342 COLUJIBIA RIVER. 



We found the water quite smooth, and glided on hour after hour 

 without any appearance of a landing. I was at a loss to account for 

 the length of our passage, until I found the tide had been against us. 

 We at last reached what Plumondon called Tongue Point, and after- 

 wards kept skirting the shore for so long a time that I began to have 

 misgivings that we should pass Astoria, and began firing muskets, 

 the usual signal of an arrival. They were immediately answered by 

 others just behind us, and the loud clamour of about forty yelping 

 dogs. These sounds, although discordant, gave us the delightful 

 assurance that we had reached our destination, and might now 

 make our escape from the confined and irksome position we had 

 been in a whole day. Mr. Burnie, the agent of the Hudson Bay 

 Company, met us at the landing, with lanterns and every assistance, 

 and gave us a truly Scotch welcome. We soon fovmd ourselves in 

 his quarters, where in a short time a fire was burning brightly, and 

 his hospitable board spread with good cheer, although it was past 

 midnight. After partaldng of the supper, blankets were furnished 

 us, and we were made exceedingly comfortable for the night. 



In the morning we had a view of the somewhat famous Astoria, 

 which is any thing but what I should wish to describe. Half a dozen 

 log houses, with as many sheds, and a pig-aty or two, are all that it 

 can boast of, and even these appear to be rapidly going to decay. 



The Company pay little regard to it, and the idea of holding or 

 improving it as a post, has long since been given up. The head- 

 quarters of their operations have been removed to Vancouver, eighty 

 miles further up the river, since which Astoria has merely been held 

 for the convenience of their vessels. It boasts of but one field, and 

 that was in potatoes, which I can, however, vouch for as being very 

 fine. In former times it had its gardens, forts, and banqueting halls ; 

 and from all accounts, when it was the head-quarters of the North- 

 west Company, during their rivalship with the Hudson Bay Com- 

 pany, there was as jovial a set residing here, as ever were met 

 together. I have had the pleasure of meeting with several of the 

 survivors, who have recounted their banquetings, &c. 



In point of beauty of situation, few places will vie with Astoria. It 

 is situated on the south side of the Columbia river, eleven miles 

 from Cape Disappointment, as the crow flies. From Astoria there 

 is a fine view of the high promontory of Cape Disappointment, and 

 the ocean bounding it on the west; the Chinook Hills and Point 

 Ellice, with its rugged peak, on the north ; Tongue Point and 



