John Work Journal 1834
The journal of John Work[1], a chief fur trader with the Hudson’s Bay Company offers many unique perspectives on the valley in 1834.
| Sunday May 31. | Fine & warm, cool at night & heavy (Dew in the morning. Continued our route 6 3/4 hours) about 24 miles S & S. S. W and encamped at the second fork from the Yamhill [*Luckiamute terr.]. The road for the first 16 [miles] lay through a fine uninterrupted [192] plain of fine soil, with some swampy places, with better pasturage than we have hitherto met with. There is also a small lake. On each side of us there were ranges of moderately elevated hills, some of them with little wood, the others thinly covered with oak, and here & there a patch of pine. Beyond these hills to the Eastward there are said to be other ranges of Plain country. Here we closed up pretty nearly with the mountains to the Westward, and crossed a small river the first from the Yamhill, when the road lay about 3 miles along a ridge of hills pretty well timbered with oak, & then along a marshy valley about 5 miles to the fork where we are encamped. |
| June 1. | Fine. Continued our route 7 hours, 24 miles. The first half of the way S. E. & then S. W. to the river at Sauvie [Laurie] [*Marys River] where we camped. The road for the first 14 miles lay through a plain country for about 7 miles across a point to another fork which falls into the river we left in the morning & thence over low hills & across along plain 7 miles further to another creek. All the way there is fine soil, and the low grounds about the creeks superior pasture land and very extensive to the E. Some woods along the banks of the rivers. And on the high ground oaks here and there. The road for the next 4 miles lay along the base of some hills thickly timbered with oak and composed of rich tile soil & pretty well covered with grass. Large tracts of open ground extend to the E. The road now lay along [194] an extensive plain, some parts of it swampy, to Laurie river where we are camped not far from its discharge into a Channel of the Willamet. Here is an extensive plain on both sides of the river, and the mountains to the W. are nearly without wood. Clover was observed today both on the high and on the low ground. The soil & herbage has the same appearance as usual. Where we are camped at the usual traverse of the river is too high to be forded, but we learn from the Indians it is fordable a little higher up.
We met a party of Indians today who informed us that all Michell’s party but himself and one man were killed by the Indians; that this report was received from an Indian who was coming from the Umquah with the news but turned back. Passed some Indian huts at the rivers we passed. A few natives visited us in the evening. The hunters were out in the evening, but without success. |
| June 2. | Fine. Proceeded 18 miles S & camped at the traverse at Sam [195] Tomeleaf [*Longtom] river. We were delayed some time in the morning fording a traverse where we camped last night, after which the road lay through an extensive plain, very level except place[s] & averaging from 5 to 7 miles wide. On our left or E side at a short distance lay first the small channel of the Willamet, then a long narrow lake like a canal & then the river where we camped. And to the W extends the chain of mountains, the first range of rising hills with little wood on them. The soil here is of the same description as that passed three days past, but from being mostly a dead level, considerable portions of it appear to have been under water in the rainy season. And in places the grass seems to be less luxuriant than we have observed hitherto, probably owing to the drought having rendered the ground hard & cracked. Along the banks of the lake some places are swampy. The river here is close to the mountains and runs over a bed of rocks over which there are steep clayey banks. On the E side of the [1961] river there are extensive plains.
