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LI  B  RAR.Y 

OF   THE 

U  N  I  VERS  ITY 
OF    ILLI  NOIS 


)F 


>om. 


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are  reasons  for  disciplinary  action  and  may 
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UNIVERSITY    OF    ILLINOIS    LIBRARY    AT    URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


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AUGH 


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L161  — O-1096 


THE  WORKS 


OF 


WASHIIGTON  IRVING 


NEW  EDITION.  REVISED 


VOL.  VIII. 

ASTORIA. 


NEW- YORK: 

GEORGE   P.   PUTNAM. 
1849. 


ASTORIA 


ANECDOTES  OF  AI  EITEEPKISE 


ROCKY  MOUNTAINS. 


BY 

WASHINGTON  IRVING. 


AUTHOR'S    REVISED    EDITION 


COMPLETE   IN   ONE    VOLUME. 


NEW.  YORK: 
GEORGE  P.  PUTNAM,  155  BROADWAY. 

And    143    Strand,   London 

1849. 


ENTERED,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by 
WASHINGTON  IRVING, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District 
of  New- York. 


LEAVITT,  TROW  &  Co., 

Printers  and  Stertotypert, 
49  Anm-ttreet,  N.Y. 


INTRODUCTION. 



IN  the  course  of  occasional  visits  to  Canada  many  years  since,  I 
became  intimately  acquainted  with  some  of  the  principal  partners 
of  the  great  Northwest  Fur  Company,  who  at  that  time  lived  in 
genial  style  at  Montreal,  and  kept  almost  open  house  for  the 
stranger.  At  their  hospitable  boards  I  occasionally  met  with 
partners,  and  clerks,  and  hardy  fur  traders  from  the  interior 
posts  ;  men  who  had  passed  years  remote  from  civilized  society, 
among  distant  and  savage  tribes,  and  who  had  wonders  to  recount 
of  their  wide  and  wild  peregrinations,  their  hunting  exploits,  and 
their  perilous  adventures  and  hair-breadth  escapes  among  the 
Indians.  I  was  at  an  age  when  imagination  lends  its  coloring  to 
every  thing,  and  the  stories  of  these  Sindbads  of  the  wildnerness 
made  the  life  of  a  trapper  and  fur  trader  perfect  romance  to  me. 
I  even  meditated  at  one  time  a  visit  to  the  remote  posts  of  the 
company  in  the  boats  which  annually  ascended  the  lakes  and 
rivers,  being  thereto  iflvited  by  one  of  the  partners ;  and  I  have 
ever  since  regretted  that  I  was  prevented  by  circumstances  from 
carrying  my  intention  into  effect.  From  those  early  impressions, 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

the  grand  enterprises  of  the  great  fur  companies,  and  the  hazard- 
ous errantry-  of  their  associates  in  the  wild  parts  of  our  vast  con- 
tinent, have  always  been  themes  of  charmed  interest  to  me ;  and 
I  have  felt  anxious  to  get  at  the  details  of  their  adventurous  ex- 
peditions among  the  savage  tribes  that  peopled  the  depths  of  the 
wilderness. 

About  two  years  ago,  not  long  after  my  return  from  a  tour 
upon  the  prairies  of  the  far  West,  I  had  a  conversation  with  my 
friend,  Mr.  John  Jacob  Astor,  relative  to  that  portion  of  our 
country,  and  to  the  adventurous  traders  to  Santa  Fe  and  the 
Columbia.  This  led  him  to  advert  to  a  great  enterprise  set  on 
foot  and  conducted  by  him,  between  twenty  and  thirty  years 
since,  having  for  its  object  to  carry  the  fur  trade  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  to  sweep  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

Finding  that  I  took  an  interest  in  the  subject,  he  expressed  a 
regret  that  the  true  nature  and  extent  of  his  enterprise  and  its 
national  character  and  importance  had  never  been  understood, 
and  a  wish  that  I  would  undertake  to  give  an  account  of  it.  The 
suggestion  struck  upon  the  chord  of  early  associations,  already 
vibrating  in  my  mind.  It  occurred  to  me  that  a  work  of  this 
kind  might  comprise  a  variety  of  those  curious  details,  so  inter- 
esting to  me,  illustrative  of  the  fur  trade  ;  of  its  remote  and  ad- 
venturous enterprises,  and  of  the  various  people,  and  tribes,  and 
castes,  and  characters,  civilized  and  savage,  affected  by  its  opera- 
tions. The  journals,  and  letters  also,  of  the  adventurers  by  sea 
and  land  employed  by  Mr.  Astor  in  his  comprehensive  project, 
might  throw  light  upon  portions  of  our  country  quite  out  of t  the 


INTRODUCTION.  TU 


track  of  ordinary  travel,  and  as  yet  but  little  known.  I  there- 
fore felt  disposed  to  undertake  the  task,  provided  documents  of 
sufficient  extent  and  minuteness  could  be  furnished  to  me.  All 
the  papers  relative  to  the  enterprise  were  accordingly  submitted  to 
my  inspection.  Among  them  were  journals  and  letters  narrating 
expeditions  by  sea,  and  journeys  to  and  fro  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains  by  routes  before  untravelled,  together  with  documents 
illustrative  of  savage  and  colonial  life  on  the  borders  of  the 
Pacific.  With  such  materials  in  hand,  I  undertook  the  work 
The  trouble  of  rummaging  among  business  papers,  and  of  col- 
lecting and  collating  facts  from  amidst  tedious  and  commonplace 
details,  was  spared  me  by  my  nephew,  Pierre  M.  Irving,  who 
acted  as  my  pioneer,  and  to  whom  I  am  greatly  indebted  for 
smoothing  my  path  and  lightening  my  labors. 

As  the  journals,  on  which  I  chiefly  depended,  had  been  kept 
by  men  of  business,  intent  upon  the  main  object  of  the  enter- 
prise, and  but  little  versed  in  science,  or  curious  about  matters 
not  immediately  bearing  upon  their  interests,  and  as  they  were 
written  often  in  moments  of  fatigue  or  hurry,  amid  the  incon- 
veniences of  wild  encampments,  they  were  often  meagre  in  their 
details,  furnishing  hints  to  provoke  rather  than  narratives  to 
satisfy  inquiry.  I  have,  therefore,  availed  myself  occasionally  of 
collateral  lights  supplied  by  the  published  journals  of  other  tra- 
vellers who  have  visited  the  scenes  described :  such  as  Messrs. 
Lewis  and  Clarke,  Bradbury,  Breckenridge,  Long,  Franchere,  and 
Boss  Cox,  and  make  a  general  acknowledgment  of  aid  received 
from  these  quarters. 


Tiii  INTRODUCTION. 


The  work  I  here  present  to  the  public,  is  necessarily  of  a 
rambling  and  somewhat  disjointed  nature,  comprising  various 
expeditions  and  adventures  by  land  and  sea.  The  facts,Aowever, 
will  prove  to  be  linked  and  banded  together  by  one  grand  scheme, 
devised  and  conducted  by  a  master  spirit ;  one  set  of  characters, 
also,  continues  throughout,  appearing  occasionally,  though  some- 
times at  long  intervals,  and  the  whole  enterprise  winds  up  by  a 
regular  catastrophe ;  so  that  the  work,  without  any  labored  at- 
tempt at  artificial  construction,  actually  possesses  much  of  that 
unity  so  much  sought  after  in  works  of  fiction,  and  considered  so 
important  to  the  interest  of  every  history. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Objects  of  American  enterprise — gold  hunting  and  fur  trading — their  effect  on 
colonization — early  French  Canadian  settlers — Ottowa  and  Huron  hunters — 
an  Indian  trading  camp — couriers  des  bois,  or  rangers  of  the  woods — their 
roaming  life — their  revels  and  excesses — licensed  traders — missionaries — 
trading  posts — primitive  French  Canadian  merchant — his  establishment  and 
dependents — British  Canadian  fur  merchant — origin  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany— its  constitution — its  internal  trade — a  candidate  for  the  company — 
privations  in  the  wilderness — northwest  clerks — northwest  partners — a  north- 
west nabob — feudal  notions  in  the  forests — the  lords  of  the  lakes — Fort  Wil- 
liam— its  parliamentary  hall  and  banqueting  room — wassailing  in  the  wil- 
derness,   PAGE  13 

CHAPTER  IL 

Rise  of  the  Mackinaw  Company — attempt  of  the  American  government  to 
counteract  foreign  influence  over  the  Indian  tribes — John  Jacob  Astor — his 
birth-place — his  arrival  in  the  United  States— what  first  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  fur  trade — his  character,  enterprises,  and  success — his  commu- 
nications with  the  American  government — origin  of  the  American  Fur 
Company, 26 

CHAPTER  III. 

Fur  trade  in  the  Pacific — American  coasting  voyages — Russian  enterprises — 
discovery  of  the  Columbia  River — Carver's  project  to  found  a  settlement 
there — Mackenzie's  expedition — Lewis  and  Clarke's  journey  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains — Mr.  Aster's  grand  commercial  scheme — his  correspondence  on 
the  subject  with  Mr.  Jefferson — his  negotiations  with  the  Northwest  Company 
— his  steps  to  carry  his  scheme  into  effect,  .  .  "  •  .  .  .33 

1 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Two  expeditions  set  on  foot — the  Tonquin  and  her  crew — Captain  Thorn,  his 
character — the  partners  and  clerks — Canadian  voyageurs,  their  habits,  em- 
ployments, dress,  character,  songs — expedition  of  a  Canadian  boat  and  its 
crew  by  land  and  water — arrival  at  New- York — preparations  for  a  sea  voyage 
— northwest  braggarts — underhand  precautions — letter  of  instructions,  45 

CHAPTER  V. 

Sailing  of  the  Tonquin — a  rigid  commander  and  a  reckless  crew — landsmen 
on  shipboard — fresh  water  sailors  at  sea — lubber  nests — ship  fare — a  Labra- 
dor veteran — literary  clerks — curious  travellers — Robinson  Crusoe's  Island — 
quarter-deck  quarrels — Falkland  Islands — a  wild-goose  chase — Port  Egmont 
—epitaph  hunting — Old  Mortality — penguin  shooting — sportsmen  left  in  the 
lurch — a  hard  pull — further  altercations — arrival  at  Owyhee,  .  .  53 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Owyhee — Sandwich  Islanders — their  nautical  talents — Tamaahmaah — his  navy 
— his  negotiations — views  of  Mr.  Astor  with  respect  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
— Karakakora — royal  monopoly  of  pork — description  of  the  islanders — gaye- 
ties  on  shore — chronicler  of  the  island — place  where  Captain  Cook  was  killed 
— John  Young,  a  nautical  governor — his  story — Waititi — a  royal  residence 
— a  royal  visit — grand  ceremonials — close  dealing — a  royal  pork  merchant — 
grievances  of  a  matter-of-fact-man,  64 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Departure  from  the  Sandwich  Islands — misunderstandings — miseries  of  a  sus- 
picious man — arrival  at  the  Columbia — dangerous  service — gloomy  appre- 
hensions— bars  and  breakers — perils  of  the  ship — disasters  of  a  boat's  crew 
— burial  of  a  Sandwich  Islander, 77 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Mouth  of  the  Columbia — the  native  tribes — their  fishing — their  canoes — bold 
navigators — equestrian  Indians  and  piscatory  Indians,  difference  in.  their 
physical  organization — search  for  a  trading  site — expedition"  of  M'Dougal 
and  David  Stewart — Comcomly,  the  one-eyed  chieftain — influence  of  wealth 
in  savage  life — slavery  among  the  natives — an  aristocracy  of  Flatheads — 
hospitality  among  the  Chinooks — Comcomly's  daugnter — her  conquest,  85 

.        CHAPTER  IX. 

Point  George — founding  of  Astoria — Indian  visitors — their  reception — the  cap- 
tain taboos  the  ship — departure  of  the  Tonquin — comments  on  the  conduct 
of  Captain  Thorn,  91 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Disquieting  rumors  from  the  interior — reconnoitering  party — preparations  for  a 
trading  post — an  unexpected  arrival — a  spy  in  the  camp — expedition  into 
the  interior — shores  of  the  Columbia — Mount  Coffin — Indian  Sepulchre — the 
land  of  spirits — Columbian  valley — Vancouver's  Point — falls  and  rapids — a 
great  fishing  mart — the  village  of  Wish-ram — difference  between  fishing 
Indians  and  hunting  Indians — effects  of  habits  of  trade  on  the  Indian  charac- 
ter— post  established  at  the  Oakinagan,  .  ....  95 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Alarm  at  Astoria— rumor  of  Indian  hostilities — preparations  for  defence — tragi- 
cal fate  of  the  Tonquin, 106 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Gloom  at  Astoria — an  ingenious  stratagem — the  smallpox  chief — launching  of 
the  Dolly — an  arrival — a  Canadian  trapper — a  freeman  of  the  forest — an 
Iroquois  hunter — winter  on  the  Columbia — festivities  of  New  Year,  117 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Expedition  by  land — Wilson  P.  Hunt — his  character — Donald  M'Kenzie — re- 
cruiting service  among  the  voyageurs — a  bark  canoe — chapel  of  St.  Anne — 
votive  offerings — pious  carousals — a  ragged  regiment — Mackinaw — picture 
of  a  trading  post — frolicking  voyageurs — swells  and  swaggerers — Indian  cox- 
combs— a  man  of  the  north — jockeyship  of  voyageurs — inefficacy  of  gold — 
weight  of  a  feather — Mr.  Ramsay  Crooks — his  character — his  risks  among 
the  Indians — his  warning  concerning  Sioux  and  Blackfeet — embarkation  of 
recruits — parting  scenes  between  brothers,  cousins,  wives,  sweethearts,  and 
pot  companions,  ...••••••.  124 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

St.  Louis— its  situation — motley  population — French  Creole  traders  and  their 
dependents — Missouri  Fur  Company — Mr.  Manuel  Lisa — Mississippi  boat- 
men— vagrant  Indians — Kentucky  hunters — old  French  mansion — fiddling 
— billiards — Mr.  Joseph  Miller — his  character — recruits — voyage  up  the 
Missouri — difficulties  of  the  river — merits  of  Canadian  voyageurs — arrival 
at  the  Nodowa — Mr.  Robert  M'Lellan  joins  the  party — John  Day,  a  Virginia 
hunter — description  of  him — Mr.  Hunt  returns  to  St.  Louis,  .  .  133 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Opposition  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company — Blackfeet  Indians — Pierre  Dorion, 
a  half-breed  interpreter — old  Dorion  and  his  hybrid  progeny — family  quarrels 


4  CONTENTS. 

—cross  purposes  between  Dorion  and  Lisa — renegadoes  from  Nodowa — 
perplexities  of  a  commander — Messrs.  Bradbury  and  Nuttall  join  the  ex- 
pedition— legal  embarrassments  of  Pierre  Dorion — departure  from  St.  Louis 
— conjugal  discipline  of  a  half-breed — annual  swelling  of  the  rivers — Daniel 
Boon,  the  patriarch  of  Kentucky — John  Colter — his  adventures  among  the 
Indians — rumors  of  danger  ahead — Fort  Osage — an  Indian  war-feast — 
troubles  in  the  Dorion  family — Buffaloes  and  turkey-buzzards,  .  140 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Return  of  spring — appearance  of  snakes — great  flights  of  wild  pigeons — re- 
newal of  the  voyage — night  encampments — Platte  River — ceremonials  on 
passing  it — signs  of  Indian  war  parties — magnificent  prospect  at  Papillion 
Creek— desertion  of  two  hunters — an  irruption  into  the  camp  of  Indian  des- 
peradoes— village  of  the  Omahas — anecdotes  of  the  tribe — feudal  wars  of  the 
Indians — story  of  Blackbird,  the  famous  Omaha  chief,  .  .  .  154 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Rumors  of  danger  from  the  Sioux  Tetons — ruthless  character  of  those  savages 
— pirates  of  the  Missouri — their  affair  with  Crooks  and  M'Lellan — a  trading 
expedition  broken  up — M'Lellan's  vow  of  vengeance — uneasiness  in  the  camp 
— desertions— departure  from  the  Omaha  village — meeting  with  Jones  and 
Carson,  two  adventurous  trappers — scientific  pursuits  of  Messrs.  Bradbury 
and  Nuttall — zeal  of  a  botanist — adventure  of  Mr.  Bradbury  with  a  Ponca 
Indian — expedient  of  the  pocket  compass  and  microscope — a  messenger 
from  Lisa — motives  for  pressing  forward,  •  •  •  ••  -  167 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Camp  gossip— deserters — recruits — Kentucky  hunters — a  veteran  woodman — 
tidings  of  Mr.  Henry— danger  from  the  Blackfeet — alteration  of  plans — 
scenery  of  the  river — buffalo  roads — iron  ore^-country  of  the  Sioux — a  land 
of  danger — apprehensions  of  the  voyageurs — Indian  scouts — threatened  hos- 
tilities— a  council  of  war — an  array  of  battle — a  parley — the  pipe  of  peace 
— speech-making, 177 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  great  bend  of  the  Missouri — Crooks  and  M'Lellan  meet  with  two  of  their 
Indian  opponents — wanton  outrage  of  a  white  man  the  cause  of  Indian  hos- 
tility— dangers  and  precautions — an  Indian  war  party — dangerous  situation 
of  Mr.  Hunt — a  friendly  encampment — feasting  and  dancing — approach  of 
Manuel  Lisa  and  his  party — a  grirn^ifieeting  between  old  rivals — Pierre 
Dorion  in  a  fury — a  burst  of  chiva^ffT 187 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Features  of  the  wilderness — herds  of  buffalo — antelopes — their  varieties  and 
habits — John  Day — his  hunting  stratagem — interview  with  three  Arickaras 
— negotiations  between  the  rival  parties — the  Left-handed  and  the  Big  Man, 
two  Arickara  chiefs — Arickara  village — its  inhabitants — ceremonials  on 
lauding — a  council  lodge — grand  conference — speech  of  Lisa — negotiation 
for  horses — shrewd  suggestion  of  Gray  Eyes,  an  Arickara  chief — encamp- 
ment of  the  trading  parties, 195 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

An  Indian  horse  fair — love  of  the  Indians  for  horses — scenes  in  the  Arickara 
village — Indian  hospitality — duties  of  Indian  women — game  habits  of  the 
men — their  indolence — love  of  gossiping — rumors  of  lurking  enemies — scouts 
— an  alarm — a  sallying  forth — Indian  dogs — return  of  a  horse-stealing  party 
— an  Indian  deputation — fresh  alarms — return  of  a  successful  war  party — dress 
of  the  Arickaras — Indtan  toilet — triumphal  entry  of  the  war  party — meetings 
of  relations  and  friends — Indian  sensibility — meeting  of  a  wounded  warrior 
and  his  mother — festivities  and  lamentations,  .  .  .  .  205 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Wilderness  of  the  Far  West — great  American  desert — parched  seasons — Black 
Hills — Rocky  Mountains — wandering  and  predatory  hordes — speculations  on 
what  may  be  the  future  population — apprehended  dangers — a  plot  to  desert 
— Rose  the  interpreter — his  sinister  character — departure  from  the  Arickara 
village, 216 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Summer  weather  of  the  prairies — purity  of  the  atmosphere — Canadians  on  the 
march — sickness  in  the  camp — Big  River — vulgar  nomenclature — suggestions 
about  the  original  Indian  names — camp  of  Cheyennes — trade  for  horses 
— character  of  the  Cheyennes — their  horsemanship — historical  anecdotes  of 
the  tribe, 222 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

New  distribution  of  horses — secret  information  of  treason  in  the  camp — Rose 
the  interpreter — his  perfidious  character — his  plots — anecdotes  of  the  Crow 
Indians — notorious  horse  stealers — some  account  of  Rose — a  desperado  of 
the  frontier,  .  .  228 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Substitute  for  fuel  on  the  prairies — fossil  trees — fierceness  of  the  buffaloes  when 
in  heat — three  hunters  missing — signal  fires  and  smokes — uneasiness  con- 
cerning the  lost  men — a  plan  to  forestall  a  rogue — new  arrangement  with  • 
Rose — return  of  the  wanderers,          .......     232 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

The  Black  Mountains — haunts  of  predatory  Indians — their  wild  and  broken 
appearance — superstitions  concerning  them — thunder  spirits — singular  noises 
in  the  mountains — secret  mines — hidden  treasures — mountains  in  labor — sci- 
entific explanation — impassable  defiles — black-tailed  deer — the  bighorn  or 
ahsahta — prospect  from  a  lofty  height — plain  with  herds  of  buffalo — distant 
peaks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains — alarms  in  the  camp — tracks  of  grizzly  bears 
— dangerous  nature  of  this  animal — adventures  of  William  Cannon  and  John 
Day  with  grizzly  bears, 237 

CHAPTER  XXVII.     . 

Indian  trial — rough  mountain  travelling — sufferings  from  hunger  and  thirst — 
Powder  River — game  in  abundance — a  hunter's  paradise — mountain  peak 
seen  at  a  great  distance — one  of  the-  Big  Horn  chain — Rocky  Mountains — 
extent — appearance — height — the  great  American  desert — various  character- 
istics of  the  mountains — Indian  superstitions  concerning  them — land  of  souls 
— towns  of  the  free  and  generous  spirits — happy  hunting  grounds,  .  245 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Region  of  the  Crow  Indians — scouts  on  the  lookout — visit  from  a  crew  of  hard 
riders — a  Crow  camp— ^presents  to  the  Crow  chief — bargaining — Crow 
bullies — Rose  among  his  Indian  friends — parting  with  the  Crows — perplexi- 
ties among  the  mountains — more  of  the  Crows — equestrian  children — search 
after  stragglers, 250 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Mountain  glens — wandering  band  of  savages — anecdotes  of  Shoshonies  and 
Flatheads — root  diggers — their  solitary  lurking  habits — gnomes  of  the 
mountains — Wind  River — scarcity  of  food — alteration  of  route — the  Pilot 
Knobs  or  Tetons — branch  of  the  Colorado — hunting  camp,  .  .  256 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  plentiful  hunting  camp — Shoshonie  hunters — Hoback's  River — Mad  River 
—encampment  near  the  Pilot  Knobs — a  consultation — preparations  for  a 
perilous  voyage, •  •  •  264 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

A  consultation  whether  to  proceed  by  land  or  water — preparations  for  boat 
building — an  exploring  party — a  party  of  trappers  detached — two  Snake  vis- 
itors— their  report  concerning  the  river — confirmed  by  the  exploring  party — 
Mad  River  abandoned — arrival  at  Henry's  Fort — detachment  of  -Robinson, 
Hoback,  and  Rezner  to  trap — Mr.  Miller  resolves  to  accompany  them — their 
departure, 268 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Scanty  fere — a  mendicant  Snake— embarkation  on  Henry  River — joy  of  the 
voyageurs — arrival  at  Snake  River — rapids  and  breakers — beginning  of  mis- 
fortunes— Snake  encampments — parley  with  a  savage — a  second  disaster — 
loss  of  a  boatman — the  Caldron  Linn, 275 

CHAPTER  XXXHI. 

Gloomy  council — exploring  parties— discouraging  reports — disastrous  experi- 
ment— detachments  in  quest  of  succor — caches,  how  made — return  of  one  of 
the  detachments — unsuccessful — further  disappointments — the  Devil's  Scuttle 
Hole, 282 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Determination  of  the  party  to  proceed  on  foot — dreary  deserts  between  Snake 
River  and  the  Columbia — distribution  of  effects  preparatory  to  a  march — 
division  of  the  party — rugged  march  along  the  river — wild  and  broken 
scenery — Shoshonies — alarm  of  a  Snake  encampment — intercourse  with  the 
Snakes — horse  dealing — value  of  a  tin  kettle — sufferings  from  thirst — a  horse 
reclaimed — fortitude  of  an  Indian  woman — scarcity  of  food — dog's  flesh  a 
dainty — news  of  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  party — painful  travelling  among  the 
mountains — snow  storms — a  dreary  mountain  prospect — a  bivouack  during 
a  wintry  night — return  to  the  river  bank,  .....  288 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

An  unexpected  meeting — navigation  in  a  skin  canoe — strange  fears  of  suffering 
men — hardships  of  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  comrades — tidings  of  M'Lellan — a 
retrograde  march — a  willow  raft — extreme  suffering  of  some  of  the  party — 
illness  of  Mr.  Crooks — impatience  of  some  of  the  men — necessity  of  leaving 
the  laggards  behind, 299 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Mr.  Hunt  overtakes  the  advanced  party — Pierre  Dorion,and  his  skeleton  horse 
— a  Shoshonie  camp — a  justifiable  outrage — feasting  on  horse  flesh — Mr. 


8  CONTENTS. 

Crooks  brought  to  the  camp— undertakes  to  relieve  his  men — the  skin  ferry- 
boat— frenzy  of  Prevost — his  melancholy  fate — enfeebled  state  of  John  Day 
— Mr.  Crooks  again  left  behind — the  party  emerge  from  among  the  moun- 
tains— interview  with  Shoshonies — a  guide  procured  to  conduct  the  party 
across  a  mountain — ferriage  across  Snake  River — reunion  with  Mr.  Crooks's 
men — final  departure  from  the  river,  304- 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

Departure  from  Snake  River — mountains  to  the  north — wayworn  travellers — 
an  increase  of  the  Dorion  family — a  camp  of  Shoshonies — a  New- Year  fes- 
tival among  the  Snakes — a  wintry  march  through  the  mountains — a  sunny 
prospect,  and  milder  climate — Indian  horse-tracks — grassy  valleys — a  camp 
of  Sciatogas — joy  of  the  travellers — dangers  of  abundance — habits  of  the 
Sciatogas — fate  of  Carriere — the  Umatalla — arrival  at  the  banks  of  the  Co- 
lumbia— tidings  of  the  scattered  members  of  the  expedition — scenery  on  the 
Columbia — tidings  of  Astoria — arrival  at  the  falls,  .  .  .  .311 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

The  village  of  Wish-ram — roguery  of  the  inhabitants — their  habitations — 
tidings  of  Astoria — of  the  Tonquin  massacre — thieves  about  the  camp — a 
band  of  braggarts — embarkation — arrival  at  Astoria — a  joyful  reception— old 
comrades — adventures  of  Reed,  M'Lellan,  and  M'Kenzie,  among  the  Snake 
River  Mountains — rejoicing  at  Astoria,  ......  322 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

Scanty  fare  during  the  winter — a  poor  hunting  ground — the  return  of  the  fish- 
ing season — the  uthlecan  or  smelt — its  qualities — vast  shoals  of  it — sturgeon 
— Indian  modes  of  taking  it — the  salmon — different  species — nature  of  the 
country  about  the  coast — forests  and  forest  trees — a  remarkable  flowering 
vine-— animals — birds — reptiles — climate  west  of  the  mountains — mildness 
of  the  temperature — Soil  of  the  coast  and  the  interior,  .  .  .  330 

CHAPTER  XL. 

Natives  in  the  neighborhood  of  Astoria — their  persons  and  characteristics — 
causes  of  deformity — their  dress — their  contempt  of  beards — ornaments — 
armor  and  weapons — mode  of  flattening  the  head — extent  of  the  custom — 
religious  belief — the  two  great  spirits  of  the  air  and  of  the  fire — priests  or 
medicine  men — the  rival  idols — polygamy  a  cause  of  greatness — petty  war- 
fare— music,  dancing,  gambling — thieving  a  virtue — keen  traders — intrusive 
habits — abhorrence  of  drunkenness — anecdote  of  Comcomly,  .  .  335 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

Spring  arrangements  at  Astoria — various  expeditions  set  out — the  Long  Nar- 
rows— pilfering  Indians — thievish  tribe  at  Wish-ram — portage  at  the  falls — 
portage  by  moonlight — an  attack,  a  rout,  and  a  robbery — Indian  cure  for 
cowardice — a  parley  and  compromise — the  dispatch  party  turn  back — 
meet  Crooks  and  John  Day — their  sufferings — Indian  perfidy — arrival  at 
Astoria, ,  343 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

Comprehensive  views — to  supply  the  Russian  far  establishment — an  agent  sent 
to  Russia — project  of  an  annual  ship — the  Beaver  fitted  out — her  equipment 
and  crew — instructions  to  the  captain — the  Sandwich  Islands — rumors  of 
the  fete  of  the  Tonquin — precautions  on  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia,   354 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Active  operations  at  Astoria — various  expeditions  fitted  out — Robert  Stuart 
and  a  party  destined  for  New-York — singular  conduct  of  John  Day — his 
fate — piratical  pass  and  hazardous  portage — rattlesnakes — their  abhorrence 
of  tobacco — arrival  among  the  Wallah- Wallahs — purchase  of  horses — de- 
parture of  Stuart  and  bis  band  for  the  mountains,  ....  359 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

Route  of  Mr.  Stuart — dreary  wilds—  thirsty  travelling — a  grove  and  streamlet 
— the  Blue  Mountains — a  feriile  plain  with  rivulets — sulphur  spring — route 
along  Snake  River — rumors  of  white  men — the  Snake  and  his  horse — a 
Snake  guide — a  midnight  decampment — unexpected  meeting  with  old  com- 
rades— story  of  trappers'  hardships — Salmon  Falls — a  great  fishery — mode 
of  spearing  salmon — arrival  at  the  Caldron  Linn — state  of  the  caches — new 
resolution  of  the  three  Kentucky  trappers, 367 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

The  Snake  River  deserts — scanty  fare — bewildered  travellers — prowling  In- 
dians— a  giant  Crow  chief — a  bully  rebuked — Indian  signals — smoke  on  the 
mountains — Mad  River — an  alarm — an  Indian  foray — a  scamper — a  rude 
Indian  joke — a  sharp-shooter  balked  of  his  shot,  ....  380 

1* 


JO  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

Travellers  unhorsed — pedestrian  preparations — prying  spies — bonfire  of  bag- 
gage— a  march  on  foot — rafting  a  river — the  wounded  elk — Indian  trails — 
wilful  conduct  of  Mr.  M'Lellan — grand  prospect  from  a  mountain — distant 
craters  of  volcanoes — illness  of  Mr.  Crooks,  .....  388 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

Ben  Jones  and  a  grizzly  bear — rocky  heights — mountain  torrents — traces  of 
M'Lellan — volcanic  remains — mineral  earths — peculiar  clay  for  pottery — 
dismal  plight  of  M'Lellan— starvation — shocking  proposition  of  a  desperate 
man — a  broken-down  bull — a  ravenous  meal — Indian  graves — hospitable 
Snakes — a  forlorn  alliance, 396 

CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

Spanish  River  scenery — trial  of  Crow  Indians — a  snow-storm — a  rousing  fire 
and  a  buffalo  feast — a  plain  of  salt — climbing  a  mountain — volcanic  summit 
—extinguished  crater — marine  shells — encampment  on  a  prairie — successful 
hunting — good  cheer — romantic  scenery — rocky  defile — foaming  rapids — 
the  fiery  narrows,  406 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 

Wintry  storms — a  halt  and  council — cantonment  for  the  winter — fine  hunting 
country — game  of  the  mountains  and  plains — successful  hunting — Mr.  Crooks 
and  a  grizzly  bear — the  wigwam — bighorn  and  blacktails — beef  and  veni- 
son— good  quarters  and  good  cheer — an  alarm — an  intrusion — unwelcome 
guests — desolation  of  the  larder — gormandizing  exploits  of  hungry  savages 
— good  quarters  abandoned, 412 

CHAPTER  L. 

Rough  wintry  travelling — hills  and  plains — snow  and  ice — disappearance  of 
game — a  vast  dreary  plain — a  second  halt  for  the  winter — another  wigwam 
— New  Year's  feast — buffalo  humps,  tongues,  and  marrow  bones — return  of 
spring — launch  of  canoes — bad  navigation — pedestrian  march — vast  prairies 
— deserted  camps — Pawnee  squaws — an  Otto  Indian — news  of  war — voyage 
down  the  Platte  and  the  Missouri — reception  at  Fort  Osage — arrival  at  St. 
Louis, 421 

CHAPTER  LI 

Agreement  between  Mr.  Astor  and  the  Russian  Fur  Company — war  between 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain — instructions  to  Captain  Sowle  of  the 
Beaver — fitting  out  of  the  Lark — news  of  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Stuart,  .  429 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

Banks  of  the  Wallah-Wallah — departure  of  David  Stuart  for  the  Oakinagan 
— Mr.  Clarke's  route  up  Lewis  River — Chipunnish,  or  Pierced-nose  Indians 
— their  character,  appearance,  and  habits — thievish  habits — laying  up  of  the 
boats — post  at  Pointed  Heart  and  Spokan  Rivers — M'Kenzie,  his  route  up  the 
Camoenum — bands  of  travelling  Indians — expedition  of  Reed  to  the  caches 
— adventures  of  wandering  voyageurs  and  trappers,  .  .  .  434 


CHAPTER  LIIL 

Departure  of  Mr.  Hunt  in  the  Beaver — precautions  at  the  factory — detachment 
to  the  Wollamnt — gloomy  apprehensions — arrival  of  M'Kenzie — affairs  at 
the  Shahaptan — news  of  war — dismay  of  M'Dougal — determination  to  aban- 
don Astoria — departure  of  M'Kenzie  for  the  interior — adventure  at  the  rapids 
— visit  to  the  ruffians  of  Wish-ram — a  perilous  situation — meeting  with 
M'Tavish  and  his  party — arrival  at  the  Shahaptan — plundered  caches — de- 
termination of  the  wintering  partners  not  to  leave  the  country — arrival  of 
Clarke  among  the  Nez  Perces — the  affair  of  the  silver  goblet — hanging  of  an 
Indian — arrival  of  the  wintering  partners  at  Astoria,  .  .  .  442 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

The  partners  displeased  with  M'Dougal — equivocal  conduct  of  that  gentleman 
— partners  agree  to  abandon  Astoria — sale  of  goods  to  M'Tavish — arrange- 
ments for  the  year — manifesto  signed  by  the  partners — departure  of  M'Tavish 
for  the  interior, 454 


CHAPTER  LV. 

Anxieties  of  Mr.  Astor — memorial  of  the  Northwest  Company — tidings  of  a 
British  naval  expedition  against  Astoria — Mr.  Astor  applies  to  government 
for  protection — the  frigate  Adams  ordered  to  be  fitted  out — bright  news 
from  Astoria — sunshine  suddenly  overclouded,  ....  458 


CHAPTER  LV1. 

Affairs  of  state  at  Astoria — M'Dougal  proposes  for  the  hand  of  an  Indian 
princess — matrimonial  embassy  to  Comcomly — matrimonial  notions  among 
the  Chinooks — settlements  and  pin  money — the  bringing  home  of  the  bride 
— a  managing  father-in-law — arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt  at  Astoria,  .  .  461 


la  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

Voyage  of  the  Beaver  to  New  Archangel — a  Russian  governor — roystering 
rule — the  tyranny  of  the  table— hard  drinking  bargains — voyage  to  Kam- 
schatka — seal-catching  establishment  at  St.  Paul's — storms  at  sea — Mr.  Hunt 
left  at  the  Sandwich  Islands — transactions  of  the  Beaver  at  Canton — return 
of  Mr.  Hunt  to  Astoria, 465 

CHAPTER  LVIII. 

Arrangements  among  the  partners — Mr.  Hunt  sails  in  the  Albatross — arrives 
at  the  Marquesas — news  of  the  frigate  Phoebe — Mr.  Hunt  proceeds  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands — voyage  of  the  Lark — her  shipwreck — transactions  with 
the  -natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands — conduct  of  Tamaahmaah,  .  474 

CHAPTER  LIX. 

Arrival  of  M'Tavish  at  Astoria — conduct  of  his  followers — negotiations  of 
M'Dougal  and  M'Tavish — bargain  for  the  transfer  of  Astoria — doubts  enter- 
tained of  the  loyalty  of  M'Dougal, 483 

CHAPTER  LX. 

Arrival  of  a  strange  sail — agitation  at  Astoria — warlike  offer  of  Comcomly — 
Astoria  taken  possession  of  by  the  British — indignation  of  Comcomly  at  the 
conduct  of  his  son-in-law, 489 

CHAPTER  LXI. 

Arrival  of  the  brig  Pedler  at  Astoria — breaking  up  of  the  establishment — 
departure  of  several  of  the  company — tragical  story  told  by  the  squaw  of 
Pierre  Dorion — fate  of  Reed  and  his  companions — attempts  of  Mr.  Astor  to 
renew  his  enterprise— disappointment — concluding  observations  and  reflec- 
tions,   491 

APPENDIX. 

Draught  of  a  petition  to  Congress,  sent  by  Mr.  Astor  in  1812,  .  .  505 

Letter  from  Mr.  Gallatin  to  Mr.  Astor, 507 

Notices  of  the  present  state  of  the  Fur  Trade,  chiefly  extracted  from  an 

article  published  in  Silliman's  Journal  for  January,  1834,       .         .         .  509 

Height  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,          .......  514 

Suggestions  with  respect  to  the  Indian  tribes,  and  the  protection 

of  our  Trade, 515 


ASTOEIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Two  leading  objects  of  commercial  gain  have  given  birth  to  wide 
and  daring  enterprise  in  the  early  history  of  the  Americas ;  the 
precious  metals  of  the  south,  and  the  rich  peltries  of  the  north. 
While  the  fiery  and  magnificent  Spaniard,  inflamed  with  the 
mania  for  gold,  has  extended  his  discoveries  and  conquests  over 
those  brilliant  countries  scorched  by  the  ardent  sun  of  the 
tropics,  the  adroit  and  buoyant  Frenchman,  and  the  cool  and 
calculating  Briton,  have  pursued  the  less  splendid,  but  no  less 
lucrative,  traffic  in  furs  amidst  the  hyperborean  regions  of  the 
Canadas,  until  they  have  advanced  even  within  the  Arctic 
circle. 

These  two  pursuits  have  thus  in  a  manner  been  the  pioneers 
and  precursors  of  civilization.  Without  pausing  on  the  borders, 
they  have  penetrated  at  once,  in  defiance  of  difficulties  and 
dangers,  to  the  heart  of  savage  countries :  laying  open  the 
hidden  secrets  of  the  wilderness ;  leading  the  way  to  remote 
regions  of  beauty  and  fertility  that  might  have  remained  unex- 
plored for  ages,  and  beckoning  after  them  the  slow  and  pausing 
steps  of  agriculture  and  civilization. 

It  was  the  fur  trade,  in  fact,  which  gave  early  sustenance  and 
vitality  to  the  great  Canadian  provinces.  Being  destitute  of  the 


14  ASTORIA. 

precious  metals,  at  that  time  the  leading  objects  of  American 
enterprise,  they  were  long  neglected  by  the  parent  country. 
The  French  adventurers,  however,  who  had  settled  on  the  banks 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  soon  found  that  in  the  rich  peltries  of  the 
interior,  they  had  sources  of  wealth  that  might  almost  rival  the 
mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  The  Indians,  as  yet  unacquainted 
with  the  artificial  value  given  to  some  descriptions  of  furs,  in 
civilized  life,  brought  quantities  of  the  most  precious  kinds  and 
bartered  them  away  for  European  trinkets  and  cheap  commodi- 
ties. Immense  profits  were  thus  made  by  the  early  traders,  and 
the  traffic  was  pursued  with  avidity. 

As  the  valuable  furs  soon  became  scarce  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  settlements,  the  Indians  of  the  vicinity  were  stimulated 
to  take  a  wider  range  in  their  hunting  expeditions ;  they  were 
generally  accompanied  on  these  expeditions  by  some  of  the 
traders  or  their  dependents,  who  shared  in  the  toils  and  perils 
of  the  chase,  and  at  the  same  time  made  themselves  acquainted 
with  the  best  hunting  and  trapping  grounds,  and  with  the 
remote  tribes,  whom  they  encouraged  to  bring  their  peltries  to 
the  settlements.  In  this  way  the  trade  augmented,  and  was 
drawn  from  remote  quarters  to  Montreal.  Every  now  and  then 
a  large  bo3y  of  Ottawas,  Hurons,  and  other  tribes  who  hunted 
the  countries  bordering  on  the  great  lakes,  would  come  down  in 
a  squadron  of  light  canoes,  laden  with  beaver  skins,  and  other 
spoils  of  their  year's  hunting.  The  canoes  would  be  unladen, 
taken  on  shore,  and  their  contents  disposed  in  order.  A  camp 
of  birch  bark  would  be  pitched  outside  of  the  town,  arid  a  kind 
of  primitive  fair  opened  with  that  grave  ceremonial  so  dear  to 
the  Indians.  An  audience  would  be  demanded  of  the  governor- 
general,  who  would  hold  the  conference  with  becoming  state, 
seated  in  an  elbow  chair,  with  the  Indians  ranged  in  semicircles 
before  him,  seated  on  the  ground,  and  silently  smoking  their 


COUREURS   DES  BOIS.  15 


pipes.  Speeches  would  be  made,  presents  exchanged,  and  the 
audience  would  break  up  in  universal  good  humor. 

Now  would  ensue  a  brisk  traffic  with  the  merchants,  and  all 
Montreal  would  be  alive  with  naked  Indians  running  from  shop 
to  shop,  bargaining  for  arms,  kettles,  knives,  axes,  blankets, 
bright-colored  cloths,  and  other  articles  of  use  or  fancy ;  upon  all 
which,  says  an  old  French  writer,  the  merchants  were  sure  to  clear 
at  least  two  hundred  per  cent.  There  was  no  money  used  in  this 
traffic,  and,  after  a  time,  all  payment  in  spirituous  liquors  was 
prohibited,  in  consequence  of  the  frantic  and  frightful  excesses 
and  bloody  brawls  which  they  were  apt  to  occasion. 

Their  wants  and  caprices  being  supplied,  they  would  take 
leave  of  the  governor,  strike  their  tents,  launch  their  canoes,  and 
ply  their  way  up  the  Ottawa  to  the  lakes. 

A  new  and  anomalous  class  of  men  gradually  grew  out  of 
this  trade.  These  were  called  coureurs  des  bois,  rangers  of  the 
woods  ;  originally  men  who  had  accompanied  the  Indians  in  their 
hunting  expeditions,  and  made  themselves  acquainted  with  re- 
mote tracts  and  tribes ;  and  who  now  became,  as  it  were,  pedlers 
of  the  wilderness.  These  men  would  set  out  from  Montreal  with 
canoes  well  stocked  with  goods,  with  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
would  make  their  way  up  the  mazy  and  wandering  rivers  that 
interlace  the  vast  forests  of  the  Canadas,  coasting  the  most 
remote  lakes,  and  creating  new  wants  and  habitudes  among  the 
natives.  Sometimes  they  sojourned  for  months  among  them, 
assimilating  to'  their  tastes  and  habits  with  the  happy  facility  of 
Frenchmen  ;  adopting  in  some  degree  the  Indian  dress,  and  not 
unfrequently  taking  to  themselves  Indian  wives. 

Twelve,  fifteen,  eighteen  months  would  often  elapse  without 
any  tidings  of  them,  when  they  would  come  sweeping  their  way 
down  the  Ottawa  in  full  glee,  their  canoes  laden  down  with  packs 
of  beaver  skins.  Now  came  their  turn  for  revelry  and  extrava- 


16  ASTORIA. 

gance.  "You  would  be  amazed,"  says  an  old  writer  already 
quoted,  "  if  you  saw  how  lewd  these  pedlers  are  when  they  re- 
turn ;  how  they  feast  and  game,  and  how  prodigal  they  are,  not 
only  in  their  clothes,  but  upon  their  sweethearts.  Such  of  them 
as  are  married  have  the  wisdom  to  retire  to  their  own  houses ; 
but  the  bachelors  act  just  as  an  East  Indiaman  and  pirates  are 
wont  to  do ;  for  they  lavish,  eat,  drink,  and  play  all  away  as  long 
as  the  goods  hold  out ;  and  when  these  are  gone,  they  even  sell 
their  embroidery,  their  lace,  and  their  clothes.  This  done,  they 
are  forced  upon  a  new  voyage  for  subsistence."* 

Many  of  these  courcurs  des  bais  became  so  accustomed  to  the 
Indian  mode  of  living,  and  the  perfect  freedom  of  the  wilderness, 
that  they  lost  all  relish  for  civilization,  and  identified  themselves 
with  the  savages  among  whom  they  dwelt,  or  could  only  be  dis- 
tinguished from  them  by  superior  licentiousness.  Their  conduct 
and  example  gradually  corrupted  the  natives,  and  impeded  the 
works  of  the  Catholic  missionaries,  who  were  at  this  time  prose- 
cuting their  pious  labors  in  the  wilds  of  Canada. 

To  check  these  abuses,  and  to  protect  the  fur  trade  from 
various  irregularities  practised  by  these  loose  adventurers,  an 
order  was  issued  by  the  French  government  prohibiting  all  per- 
sons, on  pain  of  death,  from  trading  into  the  interior  of  the  coun- 
try without  a  license. 

These  licenses  were  granted  in  writing  by  the  governor- 
general,  and  at  first  were  given  only  to  persons  of  respectability ; 
to  gentlemen  of  broken  fortunes  ;  to  old  officers  of  the  army  wHo 
had  families  to  provide  for ;  or  to  their  widows.  Each  license 
permitted  the  fitting  out  of  two  large  canoes  with  merchandise 
for  the  lakes,  and  no  more  than  twenty-five  licenses  were  to  be 
issued  in  one  year.  By  degrees,  however,  private  licenses  were 
also  granted,  and  the  number  rapidly  increased.  Those  who  did 

*  La  Hontan,  v.  i.  let.  4. 


LICENSED   TRADERS.  17 


not  choose  to  fit  out  the  expeditions  themselves,  were  permitted 
to  sell  them  to  the  merchants ;  these  employed  the  coureurs  des 
bois,  or  rangers  of  the  woods,  to  undertake  the  long  voyages  on 
shares,  and  thus  the  abuses  of  the  old  system  were  revived  and 
continued.* 

The  pious  missionaries,  employed  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  to  convert  the  Indians,  did  every  thing  in  their  power  to 
counteract  the  profligacy  caused  and  propagated  by  these  men  in 
the  heart  of  the  wilderness.  The  Catholic  chapel  might  often  be 
seen  planted  beside  the  trading  house,  and  its  spire  surmounted 
by  a  cross,  towering  from  the  midst  of  an  Indian  village,  on  the 
banks  of  a  river  or  a  lake.  The  missions  had  often  a  beneficial 
effect  on  the  simple  sons  of  the  forest,  but  had  little  power  over 
the  renegades  from  civilization. 

At  length  it  was  found  necessary  to  establish  fortified  posts 
at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  and  the  lakes  for  the  protection 
of  the  trade,  and  the  restraint  of  these  profligates  of  the  wilder- 

*  The  following  are  the  terms  on  which  these  expeditions  were  commonly 
undertaken.  The  merchant  holding  the  license  would  fit  out  the  two  canoes 
with  a  thousand  crowns  worth  of  goods,  and  put  them  under  the  conduct  of 
six  coureurs  des  bois,  to  whom  the  goods  were  charged  at  the  rate  of  fifteen 
per  cent,  above  the  ready  money  price  in  the  colony.  The  coureurs  des  bois, 
in  their  turn,  dealt  so  sharply  with  the  savages,  that  they  generally  returned, 
at  the  end  of  a  year  or  so,  with  four  canoes  well  laden,  so  as  to  insiye  a  clear 
"profit  of  seven  hundred  per  cent.,  insomuch  that  the  thousand  crowns  invested, 
produced  eight  thousand.  Of  this  extravagant  profit  the  merchant  had  the 
lion's  share.  In  the  first  place  he  would  set  aside  six  hundred  crowns  for 
the  cost  of  his  license,  then  a  thousand  crowns  for  the  cost  of  the  original 
merchandise.  This  would  leave  six  thousand  four  hundred  crowns,  from 
which  he  would  take  forty  per  cent,  for  bottomry,  amounting  to  two  thousand 
five  hundred  and  sixty  crowns.  The  residue  would  be  equally  divided  among 
the  six  wood  rangers,  who  would  thus  receive  little  more  than  six  hundred 
crowns  for  all  their  toils  and  perils. 


18  ASTORIA. 

ness.  The  most  important  of  these  was  at  Michilimackinac, 
situated'  at  the  strait  of  the  same  name,  which  connects  Lakes 
Huron  and  Michigan.  It  became  the  great  interior  mart  and 
place  of  deposit,  and  some  of  the  regular  merchants  who  prose- 
cuted the  trade  in  person,  under  their  licenses,  formed  establish- 
ments here.  This,  too,  was  a  rendezvous  for  the  rangers  of  the 
woods,  as  well  those  who  came  up  with  goods  from  Montreal  as 
those  who  returned  with  peltries  from  the  interior.  Here  new 
expeditions  were  fitted  out  and  took  their  departure  for  Lake 
Michigan  and  the  Mississippi ;  Lake  Superior  and  the  north- 
west ;  and  here  the  peltries  brought  in  return  were  embarked  for 
Montreal. 

The  French  merchant  at  his  trading  post,  in  these  primitive 
days  of  Canada,  was  a  kind  of  commercial  patriarch.  With  the 
lax  habits  and  easy  familiarity  of  his  race,  he  had  a  little  world 
of  self-indulgence  and  misrule  around  him.  He  had  his  clerks, 
canoe-men,  and  retainers  of  all  kinds,  who  lived  with  him  on 
terms  of  perfect  sociability,  always  calling  him  by  his  Christian 
name ;  he  had  his  harem  of  Indian  beauties,  and  his  troop  of 
half-breed  children  ;  nor  was  there  ever  wanting  a  louting  train 
of  Indians,  hanging  about  the  establishment,  eating  and  drinking 
at  his  expense  in  the  intervals  of  their  hunting  expeditions. 

The  Canadian  traders,  for  a  long  time,  had  troublesome  com- 
petitors in  the  British  merchants  of  New- York,  who  inveigled  the 
Indian  hunters  and  the  coureurs  des  bois  to  their  posts,  and 
traded  with  them  on  more  favorable  terms.  A  still  more  for- 
midable opposition  was  organized  in  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
chartered  by  Charles  II,  in  1670,  with  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
establishing  trading  houses  on  the  shores  of  that  bay  and  its 
tributary  rivers ;  a  privilege  which  they  have  maintained  to  the 
present  day.  Between  this  British  company  and  the  French 
merchants  of  Canada,  feuds  and  contests  arose  about  alleged 


BRITISH   FUR   TRADERS.  19 


infringements  of  territorial  limits,  and  acts  of  violence  .  and 
bloodshed  occurred  between  their  agents. 

In  1762,  the  French  lost  possession  of  Canada,  and  the  trade 
fell  principally  into  the  hands  of  British  subjects.  For  a  time, 
however,  it  shrunk  within  narrow  limits.  The  old  coureurs  des 
bois  were  broken  up  and  dispersed,  or,  where  they  could  be  met 
with,  were  slow  to  accustom  themselves  to  the  habits  and  man- 
ners of  their  British  employers.  They  missed  the  freedom, 
indulgence,  and  familiarity  of  the  old  French  trading  houses, 
and  did  not  relish  the  sober  exactness,  reserve,  and  method  of 
the  new-comers.  The  British  traders,  too,  were  ignorant  of  the 
country,  and  distrustful  of  the  natives.  They  had  reason  to  be 
so.  The  treacherous  and  bloody  affairs  of  Detroit  and  Michili- 
mackinac  showed  them  the  lurking  hostility  cherished  by  the 
savages,  who  had  too  long  been  taught  by  the  French  to  regard 
them  as  enemies. 

It  was  not  until  the  year  1 766,  that  the  trade  regained  its  old 
channels  ;  but  it  was  then  pursued  with  much  avidity  and  emula- 
tion by  individual  merchants,  and  soon  transcended  its  former 
bounds.  Expeditions  were  fitted  out  by  various  persons  from 
Montreal  and  Michilimackinac,  and  rivalships  and  jealousies  of 
course  ensued.  The  trade  was  injured  by  their  artifices  to  out- 
bid and  undermine  each  other ;  the  Indians  were  debauched  by 
the  sale  of  spirituous  liquors,  which  had  been  prohibited  under 
the  French  rule.  Scenes  of  drunkenness,  brutality,  and  brawl 
were  the  consequence,  in  the  Indian  villages  and  around  the 
trading  houses ;  while  bloody  feuds  took  place  between  rival 
trading  parties  when  they  happened  to  encounter  each  other  in 
the  lawless  depths  of  the  wilderness. 

To  put  an  end  to  these  sordid  and  ruinous  contentions, 
several  of  the  principal  merchants  of  Montreal  entered  into  a 
partnership  in  the  winter  of  1783,  which  was  augmented  by 


SO  ASTORIA. 

amalgamation  with  a  rival  company  in  1787.  Thus  was  created 
the  famous  "  Northwest  Company,"  which  for  a  time  held  a 
lordly  sway  over  the  wintry  lakes  and  boundless  forests  of  the 
Canadas,  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  East  India  Company  over 
the  voluptuous  climes  and  magnificent  realms  of  the  Orient. 

The  company  consisted  of  twenty-three  shareholders,  or  part- 
ners, but  held  in  its  employ  about  two  thousand  persons  as  clerks, 
guides,  interpreters,  and  "voyageurs,"  or  boatmen.  These  were 
distributed  at  various  trading  posts,  established  far  and  wide  on 
the  interior  lakes  and  rivers,  at  immense  distances  from  each 
other,  and  in  the  heart  of  trackless  countries  and  savage  tribes. 

Several  of  the  partners  resided  in  Montreal  and  Quebec,  to 
manage  the  main  concerns  of  the  company.  These  were  called 
agents,  and  were  personages  of  great  weight  and  importance; 
the  other  partners  took  their  stations  at  the  interior  posts,  where 
they  remained  throughout  the  winter,  to  superintend  the  inter- 
course with  the  various  tribes  of  Indians.  They  were  thence 
called  wintering  partners. 

The  goods  destined  for  this  wide  and  wandering  traffic  were 
put  up  at  the  warehouses  of  the  company  in  Montreal,  and  con- 
veyed*in  batteaux,  or  boats  and  canoes,  up  the  river  Attawa,  or 
Ottowa,  which  falls  into  the  St.  Lawrence  near  Montreal,  and  by 
other  rivers  and  portages,  to  Lake  Nipising,  Lake  Huron,  Lake 
Superior,  and  thence,  by  several  chains  of  great  and  small  lakes,  to 
Lake  Winipeg,  Lake  Athabasca,  and  the  great  Slave  Lake.  This 
singular  and  beautiful  system  of  internal  seas,  which  renders  an 
immense  region  of  wilderness  so  accessible  to  the  frail  bark  of 
the  Indian  or  the  trader,  was  studded  by  the  remote  posts  of  the 
company,  where  they  carried  on  their  traffic  with  the  surrounding 
tribes. 

The  company,  as  we  have  shown,  was  at  first  a  spontaneous 
association  of  merchants  ;  but,  after  it  had  been  regularly  or- 


BRITISH  NORTHWEST  COMPANY.  21 


ganized.  admission  into  it  became  extremely  difficult.  A  can- 
didate had  to  enter,  as  it  were,  "  before  the  mast,"  to  undergo 
a  long  probation,  and  to  rise  slowly  by  his  merits  and  services. 
He  began,  at  an  early  age,  as  a  clerk,  and  served  an  apprentice- 
ship of  seven  years,  for  which  he  received  one  hundred  pounds 
sterling,  was  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  company,  and  fur- 
nished with  suitable  clothing  and  equipments.  His  probation 
was  generally  passed  at  the  interior  trading  posts  ;  removed  for 
years  from  civilized  society,  leading  a  life  almost  as  wild  and  pre- 
carious as  the  savages  around  him  ;  exposed  to  the  severities  of 
a  northern  winter,  often  suffering  from  a  scarcity  of  food,  and 
sometimes  destitute  for  a  long  time  of  both  bread  and  salt. 
When  his  apprenticeship  had  expired,  he  received  a  salary  ac- 
cording to  his  deserts,  varying  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  and 
sixty  pounds  sterling,  and  was  now  eligible  to  the  great  object  of 
his  ambition,  a  partnership  in  the  company ;  though  years  might 
yet  elapse  before  he  attained  to  that  enviable  station. 

Most  of  the  clerks  were  young  men  of  good  families,  from  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland,  characterized  by  the  perseverance,  thrift, 
and  fidelity  of  their  country,  and  fitted  by  their  native  hardihood 
to  encounter  the  rigorous  climate  of  the  north,  and  to  endure  the 
trials  and  privations  of  their  lot ;  though  it  must  not  be  con- 
cealed that  the  constitutions  of  many  of  them  became  impaired 
by  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness,  and  their  stomachs  injured 
by  occasional  famishing,  and  especially  by  the  want  of  bread  and 
salt.  Now  and  then,  at  an  interval  of  years,  they  were  permitted 
to  come  down  on  a  visit  to  the  establishment  at  Montreal,  to 
recruit  their  health,  and  to  have  a  taste  of  civilized  life ;  and 
these  were  brilliant  spots  in  their  existence. 

As  to  the  principal  partners,  or  agents,  who  resided  in  Mon- 
treal and  Quebec,  they  formed  a  kind  of  commercial  aristocracy, 
living  in  lordly  and  hospitable  style.  Their  early  associations, 


22  ASTORIA. 

when  clerks  at  the  remote  trading  posts,  and  the  pleasures,  dan- 
gers, adventures,  and  mishaps  which  they  had  shared  together  in 
their  wild  wood  life,  had  linked  them  heartily  to  each  other,  so 
that  they  formed  a  convivial  fraternity.  Few  travellers  that  have 
visited  Canada  some  thirty  years  since,  in  the  days  of  the  M"1V 
vishes,  the  M'Gillivrays,  the  M'Kenzics,  the  Frobishers,  and  the 
other  magnates  of  the  northwest,  when  the  company  was  in  all 
its  glory,  but  must  remember  the  round  of  feasting  and  revelry 
kept  up  among  these  hyperborean  nabobs. 

Sometimes  one  or  two  partners,  recently  from  the  interior 
posts,  would  make  their  appearance  in  New- York,  in  the  course 
of  a  tour  of  pleasure  and  curiosity.  On  these  occasions  there 
was  always  a  degree  of  magnificence  of  the  purse  about  them,  and 
a  peculiar  propensity  to  expenditure  at  the  goldsmith's  and  jewel- 
ler's, for  rings,  chains,  brooches,  necklaces,  jewelled  watches,  and 
other  rich  trinkets,  partly  for  their  own  wear,  partly  for  presents 
to  their  female  acquaintances  ;  a  gorgeous  prodigality,  such  as 
was  often  to  be  noticed  in  former  times  in  southern  planters  and 
West  India  Creoles,  when  flush  with  the  profits  of  their  plan- 
tations. 

To  behold  the  Northwest  Company  in  all  its  state  and  gran- 
deur, however,  it  was  necessary  to  witness  an  annual  gathering 
at  the  great  interior  place  of  conference  established  at  Fort 
William,  near  what  is  called  the  Grand  Portage,  on  Lake  Supe- 
rior. Here  two  or  three  of  the  leading  partners  from  Montreal 
proceeded  once  a  year  to  meet  the  partners  from  the  various 
trading  posts  of  the  wilderness,  to  discuss  the  affairs  of  the 
company  during  the  preceding  year,  and  to  arrange  plans  for  the 
future. 

On  these  occasions  might  be  seen  the  change  since  the  uncere- 
monious times  of  the  old  French  traders  ;  now  the  aristocratical 
character  of  the  Briton  shone  forth  magnificently,  or  rather  the 


FEUDAL   STATE   IN   THE   FOREST.  23 


feudal  spirit  of  the  Highlander.  Every  partner  who  had  charge 
of  an  interior  post,  and  a  score  of  retainers  at  his  command,  felt 
like  the  chieftain  of  a  Highland  clan,  and  was  almost  as  impor- 
tant in  the  eyes  of  his  dependents  as  of  himself.  To  him  a  visit 
to  the  grand  conference  at  Fort  William  was  a  most  important 
event ;  and  he  repaired  there  as  to  a  meeting  of  parliament. 

The  partners  from  Montreal,  however,  were  the  lords  of  the 
ascendant ;  coming  from  the  midst  of  luxurious  and  ostentatious 
life,  they  quite  eclipsed  their  compeers  from  the  woods,  whose 
forms  and  faces  had  been  battered  and  hardened  by  hard  living 
and  hard  service,  and  whose  garments  and  equipments  were  all 
the  worse  for  wear.  Indeed,  the  partners  from  below  considered 
the  whole  dignity  of  the  company  as  represented  in  their  persons, 
and  conducted  themselves  in  suitable  style.  They  ascended  the 
rivers  in  great  state,  like  sovereigns  making  a  progress  :  or  rather 
like  Highland  chieftains  navigating  their  subject  lakes.  They 
were  wrapped  in  rich  furs,  their  huge  canoes  freighted  with  every 
convenience  and  luxury,  and  manned  by  Canadian  voyageurs,  as 
obedient  as  Highland  clansmen.  They  carried  up  with  them 
cooks  and  bakers,  together  with  delicacies  of  every  kind,  and 
abundance  of  choice  wines  for  the  banquets  which  attended  this 
great  convocation.  Happy  were  they,  too,  if  they  could  meet 
with  some  distinguished  stranger  ;  above  all,  some  titled  member 
of  the  British  nobility,  to  accompany  them  on  this  stately  occa- 
sion, and  grace  their  high  solemnities. 

Fort  William,  the  scene  of  this  important  annual  meeting, 
was  a  considerable  village  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Superior.  Here, 
in  an  immense  wooden  building,  was  the  great  council  hall,  as  also 
the  banqueting  chamber,  decorated  with  Indian  arms  and  accou- 
trements, and  the  trophies  of  the  fur  trade.  The  house  swarmed 
at  this  time  with  traders  and  voyageurs,  some  from  Montreal, 
bound  to  the  interior  posts  ;  some  from  the  interior  posts,  bound 


24  ASTORIA. 

to  Montreal.  The  councils  were  held  in  great  state,  for  every 
member  felt  as  if  sitting  in  parliament,  and  every  retainer  and 
dependent  looked  up  to  the  assemblage  with  awe,  as  to  the  house 
of  lords.  There  was  a  vast  deal  of  solemn  deliberation,  and 
hard  Scottish  reasoning,  with  an  occasional  swell  of  pompous 
declamation. 

These  grave  and  weighty  councils  were  alternated  by  huge 
feasts  and  revels,  like  some  of  the  old  feasts  described  in  High- 
land castles.  The  tables  in  the  great  banqueting  room  groaned 
under  the  weight  of  game  of  all  kinds  ;  of  venison  from  the 
woods,  and  fish  from  the  lakes,  with  hunters'  delicacies,  such  as 
buffaloes'  tongues,  and  beavers'  tails  ;  and  various  luxuries  from 
Montreal,  all  served  up  by  experienced  cooks  brought  for  the  pur- 
pose. There  was  no  stint  of  generous  wine,  for  it  was  a  hard- 
drinking  period,  a  time  of  loyal  toasts,  and  bacchanalian  songs, 
and  brimming  bumpers. 

While  the  chiefs  thus  revelled  in  hall,  and  made  the  rafters 
resound  with  bursts  of  loyalty  and  old  Scottish  songs,  chanted 
in  voices  cracked  and  sharpened  by  the  northern  blast,  •  their 
merriment  was  echoed  and  prolonged  by  a  mongrel  legion  of  re- 
tainers, Canadian  voyageurs,  half-breeds,  Indian  hunters,  and 
vagabond  hangers-on,  who  feasted  sumptuously  without  on  the 
crumbs  that  fell  from  their  table,  and  made  the  welkin  ring  with 
old  French  ditties,  mingled  with  Indian  yelps  and  yellings. 

Such  was  the  Northwest  Company  in  its  powerful  and  pros- 
perous days,  when  it  held  a  kind  of  feudal  sway  over  a  vast 
domain  of  lake  and  forest.  We  are  dwelling  too  long,  perhaps, 
upon  these  individual  pictures,  endeared  to  us  by  the  associations 
of  early  life,  when,  as  yet  a  stripling  youth,  we  have  sat  at  the 
hospitable  boards  of  the  "  mighty  Northwesters,"  the  lords  of  the 
ascendant  at  Montreal,  and  gazed  with  wondering  and  inexpe- 
rienced eye  at  the  baronial  wassailing,  and  listened  with  aston- 


THE   GLORIES   OF  FORT  WILLIAM.  25 


ished  ear  to  their  tales  of  hardships  and  adventures.  It  is  one 
object  of  our  task,  however,  to  present  scenes  of  the  rough  life 
of  the  wilderness,  and  we  are  tempted  to  fix  these  few  memorials 
of  a  transient  state  of  things  fast  passing  into  oblivion  ; — for  the 
feudal  state  of  Fort  William  is  at  an  end ;  its  council  chamber  is 
silent  and  deserted ;  its  banquet  hall  no  longer  echoes  to  the 
burst  of  loyalty,  or  the  "  auld  world "  ditty ;  the  lords  of  the 
lakes  and  forests  have  passed  away ;  and  the  hospitable  magnates 
of  Montreal — where  are  they  ? 


26  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  success  of  the  Northwest  Company  stimulated  further  enter- 
prise in  this  opening  and  apparently  boundless  field  of  profit. 
The.  traffic  of  that  company  lay  principally  in  the  high  northern 
latitudes,  while  there  were  immense  regions  to  the  south  and 
*  west,  known  to  abound  with  valuable  peltries ;  but  which,  as  yet, 
had  been  but  little  explored  by  the  fur  trader.  A  new  association 
of  British  merchants  was  therefore  formed,  to  prosecute  the  trade 
in  this  direction.  The  chief  factory  was  established  at  the  old 
emporium  of  Michilimackinac,  from  which  place  the  association 
took  its  name,  and  was  commonly  called  the  Mackinaw  Company. 

While  the  Northwesters  continued  to  push  their  enterprises 
into  the  hyperborean  regions  from  their  strong-hold  at  Fort  Wil- 
liam, and  to  hold  almost  sovereign  sway  over  the  tribes  of  the 
upper  lakes  and  rivers,  the  Mackinaw  Company  sent  forth  their 
light  perogues,  and  barks,  by  Green  Bay,  Fox  River,  and  the 
Wisconsin,  to  that  great  artery  of  the  west,  the  Mississippi ;  and 
down  that  stream  to  all  its  tributary  rivers.  In  •  this  way  they 
hoped  soon  to  monopolize  the  trade  with  all  the  tribes  on  the 
southern  and  western  waters,  and  of  those  vast  tracts  comprised 
in  ancient  Louisiana. 

The  government  of  the  United  States  began  to  view  with  a 
wary  eye  the  growing  influence  thus  acquired  by  combinations  of 
foreigners,  over  the  aboriginal  tribes  inhabiting  its  territories, 
and  endeavored  to  counteract  it.  For  this  purpose,  as  early  as 
1796,  the  government  sent  out  agents  to  establish  rival  trading 


JOHN   JACOB  ASTOR.  27 


houses  on  the  frontier,  so  as  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  Indians ; 
to  link  their  interests  and  feelings  with  those  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  divert  this  important  branch  of  trade  into 
national  channels. 

The  expedient,  however,  was  unsuccessful,  as  most  commer- 
cial expedients  are  prone  to  be,  where  the  dull  patronage  of  gov- 
ernment is  counted  upon  to  outvie  the  keen  activity  of  private 
enterprise.  What  government  failed  to  effect,  however,  with  all 
its  patronage  and  all  its  agents,  was  at  length  brought  about  by 
the  enterprise  and  perseverance  of  a  single  merchant,  one  of  its 
adopted  citizens ;  and  this  brings  us  to  speak  of  the  individual 
whose  enterprise  is  the  especial  subject  of  the  following  pages ; 
a  man  whose  name  and  character  are  worthy  of  being  enrolled 
in  the  history  of  commerce,  as  illustrating  its  noblest  aims 
and  soundest  maxims.  A  few  brief  anecdotes  of  his  early  life, 
and  of  the  circumstances  which  first  determined  him  to  the 
branch  of  commerce  of  which  we  are  treating,  cannot  be  but 
interesting. 

John  Jacob  Astor,  the  individual  in  question,  was  born  in  the 
honest  little  German  village  of  Waldorf,  near  Heidelberg,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  simplicity  of 
rural  life,  but,  while  yet  a  mere  stripling,  left  his  home,  and 
launched  himself  amid  the  busy  scenes  of  London,  having  had, 
from  his  very  boyhood,  a  singular  presentiment  that  he  would 
ultimately  arrive  at  great  fortune. 

At  the  close  of  the  American  Revolution- he  was  still  in  Lon- 

• 

don,  and  scarce  on  the  threshold  of  active  life.  An  elder  brother 
had  been  for  some  few  years  resident  in  the  United  States,  and 
Mr.  Astor  determined  to  follow  him,  and  to  seek  his  fortunes  in 
the  rising  country.  Investing  a  small  sum  which  he  had  amassed 
since  leaving  his  native  village,  in  merchandise  suited  to  the 
American  market,  he  embarked,  in  the  month  of  November,  1783, 


28  ASTORIA. 

in  a  ship  bound  to  Baltimore,  and  arrived  in  Hampton  Roads  in 
the  month  of  January.  The  winter  was  extremely  severe,  and  the 
ship,  with  many  others,  was  detained  by  the  ice  in  and  about 
Chesapeake  Bay  for  nearly  three  months. 

During  this  period,  the  passengers  of  the  various  ships  used 
occasionally  to  go  on  shore,  and  mingle  sociably  together.  In 
this  way  Mr.  Astor  became  acquainted  with  a  countryman  of 
his,  a  furrier  by  trade.  Having  had  a  previous  impression  that 
this  might  be  a  lucrative  trade  in  the  New  World,  he  made  many 
inquiries  of  his  new  acquaintance  on  the  subject,  who  cheerfully 
gave  him  all  the  information  in  his  power  as  to  the  quality  and 
value  of  different  furs,  and  the  mode  of  carrying  on  the  traffic. 
He  subsequently  accompanied  him  to  New-York,  and,  by  his  ad- 
vice, Mr.  Astor  was  induced  to  invest  the  proceeds  of  his  mer- 
chandise in  furs.  With  these  he  sailed  from  New- York  to 
London  in  1784,  disposed  of  them  advantageously,  made  himself 
further  acquainted  with  the  course  of  the  trade,  and  returned  the 
same  year  to  New- York,  with  a  view  to  settle  in  the  United 
States, 

He  now  devoted  himself  to  the  branch  of  commerce  with 
which  he  had  thus  casually  been  made  acquainted.  He  began 
his  career,  of  course,  on  the  narrowest  scale ;  but  he  brought  to 
the  task  a  persevering  industry,  rigid  economy,  and  strict  integ- 
rity. To  these  were  added  an  aspiring  spirit  that  always  looked 
upward ;  a  genius  bold,  fertile,  and  expansive ;  a  sagacity  quick 
to  grasp  and  convert  every  circumstance  to  its  advantage,  and  a 
singular  and  never  wavering  confidence  of  signal  success.* 

*  An  instance  of  this  buoyant  confidence,  which  no  doubt  aided  to  produce 
the  success  it  anticipated,  we  have  from  the  lips  of  Mr.  A.  himself.  While 
yet  almost  a  stranger  in  the  city,  and  in  very  narrow  circumstances,  he  passed 
by  where  a  row  of  houses  had  just  been  erected  in  Broadway,  and  which,  from, 
the  superior  style  of  their  architecture,  were  the  talk  and  boast  of  the  city. 


DEALINGS  IN   CANADA.  29 


As  yet,  trade  in  peltries  was  not  organized  in  the  United 
States,  and  could  not  be  said  to  form  a  regular  line  of  business. 
Furs  and  skins  were  casually  collected  by  the  country  traders  in 
their  dealings  with  the  Indians  or  the  white  hunters,  but* the 
main  supply  was  derived  from  Canada.  As  Mr.  Astor's  means 
increased,  he  made  annual  visits  to  Montreal,  where  he  purchased 
furs  from  the  houses  at  that  place  engaged  in  the  trade.  These 
he  shipped  from  Canada  to  London,  no  direct  trade  being  allowed 
from  that  colony  to  any  but  the  mother  country. 

In  1794  or  '95,  a  treaty  with  Great  Britain  removed  the 
restrictions  imposed  upon  the  trade  with  the  colonies,  and  opened 
a  direct  commercial  intercourse  between  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  Mr.  Astor  was  in  London  at  the  time,  and  immediately 
made  a  contract  with  the  agents  of  the  Northwest  Company  for 
furs.  He  was  now  enabled  to  import  them  from  Montreal  into 
the  United  States  for  the  home  supply,  and  to  be  shipped  thence 
to  different  parts  of  Europe,  as  well  as  to  China,  which  has  ever 
been  the  best  market  for  the  richest  and  finest  kinds  of  peltry. 

The  treaty  in  question  provided,  likewise,  that  the  military 
posts  occupied  by  the  British  within  the  territorial  limits  of  the 
United  States,  should  be  surrendered.  Accordingly,  Oswego, 
Niagara,  Detroit,  Michilimackinac,  and  other  posts  on  the  Ameri- 
can side  of  the  lakes,  were  given  up.  An  opening  was  thus  made 
for  the  American  merchant  to  trade  on  the  confines  of  Canada, 
and  within  the  territories  of  the  United  States.  After  an  inter- 
val of  some  years,  about  1 807,  Mr.  Astor  embarked  in  this  trade 
on  his  own  account.  His  capital  and  resources  had  by  this  time 
greatly  augmented,  and  he  had  risen  from  small  beginnings  to 
take  his  place  among  the  first  merchants  and  financiers  of  the 


"  I'll  build,  one  day  or  other,  a  greater  boose  than  any  of  thes 
street, '  said  he  to  himself.     He  has  accomplished  his  prediction. 


of  these,  in  this  very 


30  ASTORIA. 

country.  His  genius  had  ever  been  in  advance  of  his  circum- 
stances, prompting  him  to  new  and  wide  fields  of  enterprise 
beyond  the  scope  of  ordinary  merchants.  With  all  his  enterprise 
and  resources,  however,  he  soon  found  the  power  and  influence 
of  the  Michilimackinac  (or  Mackinaw)  Company  too  great  for 
him,  having  engrossed  most  of  the  trade  within  the  American 
borders. 

A  plan  had  to  be  devised  to  enable  him  to  enter  into  success- 
ful competition.  He  was  aware  of  the  wish  of  the  American 
government,  already  stated,  that  the  fur  trade  within  its  bounda- 
ries should  be  in  the  hands  of  American  citizens,  and  of  the  inef- 
fectual measures  it  had  taken  to  accomplish  that  object.  He  now 
offered,  if  aided  and  protected  by  government,  to  turn  the  whole 
of  that  trade  into  American  channels.  He  was  invited  to  unfold 
his  plans  to  government,  and  they  were  warmly  approved,  though 
the  executive  could  give  no  direct  aid. 

Thus  countenanced,  however,  he  obtained,  in  1809,  a  charter 
from  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New- York,  incorporating  a 
company  under  the  name  of  "  The  American  Fur  Company,"  with 
a  capital  of  one  million  of  dollars,  with  the  privilege  of  increasing 
it  to  two  millions.  The  capital  was  furnished  by  himself — he, 
in  fact,  constituted  the  company ;  for,  though  he  had  a  board 
of  directors,  they  were  merely  nominal ;  the  whole  business  was 
conducted  on  his  plans,  and  with  his  resources,  but  he  preferred 
to  do  so  under  the  imposing  and  formidable  aspect  of  a  corpora- 
tion, rather  than  in  his  individual  name,  and  his  policy  was  saga- 
cious and  effective. 

As  the  Mackinaw  Company  still  continued  its  rivalry,  and  as 
the  fur  trade  would  not  advantageously  admit  of  competition,  he 
made  a  new  arrangement  in  1811,  by  which,  in  conjunction  with 
certain  partners  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  other  persons 
engaged  in  the  fur  trade,  he  bought  out  the  Mackinaw  Company, 


SOUTHWEST   COMPANY. 


31 


and  merged  that  and  the  American  Fur  Company  into  a  new 
association,  to  be  called  "  The  Southwest  Company."  This  he 
likewise  did  with  the  privity  and  approbation  of  the  American 
government. 

By  this  'arrangement  Mr.  Astor  became  proprietor  of  one 
half  of  the  Indian  establishments  and  goods  which  the  Mackinaw 
Company  had  within  the  territory  of  the  Indian  country  in  the 
United  States,  and  it  was  understood  that  the  whole  was  to  be 
surrendered  into  his  hands  at  the  expiration  of  five  years,. on 
condition  that  the  American  company  would  not  trade  within 
the  British  dominions. 

Unluckily,  the  war  which  broke  out  in  1812  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  suspended  the  association ;  and, 
after  the  .war,  it  was  entirely  dissolved ;  congress  having  passed 
a  law  prohibiting  British  fur  traders  from  prosecuting  their 
enterprises  within  the  territories  of  the  United  States. 


32  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WHILE  the  various  companies  we  have  noticed  were  pushing  their 
enterprises  far  and  wide  in  the  wilds  of  Canada,  and  along  the 
course  of  the  great  western  waters,  other  adventurers,  intent  on 
the  same  objects,  were  traversing  the  watery  wastes  of  the  Pacific 
and  skirting  the  northwest  coast  of  America.  The  last  voyage 
of  that  renowned  but  unfortunate  discoverer,  Captain  Cook,  had 
made  known  the  vast  quantities  of  the  sea-otter  to  be  found  along 
that  coast,  and  the  immense  prices  to  be  obtained  for  its  fur  in 
China.  It  was  as  if  a  new  gold  coast  had  been  discovered.  In- 
dividuals from  various  countries  dashed  into  this  lucrative  traffic, 
BO  that  in  the  year  1792,  there  were  twenty-one  vessels  under 
different  flags,  plying  along  the  coast  and  trading  with  the  na- 
tives. The  greater  part  of  them  were  American,  and  owned  by 
Boston  merchants.  They  generally  remained  on  the  coast,  and 
about  the  adjacent  seas,  for  two  years,  carrying  on  as  wandering 
and  adventurous  a  commerce  on  the  water  as  did  the  traders  and 
trappers  on  land.  Their  trade  extended  along  the  whole  coast 
from  California  to  the  high  northern  latitudes.  They  would  run 
in  near  shore,  anchor,  and  wait  for  the  natives  to  come  off  in 
their  canoes  with  peltries.  The  trade  exhausted  at  one  place, 
they  would  up  anchor  and  off  to  another.  In  this  way  they  would 
consume'  the  summer,  and  when  autumn  came  on,  would  run 
down  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  winter  in  some  friendly  and 
plentiful  harbor.  In  the  following  year  they  would  resume  their 
summer  trade,  commencing  at  California  and  proceeding  north ; 


RUSSIAN   ENTERPRISES.  33 


and,  having  in  the  course  of  the  two  seasons  collected  a  sufficient 
cargo  of  peltries,  would  make  the  best  of  their  way  to  China. 
Here  they  would  sell  their  furs,  take  in  teas,  nankeens,  and  other 
merchandise,  and  return  to  Boston,  after  an  absence  of  two  or 
three  years. 

The  people,  however,  who  entered  most  extensively  and  effec- 
tively in  the  fur  trade  of  the  Pacific,  were  the  Russians.  Instead 
of  making  casual  voyages,  in  transient  ships,  they  established 
regular  trading-houses  in  the  high  latitudes,  along  the  northwest 
coast  of  America,  and  upon  the  chain  of  the  Aleutian  islands 
between  Kamtschatka  and  the  promontory  of  Alaska. 

To  promote  and  protect  these  enterprises,  a  company  was 
incorporated  by  the  Russian  government  with  exclusive  privi- 
leges, and  a  capital  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  pounds 
sterling ;  and  the  sovereignty  of  that  part  of  the  American  conti- 
nent, along  the  coast  of  which  the  posts  had  been  established, 
was  claimed  by  the  Russian  crown,  on  the  plea  that  the  land 
had  been  discovered  and  occupied  by  its  subjects. 

As  China  was  the  grand  mart  for  the  furs  collected  in  these 
quarters,  the  Russians  had  the  advantage  over  their  competitors 
in  the  trade.  The  latter  had  to  take  their  peltries  to  Canton, 
which,  however,  was  a  mere  receiving  mart,  from  whence  they 
had  to  be  distributed  over  the  interior  of  the  empire  and  sent  to 
the  northern  parts,  where  there  was  the  chief  consumption.  The 
Russians,  on  the  contrary,  carried  their  furs,  by  a  shorter  voyage, 
directly  to  the  northern  parts  of  the  Chinese  empire  ;  thus  being 
able  to  afford  them  in  the  market  without  the  additional  cost  of 
internal  transportation. 

We  come  now  to  the  immediate  field  of  operation  of  the  great 
enterprise  we  have  undertaken  to  illustrate. 

Among  the  American  ships  which  traded  along  the  north- 
west coast  in  1792,  was 'the  Columbia,  Captain  Gray,  of  Boston. 

2* 


34  ASTORIA. 

In  the  course  of  her  voyage  she  discovered  the  mouth  of  a  large 
river  in  lat.  46°  19'  north.  Entering  it  with  some  difficulty,  on 
account  of  sand-bars  and  breakers,  she  came  to  anchor  in  a  spa- 
cious bay.  A  boat  was  well  manned,  and  sent  on  shore  to  a  vil- 
lage on  the  beach,  but  all  the  inhabitants  fled  excepting  the  aged 
and  infirm.  The  kind  manner  in  which  these  were  treated,  and 
the  presents  given  to  them,  gradually  lured  back  the  others,  and 
a  friendly  intercourse  took  place.  They  had  never  seen  a  ship  or 
a  white  man.  When  they  had  first  descried  the  Columbia,  they 
had  -supposed  it  a  floating  island ;  then  some  monster  of  the 
deep ;  but  when  they  saw  the  boat  putting  for  shore  with  human 
beings  on  board,  they  considered  them  cannibals  sent  by  the 
Great  Spirit  to  ravage  the  country  and  devour  the  inhabitants. 
Captain  Gray  did  not  ascend  the  river  farther  than  the  bay  in 
question,  which  continues  to  bear  his  name.  After  putting  to 
sea,  he  fell  in  with  the  celebrated  discoverer,  Vancouver,  and 
informed  him  of  his  discovery,  furnishing  him  with  a  chart  which 
he  had  made  of  the  river.  Vancouver  visited  the  river,  and  his 
lieutenant,  Broughton,  explored  it  by  the  aid  of  Captain  Gray's 
chart ;  ascending  it  upwards  of  one  hundred  miles,  until  within 
view  of  a  snowy  mountain,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Mount 
Hood,  which  it  still  retains. 

The  existence  of  this  river,  however,  was  known  long  before 
the  visits  of  Gray  and  Vancouver,  but  the  information  concern- 
ing it  was  vague  and  indefinite,  being  gathered  from  the  reports 
of  Indians.  It  was  spoken  of  by  travellers  as  the  Oregon,  and 
as  the  great  river  of  the  west.  A  Spanish  ship  is  said  to  have 
been  wrecked  at  the  mouth,  several  of  the  crew  of  which  lived 
for  some  time  among  the  natives.  The  Columbia,  however,  is 
believed  to  be  the  first  ship  that  made  a  regular  discovery  and 
anchored  within  its  waters,  and  it  has  since  generally  borne  the 
name  of  that  vessel. 


CARVER'S   PROJECT.  35 

As  early  as  1763,  shortly  after  the  acquisition  of  the  Canadas 
by  Great  Britain,  Captain  Jonathan  Carver,  who  had  been  in  the 
British  provincial  army,  projected  a  journey  across  the  continent 
between  the  forty-third  and  forty-sixth  degrees  of  northern  lati- 
tude, to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  His  objects  were  to 
ascertain  the  breadth  of  the  continent  at  its  broadest  part,  and 
to  determine  on  some  place  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  where 
government  might  establish  a  post  to  facilitate  the  discovery  of  a 
northwest  passage,  or  a  communication  between  Hudson's  Bay 
and  the  Pacific  Ocean.  This  place  he  presumed  woi 
where  about  the  Straits  of  Annian,  at  which  point 
the  Oregon  disembogued  itself.  It  was  his  opinion, 
settlement  on  this  extremity  of  America  would  disclose  new 
sources  of  trade,  promote  many  useful  discoveries,  and  open  a 
more  direct  communication  with  China  and  the  English  settle- 
ments in  the  East  Indies,  than  that  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
or  the  Straits  of  Magellan.*  This  enterprising  and  intrepid 
traveller  was  twice  baffled  in  individual  efforts  to  accomplish  this 
great  journey.  In  1774,  he  was  joined  in  the  scheme  by  Richard 
Whitworth,  a  member  of  parliament,  and  a  man  of  wealth.  Their 
enterprise  was  projected  on  a  broad  and  bold  plan.  They  were  to 
take  with  them  fifty  or  sixty  men,  artificers  and  mariners.  With 
these  they  were  to  make  their  way  up  one  of  the  branches  of  the 
Missouri,  explore  the  mountains  for  the  source  of  the  Oregon, 
or  river  of  the  west,  and  sail  down  that  river  to  its  supposed  exit 
near  the  Straits  of  Annian.  Here  they  were  to  erect  a  fort,  and 
build  the  vessels  necessary  to  carry  their  discoveries  by  sea  into 
effect,  Their  plan  had  the  sanction  of  the  British  government, 
and  grants  and  other  requisites  were  nearly  completed,  when  the 

« 
*  Carver's  Travels,  Introd.  p.  iii.      Philad.   1796. 


36  ASTORIA. 

breaking  out  of  the  American  revolution  once  more  defeated  the 
undertaking.* 

The  expedition  of  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  in  1793,  across 
the  continent  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  which  he  reached  in  lat. 
52°  20;  48",  again  suggested  the  possibility  of  linking  together 
the  trade  of  both  sides  of  the  continent.  In  lat.  52°  30'  he  had 
descended  a  river  for  some  distance  which  flowed  towards  the 
south,  and  was  called  by  the  natives  Tacoutche  Tesse,  and  which 
he  erroneously  supposed  to  be  the  Columbia.  It  was  afterwards 
ascertained  that  it  emptied  itself  in  lat.  49°,  whereas  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  is  about  three  degrees  further  south. 

When  Mackenzie  some  years  subsequently  published  an  ac- 
count of  his  expeditions,  he  suggested  the  policy  of  opening  an 
intercourse  between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  and  forming 
regular  establishments  through  the  interior  and  at  both  extremes, 
as  well  as  along  the  coasts  and  islands.  By  this  means,  he 
observed,  the  entire  command  of  the  fur  trade  of  North  America 
might  be  obtained  from  lat.  48°  north,  to  the  pole,  excepting 
that  portion  held  by  the  Russians,  for  as  to  the  American  adven- 
turers who  had  hitherto  enjoyed  the  traffic  along  the  northwest 
coast,  they  would  instantly  disappear,  he  added,  before  a  well- 
regulated  trade. 

A  scheme  of  this  kind,  however,  was  too  vast  and  hazardous 
for  individual  enterprise  ;  it  could  only  be  undertaken  by  a  com- 
pany under  the  sanction  and  protection  of  a  government ;  and  as 
there  might  be  a  clashing  of  claims  between  the  Hudson's  Bay 
and  Northwest  Company,  the  one  holding  by  right  of  charter,  the 
other  by  right  of  possession,  he  proposed  that  the  two  companies 
should  coalesce  in  this  great  undertaking.  The  long-cherished 

• 

*  Carver's   Travels,  p.  360.      Philad.   1796. 


SCHEME  OF  MR.  ASTOR.  37 


jealousies  of  these  two  companies,  however,  were  too  deep  and 
strong  to  allow  them  to  listen  to  such  counsel. 

In  the  meantime  the  attention  of  the  American  government 
was  attracted  to  the  subject,  and  the  memorable  expedition  under 
Messrs.  Lewis  and  Clarke,  fitted  out.  These  gentlemen,  in  1804, 
accomplished  the  enterprise  which  had  been  projected  by  Carver 
and  Whitworth,  in  1774.  They  ascended  the  Missouri,  passed 
through  the  stupendous  gates  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  hitherto 
unknown  to  white  men  ;  discovered  and  explored  the  upper  wa- 
ters of  the  Columbia,  and  followed  that  river  down  to  its  mouth, 
where  their  countryman,  Gray,  had  anchored  about  twelve  years 
previously.  Here  they  passed  the  winter,  and  returned  across 
the  mountains  in  the  following  spring.  The  reports  published  by 
th^m  of  their  expedition,  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  estab- 
lishing a  line  of  communication  across  the  continent,  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

It  was  then  that  the  idea  presented  itself  to  the  mind  of  Mr. 
Astor,  of  grasping  with  his  individual  hand  this  great  enterprise, 
which  for  years  had  been  dubiously  yet  desirously  contemplated 
by  powerful  associations  and  maternal  governments.  For  some 
time  he  revolved  the  idea  in  his  mind,  gradually  extending  and 
maturing  his  plans  as  his  means  of  executing  them  augmented. 
The  main  feature  of  his  scheme  was  to  establish  a  line  of  trading 
posts  along  the  Missouri  and  the  Columbia,  to  the  mouth  of  the 
latter,  where  was  to  be  founded  the  chief  trading  house  or  mart. 
Inferior  posts  would  be  established  in  the  interior,  and  on  all  the 
tributary  streams  of  the  Columbia,  to  trade  with  the  Indians  ; 
these  posts  would  draw  their  supplies  from  the  main  establish- 
ment, and  bring  to  it  the  peltries  they  collected.  Coasting  craft 
would  be  built  and  fitted  out,  also,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
to  trade,  at  favorable  seasons,  all  along  the  northwest  coast,  antl 
return,  with  the  proceeds  of  their  voyages,  to  this  place  of  de 


38  ASTORIA. 

posit.  Thus  all  the  Indian  trade,  both  of  the  interior  and  the 
coast,  would  converge  to  this  point,  and  thence  derive  its  sus- 
tenance. 

A  ship  was  to  be  sent  annually  from  New- York  to  this  main 
establishment  with  reinforcements  and  supplies,  and  with  mer- 
chandise suited  to  the  trade.  It  would  take  on  board  the  furs 
collected  during  the  preceding  year,  carry  them  to  Canton,  invest 
the  proceeds  in  the  rich  merchandise  of  China,  and  return  thus 
freighted  to  New-York. 

As,  in  extending  the  American  trade  along  the  coast  to  the 
northward,  it  might  be  brought  into  the  vicinity  of  the  Russian 
Fur  Company,  and  produce  a  hostile  rivalry,  it  was  part  of  the 
plan  of  Mr.  Astor  to  conciliate  the  good  will  of  that  company  by 
the  most  amicable  and  beneficial  arrangements.  The  Russian 
establishment  was  chiefly  dependent  for  its  supplies  upon  tran- 
sient trading  vessels  from  the  United  States.  These  vessels, 
however,  were  often  of  more  harm  than  advantage.  Being  owned 
by  private  adventurers,  or  casual  voyagers,  who  cared  only  for 
present  profit,  and  had  no  interest  in  the  permanent  prosperity 
of  the  trade,  'they  were  reckless  in  their  dealings  with  the  natives, 
and  made  no  scruple  of  supplying  them  with  firearms.  In  this 
way  several  fierce  tribes  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Russian  posts,  or 
within  the  range  of  their  trading  excursions,  were  furnished  with 
deadly  means  of  warfare,  and  rendered  troublesome  and  danger- 
ous neighbors. 

The  Russian  government  had  made  representations  to  that  of 
the  United  States  of  these  malpractices  on  the  part  of  its  citi- 
zens, and  urged  to  have  this  traffic  in  arms  prohibited  ;  but,  as  it 
did  not  infringe  any  municipal  law,  our  government  could  not 
interfere.  Yet  still  it  regarded,  with  solicitude,  a  traffic  which, 
if  persisted  in,  might  give  offence  to  Russia,  at  that  time  almost 
the  only  power  friendly  to  us.  In  this  dilemma  the  government 


LETTER   OF   MR.  JEFFERSON.  39 


had  applied  to  Mr.  Astor,  as  one  conversant  in  this  branch  of 
trade,  for  information  that  might  point  out  a  way  to  remedy  the 
evil.  This  circumstance  had  suggested  to  him  the  idea  of  sup- 
plying the  Russian  establishment  regularly  by  means  of  the 
annual  ship  that  should  visit  the  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  (or  Oregon)  ;  by  this  means  the  casual  trading  vessels 
would  be  excluded  from  those  parts  of  the  coast  where  their  mal- 
practices were  so  injurious  to  the  Russians. 

Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  enterprise  projected  by  Mr. 
Astor,  but  which  continually  expanded  in  his  mind.  Indeed  it 
is  due  to  him  to  say  that  he  was  not  actuated  by  mere  motives  of 
individual  profit.  He  was  already  wealthy  beyond  the  ordinary 
desires  of  man,  but  he  now  aspired  to  that  honorable  fame  which 
is  awarded  to  men  of  similar  scope  of  mind,  who  by  their  great 
commercial  enterprises  have  enriched  nations,  peopled  wilder- 
nesses, and  extended  the  bounds  of  empire.  He  considered  his 
projected  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  as  the  em- 
porium to  an  immense  commerce  ;  as  a  colony  that  would  'form 
the  germ  of  a  wide  civilization ;  that  would,  in  fact,  carry  the 
American  population  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  spread  it 
along  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  as  it  already  animated  the  shores 
of  the  Atlantic. 

As  Mr.  Astor,  by  the  magnitude  of  his  commercial  and  finan- 
cial relations,  and  the  vigor  and  scope  of  his  self-taught  mind, 
had  elevated  himself  into  the  consideration  of  government  and 
the  communion  and  correspondence  with  leading  statesmen,  he, 
at  an  early  period,  communicated  his  schemes  to  President  Jef- 
ferson, soliciting  the  countenance  of  government.  How  highly 
they  were  esteemed  by  that  eminent  man,  we  may  judge  by  the 
following  passage,  written  by  him  some  time  afterwards  to 
Mr.  Astor. 

"I  remember  well  having  invited  your  proposition  on  this 


40  ASTORIA. 

subject,*  and  encouraged  it  with  the  assurance  of  every  facility 
and  protection  which  '  the  government  could  properly  afford.  I 
considered,  as  a  great  public  acquisition,  the  commencement  of  a 
settlement  on  that  point  of  the  western  coast  of  America,  and 
looked  forward  with  gratification  to  the  time  when  its  descendants 
should  have  spread  themselves  through  the  whole  length  of  that 
coast,  covering  it  with  free  and  independent  Americans,  uncon- 
nected with  us  but  by  the  ties  of  blood  and  interest,  and  enjoying 
like  us  the  rights  of  self-government." 

The  cabinet  joined  with  Mr.  Jefferson  in  warm  approbation  of 
the  plan,  and  held  out  assurance  of  every  protection  that  could, 
consistently  with  general  policy,  be  afforded. 

Mr.  Astor  now  prepared  to  carry  his  scheme  'into  prompt  exe- 
cution. He  had  some  competition,  however,  to  apprehend  and 
guard  against.  The  Northwest  Company,  acting  feebly  and  par- 
tially upon  the  suggestions  of  its  former  agent,  Sir  Alexander 
Mackenzie,  had  pushed  one  or  two  advanced  trading  posts  across 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  into  a  tract  of  country  visited  by  that  en- 
terprising traveller,  and  since  named  New  Caledonia.  This  tract 
lay  about  two  degrees  nerth  of  the  Columbia,  and  intervened  be- 
tween the  territories  of  the  United  States  and  those  of  Russia. 
Its  length  was  about  five  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  its  breadth, 
from  the  mountains  to  the  Pacific,  from  three  hundred  to  three 
hundred  and  fifty  geographical  miles. 

Should  the  Northwest  Company  persist  in  extending  their 
trade  in  that  quarter,  their  competition  might  be  of  serious  detri- 
ment to  the  plans  of  Mr.  Astor.  It  is  true  they  would  contend 

*  On  this  point  Mr.  Jefferson's  memory  was  in  error.  The  proposition 
alluded  to  was  the  one,  already  mentioned,  for  the  establishment  of  an  Ameri- 
can Fur  Company  in  the  Atlantic  states.  The  great  enterprise  beyond  the 
mountains,  that  was  to  sweep  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  originated  in  the  mind 
of  Mr.  Astor,  and  was  proposed  by  him  to  the  government. 


NEGOTIATIONS  WITH  THE  N.  W.  COMPANY.  41 


with  him  to  a  vast  disadvantage,  from  the  checks  and  restrictions 
to  which  they  were  subjected.  They  were  straitened  on  one  side 
by  the  rivalry  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company ;  then  they  had  no 
good  post  on  the  Pacific  where  they  could  receive  supplies  by 
sea  for  their  establishments  beyond  the  mountains ;  nor,  if  they 
had  one,  could  they  ship  their  furs  thence  to  China,  that  great 
mart  for  peltries;  the  Chinese  trade  being  comprised  in  the 
monopoly  of  the  East  India  Company.  Their  posts  beyond  the 
mountains  had  to  be  supplied  in  yearly  expeditions,  like  caravans, 
from  Montreal,  and  the  furs  conveyed  back  in  the  same  way,  by 
long,  precarious,  and  expensive  routes,  across  the  continent. 
Mr.  Astor,  on  the  contrary,  would  be  able  to  supply  his  proposed 
establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  by  sea,  and  to  ship 
the  furs  collected  there  directly  to  China,  so  as  to  undersell  the 
Northwest  Company  in  the  great  Chinese  market. 

Still,  the  competition  of  two  rival  companies  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  could  not  but  prove  detrimental  to  both,  and 
fraught  with  those  evils,  both  to  the  trade  and  to  the  Indians, 
that  had  attended  similar  rivalries  in  the  Canadas.  To  prevent 
any  contest  of  the  kind,  therefore,  he  made  known  his  plan  to  the 
agents  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  proposed  to  interest 
them,  to  the  extent  of  one-third,  in  the  trade  thus  to  be  opened. 
Some  correspondence  and  negotiation  ensued.  The  company 
were  aware  of  the  advantages  which  would  be  possessed  by  Mr. 
Astor  should  he  be  able  to  carry  his  scheme  into  effect ;  but  they 
anticipated  a  monopoly  of  the  trade  beyond  the  mountains  by 
their  establishments  in  New  Caledonia,  and  were  loth  to  share  it 
with  an  individual  who  had  already  proved  a  formidable  competi- 
tor in  the  Atlantic  trade.  They  hoped,  too,  by  a  timely  move,  to 
secure  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  before  Mr.  Astor  would  be 
able  to  put  his  plans  into  operation  ;  and,  that  key  to  the  inter- 
nal trade  once  in  their  possession,  the  whole  country  would  be  at 


42  ASTORIA. 

their  command.  After  some  negotiation  and  delay,  therefore, 
they  declined  the  proposition  that  had  been  made  to  them,  but 
subsequently  dispatched  a  party  for  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
to  establish  a  post  there  before  any  expedition  sent  out  by  Mr. 
Astor  might  arrive. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Astor,  finding  his  overtures  rejected, 
proceeded  fearlessly  to  execute  his  enterprise  in  face  of  the  whole 
power  of  the  Northwest  Company.  His  main  establishment  once 
planted  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  he  looked  with  confidence 
to  ultimate  success.  Being  able  to  reinforce  and  supply  it  amply 
by  sea,  he  would  push  his  interior  posts  in  every  direction  up  the 
rivers  and  along  the  coast ;  supplying  the  natives  at  a  lower  rate, 
and  thus  gradually  obliging  the  Northwest  Company  to  give  up  the 
competition,  relinquish  New  Caledonia,  and  retire  to  the  other 
side  of  the  mountains.  He  would  then  have  possession  of  the 
trade,  not  merely  of  the  Columbia  and  its  tributaries,  but  of  the 
regions  farther  north,  quite  to  the  Russian  possessions.  Such  was 
a  part  of  his  brilliant  and  comprehensive  plan. 

He  now  proceeded,  with  all  diligence,  to  procure  proper  agents 
and  coadjutors,  habituated  to  the  Indian  trade  and  to  the  life  of 
the  wilderness.  Among  the  clerks  of  the  Northwest  Company 
were  several  of  great  capacity  and  experience,  who  had  served 
out  their  probationary  terms,  but  who,  either  through  lack  of  in- 
terest and  influence,  or  a  want  of  vacancies,  had  not  been  pro- 
moted. They  were  consequently  much  dissatisfied,  and  ready  for 
any  employment  in  which  their  talents  and  acquirements  might 
be  turned  to  better  account. 

Mr.  Astor  made  his  overtures  to  several  of  these  persons,  and 
three  of  them  entered  into  his  views.  One  of  these,  Mr.  Alexan- 
der M'Kay,  had  accompanied  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  in  both 
of  his  expeditions  to  the  northwest  coast  of  America  in  1 789  and 
1793.  The  other  two  were  Duncan  M'Dougal  and  Donald 


PACIFIC  FUR  COMPANY.  43 


M'Kenzie.  To  these  were  subsequently  added  Mr.  Wilson  Price 
Hunt,  of  New-Jersey.  As  this  gentleman  was  a  native  born 
citizen  of  the  United  States,  a  person  of  great  probity  and  worth, 
he  was  selected  by  Mr.  Astor  to  be  his  chief  agent,  and  to  repre- 
sent him  in  the  contemplated  establishment. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  1810,  articles  of  agreement  were  entered 
into  between  Mr.  Astor  and  those  four  gentlemen,  acting  for 
themselves  and  for  the  several  persons  who  had  already  agreed  to 
become,  or  should  thereafter  become,  associated  under  the  firm  of 
"  The  Pacific  Fur  Company." 

According  to  these  articles,  Mr.  Astor  was  to  be  at  the  head 
of  the  company,  and  to  manage  its  affairs  in  New- York.  He  was 
to  furnish  vessels,  goods,  provisions,  arms,  ammunition,  and  all 
other  requisites  for  the  enterprise  at  first  cost  and  charges,  pro- 
vided that  they  did  not,  at  any  time,  involve  an  advance  of  more 
than  four  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  stock  of  the  company  was  to  be  divided  into  a  hundred 
equal  shares,  with  the  profits  accruing  thereon.  Fifty  shares 
were  to  be  at  the  disposition  of  Mr.  Astor,  and  the  other  fifty  to 
be  divided  among  the  partners  and  their  associates. 

Mr.  Astor  was  to  have  the  privilege  of  introducing  other  per- 
sons into  the  connection,  as  partners,  two  of  whom,  at  least, 
should  be  conversant  with  the  Indian  trade,  and  none  of  them 
entitled  to  more  than  three  shares. 

A  general  meeting  of  the  company  was  to  be  held  annually 
at  Columbia  River,  for  the  investigation  and  regulation  of  its 
affairs;  at  which  absent  members  might  be  represented,  and 
might  vote  by  proxy  under  certain  specified  conditions. 

The  association,  if  successful,  was  to  continue  for  twenty 
years ;  but  the  parties  had  full  power  to  abandon  and  dissolve  it 
within  the  first*five  years,  should  it  be  found  unprofitable.  For 
this  term  Mr.  Astor  covenanted  to  bear  all  the  loss  that  might  be 


44  ASTORIA. 

incurred ;  after  which  it  was  to  be  borne  by  all  the  partners,  in 
proportion  to  their  respective  shares. 

The  parties  of  the  second  part  were  to  execute  faithfully  such 
duties  as  might  be  assigned  to  them  b*y  a  majority  of  the  company 
on  the  northwest  coast,  and  to  repair  to  such  place  or  places  aa 
the  majority  might  direct. 

An  agent,  appointed  for  the  term  of  five  years,  was  to  reside 
at  the  principal  establishment  on  the  northwest  coast,  and  Wilson 
Price  Hunt  was  the  one  chosen  for  the  first  term.  Should  the 
interests  of  the  concern  at  any  time  require  his  absence,  a  person 
was  to  be  appointed,  in  general  meeting,  to  take  his  place. 

Such  were  the  leading  conditions  of  this  association  ;  we  shall 
now  proceed  to  relate  the  various  hardy  and  eventful  expeditions, 
by  sea  and  land,  to  which  it  gave  rise. 


TWO  EXPEDITIONS  SET  ON  FOOT. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IN  prosecuting  his  great  scheme  of  commerce  and  colonization, 
two  expeditions  were  devised  by  Mr.  Astor,  one  by  sea,  the  other 
by  land.  The  former  was  to  carry  out  the  people,  stores,  ammu- 
nition, and  merchandise,  requisite  for  establishing  a  fortified 
trading  post  at  the  mouth  of  Columbia  River.  The  latter,  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Hunt,  was  to  proceed  up  the  Missouri,  and  across 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  to  the  same  point ;  exploring  a  line  of 
communication  across  the  continent,  and  noting  the  places  where 
interior  trading  posts  might  be  established.  The  expedition  by 
sea  is  the  one  which  comes  first  under  consideration. 

A  fine  ship  was  provided  called  the  Tonquin,  of  two  hundred 
and  ninety  tons  burden,  mounting  ten  guns,  with  a  crew  of 
twenty  men.  She  carried  an  assortment  of  merchandise  for 
trading  with  the  natives  of  the  sea-board  and  of  the  interior, 
together  with  the  frame  of  a  schooner,  to  be  employed  in  the 
coasting  trade.  Seeds  also  were  provided  for  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil,  and  nothing  was  neglected  for  the  necessary  supply  of 
the  establishment.  The  command  of  the  ship  was  intrusted  to 
Jonathan  Thorn,  of  New- York,  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States 
navy,  on  leave  of  absence.  He  was  a  man  of  courage  and  firm- 
ness, who  had  distinguished  himself  in  our  Tripolitan  war,  and, 
from  being  accustomed  to  naval  discipline,  was  considered  by 
Mr.  Astor  as  well  fitted  to  take  charge  of  an  expedition  of  the 
kind.  Four  of  the  partners  were  to  embark  in  the  ship,  namely, 
Messrs.  M'Kay,  M'Dougal,  David  Stuart,  and  his  nephew,  Robert 


46  ASTORIA. 

Stuart.  Mr.  M'Dougal  was  empowered  by  Mr.  Astor  to  act- as 
his  proxy  in  Jhe  absence  of  Mr.  Hunt,  to  vote  for  him  and  in  his 
name,  on  any  question  that  might  come  before  any  meeting  of  the 
persons  interested  in  the  voyage. 

.  Beside  the  partners,  there  were  twelve  clerks  to  go  out  in  the 
ship,  several  of  them  natives  of  Canada,  who  had  some  experience 
in  Indian  trade.  They  were  bound  to  the  service  of  the  company 
for  five  years,  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  dollars  a  year,  payable 
at  the  expiration  of  the  term,  and  an  annual  equipment  of  cloth- 
ing to  the  amount  of  forty  dollars.  In  case  of  ill  conduct  they 
were  liable  to  forfeit  their  wages  and  be  dismissed ;  but,  should 
they  acquit  themselves  well,  the  confident  expectation  was  held 
out  to  them  of  promotion,  and  partnership.  Their  interests  were 
thus,  to  some  extent,  identified  with  those  of  the  company. 

Several  artisans  were  likewise  to  sail  in  the  ship,  for  the  sup- 
ply of  the  colony ;  but  the  most  peculiar  and  characteristic  part 
of  this  motley  embarkation  consisted  of  thirteen  Canadian  "voy- 
ageurs,"  who  had  enlisted  for  five  years.  As  this  class  of  func- 
tionaries will  continually  recur  in  the  course  of  the  following 
narrations,  and  as  they  form  one  of  those  distinct  and  strongly 
marked  castes  or  orders  of  people,  springing  up  in  this  vast  con- 
tinent out  of  geographical  circumstances,  or  the  varied  pursuits, 
habitudes,  and  origins  of  its  population,  we  shall  sketch  a  few  of 
their  characteristics  for  the  information  of  the  reader. 

The  "  voyageurs  "  form  a  kind  of  confraternity  in  the  Canadas, 
like  the  arrieros,  or  carriers  of  Spain,  and,  like  them,  a^e  employed 
in  long  internal  expeditions  of  travel  and  traffic  :  with  this  differ- 
ence, that  the  arrieros  travel  by  land,  the  voyageurs  by  water ; 
the  former  with  mules  and  horses,  the  latter  with  batteaux  and 
canoes.  The  voyageurs  may  be  said  to  have  sprung  up  out  of 
the  fur  trade,  having  originally  been  employed  by  the  early 
French  merchants  in  their  trading  expeditions  through  the  laby- 


CANADIAN   VOYAGEURS.  47 


rinth  of  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  boundless  interior.  They  were 
coeval  with  the  coureurs  des  bois,  or  rangers  of  the  woods,  already 
noticed,  and,  like  them,  in  the  intervals  of  their  long,  arduous, 
and  laborious  expeditions,  were  prone  to  pass  their  time  in  idle- 
ness and  revelry  about  the  trading  posts  or  settlements ;  squan- 
dering their  hard  earnings  in  heedless  conviviality,  and  rivalling 
their  neighbors,  the  Indians,  in  indolent  indulgence  and  an  im- 
prudent disregard  of  the  morrow. 

When  Canada  passed  under  British  domination,  and  the 
old  French  trading  houses  were  broken  up,  the  voyageurs,  like 
the  coureurs  des  bois,  were  for  a  time  disheartened  and  disconso- 
late, and  with  difficulty  could  reconcile  themselves  to  the  service 
of  the  new  comers,  so  different  in  habits,  manners,  and  language 
from  their  former  employers.  By  degrees,  however,  they  became 
accustomed  to  the  change,  and  at  length  came  to  consider  the 
British  fur  traders,  and  especially  the  members  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  as  the  legitimate  lords  of  creation. 

The  dress  of  these  people  is  generally  half  civilized,  half  sav- 
age. They  wear  a  capot  or  surcoat,  made  of  a  blanket,  a  striped 
cotton  shirt,  cloth  trowsers,  or  leathern  leggins,  moccasons  of 
deer-skin,  and  a  belt  of  variegated  worsted,  from  which  are  sus- 
pended the  knife,  tobacco-pouch,  and  other  implements.  Their 
language  is  of  the  same  piebald  character,  being  a  French  patois, 
embroidered  with  Indian  and  English  words  and  phrases. 

The  lives  of  the  voyageurs  are  passed  in  wild  and  extensive 
rovings,  in  the  service  of  individuals,  but  more  especially  of  the 
fur  traders.  They  are  generally  of  French  descent,  and  inherit 
much  of  the  gayety  and  lightness  of  heart  of  their  ancestors, 
being  full  of  anecdote  and  song,  and  ever  ready  for  the  dance. 
They  inherit,  too,  a  fund  of  civility  and  complaisance ;  and, 
instead  of  that  hardness  and  grossness  which  men  in  laborious 
life  are  apt  to  indulge  towards  each  other,  they  are  mutually 


48  ASTORIA. 

obliging  and  accommodating ;  interchanging  kind  offices,  yielding 
each  other  assistance  and  comfort  in  every  emergency,  and  using 
the  familiar  appellations  of  "cousin"  and  brother"  when  there 
is  an  fact  no  relationship.  Their  natural  good-will  is  probably 
heightened  by  a  community  of  adventure  and  hardship  in  their 
precarious  and  wandering  life. 

No  men  are  more  submissive  to  their  leaders  and  employers, 
more  capable  of  enduring  hardship,  or  more  good-humored  under 
privations.  Never  are  they  so  happy  as  when  on  long  and  rough 
expeditions,  toiling  up  rivers  or  coasting  lakes ;  encamping  at 
night  on  the  borders,  gossiping  round  their  fires,  and  bivouacking 
in  the  open  air.  They  are  dextrous  boatmen,  vigorous  and  adroit 
with  the  oar  and  paddle,  and  will  row  from  morning  until  night 
without  a  murmur.  The  steersman  often  sings  an  old  tradition- 
ary French  song,  with  some  regular  burden  in  which  they  all 
join,  keeping  time  with  their  oars ;  if  at  any  time  they  flag  in 
spirits  or  relax  in  exertion,  it  is  but  necessary  to  strike  up  a 
song  of  the  kind  to  put  them  all  in  fresh  spirits  and  activity. 
The  Canadian  waters  are  vocal  with  these  little  French  chansons, 
that  have  been  echoed  from  mouth  to  mouth  and  transmitted  from 
father  to  son,  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  colony ;  and  it  has  a 
pleasing  effect,  in  a  still  golden  summer  evening,  to  see  a  batteau 
gliding  across  the  bosom  of  a  lake  and  dipping  its  oars  to  the 
cadence  of  these  quaint  old  ditties,  or  sweeping  along  in  full 
chorus  on  a  bright  sunny  morning,  down  the  transparent  current 
of  one  of  the  Canada  rivers. 

But  we  are  talking  of  things  that  are  fast  fading  away  !  The 
march  of  mechanical  invention  is  driving  every  thing  poetical  be- 
fore it.  The  steamboats,  which  are  fast  dispelling  the  wildness 
and  romance  of  our  lakes  and  rivers,  and  aiding  to  subdue  the 
world  into  commonplace,  are  proving  as  fatal  to  the  race  of  the 
Canadian  voyageurs  as  they  have  been  to  that  of  the  boatmen  of 


BOATING  AND  BOASTING.  49 


the  Mississippi.  Their  glory  is  departed.  They  are  no  longer 
the  lords  of  our  internal  seas,  and  the  great  navigators  of  the 
wilderness.  Some  of  them  may  still  occasionally  he  seen  coasting 
the  lower  lakes  with  their  frail  barks,  and  pitching  their  camps 
and  lighting  their  fires  upon  the  shores  ;  but  their  range  is  fast 
contracting  to  those  remote  waters  and  shallow  and  obstructed 
rivers  unvisited  by  the  steamboat.  In  the  course  of  years  they 
will  gradually  disappear ;  their  songs  will  die  away  like  the 
echoes  they  once  awakened,  and  the  Canadian  voyageurs  will  be- 
come a  forgotten  race,  or  remembered,  like  their  associates,  the 
Indians,  among  the  poetical  images  of  past  times,  and  as  themes 
for  local  and  romantic  associations. 

An  instance  of  the  buoyant  temperament  and  the  professional 
pride  of  these  people  was  furnished  in  the  gay  and  braggart  style 
in  which  they  arrived  at  New- York  to  join  the  enterprise.  They 
were  determined  to  regale  and  astonish  the  people  of  the  "  States" 
with  the  sight  of  a  Canadian  boat  and  a  Canadian  crew.  They 
accordingly  fitted  up  a  large  but  light  bark  canoe,  snch  as  is  used 
in  the  fur  trade  ;  transported  it  in  a  wagon  from  the  banks  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  to  the  shores  of  Lake  Champlain ;  traversed  the 
lake  in  it,  from  end  to  end ;  hoisted  it  again  in  a  wagon  and 
wheeled  it  off  to  Lansingburgh.  and  there  launched  it  upon  the 
waters  of  the  Hudson.  Down  this  river  they  plied  their  course 
merrily  on  a  fine  summer's  day,  making  its  banks  resound  for  the 
first  time  with  their  old  French  boat  songs  ;  passing  by  the  vil- 
lages with  whoop  and  halloo,  so  as  to  make  the  honest  Dutch 
farmers  mistake  them  for  a  crew  of  savages.  In  this  way  they 
swept,  in  full  song,  and  with  regular  flourish  of  the  paddle,  round 
New- York,  in  a  still  summer  evening,  to  the  wonder  and  admira- 
tion of  its  inhabitants,  who  had  never  before  witnessed  on  their 
waters,  a  nautical  apparition  of  the  kind. 

Such  was  the  variegated  band  of  adventurers  about  to  embark 

3 


50  ASTORIA. 

in  the  Tonquin  on  this  arduous  and  doubtful  enterprise.  While 
yet  in  port  and  on  dry  land,  in  the  bustle  of  preparation  and  the 
excitement  of  novelty,  all  was  sunshine  and  promise.  The  Cana- 
dians, especially,  who,  with  their  constitutional  vivacity,  have  a 
considerable  dash  of  the  gascon,  were  buoyant  and  boastful,  and 
great  braggarts  as  to  the  future  ;  while  all  those  who  had  been 
in  the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  engaged  in  the 
Indian  trade,  plumed  themselves  upon  their  hardihood  and  their 
capacity  to  endure  privations.  If  Mr.  Astor  ventured  to  hint  at 
the  difficulties  they  might  have  .to  encounter,  they  treated  them 
with  scorn.  They  were  "  northwesters  ;"  men  seasoned  to  hard- 
ships, who  cared  for  neither  wind  nor  weather.  They  could  live 
hard,  lie  hard,  sleep  hard,  eat  dogs  ! — in  a  word  they  were  ready 
to  do  and  suffer  any  thing  for  the  good  of  the  enterprise.  With 
all  this  profession  of  zeal  and  devotion,  Mr.  Astor  was  not  over- 
confident of  the  stability  and  firm  faith  of  these  mercurial  beings. 
He  had  received  information,  also,  that  an  armed  brig  from  Hali- 
fax, probably  at  the  instigation  of  the  Northwest  Company,  was 
hovering  on  the  coast,  watching  for  the  Tonquin,  with  the  pur- 
pose of  impressing  the  Canadians  on  board  of  her,  as  British 
subjects,  and  thus  interrupting  the  voyage.  It  was  a  time  of 
doubt  and  anxiety,  when  the  relations  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain  were  daily  assuming  a  more  precarious  aspect, 
and  verging  towards  that  war  which  shortly  ensued.  As  a  pre- 
cautionary measure,  therefore,  he  required  that  the  voyageurs,  as 
they  were  about  to  enter  into  the  service  of  an  American  associa- 
tion, and  to  reside  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  should 
take  the  oaths  of  naturalization  as  American  citizens.  To  this 
they  readily  agreed,  and  shortly  afterward  assured  him  that  they 
had  actually  done  so.  It  was  not  until  after  they  had  sailed 
that  he  discovered  that  they  had  entirely  deceived  him  in  the 
matter. 


PARTING   ADMONITIONS.  51 


The  confidence  of  Mr.  Astor  was  abused  in  another  quarter. 
Two  of  the  partners,  both  of  them  Scotchmen,  and  recently  in 
the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  had  misgivings  as  to  an 
enterprise  which  might  clash  with  the  interests  and  establish- 
ments protected  by  the  British  flag.  They  privately  waited  upon 
the  British  minister,  Mr.  Jackson,  then  in  New- York,  laid  open 
to  him  the  whole  scheme  of  Mr.  Astor,  though  intrusted  to  them 
in  confidence,  and  dependent,  in  a  great  measure,  upon  secrecy 
at  the  outset  for  its  success,  and  inquired  whether  they,  as  British 
subjects,  could  lawfully  engage  in  it.  The  reply  satisfied  their 
scruples,  while  the  information  they  imparted  excited  the  surprise 
and  admiration  of  Mr.  Jackson,  that  a  private  individual  should 
have  conceived  and  set  on  foot  at  his  own  risk  and  expense  so 
great  an  enterprise. 

This  step  on  the  part  of  those  gentlemen  was  not  known  to 
Mr.  Astor  until  some  time  afterwards,  or  it  might  have  modified 
the  trust  and  confidence  reposed  in  them. 

To  guard  against  any  interruption  to  the  voyage  by  the  armed 
brig,  said  to  be  off  the  harbor,  Mr.  Astor  applied  to  Commodore 
Rodgers,  at  that  time  commanding  at  New- York,  to  give  the  Ton- 
quin  safe  convoy  off  the  coast.  The  commodore  having  received 
from  a  high  official  source  assurance  of  the  deep  interest  which 
the  government  took  in  the  enterprise,  sent  directions  to  Captain 
Hull,  at  that  time  cruising  off  the  harbor,  in  the  frigate  Consti- 
tution, to-  afford  the  Tonquin  the  required  protection  when  she 
should  put  to  sea. 

Before  the  day  of  embarkation,  Mr.  Astor  addressed  a  letter 
of  instruction  to  the  four  partners  who  were  to  sail  in  the  ship. 
In  this  he  enjoined  them,  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  to  cultivate 
harmony  and  unanimity,  and  recommended  that  all  differences  of 
opinions  on  points  connected  with  the  objects  and  interests  of  the 
voyage  should  be  discussed  by  the  whole,  and  decided  by  a  ma- 


52  ASTORIA. 

jority  of  votes.  He,  moreover,  gave  them  especial  caution  as  to 
their  conduct  on  arriving  at  their  destined  port ;  exhorting  them 
to  be  careful  to  make  a  favorable  impression  upon  the  wild  people 
among  whom  their  lot  and  the  fortunes  of  the  enterprise  would 
be  cast.  "  If  you  find  them  kind,"  said  he,  "  as  I  hope  you  will, 
be  so  to  them.  If  otherwise,  act  with  caution  and  forbearance, 
and  convince  them  that  you  come  as  friends." 

With  the  same  anxious  forethought  he  wrote  a  letter  of  instruc- 
tions to  Captain  Thorn,  in  which  he  urged  the  strictest  attention 
to  the  health  of  himself  and  his  crew,  and  to  the  promotion  of 
good-humor  and  harmony  on  board  his  ship.  "  To  prevent  any 
misunderstanding,"  added  he,  "  will  require  your  particular  good 
management."  His  letter  closed  with  an  injunction  of  wariness 
in  his  intercourse  with  the  natives,  a  subject  on  which  Mr.  Astor 
was  justly  sensible  he  could  not  be  too  earnest.  "  I  must  recom- 
mend you,"  said  he,  "  to  be  particularly  careful  on  the  coast,  and 
not  to  rely  too  much  on  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  natives. 
All  accidents  which  have  as  yet  happened  there  arose  from  too 
much  confidence  in  the  Indians." 

The  reader  will  bear  these  instructions  in  mind,  as  events  will 
prove  their  wisdom  and  importance,  and  the  disasters  which  en- 
sued in  consequence  of  the  neglect  of  them. 


SAILING  OF  THE  TONQUIN.  53 


CHAPTER  V. 

ON  the  eighth  of  September,  1810,  the  Tonquin  put  to  sea,  where 
she  was  soon  joined  by  the  frigate  Constitution.  The  wind  was 
fresh  and  fair  from  the  southwest,  and  the  ship  was  soon  out  of 
sight  of  land  and  free  from  the  apprehended  danger  of  interrup- 
tion. The  frigate,  therefore,  gave  her  "  Glod  speed,"  and  left  her 
to  her  course. 

The  harmony  so  earnestly  enjoined  by  Mr.  Astor  on  this 
heterogeneous  crew,  and  which  had  been  so  confidently  promised 
in  the  buoyant  moments  of  preparation,  was  doomed  to  meet  with 
a  check  at  the  very  outset. 

Captain  Thorn  was  an  honest,  straightforward,  but  some- 
what dry  and  dictatorial  commander,  who,  having  been  nurtured 
in  the  system  and  discipline  of  a  ship  of  war,  and  in  a  sacred 
opinion  of  the  supremacy  of  the  quarter-deck,  was  disposed  to  be 
absolute  lord  and  master  on  board  of  his  ship.  He  appears, 
moreover,  to  have  had  no  great  opinion,  from  the  first,  of  the  per- 
sons embarked  with  him.  He  had  stood  by  with  surly  contempt 
while  they  vaunted  so  bravely  to  Mr.  Astor  of  all  they  could  do 
and  all  they  could  undergo  ;  how  they  could  face  all  weathers,  put 
up  with  all  kinds  of  fare,  and  even  eat  dogs  with  a  relish,  when 
no  better  food  was  to  be  had.  He  had  set  them  down  as  a  set  of 
landlubbers  and  braggadocios,  and  was  disposed  to  treat  them 
accordingly.  Mr.  Astor  was,  in  his  eyes,  his  only  real  employer, 
being  the  father  of  the  enterprise,  who  furnished  all  funds  and 
bore  all  losses.  The  others  were  mere  agents  and  subordinates, 


54  ASTORIA. 

who  lived  at  his  expense.  He  evidently  had  but  a  narrow  idea 
of  the  scope  and  nature  of  the  enterprise,  limiting  his  views 
merely  to  his  part  of  it ;  every  thing  beyond  the  concerns  of  his 
ship  was  out  of  his  sphere ;  and  any  thing  that  interfered  with 
the  routine  of  his  nautical  duties  put  him  in  a  passion. 

The  partners,  on  the  other  hand,  had  been  brought  up  in  the 
service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  in  a  profound  idea  of  the 
importance,  dignity,  and  authority  of  a  partner.  They  already 
began  to  consider  themselves  on  a  par  with  the  M'Tavishes,  the 
M'Gillivrays,  the  Frobishers,  and  the  other  magnates  of  the 
northwest,  whom  they  had  been  accustomed  to  look  up  to  as  the 
great  ones  of  the  earth  ;  and  they  were  a  little  disposed,  perhaps, 
to  wear  their  suddenly-acquired  honors  with  some  air  of  preten- 
sion. Mr.  Astor,  too,  had  put  them  on  their  mettle  with  respect 
to  the  captain,  describing  him  as  a  gunpowder  fellow  who  would 
command  his  ship  in  fine  style,  and,  if  there  was  any  fighting  to 
do,  would  "  blow  all  out  of  the  water." 

Thus  prepared  to  regard  each  other  with  no  very  cordial  eye, 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  parties  soon  came  into  colli- 
sion. On  the  very  first  night  Captain  Thorn  began  his  man-of- 
war  discipline  by  ordering  the  lights  in  the  cabin  to  be  extin- 
guished at  eight  o'clock. 

The  pride  of  the  partners  was  immediately  in  arms.  This 
was  an  invasion  of  their  rights  and  dignities  not  to  be  borne. 
They  were  on  board  of  their  own  ship,  and  entitled  to  consult 
their  ease  and  enjoyment.  M'Dougal  was  the  champion  of  their 
cause.  He  was  an  active,  irritable,  fuming,  vainglorious  little 
man,  and  elevated  in  his  own  opinion,  by  being  the  proxy  of  Mr. 
Astor.  A  violent  altercation  ensued,  in  the  course  of  which 
Thorn  threatened  to  put  the  partners  in  irons  should  they  prove 
refractory ;  upon  which  M'Dougal  seized  a  pistol  and  swore  to  be 
the  death  of  the  captain  should  he  ever  offer  such  an  indignity. 


LANDSMEN   AT   SEA.  55 


It  was  some  time  before  the  irritated  parties  could  be  pacified  by 
the  more  temperate  bystanders. 

Such  was  the  captain's  outset  with  the  partners.  Nor  did  the 
clerks  stand  much  higher  in  his  good  graces ;  indeed,  he  seems 
to  have  regarded  all  the  landsmen  on  board  his  ship  as  a  kind  of 
live  lumber,  continually  in  the  way.  The  poor  voyageurs,  too, 
continually  irritated  his  spleen  by  their  "  lubberly "  and  un- 
seemly habits,  so  abhorrent  to  one  accustomed  to  the  cleanliness 
of  a  man-of-war.  These  poor  fresh-water  sailors,  so  vainglorious 
on  shore,  and  almost  amphibious  when  on  lakes  and  rivers,  lost 
all  heart  and  stomach  the  moment  they  were  at  sea.  For  days 
they  suffered  the  doleful  rigors  and  retchings  of  sea-sickness, 
lurking  below  in  their  berths  in  squalid  state,  or  emerging  now 
and  then  like  spectres  from  the  hatchways,  in  capotes  and  blan- 
kets, with  dirty  nightcaps,  grizzly  beard,  lantern  visage  and  un- 
happy eye,  shivering  about  the  deck,  and  ever  and  anon  crawling 
to  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  and  offering  up  their  tributes  to  the 
windward,  to  the  infinite  annoyance  of  the  captain. 

His  letters  to  Mr.  Astor,  wherein  he  pours  forth  the  bitterness 
of  his  soul,  and  his  seamanlike  impatience  of  what  he  considers 
the  "  lubberly  "  character  and  conduct  of  those  around  him,  are 
before  us,  and  are  amusingly  characteristic.  The  honest  captain 
is  full  of  vexation  on  his  own  account,  and  solicitude  on  account 
of  Mr.  Astor,  whose  property  he  considers  at  the  mercy  of  a  most 
heterogeneous  and  wasteful  crew. 

As  to  the  clerks,  he  pronounces  them  mere  pretenders,  not 
one  of  whom  had  ever  been  among  the  Indians,  nor  farther  to 
the  northwest  than  Montreal,  nor  of  higher  rank  than  barkeeper 
of  a  tavern  or  marker  of  a  billiard-table,  excepting  one,  who  had 
been  a  schoolmaster,  and  whom  he  emphatically  sets  down  for  "  as 
foolish  a  pedant  as  ever  lived." 

Then  as  to  the  artisans  and  laborers  who  had  been  brought 


56  ASTORIA. 

from  Canada  and  shipped  at  such  expense,  the  three  most 
respectable,  according  to  the  captain's  account,  were  culprits, 
who  had  fled  from  Canada  on  account  of  their  misdeeds ;  the 
rest  had  figured  in  Montreal  as  draymen,  barbers,  waiters,  and 
carriole  drivers,  and  were  the  most  helpless,  worthless  beings 
"  that  ever  broke  sea-biscuit." 

It  may  easily  be  imagined  what  a  series  of  misunderstandings 
and  cross-purposes  would  be  likely  to  take  place  between  such  a 
crew  and  such  a  commander.  The  captain,  in  his  zeal  for  the 
health  and  cleanliness  of  his  ship,  would  make  sweeping  visita- 
tions to  the  "lubber  nests"  of  the  unlucky  "voyageurs"  and 
their  companions  in  misery,  ferret  them  out  of  their  berths,  make 
them  air  and  wash  themselves  and  their  accoutrements,  and 
oblige  them  to  stir  about  briskly  and  take  exercise. 

Nor  did  his  disgust  and  vexation  cease  when  all  hands  had 
recovered  from  sea-sickness,  and  become  accustomed  to  the  ship, 
for  now  broke  out  an  alarming  keenness  of  appetite  that  threat- 
ened havoc  to  the  provisions.  What  especially  irritated  the 
captain  was  the  daintiness  of  some  of  his  cabin  passengers. 
They  were  loud  in  their  complaints  of  the  ship's  fare,  though 
their  table  was  served  with  fresh  pork,  hams,  tongues,  smoked 
beef,  and  puddings.  "  When  thwarted  in  their  cravings  for  deli- 
cacies," said  he,  "  they  would  exclaim  that  it  was  d — d  hard  they 
could  not  live  as  they  pleased  upon  their  own  property,  being  on 
board  of  their  own  ship,  freighted  with  their  own  merchandise. 
And  these,"  added  he,  "  are  the  fine  fellows  who  made  such  boast 
that  they  could  '  eat  dogs.'  " 

In  his  indignation  at  what  he  termed  their  effeminacy,  he 
would  swear  that  he  would  never  take  them  to  sea  again  "  with- 
out having  Fly-market  on  the  forecastle,  Covent-garden  on  the 
poop,  and  a  cool  spring  from  Canada  in  the  maintop." 

As  they  proceeded  on  their  voyage  and  got  into  the  smooth 


A  VETERAN  FROM  LABRADOR.  57 


seas  and  pleasant  weather  of  the  tropics,  other  annoyances  oc- 
curred to  vex  the  spirit  of  the  captain.  He  had  been  crossed  by 
the  irritable  mood  of  one  of  the  partners ;  he  was  now  excessively 
annoyed  by  the  good-humor  of  another.  This  was  the  elder  Stu- 
art, who  was  an  easy  soul,  and  of  a  social  disposition.  He  had 
seen  life  in  Canada,  and  on  the  coast  of  Labrador ;  had  been  a 
fur  trader  in  the  former,  and  a  fisherman  on  the  latter ;  and,  in 
the  course  of  his  experience,  had  made  various  expeditions  with 
voyageurs.  He  was  accustomed,  therefore,  to  the  familiarity 
which  prevails  ^between  that  class  and  their  superiors,  and  the 
gossipings  which  take  place  among  them  when  seated  round  a 
fire  at  their  encampments.  Stuart  was  never  so  happy  as  when 
he  could  seat  himself  on  the  deck  with  a  number  of  these  men 
round  him,  in  camping  style,  smoke  together,  passing  the  pipe 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  after  the  manner  of  the  Indians,  sing  old 
Canadian  boat-songs,  and  tell  stories  about  their  hardships  and 
adventures,  in  the  course  of  which  he  rivalled  Sindbad  in  his 
long  tales  of  the  sea,  about  his  fishing  exploits  on  the  coast  of 
Labrador. 

This  gossiping  familiarity  shocked  the  captain's  notions  of 
rank  and  subordination,  and  nothing  was  so  abhorrent  to  him  as 
the  community  of  pipe  between  master  and  man,  and  their  min- 
gling in  chorus  in  the  outlandish  boat-songs. 

Then  there  was  another  whimsical  source  of  annoyance  to 
him.  Some  of  the  young  clerks,  who  were  making  their  first 
voyage,  and  to  whom  every  thing  was  new  and  strange,  were, 
very  rationally,  in  the  habit  of  taking  notes  and  keeping  jour- 
nals. This  was  a  sore  abomination  to  the  honest  captain,  who 
held  their  literary  pretensions  in  great  contempt.  "  The  collect- 
ing of  materials  for  long  histories  of  their  voyages  and  travels," 
said  he,  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Astor,  "  appears  to  engross  most  of 
their  attention."  We  can  conceive  what  must  have  been  the 

3* 


58  ASTORIA. 

crusty  impatience  of  the  worthy  navigator,  when,  on  any  trifling 
occurrence  in  the  course  of  the  voyage,  quite  commonplace  in  his 
eyes,  he  saw  these  young  landsmen  running  to  record  it  in  their 
journals ;  and  what  indignant  glances  he  must  have  cast  to  right 
and  left,  as  he  worried  about  the  deck,  giving  out  his  orders  for 
the  management  of  the  ship,  surrounded  by  singing,  smoking, 
gossiping,  scribbling  groups,  all,  as  he  thought,  intent  upon  the 
amusement  of  the  passing  hour,  instead  of  the  great  purposes 
and  interests  of  the  voyage. 

It  is  possible  the  captain  was  in  some  degree  right  in  his 
notions.  Though  some  of  the  passengers  had  much  to  gain  by 
the  voyage,  none  of  them  had  any  thing  positively  to  lose.  They 
were  mostly  young  men,  in  the  heyday  of  life ;  and  having  got 
into  fine  latitudes,  upon  smooth  seas,  with  a  well-stored  ship 
under  them,  and  a  fair  wind  in  the  shoulder  of  the  sail,  they 
seemed  to  have  got  into  a  holiday  world,  and  were  disposed  to 
enjoy  it.  That  craving  desire,  natural  to  untravelled  men  of 
fresh  and  lively  minds,  to  see  strange  lands,  and  to  visit  scenes 
famous  in  history  or  fable,  was  expressed  by  some  of  the  partners 
and  clerks,  with  respect  to  some  of  the  storied  coasts  and  islands 
that  lay  within  their  route.  The  captain,  however,  who  regarded 
every  coast  and  island  with  a  matter-of-fact  eye,  and  had  no 
more  associations  connected  with  them  than  those  laid  down  in 
his  sea-chart,  considered  all  this  curiosity  as  exceedingly  idle  and 
childish.  "  In  the  first  part  of  the  voyage,"  says  he  in  his  letter, 
"  they  were  determined  to  have  it  said  they  had  been  in  Africa, 
and  therefore  insisted  on  my  stopping  at  the  Cape  de  Verds. 
Next  they  said  the  ship  should  stop  on  the  coast  of  Patagonia, 
for  they  must  see  the  large  and  uncommon  inhabitants  of  that 
place.  Then  they  must  go  to  the  island  where  Robinson  Crusoe 
had  so  long  lived.  And  lastly,  they  were  determined  to  see  the 
handsome  inhabitants  of  Easter  Island." 


CURIOUS  TRAVELLERS.  59 


To  all  these  resolves  the  captain  opposed  his  peremptory 
veto,  as  "contrary  to  instructions."  Then  would  break  forth  an 
unavailing  explosion  of  wrath  on  the  part  of  certain  of  the  part- 
ners, in  the  course  of  which  they  did  not  even  spare  Mr.  Astor 
for  his  act  of  supererogation  in  furnishing  orders  for  the  control 
of  the  ship  while  they  were  on  board,  instead  of  leaving  them  to 
be  the  judges  where  it  would  be  best  for  her  to  touch,  and  how 
long  to  remain.  The  choleric  M'Dougal  took  the  lead  in  these 
railings,  being,  as  has  been  observed,  a  little  puffed  up  with  the 
idea  of  being  Mr.  Astor's  proxy. 

The  captain,  however,  became  only  so  much  the  more  crusty 
and  dogged  in  his  adherence  to  his  orders,  and  touchy  and  harsh 
in  his  dealings  with  his  passengers,  and  frequent  altercations 
ensued.  He  may  in  some  measure  have  been  influenced  by  his 
seamanlike  impatience  of  the  interference  of  landsmen,  and  his 
high  notions  of  naval  etiquette  and  quarter-deck  authority ;  but 
he  evidently  had  an  honest,  trusty  concern  for  the  interests  of 
his  employer.  He  pictured  to  himself  the  anxious  projector  of 
the  enterprise,  who  had  disbursed  so  munificently  in  its  outfit, 
calculating  on  the  zeal,  fidelity,  and  singleness  of  purpose  of  his 
associates  and  agents ;  while  they,  on  the  other  hand,"  having  a 
good  ship  at  their  disposal,  and  a  deep  pocket  at  home  to  bear 
them  out,  seemed  ready  to  loiter  on  every  coast,  and  amuse  them- 
selves in  every  port. 

On  the  fourth  of  December  they  came  in  sight  of  the  Falk- 
land Islands.  Having  been  for  some  time  on  an  allowance  of 
water,  it  was  resolved  to  anchor  here  and  obtain  a  supply.  A 
boat  was  sent  into  a  small  bay  to  take  soundings.  Mr.  M'Dougal 
and  Mr.  M'Kay  took  this  occasion  to  go  on  shore,  but  with  a  re- 
quest from  the  captain  that  they  would  not  detain  the  ship.  Once 
on  shore,  however,  they  were  in  no  haste  to  obey  his  orders,  but 
rambled  about  in  search  of  curiosities.  The  anchorage  proving 


60  ASTORIA. 

unsafe,  and  water  difficult  to  be  procured,  the  captain  stood  out 
to  sea.  and  made  repeated  signals  for  those  on  shore  to  rejoin 
the  ship,  but  it  was  not  until  nine  at  night  that  they  came  on 
board. 

The  wind  being  adverse,  the  boat  was  again  sent  on  shore  on 
the  following  morning,  and  the  same  gentlemen  again  landed,  but 
promised  to  come  off  at  a  moment's  warning ;  they  again  forgot 
their  promise  in  their  eager  pursuit  of  wild  geese  and  sea-wolves. 
After  a  time  the  wind  hauled  fair,  and  signals  were  made  for  the 
boat.  Half  an  hour  elapsed  but  no  boat  put  off.  The  captain 
reconnoitred  the  shore  with  his  glass,  and,  to  his  infinite  vexa- 
tion, saw  the  loiterers  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  their  "  wild-goose- 
chase."  Nettled  to  the  quick,  he  immediately  made  sail.  When 
those  on  shore  saw  the  ship  actually  under  way,  they  embarked 
with  all  speed,  but  had  a  hard  pull  of  eight  miles  before  they 
got  on  board,  and  then  experienced  but  a  grim  reception,  not- 
withstanding that  they  came  well  laden  with  the  spoils  of  the 
chase. 

• 

Two  days  afterwards,  on  the  seventh  of  December,  they 
anchored  at  Port  Egmont,  in  the  same  island,  where  they  re- 
mained four  days  taking  in  water  and  making  repairs.  This  was 
a  joyous  time  for  the  landsmen.  They  pitched  a  tent  on  shore, 
had  a  boat  at  their  command,  and  passed  their  time  merrily  in 
rambling  about  the  island,  and  coasting  along  the  shores,  shoot- 
ing sea-lions,  seals,  foxes,  geese,  ducks,  and  penguins.  None 
were  keener  in  pursuit  of  this  kind  of  game  than  M'Dougal 
and  David  Stuart;  the  latter  was  reminded  of  aquatic  sports 
on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  and  his  hunting  exploits  in  the  north- 
west. 

In  the  meantime  the  captain  addressed  himself  steadily  to  the 
business  of  his  ship,  scorning  the  holiday  spirit  and  useless  pur- 
suits of  his  emancipated  messmates,  and  warning  them,  from  time 


SPORTSMEN   IN   THE   LURCH.  61 


to  time,  not  to  wander  away  nor  be  out  of  hail.  They  promised, 
as  usual,  that  the  ship  should  never  experience  a  moment's  deten- 
tion on  their  account,  but,  as  usual,  forgot  their  promise. 

On  the  morning  of  the  1 1th,  the  repairs  being  all  finished, 
and  the  water  casks  replenished,  the  signal  was  given  to  embark, 
and  the  ship  began  to  weigh  anchor.  At  this  time  several  of  the 
passengers  were  dispersed  about  the  island,  amusing  themselves 
in  various  ways.  Some  of  the  young  men  had  found  two  inscrip- 
tions, in  English,  over  a  place  where  two  unfortunate  mariners 
had  been  buried  in  this  desert  island.  As  the  inscriptions  were 
nearly  worn  out  by  time  and  weather,  they  were  playing  the  part 
of  '•  Old  Mortality,"  and  piously  renewing  them.  The  signal 
from  the  ship  summoned  them  from  their  labors  ;  they  saw  the 
sails  unfurled,  and  that  she  was  getting  under  way.  The  two 
sporting  partners,  however,  Mr.  M'Dougal  and  David  Stuart,  had 
strolled  away  to  the  south  of  the  island  in  pursuit  of  penguins. 
It  would  never  do  to  put  off  without  them,  as  there  was  but  one 
boat  to  convey  the  whole. 

While  this  delay  took  place  on  shore,  the  captain  was  storm- 
ing on  board.  This  was  the  third  time  his  orders  had  been 
treated  with  contempt,  and  the  ship  wantonly  detained,  and  it 
should  be  the  last ;  so  he  spread  all  sail  and  put  to  sea,  swearing 
he  would  leave  the  laggards  to  shift  for  themselves.  It  was  in 
vain  that  those  on  board  made  remonstrances  and  entreaties,  and 
represented  the  horrors  of  abandoning  men  upon  a  sterile  and 
uninhabited  island  :  the  sturdy  captain  was  inflexible. 

In  the  meantime  the  penguin  hunters  had  joined  the  engravers 
of  tombstones,  but  not  before  the  ship  was  already  out  at  sea. 
They  all,  to  the  number  of  eight,  threw  themselves  into  their 
boat,  which  was  about  twenty  feet  in  length,  and  rowed  with 
might  and  main.  For  three  hours  and  a  half  did  they  tug  anx- 
iously and  severely  at  the  oar,  swashed  occasionally  by  the  surg- 


62  ASTORIA. 

ing  waves  of  the  open  sea,  while  the  ship  inexorably  kept  on  her 
course,  and  seemed  determined  to  leave  them  behind. 

On  board  of  the  ship  was  the  nephew  of  David  Stuart,  a  young 
man  of  spirit  and  resolution.  Seeing,  as  he  thought,  the  captain 
obstinately  bent  upon  abandoning  his  uncle  and  the  others,  he 
seized  a  pistol,  and  in  a  paroxysm  of  wrath  swore  he  would  blow 
out  the  captain's  brains,  unless  he  put  about  or  shortened  sail. 

Fortunately  for  all  parties,  the  wind  just  then  came  ahead, 
and  the  boat  was  enabled  to  reach  the  ship  ;  otherwise,  disastrous 
circumstances  might  have  ensued.  We  can  hardly  believe  that 
the  captain  really  intended  to  carry  his  threat  into  full  effect,  and 
rather  think  he  meant  to  let  the  laggards  off  for  a  long  pull  and 
a  hearty  fright.  He  declared,  however,  in  his  letter  to  Mr. 
Astor,  that  he  was  serious  in  his  threats  ;  and  there  is  no  know- 
ing how  far  such  an  iron  man  may  push  his  notions  of  authority. 

"  Had  the  wind,"  writes  he,  "  (unfortunately)  not  hauled  ahead 
soon  after  leaving  the  harbor's  mouth,  I  should  positively  have 
left  them ;  and,  indeed,  I  cannot  but  think  it  an  unfortunate  cir- 
cumstance for  you  that  it  so  happened,  for  the  first  loss  in  this 
instance  would,  in  my  opinion,  have  proved  the  best,  as  they 
seem  to  have  no  idea  of  the  value  of  property,  nor  any  apparent 
regard  for  your  interest,  although  interwoven  with  their  own." 

This,  it  must  be  confessed,  was  acting  with  a  high  hand,  and 
carrying  a  regard  to  the  owner's  property  to  a  dangerous  length. 
Various  petty  feuds  occurred  also  between  him  and  the  partners 
in  respect  to  the  goods  on  board  the  ship,  some  articles  of  which 
they  wished  to  distribute  for  clothing  among  the  men,  or  for  other 
purposes  which  they  deemed  essential.  The  captain,  however, 
kept  a  mastiff  watch  upon  the  cargo,  and  growled  and  snapped 
if  they  but  offered  to  touch  box  or  bale.  "  It  was  contrary  to 
orders  ;  it  would  forfeit  his  insurance  ;  it  was  out  of  all  rule." 
It  was  in  vain  they  insisted  upon  their  right  to  do  so,  as  part 


ARRIVAL  AT   OWYHEE.  63 


owners,  and  as  acting  for  the  good  of  the  enterprise  ;  the  captain 
only  stuck  to  his  point  the  more  stanchly.  They  consoled  them- 
selves, therefore,  by  declaring,  that  as  soon  as  they  made  land 
they  would  assert  their  rights,  and  do  with  ship  and  cargo  as  they 
pleased. 

