THE QUARTERLY
of the
Oregon Historical Society
Copyright, 1917, by the Oregon Historical Society
The Quarterly disavows responsibility for the positions taken by contributors to its pages.
WHERE IS POINT VANCOUVER?
Ву T. C. Elliott.
The text for this discussion will be found in "Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean," by Capt. George Vancouver, Quarto Edition, London, 1798, Volume Two, Chapter Three, Page 64, Line 33, et seq., as follows: "Having now passed the sand bank I landed for the purpose of taking our last bearings; a sandy point on the opposite shore bore S. 80 E., distant about two miles; this point terminating our view of the river I named it after Captain Vancouver; it is situated in latitude 45° 27′, longitude 237° 50′."
Captain Vancouver is quoting the language of his lieutenant, Wm. R. Broughton, then in command of "the Armed Tender Chatham," and on detached duty making a survey of the Columbia River, the first survey ever made of the channel of the river above Gray's Bay near Astoria. The date of the record is October 30th, 1792. Lieut. Broughton had left the Chatham at anchor off what is now the Quarantine Station opposite Astoria on the 24th of the same month and had ascended the river with most of the crew in two boats, the pinnace and cutter, making observations and soundings, and bestowing names upon islands and tributary streams; and on the day of this entry he had named the most prominent landmark in all Oregon, MT. HOOD.
The inquiry of the title is pertinent at this time for the fol-
