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406 THE GROWTH OF AN AMERICAN STATE nine miles down the river from Gervais'. Lucier is that he had himself decide, often spoken of as the first to locate a claim. He in consequence came up t] have selected a place on the east side of is said to after the transfer to the British co the Willamette near the present site of Portland, tinued their occupation as free I in 1829, but was informed by Dr. McLoughlin transfer of the Astor company's int pany of Montreal, , which to to date of commencing the settlement. Permit me our late war with Great Britain, s to give in corroboration of what I learned from Dr. McLoughlin and mostly Canadians, refused to enter the settlers themselves, the proof fixing the date by men yet living. Company, preferring to become w The venerable Donald Manson, who arrived at Vancouver Jan., 1825, side as Free Trappers, which posi now a resident of Champoeg, says: 'I married Felicite, the eld- tained. In the time intervening est daughter of Etienne Lucier, in October, 1828. Her father was tioned and the date when the free then living on his land claim two miles above Champoeg, where he on French Prairie, they had made had settled in the fall of 1827.' Hon. F. X. Matthieu, residing near of profitable trapping and huntir Butteville, who came to in 1842, says: 'On my arrival in bordering mountain ranges. Aboy Oregon I lived the following two years with Mr. Lucier, who told me Northwest Company and the Hu( he had lived on his farm fifteen years when I reached his home in mated, 1821-2, Gervais and their 1842.'" trapping on the Hons-u-cha-chac As to the first exploration of the , which proba- name of , their carn bly led to the desire to make here their home, Mr. Rees says: " In Willamette; while here they expe' the fall following the arrival of Mr. Hunt at Astoria, Mr. McKenzie, storm, which confined them to t one of the Astor partners who with so much pomp took for his forth in search of game. The litt wife the Princess Chowa, daughter of old king Comcomley, the the Indian trail crossed the strea celebrated Chinook chief-[probably allusion to McDougall's mar- their camp. Here they came upoi riage]-left Astoria on an exploring expedition to the Willamette succeeded in shooting. The Ind Valley country. Among the small party who accompanied him were suspecting what was going on, st , Louis Labonte, and a brother of Comcomley, his to assist their liege lords of the large canoe being manned by his slaves. This expedition, said Jo- the blood, which was soon made i seph Gervais, was for the purpose of establishing trade with the as blood pudding, upon which, wi Indians, to instruct and encourage them to capture and properly tuously every day during the co preserve the skins of such fur bearing animals as the company While this memorable feast was most desired. The explorers proceeded as far south as the Cala- christened the stream Riviere au pooia country. They found the natives very numerous and friend- other account makes Thomas Me ly. Their principal towns were confined to the rivers, where incident.] they kept large fleets of canoes. Champoeg was the largest vil- Rees continues: " In the time lage they found on the upper river, their cedar houses occupying all the free trappers had seleci both banks of the stream. The Indians were all pressed, or flat, had also some of the old retire heads, except their slaves, who were owned by the principal men The first men retired from the s4 generally." by Dr. McLoughlin, commenced Mr. Rees states that Gervais and the other Astor men, refused, of 1830."