Gray Sails the Columbia River

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Gray Sails the Columbia River
Captain Robert Gray
Captain Robert Gray
Began: May 11, 1792
Ended: May 20, 1792
Location: Columbia River
Continent: North America
Country of Explorer: United States


In 1792 American merchant sea-captain Robert Gray Sailed the Columbia River, becoming the first white man to navigate into it. This was eventually used as a basis for the United States' claim on the Pacific Northwest.

Contents

[edit] Voyage

Captain Gray was a merchant ship captain born in Rhode Island, who circumnavigated the globe in between 1787 and 1790, in the course of a trading voyage out of Boston, first to the north Pacific coast of North America, to trade for furs, and then to China, to trade the pelts for tea and other Chinese goods.[1] After his return from that expedition, Gray set sail for the northwest coast again on September 28, 1790, reaching his destination in 1792.[2] During his first voyage to the northwest coast, Gray was accompanied by Captain John Kendrick, who had remained in the Pacific, in command of the Lady Washington. On the journey north to Nootka Sound along the coast Gray encountered a strong outflow near 46’16” which he then spent nine days trying to enter without success before abandoning the effort and sailing north for Nootka.[3] Gray rejoined Kendrick for a time after Gray's return to the region.[2] In October the Columbia and crew began building Fort Defiance and a small craft the Adventure as they prepared to ride out the winter in harbor.[4] 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 might 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 was the HMS Discovery commanded by British Naval officer Captain George Vancouver, who doubted that Gray had found a navigable river-mouth.[2]

“The several large rivers and capacious inlets that have been described as discharging their contents into the Pacific between the 40th and 48th degree north latitude, were reduced to brooks insufficient for our vessels to navigate, or to bays inapplicable for refitting;” Vancouver’s log April 28, 1792.[5]

Gray informed Vancouver at this chance meeting that he had located a large river at the latitude of 46’10” but had been unable to enter it due to the outflow.[6] However, Vancouver still doubted any river existed there:

“this was probably the opening found by me on the forenoon of the 27th, and was inaccessible, not from the current, but from the breakers which extend across it.”[7][8]

So Gray informed Vancouver that he would further investigate that area, and then sailed south after several more days near the Strait of Juan de Fuca.[9]

[edit] Entering the Columbia

The treacherous and shifting sand bar at the mouth of the Columbia River estuary presented a challenge to any ship that attempted to enter the river. In April, Gray attempted to enter the mouth of the river, but bad weather forced him to give up.[10] After sailing north, meeting Vancouver, and spending a time in Grays Harbor, as it later became known as, Gray returned to the river. This time he ordered a small sailboat launched to attempt to find a safe passage across the sand bars in the process known as sounding.[2] Finally in the evening of May 11, 1792, Gray's men found a safe channel, and so ship and crew sailed into the estuary of the Columbia River.[11] Once there they sailed upriver and Gray named this large river Columbia after his ship.[2] The natives called the river Wimahl which translated to Big River.[10] In addition to naming the river, Gray also named other landmarks such as Adams Point and Cape Hancock.[12] However, many of these places have since been re-named.

Once entering the Columbia’s estuary, according to the ship’s log, they were met by many natives in their canoes, while the crew prepared to take on fresh water.[12]

“When we were over the bar we found this to be a large river of fresh water up which we steered. Many canoes came alongside. At 1:00 P.M. came to with the small bower, in ten fathoms, black and white sand. ...people employed in pumping the salt water out of our water-caskets in order to fill with fresh, while the ship floated in. So ends.” Gray's log.[13]

Trading with the locals consisted mainly of exchanging nails and other small iron products for pelts, salmon, and animal meat such as deer and moose.[12] During the nine day trip on the river, the ship continued to trade amongst the natives on an almost daily basis while performing various repairs and maintenance on the ship.[14] Trading with these natives led to a collection of over 450 animal pelts to be traded in China.[10]

On May 14, the ship reached its furthest point inland, approximately 12-15 miles upriver.[14] At this point the vessel ran aground briefly and the crew realized they had taken the wrong channel when sounding demonstrated the channel they were in had ended.[14] The Columbia then started slowly to return downriver towards the mouth.[14] Then the next day Captain Gray went ashore with his first mate Mr. Hoskins aboard a jolly-boat to view the country.[14] Gray “landed on the north riverbank, raised the American flag, planted some coins under a large pine tree, and claimed possession for the United States.”[15] By May 18, the ship was about six or seven miles from the bar.[14] On May 19 the ship was anchored off the native village Chinoak, lead by the chief Polack.[16] On this day is when Gray officially named the river Columbia and bestowed other landmarks with names:

“Capt. Grays named this river Columbia’s, and the North entrance Cape Hancock, and the South Point Adams.”[17]

Then on May 20, Gray and crew took up anchor around 1 pm to sail for the ocean.[14] Around 2 pm they had sailed over the bar, and by 5 pm the Columbia had left the river and reached the open sea sailing north along the coast.[14] The next day they passed by Grays Harbor[14] on their journey north to rendezvous with their sloop Adventure before setting sail for China.[18] However, before Gray and his crew sailed for China, they returned to Nootka Sound where he passed along news of his discovery to the Spanish commandant there, Quadra.[19] Gray left with Quadra a chart and description of the river’s mouth that Captain Vancouver obtained a copy of in September.[19] Upon leaving Nootka, the ship sailed for the China market.[12]

The Columbia on the river.
The Columbia on the river.

