CHAPTER II.
The next attempt to form a settlement on the Columbia was made by John Jacob Astor, who sent a party over-land from Boston,[1] under the command of Mr. Hunt. They endured many hardships in crossing the stony mountains, and lost several of their number; but at length reached their destination, the Columbia, after the destruction of the Tonquin. The next vessel Mr. Astor sent out was the Beaver, a ship commanded by Captain Sole.[2] She arrived safe in the river, and found the establishment in great distress for provisions. On the ensuing night, not being properly secured, she went adrift, and was nearly wrecked on the bar; they, however, got her into the harbour next day, and commenced landing their stores.
After they had unloaded, and received on board such furs as had been collected, they only waited for a fair opportunity to cross the bar, to observe which, Captain Sole went on shore daily, on Cape Disappointment. The natives, meanwhile, formed a design for seizing him and his boat's crew while on shore, and at the same time send off canoes to take the ship. The plot was, however, most fortunately frustrated by an Indian woman, who was on board with one of the sailors, and communicated the whole design to her temporary husband. This affair put Captain Sole more on his guard: the woman was handsomely rewarded, and is still at Fort George. The Beaver left the Columbia river, and ran along the coast to the northward. She went into Norfolk Sound, where the Russians have an extensive establishment, and there traded with the colonists for seal-skins. They were also induced to visit the islands of St. Paul and St. George, which are situated inside a group of islands, called the Aluthean (Aleutian) or Fox Islands. Here the Beaver was nearly lost among the ice; but ultimately, after encountering many difficulties, she arrived safe at Canton, with a valuable cargo of furs, and was laid up, on account of the war between the United States and Great Britain.
Mr. Astor next sent out the ship Lark, Captain Northrope, with instructions to touch at the Sandwich Islands: but when they got into their latitude, and were running down before the wind, it came on to blow very hard, which reduced them to a close-reefed main top-sail and fore-sail. The sea was running mountain high, and the ship being very crank, in the middle watch (which was kept by Mr. Machal, a relative of Mr. Astor's) she suddenly broached-to, and a sea struck her, which laid her on her beam-ends. The people lost no time in cutting away the masts, by which means she righted. Fortunately for them, the cargo consisted chiefly of rum for the Russians, and light goods, which, added to the number of empty water-casks on board, made the ship float light. After the gale had abated, they got the spare spars, and rigged one for a jury-mast. They also built a sort of stage on the forecastle, and, by means of a Sandwich Islander named Power, whom they brought from America with them, got a top-gallant-sail up from below, and set it on the jury foremast. They then cut the anchors from the bows, but afterwards felt the loss of them, managing nevertheless to steer the ship towards the Sandwich Islands. They remained nineteen days on the wreck, subsisting entirely on what the islander could get from the cabin, as he could not go down the main hatchway, on account of the casks drifting about; they also killed several sharks which were swimming across the vessel. At length, on the nineteenth day of their being in that distressing situation, they, to their great joy, discovered land, and were drifted close to Mowee, (Maui) in a smooth sandy bay. They now experienced the want of their anchors, which might have saved the ship. Some canoes came off, and some of the people landed, when the wind suddenly shifting, blew strong from the land, and the ship was drifted from Mowee (Maui) to the point of Morotoi[3] (Molokai), where she went on the rocks, and was soon knocked to pieces. The captain and remainder of the crew were rescued through the exertions of the islanders, and kindly treated by them. The natives saved, too, a great deal of the cargo, and the chief of Mowee (Maui), Namea Teymotoo, (Keeaumoku) having arrived, took charge of the whole. The news soon reached Owhyhee (Hawaii), and Tameameah, (Kamehameha) the king, dispatched orders to Teymotoo, (Keeaumoku) to send what goods he had obtained, and also all the white men to him. The white men were sent, but Teymotoo (Keeaumoku) never quitted the island while the rum lasted, for which he nearly lost his head, which he certainly would have done, had not his sister, named Ta'amano (Kaahumanu), and who was Tameameah's (Kamehameha's) head wife, exerted all her interest successfully in his cause.
