Chapter I: Front Matter

A HISTORY

OF

OREGON,

1792-1849,

DRAWN FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION AND AUTHENTIC INFORMATION.

BY

W. H. GRAY,

OF

ASTORIA.

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR FOR SUBSCRIBERS.

PORTLAND, OREGON: HARRIS & HOLMAN.

SAN FRANCISCO: H. H. BANCROFT & CO.

NEW YORK: THE AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY.

1870.

CORRECTIONS:

FIRST LETTER.

4th page, 2nd line from bottom, after the word horror, read _at_.

6th page, 2nd line from bottom, " quote.

7th page, end of paragraph, ".

23rd page, in place of 283, page 273.

24th page, after zealous priest of, read _the_.

26th page, 5th line, for missionaries, read _missions_.

SECOND LETTER.

5th page, first word, for abrogate, read _arrogate_.

8th page, in this letter, read in _his_ letter.

23rd page, for unmbers, read _numbers_.

29th page, 1st paragraph, for dispersing, read _dispensing_.

30th page, 2nd paragraph, for barely, read _basely_ betrayed.

32nd page, for mith, read _with_ many thanks.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by

W. H. GRAY,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Oregon.

INTRODUCTORY.

The reader will observe that when we commenced furnishing the historical articles for the _Marine Gazette_, we did not know that they would be of sufficient interest to justify arranging them in book form; but few articles had been given, however, before there was a call for back numbers of the paper, which were not on hand. It was then decided to continue the articles, giving an opportunity to correct errors in statement of historical facts, and collect such as were printed, with all just criticisms, review the whole, and complete the manuscript for publication.

As will be seen, we have endeavored to narrate events in plain language, and as nearly in the order of occurrence as possible.

We make no claim to literary merit or attractive style; the facts we have collected, the proofs we are able to give of the policy and practices of one of the most gigantic frauds ever continued for a series of years by one professedly civilized and Christian nation upon another, in chartering and continuing to license a monster monopoly; and the manner in which they have sought for a series of years to prevent American trade and settlement of the western portion of our country, is contained in the following pages. We can only give the principal events, which in the future may be better arranged in an interesting and authentic history, which we must leave for others to write. The reader will find in the following pages:--

I. The American history of the Hudson's Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural companies.

II. The causes of failure of the Protestant missions, the causes of Indian wars, and the causes that must tend to the utter destruction of the Indian race on the American continent.

III. The adverse influences that the early settlers had to contend with in coming to and settling in the country, fully explained.

IV. A concise history of the early settlement of the country, a short sketch of many of the public men in it, their public character and proceedings, and the organization of the provisional government.

V. The mining and agricultural interests of the country.

There are two grounds upon which every fact is based:--

1. Personal knowledge, observation, and participation in what is stated for one-third of a century.

2. The written and printed statements of others, so compared that conclusions are intended to be without a possibility of truthful contradiction; thus making this a standard history of the country for the time included within the period from its discovery by Captain Robert Gray to 1849.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

First discovery of the river.--Natives friendly.--British
ship.--Brig _Jennet_.--Snow _Sea Otter_.--The _Globe_.--
_Alert._--_Guatimozin._--_Atahualpa._--Lewis and Clarke.--
Vancouver.--Hamilton.--Derby.--_Pearl._--_Albatross._--First
house built in 1810.--Astor's settlement.--The _Tonquin._--
Astor's Company betrayed to the Northwest Company.
Page 13

CHAPTER II.

The country restored.--The order.--Description of Astoria.--
Different parties.--Northwest Fur Company.--Astor's
plan.--Conflict of the two British fur companies.--The
treaties.--The Selkirk settlement.--Its object.--The company
asserts chartered rights as soon as united.
Page 20

CHAPTER III.

English Hudson's Bay effort to secure Oregon.--British claim
to Oregon.--Dr. McLaughlin's relation to the company.--
Treatment of Red River settlers.--A mistake.--Sir Edward
Belcher.--Duplicity of the Hudson's Bay Company.--A noble
man.--An Englishman's opinion of the Hudson's Bay
Company.--Sir James Douglas's testimony.--J. Ross
Browne.--Duty of an historian.--Cause and effect.
Page 27

CHAPTER IV.

