Great natural divisions of the western section of North America Claims of Great Britain, Russia, the United States, and Mexico Description of the northernmost territories of the western section General view of the mountain-ridges of the western section Particular description of Oregon, or the country drained by the Columbia First voyage from Europe to India, by Gama, around Africa Discovery of the Strait of Anian (probably Hudson's Strait) by Cortereal Voyage of Magellan from Europe to India, westward across the Pacific Conquest of Mexico completed by Cortes, who explores the adjacent coasts in search of rich countries and passages for ships between the Atlantic and the Expedition of Legaspi from Mexico to India; conquest of the Philippine Islands, Establishment of the Spanish trade between America and India 1578 80. Voyage of Francis Drake, who visits the northwest coast 1580. Year. 1587. 1588. 1592. 1594. 1596. Voyage of Cermenon, who is wrecked on the Bay of San Francisco Attempts of the English to discover passages for ships between the Atlantic and Page. 39 40, 205 42, 207 44 44 44 1602. Survey of the west coast to the 43d degree of latitude by Vizcaino 44 1603. Supposed discovery of a great river, near the 43d degree, by Aguilar, in one of Discovery of the navigation around Cape Horn, by Lemaire and Van Schouten 47 1669. 1697. Charter given to the Hudson's Bay Company by King Charles II. of England 75 1700. Father Kuhn, a Jesuit, ascertains that California is connected with the Amer- 1711. 1712. Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, forms plans for exploring the seas east of Kam- Treaty of Utrecht between Great Britain and France, no boundary-line estab- 1741. The sea east of Kamschatka ascertained to be a part of the Pacific Beering discovers the American continent near Mount Saint Elias Tschirikof discovers America near the 56th degree of latitude, and returns to The survivors of Beering's crew return to Kamschatka, and begin the fur trade France cedes Canada to England General peace; British and French voyages of discovery 1766-'8. Journey of Carver through the country west of Lake Superior 1768. 1769. Voyage of Krenitzin and Levashef from Kamschatka Expulsion of the Jesuits from America Establishment of the first colonies on the west coast of North America by the 1769-72. Journeys of Hearne, west and northwest from Hudson's Bay, to the Arctic Sea 1774. 1775. 1776. 1778. 1779. 1783. 1784. Voyage of the Spaniards, under Perez, along the northwest coast to the 53d de- Voyage of the Spaniards, under Heceta, Bodega, and Maurelle, to the 58th de- Heceta discovers the mouth of a river, named by him San Roque, now called Captain Cook sails from England for the Pacific, in search of a northern pas- Cook examines the northwest coast of America to the 70th degree The English, under Gore, on their way to England, carry to Canton the first Voyage of the Spaniards under Arteaga, Bodega, and Maurelle, to Prince Wil- Association of merchants in Siberia for carrying on the fur trade Expedition under Shellikof, who establishes settlements on the Island of Kodiak Preparations begun in many countries for carrying on the fur trade between Voyage of the French, under La Pérouse, from Mount Saint Elias to Monterey Voyages of Portlock and Dixon Sept. 30. The ship Columbia, Capt. Kendrick, and sloop Washington, Captain Formation of the Northwest Fur trading Company of Montreal Captains Kendrick and Gray arrive at Nootka, where they spend the following Voyages of Meares and Douglas from Macao to the northwest coast Meares attempts to find the River San Roque, and pronounces that none such Voyage of the Spaniards, under Martinez and Haro, to observe the progress of Attempt of Ledyard to pass, through Russia and America, from Paris to the Martinez and Haro sent by the Viceroy of Mexico to occupy Nootka 1789. The Spaniards occupy Nootka, and seize vessels which are said to be the prop- 104, 212 Captain Gray first sails around Queen Charlotte's Island, to which he gives the name of Washington Island 92 The Spaniards quit Nootka; which they, however, reoccupy in the following 117 .1790. The owners of the vessels seized at Nootka complain to the British Government, 111 The King of Spain asks aid from Louis XVI. of France to resist the demand, Oct. 28. A convention is signed between those Powers, respecting the naviga- 114 115 The Spaniards from Nootka endeavor to explore the northwest coasts Observations on the nature and duration of the engagements entered into be- Seven vessels arrive from the United States in the north Pacific, to be employed 118 119 119 Captain Ingraham, in the Hope, from Boston, discovers the Washington Islands 119 120 Captain Kendrick, in the Washington, from Boston, discovers a new passage from Nootka Sound to the sea, and purchases lands near Nootka from the savages 121 He commences the trade in sandal-wood 122 Unsuccessful voyage of the Russians from Kamschatka, under Hall and Sarets- 122 1792. Voyages of the Spaniards under Caamano, and Galiano and Valdes 122 The Spaniards endeavor, unsuccessfully, to establish a new settlement on the 123 Queen Charlotte's, or Washington Island, explored and frequented by the 92, 123 Captain Quadra arrives at Nootka as commissioner on the part of Spain to exe- Vancouver arrives on the American coast, near Cape Mendocino 132 123 He examines the coast northward to the Strait of Fuca, and pronounces that Gray, in the Columbia, on his way to examine the river which he had found in the preceding year, meets Vancouver near the Strait of Fuca, and informs him of the discovery, which Vancouver doubts 125 Gray discovers Pulfinch's Harbor, and enters the great river, (May 11,) which he Year. 1792. Observations on this discovery Vancouver surveys the Strait of Fuca, partly in company with the Spanish ves- Page. 129 134 Letter addressed to Quadra by Gray and Ingraham, (August 3,) detailing the 134 Negotiations between Vancouver and Quadra, as related by Howel Vancouver winters at the Sandwich Islands; his proceedings there 1793. Vancouver surveys the northwest Archipelago 137 He winters at the Sandwich Islands, the sovereignty of one of which is ceded to Expeditions of Mackenzie across the continent to the Pacific, which he reaches Vancouver completes his surveys of the northwest coast, and sails for England 141 Broughton arrives as British commissioner at Nootka, which he finds occupied 140 Whole of the direct trade in furs from the northwest coast to China carried on Formation of the Russian-American Company, which receives a charter (1799) Foundation of Sitca, or New Archangel, by the Russians, under Baranof Frazer, and others in the employ of the Northwest Trading Company, cross the 155 147 Krusenstern and Lisiansky complete their voyage of circumnavigation Missouri Fur Company at Saint Louis Henry establishes a trading post on the Lewis River 154 156 156 Russian Government complains to that of the United States of the misconduct of Formation of the Pacific Fur Company at New York, by J. J. Astor 156 Parties sent by sea from New York, and by land from Saint Louis, to establish factories on the Columbia Destruction of the ship Tonquin, which had carried out the other party, and her crew, by the savages near Nootka The Russians establish themselves in California near Port San Francisco 158 158 148 160 161 163 |