Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival (44 page)
Authors: Peter Stark
Robinson, Edward, 110–11, 112, 114–15, 117, 126, 131–35, 140–41, 307
Rocky Mountains: Overland Party route and, 153, 156; Return Overland Party and, 297
Ross, Alexander: and Astoria expedition losses, 287; and British claims to Northwest Coast, 294; and building of Astoria, 190, 191; as caretaker for McKay’s son, 192; and Clarke-Caratouch Indian incident, 266–68; Clarke comments by, 238; Crooks-Day ordeal narrative by, 233–36; and decision to abandon Astoria, 264, 268, 269; and establishment of Astoria fur posts, 219; and Falkland Islands incident, 54; in Hawaii, 62, 63, 65; and Hunt-Astor relationship, 101; Mackenzie (Donald) comments of, 42, 255; McDougall and, 191, 195, 196; McKay comments of, 213; and Okanagan fur trade, 232; and Overland Party arrival in Astoria, 223; post-Astoria life of, 307–8; and recruitment for Astoria expedition, 41; Stuart (David) comments of, 233; and Thompson’s visit to Astoria, 195; and Thorn, 77; and
Tonquin
crossing of Columbia Bar, 68–69, 77, 79, 80, 81–82, 83, 84, 87, 88; and
Tonquin
desertions, 62; as
Tonquin
passenger, 29, 37, 39; and
Tonquin
relationships, 56–57; and
Tonquin
-Vancouver Island events, 203; Willamette Valley comments of, 238
Royal Navy, British: Astor’s concerns about, 97, 241, 252–53, 264, 277, 287; and North West interest in Astoria, 256, 258–59, 264, 269, 281–82; and selling of Astoria, 282; stop-and-search activities of, 30, 241, 258, 265; and Thompson’s astronomical equipment, 195; War of 1812 and, 258–59, 264, 269
Russia: Astor-Bentzon negotiations with, 165, 166; Astor’s negotiations with, 258, 275; and Astor’s planning for Astoria expedition, 25; North America explorations by, 70; and papers for Astor ships, 258, 265; and sale of Alaska to U.S., 301.
See also
Russian fur traders
Russian fur traders, 3, 70, 74, 76, 206, 207, 239, 261, 274–75
Sacagawea, 108, 125, 180–81
salmon fishing, 203–4, 218, 229, 229
n,
230, 262
scalpings, 99, 112–13
Sciatoga Indians, 175, 176, 177–83
Scottish fur traders: at Astoria, 221; Astor’s concerns about, 253; at Falkland Islands, 53–55; and fur trade culture, 34, 45; with North West Company, 93–98; and Overland Party arrival in Astoria, 223; as partners in Astoria expedition, 24, 27–29; recruitment for Astoria expedition of, 23; as
Tonquin
passengers, 24, 27–29, 35, 80.
See also
partners, Scottish;
specific person
scurvy, 174–75, 218, 234, 262
Seagoing Party: mission of, 20; recruitment for, 41.
See also
specific person or ship
Seton, Alfred, 242, 244, 256, 257, 261, 267, 284, 306–7
sexual barter system, 114
Shoshone Indians: Crooks and Day with, 223, 233, 234; and Dorion’s (Marie) childbirth, 180, 181, 181
n
; Overland Party and, 132–33, 132
n,
135–36, 142–43, 150–51, 154–55, 159, 161, 169–76, 177–83, 223
Sioux Indians, 101, 106, 119, 122, 123
smallpox, 217–18, 227, 273, 291
Snake River country, 239, 285–86, 287, 308.
