PREFACE. XI 



undefined extent." The word undefined was there used to 

 show that the boundaries of Louisiana, in those directions, 

 had not been, as on the east, definitely settled by accord of 

 the parties interested ; and this simple statement cannot be 

 impugned, by the assertion that Louisiana was then bounded 

 on the north by Canada, or the Hudson's Bay territories, the 

 limits of which were equally undetermined. 



Mr. Falconer has displayed very little fairness, in his 

 remarks on the part of this history, relating to the discovery 

 of the Columbia, in which he omits all notice of the prin- 

 cipal arguments in favor of the Americans, and against the 

 assertions of Vancouver and Broughton. With regard 

 to the bitterness which the author is said to evince to- 

 wards Vancouver, he confesses, that as an American, he 

 felt deeply, but more in sorrow than in anger, the insults 

 heaped upon his fellow-citizens, in the journal of that dis- 

 tinguished navigator : he has, however, in no instance ex- 

 pressed those feelings, without showing the circumstances 

 which gave rise to them ; and he has produced distinct 

 charges of invidiousness and want of good faith, on the 

 part of Vancouver, drawn entirely from his Journal, which 

 it will not be easy to controvert. It may be observed, 

 however, that Mr. Falconer rather apologizes for his coun- 

 tryman than defends him ; and that he does not seem dis- 

 posed to admit, that Gray never saw the Columbia or was 

 within five leagues of its entrance. 



With regard to the " Exploration of the territories of Ore- 

 gon, California, &c. by M. Duflot de Mofras," published re- 

 cently at Paris, by order of the king, and under the auspices of 

 Marshal Soult and M. Guizot, the author conceives himself 

 warranted in asserting, that although it professes to be the 

 result of long and minute observations, during a mission in 

 those countries, and of subsequent profound researches and 

 studies, yet the greater portion of the work is extracted 

 from the present History and the preceding Memoir on the 

 same subject, and it contains scarcely anything which might 



