# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 23/Jonathan Carver's Source for the Name Oregon

JONATHAN CARVER'S SOURCE FOR THE NAME OREGON
By T. C. Elliott
On the outer walls of the Public Library of Portland, a beautiful building which was constructed within the last twenty years and covers an entire city block in that metropolis of the state of Oregon, are carved names of men and women who have attained fame in the various fields of the world's progress; and in the group of names of noted explorers—Columbus, Balboa, Marco Polo, Livingstone, Mackenzie and others—appears the name Carver. The occasion for this honor was a book written by Jonathan Carver of Massachusetts, which has been printed in several languages and gone through more than thirty editions, and which, incidentally, introduced into literature and history the name OREGON.
At the time of its publication in London, in 1778, Captain Carver's book, entitled "Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America in the Years 1766, 1767 and 1768," was one of the best sellers on the London market. That fact, and the prominence later awarded to it in literature, have occasioned much inquiry about its author, and opinion, pro and con, as to the sources of his information and reliability of his statements. The most prominent contributions on that subject are those of the late Edward Gaylord Bourne of Yale University, (printed in volume eleven—1906—of the American Historical Review), and of Mr. John Thomas Lee of Madison, (printed in the Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for 1909 and 1912), and of Dr. William Browning of Brooklyn (printed in the Wisconsin Magazine of History in 1920). The present writer has recently added two chapters to that discussion, namely, "The Strange Case of Jonathan Carver and the Name Oregon," and "The Origin of the Name Oregon," both printed in the Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society of December 1920 and June 1921. He now adds a third, in connection with which it is proper to explain that the documentary material ​made use of has been cumulative, and was in part not even known to the writer when the first one was written.
Captain Carver's "Travels" is divided into two parts, and the extensive plagiarisms which make up much of the second or descriptive part have already been conclusively pointed out by Professor Bourne. The purpose of this contribution is to briefly refer to some statements in the first or journal part of the book, and to indicate the circumstances under which this journal came to be written by Carver, and to disclose his entire dependence upon Major Robert Rogers for the plans and means for his journey to the West, and for the name Oregon.
Jonathan Carver earned his military title of captain through efficient, though not distinguished, service in the French and Indian War of 1755-1763. His enlistment and service were with various companies of infantry from the "Province of Massachusetts Bay", his home then being in the small town of Montague, near Greenfield and Deerfield, in the valley of the Connecticut river. Active fighting in that war was concluded, for the most part, at the time of the surrender of Montreal to General Jeffrey Amherst in the late summer of 1760. Both Major Rogers and Captain Carver were present at that occasion, and, immediately or soon after, the former was dispatched to the W T est to take over the French posts on the Great Lakes. Captain Carver was, as far as the record yet discloses, between that date and the disbandonment of the army in 1763, stationed in Canada and assigned to engineering work in the Province of Quebec. In proof of this Mr. Lee has brought to our attention the second (1776) edition of Thomas Jeffrey's AMERICAN ATLAS, in which there appears a finely executed map entitled "A New Map of the Province of Quebec, according to the Royal Proclamation of the 7th of October, 1763, from the French Surveys connected with those made after the War, by Captain Carver, and other Officers in His Majesty's Service."
It should be stated here that the charge that Captain Carver was "an unlettered shoemaker" has been disproved by Mr. Lee and Dr. Browning (see page 344 of Vol. 21 of Oregon Historical Quarterly). Carver's education evidently was along ​
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the lines of surveying and draughting, civil engineering we would now term it, and was quite equal to that of the youth of well-to-do families of the period.
