival here we have been prevented from doing, by flying clouds and storms in the evening. T~esday, .July 2d. A shower of rain fell very early this mormn~. We then despatched some men for the baggage left behmd yesterday, and the rest were engaged in putting the boat togethet·. '!"'his was accomplished in about three hours, and then we began to sew on the leather over the crossbars of iron on the inner side of the boat which form the ends of the sections. By two o'clock the last of the baggage art·ived, to the grrat delight of the pat•ty who were anxious to proceed. 'rhe musquitoes we find very trouble. some. Having completed our celestial observations we went over to the large island to make an attack upon its inhabitants the bears, who have annoyed us vet·y much of late, and who were prowling about our camp all last night. 'Ve found that the part of the island frequented by the bear forms an almost impenett·able thicket of the broad-leafed willow: into this we forced our· way in parties of three; but could see only one bear, who instantly attacked Drewyer. Fortunately as he was rushing on the hunter shot him through the heart within twenty }>aces and he fel1, which enabled Dt·ewyer to get out of his way: we then followed him one hundred yar·cls and found that the wound had been mortal. Not being able to discover any more of these animals we returned to eamp: here in turning over some of the baggage we caught a rat somewhat lat·ger than the common European rat, and of a lighter colour; the body and outer p~rts of tho legs and head of a light lead colour; the inner s1de of the legs as well as the belly, feet anti ears are white; the ears are not covered with hair, and ar·e much larger ihan those of the common rat; the toes also are Ion gel', the eyes b.lack and prominent, the whiskers very long and full; the tall rather longer than the body, and covered witb fine fur and hair of the same size with that on the back whiclt l"OL. I. p p 1 |