Columbia River to the Sacramento
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begin with books Columbia River to the Sacramento By CHARLES WILKES, U.S.N. COMMANDER UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION 1839 TO 1842 A WY 1958 BIOBOOKS OAKLAND 10, CALU'ORNIA California Relations #46 for The International Geophysical Year and The Centennial of the State of Oregon FOREWORD All things considered, this may be the most interesting document ever produced relating to the exploration and acquisition of Western America, for the reader it reveals the territory covered and the people interviewed better than any other report known to this writer. For our copy we use the edition printed at Philadelphia in 1845 by Lea and Blanchard. From what we can find, this was the first published account of what is now Highway 99, the North-South road of the Southern Pacific Rail- road and the line of the airplanes, it was in use by the Hudson Bay fur hunters and heavily used by the Oregon Gold Rushers (both ways) and the Concord stages, it still is the most fascinating, picturesque and scenic highroad in the world, the Gateway to Western Canada and Alaska, to Mt. Rainier and the Grand Coulee, Olympic Peninsula, Astoria and the Columbia basin, Mt. Hood, the 3 Sisters and Crater Lake, Mt. Shasta and Lassen Park, The Cascades and Sierra, Lake Tahoe, The Yosemite, Big Trees and Parks, Death Valley and Mt. Whitney, La Brea Deposits and the Salton Sea. Our author, Charles Wilkes, born in New York, navy milshipman in 1818, first to use astronomical instruments for observation, 1838, he sailed from Norfolk in command of a squadron to explore the South Seas, 1839, he was the earliest to name and chart the Antarctic Con. tinent, in 1841 he visited, by direction, the Northwestern Coast of America, returning by the Cape of Good Hope to New York in 1842. He was in command of the steamer "San Jacinto" in 1861. Intercepted at sea the English mail-steamer "Trent," brought off the Confederate commissioners, John Slidell and James Mason, taking them to Boston harbor. The Navy Department gave him an emphatic commendation, Congress a resolution of thanks. His act caused great rejoicing through- out the north, where he was the hero of the hour. For his services to science as an explorer he received a gold medal from the Geographical Society of London. Here we like to emphasize Wilkes as an agent of his government, other nations were represented in the territory, under today's standard he might be writing Inside Western America, rivals were present and re- porting to English, French and Russian capitals, he, you will note, covered much ground, was well received from Vancouver Fort to Santa Clara. He at the same time interviewed almost every worthwhile and iniportant person he met in his travels, all of this was in due time de- livered along the Potomac. Wilkes' party was the first to raise the American Flag west of the Rockies, in what is now the State of Washington, celebrating the Fourth of July with a barbecue no less, a symbol, a gesture that they were at home, we, however direct your attention to the report as a whole, and what followed it reception by the Congress shortly after the expedition reached the East Coast, its printing was limited to one hundred copies and studied carefully by the leaders of government, Bentori, Polk, as well as by other expansionists, timely, because of the Texas accession, it may have started the Fremont exploration, it surely influenced and strength- ened the western men, this report was the catalyst that, with the next Presidential election in a period of four years from its receipt, increased the territory of the United States by fifty per cent or more, for it added to the Union all west of the mountains, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico. It resulted in the pur- chase of Alaska and the adding of Hawaii. The third and final thrust, The Revolution, the Louisiana Purchase, and the West, all incidentally heavily influenced by Jefferson and his ardent disciples. All in all a significant and remarkable contribution to the history of the Great West. One authority states "the greatest exploring trip in the history of this Country," Hobbs points out, that Wilkes was the first to explore a stretch of Antarctic Coast long enough to prove its Continental char- acter. On orders signed by J. K. Paulding, Secretary of the Navy, -. Thence you wifi direct your course to the Northwest Coast of America, making such surveys and examinations, first of the Territory of the United States on the seaboard, and of the Columbia river, and afterwards along the coast of California, with special reference to the Bay of San Francisco." On the way the squadron visited Fiji and spent six months in the Hawaiian Islands, proceeding they reached the Strait of Juan de Fuca in May 1841, on land they