The Cavalcade of America, presented by DuPont.
This evening the DuPont cavalcade brings us the story of Captain Robert Gray, American
navigator, whose discovery of the Columbia River gave the United States one of its strongest
claims to the great Oregon territory, the lands which now make up the three states of
Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
For the benefit of listeners who want added information about the stories of chemistry
presented on these broadcasts, DuPont recently offered free copies of a 32-page booklet,
Chemistry and You.
If you haven't written as yet for your copy, do so while the supply lasts.
Just address DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware.
Tomorrow will be St. Patrick's Day, so in its honor, Don Borees and the DuPont Cavalcade
Orchestra play as an overture, Sign Alone, from Victor Herbert's Irish operetta, Eileen.
as an overture, Sign Alone, from Victor Herbert's Irish operetta, Eileen.
The
DuPont Cavalcade moves forward.
Robert Gray was born in Tipperton, Rhode Island in 1755.
From an early age he followed the sea.
Our story begins in the year 1787 when Robert Gray and another sea captain, John
Kendrick, are summoned to a famous Boston tavern, a bunch of grapes by one of the
city's prominent positions, Dr. Thomas Bolfinch.
Come in Captain Kendrick, come in Captain Gray. I want you to meet these
gentlemen, Mr. Joseph Burrell. Gentlemen, how do you do? Mr. Joel Hatch. How do you do?
Mr. Samuel Brown. Brown. Mr. John Debbie. And Mr. John Penta. We call ourselves the
Boston Marine Association. And Mr. Burrell, will you act as spokesman? If that is
satisfactory to you other gentlemen. Well then sit down, we'll get down to
business. We have excellent reports of your bravery, your ability as seamen. We
have therefore selected you for an important mission. Have you by any chance
read the report of the British, Captain Cook, and his recent voyage to the Pacific
Coast of this continent? No sir. I've heard of the voyage sir, but I've read no
report. You should do so gentlemen. Captain Cook reports that the natives in
that region trap enormous numbers of sea otters whose pelts are worth from $80 to
$100 piece. And they can secure these pelts by trading almost any manufactured
article, knives and axes, a piece of cheap jewelry. This is a rich harvest to be
reaped by those who get there first. And we propose to be the first. As I
understand it gentlemen, we're to sail to the Pacific Coast, trade for furs, and
return to Boston when we're full load. No, no not exactly. You are to take the furs
to China where they will command a higher price than hereabouts. There you
will trade them for Bohia tea, which is cheap in China but very dear in Boston.
And if we accept this commission, what ships are we to take? You Captain Kendrick
are to command the 220 ton ship Columbia, now being built at Situate. And you
Captain Gray are to command the 90 ton sloop Lady Washington. But which of us is
to be in command? Well it seemed to us that since you Captain Kendrick are the
older man and have presumably had more experience, you should be placed in
command of the expedition. Is this acceptable to you Captain Gray? Why yes sir.
And to you Captain Kendrick? Of course sir. Then that settles. We count on you two men to
undertake the voyage, provided of course that such details as pay, equipment, and
so forth can be satisfactorily arranged, as I know they can. Yes sir. There's one
thing more. While our primary purpose is to trade for furs and tea and to make
money, we should also like to give our country a claim to these western lands.
But sir, haven't the Spaniards, the English, and the French already touched those shores?
We can't disregard their claim. We can if we can establish a better claim for
ourselves. If for instance we can find an important undiscovered river and lay a
claim to that, the United States will have an unshakable claim to that river
and all the land it drains. But is there such a river? Seems most unlikely for if
such a river flowed into the Pacific, someone would surely have found it and
claimed it long ago. Perhaps. Cook himself says there is none. But
Jonathan Carver, who went among the Indians of the Mississippi Valley 20
years ago, heard tales of a mighty river flowing westward to the sea. The Indians
called it the Oregon and I for one believe it's there. And we're to find and
claim this river? Yes, if you can. The furs and tea mean much to us, but the
river means even more to the United States.
Captain Robert Gray and Captain John Kendrick set out from Boston on October
1st, 1787. Exactly six months later on April 1st, we find the two ships
bucking a terrific storm off the southern tip of South America. On the
quarter deck of the Lady Washington, second mate Robert Haswell is doing his
best to talk to his captain Robert Gray. Columbia's dropped almost out of sight of
stern, Captain Gray. We'll try not to lose sight of her. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if she
dropped entirely out of sight. I'm not sure you're feeling so, Mr. Haswell. I ask that you be
transferred to this ship at the Cape Verde Islands because I can see that you
and Captain Kendrick were not getting along well. He's our commanding officer
and we must follow his orders. He's cheating the owners, that's what he is, sir.
