Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/25



LIEUTENANT HOWISON REPORT ON OREGON, 1846 17

bordering on the channel are considered the result of the pre- dominant sea wash, which will be removed by the first sweep- ing freshet that rushes out of the river. The past winter, 1846- '47, having been unusually severe, and a heavy deposit of snow and ice resting on the mountains and in the interior valleys, persons anticipate a great inundation in June, or as soon as the sun's rays attain power to convert this winter covering into fluid. This will unquestionably produce a new movement in the sands at the mouth of the river, and may perhaps render nugatory these directions for entering the river.

The wind should not be to the northward of west, nor to the eastward of south. The beginning of the summer sea breeze is generally at WSW., which is the most favorable quarter. Bring Cape Disappointment to bear NE. by N., catch an object in range on the high land behind it, (in order to correct the influence of the tide,) and stand for it on that bearing until the middle of Cockscomb hill is fully on with Point Adams you will then be in 10 fathoms, a fathom more or less depending on the stage of the tide. Now steer ENE., or for Point Ellice, taking care to fix that also in range, and keep it on with some object in the distant high land in the rear this course will gradually open Cockscomb hill with Point Adams, and will take you over the bar in four and a half fathoms water, deep- eni'ng to five and six if you are exactly in the channel. If the tide be flood, and you shoal the water, you are probably too near the north breaker, and will find it necessary to observe strictly the Point Ellice range, which will inform you how you are affected by the tide. As you advance in, look along the northern shore for the first yellow bank or bluff which opens from behind the cape ; and if it be ebb tide, haul up immediately NNE. ; but if it be flood or slack water, NE. will do, and stand on that course until the next point opens, which is called Snag point; then steer direct for the cape and Snag point in range, which is N. by W. ^ W. by compass. Passing a little to the eastward of this range, will open another seeming point, marked in summer by a growth of alder trees of unusually dark