Beside  these  feuds  between  the  captain  and  the  partners, 
there  were  feuds  between  the  partners  themselves,  occasioned,  in 
some  measure,  by  jealousy  of  rank.  M'Dougal  and  M'Kay  began 
to  draw  plans  for  the  fort,  and  other  buildings  of  the  intended 
establishment.  They  agreed  very  well  as  to  the  outline  and 
dimensions,  which  were  on  a  sufficiently  grand  scale  ;  but  when 
they  came  to  arrange  the  details,  fierce  disputes  arose,  and  they 
would  quarrel  by  the  hour  about  the  distribution  of  the  doors 
and  windows.  Many  were  th'e  hard  words  and  hard  names  ban- 
died between  them  on  these  occasions,  according  to  the  captain's 
account.  Each  accused  the  other  of  endeavoring  to  assume 
unwarrantable  power,  and  to  take  the  lead  ;  upon  which  Mr. 
M'Dougal  would  vauntingly  lay  down  Mr.  Astor's  letter,  con- 
stituting him  his  representative  and  proxy,  a  document  not  to  be 
disputed. 

These  wordy  contests,  though  violent,  were  brief;  "and 
within  fifteeen  minutes,"  «ays  the  captain,  "  they  would  be  caress- 
ing each  other  like  children." 

While  all  this  petty  anarchy  was  agitating  the  little  world 
within  the  Tonquin,  the  good  ship  prosperously  pursued  her 
course,  doubled  Cape  Horn  on  the  25th  of  December,  careered 
across  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific,  until,  on  the  llth  of  February, 
the  snowy  peaks  of  Owyhee  were  seen  brightening  above  the 
horizon. 


ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OWYHEE,  or  Hawaii,  as  it  is  written  by  more  exact  orthogra- 
phers,  is  the  largest  of  the  cluster,  ten  in  number,  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  It  is  about  ninety-seven  miles  in  length,  and 
seventy-eight  in  breadth,  rising  gradually  into  three  pyramidal 
summits  or  cones;  the  highest,  Mouna  Roa,  being  eighteen 
thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  so  as  to  domineer  over 
the  whole  Archipelago,  and  to  be  a  landmark  over  a  wide  extent 
of  ocean.  It  remains  a  lasting  monument  of  the  enterprising 
and  unfortunate  Captain  Cook,  who  was  murdered  by  the  natives 
of  this  island. 

The  Sandwich  Islanders,  when  first  discovered,  evinced  a 
character  superior  to  most  of  the  savages  of  the  Pacific  Isles. 
They  were  frank  and  open  in  their  deportment,  friendly  and 
liberal  in  their  dealings,  with  an  apt  ingenuity  apparent  in  all 
their  rude  inventions. 

The  tragical  fate  of  the  discoverer,  which,  for  a  time,  brought 
them  under  the  charge  of  ferocity,  was,  in  fact,  the  result  of  sud- 
den exasperation,  caused  by  the  seizure  of  their  chief. 

At  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  Tonquin,  the  islanders  had 
profited,  in  many  respects,  by  occasional  intercourse  with  white 
men ;  and  had  shown  a  quickness  to  observe  and  cultivate  those 
arts  important  to  their  mode  of  living.  Originally  they  had  no 
means  of  navigating  the  seas  by  which  they  were  surrounded, 
superior  to  light  pirogues,  which  were  little  competent  to  con- 
tend with  the  storms  of  the  broad  ocean.  As  the  islanders  are 


TAMAAHMAAH— HIS   NAVY.  65 


not  in  sight  of  each  other,  there  could,  therefore,  be  but  casual 
intercourse  between  them.  The  traffic  with  white  men  had  put 
them  in  possession  of  vessels  of  superior  description ;  they  had 
made  themselves  acquainted  with  their  management,  and  had 
even  made  rude  advances  in  the  art  of  ship-building. 

These  improvements  had  been  promoted,  in  a  great  measure, 
by  the  energy  and  sagacity  of  one  man,  the  famous  Tamaahmaah. 
He  had  originally  been  a  petty  eri,  or  chief;  but,  being  of  an  in- 
trepid and  aspiring  nature,  he  had  risen  in  rank,  and,  availing 
himself  of  the  superior  advantages  now  afforded  in  navigation, 
had  brought  the  whole  Archipelago  in  subjection  to  his  arms. 
At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Tonquin  he  had  about  forty 
schooners,  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  tons  burden,  and  one  old 
American  ship.  With  these  he  maintained  undisputed  sway  over 
his  insular  domains,  and  carried  on  an  intercourse  with  the  chiefs 
or  governors  whom  he  had  placed  in  command  of  the  several 
islands. 

The  situation  of  this  group  of  islands,  far  in  the  bosom  of  the 
vast  Pacific,  and  their  abundant  fertility,  rendered  them  impor- 
tant stopping  places  on  the  highway  to  China,  or  to  the  northwest 
coast  of  America.  Here  the  vessels  engaged  in  the  fur  trade 
touched  to  make  repairs  and  procure  provisions ;  and  here  they 
often  sheltered  themselves  during  the  winters  that  occurred  in 
their  long  coasting  expeditions. 

The  British  navigators  were,  from  the  first,  aware  of  the  value 
of  these  islands  to  the  purposes  of  commerce ;  and  Tamaahmaah, 
not  long  after  he  had  attained  the  sovereign  sway,  was  persuaded 
by  Vancouver,  the  celebrated  discoverer,  to  acknowledge,  on  behalf 
of  himself  and  subjects,  allegiance  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain. 
The  reader  cannot  but  call  to  mind  the  visit  which  the  royal 
family  and  court  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  was,  in  late  years,  in- 
duced to  make  to  the  court  of  St.  James ;  and  the  serio-comic 


66  ASTORIA. 

ceremonials  and  mock  parade  which  attended  that  singular  tra- 
vesty of  monarchal  style. 

It  was  a  part  of  the  wide  and  comprehensive  plan  of  Mr. 
Astor  to  establish  a  friendly  intercourse  between  these- islands 
and  his  intended  colony,  which  might,  for  a  time,  have  occasion  to 
draw  supplies  thence ;  and  he  even  had  a  vague  idea  of,  some 
time  or  other,  getting  possession  of  one  of  their  islands  as  a  ren- 
dezvous for  his  ships,  and  a  link  in  the  chain  of  his  commercial 
establishments. 

On  the  evening  of  the  12th  of  February,  the  Tonquin  an- 
chored in  the  bay  of  Karakakooa,  in  the  island  of  Owyhee.  The 
surrounding  shores  were  wild  and  broken,  with  overhanging  cliffs 
and  precipices  of  black  volcanic  rock.  Beyond  these,  however, 
the  country  was  fertile  and  well  cultivated,  with  inclosures  of 
yams,  plantains,  sweet  potatoes,  sugar-canes,  and  other  produc- 
tions of  warm  climates  and  teeming  soils :  and  the  numerous 
habitations  of  the  natives  were  pleasantly  sheltered  beneath 
clumps  of  cocoanut  and  bread-fruit  trees,  which  afforded  both 
food  and  shade.  This  mingled  variety  of  garden  and  grove  swept 
gradually  up  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  until  succeeded  by 
dense  forests,  which  in  turn  gave  place  to  naked  and  craggy  rocks, 
until  the  summits  rose  into  the  regions  of  perpetual  snow. 

The  royal  residence  of  Tamaahmaah  was  at  this  time  at 
another  island  named  Woahoo.  The  island  of  Owyhee  was 
under  the  command  of  one  of  his  eris,  or  chiefs,  who  resided  at 
the  village  of  Tocaigh,  situated  on  a  different  part  of  the  coast 
from  the  bay  of  Karakakooa. 

On  the  morning  after  her  arrival,  the  ship  was  surrounded 
by  canoes  and  pirogues,  filled  with  the  islanders  of  both  sexes, 
bringing  off  supplies  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  bananas,  plantains, 
watermelons,  yams,  cabbages,  and  taro.  The  captain  was  desi- 
rous, however,  of  purchasing  a  number  of  hogs,  but  there  were 


WOAHOO— ROYAL   MONOPOLY.  67 


none  to  be  had.  The  trade  in  pork  was  a  royal  monopoly,  and 
no  subject  of  the  great  Tamaahmaah  dared  to  meddle  with  it. 
Such  provisions  as  they  could  furnish,  however,  were  brought  by 
the  natives  in  abundance,  and  a  lively  intercourse  was  kept  up 
during  the  day,  in  which  the  women  mingled  in  the  kindest 
manner. 

The  islanders  are  a  comely  race,  of  a  copper  complexion. 
The  men  are  tall  and  well  made,  with  forms  indicating  strength 
and  activity ;  the  women  with  regular  and  occasionally  handsome 
features,  and  a  lascivious  expression,  characteristic  of  their  tem- 
perament. Their  style  of  dress  was  nearly  the  same  as  in  the 
days  of  Captain  Cook.  The  men  wore  the  maro,  a  band  one  foot 
in  width  and  several  feet  in  length,  swathed  round  the  loins,  and 
formed  of  tappa,  or  cloth  of  bark ;  the  kihei,  or  mantle,  about  six 
feet  square,  tied  in  a  knot  over  one  shoulder,  passed  under  the 
opposite  arm,  so  as  to  leave  it  bare,  and  falling  in  graceful  folds 
before  and  behind,  to  the  knee,  so  as  to  bear  some  resemblance 
to  a  Roman  toga. 

The  female  dress  consisted  of  the  pau,  a  garment  formed  of  a 
piece  of  tappa,  several  yards  in  length  and  one  in  width,  wrapped 
round  the  waist,  and  reaching  like  a  petticoat,  to  the  knees.  Over 
this  a  kihei  or  mantle,  larger  than  that  of  the  men,  sometimes 
worn  over  both  shoulders,  like  a  shawl,  sometimes  over  one  only. 
These  mantles  were  seldom  worn  by  either  sex  duriug  the  heat 
of  the  day,  when  the  exposure  of  their  persons  was  at  first  very 
revolting  to  a  civilized  eye. 

Towards  evening  several  of  the  partners  and  clerks  went  on 
shore,  where  they  were  well  received  and  hospitably  entertained. 
A  dance  was  performed  for  their  amusement,  in  which  nineteen 
young  women  and  one  man  figured  very  gracefully,  singing  in 
concert,  and  moving  to  the  cadence  of  their  song. 

All  this,  however,  was  nothing  to  the  purpose  in  the  eyes  of 


68  ASTORIA. 

Captain  Thorn,  who,  being  disappointed  in  his  hope  of  obtaining 
a  supply  of  pork,  or  finding  good  water,  was  anxious  to  be  off. 
This  it  was  not  so  easy  to  effect.  The  passengers,  once  on  shore, 
were  disposed,  as  usual,  to  profit  by  the  occasion.  The  partners 
had  many  inquiries  to  make  relative  to  the  island,  with  a  view  to 
business  ;  while  the  young  clerks  were  delighted  with  the  charms 
and  graces  of  the  dancing  damsels.  . 

To  add  to  their  gratifications,  an  old  man  offered  to  conduct 
them  to  the  spot  where  Captain  Cook  was  massacred.  The  propo- 
sition was  eagerly  accepted,  and  all  hands  set  out  on  a  pilgrimage 
to  the  place.  The  veteran  islander  performed  his  promise  faith- 
fully, and  pointed  out  the  very  spot  where  the  unfortunate  dis- 
coverer fell.  The  rocks  and  cocoa  trees  around  bore  record  of 
the  fact,  in  the  marks  of  the  balls  fired  from  the  boats  upon  the 
savages.  The  pilgrims  gathered  round  the  old  man,  and  drew 
from  him  all  the  particulars  he  had  to  relate  respecting  this 
memorable  event ;  while  the  honest  captain  stood  by  and  bit  his 
nails  with  impatience.  To  add  to  his  vexation,  they  employed 
themselves  in  knocking  off  pieces  of  the  rocks,  and  cutting  off  the 
bark  of  the  trees  marked  by  the  balls,  which  they  conveyed  back 
to  the  ship  as  precious  relics. 

Right  glad,  therefore,  was  he  to  get  them  and  their  treasures 
fairly  on  board,  when  he  made  sail  from  this  unprofitable  place, 
and  steered  for  the  Bay  of  Tocaigh,  the  residence  of  the  chief  or 
governor  of  the  island,  where  he  hoped  to  be  more  successful  in 
obtaining  supplies.  On  coming  to  anchor  the  captain  went  on 
shore,  accompanied  by  Mr.  M'Dougal  and  Mr.  M'Kay,  and  paid 
a  visit  to  the  governor.  This  dignitary  proved  to  be  an  old 
sailor,  by  the  name  of  John  Young ;  who,  after  being  tossed 
about  the  seas  like  another  Sindbad,  had,  by  one  of  the  whimsical 
freaks  of  fortune,  been  elevated  to  the  government  of  a  savage 
island.  He  received  his  visitors  with  more  hearty  familiarity 


A  NAUTICAL  GOVERNOR.  69 


than  personages  in  his  high  station  are  apt  to  indulge,  but  soon 
gave  them  to  understand  that  provisions  were  scanty  at  Tocaigh, 
and  that  there  was  no  good  water,  no  rain  having  fallen  in  the 
neighborhood  in  three  years. 

The  captain  was  immediately  for  breaking  up  the  conference 
and  departing,  but  the  partners  were  not  so  willing  to  part  with 
the  nautical  governor,  who  seemed  disposed  to  be  extremely  com- 
municative, and  from  whom  they  might  be  able  to  procure  some 
useful  information.  A  long  conversation  accordingly  ensued,  in 
the  course  of  which  they  made  many  inquiries  about  the  affairs 
of  the  islands,  their  natural  productions,  and  the  possibility  of 
tmrning  them  to  advantage  in  the  way  of  trade ;  nor  did  they  fail 
to  inquire  into  the  individual  history  of  John  Young,  and  how  he 
came  to  be  governor.  This  he  gave  with  great  condescension, 
running  through  the  whole  course  of  his  fortunes  "  even  from  his 
boyish  days." 

He  was  a  native  of  Liverpool,  in  England,  and  had  followed 
the  sea  from  boyhood,  until,  by  dint  of  good  conduct,  he  had 
risen  so  far  in  his  profession  as  to  be  boatswain  of  an  American 
ship  called  the  Eleanor,  commanded  by  Captain  Metcalf.  In  this 
vessel  he  had  sailed  in  1789,  on  one  of  those  casual  expeditions 
to  the  northwest  coast,  in  quest  of  furs.  In  the  course  of  the 
voyage,  the  captain  left  a  small  schooner,  named  the  Fair  Ameri- 
can, at  Nootka,  with  a  crew  of  five  men,  commanded  by  his  son, 
a  youth  of  eighteen.  She  was  to  follow  on  in  the  track  of  the 
Eleanor. 

In  February,  1790,  Captain  Metcalf  touched  at  the  island  of 
Mowee,  one  of  the  Sandwich  group.  While  anchored  here,  a 
boat  which  was  astern  of  the  Eleanor  was  stolen,  and  a  seaman 
who  was  in  it  was  killed.  The  natives,  generally,  disclaimed  the 
outrage,  and  brought  the  shattered  remains  of  the  boat  and  the 
dead  body  of  the  seaman  to  the  ship.  Supposing  that  they  had 


70  ASTORIA. 

thus  appeased  the  anger  of  the  captain,  they  thronged,  as  usual, 
in  great  numbers  about  the  vessel,  to  trade.  Captain  Metcalf, 
however,  determined  on  a  bloody  revenge.  The  Eleanor  mounted 
ten  guns.  All  these  he  ordered  to  be  loaded  with  musket-balls, 
nails,  and  pieces  of  old  iron,  and  then  fired  them,  and  the  small- 
arms  of  the  ship,  among  the  natives.  The  havoc  was  dreadful ; 
more  than  a  hundred,  according  to  Young's  account,  were  slain. 

After  this  signal  act  of  vengeance,  Captain  Metcalf  sailed 
from  Mowee,  and  made  for  the  island  of  Owyhee,  where  he  was 
well  received  by  Tamaahmaah.  The  fortunes  of  this  warlike 
chief  were  at  that  time  on  the  rise.  He  had  originally  been  of 
inferior  rank,  ruling  over  only  one  or  two  districts  of  Owyhee, 
but  had  gradually  made  himself  sovereign  of  his  native  island. 

The  Eleanor  remained  some  few  days  at  anchor  here,  and  an 
apparently  friendly  intercourse  was  kept  up  with  the  inhabitants. 
On  the  17th  March,  John  Young  obtained  permission  to  pass  the 
night  on  shore.  On  the  following  morning  a  signal-gun  sum- 
moned him  to  return  on  board. 

He  went  to  the  shore  to  embark,  but  found  all  the  canoes 
hauled  up  on  the  beach  and  rigorously  tabooed,  or  interdicted. 
He  would  have  launched  one  himself,  but  was  informed  by  Ta- 
maahmaah that  if  he  presumed  to  do  so  he  would  be  put  to  death. 

Young  was  obliged  to  submit,  and  remained  all  day  in  great 
perplexity  to  account  for  this  mysterious  taboo,  and  fearful  that 
some  hostility  was  intended.  In  the  evening  he  learned  the  cause 
of  it,  and  his  uneasiness  was  increased.  It  appeared  that  the 
vindictive  act  of  Captain  Metcalf  had  recoiled  upon  his  own  head. 
The  schooner  Fair  American,  commanded  by  his  son,  following  in 
his  track,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  natives  to  the  south- 
ward of  Tocaigh  Bay,  and  young  Metcalf  and  four  of  the  crew 
had  been  massacred. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  this  event,  Tamaahmaah  had  im- 


PROMOTION   IN   SAVAGE   LIFE.  71 


mediately  tabooed  all  the  canoes,  and  interdicted  all  intercourse 
with  the  ship,  lest  the  captain  should  learn  the  fate  of  the  schooner, 
and  take  his  revenge  upon  the  island.  For  the  same  reason  he 
prevented  Young  from  rejoining  his  countrymen.  The  Eleanor 
continued  to  fire  signals  from  time  to  time  for  two  days,  and  then 
sailed ;  concluding,  no  doubt,  that  the  boatswain  had  deserted. 

John  Young  was  in  despair  when  he  saw  the  ship  make  sail, 
and  found  himself  abandoned  among  savages ; — and  savages,  too, 
sanguinary  in  their  character,  and  inflamed  by  acts  of  hostility. 
He  was  agreeably  disappointed,  however,  in  experiencing  nothing 
but  kind  treatment  from  Tamaahmaah  and  his  people.  It  is  true, 
he  was  narrowly  watched  whenever  a  vessel  came  in  sight,  lest  he 
should  escape  and  relate  what  had  passed  ;  but  at  other  times  he 
was  treated  with  entire  confidence  and  great  distinction.  He  be- 
came a  prime  favorite,  cabinet  counsellor,  and  active  coadjutor  of 
Tamaahmaah,  attending  him  in  all  his  excursions,  whether  of  busi- 
ness or  pleasure,  and  aiding  in  his  warlike  and  ambitious  enter- 
prises. By  degrees  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  chief,  espoused  one 
of  the  beauties  of  the  island,  and  became  habituated  and  recon- 
ciled to  his  new  way  of  life  ;  thinking  it  better,  perhaps,  to  rule 
among  savages  than  serve  among  white  men  ;  to  be  a  feathered 
chief  than  a  tarpawling  boatswain.  His  favor  with  Tamaahmaah 
never  declined  ;  and  when  that  sagacious,  intrepid,  and  aspiring 
chieftain  had  made  himself  sovereign  over  the  whole  group  of 
islands,  and  removed  his  residence  to  Woahoo,  he  left  his  faithful 
adherent  John  Young  in  command  of  Owyhee. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  the  history  of  Governor  Young,  as  fur- 
nished by  himself ;  and  we  regret  that  we  are  not  able  to  give 
any  account  of  the  state  maintained  by  this  seafaring  worthy, 
and  the  manner  in  which  he  discharged  his  high  functions ;  though 
it  is  evident  he  had  more  of  the  hearty  familiarity  of  the  fore- 
castle than  the  dignity  of  the  gubernatorial  office. 


72  ASTORIA. 

These  long  conferences  were  bitter  trials  to  the  patience  of 
the  captain,  who  had  no  respect  either  for  the  governor  or  his 
island,  and  was  anxious  to  push  on  in  quest  of  provisions  and 
water.  As  soon  as  he  could  get  his  inquisitive  partners  once 
more  on  board,  he  weighed  anchor,  and  made  sail  for  the  island 
of  Woahoo,  the  royal  residence  of  Tamaahmaah. 

This  is  the  most  beautiful  island  of  the  Sandwich  group.  It 
is  forty-six  miles  in  length  and  twenty-three  in  breadth.  A  ridge 
of  volcanic  mountains  extends  through  the  centre,  rising  into 
lofty  peaks,  and  skirted  by  undulating  hills  and  rich  plains,  where 
the  cabins  of  the  natives  peep  out  from  beneath  gcoves  of  cocoa- 
nut  and  other  luxuriant  trees. 

On  the  21st  of  February  the  Tonquin  cast  anchor  in  the 
beautiful  bay  before  the  village  of  Waititi,  (pronounced  Whytee- 
tee,)  the  abode  of  Tamaahmaah.  This  village  contained  about 
two  hundred  habitations,  composed  of  poles  set  in  the  ground, 
tied  together  at  the  ends,  and  thatched  with  grass,  and  was  situ- 
ated in  an  open  grove  of  cocoa-nuts.  The  royal  palace  of  Ta- 
maahmaah was  a  large  house  of  two  stories ;  the  lower  of  stone, 
the  upper  of  wood.  Round  this  his  body-guard  kept  watch,  com- 
posed of  twenty-four  men,  in  long  blue  cassocks  turned  up  with 
yellow,  and  each  armed  with  a  musket. 

While  at  anchor  at  this  place,  much  ceremonious  visiting  and 
long  conferences  took  place  between  the  potentate  of  the  islands 
and  the  partners  of  the  company.  Tamaahmaah  came  on  board 
of  the  ship  in  royal  style,  in  his  double  pirogue.  He  was  between 
fifty  and  sixty  years  of  age,  above  the  middle  size,  large  and  well 
made,  though  somewhat  corpulent.  He  was  dressed  in  an  old 
suit  of  regimentals,  with  a  sword  by  his  side,  and  seemed  some- 
what embarrassed  by  his  magnificent  attire.  Three  of  his  wives 
accompanied  him.  They  were  almost  as  tall,  and  quite  as  corpu- 
lent as  himself ;  but  by  no  means  to  be  compared  with  him  in 


A   ROYAL   VISIT— GRAND   CEREMONIALS.  73 


grandeur  of  habiliments,  wearing  no  othe«  garb  than  the  pau. 
With  him,  also,  came  his  great  favorite  and  confidential  counsel- 
lor, Kraimaker ;  who,  from  holding  a  post  equivalent  to  that  of 
prime  minister,  had  been  familiarly  named  Billy  Pitt  by  the 
British  visitors  to  the  islands. 

Th%  sovereign  was  received  with  befitting  ceremonial.  The 
American  flag  was  displayed,  four  guns  were  fired,  and  the  part- 
ners appeared  in  scarlet  coats,  and  conducted  their  illustrious 
guests  to  the  cabin,  where  they  were  regaled  with  wine.  In  this 
interview  the  partners  endeavored  to  impress  the  monarch  with  a 
sense  of  their  importance,  and  of  the  importance  of  the  associa- 
tion to  which  they  belonged.  They  let  him  know  that  they  were 
eris,  or  chiefs,  of  a  great  company  about  to  be  established  on  the 
northwest  coast,  and  talked  of  the  probability  of  opening  a  trade 
with  his  islands,  and  of  sending  ships  there  occasionally.  All 
this  was  gratifying  and  interesting  to  him,  for  he  was  aware  of 
the  advantages  of  trade,  and  desirous  of  promoting  frequent 
intercourse  with  white  men.  He  encouraged  Europeans  and 
Americans  to  settle  in  his  islands  and  intermarry  with  "his  sub- 
jects. There  were  between  twenty  and  thirty  white  men  at  that 
time  resident  in  the  island,  but  many  of  them  were  mere  vaga- 
bonds, who  remained  there  in  hopes  of  leading  a  lazy  and  an  easy 
life.  For  such  Tamaahmaah  had  a  great  contempt ;  those  only 
had  his  esteem  and  countenance  who  knew  some  trade  or  mechanic 
art.  and  were  sober  and  industrious. 

On  the  day  subsequent  to  the  monarch's  visit,  the  partners 
landed  and  waited  upon  him  in  return.  Knowing  the  effect  of 
show  and  dress  upon  men  in  savage  life,  and  wishing  to  make  a 
favorable  impression  as  the  eris,  or  chiefs,  of  the  great  American 
Fur  Company,  some  of  them  appeared  in  Highland  plaids  and 
kilts,  to  the  great  admiration  of  the  natives. 

While  visits  of  ceremony  and  grand  diplomatic  conferences 


74  ASTORIA. 

were  going  on  between  the  partners  and  the  king,  the  captain,  in 
his  plain,  inatter-of-fact  way,  was  pushing  what  he  considered  a 
far  more  important  negotiation  ;  the  purchase  of  a  supply  of  hogs. 
He  found  that  the  king  had  profited  in  more  ways  than  one  by 
his  intercourse  with  white  men.  Above  all  other  arts  he  had 
learned  the  art  of  driving  a  bargain.  He  was  a  magnihimous 
monarch,  but  a  shrewd  pork  merchant ;  and  perhaps  thought  he 
could  not  do  better  with  his  future  allies,  the  American  Fur 
Company,  than  to  begin  by  close  dealing.  Several  interviews 
were  requisite,  and  much  bargaining,  before  he  could  be  brought 
to  part  with  a  bristle  of  his  bacon,  and  then  he  insisted  upon 
being  paid  in  hard  Spanish  dollars  ;  giving  as  a  reason  that  he 
wanted  money  to  purchase  a  frigate  from  his  brother  George,  as 
he  affectionately  termed  the  king  of  England.* 

*  It  appears,  from  the  accounts  of  subsequent  voyagers,  that  Tamaahmaah 
afterwards  succeeded  in  his  wish  of  purchasing  a  large  ship.  In  this  he  sent 
a  cargo  of  sandal  wood  to  Canton,  having  discovered  that  the  foreign  merchants 
trading  with  him  made  large  profits  on  this  wood,  shipped  by  them  from  the 
islands  to  the  Chinese  markets.  The  ship  was  manned  by  natives,  but  the 
officers  were  Englishmen.  She  accomplished  her  voyage,  and  returned  in 
safety  to  the  islands,  with  the  Hawaiian  flag  floating  gloriously  in  the  breeze. 
The  king  hastened  on  board,  expecting  to  find  his  sandal  wood  converted  into 
crapes  and  damasks,  and  other  rich  stuffs  of  China,  but  found,  to  his  astonish- 
ment, by  the  legerdemain  of  traffic,  his  cargo  had  all  disappeared,  and,  in  place 
of  it,  remained  a  bill  of  charges  amounting  to  three  thousand  dollars.  It  was 
some  time  before  he  could  be  made  to  comprehend  certain  of  the  most  impor- 
tant items  of  the  bill,  such  as  pilotage,  anchorage,  and  custom-house  fees ;  but 
when  he  discovered  that  maritime  states  in  other  countries  derived  large  rev- 
enues in  this  manner,  to  the  great  cost  of  the  merchant,  "  Well,"  cried  he, 
"  then  I  will  have  harbor  fees  also."  He  established  them  accordingly.  Pi- 
lotage a  dollar  a  foot  on  the  draft  of  each  vessel.  Anchorage  from  sixty  to 
seventy  dollars.  In  this  way  he  greatly  increased  the  royal  revenue,  and 
turned  his  China  speculation  to  account. 


COMMENTS  OF  A  MATTER-OF-FACT-MAN.  75 


At  length  the  royal  bargain  was  concluded ;  the  necessary 
supply  of  hogs  obtained,  beside  several  goats,  two  sheep,  a  quan- 
tity of  poultry,  and  vegetables  in  abundance.  The  partners  now 
urged  to  recruit  their  forces  from  the  natives  of  this  island. 
They  declared  they  had  never  seen  watermen  equal  to  them,  even 
among  the  voyageurs  of  the  northwest ;  and,  indeed,  they  are  re- 
markable for  their  skill  in  managing  their  light  craft,  and  can 
swim  and  dive  like  waterfowl.  The  partners  were  inclined,  there- 
fore, to  take  thirty  or  forty  with  them  to  the  Columbia,  to  be  em- 
ployed in  the  service  of  the  company.  The  captain,  however, 
objected  that  there  was  not  room  in  his  vessel  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  such  a  number.  Twelve,  only,  were  therefore  enlisted 
for  the  company,  and  as  many  more  for  the  service  of  the  ship. 
The  former  engaged  to  serve  for  the  term  of  three  years,  during 
which  they  were  to  be  fed  and  clothed ;  and  at  the  expiration  of 
the  time  were  to  receive  one  hundred  dollars  in  merchandise. 

And  now,  having  embarked  his  live-stock,  fruits,  vegetables, 
and  water,  the  captain  made  ready  to  set  sail.  How  much  the 
honest  man  had  suffered  in  spirit  by  what  he  considered  the 
freaks  and  vagaries  of  his  passengers,  and  how  little  he  had  un- 
derstood their  humors  and  intentions,  is  amusingly  shown  in  a 
letter  written  to  Mr.  Astor  from  Woahoo,  which  contains  his 
comments  on  the  scenes  we  have  described. 

"  It  would  be  difficult,"  he  writes,  "  to  imagine  the  frantic 
gambols  that  are  daily  played  off  here ;  sometimes  dressing  in 
red  coats,  and  otherwise  very  fantastically,  and  collecting  a  num- 
ber of  ignorant  natives  around  them,  telling  them  that  they  are 
the  great  eares  of  the  northwest,  and  making  arrangements  for 
sending  three  or  four  vessels  yearly  to  them  from  the  coast  with 
spars,  &c. ;  while  those  very  natives  cannot  even  furnish  a  hog  to 
the  ship.  Then  dressing  in  Highland  plaids  and  kilts,  and 
making  similar  arrangements,  with  presents  of  rum,  wine,  or  any 


76  ASTORIA. 



thing  that  is  at  hand.  Then  taking  a  number  of  clerks  and  men 
on  shore  to  the  very  spot  on  which  Captain  Cook  was  killed,  and 
each  fetching  off  a  piece  of  the  rock  or  tree  that  was  touched  by 
the  shot.  Then  sitting  dowa  with  some  white  man  or  some 
native  who  can  be  a  little  understood,  and  collecting  the  history 
of  those  islands,  of  Tamaahmaah's  wars,  the  curiosities  of  the 
islands,  &c.,  preparatory  to  the  histories  of  their  voyages ;  and 
the  collection  is  indeed  ridiculously  contemptible.  To  enumerate 
the  thousand  instances  of  ignorance,  filth,  &c.,  or  to  particularize 
all  the  frantic  gambols  that  are  daily  practised,  would  require 
volumes." 

Before  embarking,  the  great  eris  of  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany took  leave  of  their  illustrious  ally  in  due  style,  with  many 
professions  of  lasting  friendship  and  promises  of  future  inter- 
course ;  while  the  matter-of-fact  captain  anathematized  him  in  his 
heart  for  a  grasping,  trafficking  savage ;  as  shrewd  and  sordid  in 
his  dealings  as  a  white  man.  As  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  com- 
pany will,  in  the  course  of  events,  have  to  appeal  to  the  justice 
and  magnanimity  of  this  island  potentate,  we  shall  see  how  far 
the  honest  captain  was  right  in  his  opinion. 


DEPARTURE  FROM  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS.  77 


CHAPTER  VII. 

IT  was  on  the  28th  of  February  that  the  Tonquin  set  sail  from 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  For  two  days  the  wind  was  contrary,  and 
the  vessel  was  detained  in  their  neighborhood ;  at  length  a  favora- 
ble breeze  sprang  up,  and  in  a  little  while  the  rich  groves,  green 
hills,  and  snowy  peaks  of  those  happy  islands  one  after  another 
sank  from  sight,  or  melted  into  the  blue  distance,  and  the  Ton- 
quin ploughed  her  course  towards  the  sterner  regions  of  the 
Pacific. 

The  misunderstandings  between  the  captain  and  his  passen- 
gers still  continued ;  or  rather,  increased  in  gravity.  By  his 
altercations  and  his  moody  humors,  he  had  cut  himself  off  from 
all  community  of  thought,  or  freedom  of  conversation  with  them. 
He  disdained  to  ask  any  questions  as  to  their  proceedings,  and 
could  only  guess  at  the  meaning  of  their  movements,  and  in  so 
doing  indulged  in  conjectures  and  suspicions,  which  produced  the 
most  whimsical  self-torment. 

Thus,  in  one  of  his  disputes  with  them,  relative  to  the  goods 
on  board,  some  of  the  packages  of  which  they  wished  to  open,  to 
take  oUt  articles  of  clothing  for  the  men  or  presents  for  the 
natives,  he  was  so  harsh  and  peremptory  that  they  lost  all 
patience,  and  hinted  that  they  were  the  strongest  party,  and  might 
reduce  him  to  a  very  ridiculous  dilemma,  by  taking  from  him  the 
command. 

A  thought  now  flashed  across  the  captain's  mind  that  they 
really  had  a  design  to  depose  him.  and  that,  having  picked  up 


78  ASTORIA. 

some  information  at  Owyhee,  possibly  of  war  between  the  United 
States  and  England,  they  meant  to  alter  the  destination  of  the 
voyage  ;  perhaps  to  seize  upon  ship  and  cargo  for  their  own  use. 

Once  having  conceived  this  suspicion,  every  thing  went  to  fos- 
ter it.  They  had  distributed  firearms  among  some  of  their  men, 
a  common  precaution  among  the  fur  traders  when  mingling  with 
the  natives.  This,  however,  looked  like  preparation.  Then  sev- 
eral of  the  partners  and  clerks  and  some  of  the  men,  being  Scots- 
men, were  acquainted  with  the  Gaelic,  and  held  long  conversations 
together  in  that  language  These  conversations  were  considered 
by  the  captain  of  a  "  mysterious  and  unwarrantable  nature,"  and 
related,  no  doubt,  to  some  foul  conspiracy  that  was  brewing 
among  them.  He  frankly  avows  such  suspicions,  in  his  letter  to 
Mr.  Astor,  but  intimates  that  he  stood  ready  to  resist  any  trea- 
sonous outbreak  ;  and  seems  to  think  that  the  evidence  of  prepa- 
ration on  his  part  had  an  effect  in  overawing  the  conspirators. 

The  fact  is,  as  we  have  since  been  informed  by  one  of  the  par- 
ties, it  was  a  mischievous  pleasure  with  some  of  the  partners  and 
clerks,  who  were  young  men,  to  play  upon  the  suspicious  temper 
and  splenetic  humors  of  the  captain.  To  this  we  may  ascribe 
many  of  their  whimsical  pranks  and  absurd  propositions,  and, 
above  all,  their  mysterious  colloquies  in  Gaelic. 

In  this  sore  and  irritable  mood  did  the  captain  pursue  his 
course,  keeping  a  wary  eye  on  every  movement,  and  bristling  up 
whenever  the  detested  sound  of  the  Gaelic  language  grated  upon 
his  ear.  Nothing  occurred,  however,  materially  to  disturb  the 
residue  of  the  voyage  excepting  a  violent  storm ;  and  on  the 
twenty-second  of  March,  the  Tonquin  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Oregon,  or  Columbia  River. 

The  aspect  of  the  river  and  the  adjacent  coast  was  wild  and 
dangerous.  The  mouth  of  the  Columbia  is  upwards  of  four 
miles  wide,  with  a  peninsula  and  promontory  on  one  side,  and  a 


BARS   AND   BREAKERS.  79 

long  low  spit  of  land  on  the  other ;  between  which  a  sand  bar 
and  chain  of  breakers  almost  block  up  the  entrance.  The  inte- 
rior of  the  country  rises  into  successive  ranges  of  mountains, 
which,  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Tonquin,  were  covered 
with  snow. 

A  fresh  wind  from  the  northwest  sent  a  rough  tumbling  sea 
upon  the  coast,  which  broke  upon  the  bar  in  furious  surges,  and 
extended  a  sheet  of  foam  almost  across  the  niouth  of  the  river. 
Under  these  circumstances  the  captain  did  not  think  it  prudent 
to  approach  within  three  leagues,  until  the  bar  should  be  sounded 
and  the  channel  ascertained.  Mr.  Fox,  the  chief  mate,  was  or- 
dered to  this  service  in  the  whaleboat,  accompanied  by  John  Mar- 
tin, an  old  seaman,  who  had  formerly  visited  the  river,  and  by 
three  Canadians.  Fox  requested  to  have  regular  sailors  to  man 
the  boat,  but  the  captain  would  not  spare  them  from  the  service 
of  the  ship,  and  supposed  the  Canadians,  being  expert  boatmen 
on  lakes  and  rivers,  were  competent  to  the  service,  especially 
when  directed  and  aided  by  Fox  and  Martin.  Fox  seems  to  have 
lost  all  firmness  of  spirit  on  the  occasion,  and  to  have  regarded 
the  service  with  a  misgiving  heart.  He  came  to  the  partners  for 
sympathy,  knowing  their  differences  with  the  captain,  and  the 
tears  were  in  his  eyes  as  he  represented  his  case.  "  I  am  sent 
off,"  said  he,  "  without  seamen  to  man  my  boat,  in  boisterous 
weather,  and  on  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  northwest  coast. 
My  uncle  was  lost  a  few  years  ago  on  this  same  bar,  and  I  am 
now  going  to  lay  my  bones  alongside  of  his."  The  partners 
sympathized  in  his  apprehensions,  and  remonstrated  with  the 
captain.  The  latter,  however,  was  not  to  be  moved.  He  had 
been  displeased  with  Mr.  Fox  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  voyage, 
considering  him  indolent  and  inactive  ;  and  probably  thought  his 
present  repugnance  arose  from  a  want  of  true  nautical  spirit. 
The  interference  of  the  partners  in  the  business  of  the  ship,  also, 


80  ASTORIA. 

was  not  calculated  to  have  a  favorable  effect  on  a  stickler  for 
authority  like  himself,  especially  in  his  actual  state  of  feeling 
towards  them. 

At  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  therefore,  Fox  and  his  comrades  set  off 
in  the  whaleboat;  which  is  represented  as  small  in  size,  and  crazy 
in  condition.  All  eyes  were  strained  after  the  little  bark  as  it 
pulled  for  shore,  rising  and  sinking  with  the  huge  rolling  waves, 
until  it  entered,  a  mere  speck,  among  the  foaming  breakers,  and 
was  soon  lost  to  view.  Evening  set  in,  night  succeeded  and 
passed  away,  and  morning  returned,  but  without  the  return  of 
the  boat. 

As  the  wind  had  moderated,  the  ship  stood  near  to  the  land, 
so  as  to  command  a  view  of  the  river's  mouth.  Nothing  was  to 
be  seen  but  a  wild  chaos  of  tumbling  waves  breaking  upon  the 
bar,  and  apparently  forming  a  foaming  barrier  from  shore  to 
shore.  Towards  night  the  ship  again  stood  out  to  gain  sea-room, 
and  a^  gloom  was  visible  in  every  countenance.  The  captain  him- 
self shared  in  the  general  anxiety,  and  probably  repented  of  his 
peremptory  orders.  Another  weary  and  watchful  night  suc- 
ceeded, during  which  the  wind  subsided,  and  the  weather  became 
serene. 

On  the  following  day,  the  ship  having  drifted  near  the  land, 
anchored  in  fourteen  fathoms  water,  to  the  northward  of  the 
long  peninsula  or  promontory  which  forms  the  north  side  of  the 
entrance,  and  is  called  Cape  Disappointment.  The  pinnace  was 
then  manned,  and  two  of  the  partners,  Mr.  David  Stuart  and 
Mr.  M'Kay,  set  off  in  the  hope  of  learning  something  of  the  fate 
of  the  whaleboat.  The  surf,  however,  broke  with  such  violence 
along  the  shore  that  they  could  find  no  landing  place.  Several 
of  the  natives  appeared  on  the  beach  and  made  signs  to  them  to 
row  round  the  cape,  but  they  thought  it  most  prudent  to  return 
to  the  ship. 


PERILOUS  SERVICE.  81 


The  wind  now  springing  up,  the  Tonquin  got  under  way,  and 
stood  in  to  seek  the  channel ;  but  was  again  deterred,  by  the 
frightful  aspect  of  the  breakers,  from  venturing  within  a  league. 
Here  she  hove  to  ;  and  Mr.  Mumford,  the  second  mate,  was  dis- 
patched with  four  hands,  in  the  pinnace,  to  sound  across  the 
channel  until  he  should  find  four  fathoms  depth.  The  pinnace 
entered  among  the  breakers,  but  was  near  being  lost,  and  with 
difficulty  got  back  to  the  ship.  The  captain  insisted  that  Mr. 
Mumford  had  steered  too  much  to  the  southward.  He  now 
turned  to  Mr.  Aiken,  an  able  mariner,  destined  to  command  the 
schooner  intended  for  the  coasting  trade,  and  ordered  him,  to- 
gether with  John  Coles,  sail-maker,  Stephen  Weekes,  armorer, 
and  two  Sandwich  Islanders,  to  proceed  ahead  and  take  sound- 
ings, while  the  ship  should  follow  under  easy  sail.  In  this  way 
they  proceeded  until  Aiken  had  ascertained  the  channel^,  when 
signal  was  given  from  the  ship  for  him  to  return  on  board.  He 
was  then  within  pistol  shot,  but  so  furious  was  the  current,  and 
tumultuous  the  breakers,  that  the  boat  became  unmanageable,  and 
was  hurried  away,  the  crew  crying  out  piteously  for  assistance. 
In  a  few  moments  she  could  not  be  seen  from  the  ship's  deck. 
Some  of  the  passengers  climbed  to  the  mizzen  top,  and  beheld 
her  still  struggling  to  reach  the  ship ;  but  shortly  after  she 
broached  broadside  to  the  waves,  and  her  case  seemed  desperate. 
The  attention  of  those  on  board  of  the  ship  was  now  called  to 
their  own  safety.  They  were  in  shallow  water  ;  the  vessel  struck 
repeatedly,  the  waves  broke  over  her,  and  there  was  danger  of 
her  foundering.  At  length  she  got  into  seven  fathoms  water,  and 
the  wind  lulling,  and  the  night  coming  on,  cast  anchor.  With 
the  darkness  their  anxieties  increased.  The  wind  whistled,  the 
sea  roared,  the  gloom  was  only  broken  by  the  ghastly  glare  of  the 
foaming  breakers,  the  minds  of  the  seamen  were  full  of  dreary 
apprehensions,  and  some  of  them  fancied  they  heard  the  cries  of 

4* 


82  ASTORIA. 

their  lost  comrades  mingling  with  the  uproar  of  the  elements. 
For  a  time,  too,  the  rapidly  ebbing  tide  threatened  to  sweep  them 
from  their  precarious  anchorage.  At  length  the  reflux  of  the 
tide,  and  the  springing  up  of  the  wind,  enabled  them  to  quit  their 
dangerous  situation  and  take  shelter  in  a  small  bay  within  Cape 
Disappointment,  where  they  rode  in  safety  during  the  residue  of 
a  stormy  night,  and  enjoyed  a  brief  interval  of  refreshing  sleep. 

With  the  light  of  day  returned  their  cares  and  anxieties. 
They  looked  out  from  the  mast-head  over  a  wild  coast,  and  wilder 
sea,  but  could  discover  no  trape  of  the  two  boats  and  their  crews 
that  were  missing.  Several  of  the  natives  came  on  board  with 
peltries,  but  there  was  no  disposition  to  trade.  They  were  inter- 
rogated by  signs  after  the  lost  boats,  but  could  not  understand 
the  inquiries. 

Parties  now  went  on  shore  and  scoured  the  neighborhood. 
One  of  these  was  headed  by  the  captain.  They  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far  when  they  beheld  a  person  at  a  distance  in  civilized 
garb.  As  he  drew  near  he  proved  to  be  Weekes,  the  armorer. 
There  was  a  burst  of  joy,  for  it  was  hoped  his  comrades  were 
near  at  hand.  His  story,  however,  was  one  of  disaster.  He  and 
his  companions  had  found  it  impossible  to  govern  their  boat, 
having  no  rudder,  and  being  beset  by  rapid  and  whirling  currents 
and  boisterous  surges.  After  long  struggling  they  had  let  her 
go  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves,  tossing  about,  sometimes  with  her 
bow,  sometimes  with  her  broadside  to  the  surges,  threatened  each 
instant  with  destruction,  yet  repeatedly  escaping,  until  a  huge  sea 
broke  over  and  swamped  her.  Weekes  was  overwhelmed  by  the 
boiling  waves,  but  emerging  above  the  surface,  looked  round  for 
his  companions.  Aikin  and  Coles  were  not  to  be  seen  ;  near  him 
were  the  two  Sandwich  Islanders,  stripping  themselves  of  their 
clothing  that  they  might  swim  more  freely.  He  did  the  same, 
and  the  boat  floating  near  to  him  he  seized  hold  of  it.  The  two 


WEEKES   THE   ARMORER.  83 


islanders  joined  him,  and,  uniting  their  forces,  they  succeeded  in 
turning  the  boat  upon  her  keel ;  then  bearing  down  her  stern  and 
rocking  her,  they  forced  out  so  much  water  that  she  was  able  to 
bear  the  weight  of  a  man  without  sinking.  One  of  the  islanders 
now  got  in,  and  in  a  little  while  bailed  out  the  water  with  his 
hands.  The  other  swam  about  and  collected  the  oars,  and  they 
all  three  got  once  more  on  board. 

By  this  time  the  tide  had  swept  them  beyond  the  breakers, 
and  Weekes  called  on  his  companions  to  row  for  land.  They  were 
so  chilled  and  benumbed  by  the  cold,  however,  that  they  lost  all 
heart,  and  absolutely  refused.  Weekes  was  equally  chilled,  but 
had  superior  sagacity  and  self-command.  He  counteracted  the 
tendency  to  drowsiness  and  stupor  which  cold  produces  by  keep- 
ing himself  in  constant  exercise ;  and  seeing  that  the  vessel  was 
advancing,  and  that  every  thing  depended  upon  himself,  he  set  to 
work  to  scull  the  boat  clear  of  the  bar,  and  into  quiet  water. 

Towards  midnight  one  of  the  poor  islanders  expired  :  his  com- 
panion threw  himself  on  his  corpse  and  could  not  be  persuaded  to 
leave  him.  The  dismal  night  wore  away  amidst  these  horrors  :  as 
the  day  dawned,  Weekes  found  himself  near  the  land.  He 
steered  directly  for  it,  and  at  length,  with  the  aid  of  the  surf,  ran 
his  boat  high  upon  a  sandy  beach. 

Finding  that  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islanders  yet  gave  signs  of 
life,  he  aided  him  to  leave  the  boat,  and  set  out  with  him  towards 
the  adjacent  woods.  The  poor  fellow,  however,  was  too  feeble  to 
follow  him,  and  Weekes  was  soon  obliged  to  abandon  him  to  his 
fate  and  provide  for  his  own  safety.  Falling  upon  a  beaten 
path,  he  pursued  it,  and  after  a  few  hours  came  to  a  part  of  the 
coast  where,  to  his  surprise  and  joy,  he  beheld  the  ship  at  anchor, 
and  was  met  by  the  captain  and  his  party. 

After  Weekes  had  related  his  adventures,  three  parties  were 
dispatched  to  beat  up  the  coast  in  search  of  the  unfortunate 


84  ASTORIA. 

islander.  They  returned  at  night  without  success,  though  they 
had  used  the  utmost  diligence.  On  the  following  day  the  search 
was  resumed,  and  the  poor  fellow  was  at  length  discovered  lying 
beneath  a  group  of  rocks,  his  legs  swollen,  his  feet  torn  and  bloody 
from  walking  through  bushes  and  briers,  and  himself  half-dead 
with  cold,  hunger,  and  fatigue.  Weekes  and  this  islander  were 
the  only  survivors  of  the  crew  of  the  jolly-boat,  and  no  trace  was 
ever  discovered  of  Fox  and  his  party.  Thus  eight  men  were  lost 
on  the  first  approach  to  the  coast ;  a  commencement  that  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  spirits  of  the  whole  party,  and  was  regarded  by 
some  of  the  superstitious  as  an  omen  that  boded  no  good  to  the 
enterprise. 

Towards  night  the  Sandwich  Islanders  went  on  shore,  to  bury 
the  body  of  their  unfortunate  countryman  who  had  perished  in 
the  boat.  On  arriving  at  the  place  where  it  had  been  left,  they 
dug  a  grave  in  the  sand,  in  which  they  deposited  the  corpse,  with 
a  biscuit  under  one  of  the  arms,  some  lard  under  the  chin,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  tobacco,  as  provisions  for  its  journey  in  the  land 
of  spirits.  Having  covered  the  bodywith  sand  and  flints,  they 
kneeled  along  the  grave  in  .a  double  row,  with  their  faces  turned 
to  the  east,  while  one  who  officiated  as  a  priest  sprinkled  them 
with  water  from  a  hat.  In  so  doing  he  recited  a  kind  of  prayer 
or  invocation,  to  which,  at  intervals,  the  others  made  responses. 
Such  were  the  simple  rites  performed  by  these  poor  savages  at 
the  grave  of  their  comrade  on  the  shores  of  a  strange  land ;  and 
when  these  were  done,  they  rose  and  returned  in  silence  to  the 
ship,  without  once  casting  a  look  behind. 


MOUTH   OF  THE  COLUMBIA.  85 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  Columbia,  or  Oregon,  for  the  distance  of  thirty  or  forty 
miles  from  its  entrance  into  the  sea,  is,  properly  speaking,  a  mere 
estuary,  indented  by  deep  bays  so  as  to  vary  from  three  to  seven 
miles  in  width ;  and  is  rendered  extremely  intricate  and  danger- 
ous by  shoals  reaching  nearly  from  shore  to  shore,  on  which,  at 
times,  the  winds  and  currents  produce  foaming  and  tumultuous 
breakers.  The  mouth  of  the  river  proper  is  but  about  half  a 
mile  wide,  formed  by  the  contracting  shores  of  the  estuary.  The 
entrance  from  the  sea.  as  we  have  already  observed,  is  bounded 
on  the  south  side  by  a  flat  sandy  spit  of  land,  stretching  into  the 
ocean.  This  is  commonly  called  Point  Adams.  The  opposite, 
or  northern  side,  is  Cape  Disappointment ;  a  kind  of  peninsula, 
terminating  in  a  steep  knoll  or  promontory  crowned  with  a  forest 
of  pine  trees,  and  connected  with  the  main-land  by  a  low  and 
narrow  neck.  Immediately  within  this  cape  is  a  wide,  open  bay, 
terminating  at  Chinook  Point,  so  called  from  a  neighboring  tribe 
of  Indians.  This  was  called  Baker's  Bay,  and  here  the  Tonquin 
was  anchored. 

The  natives  inhabiting  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  and  with 
whom  the  company  was  likely  to  have  the  most  frequent  inter- 
course, were  divided  at  this  time  into  four  tribes,  the  Chinooks, 
Clatsops,  Wahkiacums,  and  Cathlamahs.  They  resembled  each 
other  in  person,  dress,  language,  and  manner  ;  and  were  probably 
from  the  same  stock,  but  broken  into  tribes,  or  rather  hordes,  by 
those  feuds  and  schisms  frequent  among  Indians. 

These  people  generally  live  by  fishing.     It  is  true  they  occa- 


86  ASTORIA. 

sionally  hunt  the  elk  and  deer,  and  ensnare  the  waterfowl  of  their 
ponds  and  rivers,  but  these  are  casual  luxuries.  Their  chief  sub- 
sistence is  derived  from  the  salmon  and  other  fish  which  abound  in 
the  Columbia  and  its  tributary  streams,  aided  by  roots  and  herbs, 
especially  the  wappatoo,  which  is  found  on  the  islands  of  the  river. 

As  the  Indians  of  the  plains  who  depend  upon  the  chase  are 
bold  and  expert  riders,  and  pride  themselves  upon  their  horses, 
so  these  piscatory  tribes  of  the  coast  excel  in  the  management  of 
canoes,  and  are  never  more  at  home  than  when  riding  upon  the 
waves.  Their  canoes  vary  in  form  and  size.  Some  are  upwards 
of  fifty  feet  long,  cut  out  of  a  single  tree,  either  fir  or  white  cedar, 
and  capable  of  carrying  thirty  persons.  They  have  thwart  pieces 
from  side  to  side  about  three  inches  thick,  and  their  gunwales 
flare  outwards,  so  as  to  cast  off  the  surges  of  the  waves.  The 
bow  and  stern  are  decorated  with  grotesque  figures  of  men  and 
animals,  sometimes  five  feet  in  height. 

In  managing  their  canoes  they  kneel  two  and  two  along  the 
bottom,  sitting  on  their  heels,  and  wielding  paddles  from  four  to 
five  feet  long,  while  one  sits  on  the  stern  and  steers  with  a  paddle 
of  the  same  kind.  The  women  are  equally  expert  with  the  men 
in  managing  the  canoe,  and  generally  take  the  helm. 

It  is  surprising  to  see  with  what  fearless  unconcern  these 
savages  venture  in  their  light  barks  upon  the  roughest  and  most 
tempestuous  seas.  They  seem  to  ride  upon  the  waves  like  sea- 
fowl.  Should  a  surge  throw  the  canoe  upon  its  side  and  endan- 
ger its  overturn,  those  to  windward  lean  over  the  upper  gunwale, 
thrust  their  paddles  deep  into  the  wave,  apparently  catch  the  water 
and  force  it  under  the  canoe,  and  by  this  action  not  merely  regain 
an  equilibrium,  but  give  their  bark  a  vigorous  impulse  forward. 

The  effect  of  different  modes  of  life  upon  the  human  frame 
and  human  character  is  strikingly  instanced  in  the  contrast 
between  the  hunting  Indians  of  the  prairies,  and  the  piscatory 


HUNTING  AND  FISHING   INDIANS. 


Indians  of  the  sea-coast.  The  former,  continually  on  horseback 
scouring  the  plains,  .gaining  their  food  by  hardy  exercise,  and 
subsisting  chiefly  on  flesh,  are  generally  tall,  sinewy,  meagre,  but 
well  formed,  and  of  bold  and  fierce  deportment :  the  latter, 
lounging  about  the  river  banks,  or  squatting  and  curved  up  in 
their  canoes,  are  generally  low  in  stature,  ill-shaped,  with  crooked 
legs,  thick  ankles,  and  broad  flat  feet.  They  are  inferior  also  in 
muscular  power  and  activity,  and  in  game  qualities  and  appear- 
ance, to  their  hard-riding  brethren  of  the  prairies. 

Having  premised  these  few  particulars  concerning  the  neigh- 
boring Indians,  we  will  return  to  the  immediate  concerns  of  the 
Tonquin  and  her  crew. 

Further  search  was  made  for  Mr.  Fox  and  his  party,  but  with 
no  better  success,  and  they  were  at  length  given  up  as  lost^  In 
the  meantime,  the  captain  and  some  of  the  partners  explored  the 
river  for  some  distance  in  a  large  boat,  to  select  a  suitable  place 
for  the  trading  post.  Their  old  jealousies  and  differences  con- 
tinued ;  they  never  could  coincide  in  their  choice,  and  the  captain 
objected  altogether  to  any  site  so  high  up  the  river.  They  all 
returned,  therefore,  to  Baker's  Bay  in  no  very  good  humor. 
The  partners  proposed  to  examine  the  opposite  shore,  but  the 
captain  was  impatient  of  any  further  delay.  His  eagerness  to 
"get  on"  had  increased  upon  him.  He  thought  all  these  excur- 
sions a  sheer  loss  of  time,  and  was  resolved  to  land  at  once,  build 
a  shelter  for  the  reception  of  that  part  of  his  cargo  destined  for 
the  use  of  the  settlement,  and,  having  cleared  his  ship  of  it  and 
of  his  irksome  shipmates,  to  depart  upon  the  prosecution  of  his 
coasting  voyage,  according  to  orders 

On  the  following  day,  therefore,  without  troubling  himself  to 
consult  the  partners,  he  landed  in  Baker's  Bay,  and*  proceeded  to 
erect  a  shed  for  the  reception  of  the  rigging,  equipments,  and  stores 
of  the  schooner  that  was  to  be  built  for  the  use  of  the  settlement. 


88  ASTORIA. 


This  dogged  determination  on  the  part  of  the  sturdy  captain 
gave  high  offence  to  Mr.  M'Dougal,  who  n«w  considered  himself 
at  the  head  of  the  concern,  as  Mr.  Astor's  representative  and 
proxy.  He  set  off  the  same  day,  (April  5th.)  accompanied  by 
Mr.  David  Stuart,  for  the  southern  shore,  intending  to  be  back 
by  the  seventh.  Not  having  the  captain  to  contend  with,  they 
soon  pitched  upon  a  spot  which  appeared  to  them  favorable  for 
the  intended  establishment.  It  was  on  a  point  of  land  called 
Point  George,  having  a  very  good  harbor,  where  vessels,  not 
exceeding  two  hundred  tons  burden,  might  anchor  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  shore. 

After  a  day  thus  profitably  spent,  they  re-crossed  the  river, 
but  landed  on  the  northern  shore  several  miles  above  the  anchor- 
ing ground  of  the  Tonquin,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Chinook,  and 
visited  the  village  of  that  tribe.  Here  they  were  received  with 
great  hospitality  by  the  chief,  who  was  named  Comcomly,  a 
shrewd  old  savage,  with  but  one  eye,  who  will  occasionally  figure 
in  this  narrative.  Each  village  forms  a  petty  sovereignty,  gov- 
erned by  its  own  chief,  who,  however,  possesses  but  little  authori- 
ty, unless  he  be  a  man  of  wealth  and  substance ;  that  is  to  say, 
possessed  of  canoes,  slaves,  and  wives.  The  greater  number  of 
these,  the  greater  is  the  chief.  How  many  wives  this  one-eyed  po- 
tentate maintained  we  are  not  told,  but  he  certainly  possessed  great 
sway,  not  merely  over  his  own  tribe,  but  over  the  neighborhood. 

Having  mentioned  slaves,  we  would  observe  that  slavery  exists 
among  several  of  the  tribes  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The 
slaves  are  well  treated  while  in  good  health,  but  occupied  in  all 
kinds  of  drudgery.  Should  they  become  useless,  however,  by 
sickness  or  old  age,  they  are  totally  neglected,  and  left  to  perish  ; 
nor  is  any  respect  paid  to  their  bodies  after  death. 

A  singular  custom  prevails,  not  merely  among  the  Chinooks, 
but  among  most  of  the  tribes  about  this  part  of  the  coast,  which 


AN   ARISTOCRACY   OF   FLATHEADS. 


is  the  flattening  of  the  forehead.  The  process  by  which  this 
deformity  is  effected  commences  immediately  after  birth.  The 
infant  is  laid  in  a  wooden  trough,  by  way  of  cradle.  The  end  on 
which  the  head  reposes  is  higher  than  the  rest.  A  padding  is 
placed  on  the  forehead  of  the  infant,  with  a  piece  of  bark  above 
it,  and  is  pressed  down  by  cords,  which  pass  through  holes  on 
each  side  of  the  trough.  As  the  tightening  of  the  padding  and 
the  pressing  of  the  head  to  the  board  is  gradual,  the  process 
is  said  not  to  be  attended  with  much  pain.  The  appearance  of 
the  infant,  however,  while  in  this  state  of  compression,  is  whimsi- 
cally hideous,  and  "  its  little  black  eyes,"  we  are  told,  "  being 
forced  out  by  the  tightness  of  the  bandages,  resemble  those  of  a 
mouse  choked  in  a  trap." 

About  a  year's  pressure  is  sufficient  to  produce  the  desired 
effect,  at  the  end  of  which  time  the  child  emerges  from  its  band- 
ages a  complete  flathead,  and  continues  so  through  life.  It  must 
be  noted,  however,  that  this  flattening  of  the  head  has  something 
in  it  of  aristocratical  significancy,  like  the  crippling  of  the  feet 
among  Chinese  ladies  of  quality.  At  any  rate,  it  is  a  sign  of 
freedom.  No  slave  is  permitted  to  bestow  this  enviable  deformity 
upon  his  child  ;  all  the  slaves,  therefore,  are  roundheads. 

With  this  worthy  tribe  of  Chinooks  the  two  partners  passed  a 
part  of  the  day  very  agreeably.  M'Dougal,  who  was  somewhat  vain 
of  his  official  rank,  had  given  it  to  be  understood  that  they  were 
two  chiefs  of  a  great  trading  company,  about  to  be  established 
here,  and  the  quicksighted,  though  one-eyed  chief,  who  was  some- 
what practised  in  traffic  with  white  men,  immediately  perceived  the 
policy  of  cultivating  the  friendship  of  two  such  important  visitors. 
He  regaled  them,  therefore,  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  with  abun- 
dance of  salmon  and  wappatoo.  The  next  morning,  March  7th, 
they  prepared  to  return  to  the  vessel,  according  to  promise. 
They  had  eleven  miles  of  open  bay  to  traverse ;  the  wind  was 


90  ASTORIA. 

fresh,  the  waves  ran  high.  Conicomly  remonstrated  with  them 
on  the  hazard  to  which  they  would  be  exposed.  They  were  reso- 
lute, however,  and  launched  their  boat,  while  the  wary  chieftain 
followed  at  some  short  distance  in  his  canoe.  Scarce  had  they 
rowed  a  mile,  when  a  wave  broke  over  their  boat  and  upset  it. 
They  were  in  imminent  peril  of  drowning,  especially  Mr. 
M'Dougal,  who  could  not  swim.  Comcomly,  however,  came  bound- 
ing over  the  waves  in  his  light  canoe,  and  snatched  them  from  a 
watery  grave. 

They  were  taken  on  shore  and  a  fire  made,  at  which  they  dried 
their  clothes,  after  which  Comcomly  conducted  them  back  to  his 
village.  Here  every  thing  was  done  that  could  be  devised  for 
their  entertainment  during  three  days  that  they  were  detained 
by  bad  weather.  Comcomly  made  his  people  perform  antics  be- 
fore them ;  and  his  wives  and  daughters  endeavored,  by  all  the 
soothing  and  endearing  arts  of  women,  to  find  favor  in  their  eyes. 
Some  even  painted  their  bodies  with  red  clay,  and  anointed 
themselves  with  fish  oil,  to  give  additional  lustre  to  their  charms. 
Mr.  M'Dougal  seems  to  have  had  a  heart  susceptible  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  gentler  sex.  Whether  or  no  it  was  first  touched 
on  this  occasion  we  do  not  learn ;  but  it  will  be  found,  in  the 
course  of  this  work,  that  one  of  the  daughters  of  the  hospitable 
Comcomly  eventually  made  a  conquest  of  the  great  eri  of  the 
American  Fur  Company. 

When  the  weather  had  moderated  and  the  sea  become  tranquil, 
the  one-eyed  chief  of  the  Chinooks  manned  his  state  canoe,  and 
conducted  his  guests  in  safety  to  the  ship,  where  they  were  wel- 
comed with  joy,  for  apprehensions  had  been  felt  for  their  safety. 
Comcomly  and  his  people  were  then  entertained  on  board  of  the 
Tonquin,  and  liberally  rewarded  for  their  hospitality  and  services. 
They  returned  home  highly  satisfied,  promising  to  remain  faithful 
friends  and  allies  of  the  white  men. 


POINT   GEORGE.  91 


CHAPTER  IX. 

FROM  the  report  made  by  the  two  exploring  partners,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  Point  George  should  be  the  site  of  the  trading  house. 
These  gentlemen,  it  is  true,  were  not  perfectly  satisfied  with  the 
place,  and  were  desirous  of  continuing  their  search ;  but  Captain 
Thorn  was  impatient  to  land  his  cargo  and  continue  his  voyage, 
and  protested  against  any  more  of  what  he  termed  "  sporting 
excursions." 

Accordingly,  on  the  12th  of  April  the  launch  was  freighted 
with  all  things  necessary  for  the  purpose,  and  sixteen  persons  de- 
parted in  her  to  commence  the  establishment,  leaving  the  Tonquin 
to  follow  as  soon  as  the  harbor  could  be  sounded. 

Crossing  the  wide  mouth  of  the  river,  the  party  landed,  and 
encamped  at  the  bottom  of  a  small  bay  within  Point  George. 
The  situation  chosen  for  the  fortified  post  was  on  an  elevation 
facing  to  the  north,  with  the  wide  estuary,  its  sand  bars  and 
tumultuous  breakers  spread  out  before  it,  and  the  promontory  of 
Cape  Disappointment,  fifteen  miles  distant,  closing  the  prospect 
to  the  left.  The  surrounding  country  was  in  all  the  fseshness  of 
spring ;  the  trees  were  in  the  young  leaf,  the  weather  was  superb, 
and  every  thing  looked  delightful  to  men  just  emancipated  from 
a  long  confinement  on  shipboard.  The  Tonquin  shortly  after- 
wards made  her  way  through  the  intricate  channel,  and  came  to 
anchor  in  the  little  bay,  and  was  saluted  from  the  encampment 
with  three  vollies  of  musketry  and  three  cheers..  She  returned 
the  salute  with  three  cheers  and  three  guns. 

All  hands  now  set  to  work  cutting  down  trees,  clearing  away 


92  ASTORIA. 

thickets,  and  marking  out  the  place  for  tlyj  residence,  storehouse, 
and  powder  magazine,  which  were  to  be  built  of  logs  and  covered 
with  bark.  Others  landed  the  timbers  intended  for  the  frame  of  the 
coasting  vessel,  and  proceeded  to  put  them  together,  while  others 
prepared  a  garden  spot,  and  sowed  the  seeds  of  various  vegetables. 

The  next  thought  was  to  give  a  name  to  the  embryo  metropo- 
lis-: the  one  that  naturally  presented  itself  was  that  of  the  pro- 
jector and  supporter  of  the  whole  enterprise.  It  was  accordingly 
named  ASTORIA. 

The  neighboring  Indians  now  swarmed  about  the  place.  Some 
brought  a  few  land-otter  and  sea-otter  skins  to  barter,  but  in  very 
scanty  parcels  ;  the  greater  number  came  prying  about  to  gratify 
their  curiosity,  for  they  are  said  to  be  impertinently  inquisitive  ; 
while  not  a  few  came  with  no  other  design  than  to  pilfer ;  the 
laws  of  meum  and  tuum  being  but  slightly  respected  among 
them.  Some  of  them  beset  the  ship  in  their  canoes,  among  whom 
was  the  Chinook  chief  Comcomly,  and  his  liege  subjects.  These 
were  well  received  by  Mr.  M'Dougal,  who  was  delighted  with  an 
opportunity  of  entering  upon  his  functions,  and  acquiring  impor- 
tance in  the  eyes  of  his  future  neighbors.  The  confusion  thus 
produced  on  board,  and  the  derangement  of  the  cargo  caused  by 
this  petty  trade,  stirred  the  spleen  of  the  captain,  who  had  a 
sovereign  contempt  for  the  one-eyed  chieftain  and  all  his  crew. 
He  complained  loudly  of  having  his  ship  lumbered  by  a  host  of 
"  Indian  ragamuffins,"  who  had  not  a  skin  to  dispose  of,  and  at 
length  put  his  positive  interdict  upon  all  trafficking  on  board. 
Upon  this  Mr.  M'Dougal  was  fain  to  land,  and  establish  his  quar- 
ters at  the  encampment,  where  he  could  exercise  his  rights  and 
enjoy  his  dignities  without  control. 

The  feud,  however,  between  these  rival  powers  still  continued, 
but  was  chiefly  carried  on  by  letter.  Day  after  day  and  week 
after  week  elapsed,  yet  the  storehouses  requisite  for  the  reception 


SAILING   OF   THE   TONQUIN.  93 


of  the  cargo  were  not  completed,  and  the  ship  was  detained  in 
port ;  while  the  captain  was  teased  by  frequent  requisitions  for 
various  articles  for  the  use  of  the  establishment,  or  the  trade 
with  the  natives.  An  angry  correspondence  took  place,  in  which 
he  complained  bitterly  of  the  time  wasted  in  "  smoking  and  sport- 
ing parties,"  as  he  termed  the  reconnoitering  expeditions,  and  in 
clearing  and  preparing  meadow  ground  and  turnip  patches,  instead 
of  dispatching  his  ship.  At  length  all  these  jarring  matters  were 
adjusted,  if  not  to  the  satisfaction,  at  least  to  the  acquiescence  of 
all  parties.  The  part  of  the  cargo  destined  for  the  use  of  Astoria 
was  landed,  and  the  ship  left  free  to  proceed  on  her  voyage. 

As  the  Tonquin  was  to  coast  to  the  north,  to  trade  for  pel- 
tries at  the  different  harbors,  and  to  touch  at  Astoria  on  her 
return  in  the  autumn,  it  was  unanimously  determined  that  Mr. 
M'Kay  should  go  in  her  as  supercargo,  taking  with  him  Mr. 
Lewis  as  ship's  clerk.  On  the  first  of  June  the  ship  got  under 
way,  and  dropped  down  to  Baker's  Bay,  where  she  was  detained  for 
a  few  days  by  a  head  wind  ;  but  early  in  the  morning  of  the  fifth 
stood  out  to  sea  with  a  fine  breeze  and  swelling  canvas,  and  swept 
off  gayly  on  her  fatal  voyage,  from  which  she  was  never  to  return ! 

On  reviewing  the  conduct  of  Captain  Thorn,  and  examining 
his  peevish  and  somewhat  whimsical  correspondence,  the  impres- 
sion left  upon  our  mind  is,  upon  the  whole,  decidedly  in  his  favor. 
While  we  smile  at  the  simplicity  of  his  heart  and  the  narrowness 
of  his  views,  which  made  him  regard  every  thing  out  of  the  direct 
path  of  his  daily  duty,  and  the  rigid  exigencies  of  the  service,  as 
trivial  and  impertinent,  which  inspired  him  with  contempt  for  the 
swelling  vanity  of  some  of  his  coadjutors,  and  the  literary  exer- 
cises and  curious  researches  of  others,  we  cannot  but  applaud 
that  strict  and  conscientious  devotion  to  the  interests  of  his  em- 
ployer, and  to  what  he  considered  the  true  objects  of  the  enter- 
prise in  which  he  was  engaged.  He  certainly  was  to  blame 


94  ASTORIA. 

occasionally  for  the  asperity  of  his  manners,  and  the  arbitrary 
nature  of  hia  measures,  yet  much  that  is  exceptionable  in  this 
part  of  his  conduct  may  be  traced  to  rigid  notions  of  duty,  ac- 
quired in  that  tyrannical  school,  a  ship  of  war,  and  to  the  con- 
struction given  by  his  companions  to  the  orders  of  Mr.  Astor,  so 
little  in  conformity  with  his  own.  His  mind,  too,  appears  to 
have  become  almost  diseased  by  the  suspicions  he  had  formed  as 
to  the  loyalty  of  his  associates,  and  the  nature  of  their  ultimate 
designs ;  yet  on  this  point  there  were  circumstances  to,  in  some 
measure,  justify  him.  The  relations  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain  were  at  that  time  in  a  critical  state  ;  in  fact, 
the  two  countries  were  on  the  eve  of  a  war.  Several  of  the  part- 
ners were  British  subjects,  and  might  be  ready  to  desert  the  flag 
under  which  they  acted,  should  a  war  take  place.  Their  appli- 
cation to  the  British  minister  at  New- York  shows  the  dubious  feel- 
ing with  which  they  had  embarked  in  the  present  enterprise.  They 
had  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  might 
be  disposed  to  rally  again  under  that  association,  should  events 
threaten  the  prosperity  of  this  embryo  establishment  of  Mr. 
Astor.  Besides,  we  have  the  fact,  averred  to  us  by  one  of  the 
partners,  that  some  of  them,  who  were  young  and  heedless,  took 
a  mischievous  and  unwarrantable  pleasure  in  playing  upon  the 
jealous  temper  of  the  captain,  and  affecting  mysterious  consulta- 
tions and  sinister  movements. 

These  circumstances  are  cited  in  palliation  of  the  doubts  and 
surmises  of  Captain  Thorn,  which  might  otherwise  appear  strange 
and  unreasonable.  That  most  of  the  partners  were  perfectly  up- 
right and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  the  trust  reposed  in  them 
we  are  fully  satisfied  ;  still  the  honest  captain  was  not  invariably 
wrong  in  his  suspicions  ;  and  that  he  formed  a  pretty  just  opin- 
ion of  the  integrity  of  that  aspiring  personage,  Mr.  M'Dougal, 
will  be  substantially  proved  in  the  sequel. 


ALARMS   FROM   THE   INTERIOR.  95 


CHAPTER  X. 

WHILE  the  Astorians  were  busily  occupied  in  completing  their 
factory  and  fort,  a  report  was  brought  to  them  by  an  Indian  from 
the  upper  part  of  the  river,  that  a  party  of  thirty  white  men  had 
appeared  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia,  and  were  actually  build- 
ing houses  at  the  second  rapids.  This  information  caused  much 
disquiet.  We  have  already  mentioned  that  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany had  established  posts  to  the  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in 
a  district  called  by  them  New  Caledonia,  which  extended  from  lat. 
52°  to  55°  north,  being  within  the  British  territories.  It  was  now 
apprehended  that  they  were  advancing  within  the  American 
limits,  and  were  endeavoring  to  seize  upon  the  upper  part  of  the 
river  and  forestall  the  American  Fur  Company  in  the  surround- 
ing trade ;  in  which  case  bloody  feuds  might  be  anticipated,  such 
as  had  prevailed  between  the  rival  fur  companies  in  former 
days. 

A  reconnoitring  party  was  sent  up  the  river  to  ascertain  the 
truth  of  the  report.  They  ascended  to  the  foot  of  the  first  rapid, 
about  two  hundred  miles,  but  could  hear  nothing  of  any  white 
men  being  in  the  neighborhood. 

Not  long  after  their  return,  however,  further  accounts  were 
received,  by  two  wandering  Indians,  which  established  the  fact,  that 
the  Northwest  Company  had  actually  erected  a  trading-house  on 
the  Spokan  River,  which  falls  into  the  north  branch  of  the 
Columbia. 

What  rendered  this  intelligence  the  more  disquieting,  was  the 


96  ASTORIA. 

inability  of  the  Astorians,  in  their  present  reduced  state  as  to 
numbers,  and  the  exigencies  of  their  new  establishment,  to  furnish 
detachments  to  penetrate  the  country  in  different  directions,  and 
fix  the  posts  necessary  to  secure  the  interior  trade. 

It  was  resolved,  however,  at  .any  rate,  to  advance  a  counter- 
check to  this  post  on  the  Spokan,  and  one  of  the  partners,  Mr. 
David  Stuart,  prepared  to  set  out  for  the  purpose  with  eight  men 
and  a  small  assortment  of  goods.  He  was  to  be  guided  by  the 
two  Indians,  who  knew  the  country,  and  promised  to  take  him  to 
a  place  not  far  from  the  Spokan  River,  and  in  a  neighborhood 
abounding  witk  beaver.  Here  he  was  to  establish  himself  and  to 
remain  for  a  time,  provided  he  found  the  situation  advantageous 
and  the  natives  friendly. 

On  the  15th  of  July,  when  Mr.  Stuart  was  nearly  ready  to  em- 
bark, a  canoe  made  its  appearance,  standing  for  the  harbor,  and 
manned  by  nine  white  men.  Much  speculation  took  place  who 
these  strangers  could  be,  for  it  was  too  soon  to  expect  their  own 
people,  under  Mr.  Hunt,  who  were  to  cross  the  continent.  As 
the  canoe  drew  near,  the  British  standard  was  distinguished :  on 
coming  to  land,  one  of  the  crew  stepped  on  shore,  and  announced 
himself  as  Mr.  David  Thompson,  astronomer,  and  partner  of  the 
Northwest  Company.  According  to  his  account,  he  had  set  out 
in  the  preceding  year  with  a  tolerably  strong  party,  and  a  supply 
of  Indian  goods,  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains.  A  part  of  his 
people,  however,  had  deserted  him  on  the  eastern  side,  and  re- 
turned with  the  goods  to  the  nearest  northwest  post.  He  had 
persisted  in  crossing  the  mountains  with  eight  men,  who  remained 
true  to  him.  They  had  traversed  the  higher  regions,  and  ven- 
tured near  the  source  of  the  Columbia,  where,  in  the  spring,  they 
had  constructed  a  cedar  canoe,  the  same  in  which  they  had  reached 
Astoria. 

This,  in  fact,  was  the  party  dispatched  by  the   Northwest 


A  SPY   IN   THE   CAMP.  97 


Company  to  anticipate  Mr.  Astor  in  his  intention  of  effecting  a 
settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River.  It  appears, 
ffom  information  subsequently  derived  from  other  sources,  that 
Mr.  Thompson  had  pushed  on  his  course  with  great  haste,  calling 
at  all  the  Indian  villages  in  his  march,  presenting  them  with 
British  flags,  and  even  planting  them  at  the  forks  of  the  rivers, 
proclaiming  formally  that  he  took  possession  of  the  country  in 
the  name  of  the  king  of  Great  Britain  for  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany. As  his  original  plan  was  defeated  by  the  desertion  of  his 
people,  it  is  probable  that  he  descended  the  river  simply  to  recon- 
noitre, and  ascertain  whether  an  American  settlement  had  been 
commenced. 

Mr.  Thompson  was,  no  doubt,  the  first  white  man  who  de- 
scended the  northern  branch  of  the  Columbia  from  so  near  its 
source.  Lewis  and  Clarke  struck  the  main  body  of  the  river  at 
the  foYks,  about  four  hundred  miles  from  its  mouth.  They  en- 
tered it  from  Lewis  River,  its  southern  branch,  and  thence 
descended. 

Though  Mr.  Thompson  could  be  considered  as  little  better 
than  a  spy  in  the  camp,  he  was  received  with  great  cordiality  by 
Mr.  M'Dougal,  who  had  a  lurking  feeling  of  companionship  and 
good-will  for  all  of  the  Northwest  Company.  He  invited  him  to 
head-quarters,  where  he  and  his  people  were  hospitably  enter- 
tained. Nay,  further,  being  somewhat  in  e^^emity,  he  was  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  M'Dougal  with  goods  and  provisions  for  his  journey 
back,  across  the  mountains,  much  against  the  wishes  of  Mr. 
David  Stuart,  who  did  not  think  the  object  of  his  visit  entitled 
him  to  any  favor.  , 

On  the  23d  of  July,  Mr.  Stuart  sefr  out  upon  his  expedition 
to  the  interior.  His  party  consisted  of  four  of  the  clerks,  Messrs. 
Fillet,  Ross,  M'Lennon,  and  Montigny,  two  Canadian  voyageurs, 
and  two  natives  of  the  Sandwich  islands.  They  had  three  canoes 

5 


98  ASTORIA. 

well  laden  with  provisions,  and  with  goods  and  necessaries  for  a 
trading  establishment. 

Mr.  Thompson  and  his  party  set  out  in  company  with  them, 
it  being  his  intention  to  proceed  direct  to  Montreal.  The  part- 
ners at  Astoria  forwarded  by  him  a  short  letter  to  Mr.  Astor, 
informing  him  of  their  safe  arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
and  that  they  had  not  yet  heard  of  Mr.  Hunt.  The  little  squad- 
ron of  canoes  set  sail  with  a  favorable  breeze,  and  soon  passed 
Tongue  Point,  a  long,  high,  and  rocky  promontory,  covered  with 
trees,  and  stretching  far  into  the  river.  Opposite  to  this,  on  the 
northern  shore,  is  a  deep  bay,  where  the  Columbia  anchored  at 
the  time  of  the  discovery,  and  which  is  still  called  Gray's  Bay, 
from  the  name  of  her  commander. 

From  hence,  the  general  course  of  the  river  for  about  seventy 
miles,  was  nearly  southeast ;  varying  in  breadth  according  to  its 
bays  and  indentations,  and  navigable  for  vessels  of  three  hundred 
tons.  The  shores  were  in  some  places  high  and  rocky,  with  low 
marshy  islands  at  their  feet,  subject  to  inundation,  and  covered 
with  willows,  poplars,  and  other  trees  that  love  an  alluvial  soil. 
Sometimes  the  mountains  receded,  and  gave  place  to  beautiful 
plains  and  noble  forests.  "While  the  river  margin  was  richly 
fringed  with  trees  of  deciduous  foliage,  the  rough  uplands  were 
crowned  by  majestic  pines,  and  firs  of  gigantic  size,  some  tower- 
ing to  the  height  oAbetween  two  and  three  hundred  feet,  with 
proportionate  circumference.  Out  of  these  the  Indians  wrought 
their  great  canoes  and  pirogues. 

At  one  part  of  the  river,  they  passed,  on  the  northern  side,  an 
isolated  rock,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  rising  from 
a  low  marshy  soil,  and  totally  disconnected  with  the  adjacent 
mountains.  This  was  held  in  great  reverence  by  the  neighboring 
Indians,  being  one  of  their  principal  places  of  sepulture.  The 
same  provident  care  for  the  deceased  that  prevails  among  the 


MOUNT  COFFIN— INDIAN  SEPULCHRES.  99 


hunting  tribes  of  the  prairies  is  observable  among  the  piscatory 
tribes  of  the  rivers  and  sea-coast.  Among  the  former,  the  favor- 
ite horse  of  the  hunter  is  buried  with  him  in  the  same  funereal 
mound,  and  his  bow  and  arrows  are  laid  by  his  side,  that  he  may 
be  perfectly  equipped  for  the  "happy  hunting  grounds"  of  the 
land  of  spirits.  Among  the  latter,  the  Indian  is  wrapped  in  his 
mantle  of  skins,  laid  in  his  canoe,  with  his  paddle,  his  fishing 
spear,  and  other  implements  beside  him,  and  placed  aloft  on 
some  rock  or  other  eminence  overlooking  the  river,  or  bay,  or 
lake,  that  he  has  frequented.  He  is  thus  fitted  out  to  launch 
away  upon  those  placid  streams  and  sunny  lakes  stocked  with 
all  kinds  of  fish  and  waterfowl,  which  are  prepared  in  the  next 
world  for  those  who  have  acquitted  themselves  as  good  sons,  good 
fathers,  good  husbands,  and,  above  all,  good  fishermen,  during 
their  mortal  sojourn. 

The  isolated  rock  in  question  presented  a  spectacle  of  the 
kind,  numerous  dead  bodies  being  deposited  in  canoes  on  its 
summit ;  while  on  poles  around  were  trophies,  or,  rather,  funereal 
offerings  of  trinkets,  garments,  baskets  of  roots,  and  other  articles 
for  the  use  of  the  deceased.  A  reverential  feeling  protects  these 
sacred  spots  from  robbery  or  insult.  The  friends  of  the  deceased, 
especially  the  women,  repair  here  at  sunrise  and  sunset  for  some 
time  after  his  death,  singing  his  funeral  dirge,  and  uttering  loud 
waitings  and  lamentations. 

From  the  number  of  dead  bodies  in  canoes  observed  upon  this 
rock  by  the  first  explorers  of  the  river,  it  received  the  name  of 
Mount  Coffin,  which  it  continues  to  bear. 

Beyond  this  rock  they  passed  the  mouth  of  a  river  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Columbia,  which  appeared  to  take  its  rise  in  a 
distant  mountain,  covered  with  snow.  The  Indian  name  of  this 
river  was  the  Cowleskee.  Some  miles  further  on  they  came  to 
the  great  Columbian  valley,  so  called  by  Lewis  and  Clarke.  It 


100  ASTORIA. 

is  sixty  miles  in  width,  and  extends  far  to  the  south-southeast, 
between  parallel  ridges  of  mountains,  which  bound  it  on  the  east 
and  west.  Through  the  centre  of  this  valley  flowed  a  large  and 
beautiful  stream,  called  the  Wallamot,*  which  came  wandering, 
for  several  hundred  miles,  through  a  yet  unexplored  wilderness. 
The  sheltered  situation  of  this  immense  valley  had  jin  obvious 
effect  upon  the  climate.  It  was  a  region  of  great  beauty  and 
luxuriance,  with  lakes  and  pools,  and  green  meadows  shaded  by 
noble  groves.  Various  tribes  were  said  to  reside  in  this  valley, 
and  along  the  banks  of  the  Wallamot. 

About  eight  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  "Wallamot  the  little 
squadron  arrived  at  Vancouver's  Point,  so  called  in  honor  of  that 
celebrated  voyager  by  his  lieutenant  (Broughton)  when  he  ex- 
plored the  river.  This  point  is  said  to  present  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  scenes  on  the  Columbia ;  a  lovely  meadow,  with  a  silver 
sheet  of  limpid  water  in  the  centre,  enlivened  by  wild-fowl,  a  range 
of  hills  crowned  by  forests,  while  the  prospect  is  closed  by  Mount 
Hood,  a  magnificent  mountain  rising  into  a  lofty  peak,  and  cov- 
ered with  snow ;  the  ultimate  landmark  of  the  first  explorers  of 
the  river. 

Point  Vancouver  is  about  one  hundred  miles  from  Astoria. 
Here  the  reflux  of  the  tide  ceases  to  be  perceptible.  To  this  place 
vessels  of  two  and  three  hundred  tons  burden  may  ascend.  The 
party  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Stuart  had  been  three  or  four 
days  in  reaching  it,  though  we  have  forborne  to  notice  their  daily 
progress  and  nightly  encampments. 

From  Point  Vancouver  the  river  turned  towards  the  northeast, 
and  became  more  contracted  and  rapid,  with  occasional  islands 
and  frequent  sand-banks.  These  islands  are  -furnished  with  a 
number  of  ponds,  and  at  certain  seasons  abound  with  swan,  geese, 

»  Pronounced  Wallamot,  the  accent  being  upon  the  second  syllable. 


SCENERY   OF  THE   COLUMBIA.  101 


brandts,  cranes,  gulls,  plover,  and  other  wild-fowl.  The  shores, 
too,  are  low,  and  closely  wooded,  aud  such  an  undergrowth  of 
vines  and  rushes  as  to  be  almost  impassable. 

About  thirty  miles  above  Point  Vancouver  the  mountains 
again  approach  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  which  is  bordered  by 
stupendous  precipices,  covered  with  the  fir  and  the  white  cedar, 
and  enlivened  occasionally  by  beautiful  cascades  leaping  from  a 
great  height,  and  sending  up  wreaths  of  vapor.  One  of  these 
precipices,  or  cliffs,  is  curiously  worn  by  time  and  weather  so  as 
to  have  the  appearance  of  a  ruined  fortress,  with  towers  and  bat- 
tlements, beetling  high  above  the  river  ;  while  two  small  cascades, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  pitch  down  from  the  fissures 
of  the  rocks. 

The  turbulence  and  rapidity  of  the  current  continually  aug- 
menting as  they  advanced,  gave  the  voyagers  intimation  that  they 
were  approaching  the  great  obstructions  of  the  river,  and  at 
length  they  arrived  at  Strawberry  Island,  so  called  by  Lewis  and 
Clarke,  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  first  rapid.  As  this  part  of 
the  Columbia  will  be  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the  course  of  this 
work,  being  the  scene  of  some  of  its  incidents,  we  shall  give  a 
general  description  of  it  in  this  place. 

The  falls  or  rapids  of  the  Columbia  are  situated  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The 
first  is  a  perpendicular  cascade  of  twenty  feet,  after  which  there 
is  a  swift  descent  for  a  mile,  between  islands  of  hard  black  rock, 
to  another  pitch  of  eight  feet  divided  by  two  rocks.  About 
two  and  a  half  miles  below  this  the  river  expands  into  a  wide 
basin,  seemingly  dammed  up  by  a  perpendicular  ridge  of  black 
rock.  A  current,  however,  sets  diagonally  to  the  left  of  this 
rocky  barrier,  where  there  is  a  chasm  forty-five  yards  in  width. 
Through  this  the  whole  body  of  the  river  roars  along,  swelling 
and  whirling  and  boiling  for  some  distance  in  the  wildest  con- 


102  ASTORIA. 

fusion.  Through  this  tremendous  channel  the  intrepid  explorers 
of  the  river,  Lewis  and  Clarke,  passed  safely  in  their  boats  ;  the 
danger  being,  not  from  the  rocks,  but  from  the  great  surges  and 
whirlpools. 

At  the  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  foot  of  this 
narrow  channel  is  a  rapid,  formed  by  two  rocky  islands ;  and 
two  miles  beyond  is  a  second  great  fall,  over  a  ledge  of  rocks 
twenty  feet  high,  extending  nearly  fro/n  shore  to  shore.  The 
river  is  again  compressed  into  a  channel  from  fifty  to  a  hundred 
feet  wide,  worn  through  a  rough  bed  of  hard  black  rock,  along 
which  it  boils  and  roars  with  great  fury  for  the  distance  of  three 
miles.  This  is  called  "  The  Long  Narrows." 

Here  is  the  great  fishing  place  of  the  Columbia.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year,  when  the  water  is  high,  the  salmon  ascend 
the  river  in  incredible  numbers.  As  they  pass  through  this  nar- 
row strait,  the  Indians,  standing  on  the  rocks,  or  on  the  end  of 
wooden  stages  projecting  from  the  banks,  scoop  them  up  with 
small  nets  distended  on  hoops  and  attached  to  long  handles,  and 
cast  them  on  the  shore. 

They  are  then  cured  and  packed  in  a  peculiar  manner.  After 
having  been  opened  and  disembowelled,  they  are  exposed  to  the 
sun  on  scaffolds  erected  on  the  river  banks.  When  sufficiently 
dry,  they  are  pounded  fine  between  two  stones,  pressed  into  the 
smallest  compass,  and  packed  in  baskets  or  bales  of  grass  mat- 
ting, about  two  feet  long  and  one  in. diameter,  lined  with  the  cured 
skin  of  a  salmon.  The  top  is  likewise  covered  with  fish  skins, 
secured  by  cords  passing  through  holes  in  the  edge  of  the  basket. 
Packages  are  then  made,  each  containing  twelve  of  these  bales, 
seven  at  bottom,  five  at  top,  pressed  close  to  each  other,  with  the 
corded  side  upward,  wrapped  in  mats  and  corded.  These  are 
placed  in  dry  situations,  and  again  covered  with  matting.  Each 
of  these  packages  contains  from  ninety  to  a  hundred  pounds 


AN   INDIAN  FISHING    MART.  103 


of  dried  fish,  which  in  this  state  will  keep  sound  for  several 
years.* 

We  have  given  this  process  at  some  length,  as  furnished  by 
the  first  explorers,  because  it  marks  a  practised  ingenuity  in  pre- 
paring articles  of  traffic  for  a  market,  seldom  seen  among  our 
aboriginals.  For  like  reasons  we  would  make  especial  mention 
of  the  village  of  Wish-ram,  at  the  head  of  the  Long  Narrows,  as 
being  a  solitary  instance  of  an  aboriginal  trading  mart,  or  empo- 
rium. Here  the  salmon  caught  in  the  neighboring  rapids  were 
"  warehoused,"  to  await  customers.  Hither  the  tribes  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia  repaired  with  the  fish  of  the  sea-coast,  the 
roots,  berries,  and  especially  the  wappatoo,  gathered  in  the  lower 
parts  of  the  river,  together  with  goods  and  trinkets  obtained 
from  the  ships  which  casually  visit  the  coast.  Hither  also  the 
tribes  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  brought  down  horses,  bear- 
grass,  quamash,  and  other  commodities  of  the  interior.  The 
merchant  fishermen  at  the  falls  acted  as  middlemen  or  factors, 
and  passed  the  objects  of  traffic,  as  it  were,  cross-handed  ;  trading 
away  part  of  the  wares  received  from  the  mountain  tribes  to  those 
of  the  river  and  the  plains,  and  vice  versa:  their  packages  of 
pounded  salmon  entered  largely  into  the  system  of  barter,  and 
being  carried  off  in  opposite  directions,  found  their  way  to  the 
savage  hunting  camps  far  in  the  interior,  and  to  the  casual  white 
traders  who  touched  upon  the  coast. 

We  have  already  noticed  certain  contrarieties  of  character 
between  the  Indian  tribes,  produced  by  their  diet  and  mode  of 
life  ;  and  nowhere  are  they  more  apparent  than  about  the  falls  of 
the  Columbia.  The  Indians  of  this  great  fishing  mart  are  repre- 
sented by  the  earliest  explorers  as  sleeker  and  fatter,  but  less 
hardy  and  active,  than  the  tribes  of  the  mountains  and  the  prai- 
ries, who  live  by  hunting,  or  of  the  upper  parts  of  the  river, 

*  Lewis  and  Clarke,  vol.  ii.'p.  32. 


104  ASTORIA. 

where  fish  is  scanty,  and  the  inhabitants  must  eke  out  their  sub- 
sistence by  digging  roots  or  chasing  the  deer.  Indeed,  whenever 
an  Indian  of  the  upper  country  is  too  lazy  to  hunt,  yet  is  fond  of 
good  living,  he  repairs  to  the  falls,  to  live  in  abundance  without 
labor. 

"  By  such  worthless  dogs  as  these,"  says  an  honest  trader  in 
his  journal,  which  now  lies  before  us,  "  by  such  worthless  dogs  as 
these  are  these  noted  fishing-places  peopled,  which,  like  our  great 
cities,  may  with  propriety  be  called  the  head-quarters  of  vitiated 
principles." 

The  habits  of  trade  and  the  avidity  of  gain  have  their  cor- 
rupting effects  even  in  the  wilderness,  as  may  be  instanced  in  the 
members  of  this  aboriginal  emporium ;  for  the  same  journalist 
denounces  them  as  "  saucy,  impudent  rascals,  who  will  steal  when 
they  can,  and  pillage  whenever  a  weak  party  falls  in  their  power." 

That  he  does  not  belie  them  will  be  evidenced  hereafter,  when 
we  have  occasion  again  to  touch  at  Wish-ram  and  navigate  the 
rapids,  In  the  present  instance  the  travellers  effected  the  labo- 
rious ascent  of  this  part  of  the  river,  with  all  its  various  por- 
tages, without  molestation,  and  once  more  launched  away  in 
smooth  water  above  the  high  falls. 

The  two  parties  continued  together,  without  material  impedi- 
ment, for  three  or  four  hundred  miles  further  up  the  Columbia ; 
Mr.  Thompson  appearing  to  take  great  interest  in  the  success  of 
Mr.  Stuart,  and  pointing  out  places  favorable,  as  he  said,  to  the 
establishment  of  his  contemplated  trading  post. 

Mr.  Stuart,  who  distrusted  his  sincerity,  at  length  pretended 
to  adopt  his  advice,  and,  taking  leave  of  him,  remained  as  if  to 
establish  himself,  while  the  other  proceeded  on  his  course  towards 
the  mountains.  No  sooner,  however,  had  he  fairly  departed,  than 
Mr.  Stuart  again  pushed  forward,  under  guidance  of  the  two 
Indians,  nor  did  he  stop  until  he  had  arrived  within  about  one 


MOUTH   OF   THE   OAKINAGAN.  105 


hundred  and  forty  miles  of  the  Spokan  River,  which  he  considered 
near  enough  to  keep  the  rival  establishment  in  check. 

The  place  which  he  pitched  upon  for  his  trading  post  was  a 
point  of  land  about  three  miles  in  length  and  two  in  breadth, 
formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Oakinagan  with  the  Columbia. 
The  former  is  a  river  which  has  its  source  in  a  considerable  lake 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  west  of  the  point  of  junction. 
The  two  rivers,  about  the  place  of  their  confluence,  are  bordered 
by  immense  prairies  covered  with  herbage,  but  destitute  of  trees. 
The  point  itself  was  ornamented  with  wild  flowers  of  every  hue, 
in  which  innumerable  humming-birds  were  "  banqueting  nearly 
the  livelong  day." 

The  situation  of  this  point  appeared  to  be  well  adapted  for 
a  trading  post.  The  climate  was  salubrious,  the  soil  fertile,  the 
rivers  well  stocked  with  fish,  the  natives  peaceable  and  friendly. 
There  were  easy  communications  with  the  interior  by  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Columbia  and  the  lateral  stream  of  the  Oakinagan, 
while  the  downward  current  of  the  Columbia  furnished  a  highway 
to  Astoria. 

Availing  himself,  therefore,  of  the  driftwood  which  had  col- 
lected in  quantities  in  the  neighboring  bends  of  the  river,  Mr. 
Stuart  and  his  men  set  to  work  to  erect  a  house,  which  in  a  little 
while  was  sufficiently  completed  for  their  residence ;  and  thus 
was  established  the  first  interior  post  of  the  company  We  will 
now  return  to  notice  the  progress  of  aflairs  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia. 

5* 


106  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  sailing  of  the  Tonquin,  and  the  departure  of  Mr.  David 
Stuart  and  his  detachment,  had  produced  a  striking  effect  on 
affairs  at  Astoria.  The  natives  who  had  swarmed  about  the  place 
began  immediately  to  drop  off,  until  at  length  not  an  Indian  was 
to  be  seen.  This,  at  first,  was  attributed  to  the  want  of  peltries 
with  which  to  trade ;  but  in  a  little  while  the  mystery  was  ex- 
plained in  a  more  alarming  manner.  A  conspiracy  was  said  to 
be  on  foot  among  the  neighboring  tribes  to  make  a  combined 
attack  upon  the  white  men,  now  that  they  were  so  reduced  in 
number.  For  this  purpose  there  had  been  a  gathering  of  war- 
riors in  a  neighboring  bay,  under  pretext  of  fishing  for  sturgeon  ; 
and  fleets  of  canoes  were  expected  to  join-  them  from  the  north 
and  south.  Even  Comcomly,  the  one-eyed  chief,  notwithstanding 
his  professed  friendship  for  Mr.  M'Douga.1,  was  strongly  suspected 
of  being  concerned  in  this  general  combination. 

Alarmed  at  rumors  of  this  impending  danger,  the  Astorians 
suspended  their  regular  labor,  and  set  to  work,  with  all  haste,  to 
throw  up  temporary  works  for  refuge  and  defence.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  days  they  surrounded  their  dwelling-house  and  maga- 
zines with  a  picket  fence  ninety  feet  square,  flanked  by  two  bas- 
tions, on  which  were  mounted  four  four-pounders.  Every  day 
they  exercised  themselves  in  the  use  of  their  weapons,  so  as  to 
qualify  themselves  for  military  duty,  and  at  night  esconced 
themselves  in  their  fortress  and  posted  sentinels,  to  guard 
against  surprise.  In  this  way  they  hoped,  even  in  case  of  attack, 
to  be  able  to  hold  out  until  the  arrival  of  the  party  to  be  con- 


ALARMING   RUMORS.  107 


ducted  by  Mr.  Hunt  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  or  until  the 
return  of  the  Tonquin.  The  latter  dependence,  however,  was 
doomed  soon  to  be  destroyed.  Early  in  August,  a  wandering 
band  of  savages  from  the  Strait  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  made  their 
appearance  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  where  they  came  to 
fish  for  sturgeon.  They  brought  disastrous  accounts  of  the  Ton- 
quin, which  were  at  first  treated  as  mere  fables,  but  which  were 
too  sadly  confirmed  by  a  different  tribe  that  arrived  a  few  days 
subsequently.  We  shall  relate  the  circumstances  of  this  melan- 
choly affair  as  correctly  as  the  casual  discrepancies  in  the  state- 
ments that  have  reached  us  will  permit. 

We  have  already  stated  that  the  Tonquin  set  sail  from  the 
mouth  of  the  river  on  the  fifth  of-  June.  The  whole  number  of 
persons  on  board  amounted  to  twenty-three.  In  one  of  the  outer 
bays  they  picked  up,  from  a  fishing  canoe,  an  Indian  named 
Lamazee,  who  had  already  made  two  voyages  along  the  coast,  and 
knew  something  of  the  language  of  the  various  tribes.  He 
agreed  to  accompany  them  as  interpreter. 

Steering  to  the  n.orth,  Captain  Thorn  arrived  in  a  few  days  at 
Vancouver's  Island,  and  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Neweetee, 
very  much  against  the  advice  of  his  Indian  interpreter,  who 
warned  him  against  the  perfidious  character  of  the  natives  of 
this  part  of  the  coast.  Numbers  of  canoes  soon  came  off,  bring- 
ing sea-otter  skins  to  sell  It  was  too  late  in  the  day  to  com- 
mence a  traffic,  but  Mr.  M;Kay,  accompanied  by  a  few  of  the 
men,  went  on  shore  to  a  large  village  to  visit  Wicananish,  the 
chief  of  the  surrounding  territory,  six  of  the  natives  remaining 
on  board  as  hostages.  He  was  received  with  great  professions  of 
friendship,  entertained  hospitably,  and  a  couch  of  sea-otter  skins 
was  prepared  for  him  in  the  dwelling  of  the  chieftain,  where  he 
was  prevailed  upon  to  pass  the  night. 

In  the  morning,  before  Mr.  M'Kay  had  returned  to  the  ship, 


108  ASTORIA. 

great  numbers  of  the  natives  came  off  in  their  canoes  to  trade, 
headed  by  two  sons  of  Wicananish.  As  they  brought  abundance 
of  sea-otter  skins,  and  there  was  every  appearance  of  a  brisk 
trade,  Captain  Thorn  did  not  wait  for  the  return  of  Mr.  M'Kay, 
but  spread  his  wares  upon  deck,  making-  a  tempting  display  of 
blankets,  cloths,  knives,  beads,  and  fish-hooks,  expecting  a  prompt 
and  profitable  sale.  The  Indians,  however,  were  not  so  eager  and 
simple  as  he  had  supposed,  having  learned  the  art  of  bargaining 
and  the  value  of  merchandise  from  the  casual  traders  along  the 
coast.  They  were  guided,  too,  by  a  shrewd  old  chief  named  Noo- 
kamis,  who  had  grown  gray  in  traffic  with  New  England  skippers, 
and  prided  himself  upon  his  acuteness.  His  opinion  seemed  to 
regulate  the  market.  When  Captain  Thorn  made  what  he  con- 
sidered a  liberal  offer  for  an  otter  skin,  the  wily  old  Indian  treated 
it  with  scorn,  and  asked  more  than  double.  His  comrades  all 
took  their  cue  from  him,  and  not  an  otter-skin  was  to  be  had  at 
a  reasonable  rate. 

The  old  fellow,  however,  overshot  his  mark,  and  mistook  the 
character  of  the  man  he  was  treating  with.  Thorn  was  a  plain, 
straight-forward  sailor,  who  never  had  two  minds  nor  two  prices 
in  his  dealings,  was  deficient  in  patience  and  pliancy,  and  totally 
wanting  in  the  chicanery  of  traffic.  He  had  a  vast  deal  of  stern, 
but  honest  pride  in  his  nature,  and,  moreover,  held  the  whole 
savage  race  in  sovereign  contempt.  Abandoning  all  further 
attempts,  therefore,  to  bargain  with  his  shuffling  customers,  he 
thrust  hj£  hands  into  his  pockets,  and  paced  up  and  down  the 
deck  in  sullen  silence.  The  cunning  old  Indian  followed  him  to 
and  fro,  holding  out  a  sea-otter  skin  to  him  at  every  turn,  and 
pestering  him  to  trade.  Finding  other  means  unavailing,  he 
suddenly  changed  his  tone,  and  began  to  jeer  and  banter  him 
upon  the  mean  prices  he  offered.  This  was  too  much  for  the 
patience  of  the  captain,  who  was  never  remarkable  for  relishing  a 


A   DEADLY   INSULT.  109 


joke,  especially  when  at  his  own  expense.  Turning  suddenly 
upon  his  persecutor,  he  snatched  the  proffered  otter  skin  from 
his  hands,  rubbed  it  in  his  face,  and  dismissed  him  over  the  side 
of  the  ship  with  no  very  complimentary  application  to  accelerate 
his  exit.  He  then  kicked  the  peltries  to  the  right  and  left  about 
the  deck,  and  broke  up  the  market  in  the  most  ignominious 
manner.  Old  Nookamis  made  for  shore  in  a  furious  passion,  in 
which  he  was  joined  by  Shewish,  one  of  the  sons  of  Wicananish, 
who  went  off  breathing  vengeance,  and  the  ship  was  soon  aban- 
doned by  the  natives. 

When  Mr.  M'Kay  returned  on  board,  the  interpreter  related 
what  had  passed,  and  begged  him  to  prevail  upon  the  captain  to 
make  sail,  as,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  temper  and  pride  of  the 
people  of  the  place,  he  was  sure  they  would  resent  the  indignity 
offered  to  one  of  their  chiefs.  Mr.  M'Kay,  who  himself  possessed 
some  experience  of  Indian  character,  went  to  the  captain,  who 
was  still  pacing  the  deck  in  moody  humor,  represented  the  dan- 
ger to  which  his  hasty  act  had  exposed  the  vessel,  and  urged  him 
to  weigh  anchor.  The  captain  made  light  of  his  counsels,  and 
pointed  to  his  cannon  and  firearms  as  a  sufficient  safeguard 
against  naked  savages.  Further  remonstrances  only  provoked 
taunting  replies  and  sharp  altercations.  The  day  passed  away 
without  any  signs  of  hostility,  and  at  night  the  captain  retired  as 
usual  to  his  cabin,  taking  no  more  than  the  usual  precautions. 

On  the  following  morning,  at  daybreak,  while  the  captain  and 
Mr.  M'Kay  were  yet  asleep,  a  canoe  came  alongside  in  which  were 
twenty  Indians,  commanded  by  young  Shewish.  They  were  un- 
armed, their  aspect  and  demeanor  friendly,  and  they  held  up  otter 
skins,  and  made  signs  indicative  of  a  wish  to  trade.  The  caution 
enjoined  by  Mr.  Astor,  in  respect  to  the  admission  of  Indians  on 
board  of  the  ship,  had  been  neglected  for  some  time  past ;  and 
the  officer  of  the  watch,  perceiving  those  in  the  canoe  to  be  with- 


110  ASTORIA. 

out  weapons,  and  having  received  no  orders  to  the  contrary, 
readily  permitted  them  to  mount  the  deck.  Another  canoe  soon 
succeeded,  the  crew  of  which  was  likewise  admitted.  In  a  little 
while  other  canoes  came  off,  and  Indians  were  soon  clambering 
into  the  vessel  on  all  sides. 

The  officer  of  the  watch  now  felt  alarmed,  and  called  to  Cap- 
tain Thorn  and  Mr.  M'Kay.  By  the  time  they  came  on  deck,  it 
was  thronged  with  Indians.  The  interpreter  noticed  to  Mr. 
M'Kay  that  many  of  the  natives  wore  short  mantles  of  skins,  and 
intimated  a  suspicion  that  they  were  secretly  armed.  Mr.  M'Kay 
urged  the  captain  to  clear  the  ship  and  get  under  way.  He  again 
made  light  of  the  advice ;  but  the  augmented  swarm  of  canoes 
about  the  ship,  and  the  numbers  still  putting  off  from  shore,  at 
length  awakened  his  distrust,  and  he  ordered  some  of  the  crew  to 
weigh  anchor,  while  some  were  sent  aloft  to  make  sail. 

The  Indians  now  offered  to  trade  with  the  captain  on  his  own 
terms,  prompted,  apparently,  by  the  approaching  departure  of  the 
ship.  Accordingly,  a  hurried  trade  was  commenced.  The  main 
articles  sought  by  the  savages  in  barter,  were  knives ;  as  fast  as 
some  were  supplied  they  moved  off,  and  others  succeeded.  By 
degrees  they  were  thus  distributed  about  the  deck,  and  all  with 
weapons. 

The  anchor  was  now  nearly  up,  the  sails  were  loose,  and  the 
captain,  in  a  loud  and  peremptory  tone,  ordered  the  ship  to  be 
cleared.  In  an  instant  a  signal  yell  was  given  :  it  was  echoed  on 
every  side,  knives  and  war-clubs  were  brandished  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  the  savages  rushed  upon  their  marked  victims. 

The  first  that  fell  was  Mr.  Lewis,  the  ship's  clerk.  He  was 
leaning,  with  folded  arms,  over  a  bale  of  blankets,  engaged  in 
bargaining,  when  he  received  a  deadly  stab  in  the  back,  and  fell 
down  the  companion-way. 

Mr.  M'Kay,  who  was  seated  on  the  taffrail,  sprang  on  his  feet, 


MASSACRE   OF   THE   CREW.  Ill 


but  was  instantly  knocked  down  with  a  war-club  and  flung  back- 
wards into  the  sea,  where  he  was  dispatched  by  the  women  in  the 
canoes. 

In  the  meantime  Captain  Thorn  made  desperate  fight  against 
fearful  odds.  He  was  a  powerful  as  well  as  a  resolute  man,  but 
he  had  come  upon  deck  without  weapons.  Shewish,  the  young 
chief,  singled  him  out  as  his  peculiar  prey,  and  rushed  upon  him 
at  the  first  outbreak.  The  captain  had  barely  time  to  draw  a 
claspknife,  with  one  blow  of  which  he  laid  the  young  savage  dead 
at  his  feet.  Several  of  the  stoutest  followers  of  Shewish  now  set 
upon  him.  He  defended  himself  vigorously,  dealing  crippling 
blows  to  right  and  left,  and  strewing  the  quarter-deck  with  the 
slain  and  wounded.  His  object  was  to  fight  his  way  to  the  cabin, 
where  there  were  firearms ;  but  he  was  hemmed  in  with  foes, 
covered  with  wounds,  and  faint  with  loss  of  blood.  For  an  in- 
stant he  leaned  upon  the  tiller  wheel,  when  a  blow  from  behind, 
with  a  war-club,  felled  him  to  the  deck,  where  he  was  dispatched 
with  knives  and  thrown  overboard. 

While  this  was  transacting  upon  the  quarter-deck,  a  chance- 
medley  fight  was  going  on  throughout  the  ship.  The  crew  fought 
desperately  with  knives,  handspikes,  and  whatever  weapon  they 
could  seize  upon  in  the  moment  of  surprise.  They  were  soon, 
however,  overpowered  by  numbers,  and  mercilessly  butchered. 

As  to  the  seven  who  had  been  sent  aloft  to  make  sail,  they 
contemplated  with  horror  the  carnage  that  was  going  on  below. 
Being  destitute  of  weapons,  they  let  themselves  down  by  the  run- 
ning rigging,  in  hopes  of  getting  between  decks.  One  fell  in  the 
attempt,  and  was  instantly  dispatched  ;  another  received  a  death- 
blow in  the  back  as  he  was  descending  ;  a  third,  Stephen  Weekes, 
the  armorer,  was  mortally  wounded  as  he  was  getting  down  the 
hatchway. 

The  remaining  four  made  good  their  retreat  into  the  cabin, 


1 12  ASTORIA. 

where  they  found  Mr.  Lewis,  still  alive,  though  mortally  wounded. 
Barricading  the  cabin  door,  they  broke  holes  through  the  com- 
panion-way, and,  with  the  musketa  and  ammunition  which  were  at 
hand,  opened  a  brisk  fire  that  soon  cleared  the  deck. 

Thus  far  the  Indian  interpreter,  from  whom  these  particulars 
are  derived,  had  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  deadly  conflict.  He 
had  taken  no  part  in  it,  and  had  been  spared  by  the  natives  as 
being  of  their  race.  In  the  confusion  of  the  moment  he  took 
refuge  with  the  rest,  in  the  canoes.  The  survivors  of  the  crew 
now  sallied  forth,  and  discharged  some  of  the  deck  guns,  which 
did  great  execution  among  the  canoes,  and  drove  all  the  savages 
to  shore. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  day  no  one  ventured  to  put  off  to 
the  ship,  deterred  by  the  effects  of  the  firearms.  The  night 
passed  away  without  any  further  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  na- 
tives. When  the  day  dawned,  the  Tonquin  still  lay  at  anchor  in 
the  bay,  her  sails  all  loose  and  flapping  in  the  wind,  and  no  one 
apparently  on  board  of  her.  After  a  time,  some  of  the  canoes 
ventured  forth  to  reconnoitre,  taking  with  them  the  interpreter. 
They  paddled  about  her,  keeping  cautiously  at  a  distance,  but 
growing  more  and  more  emboldened  at  seeing  her  quiet  and  life- 
less. One  man  at  length  made  his  appearance  on  the  deck,  and 
was  recognized  by  the  interpreter  as  Mr.  Lewis.  He  made 
friendly  signs,  and  invited  them  on  board.  It  was  long  before 
they  ventured  to  comply.  Those  who  mounted  the  deck  met  with 
no  opposition  ;  no  one  was  to  be  seen  on  board  ;  for  Mr.  Lewis, 
after  inviting  them,  had  disappeared.  Other  canoes  now  pressed 
forward  to  board  the  prize  ;  the  decks  were  soon  crowded,  and 
the  sides  covered  with  clambering  savages,  all  intent  on  plunder. 
In  the  midst  of  their  eagerness  and  exultation,  the  ship  blew  up 
with  a  tremendous  explosion.  Arms,  legs,  and  mutilated  bodies 
were  blown  into  the  air,  and  dreadful  havoc  was  made  in  the  sur- 


THE   UNFORTUNATE   FUGITIVES.  113 


rounding  canoes.  The  interpreter  was  in  the  main-chains  at  the 
time  of  the  explosion,  and  was  thrown  unhurt  into  the  water, 
where  he  succeeded  in  getting  into  one  of  the  canoes.  According 
to  his  statement,  the  bay  presented  an  awful  spectacle  after  the 
catastrophe.  The  ship  had  disappeared,  but  the  bay  was  covered 
with  fragments  of  the  wreck,  with  shattered  canoes,  and  Indians 
swimming  for  their  lives,  or  struggling  in  the  agonies  of  death  ; 
while  those  who  had  escaped  the  danger  remained  aghast  and  stu- 
pefied, or  made  with  frantic  panic  for  the  shore.  Upwards  of  a 
hundred  savages  were  destroyed  by  the  explosion,  many  more 
were  shockingly  mutilated,  and  for  days  afterwards  the  limbs  and 
bodies  of  the  slain  were  thrown  upon  the  beach. 

The  inhabitants  of  Neweetee  were  overwhelmed  with  conster- 
nation at  this  astounding  calamity,  which  had  burst  upon  them  in 
the  very  moment  of  triumph.  The  warriors  sat  mute  and  mourn- 
ful, while  the  women  filled  the  air  with  loud  lamentations.  Their 
weeping  and  wailing,  however,  was  suddenly  changed  into  yells 
of  fury  at  the  sight  of  four  unfortunate  white  men,  brought  cap- 
tive into  the  village.  They  had  been  driven  on  shore  in  one  of 
the  ship's  boats,  and  taken  at  some  distance  along  the  coast. 

The  interpreter  was  permitted  to  converse  with  them.  They 
proved  to  be  the  four  brave  fellows  who  had  made  such  desperate 
defence  from  the  cabin.  The  interpreter  gathered  from  them 
some  of  the  particulars  already  related.  They  told  him  further, 
that,  after  they  had  beaten  off  the  enemy,  and  cleared  the  ship, 
Lewis  advised  that  they  should  slip  the  cable  and  endeavor  to 
get  to  sea.  They  declined  to  take  his  advice,  alleging  that  the 
wind  set  too  strongly  into  the  bay,  and  would  drive  them  on 
shore.  They  resolved,  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  to  put  off  quietly 
in  the  ship's  boat,  which  they  would  be  able  to  do  unperceived, 
and  to  coast  along  back  to  Astoria.  They  put  their  resolution 
into  effect ;  but  Lewis  refused  to  accompany  them,  being  disa- 


114  ASTORIA. 

bled  by  his  wound,  hopeless  of  escape,  and  determined  on  a  ter- 
rible revenge.  On  the  voyage  out,  he  had  repeatedly  expressed 
a  presentiment  that  he  should  die  by  his  own  hands  ;  thinking  it 
highly  probable  that  he  should  be  engaged  in  some  contest  with 
the  natives,  and  being  resolved,  in  case  of  extremity,  to  commit 
suicide  rather  than  be  made  a  prisoner.  He  now  declared  his 
intention  to  remain  on  board  of  the  ship  until  daylight,  to  decoy 
as  many  of  the  savages  on  board  as  possible,  then  to  set  fire  to 
the  powder  magazine,  and  terminate  his  life  by  a  signal  act  of 
vengeance.  How  well  he  succeeded  has  been  shown.  His  com- 
panions bade  him  a  melancholy  adieu,  and  set  off  on  their  pre- 
carious expedition.  They  strove  with  might  and  main  to  get  out 
of  the  bay,  but  found  it  impossible  to  weather  a  point  of  land, 
and  were  at  length  compelled  to  take  shelter  in  a  small  cove, 
where  they  hoped  to  remain  concealed  until  the  wind  should  be 
more  favorable.  Exhausted  by  fatigue  and  watching,  they  fell 
into  a  sound  sleep,  and  in  that  state  were  surprised  by  the  sava- 
ges. Better  had  it  been  for  those  unfortunate  men  had  they 
remained  with  Lewis,  and  shared  his  heroic  death  :  as  it  was, 
they  perished  in  a  more  painful  and  protracted  manner,  being 
sacrificed  by  the  natives  to  the  manes  of  their  friends  with  all  the 
lingering  tortures  of  savage  cruelty.  Some  time  after  their 
death,  the  interpreter,  who  had  remained  a  kind  of  prisoner  at 
large,  effected  his  escape,  and  brought  the  tragical  tidings  to 
Astoria. 

Such  is  the  melancholy  story  of  the  Tonquin,  and  such  was 
the  fate  of  her  brave,  but  headstrong  commander,  and  her  adven- 
turous crew.  It  is  a  catastrophe  that  shows  the  importance,  in 
all  enterprises  of  moment,  to  keep  in  mind  the  general  instruc- 
tions of  the  sagacious  heads  which  devise  them.  Mr.  Astor  was 
well  aware  of  the  perils  to  which  ships  were  exposed  on  this 
coast  from  quarrels  with  the  natives,  and  from  perfidious  attempts 


ERRORS   OF  CAPTAIN   THORN.  115 


of  the  latter  to  surprise  and  capture  them  in  unguarded  mo- 
ments. He  had  repeatedly  enjoined  it  upon  Captain  Thorn,  in 
conversation,  and  at  parting,  in  his  letter  of  instructions,  to  be 
courteous  and  kind  in  his  dealings  with  the  savages,  but  by  no 
means  to  confide  in  their  apparent  friendship,  nor  to  admit  more 
than  a  few  on  board  of  his  ship  at  a  time. 

Had  the  deportment  of  Captain  Thorn  been  properly  regula- 
ted, the  insult  so  wounding  to  savage  pride  would  never  have 
been  given.  Had  he  enforced  the  rule  to  admit  but  a  few  at  a 
time,  the  savages  would  not  have  been  able  to  get  the  mastery. 
He  was  too  irritable,  however,  to  practise  the  necessary  self-com- 
mand, and,  having  been  nurtured  in  a  proud  contempt  of  danger, 
thought  it  beneath  him  to  manifest  any  fear  of  a  crew  of  unarmed 
savages. 

With  all  his  faults  and  foibles,  we  cannot  but  speak  of  him 
with  esteem,  and  deplore  his  untimely  fate ;  for  we  remember 
him  well  in  early  life,  as  a  companion  in  pleasant  scenes  and 
joyous  hours.  When  on  shore,  among  his  friends,  he  was  a  frank, 
manly,  sound-hearted  sailor.  On  board  ship  he  evidently  as- 
sumed the  hardness  of  deportment  and  sternness  of  demeanor 
which  many  deem  essential  to  naval  service*  Throughout  the 
whole  of  the  expedition,  however,  he  showed  himself  loyal,  single- 
minded,  straight-forward,  and  fearless  ;  and  if  the  fate  of  his  ves- 
sel may  be  charged  to  his  harshness  and  imprudence,  we  should 
recollect  that  he  paid  for  his  error  with  his  life. 

The  loss  of  the  Tonquin  was  a  grievous  blow  to  the  infant 
establishment  of  Astoria,  and  one  that  threatened  to  bring  after 
it  a  train  of  disasters.  The  intelligence  of  it  did  not  reach  Mr. 
Astor  until  many  months  afterwards.  He  felt  it  in  all  its  force, 
and  was  aware  that  it  must  cripple,  if  not  entirely  defeat,  the 
great  scheme  of  his  ambition.  In  his  letters,  written  at  the  time, 
he  speaks  of  it  as  "  a  calamity,  the  length  of  which  he  could  not 


116  ASTORIA. 

foresee."  He  indulged,  however,  in  no  weak  and  vain  lamenta- 
tion, but  sought  to  devise  a  prompt  and  efficient  remedy.  The 
very  same  evening  he  appeared  at  the  theatre  with  his  usual 
serenity  of  countenance.  A  friend,  who  knew  the  disastrous 
intelligence  he  had  received,  expressed  his  astonishment  that  he 
could  have  calmness  of  spirit  sufficient  for  such  a  scene  of  light 
amusement.  "  What  would  you  have  me  do  ?"  was  his  charac- 
teristic reply ;  "  would  you  have  me  stay  at  home  and  weep  for 
what  I  cannot  help  ?" 


GLOOM  AT  ASTORIA.  117 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  tidings  of  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin,  and  the  massacre  of  her 
crew,  struck  dismay  into  the  hearts  of  the  Astorians.  They  found 
themselves  a  mere  handful  of  men,  on  a  savage  coast,  surrounded 
by  hostile  tribes,  who  would  doubtless  be  incited  and  encouraged 
to  deeds  of  violence  by  the  late  fearful  catastrophe.  In  this 
juncture  Mr.  M'Dougal,  we  are  told,  had  recourse  to  a  stratagem 
by  which  to  avail  himself  of  the  ignorance  and  credulity  of  the 
savages,  and  which  certainly  does  credit  to  his  ingenuity. 

The  natives  of  the  coast,  and,  indeed,  of  all  the  regions  west 
of  the  mountains,  had  an  extreme  dread  of  the  smallpox ;  that 
terrific  scourge  having,  a  few  years  previously,  appeared  among 
them,  and  almost  swept  off  entire  tribes.  Its  origin  and  nature 
were  wrapped  in  mystery,  and  they  conceived  it  an  evil  inflicted 
upon  them  by  the  Great  Spirit,  or  brought  among  them  by  the 
white  men.  The  last  idea  was  seized  upon  by  Mr.  M'Dougal. 
He  assembled  several  of  the  chieftains  whom  he  believed  to  be  in 
the  conspiracy.  When  they  were  all  seated  around,  he  informed 
them  that  he  had  heard  of  the  treachery  of  some  of  their  northern 
brethren  towards  the  Tonquin,  and  was  determined  on  vengeance. 
"  The  white  men  among  you,"  said  he,  "  are  few  in  number,  it  is 
true,  but  they  are  mighty  in  medicine.  See  here,"  continued  he, 
drawing  forth  a  small  bottle  and  holding  it  before  their  eyes,  "  in 
this  bottle  I  hold  the  smallpox,  safely  corked  up ;  I  have  but  to 
draw  the  cork,  and  let  loose  the  pestilence,  to  sweep  man,  woman, 
and  child  from  the  face  of  the  earth." 


118  ASTORIA. 

The  chiefs  were  struck  with  horror  and  alarm.  They  implored 
him  not  to  uncork  the  bottle,  since  they  and  all  their  people  were 
firm  friends  of  the  white  men,  and  would  always  remain  so ;  but, 
should  the  smallpox  be  once  let  out,  it  would  run  like  wildfire 
throughout  the  country,  sweeping  off  the  good  as  well  as  the  bad  ; 
and  surely  he  would  not  be  so  unjust  as  to  punish  his  friends  for 
crimes  committed  by  his  enemies. 

Mr.  M'Dougal  pretended  to  be  convinced  by  their  reasoning, 
and  assured  them  that,  so  long  as  the  white  people  should  be 
unmolested,  and  the  conduct  of  their  Indian  neighbors  friendly 
and  hospitable,  the  phial  of  wrath  should  remain  sealed  up  ;  but, 
on  the  least  hostility,  the  fatal  cork  should  be  drawn. 

From  this  time,  it  is  added,  he  was  much  dreaded  by  the 
natives,  as  one  who  held  their  fate  in  his  hands,  and  was  called, 
by  way  of  pre-eminence,  a  the  Great  Smallpox  Chief." 

All  this  while,  the  labors  at  the  infant  settlement  went  on  with 
unremitting  assiduity,  and,  by  the  26th  of  September,  a  commo- 
dious mansion,  spacious  enough  to  accommodate  all  hands,  was 
completed.  It  was  built  of  stone  and  clay,  there  being  no  calcare- 
ous stone  in  the  neighborhood  from  which  lime  for  mortar  could 
be  procured.  The  schooner  was  also  finished,  and  launched,  with 
the  accustomed  ceremony,  on  the  second  of  October,  and  took  her 
station  below  the  fort.  She  was  named  the  Dolly,  and  was  the 
first  American  vessel  launched  on  this  coast. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  in  the  evening,  the  little  community 
at  Astoria  was  enlivened  by  the  unexpected  arrival  of  a  detach- 
ment from  Mr.  David  Stuart's  post  on  the  Oakinagan.  It  con- 
sisted of  two  of  the  clerks  and  two  of  the  privates.  They  brought 
favorable  accounts  of  the  new  establishment,  but  reported  that, 
as  Mr.  Stuart  was  apprehensive  there  might  be  a  difficulty  of 
subsisting  his  whole  party  throughout  the  winter,  he  had  sent 
one  half  back  to  Astoria,  retaining  with  him  only  Boss,  Montig- 


AN  ARRIVAL.  119 


ny,  and  two  others.  Such  is  the  hardihood  of  the  Indian  trader. 
In  the  heart  of  a  savage  and  unknown  country,  seven  hundred 
miles  from  the  main  body  of  his  fellow-adventurers,  Stuart  had 
dismissed  half  of  his  little  number,  and  was  prepared  with  the 
residue  to  brave  all  the  perils  of  the  wilderness,  and  the  rigors 
of  a  long  and  dreary  winter. 

With  the  return  party  came  a  Canadian  Creole  named  Regis 
Brugiere,  and  an  Iroquois  hunter,  with  his  wife  and  two  children. 
As  these  two  personages  belong  to  certain  classes  which  have 
derived  their  peculiar  characteristics  from  the  fur  trade,  we  deem 
some  few  particulars  concerning  them  pertinent  to  the  nature  of 
this  work. 

Brugiere  was  of  a  class  of  beaver  trappers  and  hunters  tech- 
nically called  freemen,  in  the  language  of  the  traders.  They  are 
generally  Canadians  by  birth,  and  of  French  descent,  who  have 
been  employed  for  a  term  of  years  by  some  fur  company,  but, 
their  term  being  expired,  continue  to  hunt  and  trap  on  their  own 
account,  trading  with  the  company  like  the  Indians.  Hence  they 
derive  their  appellation  of  freemen,  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
trappers  who  are  bound  for  a  number  of  years,  and  receive  wages, 
or  hunt  on  shares. 

Having  passed  their  early  youth  in  the  wilderness,  separated 
almost  entirely  from  civilized  man,  and  in  frequent  intercourse 
with  the  Indians,  they  relapse,  with  a  facility  common  to  human 
nature,  into  the  habitudes  of  savage  life.  Though  no  longer 
bound  by  engagements  to  continue  in  the  interior,  they  have 
become  so  accustomed  to  the  freedom  of  the  forest  and  the  prai- 
rie, that  they  look  back  with  repugnance  upon  the  restraints  of 
civilization.  Most  of  them  intermarry  with  the  natives,  and,  like 
the  latter,  have  often  a  plurality  of  wives.  Wanderers  of  the  wil- 
derness, according  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  seasons,  the  migra- 
tions of  animals,  and  the  plenty  or  scarcity  of  game,  they  lead  a 


120  ASTORIA. 

precarious  and  unsettled  existence ;  exposed  to  sun  and  storm, 
and  all  kinds  of  hardships,  until  they  resemble  Indians  in  com- 
plexion as  well  as  in  tastes  and  habits.  From  time  to  time,  they 
bring  the  peltries  they  have  collected  to  the  trading  houses  of  the 
company  in  whose  employ  they  have  been  brought  up.  Here  they 
traffic  them  away  for  such  articles  of  merchandise  or  ammunition 
as  they  may  stand  in  need  of.  At  the  time  when  Montreal  was 
the  great  emporium  of  the  fur  trader,  one  of  these  freemen  of  the 
wilderness  would  suddenly  return,  after  an  absence  of  many 
years,  among  his  old  friends  and  comrades.  He  would  be  greeted 
as  one  risen  from  the  dead ;  and  with  the  greater  welcome,  as  he 
returned  flush  of  money.  A  short  time,  however,  spent  in  revelry 
would  be  sufficient  to  drain  his  purse  and  sate  him  with  civilized 
life,  and  he  would  return  with  new  relish  to  the  unshackled  free- 
dom of  the  forest. 

Numbers  of  men  of  this  class  were  scattered  throughout  the 
northwest  territories.  Some  of  them  retained  a  little  of  the 
thrift  and  forethought  of  the  civilized  man,  and  became  wealthy 
among  their  improvident  neighbors  ;  their  wealth  being  chiefly 
displayed  in  large  bands  of  horses,  which  covered  the  prairies  in 
the  vicinity  of  their  abodes.  Most  of  them,  however,  were  prone 
to  assimilate  to  the  red  man  in  their  heedlessness  of  the  future. 

Such  was  Regis  Brugiere,  a  freeman  and  rover  of  the  wilder- 
ness. Having  been  brought  up  in  the  service  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  he  had  followed  in  the  train  of  one  of  its  expeditions 
across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  undertaken  to  trap  for  the 
trading  post  established  on  the  Spokan  River.  In  the  course  of 
his  hunting  excursions  he  had  either  accidentally,  or  designedly, 
found  his  way  to  the  post  of  Mr.  Stuart,  and  been  prevailed  upon 
to  descend  the  Columbia,  and  "  try  his  luck  "  at  Astoria. 

Ignace  Shonowane,  the  Iroquois  hunter,  was  a  specimen  of  a 
different  class.  He  was  one  of  those  aboriginals  of  Canada  who 


WINTER   ON   THE   COLUMBIA.  121 


had  partially  conformed  to  the  habits  of  civilization,  and  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity,  under  the  influence  of  the  French  colon- 
ists and  the  Catholic  priests ;  who  seem  generally  to  have  been 
more  successful  in  conciliating,  taming,  and  converting  the  savages, 
than  their  English  and  Protestant  rivals.  These  half-civilized 
Indians  retained  some  of  the  good,  and  many  of  the  evil  quali- 
ties of  their  original  stock.  They  were  first-rate  hunters,  and 
dexterous  in  the  management  of  the  canoe.  They  could  undergo 
great  privations,  and  were  admirable  for  the  service  of  the  rivers, 
lakes,  and  forests,  provided  they  could  be  kept  sober,  and  in 
proper  subordination ;  but,  once  inflamed  with  liquor,  to  which 
they  were  madly  addicted,  all  the  dormant  passions,  inherent  in 
their  nature,  were  prone  to  break  forth,  and  to  hurry  them  into 
the  most  vindictive  and  bloody  acts  of  violence. 

Though  they  generally  professed  the  Roman  Catholic  religion, 
yet  it  was  mixed,  occasionally,  with  some  of  their  ancient  super- 
stitions ;  and  they  retained  much  of  the  Indian  belief  in  charms 
and  omens.  Numbers  of  these  men  were  employed  by  the  North- 
west Company  as  trappers,  hunters,  and  canoe  men,  but  on  lower 
terms  than  were  allowed  to  white  men.  Ignace  Shonowane  had, 
in  this  way,  followed  the  enterprise  of  the  company  to  the  banks 
of  the  Spokan,  being,  probably,  one  of  the  first  of  his  tribe  that 
had  traversed  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Such  were  some  of  the  motley  populace  of  the  wilderness,  in- 
cident to  the  fur  trade,  who  were  gradually  attracted  to  the 
new  settlement  of  Astoria. 

The  month,  of  October  now  began  to  give  indications  of 
approaching  winter.  Hitherto,  the  colonists  had  been  well 
pleased  with  the  climate.  The  summer  had  been  temperate, 
the  mercury  never  rising  above  eighty  degrees.  Westerly  winds 
had  prevailed  during  the  spring  and  the  early  part  of  summer, 
and  been  succeeded  by  fresh  breezes  from  the  northwest.  In 

6 


122  ASTORIA. 

the  month  of  October  the  southerly  winds  set  in,  bringing  with 
them  frequent  rain. 

The  Indians  now  began  to  quit  the  borders  of  the  ocean,  and 
to  retire  to  their  winter-quarters  in  the  sheltered  bosom  of  the 
forests,  or  along  the  small  rivers  and  brooks.  The  rainy  season, 
which  commences  in  October,  continues,  with  little  intermission, 
until  April ;  and  though  the  winters  are  generally  mild,  the 
mercury  seldom  sinking  below  the  freezing  point,  yet  the  tem- 
pests of  wind  and  rain  are  terrible.  The  sun  is  sometimes 
obscured  for  weeks,  the  brooks  swell  into  roaring  torrents,  and 
the  country  is  threatened  with  a  deluge. 

The  departure  of  the  Indians  to  their  winter-quarters  gradu- 
ally rendered  provisions  scanty,  and  obliged  the  colonists  to 
send  out  foraging  expeditions  in  the  Dolly.  Still,  the  little 
handful  of  adventurers  kept  up  their  spirits  in  their  lonely  fort 
at  Astoria,  looking  forward  to  the  time  when  they  should  be 
animated  and  reinforced  by  the  party  under  Mr.  Hunt,  that 
was  to  come  to  them  across  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  year  gradually  wore  away.  The  rain,  which  had  poured 
down  almost  incessantly  since  the  first  of  October,  cleared  up 
towards  the  evening  of  the  31st  of  December,  and  the  morning 
of  the  first  of  January  ushered  in  a  day  of  sunshine. 

The  hereditary  French  holiday  spirit  of  the  Canadian  voya- 
geurs  is  hardly  to  be  depressed  by  any  adversities ;  and  they 
can  manage  to  get  up  a  fete  in  the  most  squalid  situations,  and 
under  the  most  untoward  circumstances.  An  extra  allowance 
of  rum,  and  a  little  flour  to  make  cakes  and  puddings,  constitute 
a  "  regale ;"  and  they  forget  all  their  toils  and  troubles  in  the 
song  and  dance. 

On  the  present  occasion,  the  partners  endeavored  to  cele- 
brate the  new  year  with  some  effect.  At  sunrise  the  drums 
beat  to  arms,  the  colors  were  hoisted,  with  three  rounds  of  small 


NEW-YEAR  FESTIVITIES.  123 


arms  and  three  discharges  of  cannon.  The  day  was  devoted  to 
games  of  agility  and  strength,  and  other  amusements ;  and  grog 
was  temperately  distributed,  together  with  bread,  butter,  and 
cheese.  The  best  dinner  their  circumstances  could  afford  was 
served  up  at  mid-day.  At  sunset  the  colors  were  lowered,  with 
another  discharge  of  artillery.  The  night  was  spent  in  dancing ; 
and,  though  there  was  a  lack  of  female  partners  to  excite  their 
gallantry,  the  voyageurs  kept  up  the  ball,  with  true  French 
spirit,  until  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  So  passed  the  new 
year  festival  of  1812  at  the  infant  colony  of  Astoria. 


124  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

WE  have  followed  up  the  fortunes  of  the  maritime  part  of  this 
enterprise  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  and  have  conducted  the 
affairs  of  the  embryo  establishment  to  the  opening  of  the  new 
year ;  let  us  now  turn  back  to  the  adventurous  band  to  whom 
was  intrusted  the  land  expedition,  and  who  were  to  make  their 
way  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  up  vast  rivers,  across  track- 
less plains,  and  over  the  rugged  barriers  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  conduct  of  this  expedition,  as  has  been  already  men- 
tioned, was  assigned  to  Mr.  Wilson  Price  Hunt,  of  Trenton, 
New  Jersey,  one  of  the  partners  of  the  company,  who  was  ulti- 
mately to  be  at  the  head  of  the  establishment  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia.  He  is  represented  as  a  man  scrupulously  upright 
^nd  faithful  in  his  dealings,  amicable  in  his  disposition,  and  of 
most  accommodating  manners  ;  and  his  whole  conduct  will  be 
found  in  unison  with  such  a  character.  He  was  not  practi- 
cally experienced  in  the  Indian  trade  ;  that  is  to  say,  he  had 
never  made  any  expeditions  of  traffic  into  the  heart  of  the  wilder- 
ness, but  he  had  been  engaged  in  commerce  at  St.  Louis,  then  a 
frontier  settlement  on  the  Mississippi,  where  the  chief  branch  of 
his  business  had  consisted  in  furnishing  Indian  traders  with  goods 
and  equipments.  In  this  way,  he  had  acquired  much  knowledge 
of  the  trade  at  second  hand,  and  of  the  various  tribes,  and  the 
interior  country  over  which  it  extended. 

Another  of  the  partners,  Mr.  Donald  M'Kenzie,  was  associa- 
ted with  Mr.  Hunt  in  the  expedition,  and  excelled  on  those  points 


DONALD   M'KENZIE.  125 


in  which  the  other  was  deficient ;  for  he  had  been  ten  years  in 
the  interior,  in  the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  val- 
ued himself  on  his  knowledge  of  "  woodcraft,"  and  the  strategy 
of  Indian  trade  and  Indian  warfare.  He  had  a 'frame  seasoned 
to  toils  and  hardships  ;  a  spirit  not  to  be  intimidated,  and  was 
reputed  to  be  a  "  remarkable  shot ;"  which  of  itself,  was  sufficient 
to  give  him  renown  upon  the  frontier. 

Mr.  Hunt  and  his  coadjutor  repaired,  about  the  latter  part  of 
July,  1810,  to  Montreal,  the  ancient  emporium  of  the  fur  trade, 
where  every  thing  requisite  for  the  expedition  could  be  procured. 
One  of  the  first  objects  was  to  recruit  a  complement  of  Canadian 
voyageurs  from  the  disbanded  herd  usually  to  be  found  loitering 
about  the  place.  A  degree  of  jockeyship,  however,  is  required 
for  this  service,  for  a  Canadian  voyageur  is  as  full  of  latent  tricks 
and  vice  as  a  horse ;  and  when  he  makes  the  greatest  external 
promise,  is  prone  to  prove  the  greatest  "  take  in."  Beside,  the 
Northwest  Company,  who  maintained  a  long  established  control 
at  Montreal,  and  knew  the  qualities  of  every  voyageur,  secretly 
interdicted  the  prime  hands  from  engaging  in  this  new  service  ; 
so  that,  although  liberal  terms  were  offered,  few  presented  them- 
selves but  such  as  were  not  worth  having. 

From  these,  Mr.  Hunt  engaged  a  number  sufficient,  as  he  sup- 
posed, for  present  purposes  ;  and,  having  laid  in  a  supply  of  ammu- 
nition, provisions  and  Indian  goods,  embarked  all  on  board  one  of 
those  great  canoes  at  that  time  universally  used  by  the  fur  traders 
for  navigating  the  intricate  and  often-obstructed  rivers.  The  canoe 
was  between  thirty  and  forty  feet  long,  and  several  feet  in  width ; 
constructed  of  birch  bark,  sewed  with  fibres  of  the  roots  of  the 
spruce  tree,  and  daubed  with  resin  of  the  pine,  instead  of  tar. 
The  cargo  was  made  up  in  packages,  weighing  from  ninety  to  one 
hundred  pounds  each,  for  the  facility  of  loading  and  unloading, 
and  of  transportation  at  portages.  The  canoe  itself,  though  capa- 


126  ASTORIA. 

ble  of  sustaining  a  freight  of  upwards  of  four  tons,  could  readily 
be  carried  on  men's  shoulders.  Canoes  of  this  size  are  generally 
managed  by  eight  or  ten  men,  two  of  whom  are  picked  veterans, 
who  receive  double  wages,  and  are  stationed,  one  at  the  bow  and 
the  other  at  the  stern,  to  keep  a  look-out  and  to  steer.  They  are 
termed  the  foreman  and  the  steersman.  The  rest,  who  ply  the 
paddles,  are  called  middle  men.  When  there  is  a  favorable 
breeze,  the  canoe  is  occasionally  navigated  with  a  sail. 

The  expedition  took  its  regular  departure,  as  usual,  from  St. 
Anne's,  near  the  extremity  of  the  island  of  Montreal,  the  great 
starting  place  of  the  traders  to  the  interior.  Here  stood  the  an- 
cient chapel  of  St.  Anne,  the  patroness  of  the  Canadian  voya- 
geurs;  where  they  made  confession,  and  offered  up  their  vows, 
previous  to  departing  on  any  hazardous  expedition.  The  shrine 
of  the  saint  was  decorated  with  relics  and  votive  offerings  hung 
up  by  these  superstitious  beings,  either  to  propitiate  her  favor,  or 
in  gratitude  for  some  signal  deliverance  in  the  wilderness.  It 
was  the  custom,  too,  of  these  devout  vagabonds,  after  leaving  the 
chapel,  to  have  a  grand  carouse,  in  honor  of  the  saint  and  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  voyage.  In  this  part  of  their  devotions,  the 
crew  of  Mr.  Hunt  proved  themselves  by  no  means  deficient.  In- 
deed, he  soon  discovered  that  his  recruits,  enlisted  at  Montreal, 
were  fit  to  vie  with  the  ragged  regiment  of  Falstaff.  Some  were 
able-bodied,  but  inexpert ;  others  were  expert,  but  lazy  ;  while  a 
third  class  were  expert  and  willing,  but  totally  worn  out,  being 
broken-down  veterans,  incapable  of  toil. 

With  this  inefficient  crew  he  made  his  way  up  the  Ottawa 
River,  and  by  the  ancient  route  of  the  fur  traders,  along  a  suc- 
cession of  small  lakes  and  rivers,  to  Michilimackinac.  Their 
progress  was  slow  and  tedious.  Mr.  Hunt  was  not  accustomed 
to  the  management  of  "  voyageurs,"  and  he  had  a  crew  admirably 
disposed  to  play  the  old  soldier,  and  balk  their  work ;  and  ever 


MACKINAW.  127 


ready  to  come  to  a  halt,  land,  make  a  fire,  put  on  the  great  pot, 
and  smoke,  and  gossip,  and  sing  by  the  hour. 

It  was  not  until  the  22d  of  July  that  they  arrived  at  Macki- 
naw, situated  on  the  island  of  the  same  name,  at  the  confluence 
of  lakes  Huron  and  Michigan.  This  famous  old  French  trading- 
post  continued  to  be  a  rallying  point  for  a  multifarious  and"  mot- 
ley population.  The  inhabitants  were  amphibious  in  their  habits, 
most  of  them  being,  or  having  been,  voyageurs  or  canoe  men.  It 
was  the  great  place  of  arrival  and  departure  of  the  southwest  fur 
trade.  Here  the  Mackinaw  Company  had  established  its  princi- 
pal post,  from  whence  it  communicated  with  the  interior  and  with 
Montreal.  Hence  its  various  traders  and  trappers  set-out  for 
their  respective  destinations  about  Lake  Superior  and  its  tribu- 
tary waters,  or  for  the  Mississippi,  the  Arkansas,  the  Missouri,  and 
the  other  regions  of  the  west.  Here,  after  the  absence  of  a  year, 
or  more,  they  returned  with  their  peltries,  and  settled  their  ac- 
counts ;  the  furs  rendered  in  by  them  being  transmitted,  in 
canoes,  from  hence  to  Montreal.  Mackinaw  was,  therefore,  for  a 
great  part  of  the  year,  very  scantily  peopled;  but  at  certain 
seasons  the  traders  arrived  from  all  points,  with  their  crews  of 
voyageurs,  and  the  place  swarmed  like  a  hive. 

Mackinaw,  at  that  time,  was  a  mere  village,  stretching  along 
a  small  bay,  with  a  fine  broad  beach  in  front  of  its  principal  row 
of  houses,  and  dominated  by  the  old  fort,  which  crowned  an  im- 
pending height.  The  beach  was  a  kind  of  public  promenade, 
where  were  displayed  all  the  vagaries  of  a  seaport  on  the  arrival 
of  a  fleet  from  a  long  cruise.  Here  voyageurs  frolicked  away 
their  wages,  fiddling  and  dancing  in  the  booths  and  cabins,  buy- 
ing all  kinds  of  knick-knacks,  dressing  themselves  out  finely,  and 
parading  up  and  down,  like  arrant  braggarts  and  coxcombs. 
Sometimes  they  met  with  rival  coxcombs  in  the  young  Indians 
from  the  opposite  shore,  who  would  appear  on  the  beach  painted 


128  ASTORIA. 

and  decorated  in  fantastic  style,  and  would  saunter  up  and  down, 
to  be  gazed  at  and  admired,  perfectly  satisfied  that  they  eclipsed 
their  pale-faced  competitors. 

