040 SOUTHERN OREGON. 



the losses they had met with from the small-pox, which they said 

 had been introduced among them by the Company's parties under 

 Michel and M'Kay ; and their anger was much increased by his 

 refusal to supply them with ammunition. So critical did he con- 

 sider the state of affairs, that he was about to despatch a messenger 

 to Vancouver, to inform Dr. M'Laughlin of his situation ; he had not 

 ventured to leave the fort for many days. 



Mr. Gangriere, besides entertaining Messrs. Emmons and Agate 

 with tea, &c, gave them an account of the dangers they had to pass 

 through. He informed them that he had long before heard of the 

 intended journey, through the Indians, and that the news had passed 

 on to all the tribes, who were collecting in vast numbers to oppose 

 their passage, having sworn vengeance against all the whites, or those 

 connected with them. He also stated that within a short time they 

 had murdered two half-breeds who had been living peaceably among 

 them, but who had been formerly employed by the Hudson Bay 

 Company. By way of making his story more credible, he said that 

 the Shaste Indians had sent him word that they were lying in wait 

 for the whites when they should come. Large numbers of the 

 Umpquas, according to him, had assembled at the usual crossing, to 

 arrest the progress of the party, and he advised Lieutenant Emmons 

 to cross the river at a place higher up. Mr. Gangriere furthermore 

 thought their numbers so small that he was sure they would be all 

 killed. 



Lieutenant Emmons places the fort in latitude 43° 24' N. From 

 the account given by Mr. Gangriere, the river pursues a northwesterly 

 course, and runs a distance of thirty miles before it enters the sea. 

 It is navigable from the ocean to the place where the Umpqua and 

 Elk rivers unite, about three miles below the fort, for vessels drawing 

 not more than six feet water. The mouth of the Umpqua offers no 

 harbour for sea-going vessels, and has only nine feet water on its bar. 

 Its entrance is very narrow, with low sands on the north and south 

 sides. 



The Umpqua country yields a considerable supply of furs, and 

 principally of beaver, most of which are of small size. The regu- 

 lations of the Company do not seem to be so strictly in force here 

 as to the north of the Columbia, in relation to buying the small 

 skins. These, I have understood, they refuse to purchase there ; and 

 every Indian who is found with a small skin is refused supplies of 



