The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-21
THE COLUMBIA RIVER.

THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
1t does not become the author of the "Narratye Of
the Exploring Expedition"-a work abounding in
the most improper personalities-tO have single
word to say about the influence Of personal feelings
upon others.
Commander Wilkes remarks, sit is all-important
that no false impressions should be made or given,
relative 70 the facilities of the Columbia for nayiga
ton and trade, and that TO avoid this, he has DEEM
ed il necessary 10 correct the Measurements put
| forth"
lit is readily acknowledged, that it Is of the first
importance 10 have proper description of the har-
Dor Of the Columbia, at presents but aPprehend
that the extraordinary notice of the river In Com
mander Wilkes's Narrative has been the origin of
this whole correspondence.
The offer of Commander Wlkess charity is en-
tirely superauousj and II is somewhat iDdlseree In
him to assert 80 positively that | have trusted to
memory alone in writing my letter to Mr.. Blair
am very much obliged TO Commander Wilkes
for the extract from the log Of the Flying Fish,
which he has produced evidence of the inaccura-
cy of my memory, and Of the incorrectness of the
statements of MIR. Knox and myself, He has pro-
dueed authentic matter for his own condemnation.
Commander Wilkes asserts, 'that as respects the
survey of the mouth of the river, he has already
shown by whom the triangulation was made"
He has certainly not shown this correctly he
excluded the Flying Fish from any participation in
il, while the truth is that the schooner was one Of
the stations.
This triangulation must not be considered as
highly scientific affair, one of complicated
nature. Il consisted in the simple measurement Of
few bases, by sound, and Of the angles necessary
to them, and establish the signal points
on shore, occupying few hours in its perform
ance. II Commander Wilkes wishes il to be under
stood that he experienced great mental difficulty in
deciding upon the plan for these measurements,
there can be no possible objection.
This triangulation connected with the survey
of the 0hoL river, and the only part of the work
in which oil hands were engaged in common. Com
mander Wilkes and his numerous party then went
up the river, while the Flying Fish remained the
mouth
The after triangulation which converted the white
paper into a chart, was the two months work Of
the Flying Fish alone that is to say, outside Of
line drawn from the Mission houses, on the south
shore, across the river TO the upper end Of the Che
nook shoal, or on all that part of the chart where
the soundlngs are most numerous. This portion Of
the survey was completed before Lieut.. Wilkes came
down the river with the exception Of the bar and
outside work, which finished after he had sailed
for San Francisco. Not an item OF it was made I'M
der his personal superintendence; for when he pass
ed over the ground in the schooner our labors were
suspended. The original sketch of "the land"
drawn on board the Flying Fish, by Doctor Gull
Ion.
Ii is somewhat novel principle for a command
ing officer to detach subordinate upon separate
serycej TO allow him 10 perform it; and then
fuse him the credit Of il. THIS survey of the Fly
ing Fish, which includes the whole mouth of the
river, has always been known among the officers of
the expedition as "Knox's survey;n and il will
doubtless continue be called without the least
feeling of jealousy on the part of those who carried
the survey up the river, always excepting Com
mander Wilkes.
Commander Wilkes, with great dignity, is pleased
to intimate shat the loss of the schooners boats may
have been caused by the negligence Of Messrs. Rey
nolds and Blair"
The schooner did not lose boats; two were swamp
ed but only one was lost by the parting of her tow
line.
Perhaps it may be fair to say that this accident,
The only that occurred during the surrey, was no
more the result of careessness than the loss of the
Peacock was the result of careessness; it was GER
talny not OF so much consequence the loss of that
ship, yet Commander Wilkes has not charged Com
mander Hudson with negligence. The Peacock also
lost her launch in open day. inside the reefs, among
the Feejees; but Commander Wilkes does not fur
nish us with any imputation Of careessness in that
instance; nor does he charge himself with any, when
he narrates the narrow escape of the Vincennes from
,creck, while he running her along the coast to the
northward of the river, in thick fog, and in fresh
wind and heavy sea, Nth her cables unbe. So that
may consider, in the absence of all evidence other
than the commanders insnuation, that "the care
lessness of Messrs. Reynolds and Bair' is a mere
ebultion OF spleen-a recent conjecture, made up
culpable, Commander Wilkes would not have wait
ed until now to inform me of il.
sh all relate how it was that the schooner found
her way into the north channel.
During the day on which the Peacock struck, and
until one o'clock of the day following the Fiying
Fish constantly to the norhward of the entrance.
Every view we obtained, from the slight elevation
of the schooner's mas-heads, showed US a line of
breakers extending, apparently from shore to shore.
On drifting to the southwark for the first time, we
no sooner came off the entrance than we saw plain
ly enough from the masthead clear passage of
smooth water with breakers on either side Of it; and
we then perceived that what had caused the breakers
to seem as one continuous barrier while had been
to the northward, was the manner in which the
south breakers approached the north breakers.
Mr.. Knox determined to stand in; and when we
had crossed the bar and had reached about to the
entrance the first channel, with smooth water still
ahead, the Peacock made signal of "danger you are
approaching" The schooner was Immediately
brought to the wind, to beat out; but we stood
to the northward, we presently discovered "the
channel leading up to the cape" which we followed,
and soon had the north breakers between us and the
sea. We therefore "sood on ,oel to the northern
shore, inside the north breakers the log truly says,
and made signal to the Peacock, as the position
were in was favorable for anchoring, the weather
being mild, and the water in the channel smooth
We were as stated in my letter to Mr.. Blair, be-
ftceen the Peacock and the shore; when not receiving
permission to anchor, we tackled, and stood out to
sea, passing the ship again, and following close
around the north BREAKER" as the log has it.
Commander Wilkes, who will not allow our re-
membrance Of the affair to be at all correct, has the
singular modesty, himself to fix the position of the
Flying Fish cat the tail Of the north Breakers and
two and half miles from Cape disappointment"
without having even so JraI guide recollection
to enghten him, and in direct opposition to the log
book, which he has produced to sustain himself.
If "to stand peH TO the northern shore, inside
he nnrfb hraa kafD that ad oh
sat Its outer extremity and two and half miles
from the land" | will admit that Commander
Wilkes, who not there, is really correct in what
he has said and that Mr.. Knox and myself, who
were there, were perhaps asleep at the tme-did not
know whether we were inside the breakers, or not
could not tell whether the Peacock, an unsightly
wreck, was on one side of US, and the land on the
other, or not-in short, that we were bewildered
then, and have not recovered our faculties since.
] think, however, it will be generally admitted
that Commander Wilkes has gone beyond all reason
in thus attempting to deprive Lieutenant Knox and
myself ofthe evidence of our Senses and of the sup