Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/41

 THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY

OF OREGON

33

made use of by the American Governwould deprive Great Britain of a valuable country now occupied and traded by the Hudson's Bay Company, and would occasion many practical inconveniences in carrying on the trade of the Country which would be left future period might be

ment.

This

line

to us.

But as I have already stated it does not appear that the Americans can establish a just claim to any part of the country either to the South or North of the Columbia River, and as the free navigation of that River is necessary to our carrying on the Trade I have endeavored to fix on a boundary which would answer the views of the Hudson's Bay Company, without pushing the claims of Great Britain to their full extent. I have therefore to suggest that starting from Lat. 49 at the Rocky Mountains the line ought to be continued Southward along the Height of Land to the place where Lewis and Clark crossed the Mountains, said to be in Lat. 46 42', thence Westerly along the Lewis's River until it falls into the Columbia, and thence to the Sea, leaving the navigation of both these rivers free to the subjects of both Nations. This line would leave to America the Trade and Possession of an extensive and valuable Country and would furnish fewer opportunities of collision between the Traders of the two Nations than any other line that could be suggested. I send herewith a map on which the line16 which I have taken the liberty of suggesting is colored, and on which the Trading Posts 17 now occupied by the Hudson's Bay Company are

marked. I have the honor to

be,

with the greatest respect,

Your most

obt.

humb

sir

Servant J.

H. P.

GOVR.

1 6 This map is not available for reference. Lat. 46 42' is very close to the Lolo Trail by which Lewis and Clark crossed the Bitter Root range, but that This boundary line as described ridge does not form the continental divide. would leave the Rocky Mountains at Lemhi Pass in Central Idaho and follow the Lemhi and Salmon rivers to the Snake, the Snake to the Columbia and the Columbia to the ocean. Salmon river in Idaho is the stream which was named Lewis river originally by Captain Clark and which should carry that name at the

present day. 17 These trading posts, thirteen in number, were listed in a later letter by Governor Simpson, dated January, 1826, as the following: Vancouver, Nez (Walla Walla), Okanogan, Colvile, Flathead and Kootenais (in the basin of the Columbia; Fort George is omitted), Kilmany, Eraser's Lake, St. James, Chilcotin, Alexandria and Thompson's River or Kamloops (in the basin of the Fraser river), McLeod's, (on Peace river waters).

Perce