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T. C. ELLIOTT

Fort, Hudson's Bay to the mouth of the Columbia, but I think the journey can be performed in the height of the season in a light canoe, unincumbered with baggage for the water communication and with good horses for the journey by Land which may be about 1/6 of the whole distance, in 2 months or 65 days by a different route 4 to that which I took. Q. Upon what foundation does the assertion rest that "British subjects had been trading on the Coast in the vicinity of the Columbia, prior to Gray's voyage thither in 1788? N. B. Consult every authority within reach on this point and state the fact if anywhere positively ascertained, accompanied by date, and specification of the point which such persons opened an intercourse with the Natives. A. Both Meares' and Vancouver's Voyages confirm the assertion that "British subjects had been trading on the coast in the vicinity of the Columbia prior to Gray's voyage thither in 1788 Vizt. In Meares' observations on the probable existence of a North- West passage page 55 it is stated "that the Imperial

Eagle Captn. Barclay sailed from Europe beginning 1787 and not only arrived at Nootka Sound in August but explored the Coast from Nootka to Wacananesh and so on to a Sound to

which he gave his own name. The boat's crew was dispatched and discovered the extraordinary Straits of John de Fuce, and also the coast as far as "Queenhythe" within 30 to 40 miles of the Columbia River "when after the fatal catastrophe which happened to some of them, the ship quitted the Coast and proceeded to China having performed the whole voyage in twelve months." The following note appears in Meares' Journal page 124: "The Imperial Eagle was a Ship employed to collect Furs on the Coast of America, in 1787, in the course of its business the Captain dispatched his long boat from King George's Sound on a trading expedition as far as 47 degrees North. She then anchored abreast of a river, the shallowness at whose entrance prevented the long boat from getting into it." A small boat however, which was attached to the other was sent up the River with Mr. Millar an officer of the Imperial Eagle, another young Gentleman and four seamen. They continued rowing till they came to a village where they were supposed to have been seized and murdered by the Natives, as their clothes were found afterwards stained with blood." 5 By Meares' Journal pages 163 to 168 it appears that on the 4 In 1841 Gov. Simpson followed this different route and journeyed from Fort Garry on Red River to Fort Vancouver in less than sixty days. incident occurred at the mouth of Hoh River in the State of WashingfThis ully 100 miles north of the mouth of the Columbia River.