The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 1, 1805

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 1, 1805

May the 1st Wednesday 1805

We Set out at Sun rise under a Stiff Breeze from the East, the morning Cool & Cloudy. one man J. Shields Sick with rhumetism- one of the men (Shannon) Shot a Gull or pleaver, which is about the Size of an Indian hen, with a Sharp pointed bill turning up & 4 Inches long, the head and neck of a light brown, the breast, the underfeathers of the 2nd and 3d joint of the wings, the Short feathers on the upper part of the 3rd joint of the wings, down the back the rump & tail white. The large feathers of the 1st joints of the wing the upper feathers of the 2d joints of the wings, on the body on the joints of the wing and the bill is black.- the legs long and of a Skie blue. The feet webed &c. This fowl may be properly Stiled the Missouri Pleaver- the wind became verry Hard and we put too on the L. Side, as the wind Continued with Some degree of violence and the waves too high for the Canoes we were obliged to Stay all day