Mistaken Identity

n August 6, 1806, near present Williston, North Dakota, the men saw their last grizzly. Clark reported it:

This morning a very large Bear of white Specis, discovered us floating in the water and takeing us, as I prosume to be Buffalow imediately plunged into the river and prosued us. I directed the men to be Still. this animal Came within about 40 yards of us, and tacked about. we all fired into him without killing him, and the wind So high that we could not pursue hi[m], by which means he made his escape to the Shore badly wounded.

Clark had seen dead buffalo floating downstream, drowned as the herd forded the river above.

--Joseh Mussulman, 1999