Near here, too, they found the source of the Mouse River,
only a few miles from the Missouri. The river, bending to the north and
then making many eccentric curves, finally empties into Lake Winnipeg,
and so passes into the great chain of northern lakes in British America.
At this point the explorers saw great flocks of the wild Canada goose.
The journal says:--
"These geese, we observe, do not build their nests on the ground or in
the sand-bars, but in the tops of the lofty cottonwood trees. We saw
some elk and buffalo to-day, but at too great a distance to obtain
any of them, though a number of the carcasses of the latter animal are
strewed along the shore, having fallen through the ice and been swept
along when the river broke up. More bald eagles are seen on this part of
the Missouri than we have previously met with; the small sparrow-hawk,
common in most parts of the United States, is also found here. Great
quantities of geese are feeding on the prairies, and one flock of white
brant, or geese with black-tipped wings, and some gray brant with them,
pass up the river; from their flight they seem to proceed much further
to the northwest. We killed two antelopes, which were very lean, and
caught last night two beavers."
Lewis and Clark were laughed at by some very knowing people who
scouted the idea that wild geese build their nests in trees. But later
travellers have confirmed their story; the wise geese avoid foxes and
other of their four-footed enemies by fixing their homes in the tall
cottonwoods.
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