When mustered out of the army in the summer or fall of 1763 Captain Carver probably found himself in a poor state of mind for again taking on the duties of civil and family life, especially in a country community where opportunity for lucra- tive practice of his vocation would have been small. He was not a man of prominence or of property, as far as has yet been disclosed ; in fact he was impecunious. Mr. Lee has found certain petitions, by himself and by his wife, to the General Court of Massachusetts for relief ; and in later years his wife was engaged in school teaching at Montague. As far as is known to us Captain Carver removed to Boston vicinity; at any rate there he was in May, 1766, quite ready to accept a proposition to journey to the West on an enterprise of ad- venture and exploration. This information comes to us in Carver's own words, in the petition he presented to the King's Privy Council in London in 1769, a copy of which has been printed on page 111 of Vol. twenty-two of this Quarterly. The offer came to him from one Robert Rogers, the newly appointed governor and commandant at the important frontier trading post of Mackinac on Lake Michigan.
At this date, apparently (May 1766), began the active rela- tions between Jonathan Carver, civil engineer, age fifty-six, formerly captain in the English army but a comparatively obscure civilian, and Robert Rogers, major, age thirty-five, with national reputation as an Indian fighter, and a man of remarkable initiative, forcefulness and audacity. Major Rog- ers had only recently returned from London, where he had obtained appointment to the important position above men- tioned. While there he had brought out two books, which had attracted favorable attention ; one being the "Journals" of his career in the war, and the other being of a descriptive and historical character entitled "A Concise Account of North America." In his proposal to Carver he had in mind other activities than the mere administration of the office at Mack- inac, as will later appear. ​
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In the introduction to his "Travels," written just prior to 1778, Captain Carver sets up a claim to an original idea of Western exploration in the interest of his King and Country as early as 1763, and on that account has been awarded much credit as a man of vision and foresight. In the light of this association with Major Rogers in May, 1766, it is well, in a spirit of fairness at least, to inquire whether Carver may not at some time have inspired Rogers with this idea; for it will be remembered, by those who have followed this discussion, that, when in London in the summer of 1765, Major Rogers petitioned the King's Privy Council for permission and sup- port to conduct an expedition across the continent to the Pacific ocean in search for the river "Ourigan" and the mythical Northwest Passage. 1 The proposal however did not receive official sanction.
It seems perfectly reasonable to presume that at times during the French and Indian War these two men fell into each other's company, though an intimacy is not probable. Carver served in an infantry regiment, while Rogers was the organizer and leader of an independent partisan command widely known as "Rogers Rangers," and was active in scouting duties and dar- ing raids, after the Indian modes of fighting. In 1760 Rogers was sent, as already stated, to the Great Lakes region, and in 1763 was again sent to Detroit to assist in putting down the conspiracy under famous Chief Pontiac. Mean time he had been in service in the South against the Cherokees. But in the winter of 1764 he retired from active duty, on half pay, and spent all that year in land speculations in New Hampshire and Vermont, from Portsmouth as headquarters. 2 Future research may connect these men during that year, but it is easily recognized that Major Rogers was the dominating char- acter, the one with knowledge of the West and inherent spirit of adventure. Carver's claim should be regarded as another of his methods of book writing.
Official records 3 disclose quite clearly that Gen. Thomas
1 For transcript of this proposal, see Ore. Hist. Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 2, p. 101.
2 The authority for this is on pages q2 and 93 of "Ponteach, Or the Savages of America." Caxton Club Edit., by Allan Nevins.
3 Johnson Mss., 12, 22, which is quoted by Nevins on page 104 of "Ponteach." ​
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Gage, then in command at New York of the British forces in America, and Sir William Johnson, Supt. of Indian Affairs in America, were not pleased with the instructions sent them to appoint Major Rogers to the important position at Mackinac. They did not consider that his career as a "Ranger" fitted him for garrison duty or that he had ability or self-control for mak- ing a safe administration of civil affairs, and they had knowl- edge of heavy personal indebtedness and other habits all too common among army officers. They also feared his influence among the Indians. They knew that the Indians of the West, as well as of New York and Canada, held the name of Rogers in high esteem, from his bravery, wonderful feats of endurance and daring, and narrow escapes during the late war. In the eyes of the Indians Rogers held a charmed life. Supt. Johnson in particular was very emphatic in his suspicions, and planned to keep the new governor within bounds by means of written regulations and instructions as to the conduct of affairs. These suspicions seem to have been justified, for Major Rogers re- mained in authority at Mackinac less than a year and a half, and the manner of his retirement was spectacular. This has been referred to in a previous chapter of this discussion. But it should be understood by the reader that Rogers' side to that story has not yet become fully known and final judgment of his acts and plans then should be withheld. The authorities used by the writer have already been mentioned and the theme is inviting for further research.
