LOSS OF THE PEACOCK. 495 



tents, cooking utensils, and clothing, all vying with each other in 

 affording assistance. 



When all hopes of getting any thing from the wreck were at an 

 end, Captain Hudson sent the crew to Astoria, in the boats, with 

 orders to form an encampment there, where they found an ample 

 supply of provisions in the stores that had been sent from the Sand- 

 wich Islands, in the Wave, and were supplied with clothing by the 

 kindness of Dr. M'Laughlin and the officers of the Hudson Bay 

 Company. 



As soon as I learned the exact state of affairs in the river, I deter- 

 mined to make such disposition of the squadron as would be most 

 advantageous, in the performance, under the new circumstances, of 

 the duties which remained to be accomplished. 



With this intent, I resolved to shift my pennant to the Porpoise, 

 and with that vessel, the Flying-Fish, and the boats of the Peacock, 

 to survey the Columbia to its extreme navigable point. This force 

 would be amply sufficient to perform this survey in the shortest 

 possible time, and yet enable me to despatch a party, as I had before 

 intended, through the southern section of the Oregon Territory to 

 San Francisco. The Vincennes, to which I ordered Lieutenant- 

 Commandant Ringgold, I resolved to send to San Francisco, to make 

 a survey of the Sacramento river, while I was engaged upon that of 

 the Columbia. 



In conformity with this plan, I directed the Vincennes to lie off 

 and on at the mouth of the river, while I proceeded in with the 

 Porpoise to make the necessary changes and transfers. Taking Mr. 

 Knox, and Ramsey the pilot, on board the latter vessel, we passed 

 the bar and stood towards Astoria, but were compelled by the tide 

 to anchor before reaching that place. On the morning of the 7th, 

 we anchored in front of Astoria, where all the necessary arrange- 

 ments were completed ; and Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, on 

 the next day, proceeded in the Flying-Fish, with the transferred 

 officers, to join the Vincennes. As soon as this was effected, that 

 vessel bore away for San Francisco, and the tender returned to the 

 river. 



As it became absolutely necessary to economize our time as much 

 as possible, every disposition was now made of the men and boats. I 

 soon, however, found that, although I had sent a number of men to 

 . the Vincennes, there would be many that could not be well accom- 

 modated in the smaller vessel, and I was desirous of procuring some 

 extra accommodation. Fortunately, the American brig, the Thomas 

 H. Perkins, Captain Varney, was lying at Astoria ; and a reasonable 



