The Department of History in the University of Washington has begun a course on Contemporary History running the second semester. The course is given by various men on problems of historical import of the last decade. Among the questions handled are: The Monroe Doctrine; China as a Republic; the Mexican Situation; the Undoing of Ireland; The Balkan Question; the Growth of a Religion of Democracy; the Economic Interpretation of History; the Relation of Natural Science to History; German Imperialism; etc. The course is open to all classes except the freshman; about one hundred students have elected the course. While the public increased the audience to about two hundred persons at each lecture.
On Saturday noon, March 21st, at the Good Eats Cafeteria, Seattle, twelve history teachers of the grades, high schools and University met and discussed the need and desirability of the formation of a History Club. Such a club has had a successful life of six years at San Francisco dealing with history in the different trades and professions—men from these walks give the history men the value of history to their lines of work. This idea was accepted by those present on Saturday; and another question was urged as a worthy and vital question for mutual discussion: the relation of the three parts of the public school system to history teaching on the basis of the belief that a better understanding among the three sets of teachers would result in good to the pupils. It was unanimously voted to attempt such a club to deal in the beginning with these two subjects. The question of time, place of meeting, organization, and the first program was left to Mr. Flemming, Seattle, and his committee of three. He hopes to have the first meeting early in May in Seattle. It was also the hope that the Club could serve the interests of the teachers in the grades and high schools of Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and other cities about the Sound, and the University. Professor J. N. Bowman, of the University, was elected temporary chairman.
A number of ladies, mostly of pioneer families, have organized and incorporated the Seattle Historical Society. The first officers selected areas follows: President, Mrs. Morgan J. Carkeek; vice-president, Mrs. William Pitt Trimble; secretary, Mrs. Redick H. McKee; treasurer, Mrs. William F. Prosser; historian, Mrs. Thomas W. Prosch; trustees, Judge C. H. Hanford, Judge George Donworth, Judge R. B. Albertson, Miss M. L. Denny, Lawrence J. Colman and Professor E. S. Meany. Manuscript records of the old pioneers are being collected, as also are pictures, books, diaries and relics. Cooperation has been cheerfully extended by Librarian W. E. Henry and Curator of the Museum F. S. Hall, of the University of Washington. That cooperation has been accepted and for the present, at least, the Society's collections will be cared for at the University. There is every indication that this new organization will do much toward awakening interest in the luring field of local history.
While going home on the evening of November 1, A. F. Muhr dropped dead in the street car. The event proved a shock to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. For many years Mr. Muhr had been in charge of the photographic studio of Edward S. Curtis. It was he who gave personal attention to the development of the negatives made in the field by Mr. Curtis for his monumental work on the North American Indian. In the prefaces of those great volumes, Mr. Curtis has frequently commended the skill, patience and efficiency of his prized assistant. Before coming to Seattle, Mr. Muhr had made a name for his own photographs of Indians, many of which received high awards at exhibitions. With all his talent he was a very modest man and was loved by all who knew him.
A brief prospectus from Olympia announces the fact that the Thurston County Pioneer Association plans to publish a volume in 1914 to contain the proceedings of the organization from its inception four years ago. There will be included personal reminiscences of old-time residents and other data, "the whole to form a beginning and foundation for the future permanent and reliable history of the county." The little prospectus is issued for the association and is signed by Allen Weir, secretary, and Mrs. G. E. Blankenship, treasurer. The scope of the proposed book will depend upon the response received from the prospectus.
There are several matters pertaining to the twenty-ninth annual meeting of the American Historical Association which should be of interest to the historians of the Pacific Coast.
In the first place, notwithstanding the great distance to Charleston, South Carolina, there were three delegates from the Pacific Coast—Professors H. Morse Stephens and R. F. Schloz of the University of California and Professor Edmond S. Meany of the University of Washington.
During the last year efforts have been made to get a fuller expression of sentiment from the general membership as to the selection of officers. On a committee for that purpose Professor E. B. Krehbiel of Stanford University represented the Pacific Coast. At his request the members of the Association in the University of Washington held a meeting and by unanimous choice selected Professor George Lincoln Burr of Cornell for the position of second vice-president to be promoted, as is the custom, to the presidency. Others must have had the same thing in mind, for Professor Burr was regularly nominated and elected.
Professor H. Morse Stephens of the University of California was promoted to the first vice-presidency and will become president in 1915. That is especially fortunate as the Association will hold an extra meeting in San Francisco during the summer of that year. President Stephens will then be the chief host to the organization at his own home.
Similarly, Professor A. C. McLoughlin of the University of Chicago will serve as president during 1914, when the regular meeting will be held in Chicago.
Preparations are already under way for the special meeting in San Francisco in 1915. The chairman of the general committee is Rudolph Julius Taussig, Secretary of the Panama Pacific International Exposition Company, and Professor E. D. Adams of Stanford University is chairman of the programme committee. The programme will deal wholly with historical problems of countries bordering on the Pacific Ocean.
At the Charleston meeting the Pacific Coast was recognized further by having Professor H. E. Bolton of the University of California placed on the Historical Manuscripts Commission; F. J. Teggart of the University of California on the Committee on Bibliography; Professor William A. Morris of the University of California on the General Committee; Professor Joseph Schafer of the University of Oregon on the Committee on Nominations.
