Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/16



8 JUDGE WILLIAM C. BROWN

He then proceeded up the Snake to the mouth of the Palouse river, where he obtained horses from some Indians, and went overland to Spokane House, arriving there August 13th, missing the horses sent to meet him. A few days later he went on to Kettle Falls and shortly afterwards, another dash took him up through the Arrow Lakes, and thus during the spring and summer of 1811, Thompson traveled every mile of the Columbia river from its sources to the sea. As he and his party on the way down the Columbia were the first white men to reach the mouth of the Okanogan, and were several weeks in advance of the Astorians amongst those scenes along the Columbia in the vicinity of the place where it was shortly to transpire that old Fort Okanogan was to be established, we will drop for the time being, the narrative of the progress of the Stuart party, toiling up the river and briefly mention a few of the interesting details recorded by Thompson as he was passing through this section on his way down. He left Kettle Falls July 3rd, 1811, at 6:30 A. M., in a canoe built there especially for the purpose. It was manned by seven men besides himself, five of whom were French-Canadians and two Iroquois Indians. They also had two San Foil Indians with them as interpreters and guides. These are the opening entries for the trip as the same appear in his journals :

"July 3rd, 1811. Voyage to the mouth of the Columbia, By the Grace of God, By D. Thompson and 7 men on the part of the N. W. Company.

Wednesday. After arranging several small affairs, we in number 8 men with 2 Simpoil Indians, set off on a voyage down the Columbia River to explore this river in order to open out a passage for the interior trade with the Pacific Ocean. My men are Michel Beaudreau, Pierre Panet (or Pariel), Joseph Cote, Michel Boullard, Francois Gregorie, with Charles and Ignace."

With a small assortment of goods to buy in provisions, etc., our course down the river from the Ilthokayape Falls at 6^ A. M. course S. 15 degrees W. 2-3 mile. S. 8 degrees E. y 2 a mile. 1 / of a mile. The brook of our late portage on the left about 30 yards wide. Course plus 1 mile &c &c."