The Shreveport weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1861-1861, 1861-05-20
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San FRANcisc0' March Hth: AooA
EditoYuf ~ H@13d :--Byreqaest
!. send the 1olIowiS6 trforspasfon for
qualifications BEING p summary oftripe
Us Gyays river during the spring and
sssin,mer Of 1861. As this river was
only known 10 a few trappers who
caught beaver and otter on itstri5a.
taries, 4 spirit Of sseYtcf pTi'ls tsek pos
session Of ',fcnr peSssons, Your corres-
pondent included, to make a trip up
the river and ascertain It's source, as
also whether it was good country
for farming. and stock raising. Upon
tho 18th Of April, at o'clock r. N"
weleft Astoria. the sun SHINING bright
", lending enchaptmept te their Trip.
There being but a gentle breeze the
boat was propelled by oars. = ABOUT
4P.M.we enteredthe mouth OF Grayss
river-being about northeast from AS
toria. Before entering the river we
came into Gray's Bay. The bay Is
protected from strong winds by nor
rington Point on the east. and Point
Ellice on the west. The distance pc
tween the two points rs three mics
The water is deep and anchorase
good. Attic mouth the river Is a"oa'
a quarter ola mile wide; the chah-
mel is dcePbut narrow. Inc SHORES
around the mouth are low ana swan
py-the highlands can be seen - 'ne
distance. But after ASCENDING ue =.
yer eight miles the shores OF tue ''' r'se,
suddenly change their appearance ana
become hilly and very rough. Len
miles up the river the hEst saha a',"
gravel barwas seem ana hSfe We iaha-
ed and found great deal OIL quartz
and many dihereht Sar'e'ies % i !
which caused the bar to De haihea
Quartz Bar. On this bar we prospect
cd for gold, but were preVehtea rom
going deeper than two feet by water
rushing in.
A short distance above the par we
reached the FIRST rapids. here we
were compelled to cordeii "i'n ipnS
rope over them. Above the hrst par
the rlver is succession OF faPios al
the way to its head. sixteen "iies
from the tSbuth we had TO leave the
boat, as at this point the river Is COW
cred with millions OF logs, which mas
blocked the river up. After leaving
the boat we cooked some OF our pro
visions, and the remainder we formed
into packs and earned on our oaeks.
fourteen days, over mountain ana
valley, through forests OF gigant'c
frs and cedars-we reached the head
IF the river. Thus our principie ob-
ject was accomplished. and we com
ncnced our journey homeward: The
distance. as near as could be formed
was about fifty miles from the mouth
to the head.
The river runs -: >. an" emp
ties into the Columbia river tw"iniies
from the mouth There is much good
farming land on the RIVER ana f"l
raising stock, a bettcrpiace co"id ,'"'
bc fonnd WE ipcasnred grass thai
grew on the shore OF 'he river three
feeti,. length. !,
Around the falls OF the river wiiici
are two miles W, we were very forci
bly, struck with the appearance OF fi''
mountain. As i. is red, ike brick dus
and the boldcr rocks along the shor-'
OF the river were full of quartz. Bu
finding that we had but two days pro
visions, We concluded to go back T.
Astoria. and to revisit this place dur
ing the summer,
On the first LIST Nav we all arrived
safe, but ragged Ut astoria anu ''''' "
the inhabitants anxionsly waiting on
return. Thus ended the hrst eNpe
di;ion that any white party ever MAJ"
up the river, and brought to hight ma
nv highly important facts-toreinos
OF all, that the mountains and ravine
on this river contain large quantitie