Now  and  then  a  chance  party  of  "  Northwesters "  appeared  at 
Mackinaw  from  the  rendezvous  at  Fort  William.  These  held 
themselves  up  as  the  chivalry  of  the  fur  trade.  They  were  men 
of  iron  ;  proof  against  cold  weather,  hard  fare,  and  perils  of  all 
kinds.  Some  would  wear  the  northwest  button,  and  a  formidable 
dirk,  and  assume  something  of  a  military  air.  They  generally 
wore  feathers  in  their  hats,  and  affected  the  "  brave."  "  Je  suis 
un  homme  du  nord  !" — "  I  am  a  man  of  the  north,"  one  of  these 
swelling  fellows  would  exclaim,  sticking  his  arms  akimbo  and 
ruffling  by  the  Southwesters  ;  whom  he  regarded  with  great  con- 
tempt, as  men  softened  by  mild  climates  and  the  luxurious  fare 
of  bread  and  bacon,  and  whom  he  stigmatized  with  the  inglori- 
ous name  of  pork  eaters.  The  superiority  assumed  by  these 
vainglorious  swaggerers  was,  in  general,  tacitly  admitted.  In- 
deed, some  of  them  had  acquired  great  notoriety  for  deeds  of 
hardihood  and  courage  ;  for  the  fur  trade  had  its  heroes,  whose 
names  resounded  throughout  the  wilderness. 

Such  was  Mackinaw  at  the  time  of  which  we  are  treating.  It 
now,  doubtless,  presents  a  totally  different  aspect.  The  fur  com- 
panies no  longer  assemble  there ;  the  navigation  of  the  lakes  is 
carried  on  by  steamboats  and  various  shipping,  and  the  race  of 
traders,  and  trappers,  and  voyageurs,  and  Indian  dandies,  have 
vapored  out  their  brief  hour  and  disappeared.  Such  changes 
does  the  lapse  of  a  handful  of  years  make  in  this  ever-changing 
country. 

At  this  place  Mr.  Hunt  remained  for  some  time,  to  complete 
his  assortment  of  Indian  goods,  and  to  increase  his  number  of 
voyageurs,  as  well  as  to  engage  some  of  a  more  efficient  character 
than  those  enlisted  at  Montreal. 


A  STOOL-PIGEON— A  DECOY  PLUME.  129 


And  now  commenced  another  game  of  jockeysliip.  There 
were  able  and  efficient  men  in  abundance  at  Mackinaw,  but  for 
several  days  not  one  presented  himself.  If  offers*  were  made  to 
any,  they  were  listened  to  with  a  shake  of  the  head.  Should  any 
one  seem  inclined  to  enlist,  there  were  officious  idlers  and  busy- 
bodies,  of  that  class  who  are  ever  ready  to  dissuade  others  from 
any  enterprise  in  which  they  themselves  have  no  concern.  These 
would  pull  him  by  the  sleeve,  take  him  on  one  side,  and  murmur 
in  his  ear,  or  would  suggest  difficulties  outright. 

It  was  objected  that  the  expedition  would  have  to  navigate 
unknown  rivers,  and  pass  through  howling  wildernesses  infested 
by  savage  tribes,  who  had  already  cut  off  the  unfortunate  voy- 
ageurs  that  had  ventured  among  them  ;  that  it  was  to  climb  the 
Rocky  Mountains  and  descend  into  desolate  and  famished  re- 
gions, where  the  traveller  was  often  obliged  to  subsist  on  grass- 
hoppers and  crickets,  or  to  kill  his  own  horse  for  food. 

At  length  one  man  was  hardy  enough  to  engage,  and  he  was 
used  like  a  -  stool-pigeon,"  to  decoy  others  ;  but  several  days 
elapsed  before  any  more  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  join  him. 
A  few  then  came  to  terms.  It  was  desirable  to  engage  them  for 
five  years,  but  some  refused  to  engage  for  more  than  three. 
Then  they  must  have  part  of  their  pay  in  advance,  which  was 
readily  granted.  When  they  had  pocketed  the  amount,  and 
squandered  it  in  regales  or  in  outfits,  they  began  to  talk  of  pecu- 
niary obligations  at  Mackinaw,  which  must  be  discharged  before 
they  would  be  free  to  depart ;  or  engagements  with  other  persons, 
which  were  only  to  be  cancelled  by  a.  "  reasonable  consideration." 

It  was  in  vain  to  argue  or  remonstrate.  The  money  advanced 
had  already  been  sacked  and  spent,  and  must  be  lost  and  the 
recruits  left  behind,  unless  they  could  be  freed  from  their  debts 
and  engagements.  Accordingly,  a  fine  was  paid  for  one  ;  a  judg- 
ment for  another ;  a  tavern  bill  for  the  third ;  and  almost  all  had 

6* 


130  ASTORIA. 

to  be  bought  off  from  some  prior  engagement,  either  real  or 
pretended. 

Mr.  Hunt  groaned  in  spirit  at  the  incessant  and  unreasonable 
demands  of  these  worthies  upon  his  purse  ;  yet  with  all  this 
outlay  of  funds,  the  number  recruited  was  but  scanty,  and  many 
of  the  most  desirable  still  held  themselves  aloof,  and  were  not  to 
be  caught  by  a  golden  bait.  With  these  he  tried  another  temp- 
tation. Among  the  recruits  who  had  enlisted  he  distributed 
feathers  and  ostrich  plumes.  These  they  put  in  their  hats,  and 
thus  figured  about  Mackinaw,  assuming  airs  of  vast  importance, 
as  "  voyageurs  in  a  new  company,  that  was  to  eclipse"  the  North- 
west." The  effect  was  complete.  A  French  Canadian  is  too 
vain  and  mercurial  a  being  to  withstand  the  finery  and  ostenta- 
tion of  the  feather.  Numbers  immediately  pressed  into  the  ser- 
vice. One  must  have  an  ostrich  plume  ;  another,  a  white  feather 
with  a  red  end  ;  a  third,  a  bunch  of  cocks'  tails.  Thus  all  para- 
ded about,  in  vainglorious  style,  more  delighted  with  the  feathers 
in  their  hats  than  with  the  money  in  their  pockets  ;  and  consider- 
ing themselves  fully  equal  to  the  boastful  "  men  of  the  north." 

While  thus  recruiting  the  number  of  rank  and  file,  Mr.  Hunt 
was  joined  by  a  person  whom  he  had  invited,  by  letter,  to  engage 
as  a  partner  in  the  expedition.  This  was  Mr.  Ramsay  Crooks,  a 
young  man,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  had  served  under  the 
Northwest  Company,  and  been  engaged  in  trading  expeditions 
upon  his  individual  account,  among  the  tribes  of  the  Missouri. 
Mr.  Hunt  knew  him  personally,  and  had  conceived  a  high  and 
merited  opinion  of  his  judgment,  enterprise,  and  integrity ;  he 
was  rejoiced,  therefore,  when  the  latter  consented  to  accompany 
him.  Mr.  Crooks,  however,  drew  from  experience  a  picture  of 
the  dangers  to  which  they  would  be  subjected,  and  urged  the 
importance  of  going  with  a  considerable  force.  In  ascending  the 
upper  Missouri  they  would  have  to  pass  through  the  country  of 


EMBARKATION  OF  CANADIAN  VOYAGEURS.  131 


the  Sioux  Indians,  who  had  manifested  repeated  hostility  to  the 
white  traders,  and  rendered  their  expeditions  extremely  perilous ; 
firing  upon  them  from  the  river  banks  as  they  passed  beneath  in 
their  boats,  and  attacking  them  in  their  encampments.  Mr. 
Crooks  himself,  when  voyaging  in  company  ^rith  another  trader 
of  the  name  of  M'Lellan,  had  been  interrupted  by  these  marau- 
ders, and  had  considered  himself  fortunate  in  escaping  down  the 
river  without  loss  of  life  or  property,  but  with  a  total  abandon- 
ment of  his  trading  voyage. 

Should  they  be  fortunate  enough  to  pass  through  the  country 

of  the  Sioux  without  molestation,  they  would  have  another  tribe 

•still  more  savage  and  warlike  beyond,  and  deadly  foes  of  the 

white   men.      These  were  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  who  ranged 

over  a  wide  extent  of  country  which  they  would  have  to  traverse. 

Under  all  these  circumstances,  it  was  thought  advisable  to 
augment  the  party  considerably.  It  already  exceeded  the  num- 
ber of  thirty,  to  which  it  had  originally  been  limited ;  but  it 
was  determined,  on  arriving  at  St.  Louis,  to  increase  it  to  the 
number  of  sixty. 

These  matters  being  arranged,  they  prepared  to  embark; 
but  the  embarkation  of  a  crew  of  Canadian  voyageurs,  on  a  dis- 
tant expedition,  is  not  so  easy  a  matter  as  might  be  imagined ; 
especially  of  such  a  set  of  vainglorious  fellows  with  money  in 
both  pockets,  and  cocks'  tails  in  their  hats.  Like  sailors,  the 
Canadian  voyageurs  generally  preface  a  long  cruise  with  a 
carouse.  They  have  their  cronies,  their  brothers,  their  cousins, 
their  wives,  their  sweethearts;  all  to  be  entertained  at  their 
expense.  They  feast,  they  fiddle,  they  drink,  they  sing,  they 
dance,  they  frolic  and. fight,  until  they  are  all  as  mad  as  so 
many  drunken  Indians.  The  publicans  are  all  obedience  to 
their  commands,  never  hesitating  to  let  them  run  up  scores 
without  limit,  knowing  that,  when  their  own  money  is  expended, 


138  ASTORIA. 

the  purses  of  their  employers  must  answer  for  the  bill,  or  the 
voyage  must  be  delayed.  Neither  was  it  possible,  at  that  time, 
to  remedy  the  matter  at  Mackinaw.  In  that  amphibious  com- 
munity there  was  always  a  propensity  to  wrest  the  laws  in  favor 
of  riotous  or  mutinous  boatmen.  It  was  necessary,  also,  to 
keep  the  recruits  in  good  humor,  seeing  the  novelty  and  dan- 
ger of  the  service  into  which  they  were  entering,  and  the  ease 
with  which  they  might  at  any  time  escape  it,  by  jumping  into 
a  canoe  and  going  down  the  stream. 

Such  were  the  scenes  that  beset  Mr.  Hunt,  and  gave  him  a 
foretaste  of  the  difficulties  of  his  command.  The  little  cabarets 
and  sutlers'  shops  along  the  bay  resounded  with  the  scraping  of 
fiddles,  with  snatches  of  old  French  songs,  with  Indian  whoops 
and  yells ;  while  every  plumed  and  feathered  vagabond  had  his 
troop  of  loving  cousins  and  comrades  at  his  heels.  It  was  with 
the  utmost  difficulty  they  could  be  extricated  from  the  clutches 
of  the  publicans,  and  the  embraces  of  their  pot  companions,  who 
followed  them  to  the  water's  edge  with  many  a  hug,  a  kiss  on 
each  cheek,  and  a  maudlin  benediction  in  Canadian  French. 

It  was  about  the  12th  of  August  that  they  left  Mackinaw, 
and  pursued  the  usual  route  by  Green  Bay,  Fox  and  Wisconsin 
Rivers,  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  thence  down  the  Mississippi  to 
St.  Louis,  where  they  landed  on  the  third  of  September. 


ST.  LOUIS.  133 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ST.  Louis,  which  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  a  few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the'  Missouri,  was,  at  that 
time,  a  frontier  settlement,  and  the  last  fitting-out  place  for  the 
Indian  trade  of  the  southwest.  It  possessed  a  motley  population, 
composed  of  the  Creole  descendants  of  the  original  French  colo- 
nists ;  the  keen  traders  from  the  Atlantic  States  ;  the  backwood- 
men  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee ;  the  Indians  and  half-breeds 
of  the  prairies ;  together  with  a  singular  aquatic  race  that  had 
grown  up  from  the  navigation  of  the  rivers — the  "  boatmen  of  the 
Mississippi ;"  who  possessed  habits,  manners,  and  almost  a  lan- 
guage, peculiarly  their  own,  and  strongly  technical.  They,  at 
that  time,  were  extremely  numerous,  and  conducted  the  chief 
navigation  and  commerce  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi,  as  the 
voyageurs  did  of  the  Canadian  waters  ;  but,  like  them,  their  con- 
sequence and  characteristics  are  rapidly  vanishing  before  the  all- 
pervading  intrusion  of  steamboats. 

The  old  French  houses  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade  had 
gathered  round  them  a  train  of  dependents,  mongrel  Indians,  and 
mongrel  Frenchmen,  who  had  intermarried  with  Indians.  These 
they  employed  in  their  various  expeditions  by  land  and  water. 
Various  individuals  of  other  countries  had,  of  late  years,  pushed 
the  trade  further  into  the  interior,  to  the  upper  waters  of  the 
Missouri,  and  had  swelled  the  number  of  these  hangers-on.  Seve- 
ral of  these  traders  had,  two  or  three  years  previously,  formed 
themselves  into  a  company,  composed  of  twelve  partners,  with  a 


134  ASTORIA. 

capital  of  about  forty  thousand  dollars,  called  the  Missouri  Fur 
Company ;  the  object  of  which  was,  to  establish  posts  along  the 
upper  part  of  that  river,  and  monopolize  the  trade.  The  leading 
partner  of  this  company  was  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa,  a  Spaniard  by 
birth,  and  a  man  of  bold  and  enterprising  character,  who  had 
ascended  the  Missouri  almost  to  its  source,  and  made  himself 
well  acquainted  and  popular  with  several  of  its  tribes.  By  his 
exertions,  trading  posts  had  been  established,  in  1808,  in  the 
Sioux  country,  and  among  the  Aricara  and  Mandan  tribes ;  and 
a  principal  one,  under  Mr.  Henry,  one  of  the  partners,  at  the  forks 
of  the  Missouri.  This  company  had  in  its  employ  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  partly  American  hunters,  and  partly 
Creoles  and  Canadian  voyageurs. 

All  these  circumstances  combined  to  produce  a  population  at 
St.  Louis  even  still  more  motley  than  that  at  Mackinaw.  Here 
were  to  be  seen,  about  the  river  banks,  the  hectoring,  extravagant, 
bragging  boatmen  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the  gay,  grimacing, 
singing,  good-humored  Canadian  voyageurs.  Vagrant  Indians, 
of  various  tribes,  loitered  about  the  streets.  Now  and  then,  a 
stark  Kentucky  hunter,  in  leathern  hunting-dress,  with  rifle  on 
shoulder  and  knife  in  belt,  strode  along.  Here  and  there  were 
new  brick  houses  and  shops,  just  set  up  by  bustling,  driving,  and 
eager  men  of  traffic,  from  the  Atlantic  States  ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  old  French  mansions,  with  open  casements,  still  retained 
the  easy,  indolent  air  of  the  original  colonists  ;  and  now  and  then 
the  scraping  of  a  fiddle,  a  strain  of  an  ancient  French  song,  or  the 
sound  of  billiard  balls,  showed  that  the  happy  G-allic  turn  for 
gayety  and  amusement  still  lingered  about  the  place. 

Such  was  St.  Louis  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Hunt's  arrival  there ; 
and  the  appearance  of  a  new  fur  company,  with  ample  funds  at 
its  command,  produced  a  strong  sensation  among  the  Indian 
traders  of  the  place,  and  awakened  keen  jealousy  and  opposition 


TEMPERATURE  OF   THE   MISSOURI.  135 


on  the  part  of  the  Missouri  Company.  Mr.  Hunt  proceeded  to 
strengthen  himself  against  all  competition.  For  this  purpose, 
he  secured  to  the  interests  of  the  association  another  of  those 
enterprising  men,  who  had  been  engaged  in  individual  traffic 
with  the  tribes  of  the  Missouri.  This  was  a  Mr.  Joseph  Miller, 
a  gentleman  well  educated  and  well  informed,  and  of  a  respecta- 
ble family  of  Baltimore.  He  had  been  an  officer  in  the  army  of 
the  United  States,  but  had  resigned  in  disgust,  on  being  refused 
a  furlough,  and  had  taken  to  trapping  beaver  and  trading  among 
the  Indians.  He  was  easily  induced  by  Mr.  Hunt  to  join  as  a 
partner,  and  was  considered  by  him,  on  account  of  his  education 
and  acquirements,  and  his  experience  in  Indian  trade,  a  valuable 
addition  to  the  company. 

Several  additional  men  were  likewise  enlisted  at  St.  Louis, 
some  as  boatmen,  and  others  as  hunters.  These  last  were  en- 
gaged, not  merely  to  kill  game  for  provisions,  but  also,  and  indeed 
chiefly,  to  trap  beaver  and  other  animals  of  rich  furs,  valuable  in 
the  trade.  They  enlisted  on  different  terms.  Some  were  to  have 
a  fixed  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  ;  others  were  to  be  fitted 
out  and  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  company,  and  were  to 
hunt  and  trap  on  shares. 

As  Mr.  Hunt  met  with  much  opposition  on  the  part  of  rival 
traders,  especially  the  Missouri  Fur  Company,  it  took  him  some 
weeks  to  complete  his  preparations.  The  delays  which  he  had 
previously  experienced  at  Montreal,  Mackinaw,  and  on  the  way, 
added  to  those  at  St.  Louis,  had  thrown  him  much  behind  his 
original  calculations,  so  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  effect  his 
voyage  up  the  Missouri  in  the  present  year.  This  river,  flowing 
from  high  and  cold  latitudes,  and  through  wide  and  open  plains, 
exposed  to  chilling  blasts,  freezes  early.  The  winter  may  be 
dated  from  the  first  of  November ;  there  was  every  prospect, 
therefore,  that  it  would  be  closed  with  ice  long  before  Mr.  Hunt 


136  ASTORIA. 

could  reach  its  upper  waters.  To  avoid,  however,  the  expense  of 
wintering  at  St.  Louis,  he  determined  to  push  up  the  river  as  far 
as  possible,  to  some  point  above  the  settlements,  where  game  was 
plenty,  and  where  his  whole  party  could  be  subsisted  by  hunting, 
until  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  in  the  spring  should  permit  them 
to  resume  their  voyage. 

Accordingly,  on  the  twenty -first  of  October  he  took  his  de- 
parture from  St.  Louis.  His  party  was  distributed  in  three  boats. 
One  was  the  barge  which  he  had  brought  from  Mackinaw ;  another 
was  of  a  larger  size,  such  as  was  formerly  used  in  navigating  the 
Mohawk  River,  and  known  by  the  generic  name  of  the  Schenec- 
tady  barge ;  the  other  was  a  large  keel  boat,  at  that  time  the 
grand  conveyance  on  the  Mississippi. 

In  this  way  they  set  out  from  St.  Louis,  in  buoyant  spirits, 
and  soon  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri.  This  vast  river, 
three  thousand  miles  in  length,  and  which,  with  its  tributary 
streams,  drains  such  an  immense  extent  of  country,  was  as  yet 
but  casually  and  imperfectly  navigated  by  the  adventurous  bark 
of  the  fur  trader.  A  steamboat  had  never  yet  stemmed  its  tur- 
bulent current.  Sails  were  but  of  casual  assistance,  for  it  re- 
quired a  strong  wind  to  conquer  the  force  of  the  stream.  The 
main  dependence  was  on  bodily  strength  and  manual  dexterity. 
The  boats,  in  general,  had  to  be  propelled  by  oars  and  setting 
poles,  or  drawn  by  the  hand  and  by  grappling  hooks  from  one 
root  or  overhanging  tree  to  another  ;  or  towed  by  the  long  cor- 
delle,  or  towing  line,  where  the  shores  were  sufficiently  clear  of 
woods  and  thickets  to  permit  the  men  to  pass  along  the  banks. 

During  this  slow  and  tedious  progress  the  boat  would  be 
exposed  to  frequent  danger  from  floating  trees  and  great  masses 
of  drift-wood,  or  to  be  impaled  upon  snags  and  sawyers ;  that  is 
to  say,  sunken  trees,  presenting  a  jagged  or  pointed  end  above 
the  surface  of  the  water.  As  the  channel  of  the  river  frequently 


BOAT  NAVIGATION.  137 


shifted  from  side  to  side,  according  to  the  bends  and  sand-banks, 
the  boat  had,  in  the  same  way,  to  advance  in  a  zigzag  course. 
Often  a  part  of  the  crew  would  have  to  leap  into  the  water  at  the 
shallows,  and  wade  along  with  the  towing  line,  while  their  com- 
rades on  board  toilfully  assisted  with  oar  and  setting  pole.  Some- 
time^ the  boat  would  seem  to  be  retained  motionless,  as  if  spell- 
bound, opposite  some  point  round  which  the  current  set  with 
violence,  and  where  the  utmost  labor  scarce  effected  any  visible 
progress. 

On  these  occasions  it  was  that  the  merits  of  the  Canadian 
voyageurs  came  into  full  action.  Patient  of  toil,  not  to  be  dis- 
heartened by  impediments  and  disappointments,  fertile  in  expe- 
dients, and  versed  in  every  mode  of  humoring  and  conquering  the 
wayward  current,  they  would  ply  every  exertion,  sometimes  in  the 
boat,  sometimes  on  shore,  sometimes  in  the  water,  however  cold  ; 
always  alert,  always  in  good-humor ;  and,  should  they  at  any  time 
flag  or  grow  weary,  one  of  their  popular  boat  songs,  chanted  by  a 
veteran  oarsman,  and  responded  to  in  chorus,  acted  as  a  never- 
failing  restorative. 

By  such  assiduous  and  persevering  labor  they  made  their  way 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  up  the  Missouri,  by  the  16th 
of  November,  to  the  mouth,  of  the  Nodowa.  As  this  was  a  good 
hunting  country,  and  as  the  season  was  rapidly  advancing,  they 
determined  to  establish  their  winter  quarters  at  this  place ;  and, 
in  fact,  two  days  after  they  had  come  to  a  halt,  the  river  closed 
just  above  their  encampment. 

The  party  had  not  been  long  at  this  place  when  they  were 
joined  by  Mr.  Robert  M'Lellan,  another  trader  of  the  Missouri ; 
the  same  who  had  been  associated  with  Mr.  Crooks  in  the  unfor- 
tunate expedition  in  which  they  had  been  intercepted  by  the 
Sioux  Indians,  and  obliged  to  make  a  rapid  retreat  down  the 
river. 


138  ASTORIA. 

M'Lellan  was  a  remarkable  man.  He  had  been  a  partisan 
under  General  Wayne,  in  his  Indian  wars,  where  he  had  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  fiery  spirit  and  reckless  daring,  and  mar- 
vellous stories  were  told  of  his  exploits.  His  appearance  answered 
to  his  character.  His  frame  was  meagre,  but  muscular ;  showing 
strength,  activity,  and  iron  firmness.  His  eyes  were  dark,  deep 
set,  and  piercing.  He  was  restless,  fearless,  but  of  impetuous  and 
sometimes  ungovernable  temper.  He  had  been  invited  by  Mr. 
Hunt  to  enroll  himself  as  a  partner,  and  gladly  consented  ;  being 
pleased  with  the  thoughts  of  passing,  with  a  powerful  force, 
through  the  country  of  the  Sioux,  and  perhaps  having  an  oppor- 
tunity of  revenging  himself  upon  that  lawless  tribe  for  their  past 
offences. 

Another  recruit  that  joined  the  camp  at  Nodowa  deserves 
equal  mention.  This  was  John  Day,  a  hunter  from  the  back- 
woods of  Virginia,  who  had  been  several  years  on  the  Missouri  in 
the  service  of  Mr.  Crooks,  and  of  other  traders.  He  was  about 
forty  years  of  age,  six  feet  two  inches  high,  straight  as  an  Indian  ; 
with  an  elastic  step  as  if  he  trod"  on  springs,  and  a  handsome, 
open,  manly  countenance.  It  was  his  boast,  that  in  his  younger 
days,  nothing  could  hurt  or  daunt  him ;  but  he  had  "  lived  too 
fast,"  and  injured  his  constitution  by  his  excesses.  Still  he  was 
strong  of  hand,  bold  of  heart,  a  prime  woodman,  and  an  almost 
unerring  shot.  He  had  the  frank  spirit  of  a  Virginian,  and  the 
rough  heroism  of  a  pioneer  of  the  west. 

The  party  were  now  brought  to  a  halt  for  several  months. 
They  were  in  a  country  abounding  with  deer  and  wild  turkeys, 
no  that  there  was  no  stint  of  provisions,  and  every  one  appeared 
cheerful  and  contented.  Mr.  Hunt  determined  to  avail  himself 
of  this  interval  to  return  to  St.  Louis  and  obtain  a  reinforce- 
ment. He  wished  to  procure  an  interpreter,  acquainted  with 
the  language  of  the  Sioux  ;  as,  from  all  accounts,  he  apprehend- 


JOURNEY  OF  MR.  HUNT  TO  ST.  LOUIrf.  139 


ed  difficulties  in  passing  through  the  country  of  that  nation. 
He  felt  the  necessity,  also,  of  having  a  greater  number  of 
hunters,  not  merely  to  keep  up  a  supply  of  provisions  through- 
out their  long  and  arduous  expedition,  but  also  as  a  protection 
and  defence,  in  case  of  Indian  hostilities.  For  such  service  the 
Canadian  voyageurs  were  little  to  be  depended  upon,  fighting 
not  being  a  part  of  their  profession.  The  proper  kind  of  men 
were  American  hunters,  experienced  in  savage  life  and  savage 
warfare,  and  possessed  of  the  true  game  spirit  of  the  west. 

Leaving,  therefore,  the  encampment  in  charge  of  the  other 
partners,  Mr.  Hunt  set  off  on  foot  on  the  first  of  January  (1810), 
for  St.  Louis.  He  was  accommpanied  by  eight  men  as  far  as 
Fort  Osage,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  below  Nodowa. 
Here  he  procured  a  couple  of  horses,  and  proceeded  on  the  re- 
mainder of  his  Journey  with  two  men,  sending  the  other  six 
back  to  the  encampment.  He  arrived  at  St.  Louis  on  the  20th 
of  January. 


J40  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ON  this  his  second  visit  to  St.  Louis,  Mr.  Hunt  was  again  im- 
peded in  his  plans  by  the  opposition  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Com- 
pany. The  affairs  of  that  company  were,  at  this  time,  in  a  very 
dubious  state.  .  During  the  preceding  year,  their  principal 
establishment  at  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  had  been  so  much 
harassed  by  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  that  its  commander,  Mr. 
Henry,  one  of  the  partners,  had  been  compelled  to  abandon  the 
post  and  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains,  with  the  intention  of  fix- 
ing himself  upon  one  of  the  upper  branches  of  the  Columbia. 
What  had  become  of  him  and  his  party  was  unknown.  The 
most  intense  anxiety  was  felt  concerning  them,  and  apprehen- 
sions that  they  might  have  been  cut  off  by  the  savages.  At  the 
time  of  Mr.  Hunt's  arrival  at  St.  Louis,  the  Missouri  Company 
were  fitting  out  an  expedition  to  go  in  quest  of  Mr.  Henry.  It 
was  to  be  conducted  by  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa,  the  enterprising  part- 
ner already  mentioned. 

There  being  thus  two  expeditions  on  foot  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, an  unusual  demand  was  occasioned  for  hunters  and  voy- 
ageurs,  who  accordingly  profited  by  the  circumstance,  and  stipu- 
lated for  high  terms.  Mr.  Hunt  found  a  keen  and  subtle 
competitor  in  Lisa,  and  was  obliged  to  secure  his  recruits  by 
liberal  advances  of  pay,  and  by  other  pecuniary  indulgences. 

The  greatest  difficulty  was  to  procure  the  Sioux  interpreter. 
There  was  but  one  man  to  be  met  with  at  St.  Louis  who  was  fitted 
for  the  purpose,  but  to  secure  him  would  require  much  manage- 


PIERRE   DORION.  141 


ment.  The  individual  in  question  was  a  half-breed,  named  Pierre 
Dorion ;  and,  as  he  figures  hereafter  in  this  narrative,  and  is, 
withal,  a  striking  specimen  of  the  hybrid  race  on  the  frontier,  we 
shall  give  a  few  particulars  concerning  him.  Pierre  was  the  son 
of  Dorion,  the  French  interpreter^  who  accompanied  Messrs. 
Lewis  and  Clarke  in  their  famous  exploring  expedition  across 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  Old  Dorion  was  one  of  those  French 
Creoles,  descendants  of  the  ancient  Canadian  stock,  who  abound 
on  the  western  frontier,  and  amalgamate  or  cohabit  with  the 
savages.  He  had  sojourned  among  various  tribes,  and  perhaps 
left  progeny  among  them  all ;  but  his  regular,  or  habitual  wife, 
was  a  Sioux  squaw.  By  her  he  had  a  hopeful  brood  of  half-breed 
sons,  of  whom  Pierre  was  one.  The  domestic  affairs  of  old 
Dorion  were  conducted  on  the  true  Indian  plan.  Father  and 
sons  would  occasionally  get  drunk  together,  and  then  the  cabin 
was  a  scene  of  ruffian  brawl  and  fighting,  in  the  course  of  which 
the  old  Frenchman  was  apt  to  get  soundly  belabored  by  his  mon- 
grel offspring.  In  a  furious  scuffle  of  the  kind,  one  of  the  sons 
got  the  old  man  upon  the  ground,  and  was  upon  the  point  of 
scalping  him.  "  Hold !  my  son,"  cried  the  old  fellow,  in  im- 
ploring accents, ' "  you  are  too  brave,  too  honorable  to  scalp  your 
father  !"  This  last  appeal  touched  the  French  side  of  the  half- 
breed's  heart,  so  he  suffered  the  old  man  to  wear  his  scalp  un- 
harmed. 

Of  this  hopeful  stock  was  Pierre  Dorion,  the  man  whom  it 
was  now  the  desire  of  Mr.  Hunt  to  engage  as  an  interpreter.  He 
had  been  employed  in  that  capacity  by  the  Missouri  Fur  Com- 
pany during  the  preceding  year,  and  had  conducted  their  traders 
in  safety  through  the  different  tribes  of  the  Sioux.  He  had 
proved  himself  faithful  and  serviceable  while  sober ;  but  the  love 
of  liquor,  in  which  he  had  been  nurtured  and  brought  up,  would 
occasionally  break  out,  and  with  it  the  savage  side  of  his  character. 


142  ASTORIA. 

It  was  his  love  of  liquor  which  had  embroiled  him  with  the 
Missouri  Company.  While  in  their  service  at  Fort  Mandan,  on 
the  frontier,  he  had  been  seized  with  a  whisky  mania ;  and,  as 
the  beverage  was  only  to  be  procured  at  the  company's  store,  it 
had  been  charged  in  his  account  at  the  rate  of  ten  dollars  a 
quart.  This  item  had  ever  remained  unsettled,  and  a  matter  of 
furious  dispute,  the  mere  mention  of  which  was  sufficient  to  put 
him  in  a  passion. 

The  moment  it  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Lisa  that  Pierre  Dorion 
was  in  treaty  with  the  new  and  rival  association,  he  endeavored, 
by  threats  as  well  as  promises,  to  prevent  his  engaging  in  their 
service.  His  promises  might,  perhaps,  have  prevailed  ;  but  his 
threats,  which  related  to  the  whisky  debt,  only  served  to  drive 
Pierre  into  the  opposite  ranks.  Still,  he  took  advantage  of  this 
competition  for  his  services  to  stand  out  with  Mr.  Hunt  on  the 
most  advantageous  terms,  and,  after  a  negotiation  of  nearly  two 
weeks,  capitulated  to  serve  in  the  expedition,  as  hunter  and 
interpreter,  at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year,  two  hun- 
dred of  which  were  to  be  paid  in  advance. 

When  Mr.  Hunt  had  got  every  thing  ready  for  leaving  St. 
Louis,  new  difficulties  arose.  Five  of  the  American  hunters, 
from  the  encampment  at  Nodowa,  suddenly  made  their  appearance. 
They  alleged  that  they  had  been  ill  treated  by  the  partners  at  the 
encampment,  and  had  come  off  clandestinely,  in  consequence  of  a 
dispute.  It  was  useless  at  the  present  moment,  and  under  present 
circumstances,  to  attempt  any  compulsory  measures  with  these 
deserters.  Two  of  them  Mr.  Hunt  prevailed  upon,  by  mild 
means,  to  return  with  him.  The  rest  refused  ;  nay,  what  was  worse, 
they  spread  such  reports  of  the  hardships  and  dangers  to  be  ap- 
prehended in  the  course  of  the  expedition,  that  they  struck  a 
panic  into  those  hunters  who  had  recently  engaged  at  St.  Louis, 
and,  when  the  hour  of  departure  arrived,  all  but  one  refused  to 


LEGAL  PERPLEXITIES  OF  PIERRE  DORION.  143 


embark.  It  was  in  vain  to  plead  or  remonstrate ;  they  shouldered 
their  rifles  and  turned  their  back  upon  the  expedition,  and  Mr. 
Hunt  was  fain  to  put  off  from  shore  with  the  single  hunter  and 
a  number  of  voyageurs  whom  he  had  engaged.  Even  Pierre 
Dorion,  at  the  last  moment,  refused  to  enter  the  boat  until  Mr. 
Hunt  consented  to  take  his  squaw  and  two  children  on  board  also. 
But  the  tissue  of  perplexities,  on  account  of  this  worthy  indivi- 
dual, did  not  end  here. 

Among  the  various  persons  who  were  about  to  proceed  up  the 
Missouri  with  Mr.  Hunt,  were  -two  scientific  gentlemen  :  one  Mr. 
John  Bradbury,  a  man  of  mature  age,  but  great  enterprise  and 
personal  activity,  who  had  been  sent  out  by  the  Linnean  Society 
of  Liverpool,  to  make  a  collection  of  American  plants  ;  the  other, 
a  Mr.  Nuttall,  likewise  an  Englishman,  younger  in  years,  who  has 
since  made  himself  known  as  the  author  of  "  Travels  in  Arkan- 
sas," and  a  work  on  the  "  Genera  of  American  Plants."  Mr. 
Hunt  had  offered  them  the  protection  and  facilities  of  his  party, 
in  their  scientific  researches  up  the  Missouri.  As  they  were  not 
ready  to  depart  at  the  moment  of  embarkation,  they  put  their 
trunks  on  board  of  the  boat,  but  remained  at  St.  Louis  until  the  next 
day,  for  the  arrival  of  the  post,  intending  to  join  the  expedition 
at  St.  Charles,  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri. 

The  same  evening,  however,  they  learned  that  a  writ  had  been 
issued  against  Pierre  Dorion  for  his  whisky  debt,  by  Mr.  Lisa, 
as  agent  of  the  Missouri  Company,  and  that  it  was  the  intention 
to  entrap  the  mongrel  linguist  on  his  arrival  at  St.  Charles. 
Upon  hearing  this,  Mr.  Bradbury  and  Mr.  Nuttall  set  off  a  little 
after  midnight,  by  land,  got  ahead  of  the  boat  as  it  was  ascending 
the  Missouri,  before  its  arrival  at  St.  Charles,  and  gave  Pierre 
Dorion  warning  of  the  legal  toil  prepared  to  ensnare  him.  The 
knowing  Pierre  immediately  landed  and  took  to  the  woods,  fol- 
lowed by  his  squaw  laden  with  their  papooses,  and  a  large  bundle 


144  ASTORIA. 

containing  their  most  precious  effects ;  promising  to  rejoin  the 
party  some  distance  above  St.  Charles.  There  seemed  little  de- 
pendence to  be  placed  upon  the  promises  of  a  loose  adventurer 
of  the  kind,  who  was  at  the  very  time  playing  an  evasive  game 
with  his  former  employers  ;  who  had  already  received  two-thirds 
of  his  year's  pay,  and  had  his  rifle  on  his  shoulder,  his  family  and 
worldly  fortune  at  his  heels,  and  the  wild  woods  before  him. 
There  was  no  alternative,  however,  and  it  was  hoped  his  pique 
against  his  old  employers  would  render  him  faithful  to  his  new 
ones. 

The  party  reached  St.  Charles  in  the  afternoon,  but  the  har- 
pies of  the  law  looked  in  vain  for  their  expected  prey.  The  boats 
resumed  their  course  on  the  following  morning,  and  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far  when  Pierre  Dorion  made  his  appearance  on  the  shore. 
He  was  gladly  taken  on  board,  but  he  came  without  his  squaw. 
They  had  quarrelled  in  the  night ;  Pierre  had  administered  the 
Indian  discipline  of  the  cudgel,  whereupon  she  had  taken  to  the 
woods,  with  their  children  and  all  their  worldly  goods.  Pierre 
evidently  was  deeply  grieved  and  disconcerted  at  the  loss  of  his 
wife  and  his  knapsack,  wherefore  Mr.  Hunt  dispatched  one  of  the 
Canadian  voyageurs  in  search  of  the  fugitive ;  and  the  whole 
party,  after  proceeding  a  few  miles  further,  encamped  on  an  island 
to  await  his  return.  The  Canadian  rejoined  the  party,  but  with- 
out the  squaw  ;  and  Pierre  Dorion  passed  a  solitary  and  anxious 
night,  bitterly  regretting  his  indiscretion  in  having  exercised  his 
conjugal  authority  so  near  home.  Before  daybreak,  however,  a 
well-known  voice  reached  his  ears  from  the  opposite  shore.  It  was 
his  repentant  spouse,  who  had  been  wandering  the  woods  all  night 
in  quest  of  the  party,  and  had  at  length  descried  it  by  its  fires. 
A  boat  was  dispatched  for  her,  the  interesting  family  was  once 
more  united,  and  Mr.  Hunt  now  flattered  himself  that  his  per- 
plexities with  Pierre  Dorion  were  at  an  end. 


DANIEL   BOON.  145 


Bad  weather,  very  heavy  rains,  and  an  unusually  early  rise 
in  the  Missouri,  rendered  the  ascent  of  the  river  toilsome,  slow, 
and  dangerous.  The  rise  of  the  Missouri  does  not  generally 
take  place  until  the  month  of  May  or  June  :  the  present  swelling 
of  the  river  must  have  been  caused  by  a  freshet  in  some  of  its 
more  southern  branches.  It  could  not  have  been  the  great  an- 
nual flood,  as  the  higher  branches  must  still  have  been  ice-bound. 

And  here  we  cannot  but  pause,  to  notice  the  admirable  ar- 
rangement of  nature,  by  which  the  annual  swellings  of  the  vari- 
ous great  rivers  which  empty  themselves  into  the  Mississippi, 
have  been  made  to  precede  each  other  at  considerable  intervals. 
Thus,  the  flood  of  the  Red  River  precedes  that  of  the  Arkansas 
by  a  month.  The  Arkansas,  also,  rising  in  a  much  more  southern 
latitude  than  the  Missouri,  takes  the  lead  of  it  in  its  annual  ex- 
cess, and  its  superabundant  waters  are  disgorged  and  disposed  of 
long  before  the  breaking  up  of  the  icy  barriers  of  the  north  ; 
otherwise,  did  all  these  mighty  streams  rise  simultaneously,  and 
discharge  their  vernal  floods  into  the  Mississippi,  an  inundation 
would  be  the  consequence,  that  would  submerge  and  devastate  all 
the  lower  country. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  January  17th,  the  boats 
touched  at  Charette,  one  of  the  old  villages  founded  by  the  ori- 
ginal French  colonists.  Here  they  met  with  Daniel  Boon,  the 
renowned  patriarch  of  Kentucky,  who  had  kept  in  the  advance  of 
civilization,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  wilderness,  still  leading  a 
hunter's  life,  though  now  in  his  eighty -fifth  year.  He  had  but 
recently  returned  from  a  hunting  and  trapping  expedition,  and 
had  brought  nearly  sixty  beaver  skins  as  trophies  of  his  skill. 
The  old  man  was  still  erect  in  form,  strong  in  limb,  and  unflinch- 
ing in  spirit,  and  as  he  stood  on  the  river  bank,  watching  the  de- 
parture of  an  expedition  destined  to  traverse  the  wilderness  to 
the  very  shores  of  the  Pacific,  very  probably  felt  a  throb  of  his 

7 


146  ASTORIA. 

old  pioneer  spirit,  impelling  him  to  shoulder  his  rifle  and  join  the 
adventurous  band.  Boon  flourished  several  years  after  this  meet- 
ing, in  a  vigorous  old  age,  the  Nestor  of  hunters  and  backwood- 
men  ;  and  died,  full  of  sylvan  honor  and  renown,  in  1818,  in  his 
ninety-second  year. 

The  next  morning  early,  as  the  party  were  yet  encamped  at 
the  mouth  of  a  small  stream,  they  were  visited  by  another  of  these 
heroes  of  the  wilderness,  one  John  Colter,  who  had  accompanied 
Lewis  and  Clarke  in  their  memorable  expedition.  He  had  re- 
cently made  one  of  those  vast  internal  voyages  so  characteristic 
of  this  fearless  class  of  men,  and  of  the  immense  regions  over 
which  they  hold  their  lonely  wanderings  ;  having  come  from  the 
head  waters  of  the  Missouri  to  St.  Louis  in  a  small  canoe.  This 
distance  of  three  thousand  miles  he  had  accomplished  in  thirty 
days.  Colter  kept  with  the  party  all  the  morning.  He  had 
many  particulars  to  give  them  concerning  the  Blackfeet  Indians, 
a  restless  and  predatory  tribe,  who  had  conceived  an  implacable 
hostility  to  the  white  men,  in  consequence  of  one  of  their  war- 
riors having  been  killed  by  Captain  Lewis,  while  attempting  to 
steal  horses.  Through  the  country  infested  by  these  savages  the 
expedition  would  have  to  proceed,  and  Colter  was  urgent  in  reit- 
erating the  precautions  that  ought  to  be  observed  respecting 
them.  He  had  himself  experienced  their  vindictive  cruelty,  and 
his  story  deserves  particular  citation,  as  showing  the  hairbreadth 
adventures  to  which  these  solitary  rovers  of  the  wilderness  are 
exposed. 

Colter,  with  the  hardihood  of  a  regular  trapper,  had  cast 
himself  loose  from  the  party  of  Lewis  and  Clarke  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  wilderness,  and  had  remained  to  trap  beaver  alone 
on  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri.  Here  he  fell  in  with 
another  lonely  trapper,  like  himself,  named  Potts,  and  they 
agreed  to  keep  together.  They  were  in  the  very  region  of  the 


AN  AFFRAY  WITH  THE  BLACKFEET.        147 


terrible  Blackfeet,  at  that  time  thirsting  to  revenge  the  death 
of  their  companion,  and  knew  that  they  had  to  expect  no  mercy 
at  their  hands.  They  were  obliged  to  keep  concealed  all  day 
in  the  woody  margins  of  the  rivers,  setting  their  traps  after 
nightfall,  and  taking  them  up  before  daybreak.  It  was  running 
a  fearful  risk  for  the  sake  of  a  few  beaver  skins  ;  but  such  is  the 
life  of  the  trapper. 

They  were  on  a  branch  of  the  Missouri  called  Jefferson's 
Fork,  and  had  set  their  traps  at  night,  about  six  miles  up  a 
small  river  that  emptied  into  the  fork.  Early  in  the  morning 
they  ascended  the  river  in  a  canoe.,  to  examine  the  traps.  The 
banks  on  each  side  were  high  and  perpendicular,  and  cast  a 
shade  over  the  stream.  As  they  were  softly  paddling  along, 
they  heard  the  trampling  of  many  feet  upon  the  banks.  Colter 
immediately  gave  the  alarm  of  ':  Indians  !"  and  was  for  instant 
retreat.  Potts  scoffed  at  him  for  being  frightened  by  the  tramp- 
ling of  a  herd  of  buffaloes.  Colter  checked  his  uneasiness  and 
paddled  forward.  They  had  not  gone  much  further  when 
frightful  whoops  and  yells  burst  forth  from  each  side  of  the 
river,  and  several  hundred  Indians  appeared  on  either  bank. 
Signs  were  made  to  the  unfortunate  trappers  to  come  on  shore. 
They  were  obliged  to  comply.  Before  they  could  get  out  of 
their  canoes,  a  savage  seized  the  rifle  belonging  to  Potts.  Col- 
ter sprang  on  shore,  wrested  the  weapon  from  the  hands  of  the 
Indian,  and  restored  it  to  his  companion,  who  was  still  in  the 
canoe,  and  immediately  pushed  into  the  stream.  There  was  the 
sharp  twang  of  a  bow,  and  Potts  cried  out  that  he  was  wounded. 
Colter  urged  him  to  come  on  shore  and  submit,  as  his  only  chance 
for  life ;  but  the  other  knew  there  was  no  prospect  of  mercy, 
and  determined  to  die  game.  Levelling  his  rifle,  he  shot  one  of 
the  savages  dead  on  the  spot.  The  next  moment  he  fell  himself, 
pierced  with  innumerable  arrows. 


148  ASTORIA. 

The  vengeance  of  the  savages  now  turned  upon  Colter.  He 
was  stripped  naked,  and,  having  some  knowledge  of  the  Blackfoot 
language,  overheard  a  consultation  as  to  the  mode  of  dispatch- 
ing him,  so  as  to  derive  the  greatest  amusement  from  his  death. 
Some  we're  for  setting  him  up  as  a  mark,  and  having  a  trial  of 
skill  at  his  expense.  The  chief,  however,  was  for  nobler  sport. 
He  seized  Colter  by  the  shoulder,  and  demanded  if  he  could  run 
fast.  The  unfortunate  trapper  was  too  well  acquainted  with  Indian 
customs  not  to  comprehend  the  drift  of  the  question.  He  knew 
he  was  to  run  for  his  life,  to  furnish  a  kind  of  human  hunt  to 
his  persecutors.  Though  in  reality  he  was  noted  among  his 
brother  hunters  for  swiftness  of  foot,  he  assured  the  chief  that 
he  was  a  very  bad  runner.  His  stratagem  gained  him  some 
vantage  ground.  He  was  led  by  the  chief  into  the  prairie,  about 
four  hundred  yards  from  the  main  body  of  savages,  and  then 
turned  loose  to  save  himself  if  he  could.  A  tremendous  yell  let 
him  know  that  the  whole  pack  of  bloodhounds  were  off  in  full 
cry.  Colter  flew,  rather  than  ran  ;  he  was  astonished  at  his 
own  speed ;  but  he  had  six  miles  of  prairie  to  traverse  before  he 
should  reach  the  Jefferson  Fork  of  the  Missouri ;  how  could  he 
hope  to  hold  out  such  a  distance  with  the  fearful  odds  of  several 
hundred  to  one  against  him  !  The  plain  too  abounded  with  the 
prickly  pear,  which  wounded  his  naked  feet.  Still  he  fled  on, 
dreading  each  moment  to  hear  the  twang  of  a  bow,  and  to  feel 
an  arrow  quivering  at  his  heart.  He  did  not  even  dare  to  look 
round,  lest  he  should  lose  an  inch  of  that  distance  on  which  his 
life  depended.  He  had  ran  nearly  half  way  across  the  plain 
when  the  sound  of  pursuit  grew  somewhat  fainter,  and  he  ventur- 
ed to  turn  his  head.  The  main  body  of  his  pursuers  were  a 
considerable  distance  behind  ;  several  of  the  fastest  runners  were 
scattered  in  the  advance ;  while  a  swift-footed  warrior,  armed  with 
a  spear,  was  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  behind  him. 


A   SWIM   FOR   LIFE.  149 


Inspired  with  new  hope,  Colter  redoubled  his  exertions,  but 
strained  himself  to  such  a  degree,  that  the  blood  gushed  from 
his  mouth  and  nostrils,  and  streamed  down  his  breast.  He  arrived 
within  a  mile  of  the  river.  The  sound  of  footsteps  gathered 
upon  him.  A  glance  behind  showed  his  pursuer  within  twenty 
vards.  and  preparing  to  launch  his  spear.  Stopping  short,  he 
turned  round  and  spread  out  his  arms.  The  savage,  confounded 
by  this  sudden  action,  attempted  to  stop  and  hurl  his  spear,  but 
fell  in  the  very  act.  His  spear  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  the 
shaft  broke  in  his  hand.  Colter  plucked  up  the  pointed  part, 
pinned  the  savage  to  the  earth,  aud  continued  his  flight.  The 
Indians,  as  they  arrived  at  their  slaughtered  companion,  stopped 
to  howl  over  him.  Colter  made  the  most  of  this  precious  delay, 
gained  the  skirt  of  cotton-wood  bordering  the  river,  dashed 
through  it,  and  plunged  into  the  stream.  He  swam  to  a  neigh- 
boring island,  against  the  upper  end  of  which  the  driftwood  had 
lodged  in  such  quantities  as  to  form  a  natural  raft ;  under  this 
he  dived,  and  swam  below  water  until  he  succeeded  in  getting  a 
breathing  place  between  the  floating  trunks  of  trees,  whose 
branches  and  bushes  formed  a  covert  several  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  water.  He  had  scarcely  drawn  breath  after  all  his  toils, 
when  he  heard  his  pursuers  on  the  river  bank,  whooping  and  yell- 
ing like  so  many  fiends.  They  plunged  in  the  river,  and  swam 
to  the  raft.  The  heart  of  Colter  almost  died  within  him  as  he 
saw  them,  through  the  chinks  of  his  concealment,  passing  and 
repassing,  and  seeking  for  him  in  all  directions.  They  at  length 
gave  up  the  search,  and  he  began  to  rejoice  in  his  escape,  when 
the  idea  presented  itself  that  they  might  set  the  raft  on  fire. 
Here  was  a  new  source  of  horrible  apprehension,  in  which  he 
remained  until  nightfall.  Fortunately,  the  idea  did  not  suggest 
itself  to  the  Indians.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  finding  by  the 
silence  around  that  his  pursuers  had  departed,  Colter  dived  again, 


150  ASTORIA. 

and  came  up  beyond  the  raft.  He  then  swam  silently  down  the 
river  •  for  a  considerable  distance,  when  he  landed,  and  kept 
on  all  night,  to  get  as  far  off  as  possible  from  this  dangerous 
neighborhood. 

By  daybreak  he  had  gained  sufficient  distance  to  relieve  him 
from  the  terrors  of  his  savage  foes ;  but  now  new  sources  of  in- 
quietude presented  themselves.  He  was  naked  and  alone,  in  the 
midst  of  an  unbounded  wilderness  ;  his  only  chance  was  to  reach 
a  trading  post  of  the  Missouri  Company,  situated  on  a  branch  of 
the  Yellowstone  River.  Even  should  he  elude  his  pursuers,  days 
must  elapse  before  he  could  reach  this  post,  during  which  he 
must  traverse  immense  prairies  destitute  of  shade,  his  naked 
body  exposed  to  the  burning  heat  of  the  sun  by  day,  and  the 
dews  and  chills  of  the  night  season ;  and  his  feet  lacerated  by 
the  thorns  of  the  prickly  pear.  Though  he  might  see  game  in 
abundance  around  him,  he  had  no  means  of  killing  any  for  his 
sustenance,  and  must  depend  for  food  upon  the  roots  of  the  earth. 
In  defiance  of  these  difficulties  he  pushed  resolutely  forward, 
guiding  himself  in  his  trackless  course  by  those  signs  and  indi- 
cations known  only  to  Indians  and  backwoodrnen :  and  after 
braving  dangers  and  hardships  enough  to  break  down  any  spirit 
but  that  of  a  western  pioneer,  arrived  safe  at  the  solitary  post  in 
question.* 

Such  is  a  sample  of  the  rugged  experience  which  Colter  had 
to  relate  of  savage  life ;  yet,  with  all  these  perils  and  terrors 
fresh  in  his  recollection,  he  could  not  see  the  present  band  on 
their  way  to  those  regions  of  danger  and  adventure,  without  feel- 
ing a  vehement  impulse  to  join  them.  A  western  trapper  is  like 
a  sailor ;  past  hazards  only  stimulate  him  to  further  risks.  The 
vast  prairie  is  to  the  one  what  the  ocean  is  to  the  other,  a  bound- 
less field  of  enterprise  and  exploit.  However  he  may  have  suf- 

*  Bradbury.     Travels  in  America,  p.  17. 


ARRIVAL   AT  FORT   OSAGE.  151 


fered  in  his  last  cruise,  he  is  always  ready  to  join  a  new  expedi- 
tion ;  and  the  more  adventurous  its  nature,  the  more  attractive 
is  it  to  his  vagrant  spirit. 

•  Nothing  seems  to  have  kept  Colter  from  continuing  with  the 
party  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  but  the  circumstance  of  his 
having  recently  married.  All  the  morning  he  kept  with  them, 
balancing  in  his  mind  the  charms  of  his  bride  against  those  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains ;  the  former,  however,  prevailed,  and  after 
a  march  of  several  miles,  he  took  a  reluctant  leave  of  the  travel- 
lers, and  turned  his  face  homeward. 

Continuing  their  progress  up  the  Missouri,  the  party  encamped 
on  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  March,  in  the  neighborhood  of  a 
little  frontier  village  of  French  Creoles.  Here  Pierre  Dorion 
met  with  some  of  his  old  comrades,  with  whom  he  had  a  long 
gossip,  and  returned  to  the  camp  with  rumors  of  bloody  feuds 
between  the  Osages  and  the  loways,  or  Ayaways,  Potowatomies, 
Sioux,  and  Sawkees.  Blood  had  already  been  shed,  and  scalps 
been  taken.  A  war  party,  three  hundred  strong,  were  prowling 
in  the  neighborhood ;  others  might  be  met  with  higher  up  the 
river ;  it  behooved  the  travellers,  therefore,  to  be  upon  their 
guard  against  robbery  or  surprise,  for  an  Indian  war  party  on 
the  march  is  prone  to  acts  of  outrage. 

In  consequence  of  this  report,  which  was  subsequently  con- 
firmed by  further  intelligence,  a  guard  was  kept  up  at  night 
•  round  the  encampment,  and  they  all  slept  on  their  arms.  As 
they  were  sixteen  in  number,  and  well  supplied  with  weapons  and 
ammunition,  they  trusted  to  be  able  to  give  any  marauding  party 
a  warm  reception.  Nothing  occurred,  however,  to  molest  them 
on  their  voyage,  and  on  the  8th  of  April  they  came  in  sight  of 
Fort  Osage.  On  their  approach  the  flag  was  hoisted  on  the  fort, 
and  they  saluted  it  by  a  discharge  of  firearms.  Within  a  short 
distance  of  the  fort  was  an  Osage  village,  the  inhabitants  of 


152  ASTORIA. 

which,  men,  women,  and  children,  thronged  down  to  the  water 
side  to  witness  their  landing.  One  of  the  first  persons  they  met 
on  the  river  bank  was  Mr.  Crooks,  who  had  come  down  in  a  boat, 
with  nine  men,  from  the  winter  encampment  at  Nodowa,  to  meet 
them. 

They  remained  at  Fort  Osage  a  part  of  three  days,  during 
which  they  were  hospitably  entertained  at  the  garrison  by  Lieu- 
tenant Brownson,  who  held  a  temporary  command.  They  were 
regaled  also  with  a  war-feast  at  the  village  ;  the  Osage  warriors 
having  returned  from  a  successful  foray  against  the  loways,  in 
which  they  had  taken  seven  scalps.  These  were  paraded  on 
poles  about  the  village,  followed  by  the  warriors  decked  out  in  all 
their  savage  ornaments,  and  hideously  painted  as  if  for  battle. 

By  the  Osage  warriors,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  were 
again  warned  to  be  on  their  guard  in  ascending  the  river,  as  the 
Sioux  tribe  meant  to  lay  in  wait  and  attack  them. 

On  the  10th  of  April  they  again  embarked,  their  party  being 
now  augmented  to  twenty-six,  by  the  addition  of  Mr.  Crooks  and 
his  boat's  crew.  They  had  not  proceeded  far,  however,  when 
there  was  a  great  outcry  from  one  of  the  boats  ;  it  was  occasioned 
by  a  little  domestic  discipline  in  the  Dorion  family.  The  squaw 
of  the  worthy  interpreter,  it  appeared,  had  been  so  delighted  with 
the  scalp-dance,  and  other  festivities  of  the  Osage  village,  that 
she  had  taken  a  strong  inclination  to  remain  there.  This  had 
been  as  strongly  opposed  by  her  liege  lord,  who  had  compelled 
her  to  embark.  The  good  dame  had  remained  sulky  ever  since, 
whereupon  Pierre,  seeing  no  other  mode  of  exorcising  the  evil 
spirit  out  of  her,  and  being,'  perhaps,  a  little  inspired  by  whisky, 
had  resorted  to  the  Indian  remedy  of  the  cudgel,  and,  before  his 
neighbors  could  interfere,  had  belabored  her  so  soundly,  that 
there  is  no  record  of  her  having  shown  any  refractory  symptoms 
throughout  the  remainder  of  the  expedition. 


SUBLIMITY   OF  A   TURKEY-BUZZARD.  153 


For  a  week  they  continued  their  voyage,  exposed  to  almost  in- 
cessant rains.  The  bodies  of  drowned  buffaloes  floated  past  them 
in  vast  numbers ;  many  had  drifted  upon  the  shore,  or  against 
the  upper  ends  of  the  rafts  and  islands.  These  had  attracted 
great  flights  of  turkey -buzzards ;  some  were  banqueting  on  the 
<un  asses,  others  were  soaring  far  aloft  in  the  sky,  and  others 
were  perched  on  the  trees,  with  their  backs  to  the  sun.  and  their 
wings  stretched  out  to  dry,  like  so  many  vessels  in  harbor,  spread- 
ing their  sails  after  a  shower.. 

The  turkey-buzzard  (vultur  aura,  or  golden  vulture),  when  on 
the  wing,  is  one  of  the  most  specious  and  imposing  of  birds.  Its 
flight  in  the  upper  regions  of  the  air  is  really  sublime,  extending 
its*  immense  wings,  and  wheeling  slowly  and  majestically  to  and 
fro,  seemingly  without  exerting  a  muscle  or  fluttering  a  feather, 
but  moving  by  mere  volition,  and  sailing  on  the  bosom  of  the  air, 
as  a  ship  upon  the  ocean.  Usurping  the  empyreal  realm  of  the 
eagle,  he  assumes  for  a  time  the  port  and  dignity  of  that  majestic 
bird,  and  often  is  mistaken  for  him  by  ignorant  crawlers  upon 
earth.  It  is  only  when  he  descends  from  the  clouds  to  pounce 
upon  carrion  that  he  betrays  his  low  propensities,  and  reveals  his 
caitiff  character.  Near  at  hand  he  is  a  disgusting  bird,  ragged 
in  plumage,  base  in  aspect,  and  of  loathsome  odor. 

On  the  17th  of  April  Mr.  Hunt  arrived  with  his  party  at  the 
station  near  the  Nodowa  River,  where  the  main  body  had  been 
quartered  during  the  winter. 

7* 


154  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  weather  continued  rainy  and  ungenial  for  some  days  after 
Mr.  Hunt's  return  to  Nodowa  ;  yet  spring  was  rapidly  advancing, 
and  vegetation  was  putting  forth  with  all  its  early  freshness  and 
beauty.  The  snakes  began  to  recover  from  their  torpor  and  crawl 
forth  into  day,  and  the  neighborhood  of  the  wintering  house 
seems  to  have  been  much  infested  with  them.  Mr.  Bradbury,  in 
the  course  of  his  botanical  researches,  found  a  surprising  number 
in  a  half  torpid  state,  under  flat  stones  upon  the  banks  which 
overhung  the  cantonment,  and  narrowly  escaped  being  struck  by 
a  rattlesnake,  which  darted  at  him  from  a  cleft  in  the  rock,  but 
fortunately  gave  him  warning  by  its  rattle. 

The  pigeons  too  were  filling  the  woods  in  vast  migratory 
flocks.  It  is  almost  incredible  to  describe  the  prodigious  flights  of 
these  birds  in  the  western  wildernesses.  They  appear  absolutely 
in  clouds,  and  move  with  astonishing  velocity,  their  wings  making 
a  whistling  sound  as  they  fly.  The  rapid  evolutions  of  these 
flocks,  wheeling  and  shifting  suddenly  as  if  with  one  mind  and 
one  impulse ;  the  flashing  changes  of  color  they  present,  as  their 
backs,  their  breasts,  or  the  under  part  of  their  wings  are  turned 
to  the  spectator,  are  singularly  pleasing.  When  they  alight,  if 
on  the  ground,  they  cover  whole  acres  at  a  time ;  if  upon  trees, 
the  branches  often  break  beneath  their  weight.  If  suddenly 
startled  while  feeding  in  the  midst  of  a  forest,  the  noise  they 
make  in  getting  on  the  wing  is  like  the  roar  of  a  cataract  or  the 
sound  of  distant  thunder. 


GREAT   FLIGHT   OF   PIGEONS.  155 

A  flight  of  this  kind,  like  an  Egyptian  flight  of  locusts, 
devours  every  thing  that  serves  for  its  food  as  it  passes  along. 
So  great  were  the  numbers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  camp  that  Mr. 
Bradbury,  in  the  course  of  a  morning's  excursion,  shot  nearly 
three  hundred  with  a  fowling-piece.  He  gives  a  curious,  though 
apparently  a  faithful,  account  of  the  kind  of  discipline  observed 
in  these  immense  flocks,  so  that  each  may  have  a  chance  of  pick- 
ing up  food.  As  the  front  ranks  must  meet  with  the  greatest 
abundance,  and  the  rear  ranks  must  have  scanty  pickings,  the 
instant  a  rank  finds  itself  the  hindmost,  it  rises  in  the  air,  flies 
over  the  whole  flock,  and  takes  its  place  in  the  advance.  The 
next  rank  follows  in  its  course,  and  thus  the  last  is  continually 
becoming  first,  and  all  by  turns  have  a  front  place  at  the  banquet. 

The  rains  having  at  length  subsided,  Mr.  Hunt  broke  up  the 
encampment  and  resumed  his  course  up  the  Missouri. 

The  party  now  consisted  of  nearly  sixty  persons :  of  whom  five 
were  partners ;  one,  John  Reed,  was  a  clerk ;  forty  were  Cana- 
dian " voyageurs,"  or  " engages"  and  there  were  several  hunters. 
They  embarked  in  four  boats,  one  of  which  was  of  a  large  size, 
mounting  a  swivel  and  two  howitzers.  All  were  furnished  with 
masts  and  sails,  to  be  used  when  the  wind  was  sufficiently  favora- 
ble and  strong  to  overpower  the  current  of  the  river.  Such  was 
the  case  for  the  first  four  or  five  days,  when  they  were  wafted 
steadily  up  the  stream  by  a  strong  southeaster. 

Their  encampments  at  night  were  often  pleasant  and  pictu- 
resque :  on  some  beautiful  bank,  beneath  spreading  trees,  which 
afforded  them  shelter  and  fuel.  The  tents  were  pitched,  the  fires 
made,  and  the  meals  prepared  by  the  voyageurs,  and  many  a  story 
was  told,  and  joke  passed,  and  song  sung,  round  the  evening  fire. 
All,  however,  were  asleep  at  an  early  hour.  Some  under  the 
tents,  others  wrapped  in  blankets  before  the  fire,  or  beneath  the 
trees  ;  and  some  few  in  the  boats  and  canoes. 


156  ASTORIA. 

On  the  28th,  they  breakfasted  on  one  of  the  islands  which  lie 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Nebraska  or  Platte  River  ;  the  largest  trib- 
utary of  the  Missouri,  and  about  six  hundred  miles  above  its 
confluence  with  the  Mississippi.  This  broad  but  shallow  stream 
flows  for  an  immense  distance  through  a  wide  and  verdant  valley, 
scooped  out  of  boundless  prairies.  It  draws  its  main  supplies, 
by  several  forks  or  branches,  from  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The 
mouth  of  this  river  is  established  as  the  dividing  point  between 
the  upper  and  lower  Missouri ;  and  the  earlier  voyagers,  in  their 
toilsome  ascent,  before  the  introduction  of  steamboats,  considered 
one-half  of  their  labors  accomplished  when  they  reached  this  place. 
The  passing  of  the  mouth  of  the  Nebraska,  therefore,  was  equiva- 
lent among  boatmen  to  the  crossing  of  the  line  among  sailors, 
and  was  celebrated  with  like  ceremonials  of  a  rough  and  waggish 
nature,  practised  upon  the  uninitiated  ;  among  which  was  the  old 
nautical  joke  of  shaving.  The  river  deities^,  however,  like  those 
of  the  sea,  were  to  be  propitiated  by  a  bribe,  and  the  infliction  of 
these  rude  honors  to  be  parried  by  a  treat  to  the  adepts. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Nebraska  new  signs  were  met  with  of 
war  parties  which  had  recently  been  in  the  vicinity.  There  was 
the  frame  of  a  skin  canoe,  in  which  the  warriors  had  traversed 
the  river.  At  night,  also,  the  lurid  reflection  of  immense  fires 
hung  in  the  sky,  showing  the  conflagration  of  great  tracts  of  the 
prairies.  Such  fires  not  being  madefy  hunters  so  late  in  the 
season,  it  was  supposed  they  were  caused  by  some  wandering  war 
parties.  These  often  take  the  precaution  to  set  the  prairies  on 
fire  behind  them  to  conceal  their  traces  from  their  enemies.  This 
is  chiefly  done  when  the  party  has  been  unsuccessful,  and  is  on  the 
retreat,  and  apprehensive  of  pursuit.  At  such  time  it  is  not  safe 
even  for  friends  to  fall  in  with  them,  as  they  are  apt  to  be  in 
savage  humor,  and  disposed  to  vent  their  spleen  in  capricious 
outrage.  These  signs,  therefore,  of  a  band  of  marauders  on 


DESERTION   OF  TWO   HUNTERS.  157 


the  prowl,  called  for  some  degree  of  vigilance  on  the  part  of  the 
travellers. 

After  passing  the  Nebraska,  the  party  halted  for  part  of  two 
days  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  little  above  Papillion  Creek,  to 
supply  themselves  with  a  stock  of  oars  and  poles  from  the  tough 
wood  of  the  ash,  which  is  not  met  with  higher  up  the  Missouri. 
While  the  voyageurs  were  thus  occupied,  the  naturalists  rambled 
over  the  adjacent  country  to  collect  plants.  From  the  summit 
of  a  range  of  bluffs  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  they  had  one  of  those  vast  and  mag- 
nificent prospects  which  sometimes  unfold  themselves  in  these 
boundless  regions.  Below  them  was  the  valley  of  the  Missouri, 
about  seven  miles  in  breadth,  clad  in  the  fresh  verdure  of  spring ; 
enamelled  with  flowers  and  interspersed  with  clumps  and  groves 
of  noble  trees,  between  which  the  mighty  river  poured  its  turbu- 
lent and  turbid  stream.  The  interior  of  the  country  presented 
a  singular  scene  ;  the  immense  waste  being  broken  up  by  innu- 
merable green  hills,  not  above  eighty  feet  in  height,  but  extremely 
steep,  and  acutely  pointed  at  their  summits.  A  long  line  of 
bluffs  extended  for  upwards  of  thirty  miles,  parallel  to  the  Mis- 
souri, with  a  shallow  lake  stretching  along  their  base,  which  had 
evidently  once  formed  a  bed  of  the  river.  The  surface  of  this 
lake  was  covered  with  aquatic  plants,  on  the  broad  leaves  of  which 
numbers  of  water-snakes,  drawn  forth  by  the  genial  warmth  of 
spring,  were  basking  in  the  sunshine. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  at  the  usual  hour  of  embarking,  the  camp 
was  thrown  into  some  confusion  by  two  of  the  hunters,  named 
Harrington,  expressing  their  intention  to  abandon  the  expedition 
and  return  home.  One  of  these  had  joined  the  party  in  the  pre- 
ceding autumn,  having  been  hunting  for'  two  years  on  the  Mis- 
souri ;  the  other  had  engaged  at  St.  Louis,  in  the  following  March, 
and  had  come  up  from  thence  with  Mr.  Hunt.  He  now  declared 


158  ASTORIA. 

that  he  had  enlisted  merely  for  the  purpose  of  following  his 
brother,  and  persuading  him  to  return  ;  having  been  enjoined  to 
do  so  by  his  mother,  whose  anxiety  had  been  awakened  by  the 
idea  of  his  going  on  such  a  wild  and  distant  expedition. 

The  loss  of  two  stark  hunters  and  prime  riflemen  was  a  seri- 
ous affair  to  the  party,  for  they  were  approaching  the  region 
where  they  might  expect  hostilities  from  the  Sioux ;  indeed, 
throughout  the  whole  of  their  perilous  journey,  the  services  of 
such  men  would  be  all  important,  for  little  reliance  was  to  be 
placed  upon  the  valor  of  the  Canadians  in  case  of  attack.  Mr. 
Hunt  endeavored  by  arguments,  expostulations,  and  entreaties, 
to  shake  the  determination  of  the  two  brothers.  He  represented 
to  them  that  they  were  between  six  and  seven  hundred  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri ;  that  they  would  have  four 
hundred  miles  to  go  before  they  could  reach  the  habitation  of  a 
white  man,  throughout  which  they  would  be  exposed  to  all  kinds 
of  risks  ;  since  he  declared,  if  they  persisted  in  abandoning  him 
and  breaking  their  faith,  he  would  not  furnish  them  with  a  single 
round  of  ammunition.  All  was  in  vain  ;  they  obstinately  persist- 
ed in  their  resolution ;  whereupon,  Mr.  Hunt,  partly  incited  by 
indignation,  partly  by  the  policy  of  deterring  others  from  deser- 
tion, put  his  threat  in  execution,  and  left  them  to  find  their  way 
back  to  the  settlements  without,  as  he  supposed,  a  single  bullet  or 
charge  of  powder. 

The  boats  now  continued  their  slow  and  toilsome  course  for 
several  days,  against  the  current  of  the  river.  The  late  signs 
of  roaming  war  parties  caused  a  vigilant  watch  to  be  kept  up  at 
night  when  the  crews  encamped  on  shore ;  nor  was  this  vigilance 
superfluous  ;  for  on  the  night  of  the  seventh  instant,  there  was  a 
wild  and  fearful  yell,  and  eleven  Sioux  warriors,  stark  naked, 
with  tomahawks  in  their  hands,  rushed  into  the  camp.  They 
were  instantly  surrounded  and  seized,  whereupon  their  leader 


VILLAGE   OF   THE   OMAHAS.  159 


called  out  to  his  followers  to  desist  from  any  violence,  and  pre- 
tended to  be  perfectly  pacific  in  his  intentions.  It  proved,  how- 
i-ver.  that  they  w^gp  a  part  of  the  war  party,  the  skeleton  of 
whose  canoe  had  been  seen  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Platte,  and 
the  reflection  of  whose  fires  had  been  descried  in  the  air.  They 
had  been  disappointed  or  defeated  in  their  foray,  and  in  their 
rage  and  mortification  these  eleven  warriors  had  "  devoted  their 
clo'thes  to  the  medicine."  Tliis  ise,  desperate  act  of  Indian  braves 
when  foiled  in  war,  and  in  dread  of  scoffs  and  sneers.  In  such 
case  they  sometimes  throw  off  their  clothes  and  ornaments,  de- 
vote themselves  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  attempt  some  reckless 
exploit  with  which  to  cover  their  disgrace.  Woe  to  any  defence- 
less party  of  white  men  that  may  then  fall  in  their  way  ! 

Such  was  the  explanation  given  by  Pierre  Dorion,  the  half- 
breed  interpreter,  of  this  wild  intrusion  into  the  camp  ;  and  the 
party  were  so  exasperated  when  apprized  of  the  sanguinary  in- 
tentions of  the  prisoners,  that  they  were  for  shooting  them  on 
the  spot.  Mr.  Hunt,  however,  exerted  his  usual  moderation  and 
humanity,  and  ordered  that  they  should  be  conveyed  across  the 
river  in  one  of  the  boats,  threatening  them,  however,  with  certain 
death,  if  again  caught  in  any  hostile  act. 

On  the  10th  of  May  the  party  arrived  at  the  Omaha  (pro- 
nounced Omawhaw)  village,  about  eight  hundred  and  thirty  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and  encamped  in  its  neighbor- 
hood. The  village  was  situated  under  a  hill  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  and  consisted  of  about  eighty  lodges.  These  were  of  a 
circular  and  conical  form,  and  about  sixteen  feet  in  diameter ; 
being  mere  tents  of  dressed  buffalo  skins,  sewed  together  and 
stretched  on  long  poles,  inclined  towards  each  other  so  as  to 
cross  at  about  half  their  height.  Thus  the  naked  tops  of  the 
poles  diverge  in  such  a  manner  that,  if  they  were  covered  with 
skins  like  the  lower  ends,  the  tent  would  be  shaped  like  an  hour- 


160  ASTORIA. 

• 

glass,  and  present  the  appearance  of  one  cone  inverted  on  the 
apex  of  another. 

The  forms  of  Indian  lodges  are  worthy  ofiflttention,  each  tribe 
having  a  different  mode  of  shaping  and  arranging  them,  so  that 
it  is  easy  to  tell,  on  seeing  a  lodge  or  an  encampment  at  a  dis- 
tance, to  what  tribe  the  inhabitants  belong.  The  exterior  of  the 
Omaha  lodges  have  often  a  gay  and  fanciful  appearance,  being 
painted  with  undulating  bands  of  red  or  yellow,  or  decorated 
with  rude  figures  of  horses,  deer,  and  buffaloes,  and  with  human 
faces,  painted  like  full  moons,  four  and  five  feet  broad. 

The  Omahas  were  once  one  of  the  numerous  and  powerful 
tribes  of  the  prairies,  vying  in  warlike  might  and  prowess  with 
the  Sioux,  the  Pawnees,  the  Sauks,  the  Konzas,  and  the  latans. 
Their  wars  with  the  Sioux,  however,  had  thinned  their  ranks,  and 
the  smallpox  in  1802  had  swept  off  two-thirds  of  their  number. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Hunt's  visit  they  still  boasted  about  two 
hundred  warriors,  and  hunters,  but  they  are  now  fast  melting 
away,  and  before  long,  will  be  numbered  among  those  extin- 
guished nations  of  the  west  that  exist  but  in  tradition. 

In  his  correspondence  with  Mr.  Astor,  from  this  point  of  his 
journey,  Mr.  Hunt  gives  a  sad  account  of  the  Indian  tribes  bor- 
dering on  the  river.  They  were  in  continual  war  with  each 
other,  and  their  wars  were  of  the  most  harassing  kind ;  consist- 
ing, not  merely  of  main  conflicts  and  expeditions  of  moment, 
involving  the  sackings,  burnings  and  massacres  of  towns  and 
villages,  but  of  individual  acts  of  treachery,  murder,  and  cold- 
blooded cruelty ;  or  of  vaunting  and  foolhardy  exploits  of  single 
warriors,  either  to  avenge  some  personal  wrong;  or  gain  the  vain- 
glorious trophy  of  a  scalp.  The  lonely  hunter,  the  wandering 
wayfarer,  the  poor  squaw  cutting  wood  or  gathering  corn,  was 
liable  to  be  surprised  and  slaughtered.  In  this  way  tribes  were 
either  swept  away  at  once,  or  gradually  thinned  out,  and  savage 


BLACKBIRD,  THE   OMAHA   CHIEF.  161 


life  was  surrounded  with  constant  horrors  and  alarms.  That  the 
race  of  red  men  should  diminish  from  year  to  year,  and  so  few 
should  survive  of  the  numerous  nations  which  evidently  once 
peopled  the  vast  regions  of  the  west,  is  nothing  surprising ;  it  is 
rather  matter  of  surprise  that  so  many  should  survive ;  for  the 
existence  of  a  savage  in  these  parts  seems  little  better  than  a 
prolonged  and  all-besetting  death.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  caricature  of  • 
the  boasted  romance  of  feudal  times ;  chivalry  in  its  native  and 
uncultured  state,  and  knight-errantry  run  wild. 

In  their  more  prosperous  days,  the  Omahas  looked  upon 
themselves  as  the  most  powerful  and  perfect  of  human  beings,  and 
considered  all  created  things  as  made  for  their  peculiar  use  and 
benefit.  It  is  this  tribe  of  whose  chief,  the  famous  Wash-ing-guh- 
sah-ba,  or  Blackbird,  such  savage  and  romantic  stories  are  told. 
He  had  died  about  ten  years  previous  to  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt's 
party,  but  his  name  was  still  mentioned  with  awe  by  his  people. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  among  the  Indian  chiefs  on  the  Missouri 
to  deal  with  the  white  traders,  and  showed  great  sagacity  in  levy- 
ing his  royal  dues.  When  a  trader  arrived  in  his  village,  he 
caused  all  his  goods  to  be  brought  into  his  lodge  and  opened. 
From  these  he  selected  whatever  suited  his  sovereign  pleasure ; 
blankets,  tobacco,  whisky,  powder,  ball,  beads  and  red  paint ;  and 
laid  the  articles  on  one  side,  without  deigning  to  give  any  com- 
pensation. Then  calling  to  him  his  herald  or  crier,  he  would 
order  him  to  mount  on  top  of  the  lodge  and  summon  all  the  tribe 
to  bring  in  their  peltries,  and  trade  with  the  white  man.  The 
lodge  would  soon  be  crowded  with  Indians  bringing  bear,  beaver, 
otter,  and  other  skins.  No  one  was  allowed  to  dispute  the  prices 
fixed  by  the  white  trader  upon  his  articles;  who  took  care  to  in- 
demnify himself  five  times  over  for  the  goods  set  apart  by  the 
chief.  In  this  way  the  Blackbird  enriched  himself,  and  enriched 
the  white  men,  and  became  exceedingly  popular  among  the  traders 


162  ASTORIA. 

of  the  Missouri.  His  people,  however,  were  not  equally  satisfied 
by  a  regulation  of  trade  which  worked  so  manifestly  against 
them,  and  began  to  show  signs  of  discontent.  Upon  this  a  crafty 
and  unprincipled  trader  revealed  a  secret  to  the  Blackbird,  by 
which  he  might  acquire  unbounded  sway  over  his  ignorant  and 
superstitious  subjects.  He  instructed  him  in  the  poisonous  qua- 
lities of  arsenic,  and  furnished  him  with  an  ample  supply  of  that 
baneful  drug.  From  this  time  the  Blackbird  seemed  endowed 
with  supernatural  powers,  to  possess  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  to 
hold  the  disposal  of  life  and  death  within  his  hands.  Woe  to  any 
one  who  questioned  his  authority  or  dared  to  dispute  his  com- 
mands !  The  Blackbird  prophesied  his  death  within  a  certain 
time,  and  he  had  the  secret  means  of  verifying  his  prophecy. 
Within  the  fated  period  the  offender  was  smitten  with  strange 
and  sudden  disease,  and  perished  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 
Every  one  stood  aghast  at  these  multiplied  examples  of  his  super- 
human might,  and  dreaded  to  displease  so  omnipotent  and  vin- 
dictive a  being;  and  the  Blackbird  enjoyed  a  wide  and  undis- 
puted sway. 

It  was  not,  however,  by  terror  alone  that  he  ruled  his  people  ; 
he  was  a  warrior  of  the  first  order,  and  his  exploits  in  arms  were 
the  theme  of  young  and  old.  His  career  had  begun  by  hard- 
ships, having  been  taken  prisoner  by  the  Sioux,  in  early  youth. 
Under  his  command,  the  Omahas  obtained  great  character  for 
military  prowess,  nor  did  he  permit  an  insult  or  injury  to  one 
of  his  tribe  to  pass  unrevenged.  The  Pawnee  republicans  had 
inflicted  a  gross  indignity  on  a  favorite  and  distinguished  Omaha 
brave.  The  Blackbird  assembled  his  warriors,  led  them  against 
the  Pawnee  town,  attacked  it  with  irresistible  fury,  slaughtered 
a  great  number  of  its  inhabitants,  aud  burnt  it  to  the  ground. 
He  waged  fierce  and  bloody  war  against  the  Ottoes  for  many 
years,  until  peace  was  effected  between  them  by  the  mediation  of 


THE   POWER   OF   BEAUTY.  163 


the  whites.  Fearless  in  battle,  and  fond  of  signalizing  himself, 
he  dazzled  his  followers  by  daring  acts.  In  attacking  a  Kanza 
village,  he  rode  singly  round  it,  loading  and  discharging  his  rifle 
at  the  inhabitants  as  he  galloped  past  them.  He  kept  up  in  war 
the  same  idea  of  mysterious  and  supernatural  power.  At  one 
time,  when  pursuing  a  war  party  by  their  tracks  across  the 
prairies,  he  repeatedly  discharged  his  rifle  into  the  prints  made 
by  their  feet  and  by  the  hoofs  of  their  horses,  assuring  his  fol- 
lowers that  he  would  thereby  cripple  the  fugitives,  so  that  they 
would  easily  be  overtaken.  He  in  fact  did  overtake  them,  and 
destroyed  them  almost  to  a  man  ;  and  his  victory  was  considered 
miraculous,  both  by  friend  and  foe.  By  these  and  similar  exploits, 
he  made  himself  the  pride  and  boast  of  his  people,  and  became 
popular  among  them,  notwithstanding  his  death-denouncing  fiat. 
With  all  his  savage  and  terrific  qualities,  he  was  sensible  of 
the  power  of  female  beauty,  and  capable  of  love.  'A  war  party 
of  the  Poncas  had  made  a  foray  into  the  lands  of  the  Omahas, 
and  carried  off  a  number  of  women  and  horses.  The  Blackbird 
was  roused  to  fury,  and  took  the  field  with  all  his  braves,  swear- 
ing to  "  eat  up  the  Ponca  nation," — the  Indian  threat  of  exter- 
minating war.  The  Poncas,  sorely  pressed,  took  refuge  behind 
a  rude  bulwark  of  earth ;  but  the  Blackbird  kept  up  so  galling  a 
fire,  that  he  seemed  likely  to  execute  his  menace.  In  their 
extremity  they  sent  forth  a  herald,  bearing  the  calumet  or  pipe 
of  peace,  but  he  was  shot  down  by  order  of  the  Blackbird. 
Another  herald  was  sent  forth  in  similar  guise,  but  he  shared  a 
like  fate.  The  Ponca  chief  then,  as  a  last  hope,  arrayed  his 
beautiful  daughter  in  her  finest  ornaments,  and  sent  her  forth 
with  a  calumet,  to  sue  for  peace.  The  charms  of  the  Indian  maid 
touched  the  stern  heart  of  the  Blackbird ;  he  accepted  the  pipe 
at  her  hand,  smoked  it,  and  from  that  time  a  peace  took  place 
between  the  Poncas  and  the  Omahas. 


164  ASTORIA. 

This  beautiful  damsel,  in  all  probability,  was  the  favorite 
wife  whose  fate  makes  so  tragic  an  incident  in  the  story  of  the 
Blackbird.  Her  youth  and  beauty  had  gained  an  absolute  sway 
over  his  rugged  heart,  so  that  he  distinguished  her  above  all  his 
other  wives.  The  habitual  gratification  of  his  vindictive  im- 
pulses, however,  had  taken  away  from  him  all  mastery  over  his 
passions,  and  rendered  him  liable  to  the  most  furious  transports 
of  rage.  In  one  of  these  his  beautiful  wife  had  the  misfortune 
to  offend  him,  when  suddenly  drawing  his  knife,  he  laid  her  dead 
at  his  feet  with  a  single  blow. 

In  an  instant  his  frenzy  was  at  an  end.  He  gazed  for  a 
time  in  mute  bewilderment  upon  his  victim ;  then  drawing  his 
buffalo  robe  over  his  head,  he  sat  down  beside  the  corpse,  and 
remained  brooding  over  his  crime  and  his  loss.  Three  days 
elapsed,  yet  the  chief  continued  silent  and  motionless  ;  tasting 
no  food,  and  apparently  sleepless.  It  was  apprehended  that  he 
intended  to  starve  himself  to  death  ;  his  people  approached  him 
in  trembling  awe,  and  entreated  him  once  more  to  uncover  .his 
face  and  be  comforted ;  but  he  remained  unmoved.  At  length 
one  of  his  warriors  brought  in  a  small  child,  and  laying  it  on 
the  ground,  placed  the  foot  of  the  Blackbird  upon  its  neck.  The 
heart  of  the  gloomy  savage  was  touched  by  this  appeal ;  he 
threw  aside  his  robe ;  made  an  harangue  upon  what  he  had 
done;  and  from  that  time  forward  seemed  to  have  thrown  the 
load  of  grief  and  remorse  from  his  mind. 

He  still  retained  his  fatal  and  mysterious  secret,  and  with  it 
his  terrific  power ;  but,  though  able  to  deal  death  to  his  ene- 
mies, he  could  not  avert  it  from  himself  or  his  friends.  In  1802 
the  smallpox,  that  dreadful  pestilence,  which  swept  over  the  land 
like  a  fire  over  the  prairie,  made  its  appearance  in  the  village  of 
the  Omahas.  The  poor  savages  saw  with  dismay  the  ravages  of 
a  malady,  loathsome  and  agonizing  in  its  details,  and  which  set 


DEATH   OF  BLACKBIRD.  165 


the  skill  and  experience  of  their  conjurers  and  medicine  men  at 
defiance.  In  a  little  while,  two-thirds  of  the  population  were 
swept  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  the  doom  of  the  rest 
seemed  sealed.  The  stoicism  of  the  warriors  was  at  an  end; 
they  became  wild  and  desperate ;  some  set  fire  to  the  village  as 
a  last  means  of  checking  the  pestilence ;  others,  in  a  frenzy  of 
despair  put  their  wives  and  children  to  death,  that  they  might 
be  spared  the  agonies  of  an  inevitable  disease,  and  that  they 
might  all  go  to  some  better  country. 

When  the  general  horror  and  dismay  was  at  its  height,  the 
Blackbird  himself  was  struck  down  with  the  malady.  The  poor 
savages,  when  they  saw  their  chief  in  danger,  forgot  their  own 
miseries,  and  surrounded  his  dying  bed.  His  dominant  spirit, 
and  his  love  for  the  white  men,  were  evinced  in  his  latest  breath, 
with  which  he  designated  his  place  of  sepulture.  It  was  to  be 
on  a  hill  or  promontory,  upwards  of  four  hundred  feet  in  height, 
overlooking  a  great  extent  of  the  Missouri,  from  whence  he  had 
been  accustomed  to  watch  for  the  barks  of  the  white  men.  The 
Missouri  washes  the  base  of  the  promontory,  and  after  winding 
and  doubling  in  many  links  and  mazes  in  the  plain  below,  returns 
to  within  nine  hundred  yards  of  its  starting-place ;  so  that  for 
thirty  miles  navigating  with  sail  and  oar,  the  voyager  finds  him- 
self continually  near  to  this  singular  promontory  as  if  spell-bound. 

It  was  the  dying  command  of  the  Blackbird  that  his  tomb 
should  be  upon  the  summit  of  this  hill,  in  which  he  should  be 
interred,  seated  on  his  favorite  horse,  that  he  might  overlook  his 
ancient  domain,  and  behold  the  barks  of  the  white  men  as  they 
came  up  the  river  to  trade  with  his  people. 

His  dying  orders  were  faithfully  obeyed.  His  corpse  was 
placed  astride  of  his  war-steed,  and  a  mound  raised  over  them  on 
the  summit  of  the  hill.  On  top  of  the  mound  was  erected  a  staff, 
from  which  fluttered  the  banner  of  the  chieftain,  and  the  scalps 


166  ASTORIA. 

that  he  had  taken  in  battle.  When  the  expedition  under  Mr. 
Hunt  visited  that  part  of  the  country,  the  staff  still  remained 
with  the  fragments  of  the  banner  ;  and  the  superstitious  rite  of 
placing  food  from  time  to  time  on  the  mound,  for  the  use  of  the 
deceased,  was  still  observed  by  the  Omahas.  That  rite  has  since 
fallen  into  disuse,  for  the  tribe  itself  is  almost  extinct.  Yet  the 
hill  of  the  Blackbird  continues  an  object  of  veneration  to  the 
wandering  savage,  and  a  landmark  to  the  voyager  of  the  Missouri ; 
and  as  the  civilized  traveller  comes  within  sight  of  its  spell-bound 
crest,  the  mound  is  pointed  out  to  him  from  afar,  which  still 
incloses  the  grim  skeletons  of  the  Indian  warrior  and  his  horse. 


RUMORS   OF  DANGER. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


WHILE  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  were  sojourning  at  the  village  of 
the  Oinahas,  three  Sioux  Indians  of  the  Yankton  Ahna  tribe 
arrived,  bringing  unpleasant  intelligence.  They  reported  that 
certain  bands  of  the  Sioux  Tetons,  who  inhabited  a  region  many 
leagues  further  up  the  Missouri,  were  near  at  hand,  awaiting  the 
approach  of  the  party,  with  the  avowed  intention  of  opposing 
their  progress. 

The  Sioux  Tetons  were  at  that  time  a  sort  of  pirates  of  the 
Missouri,  who  considered  the  well-freighted  bark  of  the  American 
trader  fair  game.  They  had  their  own  traffic  with  the  British 
merchants  of  the  northwest,  who  brought  them  regular  supplies 
of  merchandise  by  way  of  the  river  St.  Peter.  Being  thus  inde- 
pendent of  the  Missouri  traders  for  their  supplies,  they  kept 
no  terms  with  them,  but  plundered  them  whenever  they  had  an 
opportunity.  It  has  been  insinuated  that  they  were  prompted 
to  these  outrages  by  the  British  merchants,  who  wished  to  keep 
off  all  rivals  in  the  Indian  trade ;  but  others  allege  another  mo- 
tive, and  one  savoring  of  a  deeper  policy.  The  Sioux,  by  their 
intercourse  with  the  British  traders,  had  acquired  the  use  of  fire- 
arms, which  had  given  them  vast  superiority  over  other  tribes 
higher  up  the  Missouri.  They  had  made  themselves  also,  in  a 
manner,  factors  for  the  upper  tribes,  supplying  them  at  second 
hand,  and  at  greatly  advanced  prices,  with  goods  derived  from 
the  white  men.  The  Sioux,  therefore,  saw  with  jealousy  the 
American  traders  pushing  their  way  up  the  Missouri ;  foreseeing 


168  ASTORIA. 

that  the  upper  tribes  would  thus  be  relieved  from  all  dependence 
on  them  for  supplies  ;  nay,  what  was  worse,  would  be  furnished 
with  firearms,  and  elevated  into  formidable  rivals. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  a  case  in  which  Mr.  Crooks  and 
Mr.  M'Lellan  had  been  interrupted  in  a  trading  voyage  by  these 
ruffians  of  the  river,  and,  as  it  is  in  some  degree  connected  with 
circumstances  hereafter  to  be  related,  we  shall  specify  it  more 
particularly. 

About  two  years  before  the  time  of  which  we  are  treating. 
Crooks  and  M'Lellan  were  ascending  the  river  in  boats  with  a 
party  of  about  forty  men,  bound  on  one  of  their  trading  expedi- 
tions to  the  upper  tribes.  In  one  of  the  bends  of  the  river, 
where  the  channel  made  a  deep  curve  under  impending  banks, 
they  suddenly  heard  yells  and  shouts  above  them,  and  beheld  the 
cliffs  overhead  covered  with  armed  savages.  It  was  a  band  of 
Sioux  warriors,  upwards  of  six  hundred  strong.  They  bran- 
dished their  weapons  in  a  menacing  manner,  and  ordered  the 
boats  to  turn  back  and  land  lower  down  the  river.  There  was 
no  disputing  these  commands,  for  they  had  the  power  to  shower 
destruction  upon  the  white  men,  without  risk  to  themselves. 
Crooks  and  M'Lellan,  therefore,  turned  back  with  feigned  alac- 
rity ;  and,  landing,  had  an  interview  with  the  Sioux.  The  latter 
forbade  them,  under  pain  of  exterminating  hostility,  from  attempt- 
ing to  proceed  up  the  river,  but  offered  to  trade  peacefully  with 
them  if  they  would  halt  where  they  were.  The  party,  being  prin- 
cipally composed  of  voyageurs,  was  too  weak  to  contend  with  so 
superior  a  force,  and  one  so  easily  augmented  ;  they  pretended, 
therefore,  to  comply  cheerfully  with  their  arbitrary  dictation,  and 
immediately  proceeded  to  cut  down  trees  and  erect  a  trading 
house.  The  warrior  band  departed  for  their  village,  which  was 
about  twenty  miles  distant,  to  collect  objects  of  traffic  ;  they  left 
six  or  eight  of  their  number,  however,  to  keep  watch  upon  the 


M'LELLAN'S   VOW.  169 


white  men,  and  scouts  were  continually  passing  to  and  fro  with 
intelligence. 

Mr.  Crooks  saw  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  prosecute  his 
voyage  without  the  danger  of  having  his  boats  plundered,  and  a 
great  part  of  his  men  massacred  ;  he  determined,  however,  not  to  be 
entirely  frustrated  in  the  objects  of  his  expedition.  While  he  con- 
tinued, therefore,  with  great  apparent  earnestness  and  assiduity, 
the  construction  of  the  trading  house,  he  dispatched  the  hunters 
and  trappers  of  his  party  in  a  canoe,  to  make  their  way  up  the 
river  to  the  original  place  of  destination,  there  to  busy  themselves 
in  trapping  and  collecting  peltries,  and  to  await  his  arrival  at 
some  future  period. 

As  soon  as  the  detachment  had  had  sufficient  time  to  ascend 
beyond  the  hostile  country  of  the  Sioux,  Mr.  Crooks  suddenly 
broke  up  his  feigned  trading  establishment,  embarked  his  men 
and  effects,  and,  after  giving  the  astonished  rear-guard  of  savages 
a  galling  and  indignant  message  to  take  to  their  countrymen, 
pushed  down  the  river  with  all  speed,  sparing  neither  oar  nor 
paddle,  day  nor  night,  until  fairly  beyond  the  swoop  of  these 
river  hawks. 

What  increased  the  irritation  of  Messrs.  Crooks  and  M'Lel- 
lan  at  this  mortifying  check  to  their  gainful  enterprise,  was  the 
information  that  a  rival  trader  was  at  the  bottom  of  it ;  the  Sioux, 
it  is  said,  having  been  instigated  to  this  outrage  by  Mr.  Manuel 
Lisa,  the  leading  partner  and  agent  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Com- 
pany, already  mentioned.  This  intelligence,  whether  true  or 
false,  so  roused  the  fiery  temper  of  M'Lellan,  that  he  swore,  if 
ever  he  fell  in  with  Lisa  in  the  Indian  country,  he  would  shoot 
him  on  the  spot ;  a  mode  of  redress  perfectly  in  unison  with  the 
character  of  the  man,  and  the  code  of  honor  prevalent  beyond 
the  frontier. 

If  Crooks  and  M'Lellan  had  been  exasperated  by  the  insolent 

8 


170  ASTORIA. 

conduct  of  the  Sioux  Tetons,  and  the  loss  which  it  had  occasioned, 
those  freebooters  had  been  no  less  indignant  at  being  outwitted 
by  the  white  men.  and  disappointed  of  their  anticipated  gains, 
and  it  was  apprehended  they  would  be  particularly  hostile  against 
the  present  expedition,  when  they  should  learn  that  these  gentle- 
men were  engaged  in  it. 

All  these  causes  of  uneasiness  were  concealed  as  much  as 
possible  from  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  lest  they  should  become 
intimidated ;  it  was  impossible,  however,  to  prevent  the  rumors 
brought  by  the  Indians  from  leaking  out,  and  they  became  sub- 
jects of  gossiping  and  exaggeration.  The  chief  of  the  Omahas, 
too,  on  returning  from  a  hunting  excursion,  reported  that  two 
men  had  been  killed  some  distance  above,  by  a  band  of  Sioux. 
This  added  to  the  fears  that  already  began  to  be  excited.  The 
voyageurs  pictured  to  themselves  bands  of  fierce  warriors  sta- 
tioned along  each  bank  of  the  river,  by  whom  they  would  be  ex- 
posed to  be  shot  down  in  their  boats  :  or  lurking  hordes,  who 
would  set  on  them  at  night,  and  massacre  them  in  their  encamp- 
ments. Some  lost  heart,  and  proposed  to  return,  rather  than 
fight  their  way,  and,  in  a  manner,  run  the  gauntlet  through  the 
country  of  these  piratical  marauders.  In  fact,  three  men  de- 
serted while  at  this  village.  Luckily,  their  place  was  supplied  by 
three  others  who  happened  to  be  there,  and  who  were  prevailed 
on  to  join  the  expedition  by  promises  of  liberal  pay,  and  by  being 
fitted  out  and  equipped  in  complete  style. 

The  irresolution  and  discontent  visible  among  some  of  his 
people,  arising  at  times  almost  to  mutiny,  and  the  occasional 
desertions  which  took  place  while  thus  among  friendly  tribes,  and 
within  reach  of  the  frontiers,  added  greatly  to  the  anxieties  of 
Mr.  Hunt,  and  rendered  him  eager  to  press  forward  and  leave  a 
hostile  tract  behind  him,  so  that  it  would  be  as  perilous  to  return 
as  to  keep  on,  and  no  one  would  dare  to  desert. 


DEPARTURE  FROM  THE  OMAHA  VILLAGE.  171 


Accordingly,  on  the  15th  of  May  he  departed  from  the  village 
of  the  Omahas,  and  set  forward  towards  the  country  of  the  formi- 
dable Sioux  Tetons.  For  the  first  five  days  they  had  a  fair  and 
fresh  breeze,  and  the  boats  made  good  progress.  The  wind  then 
came  ahead,  and  the  river  beginning  to  rise,  and  to  increase  in 
rapidity,  betokened  the  commencement  of  the  annual  flood,  caused 
by  the  melting  of  the  snow  on  the  Bocky  Mountains,  and  the  ver- 
nal rains  of  the  upper  prairies. 

As  they  were  now  entering  a  region  where  foes  might  be  lying 
in  wait  on  either  bank,  it  was  determined,  in  hunting  for  game,  to 
confine  themselves  principally  to  the  islands,  which  sometimes  ex- 
tend to  considerable  length,  and  are  beautifully  wooded,  affording 
abundant  pasturage  and  shade.  On  one  of  these  they  killed  three 
buffaloes  and  two  elks,  and,  halting  on  the  edge  of  a  beautiful 
prairie,  made  a  sumptuous  hunter's  repast.  They  had  not  long 
resumed  their  boats  and  pulled  along  the  river  banks,  when  they 
descried  a  canoe  approaching,  navigated  by  two  men,  whom,  to 
their  surprise,  they  ascertained  to  be  white  men.  They  proved 
to  be  two  of  those  strange  and  fearless  wanderers  of  the  wilder- 
ness, the  trappers.  Their  names  were  Benjamin  Jones  and 
Alexander  Carson.  They  had  been  for  two  years  past  hunting 
and  trapping  near  the  head  of  the  Missouri,  and  were  thus  float- 
ing for  thousands  of  miles  in  a  cockle  shell,  down  a  turbulent 
stream,  through  regions  infested  by  savage  tribes,  yet  apparently 
as  easy  and  unconcerned  as  if  navigating  securely  in  the  midst  of 
civilization. 

The  acquisition  of  two  such  hardy,  experienced,  and  dauntless 
hunters  was  peculiarly  desirable  at  the  present  moment.  They 
needed  but  little  persuasion.  The  wilderness  is  the  home  of  the 
trapper ;  "like  the  sailor,  he  cares  but  little  to  which  point  of  the 
compass  he  steers ;  and  Jones  and  Carson  readily  abandoned 


172  ASTORIA. 

their  voyage  to  St.  Louis,  and  turned  their  faces  towards  the 
Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific. 

The  two  naturalists,  Mr.  Bradbury  and  Mr.  Nuttall,  who  had 
joined  the  expedition  at  St.  Louis,  still  accompanied  it,  and  pur- 
sued their  researches  on  all  occasions.  Mr.  Nuttall  seems  to 
have  been  exclusively  devoted  to  his  scientific  pursuits.  He  was 
a  zealous  botanist,  and  all  his  enthusiasm  was  awakened  at  be- 
holding a  new  world,  as  it  were,  opening  upon  him  in  the  bound- 
less prairies,  clad  in  the  vernal  and  variegated  robe  of  unknown 
flowers.  Whenever  the  boats  landed  at  meal  times,  or  for  any 
temporary  purpose,  he  would  spring  on  shore,  and  set  out  on  a 
hunt  for  new  specimens.  Every  plant  or  flower  of  a  rare  or 
unknown  species  was  eagerly  seized  as  a  prize.  Delighted  with 
the  treasures  spreading  themselves  out  before  him,  he  went  grop- 
ing and  stumbling  along  among  a  wilderness  of  sweets,  forgetful 
of  every  thing  but  his  immediate  pursuit,  and  had  often  to  be 
sought  after  when  the  boats  were  about  to  resume  their  course. 
At  such  times  he  would  be  found  far  off  in  the  prairies,  or  up  the 
coarse  of  some  petty  stream,  laden  with  plants  of  all  kinds. 

The  Canadian  voyageurs,  who  are  a  class  of  people  that 
know  nothing  out  of  their  immediate  line,  and  with  constitu- 
tional levity  make  a  jest  of  any  thing  they  cannot  understand, 
were  extremely  puzzled  by  this  passion  for  collecting  what  they 
considered  mere  useless  weeds.  When  they  saw  the  worthy  bota- 
nist coming  back  heavy  laden  with  his  specimens,  and  treasuring 
them  up  as  carefully  as  a  miser  would  his  hoard,  they  used  to 
make  merry  among  themselves  at  his  expense,  regarding  him  as 
some  whimsical  kind  of  madman. 

Mr.  Bradbury  was  less  exclusive  in  his  tastes  and  habits,  and 
combined  the  hunter  and  sportsman  with  the  naturalist.  He 
took  his  rifle  or  his  fowling-piece  with  him  in  his  geological 


ADVENTURE   WITH  AN   INDIAN.  173 


researches,  conformed  to  the  hardy  and  rugged  habits  of  the 
men  around  him,  and  of  course  gained  favor  in  their  eyes.  He 
had  a  strong  relish  for  incident  and  adventure.  was  curious  in 
observing  savage  manners,  and  savage  life,  and  ready  to  join  any 
hunting  or  other  excursion.  Even  now,  that  the  expedition  was 
proceeding  through  a  dangerous  neighborhood,  he  could  not 
check  his  propensity  to  ramble.  Having  observed,  on  the  eve- 
ning of  the  22d  of  May.  that  the  river  ahead  made  a  great  bend 
which  would  take  up  the  navigation  of  the  following  day,  he 
determined  to  profit  by  the  circumstance.  On  the  morning  of 
the  23d,  therefore,  instead  of  embarking,  he  filled  his  shot-pouch 
with  parched  corn,  for  provisions,  and  set  off  to  cross  the  neck 
on  foot  and  meet  the  boats  in  the  afternoon  at  the  opposite  side 
of  the  bend.  Mr.  Hunt  felt  uneasy  at  his  venturing  thus  alone, 
and  reminded  him  that  he  was  in  an  enemy's  country ;  but  Mr. 
Bradbury  made  light  of  the  danger,  and  started  off  cheerily  upon 
his  ramble.  His  day  was  passed  pleasantly  in  traversing  a 
beautiful  tract,  making  botanical  and  geological  researches,  and 
observing  the  habits  of  an  extensive  village  of  prairie  dogs,  at 
which  he  made  several  ineffectual  shots,  without  considering  the 
risk  he  run  of  attracting  the  attention  of  any  savages  that  might 
be  lurking  in  the  neighborhood.  In  fact  he  had  totally  forgotten 
the  Sioux  Tetons,  and  all  the  other  perils  of  the  country,  when, 
about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  as  he  stood  near  the  river 
bank,  and  was  looking  out  for  the  boat,  he  suddenly  felt  a  hand 
laid  on  his  shoulder.  Starting  and  turning  round,  he  beheld  a 
naked  savage  with  a  bow  bent,  and  the  arrow  pointed  at  his 
breast.  In  an  instant  his  gun  was  levelled  and  his  hand  upon 
the  lock.  The  Indian  drew  his  bow  still  further,  but  forbore  to 
launch  the  shaft.  Mr.  Bradbury,  with  admirable  presence  of 
mind,  reflected  that  the  savage,  if  hostile  in  his  intents,  would 
have  shot  him  without  giving  him  a  chance  of  defence;  he 


174  ASTORIA. 

paused,  therefore,  and  held  out  his  hand.  The  other  took  it  in 
sign  of  friendship,  and  demanded  in  the  Osage  language  whether 
he  was  a  Big  Knife,  or  American.  He  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive, and  inquired  whether  the  other  were  a  Sioux.  To  his 
great  relief  he  found  that  he  was  a  Ponca.  By  this  time  two 
other  Indians  came  running  up,  and  all  three  laid  hold  of  Mr. 
Bradbury  and  seemed  disposed  to  compel  him  to  go  off  with 
them  among  the  hills.  He  resisted,  and  sitting  down  on  a  sand 
hill  contrived  to  amuse  them  with  a  pocket  compass.  When  the 
novelty  of  this  was  exhausted  they  again  seized  him,  but  he  now 
produced  a  small  microscope.  This  new  wonder  again  fixed  the 
attention  of  the  savages,  who  have  far  more  curiosity  than  it 
has  been  the  custom  to  allow  them.  While  thus  engaged,  one 
of  them  suddenly  leaped  up  and  gave  a  war-whoop.  The  hand 
of  the  hardy  naturalist  was  again  on  his  gun,  and  he  was  pre- 
pared to  make  battle,  when  the  Indian  pointed  down  the  river 
and  revealed  the  true  cause  of  his  yell.  It  was  the  mast  of  one 
of  the  boats  appearing  above  the  low  willows  which  bordered  Jhe 
stream.  Mr.  Bradbury  felt  infinitely  relieved  by  the  sight. 
The  Indians  on  their  part  now  showed  signs  of  apprehension, 
and  were  disposed  to  run  away ;  but  he  assured  them  of  good 
treatment  and  something  to  drink  if  they  would  accompany 
him  on  board  of  the  boats.  They  lingered  for  a  time,  but  dis- 
appeared before  the  boats  came  to  land. 

On  the  following  morning  they  appeared  at  the  camp  accom- 
panied by  several  of  their  tribe.  With  them  came  also  a  white 
man,  who  announced  himself  as  a  messenger  bearing  missives  for 
Mr.  Hunt.  In  fact  he  brought  a  letter  from  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa,  part- 
ner and  agent  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company.  As  has  already 
been  mentioned,  this  gentleman  was  going  in  search  of  Mr.  Henry 
and  his  party,  who  had  been  dislodged  from  the  forks  of  the 
Missouri  by  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  and  had  shifted  his  post 


UNWELCOME   MISSIVES.  175 


somewhere  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Mr.  Lisa  had  left  St. 
Louis  three  weeks  after  Mr.  Hunt,  and  having  heard  of  the  hos- 
tile intentions  of  the  Sioux,  had  made  the  greatest  exertions  to 
overtake  him,  that  they  might  pass  through  the  dangerous  part 
of  the  river  together.  He  had  twenty  stout  oarsmen  in  his  service, 
aud  they  plied  their  oars  so  vigorously,  that  he  had  reached  the 
Omaha  village  just  four  days  after  the  departure  of  Mr.  Hunt. 
From  this  place  he  dispatched  the  messenger  in  question,  trust- 
ing to  his  overtaking  the  barges  as  they  toiled  up  against  the 
stream,  and  were  delayed  by  the  windings  of  the  river.  The 
purport  of  his  letter  was  to  entreat  Mr.  Hunt  to  wait  until  he 
could  come  up  with  him,  that  they  might  unite  their  forces  and 
be  a  protection  to  each  other  in  their  perilous  course  through  the 
country  of  the  Sioux.  In  fact,  as  it  was  afterwards  ascertained, 
Lisa  was  apprehensive  that  Mr.  Hunt  would  do  him  some  ill 
office  with  the  Sioux  bands,  securing  his-  own  passage  through 
their  country  by  pretending  that  he  with  whom  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  trade,  was  on  his  way  to  them  with  a  plentiful  supply 
of  goods.  He  feared,  too,  that  Crooks  and  M'Lellan  would  take 
this  opportunity  to  retort  upon  him  the  perfidy  which  they 
accused  him  of  having  used,  two  years  previously,  among  these 
very  Sioux.  In  this  respect,  however,  he  did  them  signal  injus- 
tice. There  was  no  such  thing  as  covert  design  or  treachery  in 
their  thought ;  but  M'Lellan.  when  he  heard  that  Lisa  was  on  his 
way  up  the  river,  renewed  his  open  threat  of  shooting  him  the 
moment  he  met  him  on  Indian  land. 

The  representations  made  by  Crooks  and  M'Lellan  of  the 
treachery  they  had  experienced,  or  fancied,  on  the  part  of  Lisa, 
had  great  weight  with  Mr.  Hunt,  especially  when  he  recollected 
the  obstacles  that  had  been  thrown  in  his  own  way  by  that  gen- 
tleman at  St.  Louis.  He  doubted,  therefore,  the  fair  dealing  of 
Lisa,  and  feared  that,  should  they  enter  the  Sioux  country 


176  ASTORIA. 

together,  the  latter  might  make  use  of  his  influence  with  that 
tribe,  as  he  had  in  the  case  of  Crooks  and  M'Lellan,  and  instigate 
them  to  oppose  his  progress  up  the  river. 

He  sent  back,  therefore,  an  answer  calculated  to  beguile  Lisa, 
assuring  him  that  he  would  wait  for  him  at  the  Poncas  village, 
which  was  but  a  little  distance  in  advance ;  but,  no  sooner  had 
the  messenger  departed,  than  he  pushed  forward  with  all  dili- 
gence, barely  stopping  at  the  village  to  procure  a  supply  of  dried 
buffalo  meat,  and  hastening  to  leave  the  other  party  as  far  behind 
as  possible,  thinking  there  was  less  to  be  apprehended  from  the 
open  hostility  of  Indian  foes,  than  from  the  quiet  strategy  of  an 
Indian  trader. 


CAMP  GOSSIP. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IT  was  about  noon  when  the  party  left  the  Poncas  village,  about 
a  league  beyond  which  they  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Quicourt,  or 
Rapid  River,  (called,  in  the  original  French,  PEavi  Qui  Court.) 
After  having  proceeded  some  distance  further,  they  landed,  and 
encamped  for  the  night.  In  the  evening  camp,  the  voyageurs 
gossiped,  as  usual,  over  the  events  of  the  day ;  and  especially 
over  intelligence  picked  up  among  the  Poncas.  These  Indians 
had  confirmed  the  previous  reports  of  the  hostile  intentions  of 
the  Sioux,  and  had  assured  them  that  five  tribes,  or  bands,  of  that 
fierce  nation  were  actually  assembled  higher  up  the  river,  and 
waiting  to  cut  them  off  This  evening  gossip,  and  the  terrific 
stories  of  Indian  warfare  to  which  it  gave  rise,- produced  a  strong 
effect  upon  the  imaginations  of  the  irresolute  ;  and  in  the  morn- 
ing it  was  discovered  that  the  two  men,  who  had  joined  the  party 
at  the  Omaha  village,  and  been  so  bounteously  fitted  out,  had  de- 
serted in  the  course  of  the  night,  carrying  with  them  all  their 
equipments.  As  it  was  known  that  one  of  them  could  not  swim, 
it  was  hoped  that  the  banks  of  the  Quicourt  River  would  bring 
them  to  a  halt.  A  general  pursuit  was  therefore  instituted,  but 
without  success. 

On  the  following  morning.  (May  26th.)  as  they  were  all  on 
shore,  breakfasting  on  one  of  the  beautiful  banks  of  the  river, 
they  observed  two  canoes  descending  along  the  opposite  side.  By 
the  aid  of  spy-glasses,  they  ascertained  that  there  were  two  white 

7* 


178  ASTORIA. 

• 

men  in  one  of  the  canoes,  and  one  in  the  other.  A  gun  was  dis- 
charged, which  called  the  attention  of  the  voyagers,  who  crossed 
over.  They  proved  to  be  three  Kentucky  hunters,  of  the  true 
"  dreadnought "  stamp.  Their  names  were  Edward  Robinson, 
John  Hoback,  and  Jacob  Rizner.  Robinson  was  a  veteran  back- 
woodman,  sixty-six  years  of  age.  He  had  been  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Kentucky,  and  engaged  in  many  of  the  conflicts  of  the 
Indians  on  "  The  Bloody  Ground."  In  one  x>f  these  battles  he 
had  been  scalped,  and  he  still  wore  a  handkerchief  bound  round 
his  head  to  protect  the  part.  These  men  had  passed  several 
years  in  the  upper  wilderness.  They  had  been  in  the  service  of 
the  Missouri  Company  under  Mr.  Henry,  and  had  crossed  the 
Rocky  Mountains  with  him  in  the  preceding  year,  when  driven 
from  his  post  on  the  Missouri  by  the  hostilities  of  the  Blackfeet. 
After  crossing  the  mountains,  Mr.  Henry  had  established  him- 
self on  one  of  the  head  branches  of  the  Columbia  River.  There 
they  had  remained  with  him  for  some  months,  hunting  and  trap- 
ping, until,  having  satisfied  their  wandering  propensities,  they  felt 
disposed  to  return  to  the  families  and  comfortable  homes  which 
they  had  left  in  Kentucky.  They  had  accordingly  made  their 
way  back  across  the  mountains,  and  down  the  rivers,  and  were  in 
full  career  for  St.  Louis,  when  thus  suddenly  interrupted.  The 
sight  of  a  powerful  party  of  traders,  trappers,  hunters,  and  voya- 
geurs,  well  armed  and  equipped,  furnished  at  all  points,  in  high 
health  and  spirits,  and  banqueting  lustily  on  the  green  margin  of 
the  river,  was  a  spectacle  equally  stimulating  to  these  veteran 
backwoodmen  with  the  glorious  array  of  a  campaigning  army  to 
an  old  soldier ;  but  when  they  learned  the  grand  scope  and  extent 
of  the  enterprise  in  hand,  it  was  irresistible  :  homes  and  families, 
and  all  the  charms  of  green  Kentucky  vanished  from  their 
thoughts ;  they  cast  loose  their  canoes  to  drift  down  the  stream, 
and  joyfully  enlisted  in  the  band  of  adventurers.  They  engaged 


DANGER   FROM   THE    BLACKFEET.  179 


on  similar  terms  with  some  of  the  other  hunters.  The  company 
was  to  fit  them  out,  and  keep  them  supplied  with  the  requisite 
equipments  and  munitions,  and  they  were  to  yield  one-half  of  the 
produce  of  their  hunting  and  trapping. 

The  addition  of  three  such  stanch  recruits  was  extremely 
acceptable  at  this  dangerous  part  of  the  river.  The  knowledge 
of  the  country  which  they  had  acquired,  also,  in  their  journeys 
and  hunting  excursions  along  the  rivers 'and  among  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  was  all  important ;  in  fact,  the  information  derived 
from  them  induced  Mr.  Hunt  to  alter  his  future  course.  He  had 
hitherto  intended  to  proceed  by  the  route  taken  by  Lewis  and 
Clarke  in  their  famous  exploring  expedition,  ascending  the  Mis- 
souri to  its  forks,  and  thence  going,  by  land,  across  the  moun- 
tains. These  men  informed  him,  however,  that  on  taking  that 
course  he  would  have  to  pass  through  the  country  infested  by 
the  savage  tribe  of  the  Blackfeet,  and  would  be  exposed  to  their 
hostilities  ;  they  being,  as  has  already  been  observed,  exasperated 
to  deadly  animosity  against  the  whites,  on  account  of  the  death 
of  one  of  their  tribe  by  the  hands  of  Captain  Lewis.  They  ad- 
vised him  rather  to  pursue  a  route  more  to  the  southward,  being 
the  same  by  which  they  had  returned.  This  would  carry  them 
over  the  mountains  about  where  the  head  waters  of  the  Platte 
and  the  Yellowstone  take  their  rise,  at  a  place  much  more  easy 
and  practicable  than  that  where  Lewis  and  Clarke  had  crossed. 
In  pursuing  this  course,  also,  he  would  pass  through  a  country 
abounding  with  game,  where  he  would  have  a  better  chance  of 
procuring  a  constant  supply  of  provisions  than  by  the  other 
route,  and  would  run  less  risk  of  molestation  from  the  Blackfeet. 
Should  he  adopt  this  advice,  it  would  be  better  for  him  to  aban- 
don the  river  at  the  Aricara  town,  at  which  he  would  arrive  in 
the  course  of  a  few  days.  As  the  Indians  at  that  town  possessed 
horses  in  abundance,  he  might  purchase  a  sufficient  number  of 


180  ASTORIA. 

them  for  his  great  journey  overland,  which  would  commence  at 
that  place. 

After  reflecting  on  this  advice,  and  consulting  with  his  asso- 
ciates, Mr.  Hunt  came  to  the  determination  to  follow  the  route 
thus  pointed  out,  in  which  the  hunters  engaged  to  pilot  him. 

The  party  continued  their  voyage  with  delightful  May  weather. 
The  prairies  bordering  on  the  river  were  gayly  painted  with  innu- 
merable flowers,  exhibiting  the  motley  confusion  of  colors  of  a  Tur- 
key carpet.  The  beautiful  islands  also,  on  which  they  occasionally 
halted,  presented  the  appearance  of  mingled  grove  and  garden. 
The  trees  were  often  covered  with  clambering  grape-vines  in 
blossom,  which  perfumed  the  air.  Between  the  stately  masses  of 
the  groves  were  grassy  lawns  and  glades,  studded  with  flowers,  or 
interspersed  with  rose-bushes  in  full  bloom.  These  islands  were 
often  the  resort  of  the  buffalo,  the  elk,  and  the  antelope,  who  had 
made  innumerable  paths  among  the  trees  and  thickets,  which  had 
the  effect  of  the  mazy  walks  and  alleys  of  parks  and  shrubberies. 
Sometimes,  where  the  river  passed  between  high  banks  and  bluffs, 
the  reads,  made  by  the  tramp  of  buffaloes  for  many  ages  along 
the  face  of  the  heights,  looked  like  so  many  well-travelled  high- 
ways. At  other  places  the  banks  were  banded  with  great  veins 
of  iron  ore,  laid  bare  by  the  abrasion  of  the  river.  At  one  place 
the  'course  of  the  river  was  nearly  in  a  straight  line  for  about 
fifteen  miles.  The  banks  sloped  gently  to  its  margin,  without  a 
single  tree,  but  bordered  with  grass  and  herbage  of  a  vivid  green. 
Along  each  bank,  for  the  whole  fifteen  miles,  extended  a  stripe, 
one  hundred  yards  in  breadth,  of  a  deep  rusty  brown,  indicating 
an  inexhaustible  bed  of  iron,  through  the  centre  of  which  the 
Missouri  had  worn  •  its  way.  Indications  of  the  continuance  of 
this  bed  were  afterwards  observed  higher  up  the  river.  It  is,  in 
fact,  one  of  the  mineral  magazines  which  nature  has  provided  in 
the  heart  of  this  vast  realm  of  fertility,  and  which,  in  connec- 


IRON   ORE— A  LAND  OF   DANGER.  181 


tion  with  the  immense  beds  of  coal  on  the  same  river,  seem  gar- 
nered up  as  the  elements  of  the  future  wealth  and  power  of  the 
mighty  West. 

The  sight  of  these  mineral  treasures  greatly  excited  the  curi- 
osity of  Mr.  Bradbury,  and  it  was  tantalizing  to  him  to  be  checked 
in  his  scientific  researches,  and  obliged  to  forego  his  usual  ram- 
bles on  shore  ;  but  they  were  now  entering  the  fated  country  of 
the  Sioux  Tetons,  in  which  it  was  dangerous  to  wander  about 
unguarded. 

This  country  extends  for  some  days'  journey  along  the  river, 
and  consists  of  vast  prairies,  here  and  there  diversified  by  swell- 
ing hills,  and  cut  up  by  ravines,  the  channels  of  turbid  streams 
in  the  rainy  seasons,  but  almost  destitute  of  water  during  the 
heats  of  summer.  Here  and  there,  on  the  sides  of  the  hills,  or 
along  the  alluvial  borders  and  bottoms  of  the  ravines,  are  groves 
and  skirts  of  forest ;  but  for  the  most  part  the  country  presented  to 
the  eye  a  boundless  waste,  covered  with  herbage,  but  without  trees. 

The  soil  of  this  immense  region  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  sulphur,  copperas,  alum,  and  glauber  salts ;  its  various 
earths  impart  a  deep  tinge  to  the  streams  which  drain  it,  and 
these,  with  the  crumbling  of  the  banks  along  the  Missouri,  give 
to  the  waters  of  that  river  much  of  the  coloring  matter  with 
which  they  are  clouded. 

Over  this  vast  tract  the  roving  bands  of  the  Sioux  Tetons 
hold  their  vagrant  sway ;  subsisting  by  the  chase  of  the  buffalo, 
the  elk,  the  deer,  and  the  antelope,  and  waging  ruthless  warfare 
with  other  wandering  tribes. 

As  the  boats  made  their  way  up  the  stream  bordered  by  this 
land  of  danger,  many  of  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  whose  fears  had 
been  awakened,  would  regard  with  a  distrustful  eye  the  bound- 
less waste  extending  on  each  side.  All,  however,  was  silent,  and 
apparently  untenanted  by  a  human  being.  Now  and  then  a  herd 


182  ASTORIA. 

of  deer  would  be  seen  feeding  tranquilly  among  the  flowery  her- 
bage, or  a  line  of  buffaloes,  like  a  caravan  on  its  march,  moving 
across  the  distant  profile  of  the  prairie.  The  Canadians,  however, 
began  to  apprehend  an  ambush  in  every  thicket,  and  to  regard 
the  broad,  tranquil  plain  as  a  sailor  eyes  some  shallow  and  perfi- 
dious sea,  which,  though  smooth  and  safe  to  the  eye,  conceals  the 
lurking  rock  or  treacherous  shoal.  The  very  name  of  a  Sioux 
became  a  watchword  of  terror.  Not  an  elk,  a  wolf,  or  any  other 
animal,  could  appear  on  the  hills,  but  the  boats  resounded  with 
exclamations  from  stem  to  stern,  "  voila  les  Sioux  /"  "  votta  Ics 
Sioux  /"  (there  are  the  Sioux  !  there  are  the  Sioux  !)  Whenever 
it  was  practicable,  the  night  encampment  was  on  some  island  in 
the  centre  of  the  stream. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  May,  as  the  travellers  were 
breakfasting  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  the  usual  alarm  was 
given,  but  with  more  reason,  as  two  Indians  actually  made  their 
appearance  on  a  bluff  on  the  opposite  or  northeast  side,  and 
harangued  them  in  a  loud  voice.  As  it  was  impossible  at  that 
distance  to  distinguish  "what  they  said,  Mr.  Hunt,  after  breakfast, 
crossed  the  river  with  Pierre  Dorion,  the  interpreter,  and  ad- 
vanced boldly  to  converse  with  them,  while  the  rest  remained 
watching,  in  mute  suspense,  the  movements  of  the  parties.  As 
soon  as  Mr.  Hunt  landed,  one  of  the  Indians  disappeared  behind 
the  hill,  but  shortly  reappeared  on  horseback,  and  went  scouring 
off  across  the  heights.  Mr.  Hunt  held  some  conference  with  the 
remaining  savage,  and  then  recrossed  the  river  to  his  party. 

These  two  Indians  proved  to  be  spies  or  scouts  of  a  large  war 
party  encamped  about  a  league  off,  and  numbering  two  hundred 
and  eighty  lodges,  or  about  six  hundred  warriors,  of  three  differ- 
ent tribes  of  Sioux  ;  the  Yangtons  Ahna,  the  Tetons  Bois-brule, 
and  the  Tetons  Min-na-kine-azzo.  They  expected  daily  to  be 
reinforced  by  two  other  tribes,  and  had  been  waiting  eleven  days 


THREATENED   HOSTILITIES.  183 


for  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt's  party,  with  a  determination  to 
oppose  their  progress  up  the  river  ;  being  resolved  to  prevent  all 
trade  of  the  white  men  with  their  enemies  the  Arickaras,  Man- 
dans,  and  Minatarees.  The  Indian  who  had  galloped  off  on 
horseback  had  gone  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  party, 
so  that  they  might  now  look  out  for  some  fierce  scenes  with  those 
piratical  savages,  of  whom  they  had  received  so  many  formidable 
accounts. 

The  party  braced  up  their  spirits  to  the  encounter,  and  re- 
embarking,  pulled  resolutely  up  the  stream.  An  island  for  some 
time  intervened  between  them  and  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  ; 
but  on  clearing  the  upper  end,  they  came  in  full  view  of  the 
hostile  shore.  There  was  a  ridge  of  hills  down  which  the  sav- 
ages were  pouring  in  great  numbers,  some  on  horseback,  and 
some  on  foot.  Reconnoitering  them  with  the  aid  of  glasses,  they 
perceived  that  they  were  all  in  warlike  array,  painted  and  deco- 
rated for  battle.  Their  weapons  were  bows  and  arrows,  and  a 
few  short  carbines,  and  most  of  them  had  round  shields.  Alto- 
gether they  had  a  wild  and  gallant  appearance,  and,  taking 
possession  of  a  point  which  commanded  the  river,  ranged  them- 
selves along  the  bank  as  if  prepared  to  dispute  their  passage. 

At  sight  of  this  formidable  front  of  war,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his 
companions  held  counsel  together.  It  was  plain  that  the  rumors 
they  had  heard  were  correct,  and  the  Sioux  were  determined  to 
oppose  their  progress  by  force  of  arms.  To  attempt  to  elude 
them  and  continue  along  the  river  was  out  of  the  question.  The 
strength  of  the  mid-current  was  too  violent  to  be  withstood,  and 
the  boats  were  obliged  to  ascend  along  the  river  banks.  These 
banks  were  often  high  and  perpendicular,  affording  the  savages 
frequent  stations,  from  whence,  safe  themselves,  and  almost  un- 
seen, they  might  shower  down  their  missiles  upon  the  boats  below, 
and  retreat  at  will,  without  danger  from  pursuit  Nothing 


184  ASTORIA. 

apparently  remained,  therefore,  but  to  fight  or  turn  back.  The 
Sioux  far  outnumbered  them,  it  is  true,  but  their  own  party  was 
about  sixty  strong,  well  armed  and  supplied  with  ammunition  ; 
and,  beside  their  guns  and  rifles,  they  had  a  swivel  and  two  how- 
itzers mounted  in  the  boats.  Should  they  succeed  in  breaking 
this  Indian  force  by  one  vigorous  assault,  it  was  likely  they  would 
be  deterred  from  making  any  future  attack  of  consequence.  The 
fighting  alternative  was,  therefore,  instantly  adopted,  and  the 
boats  pulled  to  shore  nearly  opposite  to  the  hostile  force.  Here 
the  arms  were  all  examined  and  put  in  order.  The  swivel  and 
howitzers  were  then  loaded  with  powder  and  discharged,  to  let 
the  savages  know  by  the  report  how  formidably  they  were  pro- 
vided. The  noise  echoed  along  the  shores  of  the  river,  and  must 
have  startled  the  warriors,  who  were  only  accustomed  to  sharp 
reports  of  rifles.  The  same  pieces  were  then  loaded  with  as  many 
bullets  as  they  would  probably  bear  ;  after  which  the  whole  party 
embarked,  and  pulled  across  the  river.  The  Indians  remained 
watching  them  in  silence,  their  painted  forms  and  visages  glaring 
in  the  sun,  and  their  feathers  fluttering  in  the  breeze.  The  poor 
Canadians  eyed  them  with  rueful  glances,  and  now  and  then  a 
fearful  ejaculation  would  escape  them.  "Parbleu  !  this  is  a  sad 
scrape  we  are  in,  brother  !"  would  one  mutter  to  the  next  oars- 
man. "  Aye,  aye  !"  the  other  would  reply,  "  we  are  not  going  to 
a  wedding,  my  friend  !" 

When  the  boats  arrived  within  rifle  shot,  the  hunters  and 
other  fighting  personages  on  board  seized  their  weapons,  and 
prepared  for  action.  As  they  rose  to  fire,  a  confusion  took  place 
among  the  savages.  They  displayed  their  buffalo  robes,  raised 
them  with  both  hands  above  their  heads,  and  then  spread  them 
before  them  on  the  ground.  At  sight  of  this,  Pierre  Dorion 
eagerly  cried  out  to  the  party  not  to  fire,  as  this  movement  was 
a  peaceful  signal,  and  an  invitation  to  a  parley.  Immediately 


THE   PIPE   OF   PEACE.  185 


about  a  dozen  of  the  principal  warriors,  separating  from  the 
descended  to  the  edge  of  the  river,  lighted  a  fire,  seated  them- 
selves in  a  semicircle  round  it,  and,  displaying  the  calumet,  in- 
vited the  party  to  laud.  Mr.  Huut  now  called  a  council  of  the 
partners  on  board  of  his  boat.  The  question  was,  whether  to  trust 
to  the  amicable  overtures  of  these  ferocious  people  ?  It  was  de- 
termined in  the  affirmative ;  for,  otherwise,  thjpfe  was  .no  alter- 
native but  to  fight  them.  The  main  body  of  the  party  were 
ordered  to  remain  on  board  of  the  boats,  keeping  within  shot, 
and  prepared  to  fire  in  case  of  any  signs  of  treachery ;  while  Mr. 
Hunt  and  the  other  partners  (M'Kenzie,  Crooks,  Miller,  and 
M'Lellan,)  proceeded  to  land,  accompanied  by  the  interpreter 
and  Mr.  Bradbury.  The  chiefs,  who  awaited  them  on  the  mar- 
gin of  the  river,  remained  seated  in  their  semicircle,  without 
stirring  a  limb  or  moving  a  muscle,  motionless  as  so  many 

4 

statues.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  advanced  without  hesi- 
tation, and  took  their  seats  on  the  sand  so  as  to  complete  the 
circle.  The  band  of  warriors  who  lined  the  banks  above  stood 
looking  down  in  silent  groups  and  clusters,  some  ostentatiously 
equipped  and  decorated,  others  entirely  naked,  but  fantastically 
painted,  and  all  variously  armed. 

The  pipe  of  peace  was  now  brought  forward  with  due  cere- 
mony. The  bowl  was  of  a  species  of  red  stone  resembling 
porphyry ;  the  stem  was  six  feet  in  length,  decorated  with  tufts 
of  horse-hair  dyed  red.  The  pipebearer  stepped  within  the 
circle,  lighted  the  pipe,  held  it  towards  the  sun,  then  towards 
the  different  points  of  the  compass,  after  which  he  handed  it  to 
the  principal  chief.  The  latter  smoked  a  few  whiffs,  then, 
holding  the  head  of  the  pipe  in  his  hand,  offered  the  other  end 
to  Mr.  Hunt,  and  to  each  one  successively  in  the  circle.  When 
all  had  smoked,  it  was  considered  that  an  assurance  of  good 
faith  and  amity  had  been  interchanged.  Mr.  Hunt  now  made  a 


186  ASTORIA. 

Speech  in  French,  which  was  interpreted  as  he  proceeded  by 
Pierre  Dorion.  He  informed  the  Sioux  of  the  real  object  of  the 
expedition,  of  himself  and  his  companions,  which  was,  not  to 
trade  with  any  of  the  tribes  up  the  river,  but  to  cross  the  moun- 
tains to  the  great  salt  lake  in  the  west,  in  search  of  some  of 
their  brothers,  whom  they  had  not  seen  for  eleven  months. 
That  he  had  nesif d  of  the  intention  of  the  Sioux  to  oppose  his 
passage,  and  was  prepared,  as  they  might  see,  to  effect  it  at 
all  hazards  ;  nevertheless,  his  feelings  towards  the  Sioux  were 
friendly,  in  proof  of  which  he  had  brought  them  a  present  of 
tobacco  and  corn.  So  saying,  he  ordered  about  fifteen  carottes 
of  tobacco,  and  as  many  bags  of  corn,  to  be  brought  from  the 
boat  and  laid  in  a  heap  near  the  council  fire. 

The  sight  of  these  presents  mollified  the  chieftain,  who  had, 
doubtless,  been  previously  rendered  considerate  by  the  resolute 
conduct  of  the  white  men,  the  judicious  disposition  of  their  little 
armament,  the  completeness  of  their  equipments,  and  the  compact 
array  of  battle  which  they  presented.  He  made  a  speech  in  re- 
ply, in  which  he  stated  the  object  of  their  hostile  assemblage, 
which  had  been  merely  to  prevent  supplies  of  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion from  going  to  the  Arickaras,  Mandans,  and  Minatarees,  with 
whom  they  were  at  war ;  but  being  now  convinced  that  the  party 
were  carrying  no  supplies  of  the  kind,  but  merely  proceeding  in 
quest  of  their  brothers  beyond  the  mountains,  they  would  not 
impede  them  in  their  voyage.  He  concluded  by  thanking  them 
for  their  present,  and  advising  them  to  encamp  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  as  he  had  some  young  men  among  his  warriors 
for  whose  discretion  he  could  not  be  answerable,  and  who  might 
be  troublesome. 

Here  ended  the  conference :  they  all  arose,  shook  hands,  and 
parted.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  re-embarked,  and  the 
boats  proceeded  on  their  course  unmolested. 


A   MEETING  OF   OLD   OPPONENTS.  187 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ON  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  (June  1st)  they  arrived  at 
the  great  bend,  where  the  river  winds  for  about  thirty  miles 
round  a  circular  peninsula,  the  neck  of  which  is  not  above  two 
thousand  yards  across.  On  the  succeeding  morning,  at  an  early 
hour,  they  descried  two  Indians  standing  on  a  high  bank  of  the 
river,  waving  and  spreading  their  buffalo  robes  in  signs  of  amity. 
They  immediately  pulled  to  shore  and  landed.  On  approaching 
the  savages,  however,  the  latter  showed  evident  symptoms  of 
alarm,  spreading  out  their  arms  horizontally,  according  to  their 
mode  of  supplicating  clemency.  The  reason  was  soon  explained. 
They  proved  to  be  two  chiefs  of  the  very  war  party  that  had 
brought  Messrs.  Crooks  and  M'Lellan  to  a  stand  two  years  be- 
fore, and  obliged  them  to  escape  down  the  river.  They  ran  to 
embrace  these  gentlemen,  as  if  delighted  to  meet  with  them  ;  yet 
they  evidently  feared  some  retaliation  of  their  past  misconduct, 
nor  were  they  quite  at  ease  until  the  pipe  of  peace  had  been 
smoked. 

Mr.  Hunt  having  been  informed  that  the  tribe  to  which  these 
men  belonged,  had  killed  three  white  men  during  the  preceding 
summer,  reproached  them  with  the  crime,  and  demanded  their 
reasons  for  such  savage  hostility.  "  We  kill  white  men,"  replied 
one  of  the  chiefs,  "  because  white  men  kill  us.  That  very  man," 
added  he,  pointing  to  Carson,  one  of  the  new  recruits,  "killed 
one  of  our  brothers  last  summer.  The  three  white  men  were 
slain  to  avenge  his  death." 


188  ASTORIA. 

The  chief  was  correct  in  his  reply.  Carson  admitted  that, 
being  with  a  party  of  Arickaras  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri, 
and  seeing  a  war  party  of  Sioux  on  the  opposite  side,  he  had 
fired  with  his  rifle  across.  It  was  a  random  shot,  made  without 
much  expectation  of  effect,  for  the  river  was  full  half  a  mile  in 
breadth.  Unluckily  it  brought  down  a  Sioux  warrior  for  whose 
wanton  destruction  threefold  vengeance  had  been  taken,  as-  has 
been  stated.  In  this  way  outrages  are  frequently  committed  on 
the  natives  by  thoughtless  or  mischievous  white  men ;  the  In- 
dians retaliate  according  to  a  law  of  their  code,  which  requires 
blood  for  blood  ;  their  act,  of  what  with  them  is  pious  vengeance, 
resounds  throughout  the  land,  and  is  represented  as  wanton  and 
unprovoked ;  the  neighborhood  is  roused  to  arms  ;  a  war  ensues, 
which  ends  in  the  destruction  of  half  the  tribe,  the  ruin  of  the 
rest,  and  their  expulsion  from  their  hereditary  homes.  Such  is 
too  often  the  real  history  of  Indian  warfare,  which  in  general  is 
traced  up  only  to  some  vindictive  act  of  a  savage  ;  while  the 
outrage  of  the  scoundrel  white  man  that  provoked  it  is  sunk  in 
silence. 

The  two  chiefs,  having  smoked  their  pipe  of  peace  and  re- 
ceived a  few  presents,  departed  well  satisfied.  In  a  little  while 
two  others  appeared  on  horseback,  and  rode  up  abreast  of  the 
boats.  They  had  seen  the  presents  given  to  their  comrades,  but 
were  dissatisfied  with  them,  and  came  after  the  boats  to  ask  for 
more.  Being  somewhat  peremptory  and  insolent  in  their  de- 
mands, Mr.  Hunt  gave  them  a  flat  refusal,  and  threatened,  if 
they  or  any  of  their  tribe  followed  him  with  similar  demands,  to 
treat  them  as  enemies.  They  turned  and  rode  off  in  a  furious 
passion.  As  he  was  ignorant  what  force  these  chiefs  might  have 
behind  the  hills,  and  as  it  was  very  possible  they  might  take  ad- 
vantage of  some  pass  of  the  river  to  attack  the  boats,  Mr.  Hunt 
called  all  stragglers  on  board  and  prepared  for  such  emergency. 


DANGERS  AND  PRECAUTIONS.  189 


It  was  agreed  that  the  large  boat  commanded  by  Mr.  Hunt, 
should  ascend  along  the  northeast  side  of  the  river,  and  the  three 
smaller  boats  along  the  south  side.  By  this  arrangement  each 
party  would  command  a  view  of  the  opposite  heights  above  the 
heads  and  out  of  the  sight  of  their  companions,  and  could  give 
the  alarm  should  they  perceive  any  Indians  lurking  there.  The 
signal  of  alarm  was  to  be  two  shots  fired  in  quick  succession. 

The  boats  proceeded  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day  without 
seeing  any  signs  of  an  enemy.  About  four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon the  large  boat,  commanded  by  Mr.  Hunt,  came  to  where 
the  river  was  divided  by  a  long  sand-bar,  which  apparently,  how- 
ever, left  a  sufficient  channel  between  it  and  the  shore  along 
which  they  were  advancing.  He  kept  up  this  channel,  therefore, 
for  some  distance,  until  the  water  proved  too  shallow  for  the 
boat.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  put  about,  return  down  the 
channel,  and  pull  round  the  lower  end  of  the  sand-bar  into  the 
main  stream.  Just  as  he  had  given  orders  to  this  effect  to  his 
men,  two  signal  guns  were  fired  from  the  boats  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river.  At  the  same  moment  a  file  of  savage  warriors 
was  observed  pouring  down  from  the  impending  bank,  and  gather- 
ing on  the  shore  at  the  lower  end  of  the  bar.  They  were  evi- 
dently a  war  party,  being  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  battle 
clubs  and  carbines,  and  round  bucklers  of  buffalo  hide,  and  their 
naked  bodies  were  painted  with  black  and  white  stripes.  The 
natural  inference  was,  that  they  belonged  to  the  two  tribes  of 
Sioux  which  had  been  expected  by  the  great  war  party,  and  that 
they  had  been  incited  to  hostility  by  the  two  chiefs  who  had  been 
enraged  by  the  refusal  and  the  menace  of  Mr.  Hunt.  Here  then 
was  a  fearful  predicament.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  crew  seemed 
caught,  as  it  were,  in  a  trap.  The  Indians,  to  the  number  of 
about  a  hundred,  had  already  taken  possession  of  a  point  near 
which  the  boat  would  have  to  pass :  others  kept  pouring  down 


190  ASTORIA. 

the  bank,  and  it  was  probable  that  some  would  remain  posted  on 
the  top  of  the  height. 

The  hazardous  situation  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  perceived  by  those 
in  the  other  boats,  and  they  hastened  to  his  assistance.  They 
were  at  some  distance  above  the  sand-bar,  however,  and  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  saw,  with  intense  anxiety,  the 
number  of  savages  continually  augmenting,  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  channel,  so  that  the  boat  would  be  exposed  to  a  fearful  attack 
before  they  could  render  it  any  assistance.  Their  anxiety  in- 
creased, as  they  saw  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  descending  the 
channel  and  dauntlessly  approaching  the  point  of  danger  ;  but  it 
suddenly  changed  into  surprise  on  beholding  the  boat  pass  close 
by  the  savage  horde  unmolested,  and  steer  out  safely  into  the 
broad  river. 

The  next  moment  the  whole  band  of  warriors  was  in  motion. 
They  ran  along  the  bank  until  they  were  opposite  to  the  boats, 
then  throwing  by  their  weapons  and  buffalo  robes,  plunged  into 
the  river,  waded  and  swam  off  to  the  boats  and  surrounded  them 
in  crowds,  seeking  to  shake  hands  with  every  individual  on 
board ;  for  the  Indians  have  long  since  found  this  to  be  the  white 
man's  token  of  amity,  and  they  carry  ft  to  an  extreme. 

All  uneasiness  was  now  at  an  end.  The  Indians  proved  to 
be  a  war  party  of  Arickaras,  Mandans  and  Minnetarees,  consist- 
ing of  three  hundred  warriors,  and  bound  on  a  foray  against  the 
Sioux.  Their  war  plans  were  abandoned  for  the  present,  and 
they  determined  to  return  to  the  Arickara  town,  where  they 
hoped  to  obtain  from  the  white  men  arms  and  ammunition  that 
would  enable  them  to  take  the  field  with  advantage  over  their 
enemies. 

The  boats  now  sought  the  first  convenient  place  for  encamp- 
ing. The  tents  were  pitched ;  the  warriors  fixed  their  camp  at 
about  a  hundred  yards  distant ;  provisions  were  furnished  from 


APPROACH   OF   LISA.  191 


the  boats  sufficient  for  all  parties  ;  there  was  hearty  though  rude 
feasting  in  both  camps,  and  in  the  evening  the  red  warriors  en- 
tertained their  white  friends  with  dances  and  songs,  that  lasted 
until  after  midnight. 

On  the  following  morning  (July  3)  the  travellers  re-embarked, 
and  took  a  temporary  leave  of  their  Indian  friends,  who  intended 
to  proceed  immediately  for  the  Arickara  town,  where  they  ex- 
pected to  arrive  in  three  days,  long  before  the  boats  could  reach 
there.  Mr.  Hunt  had  not  proceeded  far  before  the  chief  came 
galloping  along  the  shore  and  made  signs  for  a  parley.  He  said, 
his  people  could  not  go  home  satisfied  unless  they  had  something 
to  take  with  them  to  prove  that  they  had  met  with  the  white  men. 
Mr.  Hunt  understood  the  drift  of  the  speech,  and  made  the  chief 
a  present  of  a  cask  of  powder,  a  bag  of  balls,  and  three  dozen  of 
knives,  with  which  he  was  highly  pleased.  While  the  chief  was 
receiving  these  presents  an  Indian  came  running  along  the  shore, 
and  announced  that  a  boat,  filled  with  white  men,  was  coming  up 
the  river.  This  was  by  no  means  agreeable  tidings  to  Mr.  Hunt, 
who  correctly  concluded  it  to  be  the  boat  of  Mr.  Manuel  Lisa ; 
and  he  was  vexed  to  find  that  alert  and  adventurous  trader  upon 
his  heels,  whom  he  had  hoped  to  have  out-manoeuvred,  and  left 
far  behind.  Lisa,  however,  was  too  much  experienced  in  the 
wiles  of  Indian  trade  to  be  lulled  by  the  promise  of  waiting  for 
him  at  the  Poncas  village  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  had  allowed  him- 
self no  repose,  and  had  strained  every  nerve  to  overtake  the  rival 
party,  and  availing  himself  of  the  moonlight,  had  even  sailed 
during  a  considerable  part  of  the  night.  In  this  he  was  partly 
prompted  by  his  apprehensions  of  the  Sioux,  having  met  a  boat 
which  had  probably  passed  Mr.  Hunt's  party  in  the  night,  and 
which  had  been  fired  into  by  these  savages. 

On  hearing  that  Lisa  was  so  near  at  hand,  Mr.  Hunt  per- 
ceived that»it  was  useless  to  attempt  any  longer  to  evade  him  ; 


192  ASTORIA. 

after  proceeding  a  few  miles  further,  therefore,  he  came  to  a  halt 
and  waited  for  him  to  come  up.  In  a  little  while  the  barge  of 
Lisa  made  its  appearance.  It  came  sweeping  gently  up  the  river, 
manned  by  its  twenty  stout  oarsmen,  and  armed  by  a  swivel 
mounted  at  the  bow.  The  whole  number  on  board  amounted  to 
twenty-six  men  ;  among  whom  was  Mr.  Henry  Breckenridge,  then 
a  young,  enterprising  man ;  who  was  a  mere  passenger,  tempted 
by  notions  of  curiosity  to  accompany  Mr.  Lisa.  He  has  since 
made  himself  known  by  various  writing,  among  which  may  be 
noted  a  narrative  of  this  very  voyage. 

