FEBRUARY 16

This war party Camped verry near the last camp I made when on my hunting party, where they left Some Corn, as a deception, with a view to induc a belief that they were Ricarras [Recorees - Arikara Indians] . Capt Lewis & party proceeded on down the meat I left at my last Camp was taken.

Ordway: clear cold morning one of our men got lame and turned back. the Indians all returned also,

we proceeded on about 6 mls. to where their was Some lodges where Mr Gravelleens men was Robed last fall by some of the Mandanes. when we came in Site we Saw a Smoak which we expected that they were all their waiting
for another oppertunity to Seel more horses or to attach us.

we then went up the bank of the river a considerable distance above the place in to the bushes. left the horse, sled & baggage even our blankets.

Capt Lewis Sent a Sergt. with a part of the men a little back from the River with orders to advance immediately after hearing the horn Sound which would be the Signal for us to fire in case of an attack.

Capt Lewis went with the rest of the party down the bank of the River untill we came to the lodges, where we found
that they had left place 24 hours before that, & had Set 2 of the largest lodges on fire which caused the Smoak.

I then Sounded the horn the other party came up, we found they had tore down the meat pen which our men had
built & left 2 Elk in it. they took the meat all away, except a fiew small peaces of buffaloe meat which they left in
the small lodge which they broiled.

we found that they had left the River here and took up a Steep bluff in to the praries we concluded not to follow them any further, but to turn in to hunting.

Gibsons fever Still Continues obstinate tho' not verry high; we gave him a dose of Dr. Rushes pills which in maney instancis I have found extreamly efficacious in fevers which are in any measure Caused by the presence of boil.

[Rush's pills, a concoction of Benjamin Rush, Lewis's medical advisor]

the niter has produced a perfuse perspiration this evening and the pils opperated late at night his feaver after which abated almost intirely and he had a good nights rest.

The Indian Dogs are usually small or much more so than the common cur. they are party coloured; black white
brown and brindle are the more 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 Cur dog and streight. the nativs do not eate them, or make any further use of them than in hunting the Elk as has been before observed.

Shannon an Labiesh brought in to us to day a Buzzard or Vulture of the Columbia which they had wounded and
taken alive. I believe this to be the largest Bird of North America.

[California Condor]

it was not in good order and yet it wayed 25 lbs had it have been so it might very well have weighed 10 lbs. more or
35 lbs. between the extremities of the wings it measured 9 feet 2 Inches; from the extremity of the beak to that of
the toe 3 feet 9 inches and a half. from hip to toe 2 feet, girth of the head 9 inches ¾. Girth of the neck 7½ inches; Girth of the body exclusive of the wings 2 feet 3 inches; girth of the leg 3 inches. the diameter of the eye 4½/10ths
of an inch, the iris of a pale scarlet red, the puple of a deep Sea green or black and occupies about one third of the diameter of the eye the head and part of the neck as low as the figures 1 2 is uncovered with feathers except that portion of it represented by dots foward and under the eye.

the tail is Composed of twelve feathers of equal length, each 14 inches. the legs are 4¾ inches in length and of a whiteish colour uncovered with feathers, they are not entirely Smooth but not imbricated; the toes are four in
number three of which are foward and that in the center much the longest; the fourth is Short and is inserted near the inner
of the three other toes and reather projecting foward.

the thye is covered with feathers as low as the Knee. the top or upper part of the toes are imbricated with broad scales lying transversly; the nails are black and in proportion to the Size of the bird comparitively with those of the Hawk or Eagle, Short and bluntly pointed—.

the under Side of the wing is Covered with white down and feathers. a white Stripe of about 2 inches in width, also marks the outer part of the wing, imbraceing the lower points of the feathers, which cover the joints of the wing through their whole length or width of that part of the wing. all the other feathers of whatever part are of a Glossy Shineing black except the down, which is not glossy, but equally black.

the Skin of the beak and head to the joining of the neck is of a pale orrange Yellow, the other part uncovered with feathers is of a light flesh Colour. the Skin is thin and wrinkled except on the beak where it is Smooth.

This bird fly's very clumsily. nor do I know whether it ever Seizes it's prey alive, but am induced to believe it does not. we have Seen it feeding on the remains of the whale and other fish which have been thrown up by the waves on the Sea Coast. these I believe constitute their principal food, but I have no doubt but that they also feed on flesh.

we did not meet with this bird untille we had decended the Columbia below the great falls; and have found them
more abundant below tide water than above. this is the Same Species of Bird which R. Field killed on the 18th of Novr. last and which is noticed on that day tho' not fully discribed then I thought this of the Buzzard Specis.

I now believe that this bird is reather of the Vulture genus than any other, tho' it wants Some of their characteristics particularly the hair on the neck, and the feathers on the legs. this is a handsom bird at a little distance. it's neck is proportionably longer than those of the Hawks or Eagle.

Shannon also brought a Grey Eagle which appeared to be of the Same kind common to the U, States. it weighed
15 pds. and measured 7 feet 7 inches between the extremities of the wings—.