OREGON MEANING, ORIGIN AND APPLICATION 323
at Mexico, and continuing northward, on the back or to the east of California, separate the waters of those numerous rivers that fall either into the Gulf of Mexico, or the Gulf of
California Some of the nations who inhabit those
parts that lie to the west of the Shining Mountains have gold so plenty among them that they make their most common
utensils of it Among these mountains, those that
lie to the west .... are called the Shining Mountains, from an infinite number of chrystal stones, of an amazing size, with which they are covered, and which, when the sun shines full upon them, sparkle so as to be seen at a very great dis- tance. This extraordinary range of mountains is calculated to be more than three thousand miles in length, without any very considerable intervals, which I believe surpasses anything of the kind in the other quarters of the globe. Probably in future ages they may be found to contain more riches in their bowels, than those of Indostan and Malabar, or that are pro- duced on the golden coast of Guinea ; nor will I except even the Peruvian mines. To the west of these mountains, when ex- plored .... may be found other lakes, rivers, and countries, full fraught with all the necessaries or luxuries of life; and where future generations may find an asylum . . . . there is little doubt but their expectations will be fully gratified in these rich and unexhausted climes". 10
Extracting further he says, "From the intelligence I gained from the Naudowessie 11 Indians, among whom I arrived on the 7th of December, and whose language I perfectly acquired during a residence of five months ; and also from the accounts I afterwards obtained from the Assinipoils, 12 who speak the same tongue, being a revolted band of the Naudowessie ; and from the Killistinoes, 13 neighbors of the Assinipoils, who speak the Chipeway language, and inhabit the head of the River Bourbon; 14 I say from these nations, together with my own observations, I have learned that the four most capital rivers on the continent of North America, viz., the St. Lawrence, the Mississippi, the River of Bourbon, and the Oregon or the
10 Carver's Travels, 76-7-8. Walpole, N. H. 1813 edition.
11 Sioux.
12 Assiniboines.
14 Named in honor of the Royal Bourbon family of France. Now known as the Saskatchewan-Nelson River System.
