History of Oregon Literature/Chapter 2

by Alfred Powers

CHAPTER 2

Literature of the Explorers

I never see a map but I'm away . . .
Up all the rivers that are painted blue.
And all the ranges that are painted gray.
And into those pale spaces where they say:
"Unknown."
JEAN KENYON MACKENZIE. 

As has been noted, the earliest explorers of Oregon failed as ethnological investigators, so that the native people, in whose sight these were the first white men, sang songs and delivered orations to them which they made no particular effort to understand or certainly to record in their voluminous logs and diaries and chronicles.

They had much to say of another nature and numerous indeed were their accounts. All that were published soon after the explorations were made and that have turned up in manuscript since under the patient search of scholars, would form of themselves a sizable library.

If there had been a Franz Boas among their crews, what might he not have learned with his interviewing skill—with how much gladness would he have utilized the precious opportunities to fill his notebooks.

The old discoverers and explorers of Oregon were casual enough on this score; but observations of an other character they made extensively and to our eternal delight. What a great quantity of enjoyable reading and curious information and vicarious adventures and freshness of style we would have missed without their narratives. Drake was a contemporary of Shakespeare but Shakespeare included only a scant line in one of his plays about New Albion that Drake discovered. But with Parson Fletcher, voyaging with Drake, leaving the manuscript of The World Encompassed and gladdening us with his charming mendacity, we can get along in the particular instances even without the great Shakespeare. The one-eyed Captain Gray was an alert seaman, seeing with his single good eye what no Englishman or Spaniard had vision to see—the current of a mighty river meeting the tides of the ocean in a tumultuous embrace. All the captains of ships that congregated at Nootka respected Gray. He was an able and enterprising captain, but was not a brilliant writer. Fortunately, however, he had on board a young man of 18 who could write very entertainingly; and it is just as well for literature, though not so well perhaps for history and geography, that since of two manuscripts a large portion of one was to become lost, it was the log of Captain Gray and not of John Boit.

Sometimes in our journeyings today, transporting ourselves back in association with certain spots of historic geography, we like to fancy how it was in Oregon before the white man left his traces upon the country. The old discoverers and explorers, the first white men, satisfy this mood of retrospection, satisfy it in the way of literature, if we read that they said first-hand and in detail and not what has been said about them by historians.

In some of the larger libraries of the state, particularly the State Library, the Portland Library, the State Historical Society Library and the University of Oregon Library, these accounts are numerous; but most people have been accustomed to get along with only a historian's digests of what the old explorers did and what they saw, missing all the quaint flavor and refreshing intimacy—getting the facts and the history but missing the literature.

Here some examples are given of what these first white visitors to Oregon wrote about Oregon. The quantity of such selections must be limited, but it is hoped they will be enough to whet the appetite for more.

The selections in the literature of Oregon's discovery are presented chronologically, beginning with Parson Fletcher of Drake's expedition and extending to some descriptions by Captain Clark 226 years later.

1

The Frigid Oregon Coast In June, 355 Years Ago

By Parson Fletcher
Chaplain to Drake and His Unholy Crew

Francis Fletcher was the chaplain on the Golden Hind when Drake made his famous voyage. Henry R. Wagner says that "Francis Fletcher while no doubt a gentleman was also the preacher." Nothing can be said about him "except what he says about himself" in his work, and this pictures him not only as the conscientious and God fearing parson, but also as a "tremendous rogue." It is through The World Encompassed that he can be fully appreciated. Some called him a rather heavy liar, but at any rate he was a very charming one. After describing in detail certain "vile, thicke and stinking fogges", he continues as given below:

. . . neither was it (as hath beene touched) the tendernesses of our bodies, comming so lately out of the heate, whereby the poores were opened, that made us so sensible of the colds we here felt: in this respect as in many others, we found God a prouident Father and a careful Physitian for vs. We lacked no outward helps nor inward comforts to restore and fortifie nature, had it beene decayed or weakened in vs; neither was there wanting to vs the great experience of our Generall, who had often himselfe proued the force of the burning Zone, whose aduice alwayes preuailed much to the preserving of a moderate temper in our constitutions; so that euen after our departure from the heate wee alwayes found our bodies, not as sponges, but strong and hardened, more able to bear out cold, though we came out of excesse of heate, then a number of chamber champions could have beene, who lye on their feather beds till they go to sea, or rather, whose teeth in a temperate aire do beate in their heads at a cup of cold sack and sugar by the fire.