A citizen of the State of Washington on passing through Virginia will see much of interest to remind him of the great American for whom his State is named. The Virginia State Historical Society is housed in Richmond in the building used by General Robert E. Lee as a residence during the Civil War. Among the prized collections there is a musketcarried to the Pacific Coast and back by a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Probably the most interesting portion of the programmes at the South Carolina meetings was that devoted to military history. There were several papers relating to Charleston's part in the Civil War and during the same afternoon the entire convention was taken on an excursion to Fort Sumter, a memorable event for the northern visitors.
[The aim of this department is to furnish outlines that will aid those who wish to study the subject systematically. It is expected that its greatest use will be as a guide for members of women's clubs, literary societies, and classes in colleges or high schools. It will be a form of university extension without the theses and examinations necessary for the earning of credits toward a degree.]
IX. Territory of Oregon1. Treaty of 1846.a. Northern boundary fixed.b. Accepted as a compromise.c. Really a diplomatic triumph.2. Organic Law of Oregon.a. Congress passed the act, 14 August, 1848.b. Boundaries from 42 degrees to 49 degrees and from RockyMountains to Pacific Ocean.3. First Officers.a. Governorship refused by Abraham Lincoln.b. Accepted by General Joseph Lane.c. Joseph Meek, United States Marshal.d. Samuel R. Thurston, Delegate to Congress.4. Laws.a. Anti-slavery laws.b. New counties created.5. Gold Excitement.a. Settlers diverted to California.b. Gold-dust currency.c. California precedes Oregon into Union.6. Division of Oregon.a. Washington Territory created, 1853.7. Indian Wars.a. Rogue River War.b. Other wars and treaties.8. Oregon Attains Statehood.a. Date, February 14, 1859.b. First United States Senatorsc. Other officers of new state.
Bibliography.—Books for the above outline are easily available in most of the libraries in the Northwest. New ones are appearing continually, but the ones cited below will cover the field satisfactorily.
Bancroft, Hubert Howe.Works of. Vol. XXX. This is Vol. II. of his History of Oregon. It starts with "Condition of Affairs in 1848" and carries the narrative to the year 1888.
Coman, Katharine.Economic Beginnings of the Far West. Vol. II. Pp. 113-166. This is one of the newer books. The chapter cited is entitled: "Acquisition of Oregon," the latter part of which bears especially on this outline.
Deady, M. P.The Organic and Other General Laws of Oregon, 1845-1864. The official publication of Oregon laws, compiled by Judge Deady and published by H. L. Pittock, Public Printer, 1866, is a convenient form in which to study the laws of Oregon Territory.
Johnson, Sidona V.A Short History of Oregon. Part Four of this compact little book deals with the portion of Oregon history under consideration.
Meany, Edmond S.History of the State of Washington. Consult chapter XV and the first part of chapter XVI.
Schafer, Joseph.A History of the Pacific Northwest. Chapters XIV, XV, and XVI will be helpful for this study.
Woodward, Walter C.Political Parties in Oregon, 1843-1868. This new book should be in all Northwestern libraries. Its title conveys its true usefulness for a study of Oregon in territorial and early statehood days.
The History Teachers' Section, inaugurated in this number, will be edited by various members of the editorial staff. The Section will be devoted to questions and problems of interest to the teacher of history in the high schools and colleges. This first number will be given to a survey of the magazines edited in the interest of the teaching of history.
TheHistory Teachers Magazineis edited by the McKinley Publishing Co., Philadelphia, under the supervision of a committee of the American Historical Association. The first number appeared September 1909, under the sole editorship of Dr. Albert E. McKinley; financial difficulties arose and caused the suspension of publication from June, 1911, to February, 1912, when it came under the present supervision of the American Historical Association. The contents cover a wide range of interests: Articles of a general character on subject matter or methodology of history; Reports from the Historical Field; Periodical literature; Book Reviews; and Recent Historical Publications. In the January, 1914, number, Waldo L. Cook, of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, published the address he gave before the New England History Teachers' Association last April on The Press in its Relation to History. He discussed in full the "cause of the reporter," and concluded that the case "might also be said to be in the hands of you teachers of history; your ennobling influence upon the press of the future, and consequently upon the history which shall be born of the future, may become incalculable if your teaching is aflame with the ideal that facts are sacred and that truth is holy." In the next number Dr. Jameson, of the Carnegie Foundation, has an article on the Typical Steps of American Expansion wherein he traces through the expansion of American territory his contention that "the processes we have been following were mainly the fruit, not of artificial intrigue and political conspiracy, but of natural economic and social development, on the part of men chiefly engaged in the great human occupation of making a quiet living." Perhaps the most important article in the March number is A Hidden Cause of the Mexican War, by Moses W. Ware. In this article he brings out the fact of the Northern holdings of Texan securities, which joined with Southern interest in slavery; and these two independent interests were "each equally potent in involving the United States in the war with Mexico." Another article, in the February number, it is hoped will be read by every history teacher in the state:Edwin E. Slosson's A Stranger at School. It has been reprinted fromThe Independent. It must be read to be appreciated.
A series of articles have been appearing through several numbers dealing with the teaching of Greek History from several points of view of both subject matter and methods. The book reviews are of passing interest, while the recent historical publications are especially valuable. In the latter the announcements of the books of the month are classified according to American, Ancient, English, European, Medieval, Miscellaneous, Biography, Government and Politics.
The University of Texas is now publishing a "Texas History Teacher's Bulletin." The first number was issued November 15th, 1912; and four numbers have appeared so far. It is published quarterly by the History Department of the University and contains "brief, practical articles and suggestions, discussions of local problems, occasional reprints from The History Teachers' Magazine * * * and other educational journals, outlines, book lists and notes, and news of history teachers in Texas and elsewhere." The articles are of a very practical nature, dealing with the use of maps in the class work: Local History in various schools; use of note-books in high school work; parallel readings; efforts to improve history teaching; is questioning essential to good teaching; Historical Geography; sources; etc. It reprints for its readers the book publications of the History Teachers' Magazine.
