DAVID THOMPSON, PATHFINDER AND THE COLUMBIA RIVER[1]
By T. C. Elliott
This anniversary year on the Columbia has special significance to those residing along its upper courses as well as to those at its mouth, and it is well worth while for the people of Kettle Falls and vicinity to rehearse the career and honor the name of the first man of the white races who explored and made permanent record of the sources of this magnificent stream, and was the first to traverse its entire length from source to mouth. Strangely enough the work of this really great and notable man is just coming to public prominence, particularly so an account of his achievements in the basin of the Columbia; even the historians of our river have failed to award him much more than passing notice. Brief mention only is possible within the limits of this address; and let it first be stated that one of the few geographical points to which the name of this man, David Thompson, was once attached (by himself or by some of his associates)—the only locality in fact ever so designated on the main course of the Columbia—is a stretch of rapids a few miles below these Falls and now locally known as Ricky Rapids in recognition of your pioneer settler, Mr. John Ricky. On the early maps used by the Hudson's Bay Company these rapids were noted as the Thompson Rapids, doubtless because of some incident as yet unknown to us.
Our interest in anyone is always enlivened by his like-
- ↑ This paper was published in Vol. XII of the Oregon Historical Quarterly. Since then the writer has had access to photostat copy of the note books of David Thompson and has been able to correct some minor errors in words and figures of the text as then printed; also to correct a few of bis own statements of fact. The call for data concerning David Thompson has become so frequent that it seems desirable to offer the entire paper, as corrected, for republication.—T. C. Elliott.
