46 REUBEN GOLD THWAITES. originals unfortunately freely modernized, as was his custom with all of the Western manuscripts which he ed- ited and from them also compiled a new chapter in the Biddle style, which he inserted into the body of the hook as though part of the Biddle text. His modified excerpts but served to whet the appetites of Western historians, and thus led to <the project for their eventual publication in extenso and with literal accuracy. ' In returning the journals to the society -Coues trans- mitted therewith a detailed report upon their scope and condition. 28 While in his possession he attached to each journal (or codex) a memorandum summarizing its con- tents, and to each codex gave an identifying letter, run- ning from A to T. 29 This was commendable, but certain other liberties which he took with these precious manu- scripts merit our condemnation, for in many codices he freely interlined the text with his own verbal changes and comments, and in general appeared to treat the material as though mere copy for the printer, which might be re- vised by him with impunity. Apparently the codices 28 Published in American Philosophical Proceedings, XXXI (No. 140), pp. 17-33. 29 There are in this collection eighteen notebooks in all, and twelve, parcels of loose sheets. Of these, thirteen are small books, bound in red morocco covers, 8| by 5 inches in dimension, each containing 152 pages seven of these books are by Lewis and six by Clark ; they are collectively called "- the red books," and are Codices D-P of Coues's arrangement. There is one volume by Clark of similar size, bound in brown leather and containing 274 pages, which is lettered as Codex C. Then come four bound in boards, marble paper sides, containing about 184 pages each, two being by Clark and two by both explorers, known as Codices A, B, Q,, and R. The loose sheets, consisting of leaves torn from other books, .are labeled Codices Aa, Ba, Fa, Fb, Fc, Fd, Fe, la, La, Lb, S, and T. It is difficult to say which of these, if any, were actually carried in the field. In his letter to Da Serra of April 26, 1816, already cited, Jefferson assumes that the red morocco books were carried in the field by Lewis, " in which, in his own handwriting, he had journalized all occurrences, day by day, as he travelled ;" indeed, we have already seen that Jefferson called them "travelling pocket journals." Coues thinks, however, that probably none of the codices, except possibly Codex C, was a field book, but was written up afterwards. It is not necessary here to cite the evidence in detail, but I am also inclined to this view, save that as Codex C differs radically in appearance from the known Clark field book in the possession of the Voorhis family (to be described later), I am disposed to consider Gas a copy, possibly made at Fort Mandan or Fort Clatsop.
