A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic InformationGray, W. H. (William Henry)
History
A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information
Gray, W. H. (William Henry)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Oregon; Oregon Territory -- History
Fort Umpqua was located in the extreme southwestern part of Oregon, near
the mouth of the river bearing that name. It was a temporary stockade
built of logs, overlooking a small farm in its immediate vicinity, was
generally occupied by a clerk and from four to eight Frenchmen.
Fort George (Astoria) already described.
They had a farm and small establishment at the mouth of the Cowlitz, and
a more extensive farm some twenty-five miles up that river.
Fort Vancouver,--a stockade, six miles above the mouth of the Multnomah,
or Wallamet River. This fort was the general depot for the southwestern
department, at which their goods for Indian trade were landed, and their
furs and peltries collected and shipped to foreign markets. There was
also a trading-house at Champoeg, some thirty-five miles up the Wallamet
River.
On the left bank of the Columbia River, near the 46° of north latitude,
stood Fort Nez Percés, called Wallawalla, now Wallula,--a stockade,
accidentally burned in 1841, and rebuilt with adobes in 1841-2.
On the left bank of the south branch of the Columbia, or Snake River, at
the junction of the Boise, was located Fort Boise, built formerly, in
1834, with poles; later, with adobes.
Continuing up Snake River to the junction of the Portneuf, on its left
bank we find Fort Hall, built by Captain Wyeth; a stockade in 1834;
rebuilt by the Hudson's Bay Company, with adobes, in 1838.
Thence up the Columbia, Fort Okanagon, at the mouth of Okanagon River,
formerly a stockade, latterly a house or hut; and up the Spokan some
twenty miles, was the old Spokan Fort, built by Astor's Company, a
stockade with solid bastions.
Continuing up the Columbia to Kettle Falls, and two miles above, on the
left bank is Fort Colville, formerly a stockade, still occupied by the
Hudson's Bay Company.
Thence up the Columbia to the mouth of the Kootanie River, near the
forty-ninth parallel of latitude, is the trading establishment called
Kootanie House. Thence returning south, and ascending the Flathead
(Clark's) and Kootanie rivers, into what is now Montana Territory, is,
or was, the hut called Flathead House. Still higher up on the Columbia
was a small establishment, called the boat encampment, or Mountain
House.
Entering the country by the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, we
find Fort Nasqualla, formerly a stockade. Proceeding up Frazer River to
near the forty-ninth parallel, upon the left or south bank of the river
is Fort Langley, an extensive stockade. Thence up that river about
ninety miles, half a mile below the mouth of the Coquehalla, is Fort
Hope, a stockade. On the right bank of the Frazer, sixteen miles above,
is Fort Yale, a trading-house.
Thence proceeding up the Frazer, and on to the waters of Thompson River,
is Fort Kamloops; still further north and east, extending into New
Caledonia, are Forts Alexander, William, Garey, and Abercrombie.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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