The  approach  of  Lisa,  while  it  was  regarded  with  uneasiness 
by  Mr.  Hunt,  roused  the  ire  of  M'Lellan ;  who  calling  to  mind 
old  grievances,  began  to  look  round  for  his  rifle,  as  if  he  really 
intended  to  carry  his  threat  into  execution  and  shoot  him  on  the 
spot ;  and  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  Mr.  Hunt  was  enabled 
to  restrain  his  ire,  and  prevent  a  scene  of  outrage  and  confusion. 

The  meeting  between  the  two  leaders,  thus  mutually  distrust- 
ful, could  not  be  very  cordial ;  and  as  to  Messrs.  Crooks  and 
M'Lellan,  though  they  refrained  from  any  outbreak,  yet  they 
regarded  in  grim  defiance  their  old  rival  and  underplotter.  In 
truth,  a  general  distrust  prevailed  throughout  the  party  concern- 
ing Lisa  and  his  intentions.  They  considered  him  artful  and 
slippery,  and  secretly  anxious  for  the  failure  of  their  expedition. 
There  being  now  nothing  more  to  be  apprehended  from  the  Sioux, 
they  suspected  that  Lisa  would  take  advantage  of  his  twenty- 
oared  barge  to  leave  them  and  get  first  among  the  Arickaras.  As 
he  had  traded  with  those  people  and  possessed  great  influence 
over  them,  it  was  feared  he  might  make  use  of  it  to  impede  the 
business  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party.  It  was  resolved,  therefore, 
to  keep  a  sharp  look-out  upon  his  movements ;  and  M'Lellan 
swore  that  if  he  saw  the  least  sign  of  treachery  on  his  part,  he 
would  instantly  put  his  old  threat  into  execution.  • 


THE   RAGE   OF   PIERRE   DORION.  193 


Notwithstanding  these  secret  jealousies  and  heart-burnings, 
the  two  parties  maintained  an  outward  appearance  of  civility,  and 
for  two  days  continued  forward  in  company  with  some  degree  of 
harmony.  On  the  third  day,  however,  an  explosion  took  place, 
and  it  was  produced  by  no  less  a  personage  than  Pierre  Dorion, 
the  half-breed  interpreter.  It  will  be  recollected  that  this  worthy 
had  been  obliged  to  steal  a  march  from  St.  Louis,  to  avoid  being 
arrested  for  an  old  whisky  debt  which  "he  owed  to  the  Missouri 
Fur  Company,  and  by  which  Mr.  Lisa  had  hoped  to  prevent  his 
enlisting  in  Mr.  Hunt's  expedition.  Dorion,  since  the  arrival  of 
Lisa,  had  kept  aloof  and  regarded  him  with  a  sullen  and  dogged 
aspect.  On  the  fifth  of  July  the  two  parties  were  brought  to  a 
halt  by  a  heavy  rain,  and  remained  encamped  about  a  hundred 
yards  apart.  In  the  course  of  the  day  Lisa  undertook  to  tamper 
with  the  faith  of  Pierre  Dorion,  and,  inviting  him  on  board  of  his 
boat,  regaled  him  with  his  favorite  whisky.  When  he  thought 
him  sufficiently  mellowed,  he  proposed  to  him  to  quit  the  service 
of  his  new  employers  and  return  to  his  old  allegiance.  Finding 
him  not  to  be  moved  by  soft  words,  he  called  to  mind  his  old 
debt  to  the  company,  and  threatened  to  carry  him  off  by  force,  in 
payment  of  it.  The  mention  of  this  debt  always  stirred  up  the 
gall  of  Pierre  Dorion,  bringing  with  it  the  remembrance  of  the 
whisky  extortion.  A  violent  quarrel  arose  between  him  and 
Lisa,  and  he  left  the  boat  in  high  dudgeon.  His  first  step  was 
to  repair  to  the  tent  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  reveal  the  attempt  that 
had  been  made  to  shake  his  faith.  While  he  was  yet  talking 
Lisa  entered  the  tent,  under  the  pretext  of  coming  to  borrow  a 
towing  line.  High  words  instantly  ensued  between  him  and 
Dorion,  which  ended  by  the  half-breed's  dealing  him  a  blow.  A 
quarrel  in  the  "  Indian  country,"  however,  is  not  to  be  settled 
with  fisticuffs.  Lisa  immediately  rushed  to  his  boat  for  a  weapon. 
Dorion  snatched  up  a  pair  of  pistols  belonging  to  Mr.  Hunt,  and 

9 


194  ASTORIA. 

placed  himself  in  battle  array.  The  noise  had  roused  the  camp, 
and  every  one  pressed  to  know  the  cause.  Lisa  now  reappeared 
upon  the  field  with  a  knife  stuck  in  his  girdle.  Mr.  Breckenridge, 
who  had  tried  in  vain  to  mollify  his  ire,  accompanied  him  to  the 
scene  of  action.  Pierre  Dorion's  pistols  gave  him  the  advantage, 
and  he  maintained  a  most  warlike  attitude.  In  the  meantime, 
Crooks  and  M'Lellan  had  learnt  the  cause  of  the  affray,  and  were 
each  eager  to  take  the  quarrel  into  their  own  hands.  A  scene  of 
uproar  and  hubbub  ensued  that  defies  description.  M'Lellan 
would  have  brought  his  rifle  into  play  and  settled  all  old  and  new 
grudges  by  a  pull  of  the  trigger,  had  he  not  been  restrained  by 
Mr.  Hunt.  That  gentleman  acted  as  moderator,  endeavoring  to 
prevent  a  general  melee ;  in  the  midst  of  the  brawl,  however,  an 
expression  was  made  use  of  by  Lisa  derogatory  to  his  own  honor. 
In  an  instant,  the  tranquil  spirit  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  in  a  flame. 
He  now  became  as  eager  for  fight  as  any  one  on  the  ground,  and 
challenged  Lisa  to  settle  the  dispute  on  the  spot  with  pistols. 
Lisa  repaired  to  his  boat  to  arm  himself  for  the  deadly  feud. 
He  was  followed  by  Messrs.  Bradbury  and  Breckenridge,  who, 
novices  in  Indian  life  and  the  "chivalry"  of  the  frontier,  had  no 
relish  for  scenes  of  blood  and  brawl.  By  their  earnest  mediation 
the  quarrel  was  with  great  difficulty  brought  to  a  close  without 
bloodshed ;  but  the  two  leaders  of  the  rival  camps  separated  in 
anger,  and  all  personal  intercourse  ceased  between  them. 


FEATURES   OF   THE   WILDERNESS.  195 


CHAPTER  XX. 

• 

THE  rival  parties  now  coasted  along  the  opposite  sides  of  the 
river,  within  sight  of  each  other  ;  the  barges  of  Mr.  Hunt  always 
keeping  some  distance  in  the  advance,  lest  Lisa  should  push  on 
and  get  first  to  the  Arickara  village.  The  scenery  and  objects,  as 
they  proceeded,  gave  evidence  that  they  were  advancing  deeper 
and  deeper  into  the  domains  of  savage  nature.  Boundless  wastes 
kept  extending  to  the  eye,  more  and  more  animated  by  herds  of 
buffalo.  Sometimes  these  unwieldy  animals  were  seen  moving  in 
long  procession  across  the  silent  landscape ;  at  other  times  they 
were  scattered  about,  singly  or  in  groups,  on  the  broad-enamelled 
prairies  and  green  acclivities,  some  cropping  the  rich  pasturage, 
others  reclining  amidst  the  flowery  herbage  ;  the  whole  scene 
realizing  in  a  manner  the  old  Scriptural  descriptions  of  the  vast 
pastoral  countries  of  the  Orient,  with  "  cattle  upon  a  thousand 
hills." 

At  one  place  the  shores  seemed  absolutely  lined  with  buffa- 
loes ;  many  were  making  their  way  across  the  stream,  snorting, 
and  blowing,  and  floundering.  Numbers,  in  spite  of  every  effort, 
were  borne  by  the  rapid  current  within  shot  of  the  boats,  and 
several  were  killed.  At  another  place  a  number  were  descried  on 
the  beach  of  a  small  island,  under  the  shade  of  the  trees,  or 
standing  in  the  water,  like  cattle,  to  avoid  the  flies  and  the  heat 
of  the  day. 

Several  of  the  best  marksmen  stationed  themselves  in  the  bow 
of  a  barge  which  advanced  slowly  and  silently,  stemming  the  cur- 


196  ASTORIA. 

rent  with  the  aid  of  a  broad  sail  and  a  fair  breeze.  The  buffalo 
£tood  gazing  quietly  at  the  barge  as  it  approached,  perfectly  uncon- 
scious of  their  danger.  The  fattest  of  the  herd  was  selected  by  the 
hunters,  who  all  fired  together  and  brought  down  their  victim. 

Beside  the  buffaloes  they  saw  abundance  of  deer,  and  frequent 
gangs  of  stately  elks,  together  with  light  troops  of  sprightly  an- 
telopes, the  fleetest  and  most  beautiful  inhabitants  of  the  prairies. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  antelopes  in  these  regions,  one  nearly 
the  size  of  the  common  deer,  the  other  not  much  larger  than  a 
goat.  Their  color  is  a  light  gray,  or  rather  dun,  slightly  spotted 
with  white ;  and  they  have  small  horns  like  those  of  the  deer, 
which  they  never  shed.  Nothing  can  surpass  the  delicate  and 
elegant  finish  of  their  limbs,  in  which  lightness,  elasticity,  and 
strength,  are  wonderfully  combined.  All  the  attitudes  and  move- 
ments of  this  beautiful  animal  are  graceful  and  picturesque  ;  and 
it  is  altogether  as  fit  a  subject  for  the  fanciful  uses  of  the  poet, 
as  the  oft-sung  gazelle  of  the  East. 

Their  habits  are  shy  and  capricious ;  they  keep  on  the  open 
plains,  are  quick  to  take  the  alarm,  and  bound  away  with  a  fleet- 
ness  that  defies  pursuit.  When  thus  skimming  across  a  prairie 
in  the  autumn,  their  light  gray  or  dun  color  blends  with  the  hue 
of  the  withered  herbage,  the  swiftness  of  their  motion  baffles  the 
eye,  and  they  almost  seem  unsubstantial  forms,  driven  like  gos- 
samer before  the  wind. 

While  they  thus  keep  to  the  open  plain  and  trust  to  their 
speed,  they  are  safe ;  but  they  have  a  prurient  curiosity  that 
sometimes  betrays  them  to  their  ruin.  When  they  have  scud 
for  some  distance  and  left  their  pursuer  behind,  they  will  sud- 
denly stop  and  turn  to  gaze  at  the  object  of  their  alarm.  If  the 
pursuit  is  not  followed  up  they  will,  after  a  time,  yield  to  their 
inquisitive  hankering,  and  return  to  the  place  from  whence  they 
have  been  'frightened. 


AN   EMBASSY— NEGOTIATIONS.  197 


John  Day,  the  veteran  hunter  already  mentioned,  displayed 
his  experience  and  skill  in  entrapping  one  of  these  beautiful 
animals.  Taking  advantage  of  its  well  known  curiosity,  he  laid 
down  flat  among  the  grass,  and  putting  his  handkerchief  on  the 
end  of  his  ramrod,  waved  it  gently  in  the  air.  This  had  the 
effect  of  the  fabled  fascination  of  the  rattlesnake.  The  antelope 
gazed  at  the  mysterious  object  for  some  time  at  a  distance,  then 
approached  timidly,  pausing  and  reconnoitring  with  increased 
curiosity ;  moving  round  the  point  of  attraction  in  a  circle,  but 
still  drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  until  being  within  the  range  of 
the  deadly  riflej  he  fell  a  victim  to  his  curiosity. 

On  the  10th  of  June,  as  the  party  were  making  brisk  pro- 
gress with  a  fine  breeze,  they  met  a  canoe  "with  three  Indians 
descending  the  river.  They  came  to  a  parley,  and  brought  news 
from  the  Arickara  village.  The  war  party,  which  had  caused 
such  alarm  at  the  sand-bar,  had  reached  the  village  some  days 
previously,  announced  the  approach  of  a  party  of  traders,  and 
displayed  with  great  ostentation  the  presents  they  had  received 
from  them.  On  further  conversation  with  these  three  Indians, 
Mr.  Hunt  learnt  the  real  danger  which  he  had  run,  when  hem- 
med up  within  the  sand-bar.  The  Mandans  who  were  of  the  war 
party,  when  they  saw  the  boats  so  completely  entrapped  and 
apparently  within  their  power,  had  been  eager  for  attacking  it, 
and  securing  so  rich  a  prize.  The  Minatarees,  also,  were  nothing 
loth,  feeling  in  some  measure  committed  in  hostility  to  the 
whites,  in  consequence  of  their  tribe  having  killed  two  white  men 
above  the  fort  of  the  Missouri  Fur  Company.  Fortunately,  the 
Arickaras,  who  formed  the  majority  of  the  war  party,  proved 
true  in  their  friendship  to  the  whites,  and  prevented  any  hostile 
act,  otherwise  a  bloody  affray,  and  perhaps  a  horrible  massacre, 
might  have  ensued. 

On  the  llth  of  June,  Mr.  Hunt   and   his  companions   en- 


198  ASTORIA. 

camped  near  an  island  about  six  miles  below  the  Arickara  village. 
Mr.  Lisa  encamped,  as  usual,  at  no  great  distance ;  but  the  same 
sullen  and  jealous  reserve,  and  non-intercourse  continued  be- 
tween them.  Shortly  after  pitching  the  tents,  Mr.  Breckenridge 
made  his  appearance  as  an  ambassador  from  the  rival  camp.  He 
came  on  behalf  of  his  companions,  to  arrange  the  manner  of 
making  their  entrance  into  the  village  and  of  receiving  the 
chiefs  ;  for  every  thing  of  the  kind  is  a  matter  of  grave  ceremo- 
nial among  the  Indians. 

The  partners  now  expressed  frankly  their  deep  distrust  of 
the  intentions  of  Mr.  Lisa,  and  their  apprehensions,  that,  out  of 
the  jealousy  of  trade,  and  resentment  of  recent  disputes,  he 

• 

might  seek  to  instigate  the  Arickaras  against  them.  Mr.  Breck- 
enridge assured  them  that  their  suspicions  were  entirely  ground- 
less, and  pledged  himself  that  nothing  of  the  kind  should  take 
place.  He  found  it  difficult,  however,  to  remove  their  distrust ; 
the  conference,  therefore,  ended  without  producing  any  cordial 
understanding;  and  M'Lellan  recurred  to  his  old  threat  of 
shooting  Lisa  the  instant  he  discovered  any  thing  like  treachery 
in  his  proceedings. 

That  night  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  accompanied  by  thunder 
and  lightning.  The  camp  was  deluged,  and  the  bedding  and 
.baggage  drenched.  All  hands  embarked  at  an  early  hour,  and 
set  forward  for  the  village.  About  nine  o'clock,  when  half  way, 
they  met  a  canoe,  on  board  of  which  were  two  Arickara  digni- 
ies.  One,  a  fine-looking  man,  much  above  the  common  size, 
was  hereditary  chief  of  the  village :  he  was  called  the  Left-handed, 
on  account  of  a  personal  peculiarity.  The  other,  a  ferocious- 
looking  savage,  was  the  war  chief,  or  generalissimo ;  he  was 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Big  Man,  an  appellation  he  well 
deserved  from  his  size,  for  he  was  of  a  gigantic  frame.  Both 
were  of  fairer  complexion  than  is  usual  with  savages. 


TWO  CHIEFS  AND  A  CREOLE  INTERPRETER.  199 


They  were  accompanied  by  an  interpreter ;  a  French  Creole ; 
one  of  those  haphazard  wights  of  Gallic  origin,  who  abound  upon 
our  frontier,  living  among  the  Indians  like  one  of  their  own  race. 
He  had  been  twenty  years  among  the  Arickaras,  had  a  squaw 
and  a  troop  of  piebald  children,  and  officiated  as  interpreter  to 
the  chiefs.  Through  this  worthy  organ  the  two  dignitaries  signi- 
fied to  Mr.  Hunt  their  sovereign  intention  to  oppose  the  further 
progress  of  the  expedition  up  the  river  unless  a  boat  were  left  to 
trade  with  them.  Mr.  Hunt,  in  reply,  explained  the  object  of  his 
voyage,  and  his  intention  of  debarking  at  their  village  and  pro- 
ceeding thence  by  land  ;  and  that  he  would  willingly  trade  with 
them  for  a  supply  of  horses  for  his  journey.  With  this  explana- 
tion they  were  perfectly  satisfied,  and  putting  about,  steered  for 
their  village  to  make  preparations  for  the  reception  of  the 
strangers. 

The  village  of  the  Rikaras,  Arickaras,  or  Ricarees,  for  the 
name  is  thus  variously  written,  is  between  the  46th  and  47th 
parallels  of  north  latitude,  and  fourteen  hundred  and  thirty  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri.  The  party  reached  it  about 
ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  landed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  where  they  spread  out  their  baggage  and  effects  to  dry. 
From  hence  they  commanded  an  excellent  view  of  the  village. 
It  was  divided  into  two  portions,  about  eighty  yards  apart,  being 
inhabited  by  two  distinct  bands.  The  whole  extended  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  along  the  river  bank,  and  was  composed 
of  conical  lodges,  that  looked  like  so  many  small  hillocks,  being 
wooden  frames  intertwined  with  osier,  and  covered  with  earth. 
The  plain  beyond  the  village  swept  up  into  hills  of  considerable 
height,  but  the  whole  country  was  nearly  destitute  of  trees. 
While  they  were  regarding  the  village,  they  beheld  a  singular 
fleet  coming  down  the  river.  It  consisted  of  a  number  of  canoes, 
each  made  of  a  single  buffalo  hide  stretched  on  sticks,  so  as  to 


200  ASTORIA. 

form  a  kind  of  circular  trough.  Each  one  was  navigated  by  a 
single  squaw,  who  knelt  in  the  bottom  and  paddled  ;  towing  after 
her  frail  bark  a  bundle  of  floating  wood  intended  for  firing.  This 
kind  of  canoe  is  in  frequent  use  among  the  Indians  ;  the  buf- 
falo hide  being  readily  made  up  into  a  bundle  and  transported 
on  horseback  ;  it  is  very  serviceable  in  conveying  baggage  across 
the  rivers. 

The  great  number  of  horses  grazing  around  the  village,  and 
scattered  over  the  neighboring  hills  and  valleys,  bespoke  the 
equestrian  habits  of  the  Arickaras,  who  are  admirable  horsemen. 
Indeed,  in  the  number  of  his  horses  consists  the  wealth  of  an 
Indian  of  the  prairies  ;  who  resembles  an  Arab  in  his  passion  for 
this  noble  animal,  and  in  his  adroitness  in  the  management  of  it. 

After  a  time,  the  voice  of  the  sovereign  chief,  "the  Left- 
handed,"  was  heard  across  the  river,  announcing  that  the  council 
lodge  was  preparing,  and  inviting  the  white  men  to  come  over. 
The  river  was  half  a  mile  in  width,  yet  every  word  uttered  by 
the  chieftain  was  heard ;  this  may  be  partly  attributed  to  the 
distinct  manner  in  which  every  syllable  of  the  compound  words 
in  the  Indian  languages  is  articulated  and  accented  ;  but  in 
truth,  a  savage  warrior  might  often  rival  Achilles  himself  for 
force  of  lungs.* 

Now  came  the  delicate  point  of  management ;  how  the  two 
rival  parties  were  to  conduct  their  visit  to  the  village  with  proper 
circumspection  and  due  decorum.  Neither  of  the  leaders  had 
spoken  to  each  other  since  their  quarrel.  All  communication  had 
been  by  ambassadors.  Seeing  the  jealousy  entertained  of  Lisa, 
Mr.  Breckenridge,  in  his  negotiation,  had  arranged  that  a  depu- 
tation from  each  party  should  cross  the  river  at  the  same  time, 
so  that  neither  would  have  the  first  access  to  the  ear  of  the 
Arickaras. 

*  Bradbury,  p.  110. 


LANDING   AT   THE   VILLAGE.  201 


The  distrust  of  Lisa,  however,  had  increased  in  proportion  as 
they  approached  the  sphere  of  action,  and  M'Lellan  in  particular, ' 
kept  a  vigilant  eye  upon  his  motions,  swearing  to  shoot  him  if  he 
attempted  to  cross  the  river  first. 

About  two  o'clock  the  large  boat  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  manned, 
and  he  stepped  on  board,  accompanied  by  Messrs.  M'Kenzie  and 
M'Lellan ;  Lisa  at  the  same  time  embarked  in  his  barge ;  the 
two  deputations  amounted  in  all  to  fourteen  persons,  and  never 
was  any  movement  of  rival  potentates  conducted  with  more  wary 
exactness. 

They  landed  amidst  a  rabble  crowd,  and  were  received  on  the 
bank  by  the  left-handed  chief,  who  conducted  them  into  the  vil- 
lage with  grave  courtesy  ;  driving  to  the  right  and  left  the  swarms 
of  old  squaws,  imp-like  boys,  and  vagabond  dogs,  with  which  the 
place  abounded.  They  wound  their  way  between  the  cabins, 
which  looked  like  dirt-heaps  huddled  together  without  any  plan, 
and  surrounded  by  old  palisades  ;  all  filthy  in  the  extreme,  and 
redolent  of  villanous  smells. 

At  length  they  arrived  at  the  council  lodge.  It  was  some- 
what spacious,  and  formed  of  four  forked  trunks  of  trees  placed 
upright,  supporting  cross-beams  and  a  frame  of  poles  interwoven 
with  osiers,  and  the  whole  covered  with  earth.  A  hole  sunken 
in  the  centre  formed  the  fireplace,  and  immediately  above  was  a 
circular  hole  in  the  apex  of  the  lodge,  to  let  out  the  smoke  and 
let  in  the  daylight.  Around  the  lodge  were  recesses  for  sleeping, 
like  the  berths  on  board  ships,  screened  from  view  by  curtains  of 
dressed  skins.  At  the  upper  end  of  the  lodge  was  a  kind  of 
hunting  and  warlike  trophy,  consisting  of  two  buffalo  heads  gair- 
ishly  painted,  surmounted  by  shields,  bows,  quivers  of  arrows, 
and  other  weapons. 

On  entering  the  lodge  the  chief  pointed  to  mats  or  cushions 
which  had  been  placed  around  for  the  strangers,  and  on  which 

9* 


202  ASTORIA. 

they  seated  themselves,  while  he  placed  himself  on  a  kind  of 
stool.  An  old  man  then  came  forward  with  the  pipe  of  peace  or 
good-fellowship,  lighted  and  handed  it  to  the  chief,  and  then  fall- 
ing back,  squatted  himself  near  the  door.  The  pipe  was  passed 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  each  one  taking  a  whiff,  which  is  equivalent 
to  the  inviolable  pledge  of  faith,  of  taking  salt  together  among 
the  ancient  Britons.  The  chief  then  made  a  sign  to  the  old  pipe- 
bearer,  who  seemed  to  fill,  likewise,  the  station  of  herald,  senes- 
chal, and  public  crier,  for  he  ascended  to  the  top  of  the  lodge  to 
make  proclamation.  Here  he  took  his  post  beside  the  aperture 
for  the  emission  of  smoke,  and  the  admission  of  light ;  the  chief 
dictated  from  within  what  he  was  to  proclaim,  and  he  bawled  it 
forth  with  a  force  of  lungs  that  resounded  over  all  the  village. 
In  this  way  he  summoned  the  warriors  and  great  men  to  coun- 
cil ;  every  now  and  then  reporting  progress  to  his  chief  through 
the  hole  in  the  roof. 

In  a  little  while  the  braves  and  sages  began  to  enter  one  by 
one  as  their  names  were  called  or  announced,  emerging  from  un- 
der the  buffalo  robe  suspended  over  the  entrance  instead  of  a 
door,  stalking  across  the  lodge  to  the  skins  placed  on  the  floor, 
and  crouching  down  on  them  in  silence.  In  this  way  twenty  en- 
tered and  took  their  seats,  forming  an  assemblage  worthy  of  the 
pencil ;  for  the  Arickaras  are  a  noble  race  of  men,  large  and 
well  formed,  and  maintain  a  savage  grandeur  and  gravity  of  de- 
meanor in  their  solemn  ceremonials. 

All  being  seated,  the  old  seneschal  prepared  the  pipe  of  cere- 
mony or  council,  and  having  lit  it,  handed  it  to  the  chief.  He 
inhaled  the  sacred  smoke,  gave  a  puff  upward  to  the  heaven,  then 
downward  to  the  earth,  then  towards  the  east ;  after  this  it  was 
as  usual  passed  fro.m  mouth  to  mouth,  each  holding  it  respect- 
fully until  his  neighbor  had  taken  several  whiffs ;  and  now  the 
grand  council  was  considered  as  opened  in  due  form. 


THE   SPEECH   OF   LISA.  203 


The  chief  made  an  harangue  welcoming  the  white  men  to  his 
village,  and  expressing  his  happiness  in  taking  them  by  the  hand 
as  friends ;  but  at  the  same  time  complaining  of  the  poverty  of 
himself  and  his  people ;  the  usual  prelude  among  Indians  to  beg- 
ging or  hard  bargaining. 

Lisa  rose  to  reply,  and  the  eyes  of  Hunt  and  his  companions 
were  eagerly  turned  upon  him,  those  of  M'Lellan  glaring  like  a 
basilisk's.  He  began  by  the  usual  expressions  of  friendship,  and 
then  proceeded  to  explain  the  object  of  his  own  party.  Those 
persons,  however,  said  he,  pointing  to  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  com- 
panions, are  of  a  different  party,  and  are  quite  distinct  in  their 
views ;  but,  added  he,  though  we  are  separate  parties,  we  make 
but  one  common  cause  when  the  safety  of  either  is  concerned. 
Any  injury  or  insult  offered  to  them  I  shall  consider  as  done 
to  myself,  and  will  resent  it  accordingly.  I  trust,  therefore,  that 
you  will  treat  them  with  the  same  friendship  that  you  have 
always  manifested  for  me,  doing  every  thing  in  your  power  to 
serve  them  and  to  help  them  on  their  way.  The  speech  of  Lisa, 
delivered  with  an  air  of  frankness  and  sincerity,  agreeably  sur- 
prised and  disappointed  the  rival  party. 

Mr.  Hunt  then  spoke,  declaring  the  object  of  his  journey  to 
the  great  Salt  Lake  beyond  the  mountains,  and  that  he  should 
want  horses  for  the  purpose,  for  which  he  was  ready  to  trade, 
having  brought  with  him  plenty  of  goods.  Both  he  and  Lisa 
concluded  their  speeches  by  making  presents  of  tobacco. 

The  left-handed  chieftain  in  reply  promised  his  friendship 
and  aid  to  the  new  comers,  and  welcomed  them  to  his  village. 
He  added  that  they  had  not  the  number  of  horses  to  spare 
that  Mr.  Hunt  required,  and  expressed  a  doubt  whether  they  • 
should  be  able  to  part  with  any.  Upon  this,  another  chieftain, 
called  Gray  Eyes,  made  a  speech,  and  declared  that  they  could 
readily  supply  Mr.  Hunt  with  all  the  horses  he  might  want, 


204  ASTORIA. 

since,  if  they  had  not  enough  in  the  village,  they  could  easily 
steal  more.  This  honest  expedient  immediately  removed  the 
main  difficulty ;  but  the  chief  deferred  all  trading  for  a  day  or 
two,  until  he  should  have  time  to  consult  with  his  subordinate 
chiefs,  as  to  market  rates  ;  for  the  principal  chief  of  a  village,  in 
conjunction  with  his  council,  usually  fixes  the  prices  at  which 
articles  shall  be  bought  and  sold,  and  to  them  the  village  must 
conform. 

The  council  now  broke  up.  Mr.  Hunt  transferred  his  camp 
across  the  river  at  a  little  distance  below  the  village,  and  the 
left-handed  chief  placed  some  of  his  warriors  as  a  guard  to  pre- 
vent the  intrusion  of  any  of  his  people.  The  camp  was  pitched 
on  the  river  bank  just  above  the  boats.  The  tents,  and  the  men 
wrapped  in  their  blankets  and  bivouacking  on  skins  in  the  open 
air,  surrounded  the  baggage  at  night.  Four  sentinels  also  kept 
watch  within  sight  of  each  other  outside  of  the  camp  until  mid- 
night, when  they  were  relieved  by  four  others  who  mounted  guard 
until  daylight.  Mr.  Lisa  encamped  near  to  Mr.  Hunt,  between 
him  and  the  village. 

The  speech  of  Mr.  Lisa  in  the  council  had  produced  a  pacific 
effect  in  the  encampment.  Though  the  sincerity  of  his  friend- 
ship and  good-will  towards  the  new  company  still  remained  mat- 
ter of  doubt,  he  was  no  longer  suspected  of  an  intention  to  play 
false.  The  intercourse  between  the  two  leaders  was,  therefore, 
resumed,  and  the  affairs  of  both  parties  went  on  harmoniously. 


AN   INDIAN   HORSE   FAIR.  205 


CHAPTER  XXL 

A  TRADE  now  commenced  with  the  Arickaras  under  the  regula- 
tion and  supervision  of  their  two  chieftains.  Lisa  sent  a  part  of 
his  goods  to  the  lodge  of  the  left-handed  dignitary,  and  Mr.  Hunt 
established  his  mart  in  the  lodge  of  the  Big  Man.  The  village 
soon  presented  the  appearance  of  a  busy  fair  ;  and  as  horses  were 
in  demand,  the  purlieus  and  the  adjacent  plain  were  like  the 
vicinity  of  a  Tartar  encampment ;  horses  were  put  through  all 
their  paces,  and  horsemen  were  careering  about  with  that  dexte- 
rity and  grace  for  which  the  Arickaras  are  noted.  As  soon  as  a 
horse  was  purchased,  his  tail  was  cropped,  a  sure  mode  of  distin- 
guishing him  from  the  horses  of  the  tribe  ;  for  the  Indians  disdain 
to  practise  this  absurd,  barbarous,  and  indecent  mutilation,  in- 
vented by  some  mean  and  vulgar  mind,  insensible  to  the  merit 
and  perfections  of  the  animal.  On  the  contrary,  the  Indian 
horses  are  suffered  to  remain  in  every  respect  the  superb  and 
beautiful  animals  which  nature  formed  them. 

The  wealth  of  an  Indian  of  the  far  west  consists  principally 
in  his  horses,  of  which  each  chief  and  warrior  possesses  a  great 
number,  so  that  the  plains  about  an  Indian  village  or  encamp- 
ment are  covered  with  them.  These  form  objects  of  traffic,  or 
objects  of  depredation,  and  in  this  way  pass  from  tribe  to  tribe 
over  great  tracts  of  country.  The  horses  owned  by  the  Aricka- 
ras are,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  wild  stock  of  the  prairies ; 
some,  however,  had  been  obtained  from  the  Poncas,  Pawnees,  and 
other  tribes  to  the  southwest,  who  had  stolen  them  from  the 


206  ASTORIA. 

Spaniards  in  the  course  of  horse-stealing  expeditions  into  the 
Mexican  territories.  These  were  to  be  known  by  being  branded  ; 
a  Spanish  mode  of  marking  horses  not  practised  by  the  Indians. 

As  the  Arickaras  were  meditating  another  expedition  against 
their  enemies  the  Sioux,  the  articles  of  traffic  most  in  demand 
were  guns,  tomahawks,  scalping-knives,  powder,  ball,  and  other 
munitions  of  war.  The  price  of  a  horse,  as  regulated  by  the 
chiefs,  was  commonly  ten  dollars  worth  of  goods  at  first  cost. 
To  supply  the  demand  thus  suddenly  created,  parties  of  young 
men  and  braves  had  sallied  forth  on  expeditions  to  steal  horses ; 
a  species  of  service  among  the  Indians  which  takes  precedence  of 
hunting,  and  is  considered  a  department  of  honorable  warfare. 

While  the  leaders  of  the  expedition  were  actively  engaged  in 
preparing  for  the  approaching  journey,  those  who  had  accompa- 
nied it  for  curiosity  or  amusement,  found  ample  matter  for  obser- 
vation in  the  village  and  its  inhabitants.  Wherever  they  went 
they  were  kindly  entertained.  If  they  entered  a  lodge,  the  buf- 
falo robe  was  spread  before  the  fire  for  them  to  sit  down ;  the 
pipe  was  brought,  and  while  the  master  of  the  lodge  conversed 
with  his  guests,  the  squaw  put  the  earthen  vessel  over  the  fire, 
well  filled  with  dried  buffalo  meat  and  pounded  corn  ;  for  the  In- 
dian in  his  native  state,  before  he  has  mingled  much  with  white 
men,  and  acquired  their  sordid  habits,  has  the  hospitality  of  the 
Arab :  never  does  a  stranger  enter  his  door  without  having  food 
placed  before  him  ;  and  never  is  the  food  thus  furnished  made  a 
matter  of  traffic. 

The  life  of  an  Indian  when  at  home  in  his  village  is  a  life  of 
indolence  and  amusement.  To  the  woman  is  consigned  the  labors 
of  the  household  and  the  field ;  she  arranges  the  lodge  ;  brings 
wood  for  the  fire  ;  cooks  ;  jerks  venison  and  buffalo  meat ;  dresses 
the  skins  of  the  animals  killed  in  the  chase ;  cultivates  the  little 
patch  of  maize,  pumpkins,  and  pulse,  which  furnishes  a  great  part 


DOMESTIC   LIFE   OF   Aft   INDIAN.  207 


of  their  provisions.  Their  time  for  repose  and  recreation  is  at 
sunset,  when  the  labors  of  the  day  being  ended,  they  gather  toge- 
ther to  amuse  themselves  with  petty  games,  or  to  hold  gossiping 
convocations  on  the  tops  of  their  lodges. 

As  to  the  Indian,  he  is  a  game  animal,  not  to  be  degraded  by 
useful  or  menial  toil.  It  is  enough  that  he  exposes  himself  to 
the  hardships  of  the  chase  and  the  perils  of  war ;  that  he  brings 
home  food  for  his  family,  and  watches  and  fights  for  its  protec- 
tion. Every  thing  else  is  beneath  his  attention.  When  at  home, 
he  attends  only  to  his  weapons  and  his  horses,  preparing  the 
means  of  future  exploit.  Or  he  engages  with  his  comrades  in 
games  of  dexterity,  agility  and  strength ;  or  in  gambling  games 
in  which  every  thing  is  put  at  hazard,  with  a  recklessness  seldom 
witnessed  in  civilized  life. 

• 

A  great  part  of  the  idle  leisure  of  the  Indians  when  at  home, 
is  passed  in  groups,  squatted  together  on  the  bank  of  a  river,  on 
the  top  of  a  mound  on  the  prairie,  or  on  the  roof  of  one  of  their 
earth-covered  lodges,  talking  over  -the  news  of  the  day,  the  affairs 
of  the  tribe,  the  events  and  exploits  of  their  last  hunting  or  fight- 
ing expedition ;  or  listening  to  the  stories  of  old  times  told  by 
some  veteran  chronicler ;  resembling  a  group  of  our  village  quid- 
nuncs and  politicians,  listening  to  the  prosings  of  some  superan- 
nuated oracle,  or  discussing  the  contents  of  an  ancient  newspaper. 

As  to  the  Indian  women,  they  are  far  from  complaining  of 
their  lot.  On  the  contrary,  they  would  despise  their  husbands 
could  they  stoop  to  any  menial  office,  and  would  think  it  con- 
veyed an  imputation  upon  their  own  conduct.  It  is  the  worst 
insult  one  virago  can  cast  upon  another  in  a  moment  of  alterca- 
tion. "  Infamous  woman !"  will  she  cry,  "  I  have  seen  your 
husband  carrying  wood  into  his  lodge  to  make  the  fire.  Where 
was  his  squaw,  that  he  should  be  obliged  to  make  a  woman  of 
himself!" 


208  ASTORIA. 

Mr.  Hunt  and  his  fellow  travellers  had  not  been  many  days 
at  the  Arickara  village,  when  rumors  began  to  circulate  that  the 
Sioux  had  followed  them  up,  and  that  a  war  party,  four  or  five 
hundred  in  number,  were  lurking  somewhere  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. These  rumors  produced  much  embarrassment  in  the 
camp.  The  white  hunters  were  deterred  from  venturing  forth 
in  quest  of  game,  neither  did  the  leaders  think  it  proper  to 
expose  them  to  such  risk.  The  Arickaras,  too,  who  had  suffered 
greatly  in  their  wars  with  this  cruel  and  ferocious  tribe,  were 
roused  to  increased  vigilance,  and  stationed  mounted  scouts 
upon  the  neighboring  hills.  This,  however,  is  a  general  precau- 
tion among  the  tribes  of  the  prairies.  Those  immense  plains 
present  a  horizon  like  the  ocean,  so  that  any  object  of  importance 
can  "be  descried  afar,  and  information  communicated  to  a  great 
distance.  The  scouts  are  stationed  on  the  hills,  therefore,  to 
look  out  both  for  game  and  for  enemies,  and  are,  in  a  manner, 
living  telegraphs  conveying  their  intelligence  by  concerted  signs. 
If  they  wish  to  give  notice  of  a  herd  of  buffalo  in  the  plain  beyond, 
they  gallop  backwards  and  forwards  abreast,  on  the  summit  of 
the  hill.  If  they  perceive  an  enemy  at  hand,  they  gallop  to  and 
fro,  crossing  each  other  ;  at  sight  of  which  the  whole  village  flies 
to  arms. 

Such  an  alarm  was  given  in  the  afternoon  of  the  15th.  Four 
scouts  were  seen  crossing  and  recrossing  each  other  at  full 
gallop,  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  about  two  miles  distant  down  the 
river.  The  cry  was  up  that  the  Sioux  were  coming.  In  an 
instant  the  village  was  in  an  uproar.  Men,  women  and  children 
were  all  brawling  and  shouting ;  dogs  barking,  yelping  and 
howling.  Some  of  the  warriors  ran  for  the  horses  to  gather  and 
drive  them  in  from  the  prairie,  some  for  their  weapons.  As  fast 
as  they  could  arm  and  equip  they  sallied  forth ;  some  on  horse- 
back, some  on  foot.  Some  hastily  arrayed  in  their  war  dress, 


AN  ALARM.— INDIAN   DOGS.  209 


with  coronets  of  fluttering  feathers,  and  their  bodies  smeared 
with  paint ;  others  naked  and  only  furnished  with  the  weapons 
they  had  snatched  up.  The  women  and  Children  gathered  on 
the  tops  of  the  lodges  and  heightened  the  confusion  of  the  scene 
by  their  vociferation.  Old  men  who  could  no  longer  bear  arms 
took  similar  stations,  and  harangued  the  warriors  as  they  passed, 
exhorting  them  to  valorous  deeds.  Some  of  the  veterans  took 
arms  themselves,  and  sallied  forth  with  tottering  steps.  In  this 
way,  the  savage  chivalry  of  the  village  to  the  number  of  five 
hundred,  poured  forth,  helter-skelter,  riding  and  running,  with 
hideous  yells  and  war-whoops,  like  so  many  bedlamites  or 
demoniacs  let  loose. 

After  a  while  the  tide  of  war  rolled  back,  but  with  far  less 
uproar.  Either  it  had  been  a  false  alarm,  or  the  enemy  had  re- 
treated on  finding  themselves  discovered,  and  quiet  was  restored 
to  the  village.  The  white  hunters  continuing  to  be  fearful  of 
ranging  this  dangerous  neighborhood,  fresh  provisions  began  to 
be  scarce  in  the  camp.  As  a  substitute,  therefore,  for  venison 
and  buffalo  meat,  the  travellers  had  to  purchase  a  number  of 
dogs  to  be  shot  and  cooked  for  the  supply  of  the  camp.  Fortu- 
nately, however  chary  the  Indians  might  be  of  their  horses,  they 
were  liberal  of  their  dogs.  In  fact,  these  animals  'swarm  about 
an  Indian  village  as  they  do  about  a  Turkish  town.  Not  a 
family  but  has  two  or  three  dozen  belonging  to  it,  of  all  sizes 
and  colors ;  some,  of  a  superior  breed,  are  used  for  hunting  ; 
others,  to  draw  the  sledge,  while  others,  of  a  mongrel  breed,  and 
idle  vagabond  nature,  are  fattened  for  food.  They  are  supposed 
to  be  descended  from  the  wolf,  and  retain  something  of  his 
savage  but  cowardly  temper,  howling  rather  than  barking ; 
showing  their  teeth  and  snarling  on  the  slightest  provocation, 
but  sneaking  away  on  the  least  attack. 

The  excitement  of  the  village  continued  from  day  to   day 


210  ASTORIA. 

On  the  day  following  the  alarm  just  mentioned,  several  parties 
arrived  from  different  directions,  and  were  met  and  conducted  by 
some  of  the  braves  ft>  the  council  lodge,  where  they  reported  the 
events  and  success  of  their  expeditions,  whether  of  war  or  hunt- 
ing ;  which  news  was  afterwards  promulgated  throughout  the  vil- 
lage, by  certain  old  men  who  acted  as  heralds  or  town  criers. 
Among  the  parties  which  arrived  was  one  that  had  been  among 
the  Snake  nation  stealing  horses,  and  returned  crowned  with  suc- 
cess. As  they  passed  in  triumph  through  the  village  they  were 
cheered  by  the  men,  women,  and  children,  collected  as  usual  on 
the  tops  of  the  lodges,  and  were  exhorted  by  the  Nestors  of  the 
village  to  be  generous  in  their  dealings  with  the  white  men. 

The  evening  was  spent  in  feasting  and  rejoicing  among  the 
relations  of  the  successful  warriors  ;  but  sounds  of  grief  and 
wailing  were  heard  from  the  hills  adjacent  to  the  village :  the 
lamentations  of  women  who  had  lost  some  relative  in  the  foray. 

An  Indian  village  is  subject  to  continual  agitations  and  ex- 
citements. The  next  day  arrived  a  deputation  of  braves  from 
the  Cheyenne  or  Shienne  nation  ;  a  broken  tribe,  cut  up,  like  the 
Arickaras,  by  wars  with  the  Sioux,  and  driven  to  take  refuge 
among  the  Black  Hills,  near  the  sources  of  the  Cheyenne  River, 
from  which  they  derive  their  name.  One  of  these  deputies  was 
magnificently  arrayed  in  a  buffalo  robe,  on  which  various  figures 
were  fancifully  embroidered  with  split  quills  dyed  red  and  yel- 
low ;  and  the  whole  was  fringed  with  the  slender  hoofs  of  young 
fawns,  that  rattled  as  he  walked. 

The  arrival  of  this  deputation  was  the  signal  for  another  of 
those  ceremonials  which  occupy  so  much  of  Indian  life ;  for  no 
being  is  more  courtly  and  punctilious,  and  more  observing  of 
etiquette  and  formality  than  an  American  savage. 

The  object  of  the  deputation  was  to  give  notice  of  an  intended 
visit  of  the  Shienne  (or  Cheyenne)  tribe  to  the  Arickara  village 


RETURN   OF  A   WAR   PARTY.  211 


in  the  course  of  fifteen  days.  To  this  visit  Mr.  Hunt  looked 
forward,  to  procure  additional  horses  for  his  journey  ;  all  his  bar- 
gaining being  ineffectual  in  obtaining  a  sufficent  supply  from  the 
Arickaras.  Indeed  nothing  could  prevail  upon  the  latter  to 
part  with  their  prime  horses,  which  had  been  trained  to  buffalo 
hunting. 

As  Mr.  Hunt  would  have  to  abandon  his  boats  at  this  place, 
Mr.  Lisa  now  offered  to  purchase  them,  and  such  of  his  mer- 
chandise as  was  superfluous,  and  to  pay  him  in  horses,  to  be  ob- 
tained at  a  fort  belonging  to  the  Missouri  Fur  Company,  situated 
at  the  Mandan  villages,  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  further 
up  the  river.  A  bargain  was  promptly  made,  and  Mr.  Lisa  and 
Mr.  Crooks,  with  several  companions,  set  out  for  the  fort  to  pro- 
cure the  horses.  They  returned,  after  upwards  of  a  fortnight's 
absence,  bringing  with,  them  the  stipulated  number  of  horses. 
Still  the  cavalry  was  not  sufficiently  numerous  to  convey  the 
party  and  the  baggage  and  merchandise,  and  a  few  days  more 
were  required  to  complete  the  arrangements  for  the  journey. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  just  before  daybreak,  a  great  noise  and 
vociferation  was  heard  in  the  village.  This  being  the  usual 
Indian  hour  of  attack  and  surprise,  and  the  Sioux  being  known 
to  be  in  the  neighborhood,  the  camp  was  instantly  on  the  alert. 
As  the  day  broke  Indians  were  descried  in  considerable  number 
on  the  bluffs,  three  or  four  miles  down  the  river.  The  noise  and 
agitation  in  the  village  continued.  The  tops  of  the  lodges  were 
crowded  with  the  inhabitants,  all  earnestly  looking  towards  the 
hills,  and  keeping  up  a  vehement  chattering.  Presently  an  In- 
dian warrior  galloped  past  the  camp  towards  the  village,  and  in 
a  little  while  the  legions  began  to  pour  forth. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  was  now  ascertained.  The  Indians 
upon  the  distant  hills  were  three  hundred  Arickara  braves,  re- 
turning from  a  foray.  They  had  met  the  war  party  of  Sioux 


212  ASTORIA. 

who  had  been  so  long  hovering  about  the  neighborhood,  had 
fought  them  the  day  before,  killed  several,  and  defeated  the  rest 
with  the  loss  of  but  two  or  three  of  their  own  men  and  about 
a  dozen  wounded ;  and  they  were  now  halting  at  a  distance  until 
their  comrades  in  the  village  should  come  forth  to  meet  them, 
and  swell  the  parade  of  their  triumphal  entry.  The  warrior  who 
had  galloped  past  the  camp  was  the  leader  of  the  party  hastening 
home  to  give  tidings  of  his  victory. 

Preparations  were  now  made  for  this  great  martial  ceremony. 
All  the  finery  and  equipments  of  the  warriors  were  sent  forth  to 
them,  that  they  might  appear  to  the  greatest  advantage.  Those, 
too,  who  had  remained  at  home,  tasked  their  wardrobes  and  toi- 
lets to  do  honor  to  the  procession. 

The  Arickaras  generally  go  naked,  but,  like  all  savages,  they 
have  their  gala  dress,  of  which  they  are  not  a  little  vain.  This 
usually  consists  of  a  gray  surcoat  and  leggins  of  the  dressed 
skin  of  the  antelope,  resembling  chamois  leather,  and  embroi- 
dered with  porcupine  quills  brilliantly  dyed.  A  buffalo  robe  is 
thrown  over  the  right  shoulder,  and  across  the  left  is  slung  a 
quiver  of  arrows.  They  wear  gay  coronets  of  plumes,  particu- 
larly those  of  the  swan ;  but  the  feathers  of  the  black  eagle  are 
considered  the  most  worthy,  being  a  sacred  bird  among  the 
Indian  warriors.  He  who  has  killed  an  enemy  in  his  own  land, 
is  entitled  to  drag  at  his  heels  a  fox-skin  attached  to  each  mocca- 
son  ;  and  he  who  has  slain  a  grizzly  bear,  wears  a  necklace  of  his 
claws,  the  most  glorious  trophy  that  a  hunter  can  exhibit. 

An  Indian  toilet  is  an  operation  of  some  toil  and  trouble ; 
the  warrior  often  has  to  paint  himself  from  head  to  foot,  and  is 
extremely  capricious  and  difficult  to  please,  as  to  the  hideous 
distribution  of  streaks  and  colors.  A  great  part  of  the  morning, 
therefore,  passed  away  before  there  were  any  signs  of  the  distant 
pageant.  In  the  meantime  a  profound  stillness  reigned  over  the 


TRIUMPHANT   PROCESSION.  213 


village.  Most  of  the  inhabitants  had  gone  forth ;  others  remained 
in  mute  expectation-.  All  sports  and  occupations  were  suspended, 
excepting  that  in  the  lodges  the  painstaking  squaws  were  silently 
busied  in  preparing  the  repasts  for  the  warriors. 

It  was  near  noon  that  a  mingled  sound  of  voices  and  rude 
music,  faintly  heard  from  a  distance,  gave  notice  that  the  proces- 
sion was  on  the  march.  The  old  men  and  such  of  the  squaws  as 
could  leave  their  employments  hastened  forth  to  meet  it.  In  a 
little  while  it  emerged  from  behind  a  hill,  and  had  a  wild  and 
picturesque  appearance  as  it  came  moving  over  the  summit  in 
measured  step,  and  to  the  cadence  of  songs  and  savage  instru- 
ments ;  the  warlike  standards  and  trophies  flaunting  aloft,  and  the 
feathers,  and  paint,  and  silver  ornaments  of  the  warriors  glaring 
and  glittering  in  the  sunshine. 

The  pageant  had  really  something  chivalrous  in  its  arrange- 
ment. The  Arickaras  are  divided  into  several  bands,  each  bear- 
ing the  name  of  some  animal  or  bird,  as  the  buffalo,  the  bear,  the 
dog,  the  pheasant.  The  present  party  consisted  of  four  of  these 
bands,  one  of  which  was  the  dog,  the  most  esteemed  in  war, 
being  composed  of  young  men  under  thirty,  and  noted  for  prow- 
ess. It  is  engaged  on  the  most  desperate  occasions.  The  bands 
marched  in  separate  bodies  under  their  several  leaders.  The 
warriors  on  foot  came  first,  in  platoons  of  ten  or  twelve  abreast ; 
then  the  horsemen.  Each  band  bore  as  an  ensign  a  spear  or  bow 
decorated  with  beads,  porcupine  quills,  and  painted  feathers. 
Each  bore  its  trophies  of  scalps,  elevated  on  poles,  their  long 
black  locks  streaming  in  the  wind.  Each  was  accompanied  by  its 
rude  music  and  minstrelsy.  In  this  way  the  procession  extended 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  The  warriors  were  variously  armed, 
some  few  with  guns,  others  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  war  clubs ; 
all  had  shields  of  buffalo  hide,  a  kind  of  defence  generally  used 
by  the  Indians  of  the  open  prairies,  who  have  not  the  covert  of 


214  ASTORIA. 

trees  and  forests  to  protect  them.  They  were  painted  in  the 
most  savage  style.  Some  had  the  stamp  of  a  red  hand  across 
their  mouths,  a  sign  that  they  had  drunk  the  life-blood  of  a  foe ! 

As  they  drew  near  to  the  village  the  old  men  and  the  women 
began  to  meet  them,  and  now  a  scene  ensued  that  proved  the 
fallacy  of  the  old  fable  of  Indian  apathy  and  stoicism.  Parents 
and  children,  husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and  sisters  met  with 
the  most  rapturous  expressions  of  joy  ;  while  wailings  and  lamen- 
tations were  heard  from  the  relatives  of  the  killed  and  wounded. 
The  procession,  however,  continued  on  with  slow  and  measured 
step,  in  cadence  to  the  solemn  chant,  and  the  warriors  main- 
tained their  fixed  and  stern  demeanor. 

Between  two  of  the  principal  chiefs  rode  a  young  warrior  who 
had  distinguished  himself  in  the  battle.  He  was  severely  wound- 
ed, so  as  with  difficulty  to  keep  on  his  horse  ;  but  he  preserved  a 
serene  and  steadfast  countenance,  as  if  perfectly  unharmed. 
His  mother  had  heard  of  his  condition.  She  broke  through  the 
throng,  and  rushing  up,  threw  her  arms  around  him  and  wept 
aloud.  He  kept  up  the  spirit  and  demeanor  of  a  warrior  to  the 
last,  but  expired  shortly  after  he  had  reached  his  home. 

The  village  was  now  a  scene  of  the  utmost  festivity  and 
triumph.  The  banners,  and  trophies,  and  scalps,  and  painted 
shields  were  elevated  on  poles  near  the  lodges.  There  were  war- 
feasts,  and  scalp-dances,  with  warlike  songs  and  savage  music  ; 
all  the  inhabitants  were  arrayed  in  their  festal  dresses ;  while 
the  old  heralds  went  round  from  lodge  to  lodge,  promulgating 
with  loud  voices  the  events  of  the  battle  and  the  exploits  of  the 
various  warriors. 

Such  was  the  boisterous  revelry  of  the  village  ;  but  sounds  of 
another  kind  were  heard  on  the  surrounding  hills  ;  piteous  wail- 
ings  of  the  women,  who  had  retired  thither  to  mourn  in  darkness 
and  solitude  for  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle.  There  the  poor 


LAMENTATIONS  AMONG  THE  HILLS.  215 


mother  of  the  youthful  warrior  who  had  returned  home  in  tri- 
umph but  to  die,  gave  full  vent  to  the  anguish  of  a  mother's 
heart.  How  much  does  this  custom  among  the  Indian  women  of 
repairing  to  the  hill  tops  in  the  night,  and  pouring  forth  their 
wailings  f<jr  the  dead,  call  to  mind  the  beautiful  and  affecting 
passage  of  Scripture,  "  In  Rama  was  there  a  voice  heard,  lamen- 
tation, and  weeping,  and  great  mourning,  Rachel  weeping  for 
her  children,  and  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they  are  not." 


216  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

WHILE  Mr.  Hunt  was  diligently  preparing  for  his  arduous  jour- 
ney, some  of  his  men  began  to  lose  heart  at  the  perilous  prospect 
before  them ;  but,  before  we  accuse  them  of  want  of  spirit,  it  is 
proper  to  consider  the  nature  of  the  wilderness  into  which  they 
were  about  to  adventure.  It  was  a  region  almost  as  vast  and 
trackless  as  the  ocean,  and,  at  the  time  of  which  we  treat,  but 
little  known,  excepting  through  the  vague  accounts  of  Indian 
hunters.  A  part  of  their  route  would  lay  across  an  immense 
tract,  stretching  north  and  south  for  hundreds  of  miles  along  the 
foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  drained  by  the  tributary 
streams  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Mississippi.  This  region,  which 
resembles  one  of  the  immeasurable  steppes  of  Asia,  has  not 
inaptly  been  termed  "the  great  American  desert."  It  spreads 
forth  into  undulating  and  treeless  plains,  and  desolate  sandy 
wastes,  wearisome  to  the  eye  from  their  extent  and  monotony, 
and  which  are  supposed  by  geologists,  to  have  formed  the  ancient 
floor  of  the  ocean,  countless  ages  since,  when  its  primeval  waves 
beat  against  the  granite  bases  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

It  is  a  land  where  no  man  permanently  abides ;  for,  in  cer- 
tain seasons  of  the  year  there  is  no  food  either  for  the  hunter  or 
his  steed.  The  herbage  is  parched  and  withered ;  the  brooks 
and  streams  are  dried  up ;  the  buffalo,  the  elk  and  the  deer  have 
wandered  to  distant  parts,  keeping  within  the  verge  of  expiring 
verdure,  and  leaving  behind  them  a  vast  uninhabited  solitude, 


WILDERNESS   OF  THE   FAR  WEST.  217 


seamed  by  ravines,  the  beds  of  former  torrents,  but  now  serving 
only  to  tantalize  and  increase  the  thirst  of  the  traveller. 

Occasionally  the  monotony  of  this  vast  wilderness  is  inter- 
rupted by  mountainous  belts  of  sand  and  limestone,  broken  into 
confused  masses  ;  with  precipitous  cliffs  and  yawning  ravines, 
looking  like  the  ruins  of  a  world  ;  or  is  traversed  by  lofty  and 
barren  ridges  of  rock,  almost  impassable,  like  those  denominated 
the  Black  Hills.  Beyond  these  rise  the  stern  barriers  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  the  limits,  as  it  were,  of  the  Atlantic  world. 
The  rugged  defiles  and  deep  valleys  of  this  vast  chain  form  shel- 
tering places  for  restless  and  ferocious  bands  of  savages,  many 
of  them  the  remnants  of  tribes,  once  inhabitant*  of  the  prairies, 
but  broken  up  by  war  and  violence,  and  who  carry  into  their 
mountain  haunts  the  fierce  passions  and  reckless  habits  of  des- 
peradoes. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  this  immense  wilderness  of  the  far 
West ;  which  apparently  defies  cultivation,  and  the  habitation  of 
civilized  life.  Some  portions  of  it  along  the  rivers  may  partially 
be  subdued  by  agriculture,  others  may  form  vast  pastoral  tracts, 
like  those  of  the  East ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  a  great  part  of 
it  will  form  a  lawless  interval  between  the  abodes  of  civilized 
man,  like  the  wastes  of  the  ocean  or  the  deserts  of  Arabia ;  and, 
like  them,  be  subject  to  the  depredations  of  the  marauder.  Here 
may  spring  up  new  and  mongrel  races,  like  new  formations  in 
geology,  the  amalgamation  of  the  "debris"  and  "abrasions"  of 
former  races,  civilized  and  savage ;  the  remains  of  broken  and 
almost  extinguished  tribes  ;  the  descendants  of  wandering  hunters 
and  trappers ;  of  fugitives  from  the  Spanish  and  American  fron- 
tiers ;  of  adventurers  and  desperadoes  of  every  class  and  coun- 
try, yearly  ejected  from  the  bosom  of  society  into  the  wilderness. 
We  are  contributing  incessantly  to  swell  this  singular  and  hete- 

10 


218  ASTORIA. 

rogeneous  cloud  of  wild  population  that  is  to  hang  about  our 
frontier,  by  the  transfer  of  whole  tribes  of  savages  from  the  east 
of  the  Mississippi  to  the  great  wastes  of  the  far  West.  Many 
of  these  bear  with  them  the  smart  of  real  or  fancied  injuries  ; 
many  consider  themselves  expatriated  beings,  wrongfully  exiled 
from  their  hereditary  homes,  and  the  sepulchres  of  their  fathers, 
and  cherish  a  deep  and  abiding  animosity  against  the  race  that 
has  dispossessed  them.  Some  may  gradually  become  pastoral 
hordes,  like  those  rude  and  migratory  people,  half  shepherd,  half 
warrior,  who,  with  their  flocks  and  herds,  roam  the  plains  of  up- 
per Asia ;  but,  others,  it  is  to  be  apprehended,  will  become  pre- 
datory bands,  mounted  on  the  fleet  steeds  of  the  prairies,  with 
the  open  plains  for  their  marauding  grounds,  and  the  mountains 
for  their  retreats  and  lurking-places.  Here  they  may  resemble 
those  great  hordes  of  the  North  ;  "  Gog  and  Magog  with  their 
bands,"  that  haunted  the  gloomy  imaginations  of  the  prophets. 
"  A  great  company  and  a  mighty  host,  all  riding  upon  horses,  and 
warring  upon  those  nations  which  were  at  rest,  and  dwelt  peacea- 
bly, and  had  gotten  cattle  and  goods." 

The  Spaniards  changed  the  whole  character  and  habits  of  the 
Indians  when  they  brought  the  horse  among  them.  In  Chili, 
Tucunian  and  other  parts,  it  has  converted  them,  we  are  told,  into 
Tartar-like  tribes,  and  enabled  them  to  keep  the  Spaniards  out  of 
their  country,  and  even  to  make  it  dangerous  for  them  to  venture 
far  from  their  towns  and  settlements.  Are  we  not  in  danger  of 
producing  some  such  state  of  things  in  the  boundless  regions  of 
the  far  West  ?  That  these  are  not  mere  fanciful  and  extravagant 
suggestions  we  have  sufficient  proofs  in  the  dangers  already  ex- 
perienced by  the  traders  to  the  Spanish  mart  of  Santa  Fe,  and  to 
the  distant  posts  of  the  fur  companies.  These  are  obliged  to 
proceed  in  armed  caravans,  and  are  subject  to  murderous  attacks 


BODERS   OF   ILL   LUCK.  219 


from  bands  of  Pawnees,  Camanches  and  Blackfeet,  that  come 
scouring  upon  them  in  their  weary  march  across  the  plains,  or  lie 
in  wait  for  them  among  the  passes  of  the  mountains. 

We  are  wandering,  however,  into  excursive  speculations,  when 
our  intention  was  merely  to  give  an  idea  of  the  nature  of  the 
wilderness  which  Mr.  Hunt  was  about  to  traverse ;  and  which  at 
that  time  was  far  less  known  that  at  present ;  though  it  still  re- 
mains in  a  great  measure  an  unknown  land.  We  cannot  be  sur- 
prised, therefore,  that  some  of  the  least  resolute  of  his  party 
should  feel  dismay  at  the  thoughts  of  adventuring  into  this  peri- 
lous wilderness  under  the  uncertain  guidance  of  three  hunters, 
who  had  merely  passed  once  through  the  country  and  might  have 
forgotten  the  landmarks.  Their  apprehensions  were  aggravated 
by  some  of  Lisa's  followers,  who,  not  being  engaged  in  the  expe- 
dition, took  a  mischievous  pleasure  in  exaggerating  its  dangers. 
They  painted  in  strong  colors,  to  the  poor  Canadian  voyageurs, 
the  risk  they  would  run  of  perishing  with  hunger  and  thirst ;  of 
being  cut  off  by  war-parties  of  the  Sioux  who  scoured  the  plains  ; 
of  having  their  horses  stolen  by  tjje  Upsarokas  or  Crows,  who  in- 
fested the  skirts  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  or  of  being  butchered 
by  the  Blackfeet,  who  lurked  among  the  defiles.  In  a  word,  there 
was  little  chance  of  their  getting  alive  across  the  mountains  ;  and 
even  if  they  did,  those  three  guides  knew  nothing  of  the  howling 
wilderness  that  lay  beyond. 

The  apprehensions  thus  awakened  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the 
men  came  well  nigh  proving  detrimental  to  the  expedition.  Some 
of  them  determined  to  desert,  and  to  make  their  way  back  to  St. 
Louis.  They  accordingly  purloined  several  weapons  and  a  barrel 
of  gunpowder,  as  ammunition  for  their  enterprise,  and  buried 
them  in  the  river  bank,  intending  to  seize  one  of  the  boats,  and 
make  off  in  the  night.  Fortunately  their  plot  was  overheard  by 


220  ASTORIA. 

John  Day,  the  Kcntuckian,  and  communicated  to  the  partners, 
who  took  quiet  and  effectual  means  to  frustrate  it. 

The  dangers  to  be  apprehended  from  the  Crow  Indians  had 
not  been  overrated  by  the  camp  gossips.  These  savages,  through 
whose  mountain  haunts  the  party  would  have  to  pass,  were  noted 
for  daring  and  excursive  habits,  and  great  dexterity  in  horse 
stealing.  Mr.  Hunt,  therefore,  considered  himself  fortunate  in 
having  met  with  a  man  who  might  be  of  great  use  to  him  in  any 
intercourse  he  might  have  with  the  tribe.  This  was  a  wandering 
individual  named  Edward  Rose,  whom  he  had  picked  up  some- 
where on  the  Missouri— one  of  those  anomalous  beings  found  on 
the  frontier,  who  seem  to  have  neither  kin  nor  country.  He  had 
lived  some  time  among  the  Crows,  so  as  to  become  acquainted  with 
their  language  and  customs ;  and  was,  withal,  a  dogged,  sullen, 
silent  fellow,  with  a  sinister  aspect,  and  more  of  the  savage  than 
the  civilized  man  in  his  appearance.  He  was  engaged  to  serve  in 
general  as  a  hunter,  but  as  guide  and  interpreter  when  they 
should  reach  the  country  of  the  Crows. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  Mr.  Hunt  took  up  his  line  of  march  by 
land  from  the  Arickara  village,  leaving  Mr.  Lisa  and  Mr.  Nuttall 
there,  where  they  intended  to  await  the  expected  arrival  of  Mr. 
Henry  from  the  Rocky  Mountains.  As  to  Messrs.  Bradbury  and 
Breckenridge,  they  had  departed  some  days  previously,  on  a  voy- 
age down  the  river  to  St.  Louis,  with  a  detachment  from  Mr. 
Lisa's  party.  With  all  his  exertions,  Mr.  Hunt  had  been  unable 
to  obtain  a  sufficient  number  of  horses  for  the  accommodation  of 
all  his  people.  His  cavalcade  consisted  of  eighty-two  horses, 
most  of  them  heavily  laden  with  Indian  goods,  beaver  traps,  am- 
munition, Indian  corn,  corn  meal  and  other  necessaries.  Each 
of  the  partners  was  mounted,  and  a  horse  was  allotted  to  the  in- 
terpreter, Pierre  Dorion,  for  the  transportation  of  his  luggage 


DEPARTURE   FROM   THE   ARICKARAS.  221 


and  his  two  children.  His  squaw,  for  the  most  part  of  the  time, 
trudged  on  foot,  like  the  residue  of  the  party  ;  nor  did  any  of  the 
men  show  more  patience  and  fortitude  than  this  resolute  woman 
in  enduring  fatigue  and  hardship. 

The  veteran  trappers  and  voyageurs  of  Lisa's  party  shook 
their  heads  as  their  comrades  set  out,  and  took  leave  of  them  as 
of  doomed  men  ;  and  even  Lisa  himself,  gave  it  as  his  opinion, 
after  the  travellers  had  departed,  that  they  would  never  reach  the 
shores  of  the  Pacific,  but  would  either  perish  with  hunger  in  the 
wilderness,  or  be  cut  off  by  the  savages. 


222  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  course  taken  by  Mr.  Hunt  was  at  first  to  the  northwest, 
but  soon  turned  and  kept  generally  to  the  southwest,  to  avoid 
the  country  infested  by  the  Blackfeet.  His  route  took  him 
across  some  of  the  tributary  streams  of  the  Missouri,  and  over 
immense  prairies,  bounded  only  by  the  horizon,  and  destitute  of 
trees.  It  was  now  the  height  of  summer,  and  these  naked 
plains  would  be  intolerable  to  the  traveller  were  it  not  for  the 
breezes  which  sweep  over  them  during  the  fervor  of  the  day, 
bringing  with  them  tempering  airs  from  the  distant  mountains. 
To  the  prevalence  of  these  breezes,  and  to  the  want  of  all  leafy 
covert,  may  we  also  attribute  the  freedom  from  those  flies  and 
other  insects  so  tormenting  to  man  and  beast  during  the  summer 
months,  in  the  lower  plains,  which  are  bordered  and  interspersed 
with  woodland. 

The  monotony  of  these  immense  landscapes,  also,  would  be 
as  wearisome  as  that  of  the  ocean,  were  it  not  relieved  in  some 
degree  by  the  purity  and  elasticity  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the 
beauty  of  the  heavens.  The  sky  has  that  delicious  blue  for 
which  the  sky  of  Italy  is  renowned ;  the  sun  shines  with  a  splen- 
dor, unobscured  by  any  cloud  or  vapor,  and  a  starlight  night  on 
the  prairies  is  glorious.  This  purity  and  elasticity  of  atmosphere 
increases  as  the  traveller  approaches  the  mountains,  and  gradu- 
ally rises  into  more  elevated  prairies. 

On  the  second  day  of  the  journey,  Mr.  Hunt  arranged  the 
party  into  small  and  convenient  messes,  distributing  among  them 


CANADIANS   IN   CAMP.  223 


the  camp  kettles.  The  encampments  at  night  were  as  before ; 
some  sleeping  under  tents,  and  others  bivouacking  in  the  open 
air.  The  Canadians  proved  as  patient  of  toil  and  hardship  on 
the  land  as  on  the  water ;  indeed,  nothing  could  surpass  the 
patience  and  good-humor  of  these  men  upon  the  march.  They 
were  the  cheerful  drudges  of  the  party,  loading  and  unloading 
the  horses,  pitching  the  tents,  making  the  fires,  cooking ;  in 
short,  performing  all  those  household  and  menial  offices  which 
the  Indians  usually  assign  to  the  squaws ;  and,  like  the  squaws, 
they  left  all  the  hunting  and  fighting  to  others.  A  Canadian  has 
but  little  affection  for  the  exercise  of  the  rifle. 

The  progress  of  the  party  was  but  slow  for  the  first  few  days. 
Some  of  the  men  were  indisposed ;  Mr.  Crooks,  especially,  was 
so  unwell  that  he  could  not  keep  on  his  horse.  A  rude  kind  of 
litter  was,  therefore,  prepared  for  him,  consisting  of  two  long 
poles,  fixed,  one  on  each  side  of  two  horses,  with  a  matting  between 
them,  on  which  he  reclined  at  full  length,  and  was  protected  from 
the  sun  by  a  canopy  of  boughs. 

On  the  evening  of  the  23d  (July)  they  encamped  on  the  banks 
of  what  they  term  Big  River ;  and  here  we  cannot  but  pause  to 
lament  the  stupid,  commonplace,  and  often  ribald  names  entailed 
upon  the  rivers  and  other  features  of  the  great  West,  by  traders 
and  settlers.  As  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  these  magnificent  regions 
are  yet  in  existence,  the  Indian  names  might  easily  be  recovered ; 
which,  beside  being  in  general  more  sonorous  and  musical,  would 
remain  mementoes  of  the  primitive  lords  of  the  soil,  of  whom  in  a 
little  while  scarce  any  traces  will  be  left.  Indeed,  it  is  to  be 
wished  that  the  whole  of  our  country  could  be  rescued,  as  much 
as  possible,  from  the  wretched  nomenclature  inflicted  upon  it,  by 
ignorant  and  vulgar  minds ;  and  this  might  be  done,  in  a  great 
degree,  by  restoring  the  Indian  names,  wherever  significant  and 
euphonious.  As  there  appears  to  be  a  spirit  of  research  abroad 


224  ASTORIA. 

in  respect  to  our  aboriginal  antiquities,  we  would  suggest,  as  a 
worthy  object  of  enterprise,  a  map,  or  maps,  of  every  part  of  our 
country,  giving  the  Indian  names  wherever  they  could  be  ascer- 
tained. Whoever  achieves  such  an  object  worthily,  will  leave  a 
monument  to  his  own  reputation. 

To  return  from  this  digression.  As  the  travellers  were  now 
in  a  country  abounding  with  buffalo,  they  remained  for  several 
days  encamped  upon  the  banks  of  Big  River,  to  obtain  a  supply 
of  provisions,  and  to  give  the  invalids  time  to  recruit. 

On  the  second  day  of  their  sojourn,  as  Ben  Jones,  John  Day, 
and  others  of  the  hunters  were  in  pursuit  of  game,  they  came 
upon  an  Indian  camp  on  the  open  prairie,  near  to  a  small  stream 
which  ran  through  a  ravine.  The  tents  or  lodges  were  of  dressed 
buffalo  skins,  sewn  together  and  stretched  on  tapering  pine  poles, 
joined  at  top,  but  radiating  at  bottom,  so  as  to  form  a  circle  capa- 
ble of  admitting  fifty  persons.  Numbers  of  horses  were  grazing 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  camp,  or  straying  at  large  in  the  prai- 
rie ;  a  sight  most  acceptable  to  the  hunters.  After  reconnoitring 
the  camp  for  some  time,  they  ascertained  it  to  belong  to  a  band 
of  Cheyenne  Indians,  the  same  that  had  sent  a  deputation  to  the 
Arickaras.  They  received  the  hunters  in  the  most  friendly  man- 
ner ;  invited  them  to  their  lodges,  which  were  more  cleanly  than 
Indian  lodges  are  prone  to  be,  and  set  food  before  them  with  true 
uncivilized  hospitality.  Several  of  them  accompanied  the  hunters 
back  to  the  camp,  when  a  -trade  was  immediately  opened.  The 
Cheyennes  were  astonished  and  delighted  to  find  a  convoy  of 
goods  and  trinkets  thus  brought  into  the  very  heart  of  the  prai- 
rie ;  while  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  were  overjoyed  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  obtaining  a  further  supply  of  horses  from  these 
equestrian  savages. 

During  a  fortnight  that  the  travellers  lingered  at  this  place, 
their  encampment  was  continually  thronged  by  the  Cheyennes. 


SKILL   OF  THE   CHEYENNE   HORSEMEN.  225 


They  were  a  civil,  well-behaved  people,  cleanly  in  their  persons 
and  decorous  in  their  habits.  The  men  were  tall,  straight  and 
vigorous,  with  aquiline  noses,  and  high  cheek  bones.  Some  were 
almost  as  naked  as  ancient  statues,  and  might  have  stood  as 
models  for  a  statuary  ;  others  had  leggins  and  moccasons  of  deer 
skin,  and  buffalo  robes,  which  they  threw  gracefully  over  their 
shoulders.  In  a  little  while,  however,  they  began  to  appear  in 
more  gorgeous  array,  tricked  out  in  the  finery  obtained  from  the 
white  men ;  bright  cloths ;  brass  rings ;  beads  of  various  colors,  and 
happy  was  he  who  could  render  himself  hideous  with  vermilion. 

The  travellers  had  frequent  occasion  to  admire  the  skill  and 
grace  with  which  these  Indians  managed  their  horses.  Some  of 
them  made  a  striking  display  when  mounted;  themselves  and 
their  steeds  decorated  in  gala  style  ;  for  the  Indians  often  bestow 
more  finery  upon  their  horses  than  upon  themselves.  Some 
would  hang  round  the  necks,  or  rather  on  the  breasts  of  their 
horses,  the  most  precious  ornaments  they  had  obtained  from  the 
white  men ;  others  interwove  feathers  in  their  manes  and  tails. 
The  Indian  horses,  too,  appear  to  have  an  attachment  to  their 
wild  riders,  and  indeed  it  is  said  that  the  horses  of  the  prairies 
readily  distinguish  an  Indian  from  a  white  man  by  the  smell, 
and  give  a  preference  to  the  former.  Yet  the  Indians,  in 
general,  are  hard  riders,  and,  however  they  may  value  their 
horses,  treat  them  with  great  roughness  and  neglect.  Occa- 
sionally the  Cheyennes  joined  the  white  hunters  in  pursuit  of 
the  elk  and  buffalo  ;  and  when  in  the  ardor  of  the  chase,  spared 
neither  themselves  nor  their  steeds,  scouring  the  prairies  at  full 
speed,  and  plunging  down  precipices  and  frightful  ravines  that 
threatened  the  necks  of  both  horse  and  horseman.  The  Indian 
steed,  well  trained  to  the  chase,  seems  as  mad  as  his  rider,  and 
pursues  the  game  as  eagerly  as  if  it  were  his  natural  prey,  on 
the  flesh  of  which  he  was  to  banquet. 


226  ASTORIA. 

The  history  of  the  Cheyennes  is  that  of  many  of  those  wan- 
dering tribes  of  the  prairies.  They  were  the  remnant  of  a  once 
powerful  people  called  the  Shaways,  inhabiting  a  branch  of  the 
Red  River  which  flows  into  Lake  Winnipeg.  Every  Indian 
tribe  has  some  rival  tribe  with  which  it  wages  implacable  hostility. 
The  deadly  enemies  of  the  Shaways  were  the  Sioux,  who,  after  a 
long  course  of  warfare,  proved  too  powerful  for  them,  and  drove 
them  across  the  Missouri.  They  again  took  root  near  the 
Warricanne  Creek,  and  established  themselves  there  in  a  forti- 
fied village. 

The  Sioux  still  followed  them  with  deadly  animosity ;  dis- 
lodged them  from  their  village,  and  compelled  them  to  take 
refuge  in  the  Black  Hills,  near  the  upper  waters  of  the  Sheyenne 
or  Cheyenne  River.  Here  they  lost  even  their  name,  and  be- 
came known  among  the  French  colonists  by  that  of  the  river 
they  frequented. 

The  heart  of  the  tribe  was  now  broken ;  its  numbers  were 
greatly  thinned  by  their  harassing  wars.  They  no  longer 
attempted  to  establish  themselves  in  any  permanent  abode  that 
might  be  an  object  of  attack  to  their  cruel  foes.  They  gave  up 
the  cultivation  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  became  a  wandering 
tribe,  subsisting  by  the  chase,  and  following  the  buffalo  in  its 
migrations. 

Their  only  possessions  were  horses,  which  they  caught  on  the 
prairies,  or  reared,  or  captured  on  predatory  incursions  into  the 
Mexican  territories,  as  has  already  been  mentioned.  With  some 
of  these  they  repaired  once  a  year  to  the  Arickara  villages,  ex- 
changed them  for  corn,  beans,  pumpkins,  and  articles  of  Euro- 
pean merchandise,  and  then  returned  into  the  heart  of  the 
prairies. 

Such  are  the  fluctuating  fortunes  of  these  savage  nations. 
War,  famine,  pestilence,  together  or  singly,  bring  down  their 


FLUCTUATIONS   OF   SAVAGE   LIFE.  227 


strength  and  thin  their  numbers.  Whole  tribes  are  rooted  up 
from  their  native  places,  wander  for  a  time  about  these  immense 
regions,  become  amalgamated  with  other  tribes,  or  disappear  from 
the  face  of  the  earth.  There  appears  to  be  a  tendency  to  extinc- 
tion among  all  the  savage  nations  ;  and  this  tendency  would  seem, 
to  have  been  in  operation  among  the  aboriginals  of  this  country 
long  before  the  advent  of  the  white  men,  if  we  may  judge  from 
the  traces  and  traditions  of  ancient  populousness  in  regions 
which  were  silent  and  deserted  at  the  time  of  the  discovery  ;  and 
from  the  mysterious  and  perplexing  vestiges  of  unknown  races, 
predecessors  of  those  found  in  actual  possession,  and  who  must 
long  since  have  become  gradually  extinguished  or  been  destroyed. 
The  whole  history  of  the  aboriginal  population  of  this  country, 
however,  is  an  enigma,  and  a  grand  one — will  it  ever  be  solved  ? 


228  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

ON  the  sixth  of  August  the  travellers  bade  farewell  to  the  friend- 
ly band  of  Cheyennes,  and  resumed  their  journey.  As  they  had 
obtained  thirty-six  additional  horses  by  their  recent  traffic,  Mr. 
Hunt  made  a  new  arrangement.  The  baggage  was  made  up  in 
smaller  loads.  A  horse  was  allotted  to  each  of  the  six  prime 
hunters,  and  others  were  distributed  among  the  voyageurs,  a 
horse  for  every  two,  so  that  they  could  ride  and  walk  alternately. 
Mr.  Crooks  being  still  too  feeble  to  mount  the  saddle,  was  carried 
on  a  litter. 

Their  march  this  day  lay  among  singular  hills  and  knolls  of 
an  indurated  red  earth,  resembling  brick,  about  the  bases  of 
which  were  scattered  pumice  stones  and  cinders,  the  whole  bear- 
ing traces  of  the  action  of  fire.  In  the  evening  they  encamped 
on  a  branch  of  Big  River. 

They  were  now  out  of  the  tract  of  country  infested  by  the 
Sioux,  and  had  advanced  such  a  distance  into  the  interior  that 
Mr.  Hunt  no  longer  felt  apprehensive  of  the  desertion  of  any 
of  his  men.  He  was  doomed,  however,  to  experience  new  cause 
of  anxiety.  As  he  was  seated  in  his  tent  after  nightfall,  one  of 
the  men  came  to  him  privately,  and  informed  him  that  there  was 
mischief  brewing  in  the  camp.  Edward  Rose,  the  interpreter, 
whose  sinister  looks  we  have  already  mentioned,  was  denounced 
by  this  secret  informer  as  a  designing,  treacherous  scoundrel,  who 
was  tampering  with  the  fidelity  of  certain  of  the  men,  and  insti- 
gating them  to  a  flagrant  piece  of  treason.  In  the  course  of  a 


TREACHERY   IN   THE   CAMP.  229 


few  days  they  would  arrive  at  the  mountainous  district  infested 
by  the  Upsarokas  or  Crows,  the  tribe  among  which  Rose  was  to 
officiate  as  interpreter.  His  plan  was  that  several  of  the  men 
should  join  with  him,  when  in  that  neighborhood,  in  carrying  off 
a  number  of  the  horses  with  their  packages  of  goods,  and  desert- 
ing to  those  savages.  He  assured  them  of  good  treatment 
among  the  Crows,  the  principal  chiefs  and  warriors  of  whom  he 
knew  ;  they  would  soon  become  great  men  among  them,  and  have 
the  finest  women,  and  the  daughters  of  the  chiefs,  for  wives  ;  and 
the  horses  and  goods  they  carried  off  would  make  them  rich  for 
life. 

The  intelligence  of  this  treachery  on  the  part  of  Rose  gave 
much  disquiet  to  Mr.  Hunt,  for  he  knew  not  how  far  it  might  be 
effective  among  his  men.  He  had  already  had  proofs  that  several 
of  them  were  disaffected  to  the  enterprise,  and  loth  to  cross  the 
mountains.  He  knew  also  that  savage  life  had  charms  for 
many  of  them,  especially  the  Canadians,  who  were  prone  to  inter- 
marry and  domesticate  themselves  among  the  Indians. 

And  here  a  word  or  two  concerning  the  Crows  may  be  of  ser- 
vice to  the  reader,  as  they  will  figure  occasionally  in  the  succeed- 
ing narration. 

The  tribe  consists  of  four  bands,  which  have  their  nestling- 
places  in  fertile,  well-wooded  valleys,  lying  among  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  watered  by  the  Big  Horse  River  and  its  tribu- 
tary streams  ;  but,  though  these  are  properly  their  homes,  where 
they  shelter  their  old  people,  their  wives,  and  their  children,  the 
men  of  the  tribe  are  almost  continually  on  the  foray  and  the 
scamper.  They  are,  in  fact,  notorious  marauders  and  horse- 
stealers ;  crossing  and  recrossing  the  mountains,  robbing  on  the 
one  side,  and  conveying  their  spoils  to  the  other.  Hence,  we  are 
told,  is  derived  their  name,  given  to  them  on  account  of  their 
unsettled  and  predatory  habits ;  winging  their  flight,  like  the 


230  ASTORIA. 

crows,  from  one  side  of  the  mountains  to  the  other,  and  making 
free  booty  of  every  thing  that  lies  in  their  way.  Horses,  how- 
ever, are  the  especial  objects  of  their  depredations,  and  their  skill 
and  audacity  in  stealing  them  are  said  to  be  astonishing.  This 
is  their  glory  and  delight ;  an  accomplished  horse-stealer  fills  up 
their  idea  of  a  hero.  Many  horses  are  obtained  by  them,  also, 
in  barter  from  tribes  in  and  beyond  the  mountains.  They  have 
an  absolute  passion  for  this  noble  animal ;  beside  which  he  is 
with  them  an  important  object  of  traffic.  Once  a  year  they  make 
a  visit  to  the  Mandans,  Minatarees,  and  other  tribes  of  the  Mis- 
souri, taking  with  them  droves  of  horses  which  they  exchange  for 
guns,  ammunition,  trinkets,  vermilion,  cloths  of  bright  colors, 
and  various  other  articles  of  European  manufacture.  With  these 
they  supply  their  own  wants  and  caprices,  and  carry  on  the 
internal  trade  for  horses  already  mentioned. 

The  plot  of  Rose  to  rob  and  abandon  his  countrymen  when 
in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness,  and  to  throw  himself  into  the 
hands  of  a  horde  of  savages,  may  appear  strange  and  improbable 
to  those  unacquainted  with  the  singular  and  anomalous  charac- 
ters that  are  to  be  found  about  the  borders.  This  fellow,  it  ap- 
pears, was  one  of  those  desperadoes  of  the  frontiers,  outlawed  by 
their  crimes,  who  combine  the  vices  of  civilized  and  savage  life, 
and  Jire  ten  times  more  barbarous  than  the  Indians  with  whom 
they  consort.  Rose  had  formerly  belonged  to  one  of  the  gangs 
of  pirates  who  infested  the  islands  of  the  Mississippi,  plundering 
boats  as  they  went  up  and  down  the  river,  and  who  sometimes 
shifted  the  scene  of  their  robberies  to  the  shore,  waylaying  trav- 
ellers as  they  returned  by  land  from  New  Orleans  with  the  pro- 
ceeds of  their  downward  voyage,  plundering  them  of  their  money 
and  effects,  and  often  perpetrating  the  most  atrocious  murders. 

These  hordes  of  villains  being  broken  up  and  dispersed,  Rose 
had  betaken  himself  to  the  wilderness,  and  associated  himself 


A   DESPERADO  OF   THE  FRONTIER.  231 


with  the  Crows,  whose  predatory  habits  were  congenial  with  his 
own,  had  married  a  woman  of  the  tribe,  and,  in  short,  had  iden- 
tified himself  with  those  vagrant  savages. 

Such  was  the  worthy  guide  and  interpreter,  Edward  Rose. 
We  give  his  story,  however,  not  as  it  was  known  to  Mr.  Hunt 
and  his  companions  at  the  time,  but  as  it  has  been  subsequently 
ascertained.  Enough  was  known  of  the  fellow  and  his  dark  and 
perfidious  character  to  put  Mr.  Hunt  upon  his  guard :  still,  as 
there  was  no  knowing  how  far  his  plans  might  have  succeeded, 
and  as  any  rash  act  might  blow  the  mere  smouldering  sparks  of 
treason  into  a  sudden  blaze,  it  was  though  advisable  by  those 
with  whom  Mr.  Hunt  consulted,  to  conceal  all  knowledge  or 
suspicion  of  the  meditated  treachery,  but  to  keep  up  a  vigilant 
watch  upon  the  movements  of  Rose,  and  a  strict  guard  upon  the 
horses  at  night. 


232  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  plains  over  which  the  travellers  were  journeying  continued 
to  be  destitute  of  trees  or  even  shrubs ;  insomuch  that  they  had 
to  use  the  dung  of  the  buffalo  for  fuel,  as  the  Arabs  of  the  desert 
use  that  of  the  camel.  This  substitute  for  fuel  is  universal 
among  the  Indians  of  these  upper  prairies,  and  is  said  to  make 
a  fire  equal  to  that  of  turf.  If  a  few  chips  are  added,  it  throws 
out  a  cheerful  and  kindly  blaze. 

These  plains,  however,  had  not  always  been  equally  destitute 
of  wood,  as  was  evident  from  the  trunks  of  the  trees  which  the 
travellers  repeatedly  met  with,  some  still  standing,  others  lying 
about  in  broken  fragments,  but  all  in  a  fossil  state,  having 
flourished  in  times  long  past.  In  these  singular  remains,  the 
original  grain  of  the  wood  was  still  so  distinct  that  they  could  be 
ascertained  to  be  the  ruins  of  oak  trees.  Several  pieces  of  the 
fossil  wood  were  selected  by  the  men  to  serve  as  whetstones. 

In  this  part  of  the  journey  there  was  no  lack  of  provisions, 
for  the  prairies  were  covered  with  immense  herds  of  buffalo. 
These,  in  general,  are  animals  of  peaceful  demeanor,  grazing 
quietly  like  domestic  cattle ;  but  this  was  the  season  when  they 
are  in  heat,  and  when  the  bulls  are  usually  fierce  and  pugnacious. 
There  was  accordingly  a  universal  restlessness  and  commotion 
throughout  the  plain ;  and  the  amorous  herds  gave  utterance  to 
their  feelings  in  low  bellowings  that  resounded  like  distant 
thunder.  Here  and  there  fierce  duellos  took  place  between  rival 
enamorados  ;  butting  their  huge  shagged  fronts  together,  goring 


THE   LOST   HUNTERS.  233 


each  other  with  their  short  black  horns,  and  tearing  up  the  earth 
with  their  feet  in  perfect  fury. 

In  one  of  the  evening  halts,  Pierre  Dorion,  the  interpreter, 
together  with  Carson  and  Gardpie,  two  of  the  hunters,  were  miss- 
ing, nor  had  they  returned  by  morning.  As  it  was  supposed  they 
had  wandered  away  in  pursuit  of  buffalo,  and  would  readily  find 
the  track  of  the  party,  no  solicitude  was  felt  on  their  account.  A 
fire  was  left  burning,  to  guide  them  by  its  column  of  .smoke,  and 
the  travellers  proceeded  on  their  march.  In  the  evening  a  signal 
fire  was  made  on  a  hill  adjacent  to  the  camp,  and  in  the  morning 
it  was  replenished  with  fuel  so  as  to  last  throughout  the  day. 
These  signals  are  usual  among  the  Indians,  to  give  warnings  to 
each  other,  or  to  call  home  straggling  hunters ;  and  such  is  the 
transparency  of  the  atmosphere  in  those  elevated  plains,  that  a 
slight  column  of  smoke  can  be  discerned  from  a  great  distance, 
particularly  in  the  evenings.  Two  or  three  days  elapsed,  how- 
ever, without  the  reappearance  of  the  three  hunters ;  and  Mr. 
Hunt  slackened  his  march  to  give  them  time  to  overtake  him. 

A  vigilant  watch  continued  to  be  kept  upon  the  movements  of 
Rose,  and  of  such  of  the  men  as  were  considered  doubtful  in  their 
loyalty ;  but  nothing  occurred  to  excite  immediate  apprehensions. 
Rose  evidently  was  not  a  favorite  among  his  comrades,  and  it  was 
hoped  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  make  any  real  partisans. 

On  the  10th  of  August  they  encamped  among  hills,  on  the 
highest  peak  of  which  Mr.  Hunt  caused  a  huge  pyre  of  pine  wood 
to  be  made,  which  soon  sent  up  a  great  column  of  flame  that  might 
be  seen  far  and  wide  over  the  prairies.  This  fire  blazed  all  night, 
and  was  amply  replenished  at  daybreak ;  so  that  the  towering 
pillar  of  smoke  could  not  but  be  descried  by  the  wanderers  if 
within  the  distance  of  a  day's  journey. 

It  is  a  common  occurrence  in  these  regions,  where  the  fea- 
tures of  the  country  so  much  resemble  each  other,  for  hunters  to 


234  ASTORIA. 

lose  themselves  and  wander  for  many  days,  before  they  can  find 
their  way  back  to  the  main  body  of  their  party.  In  the  present 
instance,  however,  a  more  than  common  solicitude  was  felt,  in 
consequence  of  the  distrust  awakened  by  the  sinister  designs  of 
Rose. 

The  route  now  became  excessively  toilsome,  over  a  ridge  of 
steep  rocky  hills,  covered  with  loose  stones.  These  were  inter- 
sected by  deep  valleys,  formed  by  two  branches  of  Big  River, 
coming  from  the  south  of  west,  both  of  which  they  crossed. 
These  streams  were  bordered  by  meadows,  well  stocked  with 
buffaloes.  Loads  of  meat  were  brought  in  by  the  hunters ;  but 
the  travellers  were  rendered  dainty  by  profusion,  and  would  cook 
only  the  choice  pieces. 

They  had  now  travelled  for  several  days  at  a  very  slow  rate, 
and  had  made  signal-fires  and  left  traces  of  their  route  at  every 
stage,  yet  nothing  was  heard  or  seen  of  the  lost  men.  It  began 
to  be  feared  that  they  might  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  some 
lurking  band  of  savages.  A  party  numerous  as  that  of  Mr. 
Hunt,  with  a  long  train  of  pack-horses,  moving  across  open  plains 
or  naked  hills,  is  discoverable  at  a  great  distance  by  Indian 
scouts,  who  spread  the  intelligence  rapidly  to  various  points,  and 
assemble  their  friends  to  hang  about  the  skirts  of  the  travellers, 
steal  their  horses,  or  cut  off  any  stragglers  from  the  main  body. 

Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  were  more  and  more  sensible 
how  much  it  would  be  in  the  power  of  this  sullen  and  daring 
vagabond  Rose,  to  do  them  mischief,  when  they  should  become 
entangled  in  the  defiles  of  the  mountains,  with  the  passes  of  which 
they  were  wholly  unacquainted,  and  which  were  infested  by  his 
freebooting  friends,  the  Crows.  There,  should  he  succeed  in  se- 
ducing some  of  the  party  into  his  plans,  he  might  carry  off  the 
best  horses  and  effects,  throw  himself  among  his  savage  allies,  and 
set  all  pursuit  at  defiance.  Mr.  Hunt  resolved,  therefore,  to  frus- 


A   BRIBE   TO   BE   HONEST.  235 


trate  the  knave,  divert  him,  by  management,  from  his  plans,  and 
make  it  sufficiently  advantageous  for  him  to  remain  honest.  He 
took  occasion,  accordingly,  in  the  course  of  conversation,  to  in- 
form Rose  that,  having  engaged  him  chiefly  as  a  guide  and  inter- 
preter through  the  country  of  the  Crows,  they  would  not  stand 
in  need  of  his  services  beyond.  Knowing,  therefore,  his  connec- 
tion by  marriage  with  that  tribe,  and  his  predilection  for  a  resi- 
dence among  them,  they  would  put  no  restraint  upon  his  will,  but, 
whenever  they  met  with  a  party  of  that  people,  would  leave  him 
at  liberty  to  remain  among  his  adopted  brethren.  Furthermore 
that,  in  jbhus  parting  with  him,  they  would  pay  him  half  a  year's 
wages  in  consideration  of  his  past  services,  and  would  give  him  a 
horse,  three  beaver  traps,  and  sundry  other  articles  calculated  to 
set  him  up  in  the  world. 

This  unexpected  liberality,  which  made  it  nearly  as  profitable 
and  infinitely 'less  hazardous  for  Rose  to  remain  honest  than  to 
play  the  rogue,  completely  disarmed  him.  From  that  time  his 
whole  deportment  underwent  a  change.  His  brow  cleared  up 
and  appeared  more  cheerful ;  he  left  off  his  sullen,  skulking  habits, 
and  made  no  further  attempts  to  tamper  with  the  faith  of  his 
comrades. 

On  the  13th  of  August  Mr.  Hunt  varied  his  course,  and  in- 
clined westward,  in  hopes  of  falling  in  with  the  three  lost  hunt- 
ers ;  who,  it  was  now  thought,  might  have  kept  to  the  right  hand 
of  Big  River.  This  course  soon  brought  him  to  a  fork  of  the 
Little  Missouri,  about  a  hundred  yards  wide,  and  resembling  the 
great  river  of  the  same  name  in  the  strength  of  its  current,  its 
turbid  water,  and  the  frequency  of  drift-wood  and  sunken  trees. 

Rugged  mountains  appeared  ahead,  crowding  down  to  the 
water  edge,  and  offering  a  barrier  to  further  progress  on  the  side 
they  were  ascending.  Crossing  the  river,  therefore,  they  en- 
camped on  its  northwest  bank,  where  they  found  good  pasturage 


236  ASTORIA. 

and  buffalo  in  abundance.  The  weather  was  overcast  and  rainy, 
and  a  general  gloom  pervaded  the  camp;  the  voyageurs  sat 
smoking  in  groups,  with  their  shoulders  as  high  as  their  heads, 
croaking  their  forebodings,  when  suddenly  towards  evening  a 
shout  of  joy  gave  notice  that  the  lost  men  were  found.  They 
caine  slowly  lagging  into  the  camp,  with  weary  looks,  and  horses 
jaded  and  wayworn.  They  had,  in  fact,  been  for  several  days  in- 
cessantly on  the  move.  In  their  hunting  excursion  on  the  prairies 
they  had  pushed  so  far  in  pursuit  of  buffalo,  as  to  find  it  impos- 
sible to  retrace  their  steps  over  plains  trampled  by  innumerable 
herds ;  and  were  baffled  by  the  monotony  of  the  landscape  in 
their  attempts  to  recall  landmarks.  They  had  ridden  to  and  fro 
until  they  had  almost  lost  the  points  of  the  compass,  and  become 
totally  bewildered ;  nor  did  they  ever  perceive  any  of  the  signal 
fires  and  columns  of  smoke  made  by  their  comrades.  At  length, 
about  two  days  previously,  when  almost  spent  by  anxiety  and 
hard  riding,  they  came,  to  their  great  joy,  upon  the  "  trail "  of 
the  party,  which  they  had  since  followed  up  steadily. 

Those  only,  who  have  experienced  the  warm  cordiality  that 
grows  up  between  comrades  in  wild  and  adventurous  expeditions 
of  the  kind,  can  picture  to  themselves  the  hearty  cheering  with 
which  the  stragglers  were  welcomed  to  the  camp.  Every  one 
crowded  round  them  to  ask  questions,  and  to  hear  the  story  of 
their  mishaps  ;  and  even  the  aquaw  of  the  moody  half-breed, 
Pierre  Dorion,  forgot  the  sternness  of  his  domestic  rule,  and  the 
conjugal  discipline  of  the  cudgel,  in  her  joy  at  his  safe  return. 


BLACK   MOUNTAINS.  237 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MR.  HUNT  and  his  party  were  now  on  the  skirts  of  the  Black 
Hills,  or  Black  Mountains,  as  they  are  sometimes  called  ;  an  ex- 
tensive chain,  lying  about  a  hundred  miles  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  stretching  in  a  northeast  direction  from  the  south 
fork  of  the  Nebraska,  or  Platte  River,  to  the  great  north  bend  of 
the  Missouri.  The  Sierra  or  ridge  of  the  Black  Hills,  in  fact, 
forms  the  dividing  line  between  the  waters  of  the  Missouri  and 
those  of  the  Arkansas  and  the  Mississippi,  and  gives  rise  to  the 
Cheyenne,  the  Little  Missouri,  and  several  tributary  streams  of 
the  Yellowstone. 

The  wild  recesses  of  these  hills,  like  those  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  are  retreats  and  lurking-places  for  broken  and  preda- 
tory tribes,  and  it  was  among  them  that  the  remnant  of  the 
Cheyenne  tribe  took  refuge,  as  has  been  stated,  from  their  con- 
quering enemies,  the  Sioux. 

The  Black  Hills  are  chiefly  composed  of  sandstone,  and  in 
many  places  are  broken  into  savage  cliffs  and  precipices,  and  pre- 
sent the  most  singular  and  fantastic  forms  ;  sometimes  resembling 
towns  and  castellated  fortresses.  The  ignorant  inhabitants  of 
plains  are  prone  to  clothe  the  mountains  that  bound  their  horizon 
with  fanciful  and  superstitious  attributes.  Thus  the  wandering 
tribes  of  the  prairies,  who  often  behold  clouds  gathering  round 
the  summits  of  these  hills,  and  lightning  flashing,  and  thunder 
pealing  from  them,  when  all  the  neighboring  plains  are  serene 
and  sunny,  consider  them  the  abode  of  the  genii  or  thunder- 


238  ASTORIA. 

spirits,  who  fabricate  storms  and  tempests.  On  entering  their 
defiles,  therefore,  they  often  hang  offerings  on  the  trees,  or  place 
them  on  the  rocks,  to  propitiate  the  invisible  "  lords  of  the  moun- 
tains," and  procure  good  weather  and  successful  hunting ;  and 
they  attach  unusual  significance  to  the  echoes  which  haunt  the 
precipices.  This  superstition  may  also  have  arisen,  in  part,  from 
a  natural  phenomenon  of  a  singular  nature.  In  the  most  calm 
and  serene  weather,  and  at  all  times  of  the  day  or  night,  succes- 
sive reports  are  now  and  then  heard  among  these  mountains, 
resembling  the  discharge  of  several  pieces  of  artillery.  Similar 
reports  were  heard  by  Messrs.  Lewis  and  Clarke  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  which  they  say,  were  attributed  by  the  Indians  to  the 
bursting  of  the  rich  mines  of  silver  contained  in  the  bosom  of  the 
mountains. 

In  fact  these  singular  explosions  have  received  fanciful  expla- 
nations from  learned  men,  and  have  not  been  satisfactorily 
accounted  for  even  by  philosophers.  They  are  said  to  occur  fre- 
quently in  Brazil.  Vasconcelles,  a  Jesuit  father,  describes  one 
which  he  heard  in  the  Sierra,  or  mountain  region  of  Piratininga, 
and  which  he  compares  to  the  discharges  of  a  park  of  artillery. 

The  Indians  told  him  that  it  was  an  explosion  of  stones.     The 
•  * 

worthy  father  had  soon  a  satisfactory  proof  of  the  truth  of  their 
information,  for  the  very  place  was  found  where  a  rock  had  burst 
and  exploded  from  its  entrails  a  stony  mass,  like  a  bomb-shell, 
and  of  the  size  of  a  bull's  heart.  This  mass  was  broken  either 
in  its  ejection  or  its  fall,  and  wonderful  was  the  internal  organi- 
zation revealed.  It  had  a  shell  harder  even  than  iron  ;  within 
which  were  arranged,  like  the  seeds  of  a  pomegranate,  jewels  of 
various  colors  ;  some  transparent  as  crystal ;  others  of  a  fine  red, 
and  others  of  mixed  hues.  The  same  phenomenon  is  said  to  oc- 
cur occasionally  in  the  adjacent  province  of  Guayra,  where  stones 
of  the  bigness  of  a  man's  hand  are  exploded,  with  a  loud  noise, 


SOUNDS   IN  THE   MOUNTAINS.  239 


from  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  and  scatter  about  glittering  and 
beautiful  fragments  that  look  like  precious  gems,  but  are  of  no 
value. 

The  Indians  of  the  Orellanna,  also,  tell  of  horrible  noises 
heard  occasionally  in  the  Paraguaxo,  which  they  consider  the 
throes  and  groans  of  the  mountain,  endeavoring  to  cast  forth  the 
precious  stones  hidden  within  its  entrails.  Others  have  endeav- 
ored to  account  for  these  discharges  of  "mountain  artillery"  on 
humbler  principles ;  attributing  them  to  the  loud  reports  made 
by  the  disruption  and  fall  of  great  masses  of  rock,  reverberated 
and  prolonged  by  the  echoes ;  others,  to  the  disengagement  of 
hydrogen,  produced  by  subterraneous  beds  of  coal  in  a  state  of 
ignition.  In  whatever  way  this  singular  phenomenon  may  be 
accounted  for,  the  existence  of  it  appears  to  be  well  established. 
It  remains  one  of  the  lingering  mysteries  of  nature  which  throw 
something  of  a  supernatural  charm  over  her  wild  mountain  soli- 
tudes ;  and  we  doubt  whether  the  imaginative  reader  will  not 
rather  join  with  the  poor  Indian  in  attributing  it  to  the  thunder- 
spirits,  or  the  guardian  genii  of  unseen  treasures,  than  to  any 
commonplace  physical  cause. 

Whatever  might  be  the  supernatural  influences  among  these 
mountains,  the  travellers  found  their  physical  difficulties  hard 
to  cope  with.  They  made  repeated,  attempts  to  find  a  passage 
through,  or  over  the  chain,  but  were  as  often  turned  back  by 
impassable  barriers.  Sometimes  a  defile  seemed  to  open  a  prac- 
ticable path,  but  it  would  terminate  in  some  wild  chaos  of  rocks 
and  cliffs,  which  it  was  impossible  to  climb.  The  animals  of 
these  solitary  regions  were  different  from  those  they  had  been 
accustomed  to.  The  black-tailed  deer  would  bound  up  the 
ravines  on  their  approach,  and  the  bighorn  would  gaze  fearlessly 
down  upon  them  from  some  impending  precipice,  or  skip  play- 
fully from  rock  to  rock.  These  animals  are  only  to  be  met  with 


240  ASTORIA. 

in  mountainous  regions.  The  former  is  larger  than  the  common 
deer,  but  its  flesh  is  not  equally  esteemed  by  hunters.  It  has 
very  large  ears,  and  the  tip  of  the  tail  is  black,  from  which  it 
derives  its  name. 

The  bighorn  is  so  named  Trom  its  horns  ;  which  are  of  a  great 
size,  and  twisted  like  those  of  a  ram.  It  is  called  by  some  the 
argali,  by  others,  the  ibex,  though  differing  from  both  of  these 
animals.  The  Mandans  call  it  the  ahsahta,  a  name  much  better 
than  the  clumsy  appellation  which  it  generally  bears.  It  is  of 
the  size  of  a  small  elk,  or  large  deer,  and  of  a  dun  color,  ex- 
cepting the  belly  and  round  the  tail,  where  it  is  white.  In  its 
habits  it  resembles  the  goat,  frequenting  the  rudest  precipices ; 
cropping  the  herbage  from  their  edges ;  and  like  the  chamois, 
bounding  lightly  and  securely  among  dizzy  heights,  where  the 
hunter  dares  not  venture.  It  is  difficult,  therefore,  to  get  within 
shot  of  it.  Ben  Jones  the  hunter,  however,  in  one  of  the  passes 
of  the  Black  Hills,  succeeded  in  bringing  down  a  bighorn  from 
the  verge  of  a  precipice,  the  flesh  of  which  was  pronounced  by 
the  gourmands  of  the  camp  to  have  the  flavor  of  excellent 
mutton. 

Baffled  in  his  attempts  to  traverse  this  mountain  chain,  Mr. 
Hunt  skirted  along  it  to  the  southwest,  keeping  it  on  the  right ; 
and  still  in  hopes  of  finding  an  opening.  At  an  early  hour  one 
day,  he  encamped  in  a  narrow  valley  on  the  banks  of  a  beautifully 
clear  but  rushy  pool ;  surrounded  by  thickets  bearing  abundance 
of  wild  cherries,  currants,  and  yellow  and  purple  gooseberries. 

While  the  afternoon's  meal  was  in  preparation,  Mr.  Hunt  and 
Mr.  M'Kenzie  ascended  to  the  summit  of  the  nearest  hill,  from 
whence,  aided  by  the  purity  and  transparency  of  the  evening 
atmosphere,  they  commanded  a  vast  prospect  on  all  sides.  Be- 
low them  extended  a  plain,  dotted  with  innumerable  herds  of 
buffalo.  Some  were  lying  down  among  the  herbage,  others  roam- 


THE   GRIZZLY   BEAR.  241 


ing  in  their  unbounded  pastwes,  while  many  were  engaged  in 
fierce  contests  like  those  already  described,  their  low  bellowings 
reaching  the  ear  like  the  hoarse  murmurs  of  the  surf  on  a  distant 
shore. 

Far  off  in  the  west  they  descried  a  range  of  lofty  mountains 
printing  the  clear  horizon,  some  of  them  evidently  capped  with 
snow.  These  they  supposed  to  be  the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  so 
called  from  the  animal  of  that  name,  with  which  they  abound. 
They  are  a  spur  of  the  great  Rocky  chain.  The  hill  from  whence 
Mr.  Hunt  had  this  prospect  was,  according  to  his  computation, 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  Arickara  village. 

On  returning  to  the  camp,  Mr.  Hunt  found  some  uneasiness 
prevailing  among  the  Canadian  voyageurs.  In  straying  among 
the  thickets  they  had  beheld  tracks  of  grizzly  bears  in  every 
direction  :  doubtless  attracted  thither  by  the  fruit.  To  their 
dismay,  they  now  found  that  they  had  encamped  in  one  of  the 
favorite  resorts  of  this  dreaded  animal.  The  idea  marred  all  the 
comfort  of  the  encampment.  As  night  closed,  the  surrounding 
thickets  were  peopled  with  terrors ;  insomuch  that,  according  to 
Mr.  Hunt,  they  could  not  help  starting  at  every  little  breeze 
that  stirred  the  bushes. 

The  grizzly  bear  is  the  only  really  formidable  quadruped  of 
our  continent.  He  is  the  favorite  theme  of  the  hunters  of  the 
far  West,  who  describe  him  as  equal  in  size  to  a  common  cow  and 
of  prodigious  strength.  He  makes  battle  if  assailed,  and  often, 
if  pressed  by  hunger,  is  the  assailant.  If  wounded,  he  becomes 
furious  and  will  pursue  the  hunter.  His  speed  exceeds  that  of 
a  man,  but  is  inferior  to  that  of  a  horse.  In  attacking  he  rears 
himself  on  his  hind  legs,  and  springs  the  length  of  his  body. 
Woe  to  horse  or  rider  that  comes  within  the  sweep  of  his  terrific 
claws,  which  are  sometimes  nine  inches  in  length,  and  tear  every 
thing  before  them. 

11 


242  ASTORIA. 

At  the  time  we  are  treating  of,  the  grizzly  bear  was  still 
frequent  on  the  Missouri,  and  in  the  lower  country,  but,  like 
some  of  the  broken  tribes  of  the  prairie,  he  has  gradually  fallen 
back  before  his  enemies,  and  is  now  chiefly  to  be  found  in  the 
upland  regions,  in  rugged  fastnesses,  like  those  of  the  Black 
Hills  and  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Here  he  lurks  in  caverns,  or 
holes  which  he  has  digged  in  the  sides  of  hills,  or  under  the 
roots  and  trunks  of  fallen  trees.  Like  the  common  bear  he  is 
fond  of  fruits,  and  mast,  and  roots,  the  latter  of  which  he  will 
dig  up  with  his  fore  claws.  He  is  carnivorous  also,  and  will 
even  attack  and  conquer  the  lordly  buffalo,  dragging  his  huge 
carcass  to  the  neighborhood  of  his  den,  that  he  may  prey  upon  it 
at  his  leisure. 

The  hunters,  both  white  and  red  men,  consider  this  the  most 
heroic  game.  They  prefer  to  hunt  him  on  horseback,  and  will 
venture  so  near  as  sometimes  to  singe  his  hair  with  the  flash  of 
the  rifle.  The  hunter  of  the  grizzly  bear,  however,  must  be  an 
experienced  hand,  and  know  where  to  aim  at  a  vital  part ;  for  of 
all  quadrupeds,  he  is  the  most  difficult  to  be  killed.  He  will 
receive  repeated  wounds  without  flinching,  and  rarely  is  a  shot 
mortal  unless  through  the  head  or  heart. 

That  the  dangers  apprehended  from  the  grizzly  bear,  at  this 
night  encampment,  were  not  imaginary,  was  proved  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  Among  the  hired  men  of  the  party  was  one 
William  Cannon,  who  had  been  a  soldier  at  one  of  the  frontier 
posts,  and  entered  into  the  employ  of  Mr.  Hunt  at  Mackinaw. 
He  was  an  inexperienced  hunter  and  a  poor  shot,  for  which  he 
was  much  bantered  by  his  more  adroit  comrades.  Piqued  at 
their  raillery,  he  had  been  practising  ever  since  he  had  joined 
the  expedition,  but  without  success.  In  the  course  of  the  pre- 
sent afternoon,  he  went  forth  by  himself  to  take  a  lesson  in 
venerie,  and,  to  his  great  delight,  had  the  good  fortune  to  kill  a 


ADVENTURE   OF   WILLIAM   CANNON. 


buffalo.  As  he  was  a  considerable  distance  from  the  camp,  he 
cut  out  the  tongue  and  some  of  the  choice  bits,  made  them  into 
a  parcel,  and,  slinging  them  on  his  shoulders  by  a  strap  passed 
round  his  forehead,  as  the  voyageurs  carry  packages  of  goods, 
set  out  all  glorious  for  the  camp,  anticipating  a  triumph  over  his 
brother  hunters.  In  passing  through  a  narrow  ravine,  he  heard 
a  noise  behind  him,  and  looking  round  beheld,  to  his  dismay,  a 
grizzly  bear  in  full  pursuit,  apparently  attracted  by  the  scent  of 
the  meat.  Cannon  had  heard  so  much  of  the  invulnerability  of 
this  tremendous  animal,  that  he  never  attempted  to  fire,  but, 
slipping  the  strap  from  his  forehead,  let  go  the  buffalo  meat  and 
ran  for  his  life.  The  bear  did  not  stop  to  regale  himself  with 
the  game,  but  kept  on  after  the  hunter.  He  had  nearly  over- 
taken him  when  Cannon  reached  a  tree,  and,  throwing  down  his 
rifle,  scrambled  up  it.  The  next  instant  Bruin  was  at  the  foot 
of  the  tree  ;  but,  as  this  species  of  bear  does  not  climb,  he  con- 
tented himself  with  turning  the  chase  into  a  blockade.  Night 
came  on.  In  the  darkness  Cannon  could  not  perceive  whether 
or  not  the  enemy  maintained  his  station ;  but  his  fears  pictured 
him  rigorously  mounting  guard.  He  passed  the  night,  therefore, 
in  the  tree,  a  prey  to  dismal  fancies.  In  the  morning  the  bear 
was  gone.  Cannon  warily  descended  the  tree,  gathered  up  his 
gun.  and  made  the  best  of  his  way  back  to  the  camp,  without 
venturing  to  look  after  his  buffalo  meat. 

While  on  this  theme  we  will  add  another  anecdote  of  an  ad- 
venture with  a  grizzly  bear,  told  of  John  Day,  the  Kentucky 
hunter,  but  which  happened  at  a  different  period  of  the  expedi- 
tion. Day  was  hunting  in  company  with  one  of  the  clerks  of  the 
company,  a  lively  youngster,  who  was  a  great  favorite  with  the 
veteran,  but  whose  vivacity  he  had  continually  to  keep  in  check. 
They  were  in  search  of  deer,  when  suddenly  a  huge  grizzly  bear 
emerged  from  a  thicket  about  thirty  yards  distant,  rearing  him- 


244  ASTORIA. 

self  upon  his  hind  legs  with  a  terrific  growl,  and  displaying  a 
hideous  array  of  teeth  and  claws.  The  rifle  of  the  young  man 
was  levelled  in  an  instant,  but  John  Day's  iron  hand  was  as  quickly 
upon  his  arm.  "  Be  quiet,  boy  !  be  quiet !"  exclaimed  the  hunter 
between  his  clinched  teeth,  and  without  turning  his  eyes  from 
the  bear.  They  remained  motionless.  The  monster  regarded 
them  for  a  time,  then,  lowering  himself  on  his  fore  paws,  slowly 
withdrew.  He  had  not  gone  many  paces  before  he  again  turned, 
reared  himself  on  his  hind  legs,  and  repeated  his  menace.  Day's 
hand  was  still  on  the  arm  of  his  young  companion  ;  he  again 
pressed  it  hard,  and  kept  repeating  between  his  teeth,  "  Quiet, 
boy  ! — keep  quiet ! — keep  quiet !" — though  the  latter  had  not 
made  a  move  since  his  first  prohibition.  The  bear  again  lowered 
himself  on  all  fours,  retreated  some  twenty  yards  further,  and 
again  turned,  reared,  showed  his  teeth,  and  growled.  This  third 
menace  was  too  much  for  the  game  spirit  of  John  Day.  "  By 
Jove  !"  exclaimed  he,  "  I  can  stand  this  no  longer,"  and  in  an 
instant  a  ball  from  his  rifle  whizzed  into  the  foe.  The  wound 
was  not  mortal ;  but,  luckily,  it  dismayed  instead  of  enraging 
the  animal,  and  he  retreated  into  the  thicket. 

Day's  young  companion  reproached  him  for  not  practising  the 
caution  which  he  enjoined  upon  others.  "  Why,  boy,"  replied 
the  veteran,  "  caution  is  caution,  but  one  must  not  put  up  with 
too  much  even  from  a  bear.  Would  you  have  me  suffer  myself 
to  be  bullied  all  day  by  a  varmint  ?" 


AN   INDIAN   TRAIL.  245 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

• 

FOR.  the  two  following  days,  the  travellers  pursued  a  westerly 
course  for  thirty-four  miles  along  a  ridge  of  country  dividing  the 
tributary  waters  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Yellowstone.  As  land- 
marks they  guided  themselves  by  the  summits  of  the  far  distant 
mountains,  which  they  supposed  to  belong  to  the  Big  Horn  chain. 
They  were  gradually  rising  into  a  higher  temperature,  for  the 
weather  was  cold  for  the  season,  with  a  sharp  frost  in  the  night, 
and  ice  of  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness. 

On  the  twenty-second  of  August,  early  in  the  day,  they  came 
upon  the  trail  of  a  numerous  band.  Rose  and  the  other  hunters 
examined  the  foot-prints  with  great  attention,  and  determined  it 
to  be  the  trail  of  a  party  of  Crows,  returning  from  an  annual 
trading  visit  to  the  Mandans.  As  this  trail  afforded  more  com- 
modious travelling,  they  immediately  struck  into  it,  and  followed 
it  for  two  days.  It  led  them  over  rough  hills,  and  through  broken 
gullies,  during  which  time  they  suffered  great  fatigue  from  the 
ruggedness  of  the  country.  The  weather,  too,  which  had  re- 
cently been  frosty,  was  now  oppressively  warm,  and  there  was  a 
great  scarcity  of  water,  insomuch  that  a  valuable  dog  belonging 
to  Mr.  M'Kenzie  died  of  thirst. 

At  one  time  they  had  twenty-five  miles  of  painful  travel,  with- 
out a  drop  of  water,  until  they  arrived  at  a  small  running  stream. 
Here  they  eagerly  slaked  their  thirst ;  but,  this  being  allayed, 
the  calls  of  hunger  became  equally  importunate.  Ever  since  they 
had  got  among  these  barren  and  arid  hills,  where  there  was  a 


246  .  ASTORIA. 

deficiency  of  grass,  they  had  met  with  no  buffaloes  ;  those  ani- 
mals keeping  in  the  grassy  meadows  near  the  streams.  They 
were  obliged,  therefore,  to  have  recourse  to  their  corn  meal,  which 
they  reserved  for  such  emergencies.  Some,  however,  were  lucky 
enough  to  kill  a  wolf,  which  they^ooked  for  supper,  and  pro- 
nounced excellent  food. 

The  next  morning  they  resumed  their  wayfaring,  hungry  and 
jaded,  and  had  a  dogged  march  of  eighteen  miles  among  the  same 
kind  of  hills.  At  length  they  emerged  upon  a  stream  of  clear 
water,  one  of  the  forks  of  Powder  River,  and  to  their  great 
joy  beheld  once  more  wide  grassy  meadows,  stocked  with  herds 
of  buffalo.  For  several  days  they  kept  along  the  banks  of  the 
river,  ascending  it  about  eighteen  miles.  It  was  a  hunter's  para- 
dise ;  the  buffaloes  were  in  such  abundance  that  they  were  ena- 
bled to  kill  as  many  as  they  pleased,  and  to  jerk  a  sufficient 
supply  of  meat  for  several  days'  journeying.  Here,  then,  they 
revelled  and  reposed  after  their  hungry  and  weary  travel,  hunt- 
ing and  feasting,  and  reclining  upon  the  grass.  Their  quiet, 
however,  was  a  little  marred  by  coming  upon  traces  of  Indians, 
who,  they  concluded,  must  be  Crows ;  they  were  therefore 
obliged  to  keep  a  more  vigilant  watch  than  ever  upon  their 
horses.  For  several  days  they  had  been  directing  their  march 
towards  the  lofty  mountain  descried  by  Mr.  Hunt  and  Mr. 
M'Kenzie  on  the  17th  of  August,  the  height  of  which  rendered 
it  a  landmark  over  a  vast  extent  of  country.  At  first  it  had 
appeared  to  them  solitary  and  detached  ;  but  as  they  advanced 
towards  it,  it  proved  to  be  the  principal  summit  of  a  chain  of  moun- 
tains. Day  by  day  it  varied  in  form,  or  rather  its  lower  peaks, 
and  the  summits  of  others  of  the  chain  emerged  above  the  clear 
horizon,  and  finally  the  inferior  line  of  hills  which  connected  most 
of  them  rose  to  view.  So  far.  however,  are  objects  discernible  in 
the  pure  atmosphere  of  these  elevated  plains,  that,  from  the  place 


PEAKS  OF  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS.  247 


where  they  first  descried  the  main  mountain,  they  had  to  travel 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  before  they  reached  its  base.  Here 
they  encamped  on  the  thirtieth  of  August,  having  come  nearly 
four  hundred  miles  since  leaving  the  Arickara  village. 

The  mountain  which  now  towered  above  them  was  one  of  the 
Big  Horn  chain,  bordered  by  a  river  of  the  same  name,  and  ex- 
tending for  a  long  distance  rather  east  of  north  and  west  of 
south.  It  was  a  part  of  the  great  system  of  granite  mountains 
which  forms  one  of  the  most  important  and  striking  features  of 
North  America,  stretching  parallel  to  the  coast  of  the  Pacific 
from  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  almost  to  the  Arctic  Ocean ;  and 
presenting  a  corresponding  chain  to  that  of  the  Andes  in  the 
southern  hemisphere.  This  vast  range  has  acquired  from  its  rug- 
ged and  broken  character,  and  its  summits  of  naked  granite,  the 
appellation  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  a  name  by  no  means  dis- 
tinctive, as  all  elevated  ranges  are  rocky.  Among  the  early  ex- 
plorers it  was  known  as  the  range  of  Chippewyan  Mountains,  and 
this  Indian  name  is  the  one  it  is  likely  to  retain  in  poetic  usage. 
Rising  from  the  midst  of  vast  plains  and  prairies,  traversing  sev- 
eral degrees  of  latitude,  dividing  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  and 
the  Pacific,  and  seeming  to  bind  with  diverging  ridges  the  level 
regions  on  its  flanks,  it  has  been  figuratively  termed  the  back- 
bone of  the  northern  continent. 

The  Rocky  Mountains  do  not  present  a  range  of  uniform 
elevation,  but  rather  groups  and  occasionally  detached  peaks. 
Though  some  of  these  rise  to  the  region  of  perpetual  snows,  and 
are  upwards  of  eleven  thousand  feet  in  real  altitude,  yet  their 
height  from  their  immediate  basis  is  not  so  great  as  might  be 
imagined,  as  they  swell  up  from  elevated  plains,  several  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean.  These  plains  are  often  of  a 
desolate  sterility  ;  mere  sandy  wastes,  foraied  of  the  detritus  of 
the  granite  heights,  destitute  of  trees  and  herbage,  scorched  by 


248  ASTORIA. 

the  ardent  and  reflected  rays  of  the  summer  s  sun,  and,  in  winter, 
swept  by  chilling  blasts  from  the  snow-clad  mountains.  Such  is  a 
great  part  of  that  vast  region  extending  north  and  south  along 
the  mountains,  several  hundred  miles  in  width,  which  has  not  im- 
properly been  termed  the  Great  American  Desert.  It  is  a  region 
that  almost  discourages  all  hope  of  cultivation,  and  can  only  be 
traversed  with  safety  by  keeping  near  the  streams  which  inter- 
secHt.  Extensive  plains  likewise  occur  among  the  higher  re- 
gions of  the  mountains,  of  considerable  fertility.  Indeed,  these 
lofty  plats  of  table-land  seem  to  form  a  peculiar  feature  in  the 
American  continents.  Some  occur  among  the  Cordilleras  of  the 
Andes,  where  cities,  and  towns,  and  cultivated  farms,  are  to  be 
seen  eight  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  Rocky  Mountains,  as  we  have  already  observed,  occur 
sometimes  singly  or  in  groups,  and  occasionally  in  collateral 
ridges.  Between  these  are  deep  valleys,  with  small  streams 
winding  through  them,  which  find  their  way  into  the  lower  plains, 
augmenting  as  they  proceed,  and  ultimately  discharging  them- 
selves into  those  vast  rivers,  which  traverse  the  prairies  like  great 
arteries,  and  drain  the  continent. 

While  the  granitic  summits  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  are 
bleak  and  bare,  many  of  the  inferior  ridges  are  scantily  clothed 
with  scrubbed  pines,  oaks,  cedar  and  furze.  Various  parts  of 
the  mountains  also  bear  traces  of  volcanic  action.  Some  of  the 
interior  valleys  are  strewed  with  scoria  and  broken  stones,  evi- 
dently of  volcanic  origin ;  the  surrounding  rocks  bear  the  like 
character,  and  vestiges  of  extinguished  craters  are  to  be  seen  on 
the  elevated  heights. 

We  have  already  noticed  the  superstitious  feelings  with 
which  the  Indians  regard  the  Black  Hill ;  but  this  immense 
range  of  mountains,  which  divides  all  that  they  know  of  the 
world,  and  gives  birth  to  such  mighty  rivers,  is  still  more  an 


TOWNS   OF   THE   GENEROUS   SPIRITS.  249 


object  of  awe  and  veneration.  They  call  it  "  the  crest  of  the 
world,"  and  think  that  Wacondah,  or  the  master  of  life,  as  they 
designate  the  Supreme  Being,  has  his  residence  among  these 
aerial  heights.  The  tribes  on  the  eastern  prairies  call  them  the 
mountains  of  the  setting  sun.  Some  of  them  place  the  "  happy 
hunting-grounds,"  their  ideal  paradise,  among  the  recesses  of 
these  mountains ;  but  say  that  they  are  invisible  to  living  men. 
Here  also  is  the  "  Land  of  Souls,"  in  which  are  the  "  towns  of 
the  free  and  generous  spirits,"  where  those  who  have  pleased  the 
master  of  life  while  living,  enjoy  after  death  all  manner  of  de- 
lights. 

Wonders  are  told  of  these  mountains  by  the  distant  tribes, 
whose  warriors  or  hunters  have  ever  wandered  in  their  neighbor- 
hood. It  is  thought  by  some  that,  after  death,  they  will  have  to 
travel  to  these  mountains  and  ascend  one  of  their  highest  and 
most  rugged  peaks,  among  rocks  and  snows  and  tumbling  tor- 
rents. After  many  moons  of  painful  toil  they  will  reach  the 
summit,  from  whence  they  will  have  a  view  over  the  land  of 
souls.  There  they  will  see  the  happy  hunting-grounds,  with  the 
souls  of  the  brave  and  good  living  in  tents  in  green  meadows,  by 
bright  running  streams,  or  hunting  the  herds  of  buffalo,  and  elks, 
and  deer,  which  have  been  slain  on  earth.  There,  too,  they  will 
see  the  villages  or  towns  of  the  free  and  generous  spirits  bright- 
ening in  the  midst  of  delicious  prairies.  If  they  have  acquitted 
themselves  well  while  living,  they  will  be  permitted  to  descend 
and  enjoy  this  happy  country ;  if  otherwise,  they  will  but  be 
tantalized  with  this  prospect  of  it,  and  then  hurled  back  from 
the  mountain  to  wander  about  the  sandy  plains,  and  endure  the 
eternal  pangs  of  unsatisfied  thirst  and  hunger. 

11* 


250  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  travellers  had  now  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mountain 
regions  infested  by  the  Crow  Indians.  These  restless  marauders, 
as  has  already  been  observed,  are  apt  to  be  continually  on  the 
prowl  about  the  skirts  of  the  mountains ;  and  even  when  en- 
camped in  some  deep  and  secluded  glen,  they  keep  scouts  upon 
the  cliffs  and  promontories,  who,  unseen  themselves,  can  discern 
every  living  thing  that  moves  over  the  subjacent  plains  and  val- 
leys. It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  our  travellers  could  pass 
unseen  through  a  region  thus  vigilantly  sentinelled  ;  accordingly, 
in  the  edge  of  the  evening,  not  long  after  they  had  encamped  at 
the  foot  of  the  Big  Horn  Sierra,  a  couple  of  wild-looking  beings, 
scantily  clad  in  skins,  but  well  armed,  and  mounted  on  horses 
as  wild-looking  as  themselves,  were  seen  approaching  with  great 
caution  from  among  the  rocks.  They  might  have  been  mistaken 
for  two  of  the  evil  spirits  of  the  mountains  so  formidable  in 
Indian  fable. 

Rose  was  immediately  sent  out  to  hold  a  parley  with  them, 
and  invite  them  to  the  camp.  They  proved  to  be  two  scouts 
from  the  same  band  that  had  been  tracked  for  some  days  past, 
and  which  was  now  encamped  at  some  distance  in  the  folds  of  the 
mountain.  They  were  easily  prevailed  upon  to  come  to  the  camp, 
where  they  were  well  received,  and,  after  remaining  there  until 
late  in  the  evening,  departed  to  make  a  report  of  all  they  had 
seen  and  experienced,  to  their  companions. 

The  following  day  had  scarce  dawned,  when  a  troop  of  these 


MOUNTAIN  SCAMPERERS.— A  CROW  CAMP.  251 

wild  mountain  scamperers  came  galloping  with  whoops  and  yella 
into  the  camp,  bringing  an  invitation  from  their  chief  for  the 
white  men  to  visit  him.  The  tents  were  accordingly  struck,  the 
horses  laden,  and  the  party  were  soon  on  the  march.  The  Crow 
horsemen,  as  they  escorted  them,  appeared  to  take  pride  in  show- 
ing off  their  equestrian  skill  and  hardihood;  careering  at  full 
speed  on  their  half-savage  steeds,  and  dashing  among  rocks  and 
crags,  and  up  and  down  the  most  rugged  and  dangerous  places 
with  perfect  ease  and  unconcern. 

A  ride  of  sixteen  miles  brought  them,  in  the  afternoon,  in 
sight  of  the  Crow  camp.  It  was  composed  of  leathern  tents, 
pitched  in  a  meadow  on  the  border  of  a  small  clear  stream  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  A  great  number  of  horses  were  grazing  in 
the  vicinity,  many  of  them  doubtless  captured  in  marauding 
excursions. 

The  Crow  chieftain  came  forth  to  meet  his  guests  with  great 
professions  of  friendship,  and  conducted  them  to  his  tents,  point- 
ing out,  by  the  way,  a  convenient  place  where  they  might  fix 
their  camp.  No  sooner  had  they  done  so,  than  Mr.  Hunt  opened 
some  of  the  packages  and  made  the  chief  a  present  of  a  scarlet 
blanket,  and  a  quantity  of  powder  and  ball ;  he  gave  him  also 
some  knives,  trinkets,  and  tobacco  to  be  distributed  among  his 
warriors,  with  all  which  the  grim  potentate  seemed,  for  the  time, 
well  pleased.  As  the  Crows,  however,  were  reputed  to  be  per- 
fidious in  the  extreme,  and  as  errant  freebooters  as  the  bird  after 
which  they  were  so  worthily  named ;  and  as  their  general  feel- 
ings towards  the  whites  were  known  to  be  by  no  means  friendly, 
the  intercourse  with  them  was  conducted  with  great  circum- 
spection. 

The  following  day  was  passed  in  trading  with  the  Crows  for 
buffalo  robes  and  skins,  and  in  bartering  galled  and  jaded  horses 
for  others  that  were  in  good  condition.  Some  of  the  men  also, 


252  ASTORIA. 

purchased  horses  on  their  own  account,  so  that  the  number  now 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-one,  most  of  them  sound 
and  active,  and  fit  for  mountain  service. 

Their  wants  being  supplied  they  ceased  all  further  traffic, 
much  to  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  Crows,  who  became  extremely 
urgent  to  continue  the  trade,  and,  finding  their  importunities  of 
no  avail,  assumed  an  insolent  and  menacing  tone.  All  this  was 
attributed  by  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  associates,  to  the  perfidious  insti- 
gations of  Rose  the  interpreter,  who  they  suspected  of  the  desire 
to  foment  ill-will  between  them  and  the  savages,  for  the  promo- 
tion of  his  nefarious  plans.  M'Lellan,  with  his  usual  tranchant 
mode  of  dealing  out  justice,  resolved  to  shoot  the  desperado  on 
the  spot  in  case  of  any  outbreak.  Nothing  of  the  kind,  however, 
occurred.  The  Crows  were  probably  daunted  by  the  resolute, 
though  quiet  demeanor  of  the  white  men,  and  the  constant  vigi- 
lance and  armed  preparations  which  they  maintained ;  and  Rose, 
if  he  really  still  harbored  his  knavish  designs,  must  have  per- 
ceived that  they  were  suspected,  and,  if  attempted  to  be  carried 
into  effect,  might  bring  ruin  on  his  own  head. 

.  The  next  morning,  bright  and  early,  Mr.  Hunt  proposed  to 
resume  his  journeying.  He  took  a  ceremonious  leave  of  the  Crow 
chieftain,  and  his  vagabond  warriors,  and,  according  to  previous 
arrangements,  consigned  to  their  cherishing  friendship  and  frater- 
nal adoption,  their  worthy  confederate,  Rose  ;  who,  having  figured 
among  the  water  pirates  of  the  Mississippi,  was  well  fitted  to  rise 
to  distinction  among  the  land  pirates  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

It  is  proper  to  add,  that  the  ruffian  was  well  received  among 
the  tribe,  and  appeared  to  be  perfectly  satisfied  wjth  the  compro- 
mise he  had  made  ;  feeling  much  more  at  his  ease  among  savages 
than  among  white  men.  It  is  outcasts  from  civilization,  fugitives 
from  justice,  and  heartless  desperadoes  of  this  kind,  who  sow  the 
seeds  of  enmity  and  bitterness  among  the  unfortunate  tribes  of 


AN   ADOPTED  CROW.  253 

the  frontier.  There  is  no  enemy  so  implacable  against  a  country 
or  a  community  as  one  of  its  own  people  who  has  rendered  him- 
self an  alien  by  his  crimes. 

Right  glad  to  be  relieved  from  this  treacherous  companion, 
Mr.  Hunt  pursued  his  course  along  the  skirts  of  the  mountain,  in 
a  southern  direction,  seeking  for  some  practicable  defile  by  which 
he  might  pass  through  it ;  none  such  presented,  however,  in  the 
course  of  fifteen  miles,  and  he  encamped  on  a  small  stream,  still 
on  the  outskirts.  The  green  meadows  which  border  these  moun- 
tain streams  are  generally  well  stocked  with  game,  and  the  hunt- 
ers soon  killed  several  fat  elks,  which  supplied  the  camp  with 
fresh  meat.  In  the  evening  the  travellers  were  surprised  by  an 
unwelcome  visit  from  several  Crows  belonging  to  a  different  band 
from  that  which  they  had  recently  left,  and  who  said  their  camp 
was  among  the  mountains.  The  consciousness  of  being  environed 
by  such  dangerous  neighbors,  and  of  being  still  within  the  range 
of  Rose  and  his  fellow  ruffians,  obliged  the  party  to  be  continually 
on  the  alert,  and  to  maintain  weary  vigils  throughout  the  night, 
lest  they  should  be  robbed  of  their  horses. 

On  the  third  of  September,  finding  that  the  mountain  still 
stretched  onwards,  presenting  a  continued  barrier,  they  endea- 
vored to  force  a  passage  to  the  westward,  but  soon  became  entan- 
gled among  rocks  and  precipices  which  set  all  their  efforts  at  de- 
fiance. The  mountain  seemed,  for  the  most  part,  rugged,  bare, 
and  sterile ;  yet  here  and  there  it  was  clothed  with  pines,  and 
with  shrubs  and  flowering  plants,  some  of  which  were  in  bloom. 
In  toiling  among  these  weary  places,  their  thirst  became  exces- 
sive, for  no  water  was  to  be  met  with.  Numbers  of  the  men 
wandered  off  into  rocky  dells  and  ravines  in  hopes  of  finding 
some  brook  or  fountain ;  some  of  whom  lost  their  way  and  did 
not  rejoin  the  main  party. 

After  half  a  day  of  painful  and  fruitless  scrambling,  Mr. 


254  ASTORIA. 

Hunt  gave  up  the  attempt  to  penetrate  in  this  direction,  and, 
returning  to  the  little  stream  on  the  skirts  of  the  mountain, 
pitched  his  tents  within  six  miles  of  his  encampment  of  the  pre- 
ceding night.  He  now  ordered  that  signals  should  be  made  for 
the  stragglers  in  quest  of  water,  but  the  night  passed  away  with- 
out their  return. 

The  next  morning,  to  their  surprise,  Rose  made  his  appear- 
ance at  the  camp,  accompanied  by  some  of  his  Crow  associates. 
His  unwelcome  visit  revived  their  suspicions  ;  but  he  announced 
himself  as  a  messenger  of  good-will  from  the  chief,  who,  finding 
they  had  taken  a  wrong  road,  had  sent  Rose  and  his  companions 
to  guide  them  to  a  nearer  and  better  one  across  the  mountain. 

Having  no  choice,  being  themselves  utterly  at  fault,  they  set 
out  under  this  questionable  escort.  They  had  not  gone  far  be- 
fore they  fell  in  with  the  whole  party  of  Crows,  who,  they  now 
found,  were  going  the  same  road  with  themselves.  The  two  cav- 
alcades of  white  and  red  men,  therefore,  pushed  on  together,  and 
presented  a  wild  and  picturesque  spectacle,  as,  equipped  with  va- 
rious weapons  and  in  various  garbs,  with  trains  of  pack-horses, 
they  wound  in  long  lines  through  the  rugged  defiles,  and  up  and 
down  the  crags  and  steeps  of  the  mountain. 

The  travellers  had  again  an  opportunity  to  see  and  admire  the 
equestrian  habitudes  and  address  of  this  hard-riding  tribe.  They 
were  all  mounted,  man,  woman,  and  child,  for  the  Crows  have 
horses  in  abundance,  so  that  no  one  goes  on  foot.  The  children 
are  perfect  imps  on  horseback.  Among  them  was  one  so  young 
that  he  could  not  yet  speak.  He  was  tied  on  a  colt  of  two  years 
old,  but  managed  the  reins  as  if  by  instinct,  and  plied  the  whip 
with  true  Indian  prodigality.  Mr.  Hunt  inquired  the  age  of 
this  infant  jockey,  and  was  answered  that  "  he  had  seen  two 
winters." 

This  is  almost  realizing  the  fable  of  the  centaurs  ;  nor  can 


SEARCH  AFTER   STRAGGLERS.  255 

we  wonder  at  the  equestrian  adroitness  of  these  savages,  who  are 
thus  in  a  manner  cradled  in  the  saddle,  and  become  in  infancy 
almost  identified  with  the  animal  they. bestride. 

The  mountain  defiles  were  exceedingly  rough  and  broken,  and 
the  travelling  painful  to  the  burdened  horses.  The  party,  there- 
fore, proceeded  but  slowly,  and  were  gradually  left  behind  by  the 
band  of  Crows,  who  had  taken  the  lead.  It  is  more  than  proba- 
ble that  Mr.  Hunt  loitered  in  his  course,  to  get  rid  of  such  doubt- 
ful fellow-travellers.  Certain  it  is  that  he  felt  a  sensation  of 
relief  as  he  saw  the  whole  crew,  the  renegade  Rose,  and  all,  dis- 
appear among  the  windings  of  the  mountain,  and  heard  the  last 
yelp  of  the  savages  die  away  in  the  distance. 

"When  they  were  fairly  out  of  sight,  and  out  of  hearing,  he 
encamped  on  the  head  waters  of  the  little  stream  of  the  preceding 
day,  having  come  about  sixteen  miles.     Here  he  remained  all  the 
succeeding  day,  as  well  to  give  time  for  the  Crows  to  get  in  the 
advance,  as  for  the  stragglers,  who  had  wandered  away  in  quest  of 
water  two  days  previously,  to  rejoin  the  camp.     Indeed,  consider- 
able uneasiness  began  to  be  felt  concerning  these  men,  lest  they 
should  become  utterly  bewildered  in  the  defiles  of  the  mountains, 
or  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  some  marauding  band  of  savages. 
Some  of  the  most  experienced  hunters  were  sent  in  search  of 
^hem,  others,  in  the  meantime,  employed  themselves  in  hunting. 
The  narrow  valley  in  which  they  encamped  being  watered  by  a 
running  stream,  yielded  fresh  pasturage,  and,  though  in  the  heart 
of  the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  was  well  stocked  with  buffalo.     Sev- 
eral of  these  were  killed,  as  also  a  grizzly  bear.     In  the  evening, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all  parties,  the  stragglers  made  their  ap- 
pearance, and  provisions  being  in  abundance,  there  was  hearty 
good  cheer  in  the  camp. 


256  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

RESUMING  their  course  on  the  following  morning,  Mr.  Hunt  and 
his  companions  continued  on  westward  through  a  rugged  region 
of  hills  and  rocks,  but  diversified  in  many  places  by  grassy  little 
glens,  with  springs  of  water,  bright  sparkling  brooks,  clumps  of 
pine  trees,  and  a  profusion  of  flowering  plants,  which  were  in 
full  bloom,  although  the  weather  was  frosty.  These  beautiful 
and  verdant  recesses,  running  through  and  softening  the  rugged 
mountains,  were  cheering  and  refreshing  to  the  wayworn  tra- 
vellers. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning,  as  they  were  entangled  in  a 
defile,  they  beheld  a  small  band  of  savages,  as  wild-looking  as 
the  surrounding  scenery,  who  reconnoitred  them  warily  from  the 
rocks  before  they  ventured  to  advance.  Some  of  them  were 
mounted  on  horses  rudely  caparisoned,  with  bridles  or  halters  of 
buffalo  hide,  one  end  trailing  after  them  on  the  ground.  They 
proved  to  be  a  mixed  party  of  Flatheads  and  Shoshonies,  oj 
Snakes ;  and  as  these  tribes  will  be  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
course  of  this  work,  we  shall  give  a  few  introductory  particulars 
concerning  them. 

The  Flatheads  in  question  are  not  to  be  confounded  with 
those  of  the  name  who  dwell  about  the  lower  waters  of  the 
Columbia ;  neither  do  they  flatten  their  heads,  as  the  others  do. 
They  inhabit  the  banks  of  a  river  on  the  west  side  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  are  described  as  simple,  honest,  and  hospitable.  Like 
all  people  of  similar  character,  whether  civilized  or  savage,  they 


DIGGERS  AND  SHOSHONIES.  057 

are  prone  to  be  imposed  upon ;  and  are  especially  maltreated  by 
the  ruthless  Blackfeet,  who  harass  them  in  their  villages,  steal 
their  horses  by  night,  or  openly  carry  them  off  in  the  face  of 
day,  without  provoking  pursuit  or  retaliation. 

The  Shoshonies  are  a  branch  of  the  once  powerful  and  pros- 
perous tribe  of  the  Snakes,  who  possessed  a  glorious  hunting 
country  about  the  upper  forks  of  the  Missouri,  abounding  in 
beaver   and   buffalo.      Their   hunting  ground  was  occasionally 
invaded  by  the  Blackfeet,  but  the  Snakes  battled  bravely  for 
their  domain^,  and  a  long  and  bloody  feud  existed,  with  variable 
success.    At  length  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  extending  their 
trade   into  the   interior,  had  dealings  with  the  Blackfeet,  who 
were  nearest  to  them,  and  supplied  them  with  firearms.      The 
Snakes,  who  occasionally  traded  with  the  Spaniards,  endeavored, 
but  in  vain,  to  obtain  similar  weapons;    the  Spanish  traders 
wisely  refused  to  arm  them  so  formidably!     The  Blackfeet  had 
now  a  vast  advantage,  and  soon  dispossessed  the  poor  Snakes  of 
their  favorite  hunting  grounds,  their  land  of  plenty,  and  drove 
them  from  place  to  place,  until  they  were  fain  to  take  refuge  in 
the  wildest  and  most  desolate  recesses  of  the  Kocky  Mountains. 
Even  here  they  are  subject  to  occasional  visits  from  their  im- 
placable foes,  as  long  as  they  have  horses,  or  any  other  property 
to  tempt  the  plunderer.      Thus   by  degrees  the   Snakes  have 
become  a  scattered,  broken-spirited,  impoverished  people ;   keep- 
ing about  lonely  rivers  and  mountain  streams,  and  subsisting 
chiefly  upon  fish.     Such  of  them  as  still  possess  horses,  and 
occasionally  figure  as  hunters,  are  called  Shoshonies  ;  but  there 
is  another  class,  the  most  abject  and  forlorn,  who  are  called 
Shuckers,  or  more  commonly  Diggers  and  Boot  Eaters.     These 
are  a  shy,  secret,  solitary  race,  who  keep  in  the  most  retired 
parts  of  the  mountains,  lurking  like  gnomes  in  caverns  and  clefts 
of  the  rocks,  and  subsisting  in  a  great  measure  on  the  roots  of 


258  ASTORIA. 

the  earth.  Sometimes,  in  passing  through  a  solitary  mountain 
valley,  the  traveller  comes  perchance  upon  the  bleeding  carcass 
of  a  deer  or  buffalo  that  has  just  been  slain.  He  looks  round  in 
vain  for  the  hunter ;  the  whole  landscape  is  lifeless  and  deserted : 
at  length  he  perceives  a  thread  of  smoke,  curling  up  from  among 
the  crags  and  cliffs,  and  scrambling  to  the  place,  finds  some 
forlorn  and  skulking  brood  of  diggers,  terrified  at  being  dis- 
covered. 

The  Shoshonies,  however,  who,  as  has  been  observed,  have 
still  "  horse  to  ride  and  weapon  to  wear,"  are  somewhat  bolder 
in  their  spirit,  and  more  open  and  wide  in  their  wanderings.  In 
the  autumn,  when  salmon  disappear  from  the  rivers,  and  hunger 
begins  to  pinch,  they  even  venture  down  into  their  ancient 
hunting  grounds,  to  make  a  foray  among  the  buffaloes.  In  this 
perilous  enterprise  they  are  occasionally  joined  by  the  Flatheads, 
the  persecutions  of  the  Blackfeet  having  produced  a  close  alliance 
and  co-operation  between  these  luckless  and  maltreated  tribes. 
Still,  notwithstanding  their  united  force,  every  step  they  take 
within  the  debateable  ground,  is  taken  in  fear  and  trembling, 
and  with  the  utmost  precaution :  and  an  Indian  trader  assures 
us,  that  he  has  seen  at  least  five  hundred  of  them,  armed  and 
equipped  for  action,  and  keeping  watch  upon  the  hill  tops,  while 
about  fifty  were  hunting  in  the  prairie.  Their  excursions  are 
brief  and  hurried ;  as  soon  as  they  have  collected  and  jerked 
sufficient  buffalo  meat  for  winter  provisions,  they  pack  their 
horses,  abandon  the  dangerous  hunting  grounds,  and  hasten 
back  to  the  mountains,  happy  if  they  have  not  the  terrible 
Blackfeet  rattling  after  them. 

