Spokane County, Washington - Chapter 3: Other Explorers Axd Writers, 1900

Though we have referred to Rev. Samuel Parker's work as one which attracted the special attentirm of geologists, nevertheless we do not mean to slight in any degree previous explorers or undervalue their service. In a work like this we can do but little more than refer to them, and we deem it ath'isable to confine ourselves to those who actuallv visited the Spokane country, and came in contact with the Spokanes. The journals of Lewis & Clarke give us evidence that they tra\eled through the country of the Spokanes. But they refer to the Spokan woods, which is probably the first time for the word Spokan to b; recorded in history. Alexander Ross, in his book entitled, ".Vdventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River, being a narrati\e of the expedition fitted out by John Jacob Astor to establish the Pacific Fur Co.," refers to Mr. Clarke of said company, establishing a post among the Spc^kanes. ( Page 212.) The second is (jabriel Franchere in his work entitled, "Narrative of a \'oyage to the Northwest Coa.st of America in the years 181 1, 1812, 1813, 1814, or The first American Settlement on the Pacific." These two gentlemen were on the first vessels fitted out by the Pacific Fur Company or John Jacob Astor. It was the Tonquin which sailed from New York in the autumn of 181 1. having on board four part- ners, nine clerks, with .sume mechanics, and an assorted cargo for the In(han and Ciiinese trade. Mr. Ross was born at Nairnshire, Scotland, in 1783. He came to Canada when twenty-two years old, and taught school until he joined the Astor expedition. He continued a fiu'-trader until 1824, the most of the time in the serxice of the Htidson's Bay Ctjuipany. About 1825 he removed to the Red River settlement anil was sheriff of the settlement for several years. Died in Winnipeg. ^Manitoba, October 26. 1856.

yiv. Franchere was born No\eml)er 3, 1786, at Montreal, and spent his early years in school and behind the counter of his father's mercantile establishment. When he entered the employ of tlie Pacific Fur Company he agreed to serve the company for fi\-e years as a clerk. On April 12th the party were landed on the south side of the Columljia, ten miles from its mouth, and the company's principal port, called Astoria, was founded. Franchere exhibited a wonderful talent for acquiring the Indian languages of the country. He made several excursions up the Columbia and other directions. After the abandonment of the Pacific Fur Company, he was for some time in the employ of the Northwest Company, Init he impro\-ed the first opportimity to return to Montreal by the Canadian overland route, up the Columbia, and across the Rocky mountains. He pleasantly surprised his parents by arri\-ing home September i, 1814. He died at St. Paul, at the age of seventy. In his book he refers to a post of the Northwest Company on a river which they called Spokan. ( Page 119). He refers to the transference of the Pacific Fur Company's post on the Spokan to the Northwest company. He also refers to the arrival from the post at Spokan of Messrs. J. Stuart and Clark while encamping at Kettle falls. (Page 200). Another work is that of Ross Cox. entitled, "Adventures on the Columbia Ri\'er. including an account of a Si.x Years Residence on the Western Side of the Rockies." Mr. Cox was on the second vessel, the Beaver, fitted up by Astor, and engaged himself as a clerk for the Pacific Fur Company. The Beaver sailed from New York in 181 1. His book gives account of experiences while serving the Pacific Fur Company and Northwest Company, a period of five years, also his joiu'ney across the continent. In his work aie found many facts relative to the Indians, which have l)een extensi\cl_\' copied by later writers. He spent a season among the Spokane Indians. In chapter 9, page 99, he refers to the arrival of the party at Spokan. In describing the location of a post, l)y the Pacific I"ur Company, he says, "The spot selected for forming our establishment was a handsome point of land, formed b}" the junction of the Spokan and Ponited Heart rivers, the Little Spokan thinly covered with pine and other trees, and close to'a trading post of the Northwest Company.'' "In February we took immense quantities of carj) in Spokan ri\er." "The Spokanes we found to be a* cjuiet, honest, inoffensive tribe, and although we liad fortified our establishment, we seldom closed the gates at night." "Their country did ncjt abound in furs, and they were rather indolent in hunting. Their chief, lllinspokanee, or the Son of the Sun, was a harmless old man. who spent a great portion of his time between us and 'Mr. ^SlcMillian." Irving, in his Astoria, refers to the Spokan posts. "The place on which he (Clark) fixed for a trading post, was a fine point of land at the junction of the Pointed Heart and Spokan rivers. His establishment was intended to compete with a trading post of the Nortlrwest Company, situated at no great distance, and to rival it in the trade with the Spokan Indians, as well as with the Cootoonas and Flatheads." It was the Northwest Company of Canada that established the first post on Spokane river, near the mouth of the Little Spokane. The Pacific Fur Company followed, and, as already intimated, was transferred to the former com])any.