Major Rogers had returned from London in December, 1765, but consumed nearly six months with preparations for taking up the duties of his position. He needed to see others than Captain Carver in the development of his plans, and his wife had decided to accompany him. She was the daughter of a prominent clergyman of Portsmouth, N. H., and the undertak- ing was a considerable one for her. They probably traveled by the old Mohawk Trail from the Connecticut Valley to the Hudson so as to obtain final instructions from Sir William Johnson at the famous "Johnson Hall," not far from Troy, New York. Who "grubstaked" Carver for this journey is ​
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unknown but small suggestions here and there indicate that someone of prominence near Boston did it.
Albany, in 1766, was important as the residence of some of the merchants who supplied goods to agents at Detroit, Mack- inac, and elsewhere. It rivalled Montreal in the fur trade. The communication between Albany and those Western trading posts was by the Mohawk River, Oneida Lake, the Onondago river to the waters of Lake Ontario at Qswego, thence to the portage at Niagara and the waters of Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Carriage was by canoes and batteaus, except that on Lake Erie a single small sailing vessel, named the Gladwyn, made regular trips during the seasons of open water. By this route Major Rogers and his wife, and presumably his fellow- adventurers, traveled; presumably together although there is no proof of it. A large Indian council between the officers under Supt. Johnson and Indian chiefs was held at Oswego in July of that year, and Major Rogers had a part in that, but arrived at Mackinac early in August.
One of the early acts of Major Rogers after arriving at Mackinac was to put in motion his plans to send agents into the Mississippi valley to spend the winter. Such expenditure of British money was beyond the instructions of Supt. John- son, but that was then of small concern to the Major. We are fortunate in being able to present as documents herewith some of the written instructions given by Major Rogers to his representatives. The first of these, in the order of print- ing, is that given to Captain Carver under date August 12th at Mackinac. It is proper to call attention to two items of Carver's instructions, namely, the absence of any mention of the name Ourigan, and the presence of direct orders that the journals kept by Carver should be delivered to Major Rogers.
One month later, Sept. 12th, 1766, instructions were issued to two other agents, and these interest us more directly because both make direct mention of the name OURIGAN, and outline the search for the river of that name and the Northwest Passage connecting Hudson's Bay with the Pacific ocean. Incidentally some deposit of treasure on one of the mythical rivers was to be visited. Captain James Tute was to be the leader of the ​
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party. This man had been a neighbor of Rogers' in New Hampshire, and an officer in the "Rangers", and was well qualified for hardship and danger and dealing with Indians. Captain Tute's lieutenant was to be Mr. James Stanley God- dard, an Englishman who had been active in the fur trade already and was reported to be especially successful in influ- encing the Indians of Wisconsin. His name appears in other documents of that period. In one of these documents it will be noted that Captain Carver is described as being in the company of a "Mr. Bruce," near the Falls of St. Anthony. This reference probably is to one William Bruce, who had been going into that region for a number of years, but whose name is not mentioned in Carver's "Travels", as published.
