PREFACE IN ESSAYING to place on reiord a history of the greatest industry on the Pacific Coast, care has been exercised to present a correct and truthful account in accordance with the relative importance of the various details which collectively form the work. The ancient BtiTi'r. Olhr, Lot Wliikomb, and other craft of a contemporaneous period, wouk^ appear insinnilicant indeed in competition with the lloatin;; palaces of the present day ; and yet none of the majiniticent steamers which have supplanted them command a tithe of the attention or importance accorded them while they were blazin;; the way for their eleyant successors. It is for this reason that in many instances much space has been devoted to both steam and sailing craft, the dimensions of which were not at all in proportion to their historical importance. The territory covered by the history is of such scope that ri;;id condensation has been absolutely necessary to enable the presentation of so many matters of interest to marine men ; and, as the work is exc!usi ely a record of maritime projjress, the international boundary controversies, the "Oregon Question," anil kindred themes, have been left for the historical uriters who have in a measure ignored marine matters. The vanjzuard of civilization for centuries has been led by the mariners, and their achievements from the days of Columbus mark the beyinninj; of history in eery new country which has become a portion of the known world. Notwithstandinj; this fact the chroniclers of Northwestern history touch but briefly on the subject, followinu it no farther than its niception. With the e.xception of the official documents in the custom-house-- and the log-books of the Hudson's Bay Company's vessels, all other records anil similar sources of inforniation have likewise furnished but little of interest. As a result, a considerable portion
