Office Supt Ind Affairs
Oregon City November 7th 1856
Sir
I have the honor to inform you that on 13th October last I left Oregon City for Yaquinah Bay expecting to meet at the latter place B. Jenning's Schooner "Calumet" loaded with flour for Indians upon the Coast Reservation. –
I arrived at Yaquonah Bay on 19th Oct, and remained there until 24th, meanwhile exploring Yaquonah Bay in a canoe and finding it extending twenty five miles into the interior, deep, from one fourth mile to two miles in width, tide setting all the way up –
The schooner not arriving, on the 24th I left for this place, returning by the Siletz Valley and crossing the Coast Range of mountains by the new road leading from Kings Valley in Benton county to the Siletz and Indian
Department –
The Siletz Valley exceeds my warmest expectations – The land is very rich, grass abundant, prairies beautiful – I contemplate the location of the Indians west of the Cascade Mountains except the Williamette Valley Tribes, upon the Coast Reservations, principally in the Siletz Valley and around Yaquonah Bay – It is fine country, admirably suited to the Indians, more secluded from the white settlements than the Grand Round Reservation and more easily reached with supplies if the entrances of the Yaquonah and Siletz are found to be safe for vessels – By express I learn that the schooner arrived in Yaquonah Bay on 28th October and was discharging her cargo of flour – She experienced rough weather outside and in a gale was forced to throw overboard ten kegs nails and two thousand [...]
been erected for the purpose – The Schooner has not yet returned to Portland and we have no definite information of the opinion of those on board of her as to the safety of the entrance of the Yaquonah, but I think it perfectly safe, or at least, sufficiently so for our purposes – perfectly safe in good weather –
I think the mouth of the Siletz can also be entered – if so, another great advantage will be gained, as the Indians can transport provisions up the Siletz River in canoes. I found many Indians at the Yaquonah awaiting the arrival of the schooner with much anxiety – Many of them were sick but a skilful Physician, J.S. McIterny, has been appointed to [...]
be removed to the Siletz, and as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made for their comfort a larger proportion of them will remove, from the Salmon River, where they are now located, to the Siletz Valley, without any expense to the Government – Gen Palmer & brother have commenced operations in the Siletz Valley on their contract enclosed to you in my letter of 22nd September – A number of Indians from the Coquille and other tribes who have been scattered through the Coast Region, South of the Umpqua, recently arrived at the Yaquonah in a very destitute condition. A consequent expenditure will be necessary; Hospital buildings, physician's quarters, Sub Agents quarters, houses for Indians [...]