# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 27/Broughton on the Columbia in 1792

Broughton on the Columbia in 1792
By J. NEILSON BARRY, Portland
The exploration and survey of the Columbia River in 1792 by Lieutenant William Robert Broughton was a matter of international importance, since he raised the British flag and "took possession" of the country, which resulted in a diplomatic controversy which was not finally adjusted for eighty years . Lieutenant Broughton was an officer of the Royal Navy who had taken part in the battle of Bunker Hill, and had been subsequently captured by the American forces during the Revolutionary War. In 1792 he was in command of the Chatham, an armed tender, one of the vessels belonging to the surveying squadron of Captain George Vancouver.
Captain Robert Gray had succeeded in entering the Columbia River in May, 1792, which Captain Vancouver had been unable to do. Upon learning of Gray's discovery, Vancouver returned to the mouth of the Columbia River and tried to cross the bar; but his ship , the Discovery, was too large . However, the Chatham succeeded and anchored to the eastward of Cape Disappointment, Saturday , October 20th , 1792. Thereupon Vancouver sailed to California , leaving Broughton to explore the river. The account of the expedition is found in "A Voyage of Discovery, by Captain George Vancouver, published in 1798, in volume I, pages 418-422, and in volume II, from page 52 onward. A portion of the Log of the Chatham was published in the Oregon Historical Quarterly, volume XVIII, December, 1917, with a scholarly article by the noted historian, T. C. Elliott, of Walla Walla, Wash., who also wrote another excellent article, "Where Is Point Vancouver?" which is to be found in the same volume, for June, 1917. The exploration by Lieutenant Broughton was of such importance, and so many of the names which he gave have been preserved, that the writer of this article has given considerable time in attempting to follow his route, and to try to identify all the places he mentioned. After making
many trips up and down the river, and in trudging for miles along the beach , and at times breaking through almost impenetrable underbrush , an approximate identification has been made, and it is hoped that others will make further investigations in order that the remarkable work of Lieutenant Broughton may be more fully known and appreciated. The Chatham anchored at first just inside the breakers, near the present North Jetty. Then moved to about the present location of Sand Island. Then to near McGowan, Wash., and lastly to near Megler, Wash., these two towns being on either side of Point Ellice, across the river from Astoria . Owing to the number of sand bars, Broughton determined to make his explorations by boat, and used the cutter and launch.
Monday, October 22, 1792. He first visited the Chinook village near the present Fort Columbia. The Indians were absent at that time, but much has been written about this village by Lewis and Clark and in the various accounts of the Astoria expedition. Baker Bay was named for Captain James Baker, who commanded the trading schooner, the Jennie, which was anchored there at that time.
Broughton then crossed to Point Adams, and inspected an Indian cemetery, after which he entered Youngs Bay, and ascended seven miles up a "small river" which emptied at the southeast corner of the bay. To this he gave the name of Young's River, in honor of Sir George Young of the British Navy.
There is much variation between the location and shape of this river as depicted on the two maps shown in volume XVIII, December, 1917, of the Oregon Historical Quarterly. It is described as being "two cables length in width,"
twelve hundred feet, and "took a southeasterly direction,” that is, it came from that direction, "in a winding form , and branched off into several creeks. * * * * from the banks of the river a low meadow, interspersed with scattered trees and shrubs, extended to more elevated land. This was of easy ascent, and was agreeably variegated with clumps and copses of pine (fir), maple, alder, birch, poplar and several other trees, besides a considerable number of shrubs. * * * The marshy edges of the river afforded shelter for wild geese, which flew about in large flocks; ducks were in abundance, as were brown cranes."