Six weeks at the Cape Verde Islands doing nothing, four weeks at the Falklands. He
doesn't care if we ever get to Newtka Sound. I wish you were in charge, sir.
Such talk does no good, Mr. Haswell. Captain Kendrick's doing what seems right to him.
He has a reputation of being an able commander. Well, no good officer would
strike his mate as he struck me. He wanted me to hit him back so he could lock me up
or hang me. If you hadn't taken me on, sir, he'd have goaded me to doing it.
That enough, Mr. Haswell. Captain Kendrick ordered me to keep the ship together.
I'm going to try and carry out his orders. Yes, sir. If I may say so, sir,
I doubt if anyone could in this storm. The falling father is stern every minute.
A hoi below, breakers in shoal water. Breaker, shoal water. Well away!
Off the starboard bow, two cable planks. All hands stand by to break the ship about.
Haswell, give a hand with the wheel. Set the course west, south, west.
Aye, sir. West, south, west. And this course, old Kendrick, will never find us.
When the storm at last blew itself out, Captain Kendrick and the Columbia were
nowhere to be seen. Captain Gray, therefore, set his course to the north
and sailed for Newtka Sound, near the present Vancouver Island on the west coast of North
America, a prearranged rendezvous in case of separation. Though the season was late,
Gray followed the instructions of the ship owners and seven weeks of training with the
Indians produced a fair cargo of furs. With these on board, Captain Gray is preparing to sail for China.
Aye, step lively there. Get those furs below. Want to spend the winter here?
Not me, I don't. No, sir.
Maybe China.
Well, haswell, loading nearly finished?
Almost, sir. I hope we'll finish it in time to sail with the next high tizer.
I hate to sail before we hear from the Columbia. It should have been here weeks ago.
Not with Captain Kendrick in command. He's probably at the bottom of the Pacific.
Captain Gray, look there, beyond the point. Speak of the devil.
Ship? Give me my glass.
Yes, sir. Is it?
Eh, it's the Columbia. I can see Captain Kendrick on the quarter deck.
He's taking a long time to get here, sir. I wonder what he plans to do now.
Ah, we'll soon find out.
Don't we sail, sir?
Certainly not, Mr. Haswell. Captain Kendrick's in command. We'll wait for his orders.
Gray's plans to sail for China were changed at Kendrick's orders.
Instead of setting out to market the furze already collected,
Kendrick insisted that the two ships pass the winter at Newtka South.
Making the best of a bad situation, Gray spent his time overhauling the Lady Washington in
preparation for the next year's work. But Kendrick made no move to do the same for the Columbia.
Then, one day in July 1789, Captain Kendrick called Captain Gray to his cabin on the Columbia.
You sent for me, sir?
Yes, Captain Gray, I did.
We've a fair cargo of furs stored up, have we not?
Yes, sir. I have about a thousand, seven hundred fair and a middling, about three hundred of
excellent quality.
In collecting these furs, you seem to be somewhat ahead of me.
Ahead of you, sir? If my memory doesn't fail me, you collected none of them. In fact, sir,
if I may be pardoned for saying so, you haven't made a trading cruise since you arrived.
Well, you're right about that, but I shall, I shall.
In fact, I'm about to start trading cruise along the coast.
But, sir, how can you? The Columbia's not been overhauled. She's not fit for service.
No, she's not, but my other ship, the Lady Washington, is fit for sea.
Your other? Why, yes, sir.
You see, I'll take the Lady Washington and you can take the Columbia. When you've overhauled
her, you can take the thousand furs to China and trade there for tea as you were going to do last
fall.
But, sir, the season's ripe for trading.
Sir, the season's ripe for trading. It could be a dreadful waste for me to cross the ocean
now and sell this little load of furs. We both should stay in trade and travel when the season's
over.
Mr. Gray, I am in command. You'll do as I say. I have my reasons, which I have no need to discuss
with you.
Yes, sir. I'm sure you have the best of reasons. Certainly, you couldn't be seizing this
opportunity to hide your own lack of efforts at the owner's expense by putting me out of the way
while you belatedly gather furs to even up the score. No, I'm sure that couldn't be a thought.
Gray, you're insolent.
I'll...
You'll strike me as you did poor Haswell, knowing that it's mutiny to return the blow.
It's mutiny to disobey.
I shan't disobey. I'll take the furs to China and I wish you well in your trading,
not for your sake, of course, but for the owner's. Lady Washington is yours.
Following Kendrick's orders, Gray sailed the overhauled Columbia to China
and there traded his furs for 600 chests of tea and then sailed south around the tip of Africa
and north westward across the Atlantic to Boston, choosing this route simply because it was the
nearer. On August 10th, 1790, the Columbia sailed slowly up Boston Harbor.
