Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/213

SLACUM'S REPORT ON OREGON, 1836-7 205 even as a place where, for eight months of the year, our whalers from the coast of Japan might resort for supplies, which, in the course of a few years, would be abundant, if the citizens of the United States could receive, from the Govern- ment the protection due to them. A custom-house, established at the mouth of the Columbia, would effectually protect the American trader from the monopoly which the Hudson Bay Company enjoy at this time, and a single military post would be sufficient to give effect to the laws of the United States, and protect our citizens in their lawful avocations. We descended the Columbia in the Loriot on the 23d of January, and found the Hudson Bay Company's ships Nereide and Llama still in "Baker's bay," having been detained since the 22d of December. On the 29th of January, a violent gale from the southeast commenced before daylight. On the morn- ing of the 30th, the Loriot parted both cables, and was driven ashore. We received every assistance from the Nereide and Llama. In two or three days the Loriot was got afloat. In the mean time., Captain Bancroft went up to Fort Vancouver, and succeeded in getting a good chain-cable, stream, and anchor. On the 10th of February, the bar was smooth and the wind from the eastward. We got under way with the Hudson Bay Company's ships Nereide and Llama, and crossed the bar safely, and stood on our way towards "Bodega," the Russian settlement in California. Nothing material occurred from the day we left Columbia until the morning of the 19th of February, when we made the land off the "Presidia Ross." The wind bein.r light, I took the boat at 8 miles distant, and passed in for the fort. About three miles distant from the Loriot, I met three Bydackas com- ing off to us. An officer delivered a polite message from the Russian Governor, and immediately returned to the shore with me. About 2 o'clock I landed, and met a hospitable reception from Mr. Peter Rostrometinoff, the Russian military and civil commandant of the Russian American Fur Company. The Presidia Ross lies in 38 40' north latitude, immediately on the ocean, on a hill sloping gradually towards the sea. The