Such  a  confederate  band  of  Shoshonies  and  Flatheads,  was 
the  one  met  by  our  travellers.  It  was  bound  on  a  visit  to  the 
Arapahoes,  a  tribe  inhabiting  the  banks  of  the  Nebraska.  They 
were  armed  to  the  best  of  their  scanty  means,  and  some  of  the 


ENCAMPMENT   ON   THE    MOUNTAIN  259 

Shoshonies  had  bucklers  of  buffalo  hide,  adorned  with  feathers 
and  leathern  fringes,  and  which  have  a  charmed  virtue  in  their 
eyes,  from  having  been  prepared,  with  mystic  ceremonies,  by  their 
conjurers. 

In  company  with  this  wandering  band  our  travellers  pro- 
eded  all  day.     In  the  evening  they  encamped  near  to  each 
rther  in  a  defile  of  the  mountains,  on  the  borders  of  a  stream 
running  north,  and  falling  into  Big  Horn  River.     In  the  vicinity 
of  the  camp,  they  found  gooseberries,  strawberries,  and  currants 
in  great  abundance.     The  defile  bore  traces  of  having  been  a 
thoroughfare  for  countless  herds  of  buffaloes,  though  not  one  was 
to  be  seen.     The  hunters  succeeded  in  killing  an  elk  and  several 
black-tailed  deer. 

They  were  now  in  the  bosom  of  the  second  Big  Horn  ridge, 
with  another  lofty  and  snow-crowned  mountain,  full  in  view  to 
the  west.  Fifteen  miles  of  western  course  brought  them,  on  the 
[lowing  day,  down  into  an  intervening  plain,  well  stocked  with 
buffalo.  Here  the  Snakes  and  Flatheads  joined  with  the  white 
hunters  in  a  successful  hunt,  that  soon  filled  the  camp  with  pro- 


visions. 


On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  September,  the  travellers  parted 
ompany  with  their  Indian  friends,  and  continued  on  their  course 
the  west.     A  march  of  thirty  miles  brought  them,  in  the  even- 
Qg,  to  the  banks  of  a  rapid  and  beautifully  clear  stream  about  a 
idred  yards  wide.     It  is  the  north  fork  or  branch  of  the  Big 
lorn  River,  but  bears  its  peculiar  name  of  the  Wind  River  from 
*ing  subject  in  the  winter  season  to  a  continued  blast  which 
'  banks  and  prevents  the  snow  from  lying  on  them 
This  blast  is  said  to  be  caused  by  a  narrow  gap  or  funnel  in  the 
mountains,  through  which  the  river  forces  its  way  between  per- 
pendicular precipices,  resembling  cut  rocks. 

This  river  gives  its  name  to  a  whole  range  of  mountains  con- 


260  ASTORIA. 

sisting  of  three  parallel  chains,  eighty  miles  in  length,  and  about 
twenty  or  twenty-five  broad.  One  of  its  peaks  is  probably  fifteen 
thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  being  one  of  the  highest 
of  the  Rocky  Sierra.  These  mountains  give  rise,  not  merely 
to  the  Wind  or  Big  Horn  River,  but  to  several  branches  of  the 
Yellowstone  and  the  Missouri  on  the  east,  and  of  the  Columbia 
and  Colorado  on  the  west ;  thus  dividing  the  sources  of  these 
mighty  streams. 

For  five  succeeding  days,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  continued 
up  the  course  of  the  Wind  River,  to  the  distance  of  about  eighty 
miles,  crossing  and  recrossing  it,  according  to  its  windings,  and 
the  nature  of  its  banks ;  sometimes  passing  through  valleys,  at 
other  times  scrambling  over  rocks  and  hills.  The  country  in 
general  was  destitute  of  trees,  but  they  passed  through  groves  of 
wormwood,  eight  and  ten  feet  in  height,  which  they  used  occa- 
sionally for  fuel,  and  they  met  with  large  quantities  of  wild  flax. 

The  mountains  were  destitute  of  game ;  they  came  in  sight 
of  two  grizzly  bears,  but  could  not  get  near  enough  for  a  shot ; 
provisions,  therefore,  began  to  be  scanty.  They  saw  large  flights 
of  the  kind  of  thrush  commonly  called  the  robin,  and  many 
smaller  birds  of  migratory  species ;  but  the  hills  in  general  ap- 
peared lonely  and  with  few  signs  of  animal  life.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  14th  September,  they  encamped  on  the  forks  of  the 
Wind,  or  Big  Horn  River.  The  largest  of  these  forks  came  from 
the  range  of  Wind  River  Mountains. 

The  hunters  who  served  as  guides  to  the  party  in  this  part  of 
their  route,  had  assured  Mr.  Hunt  that,  by  following  up  Wind 
River,  and  crossing  a  single  mountain  ridge,  he  would  come  upon 
the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia.  The  scarcity  of  game,  how- 
ever, which  already  had  been  felt  to  a  pinching  degree,  and  which 
threatened  them  with  famine  among  the  sterile  heights  which 
lay  before  them,  admonished  them  to  change  their  course.  It 


LANDMARKS   OF  THE  COLUMBIA.  261 

was  determined,  therefore,  to  make  for  a  stream,  which,  they  were 
informed,  passed  the  neighboring  Biountains,  to  the  south  of 
west,  on  the  grassy  banks  of  which  it  was  probable  they  would 
meet  with  buffalo.  Accordingly,  about  three  o'clock  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  meeting  with  a  beaten  Indian  road  which  led  in 
the  proper  direction,  they  struck  into  it,  turning  their  backs  upon 
Wind  River. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  they  came  to  a  height  that  com- 
manded an  almost  boundless  prospect.      Here  one  of  the  guides 
paused,  and,  after  considering  the  vast  landscape  attentively, 
pointed  to  three  mountain  peaks  glistening  with  snow,  which  rose, 
he  said,  above  a  fork  of  Columbia  River.      They  were  hailed  by 
the  travellers  with  that  joy  with  which  a  beacon  on  a  sea-shore  is 
hailed  by  mariners  after  a  long  and  dangerous  voyage.     It  is 
true  there  was  many  a  weary  league  to  be  traversed  before  they 
should  reach  these  landmarks,  for,  allowing  for  their  evident 
height,  and  the  extreme  transparency  of  the  atmosphere,  they 
could  not  be  much  less  than  a  hundred  miles  distant.     Even 
after  reaching  them,  there  would  yet  remain  hundreds  of  miles 
of  their  journey  to  be  accomplished.     All  these  matters  were  for- 
gotten in  the  joy  at  seeing  the  first  landmarks  of  the  Columbia, 
that  river  which  formed  the  bourne  of  the  expedition.      These 
remarkable  peaks  are  known  to  some  travellers  as  the  Tetons  ; 
as  they  had  been  guiding  points  for  many  days,  to  Mr.  Hunt,  he 
gave  them  the  name  of  the  Pilot  Knobs. 

The  travellers  continued  their  course  to  the  south  of  west  for 
about  forty  miles,  through  a  region  so  elevated  that  patches  of 
snow  lay  on  the  highest  summits,  and  on  the  northern  declivities. 
At  length  they  came  to  the  desired  stream,  the  object  of  their 
search,  the  waters  of  which  flowed  to  the  west.  It  was,  in  fact, 
a  branch  of  the  Colorado,  which  falls  into  the  Gulf  of  California, 
and  had  received  from  the  hunters  the  name  of  Spanish  River, 


262  ASTORIA. 

from  information  given  by  the  Indians,  that  Spaniards  resided 
upon  its  lower  waters.  • 

The  aspect  of  this  river  and  its  vicinity  was  cheering  to  the 
wayworn  and  hungry  travellers.  Its  banks  were  green,  and 
there  were  grassy  valleys  running  from  it  in  various  directions, 
into  the  heart  of  the  rugged  mountains,  with  herds  of  buffalo 
quietly  grazing.  The  hunters  sallied  forth  with  keen  alacrity, 
and  soon  returned  laden  with  provisions. 

In  this  part  of  the  mountains  Mr.  Hunt  met  with  three  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  gooseberries.  The  common  purple,  on  a  low  and 
very  thorny  bush  ;  a  yellow  kind,  of  an  excellent  flavor,  growing 
on  a  stock  free  from  thorns  ;  and  a  deep  purple,  of  the  size  and 
taste  of  our  winter  grape,  with  a  thorny  stalk.  There  were  also 
three  kinds  of  currants,  one  very  large  and  well  tasted,  of  a  pur- 
ple color,  and  growing  on  a  bush  eight  or  nine  feet  high.  Another 
of  a  yellow  color,  and  of  the  size  and  taste  of  the  large  red  cur- 
rant, the  bush  four  or  five  feet  high ;  and  the  third  a  beautiful 
scarlet,  resembling  the  strawberry  in  sweetness,  though  rather 
insipid,  and  growing  on  a  low  bush. 

On  the  17th  they  continued  down  the  course  of  the  river, 
making  fifteen  miles  to  the  southwest.  The  river  abounded  with 
geese  and  ducks,  and  there  were  signs  of  its  being  inhabited  by 
beaver  and  otters :  indeed  they  were  now  approaching  regions 
where  these  animals,  the  great  objects  of  the  fur  trade,  are  said  to 
abound.  They  encamped  for  the  night  opposite  the  end  of  a  moun- 
tain in  the  west,  which  was  probably  the  last  chain  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  On  the  following  morning  they  abandoned  the  main 
course  of  Spanish  River,  and  taking  a  northwest  direction  for 
eight  miles,  came  upon  one  of  its  little  tributaries,  issuing  out  of 
the  bosom  of  the  mountains,  and  running  through  green  meadows, 
yielding  pasturage  to  herds  of  buffalo.  As  these  were  probably 
the  last  of  that  animal  they  would  meet  with,  they  encamped  on 


A   HALT  FOR   REPOSE.  263 


the  grassy  banks  of  the  river,  determining  to  spend  several  days 
in  hunting,  so  as  to  be  able  to  jerk  sufficient  meat  to  supply  them 
until  they  should  reach  the  waters  of  the  Columbia,  where  they 
trusted  to  find  fish  enough  for  their  support.  A  little  repose, 
too,  was  necessary  for  both  men  and  horses,  after  their  rugged 
and  incessant  marching  ;  having  in  the  course  of  the  last  seven- 
teen days  traversed  two  hundred  and  sixty  miles  of  rough,  and 
in  many  parts  sterile,  mountain  country. 


264  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

FIVE  days  were  passed  by  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  in 
the  fresh  meadows  watered  by  the  bright  little  mountain  stream. 
The  hunters  made  great  havoc  among  the  buffaloes,  and  brought 
in  quantities  of  meat ;  the  voyageurs  busied  themselves  about  the 
fires,  roasting  and  stewing  for  present  purposes,  or  drying  pro- 
visions for  the  journey  ;  the  pack-horses,  eased  of  their  burdens, 
rolled  on  the  grass,  or  grazed  at  large  about  the  ample  pastures ; 
those  of  the  party  who  had  no  call  upon  their  services,  indulged 
in  the  luxury  of  perfect  relaxation,  and  the  camp  presented  a 
picture  of  rude  feasting  and  revelry,  of  mingled  bustle  and  re- 
pose, characteristic  of  a  halt  in  a  fine  hunting  country.  In  the 
course  of  one  of  their  excursions,  some  of  the  men  came  in  sight 
of  a  small  party  of  Indians,  who  instantly  fled  in  great  apparent 
consternation.  They  immediately  returned  to  camp  with  the 
intelligence :  upon  which  Mr.  Hunt  and  four  others  flung  them- 
selves upon  their  horses,  and  sallied  forth  to  reconnoitre.  After 
riding  for  about  eight  miles,  they  came  upon  a  wild  mountain 
scene.  A  lonely  green  valley  stretched  before  them,  surrounded 
by  rugged  heights.  A  herd  of  buffalo  were  careering  madly 
through  it,  with  a  troop  of  savage  horsemen  in  full  chase,  plying 
them  with  their  bows  and  arrows.  The  appearance  of  Mr.  Hunt 
and  his  companions  put  an  abrupt  end  to  the  hunt ;  the  buffalo 
scuttled  off  in  one  direction,  while  the  Indians  plied  their  lashes 
and  galloped  off  in  another,  as  fast  as  their  steeds  could  carry 
them.  Mr.  Hunt  gave  chase  ;  there  was  a  sharp  scamper,  though 


SHOSHONIE   HUNTERS.  265 


of  short  continuance.  Two  young  Indians,  who  were  indifferently 
mounted,  were  soon  overtaken.  They  were  terribly  frightened, 
and  evidently  gave  themselves  up  for  lost.  By  degrees  their 
fears  were  allayed  by  kind  treatment;  but  they  continued  to 
regard  the  strangers  with  a  mixture  of  awe  and  wonder ;  for  it 
was  the  first  time  in  their  lives  they  had  ever  seen  a  white 
man. 

They  belonged  to  a  party  of  Snakes  -who  had  come  across  the 
mountains  on  their  autumnal  hunting  excursion  to  provide  buffalo 
meat  for  the  winter.  Being  persuaded  of  the  peaceable  inten- 
tions of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions,  they  willingly  conducted 
them  to  their  camp.  It  was  pitched  in  a  narrow  valley  on  the 
margin  of  a  stream.  The  tents  were  of  dressed  skins ;  some  of 
them  fantastically  painted  ;  with  horses  grazing  about  them.  The 
approach  of  the  party  caused  a  transient  alarm  in  the  camp,  for 
these  poor  Indians  were  ever  on  the  look-out  for  cruel  foes.  No 
sooner,  however,  did  they  recognize  the  garb  and  complexion  of 
their  visitors,  than  their  apprehensions  were  changed  into  joy ; 
for  some  of  them  had  dealt  with  white  men,  and  knew,  them  to 
be  friendly,  and  to  abound  with  articles  of  singular  value.  They 
welcomed  them,  therefore,  to  their  tents,  set  food  before  them ; 
and  entertained  them  to  the  best  of  their  power. 

They  had  been  successful  in  their  hunt,  and  their  camp  was 
full  of  jerked  buffalo  meat ;  all  of  the  choicest  kind,  and  ex- 
tremely fat.  Mr.  Hunt  purchased  enough  of  them,  in  addition 
to  what  had  been  killed  and  cured  by  his  own  hunters,  to  Ibad 
all  the  horses  excepting  those  reserved  for  the  partners  and  the 
wife  of  Pierre  Dorion.  He  found  also  a  few  beaver  skins  in  their 
camp,  for  which  he  paid  liberally,  as  an  inducement  to  them  to 
hjunt  for  more ;  informing  them  that  some  of  his  party  intended 
to  live  among  the  mountains,  and  trade  with  the  native  hunters 
for  their  peltries.  The  poor  Snakes  soon  comprehended  the 

12 


266  ASTORIA. 

advantages  thus  held  out  to  them,  and  promised  to  exert  them- 
selves to  procure  a  quantity  of  beaver  skins  for  future  traffic. 

Being  now  well  supplied  with  provisions,  Mr.  Hurft  broke  up 
his  encampment  on  the  24th  of  September,  and  continued  on  to 
the  west.  A  march  of  fifteen  miles,  over  a  mountain  ridge, 
brought  them  to  a  stream  about  fifty  feet  in  width,  which  Ho- 
back,  one  of  their  guides,  who  had  trapped  about  the  neighbor- 
hood when  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Henry,  recognized  for  one  of 
the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia.  The  travellers  hailed  it  with 
delight,  as  the  first  stream  they  had  encountered  tending  toward 
their  point  of  destination.  They  kept  along  it  for  two  days, 
during  which,  from  the  contribution  of  many  rills  and  brooks,  it 
gradually  swelled  into  a  small  river.  As  it  meandered  among 
rocks  and  precipices,  they  were  frequently  obliged  to  ford  it,  and 
such  was  its  rapidity,  that  the  men  were  often  in  danger  of  being 
swept  away.  Sometimes  the  banks  advanced  so  close  upon  the 
river,  that  they  were  obliged  to  scramble  up  and  down  their 
rugged  promontories,  or  to  skirt  along  their  bases  where  there 
was  scarce  a  foothold.  Their  horses  had  dangerous  falls  in  some 
of  these  passes.  One  of  them  rolled,  with  his  load,  nearly  two 
hundred  feet  down  hill  into  the  river,  but  without  receiving  any 
injury.  At  length  they  emerged  from  these  stupendous  defiles,* 
and  continued  for  several  miles  along  the  bank  of  Hoback's 
River,  through  one  of  the  stern  mountain  valleys.  Here  it  was 
joined  by  a  river  of  greater  magnitude  and  swifter  current,  and 
their  united  waters  swept  off  through  the  valley  in  one  impetu- 
ous stream,  which,  from  its  rapidity  and  turbulence,  had  received 
the  name  of  Mad  River.  At  the  confluence  of  these  streams  the 
travellers  encamped.  An  important  point  in  their  arduous  jour- 
ney had  been  attained,  a  few  miles  from  their  camp  rose  the 
three  vast  snowy  peaks  called  the  Tetons,  or  the  Pilot  Knobs, 
the  great  landmarks  of  the  Columbia,  by  which  they  had  shaped 


MAD  RIVER. 


5267 


their  course  through  this  mountain  wilderness.     By  their  feet 
flowed  the  rapid  current  of  Mad  River,  a  stream  ample  enough  to 
admit  of  the  navigation  of  canoes,  and  down  which  they  might 
possibly  be  able  to  steer  their  course  to  the  main  body  of  the 
Columbia.     The  Canadian  voyageurs  rejoiced  at  the  idea  of  once 
more  launching  themselves  upon  their  favorite  element ;  of  ex- 
changing their  horses  for  canoes,  and  of  gliding  down  the  bosoms 
of  rivers,  instead  of  scrambling  over  the  backs  of  mountains. 
Others  of  the  party,  also,  inexperienced  in  this  kind  of  travel- 
ling, considered  their  toils  and  troubles  as  drawing  to  a  close. 
They  had  conquered  the  chief  difficulties  of  this  great  rocky 
barrier,  and  now  flattered  themselves  with  the  hope  of  an  .easy 
downward  course  for  the  rest  of  their  journey.     Little  did  they 
dream  of  the  hardships  and  perils  by  land  and  water,  which  were 
yet  to  be  encountered  in  the  frightful  wilderness  that  intervened 
between  them  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  ! 


268  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

ON  the  banks  of  Mad  River  Mr.  Hunt  held  a  consultation  with 
the  other  partners  as  to  their  future  movements.  The  wild  and 
impetuous  current  of  the  river  rendered  him  doubtful  whether  it 
might  not  abound  with  impediments  lower  down,  sufficient  to 
render  the  navigation  of  it  slow  and  perilous,  if  not  impractica- 
ble. The  hunters  who  had  acted  as  guides,  knew  nothing  of  the 
character  of  the  river  below ;  what  rocks,  and  shoals,  and  rapids 
might  obstruct  it,  or  through  what  mountains  and  deserts  it  might 
pass.  Should  they  then  abandon  their  horses,  cast  themselves 
loose  in  fragile  barks  upon  this  wild,  doubtful,  and  unknown 
river ;  or  should  they  continue  their  more  toilsome  and  tedious, 
but  perhaps  more  certain  wayfaring  by  land  1 

The  vote,  as  might  have  been  expected,  was  almost  unanimous 
for  embarkation ;  for  when  men  are  in  difficulties  every  change 
seems  to  be  for  the  better.  The  difficulty  now  was  to  find  timber 
of  sufficient  size  for  the  construction  of  canoes,  the  trees  in  these 
high  mountain  regions  being  chiefly  a  scrubbed  growth  of  pines 
and  cedars,  aspens,  haws  and  service-berries,  and  a  small  kind  of 
cotton-tree,  with  a  leaf  resembling  that  of  the  willow.  There 
was  a  species  of  large  fir,  but  so  full  of  knots  as  to  endanger  the 
axe  in  hewing  it.  After  searching  for  some  time,  a  growth  of 
timber,  of  sufficient  size,  was  found  lower  down  the  river,  where- 
upon the  encampment  was  moved  to  the  vicinity. 

The  men  were  now  set  to  work  to  fell  trees,  and  the  moun- 
tains echoed  to  the  unwonted  sound  of  their  axes.  While  prepa- 


TRAPPERS  DETACHED.  269 


rations  were  thus  going  on  for  a  voyage  down  the  river.  Mr.  Hunt, 
who  still  entertained  doubts  of  its  practicability,  dispatched  an 
exploring  party,  consisting  of  John  Reed,  the  clerk,  John  Day, 
the  hunter,  and  Pierre  Dorion,  the  interpreter,  with  orders  to  pro- 
ceed several  days'  march  along  the  stream,  and  notice  its  course 
and  character. 

After  their  departure,  Mr.  Hunt  turned  his  thoughts  to  ano- 
ther object  of  importance.  He  had  now  arrived  at  the  head 
waters  of  the  Columbia,  which  were  among  the  main  points  em- 
braced by  the  enterprise  of  Mr.  Astor.  These  upper  streams 
were  reputed  to  abound  in  beaver,  and  had  as  yet  been  unmo- 
lested by  the  white  trapper.  The  numerous  signs  of  beaver  met 
with  during  the  recent  search  for  timber,  gave  evidence  that  the 
neighborhood  was  a  good  "  trapping  ground."  Here  then  it  was 
proper  to  begin  to  cast  loose  those  leashes  of  hardy  trappers,  that 
are  detached  from  trading  parties,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  wilder- 
ness. The  men  detached  in  the  present  instance  were  Alexander 
Carson,  Louis  St.  Michel,  Pierre  Detaye,  and  Pierre  Delaunay. 
Trappers  generally  go  in  pairs,  that  they  may  assist,  protect  and 
comfort  each  other  in  their  lonely  and  perilous  occupations. 
Thus  Carson  and  St.  Michel  formed  one  couple,  and  Detaye  and 
Delaunay  another.  They  were  fitted  out  with  traps,  arms,  ammu- 
nition, horses,  and  every  other  requisite,  and  were  to  trap  upon 
the  upper  part  of  Mad  River,  and  upon  the  neighboring  streams 
of  the  mountains.  This  would  probably  occupy  them  for  some 
months ;  and,  when  they  should  have  collected  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  peltries,  they  were  to  pack  them  upon  their  horses  and 
make  the  best  of  their  way  to  the  mouth  of  Columbia  River,  or 
to  any  intermediate  post  which  might  be  established  by  the  com- 
pany. They  took  leave  of  their  comrades  and  started  off  on  their 
several  courses  with  stout  hearts,  and  cheerful  countenances ; 
though  these  lonely  cruisings  into  a  wild  and  hostile  wilderness 


270  ASTORIA. 

seem  to  the  uninitiated  equivalent  to  being  cast  adrift  in  the  ship's 
yawl  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean. 

Of  the  perils  that  attend  the  lonely  trapper,  the  reader  will 
have  sufficient  proof,  when  he  comes,  in  the  after  part  of  this 
work,  to  learn  the  hard  fortunes  of  these  poor  fellows  in  the  course 
of  their  wild  peregrinations. 

The  trappers  had  not  long  departed,  when  two  Snake  Indians 
wandered  into  the  camp.  When  they  perceived  that  the  strangers 
were  fabricating  canoes,  they  shook  their  heads  and  gave  them  to 
understand  that  the  river  was  not  navigable.  Their  information, 
however,  was  scoffed  at  by  some  of  the  party,  who  were  obstinately 
bent  on. embarkation,  but  was  confirmed  by  the  exploring  party, 
who  returned  after  several  days'  absence.  They  had  kept  along 
the  river  with  great  difficulty  for  two  days,  and  found  it  a  narrow, 
crooked,  turbulent  stream,  confined  in  a  rocky  channel,  with 
many  rapids,  and  occasionally  overhung  with  precipices.  From 
the  summit  of  one  of  these  they  had  caught  a  bird's-eye  view  of 
its  boisterous  career,  for  a  great  distance,  through  the  heart  of  the 
mountain,  with  impending  rocks  and  cliffs.  Satisfied,  from  this 
view,  that  it  was  useless  to  follow  its  course  either  by  land  or 
water,  they  had  given  up  all  further  investigation. 

These  concurring  reports  determined  Mr.  Hunt  to  abandon 
Mad  River,  and  seek  some  more  navigable  stream.  This  deter- 
mination was  concurred  in  by  all  his  associates  excepting  Mr. 
Miller,  who  had  become  impatient  of  the  fatigue  of  land  travel, 
and  was  for  immediate  embarkation  at  all  hazards.  This  gentle- 
man had  been  in  a  gloomy  and  irritated  state  of  mind  for  some 
time  past,  being  troubled  with  a  bodily  malady  that  rendered 
travelling  on  horseback  extremely  irksome  to  him,  and  being, 
moreover,  discontented  with  having  a  smaller  share  in  the  expedi- 
tion than  his  comrades.  His  unreasonable  objections  to  a  further 
march  by  land  were  overruled,  and  the  party  prepared  to  decamp. 


HENRY'S  POST.  271 


Robinson,  Hoback,  and  Rezner,  the  three  hunters  who  had 
hitherto  served  as  guides  among  the  mountains,  now  stepped  for- 
ward, and  advised  Mr.  Hunt  to  make  for  the  post  established 
during  the  preceding  year  by  Mr.  Henry,  of  the  Missouri  Fur 
Company.  They  had  been  with  Mr.  Henry,  and,  as  far  as  they 
could  judge  by  the  neighboring  landmarks,  his  post  could  not  be 
very  far  off.  They  presumed  there  could  be  but  one  intervening 
ridge  of  mountains,  which  might  be  passed  without  any  great 
difficulty.  Henry's  post,  or  fort,  was  on  an  upper  branch  of  the 
Columbia,  down  which  they  made  no  doubt  it  would  be  easy  to 
navigate  in  canoes. 

The  two  Snake  Indians  being  questioned  in  the  matter,  showed 
a  perfect  krowledge  of  the  situation  of  the  post,  and  offered,  with 
great  alacrity,  to  guide  them  to  the  place.  Their  offer  was  ac- 
cepted, greatly  to  the  displeasure  of  Mr.  Miller,  who  seemed 
obstinately  bent  upon  braving  the  perils  of  Mad  River. 

The  weather  for  a  few  days  past  had  been  stormy  ;  with  rain 
and  sleet.  The  Rocky  Mountains  are  subject  to  tempestuous 
winds  from  the  west ;  these,  sometimes,  come  in  flaws  or  cur- 
rents, making  a  path  through  the  forests  many  yards  in  width,  and 
whirling  off  trunks  and  branches  to  a  great  distance.  The  pre- 
sent storm  subsided  on  the  third  of  October,  leaving  all  the  sur- 
rounding heights  covered  with  snow ;  for,  while  rain  had  fallen 
in  the  valley,  it  had  snowed  on  the  hill  tops. 

On  the  4th,  they  broke  up  their  encampment,  and  crossed  the 
river,  the  water  coming  up  to  the  girths  of  their  horses.  After 
travelling  four  miles,  they  encamped  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
the  last,  as  they  hoped,  which  they  should  have  to  traverse. 
Four  days  more  took  them  across  it,  and  over  several  plains, 
watered  by  beautiful  little  streams,  tributaries  of  Mad  River. 
Near  one  of  their  encampments  there  was  a  hot  spring  continually 
emitting  a  cloud  of  vapor.  These  elevated  plains,  which  give  a 


272     '  ASTORIA. 

peculiar  character  to  the  mountains,  are  frequented  by  large  gangs 
of  antelopes,  fleet  as  the  wind. 

On  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  October,  after  a  cold  wintry 
day,  with  gusts  of  westerly  wind  and  flurries  of  snow,  they  arrived 
at  the  sought-for  post  of  Mr.  Henry.  Here  he  had  fixed  himself, 
after  being  compelled  by  the  hostilities  of  the  Blackfeet,  to  aban- 
don the  upper  waters  of  the  Missouri.  The  post,  however,  was 
deserted,  for  Mr.  Henry  had  left  it  in  the  course  of  the  preceding 
spring,  and,  as  it  afterwards  appeared,  had  fallen  in  with  Mr. 
Lisa,  at  the  Arickara  village  on  the  Missouri,  some  time  after  the 
separation  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party. 

The  weary  travellers  gladly  took  possession  of  the  deserted 
log  huts  which  had  formed  the  post,  and  which  stood^n  the  bank 
of  a  stream  upwards  of  a  hundred  yards  wide,  on  which  they  in- 
tended to  embark.  There  being  plenty  of  suitable  timber  in  the 
neighborhood,  Mr.  Hunt  immediately  proceeded  to  construct 
canoes.  As  he  would  have  to  leave  his  horses  and  their  accoutre- 
ments here,  he  determined  to  make  this  a  trading  post,  where  the 
trappers  and  hunters,  to  be  distributed  about  the  country,  might 
repair  ;  and  where  the  traders  might  touch  on  their  way  through 
the  mountains  to  and  from  the  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia.  He  informed  the  two  Snake  Indians  of  this  determi- 
nation, and  engaged  them  to  remain  in  that  neighborhood  and 
take  care  of  the  horses  until  the  white  men  should  return,  pro- 
mising them  ample  rewards  for  their  fidelity.  It  may  seem  a 
desperate  chance  to  trust  to  the  faith  and  honesty  of  two  such 
vagabonds ;  but,  as  the  horses  would  have,  at  all  events,  to  be 
abandoned,  and  would  otherwise  become  the  property  of  the  first 
vagrant  horde  that  should  encounter  them,  it  was  one  chance  in 
favor  of  their  being  regained. 

At  this  place  another  detachment  of  hunters  prepared  to 
separate  from  the  party  for  the  purpose  of  trapping  beaver. 


SINGULAR  RESOLUTION  OF  MR.  MILLER.  273 


of  theseUiad  already  been  in  this  neighborhood,  being  the 
veteran  Robinson  and  his  companions,  Hoback  and  Rezner,  who 
had  accompanied  Mr.  Henry  across  the  mountains,  and  who  had 
been  picked  up  by  Mr.  Hunt  on  the  Missouri,  on  their  way  home 
to  Kentucky.  According  to  agreement  they  were  fitted  out  with 
horses,  traps,  ammunition,  and  every  thing  requisite  for  their  un- 
dertaking, and  were  to  bring  in  all  the  peltries  they  should  col- 
lect, either  to  this  trading  post,  or  to  the  establishment  at  the 
mouth  of  Columbia  River.  Another  hunter,  of  the  name  of 
Cass,  was  associated  with  them  in  their  enterprise.  It  is  in  this 
•way  that  small  knots  of  trappers  and  hunters  are  distributed 
about  the  wilderness  by  the  fur  companies,  and  like  cranes  and 
bitterns,  haunt  its  solitary  streams.  Robinson,  the  Kentuckian, 
the  veteran  of  the  "  bloody  ground,"  who,  as  has  already  been 
noted,  had  been  scalped  by  the  Indians  in  his  younger  days,  was 
the  leader  of  this  little  band.  When  they  were  about  to  depart, 
Mr.  Miller  called  the  partners  together,  and  threw  up  his  share 
in  the  company,  declaring  his  intention  of  joining  the  party  of 
trappers. 

This  resolution  struck  every  one  with  astonishment,  Mr. 
Miller  being  a  man  of  education  and  of  cultivated  habits,  and 
little  fitted  for  the  rude  life  of  a  hunter.  Besides,  the  precarious 
and  slender  profits  arising  from  such  a  life  were  beneath  the 
prospects  of  one  who  held  a  share  in  the  general  enterprise.  Mr. 
Hunt  was  especially  concerned  and  mortified  at  his  determina- 
tion, as  it  was  through  his  advice  and  influence  he  had  entered 
into  the  concern.  He  endeavored,  therefore,  to  dissuade  him 
from  this  sudden  resolution ;  representing  its  rashness,  and  the 
hardships  and  perils  to  which  it  would  expose  him.  He  earnestly 
advised  him,  however  he  might  feel  dissatisfied  with  the  enter- 
prise, still  to  continue  on  in  company  until  they  should  reach  the 
mouth  of  Columbia  River.  There  they  would  meet  the  expedi- 

12* 


274  ASTORIA. 

tion  that  was  to  come  by  sea ;  when,  should  he  still  feel  disposed 
to  relinquish  the  undertaking,  Mr.  Hunt  pledged  himself  to  fur- 
nish him  a  passage  home  in  one  of  the  vessels  belonging  to  the 
company. 

To  all  this,  Miller  replied  abruptly,  that  it  was  useless  to 
argue  with  him,  as  his  mind  was  made  up.  They  might  furnish 
him,  or  not,  as  they  pleased,  with  the  necessary  supplies,  but  he 
was  determined  to  part  company  here,  and  set  off  with  the  trap- 
pers. So  saying,  he  flung  out  of  their  presence  without  vouch- 
safing any  further  conversation. 

Much  as  this  wayward  conduct  gave  them  anxiety,  the  part- 
ners saw  it  was  in  vain  to  remonstrate.  Every  attention  was  paid 
to  fit  him  out  for  his  headstrong  undertaking.  He  was  provided 
with  four  horses,  and  all  the  articles  he  required.  The  two  Snakes 
undertook  to  conduct  him  and  his  companions  to  an  encampment 
of  their  tribe,  lower  down  among  the  mountains,  from  whom  they 
would  receive  information  as  to  the  best  trapping  grounds.  Af- 
ter thus  guiding  them,  the  Snakes  were  to  return  to  Fort  Henry, 
as  the  new  trading  post  was  called,  and  take  charge  of  the  horses 
which  the  party  would  leave  there,  of  which,  after  all  the  hunters 
were  supplied,  there  remained  seventy-seven.  These  matters  be- 
ing all  arranged,  Mr.  Miller  set  out  with  his  companions,  under 
guidance  of  the  two  Snakes,  on  the  10th  of  October;  and  much 
did  it  grieve  the  friends  of  that  gentleman  to  see  him  thus  wan- 
tonly casting  himself  loose  upon  savage  life.  How  he  and  his 
comrades  fared  in  the  wilderness,  and  how  the  Snakes  acquitted 
themselves  of  their  trust  respecting  the  horses,  will  hereafter 
appear  in  the  course  of  these  rambling  anecdotes. 


A  MENDICANT   SNAKE.  275 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Wm£E  the  canoes  were  in  preparation,  the  hunters  ranged  about 
the  neighborhood,  but  with  little  success.     Tracks  of  buffaloes 
were  to  be  seen  in  all  directions,  but  none  of  a  fresh  date. 
were  some  elk,  but  extremely  wild;  two  only  were  killed.     An- 
telopes were  likewise  seen,  but  too  shy  and  fleet  to  be  approached. 
A  few  beavers  were  taken  every  night,  and  salmon  trout  o 
small  size,  so  that  the  camp  had  principally  to  subs 
dried  buffalo  meat. 

On  the  14th,  a  poor,  half-naked  Snake  Indian,  one 
forlorn  caste  called  the  Shuckers,  or  Diggers,  made  his  appear- 
ance at  the  camp.     He  came  from  some  lurking  place  among  t 
rocks   and  cliffs,  and  presented   a  picture  of  that  famishing 
wretchedness  to  which  these  lonely  fugitives  among  the  moun- 
tains are  sometimes  reduced.     Having  received  wherewithal  , 
allay  his  hunger,  he  disappeared,  but  in  the  course  of  a  day  o 
two  returned  to  the  camp,  bringing  with  him  his  son,  a  miserable 
boy  still  more  naked  and  forlorn  than  himself.     Food  was  given 
to  both;  they  skulked   about  the   camp  like  hungry  hounds, 
seeking  what  they  might  devour,  and  having  gathered  up  the 
feet  and  entrails  of  some  beavers  that  were  lying  about,  slunl 
with  them  to  their  den  among  the  rocks. 

By  the  18th  of  October,  fifteen  canoes  were  completed,  an. 
on  the  following  day  the  party  embarked  with  their   effects; 
leaving  their  horses  grazing  about  the  banks,  and  trusting  t. 


276  ASTORIA. 

honesty  of  the  two  Snakes,  and  some  special  turn  of  good  luck 
for  their  future  recovery. 

The  current  bore  them  along  at  a  rapid  rate ;  the  light  spirits 
of  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  which  had  occasionally  flagged  upon 
land,  rose  to  their  accustomed  buoyancy  on  finding  themselves 
again  upon  the  water.  They  wielded  their  paddles  with  their 
wonted  dexterity,  and  for  the  first  time  made  the  mountains 
echo  with  their  favorite  boat  songs. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  the  little  squadron  arrived  at  the 
confluence  of  Henry  and  Mad  Rivers,  which,  thus  united,  swelled 
into  a  beautiful  stream  of  a  light  pea-green  color,  navigable  for 
boats  of  any  size,  and  which,  from  the  place  of  junction,  took  the 
name  of  Snake  River,  a  stream  doomed  to  be  the  scene  of  much 
disaster  to  the  travellers.  The  banks  were  here  and  there 
fringed  with  willow  thickets  and  small  cotton-wood  trees.  The 
weather  was  cold,  and  it  snowed  all  day,  and  great  flocks  of 
ducks  and  geese,  sporting  in  the  water  or  streaming  through  the 
air,  gave  token  that  winter  was  at  hand ;  yet  the  hearts  of  the 
travellers  were  light,  and,  as  they  glided  down  the  little  river, 
they  flattered  themselves  with  the  hope  of  soon  reaqhing  the 
Columbia.  After  making  thirty  miles  in  a  southerly  direction, 
they  encamped  for  the  night  in  a  neighborhood  which  required 
some  little  vigilance,  as  there  were  recent  trapes  of  grizzly  bears 
among  the  thickets. 

On  the  following  day  the  river  increased  in  width  and 
beauty ;  flowing  parallel  to  a  range  of  mountains  on  the  left, 
which  at  times  were  finely  reflected  in  its  light  green  waters. 
The  three  snowy  summits  of  the  Pilot  Knobs  or  Tetons,  were 
still  seen  towering  in  the  distance.  After  pursuing  a  swift  but 
placid  course  for  twenty  miles,  the  current  began  to  foam  and 
brawl,  and  assume  the  wild  and  broken  character  common  to  the 
streams  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  fact  the  rivers  which 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  TROUBLES,  277 


flow  from  those  mountains  to  the  Pacific,  are  essentially  different 
from  those  which  traverse  the  great  prairies  on  their  eastern  de- 
clivities. The  latter,  though  sometimes  boisterous,  are  generally 
free  from  obstructions,  and  easily  navigated ;  but  the  rivers  to 
the  west  of  the  mountains  descend  more  steeply  and  impetuously, 
and  are  continually  liable  to  cascades  and  rapids.  The  latter 
abounded  in  the  part  of  the  river  which  the  travellers  were  now 
descending.  Two  of  the  canoes  filled  among  the  breakers ;  the 
crews  were  saved,  but  much  of  the  lading  was  lost  or  damaged, 
and  one  of  the  canoes  drifted  down  the  stream  and  was  broken 
among  the  rocks. 

On  the  following  day,  October  21st,  they  made  but  a  short 
distance  when  they  came  to  a  dangerous  strait,  where  the  river 
was  compressed  for  nearly  half  a  mile  between  perpendicular 
rocks,  reducing  it  to  the  width  of  twenty  yards,  and  increasing 
its  violence.  Here  they  were  obliged  to  pass  the  canoes  down 
cautiously  by  a  line  from  the  impending  banks.  This  consumed 
a  great  part  of  a  day  ;  and  after  they  had  re-embarked  they  were 
soon  again  impeded  by  rapids,  when  they  had  to  unload  their 
canoes  and  carry  them  and  their  cargoes  for  some  distance  by 
land.  It  is  at  these  places,  called  "  portages,"  that  the  Cana- 
dian voyageur  exhibits  his  most  valuable  qualities  ;  carrying 
heavy  burdens,  and  toiling  to  and  fro,  on  land  and  in  the  water, 
over  rocks  and  precipices,  among  brakes  and  brambles,  not  only 
without  a  murmur,  but  with  the  greatest  cheerfulness  and  alac- 
rity, joking  and  laughing  and  singing  scraps  of  old  French 
ditties. 

The  spirits  of  the  party,  however,  which  had  been  elated  on 
first  varying  their  journeying  from  land  to  water,  had  now  lost 
some  of  their  buoyancy.  Every  thing  ahead  was  wrapped  in  un- 
certainty. They  knew  nothing  of  the  river  on  which  they  were 
floating.  It  had  never  been  navigated  by  a  white  man,  nor  could 


278  ASTORIA. 

they  meet  with  an  Indian  to  give  them  any  information  concern- 
ing it.  It  kept  on  its  course  through  a  vast  wilderness  of  silent 
and  apparently  uninhabited  mountains,  without  a  savage  wigwam 
upon  its  banks,  or  bark  upon  its  waters.  The  difficulties  and 
perils  they  had  already  passed,  made  them  apprehend  others  be- 
fore them,  that  might  effectually  bar  their  progress.  As  they 
glided  onward,  however,  they  regained  heart  and  hope.  The  cur- 
rent continued  to  be  strong ;  but  it  was  steady,  and  though  they 
met  with  frequent  rapids,  none  of  them  were  bad.  Mountains 
were  constantly  to  be  seen  in  different  directions,  but  sometimes 
the  swift  river  glided  through  prairies,  and  was  bordered  by-small 
cotton-wood  trees  and  willows.  These  prairies  at  certain  seasons 
are  ranged  by  migratory  herds  of  the  wide-wandering  buffalo, 
the  tracks  of  which,  though  not  of  recent  date,  were  frequently 
to  be  seen.  Here,  too,  were  to  be  found  the  prickly  pear  or  In- 
dian fig,  a  plant  which  loves  a  more  southern  climate.  On  the 
land  were  large  flights  of  magpies,  and  American  robins  ;  whole 
fleets  of  ducks  and  geese  navigated  the  river,  or  flew  off  in  long 
streaming  files  at  the  approach  of  the  canoes  ;  while  the  frequent 
establishments  of  the  painstaking  and  quiet-loving  beaver,  show- 
ed that  the  solitude  of  these  waters  was  rarely  disturbed,  even 
by  the  all-pervading  savage. 

They  had  now  come  near  two  hundred  and  eighty  miles  since 
leaving  Fort  Henry,  yet  without  seeing  a  human  being,  or  a 
human  habitation ;  a  wild  and  desert  solitude  extended  on  either 
side  of  the  river,  apparently  almost  destitute  of  animal  life.  At 
length,  on  the  24th  of  October,  they  were  gladdened  by  the  sight 
of  some  savage  tents,  and  hastened  to  land  and  visit  them,  for 
they  were  anxious  to  procure  information  to  guide  them  on  their 
route.  On  their  approach,  however,  the  savages  fled  in  conster- 
nation. They  proved  to  be  a  wandering  band  of  Shoshonies.  In 
their  tents  were  great  quantifies  of  small  fish  about  two  inches 


SHOSHONIE  TENTS.  279 


long,  together  with  roots  and  seeds,  or  grain,  which  they  were 
drying  for  winter  provisions.  They  appeared  to  be  destitute  of 
tools  of  any  kind,  yet  there  were  bows  and  arrows  very  well 
made ;  the  former  were  formed  of  pine,  cedar,  or  bone,  strength- 
ened by  sinews,  and  the  latter  of  the  wood  of  rose-bushes,  and 
other  crooked  plants,  but  carefully  straightened,  and  tipped  with 
stone  of  a  bottle-green  color. 

There  were  also  vessels  of  willow^and  grass,  so  closely  wrought 
as  to  hold  water,  and  a  seine  neatly  made  with  meshes,  in  the 
ordinary  manner,  of  the  fibres  of  wild  flax  or  nettle.  The  humble 
effects  of  the  poor  savages  remained  unmolested  by  their  visitors, 
and  a  few  small  articles,  with  a  knife  or  two,  were  left  in  the 
camp,  Snd  were  no  doubt  regarded  as  invaluable  prizes. 

Shortly  after  leaving  this  deserted  camp,  and  re-embarking 
in  the  canoes,  the  travellers  met  with  three  of  the  Snakes  on  a 
triangular  raft  made  of  flags  or  reeds  ;  such  was  their  rude  mode 
of  navigating  the  river.  They  were  entirely  naked  excepting 
small  mantles  of  hare  skins  over  their  shoulders.  The  canoes 
approached  near  enough  to  gain  a  full  view  of  them,  but  they 
were  not  to  be  brought  to  a  parley. 

All  further  progress  for  the  day  was  barred  by  a  fall  in  the 
river  of  about  thirty  feet  perpendicular ;  at  the  head  of  which 
the  party  encamped  for  the  night. 

The  next  day  was  one  of  excessive  toil  and  but  little  pro- 
gress :  the  river  winding  through  a  wild  rocky  country,  and  being 
interrupted  by  frequent  rapids,  among  which  the  canoes  were  in 
great  peril  On  the  succeeding  day  they  again  visited  a  camp 
of  wandering  Snakes,  but  the  inhabitants  fled  with  terror  at  the 
sight  of  a  fleet  of  canoes,  filled  with  white  men,  coming  down 
their  solitary  river. 

As  Mr.  Hunt  was  extremely  anxious  to  gain  information  con- 
cerning his  route,  he  endeavored  by  all  kinds  of  friendly  signs 


280  ASTORIA. 

to  entice  back  the  fugitives.  At  length  one,  who  was  on  horse- 
back, ventured  bSck  with  fear  and  trembling.  He  was  better 
clad,  and  in  better  condition,  than  most  of  his  vagrant  tribe  that 
Mr.  Hunt  had  yet  seen.  The  chief  object  of  his  return  appeared 
to  be  to  intercede  for  a  quantity  of  dried  meat  and  salmon  trout, 
which  he  had  left  behind ;  on  which,  probably,  he  depended  for 
his  winter's  subsistence.  The  poor  wretch  approached  with  hesi- 
tation, the  alternate  dread  of  famine  and  of  white  men  operating 
upon  his  mind.  He  made  the  most  abject  signs,  imploring  Mr. 
Hunt  not  to  carry  off  his  food.  The  latter  tried  in  every  way  to 
reassure  him,  and  offered  him  knives  in  exchange  for  his  pro- 
visions j  great  as  was  the  temptation,  the  poor  Snake  could  only 
prevail  upon  himself  to  spare  a  part ;  keeping  a  feverish  watch 
over  the  rest,  lest  it  should  be  taken  away.  It  was  in  vain  Mr. 
Hunt  made  inquiries  of  him  concerning  his  route,  and  the  course 
of  the  river.  The  Indian  was  too  much  frightened  and  bewil- 
dered to  comprehend  him  or  to  reply ;  he  did  nothing  but  alter- 
nately commend  himself  to  the  protection  of  the  Good  Spirit,  and 
supplicate  Mr.  Hunt  not  to  take  away  his  fish  and  buffalo  meat ; 
and  in  this  state  they  left  him,  trembling  about  his  treasures. 

In  the  course  of  that  and  the  next  day  they  made  nearly  eight 
miles  ;  the  river  inclining  to  the  south  of  west,  and  being  clear 
and  beautiful,  nearly  half  a  mile  in  width,  with  many  populous 
communities  of  the  beaver  along  its  banks.  The  28th  of  Octo- 
ber, however,  was  a  day  of  disaster.  The  river  again  became 
rough  and  impetuous,  and  was  chafed  and  broken  by  numerous 
rapids.  These  grew  more  and  more  dangerous,  and  the  utmost 
skill  was  required  to  steer  among  them.  Mr.  Crooks  was  seated 
in  the  second  canoe  of  the  squadron,  and  had  an  old  experienced 
Canadian  for  steersman,  named  Antoine  Clappine,  one  of  the 
most  valuable  of  the  voyageurs.  The  leading  canoe  had  glided 
safely  among  the  turbulent  and  roaring  surges,  but  in  following 


THE  CALDRON   LINN.  281 


it,  Mr.  Crooks  perceived  that  his  canoe  was  bearing  towards  a 
rock.  He  called  out  to  the  steersman,  but  his  warning  voice  was 
either  unheard  or  unheeded.  In  the  next  moment  they  struck 
upon  the  rock.  The  canoe  was  split  and  overturned.  There 
were  five  persons  on  board.  Mr.  Crooks  and  one  of  his  compan- 
ions were  thrown  amidst  roaring  breakers  and  a  whirling  current, 
but  succeeded,  by  strong  swimming,  to  reach  the  shore.  Clappine 
and  two  others  clung  to  the  shattered  bark,  and  drifted  with  it 
to  a  rock.  The  wreck  struck  the  rock  with  one  end,  and  swing- 
ing round,  flung  poor  Clappine  off  into  the  raging  stream,  which 
swept  him  away,  and  he  perished.  His  comrades  succeeded  in 
getting  upon  the  rock,  from  whence  they  were  afterwards  taken  off. 
This  disastrous  event  brought  the  whole  squadron  to  a  halt, 
and  struck  a  chill  into  every  bosom.  Indeed,  they  had  arrived 
at  a  terrific  strait,  that  forbade  all  further  progress  in  the  canoes, 
and  dismayed  the  most  experienced  voyageur.  The  whole  body 
of  the  river  was  compressed  into  a  space  of  less  than  thirty  feet 
in  width,  between  two  ledges  of  rocks,  upwards  of  two  hundred 
feet  high,  and  formed  a  whirling  and  tumultuous  vortex,  so  fright- 
fully agitated,  as  to  receive  the  name  of  "  The  Caldron  Linn." 
Beyond  this  fearful  abyss,  the  river  kept  raging  and  roaring  on, 
until  lost  to  sight  among  impending  precipices. 


ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

MR.  HUNT  and  his  companions  encamped  upon  the  borders  of  the 
Caldron  Linn,  and  held  gloomy  counsel  as  to  their  future  course. 
The  recent  wreck  had  dismayed  even  the  voyageurs,  and  the  fate 
of  their  popular  comrade,  Clappine,  one  of  the  most  adroit  and 
experienced  of  their  fraternity,  had  struck  sorrow  to  their  hearts, 
for,  with  all  their  levity,  these  thoughtless  beings  have  great  kind- 
ness towards  each  other. 

The  whole  distance  they  had  navigated  since  leaving  Henry's 
Fort,  was  computed  to  be  about  three  hundred  and  forty  miles  ; 
strong  apprehensions  were  now  entertained  that  the  tremendous 
impediments  before  tnem  would  oblige  them  to  abandon  their 
canoes.  It  was  determined  to  send  exploring  parties  on  each 
side  of  the  river  to  ascertain  whether  it  was  possible  to  navigate 
it  further.  Accordingly,  on  the  following  morning,  three  men 
were  dispatched  along  the  south  bank,  while  Mr.  Hunt  and  three 
others,  proceeded  along  the  north.  The  two  parties  returned 
after  a  weary  scramble  among  swamps,  rocks,  and  precipices,  and 
with  very  disheartening  accounts.  For  nearly  forty  miles  that 
they  had  explored,  the  river  foamed  and  roared  along  through  a 
deep  and  narrow  channel,  from  twenty  to  thirty  yards  wide,  which 
it  had  worn,  in  the  course  of  ages,  through  the  heart  of  a  barren 
rocky  country.  The  precipices  on  each  side,  were  often  two  and 
three  hundred  feet  high,  sometimes  perpendicular,  and  sometimes 
overhanging,  so  that  it  was  impossible,  excepting  in  one  or  two 
places,  to  get  down  to  the  margin  of  the  stream.  This  dreary  strait 


DANGERS  AND  DIFFICULTIES. 


was  rendered  the  more  dangerous  by  frequent  rapids,  and  occasion- 
ally perpendicular  falls  from  ten  to  forty  feet  in  height ;  so  that  it 
seemed  almost  hopeless  to  attempt  to  pass  the  canoes  down  it. 
The  party,  however,  who  had  explored  the  south  side  of  the 
river  had  found  a  place,  about  six  miles  from  the  camp,  where 
they  thought  it  possible  the  canoes  might  be  carried  down  the 
bank  and  launched  upon  the  stream,  and  from  whence  they  might 
make  their  way  with  the  aid  of  occasional  portages.  Four  of  the 
best  canoes  were  accordingly  selected  for  the  experiment,  and 
were  transported  to  the  place  on  the  shoulders  of  sixteen  of  the 
men.  At  the  same  time,  Mr.  Reed  the  clerk,  and  three  men, 
were  detached  to  explore  the  river  still  further  down  than  the 
previous  scouting  parties  had  been,  and  at  the  same  time  to  look 
out  for  Indians,  from  whom  provisions  might  be  obtained,  and  a 
supply  of  horses,  should  it  be  found  necessary  to  proceed  by  land. 

The  party  who  had  been  sent  with  the  canoes  returned  on  the 
following  day,  weary  and  dejected.  One  of  the  canoes  had  been 
swept  away  with  all  the  weapons  and  effects  of  four  of  the  voy- 
ageurs,  in  attempting  to  pass  it  down  a  rapid  by  means  of  a  line. 
The  other  three  had  stuck  fast  among  the  rocks,  so  that  it  was 
impossible  to  move  them ;  the  men  returned,  therefore,  in  despair, 
and  declared  the  river  unnavigable. 

The  situation  of  the  unfortunate  travellers  was  now  gloomy 
in  the  extreme.  They  were  in  the  heart  of  an  unknown  wilder- 
ness, untraversed  as  yet  by  a  white  man.  They  were  at  a  loss 
what  route  to  take,  and  how  far  they  were  from  the  ultimate 
place  of  their  destination,  nor  could  they  meet,  in  these  uninhab- 
ited wilds,  with  any  human  being  to  give  them  information.  The 
repeated  accidents  to  their  canoes,  had  reduced  their  stock  of 
provisions  to  five  days'  allowance,  and  there  was  now  every  appear- 
ance of  soon  having  famine  added  to  their  other  sufferings. 

This  last  circumstance  rendered  it  more  perilous  to  keep 


284  ASTORIA. 

together  than  to  separate.  Accordingly,  after  a  little  anxious 
but  bewildered  counsel,  it  was  determined  that  several  small 
detachments  should  start  off  in  different  directions,  headed  by 
the  several  partners.  Should  any  of  them  succeed  in  falling  in 
with  friendly  Indians,  within  a  reasonable  distance,  and  obtain- 
ing a  supply  of  provisions  and  horses,  they  were  to  return  to  the 
aid  of  the  main  body :  otherwise,  they  were  to  shift  for  them- 
selves, and  shape  their  course  according  to  circumstances ;  keep- 
ing the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River  as  the  ultimate  point  of 
their  wayfaring.  Accordingly,  three  several  parties  set  off  from 
the  camp  at  Caldron  Linn,  in  opposite  directions.  Mr.  M'Lel- 
lan,  with  three  men,  kept  down  along  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr. 
Crooks,  with  five  others,  turned  their  steps  up  it ;  retracing  by 
land  the  weary  course  they  had  made  by  water,  intending,  should 
they  not  find  relief  nearer  at  hand,  to  keep  on  until  they  should 
reach  Henry's  Fort,  where  they  hoped  to  find  the  horses  they 
had  left  there,  and  to  return  with  them  to  the  main  body. 

The  third  party,  composed  of  five  men,  was  headed  by  Mr. 
M'Kenzie,  who  struck  to  the  northward,  across  the  desert  plains, 
in  hopes  of  coming  upon  the  main  stream  of  the  Columbia. 

Having  seen  these  three  adventurous  bands  depart  upon  their 
forlorn  expeditions,  Mr.  Hunt  turned  his  thoughts  to  provide  for 
the  subsistence  of  the  main  body  left  to  his  charge,  and  to  pre- 
pare for  their  future  march.  There  remained  with  him  thirty- 
one  men,  beside  the  squaw  and  two  children  of  Pierre  Dorion. 
There  was  no  game  to  be  met  with  in  the  neighborhood  j  but 
beavers  were  occasionally  trapped  about  the  river  banks,  which 
afforded  a  scanty  supply  of  food ;  in  the  meantime  they  com- 
forted themselves  that  some  one  or  other  of  the  foraging  detach- 
ments would  be  successful,  and  return  with  relief. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  set  to  work  with  all  diligence,  to  prepare 
caches,  in  which  to  deposit  the  baggage  and  merchandise,  of  which 


A  CACHE.  285 

it  would  be  necessary  to  disburden  themselves,  preparatory  to 
their  weary  march  by  land ;  and  here  we  shall  give  a  brief  de- 
scription of  those  contrivances,  so  noted  in  the  wilderness. 

A  cache  is  a  term  common  among  traders  and  hunters,  to 
designate  a  hiding  place  for  provisions  and  effects.  It  is  derived 
from  the  French  word  cocker,  to  conceal,  and  originated  among 
the  early  colonists  of  Canada  and  Louisiana;  but  the  secret 
depository  which  it  designates  was  in  use  among"  the  aboriginals 
long  before  the  intrusion  of  the  white  men.  It  is,  in  fact,  the 
only  mode  that  migratory  hordes  have  of  preserving  their  valua- 
bles from  robbery,  during  their  long  absences  from  their  villages 
or  accustomed  haunts,  on  hunting  expeditions,  or  during  the 
vicissitudes  of  war.  The  utmost  skill  and  caution  are  required 
to  render  these  places  of  concealment  invisible  to  the  lynx  eye  of 
an  Indian.  The  first  care  is  to  seek  out  a  proper  situation,  which 
is  generally  some  dry  low  bank  of  clay,  on  the  margin  of  a  water 
course.  As  soon  as  the  precise  spot  is  pitched  upon,  blankets, 
saddle-cloths,  and  other  coverings,  are  spread  over  the  surround- 
ing grass  and  bushes,  to  prevent  foot  tracks,  or  any  other  derange- 
ment ;  and  as  few  hands  as  possible  are  employed.  A  circle  of 
about  two  feet  in  diameter  is  then  nicely  cut  in  the  sod,  which  is 
carefully  removed,  with  the  loose  soil  immediately  beneath  it, 
and  laid  aside  in  a  place  where  it  will  be  safe  from  any  thing  that 
may  change  its  appearance.  The  uncovered  area  is  then  digged 
perpendicularly  to  the  depth  of  about  three  feet,  and  is  then 
gradually  widened  so  as  to  form  a  conical  chamber  six  or  seven 
feet  deep.  The  whole  of  the  earth  displaced  by  this  process, 
being  of  a  different  color  from  that  on  the  surface,  is  handed  up 
in  a  vessel,  and  heaped  into  a  skin  or  cloth,  in  which  it  is  con- 
veyed to  the  stream  and  thrown  into  the  midst  of  the  current, 
that  it  may  be  entirely  carried  off.  Should  the  cache  not  be 
formed  in  the  vicinity  of  a  stream,  the  earth  thus  thrown  up  is 


286  ASTORIA. 

carried  to  a  distance,  and  scattered  in  such  manner  as  not  to 
leave  the  minutest  trace.  The  cave  being  formed,  is  well  lined 
with  dry  grass,  bark,  sticks,  and  poles,  and  occasionally  a  dried 
hide.  The  property  intended  to  be  hidden  is  then  laid  in,  after 
having  been  well  aired :  a  hide  is  spread  over  it,  and  dried  grass, 
brush,  and  stones  thrown  in,  and  trampled  down  until  the  pit  is 
filled  to  the  neck.  The  loose  soil  which  had  been  put  aside  is 
then  brought,  and  rammed  down  firmly,  to  prevent  its  caving  in, 
and  is  frequently  sprinkled  with  water,  to  destroy  the  scent,  lest 
the  wolves  and  bears  should  be  attracted  to  the  place,  and  root 
up  the  concealed  treasure.  When  the  neck  of  the  cache  is  nearly 
level  with  the  surrounding  surface,  the  sod  is  again  fitted  in  with 
the  utmost  exactness,  and  any  bushes,  stocks,  or  stones,  that  may 
have  originally  been  about  the  spot,  are  restored  to  their  former 
places.  The  blankets  and  other  coverings  are  then  removed  from 
the  surrounding  herbage :  all  tracks  are  obliterated :  the  grass 
is  gently  raised  by  the  hand  to  its  natural  position,  and  the 
minutest  chip  or  straw  is  scrupulously  gleaned  up  and  thrown 
into  the  stream.  After  all  is  done,  the  place  is  abandoned  for 
the  night,  and,  if  all  be  right  next  morning,  is  not  visited  again, 
until  there  be  a  necessity  for  reopening  the  cache.  Four  men 
are  sufficient,  in  this  way,  to  conceal  the  amount  of  three  tons 
weight  of  merchandise  in  the  course  of  two  days.  Nine  caches 
were  required  to  contain  the  goods  and  baggage  which  Mr.  Hunt 
found  it  necessary  to  leave  at  this  place. 

Three  days  had  been  thus  employed  since  the  departure  of 
the  several  detachments,  when  that  of  Mr.  Crooks  unexpectedly 
made  its  appearance.  A  momentary  joy  was  diffused  through  the 
camp,  for  they  supposed  succor  to  be  at  hand.  It  was  soon  dis- 
pelled. Mr.  Crooks  and  his  companions  had  become  completely 
disheartened  by  this  retrograde  march  through  a  bleak  and  barren 
country  ;  and  had  found,  computing  from  their  progress  and  the 


THE  DEVIL'S  SCUTTLE  HOLE.  287 


accumulating  difficulties  besetting  every  step,  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  reach  Henry's  Fort,  and  return  to  the  main  body  in 
the  course  of  the  winter.  They  had  determined,  therefore,  to 
rejoin  their  comrades,  and  share  their  lot. 

One  avenue  of  hope  was  thus  closed  upon  the  anxious  sojourn- 
ers  at  the  Caldron  Linn ;  their  main  expectation  of  relief  was 
now  from  the  two  parties  under  Reed  and  M'Lellan,  which  had 
proceeded  down  the  river  ;  for,  as  to  Mr.  M'Kenzie's  detachment, 
which  had  struck  across  the  plains,  they  thought  it  would  have 
sufficient  difficulty  in  struggling  forward  through  the  trackless 
wilderness.  For  five  days  they  continued  to  support  themselves 
by  trapping  and  fishing.  Some  fish  of  tolerable  size  were  speared 
at  night  by  the  light  of  cedar  torches ;  others  that  were  very 
small,  were  caught  in  nets  with  fine  m.eshes.  The  product  of  their 
fishing,  however,  was  very  scanty.  Their  trapping  was  also  pre- 
carious ;  and  the  tails  and  bellies  of  the  beavers  were  dried  and 
put  by  for  the  journey. 

At  length,  two  of  the  companions  of  Mr.  Reed  returned,  and 
were  hailed  with  the  most  anxious  eagerness.  Their  report 
served  but  to  increase  the  general  despondency.  They  had  fol- 
lowed Mr.  Reed  for  some  distance  below  the  point  to  which  Mr. 
Hunt  had  explored,  but  had  met  with  no  Indians,  from  whom  to 
obtain  information  and  relief.  The  river  still  presented  the  same 
furious  aspect,  brawling  and  boiling  along  a  narrow  and  rugged 
channel,  between  rocks  that  rose  like  walls. 

A  lingering  hope,  which  had  been  indulged  by  some  of  the 
party,  of  proceeding  by  water,  was  now  finally  given  up :  the 
long  and  terrific  strait  of  the  river  set  all  further  progress  at 
defiance,  and  in  their  disgust  at  the  place,  and  their  vexation  at 
the  disasters  sustained  there,  they  gave  it  the  indignant,  though 
not  very  decorous  appellation,  of  the  Devil's  Scuttle  Hole. 


288  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  resolution  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions  was  now  taken 
to  set  out  immediately  on  foot.  As  to  the  other  detachments 
that  had  in  a  manner  gone  forth  to  seek  their  fortunes,  there  was 
little  chance  of  their  return  ;  they  would  probably  make  their 
own  way  through  the  wilderness.  At  any  rate,  to  linger  in  the 
vague  hope  of  relief  from  them,  would  be  to  run  the  risk  of 
perishing  with  hunger.  Besides,  the  winter  was  rapidly  ad- 
vancing, and  they  had  a  long  journey  to  make  through  an  un- 
known country,  where  all  kinds  of  perils  might  await  them. 
They  were  yet,  in  fact,  a  thousand  miles  from  Astoria,  but  tBe 
distance  was  unknown  to  them  at  the  time  :  every  thing  before 
and  around  them  was  vague  and  conjectural,  and  wore  an  aspect 
calculated  to  inspire  despondency. 

In  abandoning  the  river,  they  would  have  to  launch  forth 
upon  vast  trackless  plains  destitute  of  all  means  of  subsistence, 
where  they  might  perish  of  hunger  and  thirst.  A  dreary  desert 
of  sand  and  gravel  extends  from  Snake  River  almost  to  the 
Columbia.  Here  and  there  is  a  thin  and  scanty  herbage,  insuffi- 
cient for  the  pasturage  of  horse  or  buffalo.  Indeed  these  tree- 
less wastes  between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific,  are 
even  more  desolate  and  barren  than  the  naked,  upper  prairies  on 
the  Atlantic  side ;  they  present  vast  desert  tracts  that  must  ever 
defy  cultivation,  and  interpose  dreary  and  thirsty  wilds  between 
the  habitations  of  man,  in  traversing  which,  the  wanderer  will 
often  be  in  danger  of  perishing. 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A   MARCH.  289 


Seeing  the  hopeless  character  of  these  wastes,  Mr.  Hunt  and 
his  companions  determined  to  keep  along  the  course  of  the  river, 
where  they  would  always  have  water  at  hand,  and  would  be  able 
occasionally  to  procure  fish,  and  beaver,  and  might  perchance 
meet  with  Indians,  from  whom  they  could  obtain  provisions. 

They  now  made  their  final  preparations  for  the  march.  All 
their  remaining  stock  of  provisions  consisted  of  forty  pounds  of 
Indian  corn,  twenty  pounds  of  grease,  about  five  pounds  of 
portable  soup,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  dried  meat  to  allow 
each  man  a  pittance  of  five  pounds  and  a  quarter,  to  be  reserved 
for  emergencies.  This  being  properly  distributed,  they  deposited 
all  their  goods  and  superfluous  articles  in  the  caches,  taking 
nothing  with  them  but  what  was  indispensable  to  the  journey. 
With  all  their  management,  each  man  had  to  carry  twenty 
pounds'  weight  beside  his  own  articles  and  equipments. 

That  they  might  have  the  better  chance  of  procuring  subsist- 
ence in  the  scanty  regions  they  were  to  traverse,  they  divided 
their  party  into  two  bands,  Mr.  Hunt,  with  eighteen  men,  beside 
Pierre  Dorion  and  his  family,  was  to  proceed  down  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  while  Mr.  Crooks,  with  eighteen  men,  kept 
along  the  south  side. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  October,  the  two  parties  sepa- 
rated and  set  forth  on  their  several  courses.  Mr.  Hunt  and  his 
companions  followed  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  which 
made  its  way  far  below  them,  brawling  at  the  foot  of  perpen- 
dicular precipices  of  solid  rock,  two  and  three  hundred  feet  high. 
For  twenty-eight  miles  that  they  travelled  this  day,  they  found 
it  impossible  to  get  down  to  the  margin  of  the  stream.  At  the 
end  of  this  distance  they  encamped  for  the  night  at  a  place 
which  admitted  a  scrambling  descent.  It  was  with  the  greatest 
difficulty,  however,  that  they  succeeded  in  getting  up  a  kettle  of 
water  from  the  river  for  the  use  of  the  camp.  As  some  rain  had 

13 


290  ASTORIA. 

fallen  in  the  afternoon,  they  passed  the  night  under  the  shelter 
of  the  rocks. 

The  next  day  they  continued  thirty-two  miles  to  the  north- 
west, keeping  along  the  river,  which  still  ran  in  its  deep  cut 
channel.  Here  and  there  a  sandy  beach  or  a  narrow  strip  of 
soil,  fringed  with  dwarf  willows,  would  extend  for  a  little  distance 
along  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  and  sometimes  a  reach  of  still  water 
would  intervene  like  a  smooth  mirror  between  the  foaming  rapids. 

As  through  the  preceding  day,  they  journeyed  on  without 
finding,  except  in  one  instance,  any  place  where  they  could  get 
down  to  the  river's  edge,  and  they  were  fain  to  allay  the  thirst 
caused  by  hard  travelling,  with  the  water  collected  in  the  hollow 
of  the  rocks. 

In  the  course  of  their  march  on  the  following  morning,  they 
fell  into  a  beaten  horse  path  leading  along  the  river,  which 
showed  that  they  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  some  Indian 
village  or  encampment.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  along  it, 
when  they  met  with  two  Shoshonies,  or  Snakes.  They  approached 
with  some  appearance  of  uneasiness,  and  accosting  Mr.  Hunt, 
held  up  a  knife,  which  by  signs  they  let  him  know  they  had  re- 
ceived from  some  of  the  white  men  of  the  advance  parties.  It 
was  with  some  difficulty  that  Mr.  Hunt  prevailed  upon  one  of 
the  savages  to  conduct  him  to  the  lodges  of  his  people.  Striking 
into  a  trail  or  path  which  led  up  from  the  river,  he  guided  them 
for  some  distance  in  the  prairie,  until  they  came  in  sight  of  a 
number  of  lodges  made  of  straw,  and  shaped  like  hay  stacks. 
Their  approach,  as  on  former  occasions,  caused  the  wildest 
affright  among  the  inhabitants.  The  women  hid  such  of  their 
children  as  were  too  large  to  be  carried,  and  too  small  to  take 
care  of  themselves,  under  straw,  and,  clasping  their  infants  to 
their  breasts,  fled  across  ^he  prairie.  The  men  awaited  the 
approach  of  the  strangers,  but  evidently  in  great  alarm. 


SHOSHONIE   LODGES.  291 


Mr.  Hunt  entered  the  lodges,  and,  as  he  was  looking  about, 
observed  where  the  children  were  concealed  ;  their  black  eyes 
glistening  like  those  of  snakes,  from  beneath  the  straw.  He 
lifted  up  the  covering  to  look  at  them  ;  the  poor  little  beings  were 
horribly  frightened,  and  their  fathers  stood  trembling,  as  if  a 
beast  of  prey  were  about  to  pounce  upon  the  brood. 

The  friendly  manner  of  Mr.  Hunt  soon  dispelled  these  ap- 
prehensions ;  he  succeeded  in  purchasing  some  excellent  dried 
salmon,  and  a  dog,  an  animal  much  esteemed  as  food,  by  the"  na- 
tives ;  and  when  he  returned  to  the  river  one  of  the  Indians  ac- 
companied him.  He  now  came  to  where  lodges  were  frequent 
along  the  banks,  and,  after  a  day's  journey  of  twenty-six  miles  to 
the  northwest,  encamped  in  a  populous  neighborhood.  Forty  or 
fifty  <jf  the  natives  soon  visited  the  camp,  conducting  themselves 
in  a  very  amicable  manner.  They  were  well  clad,  and  all  had 
buffalo  robes,  which  they  procured  from  some  of  the  hunting 
tribes  in  exchange  for  salmon.  Their  habitations  were  very  com- 
fortable ;  each  had  its  pile  of  wormwood  at  the  door  for  fuel,  and 
within  was  abundance  of  salmon,  some  fresh,  but  the  greater  part 
cured.  When  the  white  men  visited  the  lodges,  however,  the  wo- 
men and  children  hid  themselves  through  fear.  Among  the  sup- 
plies obtained  here  were  two  dogs,  on  which  our  travellers  break- 
fasted, and  found  them  to  be  very  excellent,  well-flavored,  and 
hearty  food. 

In  the  course  of  the  three  following  days  they  made  about 
sixty-three  miles,  generally  in  a  northwest  direction.  They  met 
with  many  of  the  natives  in  their  straw-built  cabins  who  received 
them  without  alarm.  About  their  dwellings  were  immense  quan- 
tities of  the  heads  and  skins  of  salmon,  the  best  part  of  which 
had  been  cured,  and  hidden  in  the  ground.  *The  women  were 
badly  clad  ;  the  children  worse ;  their  garments  were  buffalo/obes, 
or  the  skins  of  foxes,  wolves,  hares,  and  badgers,  and  sometimes 


292  ASTORIA. 

the  skins  of  ducks,  sewed  together,  with  the  plumage  on.  Most 
of  the  skins  must  have  been  procured  by  traffic  with  other  tribes, 
or  in  distant  hunting  excursions,  for  the  naked  prairies  in  the 
neighborhood  afforded  few  animals,  excepting  horses,  which  were 
abundant.  There  were  signs  of  buffaloes  having  been  there,  but 
a  long  time  before. 

On  the  15th  of  November  they  made  twenty-eight  miles  along 
the  river,  which  was  entirely  free  from  rapids.  The  shores  were 
line"d  with  dead  salmon,  which  tainted  the  whole  atmosphere. 
The  natives  whom  they  met  spoke  of  Mr.  Reed's  party  having 
passed  through  that  neighborhood.  In  the  course  of  the  day 
Mr.  Hunt  saw  a  few  horses,  but  the  owners  of  them  took  care  to 
hurry  them  out  of  the  way.  All  the  provisions  they  were  able 
to  procure,  wfcfre  two  dogs  and  a  salmon.  On  the  following  day 
they  were  still  worse  off,  having  to  subsist  on  parched  corn,  and 
the  remains  of  their  dried  meat.  The  river  this  day  had  resumed 
its  turbulent  character,  forcing  its  way  through  a  narrow  channel 
between  steep  rocks,  and  down  violent  rapids.  They  made  twenty 
miles  over  a  rugged  road,  gradually  approaching  a  mountain  in 
the  northwest,  covered  with  snow,  which  had  been  in  sight  for 
three  days  past. 

On  the  17th  they  met  with  several  Indians,  one  of  whom  had 
a  horse.  Mr.  Hunt  was  extremely  desirous  of  obtaining  it  as  a 
pack-horse ;  for  the  men,  worn  down  by  fatigue  and  hunger, 
found  the  loads  of  twenty  pounds'  weight  which  they  had  to 
carry,  daily  growing  heavier  and  more  galling.  The  Indians, 
however,  along  this  river,  were  never  willing  to  part  with  their 
horses,  having  none  to  spare.  The  owner  of  the  steed  in  ques- 
tion seemed  proof  against  all  temptation  ;  article  after  article  of 
great  value  in  Intian  eyes  was  offered  and  refused.  The  charms 
of  an^old  tin-kettle,  however,  were  irresistible,  and  a  bargain  was 
concluded. 


SUFFERINGS   FROM   THIRST.  293 


A  great  part  of  the  following  morning  was  consumed  in  light- 
ening the  packages  of  the  men  and  arranging  the  load  for  the 
horse.  At  this  encampment  there  was  no  wood  for  fuel,  even  the 
wormwood  on  which  they  had  frequently  depended,  having  disap- 
peared. For  the  two  last  days  they  had  made  thirty  miles  to  the 
northwest. 

On  the  19th  of  November,  Mr.  Hunt  was  lucky  enough  to 
purchase  another  horse  for  his  own  use,  giving  in  exchange  a 
tomahawk,  a  knife,  a  fire  steel,  and  some  beads  and  gartering. 
In  an  evil  hour,  however,  he  took  the  advice  of  the  Indians  to 
abandon  the  river,  and  follow  a  road  or  trail,  leading  into  th« 
prairies.  He  soon  had  cause  to  repent  the  change.  The  road 
led  across  a  dreary  waste,  without  verdure  ;  and  where  there  was 
neither  fountain,  nor  pool,  nor  running  stream.  The  men  now 
began  to  experience  the  torments  of  thirst,  aggravated  by  their 
usual  diet  of  dried  fish.  The  thirst  of  the  Canadian  voyageurs 
became  so  insupportable  as  to  drive  them  to  the  most  revolting 
means  of- allaying  it.  For  twenty-five  miles  did  they  toil  on 
across  this  dismal  desert,  and  laid  themselves  down  at  night, 
parched  and  disconsolate,  beside  their  wormwood  fires  ;  looking 
forward  to  still  greater  sufferings  on  the  following  day.  Fortu- 
nately it  began  to  rain  in  the  night,  to  their  infinite  relief ;  the 
water  soon  collected  in  puddles  and  afforded  them  delicious 
draughts. 

Refreshed  in  this  manner,  they  resumed  their  wayfaring  as 
soon  as  the  first  streaks  of  dawn  gave  light  enough  for  them  to 
see  their  path.  The  rain  continued  all  day  so  that  they  no  longer 
suffered  from  thirst,  but  hunger  took  its  place,  for,  after  travel- 
ling thirty-three  miles  they  had  nothing  to  sup  on  but  a  little 
parched  corn. 

The  next  day  brought  them  to  the  banks  of  a  beautiful  little 
stream,  running  to  the  west,  and  fringed  with  groves  of  cotton- 


294  ASTORIA. 

wood  and  willow.  On  its  borders  was  an  Indian  camp,  with  a 
great  many  horses  grazing  around  it.  The  inhabitants,  too,  ap- 
peared to  be  better  clad  than  usual.  The  scene  was  altogether 
a  cheering  one  to  the  poor  half-famished  wanderers.  They  has- 
tened to  the  lodges,  but  on  arriving  at  them,  met  with  a  check 
that  at  first  dampened  their  cheerfulness.  An  Indian  immedi- 
ately laid  claim  to  the  horse  of  Mr.  Hunt,  saying  that  it  had 
been  stolen  from  him.  There  was  no  disproving  a  fact,  supported 
by  numerous  bystanders,  and  which  the  horse-stealing  habits  of 
the  Indians  rendered  but  too  probable  ;  so  Mr.  Hunt  relinquished 
his  steed  to  the  claimant ;  not  being  able  to  retain  him  by  a  second 
purchase. 

At  this  place  they  encamped  for  the  night,  and  made  a  sump- 
tuous repast  upon  fish  and  a  couple  of  dogs,  procured  from  their 
Indian  neighbors.  The  next  day  they  kept  along  the  river,  but 
came  to  a  halt  after  ten  miles'  march,  on  account  of  the  rain. 
Here  they  again  got  a  supply  of  fish  and  dogs  from  the  natives  ; 
and  two  of  the  men  were  fortunate  enough  each  to  get  a  horse  in 
exchange  for  a  buffalo  robe.  One  of  these  men  was  Pierre  Dorion, 
the  half-breed  interpreter,  to  whose  suffering  family  the  horse  was 
a  most  timely  acquisition.  And  here  we  cannot  but  notice  the 
wonderful  patience,  perseverance,  and  hardihood  of  the  Indian 
women,  as  exemplified  in  the  conduct  of  the  poor  squaw  of  the 
interpreter.  She  was  now  far  advanced  in  her  pregnancy,  and 
had  two  children  to  take  care  of;  one  four,  and  the  other  two 
years  of  age.  The  latter  of  course  she  had  frequently  to  carry 
on  her  back,  in  addition  to  the  burden  usually  imposed  upon  the 
squaw,  yet  she  had  borne  all  her  hardships  without  a  murmur, 
and  throughout  this  weary  and  painful  journey  had  kept  pace 
with  the  best  of  the  pedestrians.  Indeed  on  various  occasions  in 
the  course  of  this  enterprise,  she  displayed  a  force  of  character 
that  won  the  respect  and  applause  of  the  white  men. 


SCARCITY  OF  FOOD.  295 


Mr.  Hunt  endeavored  to  gather  some  information  from  these 
Indians  concerning  the  country,  and  the  course  of  the  rivers. 
His  communications  with  them  had  to  be  by  signs,  and  a  few 
words  which  he  had  learnt,  and  of  course  were  extremely  vague. 
All  that  he  could  learn  from  them  was,  that  the  great  river,  the 
Columbia,  was  still  for  distant,  but  he  could  ascertain  nothing  as 
to  the  route  he  ought  to  take  to  arrive  at  it  For  the  two  follow- 
ing days  they  continued  westward  upwards  of  forty  miles  along 
the  little  stream,  until  they  crossed  it  just  before  its  junction 
with  Snake  River,  which  they  found  still  running  to  the  north. 
Before  them  was  a  wintry-looking  mountain  covered  with  snow 
on  all  sides. 

In  three  days  more  they  made  about  seventy  miles :  fording 
two  small  rivers,  the  waters  of  which  were  very  cold.  Provisions 
were  extremely  scarce :  their  chief  sustenance  was  portable  soup ; 
a  meagre  diet  for  weary  pedestrians. 

On  the  27th  of  November  the  river  led  them  into  the  moun- 
tains through  a  rocky  defile  where  there  was  scarcely  room  to 
pass.  They  were  frequently  obliged  to  unload  the  horses  to  get 
them  by  the  narrow  places  :  and  sometimes  to  wade  through  the 
water  in  getting  round  rocks  and  butting  cliffs.  All  their  food 
this  day  was  a  beaver  which  they  had  caught  the  night  before ;  by 
evening,  the  cravings  of  hunger  were  so  sharp,  and  the  prospect 
of  any  supply  among  the  mountains  so  faint,  that  they  had  to  kill 
one  of  the  horses.  K  The  men,"  says  Mr.  Hunt  in  his  journal, 
';  find  the  meat  very  good,  and  indeed,  so  should  I,  were  it  not  for 
the  attachment  I  have  to  the  animal." 

Early  in  the  following  day,  after  proceeding  ten  miles  to  the 
north,  they  came  to  two  lodges  of  Shoshonies,  who  seemed  in 
nearly  as  great  an  extremity  as  themselves,  having  just  killed  two 
horses  for  food.  They  had  no  other  provisions  excepting  the  seed 
of  a  weed  which  they  gather  in  great  quantities,  and  pound  fine. 


296  ASTORIA. 

It  resembles  hemp-seed.  Mr.  Hunt  purchased  a  bag  of  it,  and 
also  some  small  pieces  of  horse  flesh,  which  he  began  to  relish, 
pronouncing  them  "  fat  and  tender." 

From  these  Indians  he  received  information  that  several 
white  men  had  gone  down  the  river,  some  one  side,  and  a  good 
many  on  the  other ;  these  last  he  concluded  to  be  Mr.  Crooks 
and  his  party.  He  was  thus  released  from  much  anxiety  about 
their  safety,  especially  as  the  Indians  spoke  of  Mr.  Crooks 
having  one  of  his  dogs  yet,  which  showed  that  he  and  his  men  had 
not  been  reduced  to  extremity  of  hunger. 

As  Mr.  Hunt  feared  that  he  might  be  several  days  in  passing 
through  this  mountain  defile,  and  run  the  risk  of  famine,  he  en- 
camped in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Indians,  for  the  purpose  of 
bartering  with  them  for  a  horse.  The  evening  was  expended  in 
ineffectual  trials.  He  offered  a  gun,  a  buffalo  robe,  and  various 
other  articles.  The  poor  fellows  had,  probably,  like  himself,  the 
fear  of  starvation  before  their  eyes.  At  length  the  women,  learn- 
ing the  object  of  his  pressing  solicitations,  and  tempting  offers, 
set  up  such  a  terrible  hue  and  cry,  that  he  was  fairly  howled  and 
scolded  from  the  ground. 

The  next  morning  early,  the  Indians  seemed  very  desirous  to 
get  rid  of  their  visitors,  fearing,  probably,  for  the  safety  of  their 
horses.  In  reply  to  Mr.  Hunt's  inquiries  about  the  mountains, 
they  told  him  that  he  would  have  to  sleep  but  three  nights  more 
among  them  ;  and  that  six  days'  travelling  would  take  him  to  the 
falls  of  the  Columbia  ;  information  in  which  he  put  no  faith,  be- 
lieving it  was  only  given  to  induce  him  to  set  forward.  These, 
he  was  told,  were  the  last  Snakes  he  would  meet  with,  and  that 
he  would  soon  come  to  a  nation  called  Sciatogas. 

Forward  then  did  he  proceed  on  his  tedious  journey,  which, 
at  every  step  grew  more  painful.  The  road  continued  for  two 
days,  through  narrow  defiles,  where  they  were  repeatedly  obliged 


TOILSOME   PROGRESS.  297 


to  unload  the  horses.  Sometimes  the  river  passed  through  such 
rocky  chasms  and  under  such  steep  precipices  that  they  had  to 
leave  it,  and  make  their  way,  with  excessive  labor,  over  immense 
hills,  almost  impassable  for  horses.  On  some  of  these  hills  were 
a  few  pine  trees,  and  their  summits  were  covered  with  snow.  On 
the  second  day  of  this  scramble  one  of  the  hunters  killed  a  black- 
tailed  deer,  which  afforded  the  half-starved  travellers  a  sump- 
tuous repast.  Their  progress  these  two  days  was  twenty-eight 
miles,  a  little  to  the  northward  of  east. 

The  month  of  December  set  in  drearily,  with  rain  in  the  val- 
leys, and  snow  upon  the  hills.  They  h^d  to  climb  a  mountain 
with  snow  to  the  midleg,  which  increased  their  painful  toil.  A 
small  beaver  supplied  them  with  a  scanty  meal,  which  they  eked 
out  with  frozen  blackberries,  haws,  and  choke-cherries,  which 
they  found  in  the  course  of  their  scramble.  Their  journey  this 
day,  though  excessively  fatiguing,  was  but  thirteen  miles ;  and 
all  the  next  day  they  had  to  remain  encamped,  not  being  able  to 
see  half  a  mile  ahead,  on  account  of  a  snow-storm.  Having 
nothing  else  to  eat,  they  were  compelled  to  kill  another  of  their 
horses.  The  next  day  they  resumed  their  march  in  snow  and 
rain,  but  with  all  their  efforts  could  only  get  forward  nine  miles, 
having  for  a  part  of  the  distance  to  unload  the  horses  and  carry 
the  packs  themselves.  On  the  succeeding  morning  they  were 
"  obliged  to  leave  the  river,  and  scramble  up  the  hills.  From  the 
summit  of  these,  they  got  a  wide  view  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, and  it  was  a  prospect  almost  sufficient  to  make  them  despair. 
In  every  direction  they  beheld  snowy  mountains,  partially 
sprinkled  with  pines  and  other  evergreens,  and  spreading  a  desert 
and  toilsome  world  around  them.  The  wind  howled  over  the 
bleak  and  wintry  landscape,  and  seemed  to  penetrate  to  the  mar- 
row of  their  bones.  They  waded  on  through  the  snow,  which  at 
every  step  was  more  than  knee  deep. 

13* 


298  ASTORIA. 

After  toiling  in  this  way  all  day,  they  had  the  mortification 
to  find  that  they  were  but  four  miles  distant  from  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  preceding  night,  such  was  the  meandering  of  the 
river  among  these  dismal  hills.  Pinched  with  famine,  exhausted 
with  fatigue,  with  evening  approaching,  and  a  wintry  wild  still 
lengthening  as  they  advanced  ;  they  began  to  look  forward  with 
sad  forebodings  to  the  night's  exposure  upon  this  frightful  waste. 
Fortunately  they  succeeded  in  reaching  a  cluster  of  pines  about 
sunset.  Their  axes  were  immediately  at  work ;  they  cut  down 
trees,  piled  them  up  in  great  heaps,  and  soon  had  huge  fires  "  to 
cheer  their  cold  and  hungry  hearts." 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  it  again  began  to  snow, 
and  at  daybreak  they  found  themselves,  as  it  were,  in  a  cloud ; 
scarcely  being  able  to  distinguish  objects  at  the  •  distance  of  a 
hundred  yards.  Guiding  themselves  by  the  sound  of  running 
water,  they  set  out  for  the  river,  and  by  slipping  and  sliding  con- 
trived to  get  down  to  its  bank.  One  of  the  horses,  missing  his 
footing,  rolled  down  several  hundred  yards  with  his  load,  but  sus- 
tained no  injury.  The  weather  in  the  valley  was  less  rigorous 
than  on  the  hills.  The  snow  lay  but  ankle  deep,  and  there  was  a 
quiet  rain  now  falling.  After  creeping  along  for  six  miles,  they 
encamped  on  the  border  of  the  river.  Being  utterly  destitute  of 
provisions,  they  were  again  compelled  to  kill  one  of  their  horses 
to  appease  their  famishing  hunger. 


UNEXPECTED   MEETING.  299 


. 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  wanderers  had  now  accomplished  four  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  miles  of  their  dreary  journey  since  leaving  the  Caldron  Linn, 
how  much  further  they  had  yet  to  travel,  and  what  hardships  to 
encounter,  no  one  knew. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  December,  they  left  their  dismal 
encampment,  but  had  scarcely  begun  their  march,  when,  to  their 
surprise,  they  beheld  a  party  of  white  men  coming  up  along  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  river.     As  they  drew  nearer,  they  were  re- 
cognized for  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  companions.     When  they  came 
opposite,  and  could  make  themselves  heard  across  the  murmuring 
of  the  river,  their  first  cry  was  for  food ;  in  fact,  they  were  almost 
starved.     Mr.  Hunt  immediately  returned  to  the  camp,  and  had 
a  kind  of  canoe  made  out  of  the  skin  of  the  horse,  killed  on  the 
preceding  night.     This  was  done  after  the  Indian  fashion,  by 
drawing  up  the  edges  of  the  skin  with  thongs,  and  keeping  them 
distended  by  sticks  or  thwarts  pieces.     In  this  frail  bark,  Sarde- 
pie,  one  of  the  Canadians,  carried  over  a  portion  of  the  flesh  of 
the'  horse  to  the  famishing  party  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
and  brought  back  with  him  Mr.  Crooks,  and  the  Canadian,  Le 
Clerc.     The  forlorn  and  wasted  looks,  and  starving  condition  of 
these  two  men,  struck  dismay  to  the  hearts  of  Mr.  Hunt's  follow- 
ers.    They  had  been  accustomed  to  each  other's  appearance,  and 
to  the  gradual  operation  of  hunger  and  hardship  upon  their 
frames,  but  the  change  in  the  looks  of  these  men,  since  last  they 
parted,  was  a  type  of  the  famine  and  desolation  of  the  land ;  and 


300  ASTORIA. 

they  now  began  to  indulge  the  horrible  presentiment  that  they 
would  all  starve  together,  or  be  reduced  to  the  direful  alternative 
of  casting  lots  ! 

When  Mr.  Crooks  had  appeased  his  hunger,  he  gave  Mr. 
Hunt  some  account  of  his  wayfaring.  On  the  side  of  the  river, 
along  which  he  had  kept,  he  had  met  with  but  few  Indians,  and 
those  were  too  miserably  poor  to  yield  much  assistance.  For  the 
first  eighteen  days  after  leaving  the  Caldron  Linn,  he  and  his  men 
had  been  confined  to  half  a  meal  in  twenty-four  hours  ;  for  three 
days  following,  they  had  subsisted  on  a  single  beaver,  a  few  wild 
cherries,  and  the  soles  of  old  moccasons ;  and  for  the  last  six 
days,  their  only  animal  food  had  been  the  carcass  of  a  dog.  They 
had  been  three  days'  journey  further  down  the  river  than  Mr. 
Hunt,  always  keeping  as  near  to  its  banks  as  possible,  and  fre- 
quently climbing  over  sharp  and  rocky  ridges  that  projected  into 
the  stream.  At  length  they  had  arrived  to  where  the  mountains 
increased  in  height,  and  came  closer  to  the  river,  with  perpendi- 
cular precipices,  which  rendered  it  impossible  to  keep  along  the 
stream.  The  river  here  rushed  with  incredible  velocity  through 
a  defile  not  more  than  thirty  yards  wide,  where  cascades  and 
rapids  succeeded  each  other  almost  without  intermission.  Even 
had  the  opposite  banks,  therefore,  been  such  as  to  permit  a  con- 
tinuance of  their  journey,  it  would  have  been  madness  to  attempt 
to  pass  the  tumultuous  current,  either  on  rafts  or  otherwise.  Still 
bent,  however,  on  pushing  forward,  they  attempted  to  climb  the 
opposing  mountains  ;  and  struggled  on  through  the  snow  for  half 
a  day  until,  coming  to  where  they  could  command  a  prospect, 
they  found  that  they  were  not  half  way  to  the  summit,  and  that 
mountain  upon  mountain  lay  piled  beyond  them,  in  wintry  deso- 
lation. Famished  and  emaciated  as  they  were,  to  continue  for- 
ward would  be  to  perish ;  their  only  chance  seemed  to  be  to 
regain  the  river,  and  retrace  their  steps  up  its  banks.  It  was  in 


INSURMOUNTABLE   DIFFICULTIES.  301 


this  forlorn  and  retrograde  march  that  they  had  met  Mr.  Hunt 
and  his  party. 

Mr.  Crooks  also  gave  information  of  some  others  of  their  fel- 
low adventurers.  He  had  spoken  several  days  previously  with 
Mr.  Keed  and.  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  who  with  their  men  were  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  where  it  was  impossible  to  get  over  to 
them.  They  informed  him  that  Mr.  M'Lellan  had  struck  across 
from  the  little  river  above  the  mountains,  in  the  hope  of  falling 
in  with  some  of  the  tribe  of  Flatheads,  who  inhabit  the  western 
skirts  of  the  Rocky  range.  As  the  companions  of  Reed  and 
M'Kenzie  were  picked  men,  and  had  found  provisions  more  abun- 
dant on  their  side  of  the  river,  they  were  in  better  condition,  and 
more  fitted  to  contend  with  the  difficulties  of  the  country,  than 
those  of  Mr.  Crooks,  and  when  he  lost  sight  of  them,  were  push- 
ing onward,  down  the  course  of  the  river. 

Mr.  Hunt  took  a  night  to  revolve  over  his  critical  situation, 
and  to  determine  what  was  to  be  done.  No  time  was  to  be  lost ; 
he  had  twenty  men  and  more,  in  his  own  party,  to  provide  for, 
and  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  men  to  relieve.  To  linger  would  be  to 
starve.  The  idea  of  retracing  his  steps  was  intolerable,  and,  not- 
withstanding all  the  discouraging  accounts  of  the  ruggedness  of 
the  mountains  lower  down  the  river,  he  would  have  been  disposed 
to  attempt  them,  but  the  depth  of  the  snow  with  which  they 
were  covered,  deterred  him ;  having  already  experienced  the 
impossibility  of  forcing  his  way  against  such  an  impediment. 

The  only  alternative,  therefore,  appeared  to  be,  to  return  and 
seek  the  Indian  bands  scattered  along  the  small  rivers  above  the 
mountains.  Perhaps,  from  some  of  these  he  might  procure 
horses  enough  to  support  him  until  he  could  reach  the  Columbia; 
for  he  still  cherished  the  hope  of  arriving  at  that  river  in  the 
course  of  the  winter,  though  he  was  apprehensive  that  few  of  Mr. 
Crooks'  party  would  be  sufficiently  strong  to  follow  him.  Even 


302  ASTORIA. 

in  adopting  this  course,  he  had  to  make  up  his  mind  to  the 
certainty  of  several  days  of  famine  at  the  outset,  for  it  would  take 
that  time  to  reach  the  last  'Indian  lodges  from  which  he  had 
parted,  and  until  they  should  arrive  there,  his  people  would  have 
nothing  to  subsist  upon  but  haws  and  wild  berries,  excepting  one 
miserable  horse,  which  was  little  better  than  skin  and  bone. 

After  a  night  of  sleepless  cogitation,  Mr.  Hunt  announced  to 
his  men  the  dreary  alternative  he  had  adopted,  and  preparations 
were  made  to  take  Mr.  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc  across  the  river, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  meat,  as  the  other  party  were  to  keep 
up  along  the  opposite  bank.  The  skin  canoe  had  unfortunately 
been  lost  in  the  night ;  a  raft  was  constructed,  therefore,  after  the 
manner  of  the  natives,  of  bundles  of  willows,  but  it  could  not  be 
floated  across  the  impetuous  current.  The  men  were  directed, 
in  consequence,  to  keep  on  along  the  river  by  themselves,  while 
Mr.  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc  would  proceed  with  Mr.  Hunt.  They 
all,  then,  took  up  their  retrograde  march  with  drooping  spirits. 

In  a  little  while,  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc 
were  so  feeble  as  to  walk  with  difficulty,  so  that  Mr.  Hunt  was 
obliged  to  retard  his  pace,  that  they  might  keep  up  with  him. 
His  men  grew  impatient  at  the  delay.  They  murmured  that 
they  had  a  long  and  desolate  region  to  traverse,  before  they 
could  arrive  at  the  point  where  they  might  expect  to  find  horses ; 
that  it  was  impossible  for  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc,  in  their  feeble 
condition,  to  get  over  it ;  that  to  remain  with  them  would  only 
be  to  starve  in  their  company.  They  importuned  Mr.  Hunt, 
therefore,  to  leave  these  unfortunate  men  to  their  fate,  and  think 
only  of  the  safety  of  himself  and  his  party.  Finding  him  not  to 
be  moved  either  by  entreaties  or  their  clamors,  they  began  to 
proceed  without  him,  singly  and  in  parties.  Among  those  who 
thus  went  off  was  Pierre  Dorion,  the  interpreter.  Pierre  owned 
the  only  remaining  horse ;  which  was  now  a  mere  skeleton.  Mr. 


MR.  CROOKS  AND  LE  CLERC  LEFT.       303 


Hunt  had  suggested,  in  their  present  extremity,  that  it  should 
be  killed  for  food;  to  which  the  half-breed  flatly  refused  his 
assent,  and  cudgelling  the  miserable  animal  forward,  pushed  on 
sullenly,  with  the  air  of  a  man  doggedly  determined  to  quarrel 
for  his  right.  In  this  way  Mr.  Hunt  saw  his  men,  one  after 
another,  break  away,  until  but  five  remained  to  bear  him  company. 
On  the  following  morning,  another  raft  was  made,  on  which 
Mr.  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc  again  attempted  to  ferry  themselves 
across  the  river,  but  after  repeated  trials,  had  to  give  up  in 
despair.  This  caused  additional  delay:  after  which,  they  con- 
tinued to  crawl  forward  at  a  snail's  pace.  Some  of  the  men  who 
had  remained  with  Mr.  Hunt  now  became  impatient  of  these 
incumbrances,  and  urged  him,  clamorously,  to  push  forward, 
crying  -out  that  they  should  all  starve.  The  night  which 
succeeded  was  intensely  cold,  so  that  one  of  the  men  was  severely 
frost-bitten.  In  the  course  of  the  night,  Mr.  Crooks  was  taken 
ill,  and  in  the  morning  was  still  more  incompetent  to  travel. 
Their  situation  was  now  desperate,  for  their  stock  of  provisions 
was  reduced  to  three  beaver  skins.  Mr.  Hunt,  therefore,  re- 
solved to  push  on,  overtake  his  people,  and  insist  upon  having 
the  horse  of  Pierre  Dorion  sacrificed  for  the  relief  of  all  hands. 
Accordingly,  he  left  two  of  his  men  to  help  Crooks  and  Le  Clerc 
on  their  way,  giving  them  two  of  the  beaver  skins  for  their 
support ;  the  remaining  skin  he  retained,  as  provision  for  himself 
and  the  three  other  men  who  struck  forward  with  him. 


304  ASTORIA. 


;. 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ALL  that  day,  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  three  comrades  travelled  with- 
out eating.  At  night  they  made  a  tantalizing  supper  on  their 
beaver  skin,  and  were  nearly  exhausted  by  hunger  and  cold.  The 
next  day,  December  10th,  they  overtook  the  advance  party,  who 
were  all  as  much  famished  as  themselves,  some  of  them  not  hav- 
ing eaten  since  the  morning  of  the  seventh.  Mr.  Hunt  now  pro- 
posed the  sacrifice  of  Pierre  Dorion's  skeleton  horse.  Here  he 
again  met  with  positive  and  vehement  opposition  from  the  half- 
breed,  who  was  too  sullen  and  vindictive  a  fellow  to  be  easily  dealt 
with.  What  was  singular,  the  men,  though  suffering  such  pinch- 
ing hunger,  interfered  in  favor  of  the  horse.  They  represented, 
that  it  was  better  to  keep  on  as  long  as  possible  without  resorting 
to  this  last  resource.  Possibly  the  Indians,  of  whom  they  were 
in  quest,  might  have  shifted  their  encampment,  in  which  case  it 
would  be  time  enough  to  kill  the  horse  to  escape  starvation.  Mr. 
Hunt,  therefore,  was  prevailed  upon  to  grant  Pierre  Dorion's 
horse  a  reprieve. 

Fortunately,  they  had  not  proceeded  much  further,  when, 
towards  evening,  they  came  in  sight  of  a  lodge  of  Shoshonies, 
with  a  number  of  horses  grazing  around  it.  The  sight  was  as 
unexpected  as  it  was  joyous.  Having  seen  no  Indians  in  this 
neighborhood  as  they  passed  down  the  river ;  they  must  have 
subsequently  come  out  from  among  the  mountains.  Mr.  Hunt, 
who  first  descried  them,  checked  the  eagerness  of  his  companions, 
knowing  the  unwillingness  of  these  Indians  to  part  with  their 


A   NECESSARY   OUTRAGE.  306 


horses,  and  their  aptness  to  hurry  them  off  and  conceal  them,  in 
case  of  an  alarm.  This  was  no  time  to  risk  such  a  disappoint- 
ment. Approaching,  therefore,  stealthily  and  silently,  they  came 
upon  the  savages  by  surprise,  who  fled  in  terror.  Five  of  their 
horses  were  eagerly  seized,  and  one  was  dispatched  upon  the  spot. 
The  carcass  was  immediately  cut  up,  and  a  part  of  it  hastily 
cooked  and  ravenously  devoured.  A  man  was  now  sent  on  horse- 
back with  a  supply  of  the  flesh  to  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  compan- 
ions. He  reached  them  in  the  night ;  .they  were  so  famished 
thatch  e  supply  sent  them  seemed  but  to  aggravate  their  hunger, 
and  they  were  almost  tempted  to  kill  and  eat  the  horse  that  had 
brought  the  messenger.  Availing  themselves  of  the  assistance 
of  the  animal,  they  reached  the  camp  early  in  the  morning. 

On  arriving  there,  Mr.  Crooks  was  shocked  to  find  that,  while 
the  people  on  this  side  of  the  river,  were  amply  supplied  with 
provisions,  none  had  been  sent  to  his  own  forlorn  and  famishing 
men  on  the  opposite  bank.  He  immediately  caused  a  skin  canoe 
to  be  constructed,  and  called  out  to  his  men  to  fill  their  camp- 
kettles  with  water  and  hang  them  over  the  ^re.  that  no  time 
might  be  lost  in  cooking  the  meat  the  moment  it  should  be  re- 
ceived. The  river  was  so  narrow,  though  deep,  that  every  thing 
could  be  distinctly  heard  and  seen  across  it.  The  kettles  were 
placed  on  the  fire,  and  the  water  was  boiling  by  the  time  the 
canoe  was  completed.  When  all  was  ready,  however,  no  one 
would  undertake  to  ferry  the  meat  across.  A  vague,  and  almost 
superstitious  terror  had  infected  the  minds  of  Mr.  Hunt's  fol- 
lowers, enfeebled  and  rendered  imaginative  of  horrors  by  the  dis- 
mal scenes  and-  sufferings  through  which  they  had  passed.  They 
regarded  the  haggard  crew,  hovering  like  spectres  of  famine  on 
the  opposite  bank,  with  indefinite  feelings  of  awe  and  apprehen- 
sion ;  as  if  something  desperate  and  dangerous  was  to  be  feared 
from  them. 


306  ASTORIA. 

Mr.  Crooks  tried  in  vain  to  reason  or  shame  them  out  of  this 
singular  state  of  mind.  He  then  attempted  to  navigate  the  canoe 
himself,  but  found  his  strength  incompetent  to  brave  the  impetu- 
ous current.  The  good  feelings  of  Ben  Jones,  the  Kentuckian, 
at  length  overcame  his  fears,  and  he  ventured  over.  The  supply 
he  brought  was  received  with  trembling  avidity.  A  poor  Cana- 
dian, however,  named  Jean  Baptiste  Prevost,  whom  famine  had 
rendered  wild  and  desperate,  ran  frantically  about  the  bank,  after 
Jones  had  returned,  crying  out  to  Mr.  Hunt  to  send  the  canoe 
for  him,  and  take  him  from  that  horrible  region  of  famiri^  de- 
claring that  otherwise  he  would  never  march  another  step,  but 
would  lie  down  there  and  die. 

The  canoe  was  shortly  sent-  over  again,  under  tne  manage- 
ment of  Joseph  Delaunay,  with  further  supplies.  Prevost  im- 
mediately pressed  forward  to  embark.  Delaunay  refused  to  admit 
him,  telling  him  that  there  was  now  a  sufficient  supply  of  meat 
on  his  side  of  the  river.  He  replied  that  it  was  not  cooked,  and 
he  should  starve  .before  it  was  ready ;  he  implored,  therefore,  to 
be  taken  where  hfcould  get  something  to  appease  his  hunger  im- 
mediately. Finding  the  canoe  putting  off  without  him,  he  forced 
himself  aboard.  As  he  drew  near  the  opposite  shore,  and  beheld 
meat  roasting  before  the  fire,  he  jumped  up,  shouted,  clapped  his 
hands,  and  danced  in  a  delirium  of  joy,  until  he  upset  the  canoe. 
The  poor  wretch  was  swept  away  by  the  current  and  drowned,  and 
it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  that  Delaunay  reached  the  shore. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  sent  all  his  men  forward  excepting  two  or 
three.  In  the  evening,  he  caused  another  horse  to  be  killed,  and 
a  canoe  to  be  made  out  of  the  skin,  in  which  he  sent  over  a  fur- 
ther supply  of  meat  to  the  opposite  party.  The  canoe  brought 
back  John  Day,  the  Kentucky  hunter,  who  came  to  join  his  for- 
mer employer  and  commander,  Mr.  Crooks.  Poor  Day,  once  so 
active  and  vigorous,  was  now  reduced  to  a  condition  even  more 


EMERGE  FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS.  307 

feeble  and  emaciated  than  his  companions.  Mr.  Crooks  had  such 
a  value  for  the  man,  on  account  of  his  past  services  and  faithful 
character,  that  he  determined  not  to  quit  him ;  he  exhorted  Mr. 
Hunt,  however,  to  proceed  forward,  and  join  the  party,  as  his 
presence  was  all  important  to  the  conduct  of  the  expedition. 
One  of  the  Canadians,  Jean  Baptiste  Dubreuil,  likewise  remained 
with  Mr.  Crooks. 

Mr.  Hunt  left  two  horses  with  them,  and  a  part  of  the  car- 
cass of  the  last  that  had  been  killed.  This,  he  hoped,  would 
be  sufficient  to  sustain  them  until  they  should  reach  the  Indian 
encampment. 

One  of  the  chief  dangers  attending  the  enfeebled  condition 
of  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  companions,  was  their  being  overtaken 
by  the  Indians  whose  horses  had  been  seized :  though  Mr.  Hunt 
Loped  that  he  had  guarded  against  any  resentment  on  the  part 
of  the  savages,  by  leaving  various  articles  in  their  lodge,  more 
than  sufficient  to  compensate  for  the  outrage  he  had  been  com- 
pelled to  commit. 

Resuming  his  onward  course,  Mr.  Hunt  came  up  with  his 
people  in  the  evening.  The  next  day,  December  13th,  he  beheld 
several  Indians,  with  three  horses,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  and  after  a  time  came  to  the  two  lodges  which  he  had  seen 
on  going  down.  Here  he  endeavored  in  vain  to  barter  a  rifle  for 
a  horse,  but  again  succeeded  in  effecting  the  purchase  with  an 
old  tin  kettle,  aided  by  a  few  beads. 

The  two  succeeding  days  were  cold  and  stormy ;  the  snow 
was  augmenting,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  ice  running  in  the 
river.  Their  road,  however,  was  becoming  easier ;  they  were 
getting  out  of  the  hills,  and  finally  emerged  into  the  open  coun- 
try, after  twenty  days  of  fatigue,  famine,  and  hardship  of  every 
kind,  in  the  ineffectual  attempt  to  find  a  passage  down  the  river. 

They  now  encamped  on  a  little  willowcd  stream,  running 


308  ASTORIA. 

from  the  east,  which  they  had  crossed  on  the  26th  of  November. 
Here  they  found  a  dozen  lodges  of  Shoshonies,  recently  arrived, 
who  informed  them  that  had  they  persevered  along  the  river, 
they  would  have  found  their  difficulties,  augment  until  they 
became  absolutely  insurmountable.  This  intelligence  added  to 
the  anxiety  of  Mr.  Hunt  for  the  fate  of  Mr.  M'Kenzie  and  his 
people,  who  had  kept  on. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  followed  up  the  little  river,  and  encamped  at 
some  lodges  of  Shoshonies,  from  whom  he  procured  a  couple 
of  horses,  a  dog,  a  few  dried  fish,  and  some  roots  and  dried  cher- 
ries. Two  or  three  days  were  exhausted  in  obtaining  informa- 
tion about  the  route,  and  what  time  it  would  take  to  get  to  the 
Sciatogas,  a  hospitable  tribe,  on  the  west  side  of  the  mountains, 
represented  as  having  many  horses.  The  replies  were  various, 
but  concurred  in  saying  that  the  distance  was  great,  and  would 
occupy  from  seventeen  to  twenty:one  nights.  Mr.  Hunt  then 
tried  to  procure  a  guide ;  but  though  he  sent  to  various  lodges 
up  and  down  the  river,  offering  articles  of  great  value  in  Indian 
estimation,  no  one  would  venture.  The  snow  they  said  was  waist 
deep  in  the  mountains ;  and  to  all  his  offers  they  shook  their 
heads,  gave  a  shiver,  and  replied,  "  we  shall  freeze !  we  shall 
freeze !"  at  the  same  time  they  urged  him  to  remain  and  pass 
the  winter  among  them. 

Mr.  Hunt  was  in  a  dismal  dilemma.  To  attempt  the  moun- 
tains without  a  guide,  would  be  certain  death  to  him  and  all  his 
people  ;  to  remain  there,  after  having  already  been  so  long  on  the 
journey,  and  at  such  great  expense,  was  worse  to  him,  he  said, 
than  "  two  deaths."  He  now  changed  his  tone  with  the  Indians, 
charged  them  with  deceiving  him  in  respect  to  the  mountains, 
and  talking  with  a  "  forked  tongue,"  or,  in  other  words,  with 
lying.  He  upbraided  them  with  their  want  of  courage,  and  told 
them  they  were  women,  to  shrink  from  the  perils  of  such  a  joui* 


CROSSING  SNAKE   RIVER.  309 


ney.  At  length  one  of  them,  piqued  by  his  taunts,  or  tempted 
by  his  offers,  agreed  to  be  his  guide  ;  for  which  he  was  to  receive 
a  gun,  a  pistol,  three  knives,  two  horses,  and  a  little  of  every 
article  in  possession  of  the  party ;  a  reward  sufficient  to  make 
him  one  of  the  wealthiest  of  his  vagabond  nation. 

Once  more,  then,  on  the  21st  of  December,  they  set  out  upon 
their  wayfaring,  with  newly  excited  spirits.  Two  other  Indians 
accompanied  their  guide,  who  led  them  immediately  back  to 
Snake  River,  which  they  followed  down  for  a  short  distance,  in 
search  of  some  Indian  rafts  made  of  reeds,  on  which  they  might 
cross.  Finding  none,  Mr.  Hunt  caused  a  horse  to  be  killed,  and 
a  canoe  to  be  made  out  of  its  skin.  Here,  on  the  opposite  bank, 
they  saw  the  thirteen  men  of  Mr.  Crooks'  party,  who  had  con- 
tinued up  along  the  river.  They  told  Mr.  Hunt,  across  the 
stream,  that  they  had  not  seen  Mr.  Crooks,  aj>d  the  two  men  who 
had  remained  with  him,  since  the  day  that  he  had  separated  from 
them. 

The  canoe  proving  too  small,  another  horse  was  killed,  and 
the  skin  of  it  joined  to  that  of  the  first.  Nfght  came  on  before 
the  little  bark  had  made  more  than  two  voyages.  Being  badly 
made,  it  was  taken  apart  and  put  together  again,  by  the  light  of 
the  fire.  The  night  was  cold ;  the  men  were  weary  and  disheart- 
ened with  such  varied  and  incessant  toil  and  hardship.  They 
crouched,  dull  and  drooping,  around  their  fires ;  many  of  them 
began  to  express  a  wish  to  remain  where  they  were  for  the  win- 
ter. The  very  necessity  of  crossing  the  river  dismayed  some  of 
them  in  their  present  enfeebled  and  dejected  state.  It  was  rapid 
and  turbulent,  and  filled  with  floating  ice,  and  they  remembered 
that  two  of  their  comrades  had  already  perished  in  its  waters. 
Others  looked  forward  with  misgivings  to  the  long  and  dismal 
journey  through  lonesome  regions  that  awaited  them,  when  they 
should  have  passed  this  dreai^  flood. 


310  ASTORIA. 

At  an  early  hour  of  the  morning,  December  23d,  they  began 
to  cross  the  river.  Much  ice  had  formed  during  the  night,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  break  it  for  some  distance  on  each  shore. 
At  length  they  all  got  over  in  safety  to  the  west  side  ;  and  their 
spirits  rose  on  having  achieved  this  perilous  passage.  Here  they 
were  rejoined  by  the  people  of  Mr.  Crooks,  who  had  with  them 
a  horse  and  a  dog,  which  they  had  recently  procured.  The  poor 
fellows  were  in  the  most  squalid  and  emaciated  state.  Three  of 
them  were  so  completely  prostrated  in  strength  and  spirits,  that 
they  expressed  a  wish  to  remain  among  the  Snakes.  Mr.  Hunt, 
therefore,  gave  them  the  canoe,  that  they  might  cross  the  river, 
and  a  few  articles,  with  which  to  procure  necessaries,  until  they 
should  meet  with  Mr.  Crooks.  There  was  another  man,  named 
Michael  Carriere,  who  was  almost  equally  reduced,  but  he  deter- 
mined to  proceed  with  his  comrades,  who  were  now  incorporated 
with  the  party  of  Mr.  Hunt.  After  the  day's  exertions  they  en- 
camped together  on  the  banks  of  the  river.  This  was  the  last 
night  they  were  to  spend  upon  its  borders.  More  than  eight 
hundred  miles  of  hard  travelling,  and  many  weary  days,  had  it 
cost  them ;  and  the  sufferings  connected  with  it,  rendered  it 
hateful  in  their  remembrance,  so  that  the  Canadian  voyageurs 
always  spoke  of  it  as  "  La  maudite  riviere  enragee" — the  ac- 
cursed mad  river :  thus  couplings  malediction  with  its  name. 


DEPARTURE   FROM   THE  RIVER.  311 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

• 

Ox  the  24th  of  December,  all  things  being  arranged,  Mr.  Hunt 
turned  his  back  upon  the  disastrous  banks  of  Snake  River,  and 
struck  his  course  westward  for  the  mountains.  His  party,  being 
augmented  by  the  late  followers  of  Mr.  Crooks,  amounted  now  to 
thirty-two  white  men,  three  Indians,  and  the  squaw  and  two  chil- 
dren of  Pierre  Dorion.  Five  jaded,  half-starved  horses  were 
laden  with  their  luggage,  and,  in  case  of  need,  were  to  furnish 
them  with  provisions.  They  travelled  painfully  about  fourteen 
miles  a  day,  over  plains  and  among  hills,  rendered  dreary  by  oc- 
casional falls  of  snow  and  rain.  Their  only  sustenance  was  a 
scanty  meal  of  horse  flesh  once  in  four-and-twenty  hours. 

On  the  third  day  the  poor  Canadian,  Carriere,  one  of  the 
famished  party  of  Mr.  Crooks,  gave  up  in  despair,  and  lying  down 
upon  the  ground  declared  he  could  go  no  further.  Efforts  were 
made  to  cheer  him  up,  but  it  was  found  that  the  poor  feUow  was 
absolutely  exhausted  and  could  not  keep  on  his  legs.  He  was 
mounted,  therefore,  upon  one  of  the  horses,  though  the  forlorn 
animal  was  in  little  better  plight  than  himself. 

On  the  28th,  they  came  upon  a  small  stream  winding  to  the 
north,  through  a  fine  level  valley;  the  mountains  receding  on 
each  side.  Here  their  Indian  friends  pointed  out  a  chain  of 
woody  mountains  to  the  left,  running  north  and  south,  and  covered 
with  snow;  over  which  they  would  have  to  pass.  They  kept 
along  the  valley  for  twenty-one  miles  on  the  29th,  suffering  much 
from  a  continued  fall  of  snow  and  rain,  and  being  twice  obliged 


312  ASTORIA. 

to  ford  the  icy  stream.  Early  in  the  following  morning  the 
squaw  of  Pierre  Dorion,  who  had  hitherto  kept  on  without  mur- 
muring or  flinching,  was  suddenly  taken  in  labor,  and  enriched 
her  husband  with  another  child.  As  the  fortitude  and  good  con- 
duct of  the  poor  woman  had  gained  for  her  the  good-will  of  the 
party,  her  situation  caused  concern  and  perplexity.  Pierre,  how- 
ever, treated  the  matter  as  an  occurrence  that  could  soon  be^ 
arranged  and  need  cause  no  delay.  He  remained  by  his  wife  in 
the  camp,  with  his  other  children  and  his  horse,  and  promised 
soon  to  rejoin  the  main  body,  who  proceeded  on  their  march. 

Finding  that  the  little  river  entered  the  mountains,  they 
abandoned  it,  and  turned  off  for  a  few  miles  among  hills.  Here 
another  Canadian,  named  La  Bonte,  gave  out,  and  had  to  be 
helped  on  horseback.  As  the  horse  was  too  weak  to  bear  both 
him  and  his  pack,  Mr.  Hunt  took  the  latter  upon  his  own  shoul- 
ders. Thus,  with  difficulties  augmenting  at  every  step,  they 
urged  their  toilsome  way  among  the  hills  half  famished,  and  faint 
at  heart,  when  they  came  to  where  a  fair  valley  spread  out  before 
them  of  great  extent,  and  several  leagues  in  width,  with  a  beauti- 
ful stream  meandering  through  it.  A  genial  climate  seemed  to 
prevail  here,  for  though  the  snow  lay  upon  all  the  mountains 
within  sight,  there  was  none  to  be  seen  in  the  valley.  The  tra- 
vellers gazed  with  delight  upon  this  serene  sunny  landscape,  but 
their  joy  was  complete  on  beholding  six  lodges  of  Shoshonies 
pitched  upon  the  borders  of  the  stream,  with  a  number  of  horses 
and  dogs  about  them.  They  all  pressed  forward  with  eagerness 
and  soon  reached  the  camp.  Here  their  first  attention  was  to 
obtain  provisions.  A  rifle,  an  old  musket,  a  tomahawk,  a  tin  ket- 
tle, and  a  small  quantity  of  ammunition  soon  procured  them  four 
horses,  three  dogs,  and  some  roots.  Part  of  the  live  stock  was 
immediately  killed,  cooked  with  all  expedition,  and  as  promptly 
devoured.  A  hearty  meal  restored  every  one  to  good  spirits.  In 


THE  NEW  YEAR.  313 

the  course  of  the  following  morning  the  Dorion  family  made  its 
reappearance.  Pierre  came  trudging  in  the  advance,  followed 
by  his  valued,  though  skeleton  steed,  on  which  was  mounted  his 
squaw  with  the  new-born  infant  in  her  arms,  and  her  boy  of  two 
years  old,  wrapped  in  a  blanket  and  slung  at  her  side.  The 
mother  looked  as  unconcerned  as  if  nothing  had  happened  to 
her;  so  easy  is  nature  in  her  operations  in  the  wilderness,  when 
free  from  the  enfeebling  refinements  of  luxury,  and  the  tamper- 
ings  and  appliances  of  art. 

The  next  morning  ushered  in  the  new  year  (1812).  Mr.  Hunt 
was  about  to  resume  his  march,  when  his  men  requested  permis- 
sion to  celebrate  the  day.  This  was  particularly  urged  by  the 
Canadian  voyageurs,  with  whom  new-year's  day  is  a  favorite  festi- 
val ;  and  who  never  willingly  give  up  a  holiday,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances. There  was  no  resisting  such  an  application ;  so  the 
day  was  passed  in  repose  and  revelry;  the  poor  Canadians  con- 
trived to  sing  and  dance  in  defiance  of  all  their  hardships  ;  and 
there  was  a  sumptuous  new-year's  banquet  of  dog's  meat 'and 
horse  flesh. 

After  two  days  of  welcome  rest,  the  travellers  addressed 
themselves  once  more  to  their  painful  journey.  The  Indians  of 
the  lodges  pointed  out  a  distant  gap  through  which  they  must 
pass  in  traversing  the  ridge  of  mountains.  They  assured  them 
that  they  would  be  but  little  incommoded  by  snow,  and  in  three 
days  would  arrive  among  the  Sciatogas.  Mr.  Hunt,  however, 
had  been  so  frequently  deceived  by  Indian  accounts  of  routes 
and  distances,  that  he  gave  but  little  faith  to  this  information. 

The  travellers  continued  their  course  due  west  for  five  days, 
crossing  the  valley  and  entering  the  mountains.  Here  the  tra- 
velling became  excessively  toilsome,  across  rough  stony  ridges, 
and  amidst  fallen  trees.  They  were  often  knee  deep  in  snow, 
and  sometimes  in  the  hollows  between  the  ridges  sank  up  to 

14 


314  ASTORIA. 

their  waists.  The  weather  was  extremely  cold ;  the  sky  covered 
with  clouds,  so  that  for  days  they  had  not  a  glimpse  of  the  sun. 
In  traversing  the  highest  ridge  they  had  a  wide  but  chilling 
prospect  over  a  wilderness  of  snowy  mountains. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  however,  they  had  crossed  the  dividing 
summit  of  the  chain,  and  were  evidently  under  the  influence  of  a 
milder  climate.  The  snow  began  to  decrease ;  the  sun  once 
more  emerged  from  the  thick  canopy  of  clouds,  and  shone 
cheeringly  upon  them,  and  they  caught  a  sight  of  what  appeared 
to  be  a  plain,  stretching  out  in  the  west.  They  hailed  it  as  the 
poor  Israelites  hailed  the  first  glimpse  of  the  promised  land,  for 
they  flattered  themselves  that  this  might  be  the  great  plain  of 
the  Columbia,  and  that  their  painful  pilgrimage  might  be  drawing 
to  a  close. 

It  was  now  five  days  since  they  had  left  the  lodges  of  the 
Shoshonies,  during  which  they  had  come  about  sixty  miles,  and 
their  guide  assured  them  that  in  the  course  of  the  next  day  they 
would  see  the  Sciatogas. 

On  the  following  morning,  therefore,  they  pushed  forward 
with  eagerness,  and  soon  fell  upon  a  small  stream  which  led  them 
through  a  deep,  narrow  defile,  between  stupendous  ridges.  Here 
among  the  rocks  and  precipices  they  saw  gangs  of  that  mountain- 
loving  animal,  the  black-tailed  deer,  and  came  to  where  great 
tracks  of  horses  were  to  be  seen  in  all  directions,  made  by  the 
Indian  hunters. 

The  snow  had  entirely  disappeared,  and  the  hopes  of  soon 
coming  upon  some  Indian  encampment  induced  Mr.  Hunt  to 
press  on.  Many  of  the  men,  however,  were  so  enfeebled  that 
they  could  not  keep  up  with  the  main  body,  but  lagged,  at  inter- 
vals, behind ;  and  some  of  them  did  not  arrive  at  the  night 
encampment.  In  the  course  of  this  day's  march  the  recently 
born  child  of  Pierre  Dorion  died. 


A  SCIATOGA  CAMP.  315 

The  march  was  resumed  early  the  next  morning,  without 
waiting  for  the  stragglers.     The  stream  which  they  had  followed 
throughout  the  preceding  day  was  now  swollen  by  the  influx  of 
another  river;  the  declivities  of  the  hills  were  green  and  the 
valleys  were  clothed  with  grass.     At  length  the  jovial  cry  was 
given  of  "an  Indian  camp  !"     It  was  yet  in  the  distance,  in  the 
bosom  of  the  green  valley,  but  they  could  perceive  that  it  con- 
sisted of  numerous  lodges,  and  that  hundreds  of  horses  were 
grazing  the  grassy  meadows  around  it.     The  prospect  of  abun- 
dance of  horse  flesh  diffused  universal  joy,  for  by  this  time  the 
whole  stock  of  travelling  provisions  was  reduced  to  the  skeleton 
steed  of  Pierre  Dorion,  and  another  wretehed  animal,  equally 
emaciated,  that  had  been  repeatedly  reprieved  during  the  journey. 
A  forced  march  soon  brought  the  weary  and  hungry  travel- 
lers to  the  camp.     It  proved  to  be  a  strong  party  of  Sciatogas 
and    Tus-che-pas.     There   were  thirty-four   lodges,   comfortably 
constructed  of  mats ;  the  Indians,  too,  were  better  clothed  than 
any  of  the  wandering  bands  they  had  hitherto  met  on  this  side 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains.     Indeed  they  were  as  well  clad  as  the 
generality  of  the  wild  hunter  tribes.     Each  had  a  good  buffalo 
or  deer  skin  robe ;  and  a  deer  skin  hunting  shirt  and  leggins. 
Upwards  of  two   thousand   horses  were    ranging   the  pastures 
around  their  encampment ;  but  what  delighted  Mr.  Hunt  was, 
on  entering  the  lodges,  to  behold  brass  kettles,  axes,  copper  tea 
kettles,  and  various  other  articles  of  civilized  manufacture,  which 
showed  that  these  Indians  had  an  indirect  communication  with 
the  people  of  the  sea-coast  who  traded  with  the  whites.     He 
made  eager  inquiries  of  the  Sciatogas,  and  gathered  from  them 
that  the  great  river  (the  Columbia,)  was  but  two  days'  march 
distant,  and  that  several  white  people  had  recently  descended  it; 
who  he  hoped  might  prove  to  be  M'Lellan,  M'Kenzie  and  their 
companions. 


316  ASTORIA. 

It  was  with  the  utmost  joy  and  the  most  profound  gratitude 
to  heaven,  that  Mr.  Hunt  found  himself  and  his  band  of  weary 
and  famishing  wanderers,  thus  safely  extricated  from  the  most 
perilous  part  of  their  long  journey,  and  within  the  prospect  of  a 
termination  of  their  toils.  All  the  stragglers  who  had  lagged 
behind  arrived,  one  after  another,  excepting  the  poor  Canadian 
voyageur,  Carriere.  He  had  been  seen  late  in  the  preceding 
afternoon,  riding  behind  a  Snake  Indian,  near  some  lodges  of  that 
nation,  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  last  night's  encampment ; 
and  it  was  expected  that  he  would  soon  make  his  appearance. 

The  first  object  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  to  obtain  provisions  for  his 
men.  A  little  venison  of  an  indifferent  quality,  and  some  roots 
were  all  that  could  be  procured  that  evening ;  but  the  next  day 
he  succeeded  in  purchasing  a  mare  and  colt,  which  were  immedi- 
ately killed,  and  the  cravings  of  the  half-starved  people  in  some 
degree  appeased. 

For  several  days  they  remained  in  the  neighborhood  of  these 
Indians,  reposing  after  all  their  hardships,  and  feasting  upon 
horse  flesh  and  roots,  obtained  in  subsequent  traffic.  Many  of 
the  people  ate  to  such  excess  as  to  render  themselves  sick,  others 
were  lame  from  their  past  journey ;  but  all  gradually  recruited 
in  the  repose  and  abundance  of  the  valley.  Horses  were  obtained 
here  much  more  readily,  and  at  a  cheaper  rate,  than  among  the 
Snakes.  A  blanket,  a  knife,  or  a  half  pound  of  blue  beads  would 
purchase  a  steed,  and  at  this  rate  many  of  the  men  bought  horses 
for  their  individual  use. 

This  tribe  of  Indians,  who  are  represented  as  a  proud-spirited 
race,  and  uncommonly  cleanly,  never  eat  horses  nor  dogs,  nor 
would  they  permit  the  raw  flesh  of  either  to  be  brought  into  their 
huts.  They  had  a  small  quantity  of  venison  in  each  lodge,  but 
set  so  high  a  price  upon  it  that  the  white  men,  in  their  impover- 
ished state,  could  not  afford  to  purchase  it.  They  hunted  the 


UMATALLA  RIVER.  317 

deer  on  horseback  ;  "ringing,"  or  surrounding  them,  and  running 
them  down  in  a  circle.  They  were  admirable  horsemen,  and  their 
weapons  were  bows  and  arrows,  which  they  managed  with  great 
dexterity.  They  were  altogether  primitive  in  their  habits,  and 
seemed  to  cling  to  the  usages  of  savage  life,  even  when  possessed 
of  the  aids  of  civilization.  They  had  axes  among  them,  yet  they 
generally  made  use  of  a  stone  mallet  wrought  into  the  shape  of 
a  bottle,  and  wedges  of  elk  horn,  in  splitting  their  wood.  Though 
they  might  have  two  or  three  brass  kettles  hanging  in  their  lodges, 
yet  they  would  frequently  use  vessels  made  of  willow,  for  carry- 
ing water,  and  would  even  boil  their  meat  in  them,  by  means  of 
hot  stones.  Their  women  wore  caps  of  willow  neatly  worked  and 
figured. 

As  Carriere,  the  Canadian  straggler,  did  not  make  his  appear- 
ance for  two  or  three  days  after  the  encampment  in  the  valley, 
two  men  were  sent  out  on  horseback  in  search  of  him.  They 
returned,  however,  without  success.  The  lodges  of  the  Snake 
Indians  near  which  he  had  been  seen  were  removed,  and  they 
could  find  no  trace  of  him.  Several  days  more  elapsed,  yet 
nothing  was  seen  or  heard  of  him,  or  of  the  Snake  horseman, 
behind  whom  he  had  been  last  observed.  It  was  feared,  there- 
fore, that  he  had  either  perished  through  hunger  and  fatigue  • 
had  been  murdered  by  the  Indians ;  or,  being  left  to  himself, 
had  mistaken  some  hunting  tracks  for  the  trail  of  the  party,  and 
been  led  astray  and  lost. 

The  river  on  the  banks  of  which  they  were  encamped,  emptied 
into  the  Columbia,  was  called  by  the  natives  the  Eu-o-tal-la,  or 
Umatalla,  and  abounded  with  beaver.  In  the  course  of  their 
sojourn  in  the  valley  which  it  watered,  they  twice  shifted  their 
camp,  proceeding  about  thirty  miles  down  its  course,  which  was 
to  the  west.  A  heavy  fall  of  rain  caused  the  river  to  over- 
flow its  banks,  dislodged  them  from  their  encampment,  and 


318  ASTORIA. 

drowned  three  of  their  horses,  which  were  tethered  in  the  low 
ground. 

Further  conversation  with  the  Indians  satisfied  them  that 
they  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Columbia.  The  number  of 
the  white  men  who  they  said  had  passed  down  the  river,  agreed 
with  that  of  M'Lellan,  M'Kenzie,  and  their  companions,  and 
increased  the  hope  of  Mr.  Hunt  that  they  might  have  passed 
through  the  wilderness  with  safety. 

These  Indians  had  a  vague  story  that  white  men  were  coming 
to  trade  among  them ;  and  they  often  spoke  of  two  great  men 
named  Ke-Koosh  and  Jacquean,  who  gave  them  tobacco,  and 
smoked  with  them.  Jacquean,  they  said,  had  a  house  somewhere 
upon  the  great  river.  Some  of  the  Canadians  supposed  they  were 
speaking  of  one  Jacquean  Finlay,  a  clerk  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, and  inferred  that  the  house  must  be  some  trading  post  on 
one  of  the  tributary  streams  of  the  Columbia.  The  Indians  were 
overjoyed  when  they  found  this  band  of  white  men  intended  to 
return  and  trade  with  them.  They  promised  to  use  all  diligence 
in  collecting  quantities  of  beaver  skins,  and  no  doubt  proceeded 
to  make  deadly  war  upon  that  sagacious,  but  ill-fated  animal, 
who,  in  general,  lived  in  peaceful  insignificance  among  his  Indian 
neighbors,  before  the  intrusion  of  the  white  trader.  On  the  20th 
of  January,  Mr.  Hunt  took  leave  of  these  friendly  Indians,  and 
of  the  river  on  which  they  were  encamped,  and  continued  west- 
ward. 

At  length,  on  the  following  day,  the  wayworn  travellers  lifted 
up  their  eyes  and  beheld  before  them  the  long-sought  waters  of 
the  Columbia.  The  sight  was  hailed  with  as  much  transport  as 
if  they  had  already  reached  the  end  of  their  pilgrimage  ;  nor  can 
we  wonder  at  their  joy.  Two  hundred  and  forty  miles  had  they 
marched,  through  wintry  wastes  and  rugged  mountains,  since 
leaving  Snake  River ;  and  six  months  of  perilous  wayfaring  had 


CROSS  THE  COLUMBIA.  319 

they  experienced  since  their  departure  from  the  Arickara  village 
on  the  Missouri.  Their  whole  route  by  land  and  water  from 
that  point  had  been,  according  to  their  computation,  seventeen 
hundred  and  fifty-one  miles,  in  the  course  of  which  they  had 
endured  all  kinds  of  hardships.  In  fact,  the  necessity  of  avoid- 
ing the  dangerous  country  of  the  Blackfeet  had  obliged  them  to 
make  a  bend  to  the  south,  and  to  traverse  a  great  additional 
extent  of  unknown  wilderness. 

The  place  where  they  struck  the  Columbia  was  some  distance 
below  the  junction  of  its  two  great  branches,  Lewis  and  Clarke 
Rivers,  and  not  far  from  the  influx  of  the  Wallah- Wallah.  It 
was  a  beautiful  stream,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  wide,  totally  free 
from  trees ;  bordered  in  some  places  with  steep  rocks,  in  others 
with  pebbled  shores. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Columbia  they  found  a  miserable  horde 
of  Indians,  called  Akai-chies,  with  no  clothing  but  a  scanty  man- 
tle of  the  skins  of  animals,  and  sometimes  a  pair  of  sleeves  of 
wolfs  skin.  Their  lodges  were  shaped  like  a  tent,  and  very  light 
and  warm,  being  covered  with  mats  of  rushes  ;  beside  which  they 
had  excavations  on  the  ground,  lined  with  mats,  and  occupied  by 
the  women,  who  were  even  more  slightly  clad  than  the  men. 
These  people  subsisted  chiefly  by  fishing ;  having  canoes  of  a 
rude  construction,  being  merely  the  trunks  of  pine  trees  split  and 
hollowed  out  by  fire.  .Their  lodges  were  well  stored  with  dried 
salmon,  and  they  had  great  quantities  of  fresh  salmon  trout  of  an 
excellent  flavor,  taken  at  the  mouth  of  the  Umatalla ;  of  which 
the  travellers  obtained  a  most  acceptable  supply. 

Finding  that  the  road  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  Mr. 
Hunt  crossed,  and  continued  five  or  six  days  travelling  rather 
slowly  down  along  its  banks,  being  much  delayed  by  the  straying 
of  the  horses,  and  the  attempts  made  by  the  Indians  to  steal 
them.  They  frequently  passed  lodges,  where  they  obtained  fish 


320  ASTORIA. 

and  dogs.  At  one  place  the  natives  had  just  returned  from 
hunting,  and  had  brought  back  a  large  quantity  of  elk  and  deer 
meat,  but  asked  so  high  a  price  for  it  as  to  be  beyond  the  funds 
of  the  travellers,  so  they- had  to  content  themselves  with  dog's 
flesh.  They  had  by  this  time,  however,  come  to  consider  it  very 
choice  food,  superior  to  horse  flesh,  and  the  minutes  of  the  expe- 
dition speak  rather  exultingly  now  and  then,  of  their  having 
made  a  "  famous  repast,"  where  this  viand  happened  to  be  un- 
usually plenty. 

They  again  learnt  tidings  of  some  of  the  scattered  members 
of  the  expedition,  supposed  to  be  M'Kenzie,  M'Lellan,  and  their 
men,  who  had  preceded  them  down  the  river,  and  had  overturned 
one  of  their  canoes,  by  which  they  lost  many  articles.  All  these 
floating  pieces  of  intelligence  of  their  fellow  adventurers,  who 
had  separated  from  them  in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness,  they 
received  with  eager  interest. 

The  weather  continued  to  be  temperate,  marking  the  superior 
softness  of  the  climate  on  this  side  of  the  mountains.  For  a 
great  part  of  the  time,  the  days  were  delightfully  mild  and  clear, 
like  the  serene  days  of  October,  on  the  Atlantic  borders.  The 
country  in  general,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  river,  was  a  con- 
tinual plain,  low  near  the  water,  but  rising  gradually  ;  destitute 
of  trees,  and  almost  without  shrubs  or  plants  of  any  kind,  ex- 
cepting a  few  willow  bushes.  After  travelling  about  sixty  miles, 
they  came  to  where  the  country  became  very  hilly  and  the  river 
made  its  way  between  rocky  banks,  and  down  numerous  rapids. 
The  Indians  in  this  vicinity  were  better  clad  and  altogether  in 
more  prosperous  condition  than  those  .above,  and,  as  Mr.  Hunt 
thought,  showed  their  consciousness  of  ease  by  something  like 
sauciness  of  manner.  Thus  prosperity  is  apt  to  produce  arro- 
gance in  savage  as  well  as  in  civilized  life.  In  both  conditions, 
man  is  an  animal  that  will  not  bear  pampering. 


THE   FALLS  OF  THE   COLUMBIA.  321 


From  these  people  Mr.  Hunt  for  the  first  time  received  vague, 
but  deeply  interesting  intelligence  of  that  part  of  the  enterprise 
which  had  proceeded  by  sea  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia. 
The  Indians  spoke  of  a  number  of  white  men  who  had  built  a 
large  house  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  river,  and  surrounded  it 
with  palisades.  None  of  them  had  been  down  to  Astoria  them- 
selves ;  but  rumors  spread  widely  and  rapidly  from  mouth  to 
mouth  among  the  Indian  tribes,  and  are  carried  to  the  heart  of 
the  interior,  by  hunting  parties  and  migratory  hordes. 

The  establishment  of  a  trading  emporium  at  such  a  point, 
also,  was  calculated  to  cause  a  sensation  to  the  most  remote  parts 
of  the  vast  wilderness  beyond  the  mountains.  It,  in  a  manner, 
struck  the  pulse  of  the  great  vital  river,  and  vibrated  up  all  its 
tributary  streams. 

It  is  surprising  to  notice  how  well  this  remote  tribe  of  savages 
had  learnt  through  intermediate  gossips,  the  private  feelings  of 
the  colonists  at  Astoria :  it  shows  that  Indians  are  not  the  incu- 
rious and  indifferent  observers  that  they  have  been  represented. 
They  told  Mr.  Hunt  that  the  white  people  at  the  large  house  had 
been  looking  anxiously  for  many  of  their  friends,  whom  they  had 
expected  to  descend  the  great  river  ;  and  had  been  in  much 
affliction,  fearing  that  they  were  lost.  Now,  however,  the  arrival 
of  him  and  his  party  would  wipe  away  all  their  tears,  and  they 
would  dance  and  sing  for  joy. 

On  the  31st  of  January,  Mr.  Hunt  arrived  at  the  falls  of  the 
Columbia,  and  encamped  at  the  village  of  Wish-ram,  situated  at 
the  head  of  that  dangerous  pass  of  the  river  called  "  the  long 
narrows." 


322  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

OF  the  village  of  Wish-ram,  the  aborigines'  fishing  mart  of  the 
Columbia,  we  have  given  some  account  in  an  early  chapter  of 
this  work.  The  inhabitants  held  a  traffic  in  the  productions  of 
the  fisheries  of  the  falls,  and  their  village  was  the  trading  resort 
of  the  tribes  from  the  coast  and  from  the  mountains.  Mr.  Hunt 
found  the  inhabitants  shrewder  and  more  intelligent  than  any 
Indians  he  had  met  with.  Trade  had  sharpened  their  wits, 
though  it  had  not  improved  their  honesty  ;  for  they  were  a  com- 
munity of  arrant  rogues  and  freebooters.  Their  habitations  com- 
ported with  their  circumstances,  and  were  superior  to  any  the 
travellers  had  yet  seen  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  gen- 
eral, the  dwellings  of  the  savages  on  the  Pacific  side  of  that  great 
barrier,  were  mere  tents  and  cabins  of  mats,  or  skins,  or  straw, 
the  country  being  destitute  of  timber.  In  Wish-ram,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  houses  were  built  of  wood,  with  long  sloping  roofs. 
The  floor  was  sunk  about  six  feet  below  the  surface  ef  the  ground, 
with  a  low  door  at  the  gable  end,  extremely  narrow,  and  partly 
sunk.  Through  this  it  was  necessary  to  crawl,  and  then  to  de- 
scend a  short  ladder.  This  inconvenient  entrance  was  probably 
for  the  purpose  of  defence  ;  there  were  loop-holes  also  under  the 
eaves,  apparently  for  the  discharge  of  arrows.  The  houses  were 
large,  generally  containing  two  or  three  families.  Immediately 
within  the  door  were  sleeping  places,  ranged  along  the  walls,  like 
berths  in  a  ship  ;  and  furnished  with  pallets  of  matting.  These 
extended  along  one-half  of  the  building ;  the  remaining  half  was 
appropriated  to  the  storing  of  dried  fish. 


DISTRESSING   INTELLIGENCE.  323 

The  trading  operations  of  the  inhabitants  of  Wish-ram  had 
given  them  a  wider  scope  of  information,  and  rendered  their 
village  a  kind  of  head-quarters  of  intelligence.  Mr.  Hunt  was 
able,  therefore,  to  collect  more  distinct  tidings  concerning  the 
settlement  of  Astoria  and  its  affairs.  One  of  the  inhabitants  had 
been  at  the  trading  post  established  by  David  Stuart  on  the 
Oakinagan,  and  had  picked  up  a  few  words  of  English  there. 
From  him,  Mr.  Hunt  gleaned  various  particulars  about  that 
establishment,  as  well  as  about  the  general  concerns  of  the  enter- 
prise. Others  repeated  the  name  of  Mr.  M'Kay,  the  partner 
who  perished  in  the  massacre  on  board  of  the  Tonquin,  and  gave 
some  account  of  that  melancholy  affair.  They  said,  Mr.  M'Kay 
was  a  chief  among  the  white  men,  and  had  built  a  great  house  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  had  left  it  and  sailed  away  in  a  large 
ship  to  the  northward,  where  he  had  been  attacked  by  bad  In- 
dians in  canoes.  Mr.  Hunt  was  startled  by  this  intelligence, 
and  made  further  inquiries.  They  informed  him  that  the 
Indians  had  lashed  their  canoes  to  the  ship,  and  fought  until 
they  killed  him  and  all  his  people.  This  is  another  instance  of 
the  clearness  with  which  intelligence  is  transmitted  from  mouth 
to  mouth  among  the  Indian  tribes.  These  tidings,  though  but 
partially  credited  by  Mr.  Hunt,  filled  his  mind  with  anxious 
forebodings.  He  now  endeavored  to  procure  canoes,  in  which  to 
descend  the  Columbia,  but  none  suitable  for  the  purpose  were  to 
be  obtained  above  the  narrows ;  he  continued  on,  therefore,  the 
distance  of  twelve  miles,  and  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 
The  camp  was  soon  surrounded  by  loitering  savages,  who  went 
prowling  about,  seeking  what  they  might  pilfer.  Being  baffled 
by  the  vigilance  of  the  guard,  they  endeavored  to  compass  their 
ends  by  other  means.  Towards  evening,  a  number  of  warriors 
entered  the  camp  in  ruffling  style ;  painted  and  dressed  out  as 
if  for  battle,  and  armed  with  lances,  bows  and  arrows,  and 


324  ASTORIA. 

scalping  knives.  They  informed  Mr.  Hunt  that  a  party  of 
thirty  or  forty  braves  were  coming  up  from  a  village  below  to 
attack  the  camp  and  carry  off  the  horses,  but  that  they  were 
determined  to  stay  with  him,  and  defend  him.  Mr.  Hunt  re- 
ceived them  with  great  coldness,  and,  when  they  had  finished 
their  story,  gave  them  a  pipe  to  smoke.  He  then  called  up  all 
hands,  stationed  sentinels  in  different  quarters,  but  told  them  to 
keep  as  vigilant  an  eye  within  the  camp  as  without. 

The  warriors  were  evidently  baffled  by  these  precautions,  and, 
having  smoked  their  pipe,  and  vapored  off  their  valor,  took  their 
departure.  The  farce,  however,  did  not  end  here.  After  a  little 
while,  the  warriors  returned,  ushering  in  another  savage,  still 
more  heroically  arrayed.  This  they  announced  as  the  chief  of 
the  belligerent  village,  but  as  a  great  pacificator.  His  people 
had  been  furiously  bent  upon  the  attack,  and  would  have  doubt- 
less carried  it  into  effect,  but  this  gallant  chief  had  stood  forth 
as  the  friend  of  white  men,  and  had  dispersed  the  throng  by 
his  own  authority  and  prowess.  Having  vaunted  this  signal 
piece  of  service,  there  was  a  significant  pause ;  all  evidently  ex- 
pecting some  adequate  reward.  Mr.  Hunt  again  produced  the 
pipe,  smoked  with  the  chieftain  and  his  worthy  compeers ;  but 
made  no  further  demonstrations  of  gratitude.  They  remained 
about  the  camp  all  night,  but  at  daylight  returned,  baffled  and 
crest-fallen,  to  their  homes,  with  nothing  but  smoke  for  their  pains. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  endeavored  to  procure  canoes,  of  which  he  saw 
several  about  the  neighborhood,  extremely  well  made,  with  ele- 
vated stems  and  sterns,  some  of  them  capable  of  carrying  three 
thousand  pounds  weight.  He  found  it  extremely  difficult,  how- 
ever, to  deal  with  these  slippery  people,  who  seemed  much  more 
inclined  to  pilfer.  Notwithstanding  a  strict  guard  maintained 
round  the  camp,  various  implements  were -stolen,  and  several 
horses  carried  off.  Among  the  latter,  we  have  to  include  the 


ARRIVAL  AT  ASTORIA.  325 

long-cherished  steed  of  Pierre  Dorion.  From  some  wilful  caprice, 
that  worthy  pitched  his  tent  at  some  distance  from  the  main  body, 
and  tethered  his  invaluable  steed  beside  it,  from  whence  it  was 
abstracted  in  the  night,  to  the  infinite  chagrin  and  mortification 
of  the  hybrid  interpreter. 