The English "Historical Association," formed a few years ago, does not have as yet a regular publication. It publishes instead a series of leaflets on subjects of interest and value to the teachers. The following titles will give an indication of the nature: Source-books; some books on the teaching of History in Schools; the addresses of James Bryce on Teaching of History in Schools; Text-books; Supplementary Reading; the address of Thomas Hodgkin on the Teaching of History in Schools; The Teaching of Local History; Historical Maps and Atlases; Civics in the Schools; Recent British History; The Methods of Teaching History in Schools; Schools Historical Libraries. The publications of the Association may be secured through the History Teachers' Magazine.
In January, 1913, the Germans began the publication of a History Teachers' Magazine calledVergangenheit und Gegenwart. It is edited by Fritz Friedrich and Dr. Paul Ruhlmann, and is published by the Teubner house in Leipzig. It is issued bi-monthly and costs 6 marks a year. The character of the general articles may be seen from the following titles ofsome of the articles: The French Peasant before the Revolution; the new Munich history course of study; the history teaching in France; the colonization of North America; political training through the teaching of history; the burning of Rome and Nero's persecution of the Christians; the eastern border of German culture; the newspaper in the upper schools; the evolution of types of war-ships from Trafalgar to the present; State and Church; the History of Civilization in the teaching of History in the upper classes; and in the last number, March, 1914, there was published the translation of the presidential address before the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association at Berkeley, November, 1912, given by Professor A. B. Show, of Stanford University, on The New Culture-History in Germany. It was published in full in the History Teachers' Magazine for October, 1913.
Of especial value are the book reviews; practically half of the pages of each number are given to this subject. In the last number, for instance, the running comments and criticisms on books and historical literature are arranged in the following manner: Pre-historic and Ancient Archaeology, under which are grouped the new books on Ethnology, Races, German Antiquities, etc.; Methodology and Didactics; History in the Pedagogical Press. Another issue, May, 1913, arranged the reviews in this manner: Renaissance and Reformation; History of Religion and the Church; Methodology and Historiography. The number of books reviewed in the March, 1914, number was 108. The number of books reviewed in the various numbers run from 49 to 154: the average being about 90 books.
In the first issue of the magazine there was published a call, signed by 34 gymnasium and university teachers of the Empire, to the German history teachers for the formation of a German History Teachers' Association. The call was answered by 53 teachers and on September 29th, 1913, at the University of Marburg the Association was organized. Dr. Neubauer, of Frankfort am Mein, was elected president; Professor Ernst Bernheim, of Greifswald, vice-president; and Mr. Behrendt, of Leipzig, secretary. The principal address was given by Professor Bernheim on The Preparation of the History Teacher which ended in a lengthy discussion. The next important address was on the Teaching of History in "Prima," and this also resulted in an animated discussion. The whole proceedings of the Marburg convention was published as a special number of the Vergangenheit and Gegenwart in October, 1913.
The Washington Historical Quarterly
Board of Editors
Managing Editor
EDMOND S. MEANY
Business Manager
CHARLES W. SMITH
VOL. V NO. 3 JULY, 1914
ISSUED QUARTERLY
T. C. ELLIOTTJournal of John Work, Sept. 7th-Dec. 14th, 1825163C. O. ERMATINGERThe Columbia River Under Hudson's Bay Company Rule192EDMOND S. MEANYThree Diplomats Prominent in the Oregon Question207DOCUMENTS—A New Vancouver Journal215BOOK REVIEWS225NEWS DEPARTMENT232NORTHWESTERN HISTORY SYLLABUS235HISTORY TEACHERS' SECTION238
THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
University Station
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Entered at the postoffice at Seattle as second-class mail matter.
The Washington University State Historical Society
Officers and Board of Trustees:
SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF PRINTING, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
1914
Vol V., No. 3 July, 1914
The Washington Historical Quarterly
(Introduction and annotations by T. C. Elliot)
That part of this Journal covering the period from June 21st to Sept. 6th, including the introduction thereto, is already familiar to readers of Vol. V., No. 2 (April, 1914), of this Quarterly: a second installment is now given, and the third and last will appear in the October number. From September 7th to November 14th Mr. Work is in charge of Spokane House, the Hudson's Bay Company Trading Post located near the present city of Spokane, and his journal relates the day-to-day occurrences there, the arrival of the express from across the Rocky Mountains, the starting off of the clerk going to the Kootenay District for the winter, etc. On the 14th of November Mr. Work leaves Mr. Birnie at Spokane House and himself starts off for his winter station at Flathead Post or Fort on the Clark Fort of the Columbia. This journal enables us to identify positively the location of this Flathead Fort at this time, it being several miles further up the River than the original Saleesh House built on Thompson's Prairie or Plain by David Thompson in 1809. The parenthetical marks are used to designate words that are doubtful because indistinct in the original manuscript, of which this is a copy.
(Continued from Page 115, Vol. V., No. 2.)
Wed.y. 7
Fine warm weather.
The three freemen got a small supply of articles to enable them to reach Mr. Ogden[161]and went off to join him.—I wrote to him by them.