Certainly seems good to be back home in Boston, Captain Gray.
And the old town looks the same from here, Mr. Haswell. All these mighty goods.
But I hate to face the owners with so small a return.
We might have had several thousand chests of tea instead of just 600.
Hey, what's that?
A cannon, the fort. See the cloud of smoke?
Yes. But why? What are they firing at?
Sure, I don't know.
There it is again. Now, what are you...
Oh, hoi there, Columbia!
There's someone in that little boat hailing us.
Oh, hoi there! Who are you?
It's Burrell! Joseph Burrell! I want to come aboard!
Mr. Burrell, one of the owners.
Ahoy there, Mr. Burrell! We'll throw you a line and drop a ladder!
Yeah, I'll throw the line as we pass him.
Ready, sir?
Right.
He's on!
Get!
There he is.
There he is. Drop the ladder.
Yes, sir.
All right, gentlemen.
All right, now.
There we are.
Well, welcome, Captain Gray. Welcome back to Boston.
Thank you, sir. I'm sorry that we haven't brought you more returns.
Never mind that now. You must prepare yourself for the celebration.
Celebration? What celebration? What's happened?
What are those cannon shots, Mr. Burrell?
Why, why, they're saluting you.
You? Didn't you know it?
Saluting me?
Why, what?
My boy, you don't seem to realize it, but you carried the stars and stripes around the world
for the first time. Magellan, Drake, Cook, and now Captain Robert Gray.
Around the world?
Well, in my hurry to get home, I hardly realize.
To Captain Gray's amazement, all of Boston turned out to do him homage for his voyage
around the world. Even the owners, though disappointed in the trading, were impressed
and decided to back him on another expedition, this time in sole command.
So on September 28, 1790, the Columbia once more sailed for the northwest coast of North America,
where it arrives early in June 1791.
Sir Haswell.
Look yonder off the starboard bow.
I see nothing, sir.
Except the shore. See where I'm pointing?
Is there not an opening in the shore, or is there a river poured into the ocean there?
Perhaps a river. More likely a bacer.
Fractures are forming all across it.
Now we're bearing close and have a look.
If only that might prove to be the river of the west that Carver spoke of.
Well, it can't be that, sir.
If it were someone else, we would have found it long ago.
And it is an indentation, though. I'm going to try to force an entrance.
Helmsman, bearing toward that indentation in the shore.
Three points off the starboard bow.
But Captain Gray, it's dangerous.
The sea's rough and the breakers show the water shallow there.
We're striking pound of pieces.
The river of the west will be a chance worth taking.
Stand by the lower of the pinnace.
You'll send the pinnace on ahead, sir?
Yes. Mr. Boyd.
Mr. Boyd, you'll take the pinnace out ahead and sound the entrance to that bay or river mouth.
We'll follow your signals and your lead.
Today, sir, in that. Sir?
Today at once.
Yes, sir. At once.
Helmsman, bring her up into the wind.
Aye, aye, sir.
I don't know whether it's a river or a bay, Mr. Haswell, but we're going to find out.
For nine days, Captain Gray tried in vain to pass the line of breakers
and solved the riddle of the indentation on the coast.
After many near disasters, he at last gave up and continued on his way.
Early the next spring, cruising near the mysterious indentation,
Gray came upon the British ship, the British Navy.
He was a man of great skill.
He was a man of great skill.
He was a man of great skill.
He was a man of great skill.
He was a man of great skill.
By the end of that indentation, Gray came upon the British ship Discovery,
commanded by Captain George Vancouver.
The two captains conferred in Gray's captain on the Columbia.
So you see, Captain Gray, we have, as yet, made no discoveries worthy of note,
we sailed along the coast for nearly 250 leagues,
seen no appearance of any opening in its shores.
That's very strange.
Last summer at latitude 4610 north,
found the entrance of what I took to be a sizable river. Spent nine days trying to
get in but couldn't because of the surf with shallow water. 46.10 you say? Nine
days you say? What's so amusing about that? I failed to see a jest in nine days wasted in the surf.
No jest you say? And you Americans say we English have no sense of humor. Well? Why man that was
no river. It was Deception Bay named years ago by Captain Mayors who made the same attempt you did.
What? So that's your great discovery eh? Why less than two days back I myself passed the
bay and observed it well. Well did you get your ship inside the breaker? Inside the breaker?
Let you know I knew better. I wouldn't wait nine days repeating Mayors mistake and yours.
Nettled by Vancouver's laughter and still unconvinced Gray set his course to the south
and in the morning of May 11 found himself once more off the foaming mouth of the indentation.