Care of Great Britain for her fur companies.--Columbia Fur
Company.--Astor's second fur company.--Major Pilcher's fur
company.--Loss of the ship _Isabel_.--Captain Bonneville's
expedition.--Cause of his failure.--Captain Wyeth's,
1832.--Indians ask for missionaries in 1833.--Methodist
Mission.--Fort Hall established.--Fort Boise.
Page 36

CHAPTER V.

Extent and power of Hudson's Bay Company.--Number of
forts.--Location.--Policy.--Murder of Mr. Black.--McKay.--
Manner of dealing with Indians.--Commander of fort kills
an Indian.--Necessity of such a course.--Hudson's Bay
Company not responsible for what their servants do.
Page 42

CHAPTER VI.

Murder of John McLaughlin, Jr.--Investigation by Sir George
Simpson and Sir James Douglas.
Page 46

CHAPTER VII.

Treatment of Indians.--Influence of Hudson's Bay
Company.--Rev. Mr. Barnley's statement.--First three
years.--After that.--Treatment of Jesuits.--Of Protestants.--
Of Indians.--Not a spade to commence their new mode of
life.--Mr. Barnley's statement.--Disappointed.--His
mistake.--Hudson's Bay Company disposed to crush their own
missionaries.
Page 55

CHAPTER VIII.

Petition of Red River settlers.--Their requests, from 1 to
14.--Names.--Governor Christie's reply.--Company's
reply.--Extract from minutes.--Resolutions, from 1 to
9.--Enforcing rules.--Land deed.--Its condition.--Remarks.
Page 61

CHAPTER IX.

Puget Sound Agricultural Company.--Its original stock.--A
correspondence.--No law to punish fraud.--A supposed trial of
the case.--Article four of the treaty.--The witnesses.--Who
is to receive the Puget Sound money.--Dr. Tolmie, agent of
the company.--The country hunted up.--Difficult to trace a
fictitious object.--Statement of their claim.--Result of the
investigation.
Page 67

CHAPTER X.

Case of The Hudson's Bay Company v. The United States.--
Examination of Mr. McTavish.--Number of witnesses.--Their
ignorance.--Amount claimed.--Original stock.--Value of land
in Oregon.--Estimate of Hudson's Bay Company's
property.--Remarks of author.
Page 81

CHAPTER XI.

Quotation from Mr. Swan.--His mistake.--General Gibbs'
mistake.--Kamaiyahkan.--Indian agent killed.--J. J. Stevens
misjudged.
Page 92

CHAPTER XII.

Review of Mr. Greenhow's work in connection with the conduct
and policy of the Hudson's Bay Company.--Schools and
missionaries.--Reasons for giving extracts from Mr.
Greenhow's work.--Present necessity for more knowledge about
the company.
Page 96

CHAPTER XIII.

Occupants of the country.--Danger to outsiders.--Description
of missionaries.
Page 106

CHAPTER XIV.

Missionary outfit.--On the way.--No roads.--An English
nobleman.--A wagon taken along.--Health of Mrs.
Spalding.--Meeting mountain men and Indians.--A feast to the
Indians.
Page 113

CHAPTER XV.

Arrival at American rendezvous.--An Indian procession.--
Indian curiosity to see white women.--Captain N. Wyeth.--
McCleod and T. McKay.--Description of mountain men.--Their
opinion of the missionaries.
Page 121

CHAPTER XVI.

Missionaries travel in company with Hudson's Bay Company
party.--The Lawyer's kindness.--Arrival at Fort
Hall.--Description of the country.--The Salmon Indians.--The
Hudson's Bay Company's tariff.
Page 130

CHAPTER XVII.

An explanation.--Instructions of company.--Their
tyranny.--Continuation of journey.--Fording rivers.--Arrival
at Boise.--Dr. Whitman compelled to leave his wagon.
Page 136

CHAPTER XVIII.

Arrival at Fort Wallawalla.--Reception.--The fort in 1836.--
Voyage down the Columbia River.--Portage at Celilo.--At
Dalles.--A storm.--The Flatheads.--Portage at the Cascades.
Page 142

CHAPTER XIX.