In accordance with these instructions Captain Carver, in company with experienced traders, journeyed to the Mississippi valley and the Falls of St. Anthony, and wintered somewhere on the Minnesota river, which enters the Mississippi at Fort Snelling between the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He made friends with the Sioux Indians there, and incidentally obtained from them a deed for a large tract of land which has become known in the history of Wisconsin as the Carver Grant ; and in the Spring of 1 767 proceeded down the river to Prairie du Chien, where many Indians then gathered every year to meet French and English traders from New Orleans and Mack- inac and elsewhere and engage in an annual "rendezvous." Whether Captain Carver during the winter knew of Major Rogers plans for Western exploration may be an open ques- tion; the following quotation from his original journal will throw some light upon that subject. It is evident that he had ingratiated himself with the Sioux chiefs. 4
Mention has been made in one of the previous discussions of the original manuscripts of Carver's book being deposited with the Sir Joseph Hank's papers in the British Museum at London. During the summer of 1921 the writer was fortunate in being able to secure a careful and critical examination of
4 He induced several of their chiefs to go to Mackinac to see Major Rogers, and also to sign a deed for a large tract of land, for evidence of which see Carver's "Travels," Third Edit. ​
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these manuscripts by Dr. J. Franklin Jameson, editor of the American Historical Review. Dr. Jameson's letter to the writer, dated at London on September 21st, 1921, contains, inter alia, the following excerpt from what seems to be the original journal of Captain Carver; "May 6 arrived at La praire Chien or the Dog Plains here I found Capt. James Tute Mr. James Stanley Goddard and a Party with (sic) some Goods in order to proceed from this to Find out the Great River Ourigan that runs into the South sea and a Northwest Passage if possible their orders was from Major Robert Rogers Com- mandant of Michillimack-inac who sent orders by Capt. Tute for me to Joyn this party as a draughtsman" Dr. Jameson adds that the handwriting is plain.
Dr. Jameson reports this to be the only mention of the name Ourigan by Carver in this journal. The writer has since obtained from London a transcript of the journal from May 6th to its close and the following entries give the further story of this abortive search for the Northwest Passage : "May 21st. Took my Departure from Ottogaume Town 5 in Com- pany with Capt. Tute Commander of the Party Mr. Goddard a Lieutenant Mr. G tier 6 interpreter and Mr. Reaume having two cannoes and Eight working People one Chipeway Chief one guide with these we proceeded up the Mississippi with a Determination to Winter at a Place Call'd by the french Fort Lapraire 7 not far from Lake Winepeek it being the Furthest Trading post the French ever had in the Northwest." * * *
May 28th This day came to where the Chipeway River Joyns the Mississippi the same evening we was given to understand that the Guide and the rest of the Indians with us declin'd Going any Further up in the Missisipi Capt. Tute call'd a Counsel to consult upon what method would be most ex- pedient in that case it was Generally agreed to take our course up the Chipeway River the Reasons was first that we had not
5 Prairie du Chien.
6 Gauthier (or Gautier), a family prominent in the fur trade at that period.
7 Fort La Prairie, a trading post on the Assiniboine or Saskatchewan rivers in the plains country between Lake Winnipeg and the Rocky Mountains, the exact loca- tion of which cannot be stated. See page 90 of Bryce's "Remarkable Hist, of the Hudson's Bay Company" for possible location. This reference opens a very inter- esting line of inquiry as to actual trade in the country west of Lake Winnipeg between 1760 and 1770, prior to the organization of the "Northwest Company." ​with us preasents Sutable for to pass through the Naudowessee with—and secondly that as Major Rogers had by Letters informed us/ That he would send us a Supply by the way of Lake Superior and the Grand Portage of such Goods for Presents to the Indians when we should have occasion to Pass as we should stand in need of—thirdly that affirm'd as a Reason for their not being willing to go by the way of the Naudowessee was for fear of war parties towards the head of the Mississippi which often Pass there in the Summer Season—the 29 of May we set of up the Chipeway River. * * *
July 12 arr'd at a small Chipeway Village on the entrance of the River St. Louis at the Western Extremity of Lake Superior. * * *
July 14 took our Departure from this Town the 19 arrived at the Grand Portage, August 2nd. Came two canoes in the morning, in the afternoon four more, these being some traders bound to the Northwest of the (sic) we procured some supplys till the Succours Expected from Maj'r Rogers should come. Aug'st 7th This day Mr. Francis a Trader Bound to the Northwest Came in and Brought some Letters from Major Rogers by which we understood we was to have no supplys this year from him at the same time desired us to Push on for our Discovery the same day Capt. Tute Call'd a Counsel to know what was to be done in our then unhappy Condition No provision or goods to get any with, when it was universally agreed to Return to Michillimackinac and give over our intended Expedition accordingly the next day took our Leave of the King of the Christinoes Came Round on the North and East Side of Lake Superior and arriv'd to St. Mary's August the 27th. Lake Superior from the Western end which is properly a Bay from the Islands call'd the 12 apostles westward around on the North North East and East to the Straits of St. Maries it seems to Lye in one Continued Jungle of Rocks the Land very mountainous for Thousands of acres together in many places a firm Rock except some chasms where grow some small scrubby Trees.—the Land about St. Mary's is tolerable good the Fort consists of only some old Stockades round a house the whole very much decay'd and Gone to Ruin ​
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since the French Lost the Command at (sic) the falls of St. Marys is calld the Best place in all these Lakes on account of the white fishing Especially in the fall where any Supplys Might
be had
Augst 29 this Day arrived at Michilimackinac here Ends this attempt to find out a Northwest Passage.
