556 WASHINGTON IRVING's ASTORIA. 



Leaving these newly-met friends to all the pleasures of their 

 merry meeting, and leaving our readers to guess the manner in 

 which the various parties would enjoy their reunion, we pass at 

 once to the intermediate speculations of Mr. Astor the great specu- 

 lator whose almost inexhaustible funds defrayed all the expenses of 

 these great undertakings. Another part of Mr. Astor's plan was to 

 tit out an expedition able to furnish the Americo-Russian colonists 

 with supplies ; in order to forward which, agents were sent to the 

 Russian capital in the spring of 1811 : and he next despatched his 

 yearly ship to the Pacific, with the view of strengthening the interest 

 already formed on that coast. This vessel the Beaver under Cap- 

 tain Sowle first touched at the Sandwich Islands, where unpleasant 

 tidings were heard respecting the Tonquin, and this intelligence led 

 them sooner than their intentions to the mouth of the Columbia on 

 the 9th of May, 1812. The arrival of the Beaver cheered the spirits 

 of the Astorians, and infused a new vigour into their movements. 

 Two parties were despatched up the river to establish trading posts 

 above the forks, in such situations as would give them an advantage 

 over the North-west Company ; a third set out with supplies to the 

 post on the Oakinazan ; and a fourth was commissioned to proceed 

 by land with despatches for Mr. Astor. Of this latter, the chief ex- 

 pedition, which was conducted by Mr. R. Stuart, we shall give some 

 brief account. They, seven in all, left Astoria on the 29th of June, 

 and after tracking the river for a couple of days took a south-eastern 

 course towards the Snake country, the scene of their former hard- 

 ships. After a weary journeying of five weeks under a burning 

 sun, and on an arid soil, the adventurers reached the Snake river 

 and fell in with a Snake or Shoshonie encampment, who gave tidings 

 of white men supposed to be Mr. Miller and his trapping comrades. 

 One of these Shoshonies followed them in their march. The result 

 of the interview speaks highly for the ingenuity of the Indians, if 

 not for their honesty. 



" In the course of the morning, an Indian came galloping 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 possession, 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 every 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 mean time some of the party came up, and immediately recognised 

 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. 