***

Besides, how vnhandsome and deformed appeared the face of the earth itselfe! . . . The poore birds and foules not daring so much as once to arise from their nests after the first egge layed, till it, with all the rest, be hatched, and brought to some strength of nature, able to helpe itselfe. Onely this recompence hath nature afforded them, that the heate of their owne bodies being exceeding great, it perfecteth the creature with a greater expedition, and in shorter time then is to be found in many places.

***

This country our Generall named Albion, and that for two causes; the one in respect of the white bancks and cliff es, which lie toward the sea, the other, that it might have some affinity, euen in name also, with our own country, which was sometime so called.

***

The inland we found to be farre different from the shoare, a goodly country, and fruitfull soyle, stored with many blessings fit for the use of man: infinite was the company of very large and fat Deere which there we saw by thousands, as we supposed in a herd; besides, a multitude of a strange kinde of Conies, by farre exceeding them in number: Their heads and bodies, in which they resemble other Conies, are but small; his tayle is like the tayle of a Rat, exceeding long; and his feet like the the pawes of a Want or moale; vnder his chinne, on either side, he hath a bagge, into which he gathereth his meate, when he hath filled his belly abroade, that he may use it, either feed his young, or feed himself when he lists not to trauaile from his burrough; the people eate their bodies, and make great account of their skinnes, for their kings holidaies coate was made of them.

2

Tillamook Coast in 1775

By Captain Bruno Heceta

In 1775, the year the Revolutionary War began, Captain Bruno Heceta, the Spaniard, was the first white man historically known to have set foot on the Northwest Coast. Heceta Head, where Heceta Lighthouse now stands, was named after him. His imagination, unlike our lovable Parson's, was apparently kept under full control, and of the beauty of the Tillamook Coast, he could chronicle only such matter-of-fact observations as the following:

On the 18th (August, 1775) I observed cape Frondoso, with another cape, to which I gave the name of Cape Falcon, situated in the latitude of forty-five degrees forty-three minutes, ... This land is mountainous but not very high, nor so well wooded as that lying between the latitudes of forty-eight degrees thirty minutes, and forty-six degrees. ... In some places the coast presents a beach, in others it is rocky. ... A flat-topped mountain which I named the Table, will enable any navigator to know the position of Cape Falcon without observing it; as it is in the latitude of forty-five degrees twenty-eight minutes, and may be seen at a great distance, being somewhat elevated.

3

The Oregon Coast in 1778

By Captain James Cook

In submitting his writings to the public, Captain James Cook felt that he should make some excuse for any inaccuracies of composition, or lack of elegance in his style, which might be apparent in his narrative, so he explained "that it was the production of a man who had not had the advantage of much school-education, but who had been constantly at sea since his youth; and though, with the assistance of a few good friends, he had passed through all the stations belonging to a seaman, from an apprentice-boy in the coal-trade to a post-captain in the royal navy, he had no opportunity of cultivating letters."

March 1, 1778, 44° 49', along the Lincoln County Coast

... it was remarkable, that we should still carry with us such moderate and mild weather, so far to the Northward, and so near the coast of an extensive continent, at this time of the year. The present season either must be uncommon for its mildness, or we can assign no reason, why Sir Francis Drake should have met with such severe cold, about this latitude, in the month of June. Vizcaino, indeed, who was near the same place, in the depth of winter, says little of the cold, and speaks of a reach of snowy mountains, somewhere on the coast, as a thing rather remarkable.