Sent a man & an Indian off to the Kettle Falls with a supply of tools and articles of Trade for Mr. Dears.[162]
Some of the men were employed clearing out the store and opening & arranging some of the furs.—
Thursday 8
Sharp cold weather in the mornings but warm in the middle of the day. The men employed about the store.—I am busy making out a (scheme) to take an inventory and get the papers arranged.—
Little doing in the way of Trade, a few fish and roots but no beaver worth mentioning—A horse was traded today.
Friday 9
Overcast weather.
The men were employed airing and beating the Snake furs.—
Mr. Birnie & Kittson & I taking an inventory of the goods &c. in the store.—
Saturday 10
Thunder & heavy showers of rain.
The Store is in such bad order that the least rain pours in through the roof that scarcely anything can be kept dry except it is covered. Part of the Snake beaver were put out in the morning to air and be beat but the rain coming on they had to be taken in.
We are getting a few bad salmon in the barrier, but the most of them are so bad that they can scarcely be eaten.
Sunday 11
Clear fine weather.
Monday 12
Clear fine weather.
The men employed airing and beating the beaver.—Some Pendent Oreille Indians arrived and traded about 20 beaver.
Tuesday 13
Overcast lowering weather.
The men employed about the store.
Wed.y. 14
Clear fine weather.
The people employed about the store, the remainder of the furs were aired and beat, they are now all piled bye in excellent order.
Getting very little fresh provisions, the barrier is producing nothing even of the bad salmon.
Thursd.y. 15
Sent a man and an Indian off to the Kettle Falls with some provisions & other articles required for the Express. Mr. McLeod's family[163]accompanied them.—
The smith & one man employed making Axes. The other man cleaning up the store & about the Fort. A few Nezperces Indians with a large band of horses arrived from the plains, they had been collecting roots and came on a visit. No furs.
Friday 16
Thunder & heavy showers of Rain.
The smith making Axes, the other men differently employed about the Fort.
Satd.y. 17
Pleasant weather.
Had horses brought from the plains to set out to the Kettle Falls tomorrow accompanied by Mr Kittson to send off the canoe with the Express to the Rocky Mountains & see how the people are getting on with the buildings.
After dark a man and an Indian arrived from Wallawalla in three days with letters from Fort Vancouver dated on the 5th inst. Some for Mr Ogden & some for the (mountain), with instructions to forward the former by a trusty person to meet Mr Ogden at the Flat Heads or carry them to him if it can be done with safety. I am also directed by Mr McLoughlin to stop the buildings at Kettle Falls till the arrival of the Express from across, because the site[164]pointed out for the Fort is on the South side of the River.—
I wrote to Mr Dease as I have to be off early in the morning, though the man will not get off for a day or two as his horses are fatigued.
Sunday 18
Foggy weather in the morning. Mr Kittson & I set out at ½ past 5 oclock from Spokane and arrived at the Kettle Falls at ½ past 6 in the evening which is good days ride. We had two horses each, we left the ones which we rode in the fore part of the day about half way, though they were not knocked up. We were only two hours from the South endof the long plain[165]to the Kettle Falls. The men who left Spokane on the 15th arrived last night.—
Monday 19
Cloudy weather.
Set the Express men to work to gum the boat and sent them off[166]at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The crew consists of 8 men. The boat is not deep laden but a good deal lumbered on account of the passengers, Mr McLeod's wife & 2 children, Mr Ross's wife and 4 children & St. Martin & 1 child. The men have provisions, corn, pease, dry meat & dry salmon for 36 days. The despatches are in Pierre L'Etang's charge.—Two of the Express men were sick one with venereal, two others had to be sent in their place.—
Since I have been here last very little progress has been made in the building. Not a stick of the house is up yet nor will the timber be in readiness for some time, I expected the frame at least would have been up. The causes assigned for this slow progress is principally the want of a proper hand to lay out the work for the men. L. La Bonta it appears is quite unfit for this duty, the whole of the posts (14) were squared too small & others of a proper size had to be taken out of the woods.—J. B. Proveau is now laying out the work & the business is going better on. The timber for the frame is now pretty well advanced in readiness to put together, but only about the 1/3 of the filling up pieces are squared. Sawing also has gone on very slowly, only about 93 boards & planks are yet cut—the saw at first was badly sharpened, & some time was lost putting it in proper order. Some of the men were also often sick, or pretended to be so, & unfit for work. Certainly there is little work done for the number of men & times they were employed.
7 men since the 10th or 12th August and 9 more men since the 1st inst.
Tuesday 20th
Raining in the forepart of the day.—
Set out at 11 oclock on our return to Spokane & encamped at 7 at the Big Camass plain.[167]
Left directions with Mr Dears to keep the men at work a fewdays longer to have the timber for the store all in readiness to be put up in the spring if another situation does not be fixed upon. There is no other convenient spot near the fishing at the falls on which to build a fort. It will be necessary to call home the men to put the houses, etc., at Spokane in order to pass the winter.—Mr Dears is to be in readiness to proceed up the Pendent Oreville River when the men are called home.
Wed.y. 21
Foggy in the morning, fine weather afterwards.
Proceeded on our journey at 6 oclock and arrived at Spokane before 11. Mr. Kittson & I crossed the point from the (Buffau de Chaudin[168]), in 50 minutes.
Nothing material has occurred during our absence. By an Indian arrival lately from the Flat Heads it is reported that the Blackfeet have stolen the most of our peoples' horses which were in company with the F Head Indians. It seems the horses & some of the freemen who last left Mr Ogden were ahead of the Flat Head camp with some of the chiefs and that the women & people had stopped to gather berries while the horses went on a short distance ahead with (Revit)[169]& crossed a small River where the Blackfeet were lying in wait and drove them off. The F. Head chiefs, on the alarm being given, instantly pursued but could come up with only a few of the horses, and killed one of the thieves, and it is now reported that the F. Head chiefs are so exasperated that war is determined upon & that the Blackfeet will be attacked immediately. however this is only Indian reports.
