In Philadelphia, Thomas Whitney, “mathematical instrument maker, 95, S. Second,” provides nearly all the expedition’s navigational instruments at a cost of $162.20. This includes a surveyor’s chain; compasses; log line, reel, and ship; quadrant or octant; sextant; and several related items.
Octant (Quadrant)
© 2017 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
The tangent screw is the knob at the left of the graduated arc. See Sextant and Octant for labeled diagrams of each navigational instruments.
May 31th 1803 Mr. Israel Whelen Bot. of Thos. Whitney D C a Spirit level 4.— Case of plotting Instruments 14.— two pole Chain 2.— Silver plated pocket Compass 5.— Brass Boat Compass 1.50 3 Brass pocket Compasses 2.50 7.50 a Magnet 1.— Tangent screw Quadrant [octant] 22.— Metal Sextant 90.— Making a Microscope and fixing Do. on the Index of the Sextant 7.— Sett of Slates in a Case 4.— log line, reel & log ship 1.95 parrallel glass for a horizon [artificial horizon] 1.— 4 ounces of Talc 1.25 $162.20[1]“Supplies from Private Vendors,” in Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), … Continue reading
Notes
| ↑1 | “Supplies from Private Vendors,” in Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 82. For more on Thomas Whitney, see www.compleatsurveyor.com/Makers/Whitney.html accessed 16 Dec 2023. |
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- The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.
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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).