Tuesday, October 23rd. After having spent the night on the little river, Broughton sent the launch to the Chatham, while he named Point George, where Astoria is now situated, thereby commemorating King George III, the cause of the American Revolution. Astoria was called Fort George by both the North West Company and by the Hudson's Bay Company , but the American name was subsequently restored, and Point George is now known as Smith Point. Broughton then visited Tongue Point and named Gray's Bay, after the captain of the Columbia, who had anchored there. He then returned to the Chatham. Wednesday, October 24th. Broughton had the launch and the cutter provisioned for seven days, and rowed to the western side of Gray's Bay, where he spent the night. Thursday, October 25th. He crossed Gray's Bay, and after passing Harrington Point, reached Jim Crow Point, where he ascended the steep hill and made observations. The locality is determined by the angles given between the shore line and Pillar Rock, which has retained the name which he gave to it. It is a remarkable fact that he should have ascertained that the channel lay between this rock and the adjacent shore. Broughton considered that the mouth of the river was an inlet of the ocean, and that the Columbia River proper began at Ska -MOK - a - wa Creek, which he named Orchard's River, after H. M. Orchard, clerk on Captain Vancouver's ship, the Discovery. His name is still preserved in Port Orchard, on Puget Sound, Washington. The night was spent on a small island, part of the TE -nas - IL -la he group. "The party passed a very uncomfortable night, owing to the dampness of the situation."
The record is a mass of figures, since Lieutenant Broughton used his surveying instruments to take the angles of prominent points , and constantly noted the depth of the river, while at noon each day he took observations as to latitude and longitude. By the use of instruments and a
government chart of the river it is possible to follow his course and recognize the landmarks he mentioned. Friday, October 26th. He noted that the river near Ska -MOK - a -wa Creek was about half a mile in width. " The shores on either side were low and marshy.
advancing about two leagues the land became high and rocky on both sides. Here a well wooded island, about a league and a half long, divided the stream." He named this Puget's Island for Lieutenant Peter Puget, an officer on the Discovery, for whom Puget Sound in Washington was also named. He made his noon observations on the southern shore of the river, opposite Cape Horn, about six miles from Clatskania, Columbia County, Oregon. The Clatskanie River empties into the slough behind Wallace Island, but since he did not realize that this was an island he mistook Wallace Slough for a river, and named it Swaine's River, for Spelman Swaine, master's mate on the Discovery. Some Indians joined him here, and sold the party a few fish. "The shores abounded with fine timbers, the pine (fir) predominated in number on the higher lands, but near the banks of the river grew ash, poplar, elder, maple and several other trees unknown to the party." He mentioned . an Indian village on the northern shore, Grim's Island, which at that time appears to have consisted of a group of small islands, was named by him Baker's Islands, for Lieutenant Joseph Baker, of the Discovery, whose name is still borne by Mount Baker in Washington. " The bold northern shore now became low near the banks of the river, and rose high again, at a distance, in gradual ascent." He spent the night on a sandy beach near Mayger, Oregon. To Green Point he gave the name Point Sheriff, for John Sheriff, master's mate on the Chatham. A number of Indians, with nine canoes, camped at the small creek by Mayger. The "Friendly old Chief" so frequently mentioned, appears to have been among them. The account is filled with numerous details regarding wind, tide, weather and the depth of the river.
Saturday, October 27th. In honor of Dr. William Walker, surgeon on the Chatham, he named Walker Island, by which it is still known. " They now approached high land, and on the northern shore was a remarkable mount, about which was placed several canoes containing dead bodies; to this was given the name of Mount Coffin." At noon they stopped at Dobelbower Point, near Rainier, Oregon, and about opposite Longview, Washington. "The northern shore, instead of being the steepest, now consisted of low, flat, sandy shores, through which, nearly opposite to their dinner station, where the river was about half a mile wide, two other streams fall into it. " One of these was the slough now used by the Longview logging industries, which he called River Poole. The Cowlitz River was called Knight's River, after the admiral , Sir John Knight , K . C . B . , who had been taken prisoner along with Lieutenant Brough ton shortly after the battle of Bunker Hill. His name had also been given to Knight's Channel. During the afternoon they passed Cottonwood Island , which was described as a "low sandy island" and "They took up their residence for the night " near Prescott , Oregon , while the Indians who had accompanied them “ lodged at a small distance."