See also
Clearwater fur post
Sowle, Cornelius, 237, 257, 270, 274, 275, 276, 292. See also
Beaver
(Astor ship)
Spokane River fur post, 254, 255–56, 266, 271
St. Louis: Hunt in, 50–51, 97, 101, 107, 114; recruitment for Overland Party in, 50–51, 97, 101, 107; and Return Overland Party, 245; and route of Overland Party, 42, 43
stress/depression, 26, 242, 243–45, 247–48, 262–64, 289–91, 292
Stuart, David: at Astoria, 238; Astor’s concerns about loyalty of, 254; citizenship of, 253; and decision to abandon Astoria, 265–66, 269, 271; and establishment of Astoria fur posts, 193, 196, 198, 218–19, 220, 228, 232–33, 239; at Falkland Islands, 53, 55; as partner in Astoria expedition, 24, 32; return to Astoria of, 233; and siting of Astoria, 188, 189; and Thompson at Astoria, 193; and Tongue Point flotilla, 245; and
Tonquin
attempts to cross Columbia Bar, 81–82; as
Tonquin
passenger, 29, 32
Stuart, Robert: at Astoria, 219, 233, 238; Astor’s concerns about loyalty of, 254; Clarke’s meeting with, 267; and Clarke’s silver goblet incident, 267–69; Crooks and Day meeting with, 233, 235, 236; Day’s behavior and, 245, 246, 247, 248; death of, 306; and decision to abandon Astoria, 268; and Falkland Islands incident, 55, 57; and Indian plundering of goods, 231; paranoia of, 198; as partner in Astoria expedition, 24; personal and professional background of, 306; personality and character of, 306; post-Astoria life of, 293, 306; reputation of, 306; and resupplying of Okanagan fur post, 228, 229, 230, 232; return to Astoria of, 268; and Return Overland Party, 245–49, 297, 304, 307; and Thompson at Astoria, 193; and Tongue Point flotilla, 245; views about wealth of, 304; Willamette explorations of, 220, 238
Teton Mountains, 131–32, 135
Thompson, David, 98, 193–94, 195, 196, 232
Thompson River fur post, 255
Thorn, Jonathan: at Astoria/Baker’s Bay, 189, 190, 191, 192; Astoria departure of, 191–92; and Astor’s instructions about Indian negotiations, 208, 290; Astor’s letters to and from, 57, 64; Astor’s relationship with, 25, 28, 32–33, 77; and Astor’s vision of global empire, 76; and Aymes incident, 65; blame for failure of Astoria expedition and, 288–89, 290; and British-U.S. relations, 76–77; and Coastal Indian trading, 191, 201–4, 206, 207, 290; death of, 211, 213, 216, 239; at Falkland Islands, 38–39, 53–55, 57; and Fox whaleboat loss, 80; Fox’s relationship with, 76, 80; in Hawaii, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64–65, 76–77; ignorance about Indians of, 208, 209, 288, 290; and leadership of Astoria expedition, 24, 201; McDougall’s relationship with, 187, 190; and McKay’s death, 214; Mumford’s relationship with, 192; mystery ship and, 30–31; personality and character of, 24–25, 29, 31–32, 35, 62, 76, 77, 79, 80, 133, 201, 213, 225, 275, 290, 292; professional background of, 24–25; and recruitment of Hawaiians, 58, 64–65; recruitment as
Tonquin
captain of, 24, 290; and relationships aboard the
Tonquin,
27–33, 35, 56–58, 76–77, 80, 270, 290; reputation of, 106; responsibilities of, 58; and siting of Astoria, 187, 189; and storm at sea, 37; and
Tonquin
crossing Columbia Bar, 68–69, 76–77, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 88, 89, 90; and
Tonquin
-Vancouver Island events, 202–4, 206, 207, 208–13, 214, 306
Three Forks incident, 110–11, 135, 225
tin box, Reed’s, 228, 230, 231
Tongue Point, 84, 189, 193, 217, 222, 223; flotilla from, 245–49
Tonquin
(ship): artifacts from, 302, 306; Astor learns about loss of, 239–41, 259; Astoria departure of, 191–92, 196–97; Astorians’ concerns about, 199, 217, 218, 220, 223, 261; and Astor’s vision of global empire, 76, 163, 254; at Baker’s Bay, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191–92; banning of Indians on, 190; at Columbia River entrance, 5, 67–69, 76–77, 79–90, 187; crew of, 27–28, 30–31, 36–37, 192; deaths on, 187, 192, 215–16, 239–40, 287; and decision to abandon Astoria, 270; description of, 30–31; desertions from, 61–62; early days of voyage of, 27–35; at Falkland Islands, 1, 38–39, 53–55; food and water rations on, 37–38, 39, 62, 63–64; in Hawaii, 55–65; influence on
Forester
crew of, 289; loss of, 215–16, 239–40, 244, 254, 262, 266, 288, 302, 306; mission of, 20; mystery ship as following, 30–31; passengers aboard the, 23, 24–33, 253, 290; relationships aboard the, 27–34, 35, 56–58, 76–77, 80, 290; storm impact on, 35–38; stranding of passengers by, 39, 53–55; Thorn recruited as captain of, 24, 290; and Vancouver Indians, 191, 201–16, 239–41, 302; and voyageurs arrival in New York City, 19.