Fort Vancouver in 1836.--An extra table.--Conditions on which
cattle were supplied to settlers.--Official papers.--Three
organizations.
Page 150

CHAPTER XX.

Settlers in 1836.--Wallamet Cattle Company.--What good have
the missionaries done?--Rev. J. Lee and party.--The Hudson's
Bay Company recommend the Wallamet--Rev. S. Parker arrives at
Vancouver.
Page 154

CHAPTER XXI.

Arrival of Rev. Mr. Beaver and wife.--His opinion of the
company.--A double-wedding.--Mrs. Spalding and Mrs. Whitman
at Vancouver.--Men explore the country and locate
stations.--Their opinion of the country.--Indian labor.--A
winter trip down Snake River.
Page 162

CHAPTER XXII.

The French and American settlers.--Hudson's Bay Company's
traveling traders.--The Flatheads.--Their manner of
traveling.--Marriage.--Their honesty.--Indian fight and scalp
dance.--Fight with the Sioux.--At Council Bluffs.
Page 169

CHAPTER XXIII.

Re-enforcement to the Methodist Mission.--Re-enforcement to
the mission of the American Board.
Page 175

CHAPTER XXIV.

Arrival of Jesuit missionaries.--Toupin's statement about
Rev. A. B. Smith.--Death of Mrs. Jason Lee.--First
express.--Jesuits at work.--The first printing-press.--The
Catholic tree.
Page 180

CHAPTER XXV.

Independent missionaries arrive.--Their troubles.--Conversion
of Indians at the Dalles.--Their motives.--Emigrants of
1839.--Blubber-Mouth Smith.--Re-enforcement of the Methodist
Mission in 1840.--Father De Smet.--Rev. Harvey Clark and
associates.--Ewing Young.--Names of missionaries and
settlers.
Page 185

CHAPTER XXVI.

1840.--Petition to Congress of United States.--British
subjects amenable to the laws of Canada.--Mr. Douglas as
justice of the peace.--Mr. Leslie as judge.
Page 193

CHAPTER XXVII.

Death of Ewing Young.--First public attempt to organize a
provisional government.--Origin of the provisional
government.--First Oregon schooner.
Page 199

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Lee and Hines explore the Umpqua River.--Mr. Hines tells a
story.--Massacre and plunder of Smith's party by the
Indians.--Sympathy of the Hudson's Bay Company.--Extract from
the San Francisco _Bulletin_.
Page 205

CHAPTER XXIX.

Missionaries leaving.--Hudson's Bay Company's Gold
Exchange.--Population in 1842.--Whitman and Lovejoy start for
the States.--The Red River emigration.--American merchants.--
Settlers not dependent on the Hudson's Bay Company.--Milling
Company.--The Oregon Institute.--Dr. Elijah White.--
Proceedings at a public meeting.--Correspondence with the
War Department.
Page 211

CHAPTER XXX.

Dispatch of Dr. White to the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs.--He praises the Hudson's Bay Company.--His account
of the Indians.--Indian outrages.--Dr. White's expedition to
the Nez Perces.--Indian council.--Speeches.--Electing a
chief.--Laws of the Nez Perces.--Visit to the Cayuses.--
Doings of the missionaries.--Drowning of Mr. Rogers and
family.--George Geere.--Volcanoes.--Petition against
Governor McLaughlin.
Page 218

CHAPTER XXXI.

Letter of H. H. Spalding to Dr. White.--Account of his
mission among the Nez Perces.--Schools.--Cultivation.--
Industrial arts.--Moral character.--Arable land.--Letter
of Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of War.
Page 234

CHAPTER XXXII.

Dr. E. White's letter to the Secretary of War.--Excitement
among the Indians.--Visit to Nez Perces, Cayuses, and
Wallawallas.--Destitution and degradation of the Coast
Indians.--Dr. White eulogizes Governor McLaughlin and the
Hudson's Bay Company.--Schools and missions.--Mr. Jess
Applegate.--Dr. White's second letter.--Letters of Peter H.
Hatch and W. H. Wilson.--Seizure of a distillery.--Search for
liquor.--Letter of James D. Saules.--Fight with Indians.--
Death of Cockstock.--Description and character of him.--The
Molallos and Klamaths.--Agreement with the Dalles Indians.--
Presents to Cockstock's widow.--Dr. White's third letter.--
Letter of Rev. G. Hines to Dr. White.--Letter of W. Medill.
Page 241

CHAPTER XXXIII.