Having,  after  several  days'  negotiation,  procured  the  requisite 
number  of  canoes,  Mr.  Hunt  would  gladly  have  left  this  thievish 
neighborhood,  but  was  detained  until  the  5th  of  February  by 
violent  head  winds,  accompanied  by  snow  and  rain.     Even  after 
he  was  enabled  to  get  under  way,  he  had  still  to  struggle  against 
contrary  winds  and  tempestuous  weather.     The  current  of  the 
river,  however,  was  in  his  favor ;  having  made  a  portage  at  the 
grand  rapid,  the  canoes  met  with  no  further  obstruction,  and,  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  15th  of  February,  swept  round  an  interven- 
ing cape,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  infant  settlement  of  Astoria. 
After  eleven  months  wandering  in  the  wilderness,  a  great  part  of 
the  time  over  trackless  wastes,  where  the  sight  of  a  savage  wig- 
wam was  a   rarity,  we  may  imagine   the  delight  of  the  poor 
weather-beaten  travellers,  at  beholding  the  embryo  establishment, 
with  its  magazines,  habitations,  and  picketed  bulwarks,  seated  on 
a  high  point  of  land,  dominating  a  beautiful  little  bay,  in  which 
was  a  trim-built  shallop  riding  quietly  at  anchor.     A  shout  of  joy 
burst  from  each  canoe  at  the  long-wished-for  sight.     They  urged 
their  canoes  across  the  bay,  and  pulled  with  eagerness  for  shore, 
where  all  hands  poured  down  from  the  settlement  to  receive  and 
welcome  them.     Among  the  first  to  greet  them  on  their  landing, 
were  some  of  their  old  comrades  and  fellow-sufferers,  who,  under 
the  conduct  of  Reed,  M'Lellan,  and  M'Kenzie,  had  parted  from 
them  at  the  Caldron  Linn.     These  had  reached  Astoria  nearly  a 
month  previously,  and,  judging  from  their  own  narrow  escape 
from  starvation,  had  given  up  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  followers  as  lost. 
Their  greeting  was  the  more  warm  and  cordial.     As  to  the  Cana- 


326  ASTORIA. 

dian  voyageurs,  their  mutual  felicitations,  as  usual,  were  loud  and 
vociferous,  and  it  was  almost  ludicrous  to  behold  these  ancient 
"  comrades  "  and  "  confreres,"  hugging  and  kissing  each  other  on 
the  river  bank. 

When  the  first  greetings  were  over,  the  different  bands  inter- 
changed accounts  of  their  several  wanderings,  after  separating  at 
Snake  River  ;  we  shall  briefly  notice  a  few  of  the  leading  particu- 
lars. It  will  be  recollected  by  the  reader,  that  a  small  exploring 
detachment  had  proceeded  down  the  river,  unde'r  the  conduct  of 
Mr.  John  Reed,  a  clerk  of  the  company :  that  another  had  set 
off  under  M'Lellan,  and  a  third  in  a  different  direction,  under 
M'Kenzie.  After  wandering  for  several  days  without  meeting 
with  Indians,  or  obtaining  any  supplies,  they  came  together  for- 
tuitously among  the  Snake  River  mountains,  some  distance  below 
that  disastrous  pass  or  strait,  which  had  received  the  appellation 
of  the  Devil's  Scuttle  Hole. 

When  thus  united,  their  party  consisted  of  M'Kenzie,  M'Lel- 
lan, Reed,  and  eight  men,  chiefly  Canadians.  Being  all  in  the 
same  predicament,  without  horses,  provisions,  or  information  of 
any  kind,  they  all  agreed  that  it  would  be  worse  than  useless  to 
return  to  Mr.  Hunt  and  encumber  him  with  so  many  starving 
men,  and  that  their  only  course  was  to  extricate  themselves  as 
soon  as  possible  from  this  land  of  famine  and  misery,  and  make 
the  best  of  their  way  for  the  Columbia.  They  accordingly  con- 
tinued to  follow  the  downward  course  of  Snake  River  ;  clamber- 
ing rocks  and  mountains,  and  defying  all  the  difficulties  and  dan- 
gers of  thai  rugged  defile,  which  subsequently,  when  the  snows 
had  fallen,  was  found  impassable  by  Messrs.  Hunt  and  Crooks. 

Though  constantly  near  to  the  borders  of  the  river,  and  for  a 
great  part  of  the  time  within  sight  of  its  current,  one  of  their 
greatest  sufferings  was  thirst.  The  river  had  worn  its  way  in  a 
deep  channel  through  rocky  mountains,  destitute  of  brooks  or 


ADVENTURES.  337 


springs.  0Its  banks  were  so  high  and  precipitous,  that  there  was 
rarely  any  place  where  the  travellers  could  get  down  to  drink  of 
its  waters.  Frequently  they  suffered  for  miles  the  torments  of 
Tantalus ;  water  continually  within  sight,  yet  fevered  with  the 
most  parching  thirst.  Here  and  there  they  met  with  rain-water 
collected  in  the  hollows  of  the  rocks,  but  more  than  once  they 
were  reduced  to  the  utmost  extremity;  and  some  of  the  men 
had  recourse  to  the  last  expedient  to  avoid  perishing. 

Their  sufferings  from  hunger  were  equally  severe.  They 
could  meet  with  no  game,  and  subsisted  for  a  time  on  strips  of 
beaver  skin,  broiled  on  the  coals.  These  were  doled  out  in 
scanty  allowances,  barely  sufficient  to  keep  up  existence,  and  at 
length  failed  them  altogether.  Still  they  crept  feebly  on,  scarce 
dragging  one  limb  after  another,  until  a  severe  snow-storm 
brought  them  to  a  pause.  To  struggle  against  it,  in  their 
exhausted  condition,  was  impossible,  so  cowering  under  an  im- 
pending rock  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  mountain,  they  prepared 
themselves  for  that  wretched  fate  which  seemed  inevitable. 

At  this  critical  juncture,  when  famine  stared  them  in  the 
face,  M'Lellan  casting  up  his  eyes,  beheld  an  ahsahta,  or  bighorn, 
sheltering  itself  under  a  shelving  rock  on  the  side  of  the  hill 
above  them.  Being  in  a  more  active  plight  than  any  of  his  com- 
rades, and  an  excellent  marksman,  he  set  off  to  get  within  shot 
of  the  animal.  His  companions  watched  his  movements  with 
breathless  anxiety,  for  their  lives  depended  upon  his  success. 
He  made  a  cautious  circuit;  scrambled  up  the  hill  with  the 
utmost  silence,  and  at  length  arrived,  unperceived,  within  a 
proper  distance.  Here  levelling  his  rifle  he  took  so  sure  an  aim, 
that  the  bighorn  fell  dead  on  the  spot ;  a  fortunate  circumstance, 
for,  to  pursue  it,  if  merely  wounded,  would  have  been  impossible 
in  his  emaciated  state.  The  declivity  of  the  hill  enabled  him  to 


328  ASTORIA. 

roll  the  carcass  down  to  his  companions,  who  were  too^feeble  to 
climb  the  rocks.  They  fell  to  work  to  cut  it  up ;  yet  exerted  a 
remarkable  self-denial  for  men  in  their  starving  condition,  for 
they  contented  themselves  for  the  present  with  a  soup  made  from 
the  bones,  reserving  the  flesh  for  future  repasts.  This  providen- 
tial relief  gave  them  strength  to  pursue  their  journey,  but  they 
were  frequently  reduced  to  almost  equal  straits,  and  it  was  only 
the  smallness  of  their  party,  requiring  a  small  supply  of  pro- 
visions, that  enabled  them  to  get  through  this  desolate  region 
with  their  lives. 

At  length,  after  twenty-one  days  of  toil  and  suffering,  they 
got  through  these  mountains,  and  arrived  at  a  tributary  stream 
of  that  branch  of  the  Columbia  called  Lewis  River,  of  which 
Snake  River  forms  the  southern  fork.  In  this  neighborhood 
they  met  with  wild  horses,  the  first  they  had  seen  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  From  hence  they  made  their  way  to  Lewis 
River,  where  they  fell  in  with  a  friendly  tribe  of  Indians,  who 
freely  administered  to  their  necessities.  On  this  river  they  pro- 
cured two  canoes,  in  which  they  dropped  down  the  stream  to  its 
confluence  with  the  Columbia,  and  then  down  that  river  to  Asto- 
ria, where  they  arrived  haggard  and  emaciated,  and  perfectly 
in  rags. 

Thus,  all  the  leading  persons  of  Mr.  Hunt's  expedition  were 
once  more  gathered  together,  excepting  Mr.  Crooks,  of  whose 
safety  they  entertained  but  little  hope,  considering  the  feeble 
condition  in  which  they  had  been  compelled  to  leave  him  in  the 
heart  of  the  wilderness. 

A  day  was  now  given  up  to  jubilee,  to  celebrate  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions,  and  the  joyful  meeting  of  the 
various  scattered  bands  of  adventurers  at  Astoria.  The  colors 
were  hoisted  ;  the  guns,  great  and  small,  were  fired  ;  there  was 


FESTIVAL   AT   ASTORIA.  339 


a  feast  of  fish,  of  beaver,  and  venison,  which  relished  well  with 
men  who  had  so  long  been  glad  to  revel  on  horse  flesh  and  dogs' 
meat ;  a  genial  allowance  of  grog  was  issued,  to  increase  the 
general  animation,  and  the  festivities  wound  up,  as  usual,  with  a 
grand  dance  at  night,  by  the  Canadian  voyageurs.* 

*  The  distance  from  St.  Louis  to  Astoria,  by  the  route  travelled  by  Hunt 
and  M'Kenzie,  was  upwards  of  thirty-five  hundred  miles,  though  in  a  direct 
line,  it  does  not  exceed  eighteen  hundred. 


330  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  winter  had  passed  away  tranquilly  at  Astoria.  The  appre- 
hensions of  hostility  from  the  natives  had  subsided  ;  indeed,  as 
the  season  advanced,  the  Indians  for  the  most  part  had  disap- 
peared from  the  neighborhood,  and  abandoned  the  sea-coast,  so 
that,  for  want  of  their  aid,  the  colonists  had  at  times  suffered  con- 
siderably for  want  of  provisions.  The  hunters  belonging  to  the 
establishment  made  frequent  and  wide  excursions,  but  with  very 
moderate  success.  There  were  some  deer  and  a  few  bears  to  be 
found  in  the  vicinity,  and  elk  in  great  numbers ;  the  country, 
however,  was  so  rough,  and  the  woods  so  close  and  entangled, 
that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  beat  up  the  game.  The  preva- 
lent rains  of  winter,  also,  rendered  it  difficult  for  the  hunter  to 
keep  his  arms  in  order.  The  quantity  of  game,  therefore,  brought 
in  by  the  hunters  was  extremely  scanty,  and  it  was  frequently 
necessary  to  put  all  hands  on  very  moderate  allowance.  Towards 
spring,  however,  the  fishing  season  commenced, — the  season  of 
plenty  on  the  Columbia.  About  the  beginning  of  February,  a 
small  kind  of  fish,  about  six  inches  long,  called  by  the  natives 
the  uthlecan,  and  resembling  the  smelt,  made  its  appearance  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  It  is  said  to  be  of  delicious  flavor,  and 
so  fat  as  to  burn  like  a  candle,  for  which  it  is  often  used  by  the 
natives.  It  enters  the  river  in  immense  shoals,  like  solid  col- 
umns, often  extending  to  the  depth  of  five  or  more  feet,  and  is 
scooped  up  by  the  natives  with  small  nets  at  the  end  of  poles. 
In  this  way  they  will  soon  fill  a  canoe,  or  form  a  great  heap  upon 
the  river  banks.  These  fish  constitute  a  principal  article  of  their 


THE   UTHLECAN.  331 


food  ;  the  women  drying  them  and  stringing  them  on  cords.  As 
the  uthlecan  is  only  found  in  the  lower  part  of  the  river,  the 
arrival  of  it  soon  brought  back  the  natives  to  the  coast ;  who 
again  resorted  to  the  factory  to  trade,  and  from  that  time  fur- 
nished plentiful  supplies  of  fi*h. 

The  sturgeon  makes  its  appearance  in  the  river  shortly  after 
the  uthlecan,  and  is  taken  in  different  ways,  by  the  natives: 
sometimes  they  spear  it ;  but  oftener  they  use  the  hook  and  line, 
and  the  net.  Occasionally,  they  sink  a  cord  in  the  river  by  a 
heavy  weight,  with  a  buoy  at  the  upper  end,  to  keep  it  floating. 
To  this  cord  several  hooks  are  attached  by  short  lines,  a  few 
feet  distant  from  each  other,  and  baited  with  small  fish.  This 
apparatus  is  often  set  towards  night,  and  by  the  next  morning 
several  sturgeon  will  be  found  hooked  by  it ;  for  though  a  large 
and  strong  fish,  it  makes  but  little  resistance  when  ensnared. 

The  salmon,  which  are  the  prime  fish  of  the  Columbia,  and  as 
important  to  the  piscatory  tribes  as  are  the  buffaloes  to  the 
hunters  of  the  prairies,  do  not  enter  the  river  until  towards  the 
latter  part  of  May,  from  which  time,  until  the  middle  of  August, 
they  abound,  and  are  taken  in  vast  quantities,  either  with  the 
spear  or  seine,  and  mostly  in  shallow  water.  An  inferior  species 
succeeds,  and  continues  from  August  to  December.  It  is  re- 
markable for  having  a  double  row  of  teeth,  half  an  inch  long  and 
extremely  sharp,  from  whence  it  has  received  the  name  of  the 
dog-toothed  salmon.  It  is  generally  killed  with  the  spear  in 
small  rivulets,  and  smoked  for  winter  provision.  We  have 
noticed  in  a  former  chapter  the  mode  in  which  the  salmon  are 
taken  and  cured  at  the  falls  of  the  Columbia ;  and  put  up  in 
parcels  for  exportation.  From  these  different  fisheries  of  the 
river  tribes,  the  establishment  at  Astoria  had  to  derive  much  of 
its  precarious  supplies  of  provisions. 

A  year's  residence  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  and  various 


332  ASTORIA. 

expeditions  in  the  interior,  had  now  given  the  Astorians  some 
idea  of  the  country.  The  whole  coast  is  described  as  remarkably 
rugged  and  mountainous  ;  with  dense  forests  of  hemlock,  spruce, 
white  and  red  cedar,  cotton-wood,  white  oak,  white  and  swamp 
ash,  willow,  and  a  few  walnut.  There  is  likewise  an  undergrowth 
of  aromatic  shrubs,  creepers,  and  clambering  vines,  that  render 
the  forests  almost  impenetrable  ;  together  with  berries  of  various 
kinds,  such  as  gooseberries,  strawberries,  raspberries,  both  red 
and  yellow,  very  large  and  finely  flavored  whortleberries,  cran- 
berries, serviceberries,  blackberries,  currants,  sloes,  and  wild  and 
choke  cherries. 

Among  the  flowering  vines  is  one  deserving  of  particular 
notice.  Each  flower  is  composed  of  six  leaves  or  petals,  about 
three  inches  in  length,  of  a  beautiful  crimson,  the  inside  spotted 
with  white.  Its  leaves,  of  a  fine  green,  are  oval,  and  disposed 
by  threes.  This  plant  climbs  upon  the  trees  without  attaching 
itself  to  them ;  when  it  has  reached  the  topmost  branches,  it 
descends  perpendicularly,  and  as  it  continues  to  grow,  extends 
from  tree  to  tree,  until  its  various  stalks  interlace  the  grove  like 
the  rigging  of  a  ship.  The  stems  or  trunks  of  this  vine  are 
tougher  and  more  flexible  than  willow,  and  are  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  fathoms  in  length.  From  the  fibres,  the  Indians  manu- 
facture baskets  of  such  close  texture  as  to  hold  water. 

The  principal  quadrupeds  that  had  been  seen  by  the  colonists 
in  their  various  expeditions,  were  the  stag,  fallow  deer,  hart, 
black  and  grizzly  bear,  antelope,  ahsahta,  or  bighorn,  beaver,  sea 
and  river  otfer,  muskrat,  fox,  wolf,  and  panther,  the  latter  ex- 
tremely rare.  The  only  domestic  animals  among  the  natives  were 
horses  and  dogs. 

The  country  abounded  with  aquatic  and  land  birds,  such  as 
swans,  wild  geese,  brant,  ducks  of  almost  every  description,  peli- 
cans, herons,  gulls,  snipes,  curlews,  eagles,  vultures,  crows,  ravens, 


CLIMATE  WEST  OF  THE   MOUNTAINS.  333 


magpies,  woodpeckers,  pigeons,  partridges,  pheasants,  grouse,  and 
a  great  variety  of  singing  birds. 

There  were  few  reptiles ;  the  only  dangerous  kinds  were  the 
rattlesnake,  and  one  striped  with  black,  yellow,  and  white,  about 
four  feet  long.  Among  the  lizard  kind  was  one  about  nine  or 
ten  inches  in  length,  exclusive  of  the  tail,  and  three  inches  in 
circumference.  The  tail  was  round,  and  of  the  same  length  as 
the  body.  The  head  was  triangular,  covered  with  small  square 
scales.  The  upper  part  of  the  body  was  likewise  covered  with 
small  scales,  green,  yellow,  black,  and  blue.  Each  foot  had  five 
toes,  furnished  with  strong  nails,  probably  to  aid  it  in  burrowing, 
as  it  usually  lived  under  ground  on  the  plains. 

A  remarkable  fact,  characteristic  of  the  country  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  is  the  mildness  and  equability  of  the  climate. 
That  great  mountain  barrier  seems  to  divide  the  continent  into 
different  climates,  even  in  the  same  degrees  of  latitude.  The 
rigorous  winters  and  sultry  summers,  and  all  the  capricious  ine- 
qualities of  temperature  prevalent  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the 
mountains,  are  but  little  felt  on  their  western  declivities.  The 
countries  between  them  and  the  Pacific  are  blessed  with  milder 
and  steadier  temperature,  resembling  the  climates  of  parallel 
latitudes  in  Europe.  In  the  plains  and  valleys  but  little  snow 
falls  throughout  the  winter,  and  usually  melts  while  falling.  It 
rarely  lies  on  the  ground  more  than  two  days  at  a  time,  except 
on  the  summits  of  the  mountains.  The  winters  are  rainy  rather 
than  cold.  The  rains  for  five  months,  from  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber to  the  middle  of  March,  are  almost  incessant,  and  often  ac- 
companied by  tremendous  thunder  and  lightning.  The  winds 
prevalent  at  this  season  are  from  the  south  and  southeast,  which 
usually  bring  rain.  Those  from  the  north  to  the  southwest  are 
the  harbingers  of  fair  weather  and  a  clear  sky.  The  residue  of 
the  year,  from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  middle  of  October, 


334  ASTORIA. 

an  interval  of  seven  months,  is  serene  and  delightful.  There  is 
scarcely  any  rain  throughout  this  time,  yet  the  face  of  the  country 
is  kept  fresh  and  verdant  by  nightly  dews,  and  occasionally  by 
humid  fogs  in  the  mornings.  These  are  not  considered  prejudi- 
cial to  health,  since  both  the  natives  and  the  whites  sleep  in  the 
open  air  with  perfect  impunity.  While  this  equable  and  bland 
temperature  prevails  throughout  the  lower  country,  the  peaks 
and  ridges  of  the  vast  mountains  by  which  it  is  dominated,  are 
covered  with  perpetual  snow.  This  renders  them  discernible  at 
a  great  distance,  shining  at  times  like  bright  summer  clouds,  at 
other  times  assuming  the  most  aerial  tints,  and  always  forming 
brilliant  and  striking  features  in  the  vast  landscape.  The  mild 
temperature  prevalent  throughout  the  country  is  attributed  by 
some  to  the  succession  of  winds  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  extend- 
ing from  latitude  twenty  degrees  to  at  least  fifty  degrees  north. 
These  temper  the  heat  of  summer,  so  that  in  the  shade  no  one  is 
incommoded  by  perspiration  ;  they  also  soften  the  rigors  of  win- 
ter, and  produce  such  a  moderation  in  the  climate,  that  the  inhab- 
itants can  wear  the  same  dress  throughout  the  year. 

The  soil  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  sea-coast  is  of  a  brown 
color,  inclining  to  red,  and  generally  poor ;  being  a  mixture  of 
clay  and  gravel.  In  the  interior,  and  especially  in  the  valleys 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  soil  is  generally  blackish ;  though 
sometimes  yellow.  It  is  frequently  mixed  with  marl,  and  with 
marine  substances  in  a  state  of  decomposition.  This  kind  of 
soil  extends  to  a  considerable  depth,  as  may  be  perceived  in  the 
deep  cuts  made  by  ravines,  and  by  the  beds  of  rivers.  The  vege- 
tation in  these  valleys  is  much  more  abundant  than  near  the 
coast ;  in  fact,  it  is  in  these  fertile  intervals,  locked  up  between 
rocky  sierras,  or  scooped  out  from  barren  wastes,  that  population 
must  extend  itself,  as  it  were,  in  veins  and  ramifications,  if  ever 
the  regions  beyond  the  mountains  should  become  civilized. 


NATIVES   OF   THE   COAST.  335 


CHAPTER  XL. 

A  BRIEF  mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  tribes  or  hordes 
existing  about  the  lower  part  of  the  Columbia  at  the  time  of  the 
settlement;  a  few  more  particulars  concerning  them  may  be 
acceptable.  The  four  tribes  nearest  to  Astoria,  and  with  whom 
the  traders  had  most  intercourse,  were,  as  has  heretofore  been 
observed,  the  Chinooks,  the  Clatsops,  the  Wahkiacums,  and  the 
Cathlamets.  The  Chinooks  resided  chiefly  along  the  banks  of  a 
river  of  the  same  name,  running  parallel  to  the  sea-coast,  through 
a  low  country  studded  with  stagnant  pools,  and  emptying  itself 
into  Baker's  Bay,  a  few  miles  from  Cape  Disappointment.  This 
was  the  tribe  over  which  Comcomly,  the  one-eyed  chieftain,  held 
sway ;  it  boasted  two  hundred  and  fourteen  fighting  men.  Their 
chief  subsistence  was  on  fish,  with  an  occasional  regale  of  the 
flesh  of  elk  and  deer,  and  of  wild-fowl  from  the  neighboring 

ponds. 

The  Clatsops  resided  on  both  sides  of  Point  Adams ;  they 
were  the  mere  relics  of  a  tribe  which  had  been  nearly  swept  off 
by  the  smallpox,  and  did  not  number  more  than  one  hundred 
and  eighty  fighting  men. 

The  Wahkiacums,  or  Waak-i-cums,  inhabited  the  north  side 
of  the  Columbia,  and  numbered  sixty-six  warriors.  They  and 
the  Chinooks  were  originally  the  same  ;  but  a  dispute  arising 
about  two  generations  previous  to  the  time  of  the  settlement  be- 
tween the  ruling  chief  and  his  brother  Wahkiacum,  the  latter 
seceded,  and  with  his  adherents  formed  the  present  horde  which 


336  ASTORIA. 

continues  to  go  by  his  name.     In  this  way  new  tribes  or  clans  are 
formed,  and  lurking  causes  of  hostility  engendered. 

The  Cathlamets  lived  opposite  to  the  lower  village  of  the 
Wahkiacums,  and  numbered  ninety-four  warriors. 

These  four  tribes,  or  rather  clans,  have  every  appearance  of 
springing  from  the  same  origin,  resembling  each  other  in  person, 
dress,  language  and  manners.  They  are  rather  a  diminutive  race, 
generally  below  five  feet  five  inches,  with  crooked  legs  and  thick 
ankles  ;  a  deformity  caused  by  their  passing  so  much  of  their 
time  sitting  or  squatting  upon  the  calves  of  their  legs,  and  their 
heels,  in  the  bottom  of  their  canoes  ;  a  favorite  position,  which 
they  retain,  even  when  on  shore.  The  women  increase  the  de- 
formity by  wearing  tight  bandages  round  the  ankles,  which  pre- 
vent the  circulation  of  the  blood,  and  cause  a  swelling  of  the 
muscles  of  the  leg. 

Neither  sex  can  boast  of  personal  beauty.  Their  faces  are 
round,  with  small,  but  animated  eyes.  Their  noses  are  broad  and 
flat  at  top,  and  fleshy  at  the  end,  with  large  nostrils.  They  have 
wide  mouths,  thick  lips,  and  short,  irregular  and  dirty  teeth.  In- 
deed, good  teeth  are  seldom  to  be  seen  among  the  tribes  west  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  who  live  chiefly  on  fish. 

*In  the  early  stages  of  their  intercourse  with  white  men,  these 
savages  were  but  scantily  clad.  In  summer  time  the  men  went 
entirely  naked ;  in  the  winter  and  in  bad  weather,  the  men  wore 
a  small  robe,  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  thigh,  made  of  the 
skins  of  animals,  or  of  the  wool  of  the  mountain  sheep.  Occa- 
sionally, they  wore  a  kind  of  mantle  of  matting,  to  keep  off  the 
rain ;  but,  having  thus  protected  the  back  and  shoulders,  they 
left  the  rest  of  the  body  naked. 

The  women  wore  similar  robes,  though  shorter,  not  reaching 
below  the  waist ;  beside  which,  they  had  a  kind  of  petticoat,  or 
fringe,  reaching  from  the  waist  to  the  knee,  formed  of  the  fibres 


FEATURES  AND  DRESS.  337 

of  cedar  bark,  broken  into  strands,  or  a  tissue  of  silk  grass  twisted 
and  knotted  at  the  ends.  This  was  the  usual  dress  of  the  women 
in  summer ;  should  the  weather  be  inclement,  they  added  a  vest 
of  skins,  similar  to  the  robe. 

The  men  carefully  eradicated  every  vestige  of  a  beard,  con- 
sidering it  a  great  deformity.  They  looked  with  disgust  at  the 
whiskers  and  well-furnished  chins  of  the  white  men,  and  in  de- 
rision called  them  Long-beards  Both  sexes,  on  the  other  hand, 
cherished  the  hair  of  the  head,  which  with  them  is  generally  black 
and  rather  coarse.  They  allowed  it  to  grow  to  a  great  length, 
and  were  very  proud  and  careful  of  it,  sometimes  wearing  it 
plaited,  sometimes  wound  round  the  head  in  fanciful  tresses.  No 
greater  affront  could  be  offered  to  them  than  to  cut  off  their 
treasured  locks. 

They  had  conical  hats  with  narrow  rims,  neatly  woven  of  bear 
grass  or  of  the  fibres  of  cedar  bark,  interwoven  with  deigns  of 
various  shapes  and  colors  ;  sometimes  merely  squares  and  tri- 
angles, at  other  times  rude  representations  of  canoes,  with  men 
fishing  and  harpooning.  These  hats  were  nearly  waterproof,  and 
extremely  durable. 

The  favorite  ornaments  of  the  men  were  collars  of  bears' 
claws,  the  proud  trophies  of  hunting  exploits ;  while  the  women 
and  children  wore  similar  decorations  of  elks'  tusks.  An  inter- 
course with  the  white  traders,  however,  soon  effected  a  change  in 
the  toilets  of  both  sexes.  They  became  fond  of  arraying  them- 
selves in  any  article  of  civilized  dress  which  they  could  procure, 
and  often  made  a  most  grotesque  appearance.  They  adapted 
many  articles  of  finery,  also,  to  their  own  previous  tastes.  Both 
sexes  were  fond  of  adorning  themselves  with  bracelets  of  iron, 
brass  or  copper.  They  were  delighted,  also,  with  blue  and  white 
beads,  particularly  the  former,  and  wore  broad  tight  bands  of 
them  round  the  waist  and  ankles  ;  large  rolls  of  them  round  the 

15 


338  ASTORIA. 

neck,  and  pendants  of  them  in  the  ears.  The  men,  especially, 
who,  in  savage  life  carry  a  passion  for  personal  decoration  farther 
than  the  females,  did  not  think  their  gala  equipments  complete, 
unless  they  had  a  jewel  of  haiqua,  or  wampum,  dangling  at  the 
nose.  Thus  arrayed,  their  hair  besmeared  with  fish  oil,  and  their 
bodies  bedaubed  with  red  clay,  they  considered  themselves  irre- 
sistible. 

When  on  warlike  expeditions,  they  painted  their  faces  and 
bodies  in  the  most  hideous  and  grotesque  manner,  according  to 
the  universal  practice  of  American  savages.  Their  arms  were 
bows  and  arrows,  spears,  and  war  clubs.  Some  wore  a  corslet, 
formed  of  pieces  of  hard  wood,  laced  together  with  bear  grass,  so 
as  to  form  a  light  coat  of  mail,  pliant  to  the  body ;  and  a  kind  of 
casque  of  cedar  bark,  leather,  and  bear  grass,  sufficient  to  protect 
the  head  from  an  arrow  or  war  club.  A  more  complete  article  of 
defensive  armor  was  a  buff  jerkin  or  shirt  of  great  thickness, 
made  of  doublings  of  elk  skin,  and  reaching  to  the  feet,  holes 
being  left  for  the  head  and  arms.  This  was  perfectly  arrow 
proof ;  add  to  which,  it  was  often  endowed  with  charmed  virtues, 
by  the  spells  and  mystic  ceremonials  of  the  medicine  man,  or 
conjurer. 

Of  the  peculiar  custom,  prevalent  among  these  people,  of  flat- 
tening the  head,  we  have  already  spoken.  It  is  one  of  those  in- 
stances of  human  caprice,  like  the  crippling  of  the  feet  of  females 
in  China,  which  are  quite  incomprehensible.  This  custom  pre- 
vails principally  among  the  tribes  on  the  sea-coast,  and  about  the 
lower  parts  of  the  rivers.  Row  far  it  extends  along  the  coast  we 
are  not  able  to  ascertain.  Some  of  the  tribes,  both  north  and 
south  of  the  Columbia,  practise  it ;  but  they  all  speak  the  Chinook 
language,  and  probably  originated  from  the  same  stock.  As  far 
as  we  can  learn,  the  remoter  tribes,  which  speak  an  entirely  differ- 
ent language,  do  not  flatten  the  head.  This  absurd  custom  de- 


OF  THE  AIR  SPIRIT  AND  THE  FIRE  SPIRIT.  339 


clines,  also,  in  receding  from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific ;  few  traces 
of  it  are  to  be  found  among  the  tribes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  after  crossing  the  mountains  it  disappears  altogether.  Those 
Indians,  therefore,  about  the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia,  and  in 
the  solitary  mountain  regions,  who  are  often  called  Flatheads, 
must  not  be  supposed  to  be  characterized  by  this  deformity.  It 
is  an  appellation  often  given  by  the  hunters  east  of  the  mountain 
chain,  to  all  the  western  Indians,  excepting  the  Snakes. 

The  religious  belief  of  these  people  was  extremely  limited  and 
confined  ;  or  rather,  in  all  probability,  their  explanations  were  but 
little  understood  by  their  visitors.  They  had  an  idea  of  a  bene- 
volent and  omnipotent  spirit,  the  creator  of  all  things.  They 
represent  him  as  assuming  various  shapes  at  pleasure,  but  gene 
rally  that  of  an  immense  bird.  He  usually  inhabits  the  sun,  but 
occasionally  wings  his  way  through  the  aerial  regions,  and  sees 
all  that  is  doing  upon  earth.  Should  any  thing  displease  him,  he 
vents  his  wrath  in  terrific  storms  and  tempests,  the  lightning  being 
the  flashes  of  his  eyes,  and  the  thunder  the  clapping  of  his 
wings.  To  propitiate  his  favor  they  offer  to  him  annual  sacrifices 
of  salmon  and  venison,  the  first  fruits  of  their  fishing  and  hunting. 

Beside  this  aerial  spirit  they  believe  in  an  inferior  one,  who 
inhabits  the  fire,  and  of  whom  they  are  in  perpetual  dread,  as, 
though  he  possesses  equally  the  power  of  good  and  evil,  the  evil 
is  apt  to  predominate.  They  endeavor,  therefore,  to  keep  him  in 
good  humor  by  frequent  offerings.  He  is  supposed  also  to  have 
great  influence  with  the  winged  spirit,  their  sovereign  protector 
and  benefactor.  They  implore  him,  therefore,  to  act  as  their 
interpreter,  and  procure  them  all  desirabable  things,  such  as  suc- 
cess in  fishing  and  hunting,  abundance  of  game,  fleet  horses,  obe- 
dient wives,  and  male  children. 

These  Indians  have  likewise  their  priests,  or  conjurers,  or 
medicine  men,  who  pretend  to  be  in  the  confidence  of  the  deities, 


340  ASTORIA. 

and  the*  expounders  and  enforcers  of  their  will.  Each  of  these 
medicine  men  has  his  idols  carved  in  wood,  representing  the 
spirits  of  the  air  and  of  the  fire,  under  some  rude  and  grotesque 
form  of  a  horse,  a  bear,  a  beaver,  or  other  quadruped,  or  that  of 
bird  or  fish.  These  idols  are  hung  round  with  amulets  and 
votive  offerings,  such  as  beavers'  teeth,  and  bears'  and  eagles' 
claws. 

When  any  chief  personage  is  on  his  death-bed,  or  danger- 
ously ill,  the  medicine  men  are  sent  for.  Each  brings  with  him 
his  idols,  with  which  he  retires  into  a  canoe  to' hold  a  consulta- 
tion. As  doctors  are  prone  to  disagree,  so  these  medicine  men 
have  now  and  then  a  violent  altercation  as  to  the  malady  of  the 
patient,  or  the  treatment  of  it.  To  settle  this  they  beat  their 
idols  soundly  against  each  other ;  whichever  first  loses  a  tooth 
or  a  claw  is  considered  as  confuted,  and  his  votary  retires  from 
the  field. 

Polygamy  is  not  only  allowed,  but  considered  honorable,  and 
the  greater  number  of  wives  a  man  can  maintain,  the  more  impor- 
tant is  he  in  the  eyes  of  the  tribe.  The  first  wife,  however,  takes 
rank  of  all  the  others,  and  is  considered  mistress  of  the  house. 
Still  the  domestic  establishment  is  liable  to  jealousies  and  cabals, 
and  the  lord  and  master  has  much  difficulty  in  maintaining  har- 
mony in  his  jangling  household. 

In  the  manuscript  from  which  we  draw  many  of  these  par- 
ticulars, it  is  stated  that  he  who  exceeds  his  neighbors  in  the 
number  of  his  wives,  male  children  and  slaves,  is  elected  chief  of 
the  village  ;  a  title  to  office  which  we  do  not  recollect  ever  before 
to  have  met  with. 

Feuds  are  frequent  among  these  tribes,  but  are  not  very 
deadly.  They  have  occasionally  pitched  battles,  fought  on  ap- 
pointed days,  and  at  specified  places,  which  are  generally  the 
banks  of  a  rivulet.  The  adverse  parties  post  themselves  on  the 


AMUSEMENTS— GAMBLING— STEALING.  341 

opposite  sides  of  the  stream,  and  at  such  distances  that  the  bat- 
tles often  last  a  long  while  before  any  blood  is  shed.  The 
number  of  killed  and  wounded  seldom  exceed  half  a  dozen. 
Should  the  damage  be  equal  on  each  side,  the  war  is  considered 
as  honorably  concluded ;  should  one  party  lose  more  than  the 
other,  it  is  entitled  to  a  compensation  in  slaves  or  other  property, 
otherwise  hostilities  are  liable  to  be  renewed  at  a  future  day. 
They  are  much  given  also  to  predatory  inroads  into  the  terri- 
tories of  their  enemies,  and  sometimes  of  their  friendly  neigh- 
bors. Should  they  fall  upon  a  band  of  inferior  force,  or  upon 
a  village,  weakly  defended,  they  act  with  the  ferocity  of  true 
poltroons,  slaying  all  the  men,  and  carrying  off  the  women  and 
children  as  slaves.  As  to  the  property,  it  is  packed  upon 
horses  which  they  bring  with  them  for  the  purpose.  They  are 
mean  and  paltry  as  warriors,  and  altogether  inferior  in  heroic 
qualities  to  the  savages  of  the  buffalo  plains  on  the  east  side  of 
the  mountains. 

A  great  portion  of  their  time  is  passed  in  revelry,  music, 
dancing,  and  gambling.  Their  music  scarcely  deserves  the  name  ; 
the  instruments  being  of  the  rudest  kind.  Their  singing  is  harsh 
and  discordant;  the  songs  are  chiefly  extempore,  relating  to 
passing  circumstances,  the  persons  present,  or  any  trifling  object 
that  strikes  the  attention  of  the  singer.  They  have  several  kinds 
of  dances,  some  of  them  lively  and  pleasing.  The  women  are 
rarely  permitted  to  dance  with  the  men,  but  form  groups  apart, 
dancing  to  the  same  instrument  and  song. 

They  have  a  great  passion  for  play,  and  a  variety  of  games. 
To  such  a  pitch  of  excitement  are  they  sometimes  roused,  that 
they  gamble  away  every  thing  they  possess,  even  to  their  wives 
and  children.  They  are  notorious  thieves,  also,  and  proud  of 
their  dexterity.  He  who  is  frequently  successful,  gains  much 
applause  and  popularity ;  but  the  clumsy  thief,  who  is  detected 


342  ASTORIA. 

in  some  bungling  attempt,  is  scoffed  at  and  despised,  and  some- 
times severely  punished. 

Such  are  a  few  leading  characteristics  of  the  natives  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Astoria.  They  appear  to  us  inferior  in  many 
respects  to  the  tribes  east  of  the  mountains,  the  bold  rovers  of 
the  prairies  ;  and  to  partake  much  of  the  Esquimaux  character ; 
elevated  in  some  degree  by  a  more  genial  climate,  and  more 
varied  style  of  living. 

The  habits  of  traffic  engendered  at  the  cataracts  of  the  Co- 
lumbia, have  had  their  influence  along  the  coast.  The  Chinooks 
and  other  Indians  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  soon  proved  them- 
selves keen  traders,  and  in  their  early  dealings  with  the  Astori- 
ans,  never  hesitated  to  ask  three  times  what  they  considered  the 
real  value  of  an  article.  They  were  inquisitive,  also,  in  the 
extreme,  and  impertinently  intrusive  ;  and  were  prone  to  indulge 
in  scoffing  and  ridicule,  at  the  expense  of  the  strangers. 

In  one  thing,  however,  they  showed  superior  judgment  and 
self-command  to  most  of  their  race  ;  this  was,  in  their  abstinence 
from  ardent  spirits,  and  the  abhorrence  and  disgust  with  which 
they  regarded  a  drunkard.  On  one  occasion,  a  son  of  Comcomly 
had  been  induced  to  drink  freely  at  the  factory,  and  went  home 
in  a  state  of  intoxication,  playing  all  kinds  of  mad  pranks,  until 
he  sank  into  a  stupor,  in  which  he  remained  for  two  days.  The 
old  chieftain  repaired  to  his  friend,  M'Dougal,  with  indignation 
flaming  in  his  countenance,  and  bitterly  reproached  him  for 
having  permitted  his  son  to  degrade  himself  into  a  beast,  and  to 
render  himself  an  object  of  scorn  and  laughter  to  his  slave. 


VARIOUS  EXPEDITIONS  SET   OX   FOOT.  343 


CHAPTER  XII. 

As  the  spring  opened,  the  little  settlement  of  Astoria  was  in  agi- 
tation, and  prepared  to  send  forth  various  expeditions.  Several 
important  things  were  to  be  done.  It  was  necessary  to  send  a 
supply  of  goods  to  the  trading  post  of  Mr.  David  Stuart,  estab- 
lished in  the  preceding  autumn  on  the  Oakinagan.  The  cache, 
or  secret  deposit,  made  by  Mr  Hunt  at  the  Caldron  Linn,  was 
likewise  to  be  visited,  and  the  merchandise  and  other  effects  left 
there,  to  be  brought  to  Astoria.  A  third  object  of  moment  -was 
to  send  dispatches  overland  to  Mr.  Astor  at  New-York,  inform- 
ing him  of  the  state  of  affairs  at  the  settlement,  and  the  fortunes 
of  the  several  expeditions. 

The  task  of  carrying  supplies  to  Oakinagan  was  assigned 
to  Mr.  Robert  Stuart,  a  spirited  and  enterprising  young  man, 
nephew  to  the  one  who  had  established  the  post.  The  cache  was 
to  be  sought  out  by  two  of  the  clerks,  named  Russell  Farnham 
and  Donald  M'Gilles,  conducted  by  a  guide,  and  accompanied  by 
eight  men,  to  assist  in  bringing  home  the  goods. 

As  to  the  dispatches,  they  were  confided  to  Mr.  John  Reed, 
the  clerk,  the  same  who  had  conducted  one  of  the  exploring 
detachments  of  Snake  River.  He  was  now  to  trace  back  his  way 
across  the  mountains  by  the  same  route  by  which  he  had  come, 
with  no  other  companions  or  escort  than  Ben  Jones,  the  Ken- 
tucky hunter,  and  two  Canadians.  As  it  was  still  hoped  that 
Mr  Crooks  might  be  in  existence,  and  that  Mr.  Reed  and  1 
party  might  meet-with  him  in  the  course  of  their  route,  they 


344  ASTORIA. 


were  charged  with  a  small  supply  of  goods  and  provisions,  to  aid 
that  gentleman  on  his  way  to  Astoria. 

When  the  expedition  of  Reed  was  made  known,  Mr.  M'Lellan 
announced  his  determination  to  accompany  it.  He  had  long 
been  dissatisfied  with  the  smallness  of  his  interest  in  the  copart- 
nership, and  had  requested  an  additional  number  of  shares ;  his 
request  not  being  complied  with,  he  resolved  to  abandon  the 
company.  M'Lellan  was  a  man  of  a  singularly  self-willed  and 
decided  character,  with  whom  persuasion  was  useless ;  he  was 
permitted,  therefore,  to  take  his  own  course  without  opposition. 

As  to  Reed,  he  set  about  preparing  for  his  hazardous  journey 
with  the  zeal  of  a  true  Irishman.  He  had  a  tin  case  made,  in 
which  the  letters  and  papers  addressed  to  Mr.  Astor  were  care- 
fully soldered  up.  This  case  he  intended  to  strap  upon  his 
shoulders,  so  as  to  bear  it  about  with  him,  sleeping  and  waking, 
in  all  changes  and  chances,  by  land  or  by  water,  and  never  to 
part  with  it  but  with  his  life  ! 

As  the  route  of  these  several  parties  would  be  the  same  for 
nearly  four  hundred  miles  xip  the  Columbia,  and  within  that 
distance  would  lie  through  the  piratical  pass  of  the  rapids,  and 
among  the  freebooting  tribes  of  the  river,  it  was  thought  advisa- 
ble to  start  about  the  same  time,  and  to  keep  together.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  22d  of  March,  they  all  set  off,  to  the  number  of 
seventeen  men,  in  two  canoes  ; — and  here  we  cannot  but  pause  to 
notice  the  hardihood  of  these  several  expeditions,  so  insignificant 
in  point  of  force,  and  severally  destined  to  traverse  immense  wil- 
dernesses, where  larger  parties  had  experienced  so  much  danger 
and  distress.  When  recruits  were  sought  in  the  preceding  year 
among  experienced  hunters  and  voyageurs  at  Montreal  and  St. 
Louis,  it  was  considered  dangerous  to  attempt  to  cross  the  Rocky 
Mountains  with  less  than  sixty  men  ;  and  yet  here  we  find  Reed 
ready  to  push  his  way  across  those  barriers  with  merely  three 


THE  PIRATICAL   PASS.  345 

companions.  Such  is  the  fearlessness,  the  insensibility  to  dan- 
ger, which  men  acquire  by  the  habitude  of  constant  risk.  The 
mind,  like  the  body,  becomes  callous  by  exposure. 

The  little  associated  band  proceeded  up  the  river,  under  the 

command  of  Mr.  Robert  Stuart,  and  arrived  early  in  the  month 

of  April  at  the  Long  Narrows,  that  notorious  plundering  place. 

Here  it  was  necessary  to  unload  the  canoes,  and  to  transport 

both  them  and  their  cargoes  to  the  head  of  the  Narrows  by  land. 

Their  party  was  too  few  in  number  for  the  purpose.     They  were 

obliged,  therefore,  to  seek  the  assistance  of  the  Cathlasco  Indians, 

who  undertook  to  carry  the  goods  on  their  horses.     Forward 

then  they  set,  the  Indians  with  their  horses  well  freighted,  and 

the  first  load  convoyed  by  Reed  and  five  men,  well  armed ;  the 

gallant  Irishman  striding  along  at  the  head,  with  his  tin  case  of 

dispatches  glittering  on  his  back.     In  passing,  however,  through 

a  rocky  and  intricate  defile,  some  of  the  freebooting  vagrants 

turned  their  horses  up  a  narrow  path  and  galloped  off,  carrying 

with  them  two  bales  of  goods,  and  a  number  of  smaller  articles. 

To  follow  them  was  useless ;   indeed,  it  was  with  much  ado  that 

the  convoy  got  into  port  with  the  residue  of  the  cargoes ;  for 

some  of  the  guards  were  pillaged  of  their  knives  and  pocket 

handkerchiefs,  and  the  lustrous  tin  case  of  Mr.  John  Reed  was 

in  imminent  jeopardy. 

Mr.  Stuart  heard  of  these  depredations,  and  hastened  forward 
to  the  relief  of  the  convoy,  but  could  not  reach  them  before  dusk, 
by  which  time  they  had  arrived  at  the  village  of  Wish-ram, 
already  noted  for  its  great  fishery,  and  the  knavish  propensities 
of  its  inhabitants.  Here  they  found  themselves  benighted  in  a 
strange  place,  and  surrounded  by  savages  bent  on  pilfering,  if 
not  upon  open  robbery.  Not  knowing  what  active  course  to  take, 
they  remained  under  arms  all  night,  without  closing  an  eye,  and 
at  the  very  first  peep  of  dawn,  when  objects  were  yet  scarce 

15* 


346  ASTORIA. 

visible,  every  thing  was  hastily  embarked,  and,  without  seeking 
to  recover  the  stolen  effects,  they  pushed  off  from  shore ;  "  glad 
to  bid  adieu,"  as  they  said,  "to  this  abominable  nest  of  mis- 
creants." 

The  worthies  of  Wish-ram,  however,  were  not  disposed  to 
part  so  easily  with  their  visitors.  Their  cupidity  had  been 
quickened  by  the  plunder  which  they  had  already  taken,  and 
their  confidence  increased  by  the  impunity  with  which  their 
outrage  had  passed.  They  resolved,  therefore,  to  take  further 
toll  of  the  travellers,  and,  if  possible,  to  capture  the  tin  case  of 
dispatches ;  which  shining  conspicuously  from  afar,  and  being 
guarded  by  John  Reed  with  such  especial  care,  must,  as  they 
supposed,  be  "  a  great  medicine." 

Accordingly,  Mr.  Stuart,  and  his  comrades  had  not  proceeded 
far  in  the  canoes,  when  they  beheld  the  whole  rabble  of  Wish-ram 
stringing  in  groups  along  the  bank,  whooping  and  yelling,  and 
gibbering  in  their  wild  jargon,  and  when  they  landed  below  the 
falls,  they  were  surrounded  by  upwards  of  four  hundred  of  these 
river  ruffians,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  war  clubs,  and  other 
savage  weapons.  These  now  pressed  forward,  with  offers  to 
carry  the  canoes  and  effects  up  the  portage.  Mr.  Stuart  declined 
forwarding  the  goods,  alleging  the  lateness  of  the  hour ;  but,  to 
keep  them  in  good  humor,  informed  them,  that,  if  they  conducted 
themselves  well,  their  offered  services  might  probably  be  accepted 
in  the  morning  ;  in  the  meanwhile,  he  suggested  that  they  might 
carry  up  the  canoes.  They  accordingly  set  off  with  the  two 
canoes  on  their  shoulders,  accompanied  by  a  guard  of  eight  men 
well  armed. 

When  arrived  at  the  head  of  the  falls,  the  mischievous  spirit 
of  the  savages  broke  out,  and  they  were  on  the  point  of  destroy- 
ing the  canoes,  doubtless  with  a  view  to  impede  the  white  men 
from  carrying  forward  their  goods,  and  laying  them  open  to  fur- 


PORTAGE  AT  THE  FALLS. 

ther  pilfering.  They  were  with  some  difficulty  prevented  from 
committing  this  outrage  by  the  interference  of  an  old  man,  who 
appeared  to  have  authority  among  them  ;  and,  in  consequence  ( 
his  harangue,  the  whole  of  the  hostile  band,  with  the  exception 
of  about  fifty,  crossed  to  the  north  side  of  the  river,  where  they 
lay  in  wait,  ready  for  further  mischief. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Stuart,  who  had  remained  at  the  1 
of  the  falls  with  the  goods,  and  who  knew  that  the  proffered 
assistance  of  the  savages  was  only  for  the  purpose  of  having  a 
opportunity  to  plunder,  determined,  if  possible,  to  steal  a  march 
upon  them,  and  defeat  their  machinations.     In  the  dead  , 
Bight  therefore,  about  one  o'clock,  the  moon  shining  brightly,  h. 
roused  his  party,  and  proposed  that  they  should  endeavor  t 
transport  the  goods  themselves,  above  the  falls,  before  the  sleep- 
ing savages  could  be  aware  of  their  operations.     All  hands  sprang 
to  the  work  with  zeal,  and  hurried  it  on  in  the  hope  of  getting 
all  over  before  daylight.     Mr.  Stuart  went  forward  with  the  i 
loads  and  took  his  station  at  the  head  of  the  portage,  while  Mr. 
Reed  and   Mr.  M'Lellan   remained  at  the  foot  to  forward 

remainder.  .       , 

The  day  dawned  before  the  trausportat.on  was  complel 
Some  of  the  fifty  Indian,  who  had  remained  on  the  south  s,de 
the  river,  perceived  what  was  going  on,  and,  feeling  themselve. 
too  weak  for  an  attaek,  gave  the  alarm  to  those  on  the  oppos, 
side,  upwards  of  a  hundred  of  whom  emharked  »  several  large 
canoes.     Two  loads  of  goods  jet  remained  to  be  brought  up. 
Stuart  dispatched  some  of  the  people  for  one  of  the  loads,  wU, 
a  request  to  Mr.  Eeed  to  retain  with  him  as  many  men  , 
Uht  necessary  to  guard  the  remaining  load,  -  «*d 
hostile  intentions  on  the  part  of  the  Ind,an,     "d;h™ 

ter  refused  to  retain  any  of  them,  saying  that  IlLell 
h  1  f  were  sufficient  to  protect  the  small  quantity  that  remamed 


348  ASTORIA. 

The  men  accordingly  departed  with  the  load,  while  Reed  and 
M'Lellan  continued  to  mount  guard  over  the  residue.  By  this 
time,  a  number  of  the  canoes  had  arrived  from  the  opposite  side.  • 
As  they  approached  the  shore,  the  unlucky  tin  box  of  John  Reed, 
shining  afar  like  the  brjlliant  helmet  of  Euryalus,  caught  their 
eyes.  No  sooner  did  the  canoes  touch  the  shore,  than  they  leaped 
forward  on  the  rocks,  set  up  a  war-whoop,  and  sprang  forward  to 
secure  the  glittering  prize.  Mr.  M'Lellan,  who  was  at  the  river 
bank,  advanced  to  guard  the  goods,  when  one  of  the  savages  at- 
tempted to  hoodwink  him  with  his  buffalo  robe  with  one  hand,  and 
to  stab  him  with  the  other.  M'Lellan  sprang  back  just  far  enough 
to  avoid  the  blow,  and  raising  his  rifle,  shot  the  ruffian  through 
the  heart. 

In  the  meantime,  Reed,  who  with  the  want  of  forethought  of 
an  Irishman,  had  neglected  to  remove  the  leathern  cover  from 
the  lock  of  his  rifle,  was  fumbling  at  the  fastenings,  when  he  re- 
ceived a  blow  on  the  head  with  a  war  club  that  laid  him  senseless 
on  the  ground.  In  a  twinkling  he  was  stripped  of  his  rifle  and 
pistols,  and  the  tin  box,  the  cause  of  all  this  onslaught,  was  borne 
off  in  triumph. 

At  this  critical  juncture,  Mr.  Stuart,  who  had'  heard  the  war- 
whoop,  hastened  to  the  scene  of  action  with  Ben  Jones,  and  seven 
others  of  the  men.  When  he  arrived,  Reed  was  weltering  in  his 
blood,  and  an  Indian  standing  over  him  and  about  to  dispatch 
him  with  a  tomahawk.  Stuart  gave  the  word,  when  Ben  Jones 
levelled  his  rifle,  and  shot  the  miscreant  on  the  spot.  The  men 
then  gave  a  cheer,  and  charged  upon  the  main  body  of  the 
savages,  who  took  to  instant  flight.  Reed  was  now  raised  from 
the  ground,  and  borne  senseless  and  bleeding  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  portage.  Preparations  were  made  to  launch  the  canoes 
and  embark  all  in  haste,  when  it  was  found  that  they  were  too 
leaky  to  be  put  in  the  water,  and  that  the  oars  had  been  left  at 


AN   INDIAN   AMBUSH.  349 

the  foot  of  the  falls.     A  scene  of  confusion  now  ensued.     The 
Indians  were    whooping  and  yelling,  and    running  about   like 
fiends.     A  panic  seized  upon  the  men,  at  being  thus  suddenly 
checked,  the  hearts  of  some  of  the  Canadians  died  within  them, 
and  two  young  men  actually  fainted  away.     The  moment  they 
recovered  their  senses,  Mr.  Stuart  ordered  that  they  should  be 
deprived  of  their  arms,  their  under  garments  taken  off,  and  that 
a  piece  of  cloth  should  be  tied  round  their  waists,  in  imitation  of 
a  squaw  ;  an  Indian  punishment  for  cowardice.     Thus  equipped, 
they  were  stowed  away  among  the  goods  in  one  of  the  canoes. 
This  ludicrous  affair  excited  the  mirth  of  the  bolder  spirits,  even 
in  the  midst  of  their  perils,  and  roused  the  pride  of  the  Waver- 
ing.    The  Indians  having  crossed  back  again  to  the  north  side, 
order  was  restored,  some  of  the  hands  were  sent  back  for  the 
oars,  others  set  to  work  to  calk  and  launch  the  canoes,  and  in  a 
little  while  all  were  embarked  and  were  continuing  their  voyage 
along  the  southern  shore. 

No  sooner  had  they  departed,  than  the  Indians  returned  to 
the  scene  oT  action,  bore  off  their  two  comrades,  who  had  been 
shot,  one  of  whom  was  still  living,  and  returned  to  their  village. 
Here  they  killed  two  horses ;  and  drank  the  hot  blood  to  give 
fierceness  to  their  courage.  They  painted  and  arrayed  themselves 
hideously  for  battle ;  performed  the  dead  dance  round  the  slain, 
and  raised  the  war  song  of  vengeance.  Then  mounting  their 
horses,  to  the  number  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  bran- 
dishing their  weapons,  they  set  off  along  the  northern  bank  of 
the  river,  to  get  ahead  of  the  canoes,  lie  in  wait  for  them,  and 
take  a  terrible  revenge  on  the  white  men. 

They  succeeded  in  getting  some  distance  above  the  canoes 
without  being  discovered,  and  were  crossing  the  river  to  post 
themselves  on  the  side  along  which  the  white  men  were  coasting, 
when  they  were  fortunately  descried.  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  com- 


350  ASTORIA. 

paniona  were  immediately  on  the  alert.  As  they  drew  near  to 
the  place  where  the  savages  had  crossed,  they  observed  them 
posted  among  steep  and  overhanging  rocks,  close  along  which,  the 
canoes  would  have  to  pass.  Finding  that  the  enemy  had  the 
advantage  of  the  ground,  the  whites  stopped  short  when  within 
five  hundred  yards  of  them,  and  discharged  and  reloaded  their 
pieces.  They  then  made  a  fire,  and  dressed  the  wounds  of  Mr. 
Reed,  who  had  received  five  severe  gashes  in  the  head.  This 
being  done,  they  lashed  the  canoes  together,  fastened  them  to  a 
rock  at  a  small  distance  from  the  shore,  and  there  awaited  the 
menaced  attack. 

They  had  not  been  long  posted  in  this  manner,  when  they  saw 
a  canoe  approaching.  It  contained  the  war-chief  of  the  tribe,  and 
three  of  his  principal  warriors.  He  drew  near,  and  made  a  long 
harangue,  in  which  he  informed  them  that  they  had  killed  one 
and  wounded  another  of  his  nation ;  that  the  relations  of  the 
slain  cried  out  for  vengeance,  and  he  had  been  compelled  to  lead 
them  to  fight.  Still  he  wished  to  spare  unnecessary  bloodshed, 
he  proposed,  therefore,  that  Mr.  Reed,  who,  he  observed,  was  lit- 
tle better  than  a  dead  man,  might  be  given  up  to  be  sacrificed  to 
the  manes  of  the  deceased  warrior.  This  would  appease  the  fury 
of  his  friends ;  the  hatchet  would  then  be  buried,  and  all  thence- 
forward would  be  friends.  The  answer  was  a  stern  refusal  and  a 
defiance,  and  the  war-chief  saw  that  the  canoes  were  well  pre- 
pared for  a  vigorous  defence.  He  withdrew,  therefore,  and  re- 
turning to  his  warriors  among  the  rocks  held  long  deliberations. 
Blood  for  blood  is  a  principle  in  Indian  equity  and  Indian  honor ; 
but  though  the  inhabitants  of  Wish-ram  were  men  of  war,  they 
were  likewise  men  of  traffic,  and  it  was  suggested  that  honor  for 
once  might  give  way  to  profit.  A  negotiation  was  accordingly 
opened  with  the  white  men,  and  after  some  diplomacy,  the  matter 
was  compromised  for  a  blanket  to  cover  the  dead,  and  some  to- 


THE   EXPEDITION  ABANDONED.  351 


bacco  to  be  smoked  by  the  living.  This  being  granted,  the  heroes 
of  Wish-ram  crossed  the  river  once  more,  returned  to  their  vil- 
lage to  feast  upon  the  horses  whose  blood  they  had  so  vain- 
gloriously  drunk,  and  the  travellers  pursued  their  voyage  without 
further  molestation. 

The  tin  case,  however,  containing  the  important  dispatches 
for  New- York,  was  irretrievably  lost ;  the  very  precaution  taken 
by  the  worthy  Hibernian  to  secure  his  missives,  had,  by  render- 
ing them  conspicuous,  produced  their  robbery.  The  object  of 
his  overland  journey,  therefore,  being  defeated,  he  gave  up  the 
expedition.  The  whole  party  repaired  with  Mr.  Robert  Stuart 
to  the  establishment  of  Mr.  David  Stuart,  on  the  Oakinagan 
River.  After  remaining  here  two  or  three  days,  they  all  set  out  on 
their  return  to  Astoria,  accompanied  by  Mr.  David  Stuart.  This 
gentleman  had  a  large  quantity  of  beaver  skins  at  his  establish- 
ment, but  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  take  them  with  him,  fearing 
the  levy  of  "black  mail"  at  the  falls. 

On  their  way  down,  when  below  the  forks  of  the  Columbia, 
they  were  hailed  one  day  from  the  shore  in  English.  Look- 
ing around,  they  descried  two  wretched  men,  entirely  naked. 
They  pulled  to  shore ;  the  men  came  up  and  made  themselves 
known.  They  proved  to  be  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  faithful  follower, 
John  Day. 

The  reader  will  recollect  that  Mr.  Crooks,  with  Day  and  four 
Canadians,  had  been  so  reduced  by  famine  and  fatigue,  that  Mr. 
Hunt  was  obliged  to  leave  them,  in  the  month  of  December,  on 
^  4he  banks  pf  the  Snake  River.  Their  situation  was  the  more 
critical,  as  they  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  band  of  Shosho- 
nies,  whose  horses  had  been  forcibly  seized  by  Mr.  Hunt's  party 
for  provisions.  Mr.  Crooks  remained  here  twenty  days,  detained 
by  the  extremely  reduced  state  of  John  Day,  who  was  utterly 
unable  to  travel,  and  whom  he  would  not  abandon,  as  Day  had 


352  ASTORIA. 

been  in  his  employ  on  the  Missouri,  and  had  always  proved  him- 
self most  faithful.  Fortunately  the  Shoshonies  did  not  offer  to 
molest  them.  They  had  never  before  seen  white  men,  and  seemed 
to  entertain  some  superstitions  with  regard  to  them,  for,  though 
they  would  encamp  near  them  in  the  daytime,  they  would  move 
off  with  their  tents  in  the  night ;  and  finally  disappeared,  without 
taking  leave. 

When  Day  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  travel,  they  kept 
feebly  on,  sustaining  themselves  as  well  as  they  could,  until  in 
the  month  of  February,  when  three  of  the  Canadians,  fea-rful  of 
perishing  with  want,  left  Mr.  Crooks  on  a  small  river,  on  the 
road  by  which  Mr.  Hunt  had  passed  in  quest  of  Indians.  Mr. 
Crooks  followed  Mr.  Hunt's  track  in  the  snow  for  several  days, 
sleeping  as  usual  in  the  open  air,  and  suffering  all  kinds  of  hard- 
ships. At  length,  coming  to  a  low  prairie,  he  lost  every  ap- 
pearance of  the  "  trail,"  and  wandered  during  the  remainder  of 
the  winter  in  the  mountains,  subsisting  sometimes  on  horse  meat, 
sometimes  on  beavers  and  their  skins,  and  a  part  of  the  time 
on  roots. 

About  the  last  of  March,  the  other  Canadian  gave  out,  and 
was  left  with  a  lodge  of  Shoshonies ;  but  Mr.  Crooks  and  John 
Day  still  kept  on,  and  finding  the  snow  sufficiently  diminished, 
undertook,  from  Indian  information,  to  cross  the  last  mountain 
ridge.  They  happily  succeeded,  and  afterwards  fell  in  with  the 
Wallah-Wallahs,  a  tribe  of  Indians  inhabiting  the  banks  of  a 
river  of  the  same  name,  and  reputed  as  being  frank,  hospitable 
and  sincere.  They  proved  worthy  of  the  character,  for  they 
received  the  poor  wanderers  kindly,  killed  a  horse  for  them  to 
eat,  and  directed  them  on  their  way  to  the  Columbia.  They 
struck  the  river  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  advanced  down 
it  one  hundred  miles,  until  they  came  within  about  twenty  miles 
of  the  falls. 


ARRIVAL   AT   ASTORIA.  353 


Here  they  met  with  some  of  the  "chivalry"  of  that  noted 
pass,  who  received  them  in  a  friendly  way,  and  set  food  before 
them ;  bat,  while  they  were  satisfying  their  hunger,  perfidiously 
seized  their  rifles.  They  then  stripped  them  naked,  and  drove 
them  off,  refusing  the  entreaties  of  Mr.  Crooks  for  a  flint  and 
steel  of  which  they  had  robbed  him ;  and  threatening  his  life  if 
he  did  not  instantly  depart. 

In  this  forlorn  plight,  still  worse  off  than  before,  they  re- 
newed their  wanderings.  They  now  sought  to  find  their  way 
back  to  the  hospitable  Wallah-Wallahs,  and  had  advanced  eighty 
miles  along  the  river,  when  fortunately,  on  the  very  morning  that 
they  were  going  to  leave  the  Columbia,  and  strike  inland,  the 
canoes  of  Mr.  Stuart  hove  in  sight. 

It  is  needless  to  describe  the  joy  of  these  poor  men  at  once 
more  finding  themselves  among  countrymen  and  friends,  or  of 
the  honest  and  hearty  welcome  with  which  they  were  received  by 
their  fellow  adventurers.  The  whole  party  now  continued  down 
the  river,  passed  all  the  dangerous  places  without  interruption, 
and  arrived  safely  at  Astoria  on  the  1 1th  of  May. 


354  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

HAVING  traced  the  fortunes  of  the  two  expeditions  by  sea  and 
land  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  and  presented  a  view  of  affairs 
at  Astoria,  we  will  return  for  a  moment  to  the  master  spirit  of 
the  enterprise,  who  regulated  the  springs  of  Astoria,  at  his  resi- 
dence in  New- York. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  a  part  of  the  plan  of  Mr.  Astor  was 
to  furnish  the  Russian  fur  establishment  on  the  northwest  coast 
with  regular  supplies,  so  as  to  render  it  independent  of  those 
casual  vessels  which  cut  up  the  trade  and  supplied  the  natives 
with  arms.  This  plan  had  been  countenanced  by  our  own  gov- 
ernment, and  likewise  by  Count  Pahlen,  the  Russian  minister  at 
Washington.  As  its  views,  however,  were  important  and  exten- 
sive, and  might  eventually  affect  a  wide  course  of  commerce,  Mr. 
Astor  was  desirous  of  establishing  a  complete  arrangement  on 
the  subject  with  the  Russian  American  Fur  Company,  under  the 
sanction  of  the  Russian  government.  For  this  purpose,  in  March, 
181 1,  he  dispatched  a  confidential  agent  to  St.  Petersburgh,  fully 
empowered  to  enter  into  the  requisite  negotiations.  A  passage 
was  given  to  this  gentleman  by  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  John  Adams,  one  of  its  armed  vessels,  bound  to  a 
European  port. 

The  next  step  of  Mr.  Astor  was,  to  dispatch  the  annual  ship 
contemplated  on  his  general  plan.  He  had  as  yet  heard  nothing 
of  the  success  of  the  previous  expeditions,  and  had  to  proceed 
upon  the  presumption  that  every  thing  had  been  effected  accord- 


FITTING   OUT   OF  THE   BEAVER.  355 


ing  to  his  instructions.  He  accordingly  fitted  out  a  fine  ship  of 
four  hundred  and  ninety  tons,  called  the  Beaver,  and  freighted 
her  with  a  valuable  cargo  destined  for  the  factory,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia,  the  trade  along  the  coast,  and  the  supply  of  the 
Russian  establishment.  In  this  ship,  embarked  a  reinforcement, 
consisting  of  a  partner,  five  clerks,  fifteen  American  laborers,  and 
six  Canadian  voyageurs.  In  choosing  his  agents  for  his  first  ex- 
pedition, Mr.  Astor  had  been  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  British 
subjects  experienced  in  the  Canadian  fur  trade ;  henceforth  it  was 
his  intention,  as  much  as  possible,  to  select  Americans,  so  as  to 
secure  an  ascendency  of  American  influence  in  the  management 
of  the  company,  and  to  make  it  decidedly  national. 

Accordingly,  Mr.  John  Clarke,  the  partner,  who  took  the 
lead  in  the  present  expedition,  was  a  native  of  the  United 
States,  though  he  had  passed  much  of  his  life  in  the  northwest, 
having  been  employed  in  the  fur  trade  since  the  age  of  sixteen. 
Most  of  the  clerks  were  young  gentlemen  of  good  connections 
in  the  American  cities,  some  of  whom  embarked  in  the  hope 
of  gain,  others  through  the  mere  spirit  of  adventure  incident 
to  youth. 

The  instructions  given  by  Mr.  Astor  to  Captain  Sowle,  the 
commander  of  the  Beaver,  were,  in  some  respects,  hypothetical, 
in  consequence  of  the  uncertainty  resting  upon  the  previous  steps 
of  the  enterprise. 

He  was  to  touch  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  inquire  about  the 
fortunes  of  the  Tonquin,  and  whether  an  establishment  had  been 
formed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  If  so,  he  was  to  take  as 
many  Sandwich  Islanders  as  his  ship  would  accommodate,  and 
proceed  thither.  On  arriving  at  the  river,  he  was  to  observe  great 
caution,  for  even  if  an  establishment  should  have  been  formed,  it 
might  have  fallen  into  hostile  hands.  He  was,  therefore,  to  put 
in  as  if  by  casualty  or  distress,  to  give  himself  out  as  a  coasting 


356  ASTORIA. 

trader,  and  to  say  nothing  about  his  ship  being  owned  by  Mr. 
Astor,  until  he  had  ascertained  that  every  thing  was  right.  In 
that  case,  he  was  to  land  such  part  of  his  cargo  as  was  intended 
for  the  establishment,  and  to  proceed  to  New  Archangel  with 
the  supplies  intended  for  the  Russian  post  at  that  place,  where 
he  could  receive  peltries  in  payment.  With  these  he  was  to 
return  to  Astoria ;  take  in  the  furs  collected  there,  and,  having 
completed  his  cargo  by  trading  along  the  coast,  was  to  proceed 
to  Canton.  The  captain  received  the  same  injunctions  that  had 
been  given  to  Captain  Thorn  of  the  Tonquin,  of  great  caution 
and  circumspection  in  his  intercourse  with  the  natives,  and 
that  he  should  not  permit  more  than  one  or  two  to  be  on  board 
at  a  time. 

The  Beaver  sailed  from  New- York  on  the  10th  of  October, 
1811,  and  reached  the  Sandwich  Islands  without  any  occurrence 
of  moment.  Here  a  rumor  was  heard  of  the  disastrous  fate  of 
the  Tonquin.  Deep  solicitude  was  felt  by  every  one  on  board 
for  the  fate  of  both  expeditions,  by  sea  and  land.  Doubts  were 
entertained  whether  any  establishment  had  been  formed  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  or  whether  any  of  the  company  would 
be  found  there.  After  much  deliberation,  the  captain  took 
twelve  Sandwich  Islanders  on  board,  for  the  service  of  the 
factory,  should  there  be  one  in  existence,  and  proceeded  on  his 
voyage. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  he  arrived  off  the  mouth  of  the  Colum- 
bia, and  running  as  near  as  possible,  fired  two  signal-guns.  No 
answer  was  returned,  nor  was  there  any  signal  to  be  descried. 
Night  coming  on,  the  ship  stood  out  to  sea,  and  every  heart 
drooped  as  the  land  faded  away.  On  the  following  morning  they 
again  ran  in  within  four  miles  of  the  shore,  and  fired  other  signal 
guns,  but  still  without  reply.  A  boat  was  then  dispatched,  to 
sound  the  channel,  and  attempt  an  entrance  ;  but  returned  with- 


SIGNAL   GUNS— SIGNAL  FLAG.  357 

out  success,  there  being  a  tremendous  swell,  and  breakers.  Sig- 
nal guns  were  fired  again  in  the  evening,  but  equally  in  vain, 
and  once  more  the  ship  stood  off  to  sea  for  the  night.  The  cap- 
tain now  gave  up  all  hope  of  finding  any  establishment  at  the 
place,  and  indulged  in  the  most  gloomy  apprehensions.  He 
feared  his  predecessors  had  been  massacred  before  they  had 
reached  their  place  of  destination  ;  or  if  they  should  have  erected 
a  factory,  that  it  had  been  surprised  and  destroyed  by  the 
natives. 

In  this  moment  of  doubt  and  uncertainty,  Mr.  Clarke  an- 
nounced his  determination,  in  case  of  the  worst,  to  found  an 
establishment  with  the  present  party,  and  all  hands  bravely  en- 
gaged to  stand  by  him  in  the  undertaking.  The  next  morning 
the  ship  stood  in  for  the  third  time,  and  fired  three  signal  guns, 
but  with  little  hope  of  reply.  To  the  great  joy  of  the  crew,  three 
distinct  guns  were  heard  in  answer.  The  apprehensions  of  all 
but  Captain  Sowle  were  now  at  rest.  That  cautious 'commander 
recollected  the  instructions  given  him  by  Mr.  Astor,  and  deter- 
mined to  proceed  with  great  circumspection.  He  was  well  aware 
of  Indian  treachery  and  cunning.  It  was  not  impossible,  he  ob- 
served, that  these  cannon  might  have  been  fired  by  the  savages 
themselves.  They  might  have  surprised  the  fort,  massacred  its 
inmates  ;  and  these  signal  guns  might  only  be  decoys  to  lure  him 
across  the  bar,  that  they  might  have  a  chance  of  cutting  him  off 
and  seizing  his  vessel. 

At  length  a  white  flag  was  descried  hoisted  as  a  signal  on 
Cape  Disappointment.  The  passengers  pointed  to  it  in  triumph, 
but  the  captain  did  not  yet  dismiss  his  doubts.  A  beacon  fire 
blazed  through  the  night  on  the  same  place,  but  the  captain 
observed  that  all  these  signals  might  be  treacherous. 

On  the  following  morning,  May  9th,  the  vessel  came  to 
anchor  off  Cape  Disappointment,  outside  of  the  bar.  Towards 


358  ASTORIA. 

noon  an  Indian  canoe  was  seen  making  for  the  ship,  and  all 
hands  were  ordered  to  be  on  the  alert.  A  few  moments  after- 
wards, a  barge  was  perceived  following  the  canoe.  The  hopes 
and  fears  of  those  on  board  of  the  ship  were  in  tumultuous 
agitation,  as  the  boat  drew  nigh  that  was  to  let  them  know  the 
fortunes  of  the  enterprise,  and  the  fate  of  their  predecessors. 
The  captain,  who  was  haunted  with  the  idea  of  possible  treachery, 
did  not  suffer  his  curiosity  to  get  the  better  of  his  caution,  but 
ordered  a  party  of  his  men  under  arms,  to  receive  the  visitors. 
The  canoe  came  first  alongside,  in  which  were  Comcomly  and 
six  Indians  ;  in  the  barge  were  M'Dougal,  M'Lellan,  and  eight 
Canadians.  A  little  conversation  with  these  gentlemen  dispelled 
all  the  captain's  fears,  and  the  Beaver  crossing  the  bar  under 
their  pilotage,  anchored  safely  in  Baker's  Bay. 


OPERATIONS   AT  ASTORIA.  359 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

THE  arrival  of  the  Beaver  with  a  reinforcement  and  supplies, 
gave  new  life  and  vigor  to  affairs  at  Astoria.  These  were  means 
for  extending  the  operations  of  the  establishment,  and  founding 
interior  trading  posts.  Two  parties  were  immediately  set  on 
foot  to  proceed  severally  under  the  command  of  Messrs.  M'Kenzie 
and  Clarke,  and  establish  posts  above  the  forks  of  the  Columbia, 
at  points  where  most  rivalry  and  opposition  were  apprehended 
from  the  Northwest  Company. 

A  third  party,  headed  by  Mr.  David  Stuart,  was  to  repair 
with  supplies  to  the  post  of  that  gentleman  on  the  Oakinagan. 
In  addition  to  these  expeditions,  a  fourth  was  necessary  to  convey 
dispatches  to  Mr.  Astor,  at  New  York,  in  place  of  those  unfor- 
tunately lost  by  John  Reed.  The  safe  conveyance  of  these  dis- 
patches were  highly  important,  as  by  them  Mr.  Astor  would 
receive  an  account  of  the  state  of  the  factory,  and  regulate  his 
reinforcements  and  supplies  accordingly.  The  mission  was  one 
of  peril  and  hardship,  and  required  a  man  of  nerve  and  vigor. 
It  was  confided  to  Robert  Stuart,  who,  though  he  had  never  been 
across  the  mountains,  and  a  very  young  man,  had  given  proofs  of 
his  competency  to  the  task.  Four  trusty  and  well-tried  men, 
who  had  come  over  land  in  Mr.  Hunt's  expedition,  were  given  as 
his  guides  and  hunters.  These  were  Ben  Jones  and  John  Day, 
the  Kentuckians,  and  Andri  Vallar  and  Francis  Le  Clerc,  Cana- 
dians. Mr.  M'Lellan  again  expressed  his  determination  to  take 
this  opportunity  of  returning  to  the  Atlantic  States.  In  this  he 


360  ASTORIA. 

was  joined  by  Mr.  Crooks,  who,  notwithstanding  all  that  he  had 
suffered  in  the  dismal  journey  of  the  preceding  winter,  was  ready 
to  retrace  his  steps  and  brave  every  danger  and  hardship,  rather 
than  remain  at  Astoria.  This  little  handful  of  adventurous  men 
we  propose  to  accompany  in  its  long  and  perilous  preregrinations. 

The  several  parties  we  have  mentioned  all  set  off  in  company 
on  the  29th  of  June,  under  a  salute  of  cannon  from  the  fort. 
They  were  to  keep  together,  for  mutual  protection,  through  the 
piratical  passes  of  the  river,  and  to  separate,  on  their  different 
destinations,  at  the  forks  of  the  Columbia.  Their  number,  col- 
lectively, was  nearly  sixty,  consisting  of  partners  and  clerks, 
Canadian  voyageurs,  Sandwich  Islanders,  and  American  hunt- 
ers ;  and  they  embarked  in  two  barges  and  ten  canoes. 

They  had  scarcely  got  under  way,  when  John  Day.  the  Ken- 
tucky  hunter,  became  restless  and  uneasy,  and  extremely  way- 
ward in  his  deportment.  This  caused  surprise,  for  in  general  he 
was  remarkable  for  his  cheerful,  manly  deportment.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  the  recollection  of  past  sufferings  might  harass  his 
mind  in  undertaking  to  retrace  the  scenes  where  they  had  been 
experienced.  As  the  expedition  advanced,  however,  his  agitation 
increased.  He  began  to  talk  wildly  and  incoherently,  and  to 
show  manifest  symptoms  of  derangement. 

Mr.  Crooks  now  informed  his  companions  that  in  his  desolate 
wanderings  through  the  Snake  River  country  during  the  pre* 
ceding  winter,  in  which  he  had  been  accompanied  by  John  Day, 
the  poor  fellow's  wits  had  been  partially  unsettled  by  the  suffer- 
ings and  horrors  through  which  they  had  passed,  and  he  doubted 
whether  they  had  ever  been  restored  to  perfect  sanity.  It  was 
still  hoped  that  this  agitation  of  spirit  might  pass  away  as  they 
proceeded  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  it  grew  more  and  more  violent. 
His  comrades  endeavored  to  divert  his  mind  and  to  draw  him 
into  rational  conversation,  but  he  only  became  the  more  exaspe- 


PIRATICAL  PASS.  361 


rated,  uttering  wild  and  incoherent  ravings.  The  sight  of  any 
of  the  natives  put  him  in  an  absolute  fury,  and  he  would  heap  on 
them  the  most  opprobrious  epithets  ;  recollecting,  no  doubt,  what 
he  had  suffered  from  Indian  robbers. 

On  the  evening  of  the  2d  of  July  he  became  absolutely  fran- 
tic, and  attempted  to  destroy  himself.  Being  disarmed,  he  sank 
into  quietude,  and  professed  the  greatest  remorse  for  the  crime 
he  had  meditated.  He  then  pretended  to  sleep,  and  having  thus 
lulled  suspicion,  suddenly  sprang  up,  just  before  daylight,  seized 
a  pair  of  loaded  pistols,  and  endeavored  to  blow  out  his  brains. 
In  his  hurry  he  fired  too  high,  and  the  balls  passed  over  his  head. 
He  was  instantly  secured  and  placed  under  a  guard  in  one  of  the 
boats.  How  to  dispose  of  him  was  now  the  question,  as  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  him  with  the  expedition.  Fortunately  Mr. 
Stuart  met  with  some  Indians  accustomed  to  trade  with  Astoria. 
These  undertook  to  conduct  John  Day  back  to  the  factory,  and 
deliver  him  there  in  safety.  It  was  with  the  utmost  concern  that 
his  comrades  saw  the  poor  fellow  depart ;  for,  independent  of  his 
invaluable  services  as  a  first-rate  hunter,  his  frank  and  loyal 
qualities  had  made  him  a  universal  favorite.  It  may  be  as  well 
to  add  that  the  Indians  executed  their  task  faithfully,  and  landed 
John  Day  among  his  friends  at  Astoria ;  but  his  constitution 
was  completely  broken  by  the  hardships  he  had  undergone,  and 
he  died  within  a  year. 

On  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  July  the  party  arrived  at  the 
piratical  pass  of  the  river,  and  encamped  at  the  foot  of  the  first 
rapid.  The  next  day,  before  the  commencement  of  the  portage, 
the  greatest  precautions  were  taken  to  guard  against  lurking 
treachery,  or  open  attack.  The  weapons  of  every  man  were  put 
in  order,  and  his  cartridge-box  replenished.  Each  one  wore  a 
kind  of  surcoat  made  of  the  skin  of  the  elk,  reaching  from  his 
neck  to  his  knees,  and  answering  the  purpose  of  a  shirt  of  mail, 

16 


362  ASTORIA. 

for  it  was  arrow  proof,  and  could  even  resist  a  musket  ball  at  the 
distance  of  ninety  yards.  Thus  armed  and  equipped,  they  posted 
their  forces  in  military  style.  Five  of  the  officers  took  their  sta- 
tions at  each  end  of  the  portage,  which  was  between  Jhree  and 
four  miles  in  length  ;  a  number  of  men  mounted  guard  at  short 
distances  along  the  heights  immediately  overlooking  the  river, 
while  the  residue  thus  protected  from  surprise,  employed  them- 
selves below  in  dragging  up  the  barges  and  canoes,  and  carrying 
up  the  goods  along  the  narrow  margin  of  the  rapids.  With  these 
precautions  they  all  passed  unmolested.  The  only  accident  that 
happened  was  the  upsetting  of  one  of  the  canoes,  by  which  some 
of  the  goods  sunk,  and  others  floated  down  the  stream.  The 
alertness  and  rapacity  of  the  hordes  which  infest  these  rapids, 
were  immediately  apparent.  They  pounced  upon  the  floating 
merchandise  with  the  keenness  of  regular  wreckers.  A  bale  of 
goods  which  landed  upon  one  of  the  islands  was  immediately 
ripped  open,  one  half  of  its  contents  divided  among  the  captives, 
and  the  other  half  secreted  in  a  lonely  hut  in  a  deep  ravine.  Mr. 
Robert  Stuart,  however,  set  out  in  a  canoe  with  five  men  and  an 
interpreter,  ferreted  out  the  wreckers  in  their  retreat,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  wresting  from  them  their  booty. 

Similar  precautions  to  those  already  mentioned,  and  to  a  still 
greater  extent,  were  observed  in  passing  the  long  narrows,  and 
the  falls,  where  they  would  be  exposed  to  the  depredations  of  the 
chivalry  of  Wish-ram,  and  its  freebooting  neighborhood.  In 
fact,  they  had  scarcely  set  their  first  watch  one  night,  when  an 
alarm  of  "  Indians  !"  was  given.  "  To  arms  !"  was  the  cry,  and 
every  man  was  at  his  post  in  an  instant.  The  alarm  was  ex- 
plained ;  a  war  party  of  Shoshonies  had  surprised  a  canoe  of  the 
natives  just  below  the  encampment,  had  murdered  four  men  and 
two  women,  and  it  was  apprehended  they  would  attack  the  camp. 
The  boats  and  canoes  were  immediately  hauled  up,  a  breastwork 


STOLEN   ARTICLES   RECOVERED.  363 


was  made  of  them,  and  the  packages,  forming  three  sides  of  a 
square,  with  the  river  in  the  rear,  and  thus  the  party  remained 
fortified  throughout  the  night. 

The  dawn,  however,  dispelled  the  alarm;  the  portage  was 
conducted  in  peace ;  the  vagabond  warriors  of  the  vicinity  hov- 
ered about  them  while  at  work,  but  were  kept  at  a  wary  distance. 
They  regarded  the  loads  of  merchandise  with  wistful  eyes,  but 
seeing  the  "  long-beards  "  so  formidable  in  number,  and  so  well 
prepared  for  action,  they  made  no  attempt  either  by  open  force 
or  sly  pilfering  to  collect  their  usual  toll,  but  maintained  a  peace- 
ful demeanor,  and  were  afterwards  rewarded  for  their  good  con- 
duct with  presents  of  tobacco. 

Fifteen  days  were  consumed  in  ascending  from  the  foot  of 
the  first  rapid,  to  the  head  of  the  falls,  a  distance  of  about  eighty 
miles,  but  full  of  all  kinds  of  obstructions.  Having  happily  ac- 
complished these  difficult  portages,  the  party,  on  the  19th  of  July, 
arrived  at  a  smoother  part  of  the  river,  and  pursued  their  way 
up  the  stream  with  greater  speed  and  facility. 

They  were  now  in  the  neighborhood  where  Mr.  Crooks  and 
John  Day  had  been  so  perfidiously  robbed  and  stripped  a  few 
months  previously,  when  confiding  in  the  proffered  hospitality  of 
a  ruffian  band.  On  landing  at  night,  therefore,  a  vigilant  guard 
was  maintained  about  the  camp.  On  the  following  morning  a 
numbes  of  Indians  made  their  appearance,  and  came  prowling 
round  the  party  while  at  breakfast.  To  his  great  delight,  Mr. 
Crooks  recognized  among  them  two  of  the  miscreants  by  whom 
he  had  been  robbed.  They  were  instantly  seized,  bound  hand 
and  foot,  and  thrown  into  one  of  the  canoes.  Here  they  lay  in 
doleful  fright,  expecting  summary  execution.  Mr.  Crooks,  how- 
ever, was  not  of  a  revengeful  disposition,  and  agreed  to  release 
the  culprits  as  soon  as  the  pillaged  property  should  be  restored. 
Several  savages  immediately  started  off  in  different  directions, 


364  ASTORIA. 

and  before  night  the  rifles  of  Crooks  and  Day  were  produced  ; 
several  of  the  smaller  articles  pilfered  from  them,  however,  could 
not  be  recovered. 

The  bands  of  the  culprits  were  then  removed,  and  they  lost 
no  time  in  taking  their  departure,  still  under  the  influence  of  ab- 
ject terror,  and  scarcely  crediting  their  senses  that  they  had 
escaped  the  merited  punishment  of  their  offences. 

The  country  on  each  side  of  the  river  now  began  to  assume  a 
different  character.  The  hills,  and  cliffs,  and  forests  disappeared  ; 
vast  sandy  plains,  scantily  clothed  here  and  there  with  short  tufts 
of  grass,  parched  by  the  summer  sun,  stretched  far  away  to  the 
north  and  south.  The  river  was  occasionally  obstructed  with 
rocks  and  rapids,  but  often  there  were  smooth,  placid  intervals, 
where  the  current  was  gentle,  and  the  boatmen  were  enabled  to 
ligten  their  labors  with  the  assistance  of  the  sail. 

The  natives  in  this  part  of  the  river  resided  entirely  on  the 
northern  side.  They  were  hunters,  as  well  as  fishermen,  and  had 
horses  in  plenty.  Some  of  these  were  purchased  by  the  party, 
as  provisions,  and  killed  on  the  spot,  though  they  occasionally 
found  a  difficulty  in  procuring  fuel  wherewith  to  cook  them.  One 
of  the  greatest  dangers  that  beset  the  travellers  in  this  part  of 
their  expedition,  was  the  vast  number  of  rattlesnakes  which 
infested  the  rocks  about  the  rapids  and  portages,  and  on  which 
the  men  were  in  danger  of  treading.  They  were  often,  found, 
too,  in  quantities  about  the  encampments.  In  one  place,  a  nest 
of  them  lay  coiled  together,  basking  in  the  sun.  Several  guns 
loaded  with  shot  were  discharged  at  them,  and  thirty-seven  killed 
and  wounded.  To  prevent  any  unwelcome  visits  from  them  in 
the  night,  tobacco  was  occasionally  strewed  around  the  tents,  a 
weed  for  which  they  have  a  very  proper  abhorrence. 

On  the  28th  of  July  the  travellers  arrived  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Wallah-Wallah,  a  bright,  clear  stream,  about  six  feet  deep, 


WALLAH-WALLAH  HORSEMEN.  365 


and  fifty-five  yards  wide,  which  flows  rapidly  over  a  bed  of  sand 
and  gravel,  and  throws  itself  into  the  Columbia,  a  few  miles  be- 
low Lewis  River.  Here  the  combined  parties  that  had  thus  far 
voyaged  together,  were  to  separate,  each  for  its  particular  des- 
tination. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Wallah- Wallah,  lived  the  hospitable  tribe 
of  the  same  name  who  had  succored  Mr.  Crooks  and  John  Day 
in  the  time  of  their  extremity.  No  sooner  did  they  hear  of  the 
arrival  of  the  party,  than  they  hastened  to  greet  them.  They 
built  a  great  bonfire  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  before  the  camp, 
and  men  and  women  danced  round  it  to  the  cadence  of  their 
songs,  in  which  they  sang  the  praises  of  the  white  men,  and  wel- 
comed them  to  their  country. 

On  the  following  day  a  traffic  was  commenced,  to  procure 
horses  for  such  of  the  party  as  intended  to  proceed  by  land. 
The  Wallah- Wallahs  are  an  equestrian  tribe.  The  equipments 
of  their  horses  were  rude  and  inconvenient.  High  saddles, 
roughly  made  of  deer  skin,  stuffed  with  hair,  which  chafe  the 
horse's  back,  and  leave  it  raw  ;  wooden  stirrups,  with  a  thong  of 
raw  hide  wrapped  round  them  ;  and  for  bridles  they  have  cords 
of  twisted  horse-hair,  which  they  tie  round  the  under  jaw.  They 
are,  like  most  Indians,  bold  but  hard  riders,  and  when  on  horse- 
back gallop  about  the  most  dangerous  places,  without  fear  for 
themselves,  or  pity  for  their  steeds. 

From  these  people  Mr.  Stuart  purchased  twenty  horses  for 
his  party  ;  some  for  the  saddle,  and  others  to  transport  the  bag- 
gage. He  was  fortunate  in  procuring  a  noble  animal  for  his  own 
use,  which  was  praised  by  the  Indians  for  its  great  speed  and 
bottom,  and  a  high  price  set  upon  it.  No  people  understand  bet- 
ter the  value  of  a  horse,  than  these  equestrian  tribes ;  and  no- 
where is  speed  a  greater  requisite,  as  they  frequently  engage  in 
the  chase  of  the  antelope,  one  of  the  fleetest  of  animals.  Even 


366  ASTORIA. 

after  the  Indian  who  sold  this  boasted  horse  to  Mr.  Stuart  had 
concluded  his  bargain,  he  lingered  about  the  animal,  seeming  loth 
to  part  from  him,  and  to  be  sorry  for  what  he  had  done. 

A  day  or  two  were  employed  by  Mr.  Stuart  in  arranging 
packages  and  pack-saddles,  and  making  other  preparations  for  his 
long  and  arduous  journey.  His  party,  by  the  loss  of  John  Day, 
was  now  reduced  to  six,  a  small  number  for  such  an  expedition. 
They  were  young  men,  however,  full  of  courage,  health,  and  good 
spirits,  and  stimulated,  rather  than  appalled  by  danger. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  July,  all  preparations  being 
concluded,  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  little  band  mounted  their  steeds 
and  took  a  farewell  of  their  fellow-travellers,  who  gave  them  three 
hearty  cheers  as  they  set  out  on  their  dangerous  journey.  The 
course  they  took  was  to  the  southeast,  towards  the  fated  region  of 
the  Snake  River.  At  an  immense  distance  rose  a  chain  of  craggy 
mountains,  which  they  would  have  to  traverse ;  they  were  the 
same  among  which  the  travellers  had  experienced  such  sufferings 
from  cold  during  the  preceding  winter,  and  from  their  azure  tints, 
when  seen  at  a  distance,  had  received  the  name  of  the  Blue 
Mountains. 


SUNBURNT   HILLS.  367 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

IN  retracing  the  route  which  had  proved  so  disastrous  to  Mr. 
Hunt's  party  during  the  preceding  winter,  Mr.  Stuart  had  trusted, 
in  the  present  more  favorable  season,  to  find  easy  travelling  and 
abundant  supplies.  On  these  great  wastes  and  wilds,  however, 
each  season  has  its  peculiar  hardships.  The  travellers  had  not 
proceeded  far,  before  they  found  themselves  among  naked  and 
arid  hills,  with  a  soil  composed  of  sand  and  clay,  baked  and  brit- 
tle, that  to  all  appearance  had  never  been  visited  by  the  dews  of 
heaven. 

Not  a  spring,  or  pool,  or  running  stream  was  to  be  seen ;  the 
sunburnt  country  was  seamed  and  cut  up  by  dry  ravines,  the  beds 
of  winter  torrents  serving  only  to  balk  the  hopes  of  man  and 
beast,  with  the  sight  of  dusty  channels  where  water  had  once 
poured  along  in  floods. 

For  a  long  summer  day  they  continued  onward  without  halting  ; 
a  burning  sky  above  their  heads,  a  parched  desert  beneath  their 
feet,  with  just  wind  enough  to  raise  the  light  sand  from  the  knolls, 
and  envelope  them  in  stifling  clouds.  The  sufferings  from  thirst 
became  intense ;  a  fine  young  dog,  their  only  companion  of  the 
kind,  gave  out,  and  expired.  Evening  drew  on  without  any  pros- 
pect of  relief,  and  they  were  almost  reduced  to  despair,  when 
they  descried  something  that  looked  like  a  fringe  of  forest,  along 
the  horizon.  All  were  inspired  with  new  hope,  for  they  knew  that 
on  these  arid  wastes,  in  the  neighborhood  of  trees,  there  is  always 
water.  • 


368  ASTORIA. 

They  now  quickened  their  pace  ;  the  horses  seemed  to  under- 
stand their  motives,  and  to  partake  of  their  anticipations ;  for, 
though  before  almost  ready  to  give  out,  they  now  required  neither 
whip  nor  spur.  With  all  their  exertions,  it  was  late  in  the  night 
before  they  drew  near  to  the  trees.  As  they  approached,  they 
heard,  with  transport,  the  rippling  of  a  shallow  stream.  No  sooner 
did  the  refreshing  sound  reach  the  ears  of  the  horses,  than  the  poor 
animals  snuffed  the  air,  rushed  forward  with  ungovernable  eager- 
ness, and  plunging  their  muzzles  into  the  water,  drank  until  they 
seemed  in  danger  of  bursting.  Their  riders  had  but  little  more 
discretion,  and  required  repeated  draughts  to  quench  their  ex- 
cessive thirst.  Their  weary  march  that  day  had  been  forty-five 
miles,  over  a  tract  that  might  rival  the  deserts  of  Africa  for 
aridity.  Indeed,  the  sufferings  of  the  traveller  on  these  Ameri- 
can deserts,  is  frequently  more  severe  than  in  the  wastes  of 
Africa  or  Asia,  from  being  less  habituated  and  prepared  to  cope 
with  them. 

On  the  banks  of  this  blessed  stream  the  travellers  encamped 
for  the  night ;  and  so  great  had  been  their  fatigue,  and  so  sound 
and  sweet  was  their  sleep,  that  it  was  a  late  hour  the  next  morn- 
ing before  they  awoke.  They  now  recognized  the  little  river  to 
be  the  Umatalla,  the  same  on  the  banks  of  which  Mr.  Hunt  and 
his  followers  had  arrived  after  their  painful  struggle  through  the 
Blue  Mountains,  and  experienced  such  a  kind  relief  in  the 
friendly  camp  of  the  Sciatogas. 

That  range  of  Blue  Mountains  now  extended  in  the  distance 
before  them ;  they  were  the  same  among  which  poor  Michael 
Carriere  had  perished.  They  form  the  southeast  boundary  of 
the  great  plains  along  the  Columbia,  dividing  the  waters  of  its 
main  stream  from  those  of  Lewis  River.  They  are,  in  fact,  a 
part  of  a  long  chain,  which  stretches  over  a  great  extent  of 
country,  and  includes  in  its  links  the  Snake  River  Mountains. 


THE   BLUE   MOUNTAINS.  369 


The  day  was  somewhat  advanced  before  the  travellers  left 
the  shady  banks  of  the  Umatalla.  Their  route  gradually  took 
them  among  the  Blue  Mountains,  which  assumed  the  most 
rugged  aspect  on  a  near  approach.  They  were  shagged  with 
dense  and  gloomy  forests,  and  cut  up  by  deep  and  precipitous 
ravines,  extremely  toilsome  to  the  horses.  Sometimes  the  trav- 
ellers had  to  follow  the  course  of  some  brawling  stream,  with  a 
broken,  rocky  bed,  which  the  shouldering  cliffs  and  promontories 
on  either  side,  obliged  them  frequently  to  cross  and  recross.  For 
some  miles  they  struggled  forward  through  these  savage  and 
darkly  wooded  defiles,  when  all  at  once  the  whole  landscape 
changed,  as  if  by  magic.  The  rude  mountains  and  rugged 
ravines  softened  into  beautiful  hills,  and  intervening  meadows, 
with  rivulets  winding  through  fresh  herbage,  and  sparkling  and 
murmuring  over  gravelly  beds,  the  whole  forming  a  verdant  and 
pastoral  scene,  which  derived  additional  charms  from  being 
locked  up  in  the  bosom  of  such  a  hard-hearted  region. 

Emerging  from  the  chain  of  Blue  Mountains,  they  descended 
upon  a  vast  plain,  almost  a  dead  level,  sixty  miles  in  circumfe- 
rence, of  excellent  soil,  with  fine  streams  meandering  through  it 
in  every  direction,  their  courses  marked  out  in  the  wide  landscape 
by  serpentine  lines  of  cotton-wood  trees,  and  willows,  which 
fringed  their  banks,  and  afforded  sustenance  to  great  numbers 
of  beavers  and  otters. 

In  traversing  this  plain,  they  passed,  close  to  the  skirts  of 
the  hills,  a  great  pool  of  water,  three  hundred  yards  in  circumfe- 
rence, fed  by  a  sulphur  spring,  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  boiling 
up  in  one  corner.  The  vapor  from  this  pool  was  extremely 
noisome,  and  tainted  the  air  for  a  considerable  distance.  The 
place  was  much  frequented  by  elk,  which  were  found  in  consider- 
able numbers  in  the  adjacent  mountains,  and  their  horns,  shed  in 
the  spring  time,  were  strewed  in  every  direction  around  the  pond. 

16* 


370  ASTORIA. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  they  reached  the  main  body  of  Wood- 
pile Creek,  the  same  stream  which  Mr.  Hunt  had  ascended  in  the 
preceding  year,  shortly  after  his  separation  from  Mr.  Crooks. 

On  the  banks  of  this  stream  they  saw  a  herd  of  nineteen 
antelopes  ;  a  sight  so  unusual  in  that  part  of  the  country,  that  at 
first  they  doubted  the  evidence  of  their  senses.  They  tried  by 
every  means  to  get  within  shot  of  them,  but  they  were  too  shy 
and  fleet,  and  after  alternately  bounding  to  a  distance,  and  then 
stopping  to  gaze  with  capricious  curiosity  at  the  hunter,  they  at 
length  scampered  out  of  sight. 

On  the  12th  of  August,  the  travellers  arrived  on  the  banks 
of  Snake  River,  the  scene  of  so  many  trials  and  mishaps  to  all  of 
the  present  party  excepting  Mr.  Stuart.  They  struck  the  river 
just  above  the  place  where  it  entered  the  mountains,  through 
which  Messrs.  Stuart  and  Crooks  had  vainly  endeavored  to  find 
a  passage.  The  river  was  here  a  rapid  stream,  four  hundred 
yards  in  width,  with  high  sandy  banks,  and  here  and  there  a 
scanty  growth  of  willow.  Up  the  southern  side  of  the  river  they 
now  bent  their  course,  intending  to  visit  the  caches  made  by  Mr. 
Hunt  at  the  Caldron  Linn. 

On  the  second  evening,  a  solitary  Snake  Indian  visited  their 
camp,  at  a  late  hour,  and  informed  them  that  there  was  a  white 
man  residing  at  one  of  the  cantonments  of  his  tribe,  about  a 
day's  journey  higher  up  the  river.  It  was  immediately  con- 
cluded, that  he  must  be  one  of  the  poor  fellows  of  Mr.  Hunt's 
party,  who  had  given  out,  exhausted  by  hunger  and  fatigue,  in 
the  wretched  journey  of  the  preceding  winter.  All  present,  who 
had  borne  a  part  in  the  sufferings  of  that  journey,  were  eager 
now  to  press  forward,  and  bring  relief  to  a  lost  comrade.  Early 
the  next  morning,  therefore,  they  pushed  forward  with  unusual 
alacrity.  For  two  days,  however,  did  they  travel  without  being 
able  to  find  any  trace  of  such  a  straggler. 


NEWS   OF   STRAGGLERS.  371 


On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  they  arrived  at  a  place 
where  a  large  river  came  in  from  the  east,  which  was  renowned 
among  all  the  wandering  hordes  of  the  Snake  nation  for  its 
salmon  fishery,  that  fish  being  taken  in  incredible  quantities  in 
this  neighborhood.  Here,  therefore,  during  the  fishing  season, 
the  Snake  Indians  resort  from  far  and  near,  to  lay  in  their  stock 
of  salmon,  which,  with  esculent  roots,  forms  the  principal  food  of 
the  inhabitants  of  these  barren  regions. 

On  the  bank  of  a  small  stream  emptying  into  Snake  River  at 
this  place,  Mr.  Stuart  found  an  encampment  of  Shoshonies.  He 
made  the  usual  inquiry  of  them  concerning  the  white  man  of 
whom  he  had  received  intelligence.  No  such  person  was  dwell- 
ing among  them,  but  they  said  there  were  white  men  residing 
with  some  of  their  nation  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  This 
was  still  more  animating  information.  Mr.  Crooks  now  hoped 
that  these  might  be  the  men  of  his  party,  who,  disheartened  by 
perils  and  hardships,  had  preferred  to  remain  among  the  Indians, 
Others  thought  they  might  be  Mr.  Miller  and  the  hunters  who 
had  left  the  main  body  at  Henry's  Fort,  to  trap  among  the 
mountain  streams.  Mr.  Stuart  halted,  therefore,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Shoshonie  lodges,  and  sent  an  Indian  across  the 
river  to  seek  out  the  white  men  in  question,  and  bring  them  to 
his  camp. 

The  travellers  passed  a  restless,  miserable  night.  The  place 
swarmed  with  myriads  of  rnusquitoes,  which,  with  their  stings 
and  their  music,  set  all  sleep  at  defiance.  The  morning  dawn 
found  them  in  a  feverish,  irritable  mood,  and  their  spleen  was 
completely  aroused  by  the  return  of  the  Indian  without  any 
intelligence  of  the  white  men.  They  now  considered  themselves 
the  dupes  of  Indian  falsehoods,  and  resolved  to  "put  no  more 
confidence  in  Snakes.  They  soon,  however,  forgot  this  resolu- 
tion. In  the  course  of  the  morning,  an  Indian  came  galloping 


372  ASTORIA. 

after  them  ;  Mr.  Stuart  waited  to  receive  him ;  no  sooner  had  he 
come  up,  than,  dismounting  and  throwing  his  arms  round  the  neck 
of  Mr.  Stuart's  horse,  he  began  to  kiss  and  caress  the  animal, 
who,  on  his  part,  seemed  by  no  means  surprised  or  displeased 
with  his  salutation.  Mr.  Stuart,  who  valued  his  horse  highly, 
was  somewhat  annoyed  by  these  transports  ;  the  cause  of  them 
was  soon  explained.  The  Snake  said  the  horse  had  belonged  to 
him,  and  been  the  best  in  his  posesssion,  and  that  it  had  been 
stolen  by  the  Wallah- Wallahs.  Mr.  Stuart  was  by  no  means 
pleased  with  this  recognition  of  his  steed,  nor  disposed  to  admit 
any  claim  on  the  part  of  its  ancient  owner.  In  fact,  it  was  a 
noble  animal,  admirably  shaped,  of  free  and  generous  spirit, 
graceful  in  movement,  and  fleet  as  an  antelope.  It  was  his 
intention,  if  possible,  to  -take  the  horse  to  New- York,  and  present 
him  to  Mr.  Astor. 

In  the  meantime,  some  of  the  party  came  up,  and  immedi- 
ately recognized  in  the  Snake  an  old  friend  and  ally.  He  was, 
in  fact,  one  of  the  two  guides  who  had  conducted  Mr.  Hunt's 
party,  in  the  preceding  autumn,  across  Mad  River  Mountain  to 
Fort  Henry,  and  who  subsequently  departed  with  Mr.  Miller  and 
his  fellow  trappers,  to  conduct  them  to  a  good  trapping  ground. 
The  reader  may  recollect  that  these  two  trusty  Snakes  were 
engaged  by  Mr.  Hunt  to  return  and  take  charge  of  the  horses 
which  the  party  intended  to  leave  at  Fort  Henry,  when  they 
should  embark  in  canoes. 

The  party  now  crowded  round  the  Snake,  and  began  to  ques- 
tion him  with  eagerness.  His  replies  were  somewhat  vague,  and 
but  partially  understood.  He  told  a  long  story  about  the  horses, 
from  which  it  appeared  that  they  had  been  stolen  by  various  wan- 
dering bands,  and  scattered  in  different  directions.  The  cacjie, 
too,  had  been  plundered,  and  the  saddles  and  other  equipments 
carried  off.  His  information  concerning  Mr.  Miller  and  his  com- 


THE   SNAKE   OF   MAD   RIVER.  373 


rades,  was  not  more  satisfactory.  They  had  trapped  for  some 
time  about  the  upper  streams,  but  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a 
marauding  party  of  Crows,  who  had  robbed  them  of  horses, 
weapons,  and  every  thing. 

Further  questioning  brought  forth  further  intelligence,  but 
all  of  a  disastrous  kind.  About  ten  days  previously,  he  had  met 
with  three  other  white  men,  in  very  miserable  plight,  having  one 
horse  each,  and  but  one  rifle  among  them.  They  also  had  been 
plundered  and  maltreated  by  the  Crows,  those  universal  free- 
booters. The  Snake  endeavored  to  pronounce  the  names  of  these 
three  men,  and  as  far  as  his  imperfect  sounds  could  be  understood, 
they  were  supposed  to  be  three  of  the  party  of  four  hunters,  viz. 
Carson,  St.  Michael,  Detay6  and  Delaunay,  who  were  detached 
from  Mr.  Hunt's  party  on  the  28th  of  September,  to  trap 
beaver  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia. 

In  the  course  of  conversation,  the  Indian  informed  them  that 
the  route  by  which  Mr.  Hunt  had  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
was  very  bad  and  circuitous,  and  that  he  knew  one  much  shorter 
and  easier.  Mr.  Stuart  urged  him  to  accompany  them  as  guide, 
promising  to  reward  him  with  a  pistol  with  powder  and  ball,  a 
knife,  an  awl,  some  blue  beads,  a  blanket,  and  a  looking-glass. 
Such  a  catalogue  of  riches  was  too  tempting  to  be  resisted  ;  be- 
side the  poor  Snake  languished  after  the  prairies  ;  he  was  tired,  he 
said,  of  salmon,  and  longed  for  buffalo  meat,  and  to  have  a  grand 
buffalo  hunt  beyond  the  mountains.  He  departed,  therefore, 
with  all  speed,  to  get  his  arms  and  equipments  for  the  journey, 
promising  to  rejoin  the  party  the  next  day.  He  kept  his  word, 
and,  as  he  no  longer  said  any  thing  to  Mr.  Stuart  on  the  subject 
of  the  pet  horse,  they  journeyed  very  harmoniously  together ; 
though  now  and  then,  the  Snake  would  regard  his  quondam  steed 
with  a  wistful  eye. 

They  had  not  travelled  many  miles,  when  they  came  to  a 


374  ASTORIA. 

great  bend  in  the  river.  Here  the  Snake  informed  them  that,  by 
cutting  across  the  hills  they  would  save  many  miles  of  distance. 
The  route  across,  however,  would  be  a  good  day's  journey.  He 
advised  them,  therefore,  to  encamp  here  for  the  night,  and  set  off 
early  in  the  morning.  They  took  his  advice,  though  they  had 
come  but  nine  miles  that  day. 

On  the  following  morning  they  rose,  bright  and  early,  to 
ascend  the  hills.  On  mustering  their  little  party,  the  guide  was 
missing.  They  supposed  him  to  be  somewhere  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  proceeded  to  collect  the  horses.  The  vaunted  steed  of 
Mr.  Stuart  was  not  to  be  found.  A  suspicion  flashed  upon  his 
mind.  Search  for  the  horse  of  the  Snake  ! — He  likewise  was 
gone — the  tracks  of  two  horses,  one  after  the  other,  were  found, 
making  off  from  the  camp.  They  appeared  as  if  one  horse  had 
been  mounted,  and  the  other  led.  They  were  traced  for  a  few 
miles  above  the  camp,  until  they  both  crossed  the  river.  It  was 
plain  the  Snake  had  taken  an  Indian  mode  of  recovering  his  horse, 
having  quietly  decamped  with  him  in  the  night. 

New  vows  were  made  never  more  to  trust  in  Snakes,  or  any 
other  Indians.  It  was  determined,  also,  to  maintain,  hereafter, 
the  strictest  vigilance  over  their  horses,  dividing  the  night  into 
three  watches,  and  one  person  mounting  guard  at  a  time.  They 
resolved,  also,  to  keep  along  the  river,  instead  of  taking  the  short 
cut  recommended  by  the  fugitive  Snake,  whom  they  now  set 
down  for  a  thorough  deceiver.  The  heat  of  the  weather  was 
oppressive,  and  their  horses  were,  at  times,  rendered  almost 
frantic  by  the  stings  of  the  prairie  flies.  The  nights  were  suffo- 
cating, and  it  was  almost  impossible  to  sleep,  from  the  swarms  of 
musquitoes. 

On  the  20th  of  August  they  resumed  their  march,  keeping 
along  the  prairie  parallel  to  Snake  River.  The  day  was  sultry, 
and  some  of  the  party,  being  parched  with  thirst,  left  the  line  of 


MEETING   WITH   LOST   COMRADES.  375 


march,  and  scrambled  down  the  bank  of  the  river  to  drink.  The 
bank  was  overhung  with  willows,  beneath  which,  to  their  sur- 
prise, they  beheld  a  man  fishing.  No  sooner  did  he  see  them, 
than  he  uttered  an  exclamation  of  joy.  It  proved  to  be  John 
Hoback,  one  of  their  lost  comrades.  They  had  scarcely  ex- 
changed greetings,  when  three  other  men  came  out  from  among 
the  willows.  They  were  Joseph  Miller,  Jacob  Rezner,  and 
Robinson,  the  scalped  Kentuckian,  the  veteran  of  the  Bloody 
Ground. 

The  reader  will  perhaps  recollect  the  abrupt  and  wilful  man- 
ner in  which  Mr.  Miller  threw  up  his  interest  as  a  partner  of  the 
company,  and  departed  from  Fort  Henry,  in  company  with  these 
three  trappers,  and  a  fourth,  named  Cass.  He  may  likewise 
recognize  in  Robinson,  Rezner,  and  Hoback,  the  trio  of  Kentucky 
hunters,  who  had  originally  been  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Henry, 
and  whom  Mr.  Hunt  found  floating  down  the  Missouri,  on  their 
way  homeward  ;  and  prevailed  upon,  once  more,  to  cross  the 
mountains.  The  haggard  looks  and  naked  condition  of  these 
men  proved  how  much  they  had  suffered.  After  leaving  Mr. 
Hunt's  party,  they  had  made  their  way  about  two  hundred  miles 
to  the  southward,  where  they  trapped  beaver  on  a  river  which, 
according  to  their  account,  discharged  itself  into  the  ocean  to  the 
south  of  the  Columbia,  but  which  we  apprehend  to  be  Bear 
River,  a  stream  emptying  itself  into  Lake  Bonneville,  an  immense 
body  of  salt  water,  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Having  collected  a  considerable  quantity  of  beaver  skins, 
they  made  them  into  packs,  loaded  their  horses,  and  steered  two 
hundred  miles  due  east.  Here  they  came  upon  an  encampment 
of  sixty  lodges  of  Arapahays.  an  outlawed  band  of  the  Arapahoes, 
and  notorious  robbers.  These  fell  upon  the  poor  trappers  j 
robbed  them  of  their  peltries,  most  of  their  clothing,  and  several 
of  their  horses.  They  were  glad  to  escape  with  their  lives,  and 


376  ASTORIA. 


without  being  entirely  stripped,  and  after  proceeding  about  fifty 
miles  further,  made  their  halt  for  the  winter. 

Early  in  the  spring  they  resumed  their  wayfaring,  but  were 
unluckily  overtaken  by  the  same  ruffian  horde,  who  levied  still 
further  contributions,  and  carried  off  the  remainder  of  their 
horses,  excepting  two.  With  these  they  continued  on,  suffering 
the  greatest  hardships.  They  still  retained  rifles  and  ammuni- 
tion, but  were  in  a  desert  country,  where  neither  bird  nor  beast 
was  to  be  found.  Their  only  chance  was  to  keep  along  the 
rivers  and  subsist  by  fishing ;  but,  at  times,  no  fish  were  to  be 
taken,  and  then  their  sufferings  were  horrible.  One  of  their 
horses  was  stolen  among  the  mountains  by  the  Snake  Indians  ; 
the  other,  they  said,  was  carried  off  by  Cass,  who,  according  to 
their  account,  "  villainously  left  them  in  their  extremities." 
Certain  dark  doubts  and  surmises  were  afterwards  circulated 
concerning  the  fate  of  that  poor  fellow,  which,  if  true,  showed  to 
what  a  desperate  state  of  famine  his  comrades  had  been  reduced. 

Being  now  completely  unhorsed,  Mr.  Miller  and  his  three 
companions  wandered  on  foot  for  several  hundred  miles,  enduring 
hunger,  thirst,  and  fatigue,  while  traversing  the  barren  wastes 
which  abound  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.  At  the  time  they 
were  discovered  by  Mr.  Stuart's  party,  they  were  almost  famished, 
and  were  fishing  for  a  precarious  meal.  Had  Mr.  Stuart  made 
the  short  cut  across  the  hills,  avoiding  this  bend  of  the  river,  or 
had  not  some  of  his  party  accidentally  gone  down  to  the  margin 
of  the  stream  to  drink,  these  poor  wanderers  might  have  remained 
undiscovered,  and  have  perished  in  the  wilderness.  Nothing 
could  exceed  their  joy  on  thus  meeting  with  their  old  comrades, 
or  the  heartiness  with  which  they  were  welcomed.  All  hands  im- 
mediately encamped ;  and  the  slender  stores  of  the  party  were 
ransacked  to  furnish  out  a  suitable  regale. 

The  next  morning  they  all  set  out  together ;  Mr.  Miller  and 


THE   SALMON   FALLS.  377 


his  comrades  being  resolved  to  give  up  the  life  of  a  trapper,  and 
accompany  Mr.  Stuart  back  to  St.  Louis. 

For  several  days  they,  kept  along  the  course  of  Snake  River, 
occasionally  making  short  cuts  across  hills  and  promontories, 
where  there  were  bends  in  the  stream.  In  their  way  they  passed 
several  camps  of  Shoshonies,  from  some  of  whom  they  procured 
salmon,  but  in  general  they  were  too  wretchedly  poor  to  furnish 
any  thing.  It  was  the  wish  of  Mr.  Stuart  to  purchase  horses  for 
the  recent  recruits  of  his  party  ;  but  the  Indians  could  not  be 
prevailed  upon  to  part  with  any,  alleging  that  they  had  not 
enough  for  their  own  use. 

On  the  25th  of  August  they  reached  a  great  fishing  place,  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  the  Salmon  Falls.  Here  there  is  a 
perpendicular  fall  of  twenty  feet  on  the  north  side  of  the-  river, 
while  on  the  south  side  there  is  a  succession  of  rapids.  The 
salmon  are  taken  here  in  incredible  quantities,  as  they  attempt  to 
shoot  the  falls.  It  was  now  a  favorable  season,  and  there  were 
about  one  hundred  lodges  of  Shoshonies  busily  engaged  killing 
and  drying  fish.  The  salmon  begin  to  leap,  shortly  after  sunrise. 
At  this  time  the  Indians  swim  to  the  centre  of  the  falls,  where 
some  station  themselves  on  rocks,  and  others  stand  to  their  waists 
in  the  water,  all  armed  with  spears,  with  which  they  assail  the 
salmon  as  they  attempt  to  leap,  or  fall  back  exhausted.  It  is  an 
incessant  slaughter,  so  great  is  the  throng  of  the  fish. 

The  construction  of  the  spears  thus  used  is  peculiar.  The 
head  is  a  straight  piece  of  elk  horn,  about  seven  inches  long ;  on 
the  point  of  which  an  artificial  barb  is  made  fast,  with  twine  well 
gummed.  The  head  is  stuck  on  the  end  of  the  shaft,  a  very  long 
pole  of  willow,  to  which  it  is  likewise  connected  by  a  strong  cord, 
a  few  inches  in  length.  When  the  spearsman  makes  a  sure  blow, 
he  often  strikes  the  head  of  the  spear  through  the  body  of  the 
fish.  It  comes  off  easily,  and  leaves  the  salmon  struggling  with 


378  ASTORIA. 

the  string  through  its  body,  while  the  pole  is  still  held  by  the 
spearsman.  Were  it  not  for  the  precaution  of  the  string,  the 
willow  shaft  would  be  snapped  by  the .  struggles  and  the  weight 
of  the  fish.  Mr.  Miller,  in  the  course  of  his  wanderings,  had 
been  at  these  falls,  and  had  seen  several  thousand  salmon  taken 
in  the  course  of  one  afternoon.  He  declared  that  he  had  seen  a 
salmon  leap  a  distance  of  about  thirty  feet,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  foam  at  the  foot  of  the  fall,  completely  to  the  top. 

Having  purchased  a  good  supply  of  salmon  from  the  fisher- 
men, the  party  resumed  their  journey,  and  on  the  twenty-ninth, 
arrived  at  the  Caldron  Linn  ;  the  eventful  scene  of  the  preceding 
autumn.  Here,  the  first  thing  that  met  their  eyes,  was  a  me- 
mento of  the  perplexities  of  that  period ;  the  wreck  of  a  canoe, 
lodged  between  two  ledges  of  rocks.  They  endeavored  to  get 
down  to  it,  but  the  river  banks  were  too  high  and  precipitous. 

They  now  proceeded  to  that  part  of  the  neighborhood  where 
Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  had  made  the  caches,  intending  to  take 
from  them  such  articles  as  belonged  to  Mr.  Crooks,  M'Lellan. 
and  the  Canadians.  On  reaching  the  spot,  they  found,  to  their 
astonishment,  six  of  the  caches  open  and  rifled  of  their  contents, 
excepting  a  few  books  which  lay  scattered  about  the  vicinity. 
They  had  the  appearance  of  having  been  plundered  in  the  course 
of  the  summer.  There  were  tracks  of  wolves  in  every  direction,  to 
and  from  the  holes,  from  which  Mr.  Stuart  concluded  that  these 
animals  had  first  been  attracted  to  the  place  by  the  smell  of  the 
skins  contained  in  the  caches,  which  they  had  probably  torn  up, 
and  that  their  tracks  had  betrayed  the  secret  to  the  Indians. 

The  three  remaining  caches  had  not  been  molested  :  they  con- 
tained a  few  dry  goods,  some  ammunition,  and  a  number  of  beaver 
traps.  From  these  Mr.  Stuart  took  whatever  was  requisite  for 
his  party  ;  he  then  deposited  within  them  all  his  superfluous  bag- 
gage, and  all  the  books  and  papers  scattered  around  ;  the  holes 


THE   PERSEVERING   TRAPPERS.  379 


were  then  carefully  closed  up,  and  all  traces  of  them  effaced. 
And  here  we  have  to  record  another  instance  of  the  indomitable 
spirit  of  the  western  trappers.  No  sooner  did  the  trio  of  Ken- 
tucky hunters,  Robinson,  Rezner,  and  Hoback,  find  that  they 
could  once  more  be  fitted  out  for  a  campaign  of  beaver-trapping, 
than  they  forgot  all  that  they  had  suffered,  and  determined  upon 
another  trial  of  their  fortunes  ;  preferring  to  take  their  chance 
in  the  wilderness,  rather  than  return  home  ragged  and  penniless. 
As  to  Mr.  Miller,  he  declared  his  curiosity  and  his  desire  of  trav- 
elling through  the  Indian  countries  fully  satisfied  ;  he  adhered 
to  his  determination,  therefore,  to  keep  on  with  the  party  to  St. 
Louis,  and  to  return  to  the  bosom  of  civilized  society. 

The  three  hunters,  therefore,  Robinson,  Rezner,  and  Hoback, 
were  furnished,  as  far  as  the  caches  and  the  means  of  Mr.  Stuart's 
party  afforded,  with  the  requisite  munitions  and  equipments  for 
a  "  two  years'  hunt ;"  but  as  their  fitting  out  was  yet  incomplete, 
they  resolved  to  wait  in  this  neighborhood  until  Mr.  Reed  should 
arrive ;  whose  arrival  might  soon  be  expected,  as  he  was  to  set 
out  for  the  caches  about  twenty  days  after  Mr.  Stuart  parted 
with  him  at  the  Wallah- Wallah  River. 

Mr.  Stuart  gave  in  charge  to  Robinson  a  letter  to  Mr.  Reed, 
reporting  his  safe  journey  thus  far,  and  the  state  in  which  he  had 
found  the  caches.  A  duplicate  of  this  letter  he  elevated  on  a 
pole,  and  set  it  up  near  the  place  of  deposit. 

All  things  being  thus  arranged,  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  little 
band,  now  seven  in  number,  took  leave  of  the  three  hardy  trap- 
pers, wishing  them  all  possible  success  in  their  lonely  and  peril- 
ous sojourn  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  we,  in  like  manner,  shall  leave 
them  to  their  fortunes,  promising  to  take  them  up  again  at  some 
future  page,  and  to  close  the  story  of  their  persevering  and  ill- 
fated  enterprise. 


380  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

ON  the  1st  of  September,  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  companions  resumed 
their  journey,  bending  their  course  eastward,  along  the  course  of 
Snake  River.  As  they  advanced,  the  country  opened.  The  hills 
which  had  hemmed  in  the  river  receded  on  either  hand,  and 
great  sandy  and  dusty  plains  extended  before  them.  Occasion- 
ally there  were  intervals  of  pasturage,  and  the  banks  of  the  river 
were  fringed  with  willows  and  cotton-wood,  so  that  its  course 
might  be  traced  from  the  hill  tops,  winding  under  an  umbrageous 
covert,  through  a  wide  sunburnt  landscape.  The  soil,  however, 
was  generally  poor ;  there  was  in  some  places  a  miserable  growth 
of  wormwood,  and  a  plant  called  saltweed,  resembling  penny- 
royal ;  but  the  summer  heat  had  parched  the  plains,  and  left 
but  little  pasturage.  The  game  too  had  disappeared.  The 
hunter  looked  in  vain  over  the  lifeless  landscape  ;  now  and  then 
a  few  antelope  might  be  seen,  but  not  within  reach  of  the  rifle. 
We  forbear  to  follow  the  travellers  in  a  week's  wandering  over 
these  barren  wastes,  where  they  suffered  much  from  hunger ; 
having  to  depend  upon  a  few  fish  from  the  streams,  and  now  and 
then  a  little  dried  salmon,  or  a  dog,  procured  from  some  forlorn 
lodge  of  Shoshonies. 

Tired  of  these  cheerless  wastes,  they  left  the  banks  of  Snake 
River  on  the  7th  of  September,  under  guidance  of  Mr.  Miller, 
who  having  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the  country  during  his 
trapping  campaign,  undertook  to  conduct  them  across  the  moun- 
tains by  a  better  route  than  that  by  Fort  Henry,  and  one  more 


A  CROW  GIANT  AND  HIS  GANG.  381 


out  of  the  range  of  the  Blackfeet.  He  proved,  however,  but  an 
indifferent  guide,  and  they  soon  became  bewildered  among  rug- 
ged hills  and  unknown  streams,  and  burnt  and  barren  prairies. 

At  length  they  came  to  a  river  on  which  Mr.  Miller  had 
trapped,  and  to  which  they  gave  his  name ;  though,  as  before 
observed,  we  presume  it  to  be  the  same  called  Bear  E,iver;  which 
empties  itself  into  Lake  Bonneville.  Up  this  river  and  its 
branches  they  kept  for  two  or  three  days,  supporting  themselves 
precariously  upon  fish.  They  soon  found  that  they  were  in  a 
dangerous  neighborhood.  On -the  12th  of  September,  having 
encamped  early,  they  sallied  forth  with  their  rods  to  angle  for 
their  supper.  On  returning,  they  beheld  a  number  of  Indians 
prowling  about  their  camp,  whom,  to  their  infinite  disquiet,  they 
soon  perceived  to  be  Upsarokas,  or  Crows.  Their  chief  came 
forward  with  a  confident  air.  He  was  a  dark  herculean  fellow, 
full  six  feet  four  inches  in  height,  with  a  mingled  air  of  the 
ruffian  and  the  rogue.  He  conducted  himself  peaceably,  how- 
ever, and  dispatched  some  of  his  people  to  their  camp,  which  was 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood,  from  whence  they  returned  with 
a  most  acceptable  supply  of  buffalo  meat.  He  now  signified  to 
Mr.  Stuart  that  he  was  going  to  trade  with  the  Snakes  who 
reside  on  the  west  base  of  the  mountains,  below  Henry's  Fort. 
Here  they  cultivate  a  delicate  kind  of  tobacco,  much  esteemed 
and  sought  after  by  the  mountain  tribes.  There  was  something 
sinister,  however,  in  the  look  of  this  Indian,  that  inspired  dis- 
trust. By  degrees,  the  number  of  his  people  increased,  until,  by 
midnight,  there  were  twenty-one  of  them  about  the  camp,  who 
began  to  be  impudent  and  troublesome.  The  greatest  uneasiness 
was  now  felt  for  the  safety  of  the  horses  and  effects,  and  every 
one  kept  vigilant  watch  throughout  the  night. 

The  morning  dawned,  however,  without  any  unpleasant  occur- 
rence, and  Mr.  Stuart,  having  purchased  all  the  buffalo  meat 


382  ASTORIA. 

that  the  Crows  had  to  spare,  prepared  to  depart.  His  Indian 
acquaintance,  however,  were  disposed  for  further  dealings  ;  and, 
above  all,  anxious  for  a  supply  of  gunpowder,  for  which  they 
offered  horses  in  exchange.  Mr.  Stuart  declined  to  furnish  them 
with  the  dangerous  commodity.  They  became  more  importunate 
in  their  solicitations,  until  they  met  with  a  flat  refusal. 

The  gigantic  chief  now  stepped  forward,  assumed  a  swelling 
air,  and,  slapping  himself  upon  the  breast,  gave  Mr.  Crooks  to 
understand  that  he  was  a  chief  of  great  power  and  importance. 
He  signified,  further,  that  it  was  customary  for  great  chiefs  when 
they  "met,  to  make  each  other  presents.  He  requested,  therefore, 
that  Mr.  Stuart  would  alight,  and  give  him  the  horse  upon  which 
he  was  mounted.  This  was  a  noble  animal,  of  one  of  the  wild 
races  of  the  prairies  ;  on  which  Mr.  Stuart  set  great  value  ;  he, 
of  course,  shook  his  *head  at  the  request  of  the  Crow  dignitary. 
Upon  this  the  latter  strode  up  to  him,  and  taking  hold  of  him, 
moved  him  backwards  and  forwards  in  his  saddle,  as  if  to  make 
him  feel  that  he  was  a  mere  child  within  his  grasp.  Mr.  Stuart 
preserved  his  calmness,  and  still  shook  his  head.  The  chief  then 
seized  the  bridle,  and  gave  it  a  jerk  that  startled  the  horse,  and 
nearly  brought  the  rider  to  the  ground.  Mr.  Stuart  instantly 
drew  forth  a  pistol,  and  presented  it  at  the  head  of  the  bully-rufiian. 
In  a  twinkling,  his  swaggering  was  at  an  end,  and  he  dodged 
behind  his  horse  to  escape  the  expected  shot.  As  his  subject 
Crows  gazed  on  the  affray  from  a  little  distance,  Mr.  Stuart 
ordered  his  men  to  level  their  rifles  at  them,  but  not  to  fire.  The 
whole  crew  scampered  among  the  bushes,  and  throwing  them- 
selves upon  the  ground,  vanished  from  sight. 

The  chieftain  thus  left  alone,  was  confounded  for  an  instant ; 
but,  recovering  himself,  with  true  Indian  shrewdness,  burst  into 
a  loud  laugh,  and  affected  to  turn  off  the  whole  matter  as  a  piece 
of  pleasantry.  Mr.  Stuart  by  no  means  relished  such  equivocal 


CROW   SIGNALS.  383 


joking,  but  it  was  not  his  policy  to  get  into  a  quarrel ;  so  he  joined 
with  the  best  grace  he  could  assume,  in  the  merriment  of  the 
jocular  giant ;  and,  to  console  the  latter  for  the  refusal  of  the 
horse,  made  him  a  present  of  twenty  charges  of  powder.  They 
parted,  according  to  all  outward  professions,  the  best  friends  in 
the  world ;  it  was  evident,  however,  that  nothing  but  the  small- 
ness  of  his  own  force,  and  the  martial  array  and  alertness  of  the 
white  men,  had  prevented  the  Crow  chief  from  proceeding  to 
open  outrage.  As  it  was,  his  worthy  followers,  in  the  course  of 
their  brief  interview,  had  contrived  to  purloin  a  bag  containing 
almost  all  the  culinary  utensils  of  the  party. 

The  travellers  kept  on  their  way  due  east,  over  a  chain  of 
hills.  The  recent  rencontre  showed  them  that  they  were  now  in 
a  land  of  danger,  subject  to  the  wide  roamings  of  a  predacious 
tribe  ;  nor,  in  fact,  had  they  gone  many  miles,  before  they  beheld 
sights  calculated  to  inspire  anxiety  and  alarm.  From  the  sum- 
mits of  some  of  the  loftiest  mountains,  in  different  directions, 
columns  of  smoke  began  to  rise.  These  they  concluded  to  be 
signals  made  by  the  runners  of  the  Crow  chieftain,  to  summon 
the  stragglers  of  his  band,  so  as  to  pursue  them  with  greater 
force.  Signals  of  this  kind,  made  by  out-runners  from  one  cen- 
tral point,  will  rouse  a  wide  circuit  of  the  mountains  in  a  won- 
derfully short  space  of  time ;  and  bring  the  straggling  hunters 
and  warriors  to  the  standard  of  their  chieftain. 

To  keep  as  much  as  possible  out  of  the  way  of  these  free- 
booters, Mr.  Stuart  altered  his  course  to  the  north,  and,  quitting 
the  main  stream  of  Miller's  River,  kept  up  a  large  branch  that 
came  in  from  the  mountains.  Here  they  encamped,  after  a 
fatiguing  march  of  twenty-five  miles.  As  the  night  drew  on,  the 
horses  were  hobbled  or  fettered,  and  tethered  close  to  the  camp ; 
a  vigilant  watch  was  maintained  until  morning,  and  every  one 
slept  with  his  rifle  on  his  arm. 


384  ASTORIA. 

At  sunrise,  they  were  again  on  the  march,  still  keeping  to  the 
north.  They  soon  began  to  ascend  the  mountains,  and  occasion- 
ally had  wide  prospects  over  the  surrounding  country.  Not  a 
sign  of  a  Crow  was  to  be  seen ;  but  this  did  not  assure  them  of 
their  security,  well  knowing  the  perseverance  of  these  savages  in 
dogging  any  party  they  intend  to  rob,  and  the  stealthy  way  in 
which  they  can  conceal  tfyeir  movements,  keeping  along  ravines 
and  defiles.  After  a  mountain  scramble  of  twenty-one  miles, 
they  encamped  on  the  margin  of  a  stream  running  to  the  north. 

In  the  evening  there  was  an  alarm  of  Indians,  and  every  one 
was  instantly  on  the  alert.  They  proved  to  be  three  miserable 
Snakes,  who  were  no  sooner  informed  that  a  band  of  Crows  was 
prowling  in  the  neighborhood,  than  they  made  off  with  great 
signs  of  consternation. 

A  couple  more  of  weary  days  and  watchful  nights  brought 
them  to  a  strong  and  rapid  stream,  running  due  north,  which 
they  concluded  to  be  one  of  the  upper  branches  of  Snake  River. 
It  was  probably  the  same  since  called  Salt  River.  They  deter- 
mined to  bend  their  course  down  this  river,  as  it  would  take 
them  still  further  out  of  the  dangerous  neighborhood  of  the 
Crows.  They  then  would  strike  upon  Mr.  Hunt's  track  of  the 
preceding  autumn,  and  retrace  it  across  the  mountains.  The 
attempt  to  find  a  better  route  under  guidance  of  Mr.  Miller  had 
cost  them  a  large  bend  to  the  south;  in  resuming  Mr.  Hunt's 
track,  they  would  at  least  be  sure  of  their  road.  They  accor- 
dingly turned  down  along  the  course  of  this  stream,  and  at  the 
end  of  three  days'  journey,  came  to  where  it  was  joined  by  a 
larger  river,  and  assumed  a  more  impetuous  character,  raging 
and  roaring  among  rocks  and  precipices.  It  proved,  in  fact,  to 
be  Mad  River,  already  noted  in  the  expedition  of  Mr.  Hunt.  On 
the  banks  of  this  river,  they  encamped  on  the  18th  of  September, 
at  an  early  hour. 


A  SURPRISE.  385 


Six  days  had  now  elapsed  since  their  interview  with  the 
Crows ;  during  that  time  they  had  come  nearly  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  to  the  north  and  west,  without  seeing  any  signs  of  those 
marauders.  They  considered  themselves,  therefore,  beyond  the 
reach  of  molestation,  and  began  to  relax  in  their  vigilance,  linger- 
ing occasionally  for  part  of  a  day,  where  there  was  good  pasturage. 
The  poor  horses  needed  repose.  They  had  been  urged  on,  by 
forced  marches,  over  rugged  heights,  among  rocks  and  fallen 
timber,  or  over  low  swampy  valleys,  inundated  by  the  labors  of 
the  beaver.  These  industrious  animals  abounded  in  all  the 
mountain  streams,  and  water  courses,  wherever  there  were 
willows  for  their  subsistence.  Many  of  them  they  had  so  com- 
pletely tlammed  up  as  to  inundate  the  low  grounds,  making 
shallow  pools  or  lakes,  and  extensive  quagmires :  by  which  the 
route  of  the  travellers  was  often  impeded. 

On  the  19th  of  September,  they  rose  at  early  dawn;  some 
began  to  prepare  breakfast,  and  others  to  arrange  the  packs  pre- 
paratory to  a  march.  The  horses  had  been  hobbled,  but  left  at 
large  to  graze  upon  the  adjacent  pasture.  Mr.  Stuart  was  on  the 
bank  of  a  river,  at  a  short  distance  from  the  camp,  when  he  heard 
the  alarm  cry — "  Indians  !  Indians  ! — to  arms  !  to  arms  !" 

A  mounted  Crow  galloped  past  the  camp,  bearing  a  red  flag. 
He  reined  his  steed  on  the  summit  of  a  neighboring  knoll,  and 
•waved  his  flaring  banner.  A  diabolical  yell  now  broke  forth  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  camp,  beyond  where  the  horses  were 
grazing,  and  a  small  troop  of  savages  came  galloping  up,  whoop- 
ing and  making  a  terrific  clamor.  The  horses  took  fright,  and 
dashed  across  the  camp  in  the  direction  of  the  standard-bearer, 
attracted  by  his  waving  flag.  He  instantly  put  spurs  to  his  steed, 
and  scoured  off,  followed  by  the  panic-stricken  herd,  their  fright 
being  increased  by  the  yells  of  the  savages  in  their  rear. 

At  the  first  alarm,  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  comrades  had  seized 

17 


386  ASTORIA. 

their  rifles,  and  attempted  to  cut  off  the  Indians,  who  were  pur- 
suing the  horses.  Their  attention  was  instantly  distracted  by 
whoops  and  yells  in  an  opposite  direction.  They  now  appre- 
hended that  a  reserve  party  was  about  to  carry  off  their  baggage. 
They  ran  to  secure  it.  The  reserve  party,  however,  galloped  by, 
whooping  and  yelling  in  triumph  and  derision.  The  last  of  them 
proved  to  be  their  commander,  the  identical  giant  joker  already 
mentioned.  He  was  not  cast  in  the  stern  poetical  mould  of  fash- 
ionable Indian  heroism,  but  on  the  contrary,  was  grievously  given 
to  vulgar  jocularity.  As  he  passed  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  compan- 
ions, he  checked  his  horse,  raised  himself  in  the  saddle,  and  clap- 
ping his  hand  on  the  most  insulting  part  of  his  body,  uttered 
some  jeering  words,  which,  fortunately  for  their  delicacy,  they 
could  not  understand.  The  rifle  of  Ben  Jones  was  levelled  in 
an  instant,  and  he  was  on  the  point  of  whizzing  a  bullet  into  the 
target  so  tauntingly  displayed.  "  Not  for  your  life !  not  for 
your  life  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Stuart,  "  you  will  bring  destruction 
on  us  all !" 

It  was  hard  to  restrain  honest  Ben,  when  the  mark  was  so 
fair  and  the  insult  so  foul.  "  Oh,  Mr.  Stuart,"  exclaimed  he, 
"  only  let  me  have  one  crack  at  the  infernal  rascal,  and  you  may 
keep  all  the  pay  that  is  due  to  me." 

"  By  heaven,  if  you  fire,"  cried  Mr.  Stuart,  "  I'll  blow  your 
brains  out." 

By  this  time  the  Indian  was  far  out  of  reach,  and  had  rejoined 
his  men,  and  the  whole  dare-devil  band,  with  the  captured  horses, 
scuttled  off  along  the  defiles,  their  red  flag  flaunting  over  head, 
and  the  rocks  echoing  to  their  whoops  and  yells,  and  demoniac 
laughter. 

The  unhorsed  travellers  gazed  after  them  in  silent  mortifica- 
tion and  despair  ;  yet  Mr.  Stuart  could  not  but  admire  the  style 
and  spirit  with  which  the  whole  exploit  had  been  managed,  and 


INDIAN   LURKERS,  387 


pronounced  it  one  of  the  most  daring  and  intrepid  actions  he  had 
ever  heard  of  among  Indians.  The  whole  number  of  the  Crows 
did  not  exceed  twenty.  In  this  way  a  small  gang  of  lurkers  will 
hurry  off  the  cavalry  of  a  large  war  party,  for  when  once  a  drove 
of  horses  are  seized  with  a  panic,  they  become  frantic,  and  nothing 
short  of  broken  necks  can  stop  them. 

No  one  was  more  annoyed  by  this  unfortunate  occurrence 
than  Ben  Jones.  He  declared  he  would  actually  have  given  his 
whole  arrears  of  pay,  amounting  to  upwards  of  a  year's  wages, 
rather  than  be  balked  of  such  a  capital  shot.  Mr*Stuart,  how- 
ever, represented  what  might  have  been  the  consequence  of  so 
rash  an  act.  Life  for  life  is  the  Indian  maxim.  The  whole  tribe 
would  have  made  common  cause  in  avenging  the  death  of  a  war- 
rior. The  party  were  but  seven  dismounted  men,  with  a  wide 
mountain  region  to  traverse,  infested  by  these  people,  and  which 
might  all  be  roused  by  signal  fires.  In  fact,  the  conduct  of  the 
band  of  marauders  in  question,  showed  the  perseverance  of  sav- 
ages when  once  they  have  fixed  their  minds  upon  a  project. 
These  fellows  had  evidently  been  silently  and  secretly  dogging 
the  party  for  a  week  past,  and  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  keeping  out  of  sight  by  day,  lurking  about  the  encampment 
at  night,  watching  all  their  movements,  and  waiting  for  a  favora- 
ble moment  when  they  should  be  off  their  guard.  The  menace 
of  Mr.  Stuart,  in  their  first  interview,  to  shoot  the  giant  chief 
with  his  pistol,  and  the  fright  caused  among  the  warriors  by  pre- 
senting the  rifles,  had  probably  added  the  stimulus  of  pique  to 
their  usual  horse-stealing  propensities,  and  in  this  mood  of  mind 
they  would  doubtless  have  followed  the  party  throughout  their 
whole  course  over  the  Rocky  Mountains,  rather  than  be  diap- 
pointed  in  their  scheme. 


388  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

FEW  reverses  in  this  changeful  world  are  more  complete  and 
disheartening  than  that  of  a  traveller,  suddenly  unhorsed,  in  the 
midst  of  the*  wilderness.  Our  unfortunate  travellers  contem- 
plated their  situation,  for  a  time,  in  perfect  dismay.  A  long 
journey  over  rugged  mountains  and  immeasurable  plains  lay 
before  them,  which  they  must  painfully  perform  on  foot,  and 
every  thing  necessary  for  subsistence  or  defence  must  be  carried 
on  their  shoulders.  '  Their  dismay,  however,  was  but  transient, 
and  they  immediately  set  to  work,  with  that  prompt  expediency 
produced  by  the  exigencies  of  the  wilderness,  to  fit  themselves 
for  the  change  in  their  condition.  . 

Their  first  attention  was  to  select  from  their  baggage  such 
articles  as  were  indispensable  to  their  journey ;  to  malce  them  up 
into  convenient  packs,  and  to  deposit  the  residue  in  caches.  The 
whole  day  was  consumed  in  these  occupations ;  at  night,  they 
made  a  scanty  meal  of  their  remaining  provisions,  and  lay  down 
to  sleep  with  heavy  hearts.  In  the  morning,  they  were  up  and 
about  at  an  early  hour,  and  began  to  prepare  their  knapsacks  for 
a  march,  while  Ben  Jones  repaired  to  an  old  beaver  trap  which 
he  had  set  in  the  river  bank  at  some  little  distance  from  the 
camp.  He  was  rejoiced  to  find  a  middle-sized  beaver  there,  suffi- 
cient for  a  morning's  meal  to  his  hungry  comrades.  On  his  way 
back  with  his  prize,  he  observed  two  heads  peering  over  the  edge 
of  an  impending  cliff,  several  hundred  feet  high,  which  he  sup- 
posed to  be  a  couple  of  wolves.  As  he  continued  on,  he  now  and 


PRYING   SPIES— A   BONFIRE.  389 


then  cast  his  eye  up ;  the  heads  were  still  there,  looking  down 
with  fixed  and  watchful  gaze.  A  suspicion  now  flashed  across 
his  mind  that  they  might  be  Indian  scouts  ;  and.  had  they  not 
been  far  above  the  reach  of  his  rifle,  he  would  undoubtedly  have 
regaled  them  with  a  shot. 

On  arriving  at  the  camp,  he  directed  the  attention  of  his 
comrades  to  these  aerial  observers.  The  same  idea  was  at  first 
entertained,  that  they  were  wolves ;  but  their  immovable  watch- 
fulness soon  satisfied  every  one  that  they  were  Indians.  It  was 
concluded  that  they  were  watching  the  movements  of  the  party, 
to  discover  their  place  of  concealment  of  such  articles  as  they 
would  be  compelled  to  leave  behind.  There  was  no  likelihood 
that  the  caches  would  escape  the  search  of  such  keen-  eyes  and 
experienced  rummagers,  and  the  idea  was  intolerable,  that  any 
more  booty  should  fall  into  their  hands.  To  disappoint  them, 
therefore,  the  travellers  stripped  the  caches  of  the  articles  depo- 
sited there,  and  collecting  together  every  thing  that  they  could 
not  carry  away  with  them,  made  a  bonfire  of  all  that  would  burn, 
and  threw  the  rest  into  the  river.  There  was  a  forlorn  satisfac- 
tion in  thus  balking  the  Crows,  by  the  destruction  of  their  own 
property  ;  and,  having  thus  gratified  their  pique,  they  shouldered 
their  packs,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  set  out  on 
their  pedestrian  wayfaring. 

The  route  they  took  was  down  along  the  banks  of  Mad  River. 
This  stream  makes  its  way  through  the  defiles  of  the  mountains, 
into  the  plain  below  Fort  Henry,  where  it  terminates  in  Snake 
River.  Mr.  Stuart  was  in  hopes  of  meeting  with  Snake  encamp- 
ments in  the  plain,  where  he  might  procure  a  couple  of  horses  to 
transport  the  baggage.  In  such  case,  he  intended  to  resume  his 
eastern  course  across  the  mountains,  and  endeavor  to  reach 
the  Cheyenne  River  before  winter.  Should  he  fail,  however,  of 
obtaining  horses,  he  would  probably  be  compelled  to  winter  on 


390  ASTORIA. 

the  Pacific  side  of  the  mountains,  somewhere  on  the  head  waters 
of  the  Spanish  or  Colorado  River. 