The establishment on the Columbia River being so valuable in respect to the fur trade, it was determined by the Northwest Company of Canada to get possession of it. It was therefore arranged to fit out a ship for that purpose, and accordingly the ship Isaac Todd was selected and equipped by Messrs. McTavish, Fraser and Company, merchants, commanded by Captain Smith. She left England in March, 1813, with a number of settlers on board, the principal of whom was Donald McTavish, Esq. There was also a party sent over-land from Canada to reach the Columbia about the same time at which it was calculated the ship would arrive. The Isaac Todd called at Rio de Janeiro, and sailed thence under the convoy of his majesty's ships Phoebe, Racoon, and Cherub, of which she lost sight off Cape Horn; and, after beating off the Cape for some time, and nearly getting ashore, the captain, settlers, and sailors continually fighting and quarreling, at length arrived on the coast of California. Most of the people being laid up with the scurvy, they determined to run into Monterey (the Spanish seat of government on California) to recruit their crew, of which there was scarcely a sufficient number well enough to work the vessel. They anchored in Monterey in the latitude of 36° 36′ N., and longitude 121° 34′ W.; got permission to land the sick, and were well treated by the Spaniards, and recovered fast. When they were about to leave Monterey, an officer came over-land from Port St. Francisco[4] to order the Isaac Todd round to that port, and enable the Racoon to heave down and repair. She had arrived in the Columbia river, and found the establishment in possession of the party that came over-land, and the English colors flying on the fort. On the approach of the party, they had informed the Americans that some of his majesty's ships were coming to take possession of the place. Upon this the colony made the best bargain they could, and the English took possession of the fort, with a valuable assortment of furs. A few of the American clerks went on board the American brig Pedlar, but the governor, Mr. McDougal and the rest, entered into the service of the English Northwest Company. The Racoon, after having completed her wooding and watering, lay sometime in the river; on her crossing the bar, she struck, and so much damaged her bottom, that she could scarcely be kept above water till her arrival at Port St. Francisco, a distance not exceeding 500 miles from the Columbia. By means of the Isaac Todd, his majesty's ship was soon repaired, and sailed towards the Sandwich Islands. Several of the crew of the Isaac Todd deserted at Monterey, being afraid they should be pressed into the Racoon. She then sailed from Port St. Francisco, and arrived off the Columbia river in April, 1814, got over the bar in safety, and anchored in Baker's Bay. The Todd went up the river, and moored opposite the fort above Village Point; and all the entreaties of Mr. McTavish could not prevail on Captain Smith to bring the ship across: his excuse was, want of water in the channel, where there is three fathoms and a half at high tide. The consequences were fatal; for, on Sunday, the 22nd of May, as Mr. McTavish was crossing the river in the vessels long-boat, under the charge of Captain Smith's nephew, when they got about mid-channel, they were upset by a sudden squall, filled, and sunk immediately. Mr. McTavish, Mr. Henry and four others, found a watery grave, and an American carpenter, named Joseph Little, alone saved himself with an oar. He drifted up the river, and got on the stump of a tree, whence he was taken by an Indian canoe to the fort, where he communicated the sad fate of the governor and party. Within a few days two of the bodies were picked up, and buried close to the fort, and shortly after, the body of Mr. McTavish was drifted ashore to the northward of Cape Disappointment, and a party was sent to bury him there, as it was not safe, at that time, to bring him to the fort, where the natives were very troublesome, and all collected from the northward to fish in the river, this being the season.
Having served my time in the West India trade with Captain Stoddard, in the employ of Messrs. Inglis, Ellice and Company, of Mark-lane, I arrived in London about August, 1813, from a West Indian voyage. The houses of Inglis, Ellice and Co. and McTavish, Fraser and Co., were then fitting out a vessel for the northwest coast of America and China. A schooner that had formerly belonged to the Americans, was purchased for this voyage, and called the Columbia. She was a sharp-built vessel, of 185 tons register, and had a crew of 25 men, officers included. She was armed with ten nine-pounders, and had a patent boarding defence all round her bulwark. Her commander was Captain Anthony Robson, under whom I served as chief officer.
I went on board in August, 1813, and after taking our cargo on board, we dropped down to Gravesend the latter end of September, completed our stores, wood and water, at the Motherbank, and on the 26th of November, 1813, sailed under convoy of his majesty's ship Laurel, Captain Proby, in company with the Brazil fleet. On the 24th of January we crossed the equinoctial line in the longitute of 24° 0′ west, having much thunder, lightning, and rain. A strong current setting to the northward, on the 31st, we made the land about Pernambuco on the Brazil coast, spoke several catamarans, which are made of four or five logs of wood, trunneled together, and well lashed. They are rigged with a large lug-sail, and are used to fish and trade along the Brazil Coast, manned with four or five negroes. February 9th, we saw Cape Frio in the latitude of 23° 1′ south, and longitude 41° 45′ west, and on the 10th we came-to in Rio de Janeiro harbor. We lost no time in preparing to wood and water the ship, the season for doubling Cape Horn being far advanced; several of our crew deserted, and we had great difficulty in procuring others.
On the 19th of February, having completed our stores, etc., we sailed from Rio, intending to touch at the Falkland islands, and refit, previous to doubling the Cape. On the 14th of March we saw the Falkland Islands, stood away to the eastward, towards Berkeley's Sound, and as we sailed along shore, observed a great number of cattle and horses. About 11 o'clock p.m., we rounded Cape St. Vincent, and worked up the sound with a strong gale at S. W. At 3 p.m., came-to between Penguin and Goat Islands, at the head of the sound in six fathoms, soft bottom. I went on shore with a party on Goat Island, where we shot a number of ducks and other birds, of which there appeared to be great numbers, as also of the fur seal. Next day, Captain Robson went on shore to a town which we saw from the ship, apparently deserted. In the evening he returned with the boat nearly full of ducks and geese. We got under weigh, and warped nearer the place in four fathoms water, good bottom. It appeared that the town had been deserted by the Spaniards in 1811: they called the island Soledada. We found it well stocked with cattle, horses, ducks, geese, etc., and also a small quantity of cabbages and celery, the gardens being nearly chocked up with weeds, which we cleared away, and planted seeds of different kinds. On the 27th day of March, 1814, having completed the rigging, we took a stock of fresh beef, geese, and pigs on board, filled up our water, got under way, and stood out of the sound, with a strong S. W. wind. While we lay at these islands, the people had fresh beef, geese, and vegetables daily; and when we sailed, all on board were in good health, except our surgeon, who had been ill since we left Rio de Janeiro.