Sunday , October 28th . They passed Coffin Rock , “ A small rocky islet , about twenty feet above the surface of the water . Several canoes covered the top of the islet , in which dead bodies were deposited .” Sandy Island , opposite Kalama , Washington , was described as “ A low sandy island . " Observations at noon were taken at Martin Bluff , “ A point onthenorthshore ***whichishighandrocky* * * the high and rocky banks are covered with pine -trees ( firs ) down to the water's edge . ” “ The shores of the opposite , or southern side of the river, ( Deer Island ) , are low , and pro duce many willow trees . " He gave the name of Urry's Islands to Martin Island and Burke Island . At the present site of Columbia City , Oregon , " Some oak trees were seen , one of which measured thirteen feet in girth ; this obtained the name Oak Point . ” Oak trees are still found at
this place , but the name was subsequently applied to two places further down the river. Multnomah Channel, the northern mouth of the Willamette River , at St. Helens , Oregon , was named Call's River , for Sir John Call , Baronet ; while the Lewis River , in Washington , was called Rushleigh's River . At this point is a huge rock on which now stands a lighthouse . It was here that Fort William was first established by Nathaniel J. Wyeth , in 1834. His brig , the May Dacre , used Warrior Rock as a wharf , and was moored to it, " fore and aft. "
Lieutenant Broughton named it “ Point Warrior in consequence of being there surrounded by twenty -three canoes , carrying from three to twelve persons each , all attired in their war garments, and in every other respect prepared for combat. On these strangers discoursing with the friendly Indians who had attended our party, they soon took off their war dress, and with great civility disposed of their arms and other articles for such valuables as were presented to them, but would neither part with their copper swords, nor a kind of battle-axe made of iron." It is a remarkable fact that both Lewis and Clark found the natives at the Cath - la - poo - tle village, at the mouth of the Lewis River, possessed of a number of large iron weapons which they illustrated by crude drawings. There is an opportunity for some interesting research in this respect. “They took up their lodging for the night o n a low sandy point , under the shelter o f some willows . " Twelve o f the natives i n a canoe *** fixed their abode very near them . ” This was probably a t Willow Point , o n Sauvie Island . Monday , October 29th . Lieutenant Broughton men tioned Mount St. Helens i n Washington . They dined i n their boats about a t Reeder Point , since one hundred and fifty Indians had gathered around them , after which “ A trade was immediately commenced .
No attempts were made t o pass a line drawn o n the beach , excepting b y the two who appeared t o b e the principal chiefs , and who were permitted t o join the party . "
I L W A C O APPOINTME CROW POINT S K A M O K A W A B A K E R B A Y C R A Y S B A Y C R E E K CHINOOK POIN POINT ELLICE P I L L A R • R O C K T O N G U E P O I N T J E T T Y POINTADAMS Y O U N G S B A S A S T O R I A SCET VELAS M A P O F E N T R A N C E T O T H E C O L U M B I A R I V E R F R O M U . S . C H A R T S . 1 9 2 6 N O G R A Y ' S D A Y ADAMS . POINT P O I N T G E O R G E YOUNG'S RIVER M A P O F E N T R A N C E T O T H E C O L U M B I A R I V E R F R O M T H E S U R V E Y D U L I E U T E N A N T W . R . B R O U G H T O N IN 1 7 9 2 .
