CHAPTER V 



MR. ASTOR S COMPANY ENCOUNTERS NEW OPPONENTS 



THAT Andrew Henry whom Lisa had sought when 

 he pursued the Astorians up the Missouri continued to 

 be dogged by misfortune on the west side of the moun 

 tains. Game was scarce and his half-starving follow 

 ers were scattered, some to the British posts in the 

 north, some to the Spaniards in the south, and some 

 to the nameless graves of the mountains. Henry forced 

 his way back over the divide and met Lisa in the Ari- 

 cara country. The British war broke out and the Mis 

 souri Company were compelled to abandon the danger 

 ous territory of the Blackfeet, who could purchase arms 

 from the British traders, raid the Americans, and 

 scurry back to Canada. 



When Lisa died in 1820 more than three hundred 

 Missouri men were again in the mountains; but they 

 suffered the same ill luck. Jones and Immel s party 

 were annihilated by the Blackfeet; and Pilcher, who 

 succeeded to Lisa s position and dauntlessly crossed 

 over to the Columbia,, had all his supplies stolen, 

 reaching the Hudson s Bay post, Fort Colville, almost 

 destitute. The British rivals received him with 

 that hospitality for which they were renowned when 

 trade was not involved, and gave him escort up the 

 Columbia, down the Athabasca and Saskatchewan to 

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