In November 1791, while exploring the South Pacific, his crew were the first Europeans to sight the Chatham Islands. In October 1792, while exploring the Pacific Northwest of North America, he was ordered to explore the lower Columbia, between present-day Oregon and Washington, with several boats from Broughton's ship. Broughton and his party navigated upriver as far as the Columbia River Gorge. On October 30, he reached his farthest point up the Columbia, landing in eastern Multnomah County east of Portland and northwest of Mount Hood.
Late in 1792, Vancouver, stymied by conflicting instructions over Nootka Sound, sent Broughton back to England via Mexico and the Atlantic, bearing dispatches and requesting instructions.[1]
Later career
In 1793, Broughton was promoted to captain, given command of HMS Providence, and sent back to the Pacific to assist Vancouver. Correctly determining that Vancouver had returned to England having completed his survey, Broughton voyaged to Asia and surveyed the coast of Hokkaidō before wintering at Macau. There Broughton purchased a small schooner which proved providential when, in 1797 Providence wrecked at Miyako Island (south of Okinawa). Broughton and his crew continued the mission in the schooner, exploring northeast Asia, returning home in February 1799.
Broughton continued service, seeing action at Basque Roads and in the 1811 Java expedition (where he was commodore).
Broughton died in Florence, Italy in 1821.
Legacy
Broughton named many locations in the course of his explorations:[2]
Broughton's map of the Columbia River was instrumental in the planning of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
A plaque erected by the State of Oregon along Interstate 84 in the Columbia Gorge commemorates the spot where Broughton landed in 1792.
References
^ Jim Mockford, “The Journal of a Tour across the Continent of New Spain from St. Blas in the North Pacific Ocean to La Vera Cruz in the Gulph of Mexico, by Lieut. W. R. Broughton in the Year 1793, Commander H.M. Brig 'Chatham'”, Terrae Incognitae, vol.36, 2004, pp.2-58.
