, 1858-04-30
Extracts from the Annual Report Of the
Surveyor General of Washington Territory.
SURVEYOR GENERALS OFFICE,
Olympia, Washington Territory 7
September 20, 1856. }


Olympia, Washington TrritOrH +
September 20. 1856
Since the date Of my last annual report,
September 90, 1855, a complete and dis
astrous change has taken place in the In-
dian relations in Washington Territory.
In October, 1855, this Office had in the
field eight surveying parties in full and ac-
tive employment A simultaneous outbreak
of the Indian tribes inhabiting the greater
portion of the Territory, and numerous
murders committed by the savages upon
our people, rendered it impossible for but
one party to remain in the field.
AS there were but about LOO white
male inhabitants in the Territory, and q
600 Indian warriors were absolutely in
arms, it became matter Of vital necessity
for all able-bodied men to bear arms in as
sisting the feeble garrisons of regular
troops, who were stationed at three widely
separate posts.
As there were 1000 Indians known to
be hostile, and some 5000 others wavering,
active aud decided measures were necessary
to subdue those in arms, and Overawe those
who were apparently only awaiting the
chance to join whichever party proved the
stronger. One thousand men were raised,
and subSisted for nine months by the patri,
otism aud devotion of the scanty popula-
ton.
The families occupied the five villages
and rorty-three block-houses of the Terri
tory, and almost every farm was abandon
ed.
Such was the state Of affairs at the
opening of spring. BY June last, the enc
my occupying the region east of Puget
Sound, and west Of the Cascade range
were eilectually subdued, and the usual en-
ployments of life resumed.
have been able to make but four con-
tracts, however, from the above causes, to-
gether with the Typographical difficulties Of
the country, which do not admit Of profit
to the deputy surveyor at the present
prices.
In the vast region lying east of the Cas-
cade mountains, several powerful tribes Of
Indians are still at war with our country
men. If permanent peace should be
made with them, it will throw open large
extent of excellent country, aud require q
new base and meridian line to be establish
ed. From present appearances, l am Of
opinion that public surveys can be extended
to the eastward of the Cascades during the
summer of 1857. The gold mines at Fort
Colvile were proftabIy worked until the
miners were dispersed by the Indian war;
the few who remained in that remote region
had profitable employment. Many Of the
inhabitants will return there when the saw
ages are subdued.
Wv conformity with instructions from your
office, l stopped the public surveys short ol
the outlines of lands claimed by the Hud-
son Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural
Companies, and notified their agents that
proof of the extent of their boundaries,
duly authenticated, was required from the
committee of the honorable Hudson Bay
Company, in London. Nothing has been
received at this Office in answer, except an
acknowledgment OF the request made by
the chief factor, Dugald McTavish esq, at
| Fort Vancouver, aud statement from that
officer, of the message of your Office having
been sent to the honorable committee in
London.
Many American farmers are upon those
claims, aud are making permanentimproye-
meuts. / strongly urge upon your office
such steps as may be requisite to define the
extent OF those claims, which are becoming
more valuable every year by the labor and
enterprise of our counirymen alone. |
would recommend that commissioners be
appointed 10 survey the northern boundary,
aud define the claims of the British compa-
MES here at the same time.
" send herewith triplicate copies Of a map
of that part Of Washington Territory lying
west of the Cascade range Of mountains.
1t has been compiled with great care, and
contains much. new and interesting material
Of the most authentic character. Where
ever scouts or marches Of either the regular
or volunteer forces penetrated the country
east of Puget Sound, Typographical re-
conuossance was made, and the results
carefully collected in this Office, and the
work plated iuto this map send you. l
would recommend that this map be litho-
graphed, and few hundred copies sent for
distribution here.
The thorough securing Of the forests ly-
ing between Puget Sound and the Cascade
mountains developed large bodies Of excel
lent land, and some small prairies, but the
general character Of the country is un-
broken forests of the greatest magnitude
of vegetation. Firs, admirably adapted
for masts and spars; cedars, frequently ten
feet in diameter and two hundred feet
high, and an underground of shrubs bear
ing edible and not unfrequently delicious
berries, which constitute considerable
part of the food Of the aborgines. The
ferns, lacamas, and other plants, produce
edible roots; aud the numerous rivers, tax
ing their rise upon the western slope Of the
Cascades, and flowing eastward to Puget
Sound, abound in excellent salmon.
Military posts are established now upon
line of frontier some thirty miles to the
eastward of Puget Sound, and within that
space the country is beginning to be reoc-