The entries in this journal were not made every day but every few days, and in some instances are quite voluminous in their descriptions of the country or events. Comment and com- parison with the text of Carver's "Travels" belongs more prop- erly to the history of Wisconsin than of Oregon and may be undertaken at another time. It is noticeable that Carver made no entries at all while returning from Grand Portage to Sault Ste. Marie although his book contains generous accounts of the north shore of Lake Superior; also that he was then merely one of the Tute-Goddard party.
For the better understanding of real conditions something should be said here as to the delay of Capt. Tute and Mr, God- dard in their movements. In the months of June and July, 1767 there assembled at Mackinac one of the most imposing and numerously attended Indian councils ever held in that romantic locality. 9 Indians came from all the regions around to meet the man whose life had been protected by the Gods of War and who had now come to live among them. This was a part of Major Rogers' scheme to extend the influence of British authority and increase the trade and he made special effort to reach the chiefs of the Mississippi valley and of the country beyond which was still under Spanish authority. These agents were evidently instructed, verbally or outside the lines of their letters, to spend the winter in promoting the attendance at this council ; and their attendance at the rendesvous at Prairie du Chien was necessary to assure the results.
In these three contributions sufficient evidence has been com- piled to indicate that Jonathan Carver was not an independent traveler or an independent writer. He did not travel to the West on his own initiative or according to his own plan, he
9 See "Ponteach," page 129, for mention of this. ​
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did not travel unaccompanied, he did not travel into any un- known country and he did not record geographical information not already known through the French. 10 He also took the plan for his book and some of the contents thereof from the two books by Major Rogers which had been published in 1765. Of special interest is the tracing back to Major Rogers of the name OREGON. 11
But in spite of these disclosures and conclusions, and his rather low moral standards in respect to some things, let us not, at this late day, decline to give Jonathan Carver credit for producing a book which is interesting in its narrative and at- tractive in its style and which served to bring to public notice information about America at a time when such information was in popular demand but hidden in the leaves of other writers. Jonathan Carver was just then living in London in conditions of dire distress and want and it is strange if he avoided deten- tion in the debtors prison at times. There is no sugges- tion of such disgrace and he retained a degree of respect- ability sufficient to insure the publication of this book and the placing of his name in the pages of literature and history. This distinction comes, in part, from such sentences as the fol- lowing, which appears in his introduction. "But as the seat of Empire from time immemorial has been gradually progressive toward the West, there is no doubt that at some future period, mighty kingdoms will emerge from these wildernesses, and stately palaces and solemn temples, with gilded spires reach- ing to the skies, supplant the Indian huts, whose only deco- rations are the barbarous trophies of their vanquished enemies." On the cover of one of the editions of the histories of George Bancroft this sentence was paraphrased as "Westward the star of empire takes its way," and had been used in similar verbiage by Bishop George Berkeley of England in 1825.