They mention " A small river " which was probably the old channel by Coon Island , since filled by the dredgers . The Willamette River was named River Mannings ; there was a Samuel Manning , the boatswain's mate , on the Discovery . "Its southern point of entrance commanded a most delightful prospect of the surrounding region, and obtained the name of Belle Vue Point . " There is a lighthouse there ” at the present time , and it is now named Kelley Point , for Hall J . Kelley , “ The Prophet o f Oregon , ” who planned a trading city a t this place about 1829 . Hayden's Island , the " Image Canoe Island ” o f Lewis and Clark , was named Menzie's Island i n honor o f the famous botanist , Dr. Archibald Menzie , who accompanied the Van couver expedition . This name was still i n use a s late a s 1825 , when Dr. John Scouler and David Douglas “ Made an excursion t o Menzie's Island , " and " found many interesting plants . ” ( See Oregon Historical Quarterly , volume VI , June , 1905 , page 173 , and September , 1905 , page 305. ) The “ friendly old Chief ” who “ had accompanied them from the first , ” urged the party t o visit his village , which was located near the present Alderwood Country Club , and was called b y Lewis and Clark the " Neer - chee - k i - o o Vil lage . ” They devoted considerable space t o repeated men tions o f i t . The tribe which occupied i t resided also near Bonneville , Oregon . Clark possibly refers to the " friendly old Chief " in his account of lighting a piece of port - fire . At that time the Chief had become very aged and blind . The village was probably swept away during the great freshet of 1810, when the Winship expedition suffered also. The old blind Chief appears to have removed to Bonneville, Oregon, where David Thompson met him i n 1811. ( Oregon Historical Quarterly , volume XV , March , 1914 , page 55. ) That same year Franchere learned from him that h e was a half - breed , the son o f a shipwrecked Spaniard . See Franchere's Narrative , chapter VIII , and the Proceedings o f the Oregon Historical Society , 1900 , page 76. ) Lieutenant Broughton declined the invitation o f the " Friendly old Chief , " and camped o n the channel south o f Government ( Lemon ) Island , supposing that it was a creek .
Tuesday , October 30th . The details of this interesting day are covered in the scholarly article by T. C . Elliott , in the Oregon Historical Quarterly , volume XVIII , June , 1917 . While Lieutenant Broughton does not mention Government Island , yet he shows the openings at each end , and the slough across the center , in the portion of the Columbia River depicted on the map of California in the atlas to Van couver's Voyages . A photographic copy of which is found on another page.
The " Friendly old Chief " entered the rocky passage north of Lady Island , which Lieutenant Broughton named Johnstone's Island , for James Johnstone , master of the Chatham . Sandy River was called Baring's River, and its principal mouth at that period appears to have been oppo site the west end of Lady Island , where a number of sloughs and ponds now seem to indicate a former channel . Ione Reef , to the south of Lady Island is described as " several small rocks . "
After dinner they passed the present mouth of Sandy River , where there is a large sand bar covered with dead trees , just as Broughton described it . He then met with " some scattered rocks " at Ough Reef , opposite Washougal .
At Rooster Rock , near Corbett , Oregon , the Columbia River issues from the great gorge which it has cut for itself across the Cascade mountain chain . Its natural course would appear to be by the slough on the north side , near Washougal , Wash . But just above this slough little Law ton Creek issues from a narrow canyon , and has deposited an immense amount of stones the size of hen's eggs , which form a point at this place . Since the Columbia carries an enormous amount of sand , and the current slackens , as it emerges from the gorge , the sand is deposited in great quantities for several miles , so that islands are constantly formed and then washed away . It is impossible , therefore , to determine exactly where the southern bank was in 1792 . The accompanying maps illustrate conditions in 1792 , 1806 and 1919 .
Thesunsetthatdayat4:59p.m .andthemoonwasone day past full . The party had started at seven o'clock in the
morning and it was twelve hours before they began their return , so that it must have been by moonlight that the British flag was raised , probably within a mile of Corbett , Oregon , beyond which it is impossible to see Mount Hood , which Lieutenant Broughton named in honor of Admiral Samuel Hood , a Baron and subsequently a Viscount , who had taken part in the sea fight at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay during the American Revolution . The lack of provisions prevented any further explora tion of the river , which disappeared in the gorge around the mouth of Lawton Creek . Whether Point Vancouver was the gravel bank at the mouth of this creek , or the sand bank which has always formed at this place , it is now im possible to determine, but the accompanying photograph of Broughton's map clearly indicates that Point Vancouver was at this place . He described it as " A sandy point on the opposite shore * distant about two miles ; this point terminating our view of the river , I named it after Captain Vancouver . * * * * Round Point Vancouver the river seemed to take a more northernly direction . ” That is it came from the north around that point , just as it does today . LEWIS AND CLARK MAP. C A M P NEER - CHEE K1-00 VILLAGE R I V E R Q U I C K S A N D A. The account o f the raising o f the British flag and “ tak ing possession " o f the country i s given i n the Oregon His torical Quarterly , volume XVIII , June , 1917. Those being pre - Volstead days the health o f King George III was drunk , i n which the " Friendly old Chief " gladly participated
and h e then explained i n an unmistakable manner that there were cascades further u p the river .
