Thomas Jefferson Papers
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To Thomas Jefferson from William Dunbar, 23 February 1805

From William Dunbar

23d feb: 1804 [i.e. 1805]

I have the pleasure of enclosing you two additional Setts of Sheets of the continuation of the geographical Survey of the river Washita.

Upon further investigation I find I was a little precipitate in saying that the Long of the Hot Springs was about 6h. 13′ west of Greenwich; an mistake1 had been committed in correcting the error of the watch in the first hasty Calculation; I now find that by a mean of nine distances from the Moon to α arietis the Long: will be only 6h. 10′ 5″ west of Greenwich. With the remainder of the Journal I will transmit results of my Calculations.

I have made a list of vegetables growing on or near the river Washita, as complete as circumstances would [admi]t, the greater part as may be supposed commonly [kno]wn—Some few may possibly be non descripts—I now give you a list of those, with a few seeds of one

racine à Chevreuil (Deer’s root) this plant grows upon the banks of the river, subject to occasional inundation

FC (Lb in Ms-Ar: William Dunbar Papers); in Dunbar’s hand; misdated; torn; at head of text: “Thos. Jefferson P.U.S. Washington.” Recorded in SJL as received from Natchez on 25 Mch. Enclosure: pages of the “Journal of a Geometrical Survey” of the Ouachita River expedition (see Dunbar to TJ, 15 Feb.). Other enclosure printed below.

Alpha arietis, or Hamal, is a star in the constellation Aries.

1Word interlined in place of “error.”

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