The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 8, 1805

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 8, 1805

May the 8th Wednesday 1805

a verry black Cloud to the S W. we Set out under a gentle breeze from the N. E. about 8 oClock began to rain, but not Sufficient to wet, we passed the mouth of a large river on the Starboard Side 150 yards wide and appears to be navagable. the Countrey thro which it passes as far as Could be seen from the top of a verry high hill on which I was, a butifull leavil plain this river forks about N W from its mouth 12 or 15 miles one fork runs from the North & the other to the West of N W. the water of this river will justify a belief that it has its Sourse at a considerable distance, and waters a great extent of Countrey- we are willing to believe that this is the River the Minitarres Call the river which Scolds at all others

the Countrey on the Lard. Side is high & broken with much Stone Scattered on the hills, In walking on Shore with the Interpreter & his wife, the Squar Geathered on the Sides of the hills wild Lickerish, & the white apple as called by the angegies and gave me to eat, the Indians of the Missouri make great use of the white apple dressed in different ways- Saw great numbers of Buffalow, Elk, antelope & Deer, also black tale deer beaver & wolves, I killed a beaver which I found on the bank, & a wolf. The party killed 3 Beaver 1 Deer I saw where an Indian had taken the hair off a goat Skin a fiew days past- Camped early on the Lard. Side. The river we passed today we call Milk river from the peculiar whiteness of it's water, which precisely resembles tea with a considerable mixture of milk.

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