WILLAMETTE RIVER Aanax (WILLAMETTE) MANNING'S RIVER POINT . ( tut POINT ) BELLE VUE POINT ISLAND (HAYOEN ) MENZIE'S P O R T L A N D SLOUCK M O D E R N M A P O F P A R T VANCOUVER . ARMY POST . ( NGER.CHEC K 1
0 0 OLD CMIEI . loviti RYAN POINT Ayויינג PARTING POINT CLUB COUNTRY ALDER WOOD OF FRIENDLY 3 > V E R N M E N T . . . . . . . . 0 9 M A P G O V E R N M E N T O F C O L U M B I A R I V E R . " I S L A N D A S U G G E S T E D s FISHER'S . ROMANTIC PRECIPICES ROCKY PASSAGE DE PRUNE HILL I N V A N C O U V E R ' S V O Y A G E S . B A R I N G ' S ( S A N D Y ) L A D Y I S L A N D SAMAS REER INTO WHICH THE UN FRIENDLY OLD CHIEF ENTERLO . R I V E R S A N D Y I N T E R P R E T A T I O N CAMAS RIVER SAND BANK . DEAD TREES ON WASNOUGAL RIVER G A R Y SCATTERED ROCKS . a s s WASH OUGAL OUGH REEF CREEK NOJMV7 COTTON WOOD POINT R E E D RAISED FLAG C O R B E T T . I S L A N D O F T H E COTTONWOOD POINT . LAWTON CREEK U N T
Since it was bright moonlight , and there were no union hours , the two boats separated and sounded back along each side of the river down to below Fisher's, where the party camped on Government Island . “ They took up their abode for the night about half a mile from their preceding night's lodging ; having returned in three hours the same distance that had taken them twelve hours to ascend . Wednesday , October 31st. " Mr. Broughton departed early , and off the village of their friendly old chief was joined by him and his whole tribe ” as far as Belle Vue Point , at the mouth of the Willamette River . “ The land in the neighborhood of this reach , extending about five leagues to Baring's ( Sandy ) River , is , on the southern side low , sandy and well wooded . On the north side the country rises beyond the banks of the river with a pleasant degree of elevation ;" ( around Vancouver , ( around Vancouver , Wash . ) " agreeably adorned with several clumps of trees ; and toward the east ern part of the reach , it finishes at the water's edge in romantic rocky projecting precipices . ” This was at Prune Hill , Washington , where the rock for the jetties at the mouth of the Columbia was obtained . “ The good chief here took leave of the party . In com memoration of his friendly behavior , and his residence be ing in this neighborhood , this part of the river obtained the name Friendly Reach , and a point on the northern shore
This was Ryan Point near Van couver Barracks . Bachelor Island Slough was given the name of Whidbey's River , after Joseph Whidbey , master of the Discovery . An island in Puget Sound still bears his name . It is interest ing that the depth of water at Warrior Rock was seventy two feet , exactly the same as recorded in the U. S. Coast and Geodetic chart for 1925. The party camped at Oak Point , the present Columbia City , Oregon . Thursday , November 1st . The party continued to take soundings , noting a depth of seventy -two feet at Coffin Rock , where the water is now one hundred and sixty -three feet deep . The sand banks and shoals were much the same as today , except that the efficient system of deepening the
