COAST OF OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. 341 



width between that island and the Square Rock. Vancouver's Island 

 is three-quarters of a mile in length; it has a conical hill on its east end. 

 Square Rock lies opposite to it on the south shore, and a mile above it 

 is the Obelisk. From the latter the channel passes to the high bluff on 

 the north shore, called the Natural Wharf. Three miles above this, on 

 the same shore, is Cape Horn ; the bluff continues 2 miles beyond. 

 Hermit Islet lies below, near the middle of the river ; the channel is 

 between it and the north shore, where the water is deep. On the 

 south side the shores are low and sandy, the river quite shallow and 

 filled with shoals and small sandbanks. Grist Point, is a low sandy 

 point. The point next above Grist Point is Rounding Point, situated 

 directly opposite to the east end of Cape Horn Bluff. Here the 

 channel is the whole width of the river ; as it approaches Long Island 

 it turns towards the south shore. Long Island lies close to the north 

 shore, is composed of sand, with a very few bushes growing on it. 

 Between it and the shore there is a narrow passage for barges and 

 boats, which may be used to avoid the strength of the current when 

 ascending the river. Seven miles above Long Island is the head of 

 navigation, near what was named Castle Rock, at Observatory Point, 

 on the north shore. Holmes and Eld Island lie at the foot of the 

 Cascade Range, and near to Observatory Point are the Rapids, the 

 highest point of the survey. Above this, the river flows with the 

 velocity of a mill-race, where the first portage occurs. At this place 

 there is a small inlet. 



The Willamette, though a much smaller stream than the Columbia, 

 is one of its most important branches : it is navigable for 23 miles to 

 its falls, by small vessels : 3 miles above its mouth the western or 

 Wapautoo branch turns off, forming Multnomah Island, joining the 

 Columbia, as before remarked, between Warrior's Point and Wyeth's 

 Bluff. The course of the Willamette and its branch is serpentine. 

 Its lower reach is to the south 3 miles ; thence it turns to the southeast 

 6 miles, to Willow Island ; again south 5 miles, to the Oak Islands, 

 varying beyond them for 3 miles to the southward and eastward, where 

 it makes an elbow to the southward and westward of 2 miles ; thence 

 a south-southeast course of 4 miles to Goat Island, at the mouth of the 

 Klackamus ; it then turns to the southwest, 1 mile to the falls. Its 

 banks are composed of bluffs and low prairie. The channel is narrow, 

 and at places intricate, particularly abreast of the islands ; the Oak 

 Islands lie on its east side. The Wapautoo branch is also navigable, 



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