Lewis and Clark's First Coyote

Ras53

Ras53

New member
I'm currently reading "Undaunted Courage" about Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery expedition. Thought this was interesting.

"On August 12, at 5:00 p.m., what Clark called a 'Prarie Wolf' appeared on the bank and barked at the passing keelboat. The captains had not previously seen this animal, or read anything about it, so they went ashore to collect a specimen. But, Clark sadly noted, 'we could not git him.'

The animal was a coyote. Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see one. The captains set a precedent; millions of Americans who came after have also failed in their attempt to kill the coyote."

excerpt from page 153 of "Undaunted Courage - Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West" by Steven E. Ambrose

I'm not the only one that "could not git him" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Sure makes me feel a little better.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Interesting story.
I love reading about Lewis and Clark.
They had some awsome hunters on their team , too.
Lewis & Clark Website
I do question, though, if they were the first to see a coyote. Didn't Wolves and "brush Wolves" (presumably coyotes) exist in the eastern US before 1803 and Lewis and Clark ? I thought I read that somewhere. I thought the canines were wiped out by the settlers. Anyone know about this.
PC
 
Quote:
The animal was a coyote. Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see one. The captains set a precedent; millions of Americans who came after have also failed in their attempt to kill the coyote."



I guess native Americans didn't count........
 
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose is probably one of the best books I've ever read, a friend who knew I was somewhat of a history buff recommended it to me. I figured it would be some drab and dreary reading, but instead it was fascinating!

It's an imposing book, and will take some time to read, but it's worth it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

My only disappointment was the sad ending, but that's history, not just a story.
 
I read Undaunted Courage to my sons over a four month period. Then that summer I took them to Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon to see the places we had read about. We saw the headwaters of the Missouri river. We were in Helena on the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark's return through the area. We saw the Bitterroots,the Snake and Columbia rivers and had one heck of a good time. I got to go home to Washington for the first time in ten years!
Harvey7
 
Quote:
Quote:
The animal was a coyote. Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see one. The captains set a precedent; millions of Americans who came after have also failed in their attempt to kill the coyote."



I guess native Americans didn't count........



They don't like to be called "Native Americans" either, just native. America was a term we white folks named it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
The animal was a coyote. Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to see one. The captains set a precedent; millions of Americans who came after have also failed in their attempt to kill the coyote."



I guess native Americans didn't count........



They don't like to be called "Native Americans" either, just native. America was a term we white folks named it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



Not the ones I know and having lived in North Central Washington I know a lot of them. The hard core among them are offended at being called Indians, tho.
 
That's a way cool quote from the L&C expedition. I am actually just starting that unit in Idaho history with my fourth graders right now. I had to laugh at the "couldn't git him" part. I can see in my mind's eye that ol' coyote barking away at the strangers. I'm pretty sure it has only been in the last several years that coyotes had made it as fare east as Missouri, but I'm not sure. Lewis and Clark are right up there with John Wesley Powell in my book. I imagine Powell saw a coyote or two in his travels, as well.
 
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