Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-01-07

so Inal ne lalled 10 diSroVer the Tlver--Oi |
which his own iourn furnishes the most |
conclusive evidence, as well rs hrs strong
conviction that no such river existed. So
strong was it, indeed, that when he fell in |
with Captain GRAY shortly afterwards, and |
was Informed BY him that he had been of |
the mouth of a river in latitude 46 40, |
whose outlet Was so strong as to prevent
his entering, he remained slll incredulous.
and strongly expressed himself To that IF
feet in his journal. 1t was -hortl> after
this interview that Ca tain GRAY again
visited its mouth, crossed It's bar, and sail
ed up the river as has been stated. Alter
he left il, he visited Nnoka sound, where
he communicated his discoveries to Qua
dra, the Spanish commander at that place,
and gave him chart and descrip ion of
the mouth Of the river. After his depar-
ture, Vancouver rrrived there. in Septem-
Der; when he was infnrmed of the Disco
verles Of Captain Gray, and obtained from
Quadra copies of the chart he had lefl
with him. In consequence of The infOr-
nation thus obtained, he was induced to
visit again that part of the coast II was
during this visit that he entered the river,
on the Goth October, and made his survey.
From these facts, it is manifest that the
alledged discoveries of Meares and VAN
cOuver cannot, in the Iightesr d-gree, shake
the claim of Captain GRAY To priority of
discovery Indeed, 81 conclusive IS the
evidence in his favor, that il has been at
tempted 10 evade our claim on the novel
and wholly untenable ground that his dis
cOVery was made not IN a national hut pri-
vate vessel. Such, and SD inconteSuble,
is the evidence of our claim as against
Great Br!tlin-trom priority of disco, erv
as to the mouth of the river, crossing It's
bar, entering it, and sailing up its stream,
on the voyage OF Captain Gray alone
with ut taking into consideration the prior
discovery of the Spanish navigator, He
cela, which will be more Particularly re
ferred to hereafter.
Nor is The evidence of the priority of
dur DISCOVERY OF the head branches of the
river, and It's exploration less conclusive.
Before he treaty was ratified hy which
we acquired louisiana. in 1903, an expe-
diIlon was planRe !, at the head If which
were DlIGen AIEFi0Nt9trF LOWS ana NJ Al
IIdfn Clarke, 70 explore the river Missouri
and its principal branches to their sources
and then To seek and trace to ITS termint
ton in The Pacific snme stream. 40 etheI
) the Columbia. the Oregon. the Colorado
or any othcr phich might offer The most di
rect and practicable pater communication
across The continent, for the purpose O.
| - IT.,
F., the Missouri in Nav, 1904, and in tn,
$ summer of 1905 reached the head water
I of the Co umbia river. After crossing
2 many of the streams falling into it. the'
? reached the KooSkO skee in latitud. Al
:. 81, descended that TO the principal north
I ern branch, which they called LewiS'S
D followed that to its junction with the grea
b northern branch, which they called Clarke
: and thence descended to the mouth of IN
i river, where they landed, and encampe
S on the north side, on Cape Di>appoin
L ment, an wintered. The next spring
Il they commenced their return, and c.sn'I
n nued their exploration up the river. noIin
J. its various TOR .nch"s. a d tracing some {
: The principal; and finally arrived at 5
II Louis in September, 1906, after an al
senre of two years and tour months.
j. II was this important expedition whiC
e brought to the knowledge of the worl
n this great river, the greatest by far on ih
d western side Of this continent, with It's n,
lie merous branches, and the vast regioT
L through Mhtch il flrws, above the points
A. which Gray and Vancouver hid ascende'
m 1t took place MANY Years before il was :
of sited and explored bv anv SUBJECT 1T Gre
I'd Britain, or of any other civilized natio
S so far as we are informed. II as clear
= entities us to the claim of priority of dl
III covery, as to its head branches, and Il
I'd expiration Of the river and region ihrous
Id which il passes, as the VOYAGES of Capita
II GRAY and the Spanish navigator, Hece'
,h entitled US to priority in reference to
mouth, and the. enlrance into its channel
o. Nor is our priority of settlement l.
IS. certain. Establishments were formed
o. American citizens on the Columbia as e.
by ly as 1909 aud 1910. In the latter yes
nd a company was formed in New York
* the head OF which was John Jacob Ast
CD wealthy merchant If that city, The q
Is, iect Of which was to form a regular cha
he Of establishment on the Columbia Fis
TO ana the contiguous cnasis nf the Pacll
vn for commercial purpps :. Early n
St. spring Of 1871. the, nude their lirst
ue Enlistment on the south side OF tie riv
he o few miles above Point George; wis
nc they were visited in ulv tollowlng BY
his THOMPSON, surveyor and astronomer
as the Northwest Company. and has PaE
of They had been sent out bv that eoups
ISL to foresiall the American company IN
lis cupying the mouth Of the river. but 10.