Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/274



242 T. C. Eluott

gales, soundings J4 past 5 came to^ with the stream in 5 fathoms.

October 25th'* — Fresh breezes with heavy rain, thunder and lightning. At 4 a. m. the ship tailed on the middle ground. Hove her off with the stream. Sent the launch away to explore to the N. E. At 8 the ship tailed on the bank. Car- ried out the kedge and hove her well in shore. Weighed the stream and let it go within 2 cables length of the shore in 7 fathoms. Veered to a whole cable and let go the bower and moored J4 cable each way. 11 a. m. the launch returned, having met with narrow channels and innumerable shoals. A canoe came alongside with 25 men, women and children who traffic in salmon for copper, knives and other trinkets. [The boats were provisioned and sent away to survey.]

The charts reproduced herewith are taken from Vol. IV of Vancouver's "Voyage of Discovery." One of these was inad- vertently omitted in the printing of No. 2 (June, 1917) of this Vol. of this Quarterly, in which appears a brief discussion under the title, "Where Is Point Vancouver?** and is more pertinent to that title, but also shows the anchorage of the Discovery on Oct. 20th-21st, and her track when going north in April, 1792. Captain Vancouver credits Captain Gray with having named the river, but argues that the river proper ends at the lower end of Tenas-IUihee Island between Cathlamet Point and Skamokawa, and designates all below that as an inlet.

This log and chart raise a question as to the existence in 1792 of any deep water channel from Harrington Point to Tongue Point. Mr. Broughton's survey would indicate none, but not positively so. The ships of the fur traders were not accus- tomed to anchor off Astoria (Port George), but remained either in Baker's Bay or in the lea of Point Ellice, and the

26 Vancouver's account (vol. ii, p. 56), is as follows:

"Before daybreak the next morning the vessel, tending to the tide, tailed on a bank; this, however, was of no consequence, as heaving short, she was aooo afloat again. At da^rlight, Mr. Manby was sent to sound the channel up to Orasr's Bav where m Mr. Gray's sketch, an anchor is placed. But on Mrs. Manbjr't return he reported the channel to be vm intricate, and the depth of water in general very shallow. This induced Mr. Broughton to give up the ide* of removing the Chatham further up the inlet, the cxammation or which he deter- mined to pursue in boats.'*

Log of the "Chatham" 243