See also
Thorn, Jonathan
torture, 272
Vancouver, George, 75, 97, 188
Vancouver Island:
Tonquin
and, 191, 201–16, 239–41, 302
voyageurs, French-Canadian: appearance/clothing of, 18, 48–49; Arikara sexual barter system and, 124; at Astoria, 221, 222, 223, 227, 242; and Astorians return to the East, 285; on
Beaver,
238; citizenship of, 253; Clearwater post departure of, 257; contracts for, 47–48; and establishment of Astoria fur posts, 193, 219; at Falkland Islands, 38; fur traders and, 34, 45, 46–47; with MacKenzie (Donald) party, 222; McKay as leader of, 19; as missing, 223; New York City arrival of, 17–19, 21–22; with Overland Party, 42–49, 101, 106, 108–10, 112, 115, 118, 124–27, 131–33, 136, 139, 140, 144–48, 171–73, 177–78; quitting of, 242; and recovery of Caldron Linn cache, 228–29; recruitment of, 19, 23, 42–43, 47–49, 101, 139, 269; with Return Overland Party, 304; ritual leave-taking of, 42–43; at Shoshone village, 223; Thorn and, 32–33, 56–58, 76, 80; and Tongue Point flotilla, 245, 246, 249; on
Tonquin,
24, 27–29, 32–33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 42, 56–58, 76, 80, 253; and
Tonquin
crossing Columbia Bar, 89–90.
See also
specific person
Walla Walla Indians, 249, 267, 272, 286
War of 1812, 252–53, 255–59, 261, 262, 264–65, 269, 270, 271, 276, 289, 294, 298
wealth: of Astor, 15, 301, 304; of Indians, 203–4; Stuart’s (Robert) views about, 304
Weeks, Stephen, 82, 85, 87, 88–89, 211, 212, 214–15, 216
western movement, 299–300
Wickaninnish (Clayquot Chief), 204
n,
214, 306
Willamette Valley, 219, 220, 227, 238, 239, 254, 299–300
Wind River Range: Overland Party and, 131, 132
Wishram Indians, 229–30, 235
Yeck-a-tap-am (Indian Chief), 234, 236
Yellowstone hot spot, 156, 160, 297
PETER STARK
is the author of
The Last Empty Spaces: A Past and Present Journey Through the Blank Spots on the American Map; Last Breath: The Limits of Adventure; At the Mercy of the River: An Exploration of the Last African Wilderness;
and the essay collection
Driving to Greenland: Arctic Travel, Northern Sport, and Other Ventures in the Heart of Winter.
He also edited the anthology
Ring of Ice: True Tales of Adventure, Exploration, and Arctic Life.
A correspondent for
Outside
, he has written for
Smithsonian
and
The New Yorker
, among other publications, and has been nominated for a National Magazine Award. He lives in Montana.
www.peterstarkauthor.com
Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
Cover photograph © by Jonathan Ley
Maps designed by Kevin McCann, Cartographics, LLC
Title page photograph by Nejron Photo/Shutterstock, Inc.
ASTORIA
. Copyright © 2014 by Peter Stark. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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*
Coming along met on my way
Three cavaliers in fine array
*
Franchère tells of meeting an old blind man living among Indians along the lower Columbia who claimed to be the son of a Spanish sailor long since shipwrecked at the mouth of the Columbia with three other survivors. The four Spaniards married native women but eventually struck southward in an attempt to rejoin their countrymen, presumably in California. Franchère,
Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of America,
pp. 112–13.