March 7, Six Days Later

... The land appeared to be of a moderate height, diversi fied with hills and vallies, and, almost everywhere, covered with wood. There was however no very striking object on any part of it, except one hill, whose elevated summit was flat. This bore East from us, at noon. At Northern extreme, the land formed a point, which I called Cape Foulweather from the very bad weather that we, soon after, met with.

March 11

... That part of the land, which we were so near when we tacked is of moderate height, though in some places it rises higher within. It was diversified with a great many rising grounds and small hills; many of which were entirely covered with tall, straight trees; and others, which were lower, and grew in spots like coppices; but the interspaces, and sides of many of the rising grounds, were clear. The whole, though it might make an agreeable summer prospect, had now an uncomfortable appearance; as the bare grounds toward the coast were all covered with snow, which seemed to be of a considerable depth between the hills and rising grounds; and, in several places toward the sea, it might easily be mistaken at a distance, for white cliffs. The snow on the rising grounds was thinly spread; and farther inland, there was no appearance of any; from whence we might, perhaps, conclude, that what we saw toward the sea, had fallen during the night; which was colder than any we had experienced since our arrival on the coast; and we had sometimes a kind of sleet. The coast seemed everywhere almost straight, without any opening or inlet; and it appeared to terminate in a kind of white sandy beach; though some on board thought that appearance was owing to the snow. Each extreme of the land that was now before us, seemed to shoot out into a point. The Northern one was the same which we had first seen on the 7th . . . I called it Cape Perpetua. . . . The Southern extreme before us, I named Cape Gregory. It is a remarkable point; the land of it rising almost directly from the sea, to a tolerable height, while that on each side of it is low.

4

John Boit's Log of the Columbia

By John Boit, Jr.}}

John Boit was only 18 when he accompanied Captain Robert Gray on the voyage to the Pacific Northwest that resulted in the discovery of the Columbia in 1792.

Boit's youthful enthusiasm, coupled with a ready appreciation of the humorous, makes of his Log excellent reading. His powers of observation seem keener than those in his fellow seamen. Perhaps this was because much experience had not yet robbed him of the thrill in new places and strange happenings. Let us see the Columbia and its banks through the eyes of John Boit, looking with Captain Gray and a few other officers from the deck of a little ship for the first time upon the great river.

May 12, 1792
. . . This day saw an appearance of a spacious harbour abreast the Ship, haul'd wind for it, observ'd two sand bars making off, with a passage between them to a fine river.... The River extended to the NE. as far as eye cou'd reach, and water fit to drink as far down as the Bars, at the entrance. We directed out course up this noble River in search of a village. The beach was lin'd with Natives, who rang along shore following the Ship. Soon after, above 20 Canoes came off, and brought a great lot of Furs, and Salmon, which last they sold two for a board Nail. . . . They appeared to view the Ship with the greatest astonishment and no doubt we was the first civilized people that they ever saw. -. . . The tide set down the whole time and was rapid, whole trees sometimes come down with the Stream. The Indians inform'd us there was 50 Villages on the banks of this river.

May 18, 1792

. . . Capt. Gray names this river Columbia's, and the North entrance Cape Hancock, and the South Point, Adams. This River, in my opinion, wou'd be a fine place for to set up a Factory. The Indians are very numerous, and appear'd very civil (not even offering to steal) . . . The river abounds with excellent Salmon, and most other River fish, and woods with plenty of Moose and Deer, the skins of which was brought us in great plenty, and Banks produces a ground Nut, which is an excellent substitute for either bread or Potatoes. We found plenty of Oack, Ash, and Walnut trees, and clear ground in plenty, which with little labor might be made fit to raise such seeds as is necessary for the sustenance of inhabitants.

May 20, 1792

. . . The Men, at Columbia's River, are strait limb'd, fine looking fellows, and the Women are very pretty. They are all in a state of Nature, except the females, who wear a leaf Apron—(perhaps 'twas a fig leaf. But some of our gentlemen, . . . reported, that it was not a leaf, but a nice wove mat in resemblance!! and so we go—thus, thus—and no War!—!)