By what we can learn from T. Mouria[?] the Islander the Companion of poor Mourio who was drowned coming with letters from M. Laframboise some time ago, it appears that it was somewhere about here that they embarked in the canoe to descend the river, and 2 days after (but he cannot make us understand when [where?]) the canoe came in contact with a stick or fallen tree that was in the river, & upset when the poor man was drowned & the letters & everything they had was lost, and he Morina barely saved himself by his good swimming and found his way to the settlement 2 days after nearly starved with cold & hunger. From the little information he can give us & the length of time elapsed since the important occurrence any attempt to find out the place, or anything relative to the accident would be fruitless. The hunters killed 1 deer. |
| June 3. | Chilly & rain. Continued our route 18 miles S S E & S. Crossed the [197) river in the morning when we continued up the E side of it to the commencement of the mountains, where we are camped on the same river. The road Jay through an extensive plain, the greater part of the way quite level, bounded to the E by the Willamet. Considerable portions of the plain are subject to inundation & parts of it are not so well clothed with grass as some of those we have already passed. Some places of it are also swampy. And parts of it gravelly which is the first soil of the kind we have seen since we started. This plain is 4 to 6 miles wide. The river here runs over a. muddy bottom with steep clayey banks so much so that it is difficult to water the horses. Where we left this morning would be an eligible situation for a settlement. On the E side of the river would serve for pasturage & the high ground on the W side for tillage & sheep walks; and the river could easily be made navigable. The hunters were out but without success, except P. Legare who killed 2 deer. There are some deer, but [198] they are very shy. Some Indians visited us in the evening. [*Longtom at Monroe to west of Eugene] |
| June 4. | Cloudy. Proceeded 20 miles, first S. S. W. & then S. S. E. through a hilly country. First up a narrow valley along the river where we are camped, & then across a range of hills and along another narrow valley, where we crossed some more hills to another valley which brought us to the Yangawa river [*Siuslaw River] where we camped at the foot of Elk Mountain.
This river at the foot of the mountain falls into the sea. Some spots of rocks are to be seen on the brows of some of the hills we passed today. Some parts of the valley we passed today are subject to inundation. There are also a few places marshy but all the rest of the way the soil appears very rich & clothed with a more luxuriant crop of herbage than we have met with since leaving the fort. There is a considerable quantity of clover among the long grass, which in many places is sufficiently rank & thick to be cut for hay, & most excellent hay it would make. [199] The ground appears highly susceptible of cultivation & would be superior pasture land, the low ground for cattle, the bare or partially wooded hills for sheep. The plain on the end of which we are camped is of considerable extent & has a pretty large swamp in the middle of it. The second valley through which we passed is watered by a fork of the river which we left in the morning. Through all the hilly country through which we passed the land on the sides of the hills and in the intervening valleys appears to be of a superior quality, or at least the vegetation is more luxuriant than on the low flat plains even where they do not appear subject to inundation. There is also some timothy grass similar to what we have from England. The clover is of the white or red kind & grows most luxuriantly on the border of swamp or on the plains, where the ground is a little damp & springy. The timber today was mostly oak & a few other trees, & pine on the higher hills.
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| June 18. | Fine. Returned to our station of the 17th [15th?]. There we met a party of Indians from the head of the Willamet, headed by a man named Charles who had been formerly a slave, but obtained his liberty & is now a chief. From this man we learned that the head of the Willamette is so difficult to ascend that it can only be hunted with canoes, & that for a length of time no one has been up it (indeed no white man has ever been all the way to the head of it) and that there are some beaver in it. I have [210] determined to go there & try what can be done as there is nothing to be got elsewhere that we can venture to go to. Old Satana & some of his men followed us up in the evening. The hunters out, P Legare killed a deer.
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| June 19. | Fine with squalls. Charles has some business to settle with the Indians which requires this day, and as he is to guide us to the head of the Willamet across the mountain we did not raise camp. There is some disturbance & rumors of war among the Indians here. It appears that an Indian was bitten by a rattlesnake some time ago & died. His friends accuse a tribe above of having effected his death by conjuring, & threaten to avenge it if property is not paid for the body, which will probably have to be complied with as the conjurers are the weaker party. One deer killed.
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| June
21. |
Fine. Proceeded 6 hours N. across the Elk mountain [*Elk Creek area]to a fork of the Willamet. Road across the mountains rugged & lies through thick woods. But on both sides places clear & covered with verdure. The soil more gravelly than we have seen for some time. | |||
| June 22. |
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| June 24. | Fine. Continued our route 16 miles N to the main or middle fork of the Willamet at the commencement of the mountains, or end of the plains or clear ground where we camped. The river here is 80 to 100 yds wide. From Indian information the upper part of this fork has never been visited by whites and beaver [212] are said to be numerous within a few days march of this place beyond the first range of mountains, where there is a valley, but from the mountainous nature of the country, thickly wooded, little or no grass, it would be very difficult to get to with horses & though the navigation is difficult, it is said to be practicable to ascend the river in canoes. I have determined therefore to send the people to try what can be done that way. The men were off & selected cedar trees to make canoes for the purpose and were afterwards getting their tools in readiness to commence making canoes tomorrow. [*Springfield] | |||
| June 25. | Fine. The tree is very large & pretty difficult to work. Several Indians visited us & corroborate what we have before heard respecting beaver being in the upper part of the river, & that the navigation is practicable, tho’ difficult. Traded 2 beaver. One of the men taken ill with fever. The [213] hunters were out but without success.
