Final answer:
Lewis and Clark named the barking animal they encountered on their expedition the prairie wolf, which is known today as the coyote.
Step-by-step explanation:
During their historic expedition to explore the western portion of the United States, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark discovered several new animal species. One such animal, which produced a sound resembling a bark, was given the name of prairie wolf by the explorers, which is now commonly known as the coyote. In their journals, which document the various aspects of their journey, they referred to these barking creatures in a manner akin to the 'sage dogs' mentioned in passages of Western literature.