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 Countreywe
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
waysSaw 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 pastCamped
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.