The young Indian who was sent off with the despatches to Mr Ogden on the 28th Augt. is supposed to have reached the Flat Head camp some time ago.—
Thursday 22nd
Clear fine weather.
Part of the men here employed covering the store with mats, the others getting firewood.
Fresh provisions are now very scarce scarcely a sufficiency of trout and a small kind of salmon can be procured for on our table, and very few of the bad salmon are got so that the people are mostly fed on dry provisions.
Friday 23
Clear fine weather.
The people employed as yesterday, two covering the store with mats & two getting firewood.
Saturday 24
Clear fine weather.
Men employed as yesterday. Finished covering the store with mats.
Sunday 25
Weather as yesterday.
Part of the Nezperces Indians went off today. they have been here some time.
Monday 26
Fine weather.
Late last night Faneant one of Mr Ogden's men arrived from the Missouri with letters dated on the 11th inst—Mr. Ogden is now on his way with 20 men to Wallawalla by the Snake Country[170]and has sent orders here for the part of his outfit that is at this place, with about 50 horses, 20 saddles and appichimans, leather, cords, etc., to be forwarded to meet him at Wallawalla. he expects to reach that place about the 20th October. He also requests Mr Dears to be sent to meet him with the horses.—There will be only about 20 horses left, and the most of them unfit for any duty.—
Tuesday 27th
Clear fine pleasant weather.
Sent off an Indian to Wallawalla with Mr Ogden's disptaches, so that they may reach Mr Deane as soon as possible, that he may forward them to the sea if he deems it necessary & also have time to purchase horses for Mr Ogden.—An Indian with some horses was sent off to Kettle Falls with instructions for Mr Dears to get the potatoes put in a pit and well covered up so that the frost cannot injure them, that they may serve for seed next year. He is also to get the timber laid up in a proper manner, & come home as soon as possible with the men and all the tools.—We will have plenty of work for all the men here, preparing material for boats, & providing fuel for the winter and repairing the houses. These jobs require to be done before the Express arrives as the number of men allowed for this place will have plenty to do attending to the boat building and other necessary jobs during the winter. My object in having them at Kettle falls when I was last there was to save provisions & to have thematerial for them ready to set up. Mr Dears is directed to leave strict injunctions with the old chief to see that nothing that is left there be injured by the Inds. The tools are all to be brought home.
Wed.y. 28
Clear fine weather.
A few Indians coming & going, but very little doing in the way of trade. I am busy arranging the accounts, but the Inventory was so incorrectly taken in the spring and the goods disposed of in the beginning of the season so badly accounted for that, I cannot get any kind of a satisfactory account made out out.—
Thursday 29
Fine weather.
Had a man employed these two days past cutting (?) (?) into cords. An Ind. was employed, boiling gum.—Scarcely any fresh provisions. Nothing for the people, and but very little for our own table.
Friday 30th
Cloudy mild weather.
Visited the hay makers they will require a day or two yet to have a sufficiency made.
Octr. Satd.y. 1
Some rain in the night, cloudy mild weather afterwards.
Mr Dears and the men under his charge arrived from Kettle Falls with all their tools baggage etc. They were sent for in good time as they would have been obliged to come home or have had provisions sent to them as no more could be got there.—He took up the potatoes and put them bye in a little house that was built there by one of the men, the produce is only 13 kegs[171]from six that were sowed. they burried & (put) a good thickness of earth over them that the frost may not injure them so that they may serve for seed next year if the Indians do not steal them in the winter. The old chief is directed to take particular care of them. The timber &c. is also left under his charge, and he promised to take good care of it as well as the potatoes.
It would require ten men, 8 or 10 days yet to have the store up and ready for covering the roof. The frames are now all ready for setting up and about the one half of the filling up pieces ready, of the covering planks 18 feet long are ready plank of ten feet for doors &c and boards of two feet for the gable ends are also ready.—There have been 7 menat work from the 10 or 12 of Augt. to the 30th. 16 & part of the time 17 from the 1st to 19th Sept. and 9 men from the 19th of Sept to the 28th were employed doing this work.—had there been an experienced hand to lay out the work for the men much more would have been done.—
We will have full employment for all the men now till the Express arrives preparing material for boats, making cor(r)als, getting firewood, and putting the houses in order for the winter, these works will require to be done now, as there will not be enough of people here to attend to them in winter.—
Sunday 2nd.
Heavy rain in the night & forepart of the day.—
The Indian who was sent to Kettle Falls with the horses did not return till today. One of his horses which he had to leave by the way was stolen by an Indian & taken to the Chutes, he said he had taken him in revenge for a quarrel he had with one of the women of the fort from whom he got a bloody face, this happened only a few days ago.
Monday 3
Fair mild weather.
Had four of the men off seeking timber to saw for boats, they felled nine trees none of which would serve, they are a good distance up along the River seeking it.[172]Wood of the dimensions required, 40 feet long & 14 inches square, is difficult to find.
The most of the others were employed getting firewood, they tried to raft in the morning but the wood is so far from the water side and the river so shallow that they could make nothing of it & had to commence cutting cord wood which will have to be carted[173]home by horses.
Tuesday 4
Fine pleasant weather.
