five and sixty fathoms, sandy bottom. For eight miles from Point St. George the shore is low for some distance back, and fronted by a sand beach to the mouth of a small stream called Smith's River. The entrance to this river we looked for in vain from the deck of the steamer, although scarcely two miles off shore, but were able to form a good estimate as to where it should open by the peculiarities of the northern bank, which was a low perpendicular bluff.

Its approximate geographical position is:

The "Smith's River" of recent maps and descriptions is a myth. Half way between Crescent City and the mouth of Smith River there is a small sheet of water called Lake Talawa. North of this small stream the coast acquires an elevation of about one or two hundred feet for a short distance inland, and is bounded by high mountains.

COAST OF OREGON.

The etymology of the name Oregon has not been satisfactorily explained. It is first mentioned by Jonathan Carver in the narrative of his trading expedition to the head-waters of the Mississippi, between June 1766, and October 1768. He did not penetrate beyond the 95th degree of west longitude, and mentions the name but three times, in the following manner: The "River Oregon, or the River of the West, that falls into the Pacific Ocean at the Straits of Annian; " the "Oregon, or the River of the West." He states that Robert Whitworth, in 1774, designed to pursue the same route traversed by himself, "till, having discovered the source of the Oregon, or River of the West, on the other side of the summit of the lands that divide the waters which run into the Gulf of Mexico from those that fall into the Pacific Ocean, he would have sailed down that river to the place where it is said to empty itself in the Straits of Annian." This is the extent of his information on the subject, and was derived from Indians and traders.

It will be remembered that Martin d'Aguilar reported to have found, in 1603, a large river emptying into the Pacific in latitude 43°, and which was called the "River of the West."

The theory that the Pend d'Oreilles tribe inhabited part of the region between the Columbia River and the Rocky Mountains was originally designated Orejon by the Spaniards, and hence gave the name to the river, is unsatisfactory.

About three miles by the shore, to the northward from the deepest part of Pelican Bay, the boundary line' of California and Oregon, of 420 north latitude, strikes the coast near a noticeable high pyramidal mound, rising abruptly from the plateau, which is destitute of timber.

CHET-KO RIVER.

Five miles from the deepest part of Pelican Bay, and in latitude 42° 01' north, longitude 124° 15′ west, (both approximate,) empties a stream which is from fifty to sixty yards wide at its mouth, with banks about one hundred feet high, and bounded half a mile inshore by very high hills. It appears deep and sluggish, and in August 1853, was completely closed at the mouth by a heavy gravel beach. The anchorage off it is open and exposed from west to south, with several reefs in and around it. No survey or reconnaissance has been made. We found Indian huts in great numbers upon both banks, but most of the Indians were engaged higher up the stream in taking salmon. On Tebenkoff's chart this stream is called the Striela or Arrow River.

On the Coast Survey charts of 1853 this stream was marked Illinois River, that being the name applied to it by miners prospecting from Crescent City, whereas the Illinois is the south branch of the Rogue's River. Similar errors have

frequently boet Made ou tie suust. Some give the Indian name of this stream.

Chit ko.

From Point St. George to an arched rock called Mack's Arch, about forty fea bigh in latitude 62- 121, the touse is norul vest by north twenty-seven miles. 1. The coast between the Chen-ko and the pain within a mile of the arch is high, bold, compact, and bordered by vast numbers of rocks, with very deep water close in The Coust tum ex renommnissance that has a smal anchorage marked in latitude £517% about tve a 823 mães north of the arched rock. It is on the mouth wide of a slightly pequening head: the surveying steamer did not anchor here. From the avesherd rock the shore ruas nearly northwest by north half north for forty alliess to Cape Otel, mading a ing gentle eve of four miles to the enet ward and being genem igi arrot, and ruky.

With a the 3.02 torted just referred to a found the entrance of Bague River, at latitude 420 25 netto and knyponde 125 22 vest, both apgevamaie, having a long, low, sat by post on the south side, and a high, steep Lim with two large rocks off its base at the north side. It comes from the interior herween high mountains, and it is next to impossible to travel along its course. Just within the entrance and on the north side were large Indian villages in 1853. When passing it in moderate northwest weather the sea was breaking heavily across the bar, and this is reported to be generally the case, It has not been examined or surveyed, and the depth of water on the bar is variously reported from ten to eighteen feet; the former, doubtless, nearer the truth. McArthur reports ten feet on the bar, but that the channel is too narrow for sailing vessels to turn in. In the spring of 1850 the New York pilot-boat, W. G. Hagstaff, entered the river, and we believe was attacked by the Indians, deserted, plundered, and burnt. The next vessel that entered was the schooner Sam Roberts, in July of the same year, which got out safely. We know of no other vessels ever having made the attempt.

Near the entrance commence the detached deposits of auriferous sand and gravel, which are found northward along the coast to the Coquille River.

The name of the river was suggested by the dishonest propensities of the natives in its vicinity. On the maps it is called Toutounis, and the Too-too-tut-na Klamet. These names, we judge, have arisen from misapprehension, because