were extended hospitality at Fort Vancouver by Dr. McLaughlin and Mr. Douglass, a reception if possible even more hearty was given the party on its arrival at New Heiretia, Captain Sutter offering everything at his command, after a two-day visit Sutter added "a wish that the day was not far distant when the stars and stripes would wave over this Country." Here reproduced are very early plates of Shasta and the Marysville Buttes, the latter put us on search, which resulted in the folding map herewith. We found the map of Hyacinth Farm in the Public Library at Willows, a gift to the library by Mr. Hell, vice-president and manager of the Kern County Title C0., it may be the only known copy. The original Ide Map has not been uncovered, however, the approval of the vu' farm grant in the original i5 privately held in Willows, signed by Buchanan, the Lyman Map attest is quite old, the then owner of the property, Dr. McKee, was a property owner in Colusa County and married Josefa De Soto, owner of Capoy Rancho and likely Jacinto, (it is presently in the Jacinto School District). McKee, Latin scholar?, named it Hyacinth?. From the Farm (rancho) is visible the Buttes and dose by the campsite of the party responsible for the picture included within. In the County Recorder's office at Willows there is a later, larger wall map of Glenn County showing the Hyacinth (Jacinto) to be owned by Dr. Glenn. The whole appearance bears more than name only a remarkable resemblance to the battlefield near Houston, flat country, Sacramento, Buffalo Bayou, it is presently in active use by dairymen. This whole region is well used in season by pheasant hunters. Our Sur. vey Map is by permission of the librarian, Miss Elizabeth Eubanks, a very keen and fine active student of Glenn County history. A Mexican vara is equivalent to 33 inches. Dr. Hugh J. Glenn, Viriginian, Veteran of the Mexican War, under Cen. era! Price with the First Missouri Regiment, a 49er and successful miner on the American River, acquiring the Jacinto Grant and adjacent prop- erty to Sixty-Five thousand acres. He was termed the "Largest fanner in the World." Forty-five thousand acres were used in the cultivation of wheat, in one year the harvest ran to fifty million pounds of grain, on the property and the river he built an elaborate home, also the town of Jacinto with hotel, ferry and numerous dwellings for his help, main- tained a public school, and over two thousand head of horses and mules. Jos A. SULLIVAN November23, 1958 515 Weldon Avenue Oakland 10, California ix In this we continue our dedication to great Seamen and Explorers and find ourselves delighted to honor JUAN RODRIGUES CABRILLO who, on September 28, 1542, landed on the Coast of California at San Diego, just within fifty years from Columbus' landfall on the Atlantic side of the continent. Probably of Portuguese birth, he served under Narvaez, in the con- quest of Mexico "a very capable man," later Captain in Guatemala under Governor Alvarado, always in the service of Spain. Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain, having sent Coronado overland, directed Cabrillo along the West Coast, this he gave diligent attention and during several months sailed as far north as to sight Mt. St. Helena, snow-covered in Winter, a very great effort on an unknown coast, in small ships, under very trying conditions of wind and water. Returning South he, in landing on one of the islands of the Coast, broke a bone and in a few days was dead and buried in California. A great Captain, he accomplished his instruc- [ions and made the Great Sacrifice; no explorer on the Pacific could do more. x CHAPTER I. CONTENTS PREPARATIONS FOR THE SURVEY OF THE COLUMBIA.-DIVFICULTIESAND DANCERS-BAKER'S BAY-LIEUTENT BE HAVEN SENTTO MEET MR. ELD- RAMSEY AND GEORGE, THE PILOTS-RRTURR TOASTORIA-PURCHASE OF A BIUG-MESSRS. HALE AND DANA GO WITH DR. M'LAUGHLIN-TBADEWITH THE INDIANS-SUPERSTITIONS OF THE INDIANS-SURVEYRESUMED- TONGUE POINT-TIlE VESSELS GROUND-WAIKAIKUM-pREVALENCE OF FEVER AND AGUZ-PILLA ROCK-BOAT CAPSIZED-KATALAMENTPOINT- LIEUTENANT EMMONS ORDERED TO SAN FRANCISCO-FIRE ON MOUNT COFFIN -PORPOISE GROUNDS AGAIN-WARRIOR'S POINT-VANCOUVER-SIR GEORGE SIMPSON-DIVIDENDS OF THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY-FORMAL DINNER- CHANCED APPEARANCE OF VANCOUVER-OBSERVATIONS AT VANCOUVER- ARRIVAL OF MR. ELD'S PARTY-HIS EXPEDITION-HIS DEPARTUREFROM NISQUALLY-_SQIJAW CHIEF-PORTAGE TO THE SACHAL-LAKES--EMBAR- RATION AND DESCENT OF THE SACHAL-COIJNTRY ON THE CHICKEELES- CARVED PLANKS-MR. EIJ) ENTERS GRAY'S HARBOUR-THE INDIANS REFUSE RIM AID-DIFFICULTIES ArFENDING THE SURVEY-MR. ELD'S PARTYIS RELIEVED BY LIEUTENANT DE HAVEN-SURVEY OF THE RIVER COMPLETED -CHARACTER OF GRAY'S HAREOUR-INDIANS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD- DEPARTuRE FROM CRAY'S HARBOUR-PASSAGE ALONG THE COAST-ARRIVAL OF MR.