Adams county shall consist of the territory bounded as follows, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of township fourteen north, range twenty-eight east of the Willamette Meridian; running thence north to the fourth standard parallel; thence east to the Columbia River Guide Meridian; thence north to the fifth standard parallel; thence east on said parallel to the line between the ranges thirty-eight and thirty-nine; thence south on said line to where it intersects the Palouse river in township sixteen; thence down said river to where the line between townships fourteen and fifteen crosses said river; thence west on said line to place of beginning.