THE PACIFIC COAST SURVEY OF 1849 AND 1850.

By LEWIS A. McARTHUR.i

The first survey of the Pacific Coast by the United States Government was made in 1849 and 1850. The field work was done principally by Lieut. Commanding William P. McArthur, U. S. N., and Lieutenant Washington A. Bartlett, U. S. N., 2 assistants in the Coast Survey. There are some details of the life of Lieut. Commanding McArthur and the work he carried on on the Pacific Coast that may be of interest to stu- dents of Oregon history.

William Pope McArthur was born on April 2, 1814, at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. He was the oldest child of John and Mary Linn McArthur. His mother was a sister of Dr. Lewis Fields Linn, who was later to become Oregon's champion in the United States Senate. Dr. Linn took a decided interest in his nephew, and at the uncle's request, the youth was ap- pointed a midshipman in the United States Navy on February 11, 1832. The first few years of his service were spent in the South Pacific Station, and in April, 1837, he was granted three months' leave. Two months later he was granted per- mission to attend the Naval School at Norfolk, to perfect him- self in his studies.

Early in the winter of 1837-8 the government organized an expedition to the Everglades of Florida, and placed it under command of Lieut. Commanding L. M. Powell, U. S. N. McArthur served as commanding officer of one of the two small vessels of the expedition, with the temporary title of lieutenant. The expedition was a mixed command of sailors, soldiers and marines. Among the members was Joseph E.

1 The author of this paper is a grandson of William P. McArthur and a son of Lewis Linn McArthur.

2 Gertrude Atherton, in her "California, an Intimate History," states that Bartlett was the first American alcalde at Yerba Buena, arid that he changed the name of the village to San Francisco in 1846,

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Johnston, who later became one of the greatest generals of the Confederate Army. Johnston had graduated from West Point in 1829, served in the Black Hawk campaign, was stationed at several forts along the Atlantic seaboard, and in 1836 accompanied General Scott to Florida as a member of his staff. Shortly thereafter Johnston resigned from the army, and took up the study of civil engineering. When the expedition of 1837 was sent to the Everglades, Johnston volunteered to ac- company it as topographical engineer. Acting Lieutenant Mc- Arthur and Johnston became firm friends, and continued so until the death of the former. 3

The expedition landed at Jupiter Inlet about the 10th or 12th of January, 1838. Johnston and McArthur warned Powell as to the tricks of Indian warfare, but Powell would not listen, and as a result the command was ambushed, and had it not been for the bravery and coolness of