The opening of Chapter I
First discovery of the river.--Natives friendly.--British ship.--Brig Jennet.--Snow Sea Otter.--The Globe.-- Alert.--Guatimozin.--Atahualpa.--Lewis and Clarke. --Vancouver.--Hamilton.--Derby.--Pearl.--Albatross.--First house built in 1810.--Astor's settlement.--The Tonquin.--Astor's Company betrayed to the Northwest Company.
In all countries it is difficult to trace the history of their early discovery and settlement. That of Oregon is no exception. The Spanish claim, and it is generally conceded, that they were the discoverers of the coast, and gave names to the principal capes and to Fuca's Straits. No evidence can be found in national archives, or among the native tribes of the country, that gives the discovery of the Columbia River to any civilized people but to the Bostons (Americans); so that, so far as civil history or national testimony is concerned, we are without any, except the conjectures of men as ignorant as ourselves. Hence we are left to the alternative of searching the old logs of vessels and such old books as have been written, and, in connection with the legends and statements of the aborigines of the country, form an opinion as to its discovery, and from such dates and conclusions commence its civil history.