With  all  the  care  that  had  been  observed  in  taking  nothing 
with  them  that  was  not  absolutely  necessary,  the  poor  pedestrians 
were  heavily  laden,  and  their  burdens  added  to  the  fatigues  of 
their  rugged  road.  They  suffered  much,  too,  from  hunger.  The 
trout  they  caught  were  too  poor  to  yield  much  nourishment ; 
their  main  dependence,  therefore,  was  upon  an  old  beaver  .trap, 
which  they  had  providentially  retained.  Whenever  they  were . 
fortunate  enough  to  entrap  a  beaver,  it  was  cut  up  immediately 
and  distributed,  that  each  man  might  carry  his  share. 

After  two  days  of  toilsome  travel,  during  which  they  made 
but  eighteen  miles,  they  stopped  on  the  21st,  to  build  two  rafts 
on  which  to  cross  to  the  north  side  of  the  river.  On  these  they 
emb'arked,  on  the  following  morning,  four  on  one  raft,  and  three 
on  the  other,  and  pushed  boldly  from  shore.  Finding  the  rafts 
sufficiently  firm  and  steady  to  withstand  the  rough  and  rapid 
water,  they  changed  their  minds,  and  instead  of  crossing,  ven- 
tured to  float  down  with  the  current.  The  river  was,  in  general, 
very  rapid,  and  from  one  to  two  hundred  yards  in  width,  winding 
in  every  direction  through  mountains  of  hard  black  rock,  covered 
with  pines  and  cedars.  The  mountains  to  the  east  of  the  river 
were  spurs  of  the  Rocky  range,  and  of  great  magnitude ;  those 
on  the  west  were  little  better  than  hills,  bleak  and  barren,  or 
scantily  clothed  with  stunted  grass. 

Mad  River,  though  deserving  its  name  from  the  impetuosity 
of  its  current,  was  free  from  rapids  and  cascades,  and  flowed  on 
in  a  single  channel  between  gravel  banks,  often  fringed  with  cot- 
ton-wood and  dwarf  willows  in  abundance.  These  gave  suste- 
nance to  immense  quantities  of  beaver,  so  that  the  voyageurs 
found  no  difficulty  in  procuring  food.  Ben  Jones,  also,  killed  a 
fallow  deer,  and  a  wolverine,  and  as  they  were  enabled  to  carry 


RAFTING   A   RIVER.  391 


the  carcasses  on  their  rafts,  their  larder  was  well  supplied.  In- 
deed, they  might  have  occasionally  shot  beavers  that  were  swim- 
ming in  the  river  as  they  floated  by,  but  they  humanely  spared 
their  lives,  being  in  no  want  of  meat  at  the  time.  In  this  way, 
they  kept  down  the  river  for  three  days,  drifting  with  the  current 
and  encamping  on  land  at  night,  when  they  drew  up  their  rafts  on 
shore.  Towards  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  they  came  to  a 
little  island  on  which  they  descried  a  gang  of  elk.  Ben  Jones 
landed,  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  wound  one,  which  imme- 
diately took  to  the  water,  but,  being  unable  to  stem  the  current, 
drifted  above  a  mile,  when  it  was  overtaken  and  drawn  to  shore. 
As  a  storm  was  gathering,  they  now  encamped  on  the  margin  of 
the  river,  where  they  remained  all  the  next  day,  sheltering  them- 
selves as  well  as  they  could  from  the  rain,  and  hail,  and  snow,  a 
sharp  foretaste  of  the  impending  winter.  During  their  encamp- 
ment, they  employed  themselves  in  jerking  a  part  of  the  elk  for 
future  supply.  In  cutting  up  the  carcass,  they  found  that  the 
animal  had  been  wounded  by  hunters,  about  a  week  previously, 
an  arrow  head  and  a  musket  ball  remaining-  in  the  wounds.  In 
the  wilderness,  every  trivial  circumstance  is  a  matter  of  anxious 
speculation.  The  Snake  Indians  have  no  guns  ;  the  elk,  there- 
fore, could  not  have  been  wounded  by  one  of  them.  They  were 
on  the  borders  of  the  country  infested  by  the  Blackfeet,  who 
carry  firearms.  It  was  concluded,  therefore,  that  the  elk  had 
been  hunted  by  some  of  that  wandering  and  hostile  tribe,  who,  of 
course,  must  be  in  the  neighborhood.  The  idea  put  an  end  to 
the  transient  solace  they  had  enjoyed  in  the  comparative  repose 
and  abundance  of  the  river. 

For  three  days  longer  they  continued  to  navigate  with  their 
rafts.  The  recent  storm  had  rendered  the  weather  extremely 
cold.  They  had  now  floated  down  the  river  about  ninety-one 
miles,  when,  finding  the  mountains  on  the  right,  diminished  to 


392  ASTORIA. 


moderate  sized  hills,  they  landed,  and  prepared  to  resume  their 
journey  on  foot.  Accordingly,  having  spent  a  day  in  prepara- 
tions, making  moccasohs,  and  parcelling  out  their  jerked  meat  in 
packs  of  twenty  pounds  to  each  man,  they  turned  their  backs 
upon  the  river  on  the  29th  of  September  and  struck  off  to  the 
northeast ;  keeping  along  the  southern  skirt  of  the  mountain  on 
which,  Henry's  Fort  was  situated. 

Their  march  was  slow  and  toilsome  ;  part  of  the  time  through 
an  alluvial  bottom,  thickly  grown  with  cotton-wood,  hawthorn  and 
willows,  and  part  of  the  time  over  rough  hills.  Three  antelopes 
came  within  shot,  but  they  dared  not  fire  at  them,  lest  the  report 
of  their  rifles  should  betray  them  to  the  Blackfeet.  In  the  course 
of  the  day,  they  came  upon  a  large  horse-track  apparently  about 
three  weeks  old,  and  in  the  evening  encamped  on  the  banks  of  a 
small  stream,  on  a  spot  which  had  been  the  camping  place  of  this 
same  band. 

On  the  following  morning  they  still  observed  the  Indian 
track,  but  after  a  time  they  came  to  where  it  separated  in  every 
direction,  and  was  lost.  This  showed  that  the  band  had  dispersed 
in  various  hunting  parties,  and  was,  in  all  probability,  still  in  the 
neighborhood ;  it  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  proceed  with  the 
utmost  caution.  They  kept  a  vigilant  eye  as  they  marched,  upon 
every  height  where  a  scout  might  be  posted,  and  scanned  the 
solitary  landscape  and  the  distant  ravines,  to  observe  any  column 
of  smoke ;  but  nothing  of  the  kind  was  to  be  seen ;  all  was  inde- 
scribably stern  and  lifeless. 

Towards  evening  they  came  to  where  there  were  several  hot 
springs,  strongly  impregnated  with  iron  and  sulphur,  and  sending 
up  a  volume  of  vapor  that  tainted  the  surrounding  atmosphere, 
and  might  be  seen  at  the  distance  of  a  couple  of  miles. 

Near  to  these  they  encamped,  in  a  deep  gully,  which  afforded 
some  concealment.  To  their  great  concern,  Mr.  Crooks,  who  had 


WILFUL   CONDUCT   OF   M'LELLAN.  393 


been  indisposed  for  the  two  preceding  days,  had  a  violent  fever  in 
the  night. 

Shortly  after  daybreak  they  resumed  their  march.  On 
emerging  from  the  glen,  a  consultation  was  held  as  to  their 
course.  Should  they  continue  round  the  skirt  of  the  mountain, 
they  would  be  in  danger  of  falling  in  with  the  scattered  parties 
of  Blackfeet,  who  were  probably  hunting  in  the  plain.  It  was 
thought  most  advisable,  therefore,  to  strike  directly  across  the 
mountain,  since  the  route,  though  rugged  and  difficult,  would  be 
most  secure.  This*  counsel  was  indignantly  derided  by  M'Lellan 
as  pusillanimous.  Hot-headed  and  impatient  at  all  times,  he  had 
been  rendered  irascible  by  the  fatigues  of  the  journey,  and  the 
condition  of  his  feet,  which  were  chafed  and  sore.  He  could  not 
endure  the  idea  of  encountering  the  difficulties  of  the  mountain, 
and  swore  he  would  rather  face  all  the  Blackfeet  in  the  country. 
He  was  overruled,  however,  and  the  party  began  to  ascend  the 
mountain,  striving,  with  the  ardor  and  emulation  of  young  men, 
who  should  be  first  up.  M'Lellan,  who  was  double  the  age  of 
some  of  his  companions,  soon  began  to  lose  breath,  and  fall  in 
the  rear.  In  the  distribution  of  burdens,  it  was  his  turn  to  carry 
the  old  beaver  trap.  Piqued  and  irritated,  he  suddenly  came  to 
a  halt,  swore  he  would  carry  it  no  further,  and  jerked  it  half-way 
down  the  hill.  He  was  offered  in  place  of  it  a  package  of  dried 
meat,  but  this  he  scornfully  threw  upon  the  ground.  They  might 
carry  it,  he  said,  who  needed  it,  for  his  part,  he  could  provide  his 
daily  food  with  his  rifle.  He  concluded  by  flinging  off  from  the 
party,  and  keeping  along  th«  skirts  of  the  mountain,  leaving 
those,  he  said,  to  climb  rocks,  who  were  afraid  to  face  Indians. 
It  was  in  vain  that  Mr.  Stuart  represented  to  him  the  rashness 
of  his  conduct,  and  the  dangers  to  which  he  exposed  himself :  he 
rejected  such  counsel  as  craven.  It  was  equally  useless  to  repre- 
sent the  dangers  to  which  he  subjected  his  companions ;  as  he 


394  ASTORIA. 


could  be  discovered  at  a  great  distance  on  those  naked  plains,  and 
the  Indians,  seeing  him,  would  know  that  there  must  be  other 
white  men  within  reach.  M'Lellan  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  every 
remonstrance,  and  kept  on  his  wilful  way. 

It  seems  a  strange  instance  of  perverseness  in  this  man  thus 
to  fling  himself  off  alone,  in  a  savage  region,  where  solitude  itself 
was  dismal,  but  every  encounter  with  his  fellow-man  full  of  peril. 
Such,  however,  is  the  hardness  of  spirit,  and  the  insensibility  to 
danger,  that  grow  upon  men  in  the  wilderness.  M'Lellan,  more- 
over, was  a  man  of  peculiar  temperament,  ungovernable  in  his 
will,  of  a  courage  that  absolutely  knew  no  fear,  and  somewhat  of 
a  braggart  spirit,  that  took  a  pride  in  doing  desperate  and  hair- 
brained  things. 

Mr.  Stuart  and  his  party  found  the  passages  of  the  mountain 
somewhat  difficult,  on  account  of  the  snow,  which  in  many  places 
was  of  considerable  depth,  though  it  was  now  but  the  1st  of  Octo- 
ber. They  crossed  the  summit  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  beheld 
below  them  a  plain  about  twenty  miles  wide,  bounded  on  the  oppo- 
site side  by  their  old  acquaintances,  the  Pilot  Knobs,  those  towering 
mountains  which  had  served  Mr.  Hunt  as  landmarks  in  part  of 
his  route  of  the  preceding  year.  Through  the  intermediate  plain 
wandered  a  river  about  fifty  yards  wide,  sometimes  gleaming  in 
open  day,  but  oftener  running  through  willowed  banks,  which 
marked  its  serpentine  course. 

Those  of  the  party  who  had  been  across  these  mountains, 
pointed  out  much  of  the  bearings  of  the  country  to  Mr.  Stuart. 
They  showed  him  in  what  directio'n  must  lie  the  deserted  post 
called  Henry's  Fort,  where  they  had  abandoned  their  horses  and 
embarked 'in  canoes,  and  they  informed  him  that  the  stream  which 
wandered  through  the  plain  below  them,  fell  into  Henry  River, 
half  way  between  the  fort  and  the  mouth  of  Mad  or  Snake  River. 
The  character  of  all  this  mountain  region  was  decidedly  volcanic ; 


HUMANE   RESOLUTION.  395 


and  to  the  northwest,  between  Henry's  Fort  and  the  source  of 
the  Missouri.  Mr.  Stuart  observed  several  very  high  peaks  covered 
with  snow,  from  two  of  which  smoke  asc*ended  in  considerable 
volumes,  apparently  from  craters,  in  a  state  of  eruption. 

On  their  way  down  the  mountain,  when  they  had  reached  the 
skirts.,  they  descried  M'Lellan  at  a  distance,  in  the  advance,  trav- 
ersing the  plain.  Whether  he  saw  them  or  not,  he  showed  no  dis- 
position to  rejoin  them,  but  pursued  his  sullen  and  solitary  way. 

After  descending  into  the  plain,  they  kept  on  about  six  miles, 
until  they  reached  the  little  river,  which  was  here  about  knee 
deep,  and  richly  fringed  with  willow.  Here  they  encamped  for 
the  night.  At  this  encampment  the  fever  of  Mr.  Crooks  increased 
to  such  a  degree  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  travel.  Some 
of  the  men  were  strenuous  for  Mr.  Stuart  to  proceed  without  him, 
urging  the  imminent  danger  they  were  exposed  to  by  delay  in 
that  unknown  and  barren  region,  infested  by  the  most  treache- 
rous and  inveterate  of  foes.  .They  represented  that  the  season 
was  rapidly  advancing:  the  weather  for  some  days  had  been 
extremely  cold ;  the  mountains  were  already  almost  impassable 
from  snow,  and  would  soon  present  effectual  barriers.  Their 
provisions  were  exhausted ;  there  was  no  game  to  be  seen,  and 
they  did  not  dare  to  use  their  rifles,  through  fear  of  drawing 
upon  them  the  Blackfeet. 

The  picture  thus  presented,  was  too  true  to  be  contradicted, 
and  made  a  deep  impression  on  the  mind  of  Mr.  Stuart ;  but  the 

• 

idea  of  abandoning  a  fellow  being,  and  a  comrade,  in  such  a 
forlorn  situation,  was  too  repugnant  to  his  feelings  to  be  admitted 
for  an  instant.  He  represented  to  the  men  that  the  malady  of 
Mr.  Crooks  could  not  be  of  long  duration,  and  that  in  all  proba- 
bility, he  would  be  able  to  travel  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  It 
was  with  great  difficulty,  however,  that  he  prevailed  upon  them 
to  abide  the  event. 


396  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

As  the  travellers  were  now  in  a  dangerous  neighborhood,  where 
the  report  of  a  rifle  might  bring  the  savages  upon  them,  they 
had  to  depend  upon  their  old  beaver-trap  for  subsistence.  The 
little  river  on  which  they  were  encamped  gave  many  "  beaver 
signs,"  and  Ben  Jones  set  off  at  daybreak,  along  the  willowed 
banks,  to  find  a  proper  trapping-place.  As  he. was  making  his 
way  among  the  thickets,  with  his  trap  on  his  shoulder  and  his 
rifle  in  his  hand,  he  heard  a  crashing  sound,  and  turning,  beheld 
a  huge  grizzly  bear  advancing  upon  him,  with  terrific  growl.  The 
sturdy  Kentuckian  was  not  to  be  intimidated  by  man  or  monster. 
Levelling  his  rifle,  he  pulled  trigger.  The  bear  was  wounded, 
but  not  mortally  :  instead,  however,  of  rushing  upon  his  assailant, 
as  is  generally  the  case  with  this  kind  of  bear,  he  retreated  into 
the  bushes.  Jones  followed  him  for  some  distance,  but  with  suit- 
able caution,  and  Bruin  effected  his  escape. 

As  there  was  every  prospect  of  a  detention  of  some  days  in 
this  place,  and  as  the  supplies  of  the  beaver-trap  were  too  preca- 
rious to  be  depended  upon,  it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  run 
.  some  risk  of  discovery  by  hunting  in  the  neighborhood.  Ben 
Jones,  therefore,  obtained  permission  to  range  with  his  rifle  some 
distance  from  the  camp,  and  set  off  to  beat  up  the  river  banks, 
in  defiance  of  bear  or  Blackfeet. 

He  returned  in  great  spirits  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours, 
having  come  upon  a  gang  of  elk  about  six  miles  off,  and  killed 


ROCKY   HEIGHTS.  397 


five.  This  was  joyful  news,  and  the  party  immediately  moved 
forward  to  the  place  where  he  had  left  the  carcasses.  They  were 
obliged  to  support  Mr.  Crooks  the  whole  distance,  for  he  was  un- 
able to  walk.  Here  they  remained  fcr  two  or  three  days,  feasting 
heartily  on  elk  meat,  and  drying  as  much  as  they  would  be  able 
to  carry  away  with  them. 

By  the  5th  of  October,  some  simple  prescriptions,  together 
with  an  "  Indian  sweat,"  had  so  far  benefited  Mr.  Crooks,  that 
he  was  enabled  to  move  about ;  they,  therefore,  set  forward 
slowly,  dividing  his  pack  and  accoutrements  among  them,  and 
made  a  creeping  day's  progress  of  eight  miles  south.  Their 
route  for  the  most  part  lay  through  swamps,  caused  by  the  indus- 
trious labors  of  the  beaver ;  for  this  little  animal  had  dammed 
up  numerous  small  streams,  issuing  fram  the  Pilot  Knob  Moun- 
tains, so  that  the  low  grounds  on  their  borders  were  completely 
inundated.  In  the  course  of  their  march  they  killed  a  grizzly 
bear,  with  fat  on  its  flanks  upwards  of  three  inches  in  thickness. 
This  was  an  acceptable  addition  to  their  stock  of  elk  meat.  The 
next  day  Mr.  Crooks  was  sufficiently  recruited  in  strength  to  be 
able  to  carry  his  rifle  and  pistols,  and  they  made  a  march  of  sev- 
teen  miles  along  the  borders  of  the  plain. 

Their  journey  daily  became  more  toilsome,  and  their  suffer- 

• 
ings  more  severe,  as  shey  advanced.     Keeping  up  the  channel 

of  a  river,  they  traversed  the  rugged  summit  of  the  Pilot  Knob 
Mountain,  covered  with  snow  nine  inches  deep.  For  several  days 
they  continued,  bending  their  course  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
east,  over  a  succession  of  rocky  heights,  deep  valleys,  and  rapid ' 
streams.  Sometimes  their  dizzy  path  lay  along  the  margin  of 
perpendicular  precipices,  several  hundred  feet  in  height,  where  a 
single  false  step  might  precipitate  them  into  the  rocky  bed  of  a 
torrent  which  roared  below.  Not  the  least  part  of  their  weary 
task  was  the  fording  of  the  numerous  windings  and  branchings 


398  ASTORIA. 

of  the  mountain  rivers,  all  boisterous  in  their  currents,  and 
icy  cold. 

Hunger  was  added  to  their  other  sufferings,  and  soon  became 
the  keenest.  The  small  supply  of  bear  and  elk  meat  which  they 
had  been  able  to  .  carry,  in  addition  to  their  previous  burdens, 
served  but  for  a  very  short  time.  In  their  anxiety  to  struggle 
forward,  they  had  but  little  time  to  hunt,  and  scarce  any  game  in 
their  path.  For  three  days  they  had  nothing  to  eat  but  a  small 
duck,  and  a  few  poor  trout.  They  occasionally  saw  numbers  of 
antelopes,  and  tried  every  art  to  get  within  shot ;  but  the  timid 
animals  were  more  than  commonly  wild,  and  after  tantalizing  the 
hungry  hunters  for  a  time,  bounded  away  beyond  all  chance  of 
pursuit.  At  length  they  were  fortunate  enough  to  kill  one :  it 
was  extremely  meagre,  and  yielded  but  a  scanty  supply  ;  but  on 
this  they  subsisted  for  several  days. 

On  the  llth,  they  encamped  on  a  small  stream,  near  the  foot 
of  the  Spanish  River  Mountain.  Here  they  met  with  traces  of 
that  wayward  and  solitary  being,  M'Lellan,  who  was  still  keeping 
on  ahead  of  them  through  these  lonely  mountains.  He  had  en- 
camped the  night  before  on  this  stream  ;  they  found  the  embers 
of  the  fire  by  which  he  had  slept,  and  the  remains  of  a  miserable 
wolf  on  which  he  had  supped.  It  was  evident  he  had  suffered, 
like  themselves,  the  pangs  of  hunger,  though  he  had  fared  better 
at  this  encampment ;  for  they  had  not  a  mouthful  to  eat. 

The  next  day,  they  rose  hungry  and  alert,  and  set  out  with 
the  Sawn  to  climb  the  mountain,  which  was  steep  and  difficult. 
Traces  of  volcanic  eruptions  were  to  be  seen,  in  various  direc- 
tions. There  was  a  species  of  clay  also  to  be  met  with,  out  of 
which  the  Indians  manufacture  pots  and  jars,  and  dishes.  *  It  is 
very  fine  and  light,  of  an  agreeable  smell,  and  of  a  brown  color 
spotted  with  yellow,  and  dissolves  readily  in  the  mouth.  Vessels 
manufactured  of  it,  are  said  to  impart  a  pleasant  smell  and  flavor 


STARVATION.  •  399 


to  any  liquids.  These  mountains  abound  also  with  mineral 
earths,  or  chalks  of  various  colors  ;  especially  two  kinds  of  ochre, 
one  a  pale,  the  other  a  bright  red,  like  vermilion  ;  much  used  by 
the  Indians,  in  painting  their  bodies. 

About  noon,  the  travellers  reached  the  "  drains  "  and  brooks 
that  formed  the  head  waters  of  the  river,  and  later  in  the  day, 
descended  to  where  the  main  body,  a  shallow  stream,  about  a 
hundred  and  sixty  yards  wide,  poured  through  its  mountain 
valley. 

Here  the  poor  famishing  wanderers  had  expected  to  find  buf- 
falo in  abundance,  and  had  fed  their  hungry  hopes  during  their 
scrambling  toil,  with  the  thoughts  of  roasted  ribs,  juicy  humps, 
and  broiled  marrow  bones.  To  their  great  disappointment,  the 
river  banks  were  deserted ;  a  few  old  tracks,  showed  where  a  herd 
of  bulls  had  some  time  before  passed  along,  but  not  a  horn  nor 
hujnp  was  to  be  seen  in  the  sterile  landscape.  A  few  antelopes 
looked  down  upon  them  from  the  brow  of  a  crag,  but  flitted  away 
out  of  sight  at  the  least  approach  of  the  hunter. 

In  the  most  starving  mood  they  kept  for  several  miles  further, 
along  the  bank  of  the  river,  seeking  for  "  beaver  signs."  Find- 
ing some,  they  encamped  in  the  vicinity,  and  Ben  Jones  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  set  the  trap.  They  had  scarce  come  to  a 
halt,  when  they  perceived  a  large  smoke  at  some  distance  to  the 
southwest.  The  sight  was  hailed  with  joy,  for  they  trusted  it 
might  rise  from  some  Indian  camp,  where  they  could  procure 
something  to  eat.  and  the  dread  of  starvation  had  now  overcome 
even  the  terror  of  the  Blackfeet.  Le  Clerc,  one  of  the  Canadians, 
was  instantly  dispatched  by  Mr.  Stuart,  to  reconnoitre ;  and  the 
travellers  sat  up  till  a  late  hour,  watching  and  listening  for  his 
return,  hoping  he  might  bring  them  food.  Midnight  arrived, 
but  Le  Clerc  did  not  make  his  appearance,  and  they  laid  down 
once  more  supperless  to  sleep,  comforting  themselves  with  the 


400  ASTORIA. 

hopes  that  their  old  beaver  trap  might  furnish  them  with  a 
breakfast. 

At  daybreak  they  hastened  with  famished  eagerness  to  the 
trap — they  found  in  it  the  fore  paw  of  a  beaver ;  the  sight  of 
which  tantalized  their  hunger,  and  added  to  their  dejection. 
They  resumed  their  journey  with  flagging  spirits,  but  had  not 
gone  far  when  they  perceived  Le  Clerc  approaching  at  a  distance. 
They  hastened  to  meet  him,  in  hopes  of  tidings  of  good  cheer. 
He  had  none  te  give  them ;  but  news  of  that  strange  wanderer, 
M'Lellan.  The  smoke  had  risen  from  his  encampment,  which 
took  fire  while  he  was  at  a  little  distance  from  it  fishing.  *Le 
Clerc  found  him  in  forlorn  condition.  His  fishing  had  been 
unsuccessful.  During  twelve  days  that  he  had  been  wandering 
alone  through  these  savage  mountains,  he  had  found  scarce  any 
thing  to  eat.  He  had  been  ill,  wayworn,  sick  at  heart,  still  he 
had  kept  forward ;  but  now  his  strength  and  his  stubbornness 
were  exhausted.  He  expressed  his  satisfaction  at  hearing  that 
Mr.  Stuart  and  his  party  were  near,  and  said  he  would  wait  at 
his  camp  for  their  arrival,  in  hopes  they  would  give  him  some- 
thing to' eat,  for  without  food  he  declared  he  should  not  be  able 
to  proceed  much  further. 

When  the  party  reached  the  place,  they  found  the  poor  fellow 
lying  on  a  parcel  of  withered  grass,  wasted  to  a  perfect  skeleton, 
and  so  feeble  that  he  could  scarce  raise  his  head  or  speak.  The 
.presence  of  his  old  comrades  seemed  to  revive  him;  but  they 
had  no  food  to  give  him,  for  they  themselves  were  almost  starving. 
They  urged  him  to  rise  and  accompany  them,  but  he  shook  his 
head.  It  was  all  in  vain,  he  said ;  there  was  no  prospect  of  their 
getting  speedy  relief,  and  without  it  he  should  perish  by  the 
way ;  he  might  as  well,  therefore,  stay 'and  die  where  was.  At 
length,  after  much  persuasion,  they  got  him  upon  his  legs  ;  his 
rifle  and  other  effects  were  shared  among  them,  and  he  was 


STARVATION.  401 


cheered  and  aided  forward.  In  this  way  they  proceeded  for 
'seventeen  miles,  over  a  level  plain  of  sand,  until,  seeing  a  few 
antelopes  in  the  distance,  they  encamped  on  the  margin  of  a 
small  stream.  All  now  that  were  capable  of  the  exertion,  turned 
out  to  hunt  for  a  meal.  Their  efforts  were  fruitless,  and  after 
dark  they  returned  to  their  camp,  famished  almost  to  despera- 
tion. 

As  they  were  preparing  for  the  third  time  to  lay  down  to 
sleep  without  a  mouthful  to  eat,  Le  Clerc,  one  of  the  Canadians, 
gaunt  and  wild  with  hunger,  approached  Mr.  Stuart  with  his 
gun  in  his  hand.  "  It  was  all  in  vain,"  he  said,  "  to  attempt  to 
proceed  any  further  without  food.  They. had  a  barren  plain 
before  them,  three  or  four  days'  journey  in  extent,  on  which 
nothing  was  to  be  procured.  They  must  all  perish  before  they 
could  get  to  the  end  of  it.  It  was  better,  therefore,  that  one 
should  die  to  save  the  rest."  He  proposed,  therefore,  that  they 
should  cast  lots;  adding,  as  an  inducement  for  Mr.  Stuart  to 
assent  to  the  proposition,  that  he,  as  leader  of  the  party,  should 
be  exempted. 

Mr.  Stuart  shuddered  at  the  horrible  proposition,  and  endea- 
vored to  reason  with  the  man,  but  his  words  were  unavailing. 
At  length,  snatching  up  his  rifle,  he  threatened  to  shoot  him  on 
the  spot  if  he  persisted.  The  famished  wretch  dropped  on  his 
knees,  begged  pardon  in  the  most  abject  terms,  and  promised  never 
again  to  offend  him  with  such  a  suggestion. 

Quiet  being  restored  to  the  forlorn  encampment,  each  one 
sought  repose.  Mr.  Stuart,  however,  was  so  exhausted  by  the 
agitation  of  the  past  scene,  acting  upon  his  emaciated  frame, 
that  he  could  scarce  crawl  to  his  miserable  couch  ;  where,  not- 
withstanding his  fatigues,  he  passed  a  sleepless  night,  revolving 
upon  their  dreary  situation,  and  the  desperate  prospect  before 
them. 


402  ASTORIA. 

Before  daylight  the  next  morning,  they  were  up  and  on  their 
way  ;  they  had  nothing  to  detain  them  ;  no  breakfast  to  prepare, 
and  to  linger  was  to  perish.  They  proceeded,  however,  but 
slowly,  for  all  were  faint  and  weak.  Here  and  there  they  passed 
the  skulls  and  bones  of  buffaloes,  which  showed  that  these  ani- 
mals must  have  been  hunted  here  during  the  past  season  ;  the 
sight  of  these  bones  served  only  to  mock  their  misery.  After 
travelling  about  nine  miles  along  the  plain,  they  ascended  a  range 
of  hills,  and  had  scarcely  gone  two  miles  further,  when,  to  their 
great  joy,  they  discovered  "  an  old  run-down  buffalo  bull ;"  the 
laggard  probably  of  some  herd  that  had  been  hunted  and  harass- 
ed through  the  mountains.  They  now  all  stretched  themselves 
out  to  encompass  and  make  sure  of  this  solitary  animal,  for  their 
lives  depended  upon  their  success.  After  considerable  trouble 
and  infinite  anxiety,  they  at  length  succeeded  in  killing  him. 
He  was  instantly  flayed  and  cut  up,  and  so  ravenous  was  their 
hunger,  that  they  devoured  some  of  the  flesh  raw.  The  -residue 
they  carried  to  a  brook  near  by,  where  they  encamped,  lit  a  fire, 
and  began  to  cook. 

Mr.  Stuart  was  fearful  that  in  their  famished  state  they  would 
eat  to  excess  and  injure  themselves.  He  caused  a  soup  to  be 
made  of  some  of  the  meat,  and  that  each  should  take  a  quantity 
of  it  as  a  prelude  to  his  supper.  This  may  have  had  a  beneficial 
effect,  for  though  they  sat  up  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  cook- 
ing and  cramming,  no  one  suffered  any  inconvenience. 

The  next  morning  the  feasting  was  resumed,  and  about  mid- 
day, feeling  somewhat  recruited  and  refreshed,  they  set  out 
on  their  journey  with  renovated  spirits,  shaping  their  course 
towards  a  mountain,  the  summit  of  which  they  saw  towering  in 
the  east,  and  near  to  which  they  expected  to  find  the  head  waters 
of  the  Missouri. 

As  they  proceeded,  they  continued  to  see  the  skeletons  of 


GIGANTIC   LODGE.  403 


buffaloes  scattered  about  the  plain  in  every  direction,  which 
showed  that  there  had  been  much  hunting  here  by  the  Indians 
in  the  recent  season.  Further  on  they  crossed  a  large  Indian 
trail,  forming  a  deep  path,  about  fifteen  days  old.  which  went  in 
a  north  direction.  They  concluded  it  to  have  been  made  by  some 
numerous  band  of  Crows,  who  had  hunted  in  this  country  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  summer. 

On  the  following  day  they  forded  a  stream  of  considerable 
magnitude,  with  banks  clothed-  with  pine  trees.  Among  these 
they  found  the  traces  of  a  large  Indian  camp,  which  had  evidently 
been  the  head-quarters  of  a  hunting  expedition,  from  the  great 
quantities  of  buffalo  bones  strewed  about  the  neighborhood.  The 
camp  had  apparently  been  abandoned  about  a  mouth. 

In  the  centre  was  a  singular  lodge  One  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
in  circumference,  supported  by  the  trunks  of  twenty  trees,  about 
twelve  inches  in  diameter  and  forty-four  feet  long. '  Across  these 
were  laid  branches  of  pine  and  willow  trees,  so  as  to  yield  a  tol- 
erable shade.  At  the  west  end,  immediately  opposite  to  the  door, 
three  bodies  lay  interred  with  their  feet  towards  the  east.  At 
the  head  of  each  grave  was  a  branch  of  red  cedar  firmly  planted 
in  the  ground.  At  the  foot  was  a  large  buffalo's  skull,  painted 
black.  Savage  ornaments  were  suspended  in  various  parts  of  the 
edifice,  and  a  great  number  of  children's  moccasons.  From  the 
magnitude  of  this  building,  and  the  time  and  labor  that  must 
have  been  expended  in  erecting  it,  the  bodies  which  it  contained 
were  probably  those  of  noted  warriors  and  hunters. 

The  next  day,  October  17th,  they  passed  two  large  tributary 
streams  of  the  Spanish  River.  They  took  their  rise  in  the  Wind 
River  Mountains,  which  ranged  along  to  the  east,  stupendously 
high  and  rugged,  composed  of  vast  masses  of  black  rock,  almost 
destitute  of  wood,  and  covered  in  many  places  with  snow.  This 
day  they  saw  a  few  buffalo  bulls,  and  Some  antelopes,  but  could 


404  ASTORIA. 

not  kill  any ;  and  their  stock  of  provisions  began  to  grow  scanty 
as  well  as  poor. 

On  the  18th,  after  crossing  a  mountain  ridge,  and  traversing 
a  plain,  they  waded  one  of  the  branches  of  Spanisk  River,  and 
on  ascending  its  bank,  met  with  about  a  hundred  and  thirty 
Snake  Indians.  They  were  friendly  in  their  demeanor,  and  con- 
ducted them  to  their  encampment,  which  was  about  three  miles 
distant.  It  consisted  of  about  forty  wigwams,  constructed  prin- 
cipally of  pine  branches.  The  Snakes,  like  most  of  their  nation, 
were  very  poor ;  the  marauding  Crows,  in  their  late  excursion 
through  the  country,  had  picked  this  unlucky  band  to  the  very 
.bone,  carrying  off  their  horses,  several  of  their  squaws,  and  most 
of  their  effects.  In  spite  of  their  poverty,  they  were  hospitable 
in  the  extreme,  and  made  the  hungry  strangers  welcome  to  their 
cabins.  A  few  trinkets  procured  from  them  a  supply  of  buffalo 
meat,  and  of  leather  for  moccasons,  of  which  the  party  were 
greatly  in  need.  The  most  valuable  prize  obtained  from  them, 
however,  was  a  horse :  it  was  a  sorry  old  animal  in  truth,  but  it 
was  the  only  one  that  remained  to  the  poor  fellows,  after  the  fell 
swoop  of  the  Crows ;  yet  this  they  were  prevailed  upon  to  part 
with  to  their  guests  for  a  pistol,  an  axe,  a  knife,  and  a  few  other 
trifling  articles. 

They  had  doleful  stories  to  tell  of  the  Crows,  who  were  en- 
camped on  a  river  at  no  great  distance  to  the  east,  and  were  in 
such  force  that  they  dared  not  venture  to  seek  any  satisfaction 
for  their  outrages,  or  to  get  back  a  horse  or  squaw.  They  en- 
deavored t&  excite  the  indignation  of  their  visitors  by  accounts 
of  robberies  and  murders  committed  on  lonely  white  hunters  and 
trappers  by  Crows  and  Blackfeet.  Some  of  these  were  exagger- 
ations of  the  outrages  already  mentioned,  sustained  by  some  of 
the  scattered  members  of  Mr.  Hunt's  expedition  ;  others  were  in 
all  probability  sheer  fabrications,  to  which  the  Snakes  seem  to 

•ft 


THE  FORLORN  ALLIANCE.  405 


have  been  a  little  prone.  Mr.  Stuart  assured  them  that  the  day 
was  not  far  distant  when  the  whites  would  make  their  power  to 
be  felt  throughout  that  country,  and  take  signal  vengeance  on  the 
perpetrators  of  these  misdeeds.  The  Snakes  expre'ssed  great  joy 
at  the  intelligence,  and  offered  their  services  to  aid  the  righteous 
cause,  brightening  at  the  thoughts  of  taking  the  field  with  such 
potent  allies,  and  doubtless  anticipating  their  turn  at  stealing 
horses  and  abducting  squaws*  Their  offers  of  course  were  ac- 
cepted ;  the  calumet  of  peace  was  produced,  and  the  two  forlorn 
powers  smoked  eternal  friendship  between  themselves,  and  ven- 
geance upon  their  common  spoilers,  the  Crows. 


406  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

BY  sunrise  on  the  following  morning,  (October  19th,)  the  travel- 
lers had  loaded  their  old  horse  with  buffalo  meat,  sufficient  for 
five  days'  provisions,  and,  taking  leave  of  their  new  allies,  the 
poor,  but  hospitable  Snakes,  set  forth  in  somewhat  better  spirits, 
though  the  increasing  cold  of  tKe  weather,  and  the  sight  of  the 
snowy  mountains  which  they  had  yet  to  traverse,  were  enough  to 
chill  their  very  hearts.  The  country  along  this  branch  of  the 
Spanish  River,  as  far  as  they  could  see,  was  perfectly  level, 
bounded  by  ranges  of  lofty  mountains,  both  to  the  east  and  west. 
They  proceeded  about  three  miles  to  the  south,  where  they  came 
again  upon  the  large  trail  of  Crow  Indians,  which  they  had 
crossed  four  days  previously,  made,  no  doubt,  by  the  same 
marauding  band  that  had  plundered  the  Snakes ;  and  which, 
according  to  the  account  of  the  latter,  was  now  encamped  on  a 
stream  to  the  eastward.  The  trail  kept  on  to  the  southeast,  and 
was  so  well  beaten  by  horse  and  foot,  that  they  supposed  at  least 
a  hundred  lodges  had  passed  along  it.  As  it  formed,  therefore, 
a  convenient  highway,  and  ran  in  a  proper  direction,  they  turned 
into  it,  and  determined  to  keep  along  it  as  far  as  safety  would 
permit ;  as  the  Crow  encampment  must  be  some  distance  off,  and 
it  was  not  litely  those  savages  would  return  upon  their  steps. 
They  travelled  forward,  therefore,  all  that  day,  in  the  track  of 
their  dangerous  predecessors,  which  led  them  across  mountain 
streams,  and  along  ridges,  and  through  narrow  valleys,  all  tend- 
ing generally  towards  the  southeast.  The  wind  blew  coldly  from 
the  northeast,  with  occasional  flurries  of  snow,  which  made  them 


BAD   WEATHER   AND   GOOD   CHEER.  407 


encamp  early,  on  the  sheltered  banks  of  a  brook.  The  two  Cana- 
dians. Vallee  and  Le  Clerc,  killed  a  young  buffalo  bull  in  the 
evening,  which  was  in  good  condition,  and  afforded  them  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  fresh  beef.  They  loaded  their  spits,  therefore, 
and  crammed  their  camp  kettle  with  meat,  and  while  the  wind 
whistled,  and  the  snow  whirled  around  them,  huddled  round  a 
rousing  fire,  basked  in  its  warmth,  and  comforted  both  soul  and 
body  with  a  hearty  and  invigorating  meal.  No  enjoyments  have 
greater  zest  than  these,  snatched  in  the  very  midst  of  difficulty 
and  danger  ;  and  it  is  probable  the  poor  wayworn  and  weather- 
beaten  travellers  relished  these  creature  comforts  the  more  highly 
from  the  surrounding  desolation,  and  the  dangerous  proximity  of 
the  Crows, 

The  snow  which  had  fallen  in  the  night  made  it  late  in  the 
morning  before  the  party  loaded  their  solitary  pack-horse,  and 
resumed  their  march.  They  had  not  gone  far  before  the  Crow 
trace  which  they  were  following  changed  its  direction,  and  bore 
to  the  north  of  east.  •  They  had  already  begun  to  feel  themselves 
on  dangerous  ground  in  keeping  along  it,  as  they  might  be 
descried  by  some  scouts  and  spies  of  that  race  of  Ishmaelites, 
whose  predatory  life  required  them  to  be  constantly  on  the  alert. 
On  seeing  the  trace  turn  so  much  to  the  north,  therefore,  they 
abandoned  it,  and  kept  on  their  course  to  the  southeast  for  eigh- 
teen miles,  through  a  beautifully  undulating  country,  having  the 
main  chain  of  mountains  on  the  left,  and  a  considerably  elevated 
ridge  on  the  right.  Here  the*  mountain  ridge  which  divides 
Wind  River  from  the  head  waters  of  the  Columbia  and  Spanish 
Rivers  ends  abruptly,  and  winding  to  the  north  of  east,  becomes 
the  dividing  barrier  between  a  branch  of  the  Big  Horn  and  Chey- 
enne Rivers,  and  those  head  waters  which  flow  into  the  Missouri 
below  the  Sioux  country. 

The  ridge  which  lay  on  the  right  of  the  travellers  having  now 


408  ASTORIA. 

become  very  low,  thjey  passed  over  it,  and  came  into  a  level  plain, 
about  ten  miles  in  circumference,  and  incrusted  to  the  depth  of 
a  foot  or  eighteen  inches  with  salt  as  white  as  snow.  This  is 
furnished  by  numerous  salt  springs  of  limpid  water,  which  are 
continually  welling  up,  overflowing  their  borders,  and  forming 
beautiful  crystallizations.  The  Indian  tribes  of  the  interior  are 
excessively  fond  of  this  salt,  and  repair  to  the  valley  to  collect  it, 
but  it  is  held  in  distaste  by  the  tribes  of  the  sea-coast,  who  will 
eat  nothing  that  has  been  cured  or  seasoned  by  it. 

This  evening  they  encamped  on  the  banks  of  a  small  stream, 
in  the  open  prairie.  The  northeast  wind  was  keen  and  cutting ; 
they  had  nothing  wherewith  to  make  a  fire,  but  a  scanty  growth 
of  sage,  or  wormwood,  and  were  fain  to  wrap  themselves  iip  in 
their  blankets,  and  huddle  themselves  in  thir  "  nests,"  at  an  early 
hour.  In  the  course  of  the  evening,  Mr.  M'Lellan,  who  had  now 
regained  his  strength,  killed  a  buffalo,  but  it  was  some  distance 
from  the  camp,  and  they  postponed  supplying  themselves  from 
the  carcass  until  the  following  morning. 

The  next  day,  (October  21st,)  the  cold  continued,  accompa- 
nied by  snow.  They  set  forward  on  their  bleak  and  toilsome 
way,  keeping  to  the  east-northeast,  towards  the  lofty  summit  of 
a  mountain,  which  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  cross.  Before 
they  reached  its  base  they  passed  another  large  trail,  steering  a 
little  to  the  right  of  the  point  of  the  mountain.  This  they  pre- 
sumed to  have  been  made  by  another  band  of  Crows,  who  had 
probably  been  hunting  lower  do%n  on  the  Spanish  River. 

The  severity  of  the  weather  compelled  them  to  encamp  at  the 
end  of  fifteen  miles,  on  the  skirts  of  the  mountain,  where  they 
found  sufficient  dry  aspen  trees  to  supply  them  with  fire,  but  they 
sought  in  vain  about  the  neighborhood  for  a  spring  or  rill  of  water. 

At  daybreak  they  were  up  and  on  the  march,  scrambling  up 
the  mountain  side  for  the  distance  of  eight  painful  miles.  From 


WINTRY   PLAINS.  409 


the  casual  hints  given  in  the  travelling  memoranda  of  Mr.  Stuart, 
this  mountain  would  seem  to  offer  a  rich  field  of  speculation  for 
the  geologist.  Here  was  a  plain  three  miles  in  diameter,  strewed 
with  pumice  stones  and  other  volcanic  reliques,  with  a  lake  in  the 
centre,  occupying  what  had  probably  been  the  crater.  Here  were 
also,  in  some  places,  deposits  of  marine  shells,  indicating  that  this 
mountain  crest  had  at  some  remote  period  been  below  the  waves. 

After  pausing  to  repose,  and  to  enjoy  these  grand  but  savage 
and  awful  scenes,  they  began  to  descend  the  eastern  side  of  the 
mountain.  The  descent  was  rugged  and  romantic,  along  deep 
ravines  and  defiles,  overhung  with  crags  and  cliffs,  among  which 
they  beheld  numbers  of  the  ahsahta  or  bighorn,  skipping  fear- 
lessly from  rock  to  rock.  Two  of  them  they  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing down  with  their  rifles,  as  they  peered  fearlessly  from  the 
brow  of  their  airy  precipices. 

Arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  the  travellers  found  a 
rill  of  water  oozing  out  of  the  earth,  and  resembling  in  look  and 
taste,  the  water  of  the  Missouri.  Here  they  encamped  for  the 
night,  and  supped  sumptuously  upon  their  mountain  mutton, 
which  they  found  in  good  condition,  and  extremely  well  tasted. 

The  morning  was  bright,  and  intensely  cold.  Early  in  the 
day  they  came  upon  a  stream  running  to  the  east,  between  low 
hills  of  bluish  earth,  strongly  impregnated  with  copperas.  Mr. 
Stuart  supposed  this  to  be  one  of  the  head  waters  of  the  Mis- 
souri, and  determined  to  follow  its  banks.  After  a  march  of 
twenty-six  miles,  however,  he  arrived  at  the  summit  of  a  hill,  the 
prospect  of  which  induced  him  to  alter  his  intention.  He  beheld, 
in  every  direction  south  of  east,  a  vast  plain,  bounded  only  by  the 
horizon,  through  which  wandered  the  stream  in  question,  in  a 
south-southeast  direction.  It  could  not,  therefore,  be  a  branch 
of  the  Missouri.  He  now  gave  up  all  idea  of  taking  the  stream 
for  his  guide,  and  shaped  his  course  towards  a  range  of  moun- 

18 


410   .  ASTORIA. 

tains  in  the  east,  about  sixty  miles  distant,  near  which  he  hoped 
to  find  another  stream. 

The  weather  was  now  so  severe,  and  the  hardships  of  travel- 
ling so  great,  that  he  resolved  to  halt  for  the  winter,  at  the  first 
eligible  place.  That  night  they  had  to  encamp  on  the  open 
prairie,  near  a  scanty  pool  of  water,  and  without  any  wood  to 
make  a  fire.  The  northeast  wind  blew  keenly  across  the  naked 
waste,  and  they  were  fain  to  decamp  from  their  inhospitable 
bivouac  before  the  dawn. 

For  two  days  they  kept  on  in  an  eastward  direction,  against 
wintry  blasts  and  occasional  snow  storms.  They  suffered,  also, 
from*  scarcity  of  water,  having  occasionally  to  use  melted  snow ; 
this,  with  the  want  of  pasturage,  reduced  their  old  pack-horse 
sadly.  They  saw  many  tracks  of  buffalo,  and  some  few  bulls, 
which,  however,  got  the  wind  of  them,  and  scampered  off. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  they  steered  east-northeast,  for  a 
wooded  ravine,  in  a  mountain  at  a  small  distance  from  the  base 
of  which,  to  their  great  joy,  they  discovered  an  abundant  stream, 
running  between  willowed  banks.  Here  they  halted  for  the 
night,  and  Ben  Jones  having  luckily  trapped  a  beaver,  and  killed 
two  buffalo  bulls,  they  remained  all  the  next  day  encamped,  feast- 
ing and  reposing,  and  allowing  their  jaded  horse  to  rest  from 
his  labors. 

The  little  stream  on  which  they  were  encamped,  was  one  of 
the  head  waters  of  the  Platte  River,  which  flows  into  the  Mis- 
souri ;  it  was,  in  fact,  the  northern  fork,  or  branch  of  that  river, 
though  this  the  travellers  did  not  discover  until  long  afterwards. 
Pursuing  the  course  of  this  stream  for  about  twenty  miles,  they 
came  to  where  it  forced  a  passage  through  a  range  of  high  hills, 
covered  with  cedars,  into  an  extensive  low  country,  affording  ex- 
cellent pasture  to  numerous  herds  of  buffalo.  Here  they  killed 
three  cows,  which  were  the  first  they  had  been  able  to  get,  having 


THE   FIERY   NARROWS.  411 


hitherto  had  to  content  themselves  with  bull  beef,  which  at  this 
season  of  the  year  is  very  poor.  The  hump  meat  afforded  them 
a  repast  fit  for  -an  epicure. 

Late  on  the  afternoon  of  the  30th,  they  came  to  where  the 
stream,  now  increased  to  a  considerable  size,  poured  along  in 
a  ravine  between  precipices  of  red  stone,  two  hundred  feet  in 
height.  For  some  distance  it  dashed  along,  over  huge  masses  of 
rock,  with  foaming  violence,  as  if  exasperated  by  being  compressed 
into  so  narrow  a  channel,  and  at  length  leaped  down  a  chasm  that 
looked  dark  and  frightful  in  the  gathering  twilight. 

For  a  part  of  the  next  day,  the  wild  river,  in  its  capricious 
wanderings,  led  them  through  a  variety  of  striking  scenes.  At 
one  time  they  were  upon  high  plains,  like  platforms  among  the 
mountains,  with  herds  of  buffaloes  roaming  about  them  ;  at  an- 
other, among  rude  rocky  defiles,  broken  into  cliffs  and  precipices, 
where  the  black-tailed  deer  bounded  off  among  the  crags,  and  the 
bighorn  basked  in  the  sunny  brow  of  the  precipice. 

In  the  after  part  of  the  day,  they  came  to  another  scene,  sur- 
passing in  savage  grandeur  those  already  described.  They  had 
been  travelling  for  some  distance  through  a  pass  of  the  moun- 
tains, keeping  parallel  with  the  river,  as  it  roared  along,  out  of 
sight,  through  a  deep  ravine.  Sometimes  their  devious  path 
approached  the  margin  of  cliffs  below  which  the  river  foamed,  and 
boiled  and  whirled  among  the  masses  of  rock  that  had  fallen  into 
its  channel.  As  they  crept  cautiously  on,  leading  their  solitary 
pack-horse  along  these  giddy  heights,  they  all  at  once  came  to 
where  the  river  thundered  down  a  succession  of  precipices, 
throwing  up  clouds  of  spray,  and  making  a  prodigious  din  and 
uproar.  The  travellers  remained,  for  a  time,  gazing  with  mingled 
awe  and  delight,  at  this  furious  cataract,  to  which  Mr.  Stuart 
gave,  from  the  color  of  the  impending  rocks,'  the  name  of  "  The 
Fiery  Narrows." 


ASTORIA 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

THE  travellers  encamped  for  the  night  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 
below  the  cataract.  The  night  was  cold  with  partial  showers  of 
rain  and  sleet.  The  morning  dawned  gloomily,  the  skies  were 
sullen  and  overcast,  and  threatened  further  storms ;  but  the  little 
band  resumed  their  journey,  in  defiance  of  the  weather.  The 
increasing  rigor  of  the  season,  however,  which  makes  itself  felt 
early  in  these  mountainous  regions,  and  on  these  naked  and  ele- 
vated plains,  brought  them  to  a  pause,  and  a  serious  deliberation, 
after  they  had  descended  about  thirty  miles  further  along  the 
course  of  the  river. 

All  were  convinced  that  it  was  in  vain  to  attempt  to  accom- 
plish their  journey  on  foot  at  this  inclement  season.  They  had 
still  many  hundred  miles  to  traverse  before  they  should  reach  the 
main  course  of  the  Missouri,  and  their  route  would  lay  over 
immense  prairies,  naked  and  bleak,  and  destitute  of  fuel.  The 
question  then  was,  where  to  choose  their  wintering  place,  and 
whether  or  not  to  proceed  further  down  the  river.  They  had  at 
first  imagined  it  to  be  one  of  the  head  waters,  or  tributary  streams, 
of  the  Missouri.  Afterwards  they  had  believed  it  to  be  the  Rapid, 
or  Quicourt  River,  in  which  opinion  they  had  not  come  nearer  to 
the  truth  ;  they  now,  however,  were  persuaded,  with  equal  fallacy, 
by  its  inclining  somewhat  to  the  north  of  east,  that  it  was  the 
Cheyenne.  If  so,  by  continuing  down  it  much  further  they  must 
arrive  among  the  Indians,  from  whom  the  river  takes  its  name. 
Among  these  they  would  be  sure  to  meet  some  of  the  Sioux  tribe. 


A   WINTERING   PLACE.  413 


These  would  apprise  their  relatives,  the  piratical  Sioux  of  the 
Missouri,  of  the  approach  of  a  band  of  white  traders  ;  so  that,  in 
the  spring  time,  they  would  be  likely  to  be  waylaid  and  robbed  on 
their  way  down  the  river,  by  some  party  in  ambush  upon  its  banks. 

Even  should  this  prove  to  be  the  Quicourt  or  Rapid  River,  it 
would  not  be  prudent  to  winter  much  further  down  upon  its 
banks,  as,  though  they  might  be  out  of  the  range  of  the  Sioux, 
they  would  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Poncas,  a  tribe  nearly 
as  dangerous.  It  was  resolved,  therefore,  since  they  must  winter 
somewlSre  on  this  side  of  the  Missouri,  to  descend  no  lower,  but 
to  keep  up  in  these  solitary  regions,  where  they  would  be  in  no 
danger  of  molestation. 

They  were  brought  the  more  promptly  and  unanimously  to 
this  decision,  by  coming  upon  an  excellent  wintering  place,  that 
promised  every  thing  requisite  for  their  comfort.  It  was  on  a 
fine  bend  of  the  river,  just  below  where  it  issued  out  from  among 
a  ridge  of  mountains,  and  bent  towards  the  northeast.  Here 
was  a  beautiful  low  point  of  land,  covered  by  cotton-wood,  and 
surrounded  by  a  thick  growth  of  willow,  so  as  to  yield  both  shel- 
ter and  fuel,  as  well  as  materials  for  building.  The  river  swept 
by  in  a  strong  current,  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide. 
To  the  southeast  were  mountains  of  moderate  height,  the  nearest 
about  two  miles  off,  but  the  whole  chain  ranging  to  the  east,  south, 
and  southwest,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Their  summits 
were  crowned  with  extensive  tracts  of  pitch  pine,  checkered  with 
small  patches  of  the  quivering  aspen.  Lower  down  were  thick 
forests  of  firs  and  red  cedars,  growing  out  in  many  places  from 
the  very  fissures  of  the  rocks.  The  mountains  were  broken  and 
precipitous,  with  huge  bluffs  protruding  from  among  the  forests. 
Their  rocky  recesses,  and  beetling  cliffs,  afforded  retreats  to  in- 
numerable flocks  of  the  bighorn,  while  their  woody  summits  and 
ravines  abounded  with  bears  and  black-tailed  deer.  These,' with 


414  ASTORIA. 

the  numerous  herds  of  buffalo  that  ranged  the  lower  grounds 
along  the  river,  promised  the  travellers  abundant  cheer  in  their 
winter  quarters. 

On  the  2d  of  November,  therefore,  they  pitched  their  camp 
for  the  winter,  on  the  woody  point,  and  their  first  thought  was.  to 
obtain  a  supply  of  provisions.  Ben  Jones  and  the  two  Cana- 
dians accordingly  sallied  forth,  accompanied  by  two  others  of  the 
party,  leaving  but  one  to  watch  the  camp.  Their  hunting  was  un- 
commonly successful.  In  the  course  of  two  days,  they  killed 
thirty-two  buffaloes,  and  collected  their  meat  on  the  ma%in  of  a 
small  brook,  about  a  mile  distant.  '  Fortunately,  a  severe  frost 
froze  the  river,  so  that  the  meat  was  easily  transported  to  the  en- 
campment. On  a  succeeding  day,  a  herd  of  buffalo  came  tramp- 
ling through  the  woody  bottom  on  the  river  banks,  and  fifteen 
more  were  killed. 

It  was  soon  discovered,  however,  that  there  was  game  of  a 
more  dangerous  nature  in  the  neighborhood.  On  one  occasion, 
Mr.  Crooks  had  wandered  about  a  mile  from  the  camp,  and  had 
ascended  a  small  hill  commanding  a  view  of  the  river.  He  was 
without  his  rifle,  a  rare  circumstance,  for  in  these  wild  regions, 
where  one  may  put  up  a  wild  animal,  or  a  wild  Indian,  at  every 
turn,  it  is  customary  never  to  stir  from  the  camp-fire  unarmed. 
The  hill  where  he  stood  overlooked  the  place  where  the  massacre 
of  the  buffalo  had  taken  place.  As  he  was  looking  around  on 
the  prospect,  his  eye  was  caught  by  an  object  below,  moving 
directly  towards  him.  To  his  dismay,  he  discovered  it  to  be  a 
grizzly  bear,  with  two  cubs.  There  was  no  tree  at  hand  into 
which  he  could  climb ;  to  run,  would  only  be  to  provoke  pursuit, 
and  he  should  soon  be  overtaken.  He  threw  himself  on  the 
ground,  therefore,  and  lay  motionless,  watching  the  movements 
of  the  animal  with  intense  anxiety.  It  continued  to  advance  un- 
til at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  when  it  turned,  and  made  into  the 


COMFORTABLE   QUARTERS. 


woods,  having  probably  gorged  itself  with  buffalo  flesh.  Mr. 
Crooks  made  all  haste  back  to  the  camp,  rejoicing  at  his  escape, 
and  determining  never  to  stir  out  again  without  his  rifle.  A  few 
days  after  this  circumstance,  a  grizzly  bear  was  shot  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, by  Mr.  Miller. 

As  the  slaughter  of  so  many  buffaloes  had  provided  the 
party  with  beef  for  the  winter,  in  case  they  met  with  no  further 
supply,  they  now  set  to  work,  heart  and  hand,  to  build  a  comfor- 
table wigwam.  In  a  little  while  the  woody  promontory  rang 
with  the  unwonted  sound  of  the  axe.  Some  of  its  lofty  trees 
were  laid  low,  and  by  the  second  evening  the  cabin  was  complete. 
It  was  eight  feet  wide,  and  eighteen  feet  long.  The  walls  were 
six  feet  high,  and  the  whole  was  covered  with  buffalo  skins.  The 
fireplace  was  in  the  centre,  and  the  smoke  found  its  way  out  by 
a  hole  in  the  roof. 

The  hunters  were  next  sent  out  to  procure  deer  skins  for 
garments,  moccasons,  and  other  purposes.  They  made  the 
mountains  echo  with  their  rifles,  and,  in  the  course  of  two  days' 
hunting,  killed  twenty-eight  bighorns  and  black-tailed  deer. 

The  party  now  revelled  in  abundance.  After  all  that  they 
had  suffered  from  hunger,  cold,  fatigue  and  watchfulness ;  after 
all  their  perils  from  treacherous  and  savage  men,  they  exulted  in 
the  snugness  and  security  of  their  isolated  cabin,  hidden,  as  they 
thought,  even  from  the  prying  eyes  of  Indian  scouts,  and  stored 
with  creature  comforts ;  and  they  looked  forward  to  a  winter  of 
peace  and  quietness ;  of  roasting,  and  boiling,  and  broiling,  and 
feasting  upon  venison,  and  mountain  mutton,  and  bear's  meat, 
and  marrow  bones,  and  buffalo  humps,  and  other  hunter's  dainties, 
and  of  dosing  and  reposing  round  their  fire,  and  gossiping  over 
past  dangers  and  adventures,  and  telling  long  hunting  stories, 
until  spring  should  return;  when  they  would  make  canoes  of 
buffalo  skins,  and  float  themselves  down  the  river. 


416  ASTORIA. 

From  such  halcyon  dreams,  they  were  startled  one  morning, 
at  daybreak,  by  a  savage  yell.  They  started  up  and  seized  their 
rifles.  The  yell  was  repeated  by  two  or  three  voices.  Cautiously 
peeping  out,  they  beheld,  to  their  dismay,  several  Indian  warriors 
among  the  trees,  all  armed  and  painted  in  warlike  style ;  being 
evidently  bent  on  some  hostile  purpose. 

Miller  changed  countenance  as  he  regarded  them.  "  We  are 
in  trouble,"  said  he,  "  these  are  some  of  the  rascally  Arapahays 
that  robbed  me  last  year."  Not  a  word  was  uttered  by  the  rest 
of  the  party,  but  they  silently  slung  their  powder  horns  and  ball 
pouches,  and  prepared  for  battle.  M'Lellan,  who  had  taken  his 
gun  to  pieces  the  evening  before,  put  it  together  in  all  haste. 
He  proposed  that  they  should  break  out  the  clay  from  between 
the  logs,  so  as  to  be  able  to  fire  upon  the  enemy. 

"  Not  yet,"  replied  Stuart ;  "  it  will  not  do  to  show  fear  or 
distrust ;  we  must  first  hold  a  parley.  Some  one  must  go  out 
and  meet  them  as  a  friend." 

Who  was  to  undertake  the  task  !  it  was  full  of  peril,  as  the 
envoy  might  be  shot  down  at  the  threshold.  ,  « 

"  The  leader  of  a  party,"  said  Miller,  "  always  takes  the 
advance." 

"  Good !"  replied  Stuart ;  "I  am  ready."  He  immediately 
went  forth ;  one  of  the  Canadians  followed  him ;  the  rest  of  the 
party  remained  in  garrison,  to  keep  the  savages  in  check. 

Stuart  advanced  holding  his  rifle  in  one  hand,  and  extending 
the  other  to  the  savage  that  appeared  to  be  the  chief.  The  latter 
stepped  forward  and  took  it ;  his  men  followed  his  example,  and 
all  shook  hands  with  Stuart,  in  token  of  friendship.  They  now 
explained  their  errand.  They  were  a  war  party  of  Arapahay 
braves.  Their  village  lay  on  a  stream  several  days'  journey  to 
the  eastward.  It  had  been  attacked  and  ravaged  during  their 
absence,  by  a  band  of  Crows,  who  had  carried  off  several  of  their 


UNWELCOME  VISITORS.  417 


women,  and  most  of  their  horses.  They  were  in  quest  of  ven- 
geance. For  sixteen  days  they  had  been  tracking  the  Crows 
about  the  mountains,  but  had  not  yet  come  upon  them.  In  the 
meantime,  they  had  met  with  scarcely  any  game,  and  were  half 
famished.  About  two  days  previously,  they  had  heard  the  report 
of  firearms  among  the  mountains,  and  on  searching  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  sound,  had  come  to  a  place  where  a  deer  had  been 
killed.  They  had  immediately  put  themselves  upon  the  track  of 
the  hunters,  and  by  following  it  up,  had  arrived  at  the  cabin. 

Mr.  Stuart  now  invited  the  chief  and  another,  who  appeared 
to  be  his  lieutenant,  into  the  hut,  but  made  signs  that  no  one 
else  was  to  enter.  The  rest  halted  at  the  door ;  others  came 
straggling  up,  until  the  whole  party,  to  the  number  of  twenty- 
three,  were  gathered  before  the  hut.  They  were  armed  with 
bows  and  arrows,  tomahawks  and  scalping  knives,  and  some  few 
with  guns.  All  were  painted  and  dressed  for  war,  and  had  a  wild 
and  fierce  appearance.  Mr.  Miller  recognized  among  them  some 
of  the  very  fellows  who  had  robbed  him  in  the  preceding  year  j 
and  put  his  comrades  upon  their  guard.  Every  man  stood  ready 
to  resist  the  first  act  of  hostility ;  the  savages,  however,  con- 
ducted themselves  peaceably,  and  showed  none  of  that  swagger- 
ing arrogance  which  a  war  party  is  apt  to  assume. 

On  entering  the  hut  the  chief  and  his  lieutenant  cast  a  wistful 
look  at  the  rafters,  laden  with  venison  and  buffalo  meat.  Mr. 
Stuart  made  a  merit  of  necessity,  and  invited  them  to  help  them- 
selves. They  did  not  wait  to  be  pressed.  The  rafters  were  soon 
eased  of  their  burden ;  venison  and  beef  were  passed  out  to  the 
crew  before  the  door,  and  a  scene  of  gormandizing  commenced, 
of  which  few  can  have  an  idea,  who  have  not  witnessed  the  gas- 
tronomic powers  of  an  Indian,  after  an  interval  of  fasting.  This 
was  kept  up  throughout  the  day ;  they  paused  now  and  then,  it 
is  true,  for  a  brief  interval,  but  only  to  return  to  the  charge  with 

18* 


418  ASTORIA. 

renewed  ardor.  The  chief  and  the  lieutenant  surpassed  all  the 
rest  in  the  vigor  and  perseverance  of  their  attacks :  as  if,  from 
their  station  they  were  bound  to  signalize  themselves  in  all  on- 
slaughts. Mr.  Stuart  kept  them  well  supplied  with  choice  bits, 
for  it  was  his  policy  to  overfeed  them,  and  keep  them  from  leav- 
ing the  hut,  where  they  served  as  hostages  for  the  good  conduct 
of  their  followers.  Once,  only,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  did  the 
chief  sally  forth.  Mr.  Stuart  and  one  of  his  men  accompanied 
him,  armed  with  their  rifles,  but  without  betraying  any*distrust. 
The  chieftain  soon  returned,  and  renewed  his  attack  upon  the 
larder.  In  a  word,  he  and  his  worthy  coadjutor,  the  lieutenant, 
ate  until  they  were  both  stupefied. 

Towards  evening  the  Indians  made  their  preparations  for  the 
night  according  to  the  practice  of  war  parties.  Those  outside  of 
the  hut  threw  up  two  breastworks,  into  which  they  retired  at  a 
tolerably  early  hour,  and  slept  like  overfed  hounds.  As  to  the 
chief  and  his  lieutenant,  they  passed  the  night  in  the  hut,  in  the 
course  of  which,  they,  two  or  three  times,  got  up  to  eat.  The 
travellers  took  turns,  one  at  a  time,  to  mount  guard  until  the 
morning. 

Scarce  had  the  day  dawned,  when  the  gormandizing  was 
renewed  by  the  whole  band,  and  carried  on  with  surprising  vigor 
until  ten  o'clock,  when  all  prepared  to  depart.  They  had  six 
days'  journey  yet  to  make,  they  said,  before  they  should  come  up 
with  the  Crows,  who  they  understood  were  encamped  on  a  river 
to  the  northward.  Their  way  lay  through  a  hungry  country 
where  there  was  no  game  ;  they  would,  moreover,  have  but  little 
time  to  hunt ;  they,  therefore,  craved  a  small  supply  of  provi- 
sions for  their  journey.  Mr.  Stuart  again  invited  them  to  help 
themselves.  They  'did  so  with  keen  forethought,  loading  them- 
selves with  the  choicest  parts  of  the  meat,  and  leaving  the  late 
plenteous  larder  far  gone  in  a  consumption.  Their  next  request 


GOOD  QUARTERS  ABANDONED.          419 


was  for  a  supply  of  ammunition,  having  guns,  but  no  powder  and 
ball.  They  promised  to  pay  magnificently  out  of  the  spoils  of 
their  foray.  "  We  are  poor  now,"  said  they,  "  and  are  obliged  to 
go  on  foot,  but  we  shall  soon  come  back  laden  with  booty,  and 
all  mounted  on  horseback,  with  scalps  hanging  at  our  bridles. 
We  will  then  give  each  of  you  a  horse  to  keep  you  from  being 
tired  on  your  journey." 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Stuart,  "  when  you  bring  the  horses,  you 

shall  have  the  ammunition,  but  not  before."     The  Indians  saw 
I 

by  his  determined  tone,  that  all  further  entreaty  would  be  una- 
vailing, so  they  desisted,  with  a  good-humored  laugh,  and  went 
off  exceedingly  well  freighted,  both  within  and  without,  promis- 
ing to  be  back  again  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight. 

No  sooner  were  they  out  of  hearing,  than  the  luckless  travel- 
lers held  another  council.  The  security  of  their  cabin  was  at  an 
end,  and  with  it  all  their  dreams  of  a  quiet  and  cosey  winter. 
They  were  between  two  fires.  On  one  side  were  their  old  ene- 
mies, the  Crows  ;  on  the  other  side,  the  Arapahays,  no  less  dan- 
gerous freebooters.  As  to  the  moderation  of  this  war  party, 
they  considered  it  assumed,  to  put  them  off  their  guard  against 
some  more  favorable  opportunity  for  a  surprisal.  It  was  deter- 
mined, therefore,  not  to  await  their  return,  but  to  abandon,  with 
all  speed,  this  dangerous  neighborhood.  From  the  accounts  of 
their  recefft  visitors,  they  were  led  to  believe,  though  erroneously, 
that  they  were  upon  the  Quicourt,  or  Rapid  River.  They  pro- 
posed now  to  keep  along  it  to  its  confluence  with  the  Missouri ; 
but,  should  they  be  prevented  by  the  rigors  of  the  season  from 
proceeding  so  far,  at  least  to  reach  a  part  of  the  river  where  they 
.  might  be  able  to  construct  canoes  of  greater  strength  and  dura- 
bility than  those  of  buffalo  skins. 

Accordingly,  on  the  13th  of  December,  they  bade  adieu,  with 
many  a  regret,  to  their  comfortable  quarters,  where,  for  five 


420  ASTORIA. 

weeks,  they  had  been  indulging  the  sweets  of  repose,  of  plenty, 
and  of  fancied  security.  They  were  still  accompanied  by  their 
veteran  pack-horse,  which  the  Arapahays  had  omitted  to  steal, 
either  because  they  intended  to  steal  him  on  their  return,  or  be- 
cause they  thought  him  not  worth  stealing. 


WINTRY   TRAVELLING.  421 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE  interval  of  comfort  and  repose  which  the  party  had  enjoyed 
in  their  wigwam,  rendered  the  renewal  of  their  fatigues  intolera- 
ble for  the  first  two  or  three  days.  The  snow  lay  deep,  and  was 
slightly  frozen  on  the  surface,  but  not  sufficiently  to  bear  their 
weight.  Their  feet  became  sore  by  breaking  through  the  crust, 
and  their  limbs  weary  by  floundering  on  without  firm  foothold. 
So  exhausted  and  dispirited  were  they,  that  they  began  to  think 
it  would  be  better  to  remain  and  run  the  risk  of  being  killed  by 
the  Indians,  than  to  drag  on  thus  painfully,  with  the  probability 
of  perishing  by  the  way.  Their  miserable  horse  fared  no  better 
than  themselves,  having  for  the  first  day  or  two  no  other  fodder 
than  the  ends  of  willow  twigs,  and  the  bark  of  the  cotton-wood 
tree. 

They  all,  however,  appeared  to  gain  patience  and  hardihood 
as  they  proceeded,  and  for  fourteen  days  kept  steadily  on,  making 
a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  and  thirty  miles.  For  some 
days,  the  range  of  mountains  which  had  been  near  to  their  wig- 
wam kept  parallel  to  the  river  at  no  great  distance,  but  at  length 
subsided  into  hills.  Sometimes  they  found  the  river  bordered 
with  alluvial  bottoms,  and  groves  with  cotton-wood  and  willows ; 
sometimes  the  adjacent  country  was  naked  and  barren.  In  one 
place  it  ran  for  a  considerable  distance  between  rocky  hills  and 
promontories  covered  with  cedar  and  pitch  pines,  and  peopled 
with  the  bighorn  and  the  mountain  deer ;  at  other  places  it 
wandered  through  prairies  well  stocked  with  buffaloes  and  ante- 


422  ASTORIA. 

lopes.  As  they  descended  the  course  of  the  river,  they  began  to 
perceive  the  ash  and  white  oak  here  and  there  among  the  cotton- 
wood  and  willow;  and  at  length  caught  a  sight  of  some  wild 
horses  on  the  distant  prairies. 

The  weather  was  various ;  at  one  time  the  snow  lay  deep ; 
then  they  had  a  genial  day  or  two,  with  the  mildness  and  serenity 
of  autumn  ;  then,  again,  the  frost  was  so  severe  that  the  river  was 
sufficiently  frozen  to  bear  them  upon  the  ice. 

During  the  last  three  days  of  their  fortnight's  travel,  however, 
the  face  of  the  country  changed.  The  timber  gradually  dimin- 
ished, until  they  could  scarcely  find  fuel  sufficient  for  culinary 
purposes.  The  game  grew  more  and  more  scanty,  and,  finally, 
none  were  to  be  seen  but  a  few  miserable  broken-down  buffalo 
bulls,  not  worth  killing.  The  snow  lay  fifteen  inches  deep,  and 
made  the  travelling  grievously  painful  and  toilsome.  At  length 
they  came  to  an  immense  plain,  where  no  vestige  of  timber  was 
to  be  seen ;  nor  a  single  quadruped  to  enliven  the  desolate  land- 
scape. Here,  then,  their  hearts  failed  them,  and  they  held  an- 
other consultation.  The  width  of  the  river,  which  was  upwards 
of  a  mile,  its  extreme  shallowness,  the  frequency  of  quicksands, 
and  various  other  characteristics,  had  at  length  made  them  sensi- 
ble of  their  errors  with  respect  to  it,  and  they  now  came  to  the 
correct  conclusion,  that  they  were  on  the  banks  of  the  Platte  or 
Shallow  River.  What  were  they  to  do  ?  Pursue  its  course  to 
the  Missouri?  To  go  on  at  this  season  of  the  year  seemed 
dangerous  in  the  extreme.  There  was  no  prospect  of  obtaining 
either  food  or  firing.  The  country  was  destitute  of  trees,  and 
though  there  might  be  drift-wood  along  the  river,  it  lay  too  deep 
beneath  the  snow  for  them  to  find  it. 

The  weather  was  threatening  a  change,  and  a  snow  storm  on 
these  boundless  wastes,  might  prove  as  fatal  as  a  whirlwind  of 
sand  on  an  Arabian  desert.  After  much  dreary  deliberation,  it 


SECOND  CANTONMENT.  4523 


was  at  length  determined  to  retrace  their  three  last  days'  journey, 
of  seventy-seven  miles,  to  a  place  which  they  had  remarked ; 
where  there  was  a  sheltering  growth  of  forest  trees,  and  a 
country  ahundant  in  game.  Here  they  would  once  more  set  up 
their  winter  quarters,  and  await  the  opening  of  the  navigation  to 
launch  themselves  in  canoes. 

Accordingly,  on  the  27th  of  December,  they  faced  about,  re- 
traced their  steps,  and  on  the  30th,  regained  the  part  of  the 
river  in  question.  Here  the  alluvial  bottom  was  from  one  to  two 
miles  wide,  and  thickly  covered  with  a  forest  of  cotton-wood  trees ; 
while  herds  of  buffalo  were  scattered  about  the  neighboring 
prairie,  several  of  which  soon  fell  beneath  their  rifles. 

They  encamped  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  in  a  grove  where 
there  were  trees  large  enough  for  canoes.  Here  they  put  up  a 
shed  for  immediate  shelter,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  erect 
a  hut.  New- Year's  day  dawned  when,  as  yet,  but  one  wall  of 
their  cabin  was  completed ;  the  genial  and  jovial  day,  however, 
was  not  permitted  to  pass  uncelebrated,  even  by  this  weather- 
beaten  crew  of  wanderers.  All  work  was  suspended,  except  that 
of  roasting  and  boiling.  The  choicest  of  the  buffalo  meat,  with 
tongues,  and  humps,  and  marrow  bones,  were  devoured  in  quan- 
tities that  would  astonish  any  one  that  has  not  lived  among 
hunters  or  Indians ;  and  as  an  extra  regale,  having  no  tobacco 
left,  they  cut  up  an  old  tobacco  pouch,  still  redolent  with  the 
potent  herb,  and  smoked  it  in  honor  of  the  day.  Thus  for  a 
time,  in  present  revelry,  however  uncouth,  they  forgot  all  past 
troubles  and  all  anxieties  about  the  future,  and  their  forlorn 
wigwam  echoed  to  the  sound  of  gayety. 

The  next  day  they  resumed  their  labors,  and  by  the  6th  of 
the  month  it  was  complete.  They  soon  killed  abundance  of  buffalo, 
and  again  laid  in  a  stock  of  winter  provisions. 

The  party  were  more  fortunate  in  this  their  second  canton- 


424  ASTORIA. 

ment.  The  winter  passed  away  without  any  Indian  visitors ;  and 
the  game  continued  to  be  plenty  in  the  neighborhood.  They 
felled  two  large  trees,  and  shaped  them  into  canoes ;  and,  as  the 
spring  opened,  and  a  thaw  of  several  days'  continuance  melted 
the  ice  in  the  river,  they  made  every  preparation  for  embarking. 
On  the  8th  of  March  they  launched  forth  in  their  canoes,  but 
soon  found  that  the  river  had  not  depth  sufficient  even  for  such 
slender  barks.  It  expanded  into  a  wide  but  extremely  shallow 
stream,  with  many  sand-bars,  and  occasionally  various  channels. 
They  got  one  of  their  canoes  a  few  miles  down  it,  with  extreme 
difficulty,  sometimes  wading,  and  dragging  it  over  the  shoals ;  at 
length  they  had  to  abandon  the  attempt,  and  to  resume  their 
journey  on  foot,  aided  by  their  faithful  old  pack-horse,  who  had 
recruited  strength  during  the  repose  of  the  winter. 

The  weather  delayed  them  for  a  few  days,  having  suddenly 
become  more  rigorous  than  it  had  been  at  any  time  during  the 
winter ;  but  on  the  20th  of  March  they  were  again  on  their  journey. 

In  two  days  they  arrived  at  the  vast  naked  prairie,  the  wintry 
aspect  of  which  had  caused  them,  in  December,  to  pause  and  turn 
back.  It  was  now  clothed  in  the  early  verdure  of  spring,  and 
plentifully  stocked  with  game.  Still,  when  obliged  to  bivouac 
on  its  bare  surface,  without  any  shelter,  and  by  a  scanty  fire  of 
dry  buffalo  dung,  they  found  the  night  blasts  piercing  cold.  On 
one  occasion,  a  herd  of  buffalo  straying  near  their  evening  camp, 
they  killed  three  of  them  merely  for  their  hides,  wherewith  to 
make  a  shelter  for  the  night. 

They  continued  on  for  upwards  of  a  hundred  miles ;  with 
vast  prairies  extending  before  them  as  they  advanced ;  some- 
times diversified  by  undulating  hills,  but  destitute  of  trees.  In 
one  place  they  saw  a  gang  of  sixty-five  wild  horses,  but  as  to  the 
buffaloes,  they  seemed  absolutely  to  cover  the  country.  Wild 
geese  abounded,  and  they  passed  extensive  swamps  that  were  alive 


IMMENSE   PLAINS.  425 


with  innumerable  flocks  of  waterfowl,  among  which  were  a  few 
swans,  but  an  endless  variety  of  ducks.  • 

The  river  continued  a  winding  course  to  the  east-northeast, 
nearly  a  mile  in  width,  but  too  shallow  to  float  even  an  empty 
canoe.  The  country  spread  out  into  a  vast  level  plain,  bounded 
by  the  horizon  alone,  excepting  to  the  north,  where  a  line  of  hills 
seemed  like  a  long  promontory  stretching  into  the  bosom  of  the 
ocean.  The  dreary  sameness  of  the  prairie  wastes  began  to  grow 
extremely  irksome.  The  travellers  longed  for  the  sight  of  a 
forest,  or  grove,  or  single  tree,  to  break  the  level  uniformity,  and 
began  to  notice  every  object  that  gave  reason  to  hope  they  were 
drawing  towards  the  end  of  this  weary  wilderness.  Thus  the 
occurrence  of  a  particular  kind  of  grass  was  hailed  as  a  proof 
that  they  could  not  be  far  from  the  bottoms  of  the  Missouri ; 
and  they  were  rejoiced  at  putting  up  several  prairie  hens,  a  kind 
of  grouse  seldom  found  far  in  the  interior.  In  picking  up  drift- 
wood for  fuel,  also,  they  found  on  some  pieces  the  mark  of  an 
axe,  which  caused  much  speculation  as  to  the  time  when  and  the 
persons  by  whom  the  trees  had  been  felled.  Thus  they  went  on, 
like  sailors  at  sea,  who  perceive  in  every  floating  weed  and  wan- 
dering bird,  harbingers  of  the  wished-for  land. 

By  the  close  of  the  month  the  weather  became  very  mild,  and, 
heavily  burdened  as  they  were,  they  found  the  noontide  tempera- 
ture uncomfortably  warm.  On  the  30th,  they  came  to  three  de- 
serted hunting  camps,  either  of  Pawnees  or  Ottoes,  about  which 
were  buffalo  skulls  in  all  directions  ;  and  the  frames  on  which  the 
hides  had  been  stretched  and  cured.  They  had  apparently  been 
occupied  the  preceding  autumn. 

For  several  days  they  kept  patiently  on,  watching  every  sign 
that  might  give  them  an  idea  as  to  where  they  were,  and  how 
near  to  the  banks  of  the  Missouri. 

Though  there  were  numerous  traces  of  hunting  parties  and 


426  ASTORIA. 

encampments,  they  were  not  of  recent  date.  The  country  seemed 
deserted.  The  o*iy  human  beings  they  met  with  were  three 
Pawnee  squaws,  in  a  hut  in  the  midst  of  a  deserted  camp.  Their 
people  had  all  gone  to  the  south,  in  pursuit  of  the  baffalo,  and 
had  left  these  poor  women  behind,  being  too  sick  and  infirm  to 
travel. 

It  is  a  common  practice  with  the  Pawnees,  and  probably  with 
other  roving  tribes,  when  departing  on  a  distant  expedition,  which 
will  not  admit  of  incumbrance  or  delay,  to  leave  their  aged  and 
infirm  with  a  supply  of  provisions  sufficient  for  a  temporary  sub- 
sistence. When  this  is  exhausted,  they  must  perish ;  though 
sometimes  their  sufferings  are  abridged  by  hostile  prowlers  who 
may  visit  the  deserted  camp. 

The  poor  squaws  in  question  expected  some  such  fate  at  the 
hands  of  the  white  strangers,  and  though  the  latter  accosted  them 
in  the  kindest  manner,  and  made  them  presents  of  dried  buffalo 
meat,  it  was  impossible  to  soothe  their  alarm,  or  get  any  informa- 
tion from  them. 

The  first  landmark  by  which  the  travellers  were  enabled  to 
conjecture  their  position  with  any  degree  of  confidence,  was  an 
island  about  seventy  miles  in  length,  which  they  presumed  to  be 
Grand  Isle.  If  so,  they  were  within  one  hundred  and  forty  miles 
of  the  Missouri.  They  kept  on,  therefore,  with  renewed  spirit, 
and  at  the  end  of  three  days  met  with  an  Otto  Indian,  by  whom 
they  were  confirmed  in  their  conjecture.  They  learnt  at  the  same 
time  another  piece  of  information,  of  an  uncomfortable  nature. 
According  to  his  account,  there  was  war  between  the  United 
States  and  England,  and  in  fact  it  had  existed  for  a  whole  year, 
during  which  time  they  had  been  beyond  the  reach  of  all  know- 
ledge of  the  affairs  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  Otto  conducted  the  travellers  to  his  village,  situated  a 
short  distance  from  the  banks  of  the  Platte.  Here  they  were 


ARRIVAL  AT  FORT  OSAGE.  427 


delighted  to  meet  with  two  white  men,  Messrs.  Dornin  and  Hoi, 
Indian  traders  recently  from  St.  Louis.  Of  these  they  had  a 
thousand  inquiries  to  make  concerning  all  affairs,  foreign  and 
domestic,  during  their  year  of  sepulture  in  the  wilderness ;  and 
especially  about  the  events  of  the  existing  war. 

They  now  prepared  to  abandon  their  weary  travel  by  land, 
and  to  embark  upon  the  water.  A  bargain  was  made  with  Mr. 
Dornin,  who  engaged  to  furnish  them  with  a  canoe  and  provisions 
for  the  voyage,  in  exchange  for  their  venerable  and  well-tried 
fellow  traveller,  the  old  Snake  horse. 

Accordingly,  in  a  couple  of  days,  the  Indians  employed  by 
that  gentleman  constructed  for  them  a  canoe  twenty  feet  long, 
four  feet  wide,  and  eighteen  inches  deep.  The  frame  was  of  poles 
and  willow  twigs,  on  which  were  stretched  five  elk  and  buffalo 
hides,  sewed  together  with  sinews,  and  the  seams  payed  with 
unctuous  mud.  In  this  they  embarked  at  an  early  hour  on  the 
16th  of  April,  and  drifted  down  ten  miles  with  the  stream,  when 
the  wind  being  high  they  encamped,  and  set  to  work  to  make 
oars,  which  they  had  not  been  able  to  procure  at  the  Indian 
village. 

Once  more  afloat,  they  went  merrily  down  the  stream,  and 
after  making  thirty-five  miles,  emerged  into  the  broad  turbid 
current  of  the  Missouri.  Here  they  were  borne  along  briskly 
by  the  rapid  stream,  though,  by  the  time  their  fragile  bark  had 
floated  a  couple  of  hundred  miles,  its  frame  began  to  show  the 
effects  of  the  voyage.  Luckily  they  came  to  the  deserted  win- 
tering place  of  some  hunting  party,  where  they  found  two  old 
wooden  canoes.  Taking  possession  of  the  largest,  they  again 
committed  themselves  to  the  current,  and  after  dropping  down 
fifty-five  miles  further,  arrived  safely  at  Fort  Osage. 

Here  they  found  Lieutenant  Brownson  still  in  command  ; 
the  oflicer  who  had  given  the  expedition  a  hospitable  reception 


.  428  ASTORIA. 

on  its  way  up  the  river,  eighteen  months  previously.  He  received 
this  remnant  of  the  party  with  a  cordial  welcome,  and  endeavored 
in  every  way  to  promote  their  comfort  and  enjoyment  during 
their  sojourn  at  the  fort.  The  greatest  luxury  they  met  with  on 
their  return  to  the  abode  of  civilized  man,  was  bread,  not  having 
tasted  any  for  nearly  a  year. 

Their  stay  at  Fort  Osage  was  but  short.  On  re-embarking 
they  were  furnished  with  an  ample  supply  of  provisions  by  the 
kindness  of  Lieutenant  Brownson,  and  performed  the  rest  of 
their  voyage  without  adverse  circumstance.  On  the  30th  of 
April  they  arrived  in  perfect  health  and  fine  spirits  at  St.  Louis, 
having  been  ten  months  in  performing  this  perilous  expedition 
from  Astoria.  Their  return  caused  quite  a  sensation  at  the 
place,  bringing  the  first  intelligence  of  the  fortune  of  Mr.  Hunt 
and  his  party,  in  their  adventurous  route  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  of  the  new  establishment  on  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific. 


COMMERCIAL  ARRANGEMENTS.  429 


CHAPTER  II. 

IT  is  now  necessary,  in  linking  together  the  parts  of  this  ex- 
cursive narrative,  that  we  notice  the  proceedings  of  Mr.  Astor, 
in  support  of  his  great  undertaking.  His  project  with  respect 
to  the  Russian  establishments  along  the  northwest  coast,  had 
been  diligently  prosecuted.  The  agent  sent  by  him  to  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  to  negotiate  in  his  name  as  president  of  the  American  Fur 
Company,  had,  under  sanction  of  the  Russian  government,  made 
a  provisional  agreement  with  the  Russian  company. 

By  this  agreement,  which  was  ratified  by  Mr.  Astor  in  1813, 
the  two  companies  bound  themselves  not  to  interfere  with  each 
other's  trading  and  hunting  grounds,  nor  to  furnish  arms  and 
ammunition  to  the  Indians.  They  were  to  act  in  concert,  also, 
against  all  interlopers,  and  to  succor  each  other  in  case  of  dan- 
ger. The  American  company  was  to  have  the  exclusive  right  of 
supplying  the  Russian  posts  with  goods  and  necessaries,  receiv- 
ing peltries  in  payment  at  stated  prices.  They  were,  also,  if  so 
requested  by  the  Russian  governor,  to  convey  the  furs  of  the 
Russian  company  to  Canton,  sell  them  on  commission,  and  bring 
back  the  proceeds,  at  such  freight  as  might  be  agreed  on  at  the 
time.  This  agreement  was  to  continue  in  operation  four  years, 
and  to  be  renewable  for  a  similar  term,  unless  some  unforeseen 
contingency  should  render  a  modification  necessary. 

It  was  calculated  to  be  of  great  service  to  the  infant  estab- 
lishment at  Astoria  ;  dispelling  the  fears  of  hostile  rivalry  on  the 


430  ASTORIA. 

part  of  the  foreign  companies  in  its  neighborhood,  and  giving  a 
formidable  blow  to  the  irregular  trade  along  the  coast.  It  was 
also  the  intention  of  Mr.  Astor  to  have  coasting  vessels  of  his 
own,  at  Astoria,  of  small  tonnage  and  draft  of  water,  fitted  for 
coasting  service.  These,  having  a  place  of  shelter  and  deposit, 
could  ply  about  the  coast  in  short  voyages,  in  favorable  weather, 
and  would  have  vast  advantage  over  chance  ships,  which  must 
make  long  voyages,  maintain  numerous  crews,  and  could  only  ap- 
proach the  coast  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year.  He  hoped, 
therefore,  gradually  to  make  Astoria  the  great  emporium  of  the 
American  fur  trade  in  the  Pacific,  and  the  nucleus  of  a  powerful 
American  state.  Unfortunately  for  these  sanguine  anticipations, 
before  Mr.  Astor  had  ratified  the  agreement,  as  above  stated,  war 
broke  out  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  He 
perceived  at  once  the  peril  of  the  case.  The  harbor  of  New-York 
would  doubtless  be  blockaded,  and  the  departure  of  the  annual 
supply  ship  in  the  autumn  prevented ;  or,  if  she  should  succeed 
in  getting  out  to  sea,  she  might  be  captured  on  her  voyage. 

In  this  emergency,  he  wrote  to  Captain  Sowle,  commander  of 
the  Beaver.  The  letter,. which  was  addressed  to  him  at  Canton, 
directed  him  to  proceed  to  the  factory  at  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia, with  such  articles  as  the  establishment  might  need ;  and 
to  remain  there,  subject  to  the  orders  of  Mr.  Hunt,  should  that 
gentleman  be  in  command  there. 

The  war  continued.  No  tidings  had  yet  been  received  from 
Astoria ;  the  dispatches  having  been  delayed  by  the  misadventure 
of  Mr.  Reed  at  the  falls  of  the  Columbia,  and  the  unhorsing  of 
Mr.  Stuart,  by  the  Crows  among  the  mountains.  A  painful  un- 
certainty, also,  prevailed  about  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party.  Nothing 
had  been  heard  of  them  since  their  departure  from  the  Arickara 
village  ;  Lisa,  who  parted  from  them  there,  had  predicted  their  de- 
struction ;  and  some  of  the  traders  of  the  Northwest  Company, 


RUMORS   AND  PERPLEXITIES.  431 


had  actually  spread  a  rumor  of  their  having  been  cut  off  by 
the  Indians. 

It  was  a  hard  trial  of  the  courage  and  means  of  an  individual, 
to  have  to  fit  out  another  costly  expedition,  where  so  much  had 
already  been  expended,  so  much  uncertainty  prevailed,  and  where 
the  risk  of  loss  was  so  greatly  enhanced,  that  no  insurance  could 
be  effected. 

In  spite  of  all  these  discouragements,  Mr.  Astor  determined 
to  send  another  ship  to  the  relief  of  the  settlement.  He  selected 
for  this  purpose,  a  vessel  called  the  Lark,  remarkable  for  her  fast, 
sailing.  The  disordered  state  of  the  times,  however,  caused  such 
a  delay,  that  February  arrived,  while  the  vessel  was  yet  lingering 
in  port. 

At  this  juncture,  Mr.  Astor  learnt  that  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany were  preparing  to  send  out  an  armed  ship  of  twenty  guns, 
called  the  Isaac  Todd,  to  form  an  establishment  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia.  These  tidings  gave  him  great  uneasiness.  A 
considerable  proportion  of  the  persons  in  his  employ  were  Scotch- 
men and  Canadians,  and  several  of  them  had  been  in  the  service 
of  the  Northwest  Company.  Should  Mr.  Hunt  have  failed  to 
arrive  at  Astoria,  the  whole  establishment  would  be  under  the 
control  of  Mr.  M'Dougal,  of  whose  fidelity  he  had  received  very 
disparaging  accounts  from  Captain  Thorn.  The  British  govern- 
ment, also,  might  deem  it  worth  while  to  send  a  force  against  the 
establishment,  having  been  urged  to  do  so  some  time  previously, 
by  the  Northwest  Company. 

Under  all  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Astor  wrote  to  Mr.  Mon- 
roe, then  secretary  of  state,  requesting  protection  from  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States.  He  represented  the  importance 
of  his  settlement,  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  and  the  shelter 
it  might  afford  to  the  American  vessels  in  those  seas.  All  he 
asked  was,  that  the  American  government  would  throw  forty  or 


432  ASTORIA. 

fifty  men  into  the  fort  at  his  establishment,  which  would  be  suffi- 
cient for  its  defence,  until  he  could  send  reinforcements  over 
land. 

He  waited  in  vain  for  a  reply  to  this  letter,  the  government, 
no  doubt,  being  engrossed  at  the  time,  by  an  overwhelming  crowd 
of  affairs.  The  month  of  March  arrived,  and  the  Lark  was 
ordered  by  Mr.  Astor,  to  put  to  sea.  The  officer  who  was  to 
command  her,  shrunk  from  his  engagement,  and  in  the  exigency 
of  the  moment,  she  was  given  in  charge  to  Mr.  Northrop,  the 
%nate.  Mr.  Nicholas  G.  Ogden,  a  gentleman  on  whose  talents  and 
integrity  the  highest  reliance  could  be  placed,  sailed  as  super- 
cargo. The  Lark  put  to  sea  in  the  beginning  of  March,  1813. 

By  this  opportunity,  Mr.  Astor  wrote  to  Mr.  Hunt,  as  head 
of  the  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  for  he  would 
not  allow  himself  to  doubt  of  his  welfare.  "  I  always  think  you 
are  well,"  said  he,  "  and  that  I  shall  see  you  again,  which  heaven, 
I  hope,  will  grant." 

He  warned  him  to  be  on  his  guard  against  any  attempts  to 
surprise  the  post ;  suggesting  the  probability  of  armed  hostility 
on  the  part  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  expressing  his  indig- 
nation at  the  ungrateful  returns  made  by  that  association  for  his 
frank  and  open  conduct,  and  advantageous  overtures.  "  Were  I 
on  the  spot,"  said  he,  "  and  had  the  management  of  affairs,  I 
would  defy  them  all ;  but,  as  it  is,  every  thing  depends  upon  you 
and  your  friends  about  you.  Our  enterprise  is  grand,  and 
deserves  success,  and  I  hope  in  God  it  will  meet  it.  If  my 
object  was  merely  gain  of  money,  I  should  say,  think  whether  it 
is  best  to  save  what  we  can,  and  abandon  the  place ;  but  the  very 
idea  is  like  a  dagger  to  my  heart?'1  This  extract  is  sufficient  to 
show  the  spirit  and  the  views  which  actuated  Mr.  Astor  in  this 
great  undertaking. 

Week  after  week,  and  month  after  month  elapsed,  without 


GLOOMY  DOUBTS— A  RAY  OF  HOPE.  433 

any  thing  to  dispel  the  painful  incertitude  that  hung  over  every 
part  of  this  enterprise.  Though  a  man  of  resolute  spirit,  and 
not  easily  cast  down,  the  dangers  impending  over  this  darling 
scheme  of  his  ambition,  had  a  gradual  effect  upon  the  spirits  of 
Mr.  Astor.  He  was  sitting  one  gloomy  evening  by  his  window 
revolving  over  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin,  and  the  fate  of  her  unfor- 
tunate crew,  and  fearing  that  some  equally  tragical  calamity 
might  have  befallen  the  adventurers  across  the  mountains,  when 
the  evening  newspaper  was  brought  to  him.  The  first  paragraph 
that  caught  his  eye,  announced  the  arrival  of  Mr,  Stuart  and  his 
party  at  St.  Louis,  with  intelligence  that  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  com- 
panions had  effected  their  perilous  expedition  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia.  This  was  a  gleam  of  sunshine  that  for  a  time 
dispelled  every  cloud,  and  he  now  looked  forward  with  sanguine 
hope  to  the  accomplishment  of  all  his  plans. 

19 


434  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

THE  course  of  our  narrative  now  takes  us  back  to  the  regions 
beyond  the  mountains,  to  dispose  of  the  parties  that  set  out  from 
Astoria,  in  company  with  Mr.  Robert  Stuart,  and  whom  he  left 
on  the  banks  of  the  Wallah- Wallah.  Those  parties,  likewise 
separated  from  each  other  shortly  after  his  departure,  proceeding 
to  their  respective  destinations,  but  agreeing  to  meet  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Wallah- Wallah,  about  the  beginning  of  June  in  the 
following  year,  with  such  peltries  as  they  should  have  collected 
in  the  interior,  so  as  to  convoy  each  other  through  the  dangerous 
passes  of  the  Columbia. 

Mr.  David  Stuart,  one  of  the  partners,  proceeded  with  his  men 
to  the  post  already  established  by  him  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Oakinagan ;  having  furnished  this  with  goods  and  ammunition, 
he  proceeded  three  hundred  miles  up  that  river,  where  he 
established  another  post  in  a  good  trading  neighborhood. 

Mr.  Clarke,  another  partner,  conducted  his  little  band  up 
Lewis  River  to  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  coming  in  from  the 
north,  to  which  the  Canadians  gave  the  name  of  the  Pavion. 
Here  he  found  a  village  or  encampment  of  forty  huts  or  tents, 
covered  with  mats,  and  inhabited  by  Nez  Perces,  or  pierced-nose 
Indians,  as  they  are  called  by  the  traders ;  but  Chipunnish,  as 
they  are  called  by  themselves.  They  are  a  hardy,  laborious,  and 
somewhat  knavish  race,  who  lead  a  precarious  life,  fishing,  and 
digging  roots  during  the  summer  and  autumn,  hunting  the  deer 
on  snow  shoes  during  the  winter,  and  traversing  the  Rocky 


CLARKE'S   POST.  435 

Mountains  in  the  spring,  to  trade  for  buffalo  skins  with  the 
hunting  tribes  of  the  Missouri.  In  these  migrations  they  are 
liable  to  be  waylaid  and  attacked  by  the  Blackfeet,  and  other 
warlike  and  predatory  tribes,  and  driven  back  across  the  moun- 
tains with  the  loss  of  their  horses,  and  of  many  of  their  comrades. 

A  life  of  this  unsettled  and  precarious  kind  is  apt  to  render 
men  selfish,  and  such  Mr.  Clarke  found  the  inhabitants  of  this 
village,  who  were  deficient  in  the  usual  hospitality  of  Indians  ; 
parting  with  every  thing  with  extreme  reluctance,  and  showing 
no  sensibility  to  any  act  of  kindness.  At  the  time  of  his  arrival, 
they  were  all  occupied  in  catching  and  curing  salmon.  The  men 
were  stout,  robust,  active,  and  good  looking,  and  the  women  hand- 
somer than  those  of  the  tribes  nearer  to  the  coast. 

It  was  the  plan  of  Mr.  Clarke  to  lay  up  his  boats  here,  and 
proceed  by  land  to  his  place  of  destination,  which  was  among  the 
Spokan  tribe  of  Indians,  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant. 
He  accordingly  endeavored  to  purchase  horses  for  the  journey, 
but  in  this  he  had  to  contend  with  the  sordid  disposition  of  these 
people.  They  asked  high  prices  for  their  horses,  and  were  so 
difficult  to  deal  with,  that  Mr.  Clarke  was  detained  seven  days 
among  them,  before  he  could  procure  a  sufficient  number.  During 
that  time  he  was  annoyed  by  repeated  pilferings,  for  which  he 
could  get  no  redress.  The  chief  promised  to  recover  the  stolen 
articles  ;  but  failed  to  do  so,  alleging  that  the  thieves  belonged 
to  a  distant  tribe,  and  had  made  off  with  their  booty.  With  this 
excuse  Mr.  Clarke  was  fain  to  content  himself,  though  he  laid  up 
in  his  heart  a  bitter  grudge  against  the  whole  pierced-nose  race, 
which  it  will  be  found  he  took  occasion  subsequently  to  gratify 
in  a  signal  manner. 

Having  made  arrangements  for  his  departure,  Mr.  Clarke  laid 
up  his  barge  and  canoes  in  a  sheltered  place,  on  the  banks  of  a 
small  bay,  overgrown  with  shrubs  and  willows,  confiding  them  to 


436  ASTORIA. 

• 

the  care  of  the  Nez  Perce  chief,  who,  on  being  promised  an  ample 
compensation,  engaged  to  have  a  guardian  eye  upon  them  ;  then 
mounting  his  steed,  and  putting  himself  at  the  head  of  his  little 
caravan,  he  shook  the  dust  off  his  feet  as  he  turned  his  back 
upon  this  village  of  rogues  and  hard  dealers.  We  shall  not  fol- 
low him  minutely  in  his  journey  ;  which  lay  at  times  over  steep 
and  rocky  hills,  and  among  crags  and  precipices  ;  at  other  times 
over  vast  naked  and  sunburnt  plains,  abounding  with  rattle- 
snakes, in  traversing  which,  both  men  and  horses  suffered  intol- 
erably from  heat  and  thirst.  The  place  on  which  he  fixed  for  a 
trading  post,  was  a  fine  point  of  land,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Pointed  Heart  and  Spokan  Rivers.  His  establishment  was 
intended  to  compete  with  a  trading  post  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, situated  at  no  great  distance,  and  to  rival  it  in  the  trade 
with  the  Spokan  Indians ;  as  well  as  with  the  Cootonais  and 
Flatheads.  In  this  neighborhood  we  shall  leave  him  for  the 
present. 

Mr.  M'Kenzie,  who  conducted  the  third  party  from  the  Wal- 
lah-Wallah, navigated  for  several  days  up  the  south  branch  of  the 
Columbia,  named  the  Camoenum  by  the  natives,  but  commonly 
called  Lewis  River,  in  honor  of  the  first  explorer.  Wandering 
bands  of  various  tribes  were  seen  along  this  river,  travelling  in 
various  directions  ;  for  the  Indians  generally  are  restless,  roving 
beings,  continually  intent  on  enterprises  of  war,  traffic,  and  hunt- 
ing. Some  of  these  people  were  driving  large  gangs  of  horses, 
as  if  to  a  distant  market.  Having  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Shahaptan,  he  ascended  some  distance  up  that  river,  and  estab- 
lished his  trading  post  upon  its  banks.  This  appeared  to  be  a 
great  thoroughfare  for  the  tribes  from  the  neighborhood  of  the 
falls  of  the  Columbia,  in  their  expeditions  to  make  war  upon  the 
tribes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  to  hunt  buffalo  on  the  plains 
beyond,  or  to  traffic  for  roots  and  buffalo  robes.  It  was  the  sea- 


CANADIAN   STRAGGLERS.  •  437 


son  of  migration,  and  the  Indians  from  various  distant  parts  were 
passing  and  repassing  in  great  numbers. 

Mr.  M'Kenzie  now  detached  a  small  band,  under  the  conduct 
of  Mr.  John  Reed,  to  visit  the  caches  made  by  Mr.  Hunt  at  the 
Caldron  Linn,  and  to  bring  the  contents  to  his  post ;  as  he  de- 
pended, jn  some  measure,  on  them  for  his  supplies  of  goods  and 
ammunition.  They  had  not  been  gone  a  week,  when  two  Indians 
arrived  of  the  Pallatapalla  tribe,  who  live  upon  a  river  of  the 
same  name.  These  communicated  the  unwelcome  intelligence 
that  the  caches  had  been  robbed.  They  said  that  some  of  their 
tribe  had,  in  the  course  of  the  preceding  spring,  been  across  the 
mountains,  which  separated  them  from  Snake  River,  and  had 
traded  horses  with  the  Snakes  in  exchange  for  blankets,  robes, 
and  goods  of  various  descriptions.  These  articles  the  Snakes 
had  procured  from  caches  to  which  they  were  guided  by  some 
white  men  who  resided  among  them,  and  who  afterwards  accom- 
panied them  across  the  Rocky  Mountains.  This  intelligence  was 
extremely  perplexing  to  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  but  the  truth  of  part  of 
it  was  confirmed  by  the  two  Indians,  who  brought  them  an 
English  saddle  and  bridle,  which  was  recognized  as  having 
belonged  to  Mr.  Crooks.  The  perfidy  of  the  white  men  who 
revealed  the  secret  of  the  caches,  was,  however,  perfectly  inexpli- 
cable. We  shall  presently  account  for  it  in  narrating  the  expe- 
dition of  Mr.  Reed.  . 

That  worthy  Hibernian  proceeded  on  his  mission  with  his 
usual  alacrity.  His  forlorn  travels  of  the  preceding  winter  had 
made  him  acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  country,  and  he 
reached  Snake  River  without  any  material  difficulty.  Here,  in 
an  encampment  of  the  natives,  he  met  with  six  white  men,  wan- 
derers from  the  main  expedition  of  Mr.  Hunt,  who,  after  having 
had  their  respective  shares  of  adventures  and  mishaps,  had  fortu- 


439»  ASTORIA. 

nately  come  together  at  this  place.  Three  of  these  men  were 
Turcottc,  La  Chapelle,  and  Francis  Landry ;  the  three  Cana- 
dian voyageurs  who,  it  may  be  recollected,  had  left  Mr.  Crooks 
in  February,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Snake  River,  being  dismayed 
by  the  increasing  hardships  of  the  journey,  and  fearful  of  per- 
ishing of  hunger.  They  had  returned  to  a  Snake  encampment, 
where  they  passed  the  residue  of  the  winter. 

Early  in  the  spring,  being  utterly  destitute,  and  in  great 
extremity,  and  having  worn  out  the  hospitality  of  the  Snakes, 
they  determined  to  avail  themselves  of  the  buried  treasures 
within  their  knowledge.  They  accordingly  informed  the  Snake 
chieftains  that  they  knew  where  a  great  quantity  of  goods  had 
been  left  in  caches,  enough  to  enrich  the  whole  tribe  ;  and  offered 
to  conduct  them  to  the  place,  on  condition  of  being  rewarded 
with  horses  and  provisions.  The  chieftains  pledged  their  faith 
and  honor  as  great  men  and  Snakes,  and  the  three  Canadians 
conducted  them  to  the  place  of  deposit  at  the  Caldron  Linn. 
This  is  the  way  that  the  savages  got  knowledge  of  the  caches, 
and  not  by  following  the  tracks  of  wolves,  as  Mr.  Stuart  had 
supposed.  Never  did  money  diggers  turn  up  a  miser's  hoard 
with  more  eager  delight,  than  did  the  savages  lay  open  the  trea- 
sures of  the  caches.  Blankets  and  robes  ;  brass  trinkets  and  blue 
beads  were  drawn  forth  with  chuckling  exultation,  and  long 
strips  of  scarlet  cloth  produced  yells  of  ecstasy. 

The  rifling  of  the  caches  effected  a  change  in  the  fortunes  and 
deportment  of  the  whole  party.  The  Snakes  were  better  clad 
and  equipped  than  ever  were  Snakes  before,  and  the  three  Cana- 
dians, suddenly  finding  themselves  with  horse  to  ride  and  weapon 
to  wear,  were,  like  beggars  on  horseback,  ready  to  ride  on  any 
wild  scamper.  '  An  opportunity  soon  presented.  The  Snakes 
determined  on  a  hunting  match  on  the  buffalo  prairies,  to  lay  in 


MORE   STRAGGLERS.  439 


a  supply  of  beef,  that  they  might  live  in  plenty,  as  became  men 
of  their  improved  condition.  The  three  newly  mounted  cavaliers 
must  fain  accompany  them.  They  all  traversed  the  Rocky 
Mountains  in  safety,  descended  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mis- 
souri,-and  made  great  havoc  among  the  buffaloes. 

Their  hunting  camp  was  full  of  meat ;  they  were  gorging 
themselves,  like  true  Indians,  with  present  plenty,  and  drying 
and  jerking  great  quantities  for  a  winter's  supply.  In  the  midst 
of  their  revelry  and  good  cheer,  the  camp  was  surprised  by  the 
Blackfeet.  Several  of  the  Snakes  were  slain  on  the  spot ;  the 
residue,  with  their  three  Canadian  allies,  fled  to  the  mountains, 
stripped  of  horses,  buffalo  meat,  every  thing ;  and  made  their 
way  back  to  the  old  encampment  on  Snake  River,  poorer  than 
ever,  but  esteeming  themselves  fortunate  in  having  escaped  with 
their  lives.  They  had  not  been  long  there  when  the  Canadians 
were  cheered  by  the  sight  of  a  companion  in  misfortune,  Dubreuil, 
the  poor  voyageur  who  had  left  Mr.  Crooks  in  March,  being  too 
much  exhausted  to  keep  on  with  him.  Not  long  afterwards,  three 
other  straggling  members  of  the  main  expedition  made  their 
appearance  These  were  Carson,  St.  Michael,  and  Pierre  Delau- 
nay,  three  of  the  trappers  who,  in  company  with  Pierre  Detaye, 
had  been  left  among  the  mountains  by  Mr.  Hunt,  to  trap  beaver, 
in  the  preceding  month  of  September.  They  had  departed  from 
the  main  body  well  armed  and  provided,  with  horses  to  ride,  and 
horses  to  carry  the  peltries  they  were  to  collect.  They  came  wan- 
dering into  the  Snake  camp  as  ragged  and  destitute  as.  their  prede- 
cessors. It  appears  that  they  had  finished  their  trapping,  and  were 
making  their  way  in  the  spring  to  the  Missouri,  when  they  were 
met  and  attacked  by  a  powerful  band  of  the  all-pervading  Crows. 
They  made  a  desperate  resistance,  and  killed  seven  of  the  savages, 
but  were  overpowered  by  numbers.  Pierre  Detaye  was  slain,  the 


440  ASTORIA 

rest  were  robbed  of  horses  and  effects,  and  obliged  to  turn  back, 
when  they  fell  in  with  their  old  companions,  as  already  men- 
tioned. 

We  should  observe,  that  at  the  heels  of  Pierre  Delaunay  came 
draggling  an  Indian  wife,  whom  he  had  picked  up  in  his  wander- 
ings ;  having  grown  weary  of  celibacy  among  the  savages. 

The  whole  seven  of  this  forlorn  fraternity  of  adventurers, 
thus  accidentally  congregated  on  the  banks  of  Snake  River,  were 
making  arrangements  once  more  to  cross  the  mountains,  when 
some  Indian  scouts  brought  word* of  the  approach  of  the  little 
band  headed  by  John  Reed. 

The  latter,  having  heard  the  several  stories  of  these  wander- 
ers, took  them  all  into  his  party,  and  set  out  for  the  Caldron 
Linn,  to  clear  out  two  or  three  of  the  caches  which  had  not  been 
revealed  to  the  Indians. 

At  that  place  he  met  with  Robinson,  the  Kentucky  veteran, 
who,  with  his  two  comrades,  Rezner  and  Hoback,  had  remained 
there  when  Mr.  Stuart  went  on.  This  adventurous  trio  had  been 
trapping  higher  up  the  river,  but  Robinson  had  come  down  in  a 
canoe,  to  await  the  expected  arrival  of  the  party,  and  obtain 
horses  and  equipments.  He  told  Reed  the  story  of  the  robbery 
of  his  party  by  the  Arapahays,  but  it  differed,  in  some  particulars, 
from  the  account  given  by  him  to  Mr.  Stuart.  In  that,  he  had 
represented  Cass  as  having  shamefully  deserted  his  companions 
in  their  extremity,  carrying  off  with  him  a  horse ;  in  the  one 
now  given,  he  spoke  of  him  as  having  been  killed  in  the  affray 
with  the  Arapahays.  This  discrepancy,  of  which,  of  course, 
Reed  could  have  had  no  knowledge  at  the  time,  concurred  with 
other  circumstances,  to  occasion  afterwards  some  mysterious 
speculations  and  dark  surmises,  as  to  the  real  fate  of  Cass ;  but 
as  no  substantial  grounds  were  ever  adduced  for  them,  we  forbear 


ARRIVAL  -AT   M'KENZIE'S  POST.  441 

to  throw  any  deeper  shades  into  this  story  of  sufferings'  in  the 
wilderness. 

Mr.  Reed  having  gathered  the  remainder  of  the  goods  from 
the  caches,  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  party,  now  augmented 
by  the  seven  men  thus  casually  picked  up,  and  the  squaw  of 
Pierre  Delaunay,  and  made  his  way  successfully  to  M'Kenzie's 
Post,  on  the  waters  of  the  Shahaptan. 


19* 


442  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

AFTER,  the  departure  of  the  different  detachments,  or  brigades, 
as  they  are  called  by  the  fur  traders,  the  Beaver  prepared  for  her 
voyage  along  the  coast,  and  her  visit  to  the  Russian  establish- 
ment, at  New  Archangel,  where  she  was  to  carry  supplies.  It 
had  been  determined  in  the  council  of  partners  at  Astoria,  that 
Mr.  Hunt  should  embark  in  this  vessel,  for  the  purpose  of  ac- 
quainting himself  with  the  coasting  trade,  and  of  making  arrange- 
ments with  the  commander  of  the  Russian  post,  and  that  he 
should  be  relanded  in  October,  at  Astoria,  by  the  Beaver,  on  her 
way  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  Canton. 

The  Beaver  put  to  sea  in  the  month  of  August.  Her  depar- 
ture, and  that  of  the  various  brigades,  left  the  fortress  of  Astoria 
but  slightly  garrisoned.  This  was  soon  perceived  by  some  of  the 
Indian  tribes,  and  the  consequence  was,  increased  insolence  of 
deportment,  and  a  disposition  to  hostility.  It  was  now  the  fish- 
ing season,  when  the  tribes  from  the  northern  coast  drew  into  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Columbia.  These  were  warlike  and  perfi- 
dious in  their  dispositions ;  and  noted  for  their  attempts  to  sur- 
prise trading  ships.  Among  them  were  numbers  of  the  Newee- 
tees,  the  ferocious  tribe  that  massacred  the  crew  of  the  Tonquin. 

Great  precautions,  therefore,  were  taken  at  t^e  factory,  to 
guard  against  surprise  while  these  dangerous  intruders  were  in 
the  vicinity.  Galleries  were  constructed  inside  of  the  palisades  ; 
the  bastions  were  heightened,  and  sentinels  were  posted  day  and 
night.  Fortunately,  the  Chinooks  and  other  tribes  resident  in 
the  vicinity  manifested  the  most  pacific  disposition.  Old  Com- 


GLOOMY   APPREHENSIONS. 


comly,  who  held  sway  over  them,  was  a  shrewd  calculator.  He 
was  aware  of  the  advantages  of  having  the  whites  as  neighbors 
and  allies,  and  of  the  consequence  derived  to  himself  and  his 
people  from  acting  as  intermediate  traders  between  them  and  the 
distant  tribes.  He  had,  therefore,  by  this  time,  become  a  firm 
friend  of  the  Astorians,  and  formed  a  kind  of  barrier  between 
them  and  the  hostile  intruders  from  the  north. 

The  summer  of  1812  passed  away  without  any  of  the  hostili- 
ties that  had  been  apprehended  ;  the  Neweetees,  and  other  dan- 
gerous visitors  to  the  neighborhood,  finished  their  fishing  and  re- 
turned home,  and  the  inmates  of  the  factory  once  more  felt  secure 
from  attack. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  guard  against  other  evils.  The 
season  of  scarcity  arrived,  which  commences  in  October,  and  lasts 
until  the  end  of  January.  To  provide  for  the  support  of  the 
garrison,  the  shallop  was  employed  to  forage  about  the  shores  of 
the  river.  A  number  of  the  men,  also,  under  the  command  of 
some  of  the  clerks,  were  sent  to  quarter  themselves  on  the  banks 
of  the  "Wollamut,  (the  Multnomah  of  Lewis  and  Clark,)  a  fine 
river  which  disembogues  itself  into  the  Columbia,  about  sixty 
miles  above  Astoria.  The  country  bordering  on  the  river  is 
finely  diversified  with  prairies  and  hills,  and  forests  of  oak,  ash, 
maple  and  cedar.  It  abounded,  at  that  time,  with  elk  and  deer, 
and  the  streams  were  well  stocked  with  beaver.  Here  the  party, 
after  supplying  their  own  wants,  were  enabled  to  pack  up  quanti- 
ties of  dried  meat,  and  send  it  by  canoes  to  Astoria. 

The  month  of  October  elapsed  without  the  return  of  the 
Beaver.  November,  December,  January,  passed  away,  and  still 
nothing  was  seen  or  heard  of  her.  Gloomy  apprehensions  now 
began  to  be  entertained :  she  might  have  been  wrecked  in  the 
course  of  her  coasting  voyage,  or  surprised,  like  the  Tonquin,  by 
some  of  the  treacherous  tribes  of  the  north. 


444  ASTORIA. 

No  one  indulged  more  in  these  apprehensions  than  M'Dougal, 
who  had  now  the  charge  of  the  establishment.  He  no  longer 
evinced  the  bustling  confidence  and  buoyancy  which  once  charac- 
terized him.  Command  seemed  to  have  lost  its  charms  for  him  ; 
or  rather,  he  gave  way  to  the  most  abject  despondency,  decrying 
the  whole  enterprise,  magnifying  every  untoward  circumstance, 
and  foreboding  nothing  but  evil. 

While  in  this  moody  state,  he  was  surprised,  on  the  16th  of 
January,  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  M'Kenzie,  wayworn  and 
weather-beaten  by  a  long  wintry  journey  from  his  post  on  the 
Shahaptan,  and  with  a  face  the  very  frontispiece  for  a  volume  of 
misfortune  M'Kenzie  had  been  heartily  disgusted  and  disap- 
pointed at  his  post.  It  was  in  the  midst  of  the'  Tushepaws,  a 
powerful  and  warlike  nation,  divided  into  many  tribes,  under  dif- 
ferent chiefs,  who  possessed  innumerable  horses,  but,  not  having 
turned  their  attention  to  beaver  trapping,  had  no  furs  to  offer. 
According  to  M'Kenzie,  they  were  but  a  "  rascally  tribe  ;"  from 
which  we  may  infer  that  they  were  prone  to  consult  their  own  in- 
terests, more  than  comported  with  the  interests  of  a  greedy 
Indian  trader. 

Game  being  scarce,  he  was  obliged  to  rely,  for  the  most  part, 
on  horse-flesh  for  subsistence,  and  the  Indians  discovering  his 
necessities,  adopted  a  policy  usual  in  civilized  trade,  and  raised 
the  price  of  horses  to  an  exorbitant  rate,  knowing  that  he  and 
his  men  must  eat  or  die.  In  this  way,  the  goods  he  had  brought 
to  trade  for  beaver-skins,  were  likely  to  be  bartered  for  horse- 
flesh, and  all  the  proceeds  devoured  upon  the  spot. 

He  had  dispatched  trappers  in  various  directions,  but  the 
country  around  did  not  offer  more  beaver  than  his  own  station. 
In  this  emergency  he  began  to  think  of  abandoning  his  unprofit- 
able post,  sending  his  goods  to  the  posts  of  Clarke  and  David 
Stuart,  who  could  make  a  better  use  of  them,  as  they  were  in  a 


A  RASH  RESOLUTION.  445 

good  beaver  country,  and  returning  with  his  party  to  Astoria,  to 
seek  some  better  destination.  With  this  view  he  repaired  to  the 
post  of  Mr.  Clarke,  to  hold  a  consultation.  While  the  two  part- 
ners were  in  conference  in  Mr.  Clarke's  wigwam,  an  unexpected 
visitor  came  bustling  in  upon  them. 

This  was  Mr.  John  George  M'Tavish,  a  partner  of  the  North- 
west Company,  who  had  charge  of  the  rival  trading  posts  estab- 
lished in  that  neighborhood.  Mr.  M'Tavish  was  the  delighted 
messenger  of  bad  news.  He  had  been  to  Lake  Winnipeg,  where 
he  received  an  express  from  Canada,  containing  the  declaration 
of  war,  and  President  Madison's  proclamation,  which  he  handed 
with  the  most  officious  complaisance  to  Messrs.  Clarke  and 
M'Kenzie.  He  moreover  told  them  that  he  had  received  a  fresh 
supply  of  goods  from  the  northwest  posts  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  was  prepared  for  vigorous  opposition 
to  the  establishment  of  the  American  Company.  He  capped  the 
climax  of  this  obliging,  but  belligerent  intelligence,  by  informing 
them  that  the  armed  ship,  Isaac  Todd,  was  to  be  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  about  the  beginning  of  March,  to  get  possession  of 
the  trade  of  the  river,  and  that  he  was  ordered  to  join  her  there 
at  that  time. 

The  receipt  of  this  news  determined  M'Kenzie.  He  imme- 
diately returned  to  the  Shahaptan,  broke  up  his  establishment, 
deposited  his  goods  in  cac/ie,  and  hastened,  with  all  his  people  to 
Astoria. 

The  intelligence  thus  brought,  completed  the  dismay  of 
M'Dougal,  and  seemed  to  produce  a  complete  confusion  of  mind. 
He  held  a  council  of  war  with  M'Kenzie,  at  which  some  of  the 
clerks  were  present,  but  of  course  had  no  votes.  They  gave  up 
all  hope  of  maintaining  their  post  at  Astoria.  The  Beaver  had 
probably  been  lost ;  they  could  receive  no  aid  from  the  United 
States,  as  all  the  ports  would  be  blockaded.  From  England 


446  ASTORIA. 

nothing  could  be  expected  but  hostility.  It  was  determined, 
therefore,  to  abandon  the  establishment  in  the  course  of  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  and  return  across  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  they  suspended  all  trade  with 
the  natives,  except  for  provisions,  having  already  more  peltries 
than  they  could  carry  away,  and  having  need  of  all  the  goods  for 
the  clothing  and  subsistence  of  their  people,  during  the  remain- 
der of  their  sojourn,  and  on  their  journey  across  the  mountains. 
This  intention  of  abandoning  Astoria  was,  however,  kept  secret 
from  the  men,  lest  they  should  at  once  give  up  all  labor,  and  be- 
come restless  and  insubordinate. 

In  the  meantime,  M'Kenzie  set  off  for  his  post  at  the  Shahap- 
tan,  to  get  his  goods  from  the  caches,  and  buy  horses  and  provi- 
sions with  them  for  the  caravan  across  the  mountains.  He  was 
charged  with  dispatches  from  M'Dougal  to  Messrs.  Stuart  and 
Clarke,  apprizing  them  of  the  intended  migration,  that  they  might 
make  timely  preparations. 

M'Kenzie  was  accompanied  by  two  of  the  clerks,  Mr.  John 
Reed,  the  Irishman,  and  Mr.  Alfred  Seton,  of  New-York.  They 
embarked  in  two  canoes,  manned  by  seventeen  men,  and  ascended 
the  river  without  any  incident  of  importance,  until  they  arrived 
in  the  eventful  neighborhood  of  the  rapids.  They  made  the 
portage  of  the  narrows  and  the  falls  early  in  the  afternoon,  and, 
having  partaken  of  a  scanty  meal,  had  now  a  long  evening  on 
their  hands. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  lay  the  village  of  Wish-ram, 
of  freebooting  renown.  Here  lived  the  savages  who  had  robbed 
and  maltreated  Reed,  when  bearing  his  tin  box  of  dispatches.  It 
was  known  that  the  rifle  of  which  he  was  despoiled  was  retained 
as  a  trophy  at  the  village.  M'Kenzie  offered  to  cross  the  river, 
and  demand  the  rifle,  if  any  one  would  accompany  him.  It  was 
a  hair-brained  project,  for  these  villages  were  noted  for  the  ruf- 


A   DEN   OF  RUFFIANS.  447 


fian  character  of  their  inhabitants ;  yet  two  volunteers  promptly 
stepped  forward ;  Alfred  Seton,  the  clerk,  and  Joe  de  la  Pierre, 
the  cook.  The  trio  soon  reached  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
On  landing,  they  freshly  primed  their  rifles  and  pistols.  A  path 
winding  for  about  a  hundred  yards  among  rocks  and  crags,  led 
to  the  village.  No  notice  seemed  to  be  taken  of  their  approach. 
Not  a  solitary  being,  man,  woman,  or  child,  greeted  them.  The 
very  dogs,  those  noisy  pests  of  an  Indian  town,  kept  silence.  On 
entering  the  village,  a  boy  made  his  appearance^ and  pointed  to  a 
house  of  larger  dimensions  than  the  rest.  They  had  to  stoop  to 
enter  it ;  as  soon  as  they  had  passed  the  threshold,  the  narrow 
passage  behind  them  was  filled  up  by  a  sudden  rush  of  Indians, 
who  had  before  kept  out  of  sight. 

M'Kenzie  and  his  companions  found  themselves  in  a  rude 
chamber  of  about  twenty-five  feet  long,  and  twenty  wide.  A 
bright  fire  was  blazing  at  one  end,  near  which  sat  the  chief,  about 
sixty  years  old.  A  large  number  of  Indians,  wrapped  in  buffalo 
robes,  were  squatted  in  rows,  three  deep,  forming  a  semicircle 
round  three  sides  of  the  room.  A  single  glance  around  sufficed 
to  show  them  the  grim  and  dangerous  assembly  into  which  they 
had  intruded,  and  that  all  retreat  was  cut  off  by  the  mass  which 
blocked  up  the  entrance. 

The  chief  pointed  to  the  vacant  side  of  the  room  opposite  to 
the  door,  and  motioned  for  them  to  take  their  seats.  They  com- 
plied. A  dead  pause  ensued.  The  grim  warriors  around  sat  like 
statues ;  each  muffled  in  his  robe,  with  his  fierce  eyes  bent  on  the 
intruders.  The  latter  felt  they  were  in  a  perilous  predicament. 

"  Keep  your  eyes  on  the  chief  while  I  am  addressing  him," 
said  M'Kenzie  to  his  companions.  "  Should  he  give  any  sign  to 
his  band,  shoot  him,  and  make  for  the  door." 

M'Kenzie  advanced,  and  offered  the  pipe  of  peace  to  the 
chief,  but  it  was  refused.  He  then  made  a  regular  speech, 


448  ASTORIA. 

explaining  the  object  of  their  visit,  and  proposing  to  give  in 
exchange  for  the  rifle  two  blankets,  an  axe,  some  beads  and 
tobacco. 

When  he  had  done,  the  chief  rose,  began  to  address  him  in  a 
low  voice,  but  soon  become  loud  and  violent,  and  ended  by  work- 
ing himself  up  into  a  furious  passion.  He  upbraided  the  white 
men  for  their  sordid  conduct  in  passing  and  repassing  through 
their  neighborhood,  without  giving  them  a  blanket  or  any  other 
article  of  goods,«rnerely  because  they  had  no  furs  to  barter  in 
exchange  ;  and  he  alluded,  with  menaces  of  vengeance,  to  the 
death  of  the  Indian  killed  by  the  whites  in  the  skirmish  at  the 
falls. 

Matters  were  verging  to  a  crisis.  It  was  evident  the  sur- 
rounding savages  were  only  waiting  a  signal  from  the  chief  to 
spring  upon  their  prey.  M'Kenzie  and  his  companions  had 
gradually  risen  on  their  feet  during  the  speech,  and  had  brought 
their  rifles  to  a  horizontal  position,  the  barrels  resting  in  their 
left  hands ;  the  muzzle  of  M'Kenzie's  piece  was  within  three  feet 
of  the  speaker's  heart.  They  cocked  their  rifles  ;  the  click  of  the 
locks  for  a  moment  suffused  the  dark  cheek  of  the  savage,  and 
there  was  a  pause.  They  coolly,  but  promptly,  advanced  to  the 
door ;  the  Indians  fell  back  in  awe,  and  suffered  them  to  pass. 
The  sun  was  just  setting,  as  they  emerged  from  this  dangerous 
den.  They  took  the  precaution  to  keep  along  the  tops  of  the 

rocks  as  much  as  possible  on  their  way  back  to  the  canoe,  and 

i 
reached  their  camp  in  safety,  congratulating  themselves  on  their 

escape,  and  feeling  no  desire  to  make  a  second  visit  to  the  grim 
warriors  of  Wish-ram. 

M'Kenzie  and  his  party  resumed  their  journey  the  next 
morning.  At  some  distance  above  the  falls  of  the  Columbia, 
they  observed  two  bark  canoes,  filled  with  white  men,  coming 
down  the  river,  to  the  full  chant  of  a  set  of  Canadian  voyageurs. 


THE   RIFLED   CACHES.  449 


A  parley  ensued.  It  was  a  detachment  of  northwesters,  under 
the  command  of  Mr.  John  George  M'Tavish,  bound,  full  of  song 
and  spirit,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  to  await  the  arrival  of 
the  Isaac  Todd. 

Mr  31  Kenzie  and  M'Tavish  came  to  a  halt,  and  landing, 
encamped  together  for  the  night.  The  voyageurs  of  either  party 
hailed  each  other  as  brothers,  and  old  "comrades,"  and  they 
mingled  together  as  if  united  by  one  common  interest,  instead  of 
belonging  to  rival  companies,  and  trading  under  hostile  flags. 

In  the  morning  they  proceeded  on  their  different  ways,  in  style 
corresponding  to  their  different  fortunes :  the  one  toiling  pain- 
fully against  the  stream,  the  other  sweeping  down  gayly  with  the 
current. 

M'Kenzie  arrived  safely  at  his  deserted  post  on  the  Shahaptan, 
but  found,  to  his  chagrin,  that  his  caches  had  been  discovered 
and  rifled  by  the  Indians.  Here  was  a  dilemma,  for,  on  the 
stolen  goods  he  had  depended  to  purchase  horses  of  the  Indians. 
He  sent  out  men  in  all  directions  to  endeavor  to  discover  the 
thieves,  and  dispatched  Mr.  Reed  to  the  posts  of  Messrs.  Clarke 
and  David  Stuart,  with  the  letters  of  Mr.  M'Dougal. 

The  resolution  announced  in  these  letters,  to  break  up  and 
depart  from  Astoria,  was  condemned  by  both  Clarke  and  Stuart. 
These  two  gentlemen  had  been  very  successful  at  their  posts, 
and  considered  it  rash  and  pusillanimous  to  abandon,  on  the  first 
difficulty,  an  enterprise  of  such  great  cost  and  ample  promise. 
They  made  no  arrangements,  therefore,  for  leaving  the  country, 
but  acted  with  a  view  to  the  maintenance  of  their  new  and  pros- 
perous establishments. 

The  regular  time  approached,  when  the  partners  of  the  inte- 
rior posts  were  to  rendezvous  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wallah-Wallah, 
on  their  way  to  Astoria,  with  the  peltries  they  had  collected. 
Mr.  Clarke  accordingly  packed  all  his  furs  on  twenty-eight  horses, 


450  ASTORIA. 

and,  leaving  a  clerk  and  four  men  to  take  charge  of  the  post, 
departed  on  the  25th  of  May  with  the  residue  of  his  force. 

On  the  30th,  he  arrived  at  the  confluence  of  the  P.avion  and 
Lewis  Rivers,  where  he  had  left  his  barge  and  canoes,  in  the 
guardianship  of  the  old  Pierced-nose  chieftain.  That  dignitary 
had  acquitted  himself  more  faithfully  of  his  charge  than  Mr. 
Clarke  had  expected,  and  the  canoes  were  found  in  very  tolerable 
order.  Some  repairs  were  necessary,  and,  while  they  were 
making,  the  party  encamped  close  by  the  village.  Having  had 
repeated  and  vexatious  proofs  of  the  pilfering  propensities  of 
this  tribe  during  his  former  visit,  Mr.  Clarke  ordered  that  a 
wary  eye  should  be  kept  upon  them. 

He  was  a  tall,  good-looking  man,  and  somewhat  given  to  pomp 
and  circumstance,  which  made  him  an  object  of  note  in  the  eyes 
of  the  wondering  savages.  He  was  stately,  too,  in  his  appoint- 
ments, and  had  a  silver  goblet  or  drinking  cup,  out  of  which  he 
would  drink  with  a  magnificent  air,  and  then  lock  it  up  in  a  large 
garde  vin,  which  accompanied  him  in  his  travels,  and  stood  in 
his  tent.  This  goblet  had  originally  been  sent  as  a  present  from 
Mr.  Astor  to  Mr.  M'Kay,  the  partner  who  had  unfortunately 
been  blown  up  in  the  Tonquin.  As  it  reached  Astoria  after  the 
departure  of  that  gentleman,  it  had  remained  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Clarke. 

A  silver  goblet  was  too  glittering  a  prize  not  to  catch  the  eye 
of  a  Pierced-nose.  It  was  like  the  shining  tin  case  of  John  Reed. 
Such  a  wonder  had  never  been  seen  in  the  land  before.  The  In- 
dians talked  about  it  to  one  another.  They  marked  the  care  with 
which  it  was  deposited  in  the  garde  vin,  like  a  relic  in  its  shrine, 
and  concluded  that  it  must  be  a  "  great  medicine."  That  night 
Mr.  Clarke  neglected  to  lock  up  his  treasure  ;  in  the  morning  the 
sacred  casket  was  open — the  precious  relic  gone  ! 

Clarke  was  now  outrageous.     All  the  past  vexations  that  he 


AN  EXECUTION.  -  451 


had  suffered  from  this  pilfering  community  rose  to  mind,  and  he 
threatened,  that,  unless  the  goblet  was  promptly  returned,  he 
would  hang  the  thief  should  he  eventually  discover  him.  The 
day  passed  away,  however,  without  the  restoration  of  the  cup. 
At  night  sentinels  were  secretly  posted  about  the  camp.  With 
all  their  vigilance,  a  Pierced-nose  contrived  to  get  into  the  camp 
unperc'eived,  and  to  load  himself  with  booty  ;  it  was  only  on  his 
retreat  that  he  was  discovered  and  taken. 

At  daybreak  the  culprit  was  brought  to  trial,  and  promptly 
convicted.  He  stood  responsible  for  all  the  spoliations  of  the 
camp,  the  precious  goblet  among  the  number,  and  Mr.  Clarke 
passed  sentence  of  death  upon  him. 

A  gibbet  was  accordingly  constructed  of  oars :  the  chief  of 
the  village  and  his  people  were  assembled,  and  the  culprit  was 
produced,  with  his  legs  and  arms  pinioned.  Clarke  then  made 
a  harangue.  He  reminded  the  tribe  of  the  benefits  he  had  be- 
stowed upon  them  during  his  former  visits,  and  the  many  thefts 
and  other  misdeeds  which  he  had  overlooked.  The  prisoner, 
especially,  had  always  been  peculiarly  well  treated  by  the  white 
men,  but  had  repeatedly  been  guilty  of  pilfering.  He  was  to  be 
punished  for  his  own  misdeeds,  and  as  a  warning  to  his  tribe. 

The  Indians  now  gathered  round  Mr.  Clarke,  and  interceded 
for  the  culprit.  They  were  willing  he  should  be  punished  se- 
verely, but  implored  that  his  life  might  be  spared.  The  compan- 
ions, too,  of  Mr.  Clarke,  considered  the  sentence  too  severe,  and 
advised  him  to  mitigate  it ;  but  he  was  inexorable.  He  was  not 
naturally  a  stern  or  cruel  man  ;  but  from  his  boyhood  he  had 
lived  in  the  Indian  country  among  Indian  traders,  and  held  the 
life  of  a  savage  extremely  cheap.  He  was,  moreover,  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  doctrine  of  intimidation. 

Farnham,  a  clerk,  a  tall  "  Green  Mountain  boy "  from  Ver- 
mont, who  had  been  robbed  of  a  pistol,  acted  as  executioner. 


452  ASTORIA. 

The  signal  was  given,  and  the  poor  Pierced-nose,  resisting,  strug- 
gling, and  screaming,  in  the  most  frightful  manner,  was  launched 
into  eternity.  The  Indians  stood  round  gazing  in  silence  and 
mute  awe,  but  made  no  attempt  to  oppose  the  execution,  nor  tes- 
tified any  emotion  when  it  was  over.  They  locked  up  their  feel- 
ings within  their  bosoms  until  an  opportunity  should  arrive  to 
gratify  them  with  a  bloody  act  of  vengeance. 

To  say  nothing  of  the  needless  severity  of  this  act,  its  im- 
policy was  glaringly  obvious.  Mr.  M'Lennan  and  three  men  were 
to  return  to  the  post  with  the  horses,  their  loads  having  been 
transferred  to  the  canoes.  They  would  have  to  pass  through  a 
tract  of  country  infested  by  this  tribe,  who  were  all  horsemen 
and  hard  riders,  and  might  pursue  them  to  take  vengeance  for 
the  death  of  their  comrade.  M'Lennan,  however,  was  a  resolute 
fellow,  and  made  light  of  all  dangers.  He  and  his  three  men 
were  present  at  the  execution,  and  set  off  as  soon  as  life  was  ex- 
tinct in  the  victim ;  but,  to  use  the  words  of  one  of  their  com- 
rades, "  they  did  not  let  the  grass  grow  under  the  heels  of  their 
horses,  as  they  clattered  out  of  the  Pierced-nosed  country,"  and 
were  glad  to  find  themselves  in  safety  at  the  post. 

Mr.  Clarke  and  his  party  embarked  about  the  same  time  in 
their  canoes,  and  early  on  the  following  day  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Wallah-Wallah,  where  they  found  Messrs.  Stuart  and 
M'Kenzie  awaiting  them  ;  the  latter  having  recovered  part  of  the 
goods  stolen  from  his  cache.  Clarke  informed  them  of  the  signal 
punishment  he  had  inflicted  on  the  Pierced-nose,  evidently  ex- 
pecting to  excite  their  admiration  by  such  a  hardy  act  of  justice, 
performed  in  the  very  midst  of  the  Indian  country,  but  was  mor- 
tified at  finding  it  strongly  censured  as  inhuman,  unnecessary, 
and  likely  to  provoke  hostilities. 

The  parties  thus  united  formed  a  squadron  of  two  boats  and 
six  canoes,  with  which  they  performed  their  voyage  in  safety  down 


PELTRIES  FROM  THE   WALLAMUT.  453 


the  river,  and  arrived  at  Astoria  on  the  12th  of  June,  bringing 
with  them  a  valuable  stock  of  peltries. 

About  ten  days  previously,  the  brigade  which  had  been  quar- 
tered on  the  banks  of  the  Wollamut,  had  arrived  with  numerous 
packs  of  beaver,  the  result  of  a  few  months'  sojourn  on  that 
river.  These  were  the  first  fruits  of  the  enterprise,  gathered  by 
men  as  yet  mere  strangers  in  the  land ;  but  they  were  such  as  to 
give  substantial  grounds  for  sanguine  anticipations  of  profit, 
when  the  country  should  be  more  completely  explored,  and  the 
trade  established. 


454  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

THE  partners  found  Mr.  M'Dougal  in  all  the  bustle  of  prepara- 
tion ;  having  about  nine  days  previously  announced  at  the  fac- 
tory, his  intention  of  breaking  up  the  establishment,  and  fixed 
upon  the  1st  of  July  for  the  time  of  departure.  Messrs.  Stuart 
and  Clarke  felt  highly  displeased  at  his  taking  so  precipitate  a 
step,  without  waiting  for  their  concurrence,  when  he  must  have 
known  that  their  arrival  could  not  be  far  distant. 

Indeed,  the  whole  conduct  of  Mr.  M'Dougal  was  such  as  to 
awaken  strong  doubts  as  to  his  loyal  devotion  to  the  cause.  His 
old  sympathies  with  the  Northwest  Company  seemed  to  have 
revived.  He  had  received  M'Tavish  and  his  party  with  uncalled- 
for  hospitality,  as  though  they  were  friends  and  allies,  instead  of 
being  a  party  of  observation,  come  to  reconnoitre  the  state  of 
affairs  at  Astoria,  and  to  await  the  arrival  of  a  hostile  ship.  Had 
they  been  left  to  themselves,  they  would  have  been  starved  off 
for  want  of  provisions,  or  driven  away  by  the  Chinooks,  who  only 
wanted  a  signal  from  the  factory  to  treat  them  as  intruders  and 
enemies.  M'Dougal,  on  the  contrary,  had  supplied  them  from 
the  stores  of  the  garrison,  and  had  gained  them  the  favor  of  the 
Indians,  by  treating  them  as  friends. 

Having  set  his  mind  fixedly  on  the  project  of  breaking  up 
the  establishment  at  Astoria,  in  the  current  year,  M'Dougal  was 
sorely  disappointed  at  finding  that  Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke 
had  omitted  to  comply  with  his  request  to  purchase  horses  and 
provisions  for  the  caravan  across  the  mountains.  It  was  now  too 
iate  to  make  the  necessary  preparations  in  time  for  traversing  the 
mountains  before  winter,  and  the  project  had  to  be  postponed. ' 


TRANSACTIONS   AT  ASTORIA.  455 


In  the  meantime,  the  non-arrival  of  the  annual  ship,  and  the 
apprehensions  entertained  of  the  loss  of  the  Beaver  and  of  Mr. 
Hunt,  had  their  effect  upon  the  minds  of  Messrs.  Stuart  and 
Clarke.  They  began  to  listen  to  the  desponding  representations 
of  M'Dougal,  seconded  by  M'Kenzie,  who  inveighed  against  their 
situation  as  desperate  and  forlorn  ;  left  to  shift  for  themselves, 
or  perish  upon  a  barbarous  coast ;  neglected  by  those  who  sent 
them  there,  and  threatened  with  dangers  of  every  kind.  In  this 
way  they  were  brought  to  consent  to  the  plan  of  abandoning  the 
country  in  the  ensuing  year. 

About  this  time,  M'Tavish  applied  at  the  factory  to  purchase 
a  small  supply  of  goods  wherewith  to  trade  his  way  back  to  his 
post  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Columbia,  having  waited  in  vain 
for  the  arrival  of  the  Isaac  Todd.  His  request  brought  on  a 
consultation  among  the  partners.  M'Dougal  urged  that  it  should 
be  complied  with.  He  furthermore  proposed,  that  they  should 
give  up  to  M'Tavish,  for  a  proper  consideration,  the  post  on  the 
Spokan,  and  all  its  dependencies,  as  they  had  not  sufficient  goods 
on  hand  to  supply  that  post  themselves,  and  to  keep  up  a  compe- 
tition with  the  Northwest  Company  in  the  trade  with  the  neigh- 
boring Indians.  This  last  representation  has  since  been  proved 
incorrect.  By  inventories,  it  appears  that  their  stock  in  hand  for 
the  supply  of  the  interior  posts,  was  superior  to  that  of  the  North- 
west Company  ;  so  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  competition. 

Through  the  influence  of  Messrs.  M'Dougal  and  M'Kenzie, 
this  proposition  was  adopted,  and  was  promptly  accepted  by 
M'Tavish.  The  merchandise  sold  to  him,  amounted  to  eight  hun- 
dred and  fifty-eight  dollars,  to  be  paid  for,  in  the  following 
spring,  in  horses,  or  in  any  other  manner  most  acceptable  to  the 
partners  at  that  period. 

This  agreement  being  concluded,  the  partners  formed  their 
plans  for  the  year  that  they  would  yet  have  to  pass  in  the  coun- 


456  ASTORIA. 

• 
try.     Their  objects  were,  chiefly,  present  subsistence,  and  the 

purchase  of  horses  for -the  contemplated  journey,  though  they 
were  likewise  to  collect  as  much  peltries  as  their  diminished 
means  would  command.  Accordingly,  it  was  arranged,  that 
David  Stuart  should  return  to  his  former  post  on  the  Oakina- 
gan,  and  M-r.  Clarke  should  make  his  sojourn  among  the  Flat- 
heads.  John  Reed,  the  sturdy  Hibernian,  was  to  undertake  the 
Snake  River  country,  accompanied  by  Pierre  Dorion  and  Pierre 
Delaunay,  as  hunters,  and  Francis  Landry,  Jean  Baptiste  Tur- 
cotte,  Andre  la  Chapelle,  and  Gilles  le  Clerc,  Canadian  voyageurs. 

Astoria,  however,  was  the  post  about  which  they  felt  the 
greatest  solicitude,  and  on  which  they  all  more  or  less  depended. 
The  maintenance  of  this  in  safety  throughout  the  coming  year, 
was,  therefore,  their  grand  consideration.  Mr.  M'Dougal  was  to 
continue  in  command  of  it,  with  a  party  of  forty  men.  They 
would  have  to  depend  chiefly  upon  the  neighboring  savages  for 
their  subsistence.  These,  at  present,  were  friendly,  but  it  was  to 
be  feared  that,  when  they  should  discover  the  exigencies  of  the 
post,  and  its  real  weakness,  they  might  proceed  to  hostilities ;  or, 
at  any  rate,  might  cease  to  furnish  their  usual  supplies.  It  was 
important,  therefore,  to  render  the  place  as  independent  as  possi- 
ble, of  the  surrounding  tribes  for  its  support ;  and  it  was  accord- 
ingly resolved  that  M'Kenzie,  with  four  hunters,  and  eight  com- 
mon men,  should  winter  in  the  abundant  country  of  Wollamut, 
from  whence  they  might  be  enabled  to  furnish  a  constant  supply 
of  provisions  to  Astoria. 

As  there  was  too  great  a  proportion  of  clerks  for  the  number 
of  privates  in  the  service,  the  engagements  of  three  of  them. 
Ross  Cox,  Ross,  and  M'Lennan,  were  surrendered  to  them,  and 
they  immediately  enrolled  themselves  in  the  service  of  the  North- 
west Company ;  glad,  no  doubt,  to  escape  from  what  they  con- 
sidered a  sinking  ship. 


MANIFESTO   OF   THE   PARTNERS.  457 


Having  made  all  these  arrangements,  the  four  partners,  on 
the  first  of  July,  signed  a  formal  manifesto,  stating  the  alarming 
state  of  their  affairs,  from  the  non-arrival  of  the  annual  ship,  and 
the  absence  and  apprehended  loss  of  the  Beaver,  their  want  of 
goods,  their  despair  of  receiving  any  further  supply,  their  igno- 
rance of  the  coast,  and  their  disappointment  as  to  the  interipr 
trade,  which  they  pronounced  unequal  to  the  expenses  incurred, 
and  incompetent  to  stand  against  the  powerful  opposition  of  the 
Northwest  Company.  And  as  by  the  16th  article  of  the  com- 
pany's agreement,  they  were  authorized  to  abandon  this  under- 
taking, and  dissolve  the  concern,  if  before  the  period  of  five  years 
it  should  be  found  unprofitable,  they  now  formally  announced 
their  intention  to  do  so  on  the  1st  day  of  June,  of  the  ensuing 
year,  unless  in  the  interim  they  should  receive  the  necessary  sup- 
port and  supplies  from  Mr.  Astor,  or  the  stockholders,  with 
orders  to  continue. 

