DOCUMENT F
Excerpts from Narrative of Commodore Charles Wilkes, U. S. N., published in Philadelphia in 1845.
Commander Charles Wilkes of the United States Navy, (afterwards Commodore) had charge of an exploring expedition during the years 1838-1842, which came to the Oregon Country in 1841. His squadron consisted of six vessels, which arrived at Puget Sound in 1841. He left his ships at Puget Sound and came overland to Vancouver in May, 1841. In his narrative of his exploring expedition, published in 1845, Wilkes says, (vol. IV, p. 327): "He [Dr. McLoughlin] is a tall fine-looking person, of a very robust frame, with a frank, manly, open countenance, and a florid complexion; his hair is perfectly white. He gave us that kind reception we had been led to expect from his well known hospitality. He is of Scotch parentage, but by birth, a Canadian, enthusiastic in disposition, possessing great energy of character, and extremely well suited for the situation he occupies, which requires great talent and industry. He at once ordered dinner for us, and we soon felt ourselves at home, having comfortable rooms assigned us, and being treated as part of the establishment." And on page 331 he says: "The liberality and freedom from sectarian principles of Dr. M'Loughlin may be estimated from his being thus hospitable to missionaries of so many Protestant denominations, although he is a professed Catholic, and has a priest of the same faith officiating daily at the chapel. Religious toleration is allowed in its fullest extent. The dining-hall is given up on Sunday to the use of the ritual of the Anglican Church, and Mr. Douglass or a missionary reads the service.... Messrs. Griffith and Clarke were entirely disappointed in finding self-support here, and had it not been for the kindness of Dr. M'Loughlin, who took them in, they would have suffered much. They were advised to settle themselves on the Faulitz Plains, where I have understood they have since taken land, and succeeded in acquiring quite respectable farms."
June 3, 1841, Wilkes left Vancouver to make an exploring trip up the Willamette Valley. In his account of this trip he says in his narrative, (vol. IV, pp. 343-344): "We reached the falls about noon, where we found the missionary station under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Waller.... There was a petty dispute between Mr. Waller and the [Hudson's Bay] Company, and he complained of them. It seems that the Company refuse to buy any beaver-skins, except from the hunters and trappers; and he accuses them of monopoly in consequence. The Company, on the other hand, say that they have no idea of selling goods out of their own stores, for the purpose of enabling others to enter into competition with them; and that they will spare no expense to keep the trade, as long as they can, in their own hands. This is certainly not unfair. I cannot help feeling it is quite unsuited to the life of a missionary, to be entering into trade of any kind. To embark in traffic must, I think, tend to destroy the usefulness of a missionary, or divert his attention from the great cause in which he is engaged. I am very far from attaching any blame on this account to the missionaries, whose avowed object is to teach the arts of civilization, as well as the Word of God, and I have no doubt that they are doing all in their power to promote the latter object; but I am disposed to think, that any complaints against the Hudson Bay Company for endeavouring to keep the trade in their own hands, comes with an ill grace from the members of a Mission who are daily receiving the kindest attentions and hospitality from its officers." In vol. IV, p. 351, he says: "The lands of the Methodist Mission are situated on the banks of the Willamette river, on a rich plain adjacent to fine forests of oak and pine. They are about eight miles beyond the Catholic Mission, consequently eighteen miles from Champooing, in a southern direction.... We had the expectation of getting a sight of the Indians on whom they were inculcating good habits and teaching the word of God; but with the exception of four Indian servants, we saw none since leaving the Catholic Mission. On inquiring, I was informed that they had a school of twenty pupils, some ten miles distant, at the mill; that there were but few adult Indians in the neighborhood; and that their intention and principal hope was to establish a colony, and by their example to induce the white settlers to locate near those over whom they trusted to exercise a moral and religious influence."
