322 On the Fur Trade, and Fur-bearing Animals. 



country. Mr. Hunt arrived at Astoria, a few days subsequently to 

 this, viz. on the 26th of August, in the ship Albatross, from the Sand- 

 wich Islands, where he had passed the last year. There were none 

 other of the wintering parties at Astoria, than Mr. McDougall ; and 

 Mr. Hunt, after remaining there only six days, reembarked on board 

 the same ship, for the purpose of procuring supplies for the company 

 at the Sandwich Islands. Early in the month of October, of the 

 same year, 1813, Mr. McTavish of the North West Company, 

 with another partner, viz. Mr. Alexander Stewart, seven clerks^ 

 among whom was Mr. Ross Cox, (who had formerly belonged to the 

 American Company, but had joined Mr. McTavish in his previous 

 visit in the spring,) forty men, and nine canoes, made their appearance 

 at Astoria. These were accompanied from above in another canoe, 

 by Mr. John Clark, of the American party. The proclaimed object 

 of the North West gentlemen, was to establish the country and drive 

 out the Americans ; and this insignificant party, (insignificant as it re- 

 spects their means to effect their purpose,) conducted themselves in 

 a haughty and supercilious manner, at their encampment, under the 

 very guns of the American fort, in which there were sixty men. The 

 British standard floated in every passing breeze, while at Astoria, no 

 similar display was permitted. No loyal son of America, had the 

 keeping of its stripes and stars. A single whisper in the earof Com- 

 comoly, from the American chief Mr. McDougall, would have sent 

 these gens du nord to join the ages which are gone, so completely 

 were they in the power of the Americans. 



An extract of a letter from Mr. Angus Shaw, (an agent of the 

 North West Company, and uncle of the American chief Mr. McDou- 

 gall,) was read to the clerks convened for the purpose, in which it was 

 stated, that " an English frigate was to be dispatched to destroy eve- 

 ry thing American on the north west coast," and a kw days subse- 

 quently to this, the goods, furs, establishments, and existencies of all 

 kinds, in the country, belonging to Mr. Astor, passed into the pos- 

 session of the North West Company. On the 30th of November, of 

 the same year, his Britannic Majesty's sloop of war Raccoon, Capt. 

 Black, having on board Mr. Jno. McDonald, a proprietor of the 

 North West Company, arrived at Columbia River. On her appearance 

 off the bar, Mr. McTavish, with all the furs, started up the river to se- 

 cure them, uncertain of the character of the sail in sight ; this method 

 of placing beyond the reach of an enemy, this valuable description of 

 property, appeared to have escaped the memory of the gentlemen. 



