Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/320



A copy of the orders to Captain Biddle, United States Navy, to command the U. S. S. Ontario when sent out and to resume possession for the United States of the post and territory at the mouth of the Columbia; also an extract from the log of that vessel covering the period from June 30, 1818, when she sailed from Lima, Peru, to August 30, 1818, the date of the commencement of her return voyage to that port, after her cruise to the Columbia River; and Captain Biddle 's official report of his work:

, May 12, 1817.

, Philadelphia:


 * Proceed to New York and assume the command of the U. S. ship Ontario destined for immediate service. This order is given with a desire to meet your wishes, as frequently expressed, for active employment.

.

I sailed from Lima on the thirtieth of June (1818) and arrived off the Columbia River on the nineteenth of August at daylight. The entrance to this river is rendered difficult to vessels so large as the Ontario by the shoalness of the water on its bar, by its sinuous channel, and by the strength and irregularity of its tides. As it was not indispensable to the service I had to perform that the ship should enter the river, I anchored outside the bar, and proceeded in with three boats well armed and manned with more than fifty officers and seamen. I landed at a small cove within Cape Disappointment on the north side of the river, and here, in the presence of several of the natives, displaying the flag of the United States, turning up a sod of soil, and giving three cheers, I nailed up against a tree a leaden plate in which were cut the following words: