The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-01-28
For the Idaho WoRLDl
Historical and Biographical Notes
ON THE
Exploration and Settlement of the
Columbia and its Tributaries.
NO. III.

Columbia and its Tributaries.
) NO. ILL.,
The Hudson Bay Company had had pos
session of this country for many years, when
a new. era was to commence. Lewis and Clark
crossed the Rocky Mountains, to explore the
vast regions lying between those monnta MS
and the Pacific Ocean, and make their report
TO theauthorities at Washington.
In l843 or "A, treaty was concluded be-
tween the Emitted States aud Great Britain, by
(which Oregon was divided in two parts, one
Eportion belonging to the United States ex-
fOlusiEely, the other to GBeat Britain. The
Ediyision, line commencing at the Straits
Eof Fuca, continued along the 10th par
Eallel OF. North Latitude unlil coming in. con-
tact with the Rocky Mountains. OregDAsfEom,
this time was occupied By two national pow
Eers FIRST and mosoimpontant, was the Eagle
Iof the United States :; and, the Lion.of Great
Britain.
T The treaty between the two countries
granted the HGdson Bay Company certain
l,rightS, wiz: of hunting andttrading with til
Indians, and of retaining possession of the
ground then held by them, as fanms and for
l.tifcations. The rights of this Company were
extended to them from; the American side as
| we'll as from the English side-now known as
British Columbia. The, term of this grant
closed in lS554aecopdiug to the treaty.
The Hudson Bay ompany-althoug with
out any pretensons towards colonizing the
country-had, done great amount of i'm
proving in connection with their forts al d
establishments. In some portions of the
country, wnere the facilities were good, they
reared Urge herds of cattle and horses, which
gave employment to, great many Indians,
under the control of the Canadian employees,
who,were very friendly with them.
The English were called, by the indians,
King Georges men," the French and Ca
uadians, "-Passayoux," or Alaima ," the
Americans. who were mostly from Boston,
After the treaty between the two govern
ments, the country remained in sTATU QUO,
or without any government action toward
organizing it into Territory, for some years.
The first step towards colonization, was
made by the discharged, employees off the
Hudson Bay Company, and few emigrants
who bad ventured into thecountry during the
years from 1843 to l849 ;:bnt properly speak
ing, the country remained in comparatively
savage condition. Farming had commenced !
in the Willamette and Umpqua valleys, and
in the vicinity of Vancouver, but on a very
limited scale.
The first wheat which was ever sown, was
obtained from the gizzards of wild-duckS-
to have been brought from Califor-
MIA This wheat was taken and sown with
greatcare. The first seasonit yielded nearly
a quart; the next, some bushels ); the third,
it was considered a crop worth .reaping,-and
in the course Of few yeBrs, it was yielding
thousands of bushels. These few grains of
wheat-like the grains of mustard seed which
multiply so,rapidy-were destined, in few.
years. to furnish thousands OF tons of -four
TO the miners of California.
Oregon, until the discovery of the gold
mines of. California, was of very little impor--
lance. The young colony was in kind of
patriarchal state. The inhabitants were
closely initiating the life and modes of the
Indians, and were living mostly in tents, or
movable houses. They were happy, and
lived in perfect harmony with the Indians,
whom they called neighbors.
The country had scarcely. any money, or
currency Of any kind, to use as a. circulating
Medium; so their exchange was more of a
oarterng-th is, a cow for horse, and
4oB VERSA.
Judges, lawyers and sheriffs were officers
Unknown in the country. In cases of litiga-
ion, justice was administered by arbitration
The country was beautiful and picturesque
It that time, and its Inhabitants could well
xclaim, with reason, n, how happy are y
he country people, if theyecould know their
condition FIR away from the cities, and the
'urthen of carrying arms" With the waters
# the mighty Columbia flowing onward with ,
at interruption, to cast themselves 1.-THE feet
# the great Pacific; the mountains and valleys !