90 Joseph Schafer shore by a ditch across the narrow neck of land connecting it, which is only 80 yards across.* There are some other points on the north shore apparently offering good positions, such as Chinook Point and Point Ellis. The whole of the north shore from Cape Disappoint- ment is covered with an impenetrable forest, with the excep- tion of Chinook Point, which is low and sandy, having a high bare hill in its rear, at the foot of which there is a small marsh. Point Ellis is steep and rocky; these points might be made available for temporary purposes, but, with the occupation of Cape Disappointment and Tongue Point would not, I think, be required. The south shore of the Columbia is also high and covered with forest. The navigation of the Columbia River is obstructed by numerous sand banks, which are constantly shifting, and ves- sels are often detained a long time in ascending and descend- ing it, as also in Baker's Bay, waiting for a favorable oppor- portunity of crossing the bar. The H. B. Company's barge Vancouver was one month from Vancouver to Baker's Bay, and 45 days laying in the Bay, before an opportunity offered of leaving the river. An American merchant vessel, the Tou- lon, was also detained for the same period. The two ships cleared the bar in company during my last visit to Cape Dis- appointment. The other posts belonging to the H. B. Company which 1 have visited are the Cowlitz, Nesqually and Puget's Sound, and Fort Victoria on Vancouver's Island, in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Descending the Columbia River for 35 miles (from Fort Vancouver) to the mouth of the Cowlitz, ascend- ing it for 45 miles to the Cowlitz farm, the Cowlitz is very rapid and shallow, but like all the rivers in this country, sub- ject to sudden rises of the water, caused by the melting of the snows or the rains in the mountains, during these floods the river is difficult of ascent, the boats being pulled up by the branches, the banks being too thickly wooded to admit of
'The present railroad is laid through such a ditch.----