N. B. The documents immediately following are from the Public Record Office, London, and were copied by B. F. Stevens and Brown.
T. C. ELLIOTT. (Document Number One)
P. R. O. Treasury Solicitor. General series 4957
10 The map in Capt. Carver's book could easily have been an adaptation of the following map, which the writer has examined at the Legislative Library at Victoria, B. C. ; "A Map of North America," by J. Palairet, with considerable Alterations and Improvements from D'Anville, Mitchell & Bellin by L. Delarochette, 1765.
11 For origin of this name see page 100 of Vol. 22, No. 2, of the Oregon Hist, Quarterly. ​
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(In papers rel. to the suit Rogers vs. Gage). No. 4
Copy of Major Rogers'* Commission to Mr. Jonathan Carver Micha 12 August 1766
By Robert Rogers Esqr. Agent to the Western Indians and Governor Commandant of His Majesty's Garrison of Michi- limakinac and it's Dependances. To CAPTAIN JONATHAN CARVER, ESQR.
Whereas it will be to the Honour and Dignity of the Nation as well as for the good of His Majesty's Service to have some good Suravies of the Interior parts of North America Espeeseely to the West and North West of this Garrison
I do by Vartiue of the Authority given me apoint you for that purpose at eight Shillings Starling p Day until Discharged. And you are heareby direckd to set out from this Post Emme- diently and proceed along the North Side of Lake Missigan to the Bay, 1 and from thence to the falls of St. Antinoies on the Missipee, taking an exact Plans of the Countery by the way marking down all Indian Towns with their Numbers, as also to take Survaies of the different Posts Lakes and Rivers as also the Mountains.
And at the Falles of St. Antoines and about that as far as you can explore this Winter. And make your Reports to me early in the Spring. Should you receive Orders from me to March further to the Westward with any other Detachment that I may send this fall or winter you are to do it And send back your Journals by Mr. Browe (Bruce?) or some other safe hand but should you not receive any you are to return by the Ilun way 2 River And from thens to Saint Joseph And from thence along the East side of Lake Misigan to this place taking all the way exact Plans of the Country and for so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant. Given under my Hand at Michilimakinac ye 12th August 1766
ROBT. ROGERS. (Document Number Two)
P. R. O. Treasury Solicitor General series 4957 (In papers relative so the suit Rogers vs. Gage)
N5
Copy of Major Rogers's Instructions and Orders to James Stanley Goddard, Micha 12 Septr. 1766.
i Green Bay, Wisconsin, a The Illinois river. ​
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By the Honourable Robert Rogers, Major & Governor of the Lakes Huron, Missigan & Superior and the Suronding Country to the heads of the Several Bays & Rivers that Discharge their waters into the said Lakes, Subordent Agent and Superin- tendent to Sr William Johnson for the Western Indians Captn Commandant of Michilimakinac and its Dependencies &c. &c.
To JAMES STANLEY GODDARD ESQ.
I do by virtue of the Power and authority to me given ap- point you secretary to a Detachment under the Command of Captn James Tute (as also one of the Consill to the said De- tachment) ordered for the Discovery of the River Ourigan and the Northwest Passage at Eight Shillings Sterling p day and over & above an equal Share of the reward offered by the Government for that Discovery and you are hereby order'd to do Act & perform the Office of Secretary for the detach- ment to the utmost of your power by keeping exact journals and entering every useful remark that you think can attend to future knowledge of the Cuntry which you pass through as also to take down the Talks of the Indians, their numbers &c. And for so doing this shall be your Sufficient Warrant and authority to Demand your Payment at your return
Given under my hand and Seal this Twelfth day of Septr. 1766 at Michilimakinac
ROBT ROGERS
Reed the 29th Septr. 1767 of Major Rogers a Sett of Bills of Exchange value One Hundred & forty Sixteen Shillings Sterg when paid will be in full for Subsistance due to me for the within warrant the Bills are drawn by Major Robert Rogers in my favor on Mr. Benjmn Hammet Mercht in London Street, London
JAMES STANLEY GODDARD. (Document Number Three)
P. R. O. Treasury Solicitor General Series 4957
Suit. King's Blench. 1768
Major Robert Rogers versus Genl. Gage
(Amongst the papers is the following: )
No. 6.
