Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 11.djvu/68

62 Frederick V. Holman 1845, whose donation claim is a part of the present City of Astoria, platted as Shively's Astoria. Shively went to the Eastern States in 1846 and returned to Astoria in 1847. It is a guide book for Oregon immigrants intending to cross the plains and is replete with good advice, which must have been of great aid to immigrants as it sets forth what supplies should be taken, the kind of wagons and animals to be used, where good camping places and water could be found, and a table of distances. On page 10, in two places, he speaks of the Mal- heur River and calls it the Mallair River. Malheur County is now bounded: on the north by Baker County and the Snake River ; on the east by the Snake River and the State of Idaho ; on the south by the State of Nevada ; and on the west by Harney County and a small portion of Grant County. Its county seat is Vale. Harney County. Harney County was created February 25, 1889, by the State Legislature. (General Laws of 1889, page 47). It comprises what were the southern and middle portions of Grant County. It is named for Major-General William Selby Harney, who was a noted Indian fighter, having taken part in the Black Hawk and Florida wars, and a war with the Sioux Indians. He was in the Mexican war and, for his part in the battle of Cerro Gordo, was brevetted brigadier-general. Upon being appointed a brigadier-general in January, 1858, he was assigned to the command of the Department of Oregon, being stationed at Vancouver Barracks. It was while in this com- mand, in July, 1859, he took military possession of San Juan Island, in the waters north of Puget Sound, which nearly led to a war with Great Britain. That he was right in claiming that the San Juan Archipelago belonged to the United States was determined October 21, 1872, by the decision of Emperor William, the matter having been submitted to him for arbitra-