Cape St. Vincent and Cape Pembroke form the entrance of this sound; the former is in the latitude of 51° 26′ south, and longitude 57° 54′ west; the latter, in latitude 51° 56′ south, and longitude 57° 54′ west; the sound is about three leagues deep and about three miles wide in the middle. Ships bound into this sound must give Cape St. Vincent a wide berth, on account of a reef that runs about a mile off the point; and it would be particularly advisable for such as are going round Cape Horn, to touch here in preference to calling at Rio de Janeiro.
We encountered very severe weather going round the cape; at times not more than six or eight men were able to stand the deck, from being continually wet and cold, and the schooner being so low that the sea was continually washing over her. On one occasion, April 14, 1814, she shipped a sea that washed the round-house clean from the deck, and filled the cabin: we had four feet of water in the hold, and in this gale carried away the foreyard, and split all our sails, so that, at one time, we had not a single sail that was fit to set. About the 18th of April, we doubled Cape Horn, and ran along shore to the northward, with a fine S. W. breeze. May 26th, John Jameson, the surgeon, departed this life, after a long illness: he was a native of Scotland, aged about 26 years. His body was committed to the deep with the usual ceremonies.
On the 22nd of May, we crossed the equinoctial line in the longitude of 109° 14′ west, with a strong breeze from E. S. E. and fine weather. Nothing of moment occurred until the 22nd of June, when a young man, of the name of Thomas Smoke, came aft, and divulged a most villainous design, planned by four of the men, viz: John Happy, boatswain, John Carpenter, John Peterson, and John Decrutz, seamen. Their horrid purpose was to rise in the middle watch, which it happened I was to keep, and throw me overboard; one of the parties was then to go to the cabin, and dispatch the captain, who was at that time unwell, and the others were to murder the officers in the half-deck. They had asked Smoke if he could navigate the ship to the Spanish main for them: he answered that he could, and was thus enabled to frustrate their treachery.
Having put us on our guard, he went forward, but not below, and we made preparations for the villains in as private a way as possible. I wished to secure them immediately, but Captain Robson declined doing so till the morning, it being then dark. We armed all the officers in the half-deck, and opened a door which led from the cabin to that berth; we then unhinged the doors, and put them below. The second mate took the first watch from 8 o'clock to midnight, and the rest of us kept in readiness to jump on deck at the least notice. Midnight came, and I succeeded to the watch. I went on deck armed with three pair of pistols. My first care was to look round, and see that every thing was right; I then called down the forecastle, to know if the watch were coming on deck: the answer was, "Aye, aye, sir." Shortly after, Happy came on deck, and relieved the helm, but none of the others made their appearance. It being a fine night, I was glad they kept below, as it was my determination to shoot the first man who should attempt to come abaft the gang-way. At daylight we called them one at a time, and secured them in irons. Towards noon, Carpenter requested to be taken out of irons, and to make a confession concerning the mutiny. His deposition was accordingly taken by Captain Robson, and signed by the officers, after which we were obliged to keep him apart from the other prisoners , as they swore they would murder him.
Latitude 39° 14′ north; longitude 134° 39′ west. On the 29th of June, we made Cape Orford, on the coast of New Albion, and on the 6th of July we saw Cape Disappointment, the north point of Columbia River: latitude 46° 19′ north, and longitune 123° 0′ west. We stood close in with the bar, fired a gun, tacked ship in 6½ fathoms dark sand, about half a mile from the breakers. Next day we stood in: the tide setting in strong, and drifting us fast towards the bar, I went to the mast-head to look for a channel, and perceived an Indian canoe paddling towards us. She soon after came alongside, and the natives began talking to us in a language we did not understand; we then lowered the boat down, and I took one of the Indians with me to sound before the ship,—the least water we had was 3½ fathoms on the bar. On rounding Cape Disappointment, an Indian village opened to our view, consisting of about 50 miserable looking huts. The Indians were all busily employed, launching their canoes, and pushing off towards the ship, which was a novel spectacle to us all, as we had never seen people of this description before. At three o'clock p.m. we anchored under Cape Disappointment in Baker's Bay, about a mile from the village, and were soon visited by about 30 canoes, with men, women, and children, most of whom had flat heads. We put sentries on immediately, and ran our boarding defence out, to the great astonishment of the natives.
- ↑ The narrator is in error in naming Boston as the place of departure both of sea and land expeditions. New York was the headquarters, and the Beaver left that port Oct. 10, 1811.[Ed.]
- ↑ Also given as Sowle and Soule by other writers; the latter most likely correct.[Ed.]
- ↑ This should be Kahoolawe, not Molokai.[Ed.]
- ↑ San Francisco.