Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/115

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON 105

distances are often quite inexplicable the platting of the courses usually gives a very close idea of the meanderings of the stream during the day's travel.

Since editing the first part of this journal the writer has been privileged to examine the original journals at Toronto, and his feeling of satisfaction with the general correctness of this copy is only equalled by his charity for the copyist and understanding of a few apparent contradictions in the text.

See further note at close of the journal.

JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON

(As COPIED FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE ARCHIVES OF ONTARIO, CANADA.)

July 16th (1811), Tuesday. 34 A fine day. Observed for Lat'de, Long, and Time. Lat. 46 13' 56" Long. 123 48 & J4' W. ^

July 17th, Wednesday. A very fine day, if we except an ap- pearance of rain with a few drops of do., a steady gale from the sea as usual.

July 18th, Thursday. 35 A very hot calm day. I went across to the Indian Village with Mr. Stuart and my men. After visiting the Houses, we went up a green hill where we grat- ified ourselves with an extension (ve) view of the Oceon and the Coast South'd. From hence I set the Lands of Cape Dis- appointme'nt S. 80 W. 4 m., Pt. Adams S. 25 W. 1-J4 m. or

2 m., Co. or Obs. Pt. 36 S. 5 E. 10 or 12 m., a bay 37 of l-j m. deep to the east'd which is almost met by a cut 37 of fresh water and inundated marshes etc., the cut of water bears S. 17 E.

3 m. A Flat 38 at Pt. Adams about y^ m. distant bears toward Cape Disappointment, from that Pt. the Flat about 300 yards long. Lewis 39 is River opposite Pt. George 39 , bears S. 30 E. running from the S. W., Bay above M. M. the Pt. and Bay.


34 Astoria is now charted as in Lat. 46 n' 20" and Long. 123 50' W.

35 Today Mr. Thompson crosses the Columbia river to the Chinook Indian village about i mile east of the present McGowan's Station, where Chief Com- comly resided. He then climbs upon the "green hill," later charted as Scar- borough Head, upon which the fortifications of Fort Columbia have since been built; and then returns to "the House," i. e., Fort Astoria.

36 Tillamook Head, which was the "Clark's Point of View" of Lewis and Clark.

37 Young's Bay and Skeppernawin (Skipanon) creek with marshes adjoining.

38 Clatsop Spit.

39 Lewis and Clark river and Smith Point.