256 FROM NISQUALLY TO COLUMBIA RIVER. 



At Astoria, we had the pleasure of meeting the " Peacock's" 

 officers and crew, who appeared to be in good health and fine 

 spirits, and all spoke of the kind treatment they had received 

 from Mr. Birnie, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company at 

 Astoria, and I take this occasion to say, that his treatment to 

 Mr. Eld and myself also, was such as to merit our warmest 

 thanks. From what I could learn, both from officers and 

 crew, I inferred, that the loss of the " Peacock" was an una- 

 voidable occurrence, and that through the whole disaster, Cap- 

 tain Hudson's behavior had been that of a good officer and 

 an able seaman. 



During our stay at Astoria I also had the pleasure of be- 

 coming acquainted with an American missionary and his lady, 

 Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They had arrived in the country two 

 years previous with a party which crossed the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and, for the last fifteen months, had been stationed at 

 a place called Kamia. But the Indians having left there, and 

 the climate not agreeing with Mrs. Smith's health, they had 

 determined to leave the country and proceed to the Sandwich 

 Islands ; they expected to sail in a few days for Oahoo. They 

 both gave very unfavorable accounts of the Indians among 

 whom they had been residing, and deemed it quite useless to 

 send missionaries among them. 



Astoria is situated on the south bank of the Columbia 

 River, and distant about fifteen miles from Cape Disappoint- 

 ment. The location is a beautiful one ; it forms the crest of 

 a hill which rises some hundred feet above the level of the 

 river, and in pleasant weather, the waters of the Pacific 

 Ocean, Point Ellice, Tongue Point, Katolamet Range, with 

 many other striking objects, are in sight. 



As for the town, it is a sorry one. Indeed, ever since the 

 period fixed on by the Hudson's Bay Company to make Van- 



