Clark: February 27, 1806

Thursday February 27th 1806 Reubin Field returned this evening and had not
killed anything, he reported that there were no Elk towards point Adams.
Collins who had hunted up the Netul on this Side returned in the evening
haveing killed a buck Elk. Willard Still Continue very unwell the other
Sick men have nearly recovered. Goodrich & McNeal who have the Pox are
recovering fast, the former nearly well. La Page complaining.

The Braro so called by the French engages is an animal of the Civit genus
and much resembles the common badger. this is an enhabitent of the open
plains of the Columbia as they are of those of the Missouri, but are
Sometimes also found in the woody country. they burrow in the hard Grounds
in the Plains with Surprising ease and dexterity and will cover themselves
in the Ground in a very fiew minits. they have five long fixed nails on
each foot; those of the fore feet are much the longest; and one of those
on each hind foot is double like those of the beaver. they weigh from 14
to 20 lbs. the body is reather long in perportion to its thickness. the
fore legs remarkably large and muscular and are formed like the turnspit
dog. they are Short as also the hind legs. they are broad across the
Sholders and breast. the neck Short, the head is formed much like the
Common fist dog only that the Skull is more Convex, the mouth is wide and
furnishid with long Sharp teeth, both above and below, and with four Sharp
Streight Pointed tushes, two in the upper and two in the lower jaw. the
eyes are black and Small. Whiskers are placed in four points on each Side
near the nose and on the jaws near the opening of the mouth. the ears are
very Short wide and appressed as if they had been cut off. the appertue
through them to the head is remarkably Small; the tail is about 4 inches
long; the hair longest on it at it’s junction, with the body and becomeing
Shorter towards it’s extremity where it ends in an accute point. the hairs
of the body are much longer on the Sides and rump than any other part,
which givs the body an appearent flatness, particularly when the animal
rests on it’s belly. this hair is upwards of 3 inches in length,
particularly on the rump where it extends so far towards the point of the
tail, that it almost conceals the Shape of that part and givs to all the
hinder part of the body an accute angled triangle, of which the point of
the tail forms the accute angle. the Small quantity of fur which is
intermixed with the hair is of a redish pale yellow. the hair of the back,
Sides upper part of the neck and tail, are of redish light or pale yellow
fox about two thirds of their length from the Skin, next black, and then
tiped with white; forming a curious mixture of grey and fox colourd. red
with a yellowish hue. the belly flanks and breast are of the fox coloured
redish yellow. the legs black, the nails white. the head on which the hair
is short is varigated with black and white. a narrow Strip of white
Commences on the top of the nose about half an inch from its extremity and
extends back along the Center of the forehead and neck nearly to the
Sholders- two Stripes of black Suckceed the white on either Side,
imbraceing the Side of the nose, the eyes, and extends back as far as the
ears. two other Spots of black of a romboidal figure are placed on the
Side of the head near the ears and between them and the opening of the
mouth. two black Spots also imediately behind the ears. the other part of
the head white. this animal feeds on flesh, roots, bugs and wild fruits.-
it is very clumsy and runs very Slow, depending more on burring to Secure
it Self than running. I have in Several instances out run and caught this
animal. in this respect they are not much more fleet than the porcupine.