Excerpt from Early Okanogan History

Jacob Astor, had designs upon the Columbia river basin. This caused uneasiness amongst the Nor'westers, and they resolved to anticipate any and all American fur trading enterprises at the mouth of the Columbia or at any point inland upon the waters thereof. The Northwest Company then had trading posts from Montreal to the Rocky mountains, and their men had already penetrated the passes of the Rockies, and were trading with the Indians along the west ward flowing rivers in what is now British Columbia, western Mon tana, and northern Idaho. David Thompson was then upon the Saskatchewan and he was detailed to push through to the mouth of the Columbia and establish a chain of posts along the way. He attempted to come through in 1810, but became confused where the Columbia doubles on itself and makes a great ox bow curve to the north in the Kootenai Country, but he came through another pass and struck the river again far to the north early in 1811. At this time he came to the Columbia at the mouth of what he called Canoe river. (it has borne the same name ever since.) This point is sev eral hundred miles north of what is now the international boundary line. Some of his men had weakened and had become discouraged to the point of mutiny, and we find that he was much disgusted at this period, but he was possessed of indomitable tenacity and perse verance. He went ahead with those he could depend upon; built canoes, and began the decent of the Columbia. We find him and his party at Illthkoyape Falls (kettle Falls) in the latter part of May or the first of June, 1811. From here he left the Columbia, and about the middle of June, 1811, established a trading post for his company on what he called the Skeetshoo river (spokane river) in longitude 117 degrees, 27 minutes and 45 seconds west, according to the records he made at the time, which post he named Spokane House. This post was established on the Spokane river near the mouth of what is now called Hangman's creek near the city of Spokane. On June zrst, his journals show him back at Kettle Falls where he remained until July 3rd fixing his canoes, catching salmon and otherwise arranging for the trip to the mouth of the Columbia.

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