Document 2: Charles Wilkes Explores the Pacific Northwest for the United States, 1841
Edmond S. Meany, ed., "Diary of Wilkes in the Northwest," Washington Historical Quarterly 16 (1925): 56-58, 140-45, 297-98.
Return to Document Concordance
May 3rd [1841].
. . . This day I made the survey of this Harbour [Port Discovery] employing 12 boats & officers, the wind blew fresh which prevented all the soundings from being carried through. The weather has been variable and the wind changeable. This harbour is surrounded by Hills wooded to the waters edge. . . .
6 May.
An extremely fine day. At 10:30 got under weigh and beat out of Port Discovery and rounded . . . Point Wilson [which is now in the city of Port Townsend] and went in and anchored. . . . This is a beautiful Bay [Port Townsend Harbor] and has a long level beach with a Pond of Freshwater backing it and a run into the Bay where vessels may be supplied. The Point, a low sandy one called Hudson's point, is bold to and may be passed about 1/4 of a mile in 10 fathoms [60 feet of water] from our anchorage. Mount Baker shows over Hudson Point. A large fleet might anchor and maneuver here, there is a Bluff that joins the beach abreast the ships, the top of which slopes to the water and is a beautiful lawn here and there with groups of trees and to the N[orth] and W[est] a fine copse of pine trees upwards of 1000 acres all ready for the plough. The soil is a light sandy loam but seems exceedingly productive. . . .
19th [May].
. . . Our distance made today was 22 miles mostly in a south direction—at 9 miles passed the Nisqually River by descending a bank of 350 [feet] in height almost in some place perpendicular, and we were obliged to walk down it. This led us across a ravine and after having crossed the River 100 yds. running a N.N.W. [north-by-northwest] course, with a strong rapid current about 3 feet deep at the ford we again ascended to the prairie level. The Nisqually overflows its banks in the spring and autumn together with all the Rivers which take their rise in the Cascade Mountains—Our route lay through most beautiful park scenery with the prairies here and there breaking through the magnificent pines. . . . About 7 miles of our route lay through the gigantic fine cedar forest and although they are called sapplings, [the cedars] were 6-1/2 feet in diameter and upwards of 200 feet in height. I could not control my astonishment. . . .
20th May.
. . . We remained here [along the Chehalis River] to rest our horses & to let them feed on the luxuriant grass for two hours when we again set off & our first feat of horsmanship was to descend a perpendicular bank some 15 or 20 feet high into a small creek 3 feet deep. This looked rather alarming but our horses seemed to take it so easy by sliding down on all fours that our fears were soon overcome & we got over safely; such novices as we thot [thought] we were doing a great feat. The soil now changed to a rich unctious clay in a few rods [a rod is 16.5 feet], and the wood became so thick with underbrush it was with both difficulty to horse and rider that we got on. Whilst the former was extricating his legs from the mud holes the latter required all his care and presence of mind to avoid being strangled or torn from his horse. This was not all, fallen trees of all sizes, in all directions were to be jumped or hobbled over as best could be done to the exhaustion of our patience and irritation of our tempers. . . . We encamped at the entrance of the forest having one of the beautiful prairies before us. . . .
21st [May].
We left our encampment at 9 o'clock, the weather having cleared off, and the mildness of the day & the freshness of everything around us from the last night's shower added additional beauties to the glowing scenery. Our route lay through alternate prairies & the magnificent forest of tall pines and cedar passing by fords several fine streams of water. . . . After passing an extensive plain called the Kamass of several miles I reached the [Hudson's Bay] Company's farm on the Cowlitz occupying an extensive prairie, and covered with luxurious crops of wheat, and affording a pleasant prospect to the eye with its extensive granaries & shed and litter of straw showing the product of the last year's crop and the industry of civilisation in the distance. Some of the free settlers with their log huts and young orchards attached put us in mind of our Western States [the region that we now refer to as the Midwest—Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, etc.] With the exception however of the remains of the conquered forest, here the ground is ready for the plough and nature seems as it were to invite the husbandman [farmer] to his labour. . . .
[Wilkes and his party traveled from Cowlitz Farm to Fort Vancouver, the regional headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company.]
June 1st, 1841.
. . . In the afternoon rode with Mr. [James] Douglass [a high-ranking HBC official who later became the first governor of British Columbia] to the Flour and Saw Mills. The first is about 5 miles from the Fort [Vancouver] but has one run of stones, is well built of timber but in consequence of the height of the [Columbia] River causing back water it was not in action. It is amply sufficient for the wants of the country at present—The Saw Mill is 2 miles farther and likewise on the Banks of the Col[umbia] and owing to the same circumstance of being placed too low part of the season it is out of use. It has several runs of Saws and is as fine a pile as I have seen anywhere, and in few countries could such material be procured for the framing of any building. All of its frame timber is [blank] feet in height squaring [blank] feet. The description of timber used for cutting into boards is far inferior to what we should deem merchantable in the United States being of the quality or little better than our hemlock.
All the hardwood plank or boards that may be required is yet cut by hand. Brig Wave was here taking on lumber for Sandwich Islands [Hawaii]. The boards sell at Oahu for 80$ the thousand. Could not ascertain their costs. About 20 men are employed at this moment at the Mill, some Sandwich Islanders and Canadians. . . .
From the mills we passed through the forest to the High Prairie and rode over it to one of the sheep walks—the soil is rather light but with manure will yield a good crop. These prairies are indeed beautiful covered with fine pines of gigantic heights, some whose branches are nearly touching the green sward, with oaks, maples, fir, & cedar, with intervening spaces of prairie.