Robert Gray's Columbia River expedition
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| Date | May 11 to May 20, 1792 |
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| Location |
Columbia River North America |
| Also known as | Captain Gray discovers the Columbia River |
| Participants | Gray, crew of Columbia Rediviva |
In May 1792, American merchant sea captain Robert Gray sailed into the Columbia River, becoming the first recorded European to navigate into it. The voyage, conducted on the Columbia Rediviva, a privately owned ship, was eventually used as a basis for the United States' claim on the Pacific Northwest, although its relevance to the claim was disputed by the British. As a result of the outcome the river was afterwards named after the ship. Gray spent nine days on the river trading fur pelts before sailing out of the river.
Captain Gray was a merchant ship captain born in Rhode Island, who circumnavigated the globe between 1787 and 1790 on the Columbia Rediviva, a trading voyage out of Boston, Massachusetts. He traveled first to the north Pacific coast of North America, to trade for furs, and then to China, to trade the pelts for tea and other Chinese goods. After his return from that expedition, Gray set sail for the northwest coast again on September 28, 1790, reaching his destination in 1792.
During his first voyage to the northwest coast, Gray was second-in-command of the Columbia Rediviva under Captain John Kendrick, who remained in the Pacific, in command of the Lady Washington. On the journey north along the coast to Nootka Sound, Gray encountered a strong outflow near 46’16”. He spent nine days trying to enter the river without success before abandoning the effort and sailing north for Nootka. Gray rejoined Kendrick for a time after Gray's return to the region. In October the Columbia and crew began building Fort Defiance and a small craft called the Adventure as they prepared to ride out the winter in harbor. After wintering on Vancouver Island, Gray set sail again on April 2, 1792 when he left the American trading post of Clayoquot on Vancouver Island. On this journey aboard the Columbia Rediviva Gray noticed muddy waters flowing from shore and decided to investigate his belief that it might be the "Great River of the West". While waiting for favorable weather, Gray spotted a ship and exchanged greetings with her on April 29. This ship was the HMS Discovery commanded by British naval captain George Vancouver, who doubted that Gray had found a navigable river-mouth.
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