Swinging out to sea in a great circle he turns the bow of his ship squarely toward the line of
breakers. Breakers stand ahead three tables length. Captain Gray what are you about sir?
Going in with the hassle. But you can't sir. Why can't I? Who's to stop me? Well no one sir but
you'll smash the ship to pieces on that bar. Chance we run. Fortune's with us we can ride one of
those comers in. Over a bar and one half atom three of water sir? Well never. Well I'm going to try.
Deception bay indeed. I'll prove Vancouver's wrong. Breakers stand ahead two tables length.
You'll kill us all sir. Don't argue Mr. Haswell my mind's made up. You still can turn sir. Quiet.
I'll not turn. The crews are long sir. They'll stick to their posts. They've faith in me. And so have I sir but. Then show it.
Breakers stand ahead one table length. We catch her now sir the breakers are right before us.
Hold your call townsman steady as she goes. Aye aye sir. Pull hard. We're gonna hit.
Quiet. We never stretch sir. We're through. Townsman bring her into the wind. Aye sir. Stand by to
wrap the anchor. Over with the bucket. Give up some water. Yes sir. Over with the bucket. Aye sir. Here you are sir. Let me take you.
Haswell it's fresh. See for yourself. Yes sir. Yes it is fresh Captain Gray. That means we found the river.
Men gather out here. Hurry. We made a most important discovery. This is no bay but a mighty river.
And ours is the first ship to sail upon it. In the name of the United States of America I hereby claim this river and all the lands it drains.
And I bestow upon it the name of our own sound ship the Columbia.
Captain Robert Gray's discovery of the Columbia River gave the United States an iron bound claim to the Oregon country.
A claim which Great Britain formally recognized in the Oregon Treaty of 1846.
To this bold seaman we are largely indebted for the lands occupied by the three great states in the northwestern corner of our country.
DuPont salutes Captain Robert Gray as a brave leader in the cavalcade of America.
By presidential proclamation next week has been named National Wildlife Restoration Week.
An occasion for us all to cooperate in restoring our country's wildlife whether it wears furs, feathers or fins or even the green of field and forest.
America's wildlife is vanishing because man has upset nature's delicate balance.
By thoughtlessly removing natural vegetation and destroying animal life we Americans have brought about such catastrophes as floods, dust storms, soil erosion and water shortage.
As well as a decrease in wildlife of every sort.
Every one of us has a direct personal interest in the work of restoring and protecting America's wildlife resources.
When you restore for wildlife you restore for man.
Every form of wildlife plays some part in our struggle for existence.
Consider the beaver for example.
In damming streams to protect his houses he builds reservoirs that save water, stop the rush of streams and cause rich soil to settle instead of being carried away to the sea.
In many areas in the west when beavers were trapped out, ponds and lakes dried up.
Valleys once covered with grass were turned into desert allowing soil erosion to set in.
Such erosion has helped create the Dust Bowl area which is a devastating portion of our country.
Today as part of the wildlife restoration program, beavers are captured in farming districts where they don't belong and are taken to the headwaters of streams in the drier forested region.
Here in a natural habitat the busy beavers once more can build their small storage reservoirs that will help us regain a squandered wealth.
Other creatures perform other valuable tasks.
Good soil depends largely on the animals that live in the soil, yes even to the tiny field mouse.
By burrowing and living in the earth, animals such as rodents actually cultivate it, give it air, fertilize it and increase its water holding capacity.
Among the many birds that are being restored by this great wildlife movement is the bobwhite, a tireless destroyer of insects and weed seeds.
The bobwhite is also one of the first native birds to cultivate a taste for the dreaded Japanese beetle.
And not to be forgotten are the fish in American streams and along our coastline.
Slowly but surely stream pollution is being checked and our rivers and brooks are being made fit places for fish to live in.
Recently for example the state of Wisconsin refused permission for a dam across the Potato River, a beautiful trout stream,
because disturbing the natural flow of the river would have endangered fish life.
A few years ago an organization called the General Wildlife Federation was established in Washington D.C.
to cooperate with everyone who wants to preserve the animals, birds, fish and forests of our native land.
DuPont is proud to play a part in calling attention to the aims and ideals behind this worthy movement,
which will find expression throughout North America in Wildlife Restoration Week beginning next Monday.
You may help in this work by buying the beautiful stamps reproducing some of America's game birds and animals in full color,
now being offered for use on your letters and packages.
Music
As a salute to Wildlife Week, John James Audubon, painter and naturalist,
will be the subject of our broadcast when next week at the same time DuPont again presents the Cavalcade of America.
Music
This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Music