This  instrument,  accompanied  by  private  letters  of  similar 
import,  was  delivered  to  Mr.  M'Tavish,  who  departed  on  the 
5th  of  July.  He  engaged  to  forward  the  dispatches  to  Mr. 
Astor,  by  the  usual  winter  express  sent  overland  by  the  North- 
west Company. 

The  manifesto  was  sighed  with  great  reluctance  by  Messrs. 
Clarke  and  D.  Stuart,  whose  experience  by  no  means  justified  the 
discouraging  account  given  in  it  of  the  internal  trade,  and  who 
considered  the  main  difficulties  of  exploring  an  unknown  and 
savage  country,  and  of  ascertaining  the  best  trading  and  trapping 
grounds,  in  a  great  measure  overcome.  They  were  overruled, 
however,  by  the  urgent  instances  of  M'Dougal  and  M'Kenzie, 
who,  having  resolved  upon  abandoning  the  enterprise,  were  de- 
sirous of  making  as  strong  a  case  as  possible  to  excuse  their 
conduct  to  Mr.  Astor  and  to  the  world. 

20 


458  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

WHILE  difficulties  and  disasters  had  been  gathering  about  the 
infant  settlement  of  Astoria,  the  mind  of  its  projector  at  New 
York,  was  a  prey  to  great  anxiety.  The  ship  Lark,  dispatched 
by  him  with  supplies  for  the  establishment,  sailed  on  the  6th  of 
March,  1813.  Within  a  fortnight  afterwards,  he  received  intelli- 
gence which  justified  all  his  apprehensions  of  hostility  on  the 
part  of  the  British.  The  Northwest  Company  had  made  a 
second  memorial  to  that  government,  representing  Astoria  as  an 
American  establishment,  stating  the  vast  scope  of  its  contemplated 
operations,  magnifying  the  strength  of  its  fortifications,  and  ex- 
pressing their  fears  that,  unless  crushed  in  the  bud,  it  would 
effect  the  downfall  of  their  trade. 

Influenced  by  these  representations,  the  British  government 
ordered  the  frigate  Phoebe  to  be  detached  as  s  convoy  for  the 
armed  ship,  Isaac  Todd,  which  was  ready  to  sail  with  men  and 
munitions  for  forming  a  new  establishment.  They  were  to  pro- 
ceed together  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  capture  or  destroy 
whatever  American  fortress  they  should  find  there,  and  plant  the 
British  flag  on  its  ruins. 

Informed  of  these  movements,  Mr.  Astor  lost  no  time  in  ad- 
dressing a  second  letter  to  the  secretary  of  state,  communicating 
this  intelligence,  and  requesting  it  might  be  laid  before  the  pres- 
ident ;  as  no  notice,  however,  had  been  taken  of  his  previous 
letter,  he  contented  himself  with  this  simple  communication,  and 
made  no  further  application  for  aid. 


FITTING  OUT   OF   THE   ADAMS.  459 


Awakened  now  to  the  danger  that  menaced  the  establishment 
at  Astoria,  and  aware  of  the  importance  of  protecting  this  foot- 
hold of  American  commerce  and  empire  on  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific,  the  government  determined  to  send  the  frigate  Adams, 
Captain  Crane,  upon  this  service.  On  hearing  of  this  determi- 
nation, Mr.  Astor  immediately  proeeded  to  fit  out  a  ship  called 
the  Enterprise,  to  sail  in  company  with  the  Adams,  freighted  with 
additional  supplies  and  reinforcements  for  Astoria. 

About  the  middle  of  June,  while  in  the  midst  of  these  pre- 
parations, Mr.  Astor  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  R.  Stuart,  dated 
St.  Louis,  May  1st,  confirming  the  intelligence  already  received 
through  the  public  newspapers,  of  his  safe  return,  and  of  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  at  Astoria,  and  giving  the  most 
flattering  accounts  of  the  prosperity  of  the  enterprise. 

So  deep  had  been  the  anxiety  of  Mr.  Astor,  for  the  success  of 
this  great  object  of  his  ambition,  that  this  gleam  of  good  news 
was  almost  overpowering.  "  I  felt  ready,"  said  he,  "  to  fall  upon 
my  knees  in  a  transport  of  gratitude." 

At  the  same  time  he  heard  that  the  Beaver  had  made  good 
her  voyage  from  New- York  to  the  Columbia.  This  was  additional 
ground  of  hope  for  the  welfare  of  the  little  colony.  The  post 
being  thus  relieved  and  strengthened  with  an  American  at  its 
head,  and  a  ship  of  war  about  to  sail  for  its  protection,  the  pros- 
pect for  the  future  seemed  full  of  encouragement,  and  Mr.  Astor 
proceeded  with  fresh  vigor,  to  fit  out  his  merchant  ship. 

Unfortunately  for  Astoria,  this  bright  gleam  of  sunshine  was 
soon  overclouded.  Just  as^he  Adams  had  received  her  comple- 
ment of  men,  and  the  two  vessels  were  ready  for  sea,  news  came 
from  Commodore  Chauncey,  commanding  on  Lake  Ontario,  that 
a  reinforcement  of  seamen  was  wanted  in  that  quarter.  The  de- 
mand was  urgent,  the  crew  of  the  Adams  was  immediately  trans- 
ferred to  that  service,  and  the  ship  was  laid  up. 


460  ASTORIA. 

This  was  a  most  ill-timed  and  discouraging  blow,  but  Mr. 
Astor  would  not  yet  allow  himself  to  pause  in  his  undertaking. 
He  determined  to  send  the  Enterprise  to  sea  alone,  and  let  her 
take  the  chance  of  making  her  unprotected  way  across  the  ocean. 
Just  at  this  time,  however,  a  British  force  made  its  appearance  off 
the  Hook  ;  and  the  port  of  New- York  was  effectually  blockaded. 
To  send  a  ship  to  sea  under  these  circumstances,  would  be  to 
expose  her  to  almost  certain  capture.  The  Enterprise,  was, 
therefore,  unloaded  and  dismantled,  and  Mr.  Astor  was  obliged 
to  comfort  himself  with  the  hope  that  the  Lark  might  reach 
Astoria  in  safety,  and  that  aided  by  her  supplies,  and  by  the  good 
management  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  associates,  the  little  colony 
might  be  able  to  maintain  itself  until  the  return  of  peace. 


AN   ALLIANCE   OF  STATE.  461 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

WE  have  hitherto  had  so  much  to  relate  of  a  gloomy  and  disas- 
trous nature,  that  it  is  with  a  feeling  of  momentary  relief  we  turn 
to  something  of  a  more  pleasing  complexion,  and  record  the  first, 
and  indeed  only  nuptials  in  high  life  that  took  place  in  the 
infant  settlement  of  Astoria. 

M'Dougal,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  a  thousand 
projects,  and  of  great,  though  somewhat  irregular  ambition,  sud- 
denly conceived  the  idea  of  seeking  the  hand  of  one  of  the  native 
princesses,  a  daughter  of  the  one-eyed  potentate  Comcomly,  who 
held  sway  over  the  fishing  tribe  of  the  Chinooks,  and  had  long 
supplied  the  factory  with  smelts  and  sturgeons. 

Some  accounts  give  rather  a  romantic  origin  to  this  affair, 
tracing  it  to  the  stormy  night  when  M'Dougal,  in  the  course  of 
an  exploring  expedition,  was  driven  by  stress  of  weather  to  seek 
shelter  in  the  royal  abode  of  Comcomly.  Then  and  there  he  was 
first  struck  with  the  charms  of  this  piscatory  princess,  as  she 
exerted  herself  to  entertain  her  father's  guest. 

The  "journal  of  Astoria,"  however,  which  was  kept  under  his 
own  eye,  records  this  union  as  a  high  state  alliance,  and  great 
stroke  of  policy.  The  fact^Mry  had  to  depend,  in  a  great  measure, 
on  the  Chinooks  for  provisions.  They  were  at  present  friendly,  but 
it  was  to  be  feared  they  would  prove  otherwise,  should  they  disco- 
ver the  weakness  and  the  exigencies  of  the  post,  and  the  intention 
to  leave  the  country.  This  alliance,  therefore,  would  infallibly 
rivet  Comcomly  to  the  interests  of  the  Astorians,  and  with  him 


462  ASTORIA. 

the  powerful  tribe  of  the  Chinooks.  Be  this  as  it  may,  and  it  is 
hard  to  fathom  the  real  policy  of  governors  and  princes,  M'Dou- 
gal  dispatched  two  of  the  clerks  as  ambassadors  extraordinary, 
to  wait  upon  the  one-eyed  chieftain,  and  make  overtures  for  the 
hand  of  his  daughter. 

The  Chinooks,  though  not  a  very  refined  nation,  have  notions 
of  matrimonial  arrangements  that  would  not  disgrace  the  most 
refined  sticklers  for  settlements  and  pin  money.  The  suitor 
repairs  not  to  the  bower  of  his  mistress,  but  to  her  father's 
lodge,  and  throws  down  a  present  at  his  feet.  His  wishes  are 
then  disclosed  by  some  discreet  friend  employed  by  him  for  the 
purpose.  If  the  suitor  and  his  present  find  favor  in  the  eyes  of 
the  father,  ha  breaks  the  matter  to  his  daughter,  and  inquires 
into  the  state  of  her  inclinations.  Should  her  answer  be  favorable, 
the  suit  is  accepted,  and  the  lover  has  to  make  further  presents 
to  the  father,  of  horses,  canoes,  and  other  valuables,  according 
to  the  beauty  and  merits  of  the  bride ;  looking  forward  to  a 
return  in  kind  whenever  they  shall  go  to  housekeeping. 

We  have  more  than  once  had  occasion  to  speak  of  the  shrewd- 
ness of  Comcomly ;  but  never  was  it  exerted  more  adroitly  than 
on  this  occasion.  He  was  a  great  friend  of  M'Dougal,  and 
pleased  with  the  idea  of  having  so  distinguished 'a  son-in-law; 
but  so  favorable  an  opportunity  of  benefiting  his  own  fortune 
was  not  likely  to  occur  a  second  time,  and  he  determined  to 
make  the  most  of  it.  Accordingly,  the  negotiation  was  protracted 
with  true  diplomatic  skill.  Conference  after  conference  was  held 
with  the  two  ambassadors  :  Comcomly  was  extravagant  in  his 
terms ;  rating  the  charms  of  his  daughter  at  the  highest  price, 
and  indeed  she  is  represented  as  having  one  of  the  flattest  and 
most  aristocratical  heads  in  the  tribe.  At  length  the  prelimina- 
ries were  all  happily  adjusted.  On  the  20th  of  July,  early  in  the 
afternoon,  a  squadron  of  canoes  crossed  over  from  the  village  of 


BRINGING   HOME   THE   BRIDE.  463 


the  Chinooks,  bearing  the  royal  family  of  Comcomly,  and  all  his 
court. 

That  worthy  sachem  landed  in  princely  state,  arrayed  in  a 
bright  blue  blanket  and  red  breech  clout,  with  an  extra  quantity 
of  paint  and  feathers,  attended  by  a  train  of  half-naked  warriors 
and  nobles.  A  horse  was  in  waiting  to  receive  the  princess, 
who  was  mounted  behind  one  of  the  clerks,  and  thus  conveyed, 
coy  but  compliant,  to  the  fortress.  Here  she  was  received  with 
devout,  though  decent  joy,  by  her  expecting  bridegroom. 

Her  bridal  adornments,  it  is  true,  at  first  caused  some  little 
dismay,  having  painted  and  anointed  herself  for  the  occasion 
according  to  the  Chinook  toilet ;  by  dint,  however,  of  copious 
ablutions,  she  was  freed  from  all  adventitious  tint  and  fragrance, 
and  entered  into  the  nuptial  state,  the  cleanest  princess  that  had 
ever  been  known,  of  the  somewhat  unctuous  tribe  of  the  Chinooks. 

From  that  time  forward,  Comcomly  was  a  daily  visitor  at  the 
fort,  and  was  admitted  into  the  most  intimate  councils  of  his  son- 
in-law.  He  took  an  interest  in  every  thing  that  was  going 
forward,  but  was  particularly  frequent  in  his  visits  to  the  black- 
smith's shop  ;  tasking  the  labors  of  the  artificer  in  iron  for  every 
kind  of  weapon  and  implement  suited  to  the  savage  state, 
insomuch  that  the  necessary  business  of  the  factory  was  often 
postponed  to  attend  to  his  requisitions. 

The  honey-moon  had  scarce  passed  away,  and  M'Dougal  was 
seated  with  his  bride  in  the  fortress  of  Astoria,  when,  about  noon 
of  the  20th  of  August,  Gassacop,  the  son  of  Comcomly,  hurried 
into  his  presence  with  great  agitation,  and  announced  a  ship  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  news  produced  a  vast  sensation. 
Was  it  a  ship  of  peace  or  war  ?  Was  it  American  or  British? 
Was  it  the  Beaver  or  the  Isaac  Todd  ?  M'Dougal  hurried  to 
the  water  side,  threw  himself  into  a  boat,  and  ordered  the  hands 
to  pull  with  all  speed  for  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  Those  in  the 


464  ASTORIA. 

fort  remained  watching  the  entrance  of  the  river,  anxious  to 
know  whether  they  were  to  prepare  for  greeting  a  friend  or 
fighting  an  enemy.  At  length  the  ship  was  descried  crossing 
the  bar,  and  bending  her  course  towards  Astoria.  Every  gaze 
was  fixed  upon  her  in  silent  scrutiny,  until  the  American  flag 
was  recognized.  A  general  shout  was  the  first  expression  of  joy, 
and  next  a  salutation  was  thundered  from  the  cannon  of  the  fort. 

The  vessel  came  to  anchor  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
and  returned  the  salute.  The  boat  of  Mr..  M'Dougal  went  on 
board,  and  was  seen  returning  late  in  the  afternoon.  The  Asto- 
rians  watched  her  with  straining  eyes,  to  discover  who  were  on 
board,  but  the  sun  went  down,  and  the  evening  closed  in,  before 
she  was  sufficiently  near.  At  length  she  reached  the  land,  and 
Mr.  Hunt  stepped  on  shore.  He  was  hailed  as  one  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  his  return  was  a  signal  for  merriment  almost  equal 
to  that  which  prevailed  at  the  nuptials  of  M'Dougal. 

We  must  now  explain  the  cause  of  this  gentleman's  long 
absence,  which  had  given  rise  to  such  gloomy  and  dispiriting 
surmises. 


VOYAGE  TO  NEW  ARCHANGEL.          465 


CHAPTER  LVIL 

IT  will  be  recollected,  that  the  destination  of  the  Beaver,  when 
she  sailed  from  Astoria  on  the  4th  of  August  in  1812.  was  to 
proceed  northwardly  along  the  coast  to  Sheetka,  or  Xew  Arch- 
angel, there  to  dispose  of  that  part  of  her  cargo  intended  for 
the  supply  of  the  Russian  establishment  at  that  place,  and  then 
to  return  to  Astoria,  where  it  was  expected  she  would  arrive  in 
October. 

New  Archangel  is  situated  in  Norfolk  Sound,  lat.  57°  2'  N., 
long.  135°  50'  W.  It  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  different  col- 
onies of  the  Russian  Fur  Company,  and  the  common  rendezvous 
of  the  American  vessels  trading  along  the  coast. 

The  Beaver  met  with  nothing  worthy  of  particular  mention 
in  her  voyage,  and  arrived  at  New  Archangel  on  the  19th  of 
August.  The  place  at  that  time  was  the  residence  of  Count 
Baranhoff.  the  governor  of  the  different  colonies ;  a  rough,  rugged, 
hospitable,  hard-drinking  old  Russian ;  somewhat  of  a  soldier, 
somewhat  of  a  trader ;  above  all,  a  boon  companion  of  the  old 
roystering  school,  with  a  strong  cross  of  the  bear. 

Mr.  Hunt  found  this  hyperborean  veteran  ensconced  in  a  fort 
which  crested  the  whole  of  a  high  rocky  promontory.  It  mounted 
one  hundred  guns,  large  and  small,  and  was  impregnable  to  In- 
dian attack,  unaided  by  artillery.  Here  the  old  governor  lorded 
it  over  sixty  Russians,  who  formed  the  corps  of  the  trading  estab- 
lishment, besides  an  indefinite  number  of  Indian  hunters  of  the 
Kodiak  tribe,  who  were  continually  coming  and  going,  or  loung- 

20* 


466  ASTORIA. 

ing  and  loitering  about  the  fort  like  so  many  hounds  round  a 
sportsman's  hunting  quarters.  Though  a  loose  liver  among  his 
guests,  the  governor  was  a  strict  disciplinarian  among  his  men  ; 
keeping  them  in  perfect  subjection,  and  having  seven  on  guard 
night  and  day. 

Beside  those  immediate  serfs  and  dependents  just  mentioned, 
the  old  Russian  potentate  exerted  a  considerable  sway  over  a 
numerous  and  irregular  class  of  maritime  traders,  who  looked  to 
him  for  aid  and  munitions,  and  through  whom  he  may  be  said  to 
have,  in  some  degree,  extended  his  power  along  the  whole  north- 
west coast.  These  were  American  captains  of  vessels  engaged 
in  a  particular  department  of  trade.  One  of  these  captains 
would  come,  in  a  manner,  empty-handed  to  New  Archangel. 
Here  his  ship  would  be  furnished  with  about  fifty  canoes  and  a 
hundred  Kodiak  hunters,  and  fitted  out  with  provisions,  and 
every  thing  necessary  for  hunting  the  sea-otter  on  the  coast  of 
California,  where  the  Russians  have  another  establishment.  The 
ship  would  ply  along  the  Californian  coast  from  place  to  place, 
dropping  parties  of  otter  hunters  in  their  canoes,  furnishing  them 
only  with  water,  and  leaving  them  to  depend  upon  their  own  dex- 
terity for  a  maintenance.  When  a  sufficient  cargo  was  collected, 
she  would  gather  up  her  canoes  and  hunters,  and  return  with 
them  to  Archangel ;  where  the  captain  would  render  in  the 
returns  of  his  voyage,  and  receive  one-half  of  the  skins  for 
his  share. 

Over  these  coasting  captains,  as  we  have  hinted,  the  veteran 
governor  exerted  some  sort  of  sway,  but  it  was  of  a  peculiar  and 
characteristic  kind  ;  it  was  the  tyranny  of  the  table.  They  were 
obliged  to  join  him  in  his  "  prosnics  "  or  carousals,  and  to  drink 
"potations  pottle  deep."  His  carousals,  too,  were  not  of  the 
most  quiet  kind,  nor  were  his  potations  as  mild  as  nectar.  "  He 
is  continually,"  said  Mr.  Hunt,  "  giving  entertainments  by  way 


TYRANNY   OF   THE   TABLE.  457 

of  parade,  and  if  you  do  not  drink  raw  rum,  and  boiling  punch  as 
strong  as  sulphur,  he  will  insult  you  as  soon  as  he  gets  drunk, 
which  is  very  shortly  after  sitting  down  to  table." 

As  to  any  "  temperance  captain  "  who  stood  fast  to  his  faith, 
and  refused  to  give  up  his  sobriety,  he  might  go  elsewhere  for  a 
market,  for  he  stood  no  chance  with  the  governor.  Rarely,  how- 
ever, did  any  cold-water  caitiff  of  the  kind  darken  the  door  of 
old  Baranhoff ;  the  coasting  captains  knew  too  well  his  humor 
and  their  own  interests ;  they  joined  in  his  revels,  they  drank, 
and  sang,  and  whooped,  and  hiccuped,  until  they  all  got  "  half 
seas  over,"  and  then  affairs  went  on  swimmingly. 

An  awful  warning  to  all  «  flinchers  "  occurred  shortly  before 
Mr.  Hunt's  arrival.  A  young  naval  officer  had  recently  been 
sent  out  by  the  emperor  to  take  command  of  one  of  the  com- 
pany's vessels.  The  governor,  as  usual,  had  him  at  his  "  pros- 
nics,"  and  plied  him  with  fiery  potations.  The  young  man  stood 
on  the  defensive  until  the  old  count's  ire  was  completely  kindled  ; 
he  carried  his  point,  and  made  the  greenhorn  tipsy,  willy  nilly. 
In  proportion  as  they  grew  fuddled  they  grew  noisy,  they  quar- 
relled in  their  cups ;  the  youngster  paid  old  Baranhoff  in  his 
own  coin  by  rating  him  soundly ;  in  reward  for  which,  when  sober, 
he  was  taken  the  rounds  of  four  pickets,  and  received  seventy- 
nine  lashes,  taled  out  with  Russian  punctuality  of  punishment. 

Such  was  the  old  grizzled  bear  with  whom  Mr.  Hunt  had  to 
do  his  business.  How  he  managed  to  cope  with  his  humor ; 
whether  he  pledged  himself  in  raw  rum  and  blazing  punch,  and 
"  clinked  the  can  "  with  him  as  they  made  their  bargains,  does  not 
appear  upon  record ;  we  must  infer,  however,  from  his  general 
observations  on  the  absolute  sway  of  this  hard-drinking  potentate, 
that  he  had  to  conform  to  the  customs  of  his  court,  and  that 
their  business  transactions  presented  a  maudlin  mixture  of  punch 
and  peltry. 


468  ASTORIA. 

The  greatest  annoyance  to  Mr.  Hunt,  however,  was  the  delay 
to  which  he  was  subjected,  in  disposing  of  the  cargo  of  the  ship, 
and  getting  the  requisite  returns.  With  all  the  governor's  devo- 
tions to  the  bottle,  he  never  obfuscated  his  faculties  sufficiently 
to  lose  sight  of  his  interest,  and  is  represented  by  Mr.  Hunt  as 
keen,  not  to  say  crafty,  at  a  bargain,  as  the  most  arrant  water 
drinker.  A  long  time  was  expended  negotiating  with  him,  and 
by  the  time  the  bargain  was  concluded,  the  month  of  October  had 
arrived.  To  add  to  the  delay  he  was  to  be  paid  for  his  cargo  in 
seal  skins.  Now  it  so  happened  that  there  was  none  of  this  kind 
of  peltry  at  the  fort  of  old  Baranhoff.  It  was  necessary,  there- 
fore, for  Mr.  Hunt  to  proceed  to  a  seal-catching  establishment, 
which  the  Russian  company  had  at  the  island  of  St.  Paul  in  the 
sea  of  Kamschatka.  He  accordingly  set  sail  on  the  4th  of  Octo- 
ber, after  having  spent  forty-five  days  at  New  Archangel,  boosing 
and  bargaining  with  its  roystering  commander,  and  right  glad 
was  he  to  escape  from  the  clutches  of  this  "  old  man  of  the  sea." 

The  Beaver  arrived  at  St.  Paul's  on  the  31st  of  October;  by 
which  time,  according  to  arrangement,  he  ought  to  have  been  back 
at  AstQria.  The  island  of  St.  Paul's  is  in  latitude  57°  N.,  longi- 
tude 170°  or  171°  W.  Its  shores,  in  certain  places,  and  at  cer- 
tain seasons,  are  covered  with  seals,  while  others  are  playing 
about  in  the  water.  Of  these,  the  Russians  take  only  the  small 
ones,  from  seven  to  ten  months  old,  and  carefully  select  the 
males,  giving  the  females  their  freedom,  that  the  breed  may 
not  be  diminished.  The  islanders,  however,  kill  the  large  ones 
for  provisions,  and  for  skins  wherewith  to  cover  their  canoes. 
They  drive  them  from  the  shore  over  the  rocks,  until  within  a 
short  distance  of  their  habitations,  where  they  kill  them.  By 
this  means,  they  save  themselves  the  trouble  of  carrying  the  skins, 
and  have  the  flesh  at  hand.  This  is  thrown  in  heaps,  and  when 
the  season  for  skinning  is  over,  they  take  out  the  entrails  and 


FISHY   FOOD  AND   FUEL. 


make  one  heap  of  the  blubber.  This,  with  drift-wood,  serves  for 
fuel,  for  the  island  is  entirely  destitute  of  trees.  They  make 
another  heap  of  the  flesh,  which,  with  the  eggs  of  sea-fowls,  pre- 
served in  oil,  an  occasional  sea-lion,  a  few  ducks  in  winter,  and 
some  wild  roots,  compose  their  food. 

Mr.  Hunt  found  seven  Russians  at  the  island,  and  one 
hundred  hunters,  natives  of  Oonalaska,  with  their  families. 
They  lived  in  cabins  that  looked  like  canoes ;  being,  for  the  most 
part  formed  of  the  jaw-bone  of  a  whale,  put  up  as  rafters,  across 
which  were  laid  pieces  of  drift-wood  covered  over  with  long 
grass,  the  skins  of  large  sea  animals,  and  earth ;  so  as  to  be 
quite  comfortable,  in  despite  of  the  rigors  of  the  climate ;  though 
we  are  told  they  had  as  ancient  and  fish-like  an  odor,  "  as  had 
the  quarters  of  Jonah,  when  he  lodged  within  the  whale." 

In  one.  of  these  odoriferous  mansions,  Mr.  Hunt  occasionally 
took  up  his  abode,  that  he  might  be  at  hand  to  hasten  the  loading 
of  the  ship.  The  operation,  however,  was  somewhat  slow,  for  it 
was  necessary  to  overhaul  and  inspect  every  pack  to  prevent 
imposition,  and  the  peltries  had  then  to  be  conveyed  in  large 
boats,  made  of  skins,  to  the  ship,  which  was  some  little  distance 
from  the  shore,  standing  off  and  on. 

One  night,  while1  Mr.  Hunt  was  on  shore,  with  some  others 
of  the  crew,  there  rose  a  terrible  gale.  When  the  day  broke,  the 
ship  was  not  to  be  seen.  He  watched  for  her  with  anxious  eyes 
until  night,  but  in  vain.  Day  after  day  of  boisterous  storms, 
and  howling  wintry  weather,  were  passed  in  watchfulness  and 
solicitude.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  a  dark  and  angry  sea, 
and  a  scowling  northern  sky  ;  and  at  night  he  retired  within  the 
jaws  of  the  whale,  and  nestled  disconsolately  among  seal  skins. 

At  length,  on  the  13th  of  November,  the  Beaver  made  her 
appearance ;  much  the  worse  for  the  .stormy  conflicts,  she  had 
sustained  in  those  hyperborean  seas.  Sh.e  had  been  obliged  to 


470  ASTORIA. 

carry  a  press  of  sail  in  heavy  gales,  to  be  able  to  hold  her  ground, 
and  had  consequently  sustained  great  damage  in  her  canvas  and 
rigging.  Mr.  Hunt  lost  no  time  in  hurrying  the  residue  of  the 
cargo  on  board  of  her ;  then,  bidding  adieu  to  his  seal-fishing 
friends,  and  his  whalebone  habitation,  he  put  forth  once  more 
to  sea. 

He  was  now  for  making  the  best  of  his  way  to  Astoria,  and 
fortunate  would  it  have  been  for  the  interests  of  that  place,  and 
the  interests  of  Mr.  Astor,  had  he  done  so  ;  but,  unluckily,  a 
perplexing  question  rose  in  his  mind.  The  sails  and  rigging  of 
the  Beaver  had  been  much  rent  and  shattered  in  the  late  storm ; 
would  she  be  able  to  stand  the  hard  gales  to  be  expected  in 
making  Columbia  River  at  this  season  ?  Was  it  prudent,  also,  at 
this  boisterous  time  of  the  year  to  risk  the  valuable  cargo  which 
she  now  had  on  board,  by  crossing  and  recrossing  the  dangerous 
bar  of  that  river  ?  These  doubts  were  probably  suggested  or 
enforced  by  Captain  Sowle,  who,  it  has  already  been  seen,  was  an 
over-cautious,  or  rather,  a  timid  seaman,  and  they  may  have  had 
some  weight  with  Mr.  Hunt ;  but  there  were  other  considerations, 
which  more  strongly  swayed  his  mind.  The  lateness  of  the 
season,  and  the  unforeseen  delays  the  ship  had  encountered  at 
New  Archangel,  and  by  being  obliged  to  proceed  to  St.  Paul's, 
had  put  her  so  much  back  in  her  calculated  time,  that  there  was 
a  risk  of  her  arriving  so  late  at  Canton,  as  to  come  to  a  bad 
market,  both  for  the  sale  of  her  peltries,  and  the  purchase  of  a 
return  cargo.  He  considered  it  to  the  interest  of  the  company, 
therefore,  that  he  should  proceed  at  once  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands ;  thej-e  wait  the  arrival  of  the  annual  vessel  from  New- 
York,  take  passage  in  her  to  Astoria,  and  suffer  the  Beaver  to 
continue  on  to  Canton. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  was  urged  to  the  other  course  by  his 
engagements  ;  by  the  plan  of  the  voyage  marked  out  for  the 

• 


INJUDICIOUS   DECISION.  -         471 


Beaver,  by  Mr.  Astor  ;  by  his  inclination,  and  the  possibility  that 
the  establishment  might  need  his  presence,  aiH  L ,  the  recollec- 
tion that  there  must  already  be  a  large  amount  of  peltries  col- 
lected at  Astoria,  and  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  Beaver,  to 
convey  them  to  market. 

These  conflicting  questions  perplexed  and  agitated  his  mind, 
and  gave  rise  to  much  anxious  reflection,  for  he  was  a  conscien- 
tious man  that  seems  ever  to  have  aimed  at  a  faithful  discharge 
of  his  duties,  and  to  have  had  the  interests  of  his  employers 
earnestly  at  heart.  His  decision  in  the  present  instance  was  in- 
judicious, and  proved  unfortunate.  It  was,  to  bear  away  for  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  He  persuaded  himself  that  it  was  a  matter 
of  necessity,  and  that  the  distressed  condition  of  the  ship  left 
him  no  other  alternative ;  but  we  rather  suspect  he  was  so  per- 
suaded by  the  representations  of  the  timid  captain.  They 
accordingly  stood  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  arrived  at  Woahoo, 
where  the  ship  underwent  the  necessary  repairs,  and  again  put 
to  sea  on  the  1st  of  January,  1813 ;  leaving  Mr.  Hunt  on  the 
island. 

We  will  follow  the  Beaver  to  Canton,  as  her  fortunes,  in  some 
measure,  exemplify  the  evil  of  commanders  of  ships  acting  con- 
trary to  orders ;  and  as  they  form  a  part  of  the  tissue  of  cross 
purposes  that  marred  the  great  commercial  enterprise  we  have 
undertaken  to  record. 

The  Beaver  arrived  safe  at  Canton,  where  Captain  Sowle 
found  the  letter  of  Mr.  Astor,  giving  him  information  of  the  war, 
and  directing  him  to  convey  the  intelligence  to  Astoria.  He 
wrote  a  reply,  dictated  either  by  timidity  or  obstinacy,  in  which 
he  declined  complying  with  the  orders  of  Mr.  Astor,  but  said 
he  would  wait  for  the  return  of  peace,  and  then  come  home.  The 
other  proceedings  of  Captain  Sowle  were  equally  wrong-headed 
and  unlucky.  He  was  offered  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 


472  ASTORIA. 

dollars  for  the  fur  he  had  taken  on  board  at  St.  Paul's.  The 
goods  for  which  it  had  been  procured,  cost  but  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars  in  New-York.  Had  he  accepted  this  offer,  and  re- 
invested the  amount  in  nankeens,  which  at  that  time,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  interruption  to  commerce  by  the  war,  were  at 
two-thirds  of  their  usual  price,  the  whole  would  have  brought 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  New- York.  It  is  true,  the 
war  would  have  rendered  it  unsafe  to  attempt  the  homeward 
voyage,  but  he  might  have  put  the  goods  in  store  at  Canton, 
until  after  the  peace,  and  have  sailed  without  risk  of  capture  to 
Astoria ;  bringing  to  the  partners  at  that  place  tidings  of  the 
great  profits  realized  on  the  outward  cargo,  and  the  still  greater 
to  be  expected  .from  the  returns.  The  news  of  such  a  brilliant 
commencement  to  their  undertaking  would  have  counterbalanced 
the  gloomy  tidings  of  the  war  ;  it  would  have  infused  new  spirit 
into  them  all,  and  given  them  courage  and  constancy  to  persevere 
in  the  enterprise.  Captain.  Sowle,  however,  refused  the  offer  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  stood  wavering  and 
chaffering  for  higher  terms.  The  furs  began  to  fall  in  value ; 
this  only  increased  his  irresolution  ;  they  sunk  so  much  that  he 
feared  to  sell  at  all ;  he  borrowed  money  on  Mr.  Astor's  account 
at  an  interest  of  eighteen  per  cent.,  and  laid  up  his  ship  to  await 
the  return  of  peace. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Mr.  Hunt  soon  saw  reason  to  repent  the 
resolution  he  had  adopted  in  altering  the  destination  of  the  ship. 
His  stay  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  was  prolonged  far  beyond  all 
expectation.  He  looked  in  vain  for  the  annual  ship  in  the  spring. 
Month  after  mouth  passed  by.  and  still  she  did  not  make  her  ap- 
pearance. He,  too,  proved  the  danger  of  departing  from  orders. 
Had  he  returned  from  St.  Paul's  to  Astoria,  all  the  anxiety  and 
despondency  about  his  fate,  and  about  the  whole  course  of  the 
undertaking,  would  have  been  obviated.  The  Beaver  would  have 


WANDERING   VOYAGES   OF   MR.  HUNT.  473 

received  the  furs  collected  at  the  factory,  and  taken  them  to  Can- 
ton,  and  great  gains,  instead  of  great  losses,  would  have  been  the 
result.  The  greatest  blunder,  however,  was  that  committed  by 
Captain  Sowle. 

At  length,  about  the  20th  of  June,  the  ship  Albatross,  Cap- 
tain Smith,  arrived  from  China,  and  brought  the  first  tidings  of 
the  war  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Mr.  Hunt  was  no  longer  in 
doubt  and  perplexity  as  to  the  reason  of  the  non-appearance  of 
the  annual  ship.  His  first  thoughts  were  for  the  welfare  of 
Astoria,  and,  concluding  that  the  inhabitants  would  probably  be 
in  want  of  provisions,  he  chartered  the  Albatross  for  two  thou- 
sand dollars,  to  land  him,  with  some  supplies,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia,  where  he  arrived,  as  we  have  seen,  on  the  20th  of  Au- 
gust, after  a  years'  seafaring  that  might  have  furnished  a  chapter 
in  the  wanderings  of  Sindbad.  • 


474  ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

MR.  HUNT  was  overwhelmed  with  surprise  when  he  learnt  the 
resolution  taken  by  the  partners  to  abandon  Astoria.  He  soon 
found,  however,  that  matters  had  gone  too  far,  and  the  minds  of 
his  colleagues  had  become  too  firmly  bent  upon  the  measure,  to 
render  any  opposition  of  avail.  He  was  beset,  too,  with  the  same 
disparaging  accounts  of  the  interior  trade,  and  of  the  whole  con- 
cerns and  prospects  of  the  company  that  had  been  rendered  to 
Mr.  Astor.  His  own  experience  had  been  full  of  perplexities 
and  discouragements.  He  had  a  conscientious  anxiety  for  the 
interests  of  Mr.  Astor,  and,  not  comprehending  the  extended 
views  of  that  gentleman,  and  his  habit  of  operating  with  great 
amounts,  he  had  from  the  first  been  daunted  by  the  enormous 
expenses  required,  and  had  become  disheartened  by  the  subse- 
quent losses  sustained,  which  appeared  to  him  to  be  ruinous  in 
their  magnitude.  By  degrees,  therefore,  he  was  brought  to  acqui- 
esce in  the  step  taken  by  his  colleagues,  as  perhaps  advisable  in 
the  exigencies  of  the  case  ;  his  only  care  was  to  wind  up  the  busi- 
ness with  as  little  further  loss  as  possible  to  Mr.  Astor. 

A  large  stock  of  valuable  furs  was  collected  at  the  factory, 
which  it  was  necessary  to  get  to  a  market.  There  were  twenty- 
five  Sandwich  Islanders  also  in  the  employ  of  the  company,  whom 
they  were  bound  by  express  agreement  to  restore  to  their  native 
country.  For  these  purposes  a  ship  was  necessary. 

The  Albatross  was  bound  to  the  Marquesas,  and  thence  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  It  was  resolved  that  Mr.  Hunt  should 
sail  in  her  in  quest  of  a  vessel,  and  should  return,  if  possible,  by 


FURTHER   ARRANGEMENTS.  475 

the  1st  of  January,  bringing  with  him  a  supply  of  provisions. 
Should  any  thing  occur,  however,  to  prevent  his  return,  an 
arrangement  was  to  be  proposed  to  Mr.  M'Tavish,  to  transfer 
such  of  the  men  as  were  so  disposed,  from  the  service  of  the 
American  Fur  Company  into  that  of  the  Northwest,  the  latter 
becoming  responsible  for  the  wages  due  them,  on  receiving  an 
equivalent  in  goods  from  the  storehouse  of  the  factory.  As  a 
means  of  facilitating  the  dispatch  of  business,  Mr.  M'Dougal 
proposed,  that  in  case  Mr.  Hunt  should  not  return,  the  whole 
arrangement  with  Mr.  M'Tavish  should  be  left  solely  to  him. 
This  was  assented  to  ;  the  contingency  being  considered  possible 
but  not  probable. 

It  is  proper  to  note,  that,  on  the  first  announcement  by  Mr. 
M'Dougal  of  his  intention  to  break  up  the  establishment,  three 
of  the  clerks,  British  subjects,  had,  with  his  consent,  passed  into 
the  service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  departed  with  Mr. 
M'Tavish  for  his  post  in  the  interior. 

Having  arranged  all  these  matters  during  a  sojourn  of  six 
days  at  Astoria,  Mr.  Hunt  set  sail  in  the  Albatross  on  the  26th 
of  August,  and  arrived  without  accident  at  the  Marquesas.  He 
had  not  been  there  long,  when  Porter  arrived  in  the  frigate 
Essex,  bringing  in  a  number  of  stout  London  whalers  as  prizes, 
having  made  a  sweeping  cruise  in  the  Pacific.  From  Commodore 
Porter  he  received  the  alarming  intelligence  that  the  British 
frigate  Phoebe,  with  a  storeship,  mounted  with  battering  pieces, 
calculated  to  attack  forts,  had  arrived  at  Rio  'Janeiro,  where  she 
had  been  joined  by  the  sloops  of  war  Cherub  and  Racoon,  and 
that  they  had  all  sailed  in  company  on  the  6th  of  July  for  the 
Pacific,  bound,  as  it  was  supposed,  to  Columbia  River. 

Here,  then,  was  the  death-warrant  of  unfortunate  Astoria ! 
The  anxious  mind  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  in  greater  perplexity  than 
ever.  He  had  been  eager  to  extricate  the  property  of  Mr.  Astor 


476  ASTORIA. 

from  a  failing  concern  with  as  little  loss  as  possible ;  there  was 
now  danger  that  the  whole  would  be  swallowed  up.  How  was  it 
to  be  snatched  from  the  gulf?  It  was  impossible  to  charter  a 
ship  for  the  purpose,  now  that  a  British  squadron  was  on  its  way 
to  the  river.  He  applied  to  purchase  one  of  the  whale  ships 
brought  in  by  Commodore  Porter.  The  commodore  demanded 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  for  her.  The  price  appeared  exor- 
bitant, and  no  bargain  could  be  made.  Mr.  Hunt  then  urged 
the  commodore  to  fit  out  one  of  his  prizes,  and  send  her  to 
Astoria,  to  bring  off  the  property  and  part  of  the  people,  but  he 
declined,  "  from  want  of  authority."  He  assured  Mr.  Hunt,  how- 
ever, that  he  would  endeavor  to  fall  in  with  the  enemy,  or.  should 
he  hear  of  their  having  certainly  gone  to  the  Columbia,  he  would 
either  follow  or  anticipate  them,  should  his  circumstances  war- 
rant such  a  step. 

In  this  tantalizing  state  of  suspense,  Mr.  Hunt  was  detained 
at  the  Marquesas  until  November  23d,  when  he  proceeded  in  the 
Albatross  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  still  cherished  a  faint 
hope  that,  notwithstanding  the  war,  and  all  other  discouraging 
circumstances,  the  annual  ship  might  have  been  sent  by  Mr. 
Astor,  and  might  have  touched  at  the  islands,  and  proceeded  to 
the  Columbia.  He  knew  the  pride  and  interest  taken  by  that 
gentleman  in  his  great  enterprise,  and  that  he  would  not  be 
deterred  by  dangers  and  difficulties  from  prosecuting  it ;  much 
less  would  he  leave  the  infant  establishment  without  succor  and 
support  in  the  time  of  trouble.  In  this,  we  have  seen,  he  did 
but  justice  to  Mr.  Astor ;  and  we  must  now  turn  to  notice  the 
cause  of  the  non-arrival  of  the  vessel  which  he  had  dispatched 
with  reinforcements  and  supplies.  Her  voyage  forms  another 
chapter  of  accidents  in  this  eventful  story. 

The  Lark  sailed  from  New- York  on  the  6th  of  March,  1813, 
and  proceeded  prosperously  on  her  voyage,  until  within  a  few 


WRECK  OF  THE   LARK.  477 

degrees  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Here  a  gale  sprang  up  that 
soon  blew  with  tremendous  violence.  The  lark  was  a  stanch  and 
noble  ship,  and  for  a  time  buffeted  bravely  with  the  storm.  Un- 
luckily, however,  she  "broached  to,"  and  was  struck  by  a  heavy 
sea,  that  hove  her  on  her  beam-ends.  The  helm,  too,  was  knocked 
to  leeward,  all  command  of  the  vessel  was  lost,  and  another  moun- 
tain wave  completely  overset  her.  Orders  were  given  to  cut 
away  the  masts.  In  the  hurry  and  confusion,  the  boats  also  were 
•  unfortunately  cut  adrift.  The  wreck  then  righted,  but  was  a 
mere  hulk,  full  of  water,  with  a  heavy  sea  washing  over  it,  and 
all  the  hatches  off.  On  mustering  the  crew,  one  man  was  missing, 
who  was  discovered  below  in  the  forecastle,  drowned. 

In  cutting  away  the  masts,  it  had  been  utterly  impossible  to 
observe  the  necessary  precaution  of  commencing  with  the  lee  rig- 
ging, that  being,  from  the  position  of  the  ship,  completely  under 
water.     The  masts  and  spars,  therefore,  being  linked  to  the  wreck 
by  the  shrouds  and  rigging,  remained  alongside  for  four  days. 
During  all  this  time  the  ship  lay  rolling  in*  the  trough  of  the  sea, 
the  heavy  surges  breaking  Over  her,  and  the  spars  heaving  and 
banging  to  and  fro,  bruising  the  half-drowned  sailors  that  clung 
to  the  bowsprit  and  the  stumps  of  the  masts.     The  sufferings  of 
these  poor  fellows  were  intolerable.      They  stood  to  their  waists 
in  water,  in  imminent  peril  of  being  washed  off  by  every  surge. 
In  this  position  they  dared  not  sleep,  lest  they  should  let  go  their 
hold  and  be  swept  away.     The  only  dry  place  on  the  wreck  was 
the  bowsprit.     Here  they  took  turns  to  be  tied  on,  for  half  an 
hour  at  a  time,  and  in  this  way  gained  short  snatches  of  sleep. 

On  the  14th,  the  first  mate  died  at  his  post,  and  was  swept  off 
by  the  surges.  On  the  17th,  two  seamen,  faint  and  exhausted, 
were  washed  overboard.  The  next  wave  threw  their  bodies  back 
upon  the  deck,  where  they  remained,  swashing  backward  and  for- 
ward, ghastly  objects  to  the  almost  perishing  survivors.  Mr. 


478  ASTORIA. 

Ogden,  the  supercargo,  who  was  at  the  bowsprit,  called  to  the 
men  nearest  to  the  bodies,  to  fasten  them  to  the  wreck  ;  as  a  last 
horrible  resource  in  case  of  being  driven  to  extremity  by  famine  ! 

On  the  17th  the  gale  gradually  subsided,  and  the  sea  became 
calm.  The  sailors  now  crawled  feebly  about  the  wreck,  and  be- 
gan to  relieve  it  from  the  main  incumbrances.  The  spars  were 
cleared  away,  the  anchors  and  guns  heaved  overboard  ;  the  sprit- 
sail  yard  was  rigged  for  a  jurymast,  and  a  mizzen  topsail  set  upon 
it.  A  sort  of  stage  was  made  of  a  few  broken  spars,  on  which 
the  crew  were  raised  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  so  as  to  be 
enabled  to  keep  themselves  dry,  and  to  sleep  comfortably.  Still 
their  sufferings  from  hunger  and  thirst  were  great ;  but  there 
was  a  Sandwich  Islander  on  board,  an  expert  swimmer,  who  found 
his  way  into  the  cabin,  and  occasionally  brought  up  a  few  bottles 
of  wine  and  porter,  and  at  length  got  into  the  run,  and  secured 
a  quarter  cask  of  wine.  A  little  raw  pork  was  likewise  procured, 
and  dealt  out  with  a  sparing  hand.  The  horrors  of  their  situa- 
tion were  increased  by  the  sight  of  numerous  sharks  prowling 
about  the  wreck,  as  if  waiting  for  their  prey.  On  the  24th,  the 
cook,  a  blaok  man,  died,  and  was  cast  into  the  sea,  when  he  was 
instantly  seized  on  by  these  ravenous  monsters. 

They  had  been  several  days  making  slow  headway  under 
their  scanty  sail,  when,  on  the  25th,  they  came  in  sight  of  land. 
It  was  about  fifteen  leagues  distant,  and  they  remained  two  or 
three  days  drifting  along  in  sight  of  it.  On  the  28th,  they 
descried,  to  their  great  transport,  a  canoe  approaching,  managed 
by  natives.  They  came  alongside,  and  brought  a  most  welcome 
supply  of  potatoes.  They  informed  them  that  the  land  they  had 
made  was  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  second  mate  and 
one  of  the  seamen  went  on  shore  in  the  canoe  for  water  and  pro- 
visions, and  to  procure  aid  from  the  islanders,  in  towing  the 
wreck  into  a  harbor. 


SUFFERINGS   OF  THE   CREW.  479 


Neither  of  the  men  returned,  nor  was  any  assistance  sent 
from  shore.  The  next  day,  ten  or  twelve  canoes  came  alongside, 
but  roamed  round  the  wreck  like  so  many  sharks,  and  would 
render  no  aid  in  towing  her  to  land. 

The  sea  continued  to  break  over  the  vessel  with  such  violence, 
that  it  was  impossible  to  stand  at  the  helm  without  the  assistance 
of  lashings.  The  crew  were  now  so  worn  down  by  famine  and 
thirst,  that  the  captain  saw  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to 
withstand  the  breaking  of  the  sea,  when  the  ship  should  ground ; 
he  deemed  the  only  chance  for  their  lives,  therefore,  was  to  get 
to  land  in  the  canoes,  and  stand  ready  to  receive  and  protect  the 
wreck  when  she  should  drift  to  shore.  Accordingly,  they  all  got 
safe  to  land,  but  had  scarcely  touched  the  beach  when  they  were 
surrounded  by  the  natives,  who  stripped  them  almost  naked. 
The  name  of  this  inhospitable  island  was  Tahoorowa. 

In  the  course  of  the  night,  the  wreck  came  drifting  to  the 
strand,  with  the  surf  thundering  around  her,  and  shortly  after- 
wards bilged.  On  the  following  morning,  numerous  casks  of 
provisions  floated  on  shore.  The  natives  staved  them  for  the 
sake  of  the  iron  hoops,  but  would  not  allow  the  crew  to  help 
themselves  to  the  contents,  or  to  go  on  board  of  the  wreck. 

As  the  crew  were  in  want  of  every  thing,  and  as  it  might  be 
a  long  time  before  any  opportunity  occurred  for  them  to  get 
away  from  these  islands,  Mr.  Ogden,  as  soon  as  he  could  get  a 
chance,  made  his  way  to  the  island  of  Owyhee,  and  endeavored 
to  make  some  arrangement  with  the  king  for  the  relief  of  his 
companions  in  misfortune. 

The  illustrious  Tamaahmaah,  as  we  have  shown  on  a  former 
occasion,  was  a  shrewd  bargainer,  and  in  the  present  instance 
proved  himself  an  experienced  wrecker.  His  negotiations  with 
M'Dougalf  and  the  other  "  Eris  of  the  great  American  Fur 
Company,"  had  but  little  effect  on  present  circumstances,  and  he 


480  ASTORIA. 

proceeded  to  avail  himself  of  their  misfortunes.  He  agreed  to 
furnish  the  crew  with  provisions  during  their  stay  in  his  territo- 
ries, and  to  return  to  them  all  their  clothing  that  could  be  found, 
but  he  stipulated  that  the  wreck  should  be  abandoned  to  him  as 
a  waif  cast  by  fortune  on  his  shores.  With  these  conditions  Mr. 
Ogden  was  fain  to  comply.  Upon  this  the  great  Tamaahmaah 
deputed  his  favorite,  John  Young,  the  tarpawlin  governor  of 
Owyhee,  to  proceed  with  a  number  of  the  royal  guards,  and  take 
possession  of  the  wreck  on  behalf  of  the  crown.  This  was  done 
accordingly,  and  the  property  and  crew  were  removed  to  Owyhee. 
The  royal  bounty  appears  to  have  been  but  scanty  in  its  dispen- 
sations. The  crew  fared  but  meagerly  ;  though,  on  reading  the 
journal  of  the  voyage,  it  is  singular  to  find  them,  after  all  the 
hardships  they  had  suffered,  so  sensitive  about  petty  inconve- 
niences, as  to  exclaim  against  the  king  as  a  "  savage  monster," 
for  refusing  them  a  "  pot  to  cook  in,"  and  denying  Mr.  Ogden  the 
use  of  a  knife  and  fork  which  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck. 

Such  was  the  unfortunate  catastrophe  of  the  Lark  ;  had  she 
reached  her  destination  in  safety,  affairs  at  Astoria  might  have 
taken  a  different  course.  A  strange  fatality  seems  to  have  at- 
tended all  the  expeditions  by  sea,  nor  were  those  by  land  much 
less  disastrous. 

Captain  Northrop  was  still  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  De- 
cember 20th,  when  Mr.  Hunt  arrived.  The  latter  immediately 
purchased,  for  ten  thousand  dollars,  a  brig  called  the  Pedler,  and 
put  Captain  Northrop  in  command  of  her.  They  set  sail  for 
Astoria  on  the  22d  January,  intending  to  remove  the  property  from 
thence  as  speedily  as  possible  to  the  Russian  settlements  on  the 
northwest  coast,  to  prevent  it  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
British.  Such  were  the  orders  of  Mr.  Astor,  sent  out  by  the  Lark. 

We  will  now  leave  Mr.  Hunt  on  his  voyage,  and  return  to  see 
what  has  taken  place  at  Astoria  during  his  absence. 


SQUADRON  OF  NORTHWESTERS.  431 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

Ox  the  2d  of  October,  about  five  weeks  after  Mr.  Hunt  had  sailed 
in  the  Albatross  from  Astoria,  Mr.  M'Kenzie  set  off  with  two 
canoes,  and  twelve  men,  for  the  posts  of  Messrs.  Stuart  and  Clarke, 
to  apprize  them  of  the  new  arrangements  determined  upon  in 
the  recent  conference  of  the  partners  at  the  factory. 

He  had  not  ascended  the  river  a  hundred  miles,  when  he  met 
a  squadron  of  ten  canoes,  'sweeping  merrily  down  under  British 
colors,  the  Canadian  oarsmen,  as  usual,  in  full  song. 

It  was  an  armament  fitted  out  by  M'Tavish,  who  had  with 
him  Mr.  J.  Stuart,  another  partner  of  the  Northwest  Company, 
together  with  some  clerks,  and  sixty-eight  men — seventy-five  souls 
in  all.  They  had  heard  of  the  frigate  Phoebe  and  the  Isaac  Todd 
being  on  the  high  seas,  and  were  on  their  way  down  to  await  their 
arrival.  In  one  of  the  canoes  Mr.  Clarke  came  passenger,  the 
alarming  intelligence  having  brought  him  down  from  his  post  on 
the  Spokan.  Mr.  M'Kenzie  immediately  determined  to  return 
with  him  to  Astoria,  and,  veering  about,  the  two  parties  encamped 
together  for  the  night.  The  leaders,  of  course,  observed  a  due 
docorum  :  but  some  of  the  subalterns  could  not  restrain  their 
chuckling  exultation,  boasting  that  they  would  soon  plant  the 
British  standard  on  the  walls  of  Astoria,  and  drive  the  Ameri- 
cans out  of  the  country. 

In  the  course  of  the  evening,  Mr.  M'Kenzie  had  a  secret  con- 
ference with  Mr.  Clarke,  in  which  they  agreed  to  set  off  privately, 
before  daylight,  and  get  down  in  time  to  apprize  M'Dougal  of  the 
approach  of  these  Northwesters.  The  latter,  however,  were  com- 

21 


4b2  ASTORIA. 

pletely  on  the  alert ;  just  as  M'Kenzie's  canoes  were  about  to  push 
off,  they  were  joined  by  a  couple  from  the  northwest  squadron, 
in  which  was  M'Tavish,  with  t\^  clerks,  and  eleven  men.  With 
these,  he  intended  to  push  forward  and  make  arrangements, 
leaving  the  rest  of  the  convoy,  in  which  was  a  large  quantity  of 
furs,  to  await  his  orders. 

The  two  parties  arrived  at  Astoria  on  the  7th  of  October. 
The  Northwesters  encamped  under  the  guns  of  the  fort,  and  dis- 
played the  British  colors.  The  young  men  in  the  fort,  natives  of 
the  United  States,  were  on  the  point  of  hoisting  the  American 
flag,  but  were  forbidden  by  Mr.  M'Dougal.  They  were  astonished 
at  such  a  prohibition,  and  were  exceedingly  galled  by  the  tone  and 
manner  assumed  by  the  clerks  and  retainers  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  who  ruffled  about  in  that  swelling  and  braggart  style 
which  grows  up  among  these  heroes  of  the  wilderness ;  they,  in 
fact,  considered  themselves  lords  of  the  ascendant,  and  regarded 
the  hampered  and  harassed  Astorians  as  a  conquered  people. 

On  the  following  day  M'Dougal  convened  the  clerks,  and  read 
to  them  an  extract  of  a  letter  from  his  uncle,  Mr.  Angus  Shaw, 
one  of  the  principal  partners  of  the  Northwest  Company,  an- 
nouncing the  coming  of  the  Phoebe  and  Isaac  Todd,  "  to  take 
and  destroy  every  thing  American  on  the  northwest  coast." 

This  intelligence  was  received  without  dismay  by  such  of  the 
clerks  as  were  natives  of  the  United  States.  They  had  felt  in- 
dignant at  seeing  their  national  flag  struck  by  a  Canadian  com- 
mander, and  the  British  flag  flowed,  as  it  were,  in  their  faces. 
They  had  been  stung  to  the  quick,  also,  by  the  vaunting  airs  as- 
sumed by  the  Northwesters.  In  this  mood  of  mind,  they  would 
willingly  have  nailed  their  colors  to  the  staff,  and  defied  the  frigate. 
She  could  not  come  within  many  miles  of  the  fort,  they  observed, 
and  any  boats  she  might  send  could  be  destroyed  by  their  cannon. 

There  were  cooler  and  more  calculating  spirits,  however,  who 


BARGAIN   WITH  THE   NORTHWESTERS.  483 


had  the  control  of  affairs,  and  felt  nothing  of  the  patriotic  pride 
and  indignation  of  these  youths.  The  extract  of  the  letter  had, 
apparently,  been  read  by  M'Deugal,  merely  to  prepare  the  way 
for  a  preconcerted  stroke  of  management.  On  the  same  day 
Mr  M'Tavish  proposed  to  purchase  the  whole  stock  of  goods  and 
furs  belonging  to  the  company,  both  at  Astoria  and  in  the  inte- 
rior, at  cost  and  charges.  Mr.  M'Dougal  undertook  to  comply ; 
assuming  the  whole  management  of  the  negotiation  in  virtue  of 
the  power  vested  in  him,  in  case  of  the  non-arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt. 
That  power,  however,  was  limited  and  specific,  and  did  not  extend 
to  an  operation  of  this  nature  and  extent ;  no  objection,  however, 
was  made  to  his  assumption,  and  he  and  M'Tavish  soon  made  a 
preliminary  arrangement,  perfectly  satisfactory  to  the  latter. 

Mr.  Stuart,  and  the  reserve  party  of  Northwesters,  arrived 
shortly  afterwards,  and  encamped  with  M'Tavish.  The  former 
exclaimed  loudly  against  the  terms  of  the  arrangement,  and  in- 
rfsted  upon  a  reduction  of  the  prices.  New  negotiations  had 
now  to  be  entered  into.  The  demands  of  the  Northwesters  were 
made  in  a  peremptory  tone,  and  they  seemed  disposed  to  dictate 
like  conquerors.  The  Americans  looked  on  with  indignation  and 
impatience.  They  considered  M'Dougal  as  acting,  if  not  a  perfi- 
dious, certainly  a  craven  part.  He  was  continually  repairing  to 
the  camp  to  negotiate,  instead  of  keeping  within  his  walls  and 
receiving  overtures  in  his  fortress.  His  case,  they  observed,  was 
not  so  desperate  as  to  excuse  such  crouching.  He^might,  in  fact, 
hold  out  for  his  own  terms.  The  northwest  party  had  lost  then- 
ammunition;  they  had  no  goods  to  trade  with  the  natives  for 
provisions ;  and  they  were  so  destitute  that  M'Dougal  had  abso- 
lutely to  feed  them,  while  he  negotiated  with  them.  He,  on  the 
contrary,  was  well  lodged  and  victualled  ;  had  sixty  men,  with 
arms,  ammunition,  boats,  and  every  thing  requisite  either  for  de- 
fence or  retreat.  The  party,  beneath  the  guns  of  his  fort,  were 


484  ASTORIA. 

at  his  mercy ;  should  an  enemy  appear  in  the  offing,  he  could 
pack  up  the  most  valuable  part  of  the  property  and  retire  to  some 
place  of  concealment,  or  make  off  for  the  interior. 

These  considerations,  however,  had  no  weight  with  Mr. 
M'Dougal,  or  were  overruled  by  other  motives.  The  terms  of 
sale  were  lowered  by  him  to  the  standard  fixed  by  Mr.  Stuart, 
and  an  agreement  executed  on  the  16th  of  October,  by  which 
the  furs  and  merchandise  of  all  kinds  in  the  country,  belonging 
to  Mr.  Astor,  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Northwest 
Company  at  about  a  third  of  their  real  value.*  A  safe  passage 
through  the  northwest  posts  was  guaranteed  to  such  as  did  not 
choose  to  enter  into  the  service  of  that  company,  and  the  amount 
of  wages  due  to  them  was  to  be  deducted  from  the  price  paid  for 
Astoria. 

*  Not  quite  $40,000  were  allowed  for  furs  worth  upwards  of  $100,000. 
Beaver  was  valued  at  two  dollars  per  skin,  though  worth  five  dollars.  Land 
otter  at  fifty  cents,  though  worth  five  dollars.  Sea  otter  at  twelve  dollars, 
worth  from  forty-five  to  sixty  dollars ;  and  for  several  kinds  of  furs  nothing  was 
allowed.  Moreover,  the  goods  and  merchandise  for  the  Indian  trade  ought 
to  have  brought  three  times  the  amount  for  which  they  were  sold. 

The  following  estimate  has  been  made  of  the  articles  on  hand,  and  the  prices: 
17,705  Ibs.  beaver  parchment,    valued  at      $2,00     worth        $5,00 
465  old  coat  beaver,       .         .         "       "         1,66         "  3,50 

907  land  otter,  .         .  "       "  ,50        "  5,00 

68  sea  otter,          .        .  "      "       12,00        "  45  to  60,00 

30  «      «  .       .        .        .  «      «        5,00        "  25,00 

Nothing  was  allowed  for 

179  mink  skins,        worth  each ,40 

22  racoon,  "".....  ,40 

28  lynx,  "  2,00 

18  fox,  "  1,00 

106  "  «  1,50 

71  black  bear,  "  4,00 

16  grizzly  bear,  "        "  10,00 


OPINION  OF  MR.   ASTOR.  485 


The  conduct  and  motives  of  Mr.  M'Dougal,  throughout  the 
whole  of  this  proceeding,  have  been  strongly  questioned  by  the 
other  partners.  He  has  been  accused  of  availing  himself  of  a 
wrong  construction  of  powers  vested  in  him  at  his  own  request, 
and  of  sacrificing  the  interests  of  Mr.  Astor  to  the  Northwest 
Company,  under  the  promise  or  hope  of  advantage  to  himself. 

He  always  insisted,  however,  that  he  made  the  best  bargain 
for  Mr.  Astor  that  circumstances  would  permit ;  the  frigate 
being  hourly  expected,  in  which  case  the  whole  property  of  that 
gentleman  would  be  liable  to  capture.  That  the  return  of  Mr. 
Hunt  was  problematical ;  the  frigate  intending  to  cruise  along 
the  coast  for  two  years,  and  clear  it  of  all  American  vessels.  He 
moreover  averred,  and  M'Tavish  corroborated  his  averment  by 
certificate,  that  he  proposed  an  arrangement  to  that  gentleman, 
by  which  the  furs  were  to  be  sent  to  Canton,  and  sold  there 
at  Mr.  Astor's  risk,  and  f5r  his  account ;  but  the  proposition 
was  not  acceded  to. 

Notwithstanding  all  his  representations,  several  of  the  per- 
sons present  at  the  transaction,  and  acquainted  with  the  whole 
course  of  the  affair,  and  among  the  number  Mr.  M'Kenzie  him- 
self, his  occasional  coadjutor,  remained  firm  in  the  belief  that  he 
had  acted  a  hollow  part.  Neither  did  he  succeed  in  exculpating 
himself  to  Mr.  Astor ;  that  gentleman  declaring,  in  a  letter  writ- 
ten some  time  afterwards,  to  Mr.  Hunt,  that  he  considered  the 
property  virtually  given  away.  "  Had  our  place  and  our  prop- 
erty," he  adds,  -  been  fairly  captured,  I  should  have  preferred  it. 
I  should  not  feel  as  if  I  were  disgraced." 

All  these  may  be  unmerited  suspicions ;  but  it  certainly  is  a 
circumstance  strongly  corroborative  of  them,  that  Mr.  M'Dougal, 
shortly  after  concluding  this  agreement,  became  a  member  of  the 
Northwest  Company,  and  received  a  share  productive  of  a  harid- 
sorne  income. 


ASTORIA. 


CHAPTER  LX. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  November,  a  sail  was  descried 
doubling  Cape  Disappointment.  It  came  to  anchor  in  Baker's 
Bay,  and  proved  to  be  a  ship  of  war.  Of  what  nation  ?  was  now 
the  anxious  inquiry.  If  English,  why  did  it  come  alone  ?  where 
was  the  merchant  vessel  that  was  to  have  accompanied  it  ?  If 
American,  what  was  to  become  of  the  newly  acquired  possession 
of  the  Northwest  Company. 

In  this  dilemma,  M'Tavish,  in  all  haste,  loaded  two  barges 
with  all  the  packages  of  furs  bearing  the  mark  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  and  made  off  for  Tongue  Point,  three  miles  up  the 
river.  There  he  was  to  await  a  preconcerted  signal  from  M'Dougal, 
on  ascertaining  the  character  of  the  ship.  If  it  should  prove 
American,  M'Tavish  would  have  a  fair  start,  and  could  bear  off 
his  rich  cargo  to  the  interior.  It  is  singular  that  this  prompt 
mode  of  conveying  valuable,  but  easily  transportable  effects  be- 
yond the  reach  of  a  hostile  ship  should  not  have  suggested  itself 
while  the  property  belonged  to  Mr.  Astor. 

In  the  meantime,  M'Dougal,  who  still  remained  nominal  chief 
at  the  fort,  launched  a  canoe,  manned  by  men  recently  in  the 
employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  and  steered  for  the  ship. 
On  the  way,  he  instructed  his  men  to  pass  themselves  for  Amer- 
icans or  Englishmen,  according  to  the  exigencies  of  the  case. 

The  vessel  proved  to  be  the  British  sloop-of-war  Racoon, 
of  -twenty-six  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Black.  According  to  the  account  of  that 


THE   RACOON   SLOOP   OF   WAR.  487 

officer,  the  frigate  Phoebe,  and  the  two  sloops-of-war  Cherub 
and  Racoon,  had  sailed  in  convoy  of  the  Isaac  Todd  from  Rio 
Janeiro.  On  board  of  the  Phoebe,  Mr.  John  M'Donald,  a 
partner  of  the  Northwest  Company,  embarked  as  passenger,  to 
profit  by  the  anticipated  catastrophe  at  Astoria.  The  convoy 
was  separated  by  stress  of  weather  off"  Cape  Horn.  The  three 
ships  of  war  came  together  again  at  the  island  of  Juan  Fernan- 
dez, their  appointed  rendezvous,  but  waited  in  vain  for  the  Isaac 
Todd. 

In  the  meantime,  intelligence  was  received  of  the  mischief 
that  Commodore  Porter  was  doing  among  the  British  whale  ships. 
Commodore  Hillyer  immediately  set  sail  in  quest  of  him,  with 
the  Phoebe  and  the  Cherub,  transferring  Mr.  M'Donald  to  the 
Racoon,  and  ordering  that  vessel  to  proceed  to  the  Columbia. 

The  officers  of  the  Racoon  were  in  high  spirits.  The  agents 
of  the  Northwest  Company,  in  instigating  the  expedition,  had 
talked  of  immense  booty  to  be  made  by  the  fortunate  captors  of 
Astoria.  Mr.  M'Donald  had  kept  up  the  excitement  during  the 
voyage,  so  that  not  a  midshipman  but  revelled  in  dreams  of 
ample  prize-money,  nor  a  lieutenant  that  would  have  sold  his 
chance  for  a  thousand  pounds.  Their  disappointment,  therefore, 
may  easily  be  conceived,  when  they  learned  that  their  warlike 
attack  upon  Astoria  had  been  forestalled  by  a  sung  commercial 
arrangement;  that  their  anticipated  booty  had  become  British 
property  in  the  regular  course  of  traffic,  and  that  all  this  had 
been  effected  by  the  very  company  which  had  been  instrumental 
in  getting  them  sent  on  what  they  now  stigmatized  as  a  fool's 
errand.  They  felt  as  if  they  had  been  duped  and  made  tools  of, 
by  a  set  of  shrewd  men  of  traffic,  who  had  employed  them  to 
crack  the  nut,  while  they  carried  off  the  kernel.  In  a  word, 
M'Dougal  found  himself  so  ungraciously  received  by  his  country- 
men on  board  of  the  ship,  that  he  was  glad  to  cut  short  his  visit, 


488 


ASTORIA. 


and  return  to  shore.  He  was  busy  at  the  fort,  making  prepara- 
tions for  the  reception  of  the  captain  of  the  Racoon,  when  his 
one-eyed  Indian  father-in-law  made  his  appearance,  with  a  train 
of  Chmook  warriors,  all  painted  and  equipped  in  warlike  style. 

Old  Comcomly  had  beheld,  with  dismay,  the  arrival  of  a  "  big 
war  canoe"  displaying  the  British  flag.  The  shrewd  old  savage 
had  become  something  of  a  politician  in  the  course  of  his  daily 
visits  at  the  fort.  He  knew  of  the  war  existing  between  the 
nations,  but  knew  nothing  of  the  arrangement  between  M'Dougal 
and  M'Tavish.  He  trembled,  therefore,  for  the  power  of  his 
white  son-in-law,  and  the  new-fledged  grandeur  of  his  daughter, 
and  assembled  his  warriors  in  all  haste.  "  King  George,"  said 
he,  "  has  sent  his  great  canoe  to  destroy  the  fort,  and  make  slaves 
of  all  the  inhabitants.  Shall  we  suffer  it  ?  The  Americans  are 
the  first  white  men  that  have  fixed  themselves  in  the  land.  They 
have  treated  us  like  brothers.  Their  great  chief  has  taken  my 
daughter  to  be  his  squaw :  we  are,  therefore,  as  one  people." 

His  warriors  all  determined  to  stand  by  the  Americans  to  the 
last,  and  to  this  effect  they  came  painted  and  armed  for  battle. 
Comcomly  made  a  spirited  war  speech  to  his  son-in-law.  He 
offered  to  kill  every  one  of  King  George's  men  that  should 
attempt  to  land.  It  was  an  easy  matter.  The  ship  could  not 
approach  within  six  miles  of  the  fort ;  the  crew  could  only  land 
in  boats.  The  woods  reached  to  the  water's  edge ;  in  these,  he 
and  his  warriors  would  conceal  themselves,  and  shoot  down  the 
enemy  as  fast  as  they  put  foot  on  shore. 

M'Dougal  was,  doubtless,  properly  sensible  of  this  parental 
devotion  on  the  part  of  his  savage  father-in-law,  and  perhaps  a 
little  rebuked  by  the  game  spirit,  so  opposite  to  his  own.  He 
assured  Comcomly,  however,  that  his  solicitude  for  the  safety  of 
himself  and  the  princess  was  superfluous  ;  as,  though  the  ship 
belonged  to  King  George,  her  crew  would  not  injure  the  Ameri- 


LANDING   OF  CAPTAIN   BLACK. 


cans,  or  their  Indian  allies.  He  advised  him  and  his  warriors, 
therefore,  to  lay  aside  their  weapons  and  war  shirts,  wash  off  the 
paint  from  their  faces  and  bodies,  and  appear  like  clean  and  civil 
savages,  to  receive  the  strangers  courteously. 

Comcomly  was  sorely  puzzled  at  this  advice,  which  accorded 
so  little  with  his  Indian  notions  of  receiving  a  hostile  nation  ; 
and  it  was  only  after  repeated  and  positive  assurances  of  the 
amicable  intentions  of  the  strangers  that  he  was  induced  to  lower 
his  fighting  tone.  He  said  something  to  his  warriors  explanatory 
of  this  singular  posture  of  affairs,  and  in  vindication,  perhaps,  of 
the  pacific  temper  of  his  son-in-law.  They  all  gave  a  shrug  and 
an  Indian  grunt  of  acquiescence,  and  went  off  sulkily  to  their 
village,  to  lay  aside  their  weapons  for  the  present. 

The  proper  arrangements  being  made  for  the  reception  of 
Captain  Black,  that  officer  caused  his  ship's  boats  to  be  manned, 
and  landed  with  befitting  state  at  Astoria.  From  the  talk  that 
had  been  made  by  the  Northwest  Company  of  the  strength  of 
the  place,  and  the  armament  they  had  required  to  assist  in  its 
reduction,  he  expected  to  find  a  fortress  of  some  importance. 
When  he  beheld  nothing  but  stockades  and  bastions,  calculated 
for  defence  against  naked  savages,  he  felt  an  emotion  of  indig- 
nant surprise,  mingled  with  something  of  the  ludicrous.  "Is 
this  the  fort,"  cried  he,  «  about  which  I  have  heard  so  much  talk- 
ing ?  D — n  me,  but  I'd  batter  it  down  in  two  hours  with  a  four 
pounder  !" 

When  he  learned,  however,  the  amount  of  rich  furs  that  had 
been  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Northwesters,  he  was  outr^ 
geous,  and  insisted  that  an  inventory  should  be  taken  of  all  the 
property  purchased  of  the  Americans,  "  with  a  view  to  ulterior 
measures  in  England,  for  the  recovery  of  the  value  from  the 
Northwest  Company." 

As  he  grew  cool,  however,  he  gave  over  all  idea  of  preferring 
21* 


490  ASTORIA. 

such  a  claim,  and  reconciled  himself,  as  well  as  he  could,  to  the 
idea  of  having  been  forestalled  by  his  bargaining  coadjutors. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  the  fate  of  Astoria  was  consum- 
mated by  a  regular  ceremonial.  Captain  Black,  attended  by  his 
officers,  entered  the  fort,  caused  the  British  standard  to  be  erected, 
broke  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  declared,  in  a  loud  voice,  that  he  took 
possession  of  the  establishment  and  of  the  country,  in  the  name 
of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  changing  the  name  of  Astoria  to  that  of 
Fort  George. 

The  Indian  warriors,  who  had  offered  their  services  to  repel 
the  strangers,  were  present  on  this  occasion.  It  was  explained 
to  them  as  being  a  friendly  arrangement  and  transfer,  but  they 
shook  their  heads  grimly,  and  considered  it  an  act  of  subjugation 
of  their  ancient  allies.  They  regretted  that  they  had  complied 
with  M'Dougal's  wishes,  in  laying  aside  their  arms,  and  remarked, 
that,  however  the  Americans  might  conceal  the  fact,  they  were 
undoubtedly  all  slaves  ;  nor  could  they  be  persuaded  of  the  con- 
trary, until  they  beheld  the  Racoon  depart  without  taking  away 
any  prisoners. 

As  to  Comcomly,  he  no  longer  prided  himself  upon  his  white 
son-in-law,  but,  whenever  he  was  asked  about  him,  shook  his  head, 
and  replied,  that  his  daughter  had  made  a  mistake,  and,  instead 
of  getting  a  great  warrior  for  a  husband,  had  married  herself  to 
a  squaw. 


ARRIVAL  OF  MR.  HUNT  IN  THE  PEDLER.  491 


CHAPTER  LXL 

HAVDTG  given  the  catastrophe  at  the  Fort  of  Astoria,  it  remains 
now  but  to  gather  up  a  few  loose  ends  of  this  widely  excursive 
narrative  and  conclude.  On  the  28th  of  February  the  brig 
Pedler  anchored  in  Columbia  Kiver.  It  will  be  recollected  that 
Mr.  Hunt  had  purchased  this  vessel  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to 
take  off  the  furs  collected  at  the  factory,  and  to  restore  the 
Sandwich  Islanders  to  their  homes.  When  that  gentleman  learned, 
however,  the  precipitate  and  summary  manner  in  which  the  prop- 
erty had  been  bargained  away  by  M'Dougal,  he  expressed  his  in- 
dignation in  the  strongest  terms,  and  determined  to  make  an 
effort  to  get  back  the  furs.  As  soon  as  his  wishes  were  known  iu 
this  respect,  M'Dougal  came  to  sound  him  on  behalf  of  the  North- 
west Company,  intimating  that  he  had  no  doubt  the  peltries  might 
be  repurchased  at  an  advance  of  fifty  per  cent.  This  overture 
was  not  calculated  to  soothe  the  angry  feelings  of  Mr.  Hunt,  and 
his  indignation  was  complete,  when  he  discovered  that  M'Dougal 
had  become  a  partner  of  the  Northwest  Company,  and  had  actu- 
ally been  so.  since  the  23d  of  December.  He  had  kept  his  part- 
nership a  secret,  however  ;  had  retained  the  papers  of  the  Pacific 
Fur  Company  in  his  possession  ;  and  had  continued  to  act  as  Mr. 
Astor's  agent,  though  two  of  the  partners  of  the  other  company, 
Mr.  M'Kenzie  and  Mr.  Clarke,  were  present.  He  had,  moreover, 
divulged  to  his  new  associates  all  that  he  knew  as  to  Mr.  Astor's 
plans  and  affairs,  and  had  made  copies  of  his  business  letters  for 
their  perusal. 


492  ASTORIA. 

Mr.  Hunt  now  considered  the  whole  conduct  of  M'Dougal 
hollow  and  collusive.  His  only  thought  was,  therefore,  to  get  all 
the  papers  of  the  concern  out  of  his  hands,  and  bring  the  busi- 
ness to  a  close  ;  for  the  interests  of  Mr.  Astor  were  yet  completely 
at  stake ;  the  drafts  of  the  Northwest  Company  in  his  favor,  for 
the  purchase  money,  not  having  yet  been  obtained.  With  some 
difficulty  he  succeeded  in  getting  possession  of  the  papers.  The 
bills  or  drafts  were  delivered  without  hesitation.  The  latter  he 
remitted  to  Mr.  Astor  by  some  of  his  associates,  who  were  about 
to  cross  the  continent  to  New- York.  This  done,  he  embarked  on 
board  the  Pedler,  on  the  3d  of  April,  accompanied  by  two  of  the 
clerks,  Mr.  Seton  and  Mr.  Halsey,  and  bade  a  final  adieu  to  Astoria. 

The  next  day,  April  4th,  Messrs.  Clarke,  M'Kenzie,  David 
Stuart,  and  such  of  the  Astorians  as  had  not  entered  into  the 
service  of  the  Northwest  Company,  set  out  to  cross  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  It  is  not  our  intention  to  take  the  reader  another 
journey  across  those  rugged  barriers  ;  but  we  will  step  forward 
with  the  travellers  to  a  distance  on  their  way,  merely  to  relate 
their  interview  with  a  character  already  noted  in  this  work. 

As  the  party  were  proceeding  up  the  Columbia,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Wallah- Wallah  River,  several  Indian  canoes  put 
off"  from  the  shore  to  overtake  them,  and  a  voice  called  upon  them 
in  French,  and  requested  them  to  stop.  They  accordingly  put  to 
shore,  and  were  joined  by  those  in  the  canoes.  To  their  surprise, 
they  recognized  in  the  person  who  had  hailed  them  the  Indian 
wife  of  Pierre  Dorion,  accompanied  by  her  two  children.  She 
had  a  story  to  tell,  involving  the  fate  of  several  of  our  unfortu- 
nate adventurers. 

Mr.  John  Reed,  the  Hibernian,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  been 
detached  during  the  summer  to  the  Snake  River.  His  party 
consisted  of  four  Canadians,  Giles  Le  Clerc,  Francois  Landry, 
Jean  Baptiste  Turcot,  and  Andre  La  Chapelle,  together  with  two 


PIERRE   DORION'S   WIFE. 


hunters,  Pierre  Dorion  and  Pierre  Delaunay ;  Dorion,  as  usual, 
being  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  children.  The  objects  of  this 
expedition  were  twofold ;  to  trap  beaver,  and  to  search  for  the 
three  hunters,  Robinson,  Hoback,  and  Rezner. 

In  the  course  of  the  autumn,  Reed  lost  one  man,  Landry,  by 
death  ;  another  one,  Pierre  Delaunay,  who  was  of  a  sullen,  per- 
verse disposition,  left  him  in  a  moody  fit,  and  was  never  heard  of 
afterwards.  The  number  of  his  party  was  not,  however,  reduced 
by  these  losses,  as  the  three  hunters,  Robinson,  Hoback,  and 
Rezner,  had  joined  it. 

Reed  now  built  a  house  on  the  Snake  River,  for  their  winter 
quarters  ;  which  being  completed,  the  party  set  about  trapping. 
Rezner,  Le  Clerc,  and  Pierre  Dorion,  went  about  five  days'  jour- 
ney from  the  wintering  house,  to  a  part  of  the  country  well 
stocked  with  beaver.  Here  they  put  up  a  hut,  and  proceeded  to 
trap  with  great  success.  While  the  men  were  out  hunting,  Pierre 
Dorion's  wife  remained  at  home  to  dress  the  skins  and  prepare 
the  meals.  She  was  thus  employed  one  evening  about  the  begin- 
ning of  January,  cooking  the  supper  of  the  hunters,  when  she 
heard  footsteps,  and  Le  Clerc  staggered,  pale  and  bleeding,  into 
the  hut.  He  informed  her  that  a  party  of  savages  had  surprised 
them,  while  at  their  traps,  and  had  killed  Rezner  and  her  husband. 
He  had  barely  strength  left  to  give  this  information,  when  he 
sank  upon  the  ground. 

The  poor  woman  saw  that  the  only  chance  for  life  was  instant 
flight,  but,  in  this  exigency,  showed  that  presence  of  mind  and 
force  of  character  for  which  she  had  frequently  been  noted.  With 
great  difficulty,  she  caught  two  of  the  horses  belonging  to  the 
party.  Then  collecting  her  clothes,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
beaver  meat  and  dried  salmon,  she  packed  them  upon  one  of  the 
horses,  and  helped  the  wounded  man  to  mount  upon  it.  On  the 
other  horse  she  mounted  with  her  two  children,  and  hurried 


494  ASTORIA. 

away  from  this  dangerous  neighborhood,  directing  her  flight  to 
Mr.  Reed's  establishment.  Oa  the  third  day,  she  descried  a 
number  of  Indians  on  horseback  proceeding  in  an  easterly  direc- 
tion. She  immediately  dismounted  with  her  children,  and  helped 
Le  Clerc  likewise  to  dismount,  and  all  concealed  themselves. 
Fortunately  they  escaped  the  sharp  eyes  of  the  savages,  but  had 
to  proceed  with  the  utmost  caution.  That  night  they  slept  with- 
out fire  or  water ;  she  managed  to  keep  her  children  warm  in  her 
arms ;  but  before  morning,  poor  Le  Clerc  died. 

With  the  dawn  of  day  the  resolute  woman  resumed  her 
course,  and,  on  the  fourth  day,  reached  the  house  of  Mr.  Reed. 
It  was  deserted,  and  all  round  were  marks  of  blood  and  signs  of 
a  furious  massacre.  Not  doubting  that  Mr.  Reed  and  his  party 
had  all  fallen  victims,  she  turned  in  fresh  horror  from  the  spot. 
For  two  days  she  continued  hurrying  forward,  ready  to  sink  for 
want  of  food,  but  more  solicitous  about  her  children  than  herself. 
At  length  she  reached  a  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  near  the 
upper  part  of  the  Wallah-Wallah  River.  Here  she  chose  a  wild 
lonely  ravine,  as  her  place  of  winter  refuge. 

She  had  fortunately  a  buffalo  robe  and  three  deer  skins ;  of 
these,  and  of  pine  bark  and  cedar  branches,  she  constructed  a 
rude  wigwam,  which  she  pitched  beside  a  mountain  spring.  Hav- 
ing no  other  food,  she  killed  the  two  horses,  and  smoked  their 
flesh.  The  skins  aided  to  cover  her  hut.  Here  she  dragged 
out  the  winter,  with  no  other  company  than  her  two  children. 
Towards  the  middle  of  March,  her  provisions  were  nearly  ex- 
hausted. She  therefore  packed  up  the  remainder,  slung  it  on 
her  back,  and,  with  her  helpless  little  ones,  set  out  again  on  her 
wanderings.  Crossing  the  ridge  of  mountains,  she  descended  to 
the  banks  of  the  Wallah-Wallah,  and  kept  along  them  until  she 
arrived  where  that  river  throws  itself  into  the  Columbia.  She  was 
hospitably  received  and  entertained  by  the  Wallah- Wallahs,  and 


REVENGE  OF  THE  NEZ  PERCES         495 


had  been  nearly  two  weeks  among  them  when  the  two  canoes 
passed. 

On  being  interrogated,  she  could  assign  no  reason  for  this 
murderous  attack  of  the  savages ;  it  appeared  to  be  perfectly 
wanton  and  unprovoked.  Some  of  the  Astorians  supposed  it  an 
act  of  butchery  by  a  roving  band  of  Blackfeet ;  others,  however, 
and  with  greater  probability  of  correctness,  have  ascribed  it  to 
the  tribe  of  Pierced-nosed  Indians,  in  revenge  for  the  death  of 
their  comrade  hanged  by  order  of  Mr.  Clarke.  If  so,  it  shows 
that  these  sudden  and  apparently  wanton  outbreakings  of  san- 
guinary violence  on  the  part  of  the  savages,  have  often  some 
previous,  though  perhaps  remote,  provocation. 

The  narrative  of  the  Indian  woman  closes  the  checkered 
adventures  of  some  of  the  personages  of  this  motley  story ;  such 
as  the  honest  Hibernian  Reed,  and  Dorion  the  hybrid  inter- 
preter. Turcot  and  La  Chapelle  were  two  of  the  men  who  fell  off 
from  Mr.  Crooks  in  the  course  of  his  wintry  journey,  and  had 
subsequently  such  disastrous  times  among  the  Indians.  We 
cannot  but  feel  some  sympathy  with  that  persevering  trio  of 
Kentuckians,  Robinson,  Rezner,  and  Hoback  ;  who  twice  turned 
back  when  on  their  way  homeward,  and  lingered  in  the  wilder- 
ness to  perish  by  the  hands  of  savages. 

The  return  parties  from  Astoria,  both  by  sea  and  land,  ex- 
perienced on  the  way  as  many  adventures,  vicissitudes,  and  mis- 
haps, as  the  far-famed  heroes  of  the  Odyssey ;  they  reached  their 
destination  at  different  times,  bearing  tidings  to  Mr.  Astor  of  the 
unfortunate  termination  of  his  enterprise. 

That  gentleman,  however,  was  not  disposed,  even  yet,  to  give 
the  matter  up  as  lost.  On  the  contrary,  his  spirit  was  roused  by 
what  he  considered  ungenerous  and  unmerited  conduct  on  the 
part  of  the  Northwest  Company.  "After  their  treatment  of 
me,"  said  he,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hunt,  "  I  have  no  idea  of  remain- 


496  ASTORIA. 

ing  quiet  and  idle."     He  determined,  therefore,  as  soon  as  circum- 
stances would  permit,  to  resume  his  enterprise. 

At  the  return  of  peace,  Astoria,  with  the  adjacent  country, 
reverted  to  the  United  States  by  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  on  the 
principle  of  status  ante  bdlum,  and  Captain  Biddle  was  dispatched 
in  the  sloop  of  war  Ontario,  to  take  formal  repossession. 

In  the  winter  of  1815,  a  law  was  passed  by  Congress  prohibit- 
ing all  traffic  of  British  traders  within  the  territories  of  the 
United  States. 

The  favorable  moment  seemed  now  to  Mr.  Astor  to  have 
arrived  for  the  revival  of  his  favorite  enterprise,  but  new  diffi- 
culties had  grown  up  to  impede  it.  The  Northwest  Company 
were  now  in  complete  occupation  of  the  Columbia  River,  and  its 
chief  tributary  streams,  holding  the  posts  which  he  had  estab- 
lished, and  carrying  on  a  trade  throughout  the  neighboring 
region,  in  defiance  of  the  prohibitory  law  of  Congress,  which,  in 
effect,  was  a  dead  letter  beyond  the  mountains. 

To  dispossess  them,  would  be  an  undertaking  of  almost  a 
belligerent  nature ;  for  their  agents  and  retainers  were  well 
armed,  and  skilled  in  the  use  of  weapons,  as  is  usual  with  Indian 
traders.  The  ferocious  and  bloody  contests  which  had  taken 
place  between  the  rival  trading  parties  of  the  Northwest  and 
Hudson's  Bay  Companies,  had  shown  what  might  be  expected 
from  commercial  feuds  in  the  lawless  depths  of  the  wilderness. 
Mr.  Astor  did  not  think  it  advisable,  therefore,  to  attempt  the 
matter  without  the  protection  of  the  American  flag ;  under  which 
his  people  might  rally  in  case  of  need.  He  accordingly  made  an 
informal  overture  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  Mr. 
Madison,  through  Mr.  Gallatin,  offering  to  renew  his  enterprise, 
and  to  re-establish  Astoria,  provided  it  would  be  protected  by  the 
American  flag,  and  made  a  military  post ;  stating  that  the  whole 
force  required  would  not  exceed  a  lieutenant's  command. 


NEGOTIATIONS   RESPECTING    ASTORIA.  497 

The  application,  approved  and  recommended  by  Mr.  Gallatin, 
one  of  the  most  enlightened  statesmen  of  our  country,  was  favora- 
bly received,  but  no  step  was  taken  in  consequence  ;  the  President 
not  being  disposed,  in  all  probability,  to  commit  himself  by  any 
direct  countenance  or  overt  act.  Discouraged  by  this  supineness 
on  the  part  of  the  government,  Mr.  Astor  did  not  think  fit  to 
renew  his  overtures  in  a  more  formal  manner,  and  the  favorable 
moment  for  the  re-occupation  of  Astoria  was  suffered  to  pass  un- 
improved. 

The  British  trading  establishments  were  thus  enabled,  with- 
out molestation,  to  strike  deep  their  roots,  and  extend  their  rami- 
fications, in  despite  of  the  prohibition  of  Congress,  until  they  had 
spread  themselves  over  the  rich  field  of  enterprise  opened  by  Mr. 
Astor.  The  British  government  soon  began  to  perceive  the  im- 
portance of  this  region,  and  to  desire  to  include  it  within  their 
territorial  domains.  A  question  has  consequently  risen  as  to  the 
right  to  the  soil,  and  has  become  one  of  the  most  perplexing  now 
open  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britian.  In  the  first 
treaty  relative  to  it,  under  date  of  October  20th,  1818,  the  ques- 
tion was  left  unsettled,  and  it  was  agreed  that  the  country  on  the 
northwest  coast  of  America,  westward  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
claimed  by  either  nation,  should  be  open  to  the  inhabitants  of 
both  for  ten  years,  for  the  purposes  of  trade,  with  the  equal  right 
of  navigating  all  its  rivera  When  these  ten  years  had  expired,  a 
subsequent  treaty,  in  1828,  extended  the  arrangement  to  ten  addi- 
tional years.  So  the  matter  stands  at  present. 

On  casting  back  our  eyes  over  the  series  of  events  we  have 
recorded,  we  see  no  reason  to  attribute  the  failure  of  this  great 
commercial  undertaking  to  any  fault  in  the  scheme,  or  omission 
in  the  execution  of  it,  on  the  part  of  the  projector.  It  was  a 
magnificent  enterprise ;  well  concerted  and  carried  on,  without 
regard  to  difficulties  or  expense.  A  succession  of  adverse 


498  ASTORIA. 

circumstances  and  cross  purposes,  however,  beset  it  almost  from 
the  outset ;  some  of  them,  in  fact,  arising  from  neglect  of  the 
orders  and  instructions  of  Mr.  Astor.  The  first  crippling  blow 
was  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin,  which  clearly  would  not  have 
happened,  had  Mr.  Astor's  earnest  injunctions  with  regard  to 
the  natives  been  attended  to.  Had  this  ship  performed  her 
voyage  prosperously,  and  revisited  Astoria  in  due  time,  the  trade 
of  the  establishment  would  have  taken  its  preconcerted  course, 
and  the  spirits  of  all  concerned  been  kept  up  by  a  confident 
prospect  of  success.  Her  dismal  catastrophe  struck  a  chill  into 
every  heart,  and  prepared  the  way  for  subsequent  despondency. 

Another  cause  of  embarrassment  and  loss  was  the  departure 
from  the  plan  of  Mr.  Astor,  as  to  the  voyage  of  the  Beaver, 
subsequent  to  her  visiting  Astoria.  The  variation  from  this 
plan  produced  a  series  of  cross  purposes,  disastrous  to  the 
establishment,  and  detained  Mr.  Hunt  absent  from  his  post, 
when  his  presence  there  was  of  vital  importance  to  the  enterprise ; 
so  essential  is  it  for  an  agent,  in  any  great  and  complicated 
undertaking,  to  execute  faithfully,  and  to  the  letter,  the  part 
marked  out  for  him  by  the  master  mind  which  has  concerted  the 
whole. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  multiplied  the  hazards  and  embarrassments  of  the 
enterprise.  The  disappointment  as  to  convoy,  rendered  it  diffi- 
cult to  keep  up  reinforcements  and  supplies ;  and  the  loss  of  the 
Lark  added  to  the  tissue  of  misadventures. 

That  Mr.  Astor  battled  resolutely  against  every  difficulty, 
and  pursued  his  course  in  defiance  of  every  loss,  has  been  suffi- 
ciently shown.  Had  he  been  seconded  by  suitable  agents,  and 
properly  protected  by  government,  the  ultimate  failure  of  his  plan 
might  yet  have  been  averted.  It  was  his  great  misfortune,  that 
his  agents  were  not  imbued  with  his  own  spirit.  Some  had  not 


CONCLUDING  REFLECTIONS.  499 


capacity  sufficient  to  comprehend  the  real  nature  and  extent  of 
his  scheme ;  others  were  alien  in  feeling  and  interest,  and  had 
been  brought  up  in  the  service  of  a  rival  company.  Whatever 
sympathies  they  might  originally  have  had  with  him,  were 
impaired,  if  not  destroyed,  by  the  war.  They  looked  upon  his 
cause  as  desperate,  and  only  considered  how  they  might  make 
interest  to  regain  a  situation  under  their  former  employers.  The 
absence  of  Mr.  Hunt,  the  only  real  representative  of  Mr.  Astor, 
at  the  time  of  the  capitulation  with  the  Northwest  Company, 
completed  the  series  of  cross  purposes.  Had  that  gentleman 
been  present,  the  transfer,  in  all  probability,  would  not  have 
taken  place. 

It  is  painful,  at  all  times,  to  see  a  grand  and  beneficial  stroke 
of  genius  fail  of  its  aim :  but  we  regret  the  failure  of  this  enter- 
prise in  a  national  point  of  view ;  for,  had  it  been  crowned  with 
success,  it  would  have  redounded  greatly  to  the  advantage  and 
extension  of  our  commerce.  The  profits  drawn  from  the  country 
in  question  by  the  British  Fur  Company,  though  of  ample 
amount,  form  no  criterion  by  which  to  judge  of  the  advantages 
that  would  have  arisen  had  it  been  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States.  That  company,  as  has  been  shown, 
is  limited  in  the  nature  and  scope  of  its  operations,  and  can  make 
but  little  use  of  the  maritime  facilities  held  out  by  an  emporium 
and  a  harbor  on  that  coast.  In  our  hands,  besides  the  roving 
bands  of  trappers  and  traders,  the  country  would  have  been 
explored  and  settled  by  industrious  husbandmen  ;  and  the  fertile 
valleys  bordering  its  rivers,  and  shut  up  among  its  mountains, 
would  have  been  made  to  pour  forth  their  agricultural  treasures 
to  contribute  to  the  general  wealth. 

In  respect  to  commerce,  we  should  have  had  a  line  of  trading 
posts  from  the  Mississippi  and  the  Missouri  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  forming  a  high  road  from  the  great  regions  of  the 


500  ASTORIA. 

west  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  We  should  have  had  a  fortified 
post  and  port  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  commanding  the 
trade  of  that  river  and  its  tributaries,  and  of  a  wide  extent  of 
country  and  sea-coast;  carrying  on  an  active  and  profitable 
commerce  with  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  a  direct  and  frequent 
communication  with  China.  In  a  word,  Astoria  might  have 
realized  the  anticipations  of  Mr.  Astor,  so  well  understood  and 
appreciated  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  in  gradually  becoming  a  commer- 
cial empire  beyond  the  mountains,  peopled  by  "free  and  inde- 
pendent Americans,  and  linked  with  us  by  ties  of  blood  and 
interest." 

We  repeat,  therefore,  our  sincere  regret,  that  our  government 
should  have  neglected  the  overture  of  Mr.  Astor,  and  suffered 
the  moment  to  pass  by,  when  full  possession  of  this  region  might 
have  been  taken  quietly,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  a  military 
post  established,  without  dispute,  at  Astoria.  Our  statesmen 
have  become  sensible,  when  too  late,  of  the  importance  of  this 
measure.  Bills  have  repeatedly  been  brought  into  Congress  for 
the  purpose,  but  without  success ;  and  our  rightful  possessions 
on  that  coast,  as  well  as  our  trade  on  the  Pacific,  have  no  rally- 
ing point  protected  by  the  national  flag,  and  by  a  military  force. 

In  the  meantime,  the  second  period  of  ten  years  is  fast 
elapsing.  In  1838,  the  question  of  title  will  again  come  up,  and 
most  probably,  in  the  present  amicable  state  of  our  relations 
with  Great  Britain,  will  be  again  postponed.  Every  year, 
however,  the  litigated  claim  is  growing  in  importance.  There  is 
no  pride  so  jealous  and  irritable  as  the  pride  of  territory.  As 
one  wave  of  emigration  after  another  rolls  into  the  vast  regions 
of  the  west,  and  our  settlements  stretch  towards  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  the  eager  eyes  of  our  pioneers  will  pry  beyond,  and 
they  will  become  impatient  of  any  barrier  or  impediment  in  the 
way  of  what  they  consider  a  grand  outlet  of  our  empire.  Should 


CONCLUDING   REFLECTIONS.  501 


any  circumstance,  therefore,  unfortunately  occur  to  disturb  the 
present  harmony  of  the  two  nations,  this  ill-adjusted  question, 
which  now  lies  dormant,  may  suddenly  start  up  into  one  of  belli- 
gerent import,  and  Astoria  become  the  watchword  in  a  contest 
for  dominion  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 


Since  the  above  was  written,  the  question  of  dominion  over 
the  vast  territory  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  which  for  a  time 
threatened  to  disturb  the  peaceful  relations  with  our  transatlan- 
tic kindred,  has  been  finally  settled  in  a  spirit  of  mutual  conces- 
sion, and  the  venerable  projector  whose  early  enterprise  forms 
the  subject  of  this  work  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing,  ere  his 
eyes  closed  upon  the  world,  that  the  flag  of  his  country  again 
waved  over  "  ASTORIA." 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 


Draught  of  a  petition  to  Congress,  sent  by  Mr.  Astor  in  1812. 

To  the  honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 

States,  in  Congress  assembled, 
The  petition  of  the  American  Fur  Company  respectfully  showeth : 

That  the  trade  with  the  several  Indian  tribes  of  North  America,  has,  for 
many  years  past,  been  almost  exclusively  carried  on  by  the  merchants  of 
Canada  ;  who,  having  formed  powerful  and  extensive  associations  for  that 
purpose,  being  aided  by  British  capital,  and  being  encouraged  by  the  favor  and 
protection  of  the  British  government,  could  not  be  opposed,  with  any  prospect 
of  success  by  individuals  of  the  United  States. 

That  by  means  of  the  above  trade,  thus  systematically  pursued,  not  only 
the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  have  been  deprived  of  commercial  profits 
and  advantages,  to  which  they  appear  to  have  just  and  natural  pretensions, 
but  a  great  and  dangerous  influence  has  been  established  over  the  Indian 
tribes,  difficult  to  be  counteracted,  and  capable  of  being  exerted  at  critical 
periods,  to  the  great  injury  and  annoyance  of  our  frontier  settlements. 

That  in  order  to  obtain  at  least  a  part  of  the  above  trade,  and  more 
particularly  that  which  is  within  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States,  your 
petitioners,  in  the  .year  1808,  obtained  an  act  of  incorporation  from  the  State 
of  New-York,  whereby  they  are  enabled,  with  a  competent  capital,  to  carry 
on  the  said  trade  with  the  Indians  in  such  manner  as  may  be  conformable  to 
the  laws  and  regulations  of  the  United  States,  in  relation  to  such  commerce. 

That  the  capital  mentioned  in  the  said  act,  amounting  to  one  million  of 
dollars,  having  been  duly  formed,  your  petitioners  entered  with  zeal  and 
alacrity  into  those  large  and  important  arrangements,  which  were  necessary 
for,  or  conducive  to,  the  object  of  their  incorporation  ;  and,  among  other  things, 
purchased  a  great  part  of  the  stock  in  trade,  and  trading  establishments,  of 
the  Michilimackinac  Company  of  Canada. — Your  petitioners  also,  with  the 
expectation  of  great  public  and  private  advantage  from  the  use  of  the  said 
establishments,  ordered,  during  the  spring  and  summer  of  1810,  an  assort- 
ment of  goods  from  England,  suitable  for  the  Indian  trade  ;  which,  in  con- 

22 


506  APPENDIX. 


sequence  of  the  President's  proclamation  of  November  of  that  year,  were 
shipped  to  Canada  instead  of  New- York,  and  have  been  transported,  under  a 
very  heavy  expense,  into  the  interior  of  the  country.  But  as  they  could  not 
legally  be  brought  into  the  Indian  country  within  the  boundaries  of  the  United 
States,  they  have  been  stored  on  the  Island  of  St.  Joseph,  in  Lake  Huron, 
where  they  now  remain. 

Your  petitioners,  with  great  deference  and  implicit  submission  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  national  legislature,  beg  leave  to  suggest  for  consideration, 
whether  they  have  not  some  claim  to  national  attention  and  encouragement, 
from  the  nature  and  importance  of  their  undertaking  ;  which  though  hazardous 
and  uncertain  as  it  concerns  their  private  emolument,  must,  at  any  rate, 
redound  to  the  public  security  and  advantage.  If  their  undertaking  shall 
appear  to  be  of  the  description  given,  they  would  further  suggest  to  your 
honorable  bodies,  that  unless  they  can  procure  a  regular  supply  for  the  trade  in 
which  they  are  engaged,  it  may  languish,  and  be  finally  abandoned  by 
American  citizens  ;  when  it  will  revert  to  its  former  channel,  with  additional, 
and  perhaps  with  irresistible,  power. 

Under  these  circumstances,  and  upon  all  those  considerations  of  public 
policy  which  will  present  themselves  to  your  honorable  bodies,  in  connection 
with  those  already  mentioned,  your  petitioners  respectfully  pray  that  a  law 
may  be  passed  to  enable  the  President,  or  any  of  the  heads  of  departments 
acting  under  his  authority,  to  grant  permits  for  the  introduction  of  goods 
necessary  for  the  supply  of  the  Indians,  into  the  Indian  country  that  is  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  United  States,  under  such  regulations,  and  with  such 
restrictions,  as  may  secure  the  public  revenue  and  promote  the  public  welfare. 

And  your  petitioners  shall  ever  pray,  &c. 

In  witness  whereof,  the  common  seal  of  the  American   Fur  Company  is  here- 
unto affixed,  the  day  of  March,  1812. 
By  order  of  the  Corporation. 


AN  ACT  to  enable  the  American  Fur  Company,  and  other  citizens,  to 
introduce  goods  necessary  for  the  Indian  trade  into  the  territories  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  United  States. 

WHEREAS,  the  public  peace  and  welfare  require  that  the  native  Indian  tribes, 
residing  within  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States,  should  receive  their 
necessary  supplies  under  the  authority  and  from  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States :  Therefore,  be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
of  the  United  States,  in  Congress  assembled,  that  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  or  any  of  the  heads  of  departments  thereunto 
by  him  duly  authorized,  from  time  to  time  to  grant  permits  to  the  American 
Fur  Company,  their  agents  or  factors,  or  any  other  citizens  of  the  United 


APPENDIX.  507 


States  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade,  to  introduce  into  the  Indian  country, 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States,  such  goods,  wares,  and  merchan- 
dise, as  may  be  necessary  for  the  said  trade,  under  such  regulations  and 
restrictions  as  the  said  President  or  heads  of  departments  may  judge  proper  ; 
any  law  or  regulation  to  the  contrary,  in  anywise,  notwithstanding. 


Letter  from  Mr.  Gallalin  to  Mr.  Astor,  dated 

NEW- YORK,  August  5,  1835. 

DEAR  SIR,— In  compliance  with  your  request,  I  will  state  such  facts  as  I 
recollect  touching  the  subjects  mentioned  in  your  letter  of  28th  ult.  I  may  be 
mistaken  respecting  dates  and  details,  and  will  only  relate  general  facts, 
which  I  well  remember. 

In  conformity  with  the  treaty  of  1794  with  Great  Britain,  the  citizens  and 
subjects  of  each  country  were  permitted  to  trade  with  the  Indians  residing  in 
the  territories  of  the  other  party.  The  reciprocity  was  altogether  nominal. 
Since  the  conquest  of  Canada,  the  British  had  inherited  from  the  French  the 
whole  fur  trade,  through  the  great  lakes  and  their  communications,  with  all 
the  western  Indians,  whether  residing  in  the  British  dominions  or  the  United 
States.  They  kept  the  important  western  posts  on  those  lakes  till  about  the 
year  1797.  And  the  defensive  Indian  war,  which  the  United  States  had  to 
sustain  from  1776  to  1795,  had  still  more  alienated  the  Indians,  and  secured 
to  the  British  their  exclusive  trade,  carried  through  the  lakes,  wherever  the 
Indians  in  that  quarter  lived.  No  American  could,  without  imminent  danger 
of  property  and  life,  carry  on  that  trade,  even  within  the  United  States,  by 
the  way  of  either  Michilimackinac  or  St.  Mary's.  And  independent  of  the 
loss  of  commerce,  Great  Britain  was  enabled  to  preserve  a  most  dangerous 
influence  over  our  Indians. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  you  communicated  to  our  govern- 
ment the  prospect  you  had  to  be  able,  and  your  intention,  to  purchase  one 
half  of  the  interest  of  the  Canadian  Fur  Company,  engaged  in  trade  by^V 
way  of  Michilimackinac  with  our  own  Indians.  You  wished  to  know 
whether  the  plan  met  with  the  approbation  of  government,  and  how  far  you 
could  rely  on  its  protection  and  encouragement.  This  overture  was  received 
with  great  satisfaction  by  the  administration,  and  Mr.  Jefferson,  then  president, 
wrote  you  to  that  effect.  I  was  also  directed,  as  secretary  of  the  treasury,  to 
write  to  you  an  official  letter  to  the  same  purpose.  On  investigating  the 
subject,  it  was  found  that  the  Executive  had  no  authority  to  give  you  any 
direct  aid  ;  and  I  believe  that  you  received  nothing  more  than  an  entire 


APPENDIX. 


approbation  of  your  plan,  and  general  assurances  of  the  protection  due  to  every 
citizen  engaged  in  lawful  and  useful  pursuits. 

You  did  effect  the  contemplated  purchase,  but  in  what  year  I  do  not  recol- 
lect. Immediately  before  the  war,  you  represented  that  a  large  quantity  of 
merchandise,  intended  for  the  Indian  trade,  and  including  arms  and  munitions 
of  war,  belonging  to  that  concern  of  which  you  owned  one  half,  was 
deposited  at  a  post  on  Lake  Huron,  within  the  British  dominions ;  that,  in 
order  to  prevent  their  ultimately  falling  into  the  hands  of  Indians  who  might 
prove  hostile,  you  were  desirous  to  try  to  have  them- conveyed  into  the  United 
States ;  but  that  you  were  prevented  by  the  then  existing  law  of  noninter- 
coures  with  the  British  dominions. 

The  Executive  could  not  annul  the  provisions  of  that  law.  But  I  was 
directed  to  instruct  the  collectors  on  the  lakes,  in  case  you  or  your  agents 
should  voluntarily  bring  in  and  deliver  to  them  any  parts  of  the  goods  above 
mentioned,  to  receive  and  keep  them  in  their  guard,  and  not  to  commence 
prosecutions  until  further  instructions :  the  intention  being  then  to  apply  to 
Congress  for  an  act  remitting  the  forfeiture  and  penalties.  I  wrote  accordingly, 
to  that  effect,  to  the  collectors  of  Detroit  and  Michilimackinac. 

The  attempt  to  obtain  the  goods  did  not,  however,  succeed  ;  and  I  cannot 
say  how  far  the  failure  injured  you.  But  the  war  proved  fatal  to  another  much 
more  extensive  and  important  enterprise. 

Previous  to  that  time,  but  I  also  forget  the  year,  you  had  undertaken  to 
carry  on  a  trade  on  your  own  account,  though  I  believe  under  the  New-York 
charter  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  with  the  Indians  west  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  This  project  was  also  communicated  to  government,  and  met, 
of  course,  with  its  full  approbation,  and  best  wishes,  for  your  success.  You 
carried  it  on,  on  the  most  extensive  scale,  sending  several  ships  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  River,  and  a  large  party  by  land  across  tne  mountains,  and 
finally  founding  the  establishment  of  Astoria. 

This  unfortunately  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  during  the  war,  from 
circumstances  with  which  I  am  but  imperfectly  acquainted — being  then 
absent  on  a  foreign  mission.  I  returned  in  September,  1815,  and  sailed 

in  on  a  mission  to  France  in  June,  1816.  During  that  period  I  visited 
n  twice — in  October  or  November,  1815,  and  in  March,  1816.  On 
one  of  these  two  occasions,  and  I  believe  on  the  last,  you  mentioned  to  me 
that  you  were  disposed  once  more  to  renew  the  attempt,  and  to  re-establish 
Astoria,  provided  you  had  the  protection  of  the  American  flag ;  for  which 
purpose,  a  lieutenant's  command  would  be  sufficient  to  you.  You  requested 
me  to  mention  this  to  the  President,  which  I  did.  Mr.  Madison  said  he 
would  consider  the  subject,  and,  although  he  did  not  commit  himself,  I  thought 
that  he  received  the  proposal  favorably.  The  message  was  verbal,  and  I  do 
not  know  whether  the  application  was  ever  renewed  in  a  more  formal  manner. 


APPENDIX.  509 


I  sailed  soon  after  for  Europe,  and  was  seven  years  absent.  I  never  had  the 
pleasure,  since  1816,  to  see  Mr.  Madison,  and  never  heard  again  any  thing 
concerning  the  subject  in  question. 

I  remain,  dear  sir,  most  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

ALBERT  GALLATIN. 
JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR,  ESQ., 

New- York. 


Notices  of  the  present  state  of  the  Fur  Trade,  chiefly  extracted 
from  an  article  published  in  Silliman's  Journal  for  January, 
1834. 

The  Northwest  Company  did  not  long  enjoy  the  sway  they  had  acquired 
over  the  trading  regions  of  the  Columbia.  A  competition,  ruinous  in  its 
expenses,  which  had  long  existed  between  them  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, ended  in  their  downfall  and  the  ruin  of  most  of  the  partners.  The  relics 
of  the  company  became  merged  in  the  rival  association,  and  the  whole  business 
was  conducted  under  the  name  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company. 

This  coalition  took  place  in  1821.  They  then  abandoned  Astoria,  and 
built  a  large  establishment  sixty  miles  up  the  river,  on  the  right  bank,  which 
they  called  Fort  Vancouver.  This  was  in  a  neighborhood  where  provisions 
could  be  more  readily  procured,  and  where  there  was  less  danger  from 
molestation  by  any  naval  force.  The  company  are  said  to  carry  on  an  active 
and  prosperous  trade,  and  to  give  great  encouragement  to  settlers.  They  are 
extremely  jealous,  however,  of  any  interference  or  participation  in  their  trade, 
and  monopolize  it  from  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  to  the  mountains,  and  for 
a  considerable  extent  north  and  south.  The  American  traders  and  trappers 
who  venture  across  the  mountains,  instead  of  enjoying  the  participation  in 
the  trade  of  the  river  and  its  tributaries,  that  had  been  stipulated  by  treaty, 
are  obliged  to  keep  to  the  south,  out  of  the  track  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
parties. 

Mr.  Astor  has  withdrawn  entirely  from  the  American  Fur  Company,  .as 
he  has,  in  fact,  from  active  business  of  every  kind.  That  company  is  now 
headed  by  Mr.  Ramsay  Crooks ;  its  principal  establishment  is  at  Michili- 
mackinac,  and  it  receives  its  furs  from  the  posts  depending  on  that  station, 
and  from  those  on  the  Mississippi,  Missouri,  and  Yellow  Stone  Rivers,  and 
the  great  range  of  country  extending  thence  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  This 
company  has  steamboats  in  its  employ,  with  which  it  ascends  the  rivers,  and 
penetrates  to  a  vast  distance  into  the  bosom  of  those-  regions  formerly  so 


510  APPENDIX. 


painfully  explored  in  keel-boats  and  barges,  or  by  weary  parties  on  horseback 
and  on  foot.  The  first  irruption  of  steamboats  into  the  heart  of  these  vast 
wildernesses  is  said  to  have  caused  the  utmost  astonishment  and  affright  among 
their  savage  inhabitants. 

In  addition  to  the  main  companies  already  mentioned,  minor  associations 
have  been  formed,  which  push  their  way  in  the  most  intrepid  manner  to  the 
remote  parts  of  the  far  West,  and  beyond  the  mountain  barriers.  One  of  the 
most  noted  of  these  is  Ashley's  company,  from  St.  Louis,  who  trap  for  them- 
selves, and  drive  an  extensive  trade  with  the  Indians.  The  spirit,  enterprise, 
and  hardihood  of  Ashley,  are  themes  of  the  highest  eulogy  in  the  far  West, 
and  his  adventures  and  exploits  furnish  abundance  of  frontier  stories. 

Another  company  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  from  New- York, 
formed  in  1831,  and  headed  by  Captain  Bonneville  of  the  United  States  army, 
has  pushed  its  enterprises  into  tracts  before  but  little  known,  and  has  brought 
considerable  quantities  of  furs  from  the  region  between  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  the  coasts  of  Monterey  and  Upper  California,  on  the  Buenaventura  and 
Timpanogos  Rivers. 

The  fur  countries,  from  the  Pacific,  east  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  are 
now  occupied  (exclusive  of  private  combinations  and  individual  trappers  and 
traders)  by  the  Russians  ;  and  on  the  northwest,  from  Behring's  Strait  to 
Queen  Charlotte's  Island,  in  north  latitude  fifty-three  degrees,  and  by  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  thence ,  south  of  the  Columbia  River  ;  while  Ashley's 
company,  and  that  under  Captain  Bonneville,  take  the  remainder  of  the 
region  to  California.  Indeed,  the  whole  compass  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean  is  traversed  in  every  direction.  The  mountains  and  forests, 
from  the  Arctic  Sea  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  are  threaded,  through  every  maze, 
by  the  hunter.  Every  river  and  tributary  stream,  from  the  Columbia  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  del  Norte,  and  from  the  M'  Kenzie  to  the  Colorado  of  the 
West,  from  their  head  springs  to  their  junction,  are  searched  and  trapped  for 
beaver.  Almost  all  the  American  furs,  which  do  not  belong  to  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  find  their  way  to  New-York,  and  are  either  distributed  thence 
for  home  consumption,  or  sent  to  foreign  markets. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  ship  their  furs  from  their  factories  of  York 
Fort  and  from  Moose  River,  on  Hudson's  Bay  ;  their  collection  from  Grand 
River,  &c.,  they  ship  from  Canada ;  and  the  collection  from  Columbia  goes 
to  London.  None  of  their  furs  come  to  the  United  States,  except  through  the 
London  market. 

The  export  trade  of  furs  from  the  United  States  is  chiefly  to  London. 
Some  quantities  have  been  sent  to  Canton,  and  some  few  to  Hamburgh  ; 
and  an  increasing  export  trade  in  beaver,  otter,  nutria,  and  vicunia  wool, 
prepared  for  the  hatter's  use,  is  carried  on  in  Mexico.  Some  furs  are  exported 
from  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  Boston  ;  but  the  principal  shipments  from 
the  United  States  are  from  New- York  to  London,  from  whence  they  are  sent 


APPENDIX.  .    511 


to  Leipsic,  a  well-known  mart  for  furs,  where  they  are  disposed  of  during 
the  great  fair  in  that  city,  and  distributed  to  every  part  of  the  continent. 

The  United  States, import  from  South  America,  nutria,  vicunia,  chinchilla, 
and  a  few  deer  skins ;  also  fur  seals  from  the  Lobos  Islands,  off  the  river 
Plate.  A  quantity  of  beaver,  otter,  &c.,  are  brought  annually  from  Santa 
Fe\  Dressed  furs  for  edgings,  linings,  caps,  muffs,  &c.,  such  as  squirrel, 
genet,  fitch  skins,  and  blue  rabbit,  are  received  from  the  north  of  Europe ; 
also  coney  and  hare's  fur ;  but  the  largest  importations  are  from  London, 
where  is  concentrated  nearly  the  whole  of  the  North  American  fur  trade. 

Such  is  the  present  state  of  the  fur  trade,  by  which  it  will  appear  that  the 
extended  sway  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  its  monopoly  of  the  region 
of  which  Astoria  was  the  key,  has  operated  to  turn  the  main  current  of  this 
opulent  trade  into  the  coffers  of  Great  Britain,  and  to  render  London  the 
emporium  instead  of  New- York,  as  Mr.  Astor  had  intended. 

We  will  subjoin  a  few  observations  on  the  animals  sought  after  in  this 
traffic,  extracted  from  the  same  intelligent  source  with  the  preceding  remarks. 

Of  the  fur-bearing  animals,  "  the  precious  ermine,"  so  called  by  way  of 
pre-eminence,  is  found,  of  the  best  quality,  only  in  the  cold  regions  of  Europe 
and  Asia.*  Its  fur  is  of  the  most  perfect  whiteness,  except  the  tip  of  its  tail, 
which  is  of  a  brilliant  shining  black.  With  these  black  tips  tacked  on  the 
skins,  they  are  beautifully  spotted,  producing  an  effect  often  imitated,  but  never 
equalled  in  other  furs.  The  ermine  is  of  the  genus  mustela,  (weasel,)  and 
resembles  the  common  weasel  in  its  form  ;  is  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  inches 
from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  end  of  the  tail.  The  body  is  from  ten  to  twelve 
inches  long.  It  lives  in  hollow  trees,  river  banks,  and  especially  in  beech 
forests ;  preys  on  small  birds,  is  very  shy,  sleeping  during  the  day,  and 
employing  the  night  in  search  of  food.  The  fur  of  the  older  animals  is  pre- 
ferred to  the  younger.  It  is  taken  by  snares  and  traps,  and  sometimes  shot 
with  blunt  arrows.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  domesticate  it ;  but  it  is 
extremely  wild,  and  has  been  found  untameable. 

The  sable  can  scarcely  be  called  second  to  the  ermine.  It  is  a  native  of 
northern  Europe  and  Siberia,  and  is  also  of  the  genus  mustela.  In  Samoieda, 
Yakutsk,  Kamschatka,  and  Russian  Lapland,  it  is  found  of  the  richest  quality, 
and  darkest  color.  In  its  habits,  it  resembles  the  ermine.  It  preys  on  small 
squirrels  and  birds,  sleeps  by  day,  and  prowls  for  food  during  the  night.  It  is 
so  like  the  marten  in  every  particular  except  its  size,  and  the  dark  shade  of  its 
color,  that  naturalists  have  not  decided  whether  it  is  the  richest  and  finest  of 
the  marten  tribe,  or  a  variety  of  that  species.t  It  varies  in  dimensions  from 
eighteen  to  twenty  inches. 

*  An  animal  called  the  »toat,  a  kind  of  ermine,  is  said  to  be  found  in  North  America,  but 
very  inferior  to  the  European  and  Asiatic. 

t  The  finest  fur  and  the  darkest  color  are  most  esteemed  ;  and  whether  the  difference  arise* 
from  the  age  of  the  animal,  or  from  some  peculiarity  of  location,  is  not  known.  They  do  not 
vary  more  from  tlie  common  marten  than  the  Arabian  horse  from  the  shaggy  Canadian. 


513  APPENDIX. 


The  rich  dark  shades  of  the  sable,  and  the  snowy  whiteness  of  the  ermine, 
the  great  depth,  and  the  peculiar,  almost  flowing  softness  of  their  skins  and 
fur,  have  combined  to  gain  them  a  preference  in  all  countries,  and  in  all  ages 
of  the  world.  In  this  age,  they  maintain  the  same  relative  estimate  in  regard 
to  other  furs,  as  when  they  marked  the  rank  of  the  proud  crusader,  and  were 
emblazoned  in  heraldry :  but  in  most  European  nations,  they  are  now  worn 
promiscuously  by  the  opulent. 

The  martens  from  Northern  Asia  and  the  Mountains  of  Kamschatka  are 
much  superior  to  the  American,  though  in  every  pack  of  American  marten 
skins  there  are  a  certain  number  which  are  beautifully  shaded,  and  of  a  dark 
brown  olive  color,  of  great  depth  and  richness. 

Next  these  in  value,  for  ornament  and  utility,  are  the  sea  otter,  the  mink, 
and  the  fiery  fox. 

The  fiery  fox  is  the  bright  red  of  Asia  ;  is  more  brilliantly  colored  and  of 
finer  fur  than  any  other  of  the  genus.  It  is  highly  valued  for  the  splendor  of 
its  red  color  and  the  fineness  of  its  fur.  It  is  the  standard  of  value  on  the 
northeastern  coast  of  Asia. 

The  sea  otter,  which  was  first  introduced  into  commerce  in  1725,  from  the 
Aleutian  and  Kurile  Islands,  is  an  exceedingly  fine,  soft,  close  fur,  jet  black 
in  winter,  with  a  silken  gloss.  The  fur  of  the  young  animal  is  of  a  beautiful 
brown  color.  It  is  met  with  in  great  abundance  in  Bhering's  Island,  Kam- 
schatka,  Aleutian  and  Fox  Islands,  and  is  also  taken  on  the  opposite  coasts  of 
North  America.  It  is  sometimes  taken  with  nets,  but  more  frequently  with 
clubs  and  spears.  Their  food  is  principally  lobster  and  other  shell-fish. 

In  1780  furs  had  become  so  scarce  in  Siberia,  that  the  supply  was  insuffi- 
cient for  the  demand  in  the  Asiatic  countries.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the 
sea  otter  was  introduced  into  the  markets  for  China.  The  skins  brought  such 
incredible  prices,  as  to  originate  immediately  several  American  and  British 
expeditions  to  the  northern  islands  of  the  Pacific,  to  Nootka  Sonnd,  and  the 
northwest  coast  of  America  ;  but  the  Russians  already  had  possession  of  the 
tract  which  they  now  hold,  and  had  arranged  a  trade  for  the  sea  otter  with  the 
Koudek  tribes.  They  do  not  engross  the  trade,  however ;  the  American 
northwest  trading  ships  procure  them,  all  along  the  coast,  from  the  Indians. 

At  one  period,  the  fur  seals  formed  no  inconsiderable  item  in  the  trade. 
South  Georgia,  in  south  latitude  fifty-five  degrees,  discovered  in  1675,  was 
explored  by  Captain  Cook  in  1771.  The  Americans  immediately  commenced 
carrying  seal  skins  thence  to  China,  where  they  obtained  the  most  exorbitant 
prices.  One  million  two  hundred  thousand  skins  have  been  taken  from  that 
island  alone,  and  nearly  an  equal  number  from  the  Island  of  Desolation,  since 
they  were  first  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  commerce. 

The  discovery  of  the  South  Shetlands,  sixty-three  degrees  south  latitude,  in 
1818,  added  surprisingly  to  the  trade  in  fur  seals.  The  number  taken  from 
the  South  Shetlands  in  1821  and  1822  amounted  to  three  hundred  and  twenty 


APPENDIX.  513 


thousand.  This  valuable  animal  is  now  almost  extinct  in  all  these  islands, 
owing  to  the  exterminating  system  adopted  by  the  hunters.  They  are  still 
taken  on  the  Lobos  Islands,  where  the  provident  government  of  Montevideo 
restrict  the  fishery,  or  hunting,  within  certain  limits,  which  insures  an  annual 
return  of  the  seals.  At  certain  seasons  these  amphibia,  for  the  purpose  of 
renewing  their  coat,  come  up  on  the  dark  frowning  rocks  and  precipices, 
where  there  is  not  a  trace  of  vegetation.  In  the  middle  of  January,  the 
islands  are  partially  cleared  of  snow,  where  a  few  patches  of  short  strag- 
gling grass  spring  up  in  favorable  situations  ;  but  the  seals  do  not  resort  to 
it  for  food.  They  remain  on  the  rocks  not  less  than  two  months,  without 
any  sustenance,  when  they  return  much  emaciated  to  the  sea. 

Bears  of  various  species  and  colors,  many  varieties  of  the  fox,  the  wolf, 
the  beaver,  the  otter,  the  marten,  the  racoon,  the  badger,  the  wolverine,  the 
mink,  the  lynx,  the  muskrat,  the  woodchuck,  the  rabbit,  the  hare,  and  the 
squirrel,  are  natives  of  North  America. 

The  beaver,  otter,  lynx,  fisher,  hare,  and  racoon,  are  used  principally  for 
hats ;  while  the  bears  of  several  varieties  furnish  an  excellent  material  for 
sleigh  linings,  for  cavalry  caps,  and  other  military  equipments.  The  fur  of 
the  black  fox  is  the  most  valuable  of  any  of  the  American  varieties ;  and  next 
to  that  the  red,  which  is  exported  to  China  and  Smyrna.  In  China,  the 
red  is  employed  for  trimmings,  linings,  and  robes  ;  the  latter  being  variegated 
by  adding  the  black  fur  of  the  paws,  in  spots  or  waves.  There  are  many 
other  varieties  of  American  fox,  such  as  the  gray,  the  white,  the  cross,  the 
silver,  and  the  dun-colored.  The  silver  fox  is  a  rare  animal,  a  native  of 
the  woody  country  below  the  falls  of  the  Columbia  River.  It  has  a  long, 
thick,  deep  lead-colored  fur,  intermingled  with  long  hairs,  invariably  white 
at  the  top,  forming  a  bright  lustrous  silver  gray,  esteemed  by  some  more 
beautiful  than  any  other  kind  of  fox. 

The  skins  of  the  buffalo,  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  sheep,  of  various  deer, 
and  of  the  antelope,  are  included  in  the  fur  trade  with  the  Indians  and  trap- 
pers of  the  north  and  west. 

Fox  and  seal  skins  are  sent  from  Greenland  to  Denmark.  The  white 
fur  of  the  arctic  fox  and  polar  bear  is  sometimes  found  in  the  packs  brought 
to  the  traders  by  the  most  northern  tribes  of  Indians,  but  is  not  particularly 
valuable.  The- silver- tipped  rabbit  is  peculiar  to  England,  and  is  sent  thence 
to  Russia  and  China. 

Other  furs  are  employed  and  valued  according  to  the  caprices  of  fashion, 
as  well  in  those  countries  where  they  are  needed  for  defences  against  the 
severity  of  the  seasons,  as  among  the  inhabitants  of  milder  climates,  who, 
being  of  Tartar  or  Sclavonian  descent,  are  said  to  inherit  an  attachment  to 
furred  clothing,  Such  are  the  inhabitants  of  Poland,  of  Southern  Russia, 
of  China,  of  Persia,  of  Turkey,  and  all  the  nations  of  Gothic  origin  in  the 
middle  and  western  parts  of  Europe.  Under  the  burning  suns  of  Syria  and 


514  APPENDIX. 


Egypt,  and  the  mild  climes  of  Bucharia  and  independent  Tartary,  there  is 
also  a  constant  demand,  and  a  great  consumption,  where  there  exists  no  physi- 
cal necessity.  In  our  own  temperate  latitudes,  besides  their  use  in  the  arts, 
they  are  in  request  for  ornament  and  warmth  during  the  winter,  and  large 
quantities  are  annually  consumed  for  both  purposes  in  the  United  States. 

From  the  foregoing  statements,  it  appears  that  the  fur  trade  must  hence- 
forward decline.  The  advanced  state  of  geographical  science  shows  that  no 
new  countries  remain  to  be  explored.  In  North  America,  the  animals  are 
slowly  decreasing,  from  the  persevering  efforts  and  the  indiscriminate  slaughter 
practised  by  the  hunters,  and  by  the  appropriation  to  the  uses  of  man  of  those 
forests  and  rivers  which  have  afforded  them  food  and  protection.  They 
recede  with  the  aborigines,  before  the  tide  of  civilization ;  but  a  diminished 
supply  will  remain  in  the  mountains  and  uncultivated  tracts  of  this  and  other 
countries,  if  the  avidity  of  the  hunter  can  be  restrained  within  proper  lim- 
itations. 


Height  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Various  estimates  have  been  made  of  the  height  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
but  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  have,  as  yet,  done  justice  to  their  real  altitude, 
which  promises  to  place  them  only  second  to  the  highest  mountains  of  the 
known  world.  Their  height  has  been  diminished  to  the  eye  by  the  great 
elevation  of  the  plains  from  which  they  rise.  They  consist,  according  to 
Long,  of  ridges,  knobs,  and  peaks,  variously  disposed.  The  more  elevated 
parts  are  covered  with  perpetual  snows,  which  contribute  to  give  them  a 
luminous,  and,  at  a  great  distance,  even  a  brilliant  appearance  ;  whence  they 
derived,  among  some  of  the  first  discoverers,  the  name  of  the  Shining  Moun- 
tains. 

James's  Peak  has  generally  been  cited  as  the  highest  of  the  chain ;  and  its 
elevation  above  the  common  level  has  been  ascertained,  by  a  trigonometrical 
measurement,  to  be  about  eight  thousand  five  hundred  feet.  Mr.  Long,  how- 
ever, judged,  from  the  position  of  the  snow  near  the  summits  of  other  peaks 
and  ridges  at  no  great  distance  from  it,  that  they  were  much  higher.  Having 
heard  Professor  Renwick,  of  New- York,  express  an  opinion  of  the  altitude 
of  these  mountains  far  beyond  what  had  usually  been  ascribed  to  them,  we 
applied  to  him  for  the  authority  on  which  he  grounded  his  observation,  and 
here  subjoin  his  reply : 

COLUMBIA  COLLEGE,  NEW- YORK,  February  23,  1836. 
DEAR  Sra, — In  compliance   with  your  request,  I  have  to  communicate 
some  facts  in  relation  to  the  heights  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  sources 
whence  I  obtained  the  information. 


APPENDIX.  515 


In  conversation  with  Simon  M'Gillivray,  Esq.,  a  partner  of  the  Northwest 
Company,  he  stated  to  me  his  impression,  that  the  mountains  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  route  pursued  by  the  traders  of  that  company  were  nearly  as  high  as 
the  Himalayas.  He  had  himself  crossed  by  this  route,  seen  the  snowy  sum- 
mits of  the  peaks,  and  experienced  a  degree  of  cold  which  required  a  spirit 
thermometer  to  indicate  it.  His  authority  for  the  estimate  of  the  heights  was 
a  gentleman  who  had  been  employed  for  several  years  as  surveyor  of  that 
company.  This  conversation  occurred  about  sixteen  years  since. 

A  year  or  two  afterwards,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  dining,  at  Major  Dela- 
field's,  with  Mr.  Thompson,  the  gentleman  referred  to  by  Mr.  M'Gillivray. 
I  inquired  of  him  in  relation  to  the  circumstances  mentioned  by  Mr.  M'Gil- 
livray, and  he  stated,  that,  by  the  joint  means  of  the  barometric  and  trigono- 
metric measurement,  he  had  ascertained  the  height  of  one  of  the  peaks  to  be 
about  twenty-five  thousand  feet,  and  there  were  others  of  nearly  the  same 
height  in  the  vicinity. 

I  am,  dear  sir, 

Yours  truly, 

JAMES  RENWICK. 

To  W.  IKVING,  Esq. 


Suggestions  with  respect  to  the  Indian  tribes,  and  the  protection  of 
our  Trade. 

In  the  course  of  this  work,  a  few  general  remarks  have  been  hazarded 
respecting  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  prairies,  and  the  dangers  to  be  apprehended 
from  them  in  future  times  to  our  trade  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  with 
the  Spanish  frontiers.  Since  writing  those  remarks,  we  have  met  with  some 
excellent  observations  and  suggestions,  in  manuscript,  on  the  same  subject, 
written  by  Captain  Bonneville,  of  the  United  States  army,  who  has  lately 
returned  from  a  long  residence  among  the  tribes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Captain  B.  approves  highly  of  the  plan  recently  adopted  by  the  United  States 
government  for  the  organization  of  a  regiment  of  dragoons  for  the  protection 
of  our  western  frontier,  and  the  trade  across  the  prairies.  "  No  other  species 
of  military  force,"  he  observes,  "  is  at  all  competent  to  cope  with  these  restless 
and  wandering.hordes,  who  require  to  be  opposed  with  swiftness  quite  as  much 
as  with  strength ;  and  the  consciousness  that  a  troop,  uniting  these  qualifi- 
cations, is  always  on  the  alert  to  avenge  their  outrages  upon  the  settlers  and 
traders,  will  go  very  far  towards  restraining  them  from  the  perpetration  of 
those  thefts  and  murders  which  they  have  heretofore  committed  with  impu- 
nity, whenever  stratagem  or  superiority  of  force  has  given  them  the  advantage. 
Their  interest  already  has  done  something  towards  their  pacification  with 


516  APPENDIX. 


our  countrymen.  From  the  traders  among  them,  they  receive  their  supplies 
in  the  greatest  abundance,  and  upon  very  equitable  terms ;  and  when  it  is 
remembered  that  a  very  considerable  amount  of  property  is  yearly  distributed 
among  them  by  the  government,  as  presents,  it  will  readily  be  perceived, 
that  they  are  greatly  dependent  upon  us  for  their  most  valued  resources.  If, 
superadded  to  this  inducement,  a  frequent  display  of  military  power  be  made 
in  their  territories,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  desired  security  and  peace 
will  be  speedily  afforded  to  our  own  people.  But  the  idea  of  establishing  a 
permanent  amity  and  concord  amongst  the  various  east  and  west  tribes  them- 
selves, seems  to  me,  if  not  wholly  impracticable,  at  least  infinitely  more  difficult 
than  many  excellent  philanthropists  have  hoped  and  believed.  Those  nations 
which  have  so  lately  emigrated  from  the  midst  of  our  settlements  to  live  upon 
our  western  borders,  and  have  made  some  progress  in  agriculture  and  the 
arts  of  civilization,  have,  in  the  property  they  have  acquired,  and  the  protec- 
tion and  aid  extended  to  them,  too  many  advantages  to  be  induced  readily  to 
take  up  arms  against  us,  particularly  if  they  can  be  brought  to  the  full  convic- 
tion that  their  new  homes  will  be  permanent  and  undisturbed ;  and  there  is 
every  reason  and  motive,  in  policy  as  well  as  humanity,  for  our  ameliorating 
their  condition  by  every  means  in  our  power.  But  the  case  is  far  different  with 
regard  to  the  Osages,  the  Kanzas,  the  Pawnees,  and  other  roving  hordes 
beyond  the  frontiers  of  the  settlements.  Wild  and  restless  in  their  character 
and  habits,  they  are  by  no  means  so  susceptible  of  control  or  civilization ;  and 
they  are  urged  by  strong,  and,  to  them,  irresistible  causes  in  their  situation  and 
necessities,  to  the  daily  perpetration  of  violence  and  fraud.  Their  permanent 
subsistence,  for  example,  is  derived  from  the  buflalo  hunting  grounds,  which 
lie  a  great  distance  from  their  towns.  Twice  a  year  they  are  obliged  to  make 
long  and  dangerous  expeditions,  to  procure  the  necessary  provisions  for  them- 
selves and  their  families.  For  this  purpose  horses  are  absolutely  requisite,  for 
their  own  comfort  and  safety,  as  well  as  for  the  transportation  of  their  food, 
and  their  little  stock  of  valuables ;  and  without  them  they  would  be  reducedj 
during  a  great  portion  of  the  year,  to  a  state  of  abject  misery  and  privation. 
They  have  no  brood  mares,  nor  any  trade  sufficiently  valuable  to  supply  their 
yearly  losses,  and  endeavor  to  keep  up  their  stock  by  stealing  horses  from 
the  other  tribes  to  the  west  and  southwest.  Our  own  people,  and  the  tribes 
immediately  upon  our  borders,  may  indeed  be  protected  from  then*  depreda- 
tions ;  and  the  Kanzas,  Osages,  Pawnees,  and  others,  may  be  induced  to 
remain  at  peace  among  themselves,  so  long  as  they  are  permitted  to  pursue 
the  old  custom  of  levying  uppn  the  Camanches  and  other  remote  nations 
for  their  complement  of  steeds  for  the  warriors,  and  pack-horses  for  their  trans- 
portations to  and  from  the  hunting  ground.  But  the  instant  they  are  forced 
to  maintain  a  peaceful  and  inoffensive  demeanor  towards  the  tribes  along 
the  Mexican  border,  and  find  that  every  violation  of  their  rights  is  followed 
by  the  avenging  arm  of  our  government,  the  result  must  be,  that,  reduced  to  a 


APPENDIX.  517 


wretchedness  and  want  which  they  can  ill  brook,  and  feeling  the  certainty 
of  punishment  for  every  attempt  to  ameliorate  their  condition  in  the  only 
way  they  as  yet  comprehend,  they  will  abandon  their  unfruitful  territory, 
and  remove  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Mexican  lands,  and  there  carry  on 
a  vigorous  predatory  warfare  indiscriminately  upon  the  Mexicans  and  our 
own  people  trading  or  travelling  in  that  quarter. 

"  The  Indians  of  the  prairies  are  almost  innumerable.  Their  superior 
horsemanship,  which,  in  my  opinion,  far  exceeds  that  of  any  other  people 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  their  daring  bravery,  their  cunning  and  skill  in 
the  warfare  of  the  wilderness,  and  the  astonishing  rapidity  and  secrecy  with 
which  they  are  accustomed  to  move  in  their  martial  expeditions,  will  always 
render  them  most  dangerous  and  vexatious  neighbors,  when  their  necessities 
or  their  discontents  may  drive  them  to  hostility  with  our  frontiers.  Their 
mode  and  principles  of  warfare  will  always  protect  them  from  final  and  irre- 
trievable defeat,  and  secure  their  families  from  participating  in  any  blow, 
however  severe,  which  our  retribution  might  deal  out  to  them. 

"  The  Camanches  lay  the  Mexicans  under  contribution  for  horses  and 
mules,  which  they  are  always  engaged  in  stealing  from  them  in  incredible 
numbers ;  and  from  the  Camanches,  all  the  roving  tribes  of  the  far  West,  by 
a  similar  exertion  of  skill  and  daring,  supply  themselves  in  turn.  It  seems 
to  me,  therefore,  under  all  these  circumstances,  that  the  apparent  futility  of 
any  philanthropic  schemes  for  the  benefit  of  these  nations,  and  a  regard  for 
our  own  protection,  concur  in  recommending  that  we  remain  satisfied  with 
maintaining  peace  upon  our  own  immediate  borders,  and  leave  the  Mexicans 
and  the  Camanches,  and  all  the  tribes  hostile  to  these  last,  to  settle  their 
differences  and  difficulties  in  their  own  way. 

"  In  order  to  give  full  security  and  protection  to  our  trading  parties  circu- 
lating in  all  directions  through  the  great  prairies,  I  am  under  the  impression, 
that  a  few  judicious  measures  on  the  part  of  the  government,  involving  a 
very  limited  expense,  would  be  sufficient.  And,  in  attaining  this  end,  which 
of  itself  has  already  become  an  object  of  public  interest  and  import,  another, 
of  much  greater  consequence,  might  be  brought  about,  viz.,  the  securing  to 
the  States  a  most  valuable  and  increasing  trade,  now  carried  on  by  caravans 
directly  to  Santa  Fe. 

"  As  to  the  first  desideratum  :  the  Indians  can  only  be  made  to  respect  the 
lives  and  property  of  the  American  parties,  by  rendering  them  dependent  upon 
us  for  their  supplies ;  which  can  alone  be  done  with  complete  effect  by  the 
establishment  of  a  trading  poet,  with  resident  traders,  at  some  point  which 
will  unite  a  sufficient  number  of  advantages  to  attract  the  several  tribes  to 
itself,  in  preference  to  their  present  places  of  resort  for  that  purpose  ;  for  it 
is  a  well-known  fact,  that  the  Indians  will  always  protect  their  trader,  and 
those  in  whom  he  is  interested,  so  long  as  they  derive  benefits  from  him. 
The  alternative  presented  to  those  at  the  north,  by  the  residence  of  the  agents 


518  APPENDIX. 


of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  amongst  them,  renders  the  condition  of  our 
people  in  that  quarter  less  secure  ;  but  I  think  it  will  appear,  at  once,  upon 
the  most  cursory  examination,  that  no  such  opposition  further  south  could  be 
maintained,  so  as  to  weaken  the  benefits  of  such  an  establishment  as  is  here 
suggested. 

"  In  considering  this  matter,  the  first  question  which  presents  itself-is,  where 
do  these  tribes  now  make  their  exchanges,  and  obtain  their  necessary  supplies  ? 
They  resort  almost  exclusively  to  the  Mexicans,  who,  themselves,  purchase 
from  us  whatever  the  Indians  most  seek  for.  In  this  point  of  view,  therefore, 
ceeteris  paribus,  it  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  us  to  monopolize  the  whole 
traffic.  All  that  is  wanting  is  some  location  more  convenient  for  the  natives 
than  that  offered  by  the  Mexicans,  to  give  us  the  undisputed  superiority  ;  and 
the  selection  of  such  a  point  requires  but  a  knowledge  of  the  single  fact,  that 
these  nations  invariably  winter  upon  the  head  waters  of  the  Arkansas,  and 
there  prepare  all  their  buffalo  robes  for  trade.  These  robes  are  heavy,  and, 
to  the  Indian,  very  difficult  of  transportation.  Nothing  but  necessity  induces 
them  to  travel  any  great  distance  with  such  inconvenient  baggage.  A  post, 
therefore,  established  upon  the  head  waters  of  the  Arkansas,  must  infallibly 
secure  an  uncontested  preference  over  that  of  the  Mexicans,  even  at  their 
prices  and  rates  of  barter.  Then  let  the  dragoons  occasionally  move  about 
among  these  people  in  large  parties,  impressing  them  with  the  proper  estimate 
of  our  power  to  protect  and  to  punish,  and  at  once  we  have  complete  and 
assured  security  for  all  citizens  whose  enterprise  may  lead  them  beyond  the 
border,  and  an  end  to  the  outrages  and  depredations  which  now  dog  the 
footsteps  of  the  traveller  in  the  prairies,  and  arrest  and  depress  the  most 
advantageous  commerce.  Such  a  post  need  not  be  stronger  than  fifty  men ; 
twenty-five  to  be  employed  as  hunters,  to  supply  the  garrison,  and  the  residue 
as  a  defence  against  any  hostility.  Situated  here  upon  the  good  lands  of  the 
Arkansas,  in  the  midst  of  abundance  of  timber,  while  it  might  be  kept  up  at 
a  most  inconsiderable  expense,  such  an  establishment  within  ninety  miles  of 
Santa  F6  or  Taos  would  be  more  than  justified  by  the  other  and  more  impor- 
tant advantages  before  alluded  to,  leaving  the  protection  of  the  traders  with 
the  Indian  tribes  entirely  out  of  the  question. 

"  This  great  trade,  carried  on  by  caravans  to  Santa  F6",  annually  loads  one 
hundred  wagons  with  merchandise,  which  is  bartered  in  the  northern  provinces 
or  Mexico  for  cash  and  for  beaver  furs.  The  numerous  articles  excluded  as 
contraband,  and  the  exorbitant  duties  laid  upon  all  those  that  are  admitted  by 
the  Mexican  government,  present  so  many  obstacles  to  commerce,  that  I  am 
well  persuaded,  that  if  a  post,  such  as  is  here  suggested,  should  be  established 
on  the  Arkansas,  it  would  become  the  place  of  deposite,  not  only  for  the 
present  trade,  but  for  one  infinitely  more  extended.  Here  the  Mexicans  might 
purchase  their  supplies,  and  might  well  afford  to  sell  them  at  prices  which 
would  silence  all  competition  from  any  other  quarter. 


APPENDIX.  519 


"  These  two  trades,  with  the  Mexicans  and  the  Indians,  centering  at  this 
post,  would  give  rise  to  a  large  village  of  traders  and  laborers,  and  would 
undoubtedly  be  hailed,  by  all  that  section  of  country,  as  a  permanent  and 
invaluable  advantage.  A  few  pack-horses  would  carry  all  the  clothing  and 
ammunition  necessary  for  the  post  during  the  first  year,  and  two  light  field- 
pieces  would  be  all  the  artillery  required  for  its  defence.  Afterwards,  all  the 
horses  required  for  the  use  of  the  establishment  might  be  purchased  from  the 
Mexicans  at  the  low  price  of  ten  dollars  each  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  what- 
ever animals  might  be  needed  to  supply  the  losses  among  the  dragoons  trav- 
ersing the  neighborhood,  could  be  readily  procured.  The  Upper  Missouri 
Indians  can  furnish  horses,  at  very  cheap  rates,  to  any  number  of  the  same 
troops  who  might  be  detailed  for  the  defence  of  the  northern  frontier  ;  and,  in 
other  respects,  a  very  limited  outlay  of  money  would  suffice  to  maintain  a  post 
in  that  section  of  the  country. 

"  From  these  considerations,  and  my  own  personal  observation,  I  am, 
therefore,  disposed  to  believe,  that  two  posts  established  by  the  government, 
one  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  Stone  River,  and  one  on  the  Arkansas,  would 
completely  protect  all  our  people  in  every  section  of  the  great  wilderness  of 
the  West ;  while  other  advantages,  at  least  with  regard  to  one  of  them,  con- 
firm and  urge  the  suggestion.  A  fort  at  the  mouth  of  Yellow  Stone,  garrisoned 
by  fifty  men,  would  be  perfectly  safe.  The  establishment  might  be  constructed 
simply  with  a  view  to  the  stores,  stables  for  the  dragoons'  horses,  and  quarters 
for  the  regular  garrison  :  the  rest  being  provided  with  sheds  or  lodges,  erected 
in  the  vicinity,  for  theirTesidence  during  the  winter  months." 


THE    END. 


X 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


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