Gray Sails the Columbia River

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In 1792 American sea Captain Robert Gray Sails the Columbia River, becoming the first European-American to navigate the river. This also laid the foundation for the United States claim on the Pacific Northwest.

Contents

[edit] Voyage

Captain Gray was a merchant ship captain from Rhode Island that circumnavigated the globe in 1787 while trading pelts and spices from the Pacific coast of North America.[1] Following that expedition, Gray returned to the coast of what is now Oregon and Washington in 1792, setting sail September 28, 1790 from Boston.[2] During this trip he was accompanied by Captain John Kendrick on the Lady Washington.[2] After wintering on Vancouver Island, Gray set sail again on April 2, 1792 when he left the American trading post of Clayoquot on Vancouver Island.[2] On this journey aboard the Columbia Rediviva Gray noticed muddy waters flowing from shore and decided to investigate his belief that it may be the “Great River of the West.”[1] While waiting for favorable weather, Gray spotting a ship and exchanged greetings with her on April 29. This ship turned out to be the HMS Discovery commanded by British Naval officer Capt. George Vancouver, who did not believe Gray was about to discover any significant river.[2]

[edit] Entering the Columbia

The Columbia River’s treacherous and shifting sand bar at its mouth presented a challenge to any ship that attempted to enter the river. In April he attempted to enter the mouth of the river, but bad weather forced him to retreat.[3] Later Gray ordered a small sailboat launched to attempt to find a safe passage across the sand bars.[2] Finally on May 11, 1792 Gray spotted a safe channel in the morning and so ship and crew sailed into the mouth of the Columbia River.[4] Once there they sailed upriver Gray named this large river Columbia after his ship, and claimed the river and territory for the young United States of America.[2] The natives called the river Wimahl which translated to Big River.[3] During Gray’s nine day trip on the river, the ship traded amongst the natives and collected fresh water[3] while traveling approximately 13 miles upriver.[5] Trading with these natives led to a collection of over 450 animal pelts to be traded.[3]

[edit] Aftermath

A short time after entering the Columbia River and trading with the natives, ship and crew sailed to China to sell the pelts[2] before returning to Boston in July 1793.[1] This trip helped to lay a claim to the Oregon Country that later expeditions such as the Lewis & Clark Expedition would allow for the United Sates to claim parts of the Pacific Northwest in the ultimate resolution of the Oregon boundary dispute in 1846 with the Oregon Treaty.[3] However upon Gray’s return, little was thought of this discovery or the ramifications it would have on geo-politics,[2] so much so that he did not publish his discovery.[5]

Gray's Harbor just north of the mouth of the river is still named in his honor. Present day Astoria, Oregon where John Jacob Astor would establish his trading post less than 20 years after Gray’s discovery is situated on the south side of the mouth.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Notable Oregonians: Robert Gray- Captain/Explorer. Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Flora, Stephenie. Captain Robert Gray. OregonPioneers.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e Captain Robert Gray becomes.... HistoryLink Essay. History Ink. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  4. ^ About Captain Robert Gray. Maritime History. Garibaldi Museum. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  5. ^ a b Mussulman, Joseph. Great River of the West. Discovering Lewis & Clark. VIAs Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
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