The men employed as yesterday, those in search of the boat timber found three trees suitable for the purpose & have made some progress in squaring them.
Wed.y. 5th.
Clear fine weather.
Two more men were sent to assist the squarers. The others were employed taking up the potatoes, the crop is but very indifferent only about 28 kgs from 5 that were sowed, they had begun to grow again & some of them were budded several inches.
Prepared & tied up sundry articles to be sent off tomorrow to Nezperces for the Snake expedition, the horses were brought home in the evening to be ready.—
Thursday 6
Sharp frost in the morning.—
The Indian Charlie who is to accompany the people to Nezperces did not arrive as he had promised and one of the men's horses being lost, deferred sending the party off till tomorrow.
The men were sent off to assist in getting home the timber, they got it in and down part of the way. The River is very shallow & it is difficult getting it down the rapids.
Friday 7
Weather as yesterday.
Sent off the party to Nezperces at 8 oclock, it consists of Messrs. Kittson, Dears, their wives[174], six men & 2 Indians, with 50 horses 18 of which were loaded, the loads are not heavy. Mr Kittson, 4 of the men and 1 Indian are to return, some of the horses are to be brought back if they can be spared. Mr Dears & the other two men who belong to the Snake expedition are to remain.—The party are well armed and I think sufficiently strong to pass through the Indians with safety.
The men at the Fort got home the timber and were afterwards employed getting wood for a sawpit.
Trade has been improving a little for some time past, a few beaver are coming in daily.—No fresh provisions, this will likely be a starving winter with the Indians, they are getting no bad salmon, formerly at this season they used to be abundant.
By the old Kettle Falls chief I sent a note to be handed to the Gentlemen coming in with the Express.—It was intended that some one would, in compliance with the Governors orders, would have gone up the Pedent Oreille River to examine it. Mr Dears was to have gone, but his having to go to Nezperces prevented it. Mr Kittson in consequence of a hurt in the foot received by a fall last winter of which he is not yet thoroughly recovered & which prevents him from undertaking any journey on foot of any extent he was incapable of going, moreover it was considered necessary that for the more safe conveyance of the property to WallaWalla & the safe return of the people who have to come back, that he should (mak) (an effort to?) accompany the party. Mr. Birnie declared himself totally incapable of embarking in a small Indian canoe & could not undertake thetrip but in a large canoe with at least four men, from the press of business at present, & a great deal of work being absolutely necessary to be done before winter commences it is impossible to spare the men, the examining the River must, therefore be deferred until next season. I am sorry it is out of our power to execute the Govrs instructions[175], though as we are at present situated, not having been able to remove the Fort, the trade can sustain no injury by the river not being examined this season, for even were the River navigable, the old rout would be preferable.
Satd.y. 8
Cloudy cold weather.
Some of the men employed finished the sawpit & getting everything in readiness to commence sawing on Monday.—The others cutting firewood.
Sunday 9
Weather as yesterday, some rain in the night.—
Monday 10
Cloudy cold weather, showers of rain & hail, rain in the night.
Men employed as follows.—Two sawing wood for boats, 2 seeking stem and stern posts, and six cutting wood for coals. The sawyers got on pretty well. The wood for stem & stern posts was also found.
Tuesday 11
Cold showery weather.
Sent off 4 men with 6 horses to seek cedar for boat timber. 4 were employed cutting wood for coals & 2 sawing.
Wed.y. 12
Heavy rain the greater part of the day.
Men employed as yesterday, but on account of the bad weather, both the wood cutters and sawyers were stopped a considerable time.—A sufficiency of wood is cut for the coals, but they have yet to build it into a pit or furnace.
Thursday 13
Heavy rain the greater part of the day. The rain kept the people idle a considerable part of the day. With this unfavourable weather the work is getting on very slowly.
Friday 14th
Cloudy fair weather.
The woodmen finished arranging the wood for the coals, they are now ready to set fire to. Those who went off on tuesday returned with the wood for boat timber sufficient for 4 boats they would have been back sooner had it not been for the bad weather. The sawyers got on pretty well, but unfortunately one of the logs which we had so much trouble getting, turns out to be rotten in the heart, it was sound at both ends. It will not answer the purpose & finding trees of a proper size & getting them home is attended with a good deal of difficulty.
Satd.y. 15
Cloudy fair weather.
Four men employed squaring a piece of timber 40 feet long, 12 inches wide and 6 thick to make up for the boards that are deficient in the one that was rotten. Two others of the men brought home some white earth to whitewash the houses. The sawyers made about 120 feet today.
Sunday 16
Wather as yesterday.
Monday 17
Cloudy fair weather.
The men brought home the log which was squared on Saturday.—Afterwards 6 were employed cutting firewood, 2 cutting wheels for a truck, to cart home wood & 2 sawing. It requires all hands to be employed at firewood as none was cut in summer it being supposed that the fort was going to be removed.
Tuesday 18
Cloudy pleasant weather, frost in the night & foggy in the morning.—
Men employed as yesterday. The sawyers made about 110 feet. The Indians had taken away the canoe so that the men could not get home the wheels after they were cut.
Old Philip occasionally catches a few little fish with the scoop net which with a choice trout got from the Indians serves on our table but the people are fed entirely on dry provisions.
Wed.y. 19
Cloudy weather.
Men employed as yesterday. Mr Kittson and his party arrived from WallaWalla[176]in 5 days. All the property &c. reached that place safe.
