The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 173 



if they persevered in their attempts to estabHsh a 

 trade. According to Thompson's account, he had 

 left Canada in the preceding year, with a con- 

 siderable party and plenty of goods, intending to 

 cross the Rocky Mountains. The majority of his 

 men had deserted him when real hardships had to 

 be faced, but he had persisted in pushing on with 

 the few who had remained faithful to him, and had 

 reached the source of the Columbia, where his 

 Indians had built the bark canoe. The real truth 

 was, that immediately on hearing of I\Ir. Astor's 

 scheme, the North-West Company took the alarm, 

 and resolved to anticipate him by establishing a 

 post on the Columbia river themselves. Mr. 

 Thompson was therefore despatched overland with 

 a large party, and all the necessary appliances, but 

 his men deserting him, the project had failed. He 

 was, however, a man of wonderful energy, and 

 visited many Indian villages, presenting their 

 inhabitants with English flags, some of which he 

 even planted in the forks of the rivers, claiming the 

 country in the name of the king for the great 

 association to which he belonged. The mis- 

 conduct of his men having frustrated his hopes of 

 anticipating the Astorians, he had come down the 

 river to reconnoitre the enemy's camp. 



"Mr. McDougall received Mr. Thompson very 



