Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/23



1542—It is said that Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo. a Spaniard, sailed up the coast as far as 44 degrees, landed and returned south. This would be somewhere in the neighborhood of Port Orford.

1578—Authorities differ as to the distance which Sir Francis Drake, an Englishman, sailed up the coast. There is no record of his having landed north of San Francisco Bay.

1592—Is given as the date upon which Juan de Fuca, a Spaniard, discovered the straits which now bear his name. It is doubted whether he ever saw them as claimed by him.

1603—Sebastian Vizcaino, a Spaniard, named Cape Blanco, also reported a snow-capped peak to the eastward, calling it San Sebastian (Mt. Shasta). He also discovered a river, supposed to be the Umpqua. Capt. Aguilar, one of his expedition, claimed to have discovered the Columbia river.

1742—Two sons of Chevalier de La Verendrye. of Montreal, led an overland expedition to the Stony mountains (Rockies), coming as far west as the country embracing Missoula. Deer Lodge and Silver Bow counties in Montana. On May 19, 1744, they set up a monument and christened the country "Beauharnois."

1744—Lieut. Juan Perez, a Spaniard, sailed as far north as 54 degrees. On his return trip he discovered a mountain now called Mt. Olympus. He gave it the name of Sierra de Santa Rosalia.

1763—Kodiak Island settled by the Russians.

1766—The river "Oregon" was conceived in the mind of Capt. Jonathan Carver, of Connecticut, who made an expedition into the country adjacent to the headwaters of the Mississippi in that year. This river has borne several different names, among them being: Spanish-Esenada de Asuncion (Assumption Inlet"*. Esendada de Heeeta (Heceta Inlet), Rio de San Roque (River of San Roque), Rio de Aguilar (River of Aguilar). and Rio de Thegays (River of Thegays).

1775—Capt. Bruno Heceta, a Spaniard, planted a cross on July 14th. upon n point to which he gave the name of Punta de Martinez (Martyr's Point), a location now known as Point Grenville. On the same day some of the crew of one of his vessels went on shore for a supply of fresh water, and were massacred by the Indians. This was the first recorded instance where the blood of the white race was shed in the Pacific Northwest.

1778—On March 7th, Capt. James Cook named Cape Foulweather. and Cape Flattery on March 22d. The latter had been previously (1774) called Punta Martinez by Perez.

1785—Capt. James Hanna, an Englishman, arrived. Not for the purpose of exploration, but to gather furs for the Oriental market. He was quite