Astoria in 1811

A HISTORY
OF
O R E G O N,

1792 - 1849,

DRAWN FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION AND AUTHENTIC INFORMATION.

BY
W. H. GRAY,
OF
ASTORIA.

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR FOR SUBSCRIBERS.

PORTLAND, OREGON: HARRIS & HOLMAN.

SAN FRANCISCO: H. H. BANCROFT & CO.

NEW YORK: THE AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY.

1870.

CORRECTIONS:

FIRST LETTER.

4th page, 2nd line from bottom, after the word horror, read at.

6th page, 2nd line from bottom, “ quote.

7th page, end of paragraph, ”.

23rd page, in place of 283, page 273.

24th page, after zealous priest of, read the.

26th page, 5th line, for missionaries, read missions.

SECOND LETTER.

5th page, first word, for abrogate, read arrogate.

8th page, in this letter, read in his letter.

23rd page, for unmbers, read numbers.

29th page, 1st paragraph, for dispersing, read dispensing.

30th page, 2nd paragraph, for barely, read basely betrayed.

32nd page, for mith, read with many thanks.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by
W. H. GRAY,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Oregon.

INTRODUCTORY.

The reader will observe that when we commenced furnishing the historical articles for the Marine Gazette, we did not know that they would be of sufficient interest to justify arranging them in book form; but few articles had been given, however, before there was a call for back numbers of the paper, which were not on hand. It was then decided to continue the articles, giving an opportunity to correct errors in statement of historical facts, and collect such as were printed, with all just criticisms, review the whole, and complete the manuscript for publication.

As will be seen, we have endeavored to narrate events in plain language, and as nearly in the order of occurrence as possible.

We make no claim to literary merit or attractive style; the facts we have collected, the proofs we are able to give of the policy and practices of one of the most gigantic frauds ever continued for a series of years by one professedly civilized and Christian nation upon another, in chartering and continuing to license a monster monopoly; and the manner in which they have sought for a series of years to prevent American trade and settlement of the western portion of our country, is contained in the following pages. We can only give the principal events, which in the future may be better arranged in an interesting and authentic history, which we must leave for others to write. The reader will find in the following pages:—

I. The American history of the Hudson’s Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural companies.

II. The causes of failure of the Protestant missions, the causes of Indian wars, and the causes that must tend to the utter destruction of the Indian race on the American continent.

III. The adverse influences that the early settlers had to contend with in coming to and settling in the country, fully explained.

IV. A concise history of the early settlement of the country, a short sketch of many of the public men in it, their public character and proceedings, and the organization of the provisional government.

V. The mining and agricultural interests of the country.

There are two grounds upon which every fact is based:—

1. Personal knowledge, observation, and participation in what is stated for one-third of a century.

2. The written and printed statements of others, so compared that conclusions are intended to be without a possibility of truthful contradiction; thus making this a standard history of the country for the time included within the period from its discovery by Captain Robert Gray to 1849.

CONTENTS.

• CHAPTER I.Page

  First discovery of the river.—Natives friendly.—British ship.—Brig Jennet.—Snow Sea Otter.—The Globe.—Alert.—Guatimozin.—Atahualpa.—Lewis and Clarke.—Vancouver.—Hamilton.—Derby.—Pearl.—Albatross.—First house built in 1810.—Astor’s settlement.—The Tonquin.—Astor’s Company betrayed to the Northwest Company.13

• CHAPTER II.

  The country restored.—The order.—Description of Astoria.—Different parties.—Northwest Fur Company.—Astor’s plan.—Conflict of the two British fur companies.—The treaties.—The Selkirk settlement.—Its object.—The company asserts chartered rights as soon as united.20

• CHAPTER III.

  English Hudson’s Bay effort to secure Oregon.—British claim to Oregon.—Dr. McLaughlin’s relation to the company.—Treatment of Red River settlers.—A mistake.—Sir Edward Belcher.—Duplicity of the Hudson’s Bay Company.—A noble man.—An Englishman’s opinion of the Hudson’s Bay Company.—Sir James Douglas’s testimony.—J. Ross Browne.—Duty of an historian.—Cause and effect. 27

• CHAPTER IV.

  Care of Great Britain for her fur companies.—Columbia Fur Company.—Astor’s second fur company.—Major Pilcher’s fur company.—Loss of the ship Isabel.—Captain Bonneville’s expedition.—Cause of his failure.—Captain Wyeth’s, 1832.—Indians ask for missionaries in 1833.—Methodist Mission.—Fort Hall established.—Fort Boise.36

• CHAPTER V.

  Extent and power of Hudson’s Bay Company.—Number of forts.—Location.—Policy.—Murder of Mr. Black.—McKay.—Manner of dealing with Indians.—Commander of fort kills an Indian.—Necessity of such a course.—Hudson’s Bay Company not responsible for what their servants do.42

• CHAPTER VI.

  Murder of John McLaughlin, Jr.—Investigation by Sir George