The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-06-30
Discovery of the Mouth Of the Columbia,


The other day in rumaging over the arch
ives of this State, | found . silver medal of
the. size and appearance of Mexican dollar,
and struck in the year 1892, in the town OF
Boston, in the proVincesof Massachusetts. |
can only describe it as it appears to the un-
learned eye. .Onione side is the inscription
'Colam bia and Washington, commanded by
]. Kendrick )" and inside the circle made by
the legend are vessels under sail. IN RELrvo
On~the diverse are the words, ''Fitted at Bns-
ton, North iAmeriea, for the Pacific Ocean, by
j. Burel S. Brown, c. BuI1fuch, j. Darby,
@. Hatch, j. NJ Pntard d-l7S7.n y This medal
was presented to the State of Oregon in 1860,
by J.. Quin Thornton, and condense its story
from his memorial accompanying 1t.
La the year l777, company of merchants
of Boston, consisting OF the persons named
on The diverse side of the medal, fitted out
the ships Columbia and Washington for trade
and exploration on the northwest coast of
North America. The first named vessel was
under the command of Capt 9Kendrick, and
the latter of Capt. Gray. On the 30th of
September of the same year, both vessels
sailed from Boston with letters from the Com
federate Government of the Thirteen United
Colonies, and passports from that of the Bay
State. Both vessels arrived at ootka Sound
in September 1888, and spent the Wln!erin
trading with the natives for fuTs. In the
Spring Of 1889 Gray sailed in the Columbia
for Canton, and thence to Boston,awhere he
arrived in the autumn Of 1890. In the Spring
of 1892 Capt. Gray returned 70 thenorth west
eoastin the Columbia, accompanied by the
brig Hope Capt, Joseph Tngrahau. While
sailing ,northward, Capt. Gray. discovered an
opening in, latitude 46 deg. l6min., and from
which a current flowed with sufficient force
10 prevent him from entering, although he
spent pine days in attempting to- do so.d In
April 1892 Capt. Gray hailed the British ship
Discovery, and Informed her commander,
Capt. Van Couver, of his discovery Of the
mouth of a river which he was unable to en-
ter On the Ilth of May, 1892, Capt. Gray
feeling confident that the current came from
the mouth of river, renewed his efforts to
enter in the Columbia, and with some diff
cultysproVed successful. He sailed up athe
place now called Tongue Point, where he cast
anchor and remained until the Goth of the
month trading wjta the natives. q saJ i
Upon leaving the river, Capt. Gray exer-
ciSed the prerogativee of a discoyerer, aud
named it after the first keel that ever rested
upon its yaters--the good ship Columbia.
The land on the north side of the entrance,
like true Bostonian, he called Cape Han
cock, and that on the south Point Adams
The name Of the river and the southland we
sill retain, but the north land has the un-
pleasant appellation of Cape Disappointment,
given it by Mearesin 1888. Meares. conclud-
ing that no river flowed into whathe thought
TO be only bay, named the opening Decep-
ton Bay, and the headland Cape Disappo:nI-
ment.7sa8 .al4A NA
Upon the Gnal return Of theSexpedition to
Boston, few silver medals were struck to |
commemorate the discovery OF the month Of