Jerry WINTERBOTHAM, "Umpqua: The Lost County of Oregon"

[Dave Robertson]

Kahta mika?

In 1996 a visit to a bookstore/espresso cafe in Lincoln City, Oregon
(on the coast about 25 miles from Grand Ronde) resulted in my purchasing a
copy of this book published in 1994 by its author.  Until moving at the
beginning of this month, I really hadn't looked at it much, but now I see
that it contains a few interesting points relating to the use of the Jargon
in that country.

- page 5:  The later-famous botanist David Douglas from Scotland in October
1826 on an expedition to find a new species of large sugar pine, with Thomas
McKay's and Alexander McLeod's brigade out of Fort Vancouver, having reached
the confluence of Elk Creek and the Umpqua River..."Douglas, who wished to
start on his quest upriver, prepared for his journey, and accompanied by an
Indian boy of McKay's, who spoke the Umpqua language and some Chinook
[Jargon], started southwest along the well used trail."

- page 9:  On Douglas' return to the river junction several days later..."he
found only Michel LaFramboise, the Chinook [Jargon] interpreter, and an
Indian boy."

- page 13: Quoting a description of a traveling lecturer from the East Coast
who in 1834 was stumping for an American future for the Oregon
territory..."[Hall J.] Kelley was five feet nine inches high, wore a white
slouched hat, blanket CAPOTE, leather pants, with a red stripe down the
seam, rather outre! even for Vancouver."  [Emphasis mine; note the Chinook
Jargon word for "coat".]

- page 19:  A Methodist missionary well-known in the area's history visits
the HBC's Fort Umpqua in August of 1840..."Rev. [Jason] Lee preached to a
group of twenty Calapooyan Indians, the only Indians presently near the
fort.  The Reverend addressed them in [J]argon, which was interpreted by the
Chief to his followers."

- page 102:  In late 1855, violent confrontations broke out between Indians
and settlers..."Hoy B. Flournoy became concerned about the possibility of
the Indians camped there becoming hostile.  He rode into the camp and
proceeded to engage Tyee William, the chief, in a conversation regarding the
Rogue River war.  Since Tyee William spoke little English, and Flournoy
spoke about as much Chinook [Jargon], most of the talk involved a great many
gestures...Neither one understood completely what the other said."

Cheers,
Dave