*
Two of the nations in the burgeoning Northwest Coast fur trade, Spain and Britain, both attempted to colonize the region, quite coincidentally, in early 1789. Landing first at Nootka Sound by two months, the Spaniards seized several of the British vessels that soon arrived, placing the first emissary of King George III and his crew under arrest and holding them in Mexico. This seemingly minor incident brought to the brink of war the two greatest empires in the world at the time. Realizing the gravity of the situation, they quickly convened diplomatic negotiations to avoid violence. In October 1790, both nations signed the Nootka Sound Convention, by which the Spanish would pay reparations for the seized ships and trade goods, and both agreed to what amounted to a free-trade agreement for the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Each facing crises at home due to the French Revolution, by 1795 both nations had abandoned Nootka Sound as a settlement.
*
The thicker subcutaneous fat layer of females also gives an insulating advantage in cold-water immersion. In terms of body type, a tall, thin male, such as a skinny Yankee sailor, is at a disadvantage.
*
The word
riddle
, among its other meanings, once described a board with pins projecting out of it that was used to straighten bent pieces of wire, as defined in the
Oxford English Dictionary
. Colter no doubt was comparing Potts’s arrow-pierced body to this pin-studded board.
*
This estimate is based on a North American Plains bison population before the arrival of Europeans of about 30 million animals, with an average carcass weight (the slaughtered animal without hide, head, or innards) of about five hundred pounds.
*
Meriwether Lewis also suffered from malarial fever during his expedition, and at other times in his life. It was then referred to as the “ague.”
*
This was a remarkable—and accurate—piece of geographic knowledge that the Shoshone hunters gave to the Hunt Party. Hunt’s “Spanish River” was in fact what we today know as the Green River, a main branch of the Colorado. It flows all the way from northwestern Wyoming and, after joining the Colorado and coursing through the Grand Canyon, enters the Gulf of California near what then were Spanish missions in Sonora, Mexico, and Baja California. The Shoshone hunters a thousand miles to the north knew this geography and knew of the far-off settlements, in 1811, even though many of them had never seen a white man.
*
In 1938, a local rancher panning for gold in the Snake River in a dry year found a corroded deposit of muskets, traps, and other equipment in the riverbed. It was near a rock that matched the description and location of the one that split open Crooks’s canoe. These artifacts were later identified as being of the proper vintage to likely be its spilled cargo. From bulletin, “Idaho State Historical Society, Reference Series, Site of Ramsay Crooks 1811 Canoe Disaster, Number 1011, May 1993.”
*
Early arctic explorers recorded individual Inuit hunters consuming fifteen pounds and more of meat in a twenty-four-hour period when they returned to their igloos after a successful hunt.
*
It is a historical coincidence that here, in New York City, during the Christmas of only two years earlier, the jolly, portly, gift-giving character we now know as “Santa Claus” was fleshed out, if not quite fully invented, as a Christmas character by none other than Washington Irving, then a young New York lawyer starting a writing career with publication of his comic, mock-history
Knickerbocker’s History of New York
(1809).
*
This Shoshone encampment where Marie Dorion went into labor was located near today’s North Powder, Oregon, in the Baker Valley.
*
The longhouse of Chief Wickaninnish of the Clayoquot could seat eight hundred people and was decorated with “festoons of human skulls, arranged with some attention to uniformity,” as reported by one of the first fur-trading captains on the Northwest Coast, John Meares, in 1789.
*
The native settlements at the Narrows lost this distinction, and in fact their existence, after federal agencies built The Dalles dam for hydroelectric power and irrigation, which in 1957 flooded the ancient salmon-netting site of Celilo Falls and inundated the villages. In Ken Kesey’s novel
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
, the fictional inmate Chief Bromden is the son of the chief who “lost” Celilo Falls to the dam.
*
Meriwether Lewis himself may have been one of PTSD’s victims. He had also traversed hostile Indian territory for months on end. He was almost surely a victim of depression. He fatally shot himself in the head and chest in the fall of 1809 at Grinder’s Tavern in Tennessee, three years after the triumphant return of his expedition.
*
Franchère lists the dead in this massacre as John Reed, Jacob Reznor, Pierre Dorion, John Hubbough, Gilles Leclerc, François Landry, and André la Chapelle.
