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i r i s
A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
C H A P T E R III.
Lieutenant Broughton’s account o f Columbia river.
O n reference to the preceding part o f this narrative it will be found,
that on the 21ft of oftober we flood to Tea at the commencement of a
heavy gale o f wind, from off the entrance -of Columbia river; leaving
the Chatham there at anchor, in full confidence that her commander,
Mr. Broughton, would, prior to his departure, endeavour to gain all pof-
fible information refpefiting the navigable extent of that inlet, and fuch
other ufeful knowledge of the country as eircumftances would admit of.
The implicit reliance I had in Mr. Broughton’s zeal and exertions, will
be found to have been worthily placed, by tire perufal o f the following
narrative o f that officer’s tranfaHions.
The fituation the Chatham had gained in the entrance o f Columbia
river was by no means comfortable at low water, when the depth did
not exceed 4 fathoms, and the fea broke very heavily about a cable's
length within the veffel, on a bank o f 2^ fathoms, which obtained the
name of S p i t B a n k . The place of their anchorage was, by obferva-
tion, in latitude 46° i f f ; bearing s. 50 E. about a mile and a quarter
from the inner part of cape Difappointment, from whence to the op-
pofite fhore, acrofs the channel leading to fea, the breakers formed nearly
one conne&ed chain, admitting only of one very narrow paffage, which
lies in a dire&ion about w. by N. from a point Mr. Broughton called
Village point, there being in its vicinity a large deferted village.
The Difcovery having put to fea without making any fignal to the
Chatham, Mr. Broughton very judicioufly concluded that I was defirous
he Ihould explore and examine this opening on the coa fl; and in order
that
that no time fhould be loft in carrying this fervice into execution, he ‘ 19?’ J “ Decembe
proceeded at two m the afternoon, with the nrft o f the flood and a i__*—
ftrong gale at-s.wv up the inlet, keeping the Village point, which lies
s. 70 e . !-g miles diftant from cape Difappointment,' well open with a
remarkable proje&ing point, that obtained the name of T ongue P o i n t ,
©n the foiithern fhore, appearing like an ifland. The depth of water
here was not lefs than 4 fathoms, and as they approached the deferted
village the depth increafed to 6, 7, and 8 fathoms. The wind by this
time obliged them to bring to, for the purpofe o f double-reefing the top-
fails ; and whilft thus1 engaged, the rapidity of the-flood tide impelled them
in to ’3 fathoms Water, - before fufficient fail could be made on the veffel to
render her governable. By this means the- was- driven on a bank of fand,
where the ftrength of the ftream, preventing an,'anchor being- carried
into deep Water, Ihe remained aground until high tide; when they hove
into to fathoms with the greateft eafe, and • ’there relied for the night.
Mr. Broughton had, for his guidance thus far up the inlet, a chart by
Mr. Gray, who had commanded the -American (hip Columbia; but it
did not much referable what it purported to reprefent. Thislhoa-1, which
is an extenfive one lying in mid-channel, having completely efcaped
his attention.
■ The next day, being the 2 2d -of October, the Wind blew ftrong from
theeaft-ward, and there was little probability from the appearance of the
weather offooii being able, with any degree of fafety, to remove the veffel
further up the inlet. That intention being laid afide, Mr. Broughton
proceeded with the cutter and launch to examine the Ihores of its fouth-
ern fide. He firft landed at the deferted village, on the northern fhore,
and on the eaftern fide of Village point; which he found a good leading
mark for clearing the Ihoals that lie between it and cape Difappointment,
carrying regular foundings o f four fathoms/ From this point he
palled over to point Adams, the (larboard or s. e . point of entrance into
tins inlet; and in his way crofted a (hoal bank, fuppofed to be a continuation
of that on which the Chatham had grounded. The leaft
water found upon it was 2— fathoms, and the fea was obferved to break
at intervals in. feveral places. Point Adams is a low, narrow,:fa.ndy,
fpit