JOHN WORK'S JOURNEY FROM FORT VANCOUVER TO UMPQUA RIVER, AND RETURN, IN 1834
Introduction and Comments by Leslie M. Scott
Introduction
John Work was an extensive traveler and trader and a chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company. He came to the Pacific Coast from York factory, on Hudson's Bay, in 1823, with Peter Skene Ogden, who had charge of the annual express that year, and served in the fur-trading posts of the Upper Columbia River. He established a farm at Fort Colville in 1823, the first in the Old Oregon Country, and built Fort Colville in 1825-26. In 1830 he succeeded Peter Skene Ogden in charge of the Snake River brigade. Fort Simpson was in his charge in 1835- 49, and in the latter year he was stationed at Victoria as a chief factor. For many years he was a member of the legislative council of Vancouver Island. He was born in 1791 and died December 22, 1861. For his biography, see Howay's and Scholefield's History of BHtish Colum- bia, IV, 1178; Oregon Historical Society Quarterly, X, 296-7. For journals of his travels, see Washington His- torical Quarterly, III, 198-228 (1824) ; V, 83-115, 163-91, 258-87 (1825); VI, 26-49 (1826), all by T. C. Elliott; XI, 104-14 (1828), by William S. Lewis and Jacob A. Meyers ; Oregon Historical Society Quarterly, X, 296-313 (1828); 331-65 (1825-26); XIII, 363-70; XIV, 280-314 (1830-31), all by T. C. Elliott. A narrative and journal of Work's Snake River expedition (1831-32), edited by William S. Lewis, of Spokane, and Professor Paul C. Phillips, of the University of Montana, is soon to be pub- lished by the Arthur H. Clark Company, Cleveland, Ohio. The John Work journal of the expedition of 1834 from Fort Vancouver to Umpqua River, and return, is here- with presented as copied from the original, and has not