He has letters from Dr McLaughlin and Mr Dease, the former had just arrived at WallaWalla and intimates that he will probably visit[177]this place to meet the Express.—Mr Kittson brought five horses & four men back with him, two of the men which were sent (Cender) and (Laduoite), were exchanged for Wagner and Pierre, the former is sent here by way of punishment for disobedience of orders.—Mr. Kittson had six horses with him but he had to leave one of them by the way, which the Indians promised to take back. So that 5 will have to be deducted from the number sent.
Thursday 20
Fine weather.
The four men who arrived yesterday employed packing up saddles. appichimans, cords &c. for N. Caledonia & Thompson's River, which are to be sent to the Forks to be forwarded to Okanogan by the Express boat. Our men employed white washing the Fort, the others employed sawing & cutting wood as yesterday.
Friday 21
Weather as yesterday.
Men employed as yesterday. Finished packing the saddles appichimans &c—and sent a man & an Indian off to the Plains[178]for the horses to send off to the Forks tomorrow.
One of the (?) Soteaux who has been here some time set off in the evening to the Flat Heads with several of the Spokane Indians. he got a small supply of ammunition and other necessary articles. Mr. Ogden requested this man to be sent to him to Wallawalla but we could not get him prevailed on to go, he is an Indian and it is useless to withhold these supplies as he would have gone off without them & in sulks & probably hunted more during winter. We endeavored to detain him till the arrival of the Express but he would not stop.—
Saturday 22
Cloudy fine weather.
Part of the men employed cleaning about the Fort, the others as before.
Sent off J. B. Proveau, Louis (Shaegockatsta) and two Indians (one of them the chief of this place.) to the Forks with 16 horses loaded with the appichimans saddles &c. for New Caledonia & Thompsons River. The people are to remain at the Forks till the Express arrives.
Sunday 23
Clear pleasant weather.
Some Nezperces Indians are now driving towards the Fort.
Monday 24
Pleasant weather.
Two men employed sawing, 2 beating & changing the furs to another place, 5 cutting wood, 1 making wheels & arranging a carriage for wood, 2 sundry jobs.—The sawyers finished the wood for 3 boats, in all 73 boards 6 Inches wide and 40 feet long & 3 broad pieces for keels 40 feet long & 14 Inches wide, and 6 pieces for gunwales 40 feet long & 2 Inches wide in 15 days, they worked well, they were retarded a good deal by bad weather when they commenced.
Sunday 25
Clear pleasant weather.
The sawyers squaring two trees for plank to make a stern box for the boat timber. 1 man carting home wood, the other employed as yesterday.
Wedy 26
Frosty in the morning fine weather afterwards.
Two of the men employed covering the dwelling house with mats, the sawyers squared a log for boards to make a stearing box, the others cutting cord wood.
Thursday 27
Weather as yesterday.
The sawyers sawing, the others employd as yesterday—The horse keeper came home & reported that three of his horses have strayed.—
Friday 28
Weather as yesterday.
The men employed as yesterday.
Old Philip & another man finished covering the dwelling house with mats,—and afterwards commenced burning a pit of coals.
Saturday 29th
Overcast mild weather.
Men employed as before. The sawyers brought home another log for a few more boards.—
Sunday 30
Clear mild weather.
Employed all day taking an Inventory of the goods in the store.
Monday 31
Mild pleasant weather. At midnight last night, A. R. McLeod[179]Esq. C. T. & Mr. F. Ermatinger arrived from the Forks with the Express. Mr. Black & Mr. E. Ermatinger remained at the Forks.—Towards evening Mr. McLeod with three men and an Indian on horseback set out for Nezperces to meet Mr McLaughlin with the despatches. Three men were also sent off with provisions for the people at the Forks and to bring up some property that has been brought back from the Rocky mountains.
One of the passengers St. Martin who was going out, was drowned crossing a small creek near the mountains. By Mr. McLeod I wrote to Mr McLaughlin and to Mr Dease, apprising them that it will be incumbent on Mr Dease who is to come & take charge of this District, to make all the Expedition in his power that the Flat Head people may get off in sufficient time not to be stopped by the ice.
Tuesday 1st (November)
Overcast mild weather.
Messrs. Kittson[180]and Ermatinger left for the Forks the former to return with the horses and property, the latter to accompany the boats to Okanagan.
The men remaining at the Fort were employed cutting & carting home wood. Mr Birnie & I finished taking the invtry.
Wed.y. 2
Overcast cold weather.
The men employed as yesterday. Two attending the coal pit that is burning, (charcoal) 3 cutting wood and 1 carting.
Thursday 3
Overcast cold weather, some snow in the night and the morning.
Mr. Kittson arrived from the Forks. he left the men behind they will not arrive till tomorrow.—The Express gentlemen also left the Forks yesterday. From some misunderstanding between Mr. McLeod & Mr.
Black respecting a man P. Wagner who was exchanged for one of the Spokane men at Wallawalla by way of punishment for disobedience of orders, & was to be taken to Okanagan taken in his place, and the Spokane man's place supplied by one of the new hands coming in, instead of which Wagner is taken on & no one left in his place. altho' Mr Kittson explained how it stood yet he said he had no orders, tho' mr. McLeod mentioned the circumstance to him in his letter. We will be a man short unless one is sent from Wallawalla.
Friday 4
Stormy cold weather, snowing.
The men arrived with the property from the Forks. they were so benumbed with cold that they could scarcely untie the loads.—the outside of some of the Bales were wet with soft rain & snow.
Satd.y. 5th
Snowing & raw cold weather, winter like weather.
Dilivered the Kootany outfit to Mr Kittson.—
The men that arrived yesterday not employed. The carter had to stop work, the snow clogged so to the wheels that he could not work.