Copy of Major Roger's Instructions and Orders to Captn. Tute, Micha, I2th Septr. 1766.
By the Honourable Robert Rogers Major & Governor of the Lakes Huron, Missigan & Superior and the Suronding Country to the heads of the several Bays and Rivers that dis​
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charge their waters into the said Lakes, Subordent Agent and Superintendent to Sr. William Johnson for the Western Indians Captn. Commandant of Michilimakinac and its Dependencies &c. &c. .
Instructions to Captn. James Tute Esqr. Commanding a Party for the Discovery of the North West Passage from the Atlantick into the Passifick Ocean if any such Passage there be, or for the discovery of the great River Ourigan that falls into the Pacifick Ocean about the Latitude Fifty.
You can set out immediately with this Detachment and with them proceed to La Bay from thence to the Falls of St. An- tonies and further up the said River to a convenient place to Winter amongst the Souex carrying with you the necessary Artickles now delivered to your Care for Boons to gain the friendship of they Indians and to retain and dismiss them from time to time as you approach on your way and pass the Curtry they are best acquainted with. You are when you arrive at the Falls of St. Antonies to endeavour to find out where Mr. Bruce Winteres and from him take Captn. Jonathan Carver under your Command who is to be Draftsman for the Detach- ment. He with Mr. James Stanley Goddard and the Inter- preter is to make up a Consull, which you may on every occa- sion that appears necessary Order, that they may with you consult the Expediency of the Voyage by which with these Instructions you are to gard yourselves. Mr. Goddard has an Appointment as your Secretary for Indian Affairs. He is to be second in Command, Mr. Carver third, Mr. Reaume has my appointment for your Interpreter & fourth in Command.
You will from where you Winter early in the Spring en- deavour to get some good guides from the Souex's and proceed with your Party to the Northwest and make what discoveries you can during the Summer and at the Close of which you will fall in with your Party to Winter at Fort La Parrie 1 at which place you shall have sent you a further Suploy of Goods next Fall, that you may take them what is ecessary to carry on the Expedition, & from Fort La Parrie you will travel West bear- ing to the Northwest and do you endeavour to fall in with the great River Ourgan which rises in several different branches between the Latitudes Fifty six and forty eight and runs West- ward for near three hundred Leagues, when it is at no great dis- tance from each other join'd by one from the South and a little up the Stream by one from the North; about these forks you will find an Inhabited Country and great Riches, the Gold is up that River that comes in from the North at about three Days Journey from their great Town, near the mouth of it at
i Fort La Prairie, for which see previous note No. 7. ​
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the South West side of a large Mountain, but there is not any Iron Ore that is known to be work't among them, from this Town the Inhabitants carry their Gold near Two thousand Miles to Traffick with the Japancies and it's said they have some kind of Beasts of Burthen.