One of the Willamet freemen [Black], Louis, paid us a visit. He has killed 7 beaver within a few days between the settlement & this; and from his account upward of 80 beaver have been in the river from this downwards since the spring, the most of which must have come from above during the high water. |
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| June 26. | Fine. The people still busy with the canoes. Hunters killed nothing. | |||
| June 27. | Lowering weather, thunder & light rain. The canoes were brought out of the woods to the water side, but they are not finished yet. 1 deer killed.
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| 28. | Heavy rain. People busy finishing their canoes. F. Champaign still continues very ill.
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| 29. | Foggy with rain, The canoes 3 in number being ready, I sent off 6 men accompanied by 3 Indians to ascend to the head of this fork to trap beaver. They are allowed 2 months to be back here if they find wherewith to employ themselves so long. They will have some difficulty in [214] getting up but from the accounts the Indians give of beaver being numerous it is expected that they will get a good many. An Indian who is acquainted with that place & speaks the language of the natives there, the Melilish is engaged to accompany the people. Two men remain with the families to hunt for them, & take care of the horses. These men are to have a share of the hunt the same as those who have gone off. Champaigne who is ill with the fever also remains but he is not concerned in the partnership. Gave Kanota a few articles to trade any beaver he may find and make trifling presents to the Indians.
Some Indians arrived in the afternoon from McKenzies fork & brought a few pieces of salmon. Traded 2 beaver.
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| June 30. | Fine. Proceeded 10 miles N. W. to Mr. McKay’s old house [*confluence of Willamette and McKenzie] where I left the three men & Champaign & the men’s families that are gone up the river, as this is said to be a better place for deer than where the canoes were made. [215] 1 then continued down the river 12 miles W. to the plain accompanied by De Champ, an Owyhee & an Indian on the way to the fort with the furs. The road lay through a hilly country, woods & clear ground, & the rest thinly timbered. The banks of the river are thickly wooded. A good deal of the soil is gravelly and of a poor quality, yet a good deal of pasture on the S. side of the hills. The herbage is being already dried up. Some parts of the road stoney.[3] |
| July 1 | Fine. Continued our course 24 miles W.& W. N. W. down the river & then across a plain to the traverse at Lamitambuff[?] Met 2 Indians & traded the meat of a deer; three other Indians passed us but made a very short stay & appeared to be much afraid of something. Parts of plain gravelly & soil poor, herbage getting dry & the ground has an arid appearance; on the lower spots grass luxuriant.[2] |
[1] “McKay’s old house” probably was at or near the confluence of Willamette and McKenzie rivers, some six miles north of the site of Eugene. From this place the canoes would ascend McKenzie River. John Work then continued the day’s journey to a place apparently west of the site of Harrisburg. “McKay’s old house” indicates that an earlier trading party under leadership of Thomas McKay had a temporary trading post there.
[2] Lamitambuff probably was Sam Tomeleaf River of June 2 (Long Tom River). Camp apparently was several miles northeast of the site of Monroe. “Longtabuff River,” tributary of the Willamette, is mentioned in David Douglas’ journal, printed in London, 1914, page 236. This is probably a form of the modernized name Long Tom.
[3]John Work’s Journey from Fort Vancouver to Umpqua River, and Return, in 1834
Introduction and Comments by Leslie M. Scott, https://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/jwork/work13.html
Work, John. John Work Journal 1834, John Work papers, 1823-1944 (bulk 1823-1835) Microfilm, Victoria, British Columbia, Provincial Archives of British Columbia.
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