Mammal
Long-tailed Weasel
Mustela frenata
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Common Names
White Weasel, Ermine
Habitat
Fort Mandan
Conservation
Apparently secure
First Observed
1805-08-20
Observed At
Lemhi Pass area, present-day Idaho-Montana border
As secretive predators, weasels were not much noted by Lewis. Skin obtained by trade sent to Jefferson from Fort Mandan.
Journal References
15 journal entries mention Long-tailed Weasel
Sep
28
1804
Teton Sioux confrontation near Pierre, SD — Joseph Whitehouse: September 28, 1804
... a white flag, and a red flag for peace or
war, and was; determined to fight our way, if we could not Go
without. Cap‘ Lewis Got into a perogue and went on Shore to...
Nov
9
1804
Clark: November 9, 1804
...m the N W.
Several Indians pass with flying news, we got a White weasel, (Taile
excepted which was black at the end) of an Indian Capt Lewis walked to the
hill abt. 3/4 ...
Nov
27
1804
Clark: November 27, 1804
...he principal Cheifs Mar par pa par ra pas a too or
(Horned Weasel) who did not Chuse to be Seen by the Capt. & left word
that he was not at home &.
Seven Traders ar...
Dec
7
1804
Fort Mandan, North Dakota — Patrick Gass: December 7, 1804
... astronomer to the North West company,
in the year 1798, determined the northern bend of the Missouri to be in latitude 47. 32.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 59
our garr...
Mar
16
1805
Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — John Ordway: March 16, 1805
...ompany, the captains gave him
until the following day to determine whether he would go with the expedition
on the terms which had been verbally agreed upon. Charbonne...
Apr
3
1805
Clark: April 3, 1805
....
No. 15 a Mandan robe containing two burrowing Squirels, a white weasel and
the Skin of a Loucirvea.
also
13 red fox Skins.
1 white Hare Skin &.
4 horns of the mountain r...
Apr
7
1805
John Ordway: April 7, 1805
...or
evil it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and these little
vessells contained every article by which we were to expect to subsist or defend
...
May
20
1805
Missouri River near Musselshell River — John Ordway: May 20, 1805
...L COLLECTIONS [June 4
miles up each river, but could not determine which would be our
most probable branch for our Course &.C. our officers are not
Satisfied in their...
Jun
3
1805
Patrick Gass: June 3, 1805
...rs and encamped there. The commanding officers
could not determine which of these rivers or branches, it was
94 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
proper to take; and therefore ...
Jun
4
1805
Marias River decision camp — Patrick Gass: June 4, 1805
...h Branch, to see if they could find any certain marks to
determine whether that was the Missouri or not; and Captain
Clarke myself and four others went up the South b...
Jun
5
1805
Marias River decision camp — John Ordway: June 5, 1805
...ewis' own words: "An interesting question was now to
be. determined; which of these rivers was the Missouri, or that river
which the Minnetares call Amahte Arz-zha or...
Jun
11
1805
Marias River decision camp — John Ordway: June 11, 1805
...inuation of the Missouri River proper, and the desire to determine the
point as soon as possible. With the exception of Lewis and Clark, the party
to a man believed t...
Jun
26
1805
Great Falls Portage — John Ordway: June 26, 1805
...our course. Saw a Smoak in the
valley between, we cannot determine whether is [it] was made
by the natives or Cap4 Clark, passed a level Smooth plain in the
valley. S...
Aug
7
1805
Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — John Ordway: August 7, 1805
...(II, 8) to
condemn Lewis and Clark for not making a more determined effort to find him.
"Almost a mere boy," they "sent him out to hunt, then absolutely reversed
thei...
Aug
20
1805
Lewis: August 20, 1805
...ic is known to the traiders of the N. W. by the name of the white weasel
is the genuine ermine, and might no doubt be turned to great advantage by
those people if they wo...