Sunday 6th
Stormy, cold, snowing weather.
There is a good thickness of snow on the ground.—
Monday 7
Disagreeable weather soft snow and sleet.
The horses were brought home from the plains[181]& all the Kootany outfit prepared to be sent off tomorrow.
The Coer de Alan chief brought home three of our horses which have been missing some time. One of them was thought had been stolen.—two or three more have been missing some days.—
Tuesday 8
Some showers of rain and sleet & overcast foggy weather.
Mr. Kittson sent off his people, five men with nine horses and the Kootany outfit on horses to the Forks where they are to embark in a canoe or small boat and proceed up the Columbia to the entrance of McGillivrays Kootany[182]River, up which they are to continue to a place calledthe falls[183]about half a days march below the Old Fort, where they are to build. This road is taken in obedience to orders received from Governor Simpson.[184]By this route a considerable deal of horse carriage will be avoided, and the Fort being situated farther down the river will be the means of keeping the Indians in a part of the country, where beaver are more numerous than where they usually hunt near the Flat Head lands. Another advantage attending this track is that if necessary they will be able to put out much earlier in the spring. The only objection to this road is running the risk of being taken by the ice on account of the lateness of the season, as the River is not known but very imperfectly except from Indian reports, but as they will not be deep laden being only 14 or 16 pieces including baggage & provisions and as there are five men (an additional one being sent on account of the road not being known, & buildings to be erected) it is expected they will still arrive before the ice sets in calculating by the other road the distance cannot be very long.
Wed.y. 9
Foggy soft mild weather.
One man employed repairing & making horse harness, one filling up a pit in the boat house,[185]and one working about the store, two men are still attending the coal pit, which is not yet burnt out.
Put aside the greater part of the Outfit for the Flat Heads.
Thursday 10
Weather as yesterday—The snow has not all disappeared off the hills & very hollow places yet—
One man employed cutting wood, the other as yesterday—
Mr Kittson started for the Forks after his men, where he expects to arrive this evening, and embark tomorrow, the men will probably arrive a little before him and be employed gumming the boats.—Mr Kittson is not certain until he arrives at the Forks, whether he will take a canoe or a small boat, the men proposed taking the boat as it would be able to sustain much more injury than the canoe, and they thought they would be able to carry it, when it was necessary to carry it. I recommended Mr Kittson to be certain before he left the Forks whether they will be able to carry it.
Friday 11
Excessive heavy rain in the night, overcast mild weather during the day.
Two men cutting wood & 1 carting it home to fill up the sides of the house where the boats are to be built. Philip came home from his coal pit having finished it, he and another man have been employed at this job 15 days. Late last night an Indn. arrivd from Okanagan for a horse that was promised Mr Ermatinger, with which we sent off the Indn. this morning.
Satd.y. 12
Mild pleasant weather during the day. Sharp frost in the night.
Three men employed at wood for the boat house as yesterday—Philip doing little jobs in the forge, & Canotte tieing up the pieces of the Flat Head outfit.
An Indian arrived from the Forks with the horses that took down the Kootany outfit and brought a letter from Mr Kittson in which he informs us that the men were perfectly able to carry the boat and that he was going to take it, & expected to get on well—he would be off about noon yesterday.
In the evening the men who accompanied Mr McLeod arrived from WallaWalla, and brought letters from Mr Dease[186]informing us that in consequence of Mr Ogden not having yet arrived he was prevented from setting out for this place but directing me to to lose no time in setting out for the F. Heads and to leave Mr Birnie in charge of this place.—And also with directions to leave him any notes that may be useful to him.—
The horses from both places are much fatigued. Sent them off late in the evening to the plains.—
Sunday 13
Overcast mild weather.
Busy employed getting everything ready to set out to the Flat Heads[187]tomorrow. The horses were brought home in the evening they are so very lean & weak that we will scarcely get 12 the number required to carry the outfit and baggage across the portage able to go.
I have all the papers &c. in readiness to give Mr Dease all the information I can on his arrival, and requested Mr Birnie who is well acquaintedwith the place and the routine of the business to explain everything to him.
We will be compelled to take 8 men up as fewer would not be able to work the canoes, this will leave only 2 men here, but as many as possible must be sent down from the F. Heads as soon as we arrived.
Monday 14
Foggy soft weather.
Set out with the people before noon for the Flat Heads, and encamped at the Horse Plains,[188]which is but a short journey but, as the horses are very lean & did not feed last night they require to feed.
The Horses that remain except the 2 (carters) and 6 that are missing were put under charge of the Senchos chief who is to keep them during the winter.
Tuesday 15
Proceeded on our journey at 8 oclock and encamped at the little River[189]at the farthest end of the Coer de Alan plain at 3, the horses much fatigued.
Found four of our horses that were missing in the plain & 1 where we slept last night, the other is in the plains at the Chutes,[190]which is the whole that was missing.
(Le Course's) horse strayed in the night, he was searching for him all day without success, it was dark when he arrived at the camp.
Two of the men Paul and Felix were about all night. Paul was on a marrying excursion and had bargained with an Indian for his sister and paid him the articles stipulated for, but on coming a little further on passing the lodge of the girl's mother, who it seems had received nothing, she objected to the girl going and Paul much disappointed had to come away and leave her & the property too.
Wed.y. 16
Soft mild weather, heavy fog like drizzling rain.
Continued on journey before 8 oclock and encamped at 3 at the rat Lake[191]though but a short journey the horses much fatigued.—