[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] Gray's entering of the Columbia eventually was used in support of American claims to the Oregon Country, together with the later Lewis & Clark Expedition. These claims led, ultimately, when the consequent Oregon boundary dispute with Britain was resolved by the Oregon Treaty of 1846, to undisputed American possession of the Pacific Northwest south what became British Columbia.[10] Upon Gray’s return, though, little was thought of his discovery. He did not publish it[20] and the long-term consequences to which it contributed were unforeseen.[2]

Gray's Harbor, somewhat north along the coast from Columbia's mouth is named for Robert Gray. 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 shore of the Columbia estuary.

Due to Gray’s naming of the river for his ship, the name Columbia has been attached to several names in the Pacific Northwest such as: Columbia County, Oregon; British Columbia; Columbia Street in Portland, Oregon; Columbia City, Oregon; Columbia City, Seattle, Washington

[edit] Crew of the Columbia

The following is a list of those on board the Columbia when it sailed from Boston: Captain Gray, Robert Haswell (Chief Mate), Joshua Caswell (Second Mate), Owing Smith (Third Mate), Abraham Waters (Fourth Mate), John Boit (Fifth Mate), John Hoskins, Samuel Homer, Jack atoe, Benjamin Harding/Harden, Samuel Yendell, Nahtan Dweley, John Emes, Popkins, Bart peas, Tom (the cook), Joseph Barnes, John Butler, Bryant Winle, Anteny Lows, Joseph Folger, Andrew Newhil, Elsworth, Weks, Obediar Weston, Isack, Ginnings, Sheperd, George Davidson (painter), Nickels (tailor), and Nathaniel Wooward.[21]

Caswell, Barnes, and Folger were killed on August 12, 1791 by natives.[22] Harding died March 21, 1792 of dysentery.[23] On March 24, 1792, Haswell took command of the sloop Adventure with Waters and ten others and thus were not part of the discovery of the river.[24]

[edit] Previous explorations

In 1775 Spaniard Bruno de Heceta was exploring the northwest coast of North America with the vessels Santiago and Sonora under his command.[25] On the journey south to return to Spanish settlements, Captain Hecta discovered the mouth of a large river on August 17, 1775, but may have mistook the mouth as an inlet.[25] Hecta did not attempt to enter the river.[26]

Next on July 6, 1788, Captain John Meares aboard the 230-ton snow Felice Adventurer sailed off the mouth of the river, but was unable to enter the mouth.[27] This lead Meares to write is his log: "We can now with safety assert, that no such river as that of St. Roc exists, as laid down in the Spanish charts."[27] Meares then named the cape to the north Cape Disappointment.[28] Captain Meares then continued sailing north on his Portuguese flagged vessel, which was actually the former British ship Nootka.[27]

The last attempt on the Columbia River before Gray’s successful entering of the river was Captain Vancouver’s visit in April of 1792.

[edit] External links

[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. ^ Brown, J. Henry (1892). Political History of Oregon: Provisional Government. The Lewis & Dryden Printing Co.: Portland. P. 64
  4. ^ Howay, p. 248
  5. ^ Carey, Charles Henry. History of Oregon. Vol. 1: Pioneer Historical Publising Co.:Chicago. 1922. p. 121
  6. ^ Carey. p. 122
  7. ^ Carey. p. 122
  8. ^ Scofield, John. Hail, Columbia: Robert Gray, John Kendrick and the Pacific Fur Trade. Oregon Historical Society Press. 1993. p. 258-259
  9. ^ Carey. p. 139
  10. ^ a b c d Captain Robert Gray becomes.... HistoryLink Essay. History Ink. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  11. ^ About Captain Robert Gray. Maritime History. Garibaldi Museum. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  12. ^ a b c d Lockley, Fred (1929). Oregon Trail Blazers. The Knickerbocker Press. 
  13. ^ Carey. p. 141
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Brown, J. Henry (1892). Political History of Oregon: Provisional Government. The Lewis & Dryden Printing Co.: Portland. 
  15. ^ Essay 5621
  16. ^ Howay, Frederic W. Voyages of the Columbia to the Northwest Coast. Boston: The Massachusetts Historical Society (1941), p. 398
  17. ^ Howay, p. 398
  18. ^ Captain Robert Gray. Tacoma Public Schools. Retrieved on 2006-12-26.
  19. ^ a b Calhoun, John Caldwell; James Buchanan (1846). Oregon: The Claim of the United States to Oregon.... 5. 
  20. ^ Mussulman, Joseph. Great River of the West. Discovering Lewis & Clark. VIAs Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
  21. ^ Howay, Frederic W. Voyages of the Columbia to the Northwest Coast. Boston: The Massachusetts Historical Society (1941), p. 447
  22. ^ Howay, p. 375-376
  23. ^ Howay, p. 314
  24. ^ Howay, p. 390
  25. ^ a b Horner, John B. (1921). Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. p. 30
  26. ^ HistoryLink.org Essay 5688
  27. ^ a b c Essay 5621
  28. ^ Cape Disappointment State Park


Early History of Oregon (1500-1806)
Topics

Fur trade · Lady Washington · Columbia Rediviva · Age of Discovery
Events

Lewis and Clark Expedition · Entering of the Columbia River by Robert Gray
Places

Fort Clatsop · Columbia River · Celilo Falls
People

William Clark · Meriwether Lewis · Sir Francis Drake · William Robert Broughton · Sacagawea · Captain James Cook · Toussaint Charbonneau · George Vancouver · Robert Gray
Oregon History

Native Peoples History · History to 1806 · Pioneer History · Modern History
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