Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/320



308 JOHN BOIT

Muskets, loaded with Buck shot, we dash'd her all to pieces, and no doubt kill'd every soul in her. The rest soon made a retreat. I do not think that they had any conception of the power of Artillery. But they was too near us for to admit of any hesitation how to proceed.

9. Very pleasant weather. Many canoes came along side from down River 126 and brought plenty of Skins; likewise some canoes from the tribes that first visited us, and their counte- nances plainly show'd that those unlucky savages who last Night fell by the Ball, was a part of the same tribe, for we cou'd plainly understand by their signs and gestures that they were telling the very circumstance, to their acquaintances from down River, and by Pointing to the Cannon, and endeavoring to explain the noise they made, made us still more certain that they had no Knowledge of fire arms previous to our coming amongst them. I am sorry we was oblidged to kill the poor Devils, but it cou'd not with safety be avoided. These Natives brought us some fine Salmon, and plenty of Beaver Skins, with some Otters, and I believe had we staid longer among them we shou'd have done well.

11. Weigh'd and came to sail, and stretch'd clear of the bar. 127 Named the harbour we had left, after our Captain. Standing to the South.

AT ANCHOR IN COLUMBIA'S RIVER

12. N. Latt. 46 7' ; W. Long. 122 47'. This day 128 saw an appearance of a spacious harbour abreast the Ship, haul'd wind for it, observ'd two sand bars making off, with a passage

i26Boit uses the expression "down river" here and later when referring to Indians coming to trade from upper parts of the Chehalis and Columbia rivers.

127 The Columbia was a ship of only 212 tons, as certified by the collector of the port of Boston, and drew only six to eight feet of water, which was the extreme draft of vessels entering Gray's Harbor before any dredging was done on the bar. The fact that Capt. Gray left this harbor at evening and sailed directly southward all night, and the next morning "at 4 A. M. saw the entrance of our desired port bearing east-southeast, distance six leagues," suggests that he had obtained from the Indians of Gray's Harbor some definite information as to the existence of a large river at Cape Disappointment. Boit mentions later on that he recognized some of these same Indians around the ship in the Columbia river, but this is doubtful.

128 Compare with Log of the Columbia, which is printed herewith. For cotemporaneous mention of this discovery, consult "Log of H. M. S. Chatham" in Oregon Hist. Quarterly, vol. 18, page 231 et seq.; Letter of John Hoskins, th supercargo or clerk on board the Columbia, to Jos. Barrell, one of her owners, in archives of Miss. Hist. Society, Boston, said letter being dated at San Lorenzo, Nootka Sound, Aug. 2ist, 1792; Capt. Geo. Vancouver's Voyages, ist Edit., vols. i and 2; Journal of Capt. Jos. Ingraham, of the brig Hope, in Library of Congress.