First council to organize a provisional government.--Library
founded.--Origin of the Wolf Association.--The Methodist
Mission influence.--Dr. White exhibits his credentials.--First
"wolf meeting."--Proceedings of the second "wolf meeting."--
Officers.--Resolutions.--Bounties to be paid.--Resolution to
appoint a committee of twelve for the civil and military
protection of the settlement.--Names of the members of the
committee.
Page 260

CHAPTER XXXIV.

First meeting of the committee of twelve.--All invited to
participate.--The Rev. J. Lee and Mr. Abernethy ridicule the
organization.--Mr. Lee tells a story.--Letter from Governor
Abernethy.--The main question at issue.--Drowning of
Cornelius Rogers and party.--Conduct of Dr. White.--Methodist
Mission.--Catholic boasts of conversions.
Page 263

CHAPTER XXXV.

Meetings to oppose organization.--Address of the
French-Canadians.--Criticisms on it by the author.--The
Jesuits.--Jesuit oath.--Article from Cincinnati _Beacon_.
Page 273

CHAPTER XXXVI.

The meeting at Champoeg.--Tactics of the Jesuit party.--
Counter-tactics of the Americans.--A division and its
result.--Public record.--Opposition to clergymen as
legislators.--Mr. Hines as an historian.--His errors.--
Importance of Mr. Hines' history.--Difficulty among the
Indians.--Cause of the difficulty.
Page 279

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Whitman's visit to Washington.--A priest's boast.--A taunt,
and Whitman's reply.--Arrival in Washington.--Interview with
Secretary Webster.--With President Tyler.--His return.--
Successful passage of the Rocky Mountains with two hundred
wagons.--His mill burned during his absence.
Page 288

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Petition of the citizens of Oregon in 1843.--Complaints
against the Hudson's Bay Company.--The Milling Company.--
Kicking the half-bushel.--Land claims of Dr. McLaughlin.--
Names of the signers.--Reasons for not signing.--Notice,
deed, and bond of John McLaughlin.--Claim of Alvin F. Waller.
Page 292

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Extracts from Mr. Hines' history.--Attempt to capture an
Indian horse-thief.--Dr. McLaughlin refuses to sell supplies
to the signers of the petition.--Excitement in the
settlement.--Interview with Dr. McLaughlin at Vancouver.
Page 304

CHAPTER XL.

A combination of facts.--Settlers alive to their danger.--Mr.
Hines' disparagement of the Methodist Mission.--Indians want
pay for being whipped.--Indian honesty.--Mr. Hines' opinion
of the Indians' religion.--Mr. Geiger's advice.--Dr.
McLaughlin's answer to yellow Serpent.--Baptiste Doreo.--Four
conflicting influences.
Page 309

CHAPTER XLI.

Governor Simpson and Dr. Whitman in Washington.--Interviews
with Daniel Webster and President Tyler.--His cold reception
in Boston by the American Board.--Conducts a large emigration
safely across the Rocky Mountains into Oregon.--The "Memorial
Half-Century Volume."--The Oregon mission ignored by the
American Board.--Dr. McLaughlin.--His connection with the
Hudson's Bay Company.--Catholic Cayuses' manner of
praying.--Rev. C. Eells.--Letter from A. L. Lovejoy.--
Description of Whitman's and Lovejoy's winter journey
from Oregon to Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River.
Page 315

CHAPTER XLII.

Assembly of the Nez Perces, Cayuses, and Wallawallas.--Mock
fight.--Council with the Indians.--Speeches by Yellow
Serpent, Tilokaikt, the Prince, and Illutin.--The secret of
the whole difficulty.--John, the Kanaka.--A cow for a
horse.--Killing of a medicine woman.
Page 328

CHAPTER XLIII.

The Legislative Committee of nine.--Hon. Robert Moore,
chairman.--Description of the members.--Minutes of their
proceedings.--Dr. R. Newell, his character.--Two specimens of
his speeches.--The dark clouds.
Page 336

CHAPTER XLIV.

