Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-05-30

10 him the discovery which he had made communi-
Gated the chart of which he had up Vancouver sent
his first lieutenant, Brougton, who river
miles took possession OF il in the Of his Britannia Ma
jesy gave il the name Of coumba and to the bay where
Capt Gray had stopped the OF Gays Bay Since this
period the country has been much equented especially by
! Americans"
ba is valuable for showing first that discovered the
river secondly, that showed it TO British navigaors and,
rdly that of those to whom showed Immediately
claimed British property We shall soon see that the
British Government agents these parts the North
west Company gave this claim Of Mr. Trough
ton little crcabIe his candor and Justice Vancouver
like Of honor claimed Capt Gray discovery but
assigned him the entire credit Of with thanks for his
municaton of il 10 himself
The design Of Mr. Asor establishment is thus spoken Of:
sMr John Jacob Astor merchant of New York, who
ried alone the trade rs the south OF the great Lakes
Huron and SUPERIOR and who had acquired by this commerce
prodgious fortune believed he could yet augment this for
ment Of which ta enrepo should be at its mouth lie
municaed his views the agents Of the Northwest Company
he wished make this establishment in concert with
them but after negotiations the winering partners s
fo'ades Dernas having rejected his propositions ME-
to his that he should have persons long accustomed
trade i'm the Indians, and he did Ead them- Mr..
Mackenzie his enterprising
joined him and, after, Mesrs Duncan McDougail
Donald MCKENZIE heretofore in the service Of the Northwest
Company David Stuart and Robert Stuart all of Canada did
the Finally in the winter Of 1870 Mr. Wilson Price
Hunt of ST. Louis the Mississippi having also joined hem
they determined that the expedition should take place the fol-
lowing spring "
This shows direct communication of Mr.. Asors design to
the Northwest Company, and Of their refusal to act
with him. because Of the American character Of the enterprise
also the why he employed many Canadians IN his
1t the sake OF having experienced traders
ss in conducting bis business II shows also that, among
other Canadian gentlemen he had employed Mr. Alexander
Mckay the faithful companion of Sir Alexander Mackenzie
in his expedition the Pacific Ocean in 1893 This gentle
knew where Mackenzes discoveries and whether
Mr.. Asor about trespass upon them This then,
the time speak the contrary, the companion of Mac
kenzie goes assist laying the foundation Of the Anne
ncan colony the Columbia Mr.. Franchere proceeds:
and before leaving that city, Mr. Mckay believed would be
prudent Mr. jackson, the Minister Penipotenary OF
his Britannia Majesty in order to inform the object for
which embark ask his advice what
he should do in Of rupture between the two Powers in
going trade under the American flag After
ments reflection Mr. Jackson said to him. that we were
TO form mercantile establishment the risk OF our lives
that all he could promise that in OF war between
the Powers should be respected British subjects and
traders This appeared satisfactory and Mr. Mckay
believed he had nothing to fear from that quarter
This the year, lsl0seventeen years after the dis
Of Mackenzie and eight years after Mr. Broughton
took possession of the Columbia in the Of his Britannia
Majesty and this time the Minister Of Great Britain,
special communication made him Of Mr. Astors design
to occupy the Columbia, has not word to against it.
Up that time had not occurred to the British Govern
ment that the Columbia river was theirs
The ship Tonqun, carrying the maritime part OF the expe
don, arrived the mouth Of the Columbia, March 18th,
1911 The approach the revealed nothing but lofty
ranges of mountains white with through gap of which
badthe night dark-two boats had been swampedno
pilots lights, buoys-yet the Captain Ga rash who
afterwards blew up his ship Nooka) entered safely, and
anchored at midnight in commodous habo On the 18th
Of April after examining both sides Of the bay for the best
situation site chosen the south side, about four or
i a s Sc sns rs s. Hsa 6 ss
18th Of July, the young Astoria received important vst
which is thus described;
A ready the day appointed or an expedition to
the Interior and preparing to load the canoes when
towards midday large canoe, carrying hag which
rounding the point called by Tongue We were
ignorant who they might be- for did not look soon tor
people, who las the reader renember to
the continent by the which Captains Lewis and Clarke
had followed in 1905 and winter for this purpose the banks
the Missouri Our uncertainty banshed by the
nearing the canoe which landed little quay which
which this canoe carried was the British flag
amounted to only nine persons in all man. quite well
dressed who appeared command, eaped first the
Shore accosug without ceremony told that he
named David Thompson and was one OF the propretors OF the
Northwest Company Wenvted him ascend to lodging
which end of the she'd house being FIN
shed After the usual Inequalities, Mr. Thompson told
that he had crossed during the preceding winter
t that the DISCRETION Of part Of his had obliged him
the foot of the mountains the head OF the
ad ao%s 20 our He added that the proprietor
wnering them had resolved to abandon all the posts which
they had west Of the mountains rather than enter INTO comp
tition with u.s. condition that would promise not to
trouble them the trade the eastern side and to sustain
what he said he produced letter to Mr. William McGvry
Mr.. Thompson kept, it seemed to regular jour
nal and travelled rather geogapher than trader in urs
which he establishment he had occasion make
several astronomical observations"
This was visit great in the history of Astoria,
and the consideration the British claim TO the Columbia,
which has been lately brought forward. Mr. Thompson
one Of the Northwest Company its astronomer, gentleman
of science character whom greatly indebted for
fixing important geographical positions in the interior Of
North America He had crossed the continent from Montreal
simultaneously with Mr.. Asors land expedition from St.
Louis but higher latitude, and arrived few days before
IT, He the Columbia to give the information to Mr.
Asto agents that the Northwest Company, to avoid compe
on with hem would abandon all their establishments west
Of the Mountains, provided Mr.. Aston would interfere
with them the This proposal agreed to- The
valley of the Columbia left the free enjoyment Of the
Americans and the extension Of posts the Mountains went
without question according to the original Intention
The Northwest Company, at that me than the Bri
fish Government had happened yet TO take into lite head
that the Columbia river any part Of il, was British pro-
perty
Mr. Asors agents proceeded the establishment Of into
posts and the dispatch Of parties to hunt and trade up
the Columbia 10 the Mountains. The Okanakan, about six
hundred miles up, the north side of the nver and at the
mouth of the river of that name the most considerable
and remarkable for being the the British estab
shments in New Caledonia for by that the valley and
district of Frazers then known and that
years before Mr. Harmon published his book The spokane
hundred miles higher up and the south side,
ablished Mt the time. The post the Wahamath,
two hundred and fifty miles southeast from Astoria,
abished the next year and Of all these establishments Mr.
Franchere gives particular account which it is
sary to read here The country was at the time COM
pcey penetrated by parties Of traders and hunters up to the
headates Of Clarks river and Lewiss river, and INTO