Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/36

28 have had the honor of having with you on the subject of the Country situated on the North West Coast of America and to the West of the Rocky Mountains I have now the honor of requesting your attention to the following circumstances, which it may be of importance to consider in any negotiation for settling the Boundaries with the United States to the West of the Rocky Mountains.

I need not remind you that Captn. Cook in 1778 explored the Coast from Cape Gregory in Lat. 43½ to Lat. 70° and that Spain by the Convention 28th October, 1790, abandoned all particular claim beyond what she at that time held in actual settlement and that consequently the United States cannot have any claim under their purchase of LousianaLouisiana [sic] from Spain.

In 1778 Captains Gray and Kendrick (in command of the Columbia and Washington) were fitted out at Boston for a trading voyage on that Coast and are supposed to have been the first Americans who engaged in that Trade but they did not enter the River Columbia, and it is well known that British Subjects have been carrying on a trade on that Coast previous to the voyages of Captains Gray and Kendrick. The River Columbia was not explored until 1792 when Lt. Broughton entered it in the Chatham and anchored at Red Patch, about 12 miles inland from Cape Disappointment, he then proceeded with the Cutter and Launch up the River as far as Vancouver's Point. Vancouver in Vol. 2, page 66, says "previously to his (Mr. Broughton's) departure however he formally