But it is unnecessary to formulate any fanciful theory. The name of Oregon first appears in Carver's book of "Travels" in the Upper Mississippi region in 1766-67. Did he invent the name? Probably. Did he get it from the Indians? Possibly something like it. But it never has been discovered among the Indians of that country since Carver's time, nor anything like it. There remains a possible supposition that French travelers who had passed through that country some years before, and had proceeded on their westward journey far toward the Rocky Mountains, and then returned, had been making inquiries among the Indians as to the great western river that all geographers had postulated, and had spoken a word that the Indians had tried to imitate—possibly "Aragon"—knowing that the Spaniards had explored the western coasts, and intimating that the country by discovery might belong to Spain. But all these are fruitless conjectures.[20] We know where we find the name of Oregon first written, when it was written, and by whom; and the circumstances completely disprove the "oregano" and the "orejon" theories. A notable fact it is that a slight incident of Carver's career, so slight that he thought nothing about it—the creation of a name, or the casual use of a name hitherto unknown—has immortalized his own name upon the tongues of men dwelling in the region of his "River of the West." But Minnesota has not neglected him. She does justice to him in her records and historical transactions, and has not forgotten to name a county for him. He died in poverty and misery in London, January 31, 1780. H. W. SCOTT. [Footnote 20: Professor John Fiske, in his "History of the United States," says that Oregon "may perhaps be the Algonquin _Wau-re-gan_, 'beautiful water.'"] REMINISCENCES OF LOUIS LABONTE. By H. S. LYMAN. Louis Labonte (or Le Bonte), son of Louis Labonte of the Astor expedition, who accompanied Hunt across the continent in 1811-12, is still living at Saint Paul, Marion County, Oregon. He is now eighty-two years old, and is in good health. His remembrance of earlier experiences and life is still fresh and his mind seems very vigorous for one of his age. He says, however, that his recollection of the Indian languages that he once knew has now largely slipped away. These were the Clatsop or Chinook, the Tillamook, Tualatin and Calapooya, of which he says he knew a few words, and the Spokane which he understood almost perfectly. Besides these, he talked fluently in the Indian jargon and in French and English.