channel has caused a number of changes . The party dined on Walker's Island , and camped on Gull Island , near Oak Point , Washington . Friday , November 2nd . A depth of over ninety feet was noted near Cape Horn , where there is now but fifty - seven . Westport Slough , near Westport , Oregon , was named Namby's River, for Thomas Namby , an officer on the Chatham , whose name , however , does not appear in the muster roll as given in Professor Edmund S. Meany's most valuable book , Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound . It will be noted that Poole , Urry , Mannings and Baring have not been identified . Lieutenant Broughton sounded the channel south of Puget Island , and discovered the channel west of TE -nas - IL - la - HE Island , which he indicated by dotted lines on his map . " At nine in the evening the party “ arrived on board the Chatham ; having employed exactly half the time in returning that had been occupied in going up this river , in consequence of the general rapidity of the stream downward , and of being assisted sometimes by a favorable wind . ” The Chatham sailed from the Columbia River November 10th . The latitude and longitude , as shown by modern maps , are here compared with estimates of Lieutenant Broughton . Since he had come from England via the Indian Ocean he used the longitude east from Greenwich , so the correspond ing figures for west from Greenwich are added . Varia Broughton Modern tion Cape Disappointment (map ) . . . . Lat . 46.19 46.16142 242 N. ( misprint corrected ) Long . 236.06 ( West ) 123.54 124.03 9 E. Oct. 24 , 1792 Anchorage near Megler ........ . Lat . 46.17 46.15 2 N. Long . 236.1742 ( West ) 123.4242 123.51 842 E. October 25 Ska - mok - a - wa Point Lat . 46.1842 46.16 212 N. Long . 236.3442 ( West ) 123.2542 123.2712 2 E. ?
J. NEILSON BARRY 46.0834 142 N. 123.18 8E. 46.05 None 122.54 5E. 45.58 2 S. 122.49 7E. 45.4242 172 S. October 26 Opposite Cape Horn .Lat . 46.10 Long . 236.50 ( West ) 123.10 October 27 Dobelbower Point .Lat. 46.05 Long . 237.11 ( West ) 122.49 October 28 Martin Bluff Lat. 45.56 Long 237.18 ( West ) 122.42 October 29 Reeder Point .Lat . 45.41 Long . 237.20 ( West ) 122.40 October 29 Belle Vue Point Lat . 45.39 ( Kelley Point ) Long . 237.21 ( West ) 122.39 October 30 Old Mouth of Sandy ..Lat . 45.28 ( Opposite west end of LadyLong . 237.41 Island ) ( West ) 122.19 October 30 Point Vancouver Lat. 45.27 ( Mouth of Lawton Creek ) Long. 237.50 ( West ) 122.10 122.4642 642 E. 45.39 None 122.46 7E. 45.3342 524 S. 122.26 7E. 45.3372 672 S. 122.16 6E. Since some names were given while ascending the river and some in returning , the list may be convenient for ref erence : MODERN NAME NAMED BY BROUGHTON Baker Bay Baker's Bay Youngs River Young's River Smith Point , Astoria Point George Tongue Point Tongue Point Grays Bay Gray's Bay Pillar Rock Pillar Rock Ska-MOK - a -wa Creek Orchard's River Puget Island Puget's Island Westport Slough Nanby's River Wallace Slough Swaine's River Grims Island Baker's Islands
Green Point Walker Island Mount Coffin The Pool , Longview Cowlitz River Sandy Island Martin and Burke's Islands . Columbia City Multnomah Channel Lewis River Warrior Rock Bachelor Island Slough Willow Point Willamette River Kelley Point Hayden Island Columbia Beach River by Vancouver Ryan Point Lady Island Sandy River Lawton Creek Point Mount Hood Point Sheriff Walker's Island .Mount Coffin River Poole Knight's River .“ Alowsandyisland” Urry's Islands Oak Point Call's River Rushleigh's River Point Warrior Whidbey's River Willow Point River Mannings Belle Vue Point .Menzie's Island Goose Island Friendly Reach Parting Point Johnstone's Island Baring's River Point Vancouver Mount Hood