Fourth of July, 1843.--Oration by Mr. Hines.--Meeting of July
5.--Debate on the land law.--How the Jesuits and the Hudson's
Bay Company secured their land claims.--Speech of the Rev. G.
Hines against the proposed Executive Committee.--The
committee supported by O'Neil, Shortess, and Lee.--W. H. Gray
closes the debate.--The report of the committee
adopted.--Committee appointed to report to Congress, another
to make a Digest of Territorial laws, and a third to prepare
and administer an oath of office.
Page 346

CHAPTER XLV.

Organic laws.--Resolutions.--Districts.--Militia law.--Land
claims.--Certificate.
Page 353

CHAPTER XLVI.

Description of the State House.--Conduct of the French
settlers.--Arrival of Dr. Whitman's party of immigrants.--
Prosperity of the settlers.--Change in the policy of the
Hudson's Bay Company.--Their exorbitant claims.
Page 360

CHAPTER XLVII.

Actions speak louder than words.--Efforts of the Hudson's Bay
Company to discourage immigration.--Account of the two
Jesuits, F. N. Blanchet and P. J. De Smet.--Protestant
missionaries discouraged.--Important position of the Rev. G.
Hines.--Recall of the Rev. Jason Lee.--Efforts of the
Hudson's Bay Company to prevent emigration to the
Territory.--Statement of General Palmer.--Indian
combinations.--The Donner party.--Extent of Oregon at this
time.
Page 363

CHAPTER XLVIII.

1844.--The settlements alarmed.--Indian attack.--Death of G.
W. La Breton.--Meeting at Mr. La Chapelle's.--Volunteer
company formed.--The _Modeste_ in the Columbia River.--The
Legislative Assembly.--Names of the members.--Peter H.
Burnett.--Mr. David Hill.--Oregon social standard.--M. M.
McCarver.--"Old Brass Gun."--A. L. Lovejoy.--Daniel
Waldo.--Thomas D. Keizer.--Black act.--Prohibitory liquor
law.
Page 371

CHAPTER XLIX.

Message of the Executive Committee.--Observations on the
message.--Generosity of the Hudson's Bay Company.--The
Methodist Mission.--The Oregon Printing-press
Association.--George Abernethy, Esq.
Page 380

CHAPTER L.

Dr. White's report.--Seizure and destruction of a
distillery.--Homicide of Joel Turnham.--State of the
Territory.--Trials of Dr. White.--The liquor law.--Revenue
act.--Case of the negro Saul.--The Indians kill an ox.--Other
Indian difficulties.--Indian expedition to California.--Death
of the Indian Elijah.--State of the Territory.--Claim of the
Hudson's Bay Company on the north bank of the Columbia.--
Letter of Peter H. Burnett.--The Nez Perces and
Cayuses.--Extract from the report of the United States
Senate.
Page 387

CHAPTER LI.

1845.--Public meetings to elect delegates to convention.--
Candidates for governor.--Members elected to the Legislative
Committee.--Oath of office.--Mr. Applegate's announcement.--
Dr. McLaughlin's amphibiousness.--Description of the members
of the Legislative Committee.--Business of the session.--
Ermatinger's election contested.--Mr. Garrison's
resolutions.--Anti-slavery resolution.--Organic law
revised.--Improvements and condition of the country.
Page 421

CHAPTER LII.

1845.--Second session of the Legislative Committee.--Mr.
McCarver removed from the office of Speaker.--Mr. Applegate's
resolutions.--Protest of Gray, Foisy, and Straight.--A
legislative incident.--Law against dueling.--Dr. White
addresses the Legislature.--Resolutions.--Dr. White denies
the right of the settlers to organize a provisional
government.--McCarver signs documents without authority.--
Resolutions by the house on the subject.--Impertinent
letter from Dr. White to the house.--White cornered by
President Polk.--Incidents in White's temperance
movements.--Proposition to repeal all laws for the collection
of debts.--The Currency act.--Adjournment of the Legislature
in August.--Meets again in December.--Proposal to locate the
capital.
Page 428

CHAPTER LIII.

