Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/317

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LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 305

quently came along side, and brought Otter furs and fish. Their language to us was unintelligible. Experience strong currents setting to the southward. We have frequently seen many appearances of good harbours, but the currents and squally weather hindered us from a strict examination. How- ever Capt. Gray is determin'd to persevere in the pursuit. 119

AT ANCHOR OFF THE VILLAGE OF KENEKOMITT

27. N. Latt. 47 52*; W. Long. 123 30' O A. This day stood in shore, the weather having become more settled, and anchor'd with the Kedge in 15 fm. sand, abreast a village, call'd by the Natives Kenekomitt, 120 which was situate on a small Hill, just back of the Beach. The Indians brought us a fine lot of Skins, which we got chiefly for Copper, but the weather coming again unsettled, we weigh'd towards evening and stood off making short hanks off and on, shore. These Indians spoke the same language as those in De Fuca Straits.

28. This day spoke his Britannic Majesty's Ships Discovery and Chatham, commanded by Capt. George Vancover, and Lieutenant Wm. Broughton, from England, on a voyage of discovery. 121 Left England April 1st, 1791, Do Othaheita January, '92, and Sandwich Isles March, '92. A boat boarded us from the Discovery, and we gave them all the information in our power. Especially as respected the Straits of Juan De Fuca, which place they was then in search of. They bore away for the Straits mouth, which was not far distant. Stood in and drain'd the village we was at yesterday and then bore off after the English ships.

-29. Pass'd Tatooch Isle, close on board, and left a large ledge of Rocks without us, and stood into the Straits of De

1 19 Now off Willapa Harbor on Washington coast and no mention at all of mouth of Columbia rivr in passing. The longitude cited must be disregarded as too far east, an error common to the observations noted in this journal.

1 20 This village was close to a point now charted as Teakwhit Head. som miles southeast of the mouth of Quillayute river on the coast of Washington. A mall stream emptying there had some years ago the Indian name Kenehenwhitt. according to O. B. Sperlin, of Tacoma. Possibly identical with "Queenwith* mentioned by Barkley in 1787 and Meares in 1788.

I3i Compare with Vancouver's Voyages, ist Edit., vol. i, page 313, where it is stated that on April agth Capt. Vancouver anchored off Destruction Island, but made sail at 3 A. M. on morning of Sunday, the 29th. and at 4 A. M. sighted the Columbia, and had his officers on board of her at 7 A. M. This would have been about off the mouth of Quilliyute river. A New Vancouver Journal, published in Washington Historical Quarterly, vol. 5, p. 133, puts the date as joth of April.