Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/69

OCCUPAPION OF THE COLUMBIA RlVER. 61 trade with the natives. The soil was found to be rich, and well adapted to the culture of all the useful vegetables found in any part of the United States ; as turnips, potatoes, onions, rye, wheat, melons of various kinds, cucumbers, and every species of pease. In the course of a year or two, it was be- lieved their interest would be promoted by cultivating and securing the friendship and confidence of the tribes inhabiting the waters of that great river; to which end, the town of Astoria was maintained by about thirty men, whilst the rest established themselves at five other points, to become fixed stations, to raise their own vegetables, trade with the natives, and receive supplies of merchandise from the general depot at Astoria, and return to it the fruits of their labor. One of these subordinate establishments appears to have been at the mouth of Lewis' river; one at Lantou; a third on the Columbia, six hundred miles from the ocean, at the confluence of the Wantana river, a fourth on the east fork of Lewis' river ; and the fifth on the Multnomah. Thus situated, this en- terprising little colony succeeded well in all their undertak- ings, nor met with but one misfortune, which seemed to par- take largely of that kind which had, for a long time, so cer- tainly and so unseen, been inflicted upon our Western inhabi- tants : this was the loss of the Tonquin, a vessel they had taken from New York, whilst trading down the coast, where, in time past, she had been, in common with the ships of some European Powers, enjoying the friendship and confidence of the natives. This confidence had, by some means, been de- stroyed, and, whilst they induced many of the ship 's company to go on shore, many of their own number went on board the ship, and suddenly attacking the crew, the whole were de- stroyed, as well as the vessel. This, though a great affliction to the survivors on the Columbia, did not dishearten them, as other vessels were expected soon to arrive, and, with these expectations, they continued their trade, which, "becoming profitable, they were less inclined to abandon. But the opera- tions of the war of 1812, which took place between the United States and Great Britain, was destined to mar their prosperity.