From where the above Rivers join this great River Ourigan it becomes much larger and about four hundred Leagues as the River runs from this Town abovementioned it discharges itself into an Arm or Bay of the Sea at near the Latitude of fifty four and bends Southerdly and entys into the Pacifick Ocean about forty eight, nine or fifty, where it narrow, but to the Northwest where you join this Bay of the Sea at the Entrence of the River Ourigan the Bay is wide, and supposed to have a communication with the Hudsons Bay, about the Latitude of fifty nine near Dobsie's point, 2 from the above description you will do your utmost endeavour to find out and discover the said Country, and take all possible means to obtain a Draft of it, as well as by the Way reporting from time to time to me all your proceedings at every opportunity sending such Scetches or Plans as your Draftsman has taken, and you are further desired to make all the Interest you possibly can with the different Nations that others may pass after your return to open a Trade across the Continent to those People equally advantag- ious to themselves as to us ; On your way should have occasion you may draw Bills on me at any time for the purchase of Goods and Merchandize of Traders that you may meet or for the payment of Indians that you may employ for carrying on the Expedition shou'd your Goods that you have with you, and those I will send you next Fall to Fort La Parrie not be suf- ficient, and such Drafts as a small Sight shall meet with due Honor. And hen you have any thing to send back, as no doubt they Indians will give you Presents, take care to convey them to me by some careful person, that will Honorably deliver them here. And over and above Eight Shillings Sterling p day, you are intitled, if you discover a North West Passage from the Atlantick to the Pacifick Ocean, Twenty thousand Pounds 3 Sterling to be paid to the Detachment which is equally to be divided amongst them by the Honorable Lords of His Majestys Treasury of England and for the other Discovery of the River Ourigan you will be considered by the Government and paid according to the value of the discovery that you may make, to be likewise divided amongst the Detachment.
You must take great care not to be deceaved by the Rivers Missisure or by that falls into Hudsons Bay or by other Rivers that Emty into the Gulf of Californie as every attempt of this
2 Evidently refers to some statement by Arthur Dobbs, an Englishman, who wrote much upon the subject of a Northwest Passage.
3 No such reward was ever offered for a land discovery; it was limited to a discovery by naval vessel or private navigator. ​
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kind is attended with som difficulty whenever that appears to you call to mind your Courage and resulution and not let that faile you in the Attempt. Consider the honor it will be to you and the Detachment with you besides the Great advant- ages that much arrive to the undertakers of it. Believe in it like a Man that is Devoted to his King and Brave out every difficulty and you may be sure of Success.
You are to take great care not to leave the least suspicion among the many different nations of Indians that your design is any other than to open a Trade with them. Beware of their Women not to take them without consent of their Chiefs pay them puntually for what you have of them which is the Sure way to have Success.
And when you have made all the discovery you can you must return to this place in the way and manner you think most conveiant and easy for yourself and party either by Hud- sons Bay, or back the way you go out, across the Country observing proper places for posts going and coming, but I strongly recommend it to you not to touch at any of our Hudson Bay Posts as they may detain you and make advant- ages of your Journey to themselves but should you fnd out a North West passage as I do not doubt but you will or a Short carrying place cross over to Fort la Parrie where you may be assured to meet relief.
I heartily wish you Success and that God may preserve you and the detachment through this undertaking and that you may meet the reward of a deserving officer at your return over and above the Money offered for the discovery to effect which may good offices shall not be wanting to every Individual. You are Strictly commanded to make your report to me at your return wherever I may be, or in case of my Death to the Honourable Charles Townsend or in case of both our Deaths to the Honorable Lords of Trade and Plantations and for so doing this shall be your Sufficient Warrant and Instructions. Given under my Hand and Seal at Michilimakinac this 12th Septembr. 1766.
ROBT. ROGERS. No. 7
Copy of Major Rogers's letter to Captn. Tute Micha. loth
June
Michilimakinac Ye. 10th June 1767 Dear Sir:
I had the pleasure to Receive your Letter dated sometime ​
CARVER'S SOURCE FOR OREGON 69
last winter and am obliged to you for the Intelligance. I have sent Mr. Boyce to be Stationed at the Lakes La Plu De bocue to keep that passage open from Lake Wennepeck to Lake Su- periouer. Mr. Francois is to follow him with ten Canoes, he sets out the begining of next Month, those last Canoes is to go to Fort La Pierre and Lake Wennepeck So that you and your party will have Plenty of Suploys And Mr. Boyce as allso Mr. Otherington is to give you any Immediate Assist- ance that you may stand in need of before Francois Arrival. By Francois you shall have all the News of every kind at present every thing is Quiet hear I am Sir with Esteem Your most Obedient
Humble Servant To Captain Toute. ROBT. ROGERS.