In vol. IV, p. 352, he says: "The next day the gentlemen of the Mission proposed a ride to what they term 'the Mill,' distant about nine miles, in a southeast direction.... We reached 'the Mill' by noon, which consists of a small grist and saw mill on the borders of an extensive prairie. They are both under the same roof, and are worked by a horizontal wheel.... From the number of persons about the premises, this little spot had the air and stir of a new secular settlement; and I understood that it is intended to be the permanent location of the Mission, being considered more healthy than the bank of the Willamette. The missionaries, as they told me, have made individual selections of lands to the amount of one thousand acres each, in prospect of the whole country falling under our laws."
On page 355 of the same volume he says: "I am aware that the missionaries come out to this country to colonize, and with the Christian religion as their guide and law, to give the necessary instruction, and hold out inducements to the Indians to quit their wandering habits, settle, and become cultivators of the soil. This object has not been yet attained in any degree, as was admitted by the missionaries themselves; and how it is to be effected without having constantly around them large numbers, and without exertions and strenuous efforts, I am at a loss to conceive. I cannot but believe, that the same labour and money which have been expended here, would have been much more appropriately and usefully spent among the tribes about the Straits of Juan de Fuca, who are numerous, and fit objects for instruction." And on page 356 Commander Wilkes says: "Three years since, O'Neill came to the valley with only a shirt to his back, as he expressed it; he began by working part of this farm, and obtained the loan of cattle and other articles from Dr. M'Loughlin, all of which he has, from the natural increase of his stock and out of his crops, since repaid. He has bought the farm, has two hundred head of stock, horses to ride on, and a good suit of clothes, all earned by his own industry; and he says it is only necessary for him to work one month in the year to make a living; the rest of the time he may amuse himself. He spoke in the highest terms of Dr. M'Loughlin, and the generous aid he had afforded him in the beginning."
The Peacock, one of the vessels of the squadron, was wrecked July 18, 1841, on a spit near Cape Disappointment on the north side of the entrance to the Columbia River, ever since known as Peacock Spit. The vessel was a total loss. Commander Wilkes says that the crew of the Peacock were supplied with clothing through the kindness of Dr. McLoughlin and the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company. Wilkes further says that "every facility has been at all times extended [by Dr. McLoughlin] to newcomers and settlers; it is sufficient that they are of good character, and the use of cattle, horses, farming utensils, and supplies, is invariably extended to facilitate their operations, until such time as they are able to provide for themselves." At the time of the wreck of the Peacock, there was lying at Astoria the American brig Thomas H. Perkins. She was under charter to the Hudson's Bay Company. Dr. McLoughlin readily agreed to surrender the charter party for a small consideration, if the goods he had on board were delivered at Fort Vancouver. This Wilkes agreed to and purchased the brig. He changed her name to the "Oregon." In August, 1841, the Oregon was taken to Fort Vancouver to be repaired and outfitted. In the meantime Wilkes proceeded slowly up the Columbia River in the naval gun-brig Porpoise, of two hundred and thirty tons, making a survey of the river. The Porpoise arrived at Fort Vancouver August 28, and remained there until September 14, 1841. The expedition was treated with kindness and courtesy while at Fort Vancouver.
Fresh beef seems to have been scarce even in 1841. Wilkes in his narrative says that on September 27, 1841, the Porpoise was at Puget's Island, near Cathlamet. Here he was joined by Michel La Framboise, in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company, "who brought a supply of fresh beef for the crew, which they were much in need of." On leaving the Columbia River, Wilkes addressed a letter from Baker's Bay, dated October 5, 1841, to Dr. McLoughlin and James Douglas as Chief Factors of the Hudson's Bay Company, giving thanks "for the important aid and facilities which you have afforded the Expedition on all occasions, for carrying out the object of our visit to this part of the world;" and saying, "be assured it will prove a very pleasing part of my duty to make a due representation of it to my government." And also saying: "Your personal kindness and friendly attention to myself and officers, from our first arrival, and also to Captain Hudson and his officers after the wreck of the Peacock, have laid me under many obligations which I trust it may be at some future day in our power to return." (Vol. V, p. 147).
DOCUMENT G