— 23— 
source of the Columbia, the Snake River, and after 
incredible sufferings, to which several of the party 
succumbed, reached the Columbia and the Pacific 
Ocean. At the same time a ship had been sent around 
Cape Horn to the Columbia River. It had arrived 
there, and a trading fort (Astoria) had been built 
near the mouth of the Columbia River. So far, the 
undertaking was crowned with success. But several 
mishaps, especially the faithlessness of one agent, 
wrecked everything. In 1812 the fort was treacher- 
ously sold by the agent to the North West Company, 
and shortly after, the English, then at war with the 
United States, took military possession. In 1818 the 
fort was formally surrendered to the United States, 
but the North West Company remained in the actual 
occupation of the country. Its only rival now was 
the Hudson’s Bay Company. For a time these two 
companies maintained a bloody feud, till finally, in 
1821, they amalgamated into one trading company 
under the valuable franchises of the Hudson’s Bay 
Company. The new company has now drawn to 
itself all the trade on the Columbia and has actually 
expelled the United States from this part of its ter- 
ritory. 
Such results were not encouraging for the people of 
the United States; but their spirit of enterprise soon 
showed itself afresh. In 1820 a new expedition, 
under Major Long, was sent by the Government of 
the United States up the Missouri River to explore 
the country. Private undertakings also were soon 
Geographical 
and 
Historical 
Survey” 
