COAST OF OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. 



339 



channel runs on the south side. Two miles above this island the river 

 contracts in width to half a mile. On the north shore there is a fine 

 salmon fishery, near the Mitlait Creek, which is just opposite to 

 Coffin Rock, where the Columbia is 30 fathoms deep. The river 

 continues of the same width 1£ miles, to Holmes Point, when it 

 again enlarges to upwards of a mile in width, Sandy Island occupying 

 the centre of it. The best channel is near the south shore ; that 

 on the north, though wider, has less depth. The Lalu Islets lie 

 along the north shore : a narrow passage divides them from the land. 

 Five miles above Holmes Point is Brown's Point. On the south shore 

 the Kalukau Creek forms Deer Island, 3 miles long. The creek is 

 much used by boats and barges when the river is high. Opposite to 

 Brown's Point lies Smoke and Paia Islands : these are formed by 

 Stiak Run. At the upper end of Paia Island lies Porpoise Shoal, on 

 which that vessel grounded for several hours ; we borrowed too much 

 on the north shore. It is better to keep a mid-channel course, avoid- 

 ing the shoal which makes off from the Deer Island side. The course 

 of the Columbia here varies to nearly south, and continues to Ca- 

 zenove Point, 4 miles below Fort Vancouver. The river contracts 

 above Deer Island, and its south shore rises to 150 feet for a distance 

 of 5 miles. To this I have given the name of Wyeth Bluff, which 

 extends from Kalukau Creek to the Wapautoo or Lower Branch of 

 the Willamette River, which enters from the south-southwest, divid- 

 ing Multnomah Island from the south shore, and forming Multnomah 

 Island. At Warrior's Point, the lower end of Multnomah Island, the 

 river maintains the same course. Opposite to Warrior's Point two 

 small creeks enter, one from the southeast, called Calapuya ; the 

 other from the northeast, called the Snas Creek : the Nut Islets lie in 

 front of them. One branch of the Calapuya, called the Piscou Creek, 

 unites with the Columbia, 3£ miles above, separating a large part of 

 the low prairie land into an island, called Pasainks. Another branch 

 runs up to within a mile of Vancouver, and affords a safe and con- 

 venient passage for boats and canoes when the river is high ; at its 

 upper end it approaches within a few hundred feet of the river, at 

 which place there is a short portage. Above Piscou Creek, the river is 

 not over one-fifth of a mile wide, and continues so until Ramsey's 

 Island is passed ; it then widens to over half a mile, forming the Wil- 

 lamette Reach, 5 miles in length, as far as the upper mouth of the 

 Willamette, which flows into the Columbia, between Billy Bruce and 



