Paul Kane's Journal of his Western Travels, 1846-1848 - History and ...

Nez Perce) (est. 1818) was visited by Kane December 2-4,
1846, and July 12 and 22- 29, 1847. Situated on the left bank
of the Columbia River at the mouth of the Walla Walla River
(now Walla Walla, Washington), the post was erected by the
North West Company, and rebuilt by the HBC in 1841 with
mud brick walls.
white mud/White Mud As the fur trade did, Kane uses this name
for two portages on the Winnipeg River, one passed on August 4
and the other on August 12, 1848. This name was used for a
portage on the upper river (see Grand Decbarge), and for a
portage above Eaux qui Remuent, on the lower river below Lac
du Bonnet (see fall of the Pramin Horses or silver fall).
Whitmans, nor/Dr. W. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman went to
Oregon in 1836 and established a Congregationalist mission at
Waiilatpu (near Fort Walla Walla). On November 29, 1847,
four months after Kane had visited them, they were slain.
Cayuse visitors to the mission mwdered them and twelve others,
and held fifty-three people captive Wltil they were ransomed by
the HBC. In this fashion, the Cayuse wars began.
wiDhamed The Willamette River (Oregon) was first explored by
the Astorians (see Astoria) in 1812. In 1829, its valley was
farmed for the first time by whites. It flows from south to north,
entering the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon. In 1842, the
HBC established Oregon City at the faUs of the Willamette.
Kane's journal does not recoWlt his trip in the valley, January II
to February 6, 1847. The Clackama, a Chinook tribe, lived on
the Clackamas River, a tributary that joins the Willamette River
from the east at Oregon City .
WiIk's party, Capt Charles Wilkes (1798-1877) was the American
naval officer appointed in 1830 to head the Depot of Charts
and Instnunents. In May, 1841, with other officers, servants,
two Indians, and a voyageur, he examined the overland route
between Nisqually and Fort Vancouver, as part of his global
survey with the United States Exploring Expedition.
Willam/Willum See Fort WiUam/fort WiIIam/WiUwn.
Winepeg River Winnipeg R!ver flows north for 500 miles from
Lake of the Woods to Lake Winnipeg. The name comes from
win-nipi, the Cree for "murky water." TIle name could not be
less appropriate for this river. It fonned a singular part of the fur
trade route to and from Lachine (near Montreal), although it
presented twenty-six different carrying places. Now harnessed
by six hydroelectric projects, its spectacular beauty, as it tumbled
over the Canadian Shield, made it the most arresting, if
laborious, part of the transcontinental route. For descriptions of
various features of the river, see Barriere portage, Bek:our,
Mr., Grand Bonet, Grand Decbarge, Grand GuUete,
Grand raped, Lake de Bonet, little rock, Point of W~,
rapid de gock/Chute a Jocka, River NaIoin, Roches Bru.Ies,
and white mud/White Mud.
wodin Horse Cheval de bois (Wooden Horse) was one of the
seven portages in Blanche River (see River NaIoin).
YaDo Mud See Grand Decbarge.
York Fa ctary York Factory (est. 1684) was not visited, only
mentioned, by Kane. The first HBC fort, it was named for the
Duke of York, later King James II, second Governor of the
HBC. Located on Hudson Bay at the mouth of the Nelson
Ri ver, this post loaded furs transported from inland posts onto
HBC ships sailing for England through Hudson Strait. During
his first stay at Norway House, Kane was awaiting the arrival
of the brigade from York Factory, returning from its annual
early summer descent to the Bay, en route in August back to the
posts of the western interior.
The American Art Journal/Volume XXI • Number 2
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