William Clark	Meriwether Lewis

5

The First Description of Mt. Hood

By Lieutenant William Robert Broughton

On the morning of October 29, 1792, Lieutenant William Robert Broughton left the Chatham at anchor in the mouth of the Columbia and in a small craft sailed over a hundred miles up the stream, to about the present site of Washougal. To the east and high above the Cascades, Mt. Hood was first seen by Broughton. His description, the earliest ever to be made of Oregon's famous mountain, was preserved by Captain Vancouver in his Journal of this voyage.

A very distant high snowy mountain now appeared rising beautifully conspicuous in the midst of an extensive tract of low, or moderately elevated land, lying S. 67 E. and seemed to announce a termination of the river.

The next day the Lieutenant again sighted the mountain and further described it:

The same remarkable mountain that had been seen from Belle Vue point, again presented itself, bearing at this station S. 67 E.; and though the party were now nearer to it by seven leagues, yet its lofty summit was scarcely more distinct across the intervening land which was more than moderately elevated. Mr. Broughton honored it with Lord Hood's name; its appearance was magnificent; and it was clothed with snow from its summit, as low down as the high land, by which it was intercepted, rendered it visible.

6

"Multnomah River"

By Captain William Clark

Of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark we all know. The story of their adventure has been characterized as "our national epic of exploration." Certainly none other was ever so checked and double-checked by journals, records, diaries, notes and memoranda en route. It was about the most literary-flavored party that ever set forth to reveal an unknown land. If it had failed, the wise ones would no doubt have uttered, "Scribblers!", but it magnificently succeeded. The man who sent out the expedition, quite a writer himself, spread the contagion of that activity among the party with so much effect that poor Sacajawea must have often reflected amidst the general penciling industry at camp that she was about the only one who did not have something to jot down. If this is exaggeration, in sober truth eight separate journals by nine individuals were kept of the journey, among a party of 40-odd.

Of the two leaders as authors, Philip H. Parrish says: "Lewis was the better educated of the two, of a rather poetic temperament, fond of the beauties of nature and of attempting to transfer this beauty to paper. Clark was given to phonetic spelling and sometimes strange but always picturesque expressions." It might be added that Lewis went so far in patterning himself after his famous chief as to call one river Wisdom and another Philosophy, a nomenclature that was too much for those later living in the region of the streams, who changed Wisdom to Big Hole River and Philosophy to Stinking Water. They took turns keeping the official journal but the entries are readily distinguishable one from the other.

These selections are from Captain Clark's journal. The expedition missed the Willamette on the way down, but discovered it on the return trip.

Apr. 2, 1806

... I entered this river which the natives had informed us of, called Multnomah River so called by the natives from a nation who reside on Wappato Island a little below the enterance of this river. Multnomah discharges itself in the Columbia on the S. E. and may be justly said to be ¼ the size of that noble river. . . . Three small Islands are situated in it's mouth which hides the river from view from the Columbia. From the enterance of this river, I can plainly see Mt. Jegferson which is high and covered with snow S. E. Mt. Hood East, Mt. St. Helean's (and) a high humped mountain (Mount Adams) to the East of Mt. St. Helean's.

Apr. 7, 1806

... I prevaled on an old indian to mark the Multnomah R down on the sand which he did and perfectly coresponded with the sketch given me by sundry others, with the addition of a circular mountain which passes this river at the falls and connects with the mountains of the Seacoast. He also lais down the Clackamas passing a high conical mountain near it's mouth on the lower Side and heads in Mount Jefferson which he lais down by raiseing the Sand as a very high mountain and covered with eternal snow. . . . Mt. Jefferson we can plainly see from the enterance of Multnomah. . . . This is a noble mountain and I think equally as high or something higher than Mr. St. Helean's but it's distance being much greater than that of the latter, so great a portion of it does not appear above the range of mountains which lie between both those stupendious mountains and the mouth of Multnomah. Like Mt. St. Helean's it's figure is a regular cone and is covered with eturnial snow. . . . This Indian also informed me that multnomah above the falls was crowded with rapids and thickly inhabited by indians of the Cal-lah-po-e-wah Nation.