The liquor law.--Amended act of 1845.--Message of the
governor on the same.--Repeal of the prohibitory and passage
of the license law.--Letter of James Douglas.--Reply of Mr.
Samuel Parker.--Dr. Tolmie's resolution on the judiciary.--
The governor's veto of the license law.--Immigration for
Oregon and California in 1846.--Arrival of the brig
_Henry_.--The Oregon Printing Association.--The _Spectator_,
the first newspaper in Oregon.--W. G. T. Vault, first
editor.--H. A. G. Lee, second editor.--G. L. Curry, third
editor.--Judge Wait, fourth editor.
Page 440

CHAPTER LIV.

The Whitman massacre.--Narratives of, by J. B. A. Brouillet
and J. Ross Browne.--Extract from the New York
_Evangelist_.--Statements of Father Brouillet criticised.--
Testimony of John Kimzey.--Dr. Whitman at Umatilla.--Returns
home.
Page 457

CHAPTER LV.

Occupations of the victims immediately before the
massacre.--Description of the mission buildings.--The Doctor
called into the kitchen to be murdered.--Joe Lewis, the
leader in the massacre.--The scene outside.--The Doctor's
house plundered.--Mrs. Whitman shot.--Brutalities to the dead
and dying.--Escape of some and murder of others.--Safety of
the French Papists and the servants of the Hudson's Bay
Company.--Fate of Joe Lewis.
Page 466

CHAPTER LVI.

Comments on Vicar-General Brouillet's arguments against the
Whitman massacre being the act of Catholics.--Joe Stanfield:
Brouillet's story in his favor.--Murders on the second
day.--Deposition of Daniel Young.--More murders.
Page 472

CHAPTER LVII.

How the country was saved to the United States.--Article from
the New York _Evening Post_.--Ingratitude of the American
Board.--Deposition of Elam Young.--Young girls taken for
Indian wives.--Statement of Miss Lorinda Bewley.--Sager,
Bewley, and Sales killed.
Page 480

CHAPTER LVIII.

Vicar-General Brouillet's statement.--Statement of
Istacus.--The priest finds the poison.--Statement of William
Geiger, Jr.--Conduct of Mr. McBean.--Influence of the Jesuit
missions.
Page 490

CHAPTER LIX.

Continuation of Miss Bewley's evidence.--The priests refuse
her protection.--Forcibly taken from the bishop's house by
Five Crows.--Brouillet advises her to remain with her Indian
violator.--Indecent question by a priest.--Mr. Brouillet
attempts to get a statement from her.--Two questions.--Note
from Mrs. Bewley.--Bishop Blanchet's letter to Governor
Abernethy.--Comments on the Jesuits' proceedings.--Grand
council at the bishop's.--Policy in forcing Miss Bewley to
Five Crows' lodge.--Speeches by Camaspelo and Tilokaikt.--
Killing of Elijah and the Nez Perce chief commented on.--The
true story told.--Dr. White's report.--The grand council
again.--Review of Brouillet's narrative.--Who were the real
authors of the massacre.
Page 497

CHAPTER LX.

The Hudson's Bay Company's and the priests' part in the
massacre.--McBean's messenger.--Plot divulged to Hinman,
Ogden, and Douglas.--Douglas's remark to Hinman.--McBean's
letter.--His perversion of facts.--Comments.--Sir James
Douglas's letter to Governor Abernethy.--His Sandwich Islands
letter.--Its falsehood and absurdity.--Mr. Hinman's letter to
Governor Abernethy.--The dates.--Assertion of Robert
Newell.--Hudson's Bay Company _v._ United States.
Page 517

CHAPTER LXI.

Preliminary events of the Cayuse war.--Message of Governor
Abernethy.--Journal of the house.--Resolutions.--Assembling
of the people at the call of the governor.--Enlisting of
men.--Names of the volunteers.--Names of the officers.--Their
flag.--Their departure.--Letter to Sir James Douglas.--His
reply.--Commissioners return.--Address to the citizens.--
Public meeting.--Report of commissioners to the
Legislature.--Messenger sent to Washington.--Memorial to
Congress.--Champoeg County tax.--Strength of the settlement
called for.--Bishop Blanchet's letter to Governor Abernethy.
Page 535