Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/111



ORIGIN OF THE NAME OREGON 101

FIRST PROPOSAL

From Public Record Office, Colonials Off., Class 323, Vol. 18, p. 327.

A Proposal 1 by Robert Rogers Esq. formerly Major Com- mand! of His Majesty's Rangers in North America, founded on his Observations and Experience, during the Space of Eight Years in the least known parts of that great Continent. Humbly Submitted to the Wisdom of the Kings most Excellent Majesty and his Ministers. Major Rogers was originally brought into the Service from the Knowledge he was presumed to have of the Country, his Capacity for making Discoverys, his Strength of Constitution in undergoing Fatigues, his willingness to Execute any Orders he received from his Superiors, and his Talent for Conciliating the Friendships of the Indians ; in all which he Distinguished himself, through the Course of Eight Years with the Approba- tion of the several Officers, who had the Honour to Command His Majestys Troops in those parts, from whom he has not the least Doubt that he shall be able to obtain the fullest Testimonies of his Character and Capacity for the Executing of all that he has the Honour to propose, for the benefit and Advantage of the British Interests in that Wide-Spread Empire, which the Glorious Successes of the late War, added to His Majesty's Dominions, and the Title to which, has been Settled and Confirmed by the peace.

Major Rogers thinks it his Duty to Represent, that he has been very attentive to, and prosecuted, with the utmost as- siduity, every Inquiry in his power, in reference to the real Existance of a North-West passage ; 2 In Consequence of which, he has obtained a Moral certainty, that such a passage there really is. For this purpose he Employed at his own Expence certain Indians to Explore the distant Rivers & their Outletts, either into the pacific or the Northern Ocean; and in regard to the latter, he has received such Lights as he thinks cannot possibly deceive him. In a true Confidence of which he is

i The disposition of this petition is indicated by the third paragraph of the second petition, immediately following.

a In 1745 the British Parliament offered a prixe of twenty thousand pounds to any private navigator who would sail his veel through a North- West Passage into Hudson's Bay. The offer did not include a land discovery. In 1776 the act was amended to include any ship of the royal navy.