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 sufficent 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, is 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 source 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 angegees [engagés] 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 Lar
d. 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.
[5]
Course and Distance the 8th. of May.
|
miles |
|
| S. 88°. W, |
1 1/2 |
to a point of timbered land on the Std. Side opsd. a
bluff of black earth L. |
| N. 60°. W |
1/4 |
on the Starboard Side |
| North |
2 |
to the high timber on the Lard. Side |
| East |
1 1/4 |
to the extremity of a Sand bar from the Lard point
passed a Gulf |
| N. 70°. W. |
2 |
to a point of timber on Lard. Side |
| S. 65°. W. |
2 |
to a point of timber on the Stard. Side |
| S. 55°. W. |
2 1/4 |
to a point on the Stard. Side |
| S. 85°. W |
5 3/4 |
to a point of timbered land on the Lard Side, passing
a projected point in a bend to Stard Side at 3 1/2 miles |
| S. 74°. W |
4 |
to a point of wood land on the Stard Side passed a large
river on the Std. Side at 1/2 a mile |
| N. 5°. W. |
2 1/2 |
to a sand point on the Lard Side |
| N. 70°. W. |
1 1/2 |
to some high timber on the Ld. Side opposit a low
bluff on the S.S. |
| S. 18°. W. |
3, |
to a point of high trees on the Starbord Side opposit
a bluff on the Lard Side, we camped one mile
Short on the L. Side |
| miles |
28 |
|
