Alexander Ross' Travels on the Columbia, 1810-13
Adventures of the First Settlers in Washington and Oregon
Mar 31, 2009
Alexander Ross, an immigrant from Scotland, was a “down on his luck schoolmaster who needed a job and a fresh start”. He joined the John Jacob Astor expedition to the Oregon country in 1810. (Ronda, 91). Ross boarded the Astor ship, the Tonquin “in New York harbor on September 6, 1810, one of thirty-three passengers bound for the Columbia River.” (Ross, Preface by William Robbins, x). The Tonquin was escorted out of New York Harbor by the famous USS Constitution and reached the Columbia River on March 26, 1811. (Ross 43). Alexander Ross explored the Washington and Oregon coastlines and the Columbia River for two years. Thirty Years later he wrote a book about his adventures.
Description of Natives
Ross described the ten tribes of natives who lived near the mouth of the Columbia River, although only two of the tribes are known today. All ten tribes were related, spoke the same language and had the same customs and belief. Together they had about 2,000 men. They were described as “commercial rather than a warlike people.” (Ross 102-15) Ross also described other tribes including the Sinkaietks tribe at Oakinacken, (near present day Okanogan, Washington). He describes in great detail the Sinkaietks’ everyday life, social customs, religious practices, marriage and family life, edible roots and berries, diseases and medicinal practices. During this winter of 1811-12, when he lived alone within the Sinkaietks territory he trapped or traded for 1,550 beaver skins. (Ross 158). Two years later, in 1813, he married the prominent daughter of a Sinkaietks chief and lived the rest of his life with her retiring to the Red River settlement in 1826. (Ross, Preface xiv).
Indian Economics and Trading with Whites
Ross also describes the nature of the bargaining between the whites and natives. At the mouth of the Columbia River Chief Comecomly, of the Chinook Tribe, established contact with the whites and extended early offers of friendship and trade. Chief Comecomly captured and returned six crew members who had deserted. (Ross 93). He was also very helpful with providing the whites with game and other food items. It was later discovered, however, that Comecomly’s motivation was not entirely friendly but was rather capitalistic and business oriented. He warned of an impending attack by natives from other tribes which did not exist, or rather was stirred up by his own promotion, all designed to monopolize the fur trade with the whites. Later when an exploration and negotiation party was organized to travel north the whites were nearly attacked before calmer heads prevailed and it was discovered by the natives that the whites’ price for their beaver skins was more than they had been offered by Comecomly, who was buying skins and reselling them. (Ross 94-6). Comecomly’s warnings of the hostile intent of the neighboring tribes had some measure of truth to it, however, as later a settler was killed and much later eight more “were cut to pieces by them”. (Ross 97).
Stories of Indian Women
Another interesting story told by Ross was of the two women, who Ross had originally thought to be a man and his wife who joined the explorers in 1811, on a trip up the Columbia River to reach the winter camp at Okanogan where Ross would spend the winter of 1811-12. Ross described the two women as “bold adventuresome amazons” who rode sometimes ahead of the group and sometimes behind. As they did so they told stories to the natives “well calculated to astonish as well as attract attention.” They carried with them a letter which they claimed to have been written by the “great white chief”, with a message that they were representatives of the great white chief and that the natives must give gifts and presents to win the favor of the great white chief. This was entirely a scam which worked quite well as by the time they reached the Okanogan River they had collected 26 horses “many of them loaded with the fruits of their false reports.” (Ross 153-4).
Contact with Hudson Bay Company
As the party traveled up the Columbia River they encountered a representative of the Hudson Bay Company, a Mr. Thompson, who had traveled with them for a time but then went on ahead. At the place where the Walla Walla River empties into the Columbia they observed a British flag which had been planted there by Thompson along with a small pole upon which Thompson had written words claiming all territory north for the British Empire. He had given presents to the natives and had instructed them to not allow the Americans to travel any further up the Columbia River, but to instead force the Americans to travel up the Walla Walla River. The natives were not inclined to obey the instructions Thompson gave but instead stated that if the Americans could give them more presents than were given by Thompson then they would be allowed to travel up the river. This was accomplished and the journey continued. (Ross 137-9).
Indian Pow Wow at The Dalles
Ross described the great meeting places along the Columbia that many tribes would gather atduring certain times of the summer and engage in trade, games and socializing. The first was at the place now known as The Dalles and the second at the junction of the Columbia and Walla Walla Rivers. 3,000 natives gathered at The Dalles every year. Ross saw four thousand horses and was entertained by Chief Tummatapam, of the Shaw Haptens Tribe, (Ross 137), who was described by Ross as “a middle-aged man, well featured, and of a very agreeable countenance….(he) was very kind to us, and rendered us considerable service…” (Ross 141).
Sources:
Alexander Ross, Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River, 1810-1813
James P. Ronda, Astoria and Empire, (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990).
